Tag Archive: clean

Gluten Free for Me 2014 Cook Book Updates!!

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Gluten Free for Me 2014 Cook Book Updates

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Our inboxes have been bombarded with questions, and we wanted to address some of them in a more public forum, like our blog. We’re so thankful for those who have stuck by us on this ride, and those that are being patient. We’ll try to answer the most asked questions below. If you have any other questions, please feel free to message us, or inbox us on Facebook!

When will the cook book be available? The cook book will be published in the summer or fall of 2014. We first said that it could be done by spring, and parts of it will be. But, we don’t want to rush it, as perfection cannot be pushed!

Where will the cook book be available? The cook book will be available from Amazon, as an e-book, and also print copies will be available in some local stores around Fort Wayne, Indiana.

How much will the book cost? I cannot tell you that, at this point. We are aiming for 100 recipes, hopefully most all with pictures, and nutrition labels. It should be comparable to other cook books of it’s size already for sale.

Where do your recipes come from? Many of my recipes are old family recipes that I’ve manipulated, changed, and managed to get gluten free. Over half of the recipes in the cook book originated in my brain. We like to help people with their gluten free ventures, by using normal ingredients that one may already have, and sticking with ingredients that won’t cost you a fortune.

Will every recipe be gluten free in the cook book? Yes, every recipe will be gluten free, or have options to make it dairy free, or vegan. Each will be marked as such. We also have plans for an “Everything Else” category in the cook book, that will have a page of safe gluten free substitutions, and even gluten free pet treats!

I’ve heard you’ve done taste tests. How can I get involved with those? To be a taste tester, you must be reasonably close to Fort Wayne. We arrange drop offs of our treats to your at your home, or work place. We ask that those who sample, fill out a comment card in return. When taste tests are coming, they will be posted on the Facebook page. Feel free to LIKE our page!!

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Thank you, again, for the support! We cannot wait to share this with you!!

 

March 9, 2014 OH, Forks! A Little Bit of Everything and All That's Gluten Free Cook Book 2014, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Read more >

DIY Laundry Detergent~ Sensitive Skin

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DIY Laundry Detergent~ Sensitive Skin

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Many times, those who suffer from gluten allergies, or intolerance, often forget about the “Extra” things that we put on our bodies. Some of these extra things like laundry detergent, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, and other things still touch our skin, and many name brands do use products that contain gluten! Chemicals, coloring, preservatives, and additives are just some of the sneaky ways that companies get it in their products. Making your own, high quality products like this is cheaper than you think, and easier than you know! Not to mention you won’t be dealing with all of the extra chemicals and colorants added in!

Ingredients

4-6 LARGE containers for your made detergent. We use old, giant drink bottles, old detergent bottles, and old milk jugs.

1.5 cups borax

1.5 cups washing soda

1 bar soap; real soap. I use Ivory Simply Pure. (While I really enjoy Caress, I’d never use it in my laundry detergent. Fels Naptha is also a go-to for those who can use “regular” detergent.) *You can also add in a few drops of scented oil or fabric softeners to scent your detergent a bit more, or differently from the bar of soap you choose.

4 Gallons water, total

HUGE pot, long handled plastic spoon, strainer spoon, funnel, grater (or a hammer and a few Ziploc baggies) I have one pot, utensils, and equipment dedicated for this process. Saves on the clean-up, as I can just throw it all back in the pot, and shelf it.

Directions

First, grate bar of soap into small pieces, or put the soap into the Ziploc baggie, and smash with hammer on safe surface. In large pot, combine one gallon of water and grated bar of soap. Bring to a low, slow boil, until all of the pieces of the bar of soap have melted, or dissolved. (If some pieces of the soap remain, it’s okay for now.)

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Next, pour in the borax and washing soda. Stir those in until dissolved, remove from heat, and continue stirring for a few moments. Add in one gallon of cold water, and stir for five more minutes. (The more you stir, the faster it will cool.) At this time, if there are any chunks of soap that did not melt, strain them out.

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While you’re waiting for the detergent to cool, prep your storage bottles by pouring in 3 cups of water to each bottle you plan to fill with detergent. This is the trouble that many face when they make detergent….it ends up coagulating too much, and turns too thick to deal with normally during laundry time. By adding in extra water, this helps keep the detergent from coagulating while it’s being stored.

Finally, using your funnel, fill each bottle you have with detergent leaving 2-3 inches of headspace. After all bottles are filled, add one 1/2 cup of water more. Let them cool, and then put the lids on. Store in a dry place, away from heat.

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This recipe make us enough detergent to last about 6 months, and costs about $3.45 to make 5-7 giant bottles per batch. We do laundry 6-8 times a week.

March 6, 2014 GF & Dairy Free Recipes, , , , , , , , , , , , , 0 Read more >

Breakfast: Keep it Clean, Simple & Gluten Free.

 Breakfast: Keep it Clean, Simple & Gluten Free.

It seems that when people first make the big change over to a gluten free diet, a clean eating diet, or any diet for that matter, sometimes when it’s tricky, meals are left out. Forgotten. Skipped on purpose. We all know now that it isn’t healthy to do that, and that it makes for a terrible eating pattern, and thusly, and terrible GI pattern, as well.

It’s not as hard as it seems to find easy, simple things that go with the gluten free diet. There are numerous pre-made products available now, but I’d advise you to pay attention to the calorie and fat counts in all of these items. Most recently, the news has shown us, and reminded us, that premade gluten free is often no better health-wise, possibly even worse due to the excessive amounts of fats and other things that are no good for you either!

Start simple.

What are your favorite fruits? Grains? Yogurts? Who doesn’t love a good fruit & yogurt parfait?! It’s even better now, with the addition of almond base yogurts to the group. Now those with dairy issues can still enjoy a good parfait. And I must say, the almost yogurt is not bad!! Some of the “safe” gluten free brands of yogurt are: Brown Cow Farms, Yoplait (also has lactose free variety), Stonyfield Organic. I really appreciate that Yoplait has made their kids’ varieties gluten free, as well!

How about Cereal? Hot Cereals?

The easiest thing to do for breakfast is often a good bowl of cereal. If you’re feeling extra special, maybe you’ll add in some milk. (Not me, however. Dairy=Death.) There are a LOT of people in this category, and FINALLY, companies in the cereal business are responding. Some of the “safe” gluten free brands of cereal on the market today are: Bob’s Red Mill varieties, Glutino brands, Nature’s Path, and Udi’s. More commonly known brands like Chex and Post have also gone gluten free, with some of their best sellers and favorites among children! The wide variety of GF hot cereals allows people to still have a large choice for quick breakfasts!

How about some toast?

Lucky for you, these days there are LOTS of varieties of GF bread! Buns! Rolls! The most common one I hear from my GF friends is Udi’s. (There are even cinnamon rolls by Udi’s!) There are other brands of GF bread, and baking your own in the bread maker is always a delicious alternative, too. Some other bread brands are: Schar, Food for Life, and Kinnikinnick. (although, I have never tried the last.) Remember, too, that baking your own gluten free breads and freezing them works great!!

Breakfast meats?

Watch your meat! Ha. Seriously though. The preservatives used in some of these processed meats do contain gluten, and for those of us THAT sensitive– YES, it matters. Applegate Farms has a good quality, and most of their breakfast meats are gluten free. Buddig Organic is another to check out. Many people find that at this point, getting fresh meats from the butcher may be the better way to go. Some even end up going vegan due to this fact.

What about your COFFEE?!?! Your TEA?!?!

Coffee’s mainly safe! So, drink away! And it was recently proven that coffee does give your body the fluids it needs, even though it’s riddled with caffeine and such! Tea can be a bit more tricky, but many of the brands you drink are indeed gluten free. Check them out here: AriZona Teas, Bigelow Teas, Honest Tea, and some varieties of Snapple.

See! Relax, you’ll get this figured out. Check out our post on GF Lunch Ideas!! 🙂

October 30, 2013 Gluten Free Foods- The Basics., , , , 0 Read more >