Gluten-free goodies

For some reason I've had gluten on my mind so much lately I keep hearing Snoop singing "aint nothin but a G thang" in my head. I think it's a nice spin on the original meaning.

Anyways, it seems I am one of the lucky few pregos who develops a gluten and dairy intolerance as a result of pregnancy. It doesn't affect me in the digestive system like most people, instead it manifests itself as a red rash around my mouth. And my friends can tell you, my two favorite food groups are carbs and cheese, so the past few weeks have been quite a transition for me. In fact I spent the weekend in sheer denial that this was happening, ate whatever I wanted, and spent Monday morning layering concealer all over my inflamed face.

Since today's Tea on Tuesday at Grey Umbrella is about FOOD, what better time to share my new finds than now!

I refuse to give up my yummy carby-items so I'm learning to make them without gluten or dairy, and I've beeen shocked at how good they are! Here are two of the recipes I've adjusted slightly for happy rash-free consumption.

1. Smitten Kitchen pumpkin muffins- these came out sooooo good. All I did was replace the regular flour with brown rice flour. They are moist, flavorful, and even Madelyn can't stop eating them.

2. Bethenny's banana bread- I've made the traditional version of this several times with great results, but this time I again added brown rice flour instead of regular white or wheat and added an extra 1/2 a banana. It was just as delicious, which Kristin's hubby affirmed for me over brunch on Sunday. I find the boys are often the toughest critics when it comes to healthy food, so this was all I needed to hear.

As someone who is brand new to this way of eating (and admittedly a little bit bitter about it), I've found several great sites that make it a little bit easier to navigate this lifestyle.

Crockpot 365- if you have a crock pot, you need this site. Most of her recipes are gluten-free (but not necessarily low-sugar...don't say I didn't warn you) and use everyday ingredients. I've only made two or three and they came out well.

Elana's pantry- I haven't made any of these yet but I have quite a few on my radar. I especially love her suggestions for an Easter brunch. Oh, and maybe these.