Spring Meltdowns and Gluten Free Comfort Foods

This has been a funny weather year in the Northeast... we had a record breaking HEAT wave in March which caused the great meltdown of the ski resorts. We managed to pull through it and set a new record for latest snowmaking on record for Sugarloaf. Those dedicated snowmakers unfurled the hoses and made snow on March 27th. Snowmaking usually ends for the season in early February and the snow from snowmaking and Mother Nature has been known to last well into April and even into May here at Sugarloaf.  The snowmaking effort paid off and the mountain recovered in good fashion and Mother Nature even came through with more seasonable temperatures and a bit of natural snow.

I'm not gonna lie- this ski bum enjoyed a week of summer temps and even sported chacos and shorts during the heat wave.  The pups also soaked up the rays of the sun in style.

 We did ski during the great meltdown and I was well prepared with my Udi's Bagel for lunch on the ski lift.

The bright side of a spring meltdown is that you actually can eat a bagel on the lift without the fear of frostbite setting in. This is a rare mitten-less photo of my hand that would not normally occur.

This new cold spell has inspired a more winter like menu and I found myself making the first Beef Stew of the winter and it created a wonderful aroma in the house as it simmered in the crockpot all day. 

 We also found comfort in a warm Risotto with chicken....

 And in Red Curry with chicken and veggies...

I've also revisited my Peanut Sauce with Chicken and Noodles

Now the calendar and Mother Nature seem to have made peace and we're going to enjoy skiing for a few more weeks here in Maine. I'll take this kind of meltdown any day over the kind of meltdown we went through last winter.  That was much harder then melting snow and it pains me whenever anyone has to go through those types of challenges. So please join me and let's send some good thoughts to Marlow from Gluten Hates Me who is facing her own roller coaster this year.
Here's a Survival Smoothie (virtual style) for Marlow and anyone else who needs some antioxidants for some serious fighting power.

Oh Bother Smoothie
1 handful ice cubes
1 banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries (Wild Maine Blueberries preferred here at campchaos)
1 cup apple juice (or a bit more)
1 scoop Spiru-tein High Energy Meal Vanilla Flavor (make sure it's labeled gluten free!)

Toss all into a blender and hit the smoothie button until smooth. Place in favorite mug and feel the blueberries power you up. 

gluten free sandwich love.... D'Ellies at Sugarloaf

I've always been a fan of a good sandwich. In my gluten-eating days I've had two great sandwich shops, The Brown Bag in Telluride and my first love, D'Ellies at Sugarloaf, Maine. I was very lucky in Telluride to have gluten free bread at the Brown Bag and when I left Telluride I accepted the fact that a good gluten free sandwich was going to be a thing of my past as I moved back to the western mountains of Maine. Then I saw it on Facebook 

So I walked in.... I made sure to go during a timeframe when it wasn't busy so I could ask questions without driving the people in line behind me crazy. We talked about bread making (in house), cross contamination (possible but they're very cautious), levels of sensitivity (high) and more. I placed my order and waited while I enjoyed a view of the Bigelow Mountain range.

 My gluten free order was similar to my D'Ellies orders of the past, turkey with carrots, cukes, hots, onions and their homemade pesto mayo but with gluten free bread instead of my beloved Anadama a glutenous bread made with cornmeal and molasses. 

As always D'Ellies included their signature homemade pickle which is a lightly picked cucumber. The bread had a good flavor but was a bit crumbly. (Toasting wasn't an option) I'm really excited to have D'Ellies back in my life and to be able to enjoy a sandwich after a day on the hill. 

gluten free lunch and a snowshoe in the Maine woods

 
It's been a funny winter this year and we haven't seen as much snow in Maine as we'd like to. That hasn't stopped us and a few weeks back we ventured out to the Mount Abraham area for a snowshoe hike. We dug the snowshoes out from our trusty Thule box and dressed the pups up in their technical Ruffwear Soft shells so that when they rolled in the snow they'd stay a little dry. 

These pups love good gear and sometimes can be found sporting doggy backpacks on our adventures. Chaos isn't able to walk too far so we tromped through the woods and down to the river and had lunch. Dave fired up our stove and within 20 minutes we were enjoying a bit of curry from Backpacker's Pantry.

We've often used these meals for convenience while camping last summer and the meal was very satisfying after a winter trudge through soft snow. The upside with the funky weather is that we've enjoyed a lot more sunshine then normal for a Maine winter which has helped to ease the transition from the high altitude sunshine of Colorado.

Cooking versus Knitting

I've been meaning to post more but now that we're in the thick of winter I'm finding that I'm craving knitting time more so then cooking time. Thankfully one of my gluten free sisters has been picking up my slack and offering her insight to Think Outside the Breadbox showcasing not only her lovely Pumpkin Bisque but also a hand knitted sweater covered in soup. Two loves collide...thankfully it's a washable merino wool. My knitting project list keeps growing and I seem to always have at least 3 projects rolling at once. I've been finding it hard to put my needles down to catch up on my blogging.
However, a knitter does need to keep up her energy and I've been fueling up with some great staples. I like to start my day with breakfast before I hit the needles to hard and have found that frozen Maine blueberries defrost quickly when added to a bowl of gluten free quick oats.

I've whipped up items for household use like a swiffer cover that I found on Pinterest, I need to make a few more. The textured cotton works much better then the Swiffer pads and are eco-friendly.

I made mine so I could just tuck it into the little swiffer holds.  Somehow I've even been on a salad kick lately. I'm not sure what's wrong with me as it's usually not in my rotation. Perhaps it's the Maine winter with it's lack of sunshine that's making me crave greens or maybe it's the lovely greens I've been knitting with.

I did manage to find a new gluten and dairy free dressing to use. I've also got a gf/df ranch but I'm holding that one until our next homemade chicken tenders night.

What keeps you out of the kitchen and how do you get your mojo back? I did manage to eek out a batch of Whoopie Pies for Valentine's Day (shouldn't everyone get  a little whoopie for the holiday?) but overall my flour usage has dropped considerably.

"Oh Bother" Gluten Free Smoothies

I love my Eeyore mug, it's over sized is the perfect fit for a powerful smoothie whenever I'm fighting off ski country germs (all winter long). The best part about ski towns is that we get visitors from all over- the worst part is that they all bring different strains of germs along with them. I wish we could just have the people but it's a package deal.

Oh Bother Smoothie
1 handful ice cubes
1 banana
1/2 cup frozen blueberries (Wild Maine Blueberries preferred here at campchaos)
1 cup apple juice (or a bit more)
1 scoop Spiru-tein High Energy Meal Vanilla Flavor (make sure it's labeled gluten free!)

Toss all into a blender and hit the smoothie button until smooth. Place in favorite mug and enjoy while fighting germs.  
Note: this won't save you from getting germs from away then getting slammed with a cold but it will taste good and help you fight the cold so you can get back on the slopes without a large pocketful of cough drops and tissues. I fully expect to see you out there regardless of how you feel. It's New England and we're hard core skiers. Now, can I borrow a tissue? What you don't want it back? Never-mind, I'll just keep my germs to myself behind my scarf here.

gluten free chicken soup for the skier's soul

Usually every soup I make ends up having a curry flavor (like this one). It's an easy one to grab off the shelf and I know how it's going to come out. This week I got back to basics and aimed for a Chicken Soup that tasted, well like chicken soup.  Dave's a bit tired of curry soup too- it could be due to the fact that I usually use a large 8qt pot and end up filling it and we end up eating a few days worth of curry soup.
The night before I cut the chicken and marinated with EVOO and some Herbs de Provence. The next day I chopped veggies (around 6 big carrots, 1/2 large onion and 3 stalks of celery) while I cooked the chicken and boiled a half of a cup of dry lentils. I changed the water twice on the lentils as I like to be sure they're nice and clean. Although I didn't have to pre-cook,  I wasn't sure how long I was going to be and I'm still adjusting to the low cook times of sea level. Do lentils ever taste dirty to you or did I just make that up in my head?
I tossed everything in the 4 quart crock pot along with chicken stock and 1/2 cup of quinoa and cooked on low for 8 hours while I went out and hit the mountain for the day. It's been super cold here in the western mountains of Maine and I'm playing around with different combos of down jackets and hard shells. I've also grabbed the warmest fleece pants I own and paired them with Patagonia capaline for the super chilly sub zero days. 
It was a great mix up from the rice and curry soup that usually hits the table at camp chaos and I even tossed a handful of fresh spinach into my bowl to for some added veggie power. The quinoa really didn't need 8 hours so I may toss it in later in the day next time. A warm soup after a chill day at Sugarloaf really hit the spot and defrosted my body.

my gluten free english muffin dealer

Part of the fun about living in a Maine ski town is the weekend crew that arrives each Friday night. These hard core skiers work a normal work week then each Friday load up their cars and make the trek north on route 27. They might hit the local watering hole when they get to the Valley but regardless they're up early on Saturday vying for first chair. It doesn't matter how cold the thermometer drops and how high the humidity climbs and how negative the windchill becomes- they are Sugarloafers and they live for these days on the mountain.

This year I'm lucky enough to have friends who will be my English Muffin dealers. They come up from the Maine coast and will swing into the "Hootin" Gluten Free Bakery and grab a four pack for me. These are the only gluten free English Muffin's I've tried but I feel I know a good baked good when I see one.

We don't rock a toaster oven at camp chaos so I toss a bit of Earth Balance in a pan on the stove top and heat these gently. Add a bit of homemade jam and it's a breakfast that will fuel any day on the slopes- no matter how cold.

Leaving Colorful Colorado, Cross Country Gluten Free Travels

On each of the major roads on the Colorado boarder stands a sign that reads

 on a cross-country road trip it's one of many signs that will be encountered. On a cross country move it bears a lot more weight. I've moved out of Colorado. Think Outside the Breadbox will now be a Maine based blog. I'll work on adding some disclaimers to some Local Love blog posts but bear with me as I'm without internet at the new dwellings.

me and mayhem

Our cross country travel was interesting as always... take one 4Runner and load in two dogs and a nervous cat then one 16' Penske Truck full of furniture, ski gear, a bouldering pad, dog beds, people beds and more then drive 2,600 miles across America.

Chaos staying chill on the cooler

Mayhem checking out Dave in the Penske truck

our first PF Chang's stop

quick stop on Colorado's I-70

Dave, Chaos & Mayhem outside the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Add in 3 stops to PF Chang's for a glutard's safety net, 2 stops to Whole Foods and 1 stop to the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH just to mix things up. And for a side of gluten stop into Cleveland's Hard Rock Cafe and order a gluten-free cobb salad off the gluten-free menu and feel the gluten seep into your whole being as you leave the city and head back toward the moving truck. Feel justified in your obsession with PF Chang's and Whole Foods as you fight off the gluten effects along Interstate 80 in PA.
Try to eat an applesauce that you found in Target as you know it's safe and will help get the gluten out....
Roll into Mass and hit up Flatbread Pizza Company for some safe gluten free pie and a bit of greens

round it out with a "goodbad" dessert

Moondance Chocolate Chip Gluten Free Cheesecake.... yum and chocked full of dairy. Now that I'm settling into my new life I'm cleaning up my act again and breaking up with dairy.

I'm also learning to bake gluten free at sea level- wish me luck!

Best Road Snacks- the 2011 List
GoGo SqueeZ Apple Sauces
Glutino Pretzels  
Banana Chips mixed with M&M's
Odwalla Mango Tango Smoothie
Surf Sweet Gummy Snacks
Mott's Medley's Fruit Snacks

Telluride Blues & Brews Festival from a Glutard's View

We hit up the Telluride Blues and Brews Festival this weekend. It's a beer lover's paradise- that is for GLUTEN drinking beer lovers. There's not a single gluten free beer to be found within the town park during the 3 day festival. This year I did find some great options for enjoying the festival in gluten-free style.

 I know what you're thinking... why would any gluten free person look at a Pizza booth at a beer festival? Is that just asking for trouble?

But a closer look reveals the truth... this booth is done by the local kid's ski & snowboard club and club members decided to do a gluten free offering this year.

 And just down the way was a booth offering Skinny Girl Margs- not the best Marg I've ever had but it was nice to enjoy a drink with friends on a chilly night as we listed to moe. and Big Head Todd & the Monsters in Telluride Town Park. The morning had torrent of rain and even snow which stuck to the peaks so the pristine grassy fields of town park became a muddy mess. I capped off my evening with Telluride Truffles which are locally made with Belgian chocolate and inspired by the mountains.

 

Today I went back for more gluten free goodies at the park after a hearty breakfast of french toast made with Rudi's.(More on Rudi's later this week- stay tuned...)

I hit up the pizza booth again for a slice of peperoni then swung over to the cotton candy booth for a pink bag of sugary goodness. Plus it matched my shirt... can you read it?

"Gluten Makes Me Grumpy" (You too can wear your gluten free status...) I had a few laughs from fellow festival patrons today and met some other gluten free people as well.

We even got the see Willie Nelson take the stage... how often do you get to see a legend like Willie in your town and see the alpenglow over snow capped peaks like Ajax Peak at the end of the Box Canyon. 

Are you coming to Telluride for a festival, read through my series a bit of love....Telluride for some gluten free options on your visit. Be sure to always double check... things change quickly in a small mountain town.

a bit of local love... The Brown Dog, Telluride, CO

Last night we had your average Saturday night. We went into town and had pizza with friends at the Brown Dog, a local sports bar in Telluride. So normal, so average yet so wonderful.

The Brown Dog has come a long way since they brought gluten free pizza to the bar. The pizza scene as a whole has changed in the last year. It used to be a greasy slice we'd grab after a late night out in my gluten eating days and it's evolved into a place that specializes in pizza. They've taken classes and developed thier pies into something to that's craved for dinner not just after a night out on the town.
When they first brought gluten free pies to the scene it was  haphazard... they didn't have them every night and they weren't a highlight on the menu.

 

The Brown Dog's 9" Gluten Free pizza is actually 9" unlike some other places that boast a 10" gluten free pie that barely measure 7" across. The crust has a good sweetness thanks to the tapioca base and it's a thicker dough that fills up your stomach quickly. At a base price of $10.99 and $.79 toppings it's a reasonable price and lasted two meals for one person.

Since we were out with friends Dave split a gluten pie with them while I enjoyed half of my gluten free pizza covered with cheese (more on this) peperoni and pineapple. 

I also knit while waiting for the pizza to come... doesn't everyone knit in a sports bar?  The boys were trading stories of work, climbing and rafting adventures so it wasn't a hard line of conversation to follow.

Cheese... ah.... cheese.... how I love the concept of cheese and the flavor of cheese but hate the aftermath. Last night's pizza then today's leftovers left me with a cheese hangover. I'm running a bit slow on the uptake and my body feels heavy and lethargic. Last year I had a great purge from all things dairy while this summer I have the occasional "cheat". I cook with real butter but avoid dairy otherwise and use almond milk for baking and cereal. The aftermath of the cheesy pizza reminds me why I need to take care of myself. I only had Coke at the bar since I was driving and still feel funky today.

The Peanut Sauce Revisited

My menu lately has included Thai Chicken pizza (love) and Gabo Gato. Over the last few years I've begun using the same sauce for both with just a slight modification of added oil for the noodle sauce. I've tweaked the sauce and although I usually don't measure- I go for taste and color now- I've got the basics here:
3T Peanut Butter
3T GF Soy Sauce
3T Brown Sugar
3T Vinegar
Spice to taste with garlic, cayenne, ginger or the like...
Optional thin out for pasta with 3T + 1t oil

I've been making a big batch each week then using it on the pizza and using the leftovers slowly during the week. Last week I was asked if it could freeze well... I gave it a whirl and the answer is YES! I put it in an ice cube tray and made handy little cubes to portion out for my peanut cravings. The ice cube tray wasn't perfect and I think next time I'll roll with silicone cups so they'll pop out easier. They did defrost quickly.

I pulled the peanut butter cubes from the freezer and whipped up a pizza dough with the Bronski's recipe. I've been taking the easy way and using a Chebe dough lately but felt the urge to go real.

I proofed the yeast and mixed the dough then par baked it for just under 10 minutes before topping with Peanut Sauce and a few veggies for a slight variation of our Thai Chicken.

The peanut sauce wasn't the only thing I tweaked recently... my ankle also falls under that label and 10 days later it's no better. I was climbing and took a small fall with a big smack against the rock with my foot taking the brunt of the force. I was pretty jazzed up and it did hurt right away but the pain hit in force later on.

After 9 days of on and off pain I finally broke down for some X-Rays and a Doctor's visit which didn't produce any results so it's a wait, rest, ice and see game. Not the one I want to play as we have to run through the United area at DIA tomorrow from a little plane to the big plane. I'm hoping it holds up enough so I can get away with Chacos for our week in New England's 90 degree heat and humidity.