Oh My Dumplin' Gluten-Free Chard Dumplings in chive broth

Well, dinner was a success. The dumpling recipe proved harder than I thought and if I had to do over again there is a little list I would follow to make things better. First is not to forget the salt and pepper and second is I probably wouldn't do this on a week night. That being said dinner was amazing and fresh and I couldn't have been happier with how my recipe translated into the gluten-free world. I got the inspiration for this dinner from this amazing blog. I did change a few things and of course made my own "wrappers" but I did loosely follow her tips.

For my Dumplings I used my Pamela's Baking Mix

2 c. of Baking Mix
3/4 c. of boiled water

I used my Kitchen Aide mixer for this, I put two cups of the baking mix in the bowl made a small well to pour the boiled water and poured as it slowly mixed. Once all the water was equally incorporated, I took my dough out wrapped it in saran wrap lightly coated with flour and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes. I tried to roll it out after that and the dough wasn't having it. So I set it in the fridge for another 15 minutes and it was perfect after that.

While I was letting my dough rest I worked on the filling.

2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 clove of garlic (chopped finely)
1 bunch of Chard leaves seperated from stem (choppped enough to make about 2 cups)
1/2 c. of ricotta cheese
1/4 c. green onions
4 slices of peppered turkey bacon (cut into small cubes)
and salt and pepper to taste...which I forgot.

I sauteed the chard in the olive oil adding one ingredient at a time, the garlic, the bacon and then the onions until everything was cooked. Then I put this into a bowl and added my ricotta cheese.

After my filling was done I rolled my dough out and began the assembly process (I used a pizza cutter because it was easier)!

Once the dumplings are assembled the process goes quick. You could definitely make these the day before and put them in the fridge until ready to cook. For the broth I used 4 cups of chicken stock and 4 cups of water and added about a 1/2 a cup of chives to it. I let it come to a boil and dropped the dumplings in. Making sure to cook them in small batches of 5-6 at a time (they are done when they float to the top). The end result was an amazing meal for my family...when my nine month old can eat chard like it's mac n cheese I know that I've done a good job!

I know next post will be me working on my photography skills...yikes!

Apple and Chamomile infused Gluten Free Muffins

So today in my veggie box I recieved fresh chamomile...what do I do with that? I feel this way about most the ingredients I get, things like kale, radishes and parsnips all way above my head. I was googling ideas last night for this chamomile and stumbled upon a few different recipes for apple and chamomile infused cookies. Well I don't want cookies...but hey a muffin is great for the morning. Thus the idea was born. I personally swear by Pamela's baking mix it's Uh-Mazing! (Note: I had some mediocore pictures I had taken throughout the whole process that somehow wont upload...so annoying).

Pamela's has a simple dairy free, sugar free muffin recipe on the back of the bag that you can add anything to. I decided to saute some apples in about two tablespoons of coconut oil and a tsp of cinnamon, once they softened I added the fresh chamomile leaves. I let this sit as I mixed the muffin batter and once I was finished added the apples.

I put them in the oven until they were a golden brown and voila! My Hubby has been munching on them since he got home. Happy hubby happy kid what more could this momma ask for. Stay tuned for tomorrow night's dinner it can either go really bad or really good...(And better pictures).

Going Green

Well another couple of months have passed, not as many as last time but enough to make me look like a blogging slacker. Being the mother of a very mobile 9 1/2 month old doesn't provide much time for anything and well let's face it, if I do have time to myself it is spent in the shower, catching a nap or just zoning off for a minute not thinking about what needs to be done next. That all being said I am going to really try and be better about blogging since my lifestyle is changing for the positive.

I wouldn't consider myself a particularly budget savvy, green loving kinda girl. I've always enjoyed thrift stores and finding things I want or need for less however I've never really tapped into my creative side. I love to shop and a lot of times I just buy what is on the mannequin/window display even if it's top dollar (this goes for everything). I have no debt praise Jesus, however I do waste a lot of money with this mentality.

Well about a year ago my husband and I decided to start saving for a house and while we have done well with saving and have been blessed in many areas of our life. I always felt I could be doing better after sitting down and running the numbers...I FREAKED OUT! There were so many areas of our life that were in excess.

So in an effort to not only save but cut down on the waste in our family (money, food etc) I put our little family on a budget and decided to change what we eat, as well as products we use everyday and be more thrifty about my clothes obsession. So far we have done great, a girlfriend of mine suggested I get an organic vegetable box every week fresh from our local farmers, we have been getting it for three weeks and I have cut $30 dollars a week from our grocery bill. In addition to that my friend and I made our own laundry soap and I have been making presents for people. Talk about getting creative.

I must admit Pinterest has totally helped in motivating me to be more creative in my style, in the kitchen and pretty much in general. I am excited and love the thrill of a bargain and using my creative side...the one I didn't know I had! Well I guess it's safe to say that the Wrights are going green in every sense of the word!

Happy Heart Day

It was Wyatt’s first Valentines Day and we had a blast. We started the day with leftover cookies, for me and pancakes for Wyatt. I use the gluten free Bisquick mix for my pancakes, they are simple and delicious and just for an extra yummy I add about ¼ cup applesauce to the batter. This makes them sweet enough to eat with absolutely nothing on them! I had nibbled cookies I made a couple nights ago.

toughest part about being gluten free was missing out on sugar cookies. This is my absolute favorite kind of cookie, I am all for making things from scratch however when you are a mommy on the go its hard to want to spend two hours just to make a cookie. I found a great boxed brand called Cherrybrook Kitchen. They specialize in making all natural baking mixes. After making these according to the box I sprinkle a little bisquick as “flour” on plastic wrap and stick the dough in the freezer. Once the dough hardens I roll it out and bake, then I simply use Betty Crocker icing (gluten-free of course) and ta-da! Delicious easy and gf!

After going to the park Wyatt and I came home and started dinner for Daddy and I got a beautiful surprise…Flowers! Perfect Valentine Day with my boys.



It's been awhile....

So it's been almost a year since my last blog and I realize that probably doesn't bode well in the blogging world. However I have been pretty busy in the real world. I became a wife and a mother last year and my little Wyatt is already 7 months old. The time has flown by and since things seem to be settling down I want to get caught up on all the new things I have discovered as a young gluten-free momma.

The above picture is the beautiful little ceremony that Gary and I had on May 8th, 2011.  I am roughly 34 weeks pregnant here and despite looking a little big I am still thrilled with how classic these pitures look. I made everything from the bouquet to my headpiece <3

On June 30th, 2011 a little less than a week late my beautiful little boy was born. He is more than I could have ever dreamed. Bright, smililng and beautiful I am so truly blessed.



Today Wyatt is 7 months old and getting more active by the minute. I am thrilled to be able to begin sharing my little family's journey. Stay tuned because it only gets better from here.

<3

A Gluten by Any Other Name...

So I realized, I started this blog and some of you may not really know what gluten is or how it has many different names. The most common mistake is that gluten is a grain contained in wheat...although wheat is a carrier for gluten it is not in fact gluten. As a matter of fact gluten is not a grain at all and there are many grains available that have no gluten in them. These grains include quinoa, amaranth, buck wheat, soybeans and although contreversial oats.
I consider gluten an ever elusive enemy. People who have Celiac or any kind of intolerance simply have difficulty digesting this sticky substance that holds many breads together. Gluten is insoluble meaning it will not dissolve when placed in water, on the other hand (this is controversial as well) it can be expunged from grain. I am sure your wondering what I mean by all this, I am no doctor so I am not going to pretend I know, however people with different levels of tolerance can handle certian grains like oats because the possibility of gluten being present has been disspelled. Many times oats are considered "bad" because they often store oats and wheat together raising the possibility of cross-contamination.
Most people with the allergy or Celiac are best to stay away from anything that may contain gluten as the effects both short and long-term can be serious. That being said don't be scared to experiment just do your research, call companies, google, etc. It's helpful to be armed with as much knowledge about the enemy as possible. In case you were wondering here is a list of different names that wheat goes by (I am listing wheat because although they are different it is the number one "carrier" for gluten):

• Binder or binding
• Bulgur
• Cereal
• Cereal binders or cereal protein
• Couscous
• Duram (durum)
• Einkorn
• Farina
• Filler
• Flour
• Frumento
• Graham
• Gum base
• Hydrolysed wheat protein
• Kamut
• Malt
• Manna
• Matzo
• Matzah
• Matzoh
• Modified food starch
• Modified starch
• Rusk
• Seitan
• Semolina
• Special edible starch
• Spelt
• Starch
• Thickener or thickening
• Triticale (a hybrid of wheat and rye)
• Wheat alternative

Other names for gluten include:

Natural flavor: While not all natural flavors include gluten, if you see this term on the ingredient list it may or may not include gluten-containing grains or derivatives and should be avoided.
Monosodium glutamate: Again, not all monosodium glutamate (MSG) contains gluten, but foreign sources usually are derived from gluten-containing grains. In the United States, most monosodium glutamate is made from cane, beets or tapioca starch but even in the U.S. some manufacturers still use wheat gluten.
Emulsifiers: Emulsifiers are used to change surface properties of other ingredients with which they are combined. These emulsifiers may or may not contain gluten.
Lectins (lecithins): Lectins are made from the hull of grain. While it may come from a "safe" grain such as amaranth, it may also come from barley or other grains to be avoided by those eliminating gluten from their diet.

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Southern Comfort

I was craving some Southern Comfort food, having lived in the South for three years, there's nothing like a homemade Macaroni casserole.

Gluten Free Macaroni and Cheese Casserole

You will Need:

One box of Ancient Harvest Pasta Shells (You can use any gluten free pasta, I like Ancient Harvest for the consistency and taste and the shells remind me of when I was little).

4 oz. of cubed mild cheddar cheese

4 oz. of cubed Jarlsberg cheese

2 cups of Milk

1/4 cup Gluten free All Purpose Flour (Again any flour you choose will suffice, I have used Pamela's Gluten free Bread Mix before with no problems).

1/4 cup Butter

1/4 cup Gluten Free Bread Crumbs

1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste.

Heat the oven to 350* degrees, and boil the water for your noodles. Heat the butter on the stove adding the flour gradually, to make a thick base. Slowly add the 2 cups of milk whisking gently, then add your cubed cheese, it takes about 5 minutes for the cheese to fully melt and for you to see a saucy texture. Add salt and Pepper to taste. Once you have cooked and strained your noodles, combine the sauce and noodles in a casserole dish. In a seperate bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the parmesan cheese, sprinkling this over the top. Cook uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!