Gluten Free Label!

Labeled Gluten Free!

Peanuts are a great snack. Protein, convenience and a cute package to boot. These peanuts are 15 cents a pack. Yes cents. Now, most nuts are GF, but I appreciate the package none-the-less. The round, red button on the top left announces these beauties are gluten free! The peanuts are produced and packaged in Costa Rica.

Happy Thanksgiving from Panama!

It's Thanksgiving today! Hurray! This is the day to be with family and give thanks. We are flights away from our family, but we are so thankful this year.

• Mom's cancer battle is under control and she is healing! GIVE THANKS!
• Celiac Kid has gained 2 lbs in 2 months, disease under control and thriving. GIVE THANKS! 
• Celiac Kid's sister is weeks away from finishing kindergarten, . GIVE THANKS!
• Hubby has had almost a year at the new, great and wonderful job. GIVE THANKS!

Hope you and yours have lots to give thanks about as well.

A tail of two Birthday Parties

We've been busy around here! Whew! Last weekend we had two, yes two, birthday parties. One on friday and the other on a Saturday morning. They were both birthday parties, and that is where the similarities end. Friday celebrated the joy of a little playmate turning 6! It was held at pizza hut - Gluten Heaven!  The Celiac Kid doesn't fuss the cake or food at birthday parties. He knows they are off limits. But he does love the pinata candy. So long as it is hard candies, we are fine. Celiac Kid thoroughly enjoyed the party, climbing in the play equipment and the pinata - but didn't eat a thing.

Saturday we went to the party of a little boy turning 2. They are from Chile and this family understands Gluten Free Living - Abroad. (Side note, they were kind enough to bring me lots of GF products from Chile on their last container shipment). This mom was so concerned for Celiac Kid's diet she came by ahead of the party and asked if her food met his dietary needs.  What! Someone asking? woa! Thrilled Mom and child! Of course there was cake - but I brought our own cupcake - but everything else, yes all of it, was GF friendly. The boy was eating along with his peers and I didn't care if crumbs were around because other than the controlled cake - it was all Gluten Free!

It's times like those that I thrilled for the understanding of other moms. Most of the time I say nothing when we go to these parties. I just pack snacks, drinks and a cupcake (prefrozen) and off we go.  It was good to see him like all the other kids - carefree about food.

A Surprise Find

Instant cocoa here (think nesquick) contains gluten. Our local mini-super carries this brand for 41 cents, yes cents. It is gluten-free and no HFCS either.

I like to make GF chocolate graham crackers and this will be perfect. Note the torn top? It was a delicious addition to my morning coffee as well.

WOW!

Sometime I am shocked when I find a favorite food at the supermarket, let alone a gluten free item. Today we found Quaker Grits. Hurray, warm buttery grits for breakfast. The GF Boy is EXCITED! There could be cross-contamination issues. If so I guess that leaves me to eat the whole box. YUM!

Halloween - Celiac Kid Abroad Style

We had ourselves a party yesterday! WhoooHOOO! The concept of door-to-door, trick-or-treating in Panama, or at least David, does not exists. I think it's for a couple of reasons. One, the first week of November is full of national holidays and the focus is not so much on candy and sweets as much as days off from work/school and a cold Atlas. Second, I think is a holiday that the country has not embraced because of misunderstanding of the day.

What does a Celiac Kid Abroad and his friends do? Momma and her friend host a party! And that we did, with lots of GF goodies and food, fun games and crafts.  I made a loaf of GF Pumpkin bread, there was popcorn, chips, juices and other non-GF goodies.

We rounded up the kids and held trick or treat stations in the house and it was a blast.  My only hope was that Gluten Free Candy be available, and of which we had plenty. GF Boy was thrilled with his little bucket full of candies - which included his all - time favorite...CHOCOLATE.

Gluten FreeQuick Loaf Bread

Happy Halloween - YESTERDAY!
Oh so yummy, Oh so quick. Oh so cheap! This is my versatile Bread Loaf recipe. It could be pumpkin, squash, banana, mango - you name it - liquid fruit ratio stays at one cup.  I like this with 1 cup rice flour ad 1/3 cup of AP GF flour - makes one loaf.

GF Quick Loaf Bread
Blitz wet ingredients below in a Mini Blender for quick prep
1/2 stick butter/margarine
2 eggs
2/3 banana, 1 cup of marmalade, 1 cup purred pumpkin (I've been known to use baby food)
1/3 to 2/3 cup of sugar

Mix dry and add wet
1 cup rice flour
1/3 cup of AP GF flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon and/or nutmeg

Bake at 350 for 55 min.