Stormy Night Genius Gluten Free, Dairy Free Mac & Cheese With A Kick

So one thing that I have dearly missed from my dairy/gluten friendly days is Mac & Cheese. The rich creamy cheese tossed with the warm, soft, chewy noodles [spiral or shell, depending on my mood, i.e. playful or sophisticated ;)] was just heaven in my mouth, making any rough, cold winter day melt away with the cheese. After the lactose intolerance diagnosis, I switched to Amy's Kitchen Macaroni & Soy Cheese to get my fix. It was still delicious, rich, not too filling; kinda like a grown-up Kraft Mac & Cheese.

However, when I was hit with the gluten tummy issue I had to regrettably drop my new found Macaroni fav. In an effort to maintain some normalcy in my new diet I searched the health stores and fancy markets for a gluten free dairy free packaged Mac & Cheese (at this point Amy's did not have the Rice and Soy Macaroni out yet), but there was only one that I found from Annie's Organic which was not for me and I essentially gave up.

Then, after a majorly rained out Tigers game, I returned home in the torrential downpour seeking something warm and comforting. That's when I decided I just had to try and make my own dairy free, gluten free Mac & Cheese. So I dug through our cupboards, pulling out a half-full box of spiral rice noodles, a carton of unsweetened rice milk, a package of Veggie mozzarella shreds, and a package of Smart Beat fat free/lactose free American cheese slices and set to work experimenting.  First I got the noodles started (cause as I'm sure those who have cooked gluten free noodles before know...they take forever!!), then I set to work figuring out how to make a good sauce. Half a carton of milk and a package of cheese slices/shreds later, I had a heaping pot of awesome tasting cheese sauce. My sister, ever the good sport, and I took two big bowls and filled them with noodles and then drenched them in the sauce. After adding a dash of salt and of pepper we were good to go. The first warm gooey bite was beyond anything I had hoped...it was just like the Amy's only creamier and practically half the fat and calories Hurray! I finished the entire bowl and then some!*

During the past couple days, during my post-gum surgery diet, I had started craving this Mac & Cheese and decided to try to make it and add a new twist on it. So I made it like before, then sprinkled in some garlic salt and basil and it was awesome! Soft enough to eat with my gums and the new kick to make-up for everything else bland and watery I had been eating. Double win means a tummy and happy girl : )

*See Recipes Page for Stormy Night Genius GF/DF Mac & Cheese

Coffee Pick-Me-Up Minus the Heat

So part of the post-gum surgery diet stipulates no hot beverages. Unfortunately, I am both an avid tea drinker and a Starbucks Soy Chai drinker, both which are served hot or, in the case of the iced chai, with a straw. I have have been craving caffeine so far and finally got my fix today with an Almost-Famous Dairy Free Mocha Frappe recipe* (turned dairy free of course) courtesy of Food Network Magazine. From the smooth rich coffee (and yes, caffeine!) to the sweet chocolate overtones, I was in caffeine bliss with each spoon full. It was so quick and delicious (and not bad for you calorie/fat wise if you take the dairy free/less chocolate route) that I may just make this a daily staple, not just my post-surgery diet days.

*See Recipes page

Post-Gum Surgery Diet...Or Rather Lack of One

I don't know if anyone reading this (if anyone is reading...hello?) has had a mouth or gum surgery and experienced the not so wide variety of post-surgery foods available. Well if you haven't be prepared; the options are few and if you have specific food allergies, comme moi, they are even slimmer. Two days ago I had gum surgery, which itself was nothing really to complain about (until the last 20 minutes when the numbing shot wore off....ouch.), but the difficult part came when they handed me a packet of dietary and activity limitations for the next week of recovery.

For activities it basically read that I was to remain immobile for the first 2-3 days and then for the rest of the week doing minimal activity (NO working out!! Ahh!!). Of course I ignored this and have been out and about almost all day everyday so far. The results: just some bleeding and loose stitches..no biggie right? Totally plan on yoga tomorrow...can't keep me caged! However, in terms of diet restrictions, I have not been so free. For diet it essentially says a soft, alcohol free [no wine :,( ], cold meal plan for the week. Suggestions from the lovely pamphlet: "soft breads (gluten), soups (gluten), cooked cooled cereals (gluten), juice (yum!), and cooked mashed veggies (baby food??). No salads, crisp vegetables or fruit, nothing chewy or hot, no straws, spitting, carbonated drinks, or fried foods." Yup...

To accommodate my new diet needs, I went on a grocery shopping spree. Here's what I found: instant Jello pudding mix (vanilla and chocolate, sugar free/fat free), sugar free strawberry Jello (10 calories no fat!!), lower sugar maple and brown sugar instant oatmeal (I am okay with eating oats, however other gluten intolerant/celiacs may not be), Crispix cereal, Welch's light grape juice, Haagen Dazs raspberry sorbet, and Mott's sugar free plus calcium applesauce. Needless to say leaving the store I felt pretty good about my mostly healthy selection.When I got home, I set to work making the instant pudding (with rice milk so it was dairy free) mixes and then swirling them together to make a marble vanilla/chocolate pudding, and looking up interesting recipes that fit all the restrictions, new and old. I have had, so far, Crispix soaked in rice milk to make it mushy enough to eat, both the Jello cup and marble Jello pudding, oatmeal left to completely cool in the freezer before eating, Pad Thai noodles with wheat free-reduced sodium soy sauce chopped into ity bitty pieces with no crisp veggies, and a slice of gluten free bread torn into tiny pieces and topped with Tofutti dairy free cream cheese and tiny chunks of sun dried tomatoes, all topped off with a nice glass of grape juice. I've made out pretty well so far, although my calorie count has been semi-low some days (yesterday only hitting 500 something). To make up for the low calories diet, I've added a spoonful or two of reduced fat Jif peanut butter whenever I notice the calorie count drop. Tonight I fully intend on a nice scoop or 2 of Haagen Dazs sorbet for dinner...can't complain about that.

And now, I think I'll take a walk...shhh ; )

Jenni's *ahem* Birthday, Andiamo, and Decadent Chocolate Dairy Free Ice Cream

August 10th, 2010 marked my big sissy's 20-something birthday. Normally she's bouncing off the walls excited for give Jenni presents and love day (i mean...who isn't??), but she was none too enthused about this particular number and the calories that came with the upcoming B-Day Cake. However, the morning of, armed with a freshly baked princess funfetti reduced calorie cupcake, she ventured off to work feeling much better and getting excited for the dinner to come at Andiamo.

Now, given past experience, we wisely phoned ahead to the restaurant to let them know of my particular dietary needs. Thankfully, they assured us that they have at least one dish that contains neither dairy nor gluten, and, best part: its on the lean menu! Whoot Whoot! Three courses all together under 300 calories and completely gluten and dairy free and delicious! Or so I thought...When we arrived at the restaurant, we sat down and waited for the server to take our orders. And waited... Seriously slowest service ever! Luckily we had all of our sparkling personalities and intellect to keep a stimulating and fun conversation...yeah...Anyway once our orders were finally taken (I got the Petto Di Pollo Arrostito with a spaghetti squash in marinara appetizer) and the first course finally served, I was happy to see a nice pile of spaghetti squash twisted into a volcano shape and topped with marinara sauce. Albeit it was the size of an entree and very well could have served as one. The soft spaghetti squash with the tangy marinara and tomato chunks was a welcomed start and I definitely could've kept eating. Next came the main entree: a chicken breast in a watery ?tomato? sauce with chunks of wilted veggies on top...I wanted my squash back. Even though it looked semi unappetizing, I decided to go for it and cut a piece of the chicken and veggies, dipped them in the sauce and took a bite. Not so great. Between the extremely dry chicken and the unseasoned veggies, I was unable to finish more than a few bites. The cherry on top of the dining experience: the dessert was not dairy or gluten free...so much for three courses.

After the less than satisfying dining experience, I had some hope heading home, knowing that churning in my ice cream maker I had Decadent Chocolate Ice Cream, turned dairy free.* When it was done, accompanying the FunFetti cupcakes, everyone was silent and happy. With my first bite, I literally melted from head to toe. The smooth richness of the ice cream reminded my mouth of Ghirardelli Double Fudge Brownies, something I have missed like crazy since going gluten free. I topped it with some gluten free sprinkles and was in heaven.

Overall ratings: Andiamo so-so (good squash, bad otherwise), Decadent DF Chocolate Ice Cream two thumbs up!

Andiamo's Dinner Menu (Lean Section Contains Specific Dish)

*See Recipes Page

Nana Breakfast and Banana Brandy Muffin-Cakes

While vacationing in Traverse City with my mom's side of the family, my Nana decided to do a family breakfast at her condo. She promised to make her famous Mickey Mouse Waffles (amazingly delicious) and her Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake (deliciously amazing) along with a variety of breakfast favorites such as pancakes, Belgium waffles with whipped cream, and English muffins. My immediately thought: gluten, gluten, and more gluten with a side of lactose...I'll bring a banana. But then, after a nice pout session, I decided that I was going to make my own contribution to the gluten-ous breakfast and pulled out a recipe I had recently found that I had not had a chance to try out (kill two birds with one stone right?). The recipe was for Banana Brandy Muffin-Cakes. When I had finished putting them together and brought them to the breakfast I was ecstatic to find that they were extremely moist and that I not only loved them, but that so did everyone else. The recipe was pretty darn easy and absolutely make you melt delicious from the sweet Cherrybrook Kitchen vanilla frosting to the crunchy banana chips on top. I would definitely recommend trying this recipe out and enjoying them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack...really any time of the day would be good :)

*See Recipes page for the complete recipe for Banana Brandy Muffin-Cakes

Aerie Restaurant at the Grand Traverse Resort

August 6th, 2010; the date of my Nana and Papa's 50th wedding anniversary dinner; the date that I had been dreading. It is not to say that I was not thrilled to be spending time with my family or that I was not ecstatic for my Nana and Papa, but the part I was dreading was either pieces of lettuce sans dressing or the unseasoned, unsauced veggies that I would be forced to reckon with while everyone else around me indulged in creamy pastas and fresh baked breads with herb butter...not fair. However, all this ended with a simple suggestion by my mom: call ahead and ask the chef to prepare something allergy friendly. As I was sitting there trying to figure out why I hadn't thought to do that my mom placed the call and received reassurance from the person on the other line that the Chef would prepare something safe and delicious.

When it came time to go to the restaurant, I was cautiously excited. As the plates were being distributed amongst the rest of my family, I was anxious to see what my plate had in store for me. As my plate was laid before me the savory smell of garlic mashed potatoes drifted to my nose. This was followed by the smell of perfectly cooked and seasoned chicken with veggies that looked as if they had just been plucked from the farm. I first took a small slice of chicken and tasted it on its own. The garlic and herb seasoning on the surprisingly moist chicken danced off my tongue like an Italian tarantella. Eager to see what the other components had in store I took a bite of carrot, then a green bean, followed by a turnip and an amazing morel mushroom; all equally as satisfying. As I shoveled a large fork-full of "creamy" almond milk/garlic mashed potatoes into my mouth, the Sous Chef, and creator of my amazing dish walked up to the table to see how I was enjoying the meal. I wanted to jump up and hug him. Covering my very full mouth with one hand and gesturing with the other, I somehow managed to thank the Chef for how much I enjoyed my meal. With a little laugh and smile the very modest Chef went back into the kitchen.

By the end of the meal my plate was almost wiped clean (almost because I decided to get a to-go container so I could have another night of meal bliss), and I was dreading the end of the delicious almond milk cream sauce. Little did I know my mom, always the clever one, had asked the waitress for the recipe. Genius! Not too long after the request, the waitress was walking back with a yellow paper, on which was the recipe for homemade almond milk and almond milk cream sauce,* along with his business card and email which he said I could use to contact him for any advice or recipes if I wanted.

Needless to say I'd give this restaurant and dining experience 5 stars. Not only was the restaurant setting itself gorgeous (simple yet elegantly decorated with quirky chandeliers and a breathtaking 360 view of Traverse City and the Bay) and the food delicious, but the service/staff and Chef were both very friendly and professional as well. I, along with the rest of my family, were very happy customers.

Aerie Restaurant & Lounge













*See Recipes page for Almond Milk/Almond Cream Sauce recipe