I think I'm in Heaven...

Nope...I'm just enjoying one of Miss Ruth's Sweet Treats Strawberry cupcakes with Strawberry frosting. Even my gluten eating husband said Miss Ruth will definitely be making your birthday cake. These are amazing. Miss Ruth does amazing gluten free baking. Her prices are reasonable and well along the lines of other gf items sold locally. Give her a try, you won't be disappointed.

Bonefish Grill

I recently visited a Bonefish Grill Restaurant...it was FANTASTIC. I went to the location in Venice, Florida. They have a separate gluten free menu. I had mussels as an appetizer and the shrimp and scallops as my main meal. They offer quite a few options. They aren't cheap, but I didn't think they were overly expensive either.

Here is a link to their GF menu:
GF menu

The only Iowa Location is in West Des Moines. They do have a few in Illinois near Chicago.

Glutino Dream Cookies

These are surprisingly tasty. They are about as close to an OREO as one can get with it being a REAL Oreo.  I wasn't sure if I liked them or not at first, but after a couple cookies I really do like them. I will try not to buy them very often since I could easily eat the whole package with a cup of coffee. Give them a try, they have them at most local stores in the Quad Cities.

Canyon Bakehouse Focaccia Bread

I recently tried the Canyon Bakehouse Focaccia Bread. It has rosemary and thyme to add a little "umph" to it. I would have probably preferred it more without the twigs. I'm not a fan of either of those things when I chew, but they tasted fine. I love that the bread has NO aftertaste. I put it on the counter and let it defrost on its own. It was great with butter. I even re-froze it and it was still perfectly fine.

It is in the gluten free freezer section of "my" hyvee (2200 W Kimberly Rd).

Gluten Freeda Burrito

Ok - I am a frozen burrito lover. I used to love them as a kid. I loved them as and adult. They kill me as a gluten intolerant person...until now :)

I tried the Gluten Freeda Beef and Potato frozen burrito. It tastes great. No funky aftertaste. They start to fall apart a little,  but not bad. You must follow the package instructions. Flavor and texture are all good. Will be purchasing these on a regular basis for a quick easy meal at work.

Betty Crocker Sale going on now...

Gluten free Betty Crocker mixes are on sale now at Hy-Vee W Kimberly in Davenport. They are on sale for $3.99 and said we can save $1 while supplies last! That is super cheap!!

Teresa also got a new company in this week. Julian Bakery is now being offered at W Kimberly HyVee. This is a company that is big on the west coast and is carried by Whole foods. I can't wait to check it out.

Julian Bakery

Easiest Thanksgiving Side dish EVER...

I made this awesome corn noodle casserole for both the Celiac Thanksgiving and my own Thanksgiving ( I hosted it this year). It was loved by all - even the gluten eaters.

Here is the Recipe:

3 cups cooked GF noodles
1 can creamed corn
1 can whole kernel corn (drained)
1/2 stick of butter melted
1 egg
3/4 cup velveeta cubed
Salt/Pepper to taste

Grease a 9x13 pan and mix all ingredients in the pan. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

That's the oven recipe. I found it works out well in the crock pot too since my oven was full of other goodies there wasn't going to be room. I used cooked Schar talilegete noodles. I doubled everything. I cooked it on low for a couple hours then turned it on warm. Stirring occasionally. It was a huge hit. Barely any left over!!

HyVee W Kimberly is at it again...

Theresa at HyVee on West Kimberly is at is again. She has a whole bunch of new things on the shelves. I got to try a new loaf of focaccia bread - nothing short of fantastic. I will be posting on that as soon as I have the package back to make sure I give all the right info. It's so yummy.

Stop in and check out the always growing gluten free section in the Health Market at the West Kimberly Rd Hy-Vee in Davenport. They have the best selection in the Quad Cities. If there is an item you'd like to see, stop by and see Theresa, she will do her best to order it.

HyVee W Kimberly is at it again...

Theresa at HyVee on West Kimberly is at is again. She has a whole bunch of new things on the shelves. I got to try a new loaf of focaccia bread - nothing short of fantastic. I will be posting on that as soon as I have the package back to make sure I give all the right info. It's so yummy.

Stop in and check out the always growing gluten free section in the Health Market at the West Kimberly Rd Hy-Vee in Davenport. They have the best selection in the Quad Cities. If there is an item you'd like to see, stop by and see Theresa, she will do her best to order it.

Looking for Gluten free Sweet Treats this Holiday Season?

Look no further than Davenport. Miss Ruth's Sweet Treats is located in Davenport. A cake and cupcakes that were made by Ruth were brought to the Celiac Thanksgiving. They were nothing short of amazing.

The cake was a strawberry cake with strawberry frosting and the cupcake I inhaled ate was a lemon cupcake with lemon frosting. They were fantastic. There was no "gluten free" taste that you get from boxed mixes. Everyone was raving about them. I can't wait to convince my husband to contact her for my very own cake so I don't have to share it with anyone (bad...I know,but try it you will see why).

I contacted Ruth and she was more than willing to let me put her info on the site so you can easily contact her. She told me she makes a "variety of GF goodies...Cookies, Cakes, cupcakes, bars, quick breads, waffles and a few more items.  I've been baking GF for almost 8 years.  Hard to believe.  It's a passion/love for me.
I also do some sugar free/dairy free baking as well."

Her contact Info is as follows:

Miss Ruth's Sweet Treats

Baker: Ruth Flynn

5911 Louis Ct

Davenport, IA

563.355.4947

nutty5_flynn@hotmail.com

Give her a try, you won't be disappointed!!

Celiac Thanksgiving is coming soon...

The QC Celiac Group is having their Annual Celiac Thanksgiving feast at the Rock Island Hy-Vee Club Room on November 21st 6-8 p.m. please RSVP By Nov.17th by contacting Becky Wentworth. The fee is $4/per person and bring a gluten free side dish or dessert to share. Please bring copies of the recipe to share with other people attending. Hy-Vee will be making the turkeys for us to enjoy.

Contact info for Becky at the QC Celiac Group is:
Becky's Email
Or By Phone:  563.391.2968

Red Robin Update 11-2-11

YELL IT!! Red Robin has gluten free buns. Yea, you read that right. The Davenport location got them this week. I got to try one today. It tasted like a real bun. They are fantastic! It was so good have a restaurant burger on a bun. Fantastic! The manager was awesome and came out and chatted it up a bit with me and said they just got them in Monday.

Love Red Robin...YUMMMMMMMMMMMMM! (Sorry, couldn't resist it)

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This can be made gluten free so easily - by making sure all ingredients are gluten free. I have an msg allergy too, so I have to swap out the ranch for Newman's Own.

Can of chicken
package of cream cheese
1/2 Cup Franks Hot Sauce or Buffalo Sauce
1/2 Cup Ranch Dressing

Heat in the microwave until all is melted and hot. I eat it with Corn Tortilla chips or carrots. YUM!

Rudi's Celebrates Celiac Awareness with a month of Giveaways

Rudi’s is excited to celebrate this month with the “31 days of Glorious Gluten-free Giveaways” on their Facebook page.  They have been playing some fun Celiac awareness games with their followers as well as giving away free loaves, t-shirts and even GF toasters!  

Check out their Facebook page and maybe win some free gluten free goodies. Their bread is a very tasty substitute for those of us who really miss good bread.

Rudi's Gluten free Bakery

Free Event Coming up at Hy-Vee West Locust

October 22-23 from 10-3 p.m

Gluten Free Event in the Health Market at W Locust Hy Vee in Davenport,IA

There will be live demos, samples, coupons, literature, a gift basket giveaway and everything in the Health Market will be 10% off.

Gluten Free Bisquick

Can I just say, my hubby makes the best gluten free pancakes for me using this mix. I love using it to make the impossible pies, but I had basically given up hope on having really tasty pancakes again, but this bisquick does the trick!! Love it!!!

My only wish was that the box was much larger for the price!! I always end up keeping two boxes on hand!

Soup Saver Trick

I learned a little trick this week and thought it would be great to share with readers. I can't believe I have been an adult this long and didn't know about this trick.

I made a pot of White chicken chili the other night and since my hubby was working he ate out, leaving and entire pot of chili with only me to eat. While I did like the soup there was no way I could eat a giant crockpot of soup by myself. I saw this trick online and it worked perfectly.

I have the silicone muffin pans, but I'm sure the metal ones would work too. I filled each muffin spot with a scoop of soup and placed them in the freezer over night. I then popped out the frozen soup and put it in a ziplock freezer bag. Now when I need a quick meal it can be popped into a coffee mug or bowl and heated in the microwave for a fast meal.  Super easy and fast. I filled 24 muffin spots and got a gallon size bag full of soup hockey pucks :). I did the same with the leftover chicken and noodles.  What a great way to save money and have less food go to waste! Give it a shot!

Noodles for Soup

Just wanted to let everyone know how well the Schar Pasta noodles hold up in soup. Every weekend my family has a dinner date with another family we love to spend time with and this week Brian made Chicken and Noodles from scratch (oh so yummy). He made the glutenous version for everyone but me. He made me my own special pot. He used the Schar Tagliatelle noodles. They were in the soup for over 2 hours and did not fall apart. It was down right tasty and felt fantastic to have the same thing as everyone else, but a slight alteration!

Enjoy Life Cocoa Loco Chewy Bars

These are disgusting!! I took one bite and threw it away. It tastes like a really bad power bar. It should be noted I also do not like Lara bars for the same texture reason. I would never purchase these and am grateful a friend shared these so I could try them and I did not have to spend any money on them. She too did not like them and said if I didn't to throw them out!!! Save your money and spend it on something else thats yummy and gluten free.

Best Caramel Apple Dip Ever!!

I haven't posted in a while, but I am back! I tried this apple dip this weekend. It is so good on apples or just off the spoon.

Cream Cheese
Caramel Apple Dip (in produce section)
Heath Bar Bits
1/2 C Brown Sugar.

Cream together cream cheese and brown sugar until smooth, fold in the caramel. Mix in the heath bits and you are done!!

Thats it - its so good!

Pringles...Did you Know?

Did you know Pringles have wheat starch in them? I did not until I bought some for my son and thought ooh that sounds really good, checked the back and my excitement deflated. They are potato chips, why do they need wheat starch? It's not like they don't break if "air" hits them or they get jostled anyway...very frustrating!

Jalapeno Poppers

I made these the other night, they were fantastic!! I used jalapenos from my garden, I wasn't sure how I was going to use them all up, this recipe will definitely be used again!! I found the recipe on a diet site for low carb...its so tasty!

4oz cream cheese
4 oz shredded cheese
8-10 small jalapenos (less if they are big)
uncooked bacon

1) cut the stems off the peppers and cut them in half lengthwise. De seed and De vein them. 2) Mix the cream cheese and shredded cheese in a bowl together. 3) stuff each half of pepper with the cheese mixture. 4) Wrap the pepper with a 1/2 piece of bacon (I did not secure mine with anything and it stayed fine).  Bake at 450 for 10-15 minutes on a greased foil lined pan until the bacon is done.  ENJOY~

Fruity Pebbles Cereal Bars

These bars are gluten free. It is labeled right on the box. They are so freaking good! I could eat all 6 in one sitting...not that I have...er...maybe I have...anyway, they are chewy and fruity with a little frosting on top. They are way better than rice krispie treats. The cocoa pebbles bars aren't as good, but if you like the chocolate cereal more than the fruity one give them a try. I'm not a chocolate cereal fan, but I did try them. They are mediocre compared to the fruity pebbles!! MMMMM they are in the cereal isle at the store by the other breakfast bars.

Outback Steakhouse

I was informed today by the leader of the QC Celiac Group via email that they have an expanded gluten free menu with many options to choose from. I'm excited to give it a shot.

UV "Cake" Flavored odka

I am drinking it as I type...I apologize in advance for any typos. I mixed it with root beer, it tastes like a wonderful root beer float. So tasty. I will definitely have it again! I did find out today that all the flavored vodkas from Pinnacle are also gluten free. I can't wait to try some of the other recipes for it. I bought it at Hy-Vee W Kimberly for $11.

Pamela's GF Chocolate Cake Mix

Ohmygoodness! This cake is fantastic! My friend made it for me as a surprise for my birthday topped with Duncan Hines GF Cream Cheese frosting. It was so good I did not want to share. It was very chocolaty and rich with no funky taste. I will definitely buy this product again!

Best GF Potatoes EVER!

Tasty and Easy are two of the words I need when making food. I made these potatoes on a whim. I don't use a recipe, but my bestie suggested I add it to the blog since they are so fantastic.

Grease a 9x13 pan. Preheat oven to 350.

Ingredients

3 cans of diced potatoes (drained and rinsed)

1 small brick of Velveeta cut into slices

chives

1/2 and onion chopped

4 TBS of cooking cream cheese

1 pkg of shredded cheese

Place the potatoes in the pan first. Top it with the Velveeta, chives, onion, cream cheese. Cover with foil and cook for 15 minutes. Take pan out and stir it all together so its really creamy. Top with shredded cheese and bake uncovered another 10 minutes.

Namaste Taco Pasta

I was given this product to try a while back from Hy-vee. I tried it last night for dinner. I was a little surprised for the price the only thing in the package is pasta and seasoning. Anything else you might want to add to "perk" it up has to come from your own pantry. I added ground beef, black beans and diced tomatoes with green chilies, sour cream with a little bit of green salsa and shredded colby jack cheeese. I followed the package instructions. It was really tasty. My hubby gave it two thumbs up and remarked it was definitely something I should make again. On our second helping we crushed up Happy Joe's Taco Chips on top - that was fantastic!

Hy-Vee Utica Ridge in Davenport

Gluten-Free

Sampling Gala

Thursday • June 30th • 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Located in Front of the HealthMarket Entrance

Stop by to try a variety of samples,

get product information & speak

with your Utica Ridge Dietitian.

Sign up for the raffle to receive a free product.

Best Baked Beans EVER!

I created this wonderful recipe yesterday...it was fantastic!! Everyone was raving about them!!

Ingredients
Hy-vee Pork & Beans (30 oz) can
Bush's Homestyle Baked Beans (small can)
1 Small Chopped Green Pepper
1/2 a yellow onion chopped
1/2 Cup Cookie's BBQ Sauce
1/2 can of low sodium Spam (yes SPAM) - chopped and pan fried

Add all ingredients to a crockpot on low and let them cook for 1 hour until good and bubbly. I turned them down on to warm until dinner was ready about another 1/2 hour. They were fantastic!

Chicken & Broccoli with Thai Noodles

I love Thai Noodles. The wide ones, but I never really think to buy them. They are versatile. I had some chicken to use up tonight and my son loves anything with broccoli (he's a weird 6 year old) so I created this dish out of my head...it was awesome!! Got compliments for my big and little guys so I will definitely share it so everyone can try it.

I used a couple new things for me to cook with...oyster sauce and fish sauce. They are scary to think about, but oh so yummy. The brand I found at Hy-Vee that is gluten free for Oyster sauce is Far East. I used Thai Kitchen Fish Sauce. I also used Hy-Vee Brand Soy Sauce (its gluten free too).

I did not "measure" anything - unless I'm using a recipe I don't tend to measure! I used minced garlic, chicken broth, corn starch, chicken breast tenders, julienned carrots, broccoli and the above sauces. The only spices I added was black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. It was plenty salty. It should be noted I make my own chicken broth with "better than base" - love that stuff!

Ok, on with the instructions/recipe:

1 package of chicken breast tenders cut into bite size pieces
1/2 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil
1/3 Cup of Julienned carrots
2-3 cups or more of steamed broccoli
1 tablespoon of cornstarch.
1.5 cups of chicken broth
1/2 box of Thai Kitchen wide rice noodles.
1 Tsp Fish Sauce
1-2 TBS Oyster Sauce
1-2 TBS Soy Sauce

1) heat the oil in the pan and add garlic and let it cook for a couple minutes. Add the chicken and start cooking the chicken.
2) As the chicken is cooking add the soy sauce, fish sauce and oyster sauce and stir it all up. Continue cooking the chicken.
3) Bring a pot of water to a boil. Turn it off and add the noodles letting them sit for 8 minutes.
4) Mix together chicken broth and cornstarch and pour over the cooked chicken. Continue stirring. Add the carrots and broccoli and let it simmer and added black pepper. Taste the sauce. Add any adjustments needed to seasoning for you liking. I added onion powder and garlic powder (but only because that's how we like our food).
5)Drain and rinse the noodles well.
6) Put the noodles in a bowl and top with the chicken and broccoli. If you like kick add some crushed red pepper. Mix it all up to get the sauce on the noodles and ENJOY

It was much better than I expected. The measurements are all approximate since I did not measure anything. You could always go light at first and add more later at taste test. I will definitely use the oyster and fish sauce again!!

Bowls Urban Eats

This restaurant is new. It opened a couple weeks ago on the northeast corner of 3rd St/Brady St in downtown Davenport. The concept is that its food you can eat in a bowl. They have lots of choices. I had Tuscan Shrimp Scampi with Thai Rice Noodles and a garlic butter sauce -- it was fantastic. The big bowl was $7 and the small bowl is $5. I don't know many places where you can get a gluten free meal out at a restaurant for $7. My hubby had the "mac n jack" and liked it too. It had penne noodles(not gluten free), meat, peppers and cheese all in one dish.

We liked it so much we are going back tomorrow for lunch. They have so many gluten free options. They have rice, Thai noodles and potatoes as the base and multiple options for toppings. They are open from 11 a.m.- 3 p.m. during the week. They have hours on Saturday, but are closed on Sunday.

Wimmer's Sausages

I have a difficult time during the summer finding Polish Sausages and Cheddarwursts that are both gluten free and msg free. I stumbled across these fantastic polish sausages and chedderwurst by complete accident at Hy-Vee W Kimberly. They had them on sale 2/$5 and the package says NO MSG/Gluten Free. I love it when a company puts that right on the front of the package. Thank you Wimmer's for fantastic options for gluten free folks that aren't regular Oscar Mayer hot dogs. Pair it with Udi's new hot dog buns...makes a perfect BBQ main course for a gluten free person! I am not sure all their products are gf/msg free, but the Polish Sausage and Cheddarbest are labeled as gluten free/msg free. Be sure to always check your labels.

Check out their site for all the products they offer: Wimmer's Meats

Mike's Hard Lemonade Lite

Mike's Hard Lemonade now has a gluten free version of their popular alcoholic drink - Mike's Lite Hard Lemonade. It's not as good as the original, but its not bad either!! I tried it this weekend in place of beer on our camping trip. It tastes less sweet/tart than the original. I got a 6 pack for $7 at HyVee West Kimberly.  If you like the "girlie drinks" as my husband calls them the - wine cooler type thing - this might be for you.

Cafe Indigo

I just learned that Cafe Indigo has gluten free options for those who require them when dining out. Family friends own Cafe Indigo and we have always had fantastic service there. They server's aren't family, but they always go above and beyond and take excellent care of the customers.

I planned ahead and asked what I could expect to get that was gluten free and was told that I could substitute gluten free pasta in any pasta dish that I thought I might like to try. I was excited. I decided on the caprese salad with grilled chicken breast. It was very tasty.

It's probably a good idea to call them before just to let them know a gf customer is coming, but by no means required.

We will definitely be back now that we know I have options there. My husband loves their food. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Check them out. Their menu is online at: Cafe Indigo

They are located on Utica Ridge north of Gold's Gym on the same side of the street. They offer indoor and outdoor dining options.

Gimme Some Buns!

Udi's has done it again...I had my first GOOD hot dog bun in two years. I warmed it in the microwave a few seconds, its already cut - the polish sausage fit perfectly...topped with mustard and ketchup...gluten free HEAVEN. I like Udi's bread, but have a very hard time buying it at $5 a loaf, the buns are $4.29 at my Hyvee -- they are worth every single cent! I'm so glad I gave them a try!! Highly recommend them!! There is not weird after taste, it tastes like real glutenous bread!

Udi's

HEADS UP - Hamburger Helper

I was just reading at article on Gluten Free Works website and read that the Hamburger Helper's that are gluten free right now may not always be case due to the manufacturer facilities. They will no longer be considered safe for those who like these products. I personally do no eat this product because it has MSG in it and makes me sick. Be sure to check out the article and please read your labels!!!! The article as has part of  a letter from General Mills explaining the change.

Hamburger Helper Change

Hodgson Mills Pasta

I tried the Hodgson Mills Brown Rice Pasta tonight for dinner. I'm not normally a fan of brown rice pasta. I normally prefer Schar pasta or the corn pasta from Deboles.  I was impressed by this pasta and my husband also really liked it. I boiled it like normal and added it with browned hamburger, cream cheese, shredded cheese and Classico Sauce and baked it in the oven until the cheese was melted and starting to brown on the edges. It was pretty tasty. I hope it heats up well, that's my lunch tomorrow!!

It had good texture and was cooked to perfection, it definitely took longer than the box directions, but as long as you don't over cook them they taste pretty good! They tend to be cheaper Schar and Deboles, so if you are looking for a cheaper alternative, I'd suggest trying the Hodgson Mills Pasta out!

Red Velvet Cake - revisited

I made a red velvet cake this weekend...well technically I made two...but only one wasn't GLUE! I hate it when I make something and it doesn't come out right, it tends to be a pricy "try" especially with prices of everything going up. I tried to use Domata flour and follow the recipe I had from the Gluten Free Cooking School. I now know what I did wrong...

 

The cake its self was tasty. I will say that it did turn out okay, not as good as the first time I made it, but it was definitely enjoyed by all. It's a forgiving recipe.

 

Mistake #1 -- I deviated from the recipe. I used Domata Flour in place of the brown rice and sorghum flour mix. I was mixing away and had added 1 TABLESPOON of both Baking Soda and Xathan Gum...I couldn't figure out why the heck it was so thick much like GLUE -- that was causing my mixer to have major issues. It then dawned on me that I had used a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon...oops!

 

Mistake #2 - I tossed out the glue ball and remeasured everything - it was a costly mistake if you know how expensive Domata flour is you know I cringed! I started mixing and again added Xathan Gum - this time only a tsp...forgetting Domata already adds Xanthan gum to their flour. Dangit! It was thick again, but I thought I could salvage it, not wanting to use my last two cups of Domata flour on a cake I still hadn't gotten right!

 

I baked them, they were a little dense. I frosted them...we ate...and ate....I took it to work, where I continued to eat it...no one complained, but my husband eloquently put it that it was just "thicker" than the last cake, it didn't taste bad, but he liked the first cake better.

 

So lesson learned...I will not deviate from the Gluten Free Cooking School Recipe-- it was perfect the first time!! Highly recommend it - even screwed up it was very tasty!

I'm on KINDLE

Now you can get my updated blogs right on your kindle with a blog subscription.  It's pretty exciting that its out there for everyone to know about just by a little search under blogs on the kindle site. You can go directly to the site from the link below.

Gluten Free QC Blog on Kindle

Aleia's Gluten Free Foods - Breadcrumbs

Tried the Italian breadcrumbs from Aleia's tonight. My Hy-Vee on West Kimberly Rd carries them. I used them to make baked chicken in the oven. They were pretty tasty. My whole gluten eating family gobbled them right up and never questioned if it was gluten free or not, which is my book is a good product! The container has more than enough for several meals. It requires refrigeration after you open the package. Definitely a versatile product worth trying for all your breadcrumb recipes.

KINDLE

I just published this blog on Kindle. It will be available on Amazon's Kindle Blog section in the next couple days. Check it out if you have a kindle and want to stay updated.

Eco Planet Instant Hot Cereal

This was my least favorite hot cereal to date. It is better texture than regular old oatmeal, but the flavor is not great. It's not so bad that its not edible, but its not great. Imagine being on a farm and putting up hay bales all day into a hot barn...the taste that's left behind in your mouth is hay dust from the day. That exact same taste is what I get from this cereal.I tried the Maple Brown Sugar flavored cereal. I even added a package of Truvia. It didn't help. I am going to try it again tomorrow morning with Almond Breeze unsweetened milk, maybe that will help give it some other flavor, I'm not convinced, but its only fair I give it another shot.

Glutenfreeda Granola Cereal/Snack

I tried this a couple days ago at work for breakfast, it was so good I had two servings. I ate them with unsweetened vanilla almond milk. I didn't need to add sweetener, it was good just the way it came out of the package.  Definitely will buy this product again! Thank you Hy-Vee W Kimberly for giving me the chance to try this product!

Nature's Valley GF Granola Bars

I had heard Nature's Valley had created a gluten free granola bar, but hadn't seen it yet. I found it today at Target. It is wonderful. It's the Roasted Nut Crunch bars. They are fantastic - sweet and crunch, but salty too. I am so excited to have tried these. I will definitely buy them again.

Glutenfreeda Oatmeal

I was a little reluctant to try this today after trying a different brand yesteday that left a bad taste in my mouth (pun intended). I will review that one when I have had another chance to try it.  Anyway, my breakfast today is the Glutenfreeda Gluten Free Oatmeal. I choose the Banana Maple with Flax flavor thinking it sounded different. I did add a packet of Truvia because its never sweet enough for me right out of the package. It was easy enough since I could pop it in the microwave and one minute later breakfast at work. It has the right amount of banana flavor without being over powering. It it good texturally and leaves no bad aftertaste. I will definately buy this product to use at work since its easy to take with me each morning and cook later when I'm hungry. I got it at my Hy-Vee, but I'm sure you could purchase it online too. Give it a shot!  Here is a link to their site: Glutenfreeda

Gluten Free Networks

Check out this site - it offers giveaways of gf products by companies we love!! It's a social site where you can meet others who are also gluten free. I am signed up as dispatchergurl, find me and friend me on there.
Gluten free netWorks

The sister site with info on tons of things gf can be found here:
Gluten free Works

Aleia's Gluten Free Foods

Teresa from my Hy-Vee (West Kimberly) hooked me up with some samples of Aleia's products this week. They are a new product line that is being brought into the huge GF section at the Hy-Vee W Kimberly. If you haven't stopped over to that Hy-Vee I highly recommend it, they have so many options and are getting new products regularly!

Anyway - Aleia's has quite a few things that us GF people often must live without. They offer GF Breadcrumbs, GF croutons, GF Almond Horns (cookies), GF Macaroons and GF Stuffing.  So far I have tried the macaroons and the almond horns.

The macaroons require their own paragraph :) They are packaged in a bag - they are moist little marcaroonie goodness. It's absolutely impossible to eat only one, so its a good thing they are small. They are fantastic! They are kind of pricey, but what isn't these days! They are good enough to justify the occasional splurge!

The almond horn's are good too. I was under the impression they would be like a donut or macaroon - soft and moist. They are not. They are more like a cookie. They are good with coffee or tea. I shared one with my hubby and he liked it too. I also sent a little "care package" to my fellow gf friend Patti (she liked them too).

Their products have promise!! I will be purchasing them more often now that I got to try them and found they taste wonderful!!

Popcorners

These have become a huge hit at my house with my whole family. The are one of the tastiest popcorn chips on the market. Was told that I have to try the kettle corn version, but my HyVee was out the day I stopped in. Definately worth the $2-$3 a bag. The bag empties fast!!

QC Celiac Group Meeting

The next meeting of the QC Celiac Group will be on Monday night at 7pm.  We will meet at  our usual location. Genesis West Medical Center, Pav. 2, Conference Center.

Topic of Discussion:  GF Flours and baking.   Please share your baking experiences or ask questions about gf flours, baking or the gluten-free diet. 

Blogger is back up

Blogger has been down for a couple days, so as soon as I get my ducks in a row you can look forward to posts on new "popcorn" chips as well as Aleia's almond horns...Those should both be posted by the end of the day today.  Enjoy the blog!

Blue Diamond Nut Chips

I finally have some new stuff to blog on!!! I went to see my girl Theresa at "my Hy-Vee" (West Kimberly) where they have lots of new Gluten Free items!! YAY! I tried Blue Diamond Nut Chips today - omg they are so good. They are very similar to a Dorito minus the MSG. I had the nacho flavored ones they are addictive.  I will buy a bag of these weekly. I can use them in a taco salad or I could inhale the bag for dinner all by itself which I did tonight. You have got to try this product!! Two Thumbs way UP!

I'm at a loss...

I seem to be stuck in a gf rut. I don't really have anything new to try and I'm anxiously awaiting the opening of a new restaurant in Davenport that promises possibilities for us gf folks. I will of course blog on it as soon as I get to try it.

I tried the Front Street Brewery yesterday and had nachos because they seemed the safest...I was wrong. I got sick. So I won't be going that route again.

I seem to be eating the same things and I'm very bored with it. Anyone have any new suggestions??

Celiac Awareness month is upon us...

May is the nation's Celiac awareness month. I am getting lots of updates from companies like Rudi's GF bakery that they are doing events all over in honor of Celiac awareness month. Of course none of those events are in Iowa, but it's good to know that people everywhere are being educated about the disease.

Tortilla Pizza

I made a fast easy dinner last night. I used a La Tortilla Teff Tortilla put it on a piece of foil and put pizza sauce on top. Topped that with pepperoni and mozzarella cheese. Baked it at 350 for 6-8 minutes. It's not crispy except on the edges. I brought it out of the oven and let it sit for a moment, then I folded it in half and let it all "fuse" together. Ended up being more like a calzone. It was fantastic.

QC Celiac Meeting This Week

This week at "my hyvee" (2200 W Kimberly Rd in Davenport, IA) the Celiac group is having their meeting. Hy-vee will be having samples and 10%  that day for health market items. The meeting is at 7 p.m. in the Health Market area. Stop by and sample some Gluten Free goodies!

Iberostar Bavaro

I just got back from my first gluten free vacation. I spent 6 wonderful nights at the Iberostar Bavaro in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. I booked my trip thru Gulliver's Travels in Bettendorf. My travel agent Theresa was fantastic. A few months ago we emailed the hotel and made sure they were used to dealing with celiac or gluten intolerant guests. They assured me via email that they have Celiac guests regularly and it would not be a problem. My travel agent called two days before my arrival and reminded them I was coming.

I arrived and gave them my "card" that had a Spanish translation on what I could not eat and they created me a Spanish sign to go along with my card to give to each of the restaurants. The waiter/waitresses were fantastic, they  made it a point to try very hard to avoid any cross contamination and ensure my food was gluten free.

The Buffets were my favorite, sure the cross contamination potentially is higher, but my options were less limited on the buffet because I knew what I could have and avoided things that might cause problems.

I did get sick a couple times, but it was my body adjusting to the difference foods and such, not gluten.  The resort is amazing and beautiful. I liked it much better than any other resort I have been to on my vacations. I highly recommend it, but realize they speak Spanish, so a language barrier does exist for the English speaking American who is not fluent in Spanish.

Good experiences make it so much easier to feel comfortable when traveling with gluten intolerance! I hope others have the same good experience I have enjoyed.

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

I am one of those people who thinks bacon makes everything better. I have not had it deep fried or a chocolate version, but I am willing to try bacon in many ways. The most recent attempt turned out to be a new favorite at our house and completely gluten free! YAY!

Bacon Wrapped Asparagus

1 Bunch of Asparagus (or a half depending on how many you have to feed)

1 pound of bacon (can be pork or turkey)

Cooking Spray

Preheat Oven to 375. Spray a baking sheet with spray. Wrap 3-4 pieces of asparagus in a piece of bacon and lay on the sheet. Continue this process until you have wrapped as much as you want/intend to eat. Bake for 20 minutes. 

They are fantastic. We have had them twice in the past week and they will be on the menu tonight with turkey burgers. MMMM!

La Tortilla Factory - Teff Tortillas

I tried these gluten free tortillas previously and thought they tasted okay, not great but okay. I decided to try them again. I'm so glad I did. I learned to heat them up a bit longer so they are easier to fold and less likely to fall apart. I just had one for lunch stuffed with pulled chicken, mayo, cheese and hot peppers...fantastic! They are in the gluten free section at my Hy-Vee. I will definitely buy them again!

The Belly Fat Cure Update - Week 1

I started the Belly Fat Cure last Saturday. It basically removes all but 15 grams of sugar from your diet and has you use natural sweeteners like Truvia instead of Splenda and sweeteners containing aspartame. It also requires you only get 6 servings of carbs per day. Each serving is up to 20grams. Anything less than 4 grams isn't counted. So on average 120 grams per day of carbs is allowed. These should be higher fiber too. The goal is to get 25-40 grams of fiber each day.

Anyway, I bought the book at the urging of a friend, she had done it before and said it worked, so I figured I would give it a shot. Well...week 1 ended yesterday and I'm down 3lbs and 2 inches on my waist.

Start Weight: 168 on 3/12/11
Current Weight: 165  on 3/19/11

Start Waist Measure: 33" on 3/12/11
Current Waist Measure: 31" on 3/19/11

I am excited to continue to see if I can reach my goals. Goal is 158 and a 28" waist. I am 5'11" tall, so we will see what happens.

I don't feel restricted or hungry. If you are looking to try something different - give it a shot. You can get the book anywhere, it's called The Belly Fat Cure by Jorge Cruise. I found I really like the blog Me & Jorge which a woman tracked her first full year each week on a blog. It's very interesting.

Cheesy Enchiladas - HEAVEN!!

I made a recipe from The Belly Fat Cure book. I tweaked it a little bit. It was so tasty. It was the easiest recipe ever!

Ingredients
Corn Tortillas
La Victoria Enchilada Sauce
Cream Cheese, softened
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Hamburger

Put half a can of enchilada sauce in a pie plate. Preheat the oven to 425. Heat the tortillas on both sides in a pan on the stove. Then dip the enchilada in the enchilada sauce. Spread cream cheese on the tortilla. Top that with hamburger and shredded cheese and roll it up. Put it seam side down on a greased pan. Continue thru until you run out of  space or ingredients. Top with remaining sauce and shredded cheese. Bake for 20 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes. Serve HOT!

Clemmy's Sugar Free Ice Cream

I have to admit, I was a little nervous to try this ice cream. I love ice cream, but I like it sweet. I was hopeful it would taste like ice cream. I tried the Chocolate first, it was better than real ice cream. It was fantastic! Very creamy and tasted sweet. I tried the Vanilla Bean in a protein shake. I also liked that flavor. I made a special trip to the store for more today and picked up Butter Pecan. It was awesome. Who knew sugar free and gluten free could be so good?! It's priced about the same as Ben & Jerry's, but so worth it!

Denny's in Davenport

YAY! Denny's is back! I had breakfast there twice this weekend with no ill effects. I love Dennys! I stuck to a meatlover's scramble and hashbrowns. No bread or pancakes. It was still so yummy! I forgot that they had come back to the Iowa side of the river. It's located in the restaurant portion of Flying J Travel Plaza on Northwest Blvd near I 80.

Kyocel - Psyillm Husks

I had never really tried to find a form of fiber until recently. I decided to try The Belly Fat Cure with my husband after buying the book. It suggests a fiber supplement and probiotics. I knew Benefiber contained wheat, even though it supposedly has so little they can label it gluten free, that does not make me feel better. I found the Konsyl at Walmart it is listed as gluten free and it contains only psyllium husks. Its similar to Metamucil, only its not flavored and has no added sugar, which is a huge plus on the belly fat cure.

The basic idea behind the belly fat cure is to limit sugar intake to 15 grams a day since the average person takes in 47 tsps a day...WOW! That's a lot of sugar. When I started to pay attention to the things my family and I were eating it was easy to see that everything had sugar or Splenda or aspartame in it. All these things are shown to lead to belly fat.  The diet is similar to Atkins, except you get to have 6 servings (one serving is 20 grams) of carbohydrates each day.

I have had stomach issues since I was 13 and it seems with the belly issue comes a layer of protective "cushion" to prevent me from starving to death if I ever get as sick as I was in high school - at least that's my assumption. I am hoping this is the "key" removing all the sugar I LOVE from my diet at least for a while.

Spaghetti Squash - the Mexican Version

I found this recipe on food.com too. I'm telling you - that is a great site. Anyway, I am obsessed with spaghetti squash. I want to find as many ways as possible to use it, so I can get an extra serving of vegetables in my family's diet.

The recipe is pretty basic. Split the squash and dig out the seeds and pulp.  Bake it cut side down until the rind is soft. While that is cooking you can prep the things you are going to add. I added: tomatoes, black beans, ground beef, jalapenos and "taco" spices. Topped with cheese in a baking dish and baked for about 20 minutes. I topped mine with Spicy Ortega Taco Sauce. All that was missing was sour cream, we were out.

Check this healthy way to get in your veggies but still enjoy the Mexican flare. It's such a great basic Recipe.

Low Carb Gluten Free Pizza

I made this tonight for dinner. It was fantastic. My whole family enjoyed it. I found it on food.com which is a site where I find all kinds of gluten free items. Anyway, I made the crust in a 15x9 pan that was sprayed with Pam. I cooked the cheese before adding the egg mixture, then baked at 375 for 20 minutes. After it baked and I felt it was "done enough" the sides were getting dark, so I wanted to make sure it didn't burn. I topped it with pizza sauce, turkey pepperoni, ground turkey (browned) and green peppers. It was quick and easy and I had everything but the heavy cream on hand. I substituted milk and butter for cream, it seemed to work fine.

This is definitely something we will eat again. It is probably not the lowest calorie thing, but not the worst! It has basically no carbs. It has no msg and no gluten!

Check out the full RECIPE here. Let me know if you found way to make the "crust" crispier. I used a bigger pan to make the crust thinner. My gluten eating hubby gave it two thumbs up!

Biaggi's Update

They changed their Gluten free bread -- its AMAZING!! I am not sure if its the same as the pizza crust like it once was, but I had it yesterday and can't wait to go back and have it again! So yummy. It was awesome with the oil/parmesan. I had my normal - Chicken Picante Pizza there too, it was fantastic as well!

Spaghetti Squash

I found a new love...spaghetti squash! I had never had it until last night. I have heard about it, but didnt' believe it would make a good substitute to my beloved pasta. Now that I'm gluten free I figured I would give it a try...it was fantastic and EASY. It's low in calories and filling. I used it in place noodles and didn't miss them a bit. My 5 year old liked it too.

It's very easy to cook. I cut it in half and cleaned out the pulp and seeds. I put a little salt/pepper on the inside and put it cut side down on a baking sheet and baked at 375 for 40 minutes. I let it cool for a few minutes, flipped it over and put a fork on the inside and twisted it, the insides come off like noodles. It's pretty cool. I'm hoping to try to grow them this summer in my garden. I topped it with ground turkey and pasta sauce, it was wonderful. Give it a shot and you might find you don't even miss pasta!

Easy Chicken Cordon Bleu

I made the easiest chicken ever tonight. I pounded out a couple chicken breasts as flat as I could and then spread a wedge of laughing cow light cheese and then placed a piece of shaved ham on top. I rolled it up and placed it seam side down on a greased foil lined pan and baked it covered for 20 minutes and then uncovered for remaining cooking time.

Iowa Machine Shed 2/20/11

Tonight my husband and I decided to try Iowa Machine Shed out again since I had recently heard they offered a gluten free menu now.

I asked the hostess who was grabbing menus if they had an actual gluten free menu, I was met with a yes we do as she grabbed one for me. Its a piece of computer paper and it has the items listed by meal time. Our waitress was fantastic, she payed attention to what I wanted/needed and tried her best to accommodate me.

We went at dinner time and since I had a steak prepared at home last night I opted for the Tangy Tenderloin. I was nervous. They do not list the ingredients, so the menu saying "spiced sausage" made me apprehensive. It seems fine, I haven't gotten sick yet. I had sweet potato fries at as my side.

It was a bit pricey for my liking at $12 for two small portions of tenderloin and sweet potato fries it seemed a bit much, the portions on the glutenous item my husband got was very small too. We ended up stopping for an ice cream on the way home. Overall the meal was fine and tasted okay. It wasn't exceptional, but was tasty enough. I told my husband this is the first time I have left the Machine Shed disappointed, not really unhappy or anything to complain about, just disappointed in the portion vs. price.

There are plenty of options on this gluten free menu to appeal to even picky eaters.  We will probably go back, but we like them better for breakfast than dinner. Machine shed breakfast is never a disappointment.

Oatmeal

I'm not a fan of oatmeal, but trying to be healthier has me attempting to add things that I love to make it taste better and keeping it low calorie.

 

I have figured out how I could eat this every day! At 160 cals it EASY and fantastic!

 

1/4 Cup of Bob's Red Mill GF Quick Cooking Oats

1 Tsp of Peanut butter Chips

1 tsp of Chocolate Chips

just enough water to cook the oats.

 

I cook the oats in the microwave in a small bowl with water for about 1 minute. Take it out, add the chips and stir until all are melted. It is heaven. It tastes like a warm no bake cookie without adding any additional sugar. It's a filling warm breakfast that helps hold me over on these long cold Iowa mornings! 

Pizza Chef at 5 Points has GLUTEN FREE Pizza!

I'm excited to tell you that we have more options when it comes to pizza. We can now order pizza at Pizza Chef in Davenport. I got to try their pizza two times. I tried the Aloha (Canadian bacon, pineapple, Mandarin oranges) and the Classic Italian (olive oil instead of red sauce, tomatoes, spinach, cheese) both were very tasty.

The price cannot be beat! They do not charge extra for gluten free! So whatever kind of pizza you order, you pay what a normal gluten eating person would pay. They deliver too.

They cook the pizza in a brick oven that no other pizza gets cooked in. They have their own designated space for the gluten free pizza prep and they put them on parchment  to keep them from any other contamination. They are fairly new at this, today was day 4 of their gluten free adventure. The owner said it was being well received! The crusts come in two sizes 8" and 12". Everyone should give them a shot! The owner had a couple minor mistakes (not any that would have made me sick, but did alter the way it looked) with my first pizza, but quickly made up for them and made it right. He even called me to apologize. I like that he took time out of their busy Friday night to make sure I was well taken care of and happy.

I will definitely eat here regularly, the pizza was affordable and beyond tasty! The next time you feel like having pizza give them a call - 563.323.0069

Fast and EASY dinner!

I threw this together last night and it turned out so well I thought I'd share it. My husband and son gobbled it up too. My hubby asked after his first bowl if it was gluten free...well duh, I'm eating it too!

Ingredients
1 small brick of Velveeta sliced
1lb hamburger browned and drained
1 can rotel
1/2 cup shredded cheese
3/4 box of Schar Penne (or your favorite gf pasta)
Crushed Potato Chips

Preheat the Oven to 350. Brown/drain the hamburger. Cook Pasta according to package. In a casserole dish add the rotel and slices of Velveeta. Top that with the hamburger and cooked noodles. Mix it all together well and top will shredded cheese. Bake for 10 minutes and then stir it all together again and serve with a handful of crushed potato chips on top. If watching calories leave off the chips. Its about 371 calories without the chips per serving.

Yogurt

I have to admit I am not a huge yogurt fan. I like that they are labeling them gluten free consistently. I bought some Bluebunny Yogurts and Weight Watcher Yogurts because they were cheaper than the Yoplait Light that I normally eat. I am a fan of the Yoplait light because of the minimal aftertaste and the flavors are generally pretty tasty. The Bluebunny/Weight Watcher ones are not! They leave a hanging aftertaste that is not good. I'm choking down the last of them, but they are not particularly tasty. I look at them everyday know I have to eat the and dreading choking it down.

 

My suggestion is to stick to Yoplait Light for an additional 10 calories you get way better flavor!

Woodfire Grill 1-20-11

I ate at Woodfire Grill today for lunch in Davenport. Of course my first question was "do you have a gluten free menu?"  The hostess replied with "no, but my grandma is Celiac and when she comes here she just gets a burger without a bun." UGH!  I knew I could get that, I was hoping to avoid the burger without a bun, I can get that at McDonalds for $7 less.

I was seated and started to browse the menu. I thought there were many things I could have them "alter" to make them gluten free with minimal steps. I chose the Strawberry Spinach salad with Chicken. I had them leave off the Gorgonzola cheese since the Chef (yes my server asked for me) couldn't say if it was or not for sure, so I left it off. I of course made sure no croutons and my server  remembered w/o me even saying anything that a bread stick should not come with my salad. Good job Andy (that was his name). I had the raspberry vinaigrette put on the side.  The salad was AMAZING. It was $11 for the salad. It was worth every cent. I would order it again in a heartbeat.

They had several salads to choose from along with steaks, chicken, and seafood that could made gluten free with minimal work. I don't know that the staff was as well versed in gluten free as I would like them to be, but they did make a good effort and I did not get sick. I will definitely go back!

Rudi's Multigrain GF Bread

I got my package today from Rudi's Gluten Free Bakery. Let me just say packaging says a lot to me. It came in the cutest little box with a handle on it. I opened it up and was pleasantly surprised. In addition to a loaf of multigrain gluten free bread they sent me a sandwich keeper and coupons and a magnet and two recipes cards one for bread pudding and one for a gourmet grilled cheese. I couldn't wait to try it.

I took a piece out and picked a piece of the crust, not bad. I put a little country crock on the remainder of the slice...it was fantastic! It was tender and slightly sweet, not overly dry. It was perfect for a piece of bread and butter. It did not require toasting...did you get that...let me repeat IT DID NOT REQUIRE TOASTING. I will definitely buy this bread! I can't wait to have a sandwich on it. Thank you Rudi's!!!

Rudi's Gluten Free Bread

I was contacted by a company called Rudi's Gluten Free Bakery - they are sending me a couple of things to try and sent me an email with information on a program they support. You should definitely check out the coupons! Their website has a "where to buy" option if you don't want to shop online. Locally, the store I found that carries it on their website is Greatest Grains in Davenport and New Pioneer Coop in Iowa City. I have not actually been to Greatest Grains to check for this product, but once I get my package from Rudi's I will be sure to blog about it.

This is the information I received via email from a company spokesperson:

As you may know, there are an estimated 3 million people in the U.S. suffering from celiac disease, yet only 160,000 are diagnosed. We're pleased to announce that Rudi's Gluten-Free Bakery is working with NFCA to support education for the diagnosis of celiac disease, with our new Spread the Bread charitable program, which launched in late December.

For every dollar coupon downloaded, Rudi's Gluten-Free Bakery will give a dollar to the NFCA, up to $20,000, to help in its efforts to better educate physicians in the diagnosis of celiac disease. Coupons are available on the Rudi's Gluten-Free Bakery website and Facebook page. 

I can't wait to try it - I hope its good, I love bread!!

. 

Chicken Parmesan Low Calorie Recipe

We had this for dinner last night. It was amazing. Low Calorie and big on flavor, the perfect way to jazz up chicken.

My version of healthy chicken parmesan

Ingredients

1-2 chicken breasts

1/4 cup of Pizza or Pasta Sauce

1 Tsp of Classico Tomato Basil Pesto

2 TBS Mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven at 375. Put all chicken on the George foreman and cook it until its done. Place the cooked chicken in a greased baking dish, spoon sauce on each breast. Top with cheese and bake about 5 minutes to melt/brown the cheese.

*I spiced up my chicken while it cooked on the George foreman.

Per Serving
Calories  268

Fat 5.7g

Carbs 5.7g

Protein - 45.3g

Sneaky Pete's

We ate at Sneaky Pete's in LeClaire, IA with a large group of friends on Saturday night. They have a limited menu. They offer plenty for a gluten free person. We got there a bit early and when we were seated I asked our server if they had a GF menu, she replied no, but one of our cooks has to follow a gluten free diet, so he is really good about cooking things so a gluten free person is safe. I felt better immediately.

I ordered Salmon with only salt/pepper seasoning and a baked potato. It comes with salad bar, I brought my own dressing so I wouldn't get sick from the MSG. I ate everything, it was fantastic. It was $13.95 for my meal, but I did not get sick and will definitely go back to Sneaky Pete's. If you are looking for a decent place on the Mississippi River with excellent food, give them a try.

Check out their website for directions and info to contact them with questions. They do not have a full listing of the menu online.

Sidwell's Hot Fudge Sauce

Oh My!! Sidwell's Hot fudge sauce is made with all "good" things, everything on the package I can pronounce. I have a hard time making myself take it easy with this stuff, I could easily sit and eat it out of the jar. I was given this by Hy-Vee W. Kimberly to try. I love it on ice cream. I love it on rice cakes. I love it on a spoon of peanut butter. Oh who am I kidding, I'd probably eat it on everything. It's very tasty and completely gluten free. Give it a shot! It's also made right here in Iowa by hand, check out their website: www.sidwellshotfudge.com

Corn Chowder

I got this recipe on the Spark People site. I had to alter the flour to be gluten free. I used Domata Living Flour for the two table spoons. I also added my own extra spices. I added more salt and pepper than the recipe called for, I  did it based on the taste of the soup. I also added crushed red pepper (about three good shakes - nice measuring, eh?), a couple shakes of garlic powder, and oregano leaves. I added a few sprinkles of Monterrey Jack cheese. It was fantastic! It was was 186 calories before I added the cheese,so I'm guess its right at 200 calories per serving, which is one cup. It was very easy to make. My husband liked it too and added chicken to his, he said it was really good that way too.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons finely diced celery
• 2 tablespoons finely diced onion
• 2 tablespoons finely diced green pepper
• 1 package frozen whole kernel corn (10 oz.)
• 1 cup peeled, diced, 1/2" raw potatoes
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• black pepper to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons gluten free flour 
• 2 cups low-fat (1%) or skim milk
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Directions

1. Heat oil in medium saucepan.
2. Add celery, onion, and green pepper and saute for 2 minutes.
3. Add corn, potatoes, water, salt, pepper, and paprika. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium; and cook, covered, about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
4. Place 1/2 cup milk in a jar with tight fitting lid. Add flour and shake vigorously.
5. Add gradually to cooked vegetables and add remaining milk.
6. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Serve garnished with chopped fresh parsley.

Yield: 4 servings--Serving Size: 1 cup