TGIF: A few drink ideas for you this weekend..

YAY!!



So the weekend is upon us and I wasn't going to Blog today, but someone inspired me to after the nice things he wrote on my FB page. (This one is for you Gene!)



I love beer. I think what I miss most now that I am gluten free is I can not have pizza and beer. The quintessential items for a late night or a fun Sunday watching football. But that has all changed. No more excuses because there are some VERY tasty beers out there that people have a preconceived thought about because it doesn't contain any barley or whatever it is they put in beer. People should explore more- there is more to just grabbing a 12 pack of Bud or Miller light. I mean, don't get me wrong I liked those, but common go and explore.



If you were in a microbrewery with a blindfold on and they told you to taste the beers, you would NEVER know they were gluten free. So here is a list of the top beers I love to drink. (In moderation of course!)



1. New Grist Delicious and crisp

2. Greens Refreshing and a great Ale

3. Bards I love the malted sorghum yummmy!



So there you have it. My top three. Now if you want something I call "Summer in your mouth" please see the recipe below!



The Amanda Drink (Summer in your mouth)

Start with a large 8oz cup

fill 1/2 way with ice

Add 1/2 cup of dry white wine (whatever tickles your fancy I like Pinto Grigio)

Add a drizzle of Grenadine (naturally Gluten Free)

Fill the remainder of the cup with Sprite

Add some cherries if you want, sit back, relax and enjoy!!

Yummm.. a Gluten Free wine spritzer. Is summer here yet?



Have a wonderful weekend and remember: Drink responsibly!



xo,

Amanda

For your interest: Monday Night's Gluten Free Comfort Food Dinner

Hello..

How are you? I wanted to tell you that this week was all about the comfort food. I am talking a lot of cheese ( I know I shouldn't have it) chips and dips and wings. All very yummy things. If you are in the mood, don't shy away from it. If you do, you will only want it more and that's never a good thing. Remember, everything in moderation.

Monday Night's Dinner: Roast Beef with Roasted Potato's and Carrots (Very Easy)

What to get:
1 3Lb Large Roast (preferably from a butcher who sells grass feed beef as it's naturally GF)
6 large Idaho potatoes
1 lb bag of carrots
Olive Oil
Natural Spread Butter
Garlic
Salt and Pepper to taste


*Preheat the oven to 300*
*Place the roast in a large roasting pan. Make 6 good size incisions in the meat and put cloves of garlic inside for taste.
*Salt and pepper the roast liberally (Don't be afraid of the salt, it creates a very nice crust- you can also add garlic powder if you'd like)
*Wash, peel and quarter the potatoes and place around the meat
*Peed and cube carrots and also place in roasting pan
*Salt and pepper the potatoes and carrots
*Add just enough water to made the veggies moist
*Keep checking the veggies so they don't burn and stick to the roasting pan
*The meat should be cooked 20 minuets for every pound of meat. (Depending on the size should take up to 2 hours. Have handy a meat thermometer. When it's done, it should be at 160*)

After it's done, let the meat rest for up to 10-15 minuets to let the juices reincorporate.

Slice the meat and lay on the plate and add potatoes and veggies. A nice garnish would be chives to add a little green and flavor.

This is a ONE POT DISH!!

Enjoy it and please let me know how it goes. Happy Gluten Free eating!

xo,
Amanda

Alive!!!

Hello..



I wanted to enlighten everyone on my great day. First, I had the most amazing workout. Second, after that amazing workout, I ran for a whole 13 minuets-the most I ever ran in my life.



I feel ALIVE again!! Not sluggish or depressed, not tired and rundown- ALIVE. I feel like screaming it from on top of a mountain. HAHA That was a total cliche. Oh well, that's just how I feel.



There is nothing like the feeling of being able to accomplish something again. This time last year, I couldn't do anything. Like I have said in other posts, I couldn't even get off of the couch. No more! I am working harder than I ever have and I am so happy to have the sinful gluten out of my system.



I should let you know that I am training for my first 5K in a few weeks.. I can't wait. Perhaps I will run a full marathon in Hawaii in December? (Can you tell that is my goal?) I am training for a sprint triathlon as well.. Sky is the limit. I can't even begin to describe how I am feeling. I am better than ever...



I hope you are all having a great day as well.. Tonight is Gluten Free Italian Night.. Please stay tuned for the recipes.



Have a great day!



xo,

Amanda

Protein Woes..

Hello again,

I have good news and bad. Which one shall we start with first? Lets go with good..

Good: I am back into my grove and working out again. I am a few days behind with my running schedule, but if I can walk tomorrow ( I strength trained like a manic today) I will do my 13 minute run. I am getting there.. the biggest news ever if I am not tired- not worn down like I was this time last year. Thank for god for the gluten free diet. Please read this amazing expert from "Gluten Free for Dummies" :)

Bad: Ugh.. my eating isn't as good as I want it to be. I don't know about you, but I feel like I have to micromanage what I put into my body. That is the bad news.. I am not getting enough protein. People who suffer from gluten intolerance or Celiac Disease didn't get enough nutrients as it is, and now we are learning how to get them back into our system naturally.

Ok, so enough with the science lesson. Let's talk about protein. According to my trainer, that is one of the most if not the most important things you can put into your body. Protein is FUEL. "Protein is an essential nutrient. There is no life without protein. Protein is contained in every part of your body, the skin, muscles, hair, blood, body organs, eyes, even fingernails and bone. Next to water, protein is the most plentiful substance in your body." (I really enjoyed this PDF)

Every time I work out I think about protein. Did I get enough, how many grams did I ingest- I know I sound like a lunatic, but I want to make sure I am firing on all cylinders. Nutrition, training, cardio, overall well being is all related. I can't do one thing right and not the other?! Really making the conscious effort to learn all I can has been both a blessing and a hardship. It's a lot to take in. I mean, it would be so much easier if I can eat whole grain toast, a bagel, or an english muffin. But no, that's to easy and it wouldn't be me if I didn't like a challenge. Not to mention, thinking about ingesting gluten makes my stomach turn..

On that note, I want to share a secret. Well two secrets...

Number one: (this one is for the ladies) Stay away from harsh protein powder. It doesn't digest well in your belly- there is nothing like a good protein shake after a workout. Try Aria It's a yummy protein and isn't chalky.

Number two: Oatmeal (GF oats for those who need it) Here is my magic recpie Oatmeal with Quiona

1/2 cup of cooked oatmeal (7 grams of protein)
1/4 cup of cooked quiona (Eden Organic is my fav) (6 grams of protein)

in total= 13 grams of protein!

Mix together, add a drizzle of honey, a dash of Cinnamon, and your favorite fruit (optional) This dish will keep you full longer and give you a lot of FUEL for your day. Please enjoy something else with your breakfast like a smoothie or a apple with peanut butter. In my opinion, you should eat your biggest meal at breakfast and then a good size meal at lunch and then your smallest at dinner. Who wants to go to bed with a on of food your belly? If you eat properly during the day you won't feel like you want to eat so much at night!

I hope this post was enlightening. There is more to come soon. (I promise more frequently) Remember, experiment with your food. Don't be afraid. I will be adding more recpies to my blogs, so please try them and get back to me! Have a great night.

xo,
Amanda

I am such a bad blogger.. ugh

So hello..

I am so bad at this blogging thing. I mean, it really does take dedication, time and energy. All of which I am directing to work since I have been back from vacation. Getting stuck that extra day took away from my time at work! And unlike most people, I really love what I do. (No offence to my family I had a WONDERFUL time with them)

With that said, I am back. I want to share whats been going on lately so I am going to close this post out and write another one dedicated to food and ideas.. ok more to come.

xo,
Amanda

Congrats to the Saints and to good GF food

First off.. let me start by saying CONGRATULATIONS TO THE SAINTS!!!!



It goes to show that even the underdog can succeed. When the going gets tough, jump into the rule book of the saints- GO FOR AN ONSIDE KICK. That's how I feel sometimes, like I need something to keep it interesting and that is just what the Saints did last night. They pulled out all of the stops- we can all learn something from them..



On a different and more tasty note, I wanted to talk a little bit about the Superbowl Menu I made for me and my family last night. It was simple and tasty. 1/2 gluten free and 1/2 regular.



I started off with appetizers:



1. Shrimp and GF cocktail sauce

• Start off with a precooked and divined shrimp. I prefer the JUMBO but the small ones were on sale at Walmart. Keep it real and go for the deal, a shrimp is a shrimp.

2. Chili and Cheese Dipping sauce (This one is not that great calorie wise, but sometimes you have to splurge. It was the BIG GAME and it's a Moorhosue staple love you dad)

• Start with a large, microwave safe bowl.
• Add two cans of naturally Gluten Free Hormel Chili
• (This is the bad part) Add 1/2 of a block of Velveeta Cheese! :) Cut in strips for easy melting
• Microwave on high until slightly melted.
• Add one dollop of sour cream (seeing how this recipe is already loaded why not sure whole sour cream) :)
• Mix and stir until incorporated and microwave until all incorporated
• Serve with GF Corn Tortilla chips (I like scoops)

3. Pistachios (Simple and a great snack throughout the game and also good for you)

The Entree:
Gluten Free Pizza with garlic hamburger, mushrooms and spanish onion!

• Start with Chebe Pizza Mix and follow directions on back. (I really like this mix because the mix itself has oreagno and basil in dough. NOTE: Don't be shy with the liquid, it is a DRY dough
• While the dough is in the oven, in skillet sweat a 1/2 of onion and 3 cloves of garlic in a little bit of extra virgin olive oil.
• Add 1/4 LB of gound beef (or turkey or chicken it's up to you.) Add Salt and Pepper
• When beef is browned, add mushrooms
• Take out pizza crust and poke the sides if the have risen-
• Spread red sauce (Whatever you have in your pantry)
• Add Cheese
• Add toppings and put back in oven.
• After 20 minutes you have a yummy, delicious GF PIZZA!

Yummm.. I am hungry again. Good thing there is leftovers.

Just an FYI for lunch today, I had a salad of the rainbow:

• Spinich
• Iceburg Lettuce
• red onion
• kiwi
• red pepper
• 1/2 of a grapefruit
• On top? A warmed cut up peice of my pizza on top of my salad for added protein. :)

Enjoy your day and remember, Be Creative! Go for the onside kick!

xo

Amanda

Motivation- Get off of the couch!

Hello All..

I can see how easy it is to get away from blogging when you are busy. I am on 'vacation' in Detroit! My dad's brother is here and his family. My Uncle Kent had been serving our country in the United States Army for over 20 years and finally he will be retiring. I am happy for him and relived that he is safe and sound from the fighting he has been involved in. Who can really say they are for war? I mean, let's face it, it's something we have to do in this moment of crisis. All I can say is that he is safe and my family is back in one piece. He served this country and we should all support the troops. :) I am so proud of him.

I am so happy to have been able to come out here and see my cousins Kandice and Kassisy and my Aunt Nancy. They are amazing people who huge hearts and I love them all very much.

Ok- So.. let's be honest- staying healthy on vacation? It is nearly IMPOSSIBLE!!!! I am lucky because the family has a built in gym and treadmill downstairs in their awesome basement, but that means NOTHING!!! Yesterday, I was on the couch for 1/2 the day and I had to text my trainer because I couldn't get off of the couch. I needed motivation. The kind of ass kick I get from him Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I didn't get a text back for a while, and in that while I thought to myself.. "Amanda, seriously? You are waiting for a text to get off of this couch? Get your s*** together and workout!" (Yes, that is what I said to myself) So I did. I put my workout clothes on, warmed up by taking the dog for a brisk walk in the Detroit cold, ran up and down their stairs for 1 mintue, completed my 7 ,mintues running on the treadmill (HUGE goal for me BTW) and put myself through a complete body workout!

It can be done. No need for excuses- it has to be apart of life. Exercise for the first time in my life means something. With every sit up, push up or jog I feel a bit less tired and a lot more stronger. So get off of the couch and do something. I swear, it can change your life. :)

Last night I took my cousin Kandice out for dinner http://http://maps.yahoo.com/map?q1=17757%20Hall%20Macomb%2C%20MI%2C%2048044&mag=5&ard=1#mvt=m&lat=42.628489&lon=-82.944999&mag=5&zoom=14&q1=17757%20Hall%20Macomb%2C%20MI%2C%2048044

We had a blast- I can't believe she will be going away to college! She picked a great steak place for us because she knows that steak is for the most part Gluten Free. www.branns.com (She rocks)

Anyway, I wanted to give a shout out to the Manager Paula and our waitress Jenn who was very supportive of my allergy and was there to help. Although I was a bit disappointed of the lack of education they waitstaff had, they wanted to insure I had a great time- which I did. I might have embarrassed my cousin (sorry Kandice) But I have to look out for my well being.

With that said, I am going to end this posting for today. I have a wonderful day planned and remember, you can get a workout in. No matter how big or small- Just get off of the couch! :)

I can't believe I am saying this but : GO SAINTS!!!!

xo
Amanda

Thank god for friends, family and travel

So today I am on my way.. I am here in NYC for the night visiting Haley before I leave for Detroit for family.

Such a great day.... just wanted to say hello and tell you about a quick restaurant we went to tonight in NYC.

It's called Opus. The most amazing service and food. Check it out...

I am with friends and need to hang out.. lotts more to come! Have a great night.

xo
Amanda

Phew.. was that tough

Hello there..

Today was a great day. I feel totally relaxed and calm but energized all at the same time.

Today was also a mile stone- it marked the first time I have ran for 5 straight minuets. I mean seriously that might not sound like a lot to you but it sure was to me. Especially with NO cramps. This is leaps and bounds above where I was this time last year.

I also did strength training today. Phew... that was tough-a whole lot of exercise. The good news is I had a great eating day (perhaps I could have used a little more protein). Please see below for my GF food dairy:

Pre running workout
1/2 of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on GF whole wheat bread and a 1/2 of a banana (don't want to be really full)

Breakfast
1 Yoplat vanilla yogurt
2 hard boiled eggs
1 cup of cinnamon and apple gluten free hot cereal

Snack
1/2 of a grape fruit

Lunch
1 serving o Lola' gluten free lasagna http://lolasnatick.com
the other 1/2 of grape fruit
I Vanilla, mango and strawberry protein shake

In between snack (yes- another snack)
Food Should Taste Good Chips multi grain chips

Dinner
2 cookies (I know this is bad)
Homemade gluten free pasta sauce and rice noodles

Yumm... I love good days. I am starting to feel like things are looking up..

Have a wonderful night my GF and NON GF friends! :)

xo
Amanda

What's for Dinner?

2.2.10



Hi!



So today I was supposed to train-but I took a core strength class instead. Man did that hurt. I am more aware of my eating now.. thank god because I need proper nutrition. Being gluten free is tough but like I said, I will not let me get me down.



I am hungry... whats for dinner tonight? I think I might make pork lettuce wraps. I have a 1/2 of a left over pork roast. Think.. think.. YES! Please see below for my quick and easy recipe.



Pork Lettuce Wraps (with a side salad)
4 Large lettuce "cups"
1/2 a roast cut small
2 shallots
4 cloves (I LOVE garlic)
Enough Extra Virgin Olive Oil to coat the pan
A splash of ginger oil
A splash of sesame oil
1/4 tbsp of GF teriyaki sauce
1/4 tbsp of GF soy sauce
1/2 cup of cocktail peanuts
1/2 cup of broken up CORN tortilla chips for crunch
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a pan, saute the onions and garlic until tender in heated extra virgin oil
Add pork salt and pepper to taste ginger oil, sesame oil, teriyaki and soy and mix
Let all ingredients incorporate in pan under medium heat
After about 5 minuets add the peanuts and corn tortilla chips stir until you have desired taste.

Wash lettuce cups and put them in a bowl scoop mixture into lettuce cup. Wrap it up like a tortilla wrap and enjoy! This is great with a side salad of greens, kiwi and tomaoes sprinkled with a dash of Himalayan sea salt.

Yumm.. what a satisfying dinner. NO tummy ache for me! Enjoy...

xo
Amanda

Gluen Free Runner

2.1.2010

Today marks a new chapter in my life. I have decided to run. Train, exercise and run.

This is partly due to the fact that this time last year I couldn't physicly get off of the couch-or at least that was the feeling. Rundown, exhausted- the feeling I was carrying around 100lbs of bricks on my shoulders.

What I was really feeling was a food allergy that took over my body. After finally being gene tested it was found that I carried both genes for Celiac Disease. This is all thanks to my mother; whom I love VERY much.

10 years ago my mom was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. (I should have known I was right behind her) Thank god it wasn't cancer.. but it sure felt like we were dealing with something similar. No one knew what it was or what to eat. No one knew if there was ever going to be a cure-cutting out gluten was and is still the only cure.

This began the journey. The cooking, the buying of separate pots and pans (we can't have cross contimination) Literally separating my parents kitchen. I knew I had to help- I started cooking for her and wanted to educate the public on this... but how. That's something I am working on to this day..

So getting back to running.. ( I swear it all ties in) Last year I was very sick and found out I have an intolerance to gluten but for months I was NOT myself. I didn't have the energy and for someone who is as personable as me that was difficult. I was sad because I didn't feel like myself. I felt like a stroke victim- I was stuck inside my own body. I knew I was in there but couldn't com out.

2009 was a blur for me. Thank god I was diagnosed-with the diagnoses came a new me. A slowly re energized me who wanted to start working out again. (something I haven't done since I was a gymnast)

Then I saw it....a 5K race. I thought to myself I can do this. Gluten isn't going to beat me.

This is my journey on how I was rundown but now transforming into a runner. But this is also a place where I want to share my recipes and ideas on how to live life with food allergies. I swear it's possible- my mom and I are living proof.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get on the treadmill.

x0
Amanda