Gluten-Free Newbie Foodie

Hello, my little peach pies (gluten-free of course!),

Guess who finished her Summer semester yesterday! Yup, this girl!
Guys, I am so happy to be done. This was a tough semester for me. Summer ones always are since the professors are trying to fit 16 weeks of information into a month. Now, I can focus on packing up my apartment and moving next week.

This evening some friends and I were out on a walk and when we were almost home we walked past a driveway with a bunch of boxes in it. I said I wanted to ask the people who lived there if I could steal their boxes but I was too shy. One of my girlfriends, who is super outgoing, said she would go ask. The people were happy to give us the boxes and now I am ready for a big day of packing tomorrow! People are just awesome sometimes. We have to remember that!

Okay, now, the real purpose of this blogpost is to talk about going gluten-free and to share some of the recipes I am obsessed with at the moment. I was gluten-free for about a year a few years ago and I thought it was difficult. Now, its not so hard, but it does take some planning ahead. I think the hardest part for me is if I don't feel like cooking or if I am on a road-trip. Its not like I can just pull over and get some McDonald's. I am a procrastinator at heart, so believe me, the planning ahead is not always easy for me. Here's a list of things I eat when I am on the go:

• Nuts - almonds and pistachios are my go-to
• Fruit
• GF crackers or pretzels ( I think GF pretzels are better and crispier than regular ones!)
• Beef Jerky (Make sure it is labeled GF, I like the Krave brand)

I know that going GF can feel like you are missing out on a lot of things. There are definitely things I miss (donuts!) and you aren't always going to find a GF version of things that you love. However, I think that something that really helps is making your food so flavorful that you don't feel like you are missing out. There are a few ways of doing this, but I think having flavorful condiments and sauces is a big part of it. Some of my favorites are:

• Guacamole, homemade if possible. Costco also sells a delicious version in single serving sizes that are pretty tasty and perfect for on the go. 
• Pico de gallo - so easy and flavorful it will kick up your eggs, taco bowls, chicken, or with some tortilla chips. Yum!
• Sesame oil - I try to incorporate this into as many recipes as I can. Its one of my top three favorite flavors of all time!
• Garlic - Because, DUH. 

I will leave you with a couple easy recipes and I hope that you try them and enjoy them! It gets easier I promise. I was listening to a podcast by Pretty Little Celiac and she made a really great point: She said that it is pretty amazing that Celiac Disease can be controlled by eliminating gluten from a person's diet. Think about those diseases that don't have this option, like cancer. I like to remind myself of this when I start to feel self-pity. Sometimes a change perspective makes a difference. 

Pico de Gallo (Amount of ingredients depends on how much you want to make. I just eyeball it!)

• Chopped tomatoes
• Chopped sweet onion (about 1/2)
• Chopped bunch of cilantro
• Juice of one lemon
• Mix all of it together

Stir-fry sauce (I literally eat this 3-4 times a week. I love it. Makes enough for two portions)

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 2 teaspoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger (or some fresh would be great!)
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water to thicken sauce
• Mix together. 

xoxo,

Alicia

The Times They Are A'changin'

Hello, Lovelies!
It has been too long in between posts, again. I know. I fail. But what can I say? Life as a grad student and mom is challenging and lately I have barely had time for 6 hours of sleep a night so my social media and blogging has taken a major hit. I actually had a two-week hiatus from Facebook and Instagram as part of an experiential exercise for an addictions class I just finished. It was actually an eye-opening experience and I learned so much about myself. I didn't realize how addicted I was to social media but I would find myself clicking on the apps anytime I had a free minute and it was ridiculous. I mean, I would waste time on Facebook when I should have just gone to bed earlier. Here is what I learned in those two weeks:
1. Not having my phone constantly in my face meant I was more present in the here and now
2. I started reading my Bible and other books before bed which was way more relaxing than staring at a screen before hitting the hay.
3. People don't really need to see what I had for breakfast or what my grocery store haul looked like
4. I wasn't comparing myself to people and their seemingly fun and perfect lives on FB
5. I can survive without social media. In fact, when I graduate and become a full-fledged therapist, I will probably give up Facebook since it seems to be the most intrusive.
I have since started using social media again, but not as much as I was before and I am more mindful of the time I spend perusing the sites. I think if I find myself slipping down into the social media abyss again then I will take a break again. It felt very cleansing for me.

Next Update: I am moving! Yay! I am so excited to leave this apartment living behind. A friend of the  family owns and lives in one side of a duplex and is going to rent out the other side to us. I am beyond ecstatic to have my own washer and dryer again, a fenced in backyard, more space, and a more peaceful living situation in general. She is also letting us paint the walls any color we want and installing a new dishwasher. I am so thankful that God has blessed us with this opportunity for not much more than we are paying now. In addition to all of this we are inheriting a new, bigger couch (a sectional) from my in-laws. His blessings have been so abundant lately!

Health Update: The last six months of my life (actually probably longer but I wasn't truly paying attention to my body) have been really rough in regards to my health. One of my worst symptoms has been my eczema which has been spreading and becoming more severe and painful as the months have gone on. My hands are the worst and I have had to resort to wearing gloves when I am doing anything in the kitchen and I dread showering or giving Tucker a bath because the water makes it more painful. Really, all my symptoms (eczema, bloating, stomach issues, fatigue, and nausea) have been taking over my life. I finally met with my doctor and she wanted to me to do a Celiac blood test because she was fairly sure that is what the symptoms are pointing to. I had the test about a week ago and I am now waiting of the results, which is tough. I want the test to be positive because at least I will know then what is going on with me and its an easy solution, NO GLUTEN! If its negative, then I am back at square one. I was gluten-free/dairy-free for six weeks before I went to the doctor and I noticed a lot of benefits from that and I felt so much better. Then I had to eat gluten for two weeks for the test and I literally felt like I was poisoning my body. I have been off of gluten now for about five days and I'm looking forward to feeling better agin.

Anyway, those are the updates, and now that I am on break from school I will be posting more often. If you have any suggestions on gluten-free living or Celiac Disease or life in general then please let me know!

Cheers,
Alicia