Is summer really almost over?

What happened to the time.  It is late, late August and school will start next week Tuesday.  Oh, we are so sad that our life of sweet summer leisure must come to an end so soon.  What happened to all these weeks we had? Well, one thing can be said for sure is that we have had a lot of fun.  Lot's of camping trips,  outings to the beach, and fun summer craft project.

I do not even want to think about school yet.  It all seems a little frighting at this point as we are moving out of our small, safe, wonderful PreK - K school into a regular Portland Public School.  Good bye 16 students, welcome for Alena being one of 25+....Yes, I do worry but for now there still is a little less than one week of summer to enjoy.  This morning we made a cake, and the oven time just went off....Enjoy those remaining few days...

Vegan Pie Recipe(s) - Yay for the Oregonian

Tuesday is the day the food section appears in the Oregonian.  I love food, and also love to cook; even so my cooking/baking this summer has been a little more than rare.  In any case, there was a featured article talking about Vegan Pie's.  How fantastic is that? Completely CG safe recipes :)  Isn't that wonderful?  Well, and surely it is possible to sub the egg substitute with real egg.  Then, of course, the recipe is no longer vegan.  My thought is to substitute the egg substitute with real eggs.  In any case here is the recipe for the pie crust as Published in the Oregonian on August 24th, 2010.

 Coconut Oil Crust  

                          Published in the Oregonian on August 24, 2010

MAKES ONE 9-INCH PIE CRUST

Coconut oil produces a very tender, flaky crust. If your coconut oil is liquid at room temperature, chill it until solid. But if it is solid at room temperature, leave it that way when you make the crust. Measure it in dry measuring cups as you would vegetable shortening.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour, chilled
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour, chilled
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons maple sugar (see note)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 3 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Instructions

In a medium bowl stir together the flours, baking powder, sugar and salt.

Cut the coconut oil into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or two knives. Then, use your fingers to work the coconut oil into the flour until no pieces are bigger than the size of a pea.

Add the cider vinegar to the ice water and drizzle the mixture into the dough a spoonful at a time, mixing in each as you go. You have enough water in the dough when the dough holds together when squeezed. Do not add any more water than is absolutely necessary.

Gather the dough into a ball and flatten it into a disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 45 minutes before rolling.

Note: Less expensive substitutes for maple sugar are honey crystals, evaporated cane juice crystals, demerara sugar or brown sugar.

From "The Voluptuous Vegan" by Myra Kornfeld

You can find the entire article as well as recipes for Peach Crumbcake, Peach-Blueberry Crumb Pie,  here http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2010/08/summer_peaches_are_a_great_exc.html. When you click on the article be sure to also click on Grant Butler's, the author,  link on his exploration on Vegan living.  There are a bunch of yummy vegan recipes and therefore all entirely CG safe :)  Enjoy!

Recall Milton's Baking Company - 24 oz Multi-Grain BreadUndeclared Milk in Some Loaves

This recall was just released!

Milton's Baking Voluntarily Recalls 24 oz. Multi-Grain Bread in Three States For Undeclared Milk in Some Loaves
Fri, 20 Aug 2010 17:07:00 -0500

Milton's Baking Company is voluntarily recalling Milton's Multi-Grain Bread which was distributed to locations in Northern and Central California, Arizona and Nevada. The company took the precautionary step because the loaves contain milk, an undeclared allergen, which may pose a potential serious and life-threatening health risk to milk-allergic individuals.

Recall of Kroger's "Meals Made Simple Shrimp Linguini"

Please see details of this link below.

Nationwide Milk Allergen Recall of Kroger "Meals Made Simple Shrimp Linguini"
Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:02:00 -0500

Kroger (product distributor) and Contessa Premium Foods, Inc. (product manufacturer) are recalling 24 ounce bags of Kroger brand Meals Made Simple Shrimp Linguini, because it may contain undeclared milk product. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk products run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume this product.       

Chocolate found - Spreadable, and bar chocolate :)

We recently found a couple of new (at least to us) items in the store.  One is spreadable chocolate which is somewhat similar to Nutella but without nuts, and milk; the other is a creamy sweet chocolate bar which is perfect for making s'mores and for eating :)

I found both items at New Seasons Market here in Portland.  The spreadable chocolate is "Dark Choco Dream", made in Belgium and distributed by Natural Nectar.  Here is a link to the manufacturers' site http://www.natural-nectar.com/default.asp?contentID=665. Only the Dark Choco Dream is milk free. The items is also available from various online stores.  Oh, and it is quite delicious :)

The chocolate bar is "Sweet Chocolate Dream".  It is very creamy, delicious and really sweeter than the usual safe dark chocolate I found. In the dark version, there is also a bar with raspberries, rice crunch, almonds, and just plain dark chocolate.  In case you are interested, here is the link  http://www.tastethedream.com/products/category/493.php.  The girlies - by the way - love it!!!

Happy Chocolate eating to all!

Tee-Pee Camping in Eastern Oregon

Last weekend we spent two nights in a Tee-Pee at Clyde Holiday State Park at the John Day River.  - It took us over five hours to get there, but we were prepared.  I had packed a picnic for the road complete with a pint of yummy golden tomatoes (tastes just like candy), a couple of salad's from New Seasons Market, bread, blueberries, sparkling water, salami, and also a small brick of Emmenthaler cheese.

Picnic break 

It was just amazing.  We drove along the John Day River and through the John Day Fossil Beds which by the way are a National Monument.

Alena, Mia Rose, and myself at the Candon Museum

The next stop was our Tee-Pee...fun, fun, fun minus the mosquito's.  I ended up with 40 plus bites as there is absolutely no netting, to keep them out.  But we sure had fun.  Ron prepared our newly found camping dish of Fajitas, which were again amazing.  Here are some more pictures...

"Our" Tee-Pee

Yummy Fajitas are cooking on the camp fire

The next day we saw the Painted Hills - there are no words to describe them -

Amazing colors

In regards to food however, we brought - as usual - most everything along.  Soy Milk, chocolate for s'mores, bread...so eating was not an issue at all.

We still wanted to go swimming, and soak in a Hot Spring.  A range told us that we could drive back via Pendelton, and stop at Ritter Hot Springs www.ritterhotsprings.com . We drove 11 Miles off the main road into the - seemingly - middle of nowhere. I did not know what to expect and I admit my fear of rattlesnakes, black widow's, and scorpions when we turned off the road to get to the Hot Springs.  11 Miles off the road...and was amazed to find an actual swimming pool.  Needless to say that the girls loved it...oh yes, there was also a soaking tub.  Walk through the grass - but watch for snakes we were told-, over a suspension bridge (I went), and into the hot tub...a couple more pictures.

All in all it was an amazing long weekend.  Fun, fun, fun...

I hope you are all enjoying your summer as well :)

Found: The best CG safe chocolate - truffles...

This afternoon the girlies went swimming, and then to the Farmer's Market in Southeast Portland.  We all love Farmer's Market's.  Fresh produce, fruits to try, popsicles, music one word summer.  

Today we found something else on the Farmer's Market.  You know what?  OK, the title gave it away, but we found the most delicious, vegan, chocolate truffles.  Alena and Mia Rose must have sampled at least two whole truffles.  Truth be said, I probably had just as much. I have never, ever tasted such delicious, creamy, rich, vegan chocolate. We tried a salted carmel, passion-fruit lime truffle, and another one that was just as delicious.  All I can say is WOW - I did not know that this was possible.  We ended up buying one salted carmel, and a passion-lime truffle for dessert. My favorite is the passion-lime, while Mia Rosie and Ron favored the salted carmel truffle.  Alena - of course - loved all of them :)

Just amazing...makes me so happy.  So if you are wondering and also have the taste for some yummy chocolate truffles check them out http://missionarychocolates.com/ I was told, that they ship the truffles world-wide...Enjoy!!!  I know we will be enjoying these treats...

Links to prior posts in regards to eating cheese, and knowing that it will be OK

A few of you have been wondering when we allowed our girls to eat cheese, and allow all fruits as well as veggies.  Here are links to my prior posts on this topic.  Just in a nutshell however, we allowed cheeses after meeting with a family in Northern Italy who have also two children with CG. Their kids are older than ours and both had already eaten Parmesiano Reggiano for a few years.  Neither of their kids had any issue.  -  The following year we met up with a family in Berlin and they have a daughter with CG.  At that time both of our kids were allowed Parmesiano Reggiano.  The German family however told us that their clinic is including a long list of aged cheeses in their daughter's diet.  She has been eating all those cheeses as well. In any case, I also spoke with a Swiss family and they are also allowing all fruits, veggies, legumes, as well as certain aged cheeses.  The Swiss family in particular was astonished to find out that the Acosta diet is still being followed. We only exclude products containing the actual milk sugar. In any case, we feel comfortable with the girl's diets as evidenced by their GALT levels. - I am looking forward to your comments :)

Here are the links to prior posts

GREAT lab results... http://galactopdx.blogspot.com/2009/07/great-lab-results.html

What is in our fridge?!...http://galactopdx.blogspot.com/2009/01/what-is-in-our-fridge.html

This is an individual journey for each family, and each clinic is also different.  It works for us....

Zucchini Race cars

Last week Wednesday we went to the Farmer's Market and the girls made zucchini race cars.  Look how fantastic they look :)

Zucchini Race cars - Who knew all the fun...