Gluten Free Pancake Recipe

ah, another a few days have passed and I realized that I never posted that pancake recipe!!

Gluten-Free Pancakes

1 1/2 Cups Gluten-Free Arrowhead Mills All Purpose Baking Mix
1 Tb sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 mashed banana ( or 2 TB oil )
1 Tb vinegar PLUS enought milk to make 1 Cup (or use buttermilk)
4 egg whites

Combine everything except the egg whites.
Whisk or beat the egg whites to fluff them up (is that a cooking term??)LOL
Fold egg whites into batter mixture, let it sit for 5-10 minutes. (this seemed to be a prevalent step in most of the gluten free pancake recipes I came across)
Grease heated griddle (I used coconut oil as I had just bought it and have been trying it in many different recipes - it gave the pancakes a great taste!)

After I made 1/2 of the batch I really wanted some blueberry pancakes, so I folded in some berries- however when I did this, the batter seemed to lose some of it airiness. Next time I will fold the berries in with the egg whites (had to use those fresh Jersey blueberries!)

Enjoy!

something new is always brewing...

It has been a stretch between posts. I know- so for my sweet grandmothers and my uncle who actually read this blog, I apologize. Life takes hold, projects go on hiatus, and it's all a momma can do to keep the household afloat. Struggles? nah. We muddle through the best we can, learning as we go- and boy have I learned alot! Life throws curveballs and we can still knock it out of the park! Projects get left behind, only to be finished better than ever after a fresh prospective and more knowledge on the subject at hand. THIS is life, and life is good!

Most recently for me, after putting it off for several years, 2 babies and being sick of feeling sick all the time, I went to the doctor and didn't take no for an answer. I knew something was not right, tired, headaches, stomaches- all the time! I knew it was something I was eating, but what? I eat pretty clean, eat all my fruit and veggies, what could it be? I suspected gluten. I was partly correct. It seems my testing has led me to see that I am allergic to soy and eggs. Hello? I eat eggs every day and soy is in, well, it's in everything!! Corn showed up on the testing too, but I am taking baby steps here.

Gluten free is pretty easy for me. The eggs part is pretty difficult, and the thing with food allergies/intolerances is that many symptoms do not show up immediately so it is very difficult to figure out for most people. So I will still use eggs in baking, just not eat egg based dishes for now. I learned that you have to be persistent when it comes to your health ( and that of your family as well ). When Sarah was a baby I knew something was not right and figured out she was allergic to milk ON MY OWN. The doctors were surprised when they finally tested her because her symptoms were not what they considered normal. huh. interesting to me......

Then it happens that I go over my goals for the year to see how I am doing. My goal was to obtain my personal trainer cert. I find my focus for a while has been the nutrition part though. I am struggling with not doing what I set out to do. Time to refocus. I glance around my dining room...tons of cookbooks. I mean tons (if you have been to my house you KNOW what I am talking about!) I cannot seem to leave the supermarket without grabbing a magazine full of recipes. I even recently became a consultant for Tastefully Simple. I have always loved to tweak recipes to make them healthier, a little wheat germ here (although no more for me), a little ground flaxseed there. Just started playing around with coconut oil when I made gluten free pancakes this morning and I must say they were out of this world! Even Hubby would not have noticed the difference!

So today I think I learned that the things that make our life more difficult can actually help us see the place we want to go in the long run. Do I really need to maintain a gluten-free diet? no, I don't. That is if I want to feel sick all the time. Did I enjoy playing around with recipes this morning to make these amazing pancakes? yes, I do. Is is ok to not accomplish a goal you set our to do if you find your passions elsewhere? absolutely!

First things first- I cannot believe that it has been almost a month without any posts! I'm really not that interesting or busy, so I have no excuse except for laziness. Let's see- got a new camera- Nikon - so excited to play around with that- now I just need a tripod. (Yes, Hubby- MORE $$$!! ) Keeping busy with the kids, who at the moment- Sarah is sick, fever gone, but throat still swollen, will probably bring her to the dr today to have it checked out. JR- watching Sesame Street at the moment, so I have a few moments before I need to "entertain". Have been a bit under the weather myself with allergies, being in Jersey in the spring and all- I miss the gym!!! Need a good spinning workout VERY SOON!!!

Easter this weekend, so dinner with the family in the afternoon and I will attempt to bring Sarah to church for the first time.... she has been going to Sunday school- which is held at our church during mass time, which is so smart and so great! We shall see how that goes!

I could blab on, but I hear the closing credits music on the television and need to get the kids up and about...

what to do....

I have been meaning to grow up. What I mean by that is, to figure out what I want to be when I grow up... then I realize I am 35 and should be a grown up by now, right? I have found out that I love being pregnant and love the baby thing, but Octomom- I am not! We have our 2 children and Hubby has decided that is enough. Ok, so what else am I good at? I am obsessed with nutrition ever since the kids were born, even more when I found out all their little food allergies and asthma. I know how good and full of energy I feel when I eat right and don't self medicate with food. I get so upset when I see entire families that either don't know how to take care of themselves, or just don't care to. I see how powerful exercise is in my own life and mental state (questionable at times), and how important it is for my kids to get moving ALOT!



So I throw it out to the world..I have been meaning to study all the personal training stuff and get that certification..have all the stuff. I love reading any nutrition or fitness book that I can get my hands on. There ya go. The answer.

muscles!!!!!

keeping up with the delusion

I don't "not blog" on purpose, life just gets in the way. A beautiful life it is. But as they say- just not enough time in the day.

2 little ones. Preschool. Momma's gym time. Momma would like to study for her personal trainer cert and also find an online accredited school to start studying nutrition. A house (which we are so blessed with ). But, one must clean that house and cook the food (the food which no one seems to like the same things, and then you throw in some food allergies and supertasters and cooking is not as much fun as it used to be!) Hubby (who doesn't get more than a ham sandwich and a smile in the morning sometimes). Then I find a moment to get online...yes I can blog! First there's Facebook, then I log onto Weight Watchers (which I would say is for "research", but I actually find solace there....) Then I try to shoot out some Creative Memories emails. By the time I get to Blogger, I am needed elsewhere.

So I will try to keep up - for my sanity, and for my Grandmothers' enjoyment.

It gets very frustrating sometimes when you work out super hard but you know damn well that ya need to clean up your diet even more. Frustrating because I know what needs to be done, but put a nice plate of cookies in front of me and I can't resist. I know, I know - MODERATION. That of course is the key here. But sometimes, when the kids are napping, the house is quiet and ya just want to let loose- like on a plate of cookies or leftover treats. Who wants to clean? Not really my favorite thing to do lately. Fold laundry- seriously, who really enjoys that?

UGH! Back to reality and finding my own little motivating factor.

The Year's Final Bow

A new year always brings on the urge to organize and makes things nice again. I know that my spice-cabinet in the kitchen and bathroom closet are areas that desperately need attention. My latest scrapbook project was to take many, many photos from Thanksgiving all the way to New Year's Day. I included pics of the cookies I baked, along with copies of the recipes. All the holiday memories I want to wrap up and save for the kids.

Then there is the resolutions. Most people want to lose weight or just committ to working out. I hope that most of them stick to it. It is hard to do the things that we know we need to, like eat healthy and make the time to exercise. Or write in our blog. Or count to ten when we are frustrated with our children instead of just yelling all the time. Enough said.

May all your dreams come true in the new year and beyond.....


G

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve. It's here. I remember this day being even more magical than the actual Christmas for me. We would go to my grandparents house for dinner and gifts. Family time was always awesome. My cool aunt D. My grandmother, who even know is so dear to me. My grandpa, who we especially miss at Christmastime because this was his holiday.
The most special and amazing part of the night for me was when we packed up in the car to head home. Cold air, snuggling in the backseat with my sister and brothers, basically because at that moment we were just too tired to fight with each other. Each of us holding a new and precious toy. It would be so quiet, the night air, low music on the radio, maybe even my parents talking softly about something. I would stare out the car window, hoping, anxious, excited to possibly catch a glimpse of Santa and his reindeer. The whole ride home I would just look and wait, that excitement building as we got closer and closer to our house. The thought that he was out there somewhere, and the possibility of seeing him just a moment was so awesome.

I never did get to see then, but I still love that ride home on Christmas Eve, now from my in-laws' home with my own kids. I hope I can get them as excited about those simple things tonight.

Merry Christmas and I hope that you catch a glimpse of Santa too!

25th is almost here!

Snow is amazing, isn't it? Fluffy, quiet, calm. The kids have had a blast outside the past few days, although I have to admit my body doesn't seem to enjoy the cold anymore. My fingers are numb instantly, my nose starts to drip. I am so glad that Hubby is so great about it all - he is the "outside guy" and the kids have a blast with him! My job is to make the hot cocoa (with soy milk of course due to Sarah's milk allergy!)I do have to say that it does feel a little more like Christmas time now!

I have simplified the holiday a bit this year. I usually make tons of different types of cookies for gifts, and this year I decided on only a few. It makes a so much easier to see what extra ingredients I need, and I can also tack on a copy of the recipes too!

Have some last minute stuff to do today, but it's all coming together. Keep it simple.

first snow fall - Dec. 09

A snowstorm moves in today- excitement is in the air! Kids are ready to go out and play (at 6:30 in the morning!) and I am so excited for some great photo opps with it all!
I have so many things I can do- bake more cookies, wrap some presents... sit online. But all I want to do is sit on the couch and watch the tree lights glisten as the snow falls.

more to come later!

christmas wish for summer

missing the summer already....

Smiling through imperfection

Watching people that surround me I see so much of this "I have to do it all and know what I am doing" mentality. Having kids is not easy, and yet, we want everyone around us to think that we actually know what the hell we are doing. Well I don't.

• I forget dry pants for my pottytraining boy.
• I forget my highly allergic daughter's Benadryl.
• I forget sippy cups and snack bars.
• I sometimes don't get them outside play time.
• I hate thinking about dinner and what to make because no one eats the same thing and it is more torture than fun anymore. I used to enjoy cooking, but not so much anymore.
• I stress about the fact that the house doesn't ever look "neat" anymore. Please just ignore the dustbunnies, they have apparently moved in permanently. Yeah, I wipe down the kitchen and bathroom so that guests don't get too grossed out, but don't enter my closet....ever. I have perfected a skill I call "piling". I can pile anything- laundry (dirty or clean), papers (useful or not), and toys (broken or completely dilapidated).

So here I am today to say I don't have it all together, my family will most likely eat leftovers tonight, and my laundry will never be done. But, it is 8:23am, the kids have been up since 5 o'clock and I haven't yelled once yet today. We have had approximately 1000 Cheerios covering the floor. We have lost an entire roll of paper towels scattered around the house because JR wanted the cardboard tube. Smiles all around and it's all good.

getting back to me

I finally made it to the doctor's office on Monday, and yes, I have had bronchitis for about 4 weeks now. I thought I had a handle on it, but alas, I was severely wrong! I had taken some major time off from the gym due to my not feeling well, I was grabbing for Hubby's asthma inhaler, and I couldn't shake this cough. So I suck it up- go to the doctor- take the meds (truthfully- I take the antibiotics, but the cough syrup with codiene apparantly made me stoned and sick to my stomach, so I will take a pass on that one.) Feeling better now.

So now I get back to the gym today and meet up with a new trainer because my beloved trainer has moved onto to different things.... It was cool. a kick in the ass that I needed. It just brings me back to the fact that I am not very good with goal setting and that procrastination seems to be a favored art form for me. I think if I did not go into actual labor with my children, I quite possibly might have put off giving birth to them.

Goals= need to be HIGH and INSPIRING
Need to get rid of the self doubt so that I do not unwittingly pass this on to my children
Must get out of my little box and step into something so out of the ordinary for me
Want to AMAZE myself as well as my support system (family and friends)

Working on a list for the coming months of the things I WILL achieve.....

lesson of the day

I'm not a big "medicine" person. When illness strikes, that is. I do not run off to the doctor the second the kids start coughing, as I know the routine with their asthma. I do not throw various pills into my body when I start to feel stuffy or achy. But this week was different. I had felt as if a bus ran me over, then backed up and ran me over again. I was coughing so hard I think I pulled a muscle in my neck. The other night I handed the kiddies over to Hubby and said- "they are all yours" and went off to bed at 6pm. It was bad.
So yesterday I called my doctor who gladly took me in later that morning. She confirmed that momma was sick.

Trying so hard lately to see blessings in everyday experiences, I found it, even in my coughing fits and fever..... in the midst of doing a breathing treatment- something my kids do on a daily basis for their asthma- I started to feel anxious and jumpy, just not right. When I was finished, I realized it was the meds and understood in that moment how they felt, and most likely, why they both give my such a hard time when it is time to do their meds. At this point we know it's not something that they can stop, as breathing tends to be pretty important. I think though, that I can try to be a little more understanding when coaxing them at breathing treatment time, and thereafter when the effects of the meds are pretty strong.
It truly amazes me, at 35, that there is still a lesson to be learned each and every day.

just a letter

Sarah and JR:

Too many days to count have I complained, yelled, felt over-anxious and just plain forgot the real reason I wanted to be a Mom.
I have overreacted, yelled at both of you for things that really didn't warrant yelling or anger at all.
What blessings you are to have come through me in to this world, to have allowed me to teach and guide you.

I worry if I teach the wrong things by my own actions.
I wonder in 30 years if you will be able to look back and smile, or just shake your head thinking about your crazy momma.

I took a breathe today, a long one, and in it I promised to be more aware of reactions and overreactions. I promised to smile and no matter what, take each moment to teach, rather than talk down or berate you.

Love,
Delusional Momma

security breach

As usual when I went to bed last night I asked Hubby if he turned on the alarm. He said yes, I went to sleep. Around 1am little JR came running into our bed, scaring the daylights out of me. I got him settled into our bed and then could not sleep. I had a dream just previous to this that someone came into a window and took Sarah. Now I am freaked AND cannot sleep. I got up checked on Sarah, and noticed that no, the alarm was NOT on, so I turned it on.
3:30am the phone rings, I wait a second, always knowing that a phone call in the middle of the night cannot be good news, then I look at the caller-ID- it says ADT Security. freaking out......
I pick it up and the young man proceeds to calm me down and tell me something about a security issue with a smoke alarm- I look at the box and it says it needs batteries. He says to make sure there is no smoke anywhere just to be sure. There is not. So, he says to change the batteries and the alarm signal will stop. Now we notice the BEEPING from the system to warn of the low battery. Now JR is wide awake. Hubby goes to change the batteries and of course they are the weirdest size and we don't have any. ok, now I have to listen to this beeping ALL NIGHT.
I reset the alarm and try to go to bed, (check on Sarah again.....)

The phone rings, someone else from ADT, asking Hubby is he knows there is a problem with the smoke alarm.... he tells her yes- we just talked to someone- no batteries in the house- change em tomorrow.......can she shut off the smoke alarm portion..good.


We get settled again, my heart is racing- oh, in the meantime JR has to go potty and since we are working on pottytraining I have to give him his 2 M&M's as a reward for going on the potty- even at 3:30 in the morning. Ok, heart is still racing- it is so cold- the kid won't sleep....

finally! He falls asleep and before I know it 5am rolls around and in comes Sarah- safe and sound- and I no longer think about how little sleep I have had or how my heart had practically beat out of my chest- I think about lucky I am to have this family, and pretty glad I know that ADT is looking out for us.

here we go...

I am so excited today! Not just mildly excited, but young school girl super excited! I recently decided to take a leap and try something I have been thinking about for a while- I signed up to be a Consultant for Creative Memories. I adore scrapbooking, and with two little ones running around I have found this strange, yet peaceful thing I can do to help me get through my worst days- SCRAPBOOKING.

On days where I feel no purpose, the kids are screaming, no one is listening and I just need a little escape, I can run down into my little space- or even on the dining room table and pull out whatever project I happen to be working on- right now it is a Gratitude Book. Baby pictures of the kids, a photo of Hubby and I at a Nascar Race, a beautiful flower from my spring garden- taking these memories and sitting with them for just a few moments can snap you back into reality and remember what life is really about.

This is what I hope to share with someone else. With EVERYONE.

I have planned a Get Together at my home on Sunday and really want to share what I have learned with my loved ones, as well as see what else I can learn myself.

questions

I just have 2 questions today that terrorize me daily and keep me up at night:

• why is there more grey hair where your hair parts than anywhere else on your head?
• what about talking on the phone persuades children to start screaming and yelling and needing you right away once you have received or made a phone call?

take a moment

This week has passed by like a blur... my Sarah has begun preschool, little JR moved up from the "baby" car seat to the booster seat... too much too fast. Where did all the babies go?
Speaking on preschool- now the money troubles really begin- so much money now leaving our little hands- tuition, clothes, fundraisers (already??), dance class- and that's just Sarah!!
I tried selling Avon to help out with the rising expenses around here, and although I keep my account active with them, I find that people are not splurging on themselves like they used to. I am excited to say that I signed up with Creative Memories, a scrapbooking supply company, to be an Independent Consultant. I am really looking forward to getting my start-up package in the mail this week!! I love scrapbooking and can see me pushing forward more with something I love, love, LOVE to do! Also need to catch up with my reading on the Personal Trainer cert that I would really love to obtain!! I always have such high hopes and just pile it all on too thick!


Dentist appt today, parties- so much to do!

scream if you got 'em

Recently I bumped into a neighbor at the local Costco. We always chit-chat for a moment and after our "how-are-yous" he informed me that some of the "neighbors" were wondering what was going on in my backyard with all the screaming that was going on. "I just wanted to let you know" he said. I walked away perplexed, Sarah is certainly a screamer, especially in the pool, or if you chase her, or any kind of vigorous play. Isn't that the whole idea of the "inside voice" thing? Am I supposed to squelch her EXTREMELY high energy outside too??



For the past 10 years Hubby and I have had to listen to all the neighborhood children- laughing and screaming. Jumping on trampolines, pool parties, AND this particular neighbor's LOUD MUSIC. I remember Hubby and I being slightly annoyed at it all, before we had kids. Now we understand a little more.



So, I stew and simmer and worry about what everyone else is thinking... Are the neighbors annoyed with my children's play? Is it rude of me to allow her to express her excitement? We are even trying the whole "use you play voice" thing, I really get that the screaming is annoying, but there is only so much I can do- there are so many other things to worry about here.



When all is said and done, yeah, my kids are loud and active, but they are happy and healthy. At 35 years old, I think I can distinguish between rude behaviour and kids having fun. And also, I do wonder, what is THEIR screaming he was talking about, or was it MINE???