Giveaway Winner

And the winner of the gluten-free gift basket is - 

Lynn of The Actor's Diet!

Congratulations, and I hope you enjoy your goodies!

E-mail me with your address and I'll send them on over!

Quinoa Zucchini Waffles

In high school, my English teacher had us write a "found" poem for The Great Gatsby. The idea was to look through the book and find words, sentences, and phrases we liked, and rearrange them to form our own poem. It was a fun idea. F. Scott Fitzgerald had already done the work. I just played around with the structure. I like to think of these waffles then as "found" waffles. I took Carol Fenster's muffins and quick bread mix from her book, Gluten-Free Quick & Easy, found ingredients in my fridge that looked fun, and played around.

My first batch had eggs and canola oil, but I found them to be too heavy. The second batch was eggless and I used fruit puree to replace the oil. While I wouldn't call them fluffy, they were certainly lighter. The sunflower seeds and quinoa gives it a delicious crunch, while the zucchini, like with zucchini bread, is not even noticeable. And with the addition of molasses to the recipe, they're so sweet you don't need to add syrup. I ate these like a piece of toast, although I did add sliced banana to them as I used to do with my whole-grain bread.

Quinoa Zucchini Waffles
Print-Friendly Option

Ingredients:
2 cups carol's quick bread mix (see below for ingredients)
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
1 cup grated zucchini (1 small zucchini)
1 cup unsweetened hemp milk
1/4 cup sunflower seeds, chopped
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup fruit puree [applesauce is fine. I like to buy baby food (in this case pureed apples and plums) to try out different flavors]
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Directions:

1. Mix all of the ingredients together completely
2. Spoon evenly onto waffle iron and cook, in batches, according to the iron's instructions.

Serves 8 (2 squares each)

Carol's Muffin and Quick Bread Mix from Gluten-Free Quick & Easy
This mix makes a large batch. I've had a big canister of this in the fridge for months and finally decided it was time to use it. Note that these waffles are not sugar-free, which most of my recipes lately have been. They are, however, dairy-free and egg-free.


1 1/2 cups sorghum flour
1 1/2 cups potato starch
1/2 cup tapioca flour 
1 1/2 cups cane sugar 
4 teaspoons baking powder
3 teaspoons xantham gum
2 teaspoons table salt

This post is linked to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays and Simply Hot Recipes.

Gluten-Free Product Reviews And A Giveaway!

I was recently contacted by Mambo Sprouts, a great website that sends out coupon books for natural and organic foods. The first time I saw one of their coupon books, I was surprised at all the great products! More often than not, I find coupons for products I would never buy myself, but Mambo Sprouts coupon books are filled with foods I love. This month, they're teaming up with a variety of gluten-free merchants to support Celiac Awareness Month. They offered to send me some products to review, and I'm never one to turn down free food! Well, as long as it's gluten-free, right?

After a weekend in Ohio for a wedding, I got back to my apartment to find an empty fridge and pantry. No food, and with finals this week, no time to shop! Luckily, my Mambo Sprouts package came in the mail and saved the day. With three different cereals to choose from, breakfast bars, and crackers, this kept me going until I had time to get to the grocery store. And even better for all of you, it was such a big package that I decided I had to share the wealth. So thanks to Mambo Sprouts, I'll be sending one of you a gluten-free gift box. What will it include? First, let me tell you what I tried and what I thought:


 

Ian's Animal Cookies: 
These were delicious! They tasted like thin, buttery shortbread cookies, with just that hint of salt to even out the sweet flavor. And who doesn't like cookies shaped like animals? My favorite was the elephant.

Glutino Chocolate Covered Pretzels: 
These were quite addictive. Actually, I think anything that combines salty and sweet flavors is bound to keep you reaching for seconds. The chocolate tasted a bit more like chocolate yogurt than traditional chocolate covered pretzels, but I liked them. Mine were all stuck together, which was the only problem because they were hard to break apart. But that's just me being picky.



Barbara's Multigrain Puffins, Barbara's Honey Rice Puffins, & Barbara's Brown Rice Crisps: 
This took me back to my childhood. I think cereal is possibly my all-time favorite comfort food. I've always liked to mix my food together, and cereal is no different. I mixed all three of these so every bite was different. The rice crisps got my vote because they taste just like rice crispies (remember, with the snap, crackle, and pop), and only have 2 grams of sugar per serving. That's amazing for cereal! I also really liked the multigrain cereal and would definitely buy that too. The honey rice were a bit too sweet for me, but still tasty. I've always been a fan of Barbara's products, so it was fun to try out their new products! As a sidenote, the multigrain puffins have pure oats, so if you stay away from oats, you wouldn't want to get these. But Barbara's sent along a pamphlet explaining their gluten-free guidelines and practices to avoid cross-contamination. Like I said, this is a company I trust and I have no qualms about trying any of their gluten-free products.



Glutino Strawberry Breakfast Bars:
These were not my favorite. Glutino has become one of my go-to gluten-free brands, so I was hoping to like these better than I did. They were a bit dense and had that slight gluten-free aftertaste. They started to grow on me after the third bar, but not enough that I would buy them. However, I'm including one in my giveaway so you can make your own judgment on these!

Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers:
These were great. They came in 60 calorie packets, which I really liked. It was easy to take to work and have as a snack. Nice and salty, and a small ingredient list, which is always a good sign. I would definitely buy these for traveling.




Gluten Free Pantry Chocolate Truffle Brownie Mix: 
This mix gets 5 stars for three reasons: 1) I didn't have all the right ingredients and had to substitute, and they still came out delicious, 2) They were extremely easy to make, and 3) My boyfriend, who eats gluten, took one bite and exclaimed, "Oh my God, these are amazing!" Enough said. I had to send a bunch to work with him so I wouldn't eat them all myself!







So, what am I giving away? One reader will receive:

• Gluten Free Pantry Chocolate Chip Cookie and Cake Mix
• Gluten Free Pantry Brown Rice Pancake and Waffle Mix
• A Glutino Strawberry Breakfast Bar
• Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers
• Mambo Sprouts coupon book
• Ian's coupon for a free item

*This giveaway is now closed. 

There are many ways to enter and you can get as many entries as you like. You can stop by the Mambo Sprouts website and tell me something you learned (they have some great gluten-free recipes posted, including my snickerdoodles), blog about the giveaway, or post it on twitter or facebook. Just leave me a comment telling me what you did so I know how many entries to give you. The giveaway will be open until 9pm May 31st.

And don't forget to keep reading 30 Days To A Food Revolution at The W.H.O.L.E Gang. Today is Day 19 with Michelle from What's Cooking!

May Edition of Adopt A Gluten Free Blogger

First of all, thank you to everyone who commented on my last post! I have some of the most supportive readers...this is the reason I blog. Just to be a part of this fabulous community! Every one of your comments put a smile on my face!
As you all know (have I mentioned it enough yet?), I'm in the middle of finals. Actually, it's really just the beginning. But I'm counting down the days. Eleven to go and then I get a whole week off before my summer classes start! I'll have more time on my hands this summer, so I'm looking forward to a few months of baking, cooking, blogging, working out (I can't wait to get back into shape!) and studying (of course). Today, I'm going to tell you all about the May edition of Adopt A Gluten Free Blogger, but I also want to tell you what's coming up at The Daily Dietribe. I imagine I'll be pretty silent for the next eleven days, but here are some things you can expect after that: my Adopt A Gluten Free Blogger post (read on to see who I'm adopting this month), a review of gluten free products and a giveaway, my guest blog at The W.H.O.L.E Gang's, 30 Days to a Food Revolution (has anyone else noticed that Jamie Oliver's been retweeting our posts!?), and a post on what I've learned about losing weight and keeping it off after three years as a weight-loss counselor. In addition, I have some big changes coming up, and I'm excited to be able to fill you all in soon!

But until then...
Let's all adopt a gluten free blogger! This is a great monthly event started by Sea at Book Of Yum. It's a wonderful way for us all to test out each other's recipes and show off our recipe-following skills. In March, I made Stephanie's Rainy Day Tomato Soup, and last month, I was honored to be adopted by Aubree Cherie, who made my Hint O' Chocolate Banana Muffins. This month, not only am I adopting a gluten free blogger, I'm hosting the event! I want to adopt pretty much every blog I read, but I decided for this month to try some of Amy's recipes from Simply Sugar & Gluten Free. I've been following Amy's blog for almost a year now, and I realized I have yet to make any of her recipes. I just look at the pictures and think, "Ooohhh....yummy." Well, it's about time I tried out some of those deliciously healthy recipes, so I'll be back later this month with lots of pictures. Whose recipes have you been eyeing but haven't had time to make yet? Now's the time! To sign up for this month's edition of Adopt A Gluten Free Blogger, leave a comment below letting me know who you're planning on adopting. Here are the official guidelines:

Participation is simple.
1) Pick a gluten-free blogger whose recipes you admire and adopt them by commenting on this post with your name, blog name and their name and blog name.
*Blogger’s recipes must all be gluten-free or have a way to sort and read ONLY gluten-free recipes
*Please pick a different blogger every time you participate
2) Pick one (or two!) of your gluten-free blogger’s recipes to try.
3) Make the recipe, photograph it and write a post in your blog introducing the blogger and their recipe. Link back to this event announcement in your post.
*Follow the recipe as written, as closely as possible. And, please don’t print their recipe on your post- just provide your reader a link to their original recipe.
4) Email me at iris@thedailydietribe.com with your photo of the recipe, the URL of your post, name of the recipe and the URL of the original blogger’s recipe post.
5) Post YOUR POST’s URL in a comment to this post, and if possible please try to visit two other blogger’s posts that are posted here (and comment!).
*The goal is to make this event more interactive and fun!
Deadlines:
Sign up BEFORE May 28 (loose deadline; late sign-ups are ok)
Post your Review and Email me by June 5th (firm deadline, no foolin’)
If you don’t have a blog, you are still welcome to adopt a gluten-free blogger. Sign up to adopt a blogger, write a review of one of their recipes, including your name (or pen name), the recipe URL and recipe title. Then take a photo of the completed recipe (if you can) and EMAIL ME the review and photo. I'll post your reviews and photos as part of the roundup in June.

Adoption Sign-Up Sheet:
1) Amy from Simply Sugar & Gluten Free (adopted by me)
2) Karina from Gluten Free Goddess (adopted by Mary at Writer's Blog)
3) Aubree Cherie from Living Free (adopted by Alea of Gluten-Free Flavor Full)
4) Lisa from Raw on $10 a Day (adopted by Selene of Veganlicious)
5) Stephanie from Hope For Healing (adopted by Saxifrage at Sweet Sensitivity)
6) Alta from Tasty Eats At Home (adopted by Linda of The Gluten-Free Homemaker)
7) Kim from Affairs of Living (adopted by Valerie at City|Life|Eats)
8) Me :) (adopted by Thomas of The GFCF Experience)
9) Nancy from The Sensitive Pantry (adopted by Heather at Celiac Family)
10) Melanie from Gluten Free Krums (adopted by Shirley of Gluten Free Easily)
11) Kim from Cook It Allergy Free (adopted by Tinsley of Celiebo)
12) Alexa from Lexie's Kitchen (adopted by Maggie of She Let Them Eat Cake)

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
If you sign up and cannot complete this event by June 5th for any reason, please email me at iris@thedailydietribe.com and let me know.

Can’t find a blogger to adopt or looking to meet some new gluten-free friends?

Check out my sidebar or visit Sea's Gluten-Free Blogroll

Example of an Adoption Post from Book of Yum

Lessons in Self-Care

I had a choice tonight. To blog or not to blog. To cook or not to cook. You see, after struggling from a relapse with my old friend, "the binge monster," I gained a few pounds. Not a lot, but enough to make me feel uncomfortable. I've been doing much better lately by cutting out sugar, which in turn has cut down on my afternoon slump and nighttime cravings, not to mention reducing my headaches. However, I've been a weight-loss consultant long enough to know one annoying little fact: weight does not come off as easily as it goes on. Duh, right? I suppose you don't have to be a weight-loss consultant to know that.

I haven't been bingeing (phew), but I've been so busy with school, I really haven't been paying much attention to my eating at all. And when that happens, I tend to fall back into old habits of eating way too many carbs. My weight has been bothering me; just not enough to do anything about it. But this week, I had a little motivation to kick me into action. I'm going to a wedding this weekend, and I don't like how I look in any of my dresses. My jeans haven't exactly been comfortable either, and my formerly loose blouses haven't seemed so loose. Uh oh. Clothes not fitting? No longer wearing skinny jeans, and fat jeans have suddenly become my only jeans? That means time to stop biting my lips over my weight and start doing something about it.

My plan of action isn't anything special. I'm just going back to what always works for me. Going back to how I should be eating all the time. Eating smaller, portion-controlled meals with lots of veggies, a little protein and carbs, and light snacks in between meals. Simple right? Well, yeah actually. It is pretty simple. What's been stopping me is not having the time to make all those meals (my clients who work, go to school and have children are my heroes!). But this Sunday, I had a surge of energy (somewhere around the time I dropped my Organic Chemistry book and decided I was done studying), and ended up cooking enough meals for the whole week. I made a dairy-free quiche. Tuna burgers. Individual tupperware containers of baked salmon, mashed potatoes, and broccoli. A chickpea, tofu, and shrimp salad. Black bean chili. And I cut up all my veggies so they were ready to go. Enough to last me until the weekend, and with all the work done already, no excuses for eating junk when I get home.

So far, everything's been great. It's been...ahem...well...only two days. But two days of eating well is a lot better than I've done in a while. And the best part is that my clothes are already feeling just a teensy bit better. Now I told you that I had a choice to make tonight. Although I had already cooked all my meals, I was so in love with my tuna burger creation that I wanted to post the recipe. But in order to do that, I had to make them again so I could write down the recipe and take pictures. But that meant stopping at the grocery store on the way home from work, and possibly missing out on my exercise time. It also meant going to the grocery store when I was hungry, which as I'm sure you all know, is never a good idea. And not being able to eat right away when I got home, which could possibly cause a little thing I like to call: snacking while you cook. Never good for weight loss. As I sat at my desk at work, I started to feel a niggling little spider of anxiety creeping up my back. I know this feeling. This is how I feel before a binge. At first I thought, "I've been doing so well! Where is this coming from?" But then I had a moment of clarity. "If you just go home and eat the meal that's ready for you in the fridge, you'll be perfectly happy. You'll have time to exercise, you won't have to worry about making bad choices at the grocery store or bringing any of those bad choices home and eating them while you're cooking." This is when I started to argue with myself, "But what about my blog? What about my readers? I need to have a recipe!" But then my little sister's voice popped into my head, "Really? Really? Take care of yourself first, then the blog. Who cares if you have a recipe if you're bingeing while you make it? Once finals are over, you can cook to your heart's content. But in the meantime, go home. Eat your shrimp salad. Exercise. Brush your teeth and get a good night's sleep. Believe me. Your readers won't mind if you don't post your tuna recipe this week. They're all busy living their own lives"

Hmm...my sister's voice made sense. So I went home, I had shrimp salad for dinner, a pear for dessert, exercised, watched American Idol, and now I'm going to bed. I'm pretty sure I know what would have happened if I had tried to make my tuna burgers tonight. And because I could feel that binge coming, I'm glad I didn't make them. But if you've made it this far in my rambling, know that there's a delicious tuna burger recipe coming soon. And thanks in advance for waiting for it.