A new product for those who like it hot.

The new tabasco sweet & spicy is so very good - as a marinade or a dip and it is GFCF. The ingredients are: Corn syrup, Red pepper, SugarDistilled, vinegar, Pear concentrate, Garlic, Water, Onion, TABASCO® Brand Pepper Sauce (distilled vinegar, red pepper, salt), Ginger, Salt, Xanthan, gum, Spice.

I cut some chicken breasts in thin strips and basted them with the Tabasco sauce and broiled them (would be good grilled too, but I'm out of gas for my grill). Then I made some wraps using these gluten free wraps and some chopped up organic lettuce. Yum Yum. I took them to work and shared them and there weren't any left.

I should mention that this is another product that I am testing free as a Bzz Agent. For more information on being a Bzz Agent: http://www.bzzagent.com/

GFCF Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

GFCF Peanut Butter Swirl Brownies

4 oz. unsweetened baking squares
11 tablespoons GFCF Margarine (I used Crystal Farms Dairy Free)
1 7/8 cups sugar (2 cups minus 2 tablespoons)
3 eggs
1 cup GF Flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill GF mix)
1 tablespoon Xanthan Gum
½ chopped nuts

1 tablespoon GFCF Margarine
2 tablespoons sugar
2/3 cup peanut butter

Melt chocolate and 11 tablespoons of margarine. Stir in sugar. Add Eggs and mix well. Add flour, Xanthan Gum and nuts; stir until well blended. Spread in a well-greased 13 x 9 pan that has been lined with parchment paper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Stir in sugar and peanut butter. Drop by spoonfuls into batter. Swirl with knife several times.

Bake at 350 degrees or until toothpick inserted n center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Cool in pan. Lift out of pan and cut into squares.

GFCF Blonde Brownies

GFCF Blonde Brownies
½ cup CF Margarine (I used Crystal Farms Dairy Free)
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups GF Flour Blend (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Xanthan Gum
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts, but have also used pecans in the past)

Melt margarine; remove from heat and stir in brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla; stir until well combined. Add dry ingredients and stir until combined. Add nuts. Spread in a greased 13x9x2 inch pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly and cut into bars. Makes 48

Flat Earth Baked Fruit Chips

These are awesome. They were handing out samples of these in Super Target today along with $1 off coupons. All of them appear to be gluten free as well as free of artificial flavors and preservatives. These were the only two flavors that I saw that were casien free as well. Nice to have another mainstream option - that tastes good as well.

Way to go General Mills

General Mills has been quietly reformulating many of their cereals. I just read the ingredients on each of these carefully and they all appear to now be gluten free. Now, most of them I would not personally buy because of the artificial colors and high fructose corn syrup - but for those of you who are just GF or GFCF, they should be fine. The Dora the Explorer I may buy for Andy. It is good to have some choices that are mainstream.

Since some of these reformulations are new - be sure and read the labels in the store before buying - some may still list malt flavoring and that is not GF.

And note that some of these (the lucky charms) have oats in them. Like some celiacs, we eat oats.

I bought the Dora the Explorer cereal today - it is a big hit - crunchy little stars that taste like cinnamon.

Don't think things always turn out perfect for me!

Andy and I attempted to make some 4 leaf clover cookies for St. Patrick's Day - at least we had fun making them!


They puffed up and ran together and you could not tell that they were supposed to be clovers.

We sprinkled them with green sugar and I had the bright idea to brush them with water first so the sugar would stick - make them look really icky.

The last bactch we just cut out as circles and sprinkled the sugar on dry - they turned out much better.

I don't think these cookies are going to get eaten up as fast as the peanut butter ones I made last weekend or the chocolate chip ones the weekend before. But it was fun making them and that counts for something - and Andy is turning into a better helper.

Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!

I'm going to get some initials behind my name

I just got accepted into graduate school - at my age! I'm going for my Masters in Holistic Health and Nutrition Education.

I am so excited. I think this goes right along with my love of organic gardening and natural foods. I can't help but think that I will learn a lot about the body/food connection which will be helpful to all of us still figuring out our kid's (and our own) multiple food issues.

My writing style and what I have to share may change as I progess in my school - and hopefully that will all be for the better.

I just ordered my books and can't wait to get started. Just the list of books sounds so great - Nourishing Traditions, The Staying Healthy Shopper's Guide, The Nutrient Dense Eating Plan, The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods and Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary.

Wish me luck everyone as I squeeze all of this studying into my already busy life!

GFCF Chocolate Chip Cookies

GFCF Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup Crisco
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
2 ¼ cups GF flour blend (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
2 cups gfcf chocolate chips

Beat Crisco, sugars and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour, soda, salt and xanthan gum. Stir until well combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees fro 9 to 11 minutes. Makes 5 dozen.