NOTICE

At the time of publication, all recipes were free of the allergens listed as being free of in the title (i.e. soy-free, milk-free, etc.), and all other information shared was accurate to the best of my knowledge.
Though I strive to update outdated information quickly and work diligently to make sure you have the most accurate information possible at all times, it is your duty to double check labels EVERY TIME to ensure that the ingredients you use are SAFE FOR YOU.
DO NOT RELY SOLELY ON THIS INFORMATION AS INGREDIENTS AND INFORMATION DO CHANGE.
Your doctor or allergist should also be your first go-to for information on how to handle your medical needs. That being said, if you DO notice an error, please send me an email letting me know (tell me what page or recipe the error is on, what the error is, etc.), and I will correct the error ASAP.
Thank you so much!

Please Be Advised:
I make sure all of my recipes use foods that are free of the allergens they say they are free of. You will need to do the same. For help with this, please see the appropriate "Alternative Names" page for the allergen(s) you need the recipe free of.

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Saturday, May 31, 2014

Monthly Milestones {6}


Today is my sixth time running my monthly feature where I will be giving you updates on how I am doing physically, mentally, etc. and in which you can link up a post about some form of progress you are making, if you wish (see details below). I am enjoying this, and being publicly accountable (as hard as it is) will and is helping me out tremendously.  I hope you enjoy this link-up as well, will link up something inspiring and share it with others so that we can meet our goals together! :)

I know this link-up is about a week early, but I will be on vaca next weekend, so I cannot do it then.  I thought having it early would be better than having it late.  I hope you all agree. :)
Anyway, here is how I am doing so far:


Me, today, May 31, 2014, at 228.5 lbs.
   
  1. I've gained half a pound.  The one thing I feared has happened; I've had to share the fact that I've gained, not lost, this last month.  I know, I know - it's only half a pound.  It could be a lot worse.  I am still not happy about it.  When you want to be losing, any gain, no matter how small, is frustrating.  Hopefully, I can say differently next month, and I will keep plugging away.  Wish me luck! :)
      
  2. I've been more active!  I don't know if you can tell without directly comparing the last picture with this one, but (even though I've gained a little) I have gotten more toned.  I've been going on pretty much daily walks, and I know that's helped with my toning, sleeping and energy level.  I am loving this warm weather! :)
     
  3. I'm still working on what I can and can't eat.  I am still trying to figure out exactly what it is that is giving me IBS issues.  I have cut back severely on fried foods because they seem to bother me most.  I have found a bread that is soy-free and contains organic and natural ingredients that my body seems to tolerate really well.  I do know, though, that I cannot eat as many carbs as I'd like of any sort.  They make me hold onto weight quicker and longer than anything.  I have noticed a possible issue with corn, too.  So, I am going to be looking into corn and gluten more closely for now, and possibly dairy and peanuts/tree nuts (they are on my suspect list, too).  I am not sure that these are things I necessarily have to eliminate from my diet, but I may have to cut back on them a lot or be very picky about their source or what I combine them with.  I'll keep you posted.
  4. My niece, Lili, is doing great!  As I mentioned during the last link-up, my niece, Lili, was born with a heart valve that wouldn't close almost 3 years ago.  The doctors had hoped it would close on its own, but it has not, and she is in need of surgery to fix it.  Her surgery was on Wednesday, May 7, 2014, in Ghana, West Africa, where her parents (my brother and his wife) are missionaries, and it was a huge success.    She goes back in 2 months to make sure that her heart is shrinking back to normal size.    Continued prayers are needed in that regard.  Thank you!  To read more, please visit Patty's blog here.
     
  5. I am still working on those exciting plans for my blogs!  I've started on some of the changes, but they are slow going.  I'm adding more "alternative names and helpful links" pages on Natural and Free.  I've been able to get one up for milk and eggs, and have plans for one on shellfish/fish/seafood and one on tree nuts/peanuts.  I hope to have those pages up before I go on vaca.  I also made a page for anaphylaxis info over having the info in the side bar.  This is just the first series of changes.  Exciting times here, for sure! :)
     
  6. The boys have finished all their coursework!  My boys have finished all their required coursework and testing!  YAY!  We still have to log hours until June 6th, but otherwise, we are done!  Now we can do fun lessons and lots of PE. :)  They don't mind a bit!  I hope to get a post up soon about what this first year has taught me.  I have learned a LOT!
      
  7. Now that summer is here, I hope to post more!  I know that I haven't been around much on either blog during this school year.  I deeply regret that, but it could not be helped.  The curriculum proved to be a lot more academic than I thought, my involvement in teaching my boys was more than I'd imagined (though I didn't mind a bit), and I feel like I wasn't as prepared as I thought.  I don't blame the school at all, though.  This was definitely a "it's my first year, and I'm not quite sure what to expect" kinda thing.  I thought I knew and had prepared to do quite a bit, but I really wasn't as ready as I thought.  I didn't know what to ask, what to crop lesson plan-wise, etc. until well into the school year.  There was some lack of communication because of that, but all-in-all, MVCA and their teachers are great (though I know some disagree - it's not for everyone).  I have a greater respect for homeschool moms than ever now.  It is not for the faint of heart, at least it's not if you do it right!  My boys have come so very far this year (I'm sure due to the more advanced nature of the material - again, not that the school they went to before was bad (in fact, I think it was well above average compared to some of the horror stories I've heard from other parents at MVCA) - and due to the one-on-one nature of homeschooling), and that means more to me than anything.  I am looking forward to doing it again next year. :)
     
That's all for now, I suppose.  How are you doing?  Are you reaching your goals?  Have you tried something new?  Come up with a new recipe?  I hope all is going well with you, and I hope you will link-up a post telling me all about it or even leave a comment sharing your thoughts.  As always, I wish you the best of luck in all you do, and hope you will return soon! :)





~*~*~*~
Now It's Your Turn!



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Grab A Badge!


(This post was originally posted on my original site, Fibro, Fit and Fab!)
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Saturday, May 24, 2014

Double Chocolate Flourless Brownie Cookies (Soy, Nut, Fish, Milk and Wheat-Free, Can Be Egg-Free)


I can hardly believe it is in the end of May!  It has been crazy busy around here finishing up the school year (which included lots of standardized testing that I'm just as happy to be done with as the boys), our anniversary (which was on May 20th - 14 years!), church and celebration things (from Mother's Day to bridal showers to graduations) and everything in between!  I have several recipes to share with you, but I've had no time to post until today.  I promise I will get the rest shared with you, but it might be a few weeks before I can get into a schedule again because next week is the last week of school for the boys (well, the last week of course work - they have to log hours until the 6th of June, but we're going to do fun experiments and such for that), then my birthday on June 3rd, and then a family vaca for nearly a week...I just don't know when I'll have the time before we get back.  It is looking like I'll have to do my Monthly Milestones link-up on Fibro, Fit and Fab! early, too (because I think early is better than late in that case).  At any rate, I hope you can forgive the busy and lack of posting...especially after you see the recipe I have to share with you today! :)  (And, yes, I am hoping you can be bribed with chocolate! :D )

This recipe (a slightly modified version of this one by King Arthur Flour) is soy (if you use all soy-free ingredients), nut, fish, milk and wheat-free and can be egg-free (see variations).  Did I mention it is gooey, chocolate heaven?  No?  Well, it is!  If you are a fan of fudgy, rich and gooey brownies, you will LOVE these cookies!  They were a HUGE hit with the family and the kiddos at our last NBB (our church's version of AWANA) celebration.  Those who know me know that I love taking treats to functions that are safe for all the kiddos there.  I made these especially for a friend of my son's who cannot have gluten (even though he didn't get to come).  I wanted him (and anyone else with gluten intolerance and food allergies) to have a delicious treat to enjoy without worry, and these did not disappoint.  I will try them with the egg-less variation soon, though I didn't for that night because (to my knowledge) none of the people there had an egg allergy.

Anyway, without further adieu, I'd like to present to you my
Double Chocolate Flourless Brownie Cookies!


Double Chocolate Flourless Brownie Cookies
2 1/4 Cups powdered sugar

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 Cup cocoa powder

3 large egg whites

1 to 2 teaspoons gluten-free/soy-free vanilla extract

1 Cup Enjoy Life mini-chocolate chips

  1. Preheat oven to 350oF and grease 2 baking sheets (if using parchment, grease parchment); set aside.  (Note: Make sure to grease the sheets with lard or another oil/grease that fits your allergen needs.  You will also need to make sure the sheets are greased well between batches, too.)
      
  2. Stir all ingredients together until smooth and well-blended, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl as needed.
      
  3. Drop the dough (which should resemble brownie batter) onto the prepared baking sheets by teaspoons or Tablespoons, depending on how large you want your cookies.  (Note: Larger and more rounded cookies have a more molten/gooey center than smaller or flatter cookies.  Also, the cookies will spread out a little, but not very much.  I would still keep them about 2 inches apart, though.)
      
  4. Bake the cookies for 8 minutes for smaller cookies and up to 10 minutes for larger cookies, until they are somewhat shiny and develop faintly cracked tops.
     
  5. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan before transferring them to a serving plate or other paper covered counter to finish cooling/setting up.  (Note: If you try to remove them too soon, they will be a gooey mess.  I let mine sit for between 5 and 10 minutes until the pan was cool enough to handle before removing them.  You will need a thin, firm spatula to remove them.  I also transferred my cookies to paper to finish cooling/setting up before putting them on a plate.  These cookies are a little like a brownie version of meringues, if that helps you understand the texture.)
This recipe makes anywhere from 24 to 48+ cookies, depending on size.


Variations (Please keep your individual allergen needs in mind when using substitutions!):
  • Egg-Free: I have not tried to make this egg-free, but you could try using any of the egg-free substitutions listed here or any egg replacer that you have used with success and that fit your allergen needs.  Remember that you are replacing egg whites, not whole eggs.  My guess is that you'd have the most success with flax "eggs" or even non-flavored gelatin (to see how to use non-flavored gelatin to replace egg and more ideas not on this blog, go here).
     
  • Less Chocolate: If you think these are just too chocolaty, you can leave out the chocolate chips.  The cookies will spread out a little more when you do this, so leave about 3 inches between cookies if doing this.
     
  • Other Flavor Combinations: If you can have them, you could sub other types of chips (peanut butter, white chocolate, etc.), nuts or dried fruit (cranberries, dried cherries, etc.) for the chocolate chips or even along with the chocolate chips (though I wouldn't use more than an additional 1 Cup of add-ins, so 2 Cups total of chips, nuts or dried fruit).  You could even sub another extract flavor for the vanilla such as coffee, raspberry, strawberry, orange, etc. depending on what you like.  You could even combine a few, up to 2 teaspoons worth or extract.  If you like cinnamon with your chocolate, you could add a teaspoon or so of cinnamon to the batter.
       
  • Powdered Sugar Substitution: You can make your own sugar-free powdered sugar using any approved for baking sugar substitute for the powdered sugar in this recipe by following this formula as found here by Whole New Mom: 1 1/2 Cups granulated sweetener of choice and 1 Tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot (the cornstarch/arrowroot are optional, but recommended) blended together in your blender until it forms a uniform, powdered consistency (for more information on how to do this, go here).   You can even leave out the chocolate chips to reduce the sugar level even more, if needed.
So many possibilities, and really quite simple to make!  I hope you enjoy them!

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What is your favorite gluten-free/allergy friendly treat?

What's your favorite cookie?

Are you ready for summer?




(This recipe was originally posted on my original site, Natural and Free.)

on No comments:

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Monthly Milestones {5}


Today is my fifth time running my monthly feature where I will be giving you updates on how I am doing physically, mentally, etc. and in which you can link up a post about some form of progress you are making, if you wish (see details below). I am enjoying this, and being publicly accountable (as hard as it is) will and is helping me out tremendously.  I hope you enjoy this link-up as well, will link up something inspiring and share it with others so that we can meet our goals together! :)
Here is how I am doing so far:

Me as of today, May 3, 2014, at 228 lbs.
   
  1. I've lost another pound and learned some things about how my body handles certain ingredients!  This month has not been a huge change weight-wise, but I have learned a few things.  One, I have an intolerance to garlic.  This is something that I'm really sad about, but I've found that I can't even handle garlic salt or powder.  It is now on my avoid list.  I also have issues with raw onion, but seem to be able to handle onion salt and powder for now.  Since I've started to cut out garlic and raw onion, I do not notice an issue with dairy or wheat.  I am still planning on looking more closely into those, though.  I know my weight cannot handle a lot of carbs, so I feel I owe it to myself to look more into a possible gluten issue.  Also, my avoiding soy has helped a LOT, and even having a little bit makes my stomach reel and bloat.  No fun!  Definitely getting easier to avoid it.
      
  2. We've been dealing with illness.  A very nasty virus hit our house for about 2 weeks, and it finally seems to be gone or at least mostly gone.  My youngest is still recovering, and was hardest hit, including suffering a double ear infection at the same time!  Poor sweetie!  We even had a brief scare of wondering if we were dealing with appendicitis with her.  Thankfully, her blood work came back normal, and she appears to be on the mend.  We are hopeful that she'll be 100% soon.  Prayers appreciated!  Thank you! :)
  3. My extended family is in need of prayer.  My niece, Lili, was born with a heart valve that wouldn't close almost 3 years ago.  The doctors had hoped it would close on its own, but it has not, and she is in need of surgery to fix it.  Please be in prayer for my niece and my brother's family as surgery is scheduled for Wednesday, May 7, 2014.  They are missionaries in Ghana, West Africa, and it has been amazing to see how God has worked out all the details for this surgery.  To read more, please visit Patty's blog here.
     
  4. I am working on those exciting plans for my blogs!  Due to all the illness, trying to wrap up schooling and such, I've not been able to implement my plans as of yet.  I am hoping to do so by June, but we shall see! 
     
  5. End-of-school-year testing starts next week!  My boys will have some state required testing starting next week that will last off and on over the next 3 to 4 weeks.  Prayers appreciated as we work to wrap up school for the year and as they do all the required tests.  They are not the most fun for anyone!  Thanks so much! :)
     
  6. We're making headway on our To Do List!  I was able to get some projects done around the house (including sponge painting our bedroom), getting curtain ties made and other things, too!  We've even been able to nearly complete our re-roof project.  We're just waiting for the rain to stop so that we can finish it. :)  Anyway, here are some pictures of my little art projects:

Curtain tie I made for my daughter's room.



Curtain tie I made for the living room.



Sponge painting done in our bedroom.

These were all super easy, inexpensive and quick.  Gotta love that! :)  If you want more details on how I did them, feel free to email me.

 I suppose that's it for now.  How are you doing on your goals?  Hopefully well, and I hope you will link-up a post telling me all about it or even leave a comment sharing your thoughts.  As always, I wish you the best of luck in all you do, and hope you will return soon! :)





~*~*~*~
Now It's Your Turn!



~*~*~*~
Grab A Badge!


(This post was originally posted on my original site, Fibro, Fit and Fab!)
on 8 comments:
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