Nugo Bars

My favorite bars are these Nugo Dark Chocolate Pretzel Bars with Sea Salt. They are salty, sweet, and VERY filling :). I usually keep one of these in my backpack or purse, because you never know when you'll get hungry and won't find anything to eat!
Enjoy!
-Sema

There are other Nugo Bars out there, but not all of them are gluten-free, so if you want to try the other ones, make sure you check the ingredients first!

Labeling Jars

One thing I have become semi-obsessed with lately is labeling things. I found these great jars that have chalkboard labels on them. So now I can label them to let everyone know what's inside them (even though they are clear). Not only does this serve to make it look awesome, but it also keeps the food fresh and enticing. Yep, I said it. Putting your GF food in cool containers makes you want to eat what's inside! The same goes for lunches. I always feel like my food will taste better if it is in a legitimate cool lunchbox, instead of just a paper bag. (Plus it keeps your food fresh.)
-Sema

My Sick Day Routine

Looking around, I noticed how everyone was sneezing and coughing. Unfortunately I got that terrible cold, and decided to show you all how I deal with my sick days :)!

Enjoy!
-Sema

Gluten-free Athletes in the 2014 Sochi Olympics!

The Winter Olympics are here, and did you know that many of the athletes are on a gluten-free diet?

"Here are a few from the United States:

• Chris Creveling, Speed Skater - follows a gluten-free diet to reduce inflammation

• Jazmine Fenlator, Bobsled - follows a gluten-free diet.

• Todd Lodwick, Nordic Combined Skier - follows a gluten-free diet to help with inflammation of the lungs.

• Elana Meyers, Bobsled - follows a gluten-free diet.

• Sara Studebaker, Biathlon - follows a gluten-free diet. Sara's fiance, Zachary Hall, a fellow US Biathlon National Team member 2007-2011, is gluten intolerant, so it's easier if both of them eat gluten free. Sara says she "..feels better training and competing!"."

For more information, visit:

http://www.examiner.com/article/2014-winter-olympics-athletes-following-a-gluten-free-diet-sochi

Pasta Alfredo

Ingredients
1 jar of Prego Artisan Three Cheese GF Alfredo Sauce
1 lb of the Sam Mills GF Pasta D'oro
1 lb lean ground beaf
1 medium onion
1 yellow, 1 red, and 1 green pepper
 8 oz of sliced mushrooms
A dash of salt and pepper
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Chopped parsley for garnish

Procedure
Brown the ground beaf in one tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions and sautee them for 3 minutes. Next, add the chopped peppers, mushrooms, salt and pepper, and sautee them together for 5 minutes.

Add the Alfredo sauce and mix it. Let it simmer for 5 minutes.

Cook the pasta al dente (meaning don't overcook).

Drain it, adding a dash of olive oil to separate the pasta pieces. You can also add a bit of chopped parsley if you'd like.

 Mix the two together, and garnish with parsley. It was so good that it was gone in seconds!

Enjoy!

-Sema

Take the Pledge!

"NFCA encourages you to Take the Pledge!

When you fill out the Pledge form below, you promise to:

Educate:

• The gluten-free diet is not a fad.  We know this, you know this - it's a treatment that's here to stay.
• Celiac disease is not a food allergy. Let's take this opportunity to set the record straight!

Be Empowered:

• We can work together to amplify our voice to raise awareness of gluten-related disorders.
• We are in the driver's seat when it comes to managing our own health.

Advocate:

• You play a key role in helping family members understand their risk for this genetic autoimmune disease.
• 83% of people with celiac disease remain undiagnosed. We have the power to change that by sharing our personal stories and raising awareness of the signs and symptoms."

Click here to Take the Pledge now.

Why did I take the pledge?

I took the pledge, because I want to continue to be a positive voice for the gluten-free lifestyle through my blog. I plan to fulfill my pledge by informing others of the many great gluten-free options out there, and how to best handle the gluten-free lifestyle. I am a strong supporter of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, because it helps to educate, advocate, and empower people with Celiac Disease. 

Chex Muddy Buddies

Ingredients

9 cups Rice Chex

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup butter

1 tspn vanilla

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Procedure

Put the 9 cups of Rice Chex into a large bowl.

Put the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter into a microwavable bowl, and microwave it on high for one minute, or until melted. Stir in the vanilla.

Now, sprinkle the mixture over the Rice Chex, evenly stirring it in.

Now, put the mix into a large ziplock bag.

Add the powdered sugar.

Now, shake it until it's evenly distributed (you can dance while doing so.)

Lay the muddy buddies out on a strip of wax paper.

Let it sit for an hour or so, or until they dry completely.
Voila, you have a fancy looking snack that will entice your guests!

Enjoy!

-Sema

Gluten-Free Banana Nut Bread

I have been in the baking mood recently! This bread is so soft and delicious that I couldn't get enough of it!

Ingredients
4 tbspn melted butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 mashed banana
1 cup pancake mix (I used Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix.)
1/4 tspn salt
1/2 tspn vanilla
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Mix the butter, sugar, eggs and banana.

Add the pancake mix, salt, vanilla and nuts.

Pour the mixture into a large greased loaf pan.

Bake for an hour, or until finished. I only had to bake it for half an hour for the toothpick to come out clean.

This banana bread was so moist and not crumbly at ALL. It tasted just as though it was made of wheat :)

Enjoy!
-Sema

If you missed it, here's my Draw My Life video from last week:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEtbPuOK410
In it, I talk about how I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and how I learned to deal with it :)

Draw My Life- My Gluten-Free Experience

In this 'Draw My Life' video, I talk about how I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, and how I learned to deal with it.

Enjoy!
-Sema

Be sure to subscribe to my channel!

Gluten-Free Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies

The holidays are a great time to eat good desserts and relax! This recipe is simple, requiring minimal ingredients and will allow you to enjoy a great dessert without having to spend the entire day in the kitchen.

Ingredients
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 large egg
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Procedure
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
Mix the ingredients together in a large bowl.













Roll the dough into balls.














Use the bottom of a glass to flatten them out.















Bake for 9-14 minutes (depending on your oven). When you take the cookies out, allow them to cool for a few minutes before you take your first bite.

Enjoy!
-Sema

A special thanks to Natasha for helping me out!

Gluten-Free Layer Bars

Ingredients
7 oz of sweetened coconut
1 cup butterscotch chips
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
8 oz unsalted walnuts
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Procedure

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. 

Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan

Spread 2/3 of the coconut flakes on the bottom of the pan evenly.

Then, spread the butterscotch chips in an even layer.

Spread the chocolate chips

Spread the walnuts 

Now, pour the condensed milk evenly over the entire pan.

You are almost done. Just spread the sliced almonds on top and add the remaining coconut flakes.

Bake for 20 mins, or until it's at the desired consistency.
Cut into desired pieces and enjoy these lovely bars together with a cup of Earl Grey Tea.

Enjoy!
-Sema

A special thanks to my mom's best friend for the recipe!

Fun With Finals

It's that time of year again folks! Finals are just around the corner, and I can tell you that I am swamped with work. So, there will be no informative blog post this week, BUT next week I am doing a 'holiday goodies' blog post so be sure to check back in!

Happy Studying (for those in the same boat as me)!
-Sema

Also, if you have a few minutes to spare, be sure to check out my first music video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdbGARh7upU

Gluten-free Goldfish

I was at the local grocery store browsing the snacks when I came across a pack of Goldfish that looked different from the rest. I immediately grabbed it and checked its ingredients, and lo and behold it said gluten free on top! I immediately grabbed two packs and headed to check out, ready to try it out. The backstory is that before I was diagnosed, Goldfish and Cheez-it used to be my main snacks. After I found out I was gluten-free, I was "deprived'' from my favorite snacks. (I of course found substitutes along the years.) That is why this is so significant to me. A mainstream snack producer finally decided offer gluten-free snacks as well :).

Enjoy!
-Sema

Thanksgiving Report

The big food holiday has come and gone! I was unable to post anything this week because I was filming a music video for my single 'I Am No Longer'. 

The tradition in our house is to have my dad prepare our boneless stuffed turkey dinner. All items at the dinner were gluten free. Stay posted, my music video should be coming out soon!

Here is a link to my artist page:

 https://www.facebook.com/semaelin

Happy Belated Thanksgiving Greetings!

-Sema

Walmart's Gluten Free Aisle

Last week I while was pushing my cart along at Walmart, I decided to head to the snack selection (something I cannot resist.) As I walked down the aisle, I found a sign saying gluten-free! This shows how mainstream gluten-free items have become; we no longer have to go to special health food stores to get gluten-free snacks!

Enjoy!

-Sema

Homemade French Fries

Instead of going to some fast food restaurant, where the freshness of your French fries is not guaranteed, why not just make them yourself?

You will need:
6 potatoes
Canola Oil
1 teaspoon salt (or however much salt you desire)
A deep fryer













Procedure: 
Cut the potatoes into strips. (My younger brother was my helper today).

Add them to the deep fryer, covering them with canola oil. Add the desired amount of salt as well. Cook until crispy with a light brown color.

A very simple, yet refreshing side!

Enjoy!
-Sema

NFCA Webinar

NFCA is offering a gluten free webinar today. “Chef Richard Coppedge, Professor of Baking and Pastry Arts at The Culinary Institute of America and author of Gluten-Free Baking with The Culinary Institute of America, will review gluten-free baking ingredients such as flours and starches and discuss how to incorporate them into your holiday baked good recipes. Webinar participants will also benefit from learning about helpful gluten-free baking tips and tried and true gluten-free recipes."

The webinar is free of charge. To register click on the following link:

http://www.celiaccentral.org/community/upcoming-nfca-events/free-webinar-holiday-special-gluten-free-baking-10071/

 

Enjoy!

-Sema

Grilled Eggplant Salad

Ingredients

5 large tomatoes

12 Italian eggplants (you can substitute any eggplant)

6 Capia Italian sweet peppers (you can substitute any green pepper)
3 cloves of garlic

1 lemon/lime

Italian Parsley

¼ Cup of Olive Oil

Procedure

Grill the vegetables on the grill on high heat.

Peal the skin of the vegetables. Do this with caution, as they are very hot.

Chop the eggplants, cutting out the stems, into small pieces with a chef’s knife.

Do the same to the tomatoes and peppers.

Chop the
three cloves of garlic and add them to the mix.

Chop the Italian parsley into small pieces.

Sprinkle the juice of a lemon or lime and the ¼ cup of olive oil over it.


















Mix it, and add the chopped parsley.

Voila! This dish can be used as a side dish, or as a dip.

Enjoy!

-Sema