hello friends~ Las Olas in New Hampshire

It's been a busy summer and life at campchaos has been one adventure after another. We picked up an old canoe and have been spending time on the lakes of New England and staying cool as these mountain kids readjust to a summer on the humid east coast.

I've found a new gem... a place that makes me miss La Cocina de Luz in Telluride just a little bit more while also satisfying a need for a bit of southwestern cuisine. A place that has a pineapple salsa which has the perfect fusion of flavors and is well versed in the land of gluten free. Las Olas translates to The Waves and it's a perfect name for this seacoast favorite. They have two locations in Exeter and Hampton, New Hampshire. We hit up the original location in Exeter first and loved it so much that the next day found us traveling over to Hampton.  The last two times we've gone I've kicked myself in the parking lot for not having shared this yet. It's clean, simple food that's full of flavor and I can't believe it's taken me this long to blog about it.

 I've been my ususal creature of habit self and typically get two soft corn tacos- one chicken and one steak with pico de gallo and the pineapple salsa. It doesn't disappoint. They only server a few gluten items at Las Olas and the staff is well trained- but as always pay attention. They don't mind changing gloves and will bring toppings out from the kitchen to ensure that there's no cross contamination. Let them know your needs and they are happy to accommodate.
The pineapple salsa left us both craving more so we went home and recreated using the Bronski's recipe from Artisanal Gluten Free Cooking. 

I've also started a new job so I've been adjusting to a new work life balance and some looonnng days behind a computer... it's hard to come home and flip open the laptop while these faces beg for attention.

Rolling with the Tides and Just for Me Gluten Free in Haverhill, MA

One of the biggest things that we all have to learn in our gluten free journey is how to deal with change and  roll with the tide. Some of us embrace the challenge head on and dive into learning, cooking and enjoying all that the gluten free life has to offer while others may take some time to warm up, no judging here- we all cope with this journey differently. Often times these lessons learned in gluten free living can help us deal with other areas of life as well.

These days I'm rolling with the tide and shifting gears a bit. It's a big step and the magnitude may not really hit until the snow flies next winter but I'm ready for the next phase of life. Camp Chaos (my home) has traditionally been in the mountains and this year we're moving to the ocean. We'll always be skiers and the mountains will always be our love but we're not solely defined by one thing or where we rest our head at night. We're opening up our lives to the next adventures and discovering that life can also feel good with a bit of sand between your toes (or on your tennis ball as in the case of the pups)  

This also changes my gluten free game as I'm now within striking distance of PF Chang's and Whole Foods. Seriously- this is big. It doesn't mean I'll hit each weekly but now I could as I'm less then 30 minutes from either. Last week I took a little field trip to Haverhill, MA and hit up a new-to-me store which I happened to feel right at home in...

I thought you might too. Just for Me Gluten Free is a small boutique that I found via a google search and since I *had* to go to Haverhill anyhow to go to Target I figured I should swing in.
There were so many of my favorite gluten free goodies but I was on a time crunch and couldn't linger. I quickly found some English Muffins that my younger sister loves and a few Liz Lovely treats.

Foods By George makes one fat english muffin and I actually thought the hearty four pack was a six pack at first. I kept them in the freezer and would let it defrost on the counter for a few hours. There's not dedicated gluten free toaster for me so I sliced it in half and fried it up in a pan with a bit of Earth's Balance before loading it with strawberry jam. I have to say- I'm impressed with George. These were thicker then the ones my Gluten Free English Muffin dealer supplied me with this winter and had a more "classic" appearance with all the delightful air pockets that became perfect little homes for the jelly.

My Liz Lovely finds were a real treat,I've been a fan of the vegan bakery since my friend first shared their gluten free goodies with me on a road trip in 2009. While I lived in Colorado I would order a case of cookies for special occasions (really- it was the best shipping deal- I had to get a whole case...thankfully they let you mix it up!) so it was fun to just pick up a pack or two. I also got to try a new product...

the new gluten free and vegan Liz Lovely Oh's. These little bad boys come in packs of 8 and are thickly coated in chocolate.

Love at first bite... I hid them in the back of the fridge but that was mostly from myself and not from Dave...