Nap, please?!

I hate it when Audrey sleeps in the car.  I don't care if it's 1 minute, she won't nap because of it.  Ugh.  I count on her nap.  Can you tell I am battling it today?!  I hear her on the monitor letting me know she's up. I put on headphones.  I figure she will eventually go to sleep.  I have a couple of projects I am working on and it's the only time of the day I get "me" time.  So sue me, I want to watch an episode of Dr Who in the near future!

I've been helping my mom remodel Peter's kitchen while he and his wife are on vacation with her parents this week.  We got quite a lot done, but it feels like it will never be done.  I got paint on my favorite pair of jeans.  *sigh*

So glad it's Friday.  Hope we can do something fun this weekend.  I just tried something different with those white bean blondies.  If they turned out good, I will let you know what I did in the next entry :)

One more week!

I can't believe it's a week until Thanksgiving!  I love that the weather is cold today and once more I have that wonderful Southwest Chicken soup in the crockpot, making the kitchen smell heavenly.

I wonder what I will contribute to the meal.  I think it'll be good to take at least a side and a dessert, so that I will get to have that.  And I know my bother Peter will bring something I can eat as well.  We're a pretty allergy-friendly family since Peter's had major food allergies for the past 20 years.  It does make it feel like less of a burden on my side since that's just the way we cook.  I think I might just be so frustrated elsewhere.  So now I am trying to think of ideas so I can get what I need from the grocery store.

Christmas shopping is almost done.  Just need to get my youngest BIL's.  Brent doesn't even know what to get him and he hasn't given any ideas.  Argh.  We're supposed to get some sort of settlement from our old electric company in Austin sometime in December, so that is a nice little surprise.  Every little bit helps! :)

WFB

Today I went to Wholesome Foods Bakery.  It's a local bakery that is completely gluten-free and soy-free and about 98% dairy-free as well as all-natural and organic.  They also do egg-free on some of their items.  Finally a bread that it palatable!  I've been wanting a freaking slice of toast, so this is divine!  Also got some pretty wonderful pumpkin walnut bread, WFB Mix (sorta like Chex mix) and as a little treat, a strawberry and an Italian Creme cake ball.  Everything is so wonderful.  Yes, it is pricey, but not any more than a regular bakery, IMO.  $2.50 for a cake ball, $10 for a loaf.  Everything I tried has been delightful.  They have Thanksgiving goodies out right now and I can't wait to see what they come up with for Christmas!!  So glad to have found a bakery that works with my special needs AND is yummy AND has super-nice people running the place :)

Bad food decisions

Monday through Wednesday, I made bad decisions diet-wise.  Monday I went to Applebee's.  There was no gluten-free menu.  I got a salad, but I know I got trace amounts of gluten probably from the dressing and I got some crunchies.  I don't think I had much of a reaction.  Tuesday I went to lunch at Maggiano's and they have a great gluten free menu and were extremely friendly about it.  However, there was a sprinkling of parm and then I had a coupon for a free dessert so my Dad and I split a creme brulee.  Bad.  That did a little more.  But then yesterday, I got to see my little old cajun lady.  I had so much stuff I shouldn't have had.  It tore me up something awful.  I've behaved myself today.   At least I know it's no biggie if I get a tiny amount of something.

Yesterday was the 8th anniversary of my Grandaddy's death.  I took him a gardenia from his yard.  I can't believe it's been that long.

I have Southwest Chicken Soup in the crockpot.  It's smells delicious.  I love that it's cold!

My Parent's 40th Wedding Anniversary

My siblings and I threw an anniversary party for my mom and dad in honor of their 40th anniversary on Saturday afternoon.  I think it was really nice and although my parent's knew about it, they didn't know who was coming.  I think it was a nice surprise for them.

I made my first "wedding" cake.  It turned out ok.  The first 2 layers were allergen free and they turned out fine.  A little on the dry side, but pretty tasty.  I really don't have any leftovers, so I guess that's a good sign :)

Gluten & Allergen Free Expo

I am so glad that I talked myself in to going to the Gluten and Allergen Free Expo this past weekend.  I found thing's I definitely want to try and thing's that I definitely want to stay away from.  It can be tricky cooking this type of food and often times these products can taste like the unholy spawn of cardboard and sand.  Eww.

3 brands I had never heard of and fell in love with were Kettle Cuisine, AllergyFree Foods and Hail Merry.  Kettle Cuisine soups were amazing.  I tried the Thai Curry Chicken Soup and wasn't expecting much, but oh my.  Delicious.  My sister tried the angus beef steak chili with beans and she went on and on about that one as well.  I have to find it in the stores now.  Great for those days I don't feel like cooking or if Brent is out to dinner.  AllergyFree Foods was pretty much just chicken products.  Best chicken tenders ever.  I have no idea what goes in to these, but they are the bomb diggity and you can't tell that they are missing anything.  They just taste like really good chicken tenders.  Having a hard time finding these.  I may have to beg for my local grocery stores to carry them.  I'm on my knees here, people!!  Now the wonderful Hail Merry.  Heavenly.  Everything they threw at me was divine.  Pure bliss.  Couldn't tell I was "missing out" on anything.  Not only are they completely allergen free, they are also vegan and raw, which is pretty amazing.  All their yummy treats are cholesterol free as well and have all sorts of added benefits.   Even if you took away those bonuses, these treats are amazing anyway.  Their macaroons melt in your mouth and come in both blonde and chocolate varieties.  I can't chose a favorite.  The chocolate torte....sigh.... No words.  I could eat my weight in those.  Maple vanilla almonds?!  Yes please!  I found some of their thing's at Natural Grocers today, but ordered their sampler box online.  I want to work for them.  Even if it's just doing grunt work for them.  I don't care.  They are an amazing company and I have never believed in a product as much as I do theirs.  Every one I meet will know about Hail Merry.

Gluten Free Mixes

I've tried 3 GF mixes so far.  One from Arrowhead Mills and 2 from Bob's Red Mill.  I found these at Big Lots, so really the best prices on these things.  The Arrowhead Mills mix was chocolate chip cookies.  They were tasty.  The texture was different.  Fluffy, sort of marshmallow-like.  I like them, so does Brent.  Audrey is not too sure.  The downside was that it does contain soy.  Found that out after I ate like 3.  Bob's Red Mill brownie mix was pretty tasty, especially with pecans!  Warm that baby up and you can't even tell.  Same with the Bob's Red Mill GF pizza mix.  Can't tell at all!  I made a pizza tonight with goat cheese, spinach and basil.  It was seriously one of the best pizza's ever and completely gluten, egg, soy and cow milk free!

Milk Tasting

I had my milk tasting tonight and I thought I would review each one of them.

Almond milk:  $2.29

Good all around milk.  Definite almond taste.  Smooth and light.  If I just got one milk, this would be              the one.  It's really good in chocolate.

60 calories

2.5 g fat

0 cholesterol

150 mg sodium

7 g sugars

1 g protein

Coconut milk: $2.49

Good flavor, but a little too watery for my taste.  May be good in baking because of the sweet, coconut flavor.  

80 calories

5 g fat

0 cholesterol

15 mg sodium

6 g sugars

1 g protein

Goat milk: $3.29

I want to like it.  I really do.  It was Brent's favorite out of all of them.  Tangy and buttery, I am thinking it's more of an acquired taste.

100 calories

2.5 g fat

10 mg cholesterol

115 mg sodium

11 g sugars

8 g protein

Hazelnut milk: $2.59

This was my personal favorite.  It's the sweetest of the milks and the only one I could imagine drinking straight up.  

110 calories

3.5 g fat

0 cholesterol

120 mg sodium

14 g sugars

2 g protein

Hemp milk: $3.25

Brent said this one was the most like soy milk.  It was labeled to have Omega 3 and 6.  To me, it tasted like it.  Not a good thing.  

100 calories

6 g fat

0 cholesterol

110 mg sodium

6 g sugars

2 g protein