No Bake Cookies-An easy, quick go-to cookie

In the past, people with gluten issues haven't been able to have Oatmeal. There is a new school of thought that  says oatmeal is fine. Oatmeal has properties similar to gluten, but not the same. They still worry a little about cross contamination. If you are new to this diet or very sensitive (like my nephew Wyatt) you want to make sure to get Gluten-Free oats. But we are old hats at this and even bulk oatmeal at Winco doesn't cause any reactions. Thank Goodness.
These cookies along with rice crispie Treats are a must-have in Gluten-Free household.
No-Bake Cookies
Combine
2 c sugar
1 cube butter
1 t vanilla
1/2 milk (I've used every type of milk out there.
4 T cocoa
Boil for 1 minute (set timer, if too short, cookies will be runny, if too long, cookies will be rock hard.)
Take off burner and add
1/2 c peanut butter (I've used almond butter or can omit)
3 c quick oats (must be quick or won't set up well)
1/2 c coconut
Mix together until blended.
Drop by teaspoonful on waxed paper.
Wait till set to eat (hard to do).

Utah

If you've ever been to Utah before, you know what I'm talking about when I talk about Utah moms. I don't know how they do it, but they go to the grocery store with full makeup, heels, and 5 kids in tow. It's quite amazing.
I was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. I am an oregonian through and through. If you've been to Oregon, you know we wear sweats and tennies and beanies and vests. We are laid back and dressed for a barbecue all the time.

At first, I was a little intimidated. I thought maybe I should put my crocs away and bust out the boots. But that is so not me. Here I am with the kids at the BYU Museum of Art (Carl Bloch's exhibit-that will be another post. It was mind blowing. It really touched me.) I decided to be who I am. A loud and proud Oregonian. I may look like a tourist here but I'm trying to redefine being a Utah mom.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

These muffins taste like you are biting into a cloud, they are so fluffy. I won a blue ribbon at the fair a couple of years ago with these.
1 cup each of 3 different gluten free flours (I use tapioca flour, white rice flour, and cornstarch.)
2 t baking soda
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
4 eggs
2 cups flour (I have used organic sugar, it turns out great.)
1 can (15 oz) pureed pumpkin
1 c oil
1 small package pudding mix (vanilla or pumpkin, I've used chocolate too)
1 c chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients and combine just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake in greased muffin tins for 20-25 minutes.

Bragging Rights

I just wanted to brag a little about our Stake Women's Basketball. We totally won the regional tournament. What a great group of ball players. But even better than that, they are all wonderful women. Here are our victory poses. Not bad for a bunch of old moms.

My Dad

I knew we would be leaving Hood River soon when I took this picture of Steel and my dad. Dad was holding Steel when I realized that they looked very much alike. I always wanted a child that had eyes the color of my dad's. They are a deep, deep blue all the way through. They are mesmerizing. I think Steel probably looks exactly like Dad's baby pictures. I know he looked just like mine.

We miss Grandpa like crazy.

Whenever I bring up my dad in conversation, the people that know him always comment, "Your dad is so great." or "Your dad's awesome." Stuff like that. I kid you not. Every time. I can only say it's true. He is great. They just don't make men like him anymore.

We are so grateful to the Lord for letting us keep our Dad and Grandpa when he beat cancer 2 1/2 years ago. Interesting note: Dad called to say he had cancer the day that I found out that I was pregnant with Steel. When he called to say it was not the typical prostate cancer, but the "killer kind," that's the day that I got morning sickness and it lasted until 22 weeks.

How can anyone describe my dad?

He's definitely a good ole boy. He's as masculine as they come. When I was little, the only time he would cry was when he watched Little House on the Prairie.

My dad did it all. He worked tons of hours doing construction to pay for his 7 kids. He ran a little dairy farm for a while. We never had anyone come in to do any work around the house. He maintained all the cars, appliances, did all the remodeling, trimmed the horses hooves, you name it. He's a self-proclaimed, "Jack of all Trades, Master of None."

He's a friend to everyone he meets. I can't say that he likes everyone because he is a very good judge of character. But he doesn't pass judgement on people very often. Sometimes his redneck tendencies surface. {Seriously, my sister gave him a "You might be a redneck if...." calender for Christmas one year. It got to where it wasn't funny because they all fit Dad.}

The greatest thing I would like my sons to learn from their Grandpa Dennis is his love for his fellowmen. He lives to serve. He is never too tired, never too busy, never disinclined to help anyone in need. He always listens and only rarely gives advice when not asked.

My dad traveled all over the state of Oregon watching me play softball and then basketball. He coached all of us kids for years in either sport. He would take me to the gym and rebound forever or to the baseball diamond and hit grounders forever. Only a couple of time did he drill me during batting practice. ( I didn't realize it was on purpose until he couldn't control the giggles anymore.) He was always the best fan in the stands. I am grateful for the time he took to support me even if he was wearing a green turtleneck and red suspenders or an orange plaid shirt and rainbow suspenders. I could always pick him out in a crowd.

My dad has always been a lady killer. All my friends talked about how good looking he was. Wherever we went women flirted and he flirted back. But as kids, we always knew his loyalties lay with my mom and it was just good, clean fun.

But he wasn't only about sports, he stressed education for us. He expected us to be the smartest and to get the best grades. I always did because I didn't want to disappoint him.

My dad has a great voice. He sings bass in the choir. He is always asked to emcee church events and narrate programs. We dubbed it his "church voice" because it would drop an octave. We loved it.

My dad didn't come from a great, supportive family. He had a loving mom who did all she could to take care of her kids. He had always made sure we would never judge her. But his father was behaved atrociously towards him family. I am in awe that my dad could be raised like that and still give his children a stable home and a loving environment to grow up in with no cares in the world. Truly a testament to his character.

My dad has tons of sayings that he repeats repetitiously. He says things like, "age before beauty, but I got you beat both ways," when you talk about getting old, "better that the alternative." when you say what's up? "sun, moon, stars...." How are you doing? "About 5'9" (a lie, maybe in cowboy boots). "First I wished I could sing, then I wished you could." When he passes gas, "Works pretty good since I got it fixed." During pinochle when you don't know what to play, "this is where the cheese gets binding." "Diamonds are a gorilla's best friend (to tune)." The list goes on and on...

It has been hard for my family to be far away from Grandpa Dennis. Normandy, in particular, felt the loss the hardest. We love him and are grateful for getting the chance to have him as our family patriarch for as long as the Lord sees fit.

Best Gluten-free Bread

I have had this bread turn out for me every time. It's great. It actually looks like real bread.

GLUTEN-FREE Bread

just over 1 cup each of 3 different gluten-free Flours (I like cornstarch, soy flour, sorghum flour)

2/3 cup dry milk powder

1 Tablespoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

1 3/4 cups warm water

2 1/4 t yeast

2 Tablespoons oil (your choice, canola, olive oil, etc...)

2 large eggs

1. In a small bowl, combine water (water needs to be warm, not room temp and not hot) and yeast. Stir.
2. Add dry ingredients to mixing bowl, combine.
3. Add yeast mixture, oil and eggs.
4. Using an kitchen aid, mix dough with bread hook for five minutes on medium-high speed.
5. Lightly grease a bread pan.
6. Spread batter evenly into the pan.
7. Cover with dish towel and put in oven on warm for 1 hour.
8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
9. Bake dough for 55 minutes.
10. Allow to cool before cutting.

Timing

Almost the whole time that I have been I mother, I have been plagued with inner ear trouble.
For the majority of the time, I can successfully manage the demands of our family. But for months at a time, I cannot perform even the simplest tasks without waves of dizziness and vertigo. Although this is tough on me physically, I always fully recover. It is my emotional and mental state that takes a beating. I have gone through the gamut of emotions from betrayal, frustration, anger, anguish, you name it.
Last summer, when I was visiting my in-laws I came across a collection of essays by Dallin H. Oaks. I was significantly moved by his essay on Timing.
"Someone has said that life is what happens to us while we are making other plans. Because of things over which we have no control, we cannot plan and bring to pass everything we desire in our lives. Many important things will occur in our lives that we have not planned, and not all of them will be welcome. The tragic events of September 11th and their revolutionary consequences provide an obvious example. Even our most righteous desires may elude us, or come in different ways or at different times than we have sought to plan."
He talks about we need to not only say, "Thy will be done" by "Thy timing be done."
While we're waiting on the Lord...."So what should be done in the meantime? Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ prepares us for whatever life brings. This kind of faith prepares us to deal with life's opportunities--to take advantage of those that are received and to persist through the disappointments of those that are lost. In the exercise of that faith we should commit ourselves to the priorities and standards we will follow on matters we do not control and persist faithfully in those commitments whatever happens to us because of the agency of others or the timing of the Lord. When we do this, we will have a constancy in our lives that will give us direction and peace. Whatever the circumstances beyond our control, our commitments and standards can be constant."
I truly believed that if I could muster up enough faith I would be healed of my afflictions. This has always been the case, but I wanted it NOW. How could I raise my family? How could I do my calling? How could I even go to church? I couldn't. And it didn't matter how much I pleaded and begged the Lord? He has a plan for me in mind. Mine is just to trust in him.
"Faith and trust in the Lord give us the strength to accept and persist, whatever happens in our lives. I did not know why I received a "no" answer to my prayers for the recovery of my wife of many years, but the Lord gave me a witness that this was His will, and He gave me the strength to accept it. Two years after her death, I met this wonderful woman who is now my wife for eternity. And I know that this also was the will of the Lord."
I decided that if these physical limitations are what the Lord has in mind for me, who am I to shun them. The very fact that Lord is refining me by fire means that I am worthwhile. It also means that I have a lot to learn. I am grateful that I can now say, "Let it be according to thy will."
" The most important principle of timing is to take the long view. Mortality is just a small slice of eternity, but how we conduct ourselves here--what we become by our actions and desires, confirmed by our covenants and the ordinances administered to us by proper authority--will shape our destiny for all eternity. As the prophet Amulek taught, "This life is the time for men to prepare to meet God" (Alma 34:32). That reality should help us take the long view--the timing of eternity."

Shelf Reliance

I'm super excited tonight. I just went to a Shelf Reliance party to get pointers for my first party next week. I cannot believe how yummy the food is, how easy it is to use and how easy it is to get. I was surprised to see how much free stuff they give away to their hostesses. I think the earning potential as a consultant is pretty amazing too considering this stuff sells itself. Who doesn't need food storage? I know I haven't been that great about stocking up. Not any more....

Check it out @ lehi.shelfreliance.com.

Steel aka Goose

Yay! Steel slept through the night last night.

After months of constant ear infections and virus after virus, he finally made it through the night. Trav took him to my basketball game and had him running around to tire him out. He fell asleep around midnight. I put him at the foot of our bed. Sometime in the night he was up by us on the pillows and when I woke up he was at the foot of the bed again with his head inches from the edge. But we left him there because he was still sleeping. We made it. I wonder how it will be to go through a day with a full night's sleep. I wonder if I'll like him more because he didn't scream half the night away. It was my night to take him, too. I'm hoping for a great day. Good job, Steel.

We call Steel the Goose. Grandpa Dennis likes to torture little babies. He sits them up and them runs his fingers up their spine to tickle them. This worked really well on Steel. He would wiggle and squirm and Grandpa would laugh and say, "This one's goosey." And it stuck.

Steele has had ear infections from 3 months on. He's had tubes that haven't stopped the infections. The ENT wants to take out his adenoids but I'm too nervous for that right now. He's on an antibiotic currently and had to have a nasty rocephin shot Saturday. Poor guy. He dragged his leg around for days.

But, he's been a joy to have. We waited a long time for Daddy to realize we had Steel waiting. (We had to gather our courage after Cash.) He's loving and kind. He listens and minds for the most part. He's super affectionate. He's says, "Hug, hug." and wants me to hold him and snuggle all the time. He's strong willed. He is very persistent when he wants something and he usually gets it.

He just turned 2. I can't believe it. He loves to dance. He points to Trav's iphone and says,"Mo,mo dance." Trav blasts hip-hop and steel busts it. He break dances on the ground. He shuffles his feet and turns and claps. He's amazing. I can't believe he comes from a Berg. Maybe he got it from Granda Neecie who can Charleston like a fiend. Trav's got great moves but I have no rhythm.

We're super lucky to have this little Goose. We love him and are grateful he slept through the night. I'm sure there are many more sleepless nights for us but they are worth it. (I can say this because I'm currently not exhausted.)

Gluten Free Carrot Muffins

I like to consider these healthy because of the carrots and apples with some protein because of the pecans.

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

2 cups grated carrot (I use my food processor)

1 large apple, peeled and grated (again, with the food processor)

2/3 cup each of 3 different gluten free flours

1 package vanilla pudding

1 1/4 cups granulated whitesugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 cup coconut

3 large eggs

3/4 cup oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix together the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients, along with the grated carrot and apple.Mix. Add dry ingredients,stirring just until moistened. Drop by spoonful into greased muffin tins.

Bake for 20-25 minutes. Gluten-free usually takes longer.

Makes 18 standard-sized muffins.

Can top with cream cheese frosting.

Gluten Free Pancakes

Best Gluten Free Pancakes Ever!

4 eggs

3 C milk (I've used soy, rice, coconut, dairy, instant. You choose.)

4 t vanilla

6 T melted butter (I've used oil when out of butter)

1 1/2 cups each of 3 different gluten free flours*

1 1/2 t salt

4 t baking powder

2 T sugar

Combine eggs, milk, and vanilla. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.

Stir in butter.

Mix in dry ingredients. Add flours last. Watch thickness when adding flours. Gluten free flours are tricky with thickness. May need less, usually more. Mix until just blended.

Can add mashed banana ( I add 2 every time). Can add blueberries or chocolate chips.

When cooking on griddle, make sure to flip as soon as golden to ensure fluffiness.

* I use cornstarch, tapioca flour and soy flour because I can get it bulk at Winco. White rice flour works but it takes alot to get thickness and that makes pancakes tough. I use some buckwheat flour for protein. My favorite flour is sorghum. It makes really nice baked goods but it's more expensive.

Sweet Potato Curry

Sweet Potato Curry

(adapted from Rachael Ray's Sweet Potato Curry in a Hurry)

2 1/2 cups brown rice

1 T olive oil

1 large sweet potato, cut into slices and the halved

salt and pepper

2 T curry powder

2 lb boneless chicken, cut into bite size chunks
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
2 tablespoon cornstarch
2 1/2 t chicken boullion

2 1/2 C water
1/2 cup milk (dairy, soy, rice, coconut, almond, your choice)
1/4 cup prepared mango chutney
1 can peas
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Prepare rice according to instructions. I use the microwave and my Pampered Chef microwave cooker for 30 minutes).

Preheat a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat with olive oil. I use my electric frying pan.

Add the sweet potato to the skillet.

Season with salt, pepper, and curry and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned.

And add the chunks of chicken.

Season with salt and pepper and cook, browning slightly for 3 minutes.

Add the onions and bell peppers and toss to combine.

Add the corn starch and continue to cook for 1 minute.

Add the boullion and water, your choice of milk, and mango chutney.

Bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes or until the chicken and potatoes are cooked through and the sauce has thickened.

Add the peas and cilantro and simmer for 1 minutes to heat the peas through.

Serve over the rice.

Gluten Free Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

Gluten Free Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup cream cheese
2/3 cup pureed pumpkin
1 1/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
2/3 cup of milk
4 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoons cinnamon
pinch of salt
2/3 cup each of 3 different gluten free flours*

2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup chocolate chip

Directions:

1. Preheat your over to 375F.
2. Mix together butter, cream cheese and sugar on med-hi speed. Add pumpkin. Mix.
3. Add eggs and 1/3 cup of milk. Mix.
4. Add vanilla, cinnamon, salt, flours, baking powder and cocoa powder. Mix. Be Careful to mix until just blended. Muffins, especially, get tough with blending.
5. Stir in chocolate chips.
6. Fill greased muffin tins.
7. Bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
8. Eat plain or top with cream cheese frosting. Enjoy!

*I use corn starch, tapioca flour and soy flour because I can buy them bulk at Winco.

Travy

The more I leared about gluten intolerance, the more I realized that we, as Cash's family, probably needed to lay off gluten as well. I decided early on to have a gluten-free house so Cash didn't feel singled out. But, what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. But I started to notice symptoms in Trav that were symptoms of Celiac. Ever since I knew him his fingers hurt so bad. He's a big, strong man and I always teased him because he was such a pansy when it came to his hands. Come on, he's a college football player. When he had his life insurance exam, he was very anemic and had high blood pressure. His hair fell out in droves. He was diagnosed with arthritis in his knees. He had tummy troubles, I won't go into those. So, I finally talked him into seriously doing the diet. It was hard because at work they liked to take 2 hour long lunches and eat super yummy gluten filled food. But he did it.

Withing a week or so, his hands stopped hurting. When I had Steel, he actually let me squeeze his hands. When he got reexamined for life insurance, his blood pressure was normal and he wasn't anemic anymore. His hair actually started to come back in a little. His tummy troubles cleared up. And his acid reflux, which he took prescription medicine for tapered off tremendously.

And to top it off, he lost 25 pounds in a month. This is a great lifestyle for us. I decided to go gluten-free while nursing Steel so that he wouldn't be exposed before 5 months and I made sure to expose him to gluten between 5 to 7 months so that he had the best chance of being able to handle it.

What a blessing to know how to fix our family.

Shelf Reliance

I started selling Shelf Reliance products because we are not able to have the same food storage as everyone else. We will not survive on the major staples. We need vegetable and fruits. We need to think outside the box. And Thrive does. I can't believe the quality, the price, or the ease.

Food storage delivered to your home at Wal-Mart prices but with great quality.

I'm sold. I love it. And, since we move so much, freeze dried or dehydrated are lightweight and easy to move. Yay!

My personal website is lehi.shelfreliance.com. Sign up for the Q today and have food storage delivered right to your house. Super easy!

Our Journey

When I was pregnant with Cash, I could tell he would be a mover and a shaker. He never ceased to move. On one hand, I was reassured by his movements....I never had to do a kick count. On the other hand, having 2 other kids, I knew what I was in for. If this baby never slept and was still inside me, we were really in for it when he came out.

And sure enough, bright and early in the morning on GW's inauguration day, Cassius T was born. He came into the world squirmy and sad. On his first day, the only was he would calm was to listen to daddy's voice. He spent the first days in the hospital on Daddy's chest.

Cash didn't sleep more than 2 hours at a stretch for the first 18 months of his life. He liked 20 to 45 minutes catnaps mostly. We took him on a cruise and he slept soundly for the first time when he was 8 months old. When I woke, I thought for sure he was dead.

Cash had his first ear infection at his 2 month well child check. He was so miserable all the time it was hard to tell when he was sick. He had what Daddy calls crocodile skin, eczema, everywhere but on his face. He was anemic and had to have iron supplements. He was a sad sight to behold.

We were so tired the first year that it was all we could do to get through it. Seriously, North Korea could learn a thing or two about torture from this guy.

As I started to feed Cash real food, I started to notice a trend. He would break out after eating. I couldn't figure out what the problem was. I was very conscious that most of our bodies do not handle dairy well and steered clear. But I was a newbie to world of allergies and intolerances and I had no clue.

I remember feeding Cash one day at my mom's house and I told her that I was feeding Cash bread and to remember for me if he had a reaction. Sure enough, he did.

Trav's sister has been diagnosed with Celiac. I knew she couldn't have gluten but I didn't know about celiac. I didn't know that it could be inherited. I didn't know that if you were Scandinavian you had a higher chance. There was a lot I didn't know. So, I decided to learn.

I took Cash to his pediatrician and said I thought he might have celiac and he said, "you don't want him to have celiac." He wouldn't do any testing. Too hard of a diet for kids.

I changed pediatricians. I told him I thought Cash may have Celiac. We tested him to see if he had any genetic markers. None. I didn't know at the time that these don't always show up. I also didn't know that just because he doesn't have full blown Celiac doesn't mean that gluten is good for him. It was at this point that my mother-in-law told me not to have him diagnosed. Because he could never get life insurance or health insurance if he was. Wise.

We had Cash allergy tested. The test came back borderline for grass. Meaning a welt, but no redness. I didn't know that it is common for gluten intolerant people to have a cross reaction with grass. All the things I've learned....

I took Cash to a chiropractor who I heard cured allergies (really grasping at straws here, totally desperate.) The guy said Cash wasn't allergic to wheat, he was gluten intolerant. Angels sang and the sun came out. The guy could have been a quack but I think he was a messenger. And he cured me of my dust allergy. Wink, wink.

So, began out journey towards being Glutenators.

I had tons of support from my husband and my family. Trav could remember how sick his sis was before her diet change. We were so tired, I don't know what we wouldn't have done.

I read everything I could get my hands on about celiac, gluten intolerance, food allergies and food intolerances. This was not a death sentance. This was wonderful. A way to get my son back.

My life was obsessed with Cash. I didn't leave him, I didn't hate anyone enough to subject them to him. I worried about him constantly. If I didn't respond to his needs immediately, I mean now, he went what I called "Catatonic." His eyes would gloss over and he would revert into himself. It freaked my out. So what Cash wanted, he got. Regardless of the toll it took on everyone. He itched and he scratched. He oozed from his wrists, behind his knees, his ankles, and his armpits. Everyday, twice, I bathed him. Coated him with high powered creams and followed that up with prescription lotion. He was on antibiotics constantly for ear infection. And then I gave him probiotics to try to build his gut back up. He never slept. Rarely smiled. He would hit his head repeatedly and had started to do repetitious motions. Flipping the light switch on and off forever, things like that.

A week and a half into the diet, Cash's skin started to clear up. We still don't have it all the way clear all the time, but we're had it all the way clear for some time. Progress. My boys have a grass allergy, btw. 3 weeks into the diet, Cash slept through the night. Hallelujah! Glory Be!

We haven't looked back.