5 Months

Wow.  It's been 5 months.  That is a long time.  I am kind of awestruck.  Obviously 5 months gluten free/celiac would happen, just like 6 months, a year and 10 years will, but wow.  I didn't realize that I have been eating this way for so long.  I kind of don't notice it anymore, at least not at home.  My friends are getting better and better about remembering.  Often (at school) they would ask what I was eating, or if I could eat something.  Though, whenever something is spur of the moment, like someone brings a cake for a birthday, or someone says that they don't want their cookie, then they don't remember until after they've started eating the treat.  Thats fine.  When there is a big cake, I can tell, that unless someone says, "This is Gluten Free, it has no Wheat, Barley, Rye, Oats, or Additives," I won't be eating the cake.  Thats ok.  Because, honestly, a lot of the time, the gluten free stuff tastes really good.  Yes, it takes getting used to.  Yes, it's not the same as wheat.  But most importantly, I can eat it.  So what if it takes experimenting, doesn't all baking?  With that said, this is 5 months.  I am ready to start getting into shape.  Be the athletic person I was, no I am.  I need to be that typical, fit, healthy teenager, that my friends are.  That I was, and I know I can be.  I will be.  Just give me time.  That's all I need.

Enjoy your milestones,

xoxo

Lauren

Not so Great = Me.

Note: My Daring Bakers Challenge is posted below!

 

Ahh... I'm so glad that I finally got to post that Daring Baker's challenge.  You see, I made it for Father's Day, and right now, with school out and exams done, that feels like forever ago.  Now I just have to wait for the next challenge to be issued, my sore throat to go away, and um... my real vacation (when I go away) to start.  I'm so excited.  So many trips, so little time.  OK, now I'm sounding spoiled.  Sorry.  I am doing regular stuff too.  I'm taking a course, looking after a neighbor's house, and hanging out with my awesome friends.  Hehe.  Oh, and of course, I will be blogging (as regularly as possible, it will be hard while I'm away).  

 

Anyways, right now I am trying to get rid of a sore throat.  So far, I've been drinking hot water with lemon and honey.  I also took some medicine to reduce the inflammation.  Also, I have been avoiding talking, as it makes my throat hurt more than breathing (which also hurts).  I guess I can't win.  Boo hoo.

 

I hope to get better soon,

xoxo

Lauren

Daring Bakers: Danish Braid

So... I joined the Daring Bakers for this past month. Now let me tell you that if you dare join this group, and are gluten free, have fun. I had fun, but was a little bit stressed, especially when I missed some liquid and forgot a few things. I think that like Natalie, I was inspired, and ready for a challenge. I needed something to force me to try out flours and really get me to enjoy gluten free experimenting. I know, I'm crazy, but you know... Anyways, this month's challenge was the Danish Braid. I know, just my luck that my first challenge is one heavily dependent on gluten. Well I pushed through it. I knew that even if I messed up, at least I would learn something (and you'd get a laugh). With that said, I was nervous. Who wouldn't be?? Anyways, on with the post...

This challenge was hosted by Kelly of Sass & Veracity, and Ben of What's Cookin'?. As you know, they chose a Danish Braid as their challenge to the rest of us Daring Bakers.

Boy oh boy. Here goes. I must tell you that normally, I'm not this forgetful, but I really was in a rush, mostly because I wanted to get to bed at a pretty good time. (I've had issues with overtiredness leading to me being out for a week at a time) Anyways, I wanted to get to bed at a good time, I was late getting started, I wasn't sure whether or not to proof the yeast, and in my rush, I forgot some liquid, and (all my math went out the window) I halved the recipe, then didn't realize that that would mean that I would have to chill it for less time. Also, instead of an apple filling, I used the same recipe, and just switched the apples for cherries. It turned out like candy, not a filling at all. Oops. On top of that, my braid didn't rise and I think that's all. All I can say is Oops. Next time will be better. If there is a next time. To make this (even if you do it correctly), you need a lot of time. Got a day in summer? Fine. An empty weekend? Fine. (That's what I did, and in the process, I had an excuse to lay off the studying for awhile). Anyways, here is the recipe, modified to work gluten free.

Danish Braid
Ingredients
Detrempe (the dough)
1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 large eggs, chilled
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3-1/4 cups Bette Hagman's Mix (6 parts rice flour, 2 parts potato flour, 1 part tapioca flour)

1 teaspoon (or so) Xanthan Gum
1 teaspoon salt

Beurrage (butter block)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup sweet rice flour

Egg Wash

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

Steps

Detrempe (the dough)

Combine yeast and milk in a bowl with a hand mixer on low speed or a whisk. Add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice and mix well. Sift flour and salt on your working surface and make a fountain. Make sure that the "walls" of your fountain. With your fingertips, mix the liquid and the flour starting from the middle of the fountain, slowly working towards the edges. When the ingredients have been incorporated start kneading the dough with the heel of your hands until it becomes smooth and easy to work with, around 5 to 7 minutes. You might need to add more flour if the dough is sticky.

Beurrage (butter block)

1. Combine butter and flour in a bowl. With your hand mixer, beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Scrape the sides of the bowl and the mixer's attachment and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free. Set aside at room temperature.

2. After the detrempe has chilled for 30 minutes, turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 18 by 13 inches and 1/4 inch thick. The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. Spread the butter evenly over the centre and right thirds of the dough. Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. Fold the right third of the rectangle over the centre third. The first turn has now been completed. Mark the dough by poking with your finger to keep track of your turns. Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

3. Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface. The open ends should be to your right and left. Roll the dough into another approximately 13 by 18 inch, 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Again fold the left third of the rectangle over the centre third and the right third over the centre third. No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.

4. Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough 2 more times, for a total of 4 single turns. Make sure you are keeping track of your turns. Refrigerate dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight. The Danish dough is now ready to be used. If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it. To do this, roll the dough out it about 1 inch thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze. Defrost dough slowly in the refrigerator for the easiest handling. Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

To make one Danish braid, you use half (1/2) of the recipe above, and 2 cups of filling of your choice.

1. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 by 20 inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick. If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again. Place the dough on the baking sheet.

2. Along one long side of the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart. Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.


3. Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle. Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover. Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling. This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished. Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.

Egg Wash

Whisk together a whole egg and a yolk in a bowl. With a pastry brush, lightly coat the braid.

Proofing and Baking

1. Spray cooking oil (Pam) onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid. Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.

2. Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Position a rack in the centre of the oven.

3. Bake 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back is in the front. Lower the temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15 to 20 minutes more, until golden brown. Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven, or at room temperature. The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the fridge for up to 2 days, or freezer for 1 month.

. . . . .

Whew. All done. That took a long time to type (and read) and make. So I'm guessing you want pictures now. Me too. Here is my not so lovely looking Danish Braid. With a faulty filling. And missing some liquid. Anyways, here it is. Enjoy.

Never did I say that the Braid looked any good. Nope.

xoxo

Lauren

PS - To see the rest of the Daring Baker's Braids, visit the Blogroll, or click on the Daring Bakers logo at the top.

Theme Park Food

Ok, so at the theme park I went to with a few of my friends, I brought a lunch.  Just my normal, standard, lunch that I used to use for school.  It was fine.  I was only sad that I couldn't have the fries because they fried them in the same oil as chicken fingers (breaded ones).  

All of the rides were awesome, and obviously there were no issues there, me being a ride lover (with a strong stomach, puke-wise, thankfully).  If only all of my friends that I went with were okay with the spinning rides...  

Back to the food.  I actually ate some things there.  Not fries, or burgers like all my friends, but I'm not a burger person.  I asked, and the Cotton Candy was gluten free, so of course, I had to get some.  I didn't bother with snocones or ice cream, because I didn't really feel like either.  At the end, I did get some candy.  Just some (packaged) gummies, and a few circus sticks (lollipop in stick form).  I also kept hydrated, as much as possible, with some juice and lemonade drinks.

So thats pretty much all I ate.  It worked out great.  I would love to go again.  *hint hint* 

Enjoy your trips and outings,

xoxo

Lauren

I need Help! Now!

Ok, so I'm guessing that my title gives it away, I need help.  Right now.  You see, tomorrow, I am going with some friends to a theme park.  We will probably spend most, if not all of our day there (with a late start of course, we ARE teenagers and we really need our beauty sleeps =D).  With that said, I'm not sure what to do about food.  I have never been to this particular park before, and would love any suggestions!  Of course, all of my friends that I am going with are allergy free, so I'm kind of alone in the confusing food department.   Anyways, I really need to know your suggestions soon (sorry for the late notice, but we just made the final plans today!).  

So, I figure that I can get water there, but I'm not exactly sure about anything else, maybe some junk food, but thats about all.

Please Comment on this post with any suggestions (gluten free, of course)!!

Thanks for your help,

xoxo

Lauren 

I can see.

Awesome.  That's how I feel today.  Summer is basically here, it's warm, and, best of all, I got my new glasses!!  Ok, so maybe that's not the most exciting news, but since I haven't had a new prescription in 2 years (I never had time to get them updated last year), this is wonderful.  If you have ever gotten new glasses, you know what I mean, especially when your prescription changes a lot.

This may sound cliche, but I can see the individual leaves on the trees, not just green blob-esque things on brown sticks.  Mom summed this feeling up best.  It's like everything is in HD.  HD is how things are supposed to be, not a almost blurry, unfocused mess.  The only big problem is that EVERYTHING is so clear, and with that, at least for the first little while, everything feels funny.  As soon as I came out of the optometrists, I felt a foot taller, simply because everything was so unbelievably clear.  

I really don't mind that everything feels different, even though it's kind of annoying.  I don't mind because I can actually see.  I can look up and read the clock, I can see everything with perfect clarity, I can see each leaf on each tree.  For that, I am thankful, and I will wait a few days to feel completely normal, if being able to see is what I get in return.

xoxo

Lauren

Go Ahead Honey, It's Gluten Free - One Pot Meals - Soup

Mmmm. One pot meals have been an essential to gluten free living. They allow us to essentially not have to think about dinner, and maybe even have dinner for a few nights. With that said, this month's Go Ahead Honey, It's Gluten Free event, hosted by the lovely Ginger Lemon Girl, is all about One Pot Meals. My submission to this event, is a lovely Roasted Red Pepper Soup. Yum.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

from the book "The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook"

Ingredients

5-6 medium red bell peppers, halved, seeds discarded

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil (you may need more)

1/2 of a medium yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 medium sweet carrot, peeled and diced

1 large clove of garlic ( I left this out, as we were out of garlic)

1/2 of a medium Yukon Gold Potato or sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 tsp thyme

1 1/2 tsp basil

2 cups vegetable or chicken stock

1 bay leaf (another thing that I was out of!)

1 tsp red wine vinegar

A pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt and Pepper to taste

Steps

• Preheat broiler. Place red peppers cut side down on baking sheet(s). Lightly coat the outside of each pepper with oil. Place baking sheet under broiler and cook until the skins blacken.
  Remove from broiler and place all peppers in a large bowl immediately. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
  
  (This helps the peppers sweat, which loosens the skins) Wait until the peppers are cool enough to handle, and gently remove the skin from each. Put skinned peppers in a bowl and set aside.
• In a dutch oven, or stock pot, heat some oil over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot and cook until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic (if you have it) and saute briefly. Add potato (either kind), herbs, stock, skinned & roasted red peppers, and bay leaf (if you have it). Simmer until all vegetables are soft. When ready, remove the bay leaf and puree the soup until it is smooth. (Picture: half is pureed, the other half is not) Add vinegar and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with basil if you wish, and serve immediately.

I would say that the above recipe makes about enough for 3 people, if used as a main course. The original recipe was double what I made, but they said it made 8 servings, and that would be a lot for just Dad, my brother and myself, as Mom was at a meeting when I made this. Next time I will make the full recipe so that we can use it for more than one meal. I just made half this time because we only had 4 red peppers ( I used an orange one for the 5th). To make the full recipe, follow the same directions, just double all the ingredients. (below: this is all that was left!)

Anyways, when I make this again, I would consider making it as a chili, after pureeing, adding a can of beans then heating the soup/chili up. Not only would that taste good, but it would give this recipe some protein.

Enjoy this One Pot Meal, and the rest of them from this event!

xoxo

Lauren

Book Review: Twilight

Wow, has it been awhile since I did a book review. I have been reading a lot, but just not posting about the books I'm reading. Recently, I have read Uglies (as you know), Pretties, Specials, Extras, Twilight, New Moon, some magazines, and, of course, some textbooks/notes/study materials (lucky me). Oh yeah, and I've been reading tons of blogs, and browsing the internet, and I think I'm out of excuses. No, I've got one more. I don't like to post about sequels to books, because I find myself ruining the first one.

So, now that I'm done telling you why I've been ignoring them, how about I do one? I think that that sounds good. This review is on an amazing book, one that I resisted reading for quite some time, but once I read it, I couldn't put it down. Right now, I am resisting reading the rest of the third one in the series.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer Canada USA

photo via here.

Summary

This is a very difficult book to sum up. I'm going to do this one a little differently, and I'll use key words to describe the book (if you want a better explanation, Amazon can probably help you).

Bella. Renee is her mom. Phoenix to Forks. Charlie is her dad. Meets Edward. Very Odd. Forks equals rain. Vegetarian vampires. Emmett and Rosalie. Alice and Jasper. Jessica and Mike. Bella in danger. Nothing happens as expected. Watch out. Life or death. 17 forever. One bite.

What I thought

Although I resisted this book for awhile (some friends that NEVER read books were obsessed, and something about it didn't appeal to me), one day at the book store, a sales lady asked if she could help me, I was buying Extras at the time, and just wanted a book to read after that. Somehow, this girl made me want to read it, or at least try to read it. Something about vegetarian vampires got me interested. Anyways, I read the book. Very quickly. Very good. I could go on and on. Stephenie Meyer is an amazing writer. Read this book. If you have, you know what I mean, if not, read it. I guess the sign was that some of my friends that never read were obsessed, because it was amazing, and a bit different. This book will change your views on vampires and make you want to read the next ones (The 4th one [Breaking Dawn] comes out August 2nd).

Note:

This book is being made into a movie, and if you want to be able to imagine the story without the hollywood version nagging at your mind, go read it now!!!

Also, it is about vampires, so if you're not good with that stuff, don't read it (or read it in daylight =D).

Enjoy this amazing book (and the next two... New Moon and Eclipse),

xoxo

Lauren

Fashion Find: Diane von Furstenburg Resort 2009 Part 3

Yes, today is the third, and final post of my Diane von Furstenberg resort 2009 Collection posts. Today I have the last three of my favorites from this beautiful collection, which I found on Style.com.

photos via here.

I guess the last of my faves are Black +/or White. The first is amazing, with almost an effortless couture look to it. The second is a wonderful dress that would look fine at a black (or white) tie event, or simply at a friend's BBQ. Very versatile. The final outfit is what I would dream of wearing as a suit if I worked at an office, or it would be stunning for meeting friends for lunch in Manhattan... A girl can dream, can't she??

Hope that you enjoyed my little dvf feature for the past few days!!

xoxo

Lauren

Fashion Find: Diane von Furstenburg Resort 2009 Part 2

So... here is part two of my Diane von Furstenberg Resort 2009 Collection favorites, in order this time.

photos via here.

Beautiful, and very light. The top one, especially it's hat makes me think Paris (not that I've ever been there), while the bottom one, especially the ginormous bag, makes me think a day at the beach (I have been there!!).

Enjoy the collection,

xoxo

Lauren

ps. Still more to come tomorrow!!

Fashion Find: Diane von Furstenberg Resort 2009

So today, while once again browsing Style.com, I came across Diane von Furstenberg's Resort 2009 Collection. I love to browse a show from beginning to end, as the designer meant for it to be. With that said, in order, here are the first of my favorites from this collection. (don't worry, more will come!!). Just by chance, these are two of the black and white ones...

photos via here.

Ahh... So sweet. Resort collections are always amazing because of their beachy vibe.

xoxo

Lauren

ps. More to come. Enjoy these two!!

Summer and Smiles

The end is near but the beginning is closer.  Schools just about out (if not already) and summer's basically here.  Every summer and start of school year is a new beginning.  They are the time of the year when we get to be whomever we want to be.  These are the best times of the year.  Summer lets you reconnect with old friends, jump headfirst into camps, vacations and  build memories, while the start of school lets us find ourselves, realize who we want to be, what we want to do, and how we want to do it.  Of course, there is also homework and studying, but that can be a good thing, as they let us focus and realize what life in "the real world" may just be like.  With that said, have a wonderful summer.  I hope that everything works out, in whatever way you want it to.  I hope that you keep reading this.  I hope that I keep writing this.  I hope that every one of you has something to smile about each and every day of this summer.  I hope that life is good and you get lots of gluten-free food to fill you up.  I hope that all of you are healthy, happy and good.  I hope that all of my hopes come true, and yours too.  

Smile.  Eat.  Hope.  Enjoy.

xoxo

Lauren  

Celimix Bread Mix

Hmm... I have been waiting a long time to show you this one. It is one of my favorite favorites. Seriously, the best bread mix ever. Maybe I don't have a lot of bread mixes that I've tried, but I was lucky enough to find this one pretty early on. With that said, Celimix White Bread mix is one of the best. I'm not sure if they have it outside of Canada (it's made by Nelson David of Canada), but according to various sources, they have been around since 1964. For a company with gluten free food, that is pretty early.

Anyways... This is a super easy mix.  It comes in a big bag, with like 10 (or was it 6?) amounts for bread.  I mean that the bag has enough to make 10/6 loaves of bread, I don't remember which.  The instructions are really simple.  You pretty much put in the liquids (egg, water, milk, oil), then the Mix and sugar, then the yeast on top.  This is for a bread machine.  The bag does come with instructions to make it without one (as well as with one), but since I have one, I use it, and I find it easier.  As I was saying... I often add in extra things.  I have tried it with various seeds, flax, and stuff like that, but my all-time favorite, is quinoa.  Quinoa makes the bread have much more protein, and I feel that it adds to the texture and longevity of the bread.  I would suggest, if you make this bread to add at least quinoa (a handful or so), if not some seeds as well, to the bread.

What it's like:

A somewhat light (for GF bread), almost spongey bread.

Why I love it:

It's SO versatile, and easy to make.  I put it in my bread machine, stir it once or twice, pull out the paddle, then forget about it for 2 or so hours.  Don't forget to use a Gluten Free cycle!!

What it's free of:

Besides Gluten, I'm not really sure, I don't have the bag, because we store ours in a plastic container, and they don't seem to have a website...

Thats all the info I've got, but if your local grocery store has this mix, I highly recomend it.  Especially if you have a bread machine.  If you don't, I recomend getting one with a GF cycle, like Cuisinart.  Can you guess what kind I have??

Enjoy the bread,

xoxo

Lauren    

[Edit: I bought this product, it was not sent to me nor was I asked to review it for any sort of compensation.]

Labeling Laws.

Hi, Today I was reading Allergic Girl, and she mentioned this:

From Gwen Smith, Editor, Allergic Living magazine

For years, the food allergy community in Canada has lobbied and waited for legislation that would require all food package labels to clearly and thoroughly list the top 10 priority allergens among ingredients.

The good news is that new regulations that would bring far greater clarity to the wording on food labels are ready. The bad news: they’ve been ready for two years and have yet to become law.

In the hopes making the allergen label law a priority for the federal government, Allergic Livingmagazine has launched an online letter-writing campaign to Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Read the letter and about the issue at www.allergicliving.com (Click the green box in the upper right corner.)

If you are a Canadian concerned about the health and safety of those living with food allergies and celiac disease, take a moment to e-mail the letter to the Prime Minister. The more letters he gets, the greater the chance the legislation will pass.

Please make your voice heard. Thank you for your support.

After reading that, I sent an email to the Prime Minister through their form.  I know that automized letters like this don't always get heard, but if he gets thousands in his inbox, maybe someone will listen, and things will be a little easier.

So, if you are Canadian, speak up.  There is no reason to stay quiet when we are going to have this disease for the rest of our lives.  Why not do this tiny little thing to make it easier?

Anyways, hope you add to the list,

xoxo

Lauren

50, Fathers, and Food.

Yup.  This is my 50th post.  Did I mention how time flies.  Woah.  That was fast.  On with the Post....

Today is Father's Day!!  It feels like just yesterday was Mother's Day.  Anyways...  Enjoy your day Dad!  

Yesterday night we went out for dinner, again!  I love going out, even if I can only have a thing or two on the menu.  I just don't like it when Mom, Dad and red firetruck are all eating buns or cake or cookies or something, and I can't.  That is no fun, especially because they tend to be so good at home.

So, enjoy this Father's Day, and spend some time with your father/husband/kids/grandpa/family.

xoxo

Lauren

Bye Bye

So as many of you probably know, TasteSpotting closed down today. I had only looked at it a few times, but I had thought about in the future maybe posting a picture or two (one that was really good), so I guess that won't happen. For any of you diehard TasteSpotting fans, I'm sorry for your loss. According to the note on the site, legal issues is the reason. Here is that note.

Once again, I'm sorry that I never got to post, and that I didn't visit it more often. I always find that you miss something more when it's never coming back (as far as I can tell), even if you didn't know it that well.

xoxo

Lauren

[UPDATE: They're back! Don't worry ]

Rachel's List

So yesterday, Rachel of The Crispy Cook (formerly Wheat-Free, Meat-Free, same URL, different name)... Anyways, Rachel made a list.  Not just any list, but THE list of Gluten-Free Bloggers.  And guess what.  I bet the suspense is killing you.  Yeah, it is.  Ok, ok, Rachel (shockingly) included me on that list, and I didn't even ask her to.  I know.  I'm awe-struck too.  Haha.  I'm glad it wasn't an award or anything, then I would be really freaked out, for most of the time, I am positive no one reads this on a regular basis.  If you do, then thanks.  It means a lot.  I know I say that often, but its true.  I use this as a semi-journal type blog, that if you actually take the time to read, wow.  I know I sound like a little dear in the headlights, and sometimes I am, isn't everyone?!  

So, as I was saying, Rachel's list is amazing.  And Rachel (if by chance you are reading this) Thank you.  I know that I have only been up for a few months, definitely far from being established, so it means a lot to be included in a huge list of amazing bloggers that I look up to.  What some of them/you can do with flours and sugars or no flours and sugars, yeah wow.  I am still new at this game.  What I think about fashion, well that I know, it's not something I have to experiment tooo much with.  Flours and recipes and posting about flours and recipes gets me confused.  I prefer to watch my failures in the comfort of my own home, which is exactly why my recipe posts (sorry) are few and far between.  By the way.  If any one of you EVER try one of my posted recipes, please tell me how it goes, by post or comment or email or whatever (so far I haven't truly thought up any of them.  Thank you books!!).  Oh, and I will definitely try to actually create (from scratch, recipe-less) something.  I don't know what yet, but something...

Anyways, enjoy Rachel's great list,

xoxo

Lauren

Strawberry Pie

Mhm.  I love strawberry pie.  It really is a nice little dish.  My parents especially liked this one.  It reminded my Dad of a 'real' strawberry shortcake.  With that said, here is a recipe for a semi-sour (lots of lemon juice) strawberry pie.

Strawberry Pie

from the book "pie pie pie"

Ingredients

1 3/4 to 2 pounds fresh strawberries

1/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Whipped Cream

Steps 

• Make one 9 inch pie crust, bake according to instructions.  Let cool completely.
• Dump the berries into a colander and rinse them.  Drain well, shaking to remove excess water, then remove the stems.  Pick out about one cup of whole berries and reserve for garnish.  Cut half of the remaining berries into thick slices (or leave them whole if they are small) and set aside.
• Put the remaining whole berries in a medium saucepan and crush them with a potato masher.  Add the cornstarch, sugar and salt and stir until the cornstarch has dissolved completely.  Cook over medium heat, stirring almost constantly until the mixture boils and thickens.  Reduce the heat and cook gently for about one minute.  Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice.  Then cool for 20-30 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times, until just faintly warm.
• Stir in the sliced strawberries.  Pour the mixture into the pie shell and refrigerate for 2-3 hours, until the filling is softly set.
• Before serving, prepare your whipped cream, and spread it over the pie.  Garnish with the whole berries.

Yum.  A very good pie... By the way, sorry for a lack of food posts lately.  I find the fashion ones easier to write up, and I don't have to think as much, and at school they are pounding us with last minute exam prep, so hope this works for now =D.  Oh, and Thanks for reading this little blog of mine.  I promise you that every one of you means something to me.  

Anyways, Enjoy your pie (or cake or cookie)

xoxo

Lauren

PS. Pictures to come soon... need to get to the other computer...

Fashion Find: Narciso Rodriguez Resort 2009 Part 2

As I promised yesterday, here are my other two favourites from Narsico Rodriguez's Resort 2009 Collection (as featured on Style.com). These are the non-shiny ones (I think). Enjoy!!

photo via here.

So Sweet!!! With the right event and the money to pay for it, I would Love that Orange Tweed Dress!

xoxo

Lauren

bytheway - Happy Birthday to Another Someone! You know who you are!!

Fashion Find: Narciso Rodriguez Resort 2009

The other day, while browsing Style.com I came across Narciso Rodriguez's Resort 2009 Collection. I loved how it looked, and (with tons of funds) I could see myself wearing many of the pieces. Here are my 2 favourite shiny dresses.

photos via here.

Ahh... So beautiful. I love them both. Stay tuned... tomorrow I will have my other 2 favourites for this beautiful collection.

xoxo

Lauren

bytheway - Happy Birthday to you. You know who you are!!!

Ahh... and Dinner

Today was a good day.  I lazed around the house avoiding homework (none due on Monday), and figuring out our new applications.  You see, yesterday, Dad bought Word for Mac, and a printer for the Mac.  YES!!!  I can finally use this computer for everything.  Not just internet.  

Another awesome thing about today was dinner.  We went out.  So exciting!!  Pre-Celiac (and getting sick), we would go out at least once every 2 weeks.  Since Celiac, (including today) I have gone out to dinner three times.  Thats three times in four months.  Thats at least a whole month staying in.  So maybe thats not too little, but I miss the ease of "Let's just go out for dinner" or "I don't feel like cooking tonight", now it's "We should go out to dinner... I'll go research a place and make some phone calls".  And that is why so many celiacs stay in.  That, and the cross-contamination issue.  Anyways, dinner was lovely.  It was a nice restaurant, with a good atmosphere and a friendly staff.  What more could you ask for??  Oh yeah, they served some gluten-free food.

Enjoy your night, and those that you get to go out for,

xoxo

Lauren

Fashion Find: Isaac Mizrahi Pink Dress

This beautiful dress, from Isaac Mizrahi's Resort 2009 collection, is amazing. I love the Ballet-inspired top, which looks like the top half of a ballet jumper-type thing. If you know what I am talking about, then good. If not, I'm sorry. I also adore the colours, and the vintage feel to the outfit.

Photo via Style.com

Hope you like the dress,

xoxo

Lauren

New Feature!!

Ok, so today, Blogger came up with this new thing that lets you show all the blogs you want to, and their most recent posts!  I think its great, not only for you, but for me, because now I can just look there, and not have to look at everyone's blog 10 times between posts, not that I have a problem with looking at all of your pretty blogs, but 10 times on one post it a lot.  I know about the aggregator thing, but it confuses me.  I don't get how it works.  I do use it sometimes, but I find that unless the blog you are searching for is registered, then it is unlikely to be there, unless they posted really recently.  So if you don't like this feature, you don't have to look, but it's my blog and I'm going to have it.  So yeah.  There's the end of my mini-rant...  Anyways, I'd love to know what you think about this new feature (I still have the old one, if you need one of my few GF blogs alphabetically), and if you are adding it to your blog.

xoxo

Lauren

Update:  I noticed that it hasn't been working perfectly, and I wish I could change that...so for now, bear with me.  it should get better (or I'll take it down).

I think that...

Yeah, so I'm sorry about the lack of posts, I've been a bit distracted. My teachers are giving all the last minute homework and tests. So not fun!!! Anyways...

I have a theory. Not that it will be earth shattering or anything, but here goes...

I think that friendships are like cooking and baking. Some people can handle a lot, others only want a few. They also take care, you need to add something here or there in order to not get bored of the recipe/friend. Sometimes when you let them be for a long time, they are not how you remembered. Sometimes for the best, other times for the worse. Every new element (like gluten-free or boyfriends or vegan or disease) changes the recipe/relationship. Some adjust well. Others you have to experiment with for long periods of time. Sometimes you are better without them, or visa versa. Friendships are like food. They always have been. Every change changes your life. Even if you don't realize it. Sometimes you have to look in different places to find the best ones. Friends and food. Sometimes you have to look hard. Other times it takes no effort.

You might not remember that tomorrow, but maybe you will. Maybe my 'theory' will change your life. No. It already has. You took the time to read this. Your life changed. The choice of apple or orange changes your life. Not every change has to be big. They can start small. They can be undetected. They can be amazing. They can be difficult. They can be both. Change is the only constant, and the only thing that will never change. Remember that. Change. Change. Change. Whether it's in your pocket, or in your mind, it is there. Every choice is a change. Even if the choice is to stay the same.

...

Yeah, so I know that sometimes I can be really deep. At least thats what my recipes... I mean friends tell me. :D Anyways, enjoy your day, and every little change. They are what make everything the way it is this exact moment. In a second they will be different, even if you can't tell.

xoxo
Lauren

Chicken Meatloaf

I figured that it was time to post at least one more of the recipes from the teaser pictures I posted a little while ago. I'm sorry, but I guess that I am in summer mode already. If only I was exam free.... Anyways, back to the post. I have been reading, shopping, experimenting, and joining, not to mention thinking up tons of things...obviously... With that said, here is the not-so-pretty Chicken (or Turkey, if you wish) Meatloaf.

Note: This is no ordinary meatloaf. It is not a tomato based one, so look elsewhere if that's what you want. We found it in an Acid Reflux book, then modified it to be ours. So her goes...

Chicken Meatloaf

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs ground chicken breast (turkey is fine too)

2 tbsp chopped onions, or more id desired

1/2 cup grated carrots

1/2 cup GF bread crumbs, or GF crackers broken up into small pieces (We used Mary's Gone Crackers)

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 eggs, lightly beaten (egg whites are fine if you prefer)

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried thyme, crumbled

2 tbsp dried parsley flakes

1 tbsp GF tamari sauce

1 tbsp salt

Steps

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9 by 5 inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
• Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix with your hands. Transfer the chicken mixture into the prepared pan.
• Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, and cook about an hour more. Let stand for 10 minutes before removing from pan and cutting into 1/2 to 3/4 inch pieces.

Ok, so while this may not be the prettiest recipe, it is very good. Just remember that it's not a lot like a traditional meatloaf. My family enjoyed it for that reason alone, but if you want a tomato-based one, this recipe wont help. Sorry.

Enjoy the meatloaf,

xoxo

Lauren

Boost

As of lately, my Mom has been making sure that I get a lot of protein and nutrients, in an attempt to improve my health even more. Not being a fan of a lot of meat, especially red meat, has made this harder, so Mom has put me onto the Boost High Protein shake-type things. No, they don't taste amazing, but they are not Bad. In fact, some of them are pretty good, and some just take some getting used to. Oh yeah, and they are Gluten and Lactose Free! Sorry bout the small pic, it was the first I found...

photo via here.

What it's like:

Each flavour is different, but the ones I have had are all good. The Chocolate is not a lot like chocolate milk, but not nearly as bad as the soy chocolate protein shakes (lets just say, those are not a favourite in our house). The Strawberry is kind of like a strawberry milk, to a point, just a little different. The Vanilla (my current favourite) is like a vanilla milkshake, but the consistency of milk.

Why I drink it:

My Mom pretty much makes me, not by force or anything, but to get more nutrients and protein (each of those^containers has 15 g of protein).

Other stuff:

They are pretty good for you, as far as I could tell... Lots of nutrients, they call it "Complete Nutrition"

Thats all for today,

xoxo

Lauren

[Edit: I bought this product, it was not sent to me nor was I asked to review it for any sort of compensation.]