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Quick Note
May 28th, 2010 | caitlin | Categories: Uncategorized No Comments »

Hi Everyone.

I just wanted to let some of you know that my system sucks. I apparently had comments pending approval that I never  knew were there. My apologies. Trust me, it’s not that I don’t like you – because I do. It’s simply that I had no idea it was there.

Thanks, and sorry.

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Some Things Stay The Same
April 27th, 2010 | caitlin | Categories: The Basket, Uncategorized 2 Comments »

A lot of things have changed since we moved. For example, my ability to read a thermostat. I have no idea what 70 degrees Fahrenheit is. I can’t even spell Fahrenheit, I had to spell check that one. And I also have no ability to gauge distance or directions. Seriously people I’m lost without the Mountains to the West and distance being measured in kilometers. I actually have a compass bell on my bike. Ya, that’s right. It’s a bell that is also a compass – you can be jealous of me and my bike now.

Sometimes, the things that are normal, suddenly become a little strange. It takes a little time, but we all adjust. And we adjust faster when we know what to expect – like who knew that some cities name their streets after letters and when you ask someone where Z (pronounced Zed) street is they’ll tell you they have no idea what your talking about. A Z(ed) is a Z(ee) same thing, but different.

And now that I’ve taken you all on a trip down “Waxing Poetic” lane, I’ll tell you want I really want to…

Van’s Waffles have a new look. See…

Same gluten free waffle, just a different, prettier and easier to read box. Got to love how the words: WHEAT – GLUTEN FREE jump out at you. No more squinting in the freezer section cursing that labels aren’t built for Celiacs.

The ingredients haven’t changed, the taste hasn’t changed, just the packaging. Kind of like me. Same sarcastic Celiac, just trapped in a Masters program in the U.S.A. And one day, when I take over the world with theory and complex papers and graphs, you’ll remember that I was once cool, and you’ll remind of that right? RIGHT?

Okay so here’s the deal. Because I’m so cool. I want to share some presents with you. FREE WAFFLES!!!!!!!!! Yup. That’s right. I got coupons for Free Van’s GF waffles. So the first 5 readers that email me, subject line: Gimme Waffles. Will be given a coupon for FREE WAFFLES. And please, include your email and mailing address – I’m awesome but not telepathic. Oh and this is so international, it isn’t funny. Shall we see if the Canadian and US readers want to race for the coupons?

One more time: email caitlin@glutastic.com. Subject: Gimme Waffles. Include your address and email.

Ready, set, go.

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2.0 GPA
April 5th, 2010 | caitlin | Categories: The Basket, Uncategorized No Comments »

Dear: Harris Teeter

If you were getting a grade on this, you’d have a 2.0 GPA. The only reason you get a 2 for this, is because you carry Bob’s Red Mill.

Other than that…

EPIC FAIL.

Sincerely,

Caitlin.

P.S. Management explained that it’s okay because there is no cross contamination. Yes that is true. Still an EPIC FAILURE.

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For My People At Home
April 3rd, 2010 | caitlin | Categories: The Basket 6 Comments »

I’m homesick today.

There are so many things that I miss about Calgary and Canada right now. I miss my family, my friends (who are the same as family), my dog and my old boss. I miss how the use of a car horn is reserved for celebrating a win in hockey or to indicate an emergency – and NOTHING else. I miss how no one gets scared when you say hi to them, even when you don’t know them. I miss being able to find East simply by turning my back to the mountains, I miss the letter ‘U’ and I miss local business.

Moving here has been like being re-diagnosed all over again. Nothing is the same, grocery stores are inconsistent and the rules of ppm are different. I miss knowing what’s okay to eat.

So this post is dedicated to my people at home. Here are some gems in your area. Support local and support the GF conscious business near you.

First: I want to send a shout out to GF Patisserie. Why? Because they are awesome. I’ve never kept that a secret. They are a great example of local business that cares, and that takes the time to do it right. Quality over quantity. It matters – trust me. So to the lovely ladies at GF Patisserie and to the Celiac Husband that supports them – you truly are ROCKSTARS.

Second: Copper Pot Creations. Here’s the deal – I never had the pleasure of eating there. This information comes to me from an insider. Yes, I still have spies in Calgary. Be aware, be very aware! I looked over their mandate and the menu and I’m impressed. Their products are 100% free of wheat/gluten, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy/casein, soy, sesame, fish and shellfish. Not going to lie, I had to stop and think: If the are free of all that, then what is left to cook with? And this, is why I am a domestic anti-goddess. There is lots left and they have made meals that look fantastic out it. They also offer free delivery with the city of orders $30/more. Someone please try them out and let us know how it is. I hope it tastes as promising as it looks/sounds.

Third: Wild Horse Bistro. My sister and my mom stumbled upon this gem when they were at the Farmers Market. And because they are so awesome, they sent the Chocolate Cake mix my way. It’s damn good. Nicely packaged, all ingredients included (at least the non-perishable ones) and easy to make. The cake came out fluffy, moist and rich. Wild Horse Bistro for the win! They operate out of Black Diamond, but can be found at Farmers Markets. Visit the site for more details.

So let me end with this. I miss you all. I miss you’re emails and comments. I miss your silent judgment of my culinary ineptness and even more importantly, I miss hearing about your lives. I may be living in the US, but for as long as I can type, I’ll do my best to contribute to your quest for GF greatness.

If anyone is interested in the directions I am going here, please feel free to follow my new twitter feed: @nonresident. A second blog is on it’s way. Because let’s be honest, I’m never short of things to say and living as a non-resident alien has given me more material than I ever thought possible.

Happy Easter My People.

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Having Breakfast with Ian
March 21st, 2010 | caitlin | Categories: Uncategorized No Comments »

I’ve been having breakfast with my friend Ian every day for a week.

Normally I just grab a cup of coffee and a bowl of Coco Pebbles and read CTV news. But this week I decided it was time to branch out. So I asked Ian if he would be my breakfast date, with the condition that he brought the food. He said yes.

Day1: Ian brought Egg and Cheese Wafflewich’s.

I was excited and hesitant. GF waffles tend to be dryer than burnt toast and about as flavourful as well. But Ian said that they were maple flavoured and I decided to trust him.

After waiting at the microwave for 1 minute and 20 seconds – my breakfast was ready. Oh yes, this is a breakfast that you microwave! Did you really think that I was going to wait around for something done by scratch? Don’t you know me better than that!

Verdict: The waffles were moist but not soggy and the egg heated well. I definitely thought it had the potential to be rubbery. And the smell of the maple waffle made me feel like Canada joined us for the meal. Something curious did happen though. The maple taste didn’t translate into the food. You could smell it but you couldn’t taste it. Small little moment of let down there.

Day 3: Ian brought French Toast Sticks

These were going to be a little more work than I wanted – these involved the OVEN. Since living here I think I’ve used the oven once and I had to call my mom and ask her how. Ovens in general don’t make any sense to me, let alone a gas oven. Parents: when you’re adult children call from a foreign country asking for you to show them via Skype how to turn on an oven, please refrain from hysterical laughing and just help us out – we’re hungry and out of options.

That being said, they were in the oven, and  the apartment started to smell really good. Excitement! After a few short minutes, it was time. The butter was melted on the top and if it wasn’t so expensive here, the syrup would have been poured. And then I cut into them, or tried at least. They didn’t really slice well. They held together with the force of magnets. Hun. With that aside I took my first bite. And bam, Maple awesomeness! No syrup needed. The act of chewing took sometime though. You see, when things don’t want to be cut, that generally means they don’t want to be chewed either. It was a bit of a struggle.

And for those of you wondering if that was a result of user error – see oven story above – it wasn’t. I’ve had them a few times since and even been supervised well doing it. I think that’s just the way they are.

Verdict: LOVE the flavour, not the texture.

Day5: Back to the Wafflewich’s but this time with sausage.

Same process in the microwave, 1 minute and 20 seconds. And no I didn’t need to call home to learn how to do that – I’m like the Wolfgang Puck of microwave food. And I have to say, good job Ian! This combination was awesome. There was some spice to the sausage and some sweetness to the waffle. I added my own cheese and the meal was complete. By far my favourite thing that Ian brought for breakfast. Arguably, this will help satisfy my uncontrollable cravings for McDonald’s sausage and egg McGriddles. And believe me people when I say uncontrollable, I mean painfully impossible to ignore style cravings.

Verdict: Definitely will keep a supply on hand.

Breakfast with Ian was great. He usually gears his attention towards a kids market, but there is nothing that says adult children can’t enjoy too.

Where to buy:

Calgary – Superstore, Deerfoot Meadows. It’s one of the few places I’ve seen Ian’s products. I know the french toast sticks are there, but not sure about the wafflewich’s.

Arlington – Whole Paycheck Foods, Harris Teeter.

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Epic Cookie Post of 2010
March 14th, 2010 | caitlin | Categories: The Basket, Uncategorized No Comments »

Who doesn’t like cookies? Like really people, cookies are awesome. And one of the major downfalls about being a Celiac – aside from the general feeling that the food industry hates you – is that GF cookies are dry, crumbly and just not good.

Well, I was lucky enough to get my hands on some GF cookies that actually make it okay to like cookies again.

Glutino has a line of cookies that will fool your tastebuds into thinking that you’re cheating on your diet. And really, isn’t that what it’s all about. Making yourself feel like you’re indulging?

Okay, maybe that’s just me. But here are the details, aka my opinions, anyway.

Chocolate Chip

These are good. They are crumbly because they’re supposed to be, and they are not too dry. I don’t know about you but I seriously hate it when cookies are so dry they stick to the roof of your mouth. It’s just not natural. Was I jumping for joy over them? Not really. They kind of left an after taste. And I can’t really find anything that describes it.

Oh wow, did you hear that? It’s the sound of life as we know it changing. I don’t have a descriptive word…something in the universe is out of line. Anyway, they’re good. I wouldn’t pass them up if they were around, but I won’t have dreams about running through a field of flowers with them either.

I say on a scale of 1 to Awesome, these score a Decent.

Chocolate Vanilla Creme

I started out a little apprehensive. The picture makes them look good, like really really good. I didn’t want to get my hopes up.

So what were the first words that came out of my mouth when I tried them?  “Oh hello”.

Yes, that’s right, say hello to my new friend the chocolate vanilla creme cookie. Once upon a time there were Oreos, and now there is Glutino. Moist and sweet without being sugary. They crumble the right way and are fantastic for dunking in milk. I personally think they add a little pizazz to the taste of my soy milk. But I’m also a deranged lunatic so don’t take my word on it, try it for yourself.

On a scale of 1 to Awesome, these score a Jumpy Claps.

Vanilla Creme

Dude. No seriously. Dude. Like wow. Not to slam the beautiful little ladies, but move over Girl Guides/Scouts, there is a new Sheriff in town.

These cookies are pure, unapologetic, addictive greatness. Who needs groceries when you can eat Vanilla Creme cookies? That’s it, I’m giving up salad and I am living off of coffee and cookies.

Well, at least for now. Like until Husband gets here and I have to actually share. I don’t share. So I guess I’ll have to make him dinner. Meh, he’s not going to be here for a few more weeks – cookie time at my place!

On a scale of 1 to Awesome, these score an Epic.

Look for them where Glutino is sold near you. And if you’re as lazy and house bound as I am, you can now shop on line at www.glutenfree.com. Oh how the internet just seems to make everything a little easier – if only I could get the internet to do my laundry and clean the house, I’d be one happy Celiac!

Happy Cookie Eating Everyone!

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Enchilada?
March 4th, 2010 | caitlin | Categories: Uncategorized 2 Comments »

A cheese enchilada – curious.

What really is a cheese enchilada?

I thought I’d see for myself, so I bought Amy’s Cheese Enchilada’s.

Um, so what I discovered is that a cheese enchilada is basically a tortilla and sauce. I think there was cheese, I think that’s what ozzed out when I cut into it. But that being said, all I tasted was sauce.

It didn’t look like the picture, and I had to eat it with a spoon. And I think I’m still a little confused as to what would make a cheese enchilada distinguishable from say, a cheese burrito.

Now, with all that being said. I know who the target market of these products should be – Teenage Boys…and Husband.

I say this because all I can see is Husband walking in the door after work, throwing them in the microwave and zoning out in front of the TV watching TSN ESPN. It’s a guy thing. If it’s warm, low maintenance and spicy, it’s a meal.

One caution to my super sensitive friends out there: These left me with an uneasy feeling. I did a little more inspecting and saw the fine print on the back of the box that said they were produced in a facility that also handles wheat. So although there are “no gluten ingredients” that does not mean there is no cross-contamination.

WARNING: I’d like to note that there may have been other contributing factors here – like the fact that I have replaced all water consumption with coffee, and that I have a tendency to eat peanut butter on bread and call it dinner. So please, take all factors into account when you decide if this is a product you want to try.

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Tardy to the Party
February 28th, 2010 | caitlin | Categories: Uncategorized 4 Comments »

What party am I talking about?

The Risotto Party!

Wow, I think I just heard you all judging me. Either way, you love me and that surpasses the judgment.

Okay, so how did I discover Risotto? I became a student living alone on a student budget.

You see, as an undergrad student, living on a budget was cool. It meant being creative about turning Ketchup into soup so that you could afford one more pitcher of beer that week. Being a Celiac graduate student on a budget, not so cool. I remember what it was like to have some money – not lots, but we had some. So I remember what steak and BBQ veg tastes like, I remember being able to eat out. Oh how I wish I didn’t remember.

So, why the new love of Risotto you ask? Because it’s my attempt to fancy up cheap food. Oh and it works.

If you want Budget Risotto: skip the chicken broth and the shallots and just use water. BAM, you have Budget Risotto. Some people would call it rice, but I prefer not to split grains like that.

If you want Romantic Risotto: substitute 1/2 cup of chicken broth with white wine. Wine is CHEAP here, so it still fits in the budget, and you can drink while you stir. It makes for a fantastic night.

If you want Fiesta Risotto: use Thai broth instead of chicken broth. I’ve seen these broths at Superstore in Calgary, as well as all over Arlington. Kind of makes you want to get a Chihuahua and name him Gunner doesn’t it? Okay maybe that’s just me, but that would be funny.

The options could be endless. I’m thinking I need to try Tail Gate Risotto and attempt to substitute in some GF beer, or maybe I can make a Rouge Risotto and use red wine as a substitute.

Please someone call an intervention here. I’ve clearly been living alone without any entertainment for too long.

If you have you’re own Risotto tricks please share – I’m always open to suggestions.

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Hello My People!
February 21st, 2010 | caitlin | Categories: Uncategorized 3 Comments »

Oh how I have missed you all so very, very much.

In an effort to keep my thoughts straight, I’m going to channel Husband and the good old ctoverdrive random list of awesome.

First: You may now call me Non-Resident Alien. Why? Because, it kind of makes me a big deal. Maybe not for the best reasons, but it does make me special. I won’t get into the details here, that’s what my new and concurrent blog will be for – details on that as soon as Husband gets it finished.

What’s important to know is that: 6 weeks, endless hoops and a bruise on my forehead from the palm to forehead smacking, and I finally have an apartment to live in. We are now the proud residents of an Arlington Apartment. Not too far from campus and even closer to everything Washington DC.

In an effort to show you my new world, here is a wonderful little video on Arlington. Trust me, it’s worth watching. I also give you permission to laugh at me after.

Second: This is probably the only Country where a celiac could gain weight! Case in point: Schar products. ALL of them. I am an addict. It’s so bad I stopped looking at the nutritional facts because I could tell by my waistline. And holy dukes, they have online ordering options. Good thing #107 has a gym! Oh yes, I refer to our place by the apartment number. Some people tweet #yyc I tweet #107. Oddly enough, only I think it’s funny.

And for the record. As much I’m having a love affair with Schar products, I’m still dying for some GF Patisserie sandwich bread. I’d be willing to trade. How about a box of cookies for some bread? Any takers?

Third: Bob’s Red Mill Rocks. It’s no secret that I adore their products. And what is so awesome about them is that they are more than good food, they are a great company. I’ve always advocated for the local guys, and I love nothing more than good companies doing good things. Bob I think is a beacon of this. Just look what he did for his birthday – damn I wish I worked there.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOB. Party like the Rock Star that you are.

Oh and to my American friends, does anyone know where to get Bob’s GF products in Arlington?

Fourth: If you see Husband aimlessly walking the streets of Calgary, please point him South and East. Unfortunately he had to take some time to close up shop in Calgary and has been eating a LOT of gluten in my absence – I think he’s been on a month long gluten hangover.

Finally: Now that I have a roof over my head and some utilities to light the place up I will be blogging more consistently. Thank you for bearing with me, there are some exciting things in the works and I hope you stick around to find out what they are.

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Hurricane George
January 13th, 2010 | caitlin | Categories: Uncategorized 4 Comments »

Mom: “Caitlin, one day, just one day would you try doing something the easy way?”

Caitlin: “Not likely.”

Mom: “Didn’t think so. We’re proud of you no matter how you do things.”

What is my mom referring to? She’s referring to the reason why I am blogging at terminal C28 in the Calgary Airport.

It’s not exactly a secret that I have been absent from this blog for awhile. For that, I will apologize to all of you. You are fantastic readers and you have contributed so much to my life. And I fully expect you to continue to do so. What is a secret is why I’ve been absent. Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t been hiding it from you on purpose, I just haven’t had a minute to sit down and really work on this. Okay, that’s not exactly the truth either. I’ve tried to sit down and write. I’ve written 3 posts on the topic in fact. 3 horrible, posts. And now I do what I do best – work under pressure.

Within one month, I have managed to get myself into a situation where I am experiencing two of life’s bigger events side by side. Event #1: Get Married. Fiance and I had the worlds greatest wedding on December 19th, 2009. You may now call him Husband. An epic engagement, a years worth of planning and the love and support of family all came together that night and created something that I will remember forever. I will blog more about this later because I’m sure you’re all wondering about things like food, cake, and people dancing with their pants down. For now, let’s talk about Event #2.

Event #2: Get a Masters Degree. Okay, seems simple enough. Well, do you remember my mom saying I don’t do anything the easy way? Well, I received my acceptance 5 days before the wedding and found out that I had to be at my first class exactly 1 month later.

Still seems simple enough right? Just get some paper and pens and get up to UofC for your classes. No. Since I like to maximize my experiences, I applied to do my Masters at George Mason University in Arlington Virginia.

Ha, you totally just panicked a little there for me didn’t you? How would she do that in a month? How would she get her visa, get a place to live, get flights, close her entire life in Calgary, and OMG what about Husband?

Don’t worry, these feelings will pass. How did I get my visa? I threatened to cause an international incident of epic proportion and when that failed I said “please”. Where would I live? With family friends in a different county until I could find a suitable place to live. So now I reside in Fairfax Virginia. Flights came courtesy of my fathers air miles. Packing up my entire life came courtesy of the internet and absolutely no sleep. And Husband is still in Calgary. He’s going to come later, when I have found us a place to live. Can you say epic road trip in a U-Haul with my dad and some cigars?!

Sometimes in life you need to leap off the cliff and look later. If jumping off of bridges attached to string, and jumping out of air planes with nothing but a prayer and a backpack with a shoot taught me anything, it’s that sometimes you just need to trust that you are equipped with everything you need even if you don’t know what the end result will be.

So what about the blog. It lives. It’s going to live for a very long time. Now instead of a domestically challenged celiac living in Calgary, it’s going to be written by a domestically challenged celiac living in Arlington, or Fairfax, or maybe even Washington DC. That will be determined when I’m no longer homeless!

A big thanks goes to my family for not only their support with the wedding, but their support through my epic journey to be something bigger than I am. And a huge thank you goes to Husband who has done nothing but support my endeavors since day one, and who has taken on this move in a way that is trully as much of a step forward for him as it is for me and for us. And please stay tuned, there may be a second blog on the horizon. Husband and I have been toiling around with the idea of a Turner Takeover website through which we blog our experiences and our thoughts on living this new lifestyle.

So to that, I say thank you for your continued support. I hope this blog brings you as much enjoyment as it did when I lived in Calgary. And I welcome your thoughts and comments along the way. AND, if anyone is coming this direction please let me know. I’d love to meet up with you as long as you bring me a loaf of GF Patisserie Sandwich bread!

Check back soon for all the details of the wedding and Christmas and life in the U.S.A

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