Valentine's in NYC

Kate had the opportunity to audition for the Los Angeles Ballet Summer Intensive at School of American Ballet on Saturday, February 15. We didn't think we would actually make it in time, as the entire NE was under blizzard conditions. It was an exciting time for Kate, auditioning, and seeing her first Broadway show, Cinderella. We saw New York City Ballet's Coppelia as well and ate in some great gluten free restaurants including Nizza!! Central Park was beautiful in the snow, and Kate loved hailing cabs, and running around Times Square. We even visited the set of Good Morning America and my childhood friend Maura, who is the Director of Operations there, and I had our picture made at the GMA desk. Good times!!

 

 TIMES SQUARE

 CENTRAL PARK

 RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL

 ROCKEFELLER CENTER

 ON THE PLANE

 THE ED SULLIVAN THEATRE

BEAUTIFUL CRYSTAL IN ROCK CENTER

Nizza

Going home

Our hero, Dr. Samdani, with his brave patient

Update 13- 

May 23- Going home!
We head home from Philadelphia today. Olivia had her post op follow up yesterday and is cleared to fly! Dr S is pleased with her progress and says she looks good (meaning her back and its healing process). He did notice a fracture in her lower back that she's had a long time, possibly since birth, that he sees in 6% of the population; nothing to be concerned about at this point.

Olivia will be back in Philly in July for another follow up appt. In the meantime walking is encouraged and resting and eating lots of protein is needed.

We thank you for the love and good thoughts as well as the financial support we've received and continue to receive. We have needed it all. She has a long road to recovery and today is our first step home to getting there.

Update 14- 

May 27 update-
We arrived home Friday evening from Olivia's surgery. It was good to be home!

Olivia is settling in to recover and finally able to rest in her own bed. She is off of her heavy painkillers 2 weeks out from surgery! She has a great attitude about recovery and doing well.

We head to Philadelphia again in July for her 6 week follow up appointment.

Again, we thank you for your love and prayerst! We have needed it all and appreciate it more than you know!

cranberry almond loaf

 



Cranberry Almond Loaf

 
¾ cup creamy roasted almond butter , at room temperature
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 large eggs
¼ cup arrowroot powder
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup dried apricots, chopped into ¼ inch pieces
½ cup dried cranberries
¼ cup sesame seeds
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
¼ cup sliced almonds, plus 2 tablespoons to sprinkle on topolive oil for greasingblanched almond flour for dusting

1. In a large bowl, blend almond butter, olive oil and eggs with a hand blender until smooth
2. In a medium bowl, combine arrowroot powder, salt and baking soda
3. Blend arrowroot mixture into wet ingredients until thoroughly combined
4. Fold in apricots, cranberries, seeds and sliced almonds
5. Grease a 7.5 x 3.5 magic line loaf pan with olive oil and dust with almond flour
6. Transfer batter into loaf pan and sprinkle remaining sliced almonds on top
7. Bake at 350° for 40-50 minutes until a knife inserted into center comes out clean
8. Let bread cool in pan for 1 hour, then serve

Yield 1 loaf

http://www.elanaspantry.com/cranberry-almond-loaf/

and just in time for VALENTINE's DAY

I

FOUND

the best

BLOG for CELIAC....

doesn't mean there

aren't others

JUST THAT I LOVE this ONE!

INTRODUCING-

the Gluten-free Goddess @

http://www.glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

from the Gluten-free Goddess blog



photo credit-Gluten-free Goddess

Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe

Dense, sexy chocolate deliciousness on a plate. This is such an easy recipe, especially if you use a food processor to do the work. Serve this to non-gluten-free folks with no apologies. None. Zip. Nada. And for gluten-free folks? Hand out seconds (we deserve it, don't we?).

Ingredients:

16 oz. Belgian dark chocolate (or use your favorite dark chocolate bars)

1 cup organic light brown sugar, packed

1/2 cup organic white cane sugar 3/4 cup very hot strong coffee (or use espresso powder in very hot water)

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into pieces

2 tablespoons unsweetened organic cocoa powder

8 large organic free-range eggs, at room temperature

1 tablespoon bourbon vanilla extract- yes, a tablespoon!

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Prepare a 10-cup Springform pan by lining the bottom with buttered parchment

Note: Using a smaller cake pan will result in a longer baking time; adjust accordingly and keep an eye on the edges; if it browns too much while the center is still wet, wrap edges in foil; or if you are using a smaller pan, try placing it inside a warm water bath as Dorie Greenspan suggests.

Break up the dark chocolate into pieces and pour the chocolate into the bowl of the food processor. Pulse until the chocolate breaks up into small bits. Add the sugar. Pulse until the chocolate and sugar turns into an even, sandy grain.

Pour the hot water or coffee slowly into the feed tube as you pulse again. Pulse until the chocolate is melted. Magic!

Add the butter pieces and the cocoa powder, and pulse to combine. Add the eggs and vanilla, and process till smooth. The batter will be liquid and creamy.

*Note for cooks across the pond: One stick of butter here equals 8 tablespoons, or one half cup, 4 oz.

Pour the batter into the lined Springform pan. Wrap the outside of the whole pan with a big piece of foil. Bake at 350º F in the center of the oven, till puffed and cracked and lovely - about 55 to 65 minutes. (Note - it took an hour plus 15 minutes when I baked this at high altitude.) Use a wooden toothpick to check the center of the cake; pick should emerge clean, with maybe a crumb.

Place the cake pan on a wire rack to cool. The cake will deflate. Don't worry! When cooled a bit, press down on it gently with a spatula to make it even, if you wish. Or not.

When the cake is completely cooled, cover, and chill it for at least three hours (best up to eight hours), until serving. Overnight is even better.

Serve thin slices with drizzled chocolate sauce or a sprinkle of sifted powdered sugar. Garnish with a fresh berries or mint leaves.

Yield: 15 slices

Meet Karina

Welcome to Gluten-Free Goddess® blog-

"Karina Allrich is by all definitions, a Gluten-Free Goddess!"

~ National Foundation for Celiac Awareness

Each week I share my latest gluten-free recipes, focusing on fresh, seasonal ingredients. Living gluten-free has inspired me to get creative in the kitchen. I hope my recipes inspire you to make your day delicious.

About:

Somewhere in between painting canvas the color of November and knocking over a mug of tea onto a stack of favorite books by the bed, I nurtured a marriage stitched together with ghosts, gave birth to two sons, and discovered my heart. I planted rosemary, wrote down my dreams, and hung baseball shirts on a weathered crooked fence by a garden that now belongs to someone else.

One hot August day, when the Cape Cod sky was post-hurricane blue, I burned down the barn and rescued three people. I raked warm ashes beneath a fingernail moon, sold off furniture, and moved my tiny tribe to a dove shingled cottage, starting life as a single mother. I painted Sky Poems and fell in love with an artist who is now writing scripts and he adopted my two sons.

And somewhere in between kneading bread dough by a window and rolling up newspapers with my oldest son at dawn I scrubbed dishes with soap that smelled like a school teacher's apple and began stringing words into looping curvy sentences. I stirred my share of soups and cake batter and wrote a vegetarian cookbook. I got sick. My symptoms spelled celiac. I listened to my body and gave up gluten. I started a food blog and swept an empty nest clean. I moved to the New Mexico desert, broke my hip falling in the kitchen, and missed the sea more than I ever could have imagined.

Today I rent an apartment on the ocean in Redondo Beach. I wake to the sound of the waves. In between the Farmers' Markets, I walk, take photos with my iPhone, edit scripts, paint, cook, read, and imagine recipes. And always I remain expectant, curious, and fed by my readers.

My sons Colin and Alex inspire me daily.

Gluten-free Goddess link to web blog

CELIAC- Part 2

Gluten-free diet: What's allowed, what's not

A gluten-free diet is a diet that excludes the protein gluten. Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye).

A gluten-free diet is used to treat celiac disease. Gluten causes inflammation in the small intestines of people with celiac disease. Eating a gluten-free diet helps people with celiac disease control their signs and symptoms and prevent complications.

Initially, following a gluten-free diet may be frustrating. But with time, patience and creativity, you'll find there are many foods that you already eat that are gluten-free and you will find substitutes for gluten-containing foods that you can enjoy.

Purpose - The gluten-free diet is a treatment for celiac disease.

Diet details

Switching to a gluten-free diet is a big change and, like anything new, it takes some getting used to. You may initially feel deprived by the diet's restrictions. However, try to stay positive and focus on all the foods you can eat. You may also be pleasantly surprised to realize how many gluten-free products, such as bread and pasta, are now available. Many specialty grocery stores sell gluten-free foods. If you can't find them in your area, check with a celiac support group or go online.

If you're just starting with a gluten-free diet, it's a good idea to consult a dietitian who can answer your questions and offer advice about how to avoid gluten while still eating a healthy, balanced diet.

Allowed foods

Many healthy and delicious foods are naturally gluten-free:

·         Beans, seeds, nuts in their natural, unprocessed form

·         Fresh eggs

·         Fresh meats, fish and poultry (not breaded, batter-coated or marinated)

·         Fruits and vegetables

·         Most dairy products

It's important to make sure that they are not processed or mixed with gluten-containing grains, additives or preservatives. Many grains and starches can be part of a gluten-free diet:

·         Amaranth

·         Arrowroot

·         Buckwheat

·         Corn and cornmeal

·         Flax

·         Gluten-free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato, bean)

·         Hominy (corn)

·         Millet

·         Quinoa

·         Rice

·         Sorghum

·         Soy

·         Tapioca

·         Teff

Always avoid

·         Barley (malt, malt flavoring and malt vinegar are usually made from barley)

·         Rye

·         Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)

·         Wheat

Avoiding wheat can be challenging because wheat products go by numerous names. Consider the many types of wheat flour on supermarket shelves — bromated, enriched, phosphated, plain and self-rising. Here are other wheat products to avoid:

·         Bulgur

·         Durum flour

·         Farina

·         Graham flour

·         Kamut

·         Semolina

·         Spelt

Avoid unless labeled 'gluten-free'

In general, avoid the following foods unless they're labeled as gluten-free or made with corn, rice, soy or other gluten-free grain:

·         Beer

·         Breads

·         Cakes and pies

·         Candies

·         Cereals

·         Cookies and crackers

·         Croutons

·         French fries

·         Gravies

·         Imitation meat or seafood

·         Matzo

·         Pastas

·         Processed luncheon meats

·         Salad dressings

·         Sauces, including soy sauce

·         Seasoned rice mixes

·         Seasoned snack foods, such as potato and tortilla chips

·         Self-basting poultry

·         Soups and soup bases

·         Vegetables in sauce

Certain grains, such as oats, can be contaminated with wheat during growing and processing stages of production. For this reason, doctors and dietitians generally recommend avoiding oats unless they are specifically labeled gluten-free.

You should also be alert for other products that you eat or that could come in contact with your mouth that may contain gluten. These include:

·         Food additives, such as malt flavoring, modified food starch and others

·         Medications and vitamins that use gluten as a binding agent

·         Play dough

Watch for cross-contamination

Cross-contamination occurs when gluten-free foods come into contact with foods that contain gluten. It can happen during the manufacturing process, for example, if the same equipment is used to make a variety of products. Some food labels include a "may contain" statement if this is the case. But be aware that this type of statement is voluntary. You still need to check the actual ingredient list. If you're not sure whether a food contains gluten, don't buy it or check with the manufacturer first to ask what it contains.

Cross-contamination can also occur at home if foods are prepared on common surfaces or with utensils that weren't thoroughly cleaned after being used to prepare gluten-containing foods. Using a common toaster for gluten-free bread and regular bread is a major source of contamination, for example. Consider what steps you need to take to prevent cross-contamination at home, school or work.

Results

People with celiac disease who eat a gluten-free diet experience fewer symptoms and complications of the disease. People with celiac disease must eat a strictly gluten-free diet and must remain on the diet for the remainder of their lives.

In some severe cases, a gluten-free diet alone can't stop the symptoms and complications of celiac disease. In these cases, doctors might prescribe medications to suppress the immune system.

Risks

Not getting enough vitamins
People who follow a gluten-free diet may have low levels of certain vitamins and nutrients in their diets. Many grains are enriched with vitamins. Avoiding grains with a gluten-free diet may mean eating fewer of these enriched products. Ask your dietitian to review your diet to see that you're getting enough of these key nutrients:

·         Iron

·         Calcium

·         Fiber

·         Thiamin

·         Riboflavin

·         Niacin

·         Folate

Not sticking to the gluten-free diet

If you accidentally eat a product that contains gluten, you may experience abdominal pain and diarrhea. Some people experience no signs or symptoms after eating gluten, but this doesn't mean it's not damaging their small intestines. Even trace amounts of gluten in your diet may be damaging, whether or not they cause signs or symptoms.

Mayo Clinic