Happy Monday!

I love e-cards.  Have a happy Monday!  :)  If you're like me it's so hard to get to work at 8:00!  I'm usually still making my coffee then.  

Wishing you all a great (gluten-free) week! :) 

Vegetable Lasagna - Gluten Free

Ok my mouth is watering just looking at the beautiful lasagna!  I made this the other night and my boyfriend said: "If you don't make this again in the next two weeks I'm going to be mad". He LOVED it so much.  

Here's what you need:

• 1 box De Boles Gluten-Free Lasagna (the kind you don't have to pre-cook)
• 3 beautiful medium tomatoes
• 1 medium zucchini (optional but delish)
• 16 oz Lamagna Part-Skim Ricotta cheese
• 1 24 oz jar Marinara sauce
• 2 cups of reduced fat shredded italian cheeses (romano, asiago, parmasean...)
• 2 cups parmesan cheese - grated
• 2/3 oz fresh basil (12ish sprigs)
• black pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 4 TBSP Parsley
• 1 egg
• 9x13 pan

What to do:

• Set oven to 350* 
• Mix the egg, parsley, garlic salt, few shakes of black pepper, 1 cup parmesan cheese, almost all of the italian cheese, & ricotta cheese together
• Cut up the tomatoes into slices 1/4" thick"ish" (like you're going to put them on a hamburger) 
• Shred the basil - or keep whole your choice!
• Place a layer of lasagna noodle, then cheese mixture, then tomato (and zucchini) and place basil over top, then marinara sauce - keep doing this until you get to the top of your pan.  
• At the top place your final layers of tomato, basil, & sauce - then spread the rest of the parmesan and italian cheeses on top
• Bake at 350* for about an hour.  With 15 min. to go - if the cheese is getting brown, lay a sheet of foil on top to prevent burning
• enjoy!

Let me know how you like it!

with love,

melissa

Your New Favorite Body Wash: EO Everyone Soap

I've tried it all... Bath & Body Works, Dove, Ivory, you name it.  I was a huge Bath & Body Works fan and always got their shower gel when it was on sale.  Back around 2006 I was so excited to try their new formulated lotion when I got out of the shower.  I put on the "Sea Island Cotton" lotion and bam.  My arms broke out.  Now I must say I never break out from products.  This startled me.  It wasn't until then did my eyes open to what is actually put in products.  Think of when you get a cut.  You put ointment on your cut and it helps it heal... thus the same goes when you put on lotion or body wash... your skin soaks in whatever you put on it.  Looking at the ingredients in a Bath & Body Works product... what are these ingredients?

The average consumer buys products and has no idea what's in them.  Working in corporate retail, I know products are made cheap cheap cheap.  Negotiations take place and it's all about margin and making the most money.  The consumer is thought of but it all comes down to profit.  

Ok enough of scaring you about what's in your products...

Being consumers ourselves, we want a good product at a great price.  I no longer buy from B&BW for lotions and shower gels, and have moved on to buy mostly gluten-free and NON-GMO. [learn more about GMOs from my earlier post: NON-GMO]

I've been pleasantly surprised by EO Everyone's Soap.  It's NON-GMO, Gluten-Free... the works... and, it smells amazing.  Check out the back of the bottle below:

It's $9.99 and you can find it at Whole Foods, Amazon, Target, and probably your local grocery store.  It literally lasts for months.  Just as you want to put good IN your body, you should put good products ON your body.  Their body wash is a natural plant-based soap.  All you need is 1-2 pumps of the body wash on your bath puff and you are set.  I even have the boyfriend hooked on their men's line.  Check out their products on their website: EO Everyone

Here's the link to purchase from Amazon: Soap

Use Ebates to get cash back shopping online: Ebates

I use their shower gel, lotion, and their hand soap.  It is an amazing price for an amazing product.  Trust me, you won't go back to your body wash again.  Pair it with their lotion and you're set. 

Let me know what you think!

with love,

mel

I have Celiac Disease

So today is the official day!  So I decided to write about it...

Almost two years ago now [September 2012] when I realized something was going on inside with bloating and feeling terrible, I decided to go to the doctors.  I asked to get a blood test to see if gluten was the culprit.  My results came back "borderline".  That was enough for me.  I had to do something to feel better.  I gave away/took back all of my glutened food and started my gluten-free journey.  I heard of people getting their intestines biopsied but thought, "Woah that's too much for me I'm going to see if this works".  And, it did.  After a few weeks/months of de-tox mode and feeling tired and sick, I started to heal.  My diet before was mostly gluten.  I only ate pasta when I'd go out to eat, and when I'd go out to eat I'd only want to go to Italian restaurants.  I had a lot of de-toxing to do.

Fast forward two years later, totally gluten-free, I still have bloating.  Even if I have the tiniest bit of gluten, my stomach grows, hurts, and it gets to be miserable.  I decided to see a gastroenterologist to see what's going on.  I had my first endoscopy this month.  I was scared beyond belief.  I knew I had to find out if I just have an allergy or if this is the real deal.  It took a couple weeks and I just got my results today, I officially have Celiacs Disease.  It gives me answers and now I know those minor cross-contaminations at the local restaurants are a big deal.

I recommend anyone who has been recently diagnosed with gluten problems to get an endoscopy when they first find out they need to go gluten-free.  This way, you can track your villi in your small intestine to see the healing process.  Also, listen to your body.  My results from a blood test came back borderline.  I knew something was greater than those tests show.  Even getting tested recently after eating all gluten free,  the blood test showed that the antibodies were gone.  Yet, there was a much bigger hidden issue the blood test couldn't see.  Listen to your body.  If you have a family member who has Celiacs or gluten problems, it's best you see how your body is responding and get tested too.

So... the big debate.  Celiac Disease vs. Gluten Intolerance/Allergy:
-Source: WebMD

• 1/100 people worldwide have Celiac Disease
• Only treatment is to eat totally gluten-free
• Even the smallest amount of gluten can trigger your immune system attacking your small intestine - which can lead to malnutrition
• It is inherited
• Direct family members of a Celiac Disease patient should be screened to see if they too have Celiac Disease
• Increased risk of GI Cancers
• 6/100 people have Gluten Intolerance
• Doesn't run in families
• Both have:
• Bloating in the abdomen
• Pain
• Fatigue

Remember, you're not alone!  I'd love to hear your story.  Many people have no idea they even have Celiac Disease - so I'm spreading the word.

Here's My Story from the beginning: My Story

Here is more gluten-free information: Information 

with love,

melissa

The BEST Buffalo Chicken Dip

Buffalo Chicken Dip... the perfect dip.  It's great for football games, office parties, or just nights spent in with the family.  Pair it with corn chips or your favorite vege - it's sure to be a crowd pleaser!  And... it's totally naturally gluten-free.

What you'll need:

• 2 Organic Chicken Breasts - Cooked [I boil mine for about 20 mins from being frozen]
• 2 cups Sargento Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese [do not use Kraft...]
• 1 8oz block Philadelphia Cream Cheese 
• 1 cup Ken's Ranch Dressing
• 3/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
• 9x13 baking dish

What to do:

• Preheat oven to 350*
• Finely shred your cooked chicken breasts and place in mixer.  [I boil mine and put them in the mixer and this makes the perfect shred!  Using 2 forks to shred works well too.]
• Add the cream cheese and blend together.
• Then add the shredded cheese, ranch dressing, and hot sauce. Mix.
• Add to the 9x13 baking dish - cook at 350* for about 20 mins.
• Pair with your favorite chips and enjoy!

With love,

mel

Deep Cleaning: Use S.O.S. Pads on your Kitchen Sink!

Do you ever clean you sink, scrub it down, and realize there are still stains lingering?  Today I came to find a great tip - use S.O.S. pads!  Once you're done scrubbing your pans from dinner and you still have some S.O.S. pad left - use the rest on deep cleaning your sink.  You'll get a new shine you never knew you had.  Keep in mind - use the pads on metal sinks only.

What you need:

• 1 S.O.S. Pad
• Pair of cleaning gloves
• Elbow grease (scrubbing power!)

Let me know how it works for you!

#deepcleaning #SOSPads #kitchensink

Quinoa Summer Salad

Happy Summer! It is getting so hot outside... it's time to cool things down a bit.  I've made a lot of warm quinoa dishes, so I decided to create a cold quinoa salad that I call a Quinoa Summer Salad.  The great part about this salad is that you can throw virtually anything you have sitting in your fridge in and it'll taste great.  Add a red pepper or some cherry tomatoes.. make it your own.  But first, here's my recipe:

What to Gather:

• 1 Cup Quinoa
• 2 Cups Water
• 2 Small Cucumbers (about 6 inches long each)
• 1 Bell Pepper
• 1/2 Small Onion Chopped
• 1/2 Cup (or more) Black Olives
• 1/4 Cup Feta Cheese
• 2 tsp Minced Garlic
• 4 TBSP Vinaigrette 

What to Do:

•  Before starting this salad, make the quinoa ahead of time if possible.  Since this is a cold dish the quinoa needs time to sit in the fridge for a while to cool (or you can put it over an ice bath if you don't have enough time).  Cook the quinoa in the 2 cups water, bring to a boil then reduce heat for 15 minutes.  Once done, cool the quinoa.  Add to the salad.
• Cut the small cucumbers long-wise in half, turn 180*, then long-wise in half again.  By now you'll have 2 cuts in the cucumber - finish cutting the cucumbers creating 4 pieces per cut by cutting down long-ways as usual.  You should have 4 pieces of a pie cut out with each cut. [Now I feel like I'm on Food Network's Next Food Network Star trying to explain how to cut these for the salad haha]
• Cut the bell pepper and the onion into small squares, place in salad
• Cut the black olives in half, place in salad
• Top with feta cheese (you can add more if you like!) I use:
  
• Add the minced garlic
• Add the vinaigrette - I use the All Natural House Vinaigrette from Aldi's:
  
• Now, mix all together and serve!  [to note: this dish is best served after sitting overnight!]

Enjoy! :)

With Love,

Mel

Gluten Free Food at Aldi's!

Gluten free food can be expensive.  Trying to sort through which gluten free brands are best takes A LOT of trial and error.  On a recent shopping trip at Aldi's I found, and I'm not kidding, A TON of new gluten free items!  Now before they had brownies, cake mix, and a few other things, but now... they have so much more under the live G free brand.  So, I walked the whole store and found some great finds... cake mix, cookie mix, pizza crust mix, cornbread mix, pancake mix, brownie mix, sandwich wraps, frozen pizza, frozen ravioli, mac & cheese, pasta, breakfast bars, and more! 

The best thing is that the prices are great... I bought a few things to try, and my bill was so reasonable:

1. GF Pasta (100% corn).....$1.29
2. GF Frozen Ravioli.....$3.29
3. GF Mac & Cheese.....$1.49
4. GF Cheese Pizza.....$4.99
5. GF Brownie and Cake Mixes.....$2.99 each

The prices are great... so far I've had:

1. Brownies - Good, best in a smaller pan, doesn't taste GF at all!
2. Mac & Cheese - Ok, seriously... this is the best (gluten free) Mac & Cheese I've had (still doesn't come close to my old favorite shapes Kraft Mac & Cheese but hey... a GF girl's gotta do what a GF girl's gotta do)
3. Frozen Pizza - Ok guys save your time here it's mushy and Glutino has much better frozen Pizza.


I'm going to be putting my my favorite GF brands next - any suggestions on what you'd like to see?  Write me a message below!  I'd love to hear from you all :)

With Love,
Mel

Quinoa and Bean Medley

I LOVE quinoa.  I also love making new dishes incorporating quinoa.  Tonight I threw a few things together from the kitchen and viola! a great new quinoa dish.  This dish encompasses quinoa, beans, vegetables, garlic, and spices.  And, it's totally gluten-free.  Try to use organic ingredients!  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 3 TBSP olive oil (and more if needed)
• 1+ TBSP minced organic garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• handfull of organic cherry tomatoes
• 1 can organic black beans (15oz) drained and rinsed 
• 1/2 can of organic garbanzo beans (8oz)
• garlic salt
• salt and pepper
• taco seasoning (about 2-3+ TBSP) (make sure it's gluten-free)
• smoked paprika (about 1/2+ TBSP)

Just to note - you can always add more or less of what I suggest in the recipe.  If you want to use a whole can of garbanzo beans, go ahead!  If you like your dish more spicy, add more seasoning, etc.  Ok on to the fixing!

What to do:

• Place quinoa and water into a small sauce pan, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover for 15 minutes.
• While quinoa is cooking, place a larger non-stick saute pan on the stove.  Drizzle olive oil in the pan and add the garlic & onion.
• While sautéing, cut the cherry tomatoes in thirds and saute in the pan.  
• Add the black & garbanzo beans to the mixture, stir. 
• By now your quinoa should be about finished.  Add the quinoa when ready to the mixture.  
• Add salt and pepper to taste and a few shakes of garlic salt (not too much!).
• I have a taco seasoning I use from a local spice company and each taco seasoning is different so I suggest adding about 2-3 TBSP taco seasoning to the mixture to taste (it shouldn't be over powering, just enough).  Then add the smoked paprika (1/2 to 1 TBSP) to taste.  

Serve and enjoy!

Let me know what you think :)

Love, Mel

Gluten-Free Alcohol List

You're out with your friends, but have no idea if you can have what they're having... I've been there.  From asking what vodka they're using in my White Russian to having to pay more for a beverage that's not on special.  I Googled and Googled to find what I can actually drink.  So, I put together a list for you all of what we can actually drink and not get sick, so we can enjoy night [or day :)]**.  And, as always, drink responsively! :)


What is Totally Safe:

• Brandy
• Ciders [Woodchuck is my go-to, Angry Orchard is great.  Beware of any containing Barley, these aren't GF]
• Champagne
• Cognac
• Gin
• Gluten-Free Beer [Make sure it's Gluten-Free]
• Rum [However, rum made with "Natural Flavors" can contain gluten]
• Captain Morgan 
• Bacardi
• Malibu
• Schnapps
• Skinny Girl Margaritas and Sangria's are GF
• Tequila [true Tequila is safe, however, cheaper brands of tequila are made with the agave plant and may contain gluten: Don Julio is NOT gluten-free]
• Stick with:
• Patron
• Jose Cuervo
• Avion
• Vodka
• Whiskey / Bourbon
• Jack Daniel's
• Chivas
• Scotch Whiskey
• Maker's Mark
• Seagram's Crown
• Wine [Red, White, Blush, Sparkling... it's all good!]

Best Gluten-Free Beer:

• Bard's
• Redbridge [it's on the sweeter side - if you like that]
• New Grist
• Rampo Valley Honey Beer
• New Planet Tread Lightly Ale

Safe Vodkas: [Potato and Grape]

• Baks Bison Grass Vodka
• Blue Ice Vodka
• Bombora Vodka
• Boyd & Blair [I've personally had and it is good!]
• Cayman Blue Vodka
• Chopin Vodka
• Ciroc Ultra Premium Vodka
• Cold River Vodka
• Devotion Vodka
• DiVine Vodka
• Famous Vodka
• Glacier Vodka
• Krome Vodka
• Luksusowa Voake
• Monopolowa Vodka
• Prarie
• RWB Vodka
• Smirnoff Vodka
• Tito's Homemade Vodka
• Vikingfjord Vodka

Vodka is a great debate.  Vodka is mostly made of wheat and the gluten is said to be destroyed during the distilling process, so if you drink a vodka not on this list made from wheat, just be aware.

Beware of [This List Contains* Gluten]:

• Wine coolers [they contain Malt]
• Mixed Drinks - they may contain non-gluten-free Vodka
• Smirnoff Ice Malt Beverages
• Mixers containing gluten

If you have any more to add to the list comment below!

With Love,

Mel

*Based upon my findings, there are controversies over the distilling process whether it contains gluten still or not.  

**Research is based upon my own findings.  I am not a doctor and can't guarantee information is 100% factual.