Tuesday To Do List: short week, short list

It’s a Tuesday that feels like a Monday.

I get it.

So let’s make this short and sweet.

 

Check, check, check these off your list this week:

• If your garden is giving like mine, make GAZPACHO! (I use the Cook’s Illustrated recipe — the subscription to their site is worth it for us, they take all the work out of recipes by testing them over and over and giving you tips to try for success every time.)

• On the garden note: THIS recipe for stuffed spaghetti squash (lasagna style!) remains the most popular recipe on the site!

• These flatbread pizzas are a frozen fave.

• One Good Thing by Jillee started following me on Instagram this weekend — this is my equivalent of Oprah following me! 😉 Hi, Jill! I include her clever ideas and posts here often, and am planning on making this “cloud bread” next.

• Many of your kiddos are off to school this week — Linda has  you covered for lunch box ideas! 

• These gluten free, vegan salted chocolate chip bars look like the perfect dessert for the lunch box.

• Fellow traveler and lover of food, Johnna from In Johnna’s Kitchen has your guide to Gluten Free in Memphis.

 

May your Tuesday be short and your coffee be strong. xoxo

 

 

Tuesday To Do List: Celiac Disease Awareness Month

Tuesday To Do List is my newest attempt at bringing you tidbits from the gluten-free world each week. This will continue until my mind-that-doesn’t-rest comes up with another way to entertain you guys. You can read my very first to-do list here. Cross your fingers I am back here next Tuesday with another list.

HAPPY CELIAC DISEASE AWARENESS MONTH!

Here’s what you should do to celebrate…

• Come join OUR CELEBRATION at our May Gluten Free Get Together dinner at Jose’s Blue Sombrero on Monday, May 23rd. RSVP via the Facebook invite. We’ll be trying tasty treats from Bread SRSLY, (sourdough anyone?!) American Gluten Free, and MORE!

• Celiac Disease Awareness Month AND Cinco de Mayo? Yahoo. Let’s have 4 Ingredient Margaritas, Jalawhoppers, (my fave item at Jose’s Blue Sombrero!) Easy Peasy Taco Dip,  and Mexican Lasagna!

• Make these coffee cake muffins to celebrate being a super celiac and Mother’s Day all in the same month!

• Go check out all the GF goodies at Aldi — friends have been posting about it all week. (the CHEESECAKE platter is baaaaaack!)

UPDATE 5/4/16: Thanks to Johnna from In Johnna’s Kitchen for posting photos from Aldi that show that cheesecake (labeled CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE) also has a “may contain traces of wheat” warning. This makes no sense to me. Certified should actually mean something. Another reminder to check and recheck and check again on those labels every single time. 😦

• Stop over at Pacific Bistro in Delafield for GF options galore!

• Take a trip. A gluten free adventure somewhere new. We have several trips coming up: Denver, DC, Charlotte. Shout out any “must see” places with GF goodies or otherwise. And take a peek at this list of gluten-free bloggers who do some traveling. (honored to have made the list!)

• Cupcakes. Let’s celebrate with cupcakes! I’ve been trying out different options for healthier treats — not to say I’m not going to have treats sometimes, but I’m on day 33 of real food and my body just seems to do better eating this way so I’d like to find more ideas for coconut and almond flour and use up all those dates in the freezer!

• Make this (or anything from the book!) Kung Pao Chicken from Laura B. Russel’s book, The Gluten Free Asian Kitchen — the dumplings are divine! You can also read my review of the book HERE first, and there’s actually a link to that chicken recipe in the post.

I’d love to hear YOUR celiac story — if you’d like to share in the comments below, that would be swell.

As much as I wish I were getting paid big bucks to add these links to my page, I’m not. They are not affiliate links. I’m just sharing to share.

Tuesday To Do List: what to buy, spy, and try! (or sometimes cry about)

Tuesday To Do List is my newest attempt at bringing you tidbits from the gluten-free world each week. This will continue until my mind-that-doesn’t-rest comes up with another way to entertain you guys. You can read my very first to-do list here. Cross your fingers I am back here next Tuesday with another list.

Add these to your to-do list…

• With a name like “Johnna’s Best Mac & Cheese” it immediately goes to the top of my list.

• Made these date oatmeal bars and you should too! (they taste like a healthy blondie, Mr. CITC approved!) Be sure to use truly gluten-free oats like those from GF Harvest. 

• Veggie Cobb Dip sounds pretty perfect for our next cookout.

• We have been on a pineapple kick lately, so obviously Shirley read my mind and all of these pineapple recipes are for me! 😉

• 4 Ingredient Chicken Parmesan Casserole — she had me at “4 ingredient.” Proof that bloggers like to keep it super simple too.

• I’ve been experimenting with essential oils lately, anyone else using them? I can’t get enough lavender. Amy has some tips for a DIY Wellness Kit with Essential Oils. 

• Still loving the magic green sauce and putting it on all the things — like this 3 grain skillet last night: quinoa, millet, wild rice with 3 bean mix, sweet potatoes, shallots, pheasant, garlic, cumin, chili pepper, lime, salt & pepper. YUM!

• Ever tried a gluten-free beermosa? Just trust me.

We’re officially endorsing COFFEE FOR PRESIDENT!

Bark twice if you’re actually reading and enJOYing these Tuesday To Do Lists…

As much as I wish I were getting paid big bucks to add these links to my page, I’m not. They are not affiliate links. I’m just sharing to share.

Tuesday To Do List: what to buy, spy, and try! (or sometimes cry about)

Tuesday To Do List is my newest attempt at bringing you tidbits from the gluten-free world each week. This will continue until my mind-that-doesn’t-rest comes up with another way to entertain you guys. You can read my very first to-do list here. Cross your fingers I am back here next Tuesday with another list.

I spy…

• The cutest round up of animal crackers recipes — adorable!

• A list of gluten-free options for all the baseball fans from GF Philly.

• 25 Uses for Lemons that I plan to test out — I already make the orange-vinegar mixture for cleaning, but should try with lemon as well!

• Another outlet for my honey obsession, let’s get infusing!

• This sheet pan chicken tikka from Smitten Kitchen, adapted from Made in India, which I just bought and now know which recipe to kick things off!

 

Must try…

• I made it and now you should too — this creamy asparagus spring soup is pretty darn tasty. I was short on asparagus so added more peas and leeks. Made it a bit more spicy. Used only stock and not the water. Perfect example of how to use a recipe as a guide and make it your own!

• This Ramp’d Up Ranch real food style would be perfect for dipping veg. (maybe I’ll just try it with sour cream and/or greek yogurt and see what happens — or I guess I could make my own mayo) I am always intrigued by ramps but haven’t really cooked with them, have you?

• I know I’ve mentioned it every week for the past three weeks, but SERIOUSLY people, try this sauce!  It really is magical. I have been putting it on chicken, dipping veggies and potato wedges in it, topping my eggs with it, and sometimes just eating it by the spoon. Nut free? My friend Johnna from In Johnna’s Kitchen is trying it out with pine nuts and pumpkin seeds, stay tuned…

And take a peek at my latest way of using up my magic green sauce in this real food style burrito bowl!

 

Want to buy…

• A weekend at Julia’s place… I mean, come on!

• This Eat Dirt book — my celiac sister is reading it right now, anyone else taken a peek?

• The safest fruits and veggies we can until we can grow them outside. 😉 I keep EWG’s “Dirty 12” and “Clean 15” on my phone as an image to guide my shopping.

 

That’s all for today, my friends — let me know which ones you check off your list!

 

 

As much as I wish I were getting paid big bucks to add these links to my page, I’m not. They are not affiliate links. I’m just sharing to share.

Tuesday To Do List: what to buy, spy, and try! (or sometimes cry about)

Tuesday To Do List is my newest attempt at bringing you tidbits from the gluten-free world each week. This will continue until my mind-that-doesn’t-rest comes up with another way to entertain you guys. You can read my very first to-do list here. Cross your fingers I am back here next Tuesday with another list.

To try…

• Ever make your own body butter?  Jillee has THE best ideas.
• This venison barbocoa recipe has me running to check the freezer to see what we have in stock.
• Quinoa Tabbouleh Salad, yum!

I spy…

• Gluten-free naan bread! 
• The exact reason you should dye extra Easter eggs!
• Vegan Creamy Zucchini soup.. think I could use my frozen zuc?

 

On the shopping list to buy…

• Would one of each of the ciders on this list be too much? 😉  (I haven’t met a cider that’s not gluten free yet, BUT of course always check to make sure before sipping.)
• The ingredients for THIS amazing looking spring salad! Peas are one of my favorite vegetables. Yes, I know this puts me in the minority.
• Other spring season salad veggies/combos… what are YOU putting into your salads right now? INSPIRE ME! I can hardly wait to get the garden growing!

I’m going to reboot my real food eating with a month of real food in April — I just do better eating real food, as much as I have been trying to deny that lately and indulge in all the treats. Care to join me? I’m trying to persuade some other GF friends to join me as well, the more the merrier! Update: I’ve set up a “Gluten Free & Good For Me” Facebook page to keep us all on track, go give it a LIKE and get in on the fun!

The week over on Instagram…

  
  
  
  

Follow along: @celiacinthecity and pretty please give a “tap, tap” to my photos and leave a comment when you can — the new algorithms they are using are similar to those on Facebook and they will decide what you see now, but the more you interact with your favorite accounts, the more often you’ll see their posts.

 

As much as I wish I were getting paid big bucks to add these links to my page, I’m not. They are not affiliate links. I’m just sharing to share.

 

 

Tuesday To Do List: what to buy, spy, and try! (or sometimes cry about)

Tuesday To Do List is my newest attempt at bringing you tidbits from the gluten-free world each week. This will continue until my mind-that-doesn’t-rest comes up with another way to entertain you guys. You can read my very first to-do list here. Cross your fingers I am back here next Tuesday with another list.

Our Badgers won in the very last second the other night on the court, sending them to the Sweet 16… but the REAL March Madness is March MUFFIN Madness happening right now with “coach” Shirley. 😉 Go check out ALL of the recipes (and oh-so-generous prizes!!!) and then try out my coffee cake muffins I entered in the madness last year.

I spy happy mail from Coors Peak today. They are rolling out a new flavor in their Coors Peak line, the Golden Lager, and I get to try it! (stay tuned for my thoughts on this one, going to try my best to save it until this weekend with the family so the rest of Team GF can try it too!)

I also may try to save a little for these gluten-free onion rings!

We are trying out 225 South/Mia Famiglia’s new location in Waukesha tomorrow night for our GF Get Together dinner — friends on Facebook have been raving about the plentiful options for the GF crowd and their careful handling/separate prep area to avoid cross contamination.

For once in my life, I was thankful for a delay during my layover — it meant sit down dinner at Root Down in the Denver airport!

You must try when you’re passing through Concourse C. (actually ALL of the restaurants in their group: Root Down, Linger, and Ophelia’s have gluten-free options and I’ve eaten at ALL of them safely. Looks like my dear friend Johnna love Root Down as well, read about her experience here.

Another EVERYthing is gluten-free bakery/restaurant find, this time in Tucson, AZ. We are headed back this fall to celebrate my brother’s retirement from the Air Force (SO proud of him!) and will be going back to Gourmet Girls Gluten Free Bakery & Bistro.

 

After being in summer-like weather all week in Arizona, I had a severe vacation hangover returning to chilly Wisconsin weather. Dreaming of real spring temps… maybe these Springtime Lemon Bars would help?

 

Give me all the lemon desserts — next up is this naturally GF meyer lemon creme brûlée !

As much as I wish I were getting paid big bucks to add these links to my page, I’m not. They are not affiliate links. I’m just sharing to share.

Tuesday To Do List — what to buy, spy, and try! (or sometimes cry about)

Tuesday To Do List is my newest attempt at bringing you tidbits from the gluten-free world each week. This will continue until my mind-that-doesn’t-rest comes up with another way to entertain you guys. You can read my very first to-do list here. Cross your fingers I am back here next Tuesday with another list.
I want to try…

• The gluten-free fish fry at The Cheel in Thiensville.
• Tom & Chee in Brookfield, anyone been?
• This turmeric latte from Shutterbean — I tried a turmeric smoothie recently and have been looking for other ideas.

On my list to buy…

• My friend Johnna is always on the lookout for fun GF items when she’s out and about and posted about these thin, crispy, gluten-free cookies from Trader Joe’s (she’s says they are like Tate’s) that would be perfect for these two ingredient ice cream sandwiches!
• An Inspiralizer. Yes? No? Do you have one? Tell me everything.

I spy…

• Another recipe from Elizabeth Barbone that I must make — just turned her blondie recipe into bourbon blondies for Mr. CITC last week and we’re still talking about them.

• Two cases of “are you freaking kidding me?!” reported to Gluten Free Watch Dog — I sometimes feel like a crazy person the way I check, double check, and triple check on foods, even those that come in a gluten-free package, to be sure they are safe. I guess I’m not the only one. I won’t lie, I feel more nervous as a celiac eight years in than I ever have before. Shouldn’t things be getting better?

 

I almost cried (tears of JOY!) this weekend when I had fried chicken for the first time since being gluten free. (I just celebrated my EIGHT year GlutenFreeiversary recently!) AND apple fritters! When you are gluten-free in Nashville, be sure to check out AMOT. Their entire menu, minus a couple of beers on their beer menu, (where they distinguish between gluten-free and gluten removed beers, impressive!) is gluten-free! And don’t worry vegetarian friends, that black eyed pea falafel sandwich pictured below is for you! My.kind.of.place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We landed late Sunday night from our adventures celebrating Mr. CITC’s #bigbourbonbirthday… and now I’m leaving on a jet plane to meet my Mamasita in Tucson to visit my brother and soak up some rays! (if you have any Tucson, AZ recommendations, let me know in the comments!)

EnJOY your week.

xoxo

As much as I wish I were getting paid big bucks to add these links to my page, I’m not. They are not affiliate links. I’m just sharing to share.

Tuesday To Do List — what to buy, spy, and try! (or sometimes cry about)

Tuesday To Do List is my newest attempt at bringing you tidbits from the gluten-free world each week. This will continue until my mind-that-doesn’t-rest comes up with another way to entertain you guys. You can read my very first to-do list here. Cross your fingers I am back here next Tuesday with another list.

 

• These almond coconut bars look like a fun new Lara-like combo to try!

 

• If you’re a local Milwaukee GF friend, be sure to join our private, closed group on Facebook — after years of Facebook deciding who sees what (and usually only serving my posts up to very few people) we started a little group that’s just us, friends in and around Milwaukee that can share recipes, honest restaurant reviews and concerns, and ask ANY questions. Click HERE to join!

 

• My friend Amie’s new book is available NOW — order yours today!

 

• Just for fun — I LAVA THIS VIDEO! (first saw it in the theater before Inside Out, just try not to cry!)

 

• Win a Gluten Free Love Box from the lovely Gluten Free Gigi! (hurry, ends March 12, 2016)

 

• I’ll start with a mint brownie washed down with a shamrock shake…what will you choose from this list of minty green gluten-free goodies?

 

• I haven’t found a gluten-free fish fry in Milwaukee that even comes close to the fish & chips I had in London…but maybe trying a homemade fish fry would be best?

That beautiful plate was from Truscott Arms in London — THE best fish & chips I’ve ever had, gluten-free or otherwise. EVER. (and stay tuned for the day when I finally write more about my 85 days in London!)

That’s all for today, my friends.

I miss you all and hope to get back to a more regular blogging schedule soon.

xoxo

As much as I wish I were getting paid big bucks to add these links to my page, I’m not. They are not affiliate links. I’m just sharing to share.

cheesy vegetable soup

Today’s Tuesday To Do list is short and sweet because we’re living it up “Pura Vida!” style in Costa Rica: MAKE THIS SOUP!

It’s cheesy. It’s vegetables. It’s all yours.

CHEESY VEGETABLE SOUP

1 large package frozen vegetable medley

1 medium onion, diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1-2 cups stock (chicken or veggie)

1 can condensed milk

cheese(s) of choice, shredded

sriracha or other hot sauce

butter or olive oil

salt & pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Add 1-2 tablespoons butter to Dutch oven or large pot (I call mine “big blue!”) over medium-high heat.
2. Add diced onion and stir occasionally while onions soften.
3. When onions just start to brown, add garlic and stir into onions.
4. Dump bag of frozen veggies in and one cup of stock. (you may want to add more depending on size of bag — I used a jumbo bag and just added more liquid. You can also wait until veggies have cooked to decide if you want/need the second cup of stock.)
5. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook until veggies are softened, but not mushy.
6. Remove from heat. Either use an immersion blender (worth the buy!) to partially blend soup, leaving chunks of veggies OR allow soup to cool a bit then blend in batches until you’ve done about half of the soup and return to chunky veggie mix.
7. Pour condensed milk into pot and stir — remember you don’t have to use the entire can. It all depends on how thick you like your soup. You can’t really mess this one up!
8. Add CHEESE. I just grab a few different kinds (cheddar, pepperjack, etc.) and add a handful at a time until it’s as cheeeeeeesy as I’d like it. You can also skip the cheese, up to you.
9. Season to your liking with salt & pepper, add a little sriracha or other hot sauce, a few drops of lemon juice if you’d like (this really brightens it up!) and top with ANYthing you can think of: bacon, green onions, croutons.
10. EnJOY.

Sarah’s Notes

• Use regular milk if you do not have condensed milk — although I have not made it with alternative milks, you could substitute your milk of choice as well.
• The cheese is up to you, I like to use a couple handfuls, but I’ve also made it with a couple slices of cheddar when I was low, and that worked too.
• If you don’t have stock, you can use boullion as well, just prepare with water.
• ANY veggie combo works, but I like the one with broccoli, cauliflower, carrots and squash.
• You can purée part of it like I do and leave some veggies whole for texture, or purée all of it for a smooth, creamy soup. (or purée none!)
• As with all my recipes, use this as a guide — you may like your soup thicker so you choose to use a bit less stock and/or milk. After you make it a few times, you’ll figure out just how you like it!

Tuesday/Wednesday To Do List: GLUTEN-FREE CHRISTMAS COOKIES

This week’s to do list is super simple. And it’s all about the cookies.

Our annual holiday party and gluten-free cookie exchange is TONIGHT and we wanted to share all of the cookies on our list with YOU… just click the links for the recipes so you can add them to your to do list!

Snowflakes/Crinkles

Thumbprints (a family favorite, Mr. CITC asks for them every year!)

Scotcheroos

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cookies (no flour!)

Mint Chocolate Cookies (be sure to use gluten-free flour, it’s not GF as written)

Butterfinger BonBons

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies (be sure to use gluten-free flour, it’s not GF as written)

Pumpkin Spice RumChata Rum Balls  (sub GF graham crackers for wafers)

Snickerdoodles  (just sub in Cup4Cup or other GF flour)

Butter Pecan Caramel Cookies

Soft Batch Apple Cider Gingersnap Cookies

And Miss Jessie, a new GFF to our group added her own recipe for Mini Spiced Raw Vegan “Cheesecakes,” inspired by THIS recipe.

And…a BONUS cookie from last year’s cookie exchange that folks were still talking about this year: Lemon Head Cookies!

Don’t you wish you were joining us?

I haven’t dug into this beauty yet, but there are plenty of cookies to try out from Elizabeth Barbone’s new book!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A special thanks to:

Cheryl’s cookies

Wausome Wafers Cheese Crisps 

 

THANK YOU for sending sweet & savory treats for our event!

• Please, please, please and pretty please CHECK THE LABELS on your favorite baking ingredients and candies EVERY single time… companies change their information often and it is best to double, triple, quadruple check (and remind your families to do the same if they are cooking/baking for you!) to be sure they are still safe.

 

• I often use family recipes and just swap in Cup4Cup gluten-free flour mix — it is worth the money for me to have my recipes turn out every time! (and I may or may not have stocked up this year with the 25lb bag!!!)

EnJOY your cookies. Tell me what YOU end up baking — I’ll be sipping cocktails in the sun or zip lining through the rainforest in COSTA RICA starting this weekend until the week of Christmas. (our baking and shopping are DONE!)

PURA VIDA!

xoxo

 

As much as I wish I were getting paid big bucks to add these links to my page, I’m not. They are not affiliate links. I’m just sharing to share.