Tag Archives: Paleo Parents

{a gluten-free thanksgiving}

This week I hosted our Gluten-Free Get Together event at Rochambo on Brady Street. (where they serve up goodies from Molly’s GF Bakery)

Mixed things up this month, instead of a dinner, we got together for dessert and after dinner drinks to talk all about the upcoming holidays and how to survive them gluten-free style.

It’s easier than you think. I promise.

But I don’t want anyone to miss out just because they couldn’t make it over to the east side, so I thought I’d share everything here with you.

A couple of years ago, I shared some of our family favorites— Grandma’s cooked rice, scalloped corn, and cranberry salad. Some of those will be served up again this year, but not everyone eats a traditional meal (which I kind of dig!) for Thanksgiving.

Maybe you’re serving things up paleo style. If you are, head over to see Paleo Parents (authors of Eat Like a Dinosaur) for a complete menu plan that includes vegan options.

Not cooking at your place? Here are some resources to help educate your family. They usually mean well, but who would every think you could get glutened at a table of mostly gluten-free food, when you were being SO careful? (happened to me last year at the in-law’s)

Whatever the case, I want you to have a safe, happy celebration — as I always say, we are in the golden age of gluten-freeness… more options than we know what to do with.

I took a peek around the web at some of my favorite bloggers’ sites and came up with a list of recipes for you to check out. (I know we’ll be making some of them at our family Thanksgiving!)

Recipe Round-Up from ‘Round the Web
  • A twist on pumpkin pie — these Creamy Pumpkin Bars from Joy the Baker are on my “I’m SO making these” list. (just have to substitute GF flour mix — remember 5 oz of gluten-free flour mix for each cup of all purpose flour called for — and some certified GF oats.
  • And if you’re on an apple kick, you could make this super simple apple struesel chex mix from my “GF 101” class this summer — the post is full of info you can use, if you’re a newbie.
  • TWENTY loaves of GF bread, a breadbasket of choices from Shirley at gfe.

To get things started, I pulled together (in 30 minutes) two simple recipes that you can make with pantry staples.

Gluten-Free Cinnamon & Sugar Pretzels

I got this idea from a new favorite blog, One Good Thing by Jillee — it’s in my Google Reader now, and you should add it too. It’s not just food, she posts something new everyday that is clever, time saving, or just plain fun for everyday life.

I adapted it to fit what I had, you will notice that her recipe uses oil, feel free to use that instead of the butter for a dairy-free version. And aren’t her cute printed bags the best? I might have to make some and give these as gifts. They were a hit at our GF Get Together.

Gluten-Free Cinnamon & Sugar Pretzels 

Adapted from One Good Thing By Jillee

 

  • 1 bag gluten-free pretzels (I used Glutino, but they seem to have changed their recipe… I’m missing the old one.) 
  • ¼ cup butter, melted
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

    Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees. In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar. Add the bag of pretzels to a large bowl and pour melted butter over them. Gently stir to evenly coat all of the pretzels.

    Shake the cinnamon & sugar mixture over the pretzels and toss or gently stir to completely coat. Spread the pretzels out on a baking sheet and bake at 300 for 30 minutes, stirring at least twice during the bake time.

    Remove from oven and cool — or if you’re like me, taste test a few while they are still hot, but be careful. 🙂 They can be stored in an airtight container for several days.

    Thanksgiving Chex Mix

     

    Gluten-free snack mixes are a crowd pleaser at family events. Fun to make and familiar to all, (not to mention a cinch to prepare!) family and friends will be munching on this mix by the handful. Make a double batch so you have enough to eat on the car ride to grandma’s.

    gluten-free thanksgiving chex mix

    Adapted from chex.com

    2 cups honey nut chex                            ¼ cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)

    2 cups cinnamon chex                            1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

    2 cups corn or rice chex                          2 teaspoons vanilla extract

    1 cup mixed nuts                                      ¼ cup butter, melted

    In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and pumpkin pie spice and set aside. After melting the butter, (about 30 seconds or so, but watch it!) stir in the vanilla.

    In a large bowl, (one that will fit in your microwave) combine all of the cereals and mixed nuts. Pour the melted butter and vanilla over the cereal mix and stir to coat entirely. Add the sugar & spice mixture to the cereal mix and stir gently to coat each little piece. Microwave on high for 4-5 minutes, stopping to stir after each minute. (I did mine 4 minutes, you want it to start browning, but NOT burning, that is not a good situation.)

    Spread out the mix onto a baking sheet and allow to cool. (again, you should taste test some while still warm, just because you can)

    ************************************************************************************************************

    After our GF Get Together, I decided to just mix the two (pretzels and chex mix) together — why didn’t I think of that BEFORE the event?

    I’ll be serving the two together from now on.

    I like to call it Cornucopia Chex Mix.

    Happy, happy Thanksgiving to you and your family from mine. Are you celebrating at home this year (safe!) or traveling for the holiday? Feel free to shout out ANY tips you have for other newbies to help them have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

    I’ll try to sneak back over here soon and post the recipe for the pumpkin pie I’ll be making for my celiac sista this year — in the mean time, have a lovely weekend. I’m off to celebrate my 15 year “friendaversary” (and the bday) with my BFF, out in Denver.

    Go eat! 🙂

     

{10 Days of Real Food — Day 4 & 5}

Just tuning in? I’m doing the 10 Days of Real Food Pledge from 9/19-9/28. Feel free to join me at any time — but check out their website first for all the details like what the 10 day pledge is all about, what you can/can’t eat, and recipe/food ideas. (keep in mind that Lisa and her family are not gluten-free… so some of the recipes need to be converted — give a shout if you need ANY help!) 

————————————————————————————————-

I’m currently taking name suggestions for these bars.

When I first made them, I sent a text to my celiac sister and said, “omg. come quick…I made Almond Joy Larabars.”

But that doesn’t have a nice ring to it. In my post the other day I called them, “I-Miss-Almond-Joy Bars,” even though I haven’t really been craving or even thinking of those yummy little candy bars this week — so they are going to need a new name, any ideas?

While you think about — how about the recipe?

(more…)

Eat Like a Dinosaur : A never-had-so-much-fun-in-the-kitchen book review (and giveaway)

*This giveaway is now closed — thank you to everyone who commented! The winner is…. KAREN, who said, “I see many great reviews of this cookbook and I would love to have one, I have just discovered the Paleo diet and this would help alot!” Congrats, Karen — please send an email to: celiacinthecity@gmail.com to claim your prize!

 ********************************************************************************************************************

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Eat Like a Dinosaur a couple of months ago, and am finally getting around to talking more about it.

I’ll start out by just getting to the point — go out and get yourself a copy.

There has been plenty of chatter in the gluten-free world about following the paleo diet. Also referred to as primal or real/whole foods. I was intrigued by it all, so I started following along on some of the blogs and Facebook pages: Balanced Bites, Paleo Parents, (also known as Matt and Stacy, the authors of ELaD)  PaleOMG, Mark’s Daily Apple, to name a few faves.  (Next up in the reviews is Practical Paleo from Diane, over at Balanced Bites.)

Like I said, I was gifted a copy of Eat Like a Dinosaur, from their publishing company several months ago, but because my “dinosaurs” are in Minnesota with their mama, my celiac sista, we had to use Skype to introduce them to the book.

One of the first chapters is actually in storybook form, about a little boy who went from pizza Fridays at school to a very different way of eating (like a dinosaur…and liked it!) – thanks to technology, I was able to read it to them and get them tuned in to the idea of trying some new eating habits.

This summer they came to stay with us for a week, so we dove into the book on the first day, and worked our way through it during their stay. (and their mama was busy trying out some recipes at home too — like this Spaghetti with Meatballs dish, made with spaghetti squash.)

training my sister to take a photo of all her meals too

(more…)

Friday Photos: a week with my best buddies

Welcome to Friday Photos, a weekly feature here on Celiac in the City — you can read how it all started by clicking HERE.

Gooooooooood morning!

I have about 13 minutes before one of these two cutie pies comes into the kitchen and says, “I’m hungwee” or “Where are we going today?”

So I’ll type as fast as I possibly can and then I’ll catch up with you guys when I have a few more minutes to breathe.

I’ll preface the photos by saying we have had THE best week together — I sometimes look at them and feel like there is no possible way I could love them any more than I do at that moment… and then they say something funny, shoot me a smile from across the room at Discovery World, or snuggle up during movie night, and I know my heart can expand even more.

I can’t wait to be a mama someday.

I’ll also say it has been a special week for them — filled with more treats than we’re used to, (we had pizza three times — what the what!?) trying foods they didn’t think they’d like, (mmm… dates ARE good in cookies and make-you-own Larabars) and staying up waaaaaay past bedtime for a good campfire s’more. (sorry, mom)

Okay, we’re down to 11 minutes, so here it is, our week in photos. (and food)

We learned the flip. We picnicked. We introduced Chef Carter to Jungle Jim’s (gluten-free style) up north — and then we had ice cream on the way home. 🙂

North Ave Grill rocked our gluten-free world. They closed down the place Tuesday night for our GF Get Together dinner — rave reviews from everyone, including Tayden telling them that they had THE best gluten-free buns he’s ever tasted (they’re from Molly’s GF Bakery) and Carter chiming in with, “you have GOT to try this (burger) you would never believe it is gluten-free!”

Pizza at The Bar in Wausau, on the way to the cottage. Pizza at Pizzeria Piccola, with their bread knots — Carter is still talking about them. And pizza at VIA. (and a beer for Auntie Sarah) Oh, and there was plenty of fruit this week, don’t worry, we just don’t take as many pictures of that. 😉

We’ve also been eating like dinosaurs this week thanks to Paleo Parents’ book, Eat Like a Dinosaur — more photos to come, but I’ll leave you with our late night baking adventure from last night… chocolate chip cookies. (I had to hide them in the freezer to keep little hands out)

Like I said on Facebook, don’t wait for my review — the bottom line is, this book is worth clicking over and buying right now. Seriously. The boys have absolutely loved it… the photos of each recipe, the easy to follow ingredients, the tasty treats they made, all of it!

We’re off on another road trip today — sadly our week has come to an end and we’re taking the boys back to MN this weekend. And then it’s off to Denver for me next week, flying straight out from MN to CO… and sister Laura already has a new GF place she wants to try out!

Before I go, I have to give a shout out to ALL the mamas out there — I honestly have no idea how you do it… those mamas that stay at home (which in my opinion is more than a full time job) or the ones who juggle work and time with your little ones, I have nothing but respect for you. I learned this week that planning is key — you can’t just wing it for lunch or dinner when you have kids, you need to have something planned and the groceries purchased BEFORE there is a hungry kiddo.

Live and learn.

Do you cook with your kiddos? Or is the kitchen off limits? How do you get your kids interested in trying new foods — and are you a fibber when it comes to the actual ingredients in a recipe? My little Chef Carter wants nothing to do with spices or little pieces of anything in his food… yesterday I fibbed and told him that the pieces of peach skin in his banana-peach smoothie were really pieces of apple skin (because he “doesn’t like” peaches) and he loved the smoothie. Tell me you do this too.