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Monday, November 1, 2010

Perhaps...

...our family spends too much time on the Wii??? :) It was an entire family theme, as I was Princess Peach, complete with long blonde wig. Mom 2 took a picture of the 4 of us, but it's on hubby's camera, so I'll post it after I get it from him. The highlight of the evening was when we had a gaggle of teenage girls run up to us and ask if we would pose with them for a photo. LOL!

Please note that the boys are sporting inflatable bellies. Hubby's is au naturel ;P

Gluten-Free Banana Bread French Toast

My MIL was here over the weekend visiting so she could be here with the boys for Halloween. When I picked her up from the airport Saturday morning and brought her home, she told me a story she thought I'd find "quite amusing".

It seems "Mom 2" has discovered several food blogs that she loves and visits on a regular basis. She uses these blogs to follow links and explore other food blogs. One day, while hopping from blog to blog, she made a discovery. She was at MY blog! I had mentioned that I had my own blog, but I'd never given her a link to the blog. Imagine her surpise when she realized she knew the author. :)

She spent quite a bit of time here, reading about the garden, the family, and browsing the recipes. Which saved me from having to tell her about my gluten-free diet- she already knew! She was asking me about what I had made, how alternative flours tasted, etc. I have slowly but surely built up a small GF pantry, and am getting a little braver each day in trying out new things. When I realized I had some ripe bananas, I thought I would let her taste for herself what something might taste like with GF substitutions. I made 2 loaves of banana bread using this recipe, except I subsituted 2 cups of Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Mix for the flour, baking powder, etc., and I added 1/4 cup sour cream.

It turned out wonderfully, and we all enjoyed nice warm banana bread on Saturday afternoon. Sunday morning, I got out the 2nd loaf of banana bread, thinking the boys would enjoy having it for breakfast. My 8 year old looked at the banana bread, then looked at me and declared that he wanted Banana Bread French Toast. I had never even thought of such a thing before, but okay. I'm game.


GF Banana Bread French Toast

8 slices of your favorite GF banana bread, or use recipe above
3 eggs
3/4 cup of milk
1t GF vanilla
1t cinnamon

Heat a skillet over medium heat and grease lightly. Whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla and cinnamon, and let banana bread soak in the mixture for 2-3 minutes, turning once to coat.

Cook in skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes, flip, and continue to cook for 3-4 minutes, or until egg mixture is cooked through and french toast is nicely browned. Serve with maple syrup.

I was very pleased with how this turned out. The egg mixture and pan-frying gave the banana bread a wonderful "melt in your mouth" texture. It felt very decadent, which was exciting, considering I haven't had anything along these lines since I stopped eating gluten.

I'm looking forward to my son's next request---hopefully it will generate another delicious creation!

Menu Plan Week of 11/1


Here's what the week looks like...

Monday 11/1

Mini Meatloaves ( I will use corn flakes instead of bread to make these GF) $3.00

roasted red potatoes .50

sauteed kale with garlic and bacon $1.50

$5.00


Tuesday 11/2

chicken and mushroom risotto (using homemade stock) $4.75

baked sweet potatoes $1.00

salad .75

$6.50


Wednesday 11/3

I am taking the boys to see Trans Siberian Orchestra with a friend and her kids, and we'll go out to eat after. I will be making extra meatloaves tonight and hiding them in the downstairs fridge so they will actually make it to Wednesday and hubby can have them for dinner.


Thursday 11/4

spaghetti and meatballs (K has been begging me for meatballs. I will eat these sans pasta) $4.00

sauteed kale with garlic $1.00

bread and butter .50

$5.50


Friday 11/5

turkey tacos $3.00

corn .50

tomato avocado salad $1.50

$5.00


Saturday 11/6

slowcooker pot roast (using a smaller roast) $5.00

salad .75

bread and butter for boys .50

$6.25


Sunday 11/7

grilled pork chops $2.50

acorn squash $1.00

broccoli .75

$4.25



Sunday, October 24, 2010

Menu Plan Week of 10/25


I have been doing really well with the GF diet, but have been sooo busy at work with budgets and such that I've been kinda flying by the seat of my pants, which I hate. Yesterday, I got all of my coupons organized in my book for the first time in forever, and today, a meal plan! Tonight hubby and I will be eating out with a gift card before going to see a show, and the boys will have chicken sandwiches and fries. Here's what the rest of the week looks like. All of these meals are either GF or are easy for me to eat parts of and supplement. I've been keeping the cost down on the GF meals pretty well, too! We're just over $30 for this week's meals.

Monday-
italian turkey sausage and peppers in sauce- $5.00
angel hair pasta .50
salad .75
$6.25

Tuesday-
marinated grilled chicken $2.00
baked sweet potatoes $1.00
spinach salad $1.00
$4.00

Wednesday-
bbq lil smokies $2.75
garlic smashed potatoes $1.00
steamed asparagus $1.00
$4.75

Thursday-
chicken tostadas $3.00
refried black beans $1.00
corn .75
$4.75

Friday-
cheese burgers $2.75
fries $1.00
fruit $1.00
$4.75

Saturday-
chili $3.50
GF cornbread $2.50
$6.00

Sunday-
bringing a dish to a pre-trick or treat party

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Looks like the Gluten Free Diet is going to stick around

I have been experimenting and finding some great successes with gluten free flours and ingredients. I made a pan of cornbread over the weekend that hubby gobbled and was all gone by the next day. A definite sign of approval.


I will also post photos and the recipe for this eggplant parmesan I made. I was very proud of the breading. Hubby doesn't even like eggplant and he liked this. Told me I was "allowed" to make it again. LOL.
I have been quite buoyed by these successes, because I saw my doctor Friday and they want me to stay on the diet. I need to accept that this is a long term change. Seeing my family able to enjoy the foods I'm making for my restrictions has been nice---I really don't want to make 2 dinners all the time.
Of course, when it rains, it pours, and I spent a good chunk of last week with a raging fever that has turned into a nice chest virus. That threw me off schedule again, so I have been flying by the seat of my pants for dinners this week, but am going to buckle down this weekend.

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