The Switch Witch

Today is the spookiest day of the year: Halloween! Some of the candy your child receives might not be gluten-free, so what do you do? The Switch Witch must come tonight and magically whisk away the unsafe candy and replace it with safe candy. Check out Allergy UK on facebook, as they were the ones who posted this great idea!

"We heard a great Halloween idea today!

Introduce the 'Switch Witch' to your little one's Halloween excitement. Let them know that if they leave their collected treats out when they go to sleep, the Switch Witch will fly in on her broomstick and swap all the things they shouldn't have for an even better (and safe) pile of goodies!

The Switch Witch will bring you peace of mind whilst making their Halloween memories even more magical. The Switch Witch could even leave a toy in place of the sweeties!

Good luck Switch Witch, it will be a busier night for her than the Tooth Fairy!"
-Allergy UK

Happy trick-or-treating!
-Sema

Roadtrip to Chicago

This weekend I decided to take a spontaneous trip to Chicago with my suitemate Emma. I booked my return train ticket, packed some snacks, and drove up with a few friends to the windy city. The night before we left, we decided to order some pizza, and I suggested we get pizza from Pi so that I could take the leftovers on the road trip. While I managed to eat over half the pizza by myself that night (it was so delicious I couldn't stop eating it), I packaged the rest of the pizza in wax paper and set it in my fridge overnight. I have learned from experience to always bring emergency food, because you never know what's going to happen (and it's no fun to be stuck on the road when you're hungry).

On the way, we stopped at a Culvers, where I ordered a hamburger and a side salad. The bun came in a sealed package, so I knew there was no cross contamination. Since the fries weren't fried in a designated frier, I ordered a side salad. After that hearty meal, we continued on our way to the suburbs of Chicago, where I got to meet Emma's family and see her hometown. Once we got to Chicago, Emma took me to a gelato place called Frost, where I inquired about their gluten-free options. They informed me that my best bet to avoid cross contamination would be to go with a fruity gelato, so I ordered one that was banana flavored. While it got pretty chilly that night, we still enjoyed a nice walk in the frisk air with our cold gelato (because we're still hanging on to the concept of summer).

I had a wonderful time in Chicago, and ate a delicious gluten-free Japanese dinner with Emma and her family. I also got to visit a dear friend from high school who is currently studying at Loyola. They have a beautiful lake at Loyola, and I wish that WashU had one, as there's nothing more calming than doing your homework next to the water.

Right before I got on the train back to St. Louis, my friends took me to Blaze, where they make pizzas very quickly, but ensure that the gluten-free pizzas are baked on a designated pan. That tided me over for the train ride that was inevitably delayed. Overall, I had a wonderful weekend and most importantly didn't go hungry!

-Sema

What's in my Fridge/Pantry?

Hello everyone! It's been a crazy last few weeks, complete with a lot of calculus and homework. It's crazy to think that over a month has gone by since I moved into my dorm in August! As promised, today I will be showing you all what is in my pantry, because let's be honest, I prefer not to go hungry.

I know what you're thinking, what is the pasta sauce for? I can't exactly cook pasta in my dorm room, but I can create tortilla pizzas in the microwave! If I have too much on my plate (pun intended), and I can't make it to the dining hall, I'll take a tortilla, spread some pasta sauce and cheese over it, and heat it in the microwave. 

I keep sweet tea, sparkling lemonade, and Coke Zero so that I have an array of options :)! This morning I actually put iced tea in my coffee travel mug since I was too tired to brew the coffee.

I keep peanut butter, Nutella, applesauce, tea, and mugs on top of my fridge. I do enjoy a cup of tea after a long day of classes, and I actually started something called "tea time" on my floor. We all catch up with a good cup of tea and a few snacks, which is the best way to bond as a floor!

I keep an array of dried snacks in my basket, and it contains anything from pretzel thins to regular assorted chips. I also have a jar that contains energy bars and fruit snacks for those hectic mornings when I have to dash out to class.

Sometimes it's easy to forget to eat in the dining hall, and since I don't have a kitchen to just whip something up, it's great to have a bunch of options so I don't go hungry.

-Sema