Super Saturday!

Swimming lessons, four loads of laundry, gluten free cupcakes, gift wrapping, a birthday party and some work from home equals one hectic Saturday.  Sunday's not looking much slower either. 

So for now, I'll finish watching the movie I was too exhausted to finish last night, perhaps read a few more pages of my book, and hit the hay before midnight. 

I hope you're making the most of your Saturday!  Menu plan goes up tomorrow!

Friday Five List: Rainy Day Edition

It's the first day of fall and the rain has been relentless all day.  I like the rain (when the temperatures are warm and it's not not the stinging, freezing kind), but as adults we sometimes lose the love many of us had for it as children.  When I picked up my son from daycare this afternoon, he reminded me how much fun the rain can be.  Here are my five ideas for enjoying the rain with kids!

1- Put on your rubber boots, throw on a raincoat and go jump in some puddles!  My son began jumping in a small puddle in on our driveway when I took him out of the car, and rather than try and quickly usher him into the house, I decided to join him.  My shoes are soaked, but my son's giggle fit when he saw me puddle jump was worth it.

2- Take some pictures.  Most children's cameras are waterproof, so get outside and take some pictures of raindrops on leaves, the clouds, puddles, or whatever else catches your eye.

3- As long as there's no risk of lightning, go for a walk.  No, I'm not crazy.  Rubber boots, raincoats and umbrellas offer plenty of protection against the rain, and kids love getting wet anyway.  A walk around the block, or a trek through a park or the woods allows kids to explore their world in a new way.


4- Bake up some gluten free goodies and watch the rain through the window.  My son loves to help me in the kitchen, and a rainy day is the perfect excuse to try out those recipes I otherwise never seem to find the time to try. 

5- Build a fort or pitch a tent.  Line the floor with blankets, pull out some books, or puzzles and games, and "camp out" in your living room.  Don't forget to bring along a snack.  Perhaps some of those baked goods that just came out of the oven?

Rainy days are good excuses to keep things low key, low tech and simple.  Bake some cookies, play some games and enjoy the sound of the rain on the roof.  Pretty soon, that rain will be snow.

Product Review: El Peto Italian Style Hamburger Buns

A few weeks ago we had homemade tuna burgers for dinner and tried out these hamburger buns.  I picked El Peto buns to try because I haven't tried too many El Peto products before and thought it would be nice to try something new, from a Canadian company.  I also liked that there are 8 buns in a package, while most other brands only contained 6 per pack, for a similar price.  Like many gluten free baked goods, they need to be kept frozen until needed for use.

The frozen bun doesn't look too appealing, but to be fair, neither do most frozen gluten free products.

Frozen hamburger bun

 

 

Although the buns can simply be thawed to eat, I liked them better toasted.  Toasting the buns gave them a nice crispy texture on the outside and a soft inside.  The texture is denser than a regular hamburger bun, but the taste was decent.  They held up well to the tuna burgers, without crumbling under the pressure of the burger and toppings.

I waited a while before writing this review for a few reasons.  The first reason is that I've never tried a gluten free hamburger bun before, so I don't have anything to compare it against.  The second reason is that I tested these with homemade tuna burgers rather than regular, commercially produced beef burgers, which are typically much larger than the little burgers I make at home. 

If you take a close look at the picture below, you'll see that the burger doesn't fill the whole diameter of the bun.  Still, I feel that the buns are a bit smaller than the average burger bun.  We still have four buns left, so the next plan is to put a bigger burger in there and see how it goes.

Overall, this is a good substitute for a regular hamburger bun.  It looks similar, if a touch smaller and much denser, but the flavour was pretty good.  My husband liked them better than I did, but I enjoyed them enough that I'm looking forward to trying them again with a burger I didn't have to make from scratch!

Wordless Wednesday

I couldn't resist a few more apple picking shots!  Now I have to get a move on the baking!

Daycare Update: Week Three

Well, unless anything substantial changes, this is the last daycare update I'll write for a while.  The truth is, my son has adjusted much better than expected to the new location.  He's even saying a few words in French at home.  Last night when we were talking about his day at the new centre, he said "I'm happy now Mommy", which both broke my heart and made me so thankful that we had gone through with the move despite all of our concerns about disrupting his routine.

When I pick him up from daycare now, he runs over to say hi, and then tries to just go back to what he was doing.  He also informs me frequently that  he's making "new friends", and then asks about them on weekends. 

As for the food, so far so good.  I've been asking about his meals- he's been eating hamburgers on gluten free buns, fish, gluten free pasta, chicken, corn, watermelon, peaches, and much, much more.  We still provide his snacks, but it's nice to know that his meals look like what the other children are eating every day. 

Crossing my fingers that the trend continues!

Apple Picking at Pine Farms Orchard

On Saturday I fulfilled one of my Fall Friday Five list items and took my son apple picking.  As soon as the sun came out on Saturday morning, we packed up our son and headed out to the orchard.  We decided to try Pine Farms Orchard, in King, Ontario, because it's close to home.  What's more, admission is free. 

The farm's general store and café

An employee greeted us at the entrance and asked if there was a specific type of apple we were looking to pick, and since I wanted Macintosh and Spy, he sent us to rows 72-76.  The farm has over 5 000 trees, and a dirt road winds around the rows.  We drove our car to the set of rows we were looking for, parked on the side, and walked up and down the rows, picking apples.  Each row is labeled with the apple variety.

What makes this particular farm an excellent choice for children (and short people like me) is that the trees are all dwarf varieties!  That means that they're only around six feet tall, so they don't require ladders for picking.  In fact, the fruit grows low enough that even my son could pick apples without anyone needing to pick him up to reach!

 

At first I was worried that the fruit wouldn't be the same size as that from regular trees, but nope, full size apples!

They looked so yummy and juicy, my son couldn't resist and ate two "baby" apples while my husband and I were still picking.

After filling two very large bags with apples and paying for them, we stopped by the small playground area and let my son expend some energy before enjoying a snack purchased from the gift shop.  The pies were obviously off limits, but the candy apples were gluten free and apparently, delicious!

He also found the time to make a new friend.

 

I would highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a spot to apple pick in the Greater Toronto Area, especially those with young children.  It doesn't have a bunch of bells and whistles, but it doesn't need them.  We spent about two hours there, and my son was happy and entertained the whole time, surrounded by nature.  

The café is also worth mentioning.  They sell homemade pies and pastries, as well as homemade soups and lunch plates.  The pastries and pies are not gluten free, but they looked delicious!  To be honest, my son was happily chomping down on his candy apple, so we didn't ask about GF options in the cafe.  My husband and I each enjoyed a take out soup (they served it in coffee cups for us to enjoy outside).  I had a butternut squash soup, and my husband enjoyed a Thai coconut curry soup.  Both were delicious! 

This will definitely become a yearly tradition!

Pine Farms Orchard
2700 16th Sideroad
King, Ontario L7B 1A3
(905) 833-5459

Gluten Free Weekly Menu Plan

Our neighbours have a zucchini plant that's grown over the fence into our yard, and I couldn't be more thrilled about it.  Why?  Because we get to keep the ones that grow on our side!  This week I picked two huge zucchinis, and there are at least 3 more growing.

I included a zucchini gratin recipe in this week's menu plan, and I plan on making another one to freeze.  I also hope to make some zucchini muffins some time this week or next weekend.  The rest I'll freeze.  I'll probably donate one from the next batch to a family member or friend, along with a recipe or two!

Here's what we're eating at my house this week.

Monday:  Tomato Soup & Sandwiches 

 Tuesday:  Gluten Free Pasta Shells with Tuna, Cherry Tomatoes, and Zucchini

Wednesday: Gluten Free Chicken Fingers and Mashed Potatoes  

Thursday: Warm Steak Salad with Zucchini Gratin  (I undercooked the gratin a little bit so that when I put it back in the oven to heat, the gluten free breadcrumbs will toast and the goat's cheese will melt).  The steak I'll cook Thursday.

Friday: Macaroni and Cheese (I used goat's milk and cheese, but this recipe could be made with dairy  substitutes.)   I took this photo after it had cooled, but when hot, the cheese is gooey and delicious!

Freaking out over a piece of furniture

We did go apple picking today, and I was planning to write about it tonight, but then we bought a piece of furniture. 

That we are putting together as I write. 

It was intended to serve as a TV bench/storage space for toys. 

It's beautiful. 

But it's huge.  And now I'm freaking out that maybe it's too huge.  It doesn't help that we have yet to remove our old TV stand, or the storage table that currently holds toys, or the side table with the lamp....  but still. 

When all is said and done I'll take a photo and you can be the judge.

But for now I need to get back to putting it together. 

Be sure to check back tomorrow for the weekly gluten free menu plan.  I'll get to the apple picking on Monday!

Friday Five List: Fall Activities

I'm looking forward to this fall, because I can't wait to introduce my son to all the great activities the season has to offer.  Last September was when my son's reactions to gluten started becoming serious, and he was sick and losing weight at an alarming rate, not to mention getting recurring sinus infections and alternating between lethargy and out of control temper tantrums. 

What a difference a year makes.  He's now healthy, strong and happy.

Perfect for the outdoorsy types of activities that fall weather is perfect for.  Here are 5 things I'm looking forward to experiencing with my son this year.

1- Apple Picking:  We're actually planning on going this weekend if it doesn't rain.  What better way to get kids involved in eating healthy food than letting them see where it comes from?  The last time we went, Etienne was just a baby.  This time he'll be able to pick his own!

2- Fall Fairs:  Some of my best childhood memories are from the fall fair that was held every September in the little town where I grew up.  I love everything about them- the history, the traditions, the homemade food and crafts.  I hope my son grows up with some good memories of his own.  Last year we took him to a few, but he was too sick to stay for long.

3- Exploring the Changing Leaves:  One of the best part of the changing seasons is that the landscape is constantly evolving.  A drive north to see the colours of the changing leaves, a walk through the trees and a picnic lunch makes for a wonderful Sunday afternoon.

4- Thanksgiving:  In Canada, Thanksgiving falls in early October.  Turkey season is almost upon us.  This year I'm going to attempt a gluten free stuffing from scratch.  I may even try a gluten free pumpkin pie! 
This year Etienne will be a part of the action!

Last year's Thanksgiving

 5- Halloween:  Looking forward to creating some simple Halloween crafts with my little one, and decorating the house with pumpkins and cobwebs!  I wonder what costume I'll find for him this year?

Last year- my little penguin!  Note the runny nose...

Late Night at Work = Quick and Easy Lunch. Oh, and it's Gluten Free Too!

Tonight I was at work late.  The school hosted an event for parents, and I was at work until 8:30pm.  Maybe it's because I'm tired, but as I'm thinking about packing my lunch for tomorrow, the leftovers in my fridge aren't calling my name.  I could go out for lunch, but I'd rather just bring something along from home that I know is fresh and healthy. 

So what's a girl to do? 

Cheat.

Enter Campbell's canned soup.

My son doesn't generally eat canned soup because a) they're rarely gluten free, and b) making soup is one of the simplest things to cook, so I usually make them myself.  However, I do generally keep a few cans on hand for days like this- when I'm too lazy to cook but too picky to eat what's already prepared in the fridge. 

When my son's gluten issues first came to light, I was overwhelmed at first.  I didn't even know that specialty gluten free brands of food existed, so I looked to the old standards to see what would be safe. 

Campbell's soup turned out to be a big help in the beginning.  Not every flavour is gluten free, but the ones that are list it right on the can, highlighted in red within a larger green box.  In fact, the Campbell's website states that they are a member of the Canadian Celiac Association.  To view their Gluten Free FAQs, click HERE.  Curious to see a product list?  Click HERE.  Be sure to check back regularly for their most updated list.

The can I have on hand is Tomato with Basil and Oregano. 

How is this going to help me make tomorrow's lunch? 

Easy.

I'm going to heat it in a pot, add in a few handfuls of leftover cooked rice, chop up some leftover chicken and throw in a cup of frozen veggies until heated through.  Quick, easy, and healthy.  A few gluten free crackers thrown in for good measure

I'm looking forward to lunch already!

Happy Eating!