Welcome to Gluten-Free

We've been avoiding wheat and dairy more than usual for the last few weeks, due to allergies. In doing so, I have discovered an incredible excitement for finding and modifying new recipes that are suitable for us to eat. I've found that it is next to impossible to find wheat-free recipes without being completely gluten free, unless I substitute spelt flour for wheat, which also works, but my grinder is being difficult! We've decided also to avoid meat except for once or twice on the weekend. I've always believed in eating meat "sparingly," but it seems like lately I've been basing every meal around some kind of meat. Now I'm focusing meals around vegetables and grains, so I've been looking for basically vegan recipes, simply to be more healthy. There are some nasty recipes out there for vegans, so I've been digging for the good ones that even meat-lovers can enjoy. I'm having fun! I know it's a good recipe if my boys like them. Anyway, so I found this gluten-free recipe book at a book bin at a Ross's store, and this cookie recipe is so simple and tastes amazing! I made some today to try them out. The boys approve!






Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies

1 cup packed light brown sugar (I use Turbinado sugar; it's non-processed sugar cane that is way better for you than white processed sugar and it tastes just as good!)
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat brown sugar, peanut butter and egg in medium bowl with electric mixer until blended and smooth. Shape dough into 24 balls and place 2 inches apart on a non-greased cookie sheet. Flatten them slightly with a fork and bake for 12 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool completely. You can melt the chocolate chips and drizzle them on top, or just mix them into the dough, which is what I did. Yum! It makes 2 dozen cookies. I will definitely be making these regularly. The recipe comes from the book Incredibly Easy Gluten-Free Recipes. (I hope I don't get in trouble for posting this!) Anyway, so I thought I'd share! Maybe I should start a blog with the recipes I find!
An update on JayC: his shoulder is healing quickly. His doctor told him that he's actually healing more quickly than most other patients do, so we're thankful for that. It still hurts often, especially when he first wakes up, but at least we know it's going to heal soon. He has another surgery on Friday (the 15th) for his hernia, so we'll have to go through the whole hospital adventure again already, but I'll be relieved to have it done. Hopefully he'll be a new man when it's all over! I know we're definitely being blessed through all of this. He'll get a week and a half to recover from the hernia surgery, and then it's back to work again. His new duty right now is two nights on and two nights off, so he works a 12 hour shift all night and then sleeps 8 hours the next day. Last night was his first night of that, and he loved it. They get to watch movies and play games, so he's in his element! It's a nice job for him until he's all recovered from his surgeries. Then we'll await what the military holds in store for us...