Eat, Drink, and Be Merry with Udi's!

For as long as I can remember, my family has always gone to a movie on Christmas Eve. We would then come back home and enjoy a warm beverage and open one or two gifts. Around 11pm or so, Santa would start urging my sister and I to go to bed so she could too. On Christmas morning, my family sits around the tree to open presents. We enjoy mom's wonderful Yum Yum Coffee Cake and fresh brewed coffee. We joke, laugh, sometimes tear up, and have a great time together. 

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Stuffing with Udi's Bagels

Although I was never really a fan of stuffing before being diagnosed with Celiac, now that I can't have it, I kind of want it. I began formulating ways to make it gluten-free without too much of a hassle, since preparing a Thanksgiving feast can be quite time consuming anyway.After some contemplation  I thought up the idea for using Udi's Mighty Bagels. 

A Gluten-Free Revelation: Granola

Maybe I'm just oblivious, or maybe I live under a rock, but I only discovered within the past couple weeks that granola is now made certified gluten-free! I will admit, I do kind of live under a rock when it comes to current events, so feel free to harass me about that one. :)

#MyGFF Story and an Udi's Giveaway!

There are so many resources out there now on Celiac Disease that it's almost overwhelming sometimes. When I was first diagnosed in 2008 though, that was definitely not the case. If you "Googled" 'gluten' you came up with a few resources and maybe a couple forums. It became apparent right away that I was on my own with trying to figure out how to eat GF. You can read my full diagnosis story here.

Gluten-Free Pizza Quesadillas

My husband likes to come up with unique ideas, whether it involves changing the world or pairing random foods together. So the other day when he randomly said that he wanted pizza tacos I laughed at him and said that sounded disgusting. But as I also have a very active brain, the idea kinda stuck around and I ran with it. So when I suggested having pizza quesadillas to Steven, he got excited right away. I guess you can thank him for this super easy and very delicious recipe :)

Caramel Pie with Udi's Caramel Cashew Cookie Crust

I've never been big on salty or spicy foods, in fact, I'm not really one for much spice at all. My mom always called me her "bland child", lovingly of course, since I preferred bland dishes. While most people like to spice things up, I can pack away all of the super sweet and rich foods most people can only manage in small amounts. I don't know if this is a side-effect of being Celiac? Maybe I'm just weird. What I do know, is that I sure do have a massive sweet tooth, and I love me some rich desserts.

Grilled Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Pico de Gallo

Ever since I went to Bonefish Grill earlier this year and had their Mango Salsa, I've been hooked. Although, I knew replicating their delicious sweet and spicy mix would be nearly impossible, I still wanted to attempt something similar. There's just something about a light fruity salsa atop fish or chicken; I can't place what it is, but I love it.

Back to School Gluten-Free Lunch Ideas

Packing a gluten-free lunch can be daunting sometimes, and even downright frustrating. Believe me, I do it on almost a daily basis. Although I don't have kids of my own, I can only imagine the difficulties faced when preparing a lunch for a gluten-free child. To alleviate some of this stress, I decided to compile some of my favorite GF snacks and lunch ideas, as well as those ideas that I have found around the interwebs. You'll be able to send your kiddo(s) off to school without the pressure, or feed yourself at work. :)

Spinach Artichoke Sandwich Melts

Since gluten free bread can be quite expensive, or time consuming to make, I don't tend to eat it very often. Typically, I keep a loaf or two of Udi's bread in the freezer just in case the sandwich mood strikes, or if I come across a delicious recipe idea such as these spinach and artichoke sandwich melts! What's not to love about one of my favorite dips melted between two toasted slices of bread. Definitely going to have to make these again. 

Easy Baked Meatball Subs

I have been extra busy at work lately, which is in addition to all the normal craziness I manage to pack in each week. Needless to say, I have not had much time or energy to cook lately, but I still try to have dinner on the table each night, even if it only takes me ten minutes to make. That’s where these meatball subs are perfect. I had some Udi’s hotdog buns in my freezer and a bag of Meijer Homestyle pre-made frozen meatballs and figured I could make a quick meatball sub that still tasted amazing. These subs took very little time to prepare and even less effort, yet they were very delicious.

Loaded Baked Potato Pizza

There are no good words to describe how absolutely delicious this pizza is. It should almost be illegal...almost, but I really want to make it again so let's not go there. The idea came to me from a friend of mine who is just as obsessed with potatoes as I am. She couldn’t stop gushing about this baked potato pizza she had at a restaurant, so I made sure to get all the details from her to make my own gluten-free version. 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie Bites

My dream was to be able to provide a resource to all of you who follow a gluten free diet, whether it be by choice or necessity like myself, so when I started A Lazy Girl’s Guide to Living Gluten Free back in July 2012, I had no idea how much it would grow over the months to follow. Many of you have provided such wonderful feedback, and I have been able to watch my dream grow and begin to thrive. Every comment and message I receive has been so heartwarming for me, and I am thankful every day to be able to help all of you to enjoy your life without worrying about dietary restrictions. This is a little sappy, I know, but I thought it was appropriate with the approach of Valentine’s Day to share how much I appreciate all of you and your amazing support! Seriously though, I couldn’t do this without you.

Grilled Mozzarella Cheese Sandwiches

There's nothing like a warm, melty, grilled cheese sandwich - cut diagonally of course. My dad used to make grilled cheese with Canadian Bacon, to which I would always crinkle my nose. Adding anything to this classic sandwich was totally against the rules in my mind. But here I am now putting a whole new twist on the sacred classic...and I have to say, it was well worth it! These delicious sandwiches taste almost like a mozzarella stick, but are way easier to make.