Help send Jackie to Africa!

I honestly don't know why I am writing this because the last thing I want to do right now is send my best friend to the other side of the world. But, it's HER dream and it's HER turn to get out of here and live it up; doing what she wants to be doing. Awesome.

Jackie is raising funds to pay for an internship she applied for and got into, in Kenya. It's for 13 months and she'll be over there working on SUSTAINABLE development-meaning, she not one of those lame-o's that goes over and builds a well and says whup-dee-doo and then leaves and it's not maintained and people are still starving etc. She's gonna do stuff that the people actually need and could use. I'm pretty much butchering her story so I encourage you to look at her blog. Rachel helped her make it and it's pretty awesome. If you are up for any financial contribution that would be awesome as the trip is an exorbitant amount of money but, encouraging comments are ALWAYS helpful. Check it out:
Jackie's awesome blog

Dinner!

Brussel Sprouts and Chicken
Who hates brussel sprouts?-Smother them in butter, sugar and bacon and you'll be fine.

Brussel Sprouts:
-Steamed brussel sprouts-in 1 inch boiling water for 15 min-I like 'em mushy. Strain. Set aside.
-Heat up 2 Tbs of butter and 2 tsp of white sugar. Then add 2-4 Tbs apple cider vinegar (I didn't measure anything).
-Add brussel sprouts and sliced mushrooms, let them sizzle and fry
-Add bacon bits, then spoon out into a bowl
-I threw the chicken in the pan to sizzle in the leftover juices
Chow down

Gluten Free Cornbread

Marie got me this-Bob's Red Mill. It's delicious. I faked a half-batch to make sure I didn't screw up and waste the whole thing. It said to cook it in a 9x9 for 25 min. at 375. I cooked it in a bread pan for probably 30 min. We'll see how it is cold or toasted tomorrow.

Flours!

I went out to Gramma's and got some canning jars to put my gluten-free flours in, at least to hold off my urge to go to Ikea. The flours come in crummy plastic packaging that can easily rip and since they're NOT particularly cheap I decided to make sure they are safe. Since I'm still an amateur, I cut the labels off and taped them to the jars-so I don't forget what to do them! My sis has made the pizza crust for me which, Alex and scarfed down and Alex and I also made a chocolate cake mix which, is still in my fridge and isn't bad. I find myself not eating it as much as I thought-I would rather have a Chilean nectarine! mmm

All purpose flour, flaxseed meal (egg replacement), buckwheat waffles and pizza crust.

Oh my, I just had an awful vision of mixing up the buckwheat with the pizza crust, yuck! Buckwheat is pretty weird though, I feel I could pick it out easily.

I also am borrowing some canisters my housemate, Marie, isn't using for my brown-rice flour, tapioca flour, and the package of cornbread mix she got for me. :-) Flour/mix galore. I need to get cookin!

I'm all posted-out now, I'm gonna get my butt outside!

Sunday Morning Breakfast!

So, I've been craving waffles. I have a huge waffle maker that I got for christmas one year. So, I made Bob's Red Mill Buckwheat waffles. I would probably want to try a rice flour recipe in the future.
-1 cup of mix
-2 eggs*
-2 Tbsp. oil
-3/4 cup cold water
*For eggs, I used Bob's Red Mill flaxseed mix. Mix one Tbs of meal with 3 Tbs water per egg. You mix it separately and let it sit and gel.

They turned out ok, they pretty much taste like buckwheat (better than they look). I soaked it with the help of Mrs. Butterworth and ate the whole thing which, I don't recommend, it's pretty hefty and filling. Blech-I'm a buckwheat blob. Time to go for a run in the sun!

Saturday Hiking

Barbara, Jackie, Rachel and I went for a hike on Saturday. We got lost, (apparently I was the designated driver and navigator, and fell short) but, found our way to Crown Point which was an amazing view, though very, very windy. Almost lost my hat off the mountain.
We finally found the trail head (east of Multnomah falls) and hiked Horsetail Trail. It was about 5 iles, 2 miles uphill and it was awesome! Here's some photos, Rachel has more too.








Jackie and Barbara

Valentines

I did make some Valentines (not as many as I wanted), and sent them out late. I almost said screw-it and put them in a box to save for next year-it was amidst my allergy news but, I managed to throw them together. I bought materials, paper, stamps, cards, stickers, etc. with a chirstmas Michael's giftcard from Rich. Thank you!

Well...

So now I'm also allergic to a milk protein-casein which means cheese is no-go too. AND my peanut and almond allergy was re-evaluated and came back positive. Kinda sucks because I ate peanuts and dairy all week. More adjustments. BUT I am 6 POUNDS lighter since two weeks ago so... cheers!

via US Recall News-yep, I got the photo from a news article about the salmonella outbreak-the original source of my current dire straits


via OregonLive
-I'm gonna really, really miss you. But in Albuquerque it's $8/lb. so it's probably a good thing.

I have decided that goat milk and cheese is ok. The casein protein is different and there is much less of it in the milk. Goat cheese will also be a good, alternative sandwich-spread to mayo, since I'm still not the biggest fan of mustard.

via sugarplumdiary.com

Well, I'm allergic to:

Whey (an additive in ice cream for example), egg white, egg yolk, coffee (jesus is a hater), banana, blueberry, cranberry, pineapple, oyster (blech-not real upset), wheat (gluten and gliadin), pecan, sesame, spelt, whole wheat, asparagus, chili pepper and kamut (a grain).

Yuck!


via m.blog
I'll miss you.

Outside, I'm also allergic to:

Trees, English walnut, juniper, sweet gum, grass, fescue, plantians, weeds, ragweed, greer cat, dogs, feathers, MOLD, smut, dust mites, greer dust, and the American cockroach.

Mold and dust and that cockroach are the worse. Whuppee

Yikes!

via Time

Happy V-Day!

Hugs!

via mizisocial

Happy Valentine Collage!