That is why when I read the title of this article “Sip Your Way to a Flat Belly” I was turned off. I wondered why would anyone send me something like this?

Against my better judgment I clicked anyhow. I was surprised by what I learned:

“There is a potion that magically strips away pounds from your body, improves your overall health, lengthens your life, makes you more attractive to the opposite sex, and keeps you lean forever. Even better, you can have as much of this magic weight-loss potion as you want, for free, and start stripping away pounds—perhaps even several dozen pounds this year alone—without exercise, without dieting, without visiting the set of Nip/Tuck.

What is this magical elixir? It’s water.”

That is right, there is no secret trick. All our bodies need is what mother nature intended for us.

Now I know why I was sent the article. I am always talking about going gluten free “naturally”. By that I mean focusing your gluten free diet on foods that are naturally gluten free such as nuts, fruits, veggies, meat, dairy, etc. the stuff nature intended for us. Instead of running out and buying every box of food labeled gluten free you can get your hands on.

So CHEERS, I raise my glass of water to you. Hoping you have a wonderful gluten free and water filled day.

To read the rest of the article click here –> “Sip Your Way to a Flat Belly”

Sure you can grab an apple, or cut a piece of fruit in no time. but sometimes you just want more than that.

So for those of use who want a hot gf meal anytime. I have a solution. It is really simple & easy & fast. Are you ready? When I tell you, you will think “why didn’t I think of that?!?” and “why haven’t I been doing that all along!?!”

Here it is…

Every time I cook anything that is gluten free. I make a little extra. Then after lunch or dinner I simply put it in a container and freeze it. That’s it.

Just heat & eat. Gluten Free food ready in no time.

So instead of a handful of nuts yogurt or, fruit or vegetables (my go to snacks) all i have to do is heat the food I made earlier and instant meal. Freezing them is also great for taking them along with you to work, school, road trips etc. all you need is a place warm the food up.

This little trick has proven to be a lifesaver. I took frozen gf meals with me on a long car ride recently. When we stopped at a gas station I would just go inside use the microwave. I didn’t have to read every single label in the store just to get a snack, I was in and out in 2 minutes.

Cheers,
Chelsea

*Bonus: This trick is also amazing because it saves you money too! You can buy gluten free food in bulk and benefit from the lower price per ounce or pound

It happens to the best of us really. You are doing great with a gluten free cooking and baking and you think you have got it down. Then next thing you know you end up with a lopsided loaf of bread that looks more like shoebox covered in stucco.

So what do you do? Scrape it into a recognizable shape? Try to rebake it? Toss it and try to forget that it ever existed? Wasted time and wasted money is not an option in my house so I suggest none of those ideas. Instead take the high road, figure out what the problem is and then turn that gluten free mistake into something useable.

And what could you possibly make with lopsided, burnt, undercooked in the middle or tasteless gluten free bread? Gluten Free breadcrumbs or gluten free croutons, of course! Why buy gf breadcrumbs or croutons at $5,$6,$7,$8 or $10 dollars a box?

How? I am glad you asked.

Below are recipes to creating delicious breadcrumbs and gluten free croutons.

Gluten Free Bread Crumbs

ingredients:

- 1 baked gluten free maistake/disaster (bread, waffles, rolls etc.)

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

method:

1. Slice the gluten free mistake into slices so that as much of what would be the inside of the bread/roll/waffle/muffin is exposed.

2. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 10 minutes. You want the slices to be golden brown and dry, almost but not quite burnt and blackened.

3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. once at room temperature, cut into inch pieces and add to a food processor or blender about a cup at a time.

4. Process or blend until the pieces become crumbs. Continue until all of the bread has been used.

5. Add to a large bowl and add the salt, garlic and onion. combine well. Store in an air tight container.

* for Italian style breadcrumbs add 1/4 teaspoon of a salt free italian spice blend for every cup of crumbs.

Gluten Free Croutons

ingredients:

- 1 baked gluten free mistake/disaster (bread, waffles, rolls etc.)

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

- 1 teaspoon of italian spice blend (for extra robust flavor) or parsley

- 1 to 2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil

method:

1. Slice the gluten free mistake into 1 inch cubes.

2. Spread on a large lightly oiled baking sheet.

3. Brush with olive oil.

4. Mix the salt, garlic, onion, spice blend or parsley in a bowl.

5. Sprinkle the croutons with the blended spices.

6. Bake in the oven at 375 for 8-12 minutes or until golden brown.

So cheers to your gluten free mistakes

This recipe is a take on my favorite stuffed cremini mushroom recipe. Serving stuffed mushrooms at a party is always a hit, but I like them so much I tried to figure out a way to eat them for dinner. With the addition of chicken these stuffed portabella mushrooms are a complete meal.

*It is really detailed, but I put more information than you probably need just in case.

it is NOT complicated, it just looks like a lot of steps.

Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms (for 2)

Ingredients:

- 2 organic chicken breasts

- 2 large (about 6 inches in diameter) portabella mushrooms

- 1/2 cup gluten free bread crumbs

- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

- 1/4 cup diced sun dried tomatoes

- 1/4 cup white onions

- 1 fresh garlic clove minced finely

- 2 fresh basil leaves thinly sliced

- 1 large egg

- 1/4 cup milk

- olive oil

- 1/2 teaspoon italian spice (found in any grocery store, more if you like the flavor)

- salt & pepper to taste

- pasta sauce (you can buy a small jar or use your favorite home made recipe)

*If you do not have gluten free bread crumbs put well toasted cubes of gluten free bread in the blender or food processor, make sure the bread is cooled before you make bread crumbs.

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F.

2. Heat up a skillet  on medium heat with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add the diced white onion and garlic. saute until slightly browned and translucent. (if you put the heat too high they will turn black and burn. keep it medium heat and continuously move them around in the pan for about 2 minutes) set aside and allow to cool.

3. Slice the chicken breasts length wise so that you get 4 thinner chicken breast filets. sprinkle with salt and pepper and set aside.

4. In a mixing bowl add the egg, milk, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, diced sun dried tomatoes, cooked onions, cooked garlic, italian spice and thinly sliced basil leaves, add a sprinkle of pepper. Mix well to make what is called a bread crumb panada.

5. Clean the portabella mushrooms and remove the stem. place top side down (the part where the stem was should be up facing you) and drizzle with a little olive oil. Add mushrooms to the saute pan on medium-high heat and saute 1-2 minutes (no more than 2 min.) on each side. remove from pan and set aside.

6. Add 1 teaspoon olive oil to the pan then add the thinly sliced chicken breast filets to the pan. Saute the chicken breasts 3 minutes on each side. Remove from pan. (it is okay that they are not all the way cooked, you are putting them in the oven to bake.

7. Now just assemble your stuffed mushrooms.

– place mushrooms stem side up on a baking sheet.

– add a few spoonfuls of the pasta sauce to the mushroom.

– then place 2 of the thinly sliced chicken breast filets on top of the sauce.

– on top of the chicken breast add enough of the panada (the bread crumb mixture we made) to cover the chicken breast and mushroom

– top with a sprig of fresh basil and a sprinkle of chopped sun dried tomato

8. bake in the oven for 10-12 minutes or until the panada is golden brown at the top.

This is  great recipe that you can make ahead of time and leave in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake.

Hope you enjoy this meal as much as we do.

p.s. if you like it (and if you don’t) let me know by leaving me a comment in the comments section.

Todays recipe should be for the winter time, but the truth is I cannot get enough of this soup year round so I made it last night and I thought I would share it with you.

It is called ‘posole’ (po-soul-lei). It is a traditional pre-Columbian soup or stew from Mexico. I had never heard of it until a friend of mine introduced me to it about a year ago.

There is a red variety made with chilies and there is what they call a green posole made with green tomatillo tomatoes.

It takes a while to make so I suggest doubling the recipe and freezing the rest to enjoy later. This hearty stew is so delicious you will forget that it is gluten free.

Ingredients:

- 2 cups of water

- 3 cups of low sodium gluten free chicken or vegetable stock

- 8 chicken thighs or drumsticks or a combination of both

- 2 cups cooked and rinsed hominy (or 1 can)

- 1/2 cup chopped white onion

- 3 whole garlic cloves

- 1/2 lb. green tomatillo tomatoes (about 6-8)

- 1 jalapeno pepper (with seeds removed)

- 3 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro

- 2 teaspoon dried oregano

- 1 bay leaf

- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

- 1 teaspoon lime juice

- salt to taste

Method:

1. In a large pot on medium heat, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes on each side.

2. Add the water, stock, bay leaf, garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon oregano and a dash of salt.

3. While the chicken is boiling. Remove the husks of the green tomatillo tomatoes and scoop out the seeds then chop into smaller pieces to saute.

4. In a medium sized sauce pan heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. Add the onion, chopped green tomatillo tomatoes, cilantro and chopped jalapeno pepper. Saute on medium heat until the onions are translucent and the green tomatillos have softened. Turn off heat and allow to cool.

5. Continue to let chicken boil until it nearly falls off the bone. As it is boiling remove the foam the rises to top by taking a spoon and simply skimming it off.

6. When chicken is thoroughly cooked, remove chicken from stock and set aside.

7. While the chicken is cooling remove the bay leaf from stock and discard. Remove the garlic cloves and add to a blender.

8. Strain the stock in a fine sieve and set aside.

9. Using a fork (or two forks) remove the chicken from the bones and fat. Set aside.

10. In the blender with the garlic cloves add the sautéed  green tomatillo mixture that you made earlier. Add 2 cups of the cooled chicken stock and blend together.

11. In the original pot used to make the stock heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil on high until it is hot, but not smoking. Add the puree from the blender and let simmer for 2 minutes. Add the black pepper and the remaining oregano.

12. Reduce the heat to medium and add the chicken and the hominy sauteing for 2 minutes. Finally add the chicken stock and reduce heat to low and let simmer for 1 hour.

13. After one hour the hominy should be tender. Add lime juice, salt to taste and fresh chopped cilantro if desired. Enjoy.

Some people like to serve this soup with avocado chunks, diced red onion and sliced radishes and sliced lime. These ingredients do add a lot of texture but are not necessary.

As I mentioned before, this dish is soo yummy that it is worth the time it takes to make.

There would not be a Gulf Coast Disaster or the previous Exxon Valdez debacle if it were not for our dependence on the slick oil that is not covering and/or contaminating much of the gulf coast waters.

About once a week I ride the train, The Coaster, or metro system in my town. I tend to see a lot of people from all different walks of life enjoying the ride. By taking public transportation we reduce our use of oil and hopefully if enough people do it togehter we can help to preserve the world we live in the for future generations.

This is the view from the local train, The Coaster. I’m thankful that we can enjoy the clean water. I feel for all of the businesses, families, nature & wildlife that have been effected by the oil spill.

Consider ways you can reduce your dependence on oil.

Gluten Free & Oil Free Activities You Can Do:

– pack a gluten free lunch & ride your bicycle to the park to enjoy it

– go for a walk to the local yogurt shop (only gf toppings, please)

– use public transportation to visit a museum or park you have been meaning to check out

– if possible, walk, skateboard, ride your bike to your local grocery store when you just need to pick up a few items

Facts about the BP Oil Spill:

- the estimated amount of oil gushing out is 12,000 to 100,000 barrels (500,000 to 4,200,000 US gallons; 1,900,000 to 16,000,000 litres) per day (but we do not know for sure BP is not allowing independent studies to take place)

- 5 states have been effected so far Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia as well as countless wildlife nd marine life habitats

- some oil plumes stretch as much as 10 miles long

- at the current flow rate the oil could reach Atlantic states as early as July

- over 400 species of wildlife live in the gulf area including endangered species

for more unexpected/almost funny facts about the spill visit

http://theweek.com/article/index/203378/bp-oil-spill-9-strange-facts

Being gluten free means you do have to give up the blue box. but that does not mean you have to give up on mac & cheese. This is a great recipe for anyone, but especially for people who are new to a gluten free diet, this won’t change your life but it will change your mind about how many gluten free options are out there.

Cheesy Mac & Cheese Made Gluten Free

Ingredients:

- 2 cups gluten free macaroni or shells

- 2 tablespoons real butter

- 2 cups milk

- 1 cup (8 oz.) cheddar cheese cubed or shredded

- 2 tablespoons potato starch or all purpose gluten free flour blend

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

Optional:
- 1/2 cup (2 oz.) cheddar cheese shredded

- 1/4 cup (4 oz.) gluten free breadcrumbs

Method:
1. Cook gluten free macaroni or shells according to the package directions. Drain and set aside. *Tip: It is not necessary to cool the pasta before incorporating it in this recipe. However, if you like your pasta al dente, refrigerate it immediately after cooking and cool it completely before adding it to the sauce.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

3. Heat butter in a large sauce pan on medium heat.

4. When butter is melted add the potato starch or the gluten free flour to create a roux. This roux is going to thicken the cheese sauce.

5. Turn the stove to medium high heat and slowly add the milk. Stir milk often to avoid it burning on the bottom of the pan.

6. Continue stirring the milk until you have a thick sauce.

7. Add the cheese to the milk and continue stirring until the cheese melts into a cheese sauce.

8. Add the macaroni to the sauce and mix well until all the macaroni is incorporated into the cheese sauce.

9. In a casserole dish, add the macaroni and all of the sauce. Optional: Spread the shredded cheese and the gluten free breadcrumbs over the macaroni and cheese before baking.

10. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.

Enjoy!

*Note: when reheating this dish, it is important not to overheat it. if you do the pasta will turn to mush.

Hope you enjoy this one, let me know if you do in the comments section.

When my friend Paula first told me about LuLuLemon, I thought It was cleverly named grocery store. Not the case. To my delightful surprise it is actually a store that sells workout clothing.

Being picky about anything is not really my style, so I thought that there could not be anything really special about their gear. Boy was I wrong!

“Beyond comfortable (and supportive) workout tanks”

I highly recommend trying any of their workout gear. It’s durable, machine washable & über comfortable. The designers have put a lot of thought into every stitch, not only does it look amazing on it is constructed with your body (women’s and men’s) in mind.  Each piece is well worth every penny!

What is even better is that LuLuLemon is committed to being active in the communities it serves. From volunteer gatherings to promoting an active lifestyle with fun runs and free in store yoga & activities, they really make en effort to practice what they preach. I have no problem supporting companies like these.

Two of the best quotes from the LuLuLemon Manifesto:

1) ‘Friends are more important than money’

2) ‘Your outlook on life is a direct reflection of how much you like yourself’

So what do you do? Make your own dessert, of course. But what if you cannot bake (yet!)? What if you just do not have time to bake? And what about the leftover treats?

The solution for your (and my) need for a little sweetness is not in the spice cabinet, its in the freezer.

I am about to share with you one of the best tricks I have learned while being on a gluten free diet….

My Sweet Secret:

When you make gluten free cookies, cupcakes, mini pies, biscuits, bread etc. make as much as the package (I know baking is not for everyone) or recipe calls for then portion out the remaining amount, freeze and then simply defrost and reheat or bake anytime you need.

This solves so much so easily:

1) no more wasting gluten free food

2) you save time by not having to bake constantly

3) you get your bit of sweetness

4) you save $ by not having to buy more gf ingredients or food

Here is How it is Done:

Make your recipe as you normally would, then make individual portions and place on parchment paper or plastic wrap. *Note: freeze baked bread, cake, brownies & cupcakes. freeze unbaked cookies, pies & pie crusts.

Cover with parchment paper or plastic wrap.

Seal in a plastic bag to prevent freezer burn. Simply remove from freezer whenever you need a little treat, bake & enjoy.

Now all you have to do when you just want one cookie is take it out of the freezer and bake for a few minutes. Hot, fresh, gooey goodness without having to do all of the work over again.

This little trick has saved me so much time and frustration. I hope you enjoy it even half as much as I do. Let me know what you think in the comments section.

Quinoa Summer Salad

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 cup quinoa

- 1/2 cup red bell pepper (chopped)

- 1/2 cup yellow bell pepper (chopped)

- 1/4 cup kalamata olives (chopped)

- 1/4 cup crumbled feta

- 1/4 cup fresh dill (chopped)

- 1/4 cup red onion (chopped)

- 1/4 cup celery (chopped)

- 1 tablespoon lemon juice

- 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

- 1 garlic clove (finely minced)

- 1/2 teaspoon pepper

- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Method:

1. Prepare quinoa according to package directions. (*Tip instead of preparing it with water, add 1/2 the amount of water and replace the other 1/2 with chicken broth. Then you do not have to add salt at the end.)

2. Allow quinoa to cool to room temperature before you add any vegetables.

3. Add the chopped bell peppers, olives, feta cheese, dil, red onion, celery, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic glove and pepper.

4. Mix well. Add salt to taste. Enjoy.

Try experimenting with different kinds of vegetables or add more to the mix. Or you can even add shrimp or chicken to make it a complete meal.

Let me know how you make your quinoa or if you enjoyed this recipe in the comments section.