Van's Waffles

For Valentine's Day, my very sweet husband went on a gluten-free shopping spree.  He purchased all kinds of goodies for me that I would never get.  It's not that I want to deprive myself of food that I love, it's that I don't want to spend the money for expensive stuff, and I don't have a lot of time to bake right now.  The food items that he purchased are things that I don't need to eat.  I know that a lot of folks that end up going gluten free eat a lot of whole foods.  I can honestly say that I eat more fruits and vegetables now than I ever did before, and it's not a bad thing.  There are worse things in the world to eat than broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, celery, beans, apples, strawberries, dates, oranges and bananas.  The fact that my diet is filled with that, and lean proteins like chicken, pork, and extra lean ground beef is fantastic, and I know that for the most part, I'm putting good stuff in my body.

But sometimes, you just want a waffle.  The college that I went to for my undergrad used to have make your own belgian waffle stations.  They'd have all sorts of delicious toppings like strawberries and whipped cream, bananas, chocolate, etc.  Even when I was first living out on my own, I'd buy frozen waffles, and put some syrup, or smear peanut butter on one on my way out the door to work in the morning.  Sometimes, when it's very early in the morning, milk upsets my stomach.  So, this was a perfect breakfast.  I have some gluten-free Bisquick that I'd like to use but, I don't have a waffle maker in my house.  It's one of those appliances that some people have, and some people love and use regularly.  But, a lot of people have sort of banished it to some cupboard, or into storage in the basement, because they just don't use it that often.  I live in a small townhouse with a TINY kitchen (my oven is not even full sized, as in, I can't fit a regular sized cookie sheet into it), so extra appliances are a no go.

But, one of the products that my husband bought for me during his spree were Van's Gluten-Free waffles.

And they are very, very, good.  Just like any other frozen waffle, you can toast them in the toaster oven or a regular toaster.  I toasted them in my toaster oven.  You have to cook them for at least 2 minutes, and then go from there based on how you like your waffle.  To me, they taste EXACTLY like any other frozen waffle.  The texture is very similar, although that sort of rubbery feeling that you can get with a regular frozen waffle is not there.  But, these waffles have a light, satisfying crisp on the outer layer, and dare I say, a slight chew in the interior.  I was so happy to remember that I had these in the freezer this morning.  I just didn't feel like cold cereal and milk.  These would hold up well also to a peanut butter or cream cheese smear if that's how you like them.  

I have no idea how much these cost, because I didn't buy them.  I just know they're tasty and I would definitely get this brand again.  For those of you who read this blog because I post links on facebook, you may have noticed that I've been a little angry at the food world lately. I haven't had as much time to cook meals at home, and I miss the ability to just pick something up anywhere I go.  The Jimmy John's dude walked through the building I work in the other day and was handing out free samples.  My coworkers were happy to munch on their delicious, chewy, crusty, bread sandwiches, and the guy apologized that he didn't have any unwich samples with him, because it's just not as big a market, and they don't travel well.  It's not his fault.  It's not my coworker's fault.  It's no one's fault that I can't eat bread. But, despite the existence of some really good, convenient food, a diverse repertoire of quick stuff that most places have readily available just doesn't exist.  And the monotony of eating the same things over and over when you don't have time to prepare something different can make you a little cranky.  

So, it's on days like these, after weeks like those that make me really thankful for products like this.

Chipotle Corn Tortillas

I haven't posted recently.  Mostly because school keeps me busy.  I have made meals, and even taken some photos, but I just haven't had a lot of time to post.

My husband and I went to Chipotle on Saturday night because I was disgustingly sick and didn't feel like making food. I was fully prepared to get a chicken bol, which I love and has essentially saved my life.  It is my "go-to" Tuesday meal before my evening class, and it's not a bad calorie expenditure either as it chalks up just under 500 calories.  But, I was surprised to see a sign on the line that advertised their new soft corn tortillas.  I asked the fellow behind the line if they were GF, he checked to make sure, and then changed gloves, washed his hands, and we got down to business.

Delicious chicken soft tacos topped with a bit of cheese, lettuce and guac.  It was awesome, and I enjoyed having soft tacos "out" again.  I can obviously make this any time I want at home, but being able to get this on the go is just convenient, and it makes my life easier.  What's great is that Chipotle is already a super GF friendly restaurant, so this is just one more meal option for me.  When I decided to go GF, I knew that my life would change, and it would seem drastic.  There are still a lot of things that I really miss (and that I won't let myself buy because I'm on a budget), and one of the things that I think devastates most people is feeling like you "can't".

"I can't have that."
"Nope.  Sorry.  I can't eat that either."
"No problem, I'll just get a salad."

Yeah, salads are good for you, but a lot of restaurant/fast food salads can be boring, and if it's the only thing you eat when you're out, you're going to get frustrated.  I have not WILLINGLY glutened myself since making the decision to do this two months ago, and a huge part of that has been having options available to me.  This is just one more.

Image from: Four Pounds Flour