Krusteaz Gluten Free Brownies

 This brand is both gluten free and corn free. I got it at Walmart in the gluten free section. When we made it, we substituted milk for the water, and melted butter for the oil.  Milk substitute can also be used. We also used 2 eggs instead of 1. This made it even better. But I think it would still be good when original recipe is used.

What I Eat: Barramundi

Last night we had delicious Barramundi fish. With fish, I don't add any sort of breading unless I'm sure it is gluten-free. Instead, I like to use lots of seasonings, including garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. I grilled it in the pan for about 10 minutes and flipped it half-way through.

I had a side of roasted broccoli and potatoes, mixed with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. I roasted them in the oven (425 F) for 20-25 minutes.

I always try to add lots of fresh fruits and veggies to my diet, so I had my fish with a side salad of leafy greens, apples, and peppers. Most dressings aren't good for my diet because they usually contain distilled white vinegar (which is derived from corn). To substitute, I love to use a combination of lemon juice and olive oil for a fresh taste!

[As a side note, distilled white vinegar is the ONLY type of vinegar that flares me. Apple cider, balsamic, white wine, and rice vinegar have never caused me to flare.]

Probiotics

I just started using this probiotic a few weeks ago, and I've already started to see an amazing improvement! It's called Fortify Optima Max Potency 100 Billion Probiotic by Nature's Way. I got this at my local Whole Foods market at about $40 for a 30 day supply. Not a bad price for a really good probiotic.

Probiotics are made up of good bacteria that have huge benefits for the digestive syste
m. We usually think of bacteria as being what makes us sick, but this isn't always true. The human body has tons of bacteria that the body needs to stay healthy, and probiotics help to make sure there's plenty of good bacteria in the gut.

It's especially good to take a probiotic after you've been on any antibiotics. Antibiotics are made to kill the bad bacteria in the body that is making you sick, but it also tends to kill the good bacteria as well. This can cause your digestive system to get all out of wack and cause problems like diarrhea, constipation, gas, bloating, or inflammation.

Because probiotics help to calm inflammation and help to balance your gut health, they are a MUST for anyone with digestive diseases like IBS, Colitis, and Crohn's.

These are also enteric-coated. That means that they dissolve in your intestines instead of your stomach. This allows for the full dosage to be delivered without being broken down by stomach acid.

They can be taken with or without food, but I like to take them in the morning with my breakfast.

Please note that I do unbiased product reviews. I was not paid by this company for advertisement.

What I Eat: French Toast

There is nothing as delicious as French toast in the morning. Unfortunately, that is not always an option on a gluten free and corn free diet. This morning I used my homemade gluten free and corn free bread to make it. It is very important to only use pure maple syrup because commercial brands use corn syrup. I also only use powdered sugar that is free of corn starch.

I like to use 365 Everyday Value Organic Powdered Sugar. I usually get tis at my local Whole Foods market. Another great alternative available online is Wholesome Sweeteners Powdered Sugar.

Going Gluten Free Made a Difference

Found this on facebook about how one woman found relief for her Crohn's symptoms from changing her diet. She went gluten free and found amazing results. The link is below.

https://inflammatoryboweldisease.net/living/lifestyle-change-saved-life/?fbclid=IwAR0VOtsIKMipAMemLofH-iaLbQmwBB5o31XM1xD4tcV13yC3V810RlnKAbU

What I Eat: Salmon, Green Beans, and Za'atar Spiced Quinoa

This dinner was really similar to what I ate the other day at the fish fry. I had salmon again, but you can never eat too much salmon! I seasoned it with just some salt and pepper.

I also made some quinoa to go with it. Once the quinoa was done cooking, I mixed in some za'atar spice. Za'atar is a delicious Middle Eastern spice blend usually made of thyme, oregano, marjoram, toasted sesame seeds, and salt. I love to use za'atar in my cooking! It's pretty much delicious on anything. Try seasoning fish or chicken with it. Or, mix it into some hummus for some extra flavor.

I made some green beans as well. I just steamed them in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. After that, I mixed in some butter.

I topped my fish with a yummy sauce made of sour cream, a sprinkle of fresh dill, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Then I topped the whole thing off with some dill and lemon juice.

Happy 4th of July! This is a dangerous time for those with food intolerances and allergies. Things that I avoid like the plague at cookouts; ketchup,  mustard, soy sauce and mayonaise. These contain corn syrup and distilled white vinegar. The soy sauce contains gluten. There are alternatives available. I use the gluten free version of the soy sauce and it tastes just the same. And I use Vegenaise for the mayonaise.

Also the biggest thing that I avoid is corn. Grilled corn is delicious, but not if it causes me to go into a flare.

Enjoy the holiday but be aware of what you eat.

     Are you getting out all your holiday cards? I read that the glue on the envelopes do not contain gluten. However, I did a bunch of them the other day and got sick. Well, I now found out that the glue is derived from corn. My throat was actually hurting. And the next day, my colon told me that it was not too happy. It may be best to use a sponge!

The good the good and the bad (recent experiences with restaurants)

Disney World of Adventure-good!!
  Last week we took our vacation in Orlando and went to Disney, Epcot specifically. I was very apprehensive about what I would be able to eat. I even took a suitcase full of emergency food with me. You can't bring food into the Disney parks, though I did actually sneak in a coco loco bar, just in case. I ended up eating at the Japanese pavillion. They were extra nice and let me see the ingredients in there food items. it turns out that there is corn in the sticky rice. I never would have known that. They made me steamed salmon, no seasoning with lots of yummy steamed veggies. it was very good.

Red Lobster-good!
   While we were in Orlando, we also ventured out to the Red Lobster that was across the street from where we stayed at the Peabody Hotel. I explained my allergy situation to our waiter, Jacob. He said that he understood completely and that his mom had Celiac disease.  I ended up getting a steak, baked potato and salad with no dressing. He also told me that they put seasoning on the steak that I should avoid. This was delicious! He was a very caring waiter!

The Olive Garden-bad!!!
    Yesterday we went to the Olive Garden. I had heard that they had gluten free noodles so was excited to try. When I first arrived, I asked the hostess if she could please check the ingredients in the noodles, since I am also allergic to corn. She came back 10 minutes later and assured me that there was no corn in it. Now we were seated. Again, I asked the waiter if he could please recheck the ingredients in the pasta. He came back and said that there was no corn. Hmmmmmmmm.... Well I ordered the penne pomadoro. The noodles were YELLOW! I tasted them and boy they sure tasted like corn. I must have been making faces because the manager came over and asked if everything was ok. I asked if he could please actually look at the label and tell me if there was corn in the ingredients. I explained to him the importance of knowing, how I didn't want to wake up tomorrow and bleed. He came back and said that there was no label because when they receive the box they just pour it into a bin and then throw the box away!!! Yikes! But, he assured me, the cook is 100% sure that it's not corn!
    Needless to say, I did not eat the pasta. After researching on the internet, it turns out that these were corn noodles!!! BTW, they didn't even taste good! My daughter got them also and said they were terrible. Moral of the story: Don't trust other people to look after your food needs. There is a lot of human error. Be safe out there!!