I'm leaving on a trip with work over the next two weeks. I'll be posting as often as I can and trying to find great places to write about and some gluten free travel tips as I go. I've already packed some snacks for the airport, and my bag is packed. Tomorrow I'll pack my carry on and then hope that I don't leave anything important behind (crossing fingers!).
Some comfy clothes, a good book and some snacks packed in my carry-on, and I'll be ready for the many, many hours on a plane tomorrow. I'll try and get in a post before I leave, and then I'll post as I can along the way.
There will be no menu plan posted this weekend or next, but I'll be taking note of new meal ideas and delicious treats.
First stop: Paris!
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
February Cookbook Review: The Looney Spoons Collection
This month I decided on a cookbook that's not a dedicated gluten free book. It's important to be able to make meals from a variety of sources, and many dishes are naturally gluten free or can be adapted to be gluten free quite easily. I also picked this book because I own one of their previous books (from the 90's) and still use it on occasion. I was excited to see if the new book would be as good as the one I already owned.
The Looney Spoons cookbook is written by Greta and Janet Podleski, two sisters from Canada who create lower-fat and more nutritious versions of everyday dishes. Their signature style is to give their recipes crazy names and to throw in tons of nutritional tidbits and corny jokes along the way.
Many of the recipes in the menu plans for this month came from this cookbook, including the following dishes:
-Chicken Thighs in a Wild Mushroom Sauce
-Vegetable Fried Rice
-Pasta Primavera (I substituted gluten free pasta)
-Teriyaki Chicken
-Vegetable Gratin
-Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
-Moroccan Quinoa Salad and Falafel Patties
-Hearty Beef and Vegetable Stew
-Rice Salad (I substituted rice for the orzo pasta called for in the recipe)
Look and Feel of the Book: This cookbook is a large, softcover book, with clearly marked sections and easy to find recipes. Since it's a collection, it does include some recipes from their previous books, as well as some new recipes. It's a step up from the book I have because there are colour photographs of almost every recipe. I also really like that there are nutrition sidebars on almost every page.
The Recipes: The recipes are pretty standard, familiar dishes for a North American palate, with a few variations. Most dishes are ones that people have eaten before, but overhauled to have less fat and higher nutritional value than the original. Meatballs, burgers, lasagna, broccoli soup, fried chicken- all things that are pretty basic but well-loved. I tried to pick a variety of different types of dishes, including some that are maybe a bit out of the ordinary for some people, like the falafel or Moroccan quinoa salad.
Verdict: I expected good things from this cookbook and it did not disappoint. The range of choices from appetizers all the way to desserts could provide any family with delicious choices for months. The recipes are easy to follow and use simple ingredients that are easy to find. I had success with every recipe I tried, although I will admit to occasionally adding a bit more oil than a recipe called for, or adding a bit more grated cheese to the top. Overall, the flavours are good, the instructions are clear, and the photos provide a good picture of what the finished product will look like.
It's true that not all the recipes are gluten free, and there are a few that specifically call for whole wheat flour, for example, that I personally can't be bothered to modify and will probably skip altogether. However, there are so many recipes that are gluten free, or that can be easily modified, that I feel that this cookbook is still a good investment. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to eat healthier, but who doesn't want to give up all their favourite dishes to do it!
The Looney Spoons cookbook is written by Greta and Janet Podleski, two sisters from Canada who create lower-fat and more nutritious versions of everyday dishes. Their signature style is to give their recipes crazy names and to throw in tons of nutritional tidbits and corny jokes along the way.
Many of the recipes in the menu plans for this month came from this cookbook, including the following dishes:
-Vegetable Fried Rice
-Pasta Primavera (I substituted gluten free pasta)
-Teriyaki Chicken
-Vegetable Gratin
-Red Pepper and Tomato Soup
-Moroccan Quinoa Salad and Falafel Patties
-Hearty Beef and Vegetable Stew
-Rice Salad (I substituted rice for the orzo pasta called for in the recipe)
Look and Feel of the Book: This cookbook is a large, softcover book, with clearly marked sections and easy to find recipes. Since it's a collection, it does include some recipes from their previous books, as well as some new recipes. It's a step up from the book I have because there are colour photographs of almost every recipe. I also really like that there are nutrition sidebars on almost every page.
The Recipes: The recipes are pretty standard, familiar dishes for a North American palate, with a few variations. Most dishes are ones that people have eaten before, but overhauled to have less fat and higher nutritional value than the original. Meatballs, burgers, lasagna, broccoli soup, fried chicken- all things that are pretty basic but well-loved. I tried to pick a variety of different types of dishes, including some that are maybe a bit out of the ordinary for some people, like the falafel or Moroccan quinoa salad.
 |
| Mushroom Chicken & Stir Fried Vegetable Rice |
 |
| Teriyaki Chicken with Sesame Seeds |
 | ||
| Pasta Primavera |
Verdict: I expected good things from this cookbook and it did not disappoint. The range of choices from appetizers all the way to desserts could provide any family with delicious choices for months. The recipes are easy to follow and use simple ingredients that are easy to find. I had success with every recipe I tried, although I will admit to occasionally adding a bit more oil than a recipe called for, or adding a bit more grated cheese to the top. Overall, the flavours are good, the instructions are clear, and the photos provide a good picture of what the finished product will look like.
It's true that not all the recipes are gluten free, and there are a few that specifically call for whole wheat flour, for example, that I personally can't be bothered to modify and will probably skip altogether. However, there are so many recipes that are gluten free, or that can be easily modified, that I feel that this cookbook is still a good investment. I would recommend this book to anyone looking to eat healthier, but who doesn't want to give up all their favourite dishes to do it!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Gluten Free Weekly Menu Plan
Photos will be updated later tonight, but here's what we're eating this week at my house.
Monday: Brown Rice Pasta Primavera with Roasted Vegetables
Tuesday: Chicken Thighs in a Wild Mushroom Sauce with Stir Fried Vegetable Rice
Wednesday: Black Bean Soup & Roasted Corn and Pepper Quinoa Salad
Thursday: Chicken, Bean and Lime Salad
Friday: Leftovers!!! (I won't be home for dinner Friday, so my husband and son will eat whatever tickles their fancy!)
Monday: Brown Rice Pasta Primavera with Roasted Vegetables
Tuesday: Chicken Thighs in a Wild Mushroom Sauce with Stir Fried Vegetable Rice
Wednesday: Black Bean Soup & Roasted Corn and Pepper Quinoa Salad
Thursday: Chicken, Bean and Lime Salad
Friday: Leftovers!!! (I won't be home for dinner Friday, so my husband and son will eat whatever tickles their fancy!)
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Gluten Free Commercial
Although Gluten Free Rice Krispies have been on the shelves for a month or two in Canada already, I saw the first t.v. commercial for the product last night. I know it's just an ad, and maybe it's because there's a little boy in it, but I was really happy to see it.
I guess it's nostalgia, or the desire to share experiences from my childhood with him, but I'm excited to make some rice krispie squares with him soon! Maybe they'll even start producing gluten free prepackaged rice krispie squares that I can put in his little lunch box when he goes to school....
Ok, I'm getting ahead of myself. I guess the marketing people did their job!
I guess it's nostalgia, or the desire to share experiences from my childhood with him, but I'm excited to make some rice krispie squares with him soon! Maybe they'll even start producing gluten free prepackaged rice krispie squares that I can put in his little lunch box when he goes to school....
Ok, I'm getting ahead of myself. I guess the marketing people did their job!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Friday Five List
So, this week has been crazy-my mother-in-law was here, my mom went in for surgery, my son turned three, and I had a late work meeting that kept me there until after 8pm. Something had to give, and for the second time in two weeks, it was blogging. Which makes me pull out my hair, because keeping up this blog is one of the things I look forward to the most each day. But such is life I suppose, and like I have on other occasions, I will make up the lapse with two posts on one day. That might be tonight or it might be tomorrow, but it will come!
Back to the matter at hand though, here's today's 5 list.
1- Snowmaggedon turned into rain/slush/snow that melted away by the time I picked up my son from daycare.
2- I should stop making to-do lists. They're never ending.
3- Waiting for a phone call makes time virtually stop.
4- I'm currently addicted to a quinoa salad I buy from my local grocery store. I'm going to try to recreate it for my menu plan this week.
5- Maple syrup is flowing early this year. If any of the parks are open, we're going to bring our son this weekend. What kid doesn't like maple syrup???
Back to the matter at hand though, here's today's 5 list.
1- Snowmaggedon turned into rain/slush/snow that melted away by the time I picked up my son from daycare.
2- I should stop making to-do lists. They're never ending.
3- Waiting for a phone call makes time virtually stop.
4- I'm currently addicted to a quinoa salad I buy from my local grocery store. I'm going to try to recreate it for my menu plan this week.
5- Maple syrup is flowing early this year. If any of the parks are open, we're going to bring our son this weekend. What kid doesn't like maple syrup???
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Good Bye Abuelita!!!
Tomorrow morning my mother-in-law goes back to El Salvador, and I know a little boy who is going to miss her. My son and his abuelita are upstairs right now, chatting up a storm before he goes to bed. When he wakes up in the morning, she'll already be gone. The next time he'll see her will hopefully be in December for my brother-in-law's wedding.
This week has been fantastic for my son. He got his grandmother practically all to himself the whole time, and they spent hours playing cars and trains, singing songs and reading books. Every night she put him to bed and she fed him breakfast every morning. It will be quite the shock for him to return to the daycare tomorrow!
My mother-in-law also got her wish to see snow, and she experienced the true meaning of winter. I prefer the heat of El Salvador, but the cold was a treat for her.
We're going to miss her around here, but hopefully we'll see her again before the end of the year.
Have a safe flight Abuelita!
This week has been fantastic for my son. He got his grandmother practically all to himself the whole time, and they spent hours playing cars and trains, singing songs and reading books. Every night she put him to bed and she fed him breakfast every morning. It will be quite the shock for him to return to the daycare tomorrow!
My mother-in-law also got her wish to see snow, and she experienced the true meaning of winter. I prefer the heat of El Salvador, but the cold was a treat for her.
We're going to miss her around here, but hopefully we'll see her again before the end of the year.
Have a safe flight Abuelita!
 |
| Chillin' with Abuelita |
 |
| First time seeing snow! |
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Happy Mardi Gras!
Sometimes I feel like every week there's another holiday just begging me to overindulge! This year we didn't eat the traditional pancake dinner, but I am a little jealous of those around the world celebrating Carnival this week.
If you're not lucky enough to have a Mardi Gras party in your neck of the woods, throw on some music and have a little dance party of your own at home!
If you're not lucky enough to have a Mardi Gras party in your neck of the woods, throw on some music and have a little dance party of your own at home!
Monday, February 20, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Gluten Free Weekly Menu Plan
My mother-in-law is visiting from El Salvador for my son's birthday, and she made a dish to contribute to this week's menu plan. That's what we'll be eating Monday.
Monday: "Salon con Limon" (Roast with Lemon, Herbs, and Salt) & Vegetable Soup
Tuesday: Teriyaki Chicken with Vegetable Gratin
Wednesday: Out for dinner (It's my mother-in-law's last night here)
Thursday: Lasagna
Friday: Broccoli & Cheese Soup
Monday: "Salon con Limon" (Roast with Lemon, Herbs, and Salt) & Vegetable Soup
Tuesday: Teriyaki Chicken with Vegetable Gratin
Wednesday: Out for dinner (It's my mother-in-law's last night here)
Thursday: Lasagna
Friday: Broccoli & Cheese Soup
Birthday Party for a Gluten Free Three Year Old!
I was so tired last night after Etienne's birthday celebrations that I didn't write a blog post, so today there will be two posts- this one and the weekly menu plan.
We decided not to invite a bunch of kids this year because my son wasn't asking for a party, and was only excited about the prospect of cake when discussing any form of party. Instead, we opted to take him and his cousin to an indoor play place near our house for an hour or two of running around.
Later, we came back home for dinner. Roast chicken, quinoa salad, wild rice salad with apples and cranberries, bean salad, edamame and tomato salad, potato wedges, and Greek salad fill everyone up before the guests arrive for coffee and cake.
We ordered his birthday cake (gluten and dairy free) from Augusto 33 Bakery, the same place we ordered from last year. I picked up the cake earlier in the day, and it was beautiful!
The inside was chocolate, with a soft, vanilla icing, decorated with some trucks and cars we provided the baker. As you can see, it was yummy!
Normally, we open gifts before cake, but he was so excited for the cake that we reversed the order. He received some really cute toys- a mini golf game, some cars, a doctor's kit and a few sticker books. His favourite thing to do though was pop the balloons. Go figure!
We decided not to invite a bunch of kids this year because my son wasn't asking for a party, and was only excited about the prospect of cake when discussing any form of party. Instead, we opted to take him and his cousin to an indoor play place near our house for an hour or two of running around.
 | ||||
| On the swing together |
We ordered his birthday cake (gluten and dairy free) from Augusto 33 Bakery, the same place we ordered from last year. I picked up the cake earlier in the day, and it was beautiful!
The inside was chocolate, with a soft, vanilla icing, decorated with some trucks and cars we provided the baker. As you can see, it was yummy!
Normally, we open gifts before cake, but he was so excited for the cake that we reversed the order. He received some really cute toys- a mini golf game, some cars, a doctor's kit and a few sticker books. His favourite thing to do though was pop the balloons. Go figure!
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