Gluten-Free Grammie

Pics continued...

2008-05-20T17:23:00.000-07:00

We're training Myles at a young age! Doesn't matter- he tells everyone Nature's Grocer is his store, so we figure he might as well learn to keep it clean!

Here we go again- sideways pics. Scout on the outside looking in.
And finally, our Sammy dog. We were heartbroken last week to learn that he has bone cancer in his rear leg. He's doing alright for now- and seems comfortable- he's a classic.... Think good thoughts for him, please.

So- I will keep you posted about our articles and the store as we grow and learn about a whole new world!

It's been a long, long time....

2008-05-20T17:16:00.000-07:00

I don't know why these pictures are sideways- can't figure it out and I'm too tired to keep reposting! Anyways- at least I am posting- I haven't been very conscientious! I wanted to show the kiddos - aren't they cute???????????

Benji- what a beautiful smile- even if he is sideways!
Teagan posing at the store!

We've been busy- meeting lots of new people- ordering many new products and really loving our new venture. Soon- there will be an article about us in The Hartford Courant and we were interviewed by beth Hillson- the GF guru- on an article she is doing for Connecticut Magazine!

More pics on post # 2.

signs, signs, everywhere signs....

2008-04-05T05:33:00.000-07:00

We finally have our sign! Thanks to David and Judy for their detective help- and to Bry-man for putting this together to get ready for the sign guys. And to Ali- for the logo- we think it looks great!

Here's our new coffee (and Tea) sign- made with coffee beans- I love it! And, on the other side- what greets our customers when they sit down for a cup of coffee or tea and a bite to eat.

And finally the kiddos- after all they're really the ones who are in charge of this operation! They have taken over our office and get really miffed when we need to come in and actually use the desk to do some work. They're cute though...

On another note- today is Chels' b-day- wishing her a great day and missing her once again... Kisses and hugs to the other end of the country!

We are almost at a month since we opened and things continue to go well. We are busy- working lots of hours, tired, but happy- this is a good tired, watching all this come together- good stuff!

A Touch of Class

2008-03-21T05:37:00.001-07:00

We now have our hanging gallery at the store. The Tolland County Arts Association will be rotating pictures of different artists each month. Pictured here are the works of our dear friend Sandie Benjamin. There have been numerous compliments! We also have baby quilts and cards by Alison Critton (our incredibly talented daughter!) - you can see those on the table in the first picture.

It has been a fantastic first week in business. Many thanks to the community and surrounding towns- what a warm welcome we have received! It is not at all uncommon for people to be cheering and giving us the thumbs up as they enter the store. Over and over again we hear-"Thank you- this was sooooo needed!" (We know- we got tired of driving to West Hartford too!)

We love it when people come in and sit in the cafe area to relax and chat and munch on goodies. We feel a real start to a little community at Nature's Grocer and it is our hope that this continues to grow! Oh- and our younger daughter, Chelsea, who has been our inspiration for the Seattle products in the store will be in next week- please stop by and say hello!

Lunches start this week! (MENU)

2008-03-16T16:02:00.001-07:00

Hi all- I don't yet know how to put this on the store website, so I'm posting the menu on the blog for now. For Monday, March 17th we have the following offerings:

Quinoa cakes with mango chutney (GF)

Hummus wraps (wraps are NOT GF yet)

Chicken salad with cranberries- wraps or lettuce wraps (GF)

Cranberry almond scones (GF)

Lemon squares (GF)

Katherine Hepburn brownies (there's cinnamon in them!) (GF)

Baguettes (GF)

We have had a wonderful welcoming from the community so far. Thanks to all who have come, shopped and shared their stories. We are so happy to be here!

Nature's Grocer is open!

2008-03-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

We're about to start the day. We decided last night it was time to open- too many people have been stopping by asking if we were open YET.... so we figured let's just do it!

Here's the cork board that Ali made- from all the donated corks- that's a lot of wine guys!!! It is set upon a decoupaged grocery bag with flowers- really a work of art!

Teagan welcoming our first customers!

We had a GREAT day! Thanks to all of you who came- what a wonderful show of support. It was so much fun being at the store, meeting people and helping them to find different items. Bob's scones flew out the door as well as the baguettes. Lunches will be coming soon....
We are pretty tired after day 1, but it's a happy tiredness. We loved having family and kiddos around to visit and take part in this venture. Ali was great- a true natural. We are so happy to be able to bring this kind of business to the area- we really appreciate all the welcomes we received today! Thanks! Thanks! Thanks!

More pics- stocking the shelves

2008-03-06T06:12:00.001-08:00

Judy and Teagan- working away!

Bob's arm was killing him breaking up boxes. We filled two dumpsters!

Maxine and Teagan- amazing how T gets into all these pictures!

Lunch break!

Ali got to do the chocolate shelf- lucky!

So for now all the dry goods are in. This weekend the refridgerated and frozen foods arrive. We're getting there! Please stop by- any time!

Stocking the shelves

2008-03-06T05:55:00.000-08:00

This is the first shelf I finished- chips, chips and more chips! My only problem was that after I finished I realized that I eat just about eberything on these shelves- not good...

Lunch break during work. UNFI reps- Tony and Pete- shelf wizards, Bob, Maxine and Judy.

Teagan in our office- she thinks she's working hard!

I never really thought about it- but there is a real art to stocking shelves- where to put things and how to display them. And the biggest surprise- this was really alot of fun! Thanks to all who helped and it was great having Judy here especially! More pics to follow...

another restaurant tip!

2008-02-25T05:30:00.000-08:00

We went to Burton's Grill at Evergreen walk in South Windsor, CT last night for dinner and it was great! They have a separate GF menu which is endorsed by GIG. Burton's is a chain- but definetely more upscale food. I am so glad to see more places offering a GF menu- yeah!!!!!!!!!

Part 2 - continued pictures

2008-02-21T16:46:00.001-08:00

( These are for you Chels- make sure you read the next post as well- more pics to view.)
Here's part of the kitchen- I just realized that the most important parts- the stoves are not in this view- sorry!

The kidlets and their friends- deciding to build their own store!

Finally! Here's Bry-man- who has been invaluable building our checkout counter, cafe area and all the trim and odds and ends. I keep wanting to get a picture of him for the blog, but keep missing him or don't have my camera at the right time- you know how it goes.

Pretty soon, we'll be open for business! What an adventure!

More pics of Nature's Grocer!

2008-02-21T16:28:00.001-08:00

The first batch of cookies to be made from the store kitchen. We're not sure what to call these- they have dried cranberries, blueberries, chocolate chips, almonds and molasses- almost like a morning glory muffin, but not quite. Any suggestions out there for a name????

This is our cafe area- at this time our makeshift office.

The freezers and refridgerators- all lined up and ready to go!

Today all the floors were washed and waxed and all the shelves dusted, vaccumed and cleaned. We 're ready now to start setting up furniture and extras. Orders (like cups etc...) are starting to come in as well. A steady stream of people keep stopping by- asking when we are due to open. We're thinking March 10th. I'll keep up with the pictures as things fall into place!

It's starting to look like a store!

2008-02-10T11:05:00.001-08:00

David came to help! It was great having him here for the weekend, although we did miss Judy.

The two Daves (one our good neighbor) and Bob putting the shelving together.

Here's a better look at the shelving- as well as the check out area that Bryan is building.

And the mural continues as well. Ali and Sandie are doing an awesome job!

So that's where we are for now. The store is really beginning to come together. Of course we still have alot of work ahead of us- namely stocking these shelves and learning the register and computer system. Thanks to all who are helping to put this together!!!!

Benji's gluten free cake and other goodies

2008-02-03T14:10:00.000-08:00

Benji's Gluten free birthday cake!

Blueberry and cranberry scones- these will be a regular item at Nature's Grocer.

Happy b-day Benji!
Here's the GF birthday cake- I'll explain how we went about this creation!

A new recipe- chocolate chip walnut blondies.

Benji's liking this present thing!

Today Benji is a year old! We had a small family brunch to celebrate his becoming a whole number as his aunt Maxine calls it! Anyways with Ali trying a GF diet, what a good excuse to try to make a GF cake! And it was great! Bob made a marbled cake with a mocha frosting- delicious! We also had GF scones- blueberry and cranberry as well as chocolate chip walnut blondies. (pics are above)

Making a GF cake is really easy. I'll admit- we cheated a bit- we didn't make this one from scratch. We bought two boxes of GF cake mix- one chocolate, one vanilla, then swirled the two together in two cake pans. The frosting was Mocha buttercream. Here's the recipe:

Mocha Buttercream Frosting

6 tablespoons unsalted butter- room temp.

6 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

1/3 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa

5-6 tablespoons decaf coffee (or you could use GF coffee flavoring)

1 teaspoon GF vanilla extract

Directions: In an electric mixer beat butter until soft. Add two cups sifted sugar and beat until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and blades and then add the remaining four cups of sugar, cocoa, coffee, and vanilla and beat until smooth. If necessary,add a little more sugar or coffee to get the right consistency for spreading the frosting. Fill the cake layers and then spread over outside of the cake.

That's it! Of course you can always adapt a favorite cake recipe using GF flour mix instead of buying a ready made mix. The frosting is not too sweet and is nice and light.

So we'll call this Benji's cake- since he was our inspiration!

The painting coninues...

2008-02-01T16:40:00.000-08:00

It is truly fascinating to watch two artists work and collaborate- different styles and ways of doing things and yet it all seems to mesh. This wall is where our little cafe part of the store will be- seating for 8. Ali and Sandie have been adding to this mural all week long- so it is still very much a work in progress. Click on the pics if you want to see details up close- it's pretty impressive! Work continues to move along with all sorts of people coming and going as the store takes shape. We are still aiming for the end of February to open- so keep your fingers crossed! In the meantime the response from passersby and emails to the website have been great! Thanks and please keep it coming- we're getting really excited. Once the equipment is organized, I'll post some more pics... until then Bob and I can still say we're in semi- retirement, I guess!

The Making of the Murals

2008-01-27T07:19:00.000-08:00

The mural painting has begun and Alison and Sandie are doing an awesome job! I love the look and I think it will be very inviting for our future customers. We have given them "carte blanche" to do as they please- so this is what they have created so far.

Sandie is here working in the cafe area, painting trees. At this point Bob asked her to include rocks as those of us who live here are so aware of all the rocks in our landscapes.

Alison and Sandie came up with a list of words for the mural and then pared them down to what they chose to put on the wall. The pharmacist next door came in to check on the progress and immediately remarked: "What the hell is this- the sixties???" (Interesting, as Bob and I always said that Alison should have been born into that era.)

So that's what it looks like so far. Tomorrow there will be a wave of chaos as the kitchen equipment, freezers and refridgerators are delivered and installed. The shelving has also started to go up- but will need to be delayed a bit as the other work is completed. And the murals will continue as well. I'll post more pics as the week goes on.

More pics

2008-01-20T17:57:00.001-08:00

Here are the finished walls ! (This is especially for Chels and Matt to see!)

Artists in Residence and a whole lotta painting going on!

2008-01-20T10:01:00.000-08:00

Karen and Jim joined in the painting this weekend. Karen had already been priming with me during the week- thanks guys!

Benji trying to get to Jim to check out the paint job in the bathroom.

Myles, in his job as mini-foreman, checking out mine and Karen's work.

Alison and my good neighbor, Sandie, checking out the colors and deciding where each will go. Teagan put her two cents in as well!

It's been a busy week! We started with our resident artists picking out our colors and deciding how it would all play out at the store. Bob had to grin and bear it- no- we weren't going to paint all the walls some shade of white! Our colors are amber, eggplant, a brick-like red, green and yellow. And so far the store looks great. After we are done with the walls, Ali and Sandie will move in and do their murals- should be sometime next week. Meantime we have had people stopping in, wishing us luck and wondering when we will be opening. At one point we had a line of cars facing the store and people sitting in them watching us paint. Guess it was a slow day for some... Our website is now up and running- http://www.naturesgrocervernon.com/ -check it out! I will post some more pics later of the finished walls.

Taking a break while the work continues-GF travel

2008-01-13T18:07:00.000-08:00

We decided that now was a good time to get away- since there really wasn't much that we could do except to continue to watch and wait. So we went to where the sun shines- Turks and Caicos. I have always loved the Caribbean , but this was my first time going to an island on a GF diet. The grocery store proved that apart from outrageous prices- there was absolutely no trace of GF anything. I had brought food and snacks with me and dinners we planned to eat out. I had to ask the usual questions regarding ingredients and found that the simpler the better as far as eating safely. It was a great excuse to order grilled lobster on more than one occassion in an effort to avoid dishes that were not GF or had cream in them.

Anyways we took our little general contractor to check on the store today and he seemed to be pleased with the progress.

Here is Myles checking out the sheet rock throughout the store.

Teagan came along as well, because we were going shopping afterwards and shopping is quickly becoming her favorite activity. Check out the headband- how cute is this child????

On the islands we found the real deal- a place called Da Conch Shack. Truly a place for the locals with a real community feel - can Nature's Grocer become a local stop too? I hope so!

Here's the beach at Grace Bay- 12 miles of beautiful white sand.

Cabinets soon to be installed.....

So we're back, we're tanned and ready to go. With a little luck we may be painting this weekend. And with a snow storm coming tomorrow, we'll just remember the sun, sand, and get geared up for the work to come.

We have walls! (and snack recipe to follow...)

2007-12-25T13:05:00.000-08:00

We have walls- finally! Myles continues to oversee this operation and make sure that things are going along as they should. The space is starting to be defined and the ceilings should be up next.

On another anote, I made these roasted spiced pecans- great snack for those of you who can tolerate nuts. Here it is!

Roasted Spiced Pecans

2 1/2 cups pecans

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 cup sugar (I used organic cane sugar)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

3/4 teaspoons coarse salt (I used sea salt)

1 teaspoon GF vanilla extract

1/4 cup water

Put the pecans on a baking pan and pour the oil over them and stir together until all the pecans are coated. Bake in the oven at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Keep stirring and checking to make sure that they don't get too dark. Remove from oven and cool.

Next, stir together sugar, cinnamon, salt and water over medium heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Using a candy thermometer boil to 236 degrees and then remove from heat and beat in vanilla. The mixture will be creamy. Add pecans and stir mixture. Turn mixture onto waxed paper and spread pecans out using a fork to separate the nuts. Cool and enjoy!

We have been munching on these and they are great for the sweet tooth- always my downfall!

Happy Holidays to all!

Back on track

2007-12-13T12:47:00.000-08:00

This is our new logo- thanks to Alison. Some very special people actually have this on a t-shirt.

Benji has made it clear that he wants his food to be like ours- so he took charge- since the rest of us didn't move quick enough and picked out his own pancake!

GF potato pancakes!

Here's big Jim Decker taking some pointers from Myles

on the store plans. Maybe we should make him the head of this building project?????????

I haven't reported in awhile as not much has been happening with the store renovation. But... the sub floor is now in with promises that the work will continue. I hope so. I have been watching a house being built down the road and although it was started recently, (a few months ago) I'm willing to bet that the occupants will be in before we are! I hope I'm wrong. Meantime, we continue to work on the ordering and recipes.

We had a gluten free Hanukah- delicious potato pancakes and sweet potato pancakes using white rice flour. We also had a Sunday brunch and made blueberry scones- gluten free- they were delicious. Family members ate and we didn't tell them until after that they were gluten free. My mother snagged some scones to take home- supposedly for her breakfast the next day, but they didn't last that long. And Bryan, my son-in-law- who if you tell him something is gluten free- will push it away and eat ANYTHING else- actually scarfed down gf waffles and later on at Hanukah chowed down on the potato pancakes. So we are making converts- one at a time!

Let's hope progress continues...

Restaurant Tip!

2007-11-08T09:33:00.000-08:00

Last night we stopped at Carrabba's restaurant in Manchester based on a list established by GIG (gluten intolerance group). For those folks who are able to eat anything- there are lots and lots of choices and there is a separate menu that is gluten free. We enjoyed it- nothing gourmet, but a good place to stop for a quick meal- especially when you have a young guest- we had Myles with us. I am usually very apprehensive and will only eat at a few select places- but I am glad that I gave it a try. Clearly, they understood the gluten free options and I did not get sick from cross contamination as I have at so many other places. Anyways- good recommendation for those who need it!

Construction has begun!

2007-11-07T06:05:00.001-08:00

Finally! The workers arrived yesterday and started to frame the walls- yeah!!!! As you can see, Myles is very interested in this process- he's sure to be a good little helper. People have been stopping by, asking questions- wondering what exactly is "Nature's Grocer"? Now we're hoping that we may be able to do a little painting when the Thanksgiving crew arrives- hope some of you will be up for it!

Nauture's Grocer is coming soon....

2007-11-03T12:27:00.000-07:00

Here's the banner that we hung up at the store front weeks ago- and now we're waiting for the construction to begin. Meanwhile we are behind the scenes leaving flyer's and providing goodies to a preschool family night and to a "No Rules" art show down at Jennie's. Response has been very positive- people can't wait to have a natural foods store this side of the river. At this point, we are thinking we will open in mid- January. Meantime I am looking through catalogues, talking to vendors and searching out locals who have a good product to sell. So far we have on board South Main Soaps and honey from Tolland. That part of the store I would like to continue to grow. I also plan to keep this updated as progress moves along. "Till then....

It's been awhile.....

2007-08-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a long time... and my daughter Alison made me feel guilty the other day when she mentioned that I have become like the anti- blogger. I just didn't think I had a whole lot to say... yet. We are still working on the plans for our store, still negotiating the lease, still waiting to see if the name we have chosen can be used via a tradmark search- and it goes on and on! I can't wait to come on this site and simply say- we are on our way! On a very positive note, everyone I have talked to about this concept is really excited. We need this in our area- and apparently many others feel that way too. So- I will continue to update and hopefully sooner than later. In the meantime, please send good thoughts our way and who knows? I may have some news soon!

Peanut Sauce!

2007-06-26T13:57:00.000-07:00

We spent the weekend with great friends- in preparation for Kate Emma's shower. Saturday nite dinner I wanted to do a chicken satay- but peanut sauce is always a problem for me since I can't eat soy and it usually has soy sauce- which also contains wheat. Well- finally- I hit upon the right combo and everyone liked it. So- here it is:

Peanut Sauce- Spicy

1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy- use a good, natural brand)
1/4 cup organic chicken broth (vegetable broth could be used here as well)
3 Tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
1 1/2 tablespoons of brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons of minced ginger- or powdered ginger- 1 teaspoon
1-2 tablespoons organic tomato paste
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon red curry paste
1 shallot - peeled and chopped
water, to thin out as needed (or use more broth)

Mix all ingredients together and store in the fridge. You can make the sauce ahead of time and keep for up to 4 days.

I just might name this one for Kate Emma- it's that good!

Sunday morning pancakes!

2007-06-19T13:08:00.000-07:00

I love Sunday mornings- the New York Times and our local Sunday paper- just reading away and relaxing during breakfast. Normally I don't look at breakfast as the most relaxing meal- usually because my breakfast tends to be redundant- day after day. But... this time I had real, live pancakes- and they tasted like the real thing. Use good maple syrup and you truly will not know the difference. Here's the recipe:

Pancake Batter

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 egg or egg substitute or egg beaters

1/2 cup Stonyfield yogurt-low fat, plain

1/2 cup white rice flour

one shake of salt (I use sea salt)- just a bit

1 tablespoon canola oil (can use vegetable- but I use canola in all my recipes.)

Mix dry ingredients together in one bowl and in another bowl mix together wet ingredients. Combine the two and stir until there are no lumps. Cook on a griddle or skillet over medium heat- make them the size of about 1 1/2 tablespoons each. Cook on each side until they are slightly brown and they're done! They are light and fluffy- actually lighter than most pancakes I have eaten before GF. You can make extras, freeze them or they stay fresh for a day or two in the fridge.

On another note.... Retirement is finally here! While I feel relief, it also feels strange- a new transition- a new stage. We are still working on our business plans- but will definitely be including a GF and wheat free bakery within our store. I can't wait until the day when a celiac customer comes in and realized there are fresh baked goods that they can eat! That's really what all this is about and my wanting to help others not have to go through the difficulties that I did. More on all of this later- I will keep the site updated and now that I am retired- between careers- hoping to post on a more regular basis!

Freshly baked cookies!

2007-05-13T14:59:00.000-07:00

Finally, chocolate chip cookies that taste like the real thing! We've been having "cookie wars" here. One recipe was made with quinoa flour- those I didn't like and these were made with rice flour. As I've said before, my dream is to have as part of the store a small bakery with cookies, muffins, breads etc... I can't wait to start seeing people come in and be able to have a fresh cookie and eat it right there! What a treat! Here's the recipe- I think it's a winner!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups of GF flour or white rice flour

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 sticks unsalted butter (room temp)

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (Check which ones are gf- I use Nielsen- Massey)

2 large eggs

2 cups chocolate chips (dark chocolate- enjoy life chips work well for multiple allergies)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk together flour, salt and baking soda.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter at medium speed until smooth and then add sugars and beat until blended. Beat in vanilla, then add eggs, one at a time. Reduce the mixer to low speed and add in the dry ingredients- a bit at a time. Using a spatula, blend in chocolate chips.

Spoon the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the baking sheets- about 2 inches apart for each cookie. Bake for approximately 12 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown in the edges. they may be a little soft in the center. Allow the cookies to cool for a minute and then transfer them to cooling racks and let them cool at room temperature.

Enjoy!

On another note I tried a new product that I definitely feel is worth mentioning. You can order bagels- they are not baked- they come frozen and you bake them off. The website is: www.greatgfbakes.com . This is the first time that I can honestly say that this product tastes like a real bagel! They are chewy- just the right consistency. Now if I can find a form of yogurt cream cheese, I'd be all set! Being lactose intolerant is a bit of a drawback here, but the bagel was great toasted with butter. If anyone out there knows of a cream cheese (can't have soy either :( ) , please let me know.

On a final note, Happy Mother's Day to all!

When the man retires- head to cooking classes!

2007-05-07T17:33:00.000-07:00

When it was first suggested that I try a gluten free/wheat free diet, all I could remember was a previous doctor assuring me that I did not want to be diagnosed with celiac as that was clearly the most difficult diet to maintain. He painted a pretty dismal picture and let me know just how lucky I was that nothing came up with my test results. His advice was a diet of immodium as he chuckled me out of his office. Fast forward to two years later- and at this point I was in crisis. And then... the "dreaded" diet suggested by my GI specialist. I was desperate to try anything- if food was no longer to be a pastime in my life- then so be it. I felt badly for my hubby- whose passion is cooking, especially pizza. I'd learn to deal- but I didn't want to spoil his hobby either.

And... as it is always said- out of bad comes good. If not for celiac, I wouldn't be writing this blog, I wouldn't be about to retire my teaching career and I wouldn't be researching the opening of a health food store with a GF bakery. And yet- I am pursuing all of these things and more. And since one of us is now retired- the one with the culinary skills, the most likely past time for him is to take cooking classes. Just this past weekend he took a class in Vietnamese cooking. Tonight we had Lemongrass chicken and it was completely gluten free and delicious. So here's the recipe- you can substitute shrimp or veggies in place of the chicken. The smells that generate throughout the kitchen while this is cooking are fraagrant and wonderful!

Lemongrass Chicken

Canola oil- 2 Tbl.
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
6 cloves of garlic
3 inch pieces of ginger, peeled and finely minced
4 stalks of lemongrass (white inner portion only) sliced thinly into rings
2 Tbl. fish sauce
2 Tsp. sugar
1 1/2- 2 lbs. of chicken or shrimp or veggies -sliced thin
Cilantro leaves as needed

Heat wok over high heat until nearly smoking, add oil and swirl wok to coat sides.

Add onions, garlic, ginger and lemongrass and stir- fry about 30 seconds- 1 minute until fragrant- be careful not to burn them.

Add chicken and stir fry until done (about 6-7 minutes)

Garnish with cilnatro.

That's it! We ate this with rice noodles- can be served with rice as well. Just goes to prove- the GF diet with a little creativity can be delicious. I think back on that doctor now and instead of getting angry I just shake my head in amazement at how little he really knew!

GF in Seattle

2007-04-26T14:04:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Seattle was an eye-opener, to say the least! The last time we visited (2 years ago) I was still pretty new to this diet and still finding my way around which foods I could and couldn't eat. It was somewhat overwhelming. But this time it was different. Very different. I found that the waitstaff in the restaurants were very aware of what foods contained gluten and wheat and so my comfort level was established right from the start. We ate out every day- which is also something I am not used to- but the choice of places- especially Thai food- was never ending! Our first night out we ate at Coastal Kitchen. Here the waitress responded to my questions by showing me on the menu what most customers ordered who had a wheat and gluten diet. Wow! I am so used to expaining and questioning and asking the waitstaff to check with the kitchen and on and on. Not necessary here- and by the way the food was fresh and delicious. My highlight was the bakery at Pikes Place- Cinnamon Bakery?-I think. I had my FIRST experience in two years of being able to go to a bakery and eat a freshly baked cookie- Pumpkin and Peanut butter chocolate chip- yum! We went back twice to this spot- I had to get some treats to bring home. We visited other places, many markets and grocery stores- and there truely seemed to be a heightened sense and awareness of the gluten and wheat free crowd. It's starting to happen on the east coast- and we came back even more determined to be a part of this. We plan to have freshly baked goods so others can have the experience that I did! By the way, that picture is Chelsea with her favorite- mango tofu cheesecake. So- we're back- and we have lots of work to do and looking forward to it!

Seattle Bound....

2007-04-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

We're off to visit Chelsea and Matt. I hope to visit several GF establishments and learn as much as I can about what makes these places "tick", so to speak. In the meantime, I received a new magazine yesterday called:"Living Gluten-Free." It was interesting- articles about how colleges are adapting to gluten free diets. Also, I didn't know that Catalina salad dressing by Kraft is gluten free! That's good as I always liked that one. Another good magazine that I have ordered for a few years now is "Living Without"- very helpful.

Meantime, we will miss the little guys- but hopefully we'll speak to them alot while we are out there. We'll take lots of pictures and I promise to share whatever I learn by way of recipes and the like. Now if the weather will improve....that would be nice!

Oh.... heavenly pie!

2007-04-08T12:37:00.000-07:00

Passover has come and gone- but there has always been one dessert that I love- we call it heavenly pie. I first had this at my in-laws years ago and always loved it. Now I realize this is a great gluten free treat! The recipe is as follows:

1 1/2 cups of sugar
4 eggs separated
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
cool whip (it's non dairy for those of you, like me, who need lactose free)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon rind

Beat eggs whites stiff and gradually ass one cup of sugar and then cream of tartar. Fold in to the bottom of a greased pie pan and bake at 250 degrees for an hour and then cool. Once the "crust" is cooled, beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup of sugar and add lemon juice and lemon rind and cook in a double boiler until the mixture is thick. Let cool and then mix 1/2 of the lemon mixture with most of the cool whip and spread this mixture into the shell cover. Next, take the remaining cool whip and cover the top of the pie. Chill for 24 hours. Mmmmm- heavenly!

Bread....for me???

2007-04-08T12:01:00.000-07:00

Finally- bread that tastes good! Hubby made this for me- it's called "quick white rice flour flatbread" and it is yummy! (from "The Wheat- Free Cook" book). I tried toasting it and it's even better. Now we need to figure out a way to widen the loaf- we are going to try this in regular bread pans and hopefully we'll get a better shape for sandwiches. I have been getting soooooo tired of frozen breads that I have been buying- most little to no taste. This one however is a keeper! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we got teff!

2007-04-02T13:39:00.000-07:00

Chels wanted me to try a new food- I have a tendency to avoid straying too far, actually most of the time eating the same old, same old. So she decided to make brownies- using Teff flour and a new cook book that I just heard about from public radio. The recipe for these brownies that you see in the picture are from: " The Wheat-Free Cook " by Jacqueline Mallorca. At one point in time she was James Beard's editorial assistant. That was enough recommendation for me and so I went onto my trusty Amazon account and ordered it. The brownies are fudgy- keep well in the fridge and are yummy! But best of all- I tolerated them with no problem- so yeah! I am expanding my horizons! Thanks Chels!

a new treat

2007-04-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

Chelsea's visiting.....

Joining the Ranks....

2007-03-25T15:53:00.000-07:00

Taking a step out there into blogville as a Gluten-Free and soon to be retired Grandma to three little kiddos.

My husband and I are stepping into a new venture, creating Gluten-Free goodies for people to enjoy - some sweetness in this Gluten-Filled world....

I will be adding - updating and sharing our trials, tribulations and successes here for all who care to see....

signing off for now - the Gluten-Free Grammie