Biking

While I constantly work at eating the things that make my insides happy, I knew I needed to step it up physically to keep the whole body happy. So, I got out my mountain bike, dusted it off, had the tires pumped up and set out to get back in the saddle again. When I was in my teens I rode my bike a lot. It helped that I could not pass a road test to save my soul, but perhaps it did save my body, because I rode my bike instead. I would ride nine miles to get to the nearest beach, and six miles to see my bf who was a life guard at a pool and on and on I rode. Something magical happened to me when I was on the bike, I felt carefree. Yes, the wind blows in ones face while riding and one can see things one can't while riding in a car, but it was more than that...and I experienced it again when I rode my bike last weekend.
For three years I have wanted to ride my bike the four miles from one small town in my area to another down the road. The shoulders on the sides of the road are wide and the road is flat, so it is a great place to ride. I am not out to travel up hills and over rocky terrain, I just want to ride my bike and be safe while riding.
My son hoisted my bike into the back of our truck and he dropped me off at a convenience store parking lot where I would start my ride. The minute I sat on the bike seat I felt like I was fifteen again. Pedaling and observing the world around me transformed as well as refreshed me. In a half hour my four miles were ridden and my son picked me up again.
The next day I took off on my own from my driveway and added a couple miles to the trip, having to walk a portion of it due to the incline and my inability to ride comfortably as well as it being on a curvy section and I wanted to feel safer, so I walked it. It took 55 min. and I was elated once again. A chocolate lab ran up to me and licked my leg and when I got off the bike my legs felt wobbly, but those were the only happenings that stood out in my mind...otherwise I was fifteen again and carefree and alive with joy.

Thinking outside the tomato box

I have made the sauce that has no tomatoes but looks like tomato sauce because it has beets and carrots and the two combined create a lovely red appearance, but this got me thinking that it really does not have to be red. I had no beets today and had leftover spaghetti squash which had me a hankerin' for something spaghetti-ish so I cooked up some ground beef and mushrooms and then I started dropping veggies in the blender and voila...veggie sauce...not even red...so there! Ok, I used peeled and cut up carrots, chopped onion and celery and a clove of garlic, and some basil, oregano, salt, pepper, and water. After blending I added the sauce to the cooked meat mix and heated through, then poured over warm spaghetti squash. I did sprinkle a little paremesan cheese on top for taste. It was wonderful...I like thinking outside the tomato box. So what if the sauce is orange and the noodles are yellow... the taste is pure gold.

Cashew Cheese tomato-free gluten free lasagna

I made some cashew cheese and had a hankerin' for something that looked and tasted like lasagna, so off to the kitchen I went.

Cashew cheese (recipe from vegcooking.com, chef Ann Gentry)

1 1/2 cups raw cashews
Cold water enough to cover nuts by 2 inches
1/3 cup water
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Let Cashews soak for 2 hours, then drain. Put nuts and all the ingredients in food processor and process for 5 min., cover and keep at room temp. for 1-2 days, but no longer, and then store in fridge and use for up to 5 days.

On to the lasagna...

I discovered 8 (10 would have been better) no bake rice lasagna noodles in my cupboard and followed the directions fairly closely on the box. Unfortunately I threw the box out and can't remember the company name. I adapted the recipe so I do remember what I did...

I blended a drained can of beets and about four peeled carrots in the blender, added water and garlic cloves and spices like basil, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper and then a little fennel and a little crushed red pepper and olive oil and a handful of mushrooms. It made about 4 cups of sauce. I cooked about a half pound of ground beef and a cup of chopped onion and a bunch of sliced mushrooms and set aside. I layered a 9 X 13 pan with sauce, then noodles,then meat mix, then cashew cheese, repeat...I topped it with some grated parmesan (I don't do dairy, but I wanted a little parmesan flavor in the mix).I covered the pan with foil and baked it in a 350 deg. preheated oven for one hour.

The strange thing about this creation is that the sauce looked red when I made it, but the lasagna is a goofy shade of yellow and brown so it does not look at all like lasagna. The pic even came out so bad I didn't post it...but it is yummy. I cut it all up and bagged it and today I took out a portion, warmed it in the micro, and enjoyed it again.

Don't judge nontrad lasagna by its looks...it might just be delish!

NEWS FLASH!!!! I rode my bike four miles today...first ride of the year. It was great. It took me back 40 years...I was a bike riding fool back then. It is good to be back in the saddle again.

GF Steel cut oat cookies

I bent my no sugar rule again to make some oatmeal cookies today. I adapted a recipe called Farm-style Oatmeal cookies in a Betty Crocker Cookie Book and the results were yummy and satisfying. OAT OAT OAT!!!

Preheat oven to 375 deg.

Mix:
2 cups sugar
1 cup Spectrum shortening
1-2 tsps. black strap molasses
1 1/2 cups rice milk
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
Add and mix the following:
3 cups GF steel cut oats
3 cups white rice flour
2 tsps. Xanthan Gum
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt

Flatten tablespoon sized amounts on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake about 10 min. Remove immediately and cool on wire rack.

Variations on the flatbread

I played with the flatbread dough again today and thought I would try new ways to use the six inch flattened dough...so I did.

I heated an inch of oil in a pan and fried some, then sprinkled with powdered sugar and this became my variation of fried dough. Okay so I used some powdered sugar, so what...yum yum LOL

Then I preheated the oven to 350 and baked some on a lightly greased baking sheet for about 15-20 minutes. They puffed up and looked quite good and are quite good. My variation of pita bread.

Who knew I could have so much fun with rice flour, I used LAXMI Brand from House of Spices in India (www.hosindia.com), it is much cheaper than Bod's Redmill (sorry Bob), water, Xanthan gum, and salt...

The weather is gorgeous again today...hooray!

GF CF Mushroom soup

It was one of those days that my mind wandered to something I loved but can't have now...mushroom soup. Then again, I challenged myself to try to make my own. I googled and adapted a recipe I found at www.recipezaar.com/recipe/print?id=107359
It only made a cupful but it was enough and I can double it the next time if I want to.

Lightly saute 1/4 cup chopped mushrooms and 1 TB minced onion in 1 TB melted shortening. Set these aside after done. Melt 3 TBs shortening and add 3 TBs white rice flour, salt and pepper to taste and whisk until smooth...add the vegetables and continue stirring until thick. Enjoy. I did. I look forward to making this to use in a casserole recipe some time. It really hit my need-comforting spot today.

Johnny cakes...arepas...not sure

I read about arepas at Gluten free girl's site and thought I would give them a try. Still not sure if I should be ingesting corn products but the occasional popcorn indulgence has been okay with me so I decided to try working with cornmeal.

Not sure what I did or didn't do but my arepas were tossed in the crapper.

With more corn meal in the house I googled and found some Aunt Jemina corn meal recipes and tried a variation of her Crispy Johnny Cakes. I am pleased.

To me , they look like English muffins, are more dense after cutting in half, and have a comfy yummy texture and taste to them.

I used my Hamilton Beach waffle/griddle appliance and didn't even grease it up.

The recipe I adapted was found at http://www.ajcornmeal.com/recipes/johnny-cakes-cm.htm

Mix together
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup white rice flour
1 tsp. Xanthan Gum
1 TBs sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup rice milk
1 TBs oil

Heat griddle and plop (my batter was doughlike)on 1/4 cupfuls onto griddle and close it up for about 7 min.

Split and pour on syrup or eat plain, or with any topping you desire.

"Johnny cake Johnny cake baker's can
Make what they want to in a pan
Mix it and fix it and mark it with a B
And toss it on the griddle for you and me."

More fun than playing with play dough...flatbread

I googled and adapted (http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/specex/msg011349195988.html) and this is what I came up with...it sure was fun making flat bread today. I felt like I was a kid again playing with playdough.

3 cups white rice flour
3 tsp. Xanthan Gum
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups warm water

Mix ingredients and then knead for 5 min.
Break into 12 pieces, roll into balls and cover with a damp cloth to rest for 10 min. Flatten into 6 inch rounds and heat on lightly greased med-high heat pan for a min. on each side. Cool on a wire rack. Use for bread, sandwich making, mini pizzas...whatever! Enjoy!

Sixy me

Kind of fits with my DREAM theme...I have been tagged by Nutty Meatfruit to list six descriptors of me.

1. dependable
2. weird
3. goony
4. loving
5. creative
6. supportive

I sound like man's best friend...but I don't have fleas...I am pretty boring. LOL

I tag GF CF MAMA, FAB Grandma, Lea, Mike, Sheri, and of course Meesh.

RICE DREAM

Ingredients: Filtered water, brown rice (partially milled), expeller pressed high oleic safflower oil, tapioca starch, natural vanilla flavor with other natural flavors, guar gum, sea salt, carrageenan.

This past week I spent most of my time in the hospital because my dad had a bypass on his leg...but when it came to relieving the stress I looked to RICE DREAM and let me tell you eating a bowl of this yummy stuff was almost orgasmic...I can't convey what it does to me with any other word, sorry if this offends.

I have purchased this product before but never looked at the ingredients and when I realized there is no sugar I fell more in love with it than I had felt before.

On my 55th birthday last week my sister even made me a banana split with RICE DREAM and that is when I almost felt my eyes rolling back into my head and she looked at me like, "what is going on with you, sis?" LOL

Pleasure comes in many forms...and eating RICE DREAM for this intolerant-of-so-many-foods gal is one way for me to find pleasure.

GFCF Chex Mix and more...

Now that I have a box of Chex Mix I can eat I was craving some kind of Chex Mix snack. On the side of the box there is a recipe for a sweet mix that I had fun adapting for my needs.It is mighty tasty and even Satan (see post below) approves.

Put 4 cups of Chex Mix in a microwaveable bowl

Take 1 TB. Spectrum shortening and 1 TB. sugar and about 1 TB. black strap molasses and 1/2 tsp. vanilla and about 1 TB. water...microwave for about 2-3 min.

Pour mixture over Chex and then microwave for about 3 min. STIRRING after each minute. Spread out on paper towels to dry. Enjoy.

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Another good find today was baking meat instead of pan frying it. I looked in the fridge and there was enough ground beef for about two patties, one pork chop, and about 6 strips of bacon. So I set the oven on 350 deg. and put the meats, salt and peppered, in pie pans and into the oven. The patties were done in about 15-20 min., but the pork items took longer, I kept checking them until cooked through.
When Satan wanted lunch I took one of the baked patties, put some of the bacon on top, and then a slice of cheese and nuked it for 30 seconds...he was in bacon cheeseburger heaven, he was thrilled.

Happy Saturday, or whatever day it is you might be reading this on.

Just back from the theater

I am proud to be
The mother of Satan
I know that this
Sounds weird
Watching him angry
While yelling, "Kill him"
Was frankly a bit absurd
But he did a good job
As Satan and made
His mother proud
I was amongst the many fans
In Godspell’s awestruck crowd

Gluten free Rice Chex

I read about them on Gluten free Guide and Lea's blogs and I went to the store today hoping to find them and there they were... boxes of GLUTEN FREE RICE CHEX.

I got home and practically tore the top off the box, poured some in a bowl, poured rice milk over them, and spooned up some magic. It was wonderful...the picture is halfway through the experience. I felt like I had to capture it...ahhh...delish!

I read that it has molasses in it, perhaps that will be the way for other cereals to join in the gluten free way to go...most have that barley malt and that is what keeps us gluten intolerant eaters from buying them and eating them.

It is a good day for all of us gluten avoiders. RICE CHEX ROCKS!

Buckwheat Pancakes

I adapted a buckwheat pancake recipe from one by the editors of Easy Home Cooking Magazine that I stumbled onto at howstuffworks.com.

First of all you make up the pancake mix and this can be used when you are in the mood for a few cakes.

Mix together the following, and store in an airtight container:

2 cups buckwheat flour

1 cup rice flour

1 cup sweet sorghum flour

2 TB sugar

4 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

2-3 tsp. Xanthan Gum, if desired

1 tsp. salt

Pancake recipe

Mix:

1 cup of the pancake mix

1 cup rice milk

2 TB oil

1 egg (I skipped the egg)

Cook on greased hot griddle or fry pan a couple minutes and then flip and serve with syrup or whatever you feel like having with it.

These tend to brown easily so don't be alarmed if they are dark. I enjoyed mine, I hope you enjoy yours.

I can see the ground and it is green...robins are diving onto the green stuff all over the yard. I guess they are happy the snow melted too.

I wrote 6,000 words in my latest novel over the weekend. the words were flowin'...YES!