Cupcake Emergency

Alas, that would be 10:55 PM, not AM

There are some things that terrify most people. Snakes. Dark alleys. Going to class and discovering there is a test. For me, it's disappointing my kids. I honestly can say I'd rather face a dark alley full of snakes while taking a calculus pop quiz than see the eyes of my offspring brimming with tears because I didn't keep a promise.


As you may have noted on these digital pages the last few days, I have been in Las Vegas since last Thursday. The time leading up to my trip was absolutely exhausting. My mother-in-law stayed with the kids for us. So, in addition to the usual pre-vacation task list, there was  the information and dinners and shopping and errands to run in order to make sure all went smoothly for those we were leaving behind. Of course, in the middle of all that preparation, my youngest had a field trip. Naturally, said field trip involved a celebration with cake. When I signed the permission slip for the trip, I had casually offered to make my sweetie her own cupcake for the event so she wouldn't be left out. Unfortunately, it was a half hour after Whole Foods closed on the eve of her field trip before I remembered my promise.


Ugh.


It really wasn't the beginning of any great tragedy. I had all the ingredients to make a really great almond flour chocolate cupcake, thanks to Elana Amsterdam's Gluten-Free Cupcakes. The problem was my energy level and an aversion to destroying the kitchen after having finally put it in order for my mother-in-law. As I dove into the pantry to pull out the ingredients a little box that had been sitting patiently on the back of a shelf caught my eye. It was a gluten-free chocolate cake mix from Cherrybrook Kitchen. I bought it on a whim one day, only to stick it in the pantry and forget about it. Some call that impulse buying. I call it preparing for unforeseen circumstances. In this particular case, I call it a massive blessing.


That little box required nothing more than vegetable oil and water. That's it. No egg. No milk. It was like having a little emergency treat kit. Within twenty minutes, after dirtying only one bowl, one spatula and a muffin pan, I had two dozen moist, delicious gluten-free, dairy-free cupcakes. It was awesome! I would recommend anyone, not just those with food allergies, keep a box of this stuff around. There were plenty of times in my pre-gluten awareness life that I could have used such a simple mix. 


The next morning, I was able to present a late-night, last-minute cupcake to my youngest. Instead of tears of disappointment, I got a quick 'oh, thanks, Mom', as she skipped out the door. Not the dramatic conclusion you'd get after escaping a dark alley full of snakes, but certainly more satisfying than any high marks in math.

*May 2, 2012 Update: I'm sharing this little story and review over at WholeNewMom for Allergy Free Wednesday. I discovered this online soiree through Diet, Desserts and Dogs. I'll be adding this nice blog to my regular rotation.

Dear 40

Dear 40:

It was a pleasure to meet on my birthday two weeks ago. That is surprisingly true given how nervous I was about our meeting. I'm not sure I was completely prepared, but I got up that morning, applied my best anti-aging moisturizer and went out into the world. After all, as my mother used to say, getting older is better than the alternative.

As apprehensive as I've been, I've also been looking forward to our time together. You are the years when my kids will grow and start to find their way. This is when my husband and I can begin spending more time together. In fact, I expect you will be some of my best years. That said, I think it's important we start our relationship with a clear understanding of each other:

1. I am familiar with photoshop. You can throw as many bikini-clad Kardashians at me in the checkout line as you'd like, but it will not make me envious or self-conscious. I may have stretch marks, but I also have self-respect and class which is something no amount photo manipulation can give those ladies. 
2. I am well aware that I am not the forty-year-old woman I thought I would become when I was eighteen. I'll never do a space walk. I'll never marry John Taylor of Duran Duran. Reminding me of these facts is pointless. It will not cause disappointment or frustration. I was only eighteen. I was not capable of imagining how much more adventurous being a mom could be. I hadn't yet discovered that the best quality in a man is not how much gel his hair can hold, but how much he loves his family.
3. I am good at math. I understand that I do not have the time ahead of me that I once did. However, I will continue to set goals and strive to achieve them. It is not too late to reach my desired destination. It is simply too early to arrive.
4. I will be calling the shots these next ten years, not you. I will not miss out on opportunities because I am too old. I will look good, not good for my age. I will be young, not young at heart. Do not misunderstand. I will not deny our acquaintance. I simply deny your significance.

If you still lack clarity on the road ahead for us, refer to some of your previous companions who have shown me the way, women such as Trudie Styler, Christiane Amanpour and, above all, my Aunt Gloria. These ladies have shown me that success and happiness have nothing to do with birth year or botox, and everything to do with embracing family and opportunity. 

Thank you for your understanding in this matter. I wish you well. Please give my best to 50. 


Actually, strike that. I'll do it myself.


Sincerely,

In Search of the Perfect Pancake

For most of my life, I had a strong affinity for donuts. Chocolate eclairs. French crullers. Long Johns. Good ol' glazed. Man, I loved them. Unfortunately, all of the above went out the window with the gluten. Pancakes became the breakfast treat that filled the void. Specifically, it was Pamela's pancake mix that got me through. My whole family fell in love with those quick little, hot off the griddle treats. I love them with blueberries. My daughters love them with chocolate chips. My DH loves them with both.


We were trucking right along with our Pamela pancakes, happy as can be. Then one day I recommended them to a friend. She took a look at the ingredients and frowned. "Buttermilk," she said. "My son can't do dairy." And, with that, our family's pancake conundrum began. 


Our oldest was diagnosed with a dairy sensitivity in February and I thought I had vetted everything. Our story is  yet another example of how you can never be too careful when following a special diet. But, no sense crying over, uh, spilled buttermilk. Pamela and I simply had to go our separate ways and I had to find a new pancake habit. I tried an Elana's Pantry recipe...several times. I love her blog and her books. I've prepared many, many of her recipes and all have turned out devine. That is, all but one: her pancakes. I believe it has to do with the Vitamix she uses to mix the ingredients. My little Oster just can't work that kind of magic. I also tried the pancake recipe in BabyCakes Covers the Classics. Great book and the pancakes were good, but a little too exotic in flavor. The cinnamon was definitely the star of the pancake. We want something that simply acts as a tasty yet subtle vehicle for our blueberries and chocolate. 


This weekend I decided to enter the pancake dating pool. First, I made a list of my criteria for a good pancake mix:

• Gluten free and dairy free (of course)
• Low in sugar
• No crazy ingredients
• Readily available
• Not too pricey
• Cooks well on the griddle

There are only so many pancakes my family is capable of eating in one weekend, so I've decided to try two mixes each weekend we are home until I find something worthy of replacing Pamela. I'm sure my oldest would love if I whipped a few more batches each weekend, but I really don't think that would be a good idea.

My first contestants are King Arthur Flour and Namaste. Both have their advantages with me in the marketing department. King Arthur does a fantastic blog and produces a great catalog that I love to browse when it comes in the mail. Their gluten free mixes are a small segment of their offerings, but they do a great job of providing recipes and tips on their website. Then there is Namaste who makes a spice cake mix that I adore. I make carrot cake cupcakes with it that my conventional eater friends love too. Needless to say, I had high hopes for both.

Let's start with the facts. In the ingredient department, Namaste strikes at least a flesh wound at King Arthur.  Check it: sweet brown rice flour, tapioca flour, arrowroot flour, rice milk powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and ground vanilla bean. Notice there is no sugar and no xanthan gum. All of those items could be found at any grocery. I love that. I also like that I can pronounce it all. 

King Arthur isn't dead yet, though: whole grain brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, rice flour, sugar, leavening (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, cornstarch, monocalcium phosphate), natural flavors, salt and xanthan gum. Hmm. Not great, but not that bad either. Although some do have problems with xanthan gum, I've not noticed any issues in our house. The leavening thing isn't a big of deal, though I'm not thrilled about it. The two things that I really don't care for are the sugar and natural flavors. Sugar I dislike for obvious reasons. Natural flavors just annoy me. What the heck does that even mean? I put it in my cart anyway. See how important these pancakes are to me? I'm already compromising simply in hope of a good pancake hit.

Next is the price. Namaste's mix will make two batches of pancakes. The one batch I made was just right for our family of four. It rings up on Amazon at $4.91. King Arthur's mix recipe was for one batch, but it was huge. I'd recommend cutting it in half. Their mix is $5.99 on Amazon. I bought both at Whole Foods. Unfortunately, I forgot to get my receipt from the gal. I'll be sure to post an update after my next trip. (As promised: both are $6.99 at WF.)

Preparation was easy with both. My oldest daughter made the King Arthur and I fixed the Namaste. We used Enjoy Life dairy free chocolate chips for both. (She used the mini chips and I used the chunks, just so we could make sure we didn't get them confused.) Both were beautiful on the griddle which made me smile. I spent so much time cursing would-be pancakes with the recipes I'd tried, those little sweet bubbles and the easy flip were pure joy. 

After a making a mess of the kitchen and testing my kids' patience as I snapped a couple of quick photos, we dove in. Both were good. I could be happy with either, as for flavor. My oldest preferred the King Arthur, but she may have simply developed a fondness for her own creation. DH liked the Namaste. My youngest was just happy to be required to eat anything with chocolate for breakfast. 

Bottom line: I'll be buying Namaste again. I like the simple ingredients, lack of sugar and xanthan gum and the price is a bit lower. I certainly wouldn't steer anyone away from King Arthur, though. My only tip would be to cut the recipe in half unless you have a large crew to feed. 

In a couple of weeks, I'll give the gluten free Bisquick and Bob's Red Mill mixes a whirl. In the meantime, let me know if you have any recipes or mixes you like. All suggestions welcome!

*I'm sharing this on Slightly Indulget Tuesday, the Linky party hosted at simplysugarandglutenfree.com. Amy is one of the co-founders of the Nourished Food Bloggers Conference I attended a couple of weeks ago. I highly recommend adding her to your regular rotation of blog reads.

Coming Clean...

Hello. My name is Melie Vincent and I haven't had sugar for four months.


Reader response: 'Hi, Melie'


Insert awkward silence as I stare at my shoes and try to focus on how very stylish and cute they are. They were a killer deal. Something ridiculous like 85% off.


Wait.


Were they really that cheap or is that just what I told my dear, sweet husband?


Oh, the lies! I can't take it anymore!


ALRIGHT! FINE! You people win! I fell off the wagon three weeks ago. Ah, I'm so ashamed!


It all started with an innocent chocolate macaroon. Not even a whole macaroon, mind you, but a morsel. A wee bite calling to me from a display with samples at Whole Foods. Three weeks later I'm drinking fruit juice and pounding down gluten-free cupcakes. What the hell? By next week, I could very well be on the streets, begging for gluten-free cookies.


Curse you, Sucrose! You are the crack cocaine to my inner junkie. You call to me with your decadent siren song. An unholy melody that emanates from dastardly desserts and sweet snacks. Once I'm singing your tune, I can't avoid you. You are everywhere and I greet you with apprehension, happiness even, but leave you in shame and anger. Like a movie starring Henry Cavill, I need not know the quality of the product in which you are found, I only need to know that you are featured. You are my nemesis. You are my downfall and you are so often my undoing.


But, not this time! I may have let you pass my lips for three weeks. You might sit on my hips for a couple more, but you will not win! Nope. I'm dropping you like a worthless boyfriend. That's right. You will not steal my energy or make me feel bad about myself anymore. Come to think of it, it's none of your business if I have a carrot for a snack or bake a naturally-sweetened treat. You are out of my life for good. So, don't drunk dial me when I'm walking through a convenience store. Don't drive by my house at random times to watch me prepare salad for my family. It's over. We are through. Goodbye. Good riddance. My friends will pick up my things. I'm out of here.


Dang it. Someone play some Adele and get me a celery stick.

Call It a Come Back

Okay, so my last post really wasn't a come back, but I AM back this time.

Why the long absence? Well, I didn't take my own advice. I completely let perfection be the enemy of the good. You see, the more I blogged back in February, the more I realized this blog's potential. That was overwhelming for me. I started having all these ideas that generated even more ideas. Before I knew it, I was paralyzed with an ideal vision. I wanted everything to be realized immediately. Unfortunately, I simply have no patience to wait for things and I don't like to settle for less than what I want. 

Yes, you should feel very sorry for my husband.

Looking North: Downtown Chicago
from the top of the John Hancock Building

Fortunately, I turned forty last week. Yep, I said 'fortunately' because there's nothing quite like a monumental birthday to get a person off their backside. As a gift to myself, I attended the Nourished Food Bloggers conference in Chicago. Let me tell you, it was fantastic! I was surrounded by like-minded people AND the best gluten free food. Amazing! I attended a seminar on basic food photography. Unbelievable! I was inspired by some incredibly talented bloggers who taught their tips and tricks. Bring it! Finally, I was dumbfounded by all the excitement and passion so many of the bloggers had for recipe development. 

Uh, do what?

I have shared some of my modest creations on this blog, but they were simple things like protein shakes and reworked cookie recipes. These guys were obsessed with complicated gluten-free french pastries and confections. I love eating those things as much as the next gal, but I can't imagine anything worse than repeating a recipe over and over, spending all day in the kitchen. Don't get me wrong. I'll agree there are few things more satisfying than preparing a good meal or enjoying a fresh baked treat from my own oven. I just don't feel the need to be the original creative genius behind it. 

As I sat listening to one baker who was undoubtedly a true culinary genius, a steady panic began to build. All kinds of thoughts started hitting me: I can't do this! I don't want to do this! I want to continue improving my health. I want to write about eating better. I want to encourage others to do the same. The last thing I want to do is write a cookbook or spend hours in the kitchen. Besides, why would anyone want to visit my blog for second-rate recipes when there are incredible cookbooks and blogs already around? AGH!

After a few minutes and a really good GF cookie, I found my happy place and calmed down. And, as the panic-driven thoughts stopped racing through my brain, others started to emerge. I'm not nearly qualified to come up with a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe any better than the hundreds already out there, but I can bake the most popular ones and figure out which I'd recommend. I can't share gluten free recipes from published cookbooks, but I can try out some of their recipes and tell you which books are worth your $24.95. Basically, I will never be an expert chef or baker, but I can be the friend you want with the tips and tricks you need in this crazy gluten free food world. 

Those thoughts have continued to grow and build over the last week and I am so excited to be back with a clear vision of what we can do with this little blog. I'm also hopeful you will be a part of it, sharing ideas and encouraging progress. In return, I'm making you a promise: I'll always do my best to make practicallyhealthy.net the place you go for gluten-free ideas, information and, occasionally, a good story. To that end, below is this week's Case of the Sunday's where I've laid out what you can expect to find here in the week ahead.


Monday:  Dear 40
Tuesday:  In Search of the Perfect GF Pancake
Wednesday:  Sugar Anonymous
Thursday:  GTC Giveaway
Friday:  Week End Wrap Up


Welcome back and have a great week, ya'll!

Don't Call It a Come Back

Alright, so it was more than a two day break. Two weeks was quite a bit longer than expected, but it was worth it, don't you think? I LOVE my new format. Thanks so much to Kaylah at Rockaboo designs for such an amazingly simple, yet engaging template. I found her on etsy here. I bought a premade template, but she put a little extra time in to coordinate the colors with my Arbonne shop. I am so happy with the results.


So, you might be asking at this point, what's with the new name? I wanted something a bit shorter than the previous 'Mrs. Pumpernickel Takes Care.' I love the homage to my grandmother, but it was certainly a mouthful. Plus, it didn't really give a potential reader a clue as to what this blog is about. I wanted something that conveyed the idea that being healthy doesn't have to be hard or involve twenty different flours. I remember going online nearly five years ago just after my celiac diagnosis and being completely overwhelmed by all the information, complicated recipes and obscure ingredients. These days, I'm fairly well versed on how to make a GF cake or cookie and what to fix for dinner, but I'm still a working mom with a travelling husband. Just because I have the tools and the know-how doesn't mean I have the time. As a result, the blog goal is two-fold: One, to provide an on-ramp for those looking to enter the world of non-processed, whole foods, but don't want to eat only broccoli the rest of their lives and, two, explore and record methods and food ideas so I can efficiently prepare food that my family will happily eat. Practically Healthy seems to fit the bill for both goals. It's also a phrase I've used for much of my adult life, as in, "This Twinkie has dairy, wheat and protein. It's practically healthy." There's just something very appropriate to me about taking my old-food attitude and turning it on its head.

I'd also like to add here that when I first took my little hiatus, I was the only one in my family with a food issue, namely celiac disease. Just last week, our family was hit with a whopper. I am telling you about it with the permission of my oldest daughter who it impacts. She has been struggling with anxiety for over a year now. She gave up on a sport she loved and was missing out on other life experiences because of it. We tried various approaches with moderate success over the last year. Finally, a few weeks ago we decided to have her see my doctor who ran several blood tests. The test results came back indicating strong food allergies to dairy and all meat except turkey. Plus, she is gluten sensitive. We are having her pediatrician review the test results for a second opinion, but at this point, she has been on her new diet regimen for a week and I'm seeing a difference. It is subtle, but she just seems happier and more relaxed. I'll concede it may be wishful thinking on my part, but it's encouraging nonetheless.

As a result of this new diet requirement, you are going to see quite a few recipes focused on turkey, dairy-free or meat-free. I'll always suggest alternatives. After all, the intent of this blog is to encourage you to explore on your own for answers and ideas that fit your dietary needs, whatever they might be.

That's it for now. I might be a bit hit or miss for the next couple of weeks as I slide back into a blogging-groove, but please stay tuned. I'll be unveiling my first giveaway next week and you won't want to miss it!

Day 4 Nothin' but Nuggets

Unbelievable, but one British teen makes these guys look like Jamie Oliver and Marion Nestle's love children.

Hooked on Chicken Nuggets: A 17-year-old British gal since age two has eaten little else but McDonald's chicken nuggets.

Let that sink in a moment. Nothin' but nuggets for fifteen years. And, that 'little else' in her diet consists of chips and fries. She has never tasted a fresh strawberry in summer or enjoyed a crisp salad. Like most of you, my first thought was of her parents. Okay, to be honest, I really thought of her mom. What mother drives a toddler every day to McDonalds and then complains that their child won't eat anything else? The mom defends herself saying she tried to deprive her daughter of the deep fried mystery meat until she agreed to eating healthy, real foods. Mom also says her other two children have a varied and healthy diet.

Before I pull out the pitch fork and declare this woman a parental failure for condemning her daughter to dietary misfortune and lifelong bad health, I have to stop and think of my own girls. Dear Baby Jesus, I can't cast the first stone.

My oldest girl is thirteen today. In those thirteen years, she has never asked for broccoli or salivated over a bowl of creamed spinach. You will not catch her or her younger sister eating fresh tomatoes off the vine and you certainly won't have to worry about either of them gorging themselves on salad greens. Why? Because I've never made those things a priority. We do better than the average family at dinner time. My girls eat at home more often than not and, although I can't always get a veggie on their plate, I can usually get some fruits into their diet.

Shouldn't that be good enough? It wouldn't be child abuse to say yes. For most of us though, 'good enough' is never good enough for our kids. For that matter, it shouldn't be good enough for anyone. I'm not advocating perfection. I don't think anyone really knows what a perfect diet is, but we are all somewhere between nugget addiction and obsessively weighing every organic portion. Stop and think about where you are on that spectrum. What small change can you make today to be healthier tomorrow?

As for me, I'm committed to eliminating all the Candida from my system over the next few months and keeping it at bay permanently. It was a little tough tonight as I watched my family split a gluten-free Chocolate Thunder from Down Under at Outback. I couldn't join in, but I smiled through it all. During dinner, my youngest for the first time ate steamed broccoli with her meal instead of fries and my birthday girl? Well, she didn't eat the entire loaf of Outback bread. Small improvements I hope they build on for a lifetime.

*Photo by Daniel Knight of Studio B Photography

Happy Birthday, Sweetie! You bring your dad and me so much happiness. We love you more than you can know and are so grateful we were blessed to be your parents.

As always, take care

-Melie

Day 4 Eats

• Arbucks Modified Arbonne Protein Shake
• Squealer's 9 oz. sirloin with green beans and sweet potato with butter
• Citrus Fizz Energy Drink
• 2 cubes Almond Coconut Protein Fudge
• Outback Grilled Salmon with steamed green beans