Thank Goodness for Mom!

Mom came to help me grocery shop, cook, rearrange for a new freezer and go with me when I have to have the "test" on Monday! It was nice to have someone to help me go to all of the grocery stores that have GFCFSF and Vegan options that I can eat. She knew that the GF could be difficult to find if you are in a small town (Orange, TX) but who knew that trying to find something that is GFCFSF would be so crazy!

Thanks to Sherry Lynn's Gluten Free in Latham, NY who has cookies that are GFCFSF and I can eat them!!! YAYAY!! The gingersnaps are soft but yet crunchy at the same time. They are almost as good as my gingerbread men at the bakery in Bellaire, TX (by Black Eyed Pea & the RR Tracks)!! I was so excited!

We also went to Hannaford Supermarkets (Latham Farms, Latham, NY) for a fairly large GF section! There I was able to find GFCFSF Icing for cupcakes, and chocolate chips! Those are really exciting things for me to have!!

We located the Honest Weight Food Coop (Central Ave, Albany, NY) for the Liquid Barlene's Omega 3-6-9! Wow, this stuff is crazy expensive but at least it doesn't taste as bad as the other stuff I have to take!! But they had quite a variety of alternative flours, nuts, quinoa (flakes also), cheese's and baking powder! Note: most baking powders are GF! Just check the label before you buy... no reason to pay $5.00 for baking powder :)

We accidentally found "Ryan's Indoor Farmer's Market" (Railroad Ave, Albany, NY) that had a great selection of local items. I asked the produce guy where they got their produce from and he informed me that during the spring, summer and fall growing season, everything comes from local Upstate NY farmers. In the winter season veggies come from NJ and CA. I was able to find a lot of unique ingredients and it sounds good!

With all of the fun stuff we got... we made: Great Northern Beans, Cranberry Beans, GFCFSF Vegan Refried Beans, Potato & Leek Soup, Yuc Soup (lots of veggies including Yucca), Red Sauce and 3 different kinds of hummus! The freezer is almost full and we have lots more to do today!

Off to the Schenectady Indoor Farmer's Market to see what else we can find! Love to All!!!

Label Reading...

I have learned so much in 2 weeks of eating GFCFSF... I have been doing great on the GFCF part but the SF is quite difficult. For those of you who know me, you understand that Mayo/Miracle Whip etc does NOT ever get found in my home. I can't stand the stuff... but since I am at a loss of what to eat, I have been eating Tuna out and it is made with Mayo. But did you know, that almost ALL Mayo is made with Soybean Oil???? I didn't... and just thought I was doing well. So as a result of all of this... Tuna, plain, no Mayo on salad. That will be my go-to food while I figure out the rest of this.

I have also found that despite my apprehension to open my new Cooking Light, I was quite surprised to find that there were some recipes that I could eat (without modifying them). YAY!! I also found that there were some that I can make minor modifications to and still eat them! That makes me feel great!

I also learned that trying to find a salad dressing at the grocery store that I can eat is much harder than I thought since a main staple of these is Soybean Oil... Yep, even though it says Olive Oil... it is mostly Soybean Oil! Be careful what you buy without reading the label!

I have also found that I am quite fortunate that I LOVE to cook and have the Farmer's Market(s) available to me! I did not realize that I have already been eating well and now I just have to take it one step further! That is not a bad thing except when I travel and since I do this quite a bit for work... and to places that don't have many options, I end up at Subway! They at least have a salad I can eat.

Greek food has been my savior! I found a locale Greek place called Athos on Western Ave in Albany... and it is WONDERFUL! Not only did they understand GFCFSF they don't cross contaminate because they actually have quite a few people who come to them because of this. Andy my waiter was great and I am so excited to have another option. Sherry Lynn's Gluten Free in Latham, NY (just down from work) has a great small market with boxed things that I can buy as well as a local small restaurant where I can get something to eat when I am desperate!

Thanks to everyone who has spent countless hours helping me research this and to find products that I can use. Also, a big thanks to Cristina for being patient when traveling with me... trying to find something I can eat is quite trying sometimes :)