At times, it’s hard for me to remember life before the title of “Mom”. I have many other labels – wife, daughter, sister, and friend, but “Mom” feels most special. Being loved unconditionally is a pretty amazing thing. There’s nothing like your son telling you how pretty you look when in all reality your hair looks like a bird’s nest and your sweat suit attire should have been packed away five years ago. I did get my son Ryan’s eyes checked after his adorable statement but his peepers were just fine.
My daughter Emma just turned 10 and my son Ryan will be 7 next month, so I’ve had the pleasure of celebrating many a Mother’s Day. No matter how you choose to celebrate, the most important part of the day is being together. With that said, presents, flowers, and sparkly objects will not be turned down…
Happy Mother’s Day from one mom to another!
Breakfast in Bed
I love to sleep. I think it’s because I was sleep deprived for the first five years of my kids’ lives. In my humble opinion, there is nothing better than being served breakfast in bed. Well, an all-expenses paid trip to Hawaii would totally be better, but that’s comparing apples to oranges. Why not treat mom to a delicious gluten-free breakfast? Don’t forget to clean up the dishes afterwards – that’s sure to score you bonus points.
There are so many gluten-free breakfast options! Open up your box of Gluten-Free Bisquick to whip up some PB&J Waffles or a Coffee Cake. Check out my hints to serve up mom a creative & tasty breakfast! Than brew up a fresh pot of coffee or pour her a glass of OJ and start mom’s day off deliciously!
Picnic in the Park
Picnics are fun for the whole family. Pack a picnic basket with mom’s favorite foods and head off to celebrate Mother’s Day while she relaxes on a blanket reading her favorite book or magazine. Rain in the forecast? No worries – bring the picnic indoors! Set up in your living room and put on some of mom’s go-to music.
Picnics are all about easily transportable foods. Pack up a container of Tomato, Mozzarella & Roasted Red Pepper Salad or White Bean Hummus with some carrots and celery. Go Picnic has ready-to-eat meals for your picnic-themed jaunt. Want a sweet treat for mom? Bring along some of Lucy’s Sugar Cookies and Chocolate Peanut Butter layer bars. Mom’s belly will be full after your gluten-free picnic eats, so let her doze off for a bit (remember my comment on sleep deprivation?).
Dinner Fit for a Queen
Mom will truly feel like royalty has you prepare her a delicious Mother’s Day dinner. If she loves “comfort food”, bake up a Glazed Meatloaf or a Bard’s Beer Chocolate Espresso Chili. Surprise mom with a fine dining feel with Coq Au Vin. Bake up a gluten-free Carrot Cake or a Gluten-Free Devil’s Food Cake with a Rich & Creamy Cherry Frosting.
Don’t forget to give your mom a big hug and a kiss. Those moments will be forever treasured!
In spite of my stubborn resistance to cooking, I find myself endlessly cutting recipes out of magazines and anal-retentively filing them in my color coded recipe folder. Why, you ask? Because having celiac truly makes you think about food – what you are eating, how it’s prepared, and the ingredients that are going into your meal. One (ahem, me) eventually needs to suck it up and cook something for themselves.
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.
