Ode to Godiva

When my kids were little, I started saying that I was "cleaning the kitchen"..you know they would yell for MOM and some times late at night , well late for them LOL, I would respond that I was cleaning the kitchen and would be there as soon as I was done..

yep spoon in hand, chocolate on my breath, I was cleaning all the chocolate there was :-)))  ..

So Eric got a box of Godiva chocolates from work for christmas..put it on the cat post in the family room and didn't take it to school. He said that we should/could have it. well it sat there for months.. calling to me in its little chocolate voice.." I am here, don't forget me..you"ll love me. " things like that..i ignore its calling to me ... up til last night.

 I was so good and GF yesterday..big ol'bowl of GF cereal in almond milk with bananas for breakfast, went to work and ignored the goodies that were set out and the Salisbury steak with gravy, really good stewed tomatoes with cheese, mashed potatoes, etc.. just did my job!

Came home and had a big salad with tuna and grapes and nuts.YUM!  I was so good..
Dinner was split pea soup I made the other day and GF multi grain crackers.

But then, I really felt like a little something..should I?? rip the big bow off the Godiva chocolates??? I told  myself that one was okay..just one..and then I could have just one for many days..

I ripped off the bow, opened the box that was calling to me, punched open the protective clear seal, and opened the box of Godiva. OH!!  the smell of chocolate was wonderful, the anticipation at deciding which one of those wonderful chocolates to have.. my mouth watered at the thought and smells..

So I chose a chocolate truffle with a chocolate center..pure heaven..the outside was rich and the inside was smooth and chocolaty.Wonderful!!!I groaned with pleasure..

Did I savor the experience? YES

Did I close the box and put it away for another day?? Well NO..

One good piece of chocolate deserves another and soon I had devoured 5 pieces of yummy Godiva chocolate.... which I do think required restraint since I usually eat not one cookie but a box of cookies..serving size gets me every time...

That's my story and I am sticking to it..

No driving myself crazy about things!! My new mantra!!  ( this week anyways)


So yesterday was Fat Tuesday and at work we celebrated .We had cakes and donuts and such. I cut and served and washed plates . I was inside going nuts...as I was exposed to wheat..didn't know what to do??

I washed my hands like crazy but finally said to myself" Self, either one quits work and lives a hermt life cooking in my own portion of the kitchen or..get over it! You are gonna be exposed to gluten and wash you hands, and move on.."  so I moved on.. thus ny new Mantra.

Back at the ranch, I ventured to make my first GF soup..split pea. Soup pot is GF already since it has only been used for soup.  I had carrots, onion, zuchini, sweet potatoes and celery in it..all was good until I realized that my blender bowl thing was plastic.. why does this matter??

 I used to take the soup and blend it smooth in the blender and then serve it..well i ate lumpy soup.. it was good but different. I only used bay leaves, some basil and salt free Mrs Dash mix.. Next time I'll follow a recipe and add more spices.


But the good NEWS is that I found out that I can make Pad Thai..I love Pad Thai! It seems the noddles are rice noodles.Score one for the GF team!!

Once this kitchen thing gets settled, I am gonna start cooking for real..not just salad and soup..
On to Kohl's to see what is on sale.

President's Day..I am off work but more GF exploring.

I had breakfast with Marita at Egg Harbor Cafe..they have a GF menu..so it was very good.!

Went to Sunset Foods on the way home, and NO I did NOT buy an Mitchells ice cream..boo!
But I did look at their GF section..my theory is that specialty stores would have lists and things..
I was very disappointed that they did not have a lot..
so I went to Trader Joes.. and they had a LIST..yep  6 pages of Trader Joes No Gluten Ingridents used..Way to go Joes.. I'll be back for stuff.
Then I went to Mariano's..one just opened in Palatine..corner of NW HWY and Hicks..by the new police station..I asked if they had a list..I was on a roll after my success at Trader Joes..the customer service lady said No list..but we have an aisle.. Wow a whole aisle.!! Incredible..

Beautiful store, you can see why people are raving about it.
I thought I would do split pea soup..but after i started soaking the peas, i remembered that i needed a collander and something to put the soup in in the frig..so off to Target..

Nobody has a big bowl/container for soup or salad.. Target said Bed,Bath and Beyond..NOPE, tried the container store..did buy a "just in case" thing..now i am going to look online and call a Tupperware lady to see if I can replace the one I have..

On my way to a gluten free lifestyle..first weekend.
BTW, this is not cute or anything else..If you are looking for that check out Heather Smith Casas's page .

 Sally what is her url??



This weekend ended on a high note but started not so well. I was doing the "poor me, angry thing" but got better after the trip to Whole Foods.

 I went to Whole Foods and found that they don't have a GF section but do have products marked on the shelf. I was  disappointed that they didn't have a GF list or anything. The lady at the desk said to read labels. This maybe what I need to do but at the time I needed a bit more hand holding.  I went to the one in Palatine on Dundee..next time I'll try the Schaumburg one as it is bigger and may be more helpful. I have also heard that Trader Joes has a GF list, so maybe I head over there next week.

I really did well on Saturday for most of the day..but Saturday night was the Palatine Township Senior Center Gala. I worked 8 hours on Saturday night there. The Gala was great fun, it was a murder mystery theme. I sold handcuffs for people to put their friends in jail. It was cute - a policeman (in uniform) arrested the person and took them to jail..anyway, i had known that the dinner would not be GF or Gluten friendly, but i gave myself permission to just have fun. But from a GF standpoint..I ate the salad*(yeah) but put dressing on it (*boo), skipped the barley soup (yeah) , ate the main course but it was drowning in sauce..(boo) tried to avoid the sauce (yeah). I suppose I should have brought my own dressing and asked for a dinner with no sauce! (oh well) ..and I  ate the ice cream for dessert. :-)

Sunday I was feeling better about the Gluten Free thing..went to the Library and Barnes and Noble..downloaded on my Nook  a book called G Diet by Elizabeth Hasselback ( yep the same one from the View), got 3 library books and looked at many more.
On Friday, I was talking to Sally and mentioned that when we were Feingold that we got a book that made everything easier as it explained what to buy. All I was looking for was the book, the shopping guide..well a new GF "friend" recommended the GF shopping guide .

"
Grocery shopping for a gluten-free diet doesn’t have to be a challenge. Thanks to the Cecelia’s Marketplace Gluten-Free Grocery Shopping Guide, you’ll no longer spend hours looking at nutrition labels or calling up food manufacturers to get the scoop about product ingredients. Instead, you can carry this compact handy guide (4.5″ x 6.5″), which can easily fit inside your purse or coat pocket.
This guide includes a convenient index feature which makes it easier than ever to find out whether a product is gluten free. All gluten-free certified products and food items which are made in a dedicated gluten-free facility are clearly marked with symbols, accommodating all sensitivity levels. This guide takes the guesswork out of your weekly grocery shopping trips.
With this book, you’ll get information about all of your favorite brands and gluten-free foods. Cecelia’s Marketplace Gluten-Free Grocery Shopping Guide contains a list of over 37,000 food and drink items. Major food manufacturers like Heinz, Kraft, Del Monte and Frito Lay are all included. Plus, the items from your favorite supermarket chains, like Albertsons, Hy-Vee, Kroger, Meijer, Publix, Safeway, Trader Joe’s, Walgreens, Wal-Mart, Winn Dixie, Wegmans and more, are listed as well. You’ll be able to quickly look up the information you need within seconds, all in one handy, compact guide.
In this edition of the Gluten-Free Grocery Shopping Guide, we’ve also included an added bonus for those that are on a gluten-free diet. This book contains over 2,000 over-the-counter pharmacy products, including antacids, pain relief, shampoo, soap, toothpaste, supplements, vitamins and more. Now you can shop for all your family’s needs without worrying about the gluten content in certain products." I called Eric, as he has the student prime account with Amazon and asked him to order it. Free shipping and speedy delivery..:-)

I did find it in the library, but knew that i needed to own this..

Then, I started cleaning and purging the kitchen.. big job!!! One website had recommended that since there would be gluten eaters and a GF eater, that the kitchen be sectioned off into zones..
So Scott and the boys have the pantry, cabinets above and below the back wall, while I have the small cabinets around the stove.. WHEE!

I read the "Gluten connection" by Sarah Leiberman, which was recommended by the librarian. Great book.

I asked on the GF website about dishes, pots, food storage containers, etc. The answer was " As long as it can be thoroughly cleaned without leaving any traces of gluten, you do not need to replace it. The items you need to be most worried about are typically made of wood, plastic, or teflon (such as spatulas and cutting boards) and/or have small crevices where gluten can get stuck such as colanders. We hope that helps! " So that left me to replace cutting board, measuring spoons and cups, colander, food storage etc..

What a busy day!!!!!

So it is 5:30 am and I can't sleep..I am obsessing..( i don't know how to get the spell checker to work..??? I do rely on that a bit as I am still a really poor speller..oh well..)
Anyway, I am obsessing..I read an article about cross contaminantion  and now my mind is reeling..and I can't sleep. Not good as it will be a late night as I am working the PTSC Gala tonight.

 Do I need to get rid of all my pans/pots/dishes to avoid this??? Or will a scrubbing and round in the dishwasher on extra hot work??
Oye!
 Do I throw everything in the frig and pantry out due to cross contamination??  I do need to do some research..This will be more deficult as only one of us is going gluten free.. the other is amused but not willing to try it.. of course, if I cook, then he has no choice but then again he can always make himself pasta.. are the fumes from gluten toxic? I remember my sister was not able to be in the same room as wheat fumes so when she came to visit I didn't have any wheat ( like warm bread )

Since this blog is for me and family/friends, I can be more honest than if the rest of the world were seeing it.. also, as you know I am not cute or clever and do not write interestingly ( is that a word??) like others..so if you find the boring or too detailed.. than skip to the good parts.. LOL

Anyway, it was recommended to me that I read this book called The G Free Diet by Elizabeth Hasselbeck.. I am thinking that I'll go to Barnes and Noble and check it out before I buy it on my Nook.

The getting prepared is always the worst.. I remember when we were on Feingold.. once everything clicked in, I was okay.. but everything had to be redone and wheat purged..Now I look at all the Spelt and Soy and realize that is part of the problem..

How I got started and what is next...

As i announced on Facebook..I am going Gluten Free..

What happened and why???? the purpose of this blog..is to detail my journey, writedown foods i am eating, things i am trying, how this is working ..

Well 3 years ago, i made a list of all of my symptons then and started going to doctors..
after 4 different doctors and no diagnosis..I stopped. I resumed my search 6 months later..more doctors, more test, more money..NO DIAGNOSIS..

So I gave up.. meanwhile, my sister and I have been on the same quest only different ...then we hit on the diagnosis..

 "Gluten ataxia is a rarely diagnosed and frequently overlooked condition* responsible for a set of symptoms usually labeled “sporadic idiopathic ataxia” - meaning that symptoms arise spontaneously and sporadically, and cannot be traced to any definitive cause. This condition usually occurs in adults and seniors and manifests in a variety of neurological symptoms: severe headaches, lack of muscle coordination, drooping eyelids, gait and balance disturbances, drooling, numbness, tingling, and weakness in the extremities, and problems with speech and word-finding. Usually the client is worked up for M.S., Parkinson’s, ALS, and other neurological disorders but is negative. Repeated MRI scans cannot pinpoint the exact cause of these symptoms, which can be severe and debilitating. Once the diagnosis “sporadic idiopathic ataxia” is given, they are offered supportive but not curative treatment. Fortunately, some patients are able to find a neurologist who specializes in difficult diagnoses. Often the diagnosis of gluten ataxia is only made when the patient reveals a past positive test for gluten intolerance, family history of celiac disease, or a history of gastrointestinal problems like irritable bowel syndrome or colitis. In the case of gluten ataxia, gluten cannot be properly digested in the body, and certain protein deposits develop in the brain, causing changes that affect the neurological system. Complete avoidance of gluten in addition to supportive physical and cognitive therapies can sometimes reverse many of the patient’s symptoms, but complete recovery is not always possible. "

So I am going Gluten Free..

what does that mean??? Well I thought ( and so did others in my house) that it meant just giving up pasta, bread, cookies, muffins, .things like that..

and it does..but so much more. the beginning is always so hard..but once into the routine it will be better.( I hope) ...I have so many questions.. but before i throw myself at whole foods.. I need to see what i have that is okay..

First off, I started to look at the stuff in my get up routine..

Vitamins- multi - ok, vitamin C- ok. Vitamin D- ok, vitamin E - ok..

Calcium - needs more research maybe suspect.

Toothpast - Crest Pro Health - looked it up and it is ok..
Shampoo,  soap????

On to DAY 1..

Greek yogurt - ok, Rice Krispies- ok
Lunch- salad and veggies - but oh no..SALAD DRESSING..
Dinner - Salad, chicken salad ''oh no - MAYO


thought I was being good but salad dressing and mayo..not GF..
went to Dominicks  and bought GF salad dressing..couldnt find Mayo that was GF..so I can add that

to the research list..

 

DAY 2

Greek Yogurt, Rice krispies

apple and cantoloupe for lunch, salad and tuna without mayo for dinner..

 

tomorrow i am gonna go though the kitchen cabinets, sort items i can eat, those to be research and those that clearly are not gf..