Posted in Easter, Sweet Treats, Teacher Life

Is There Life After the Chocolate Bunny??

Posted on by katiebiddle4317

I’ve made it: Spring Break is approximately 15 hours away. I’m not sure who would win the title of “most excited/off the wall because Spring Break is imminent” between the students and the teachers…but I have a strong suspicion the scales are tipped in the teacher corner. A solid week of alarm-clock-free mornings, laidback sips of coffee while watching the Today Show, reading books for pleasure (though really that will actually be spent writing feedback and comments on countless unit plans for Notre Dame), and of course time to travel and catch up with old friends and family. In fact, I get to meet my new godson!! (Remember that exciting news I wasn’t quite ready to share a few weeks ago?) He is just about 3 weeks old and I’m heading to Virginia this weekend to meet him and to catch up with his mom who was my next-door classroom neighbor/1st grade teacher extraordinaire at my ACE school in DC. Add this to the list of good things I wish I could have promised my “5-Years-Ago Self” would come out of those days in DC 🙂

A friendship that formed in the humble halls of Holy Redeemer DC 🙂

And most of all, Spring Break means one of my favorite weeks of the year is upon us: Holy Week. I wish I could explain it but as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved Holy Week. I remember sitting in my bedroom as a 9-year-old poring over my 365-page “Bible Story A Day”book which I was determined to read in its entirety between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday. While most kids seem to dread a string of nights in a row that entail lenghty Church services, I looked forward to the events of Holy Week with the same excitement most kids reserve solely for Christmas. Each Holy Thursday my family processed up the aisle with our contribution to the family bread tradition. I craned my neck to watch in awe as “regular” churchgoers like myself were called forward to have their feet washed (and the year I finally got to be one of those lucky 12…well you can imagine). I even loved the seemingly endless Eucharistic procession and adoration which followed Holy Thursday mass. Granted I think it was moreso because I played the violin and thus was entranced by the gorgeous string quartet which provided the music just that one night each year. I don’t think I yet understood what was even going on with that golden monstrance.

Good Friday was even better. We got to process through the streets of our small town with members of other churches for the Walking Stations of the Cross. Then we’d be back at church again that night for Lenten supper, one last traditional Stations of the year, and then my favorite activity: transforming the church sanctuary for Easter Sunday. Lily after lily after lily on an assembly line of helping hands. I loved it all. Yes, Triduum always was, and still remains, one of my favorite seasons of the liturgical year. In fact, I enthusiastically professed this fact during my first year in ACE as I scampered out the door with the Saint in a Bow Tie to attend mass at Georgetown…and it was at that moment when several members of our community (and their parents) decided I must be bound for the convent. Needless to say, most people don’t seem to share the enthusiasm I have for Holy Week and the various remembrances therein.

Of course, most people do share that same enthusiasm for Easter Sunday. Though I’d say this enthusiasm tends to be more fueled by visions of bunnies, baskets, and an endless supply of jelly beans than Christ’s triumph over the grave. Baby steps. There is one thing I always looked MOST forward to about Easter: my peanut butter egg. (I know, you thought it was going to be something church-related didn’t you?? See, I really was a typical kid too) It’s the one treat which never grew old, and even up until last year I loved. I even worked in the most amazing chocolate store (Gertrude Hawk Chocolates….I promise you if you haven’t had a Smidgen, you just haven’t lived!) for a total of 6 years during high school and college vacations which meant I had my fair share of delectable chocolate treats. No, nothing says Easter to me like a giant peanut butter egg on Easter Sunday followed by days and days of 50% off leftover eggs of the strawberry cream and caramel variety (there were never PB left on the shelves by Easter Sunday).

Until this year that is. It’s my first official dairy-free Easter. (Though considering last Easter was spent in Urgent Care, I’d say that was my first unofficial dairy-free one). To be honest I haven’t given much thought to the candy side of the holy day this year. One wistful encounter with the jelly bean aisle soon after Valentine’s Day has had me purposely steering clear of the Easter candy shelves for the past month. But then tonight I found myself at Target and it was unavoidable. It’s like Easter is cramming every nook and cranny of that place. As I sadly walked past Cadbury mini eggs and pastel PB M&Ms, I had one of those moments I’ve warned you allergy friends about: I started to feel those “Why is this my reality?” thoughts creeping into my mind; I gazed at the people piling bag after bag of candy into their carts wondering how is it that everyone else in the aisle can safely consume such treats without a trip to the couch or the ER; I felt sadness coming on. So what did I do? I marched myself to the baking aisle, grabbed a bag of Enjoy Life “Katie-safe” chocolate chips ($5.49 a bag, really Target??), and headed home to address this issue head-on. And I’m proud to say here is what ensued:

That’s right. Gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, corn-free PB eggs. They’re delicious AND what’s best? I can pronounce every ingredient in them…and none of them end with the words “dye #4”. Here are the beyond simple steps to make some delicious eggs (allergenic or non) for your own Easter baskets by next weekend! Also, if your kids do have allergies, here is a great link to find safe candy.

Katie-Safe PB Eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1.5 cups powdered sugar*
1/6 cup melted Earth Balance spread (I used coconut)
2 Tbsp. vanilla almond milk

1 cup Enjoy Life semi-sweet chocolate chips (dairy AND soy-free)
1 Tbsp. Earth Balance spread 
*NOTE: Conventional powdered sugar is NOT corn-free. Cornstarch is usually the anti-caking agent used. Unless you bought powdered sugar labeled as corn-free, you will need to make your own. Just substitute tapioca starch for the cornstarch!*

1. Combine the peanut butter, powdered sugar, and melted Earth Balance. Mix as well as you can before slowly adding the almond milk. The batter will become stiff.
2. Form the batter into small egg-shaped balls and set on wax paper.
3. Freeze the PB balls for an hour.
4. An hour later, melt the chocolate chips and Earth Balance in the microwave (I used 15 and 30-sec. intervals and it took 1 min. 45 sec.)
5. Dip the chilled PB balls into the melted chocolate and return to the wax paper to dry.
6. Cry tears of joy. It’s really that simple 🙂


Now I know I usually wrap up with some kind of witty comment or heartfelt reflection…but tonight you’ll have to excuse me. There is a PB egg calling my name from the kitchen.
Happy Almost Easter!! 

Posted in Life Lessons

The One-Year Promise: Challenge Issued.

Posted on by katiebiddle4317
It’s now been almost a week so I’m finally ready to comment on the end of “How I Met Your Mother” (or HIMYM for short). If you haven’t yet seen the finale, please stop reading now or you will learn things you don’t want to know. As the guests who watched the finale with me can attest, I was distraught. First, the wedding we waited for all season ended in divorce less than 3 years later. Second, my “this can’t possibly happen” fear that the mother would in fact be dead by 2030 turned out to be 100% accurate. And last but not least, Ted and Robin, despite 9 seasons of trying to convince myself that they aren’t right for one another, in fact really are and they end up together in the end. Talk about a whirlwind. Now the real reason  the show left me a little lost was that for 5 seasons now (no I wasn’t a loyal follower from day 1) I always thought that the overarching message of the show was that even when the universe seems to be sending every possible sign that someone or something is right for you, that if you’re patient and wait, there is something so much better waiting for you. In the end it turns out the message is…well, the universe always wins. And while for a day or two, I found that message troublesome, I have now come to see it as comforting. There’s a plan, and despite our blunders, mistakes, missteps, or efforts to thwart that plan, it’s inevitable. So now I’m back onboard my HIMYM fan train. And I found out this weekend that the first 8 seasons are available on Amazon Prime. Good bye, productivity and sleep 🙂

My farewell to HIMYM spread…

Now onto my next thought. Among other things, HIMYM provided some valuable (and other not-so-valuable) life lessons. Though they are created by and applicable to fictional characters, these lessons can be very real. Next thought: there will come a day when I will have a conversation with my own future children about the development of my food issues. I pray fairly often that these yet-to-be children will have immune systems with slightly better discernment skills than my own…so my hope is that one day they’ll be chomping on an Oreo or devouring a slice of pizza as I explain my memories of such delicious foods. I’ll call my story “How I Embraced my Food Issues” (HIEMFI for short). I’ll have my own life lessons to share which like the ones from HIMYM can apply across a variety of situations and circumstances. For example:
Life Lesson #1: 
(HIMYM) The Olive Theory: According to Lily and Marshall, if one person in a relationship likes olives and the other person doesn’t, then they have a perfect balance and are meant to be together.
(HIEMFI) The Cheese Theory: According to Katie, if one person in a relationship has a casein allergy and thus cannot eat dairy, and the other person loves cheese enough to consume the items off both plates at social gatherings, the relationship is bound for success. If not, the ensuing social awkwardness will likely take its toll.

Life Lesson #2:  
(HIMYM) The Front Porch Test- According to Lily, the most important people in your life are the ones you can picture sitting on a porch with in 50 years; hence all potential significant others in a group are subject to this test.
 (HIEMFI) The Kitchen Table Test- According to Katie, the most important people in a food-allergy life are the ones who aren’t afraid to gather around the table and share a meal with you. In doing so, they take care not to contaminate hummus with pretzels or crackers and ensure that they don’t cross the threshold of the allergy-safe section of the table with any contaminated items, including utensils…and they do all this without making you feel like a high-maintenance freak of nature. Katie may cry tears of profound joy at finding anyone who passes this test.

Life Lesson #3: 
(HIMYM) The Lemon Law– According to Barney, “from the moment a date begins, you have 5 minutes to decide whether you’re going to commit to an entire evening and if you don’t, it’s no hard feelings, just good night, thanks for playing”
(HIEMFI) The Scope Scoot– According to Katie, the first time you tell someone about the Scope issue related to your foodallergies, they have a free pass to scoot. There is absolutely no judgment…because let’s be honest, it’s a lot to ask of a person. And if you find someone who doesn’t scoot, well marry them because they’re too wonderful to let get away!! (Just kidding…kind of)
There are so many other life lessons from both HIMYM and from my own story but for today I’d like to focus on one. The One Year promise. To set the scene, I recommend watching this clip from Season 9. 
You should never underestimate the power of one year. This resonated in a special way for me this past week and weekend. One year ago last Monday was Easter Sunday. 1 year ago I made it through ¾ of Easter Sunday mass with my family before the tightness in my chest proved too much. As hives broke out on my arms, I was forced to head back to Baltimore and spend a few hours in Urgent Care. I ate Easter dinner from Boston Market with the Saint in Shorts and aT-Shirt before promptly curling up in a ball on the couch because the mashed potatoes I ate had butter, which I didn’t know at the time was making everything worse. I ended up in the ER two days later after eating some cheese that sent my hives and my breathing into full-fledged crisis mode. And yet that following Saturday, I was determined to complete a 5K I had signed up for weeks earlier.
1 year ago: I may have forced a smile but you’ll notice I’m not even standing up straight.
My stomach wouldn’t let me 😦
I arrived that morning at the race with that same saint as my faithful sidekick. We parked as close as possible to the starting line and I left the car clutching my water bottle in one hand and an inhaler in the other. We reviewed how many pumps of the inhaler I had been instructed to try before having to switch to the more potent medication in my cinch bag. We discussed how long to wait before adding a second dose of that and then when would be the time to seek more medical treatment elsewhere. Even the walk to the starting line seemed like a mile. My body was still weak, my stomach was not my friend, and my lungs were angry at me for unknowingly poisoning myself on a regular basis. We ran and walked our way through that race, walking up the steep Patterson Park hills that proved too much for my angry lungs. My hand never stopped clutching my inhaler and the few moments when my loyal companion disappeared to use the bathroom were nervewracking enough to make me realize just how dependent I’d become on others for my own sense of safety and comfort. The goal that day was not time or even running the whole course; rather it was crossing the finish line without having to surrender to the myriad health issues which threatened my success in doing just that. I’m proud to say that I did make it across that finish line. It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t pretty but I did it. And then I went home and slept for the next 4 hours…and didn’t leave the couch for the rest of the weekend. And I remember promising myself “Next year you’ll be back. And next year you’ll run across the finish”.
Well, fast forward a year later. This past weekend the same run was taking place in the same park. However, I had already committed to another race before I knew the dates conflicted. Of course, as luck would have it, this race covered much of the same course…just an hour earlier. This year as I got ready to leave my apartment, I saw that same inhaler sitting in my box of now-obsolete medications. I’m not sure if I still have them because I keep forgetting to find one of those “safely dispose of medication” days or because that shoebox reminds me on a regular basis just how far I’ve come and how truly lucky I am to be back where I am now. I shut the closet door on that inhaler and walked out the door into the Saturday morning sunshine.
I arrived at the race this year on my own. I carried no cinch bag and aside from the car key tied to my shoe, I had no other possessions on my person. I laughed with other runners at the starting corral and when the race began, I ran. I ran up hills and down; I approached that same hill I was forced to walk up a year ago and I ran to the top. It still wasn’t easy or pretty…but this time it was the “normal” challenge of burning leg muscles and a cramp in my side. I finished the race without walking…and finished in the top 20 for my age group. I enjoyed the post-race festivities and headed home for a quick shower before meeting the Saint in a Bow Tie for iced coffee and wedding planning discussions (his wedding of course, not mine). I went to lunch with friends I hadn’t seen in far too long and I rounded the day out with a fun-filled evening at my school’s Bull and Oyster Roast. Yes, I took a quick nap in between those events…but nothing like the incapacitating exhaustion of last year’s race. Then today I took a day-trip to Scranton, PA to see my sister complete her own goal of running a half-marathon. As I crossed back over the border into Maryland tonight, all I could think about was the difference 1 year can make. I made a promise to myself a year ago and this weekend I kept that promise, and then some.
1 weekend, 2 races, 2 medals 🙂
So my advice to you today: make yourself a promise. Pick one thing in your life that you want to keep, fix, change, or eliminate by this time next year. Whatever it is, commit to it. Promise yourself that come April 6, 2015 you will have kept this promise. Believe in it, work at it, and make it come true. It’s another one of those life lessons you can apply to the food allergy world and beyond. You can share your promise with someone or you can keep it close to your heart. Regardless of what you choose, just remember a year from now, it can be your reality.
Courtesy of Dana Guidera
(http://www.pinterest.com/pin/306737424592228274/)
Now, go out there and get started. I’ll be checking in with you in 365 days. Challenge issued 🙂

Posted in Life Lessons, Meals/Sides

Love Shout-Out #2: The Simple Things

Posted on by katiebiddle4317
I bet I can predict three of the thoughts running through your head right now: 1) Hmmm, I figured she abandoned these love shout-outs since there hasn’t been one since the 2nd week of the year; 2) The Simple Things? I can’t wait to find out what cutesy store/fine dining establishment chose that name; and 3) Seriously, Katie, where have you been for a month? I figured you gave up on the blog.
In answer to those questions: no, I haven’t given up on the love shout-outs OR on the Year of Love. There’s been love all around…I’ve just struggled in finding time to write about it. Soaking it in is better than writing about it anyway, right? No, I didn’t give up my blog either. In fact it actually surprised me how much I’ve missed writing. The short summary is I had a week of end-of-trimester/report card craziness followed by a week away with my kids at an adventure camp (yes, overnight camp with 11 year-olds…an adventure to say the least) and then…remember when I posted about illness and how those of us with autoimmune diseases just band together for cold and flu season and hope for the best? Well, this year I fell short. I came down with a double ear infection which then morphed into a fullblown sinus infection which culminated in a 102 degree fever that had the doctor debating whether I’d have to end my now-approaching-1-year-since-an-ER-visit streak for IV fluids. Fortunately my immune system figured itself out and though it’s been a long week of slowly recovering my strength, I am now happy to report I’m almost back to full health. Thank goodness for Advil, Katie-safe antibiotics, and a new corn-syrup free variety of Gatorade for getting me through.
Now onto those simple things. It was only capitalized above because it’s the title of this post. I’m not talking about a trendy boutique or a new farm-to-table café. No, I quite literally mean the simple things in life : the moments, events, objects, and yes even people, that are so simple and yet in that simplicity bring us profound joy. You know the moments I mean: when the song you’ve been waiting to hear comes on the radio just as you get in the car; when there’s time left on a meter outside the post office when you just need to run inside for stamps; when there’s a buy 1, get 1 free sale on the ingredient you need for your next baking endeavor; when an entire class of 6thgraders is fixated on a Disney movie and you actually get a moment to correct papers during indoor recess.  Such moments will never inspire Oscar-worthy movies or Pulitzer-Prize-winning novels…but it is the profound joy of these simple moments which remind us that we are loved, honored,and cherished by people in this world but also by a Creator who gifted us moments such as these.
As anyone who knows me will attest, I tend to find much greater joy in the simple things than your average person. However, even I have to admit that has been exponentially magnified this week. I think it’s human nature that when any of us bounce back from an illness, we’re more appreciative of the little things. On that first morning venturing off the couch when you just can’t believe how far the walk from your front door to the car really seems to be, you swear you’ll never take your health for granted again. Of course a week later, you’re bounding out the door again and rushing to the car with a million to-do  list items in your mind and you’ve already broken that promise…again, human nature.
For those of you who are calendar fiends like myself, you may remember that last year, this week was Holy Week. Easter Sunday was March 31st and I was counting down the days until I could drink coffee again. Not only that, I was in the worst health I had been since my initial diagnosis three years ago. I was weak and I was tired. My stomach hurt constantly. I could barely make it through a day of school…and on 2 different occasions, I didn’t. I was sad, I was scared, I was frustrated, and I was confused. I would arrive at school each morning envious of other teachers who walked into school with what I considered “normal problems”. They weren’t worried about feeling faint during class, having enough energy to make it to 3 PM without a rest in the nurse’s office, or a constant pain in their stomach. I remember thinking back on my healthier days as a teacher and longing for the “normal” stress of a regular day. I promised myself if they every figured out what was wrong with me, I’d never complain about those “normal” stressors again. Well, fast forward a year later…boy, did I break that promise.
Just as with a typical illness, I have fallen back into the “normalcy” of life and those little things I once dreamed of doing suddenly became expected and routine. I find myself stressing about the very things I once dreamed of being able to do. I had to teach non-stop without a break because of the schedule changes and mass. I had to go to three different meetings and a dinner in one week. I had to find time to get to the bank, the gym, and the grocery store in time for “How I Met Your Mother”. I should have been finding joy in these things: I GET to teach all day without worry about blood sugar crashes, stomachaches, or dizzy spells. I GET to attend three different meetings to offer my thoughts, share a few laughs, and make a real impact; I GET to attend a dinner (even if my plate remains mostly empty) without a contingency plan for the quickest low-key exit door and shortest route to the nearest medical office; I GET to run errands, go for a run, and cook a delicious meal before settling in on the couch without curling up in a tired, confused, pain-filled ball. And all it took was a brief bout of illness to remind me of that.
So this week I’ve been feeling a little bit like Olaf. (If you haven’t seen Frozen, do yourself a favor…go get it. And I mean now!) I’ve found the greatest joy in the simplest things: yes, the beauty of a March snowfall, a sale on gluten-free matzah (who knew Passover would bring out so many Katie-safe options in the grocery store??),  the sparkle in the eye of a student (or colleague) when they share something that excites them; but it’s even simpler than that. I find joy in being able to get out of bed when my alarm goes off in the morning, in walking out the door without having to remember sugar packets in case of possible blood sugar crashes during the day, in eating a meal without the crippling anxiety of wondering if it will leave me doubled over in pain or struggling to take a deep breath. Even the simple fact of sitting on my couch in my own apartment brings me indescribable joy…because I’m lucky enough to have a home, yes, but also because there was a time when I (and several friends/health professionals) had severe reservations about the safety of my being alone for multiple hours at a time. I find joy in my prayer time before I go to sleep…because the time that was once filled with pleas for answers, health, and healing can now be spent in deeper reflection and in prayer for other people and their needs.
So today I encourage you to do the same. See the world like Olaf does…as if you’re seeing it all for the first time and each simple little thing is the most fascinating and beautiful thing you’ve ever encountered. I’ll think you’ll be surprised how much joy can fill your heart in doing so…and in turn, how much joy you can share with others around you.
Courtesy of http://movies.disney.com/frozen

And in the spirit of this simplicity, this wouldn’t be complete without a simple, allergy-friendly meal suggestion: Irish stew. Growing up, we ate this every year on St. Patrick’s Day. I asked almost every year why we didn’t have Corned Beef and Cabbage and the answer always had something to do with the fact that my grandfather (born and raised in Ireland) had never heard of such a meal until he came to America. While that may be true, I also realize now that it also probably had a lot to do with the simplicity of this dish. In a 100% Irish household, the weeks surrounding St. Patrick’s Day can be crazy ones. We were like an assembly line of Irish soda bread makers…every teacher, neighbor, and homeroom class had to have one (times 3 kids). Not to mention, my sister and I were competitive Irish Step dancers for many years. The number of performances, parades, mall exhibitions, etc. multiplied exponentially each March. And even in the years after we “retired” from dancing competitively, we still dusted off those shoes every March 17th for the remainder of our grade school/high school days to perform for various music classes at our school. With all that to keep organized (not to mention the hair curling that had to take place), I realize now that stew was a quick multi-day meal option which could easily be reheated to suit the crazy schedule that was St. Patrick’s Day time in the Burke household.

             
So regardless of the date on the calendar, here is a simple, go-to recipe that will leave you with easily reheatable food for days and days to come. Thank goodness I made a big batch right before my most recent illness struck. Nothing like the joy of a microwaveable meal when the journey from couch to fridge seems more like a marathon.
Simple Irish Stew
1 lb. lamb (or beef works too)
4 cups vegetable broth (GF)
potatoes, celery, carrots, onion, whatever else strikes your fancy 🙂
2 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 tsp. thyme
2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. pepper
3-4 cabbage leaves

1) I recommend browning the meat first on a stovetop…no chance of undercooked meat!
2) Mix all ingredients in the crockpot. Top off with the cabbage leaves and cook on low for 5-6 hours.
Yep, it’s that simple!
Now go out there today and live like Olaf. Notice the simple things in your day: celebrate them, and savor them. And do yourself a favor: love like Olaf too; openly, honestly, selflessly, and joyfully. I mean, it is the Year of Love after all 🙂
Jeanne’s Custom Creations
 (https://www.etsy.com/shop/JML2205)
Posted in Breakfast!, Lent

Fish Fridays Are Coming…

Posted on by katiebiddle4317

First, before I move forward with today’s post, I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the unbelievable outpouring of love that came in response to my last post. I sat down to write that post mostly as a cathartic outlet for myself…and I’m just humbled by the number of heartfelt messages and beautiful emails I received. I read every single one and trust me, I cherish each and every kind word, memory, or humorous comment shared. Especially since many of them were from people who never knew my dad, it’s comforting to know that his example and legacy live on to inspire others even all these years later.

Now, onto what’s next. Yep, here we are in March and that means 2 things: I’ve made it through my least favorite month of the year AND it’s almost spring. At least that’s what the calendar claims…apparently someone forgot to clue in Mother Nature. However, what it also means this year is that Ash Wednesday is almost here! And thus so is Mardi Gras AKA Shrove Tuesday AKA Fat Tuesday AKA Fastnacht Day (Yay for PA!!) AKA Who Knows What Else It Can Be Called Day??

Interestingly enough, Ash Wednesday and I have a bit of a meaningful history now. Last year, in late January my crazy “what used to be gluten-induced” symptoms returned with a vengeance. I was the doctor once a week with a double dose of bronchitis and sinus infection that just wouldn’t go away, even after some rounds of antibiotics. I was exhausted all the time, sometimes I even had to rely on my stool to make it through my afternoon classes. Despite my insistence that I was feeling “glutened” again but I swore I hadn’t been around gluten, my doctor was convinced it was just my poor, mixed-up immune system attacking the wrong things in overdrive…because that is sometimes the reality of life with an autoimmune condition. Well, Ash Wednesday arrived. I skipped my normal morning coffee (which at the time always included milk) and breakfast. Aside from the gluten-free host I received at mass, I hadn’t eaten anything all morning. Now for those of you who are practicing Catholics, I imagine you know how you’re usually feeling by lunchtime on Ash Wednesday. You’re hungry, you’re famished, you’re reminding yourself to unite your suffering with Christ and you’re swearing that you’ll never forget how much He loved you again…and that you won’t take the gift of food for granted either. Yeah, sure, and if you’re anything like me that lasts until approximately 12:08 AM when you run to the fridge and grab a snack…because technically it’s Thursday now.

Well, not last year. By lunch time, I was feeling awesome! I was more energetic than I had been in weeks. My stomach didn’t have that dull pain that had come on so slowly that I hadn’t really noticed it was back until I actually spent a few hours without it. My head felt clearer…and though I was still tired, it wasn’t the same kind of “I can’t even formulate coherent sentences right now” brain fog I’d been battling for weeks. And then sure enough, dinner rolled around and I prepared my one meal of the day: a delicious veggie omelette (with cheese). Within an hour, I was fast asleep on the couch holding my stomach and spent a good hour around midnight debating whether the tightness in my chest was severe enough to warrant an ER visit or not. (Fortunately that time it wasn’t). As the weeks of Lent passed, my suspicions grew as without my morning cup of coffee (that was my Lenten sacrifice last year…I know, it was crazy) I was feeling much better in the mornings than I had been.

So why did it take until I ended up covered in hives on Easter Sunday and ended up at Urgent Care to figure out dairy was the culprit? (Well, casein more specifically). I don’t quite know. Call it denial, call it easier said then done to figure out (I really had forgotten about the cheese in my Ash Wednesday omelette so I was convinced it was eggs at first), I’m not sure what to say. What I will say is that it’s not as simple as eating a trigger food and suddenly feeling horrible and knowing what the culprit was. Likewise, it’s not like you stop eating one for a day and you dance around like Sleeping Beauty waltzing through the woods. It takes so much time to heal…and it sometimes takes hours, or even days, before eating a trigger food starts to manifest itself in new, strange ways. (Those of you with eczema, skin rashes, or frequent cold sores but claim you have no food sensitivities, you really should start a food journal. You’d be surprised how many of those are due to trigger foods.)

So, yes, it took me 6 weeks to figure it out. But if it hadn’t been for my Ash Wednesday fast and my Lenten coffee sacrifice, let’s just say the saga could have played out for a lot longer than it did. Once my doctor heard those stories, even she realized I better get back to the specialist for more food trigger testing. Now this year, Lent is going to be a bit trickier. As is my traditional Shrove Tuesday pancake feast. But fear not, I’ve been planning for this.  So here are some important tips to celebrating this week…and then surviving Lent on an already-restricted diet. And just remember, no one on this Earth has the right to judge you…so do what you think is right for you.

1) Make yourself some pancakes, donuts, or even a you-safe milkshake on Tuesday. The rest of the world will be devouring their fastnachts, their drenched-in-butter pancakes, and their too-good-to-be-true milkshakes…you want to be able to join in the fun! Especially if you were gifted the snow day and delay this week, you’ll have plenty of time to cook.

2) Learn to love fish. Maybe you do, maybe you don’t…but on a meatless Friday when you also can’t eat crackers, cheese, popcorn, or grilled cheese, you better get used to the idea. Unless of course you’re allergic to shellfish/seafood.
3) Be careful of tuna fish! The canned variety, that is. That’s right, I was planning my tuna patties for Wednesday’s dinner when I learned two new things: 1) I still subconsciously check labels every single time I open a package of food (survival mechanism I suppose) and 2) canned tuna contains soy. Even the kind in water. Sad, sad day…of course, this does mean I have 2 cans of perfectly good tuna fish to give away 🙂
I promise lots of fish recipes will follow…but for today, pancakes and donuts are the priority. I’m already running behind!
Easier “I can manage this on a workday” Pancakes
(You may remember I posted AMAZING Olympic-worthy pancakes…but on non-snow-days, there just may not be time for all that…these are a worthy quicker substitute, thanks to Elana Amsterdam at Elana’s Pantry)
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. arrowroot powder
1/4 cup agave syrup (more if the mix is too dry)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup water
2 eggs (or flaxseed substitute)

Mix all the ingredients (I added a little honey too) and cook on a skillet or griddle. Of course, feel free to add berries, chocolate chips, M&Ms if you’re allowed such a delicacy (that used to be my apartment’s specialty during senior year at Villanova…M&M pancakes for all!)

“It’s Still Not OK that I Can’t Eat Krispy Kreme..But This Makes It A Little Less Painful” Donuts

2/3 cup rice flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour
1/8 cup potato starch
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. guar (or xanthan) gum
1/2 cup cocoa powder
3/4 cup brown sugar (or I used coconut sugar)
3/4 cup sugar (or the equivalent amount of agave, sweetener of your choice)
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder (or the corn-free substitute)
3/4 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup boiling water
*I also added some coffee to my batter…delicious!*

1. Mix all the ingredients together and either add to a donut pan or form into munchkin-type balls on a baking sheet.
2. Bake for about 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
3. Optional “frosting”: Melt about 1 cup of chocolate chips and combine with 1/4 cup boiling water to melt. Add about 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar to the mix and a dash of vanilla extract.
4. Wait until the donuts have cooled to remove from the tray and dip in the frosting!
Now I know I didn’t leave you much time…but the day is long and it’s not even 9 AM. Happy Mardi Gras/Shrove Tuesday/Whatever you call it!! Have a great day…live it up 🙂
Posted in Life Lessons, Uncategorized

If He Could Smile…

Posted on by katiebiddle4317
Since I got sick, there are certain questions I get asked over and over. However, the one that takes the cake (gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, egg-free of course) is easy:  “Katie, I just don’t get it, how do you stay so positive about all of this?” And the answer to that one is even easier. I grew up with someone who taught me, not by words but by example, that humor and laughter are the best weapons with which to face any obstacle or battle.
My dad was an amazing man. He was kind. He was funny. He had a laugh that could liven up any room. He was smart. He loved to sing. I’m also 98% certain he was tone deaf.  There were few things he loved more in life than Burger King Whoppers and Diet Pepsi. He had the charm of a salesman (which he was) but the moral compass and selflessness of a saint (which he also was). He was the strongest person I’ve ever known. By the time I entered his life, he had already defeated a brain tumor. He still suffered from migraine headaches and every so often his facial muscles would get confused and he’d take on what I innocently dubbed his “Popeye face” for a few minutes.
As I watched him through my six and seven-year-old eyes, I learned many things. I learned that you put 110% into your job all week but that Saturdays are for sleeping in, family time, and community service.  I learned that Sunday mornings are spent in church and every other Sunday afternoon you hang out with the old ladies while volunteering at church BINGO. I learned that you are not entitled to anything in life; rather when you are fortunate enough to receive something, you give thanks and you pay it forward. I learned that you always apologize when you make a mistake…and sometimes even when you don’t think you did.  I learned that you always calculate unit cost for the best bargain at the grocery store and you never leave without counting your change for accuracy. I learned that you never stop telling people you love them and that nothing could change that…even if they roll their eyes at you because they’ve heard it nearly every night for 8 years.
When I was 9, a lot of things changed. My dad got sick. So sick that he was soon transferred to a hospital in New York City, 2 hours away from our home in the Poconos. My grandparents moved in on a rotating basis during the week…but weekends were still reserved for family time. Only now family time consisted of fighting over who got to push Dad around the hospital halls in his wheelchair followed by Scrabble matches in a waiting room overlooking the Hudson River. Through it all, however, some things remained the same. My dad was still kind. His smile could still light up a room. And he still cracked jokes to anyone who would listen.
Over the next few years, he endured a variety of procedures, appointments, tests, and medications that make my last 3 years look like a walk in the park. As I watched his illness progress through my eleven and twelve-year-old eyes, I continued to learn from him. I learned that you may have to start your day with a shot-glass full of pills. Literally. (And since our house rarely had alcohol in it, it was years before I realized what most people actually use those little glasses for)… but that just means you liven it up with sports-themed glasses. I learned that you might be forced to give up your job and your driver’s license…but that just means you learn to navigate the less-than-stellar Pocono public transportation system.  I learned that life doesn’t always turn out the way you plan…but that doesn’t give you a reason to be angry. I learned that you squeeze the most joy, love, and laughter out of each day that you possibly can….and you bottle it up to sustain you when the darker days come along. I learned that there are two things that can keep you going, even in the darkest of days: family and faith.
My dad wasn’t very outspoken about his faith but it was always evident how important it was to him. He helped start a weekly soup kitchen at our parish. He took off from work on Good Friday every year so he could take us to the Walking Way of the Cross in our town. Nearly every Friday was spent at our parish Lenten dinners and every Good Friday night was spent volunteering…carrying hundreds of lilies off trucks to transform the church in time for the Easter Vigil.
A few years into his illness, my dad ordered a picture from a religious catalog (I know, this was way back in the days before internet). I remember the picture arriving and he framed it and placed it on a shelf right next to where he rested his hat, glasses, and class ring each night. It was a picture of Jesus, but one I had never seen before. In it, Christ was laughing. I still remember watching my dad take it out of the envelope and, noticing my inquisitive face, he explained to me that this was always his favorite picture of Christ. Because in all the books, movies, TV specials, etc. everyone thinks of Jesus as this serious guy and he loved that this picture reminded him that Jesus had a sense of humor. Even in the midst of healing the sick, dealing with the Pharisees, teaching his Apostles, etc., Jesus was human and thus, he smiled. He laughed. And as my dad so eloquently put it, “Katie, if Jesus can smile through all that, then so can I”. Every so often in life, you come across those rare moments in which you just know you’re making a memory that will never leave you…and our conversation that day was one of those moments for me which is forever etched in my memory. After he died, I kept that picture. It has traveled with me to every classroom in which I’ve taught. During my days in DC, I looked at it often and heard his words echoing in my mind. I even shared them with my ACE roommates for community prayer one night…because goodness knows, those were some dark days there.

Throughout my health struggles, my dad has never been far from my mind. Watching him face his own challenges with such courage, humor, and grace unknowingly set the stage for me. Compared to the challenges he confronted, avoiding a few (OK it’s more than a few) food groups hardly seems like something worth stressing over. He’s been my silent strength, my quiet inspiration, and my reminder to laugh during all of this.
This week he’s been on my mind more than usual. First, because when I heard the news report about the death of Harold Ramis yesterday, I was shocked to hear the name of the autoimmune disease which attributed to his death. It’s the same one my dad had…one that you rarely hear mentioned at all, let alone on the mainstream news stations. Second, because it was 14 years ago this week when he and I had to say our final good-byes.

This time of year is always hard for our family but this one is especially poignant for me. See, I was 14 years old that year, which means that this year, as we celebrate the anniversary of his heavenly homecoming, I reach the halfway point: 14 years and 7 weeks with him in my life, followed by 14 years and 7 weeks without him. I’ll admit there is a small piece of my heart that wishes I could just stop time before Friday morning arrives. That way I’ll never have to confront the reality of living in a world without my dad longer than I did with him by my side. But I also know that isn’t what he’d want. He’d want me to laugh and sing (even if it’s horribly off-key) and spread a little sunshine on his behalf. So come Thursday, I’ll celebrate the way I always do. I’ll drink a Diet Pepsi in his honor. I’ll eat a giant hamburger. Granted I can’t have the bun or American cheese this year, but I know he’ll understand. I’ll skip the canoli dessert…at least until I come up with my own allergen-safe version of those. I will live. I will laugh. And most importantly, I will love.

So in answer to the #3 most frequently asked question: how do I stay so positive? That’s an easy one. Because I learned from the best. And because he was right: if Jesus can smile in the midst of lepers, thieves, tax collectors, doubting Apostles, and scheming Pharisees, then I can surely smile…even in a world without gluten, dairy, soy, or corn.  🙂
Posted in Uncategorized

If I Could Turn Back Time…

Posted on by katiebiddle4317

Yep, I’m sorry: chances are Cher is now stuck in your head. Don’t worry, it’s a great background theme for the remainder of this post 🙂

Last weekend I had a big moment in my allergy journey. I arrived at a social event with my own snacks, situated my bag in a corner of the kitchen, and started filling a plate with my veggies, hummus, and chips before heading into the other room to join in the festivities. There, not only did most guests not even notice since my plate looked oddly similar to theirs (minus the croissant sandwiches of course) but one person happened to walk into the kitchen as I was refilling my plate later and she said something that nearly brought a tear to my eye, “Let me guess: food allergies? Gluten? I have two friends who do the same thing”. I smiled an appreciative grin and responded with affirmation but added in my dairy, soy, and corn issues and she just shook her head.We talked for a few minutes about her friends and the trials and tribulations of people with food issues…and then she asked me an interesting question. She said: “If you could go back in time for just one day to before you had food issues, what would you eat?”. Well you might as well ask a 5-year-old what they would choose in a toy store if money were no obstacle. But as I thought about the answer to her question, I realized that it’s something I don’t often think about…or really don’t let myself think about anymore. Of course, after her prompting, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Here is what I think:

I would wake up and eat a bagel sandwich. A real one from a bagel store…not one of those chains like Dunkin Donuts…but an authentic bagel. It would be sausage and egg on an everything bagel. No cheese, I never liked that on my sandwiches anyway. I’d attend 8:30 mass and I would stroll in the door at 8:28 and slide right into my pew. I would receive the Eucharist in the regular line at the regular time and wouldn’t be a burden to a priest or a spectacle to my fellow parishioners. Then I’d stop at Dunkin Donuts and get the largest size coffee they have filled with creamer and pumpkin syrup. Of course, if they didn’t have that I’d settle for cream and sugar. I’d head back to school to teach my morning classes and then take a trip at lunchtime to anywhere that served giant, warm soft pretzels and crab dip. That would be lunch. I’d return to school, finish out the afternoon and eat one of the chocolate chip cookies left in the faculty room by a generous parent. And I’d even do it without Purell-ing first (I know, I know: living on the edge). I’d leave school and head straight for Starbucks where I’d order a grande mocha with 2% milk, no whip…and I’d savor every sip. I’d apply chapstick without obsessively reading the ingredient list and I might even treat myself to a manicure (since that’s forever off the table). Then I’d go out for pizza with friends. Real pizza. With delicious, fluffy crust and lots of cheese. We’d finish our pizza and I’d accept a piece of gum from a friend without asking to see the package first. We’d head to the movies where I’d order a giant bag of popcorn…or better yet, I’d bring my own bag of kettle corn. In a perfect world, I’d go for a stroll after the movie with a potential “co-pilot”. (I mean if we’re living in a dream world here, why not?? :-)) He’d order ice cream and I’d just ask for a piece of his waffle cone (ice cream and I were never the best of friends even in the best of times) and we would enjoy a walk in which I wouldn’t have to inquire about the brand of chapstick in his pocket or the foods he’d chosen to consume in the past 2 hours. I’d arrive home and brush my teeth without thinking about the brand of toothpaste in the cabinet. I’d put on lotion without scrutinizing for hydrolyzed wheat protein. I’d settle into bed with a contented smile and say a prayer of thanksgiving for an absolutely perfect day.

Unfortunately, reality is nothing like my dream day…though let’s be honest, anyone who consumed all of those things in a single day would be violently ill, celiac/food intolerant or not! Yes, I don’t like to admit it but I have my bitter days. I have days when I find myself craving the life I once knew…when every item in the grocery store was mine for the tasting and every restaurant posed a new, exciting adventure rather than a new terrifying encounter. But alas, life is what it is now and I can either dream wistfully about the past or live gratefully in the present. Those of you without food allergies might be thinking this all sounds a little crazy, but it’s true: none of the things in the paragraph above are things I can do anymore. Minus the teaching and the prayer of thanksgiving. And those of you with food issues are probably thinking “Great, Katie, I come to you for encouragement and advice and this is what I get??” Well, to you I say don’t worry, I’m getting there.

So how can I possibly be grateful for celiac and my autoimmune trifecta when it’s taken away all of those things? I’ll be honest and say that some days I’m not. However, when I sit down and think about it, I know that I am for many reasons: because I’m not filling my body with processed chemicals all day long; because my insulin resistance has improved enough that my blood sugar drops are now few and far between; because the pages of my planner are no longer filled with doctor appointments and lab visits; because I can make plans for something months ahead and not worry that I won’t feel well enough to go by then; and most of all, because of something one of my kids said today. The tornado watch forced us inside for recess and at one point in a conversation, he laughed and said, “Miss Burke, you are just so funny this year”. To which I responded (somewhat sarcastically), “Just this year?” (remember we moved up together so I had these same kids last school year). He immediately answered, “Well, I mean you were funny sometimes but you were always so tired last year. Or leaving to get more bloodwork. This year you have so much energy all the time. Must be the coffee”. At which point someone else captured his attention and he skipped off. However, what he said stuck with me…just as the question above did last weekend.

So in short, yes, my life has drastically changed in the past 3 years…but even in just the past year. And sometimes I do miss my “old life” so much that it almost hurts. However, I know that my new life is a much happier, richer, and (most importantly) healthier one. So to those of you who don’t have any restrictions, I say splurge and treat yourself every once in awhile. And to all of you who are dealing with food restrictions, both new and old, remember you’re never alone. We’re all struggling together…but it’s ALWAYS worth it in the end.

And if you need something to make you feel better about being an adult with these issues, watch this.  2026: I believe in you 🙂

Posted in Teacher Life, Thanksgiving

Gobble, Gobble…

Posted on by katiebiddle4317

Yes, I’m aware: wrong national holiday. You may remember back before Thanksgiving I was working hard to reach the magic total at the grocery store to earn my free turkey. Well thanks to my overstuffed freezer and the bottomless stomachs of the Youth Group kids, I managed to reach the threshold and took home my free bird. It has been taking up residence in my freezer since late November and then in my “prepare for a power outage” purge last week, I took it out…and then realized it needed to defrost, so it would probably thaw out around the same time the sidewalk does. The best laid plans…

Today I woke up and realized I’d better cook it today or it would end up in the “Katie left it in the fridge too long and it spoiled” column on my budget spreadsheet. What a damper that would put on my free turkey campaign. Now I’ve never cooked a turkey, allergen-filled or not, so I was expecting this to be an adventure. I read a few recipes and decided to create a concoction of my own that combined several non-allergenic ingredients from various recipes. As I worked away writing trimester exams and my math curriculum map, the house started to smell like Thanksgiving.

                    
                               Gluten-free!

Katie-Safe Turkey
turkey! 
a few scoops of coconut spread
1 lemon
1 head of garlic
1 Tbsp. thyme
bunch of fresh cilantro
salt
pepper

  1. Take the turkey out of the package, remove gizzard bag, and clean out inside and outside turkey.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  3. Melt a few scoops of coconut spread in the frying pan, add thyme, lemon zest and juice from half of the lemon and stir over heat for about 2 minutes.
  4. Salt and pepper the inside cavity of the turkey. Stuff with the other half of the lemon, a bunch of cilantro, a head of garlic (halved), and a dash of thyme.
  5. Pour the lemony “butter” mixture over the outside of the turkey. Add some salt and pepper to the outside too. (Use your discretion for how much!)
  6. Place inside a turkey roasting bag and place it in the preheated oven for 2.5 hours (or so depending on the size of your turkey!)
The finished product 🙂

So tonight, for Presidents’ Day dinner, I saw down to a plate of delicious turkey. Of course there was broccoli too to balance it out. Not quite the same as a Thanksgiving feast…but still had the same sentiment as I realized just how much I have to be thankful for this weekend. Unexpected blessings: an unforeseen 5-day “snow”-cation (which I should note is exactly the same length as actual Thanksgiving break), a night on retreat with some pretty inspiring students, time spent with an old co-worker and her amazing friends and family as we celebrated the impending birth of her first child, word of an upcoming visit from another dear friend, a piece of exciting news I’ll save for a later date, a rerun of the “How I Met Your Mother” proposal episode… Yes, I must say despite the endless piles of snow outside and the ice patches which make walking a treacherous task, life is pretty good. In fact, I’m even grateful for the arduous task of writing my trimester exams because though it seems like with snow days and holidays, I couldn’t possibly have taught anything to these children, when I sat down and tried to address all the skills covered in one test, I was surprised by just how much we’ve managed to cover.

This is what a teacher’s “day off” looks like…

Now as President’s Day comes to a close, I’m packing away my excess turkey. If you live in the Baltimore area and find yourself in need of turkey in any form, you know who to call. You will have to provide your own gravy though…that’s out of my realm of safety. In the meantime, I’ll be eating turkey lettuce wraps, turkey sandwiches, turkey salads, etc…and probably sleeping a lot more if the tryptophan rumors turn out to be true.

Happy Thankful Presidents’ Day…and Gobble, Gobble 🙂
Posted in Meals/Sides, Sweet Treats

Spread a Little Love…and Eat Some Tilapia :-)

Posted on by katiebiddle4317

As you’ve probably figured out by now, my true allergy-free passion is baking, not so much in cooking; hence, usually my recipes are more of the bakery/coffee variety…since that’s what I plan to open one day. However, as you can imagine I have to experiment with cooking quite a bit as well these days, and every so often I come across a dish that I just have to share. Today is one of those days. And don’t worry, there’s also a cookie recipe at the end just to balance things out 🙂

As I imagine most of you know (and have experienced yourself), the last week has been a snow-filled one to say the least. In anticipation of what the news insisted yet again would be “the biggest storm of the season”, I went to my freezer to pull out a variety of foods that I could cook in preparation for a possible power outage. If you’ve ever experienced trying to eat for days in the midst of a power outage, imagine the added challenge of so many food restrictions. Not only do most of our foods require heating or cooking of some kind, but there are limited eat-out options. Last week I trekked over to Einstein Bros. for a cup of hot coffee when I was without power…let me tell you, I’ve never in my life been so jealous of people eating warm bagels. And I hope I never will be again.

Anyway, this week I was more prepared. I had a variety of delicious food items either cooked or thawing in my refrigerator and plans to light the burner manually to cook them if need be. Fortunately, the power stayed on this time. (Kudos to you, BGE :-). I used to have this bad habit of taking meat out of the freezer to thaw in the refrigerator…and then leaving it there too long and having to throw it out. My frugal self and my Excel spreadsheet just do not approve and thus I’ve been making an effort to be extra vigilant in regards to my meat and fish timelines. So last night I bypassed the couch and went right for the fridge to figure out what to do with my tilapia.

Now, I know where this is going. Yes, I’ve heard all the horrible things about tilapia. I know it’s the bottom of the food chain, it’s farmed in horrible cages that make Tyson chicken coops look healthy, it’s the worst possible fish I could think about putting into my body. Trust me, I’ve heard it all. And while I’m not saying I don’t care or appreciate the concern of those around me who offer such advice, I would also like to point out that when a person’s food selection is already so limited, fish is essential. And when that same person is on quite a tight budget, tilapia is the most cost-effective variety. Hence, yes, I choose to eat tilapia. Not all that often, mind you, but I do. You can pass judgment all you want…but I figure with the amount of unhealthy things I literally can’t introduce to my digestive tract (Krispy Kreme donuts, Frappuccinos, fast food of any variety, etc.), that a little tilapia from time to time can’t do all that much damage.

Now here’s where it get’s tricky. As someone with an autoimmune condition, I really do mean I eat tilapia IN MODERATION. As luck would have it, tilapia contains omega-6 fatty acids…which you guessed it, are known to cause inflammation. Now for several months whenever I had tilapia, I always made the same thing: tilapia tacos. Delicious. Wrapped in lettuce with rice and black beans. Always a meal I looked forward to. And then I started to realize that after I ate it, I always felt less than stellar. The reason? Well, as my nutritionist pointed out, black beans and rice are also on the “foods to consume in moderation because they induce inflammation” list. So, you put all of those foods together in one meal? It may be Katie-safe but it’s also a recipe for autoimmune disaster.

Hence, last night I had to get creative. I opened my fridge and saw the two things I had to make sure to cook by night’s end: tilapia and bacon. So I thought to myself: “There’s nothing I love more than scallops wrapped in bacon…so why not tilapia wrapped in bacon?”. (I know my cardiologist will be less than thrilled if he stumbles across this…) So that is what I did. SO EASY. SO SIMPLE. And SO DELICIOUS.

 
Just wrap the tilapia filets in a piece of bacon and place in a frying pan over medium heat…and voila! In about 15 minutes, you have a surprisingly delicious and flavorful entree. I threw in some asparagus on the side to balance out my plate and make it seem healthier. Also, notice the small portion size of tilapia: the rest is sealed away in the fridge and freezer for future meals 🙂
A delicious and satisfying meal.
And of course, once I fire up the oven, I get motivated to keep going. I spent some time yesterday spreading some Valentine cheer and even had my own special Valentine this year: an 82-year-old man. He went all out:
Last year my “Valentines” were 11…this year he’s 82.
(You can’t see it but I’m just shaking my head)
The white bag was filled with things he knew I could enjoy: a fruit cup, 2 bags of Utz potato chips, stickers, and a word search book. The purple one contained things he said he knew I couldn’t have but he just couldn’t pass up: a hollow chocolate apple that says #1 teacher, pink Tootsie pops, Hershey’s Kisses, Lindt truffles…a bag of pure deliciousness for most. Pure sickness for me 🙂  Hence, I spent the day giving away treats from this bag: to my neighbors who were graciously assisting others in the quest to dig out their cars, to the baristas who were serving FREE coffee all day at my favorite Baltimore coffee shop, the check-out clerks at the grocery store, and I still have more!
However, after gifting so many sweets, I found myself craving a little sweet treat of my own. So I went to work in my kitchen and this is what resulted:
I had no berries so I couldn’t make the frosting pink…
…they may not look appealing but they taste amazing!
Katie-Safe Sugar Cookies (with frosting!!)
Cookies:
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/4 cup Earth Balance Soy-Free Spread (melted)
1 tsp. vanilla extract 
3-4 Tbsp. raw honey (softened)

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Frosting:
1/4 cup Earth Balance Coconut Spread (melted)
2 Tbsp. coconut flour
2 Tbsp. arrowroot starch (or tapioca if that’s all you have!)
2 Tbsp. coconut oil (melted)
raw honey (melted)- depends on how sweet you want! I did about 1/8 cup
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix all together and frost cookies when cool.

So all in all, it was a successful day of delicious food, sweet treats, and sharing love with the world. I know Valentine’s Day has taken on quite a “couples” focus, and I’m not saying it shouldn’t, but I do think too often we forget that it’s a day to celebrate love in all forms and a day which offers a 24-hour moratorium on feeling odd about doing something above and beyond for another person, whether friend, relative, colleague, or stranger. And this year we have the added bonus of Valentine’s Day extending through the weekend since the weather put a bit of a damper on the actual day. So take some time this weekend to recognize love, to celebrate it, and most importantly to share it. It can be as simple as a smile, as complicated as shoveling out a car from under 10+ inches of snow, or as delicious as a sweet treat.

And those of you who may be feeling a little less than love-filled this holiday, know that I love you simply for reading this. And I have a sneaking suspicion that there are a few other people out there who love you too…even if they didn’t buy you chocolate 🙂

From my front door to yours…
Posted in Breakfast!, Meals/Sides, Product Recommendations

If Katie Squeals in Excitement…

Posted on by katiebiddle4317

…and no one is there to hear it…well, I think you know the rest.

I found myself pondering this age-old philosophical question over the past few weeks as I’ve adapted to an interesting aspect of living alone: lack of someone with whom to share my various (usually very excited) reactions to life. As you might have determined by now, I tend to approach life with a great deal of enthusiasm, which often manifests itself in overenthusiastic reactions which those who have been lucky enough to live with me grew to know and love. Just kidding, I’ve really been the lucky one with roommates over the past few years.

I left my ACE family of 5 for a year with “The Leading Lady of Lacrosse”. Really. She’s a director of events for U.S. Lacrosse (HUGE here in Baltimore my non-Charm-City friends) and she travels all over the country running tournaments. When she was home from her various road trips, she graciously listened to my endless ramblings about my new school, my new city, etc. Then I moved closer to my school in the cutest apartment with a wonderful person I’ll call “Beautiful B”…because she is truly one of the most beautiful people I’ve ever known. Partially because she has a seemingly effortless beauty and grace about her, but mostly because of who she is on the inside. She has a heart of pure gold, an infectious laugh that is simply contagious, and our life chats across our little dining room table remain among my favorite Baltimore moments. Plus she was there for the dreaded “gluten adjustment”. That alone earns her a gold star for patience. Then there was “the Caring Counselor”. Her day job requires that she counsel people…but she was gracious enough to do the same for me each night as we sat on our respective couches and caught up on our days. So for all my years, I’ve been richly blessed with people who at least tolerated my enthusiasm for life..even if they didn’t quite love it 🙂

B and Me! 🙂

So imagine the shift over the past few months as I’ve adjusted to life on my own. Now I will say, full disclosure, I do actually LOVE living alone. Mostly because everything in every cabinet and drawer is completely safe; I can eat off the counter if I drop something; best of all, I only need one sponge and my orange sticker system is simply an artifact of my past life. However, there are moments when I desperately miss the smiling faces, listening ears, and infectious laughs of the people I was blessed to call my roommates over the years. Case en pointe: Monday night. For those who might be living under a rock, “How I Met Your Mother” is in its final weeks. I LOVE this show. Two Mondays ago we met the mother and it was just about the most precious thing I’ve ever seen. Then this past Monday, Ted gave the most moving speech on what love means that I’ve heard in a long time (I know, I know…Year of Love!!). Through it all, I’m sitting on my couch hugging a pillow, wanting to squeal or aww or jump up and down…but it still feels odd to do that with no one around. Same thing on Friday night when I finally caught up on “Big Bang Theory”. I’m pretty sure I let out a squeal on that one. And of course now there’s the Olympics. How do you watch the drama unfold on the ice without voicing your emotions?? I don’t know.

Now before I get too much farther down my tangent, this is supposed to be about food not television, so I promise I’m back. Last night, I decided to whip up one of my favorites to enjoy as I watched the Olympics: breakfast for dinner. I settled on pancakes, took out my new griddle, and set off on my adventure to recreate pancakes that would taste like their gluten-filled/soy-filled relatives. If gluten alone is your issue, get Gluten-Free Bisquick. It’s amazing and your pancakes will be too!! Unfortunately for my soy-free buddies, it’s emblazoned across the side : CONTAINS SOY. And corn. Sigh…

Thankfully, I stumbled across a book recently which has quickly become one of my top 10 life resources: Cooking for Isaiah. It’s written by a mom who wanted to cook great meals for her son who was diagnosed with food sensitivities to both gluten and dairy. There are few cookbooks I recommend (since most recipes can be found on blogs or pinterest these days) but this one I would absolutely order if you have gluten and dairy issues. I decided to adapt her recipe for chocolate chip pancakes…OH MY GOODNESS. I’m not kidding, these were some of the best pancakes I’ve had in my life. Gluten-filled ones included! If you have food allergies, do yourself a favor: make these, enjoy them, freeze some, love them again. It will, for a brief moment anyway, make you forget that you can’t partake in typical Sunday brunches anymore. If you don’t have food allergies, I’d still recommend them…but the ingredients required are not likely to be ones you have on hand in an average kitchen. In which case, I suggest you just need to come visit me for breakfast sometime. Seriously, I had visions of my own allergen-free bed-and-breakfast in my head all night.  The recipe is as follows:

 Olympic-Worthy Pancakes
2/3 cup white rice flour
1/3 cup tapioca flour (or starch)
1/8 cup potato starch
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. guar guam (or xanthan gum)
1 tsp. baking soda/cream of tartar mix (or baking powder for corn-friendly folks)
4 Tbsp. coconut sugar
3/4 cup almond milk (or whatever kind you can drink)
1 egg (or I used 1 Tbsp. flaxseed w/ 3 Tbsp. water as egg replacement)
1/2 Tbsp. molasses
1/2 Tbsp. honey
1 Tbsp. grapeseed oil
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Mix it all together. Add a little more milk or oil if the batter is too thick. Otherwise pour on the griddle… 
…cook, and enjoy!!

                     
 






Then just when I thought my weekend had contained enough excitement, tonight I did something I’ve been dreaming about for two years now: I ate a dinner roll. A warm one, fresh out of the oven. See, I went on a shopping adventure today to prepare for our school’s upcoming service project which led me to a place I haven’t visited in years now: the bread aisle. I strategically avoid it on my shopping trips, so much so that I forget it even exists anymore, but today I made my triumphant return. And it smells as amazing as I remember. So as I loaded my cart with 16 packages of rolls, cans of soup, and pounds of American cheese, all I could do was laugh at the irony that is my life. I’m not exaggerating when I say that my car was filled with more gluten and dairy today than it probably has ever been before. And all of that left me craving one thing I never crave anymore: warm bread. So after a stop at my school to drop off my purchases (seriously, you didn’t think I’d let all that in my house did you??), I came home and got to work. And I did it. As the snow fell outside my window once again, I made dinner rolls. And while it was still steaming, I bit into it. I’ll be honest, the taste is slightly odd in the sense that it’s coconut-y so it seems more appropriate for dessert…but the texture and the temperature were perfect!
Again, I wanted to shout it out to the world: I just ate bread!!! But as you can imagine, I don’t think my neighbors here would understand or appreciate the enthusiasm of that sentiment. So instead, I’m sharing it with you. And here is the recipe…so you can have your own “I’m beyond excited about life right now” moment wherever you are.
Katie-Safe Dinner Rolls
1 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
1 Tbsp. flaxseed w/ 3 Tbsp. water

Mix and form into rolls. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes…or until brown.
They may not look amazing…but they are! 
A perfect dinner…complete with a fresh, warm dinner roll 🙂
So now I’ve digested my delicious roll, I’ve packed some away in the freezer for future enjoyment, and I’m settling in with a hot cup of tea and a coconut-rolled date snack to watch figure skating. Seriously, it’s amazing what I can accomplish with 2 weekend days in a row of no work shifts! Now just imagine what I could accomplish if this were my all-day, everyday in my bakery!? I need to start hunting for those capital investors…
Posted in Life Lessons, Super Bowl Sunday

It’s Super Bowl Sunday!!

Posted on by katiebiddle4317

Yes, I know, I hear you, “Thank you, Captain Obvious”.

I just have to say today has been a day full of memories for me. For whatever reason, specific events tend to be tied to specific memories…and today has certainly been one of those for me. The Super Bowl might be the most food-oriented event of the entire year. At least in America, that is. Even as a kid, I remember setting out a blanket on the living room floor each year and creating our own indoor picnic. It was the one night of the year we got to eat whatever food we wanted in the living room…that’s a big deal. I remember surrounding myself with bowls of cheese doodles, Ruffles potato chips (with ridges), and my favorite dip (you know the delicious one with the Lipton Onion soup mix combined with sour cream…mmmmm!). My brother and I even got to do something we never, and I mean NEVER, got to do on a Sunday night…drink soda. (That was only reserved for Friday nights and family parties.) Needless to say, the Super Bowl was the one (and I mean ONE) night of the year when I actually looked forward to football coming on TV.

I started thinking back over Super Bowl Sundays of the past few years today, and to my surprise I’m able to consciously remember where I was and how I celebrated each and every one. Granted, I’m sure the fact that it’s on a Sunday night helps. I remember fondly my Super Bowl Sundays at Villanova…see, I played violin at 8 PM mass, and no, Jesus doesn’t stop just for a football game, so each year I started the festivities with my friends and floormates before making the trek across campus (or next-door sophomore year) to an unbelievably empty church. By the time mass was over at 9, it was usually pretty clear who the winner would be…and I’d missed a majority of the commercials…but I’d join back in the fun anyway. I have to say, without a doubt, those 4 SuperBowl nights spent in church are still among my favorite masses I’ve ever played for…or attended for that matter. My years in ACE were spent gathered around the TV for a rare night in which all of us actually ventured down from our various corners of the house to watch the same thing. And in the years since arriving in Baltimore, I’ve spent each Super Bowl Sunday with some combination of the “saints in street clothes” who were my lifeline during my initial days here. And what did all of those nights have in common?? FOOD. Inordinate amounts of delicious food.

Of course, for most of those nights I was free to eat anything and everything my little heart desired. If only I could turn back time and savor those nights… I remember my first Super Bowl Sunday in Baltimore was in the midst of my mystery illness. Just weeks before, it had been suggested by my doctor that I try this “gluten-free” diet and see if it helped. So as I trudged to my friend’s apartment with my bags of potato skins, nacho fixings, and Woodchuck Cider, I remember telling myself that this gluten-free thing wouldn’t be so hard. Of course, I know now that I had no idea what I was doing: at the time my assumption was no wheat ingredient listed, I’m good to go. Present-day Katie just shakes her head at poor, naive 2011 Katie. I cooked on baking sheets full of gluten residue, I used bacon that certainly wasn’t gluten-free, and the cross-contamination on that table I can’t even begin to imagine. Well, if I needed any confirmation that my doctor was correct, I remember leaving my friend’s house that night feeling so sick I almost stopped halfway through my walk home to curl up on the Safeway bathroom floor…yet still, I was skeptical about my doctor’s suspicions. Denial, denial, denial…it IS more than a river in Egypt.

Thankfully, by SuperBowl 2012, I had adjusted to my new lifestyle, and my fantastic group of friends had graciously adapted to gatherings with me…keeping gluten-filled treats on one side of the table, not sharing spoons, knives, etc….and I enjoyed a SuperBowl feast in health and happiness. The same held true last year. So what about this year? SuperBowl 2014… gone are my traditional nachos (corn and cheese), my delicious sour-cream based dip (who knew I used so much dairy??), even my gluten-free crackers and cheese plate is a thing of the past (soy and…yep, milk). And I was assigned to work the 3-11 shift tonight at the hospital! Not shaping up to be the best evening, right? I certainly didn’t think so.

But, as usual, I couldn’t have been more wrong. Because here I sit surrounded by delicious food: Old Bay baked chicken wings, snap peas with hummus, Beanitos White Bean “faux tortilla” chips and guacamole, and a can of root beer (cane sugar sweetened, don’t worry). And I’ve made two new friends who have gathered with me in the great room for a fun-filled evening of commercial-analysis. No, I don’t really understand football so I’ve been typing this during the game and I stop for the commercial breaks. I know, Notre Dame friends, shake your heads, it’s OK. Just remember I didn’t go there for undergrad. The first football game I ever attended was freshman year of college…and let’s just say at the time, Villanova football left a lot to be desired.

A Katie-Safe SuperBowl spread…

So here I am, on another Super Bowl Sunday, learning life lessons once again:

  1. I learned what a “safety” is…and that someone can in fact be winning a football game by a score of 2-0…who knew??
  2. I’ve learned that there seems to be an inverse relationship between the growth of technology and the creative spirit…because these commercials are not what they used to be  
  3. I’ve learned that despite new limitations, with a little bit of planning, I can still enjoy every event…even those based primarily on food
  4. Most importantly, I’ve learned that every day, night, minute, and second are worth celebrating. See, these 2 lovely new friends of mine returned home from the hospital tonight with news that their family member lost her cancer battle today. Tomorrow they’ll be making arrangements and taking her home…but for tonight, they told me they’re going to enjoy the game in her honor…because that’s what she would have wanted.

So as they sit with their haphazard meal of crackers, soup, and wine in plastic cups and I sit with my array of Katie-safe treats, I know this will be a Super Bowl Sunday I’ll never forget. Because this year I was reminded what Super Bowl Sunday is all about: enjoying time with people around you, treating yourself to all the delicious “you-safe” foods you can stomach, laughing at great commercials (or at least attempts at great), and staying up later than you should on a Sunday night.

Because field goal kicks and 4th-down attempts are sometimes short…and so is life…