FRIED CHICKEN & PANCAKES FOR US GLUTEN FREE PEEPS

If you are livin' in GlutenFreeville, get you somma this, seriously.

Since going gluten free, three of the things I've missed the most are fried chicken, pancakes, and biscuits.

Welp, thanks to this stuff, I've gotten the pancakes and the fried chicken. And let me tell you, 

DAMN. It was good, y'all!

{Never had a biscuit made from Bisquick even before I was gluten free, so we'll have to see how that goes next go 'round.}

We followed the recipe on the back of the box for the pancakes, with the exception of adding some fresh blueberries. It was totally magical. Tasted like a regular pancake to me!

For the chicken, we did our own thing. {I mean, I was tryin' to have my shit fried, you know?}

We just did chicken strips dipped first in egg, followed by a combo of the mix, plus some cajun seasoning.

We fried ours in our electric fryer {lid off, and only flip once!}, and added some salt when they were fresh out of the pan and still hot.

Holy smokes! Soooooooooooo friggin' amazing!

It wasn't just as good as "real" fried chicken, but honestly, it was better than a lot that I've had.

Yummtasma.

If you wanna make these for a gluten free shugpie that you know, I'm sure they won't mind. :)

yummy pesto

Over the weekend, hubs & I Anj made pesto while I watched and taste-tested.

The recipe was from Southern Living.

 

All My Single Ladies: MARRY A MAN WHO CAN FEED YOU.

I'll tell y'all, the pesto turned out salty as helllll. But, 1) who sits around eatin' pesto straight up? and 2) we are thinkin' it's because we used the shakable parmesan from the green container (salty on its own) instead of fresh parmesan. 

However - once we added about 1/2 c. of walnuts (per a different recipe suggestion), and mixed it in with our {gluten free} noodles, it was perfect.

I opted to add some leftover baked chicken breast to mine.

De-lishhhhhhh!!! ohmagyahhhh.

We spent the rest of the evening enjoying our bevies and listening to the rain.

{Have you gluten-free shug pies tried New Planet? I love their Pale Ale. Hubs likes pale ales and he gave it a thumbs up. They also have a blonde ale, a raspberry ale, and a few others. I got mine at Earth Fare.}

Before bed, I wanted me a lil Diet Coke night cap. {That sounds like a problem, no?} And, I decided to add me a lil lime in there. The jury's still out on that one ...

Anj was like, "Diet Coke with lime? Isn't that a thing?"

Yep, it is. And like I said, I just haven't decided ... I think Diet Coke should stand alone {except the occasional cherry add in}.

 

Cheers to a good rest of the week! 

let's talk about sausage

you know what i am really thankful for?

pigs.

and their bacon.

and their sausage.

doesn't get much better than this:

{with mustard}

how many of these have you had first thing in the mornin, on the way to christmas shop, or go yard salin, or tailgatin at 7:30 a.m.? i mean, there is nothing like a sausage biscuit. no-thing!   mmmmmm. it's one of the hardest parts of bein gluten-free. i LOVE me a biscuit.   but, i found a way to fake it. no, it's not "the same", but it's damn good.      meet sausage "biscuit" via cornbread {sans gluten} with the insides of the cornbread cut out because a) it's too bready and 2) it's too carby    add a lil dab of mustard   BAM!! party in your mouth!  

shiz was goooood.
you should hit a drive through right away. i recommend mcdonald's or hardee's

could gluten be the culprit?

Well Shugs,

I was thinkin.
About gluten.
I try not to get all TMI with my personal health info on here, because who cares, and I'm not a doctor - make no mistake.

However - since going gluten free, it has made such a positive change in my life, that I started to share my experience with friends. And I know for a fact that gluten intolerance is a) misunderstood, and b) much more common than people realize. Several friends who have had various health struggles have cut it out as sort of an experiment, and they were quite pleased with the results. Also, many parents of children with autism have found that eliminating it has greatly helped their children. I'm sure there is tons of research and evidence out there that I haven't even read yet. My own life was proof enough for me to continue being gluten free without any further testing done by my doctor.

 Here are some of the yuck things gluten was unknowingly causing for either myself or other gluten free friends I know:
* irregular periods
* thyroid hormone imbalances
* hair loss
* bloating
* various pains (knee, back) due to inflammation
* acne

The list goes on and on, but these are just the ones that I know of personally through my own experiences or those of friends.

Gluten intolerance is not the same as having Celiac's disease, but both mean that the body is attacking gluten in your system because it is not compatible.

The hardest part, I think, is feeling like if you give it up, that you won't have anything left to eat. And - time. Who has time to analyze this mess and prepare "special" meals?

Well, first of all, if it makes a dramatically positive change in your health, it is more than worth it. Secondly, I personally don't eat "special" meals, it's more about avoiding certain things and choosing something else instead.

So, again, I AM NOT A DOCTOR. You can do your own research if you are more interested, but here are the basics for me:

** You have to COMPLETELY eliminate gluten for a month to truly see results. Cutting back won't get it. If you are checking to see if it will regulate your periods, you will obviously need to give it a couple cycles. If you want "medical evidence", you can get a blood test which checks your system for the antibodies your body will make if you are gluten intolerant. However, the results will come back negative if you get tested after you've already eliminated the gluten.

Anyhoo, if you want to give it a try:

DON'T eat these unless you find a variety that is clearly marked "gluten free" of course:
(wheat, barley, rye, spelt)
bread
noodles
things fried in flour
most cereals
most packaged foods (nabs, granola bars, etc.)
beer
noodles/pasta
croutons
gravy
casseroles with crackers, bready toppings
meatballs (bread crumbs)
some soups (if they look gravy-like, thickened with flour possibly)
cookies/pastries
pizza (although Mellow Mushroom has yummy GF pizza & GF beer!)


DO eat: (some of these may have trace amounts, but again, I am intolerant, I don't have Celiac's)
* order a sandwich, but don't eat the bun
* fries/potatoes
* rice (but careful in restaurants where they have added flavorings)
* veggies
* salads
* fruit
* most salad dressings are fine
* meat (as long as its not battered in flour)
* Chex cereals
* gluten free pastas, breads, corn meal, etc.
* gluten free beers (my favorite is Red Bridge - you can find it at Harris Teeter and specialty grocery stores like Whole Foods and Earth Fare)
* wines
* liquors


So, really, I don't feel deprived. I eat lots of meat, cheese, nuts, veggies, fruits. If I want something sweet, I buy ice cream, frozen yogurt, or there is a good assortment of gluten free stuff in Harris Teeter, as well as selections in Bi-Lo, Walmart, and Target including AWESOME chocolate chip cookies. I order fries/potatoes or rice as a side if I want something "carby".

I don't know if this is helpful or not. But, I cannot stress how much this has helped me. Thought I would share in case it helped someone else. Please feel free to comment or email me if you have further questions. Again, this is just a starting place, and this is not a comprehensive list for those who have serious reactions to gluten.

Happy Monday!

If you hawngry and in Raleigh ...

... then you totally need to eat at the Farmer's Market Restaurant. Really. REALLY. Good. And fresh.

{My girl, Amber from Life on the Rox came to visit, and we had a day of Raleigh grub, thrifting and some downtown action.}

And the waitresses wear overalls. Gyah, I wish I could wear overalls to work. Totally would.

And the biscuits {not gluten free, sad} are yumm-o.

If I hada been thinkin clearly, as in, not ravenously hungry, I would have had enough sense to take a picture of the super awesome garden omelet I had with very crispy {fave!!} bacon on the side. FOUR WHOLE SLICES. Heaven! But, no - I woofed it all down and then I said, "Dang! I didn't even take a picture!" Sorry, shugs, you'll have to trust me on this one. To. Die. For. {You really should check out their websiiiiite, just sayin.}

Duh, I had to take a picture of this bomb wolf.

After a little trip to the flea market {another of my faves}, you should go downtown and eat at Raleigh Times, or just sit and have a bevy. {Gluten free beers available - what!?}

Such a fab day. I will post soon about the things we did between eating and more eating. Because to put it on here now would be mayjah photo overload. And we know that food is always the most important part of the day, right? =)

Life ... with some pictures

First - Random bits of my week in pictures (great idea, Jenni!!!) ... followed by an epiphany.

{one}

A friend of mine has animals because she and her husband have a farm. I LOVE animals. I think they are so calming to be around and they just bring my heart joy. They don't bitch, gossip, complain, nag (except Brody and his tennis ball obsession). They don't have opinions. They don't judge you. They don't expect a lot. I think they are much cuter than human babies. I used to worry that this made me a weirdo. I don't care.

{two}

My doctor suggested adding rice cakes to my gluten-free lifestyle. I totally forgot about these. So, hubs bought some and I make them taste better by adding fattening ingredients such as peanut butter and cream cheese. (The plain-looking one is coated in an artificially-flavored powder that's supposed to be white cheddar. They are pretty good.)

{three}

I have also been adding cream cheese to these tasty gluten-free bunnies.

{four}

I love my dog. He keeps me sane on say, 6 out of the 7 days a week. See #1 for more explanation.

{five}

I broke out the crate again, thinking it would take me a good month to get Brody really trained on how to sleep in this thing without whining and crying. (He usually sleeps on the bed with me, but his ass is too big and he tries to hog it up by gettin right in the center. NO thanks.) So, I'm all prepared with treats and my speech, and, surprisingly, he just walks right in there. And, he is fine - all through the night {!!!!} - as long as I go ahead and turn the light off. Thank you, Lord.

{six}

I came across this verse on a post from A Day in the Life. It really spoke to me. I read the post on January 3, and I thought to myself, "Wow." It's amazing to me how all of a sudden, just a few words can mean so much.

"In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps."

Proverbs 16:9

Then, a few weeks after that, I just felt like God had answered a prayer that I've been praying for over 3 years. I felt like a zillion tons were on my chest and constantly wondered if my decisions were the right ones. I analyzed those decisions every single day. But, the thing about God is, He will answer in His time. He works through many different means - our hearts, our minds, our instincts, our situations, including pain, tears, fear, road blocks. Although, the fear is a result of a lack of trust in Him. But, I knew He would answer. Sometimes that answer might come in a series of hurdles and "what ifs". But one day, after over three and a half years. I just knew what to do. I still don't know exactly what the future holds, obviously. But, I can say that I feel more at peace about it than I ever have before. And I feel like it's what's best. Not just that - I feel EXCITED! The situation did not change. But my heart did.

I'm not really ready to share the whole story with the world wide web, but maybe someday. And, I wanted to tell you all out there, that He will answer. Just never stop believing. And be careful when you pray for patience. ;) I am really excited and eager for something that used to cause me anxiety and dread. Isn't it amazing? And the thing is, I'm glad I went through all the yuck, because I know that if I hadn't have gone through all the yuck, I wouldn't appreciate this good part. I wouldn't see it for the gift that it is. 

Praying for God to give me the desires of my heart is one of the best things I've ever done. This doesn't mean, "God, give me what I want." Instead, it means, "God, please have me want what you want (and know is best anyway) for me. Make me want for myself what you already want and know is good for me." I feel so grateful. And ready. I've said it a million times, but thank God that I'm not really in charge.

I kind of feel like a whole new me. Or, actually, more like I've found myself - the self that I used to be before I let worry take over my life. It's easy to get caught up in what you are "supposed" to be. According to your family, your friends, your boss, your church, your co-workers, your spouse, your kids, whatever. And, it may not even be that they are telling you what you are supposed to be, but it's kind of a self-imposed pressure. It's like that for me anyway. I think women especially, feel guilty for being who they want to be. It's confusing. That's why I pray for God to show me who He wants me to be. And, ironically, after praying on that for months and months and months and months ... I feel more like myself, and comfortable in my own skin than I ever have. And I wake up each day, feeling like I am twice as in love with my husband than I was the day before. And I see how much I have to be grateful for.

What a beautiful thing.

Wolfpack WIN + gluten free pizza = good weekend

I would like to say that I dreamed this two months ago. We were walking around Carter Finley and everyone was so happy because we beat Clemson. (Hasn't happened since 2003). The hubs was like, "Ha. Not likely. But - we do play at home this year. It'd be really weird if we actually did win."

And... TA-DAAA! 

37-13. 

We are all in shock. Even our own coach said he had no explanation for what happened last night.

RALEIGH -- Only in the unpredictable ACC does this happen.

A week after losing to a team near the bottom of the Atlantic Division standings, N.C. State demolished the first-place team in the division.

Read more: here @ the News & Observer

Yep, that's pretty much how we do at the Stizzle. The talent is there, but we have a wiiiiiddle bit of a problem gettin fired up enough to actually use it. What the dealy? 

Definitely had to celebrate such an important (and shocking) win ...

 by howling ...



and breakin it down with Ms. Wuf ...



Wonder what Mr. Wuf is back there thinkin?

Sadly, we weren't at this game. Watched it at home on the telly. HOWEVA - I was wearin my bomb
NC Stizzle Scarf.

Whattup, Julius?

And, something else magical happened this weekend:

Thank you, Mellow Mushroom for your gluten free menu choices. Holla! Been cravin some pizza! It was YUMM-O!!

Bonus: It was a GORRRRGEOUS day and we sat outside!

Now, I hope this week goes fast and Thanksgivin'll be here shawtly!

CREAMY KALE SOUP - pure & total awesomeness in a bowl

Y'all.

This is the kind of soup that can fix your marriage, keep a family of seven happy through a whole winter, put us on the path to world peace, make you wanna sucker punch ya mama, nah I mean?

I could eat this every. day. of. my. life. 

It came from some magazine, that I don't know the name of, as I stole the recipe from the M.I.L. :

All I can say is Thank God for Pat Pittman in Boone for sharing.

I don't eat gluten, so we left the 2 tbsp of flour out (and the butter). Also, we just cooked ours in a stock pot. Didn't really change anything. It was still oh em geee good.

We got our kale from Andrew's parents' garden, but you can probably find kale at a farmer's market or a specialty grocery store ??

How can you not love any recipe involving pig meat? We used sausage instead of ham - it's also good with kielbasa.

Cornbread really finishes it off. And we buy the corn meal that's made with only corn flour. 

;)

Sip on some Red Bridge while you wait ...

Holy. 

shazamm.

Heaven in a bowl.

Do it. 

You won't be sad you did.

You're welcome.

WHO AM I?!? Petey Pab ....

if you just finished that lyric in your head, I won't tell anybody. 

The way my mind works is about as random as this post title, my friends. I really wanted to write a good post tonight, but this is what's happenin in my brain instead:

I love this fall nail color obsession, but I CANNOT STAND the feel of polish on my fingernails. That's why this happens:

Yes, that's right, I chew it off like a dog. Once, I got yucky acrylic nails for prom. COULD NOT DEAL. The next day, I chewed them off, chunk by chunk. It was a REAL HOT MESS by the time I was done. I also grind my teeth in my sleep, and gently slide them back and forth over each other all day while I'm awake. Do y'all think my coffee/diet mt. dew habit could be contributing to this psycho neurotic nervousness? Hmmmmm..... I've given up gluten and deal with diabetes daily, so I'm not ready to part with my caffeine.

*

My blood sugar's been high as a kite, and it's the "first week of the month" which means, it's not time for it to be high as hades. So, I'm upset. Just when you think you've remotely got it figured out ... WTH?!?!

 It is fascinating to me that there are people out there who have pancreases that REGULATE their blood sugar. They can eat, sleep, menstruate, work out, and their pancreas just DEALS WITH IT. Straight up cray-cray.

*

I am in love with Mik Wright. I have so many pics that would be awesome for this, but I worry about copyrights. Or people never speaking to me again. 

*

I hate that Christmas means giving 1,867 people something. I don't wanna buy a bunch of shiz, and I don't need to receive a bunch of shiz. I wanna rebel! It'd be much more fun to do a giant ornament exchange, right? Some people can afford to go out and buy whatever they want for themselves, and they expect you to give them whatever they want for Christmas. Or spending hundreds of dollars on kids just because they are kids. Well, gross, no thanks. Wouldn't Christmas be much more fun if it was Leave it to Beaver style? Where Christmas was about decorating, and baked goods, and dad not going to work, and snuggling in your bunny slippers while listening to jolly Christmas music, and oh yeah, 

Jesus. 'member Him?

*

I wish I could make enough to scrounge by via blogging and running a booth full of magical treasures at the Raleigh Flea Market, and eventually a real store in downtown Raleigh. Ha! Don't we all? Oh, and I want to learn to needle point and knit, and do all the shiz I see on Pinterest. Did y'all know I turned 28 68 on my last birthday? I mean, I see stuff like this (spotted on a chick at work, who got it at Buckle) and salivate, and then I think, "I could totally make that, right? I mean, it looks like a bunch of knots."

 I guess until I can make everything my way, I'll be satisfied with the ice cold DMD's at work for only 60 cents. That's two quartahs and a dime, y'all! Life is good.

How I'm Livin

Que Pasa, Shug pies? This glorious Sunday, I'm doin' a little link-action via Ms. Kim @ Yep the Blog. She's super magical. In fact, this little button here is pretty much her personality. Don't you love it?

Link up on Sundays and tell us what you did all week. Or make somethin up.

Below are the details of the exciting life I lead.

My cousin's 18th birthday was this week, and his friend Alex was here from Germany. My mom and I have been wanting to go to a Carolina Hurricanes game, so the four of us went on Tuesday. 

(They sold Red Bridge! Uber-exciting!)

We lost after a shoot out. Oh well.

********

I dealt with this shiz.

In NC, you have to get your car inspected when you renew your registration. Mine "wasn't ready" because it just had a repair involving the stupid check engine light being on, and it hasn't been driven enough to reset yet. Really? Um, it expires tomorrow. NO I DID NOT WAIT TIL THE LAST MINUTE EXACTLY. I got the problem fixed, tried to get it inspected. Drove around for no reason trying to reset the dang thing. STILL NOT READY. And then, I'd already made plans to go out of town. Thankfully, there is a 15 day grace period. Everybody say a lil prayer for Sylvia and me.

********

I ran into some jackasses in the mountains of NC.

Look how crooked my tooth looks in that pic.

 ********

 I thought about shiz that stresses me out and what things I can do to make my life less stressful.

1) Keep my living and work area CLEAN. This is so hard for me. I totally envy people whose brains just work that way automatically.

OHIO. Only Handle It Once. 

I am forever picking crap up to put it where it goes, wash it, throw it away, etc, and then I will set it down to deal with something else, thereby getting NOWHERE.

2) Go to bed by 10:30. This is hard too. Damn you Blogger and Pinterest. Sad, I know. 

3) Get up 30 minutes earlier than I think I need to, so I can get to work with time to handle emails, organizing, copies, etc. that stress me out throughout the day. 

4) I promised myself I would delete pictures from my phone once they have been uploaded. Dang it.

5) I will read emails and deal with them daily. Not ignore them, and come back to an inbox of 798 and feel overwhelmed.

6) Write things down in my planner immediately.

7) Pay bills when they arrive.

8) Bring crap in from my car right then as opposed to letting it pile up in there for weeks and then, driving around in a mess, whichhhh, stresses me out.

 ********

 I was forced to leave little hidden notes under pizza like this:
<=======

Because apparently, my brother has these totally absurd notions that I might steal toppings off of his pizza just because they look delicious and I can't eat the gluten-ous bread portion of the pizza.
                           =================>

Crazy, right? Can you believe him?

 ********

 Discussed the excitement of fall fashion with Bro-ham.

 He's really excited about Halloween tomorrow night too, lemme tell ya.