At times, I can be a “crunchy granola” kind of girl… The gluten free variety, of course!
Exhibit A: I have a peculiar obsession with Goji Berries.
Exhibit B: I can compost with the best of them!
Exhibit C: I enjoy a cup of Yerba Mate and Pi Lo Chun (don’t ask, it’s some kind of green tea).
Last year, I had joined a local CSA (community supported agriculture). Unfortunately, I ended up with too many veggies that I just didn’t know how to cook or really wanted to ingest (who the heck eats Dinosaur Kale?!). So, in my mission to find local, organic produce, I happened upon DanLynn Farms, a certified organic farm in Pedricktown, NJ. The kiddies (affectionately dubbed Thing 1 and Thing 2) had a blast on our outing. They were fascinated with the chickens, guinea hens, and tractors. I purchased (quite reasonably!) a bunch of cucumbers, some zucchini, yellow squash, and scallions. The owner actually dug the scallions right from the ground. You can’t get much fresher than that, huh?
I absolutely love cucumbers. They remind me of my childhood. Ok, that sounds like a strange statement, so let me explain. My grandparents were backyard farmers and gardeners. With almost an acre of land, they cultivated the most amazing vegetable gardens each year. I remember helping them shuck corn, pick peas and gooseberries, and harvest loads of cucumbers. At many a summer meal, my grandmother would make her simple but tasty “cucumber salad”. As a child I loved it and I still love it today. So, I’d like to share with you my Grandmother’s recipe for cucumbery goodness. I’ve altered it ever so slightly to make it a healthier meal. My family could have kept the Hellman’s Corporation in stock based on our consumption of their mayonnaise alone. Back in the “old days” we put Hellmann’s in everything (including cucumber salad!). In this recipe, the light sour cream makes the salad satisfying, but not heavy.
Cucumber Salad
Three cucumbers
1 & 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt
1/2 Vidalia onion
1/4 to 1/2 cup Light Sour Cream (I love the Daisy brand – you can’t tell it’s lowfat)
8 fresh mint leaves
Black Pepper to taste
Mint leaves for garnishUse a vegetable peeler to remove the cucumber peel. Note – remove less peel for more fiber and Vitamin A. Using the “thin slice” side of large grater (or just slice them really thin by hand), slice all cucumbers. In a colander, place all sliced cucumbers and mix in 1 & 1/2 teaspoons of sea salt. Allow the cucumbers to “drain” for 10 minutes. Cucumbers are naturally high in water content, so adding the sea salt actually draws some of the water out. After 10 minutes, take a handful of the cucumbers and squeeze in your hands to remove additional water. Repeat until you have squeezed all of the cucumbers
Put cucumbers in a serving bowl and set aside. Peel a Vidalia onion and again use the “thin slice” side of your grater. The onion slices should be paper thin so not to overpower the cucumber. After slicing 1/2 an onion, allow this to “drain” in the colander. Pat dry with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Then chop slices into small pieces. Add onion to serving bowl (with cucumbers). Then fold in 1/4 to 1/2 a cup of Light Sour Cream. Start off on the low end — you can always add more. Chop the 8 fresh mint leaves and fold into salad. Add fresh cracked pepper to your taste. Note – do not add salt to this salad. It will make it watery! Refrigerate until chilled. Garnish with mint leaves and additional cracked black pepper and serve. Note – use your discretion as to how much onion, mint, or sour cream your prefer. The mint adds a very mild hint of flavor, but can definitely be omitted. If you are not a huge onion fan, lessen the amount and be sure to chop into tiny pieces.
Enjoy!!!
Recently I decided to make good use of the basil from my herb garden. I’m impressed — this plucky basil is holding its own amongst the mint for my mojitos. I reside here in the great “Garden State”. For those of you who don’t know, that’s New Jersey. No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you — I actually typed New Jersey 
Little ol’ me is growing an herb garden. Well, I guess I should clarify; my herb garden is predominantly a mint garden. There are two basil plants thrown in for good measure, but mint is the front runner in the pack. Why? Well, I used to be a vodka kind of girl. In my single, partying days, it was shots of Absolut. Then, as I matured and grew into a responsible adult, it was Grey Goose mixed into various drinks. When I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, my vodka slurping world as I knew it was turned upside down. It was tough enough trying to figure out what food I could ingest, but what was safe to drink?
My husband will tell you I have a small addiction to household items (vegetable steamer, citrus juicer, hot chocolate machine, etc). Although these poor things haven’t seen the light of day since they came home from the store, I feel somewhat closer to cooking by acquiring them. I recently unearthed a Cuisinart Waffle Maker (still in its box) from my kitchen cabinet. Made hungry by the tasty looking waffle photo on the instruction guide, I decided to try to conquer this waffle oppressor. Filed away under the “Breakfast” category in my superiorly organized folder was a recipe I’d adapted for gluten free Pumpkin Waffles. Perfect! Now, back to my attention span. I don’t always have the time or energy to measure out 32 different flours to make a gluten free flour mix. Call me crazy, but when I can buy a pre-made flour mix that works just dandy, I’ll take that option! Although I might like to cut some corners in the cooking arena, I do make every effort to eat healthily. If the dish is great tasting, nutritious, gluten free, and easy to prepare, I’ll eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner until the cows come home. (Note – this is coming from a girl who ate peanut butter and honey sandwiches from Kindergarten through Twelfth Grade EVERY DAY) All joking aside, these waffles are fantastic!! If you have some time (and a waffle maker!), give this recipe a try. Prepare a batch, then individually freeze the leftovers and reheat for future meals.
Our weekends have been filled with picnics, birthday parties, and other random social events. On Sunday, I was schlepping my six year old to yet another party. Knowing there would be absolutely nothing I could eat at this celebration (well, if I was desperate, there’s always the party napkin!), I quickly downed a gluten free Think Thin bar en route. As it came time for the food portion, I tried not to drool over the mouthwatering greasy, cheesy pizza. Oh pizza, old friend, I miss you so 
After declining the pizza, then came the cake. Did I mention that the family hosting the party are bakers? This cake was a beautiful gluten filled dream. Again, I declined a slice. As the party was winding down, I almost jokingly asked the birthday girl’s father if they would ever consider offering gluten free baked goods at their business. I braced myself for the usual resounding “No”. However, his response caught me so off guard because he matter of factly said, “We have a large variety of gluten free foods.” Better yet, the bakery containing those gluten free delights was right down the street from the party. This amazing man ran down to his bakery (
