Work Lunches

Work lunches are hard, as I found out this week. Having a party/meal with my friends is easy. They all know what kinds of foods I can eat or that they need to ask me about them. At work well people don't know me, I'm the "new temp girl". They don't know people with food allergies either, so just don't know how to work with that type of person. So one of my coworkers last day was Friday so this lady planned a lunch for him on Thursday. The menu: pizza, wings and cake. Oh great. The absolute of what I can't eat. Pizza and wings: no big deal I'll just bring lunch like normal. Cake: I had, what I thought I was a very good idea. I offered to make the cake. I would use GF cake mix and regular trans fatty frosting. Well apparently our department is a bunch of pigs because the planner lady said she was going to get a Costco cake. (We don't have THAT many people, and lots of the women don't eat sweets) And said I could bring my own cake. Yeah lady, I'm going to make a whole cake just so I don't feel left out. I'm NOT 5 years old thank you. Then I remembered that Costco only has white cakes. And I know their are chocoholics in my department (me included) so I just decided to make a chocolate cake. I wasn't trying to go behind the lady's back at all. I just knew she didn't understand. And I think she's the type of person that doesn't cook. And any thought of cooking just seems unnecessary. And I'm the opposite, I would rather cook because it shows more effort and tastes better :)

So I made a chocolate cake with Betty Crocker GF Cake Mix and Frosting. General Mills has really jumped on the GF bandwagon. They have a list of GF items online. They label all their products that are GF. And have a few boxed mixes and is coming out with GF Bisquick this summer! I love their boxed mixes. Reasonably priced, turns out well, and tastes good. Some of the mixes at Whole Foods are kind of scary.... I used to be totally against Betty Crocker because most of her stuff has trans fats in it and many other ingredients I can't pronounce. But the GF stuff is surprisingly quite pure.

I brought the whole cake to work. The guy it was for thanked me, he liked the effort. A couple people tried it at lunch and liked it. And then I had some to bring home (and hide from my boyfriend)! Overall, it worked out well. This is new territory for me, work lunches. And many more to come. (Sorry no picture)

Comfort Food

So maybe I'm not the typical American when it comes to my choice in comfort food. My stomach wasn't feeling very well today (maybe it was that root beer and Reese's I had at lunch...) Not a good choice.... I've discovered that lots of sugar, like a full sized candy bar or soda triggers my migraines. So I tried to wash that down with a bunch of water! It didn't hit too hard. Anyways, my stomach hasn't been that great the last few weeks and well the last 2 years on and off. I've found this meal is always appetizing even when I don't want to eat much. Because it has potatoes! GF dream land!

-Deli sliced Black Forest Ham
-steamed broccoli
-microwaved potato with Earth Balance Butter

Quick, balanced and yummy!

Yes, I have been cooking in the last month....

I haven't been blogging but I have been cooking. I made GF/DF lasagna last week! It was so good. But my stomach couldn't take so much of the dairy free cheese :( So it hasn't been happy this week.... I started taking probiotics and digestive enzymes. Hopefully that helps!

I also made pot roast! Which was good. But a little too salty with a whole packet of onion dip. I used Simply Organic. My mom bought me a slow cooker when she came so I used it! I added potatoes, celery and carrots, yum!

I've been attending a Gluten Free Meet Up. It's nice to meet other people who are gluten free (and many other allergies). We talk about restaurants, food we eat and what's happening in the gluten free community. Good to meet new people! It's lead by this very ambitious women who is very passionate about the need for more understanding about living gluten free in our community! Her and her family also started a business about gluten free products iamgf. So great!

Last night I bought a new GF beer! It's made in Boulder, CO! Local! New Planet Tread Lightly. It's ok.... Let's just say I'll be sticking to my Woodchucks. Maybe their raspberry one will be better.... Thanks for trying, New Planet! This plays along with my philosophy; naturally GF/DF food tastes the best! Not the replacements...

Sorry no pictures from my cooking.... I kind of forgot...