Today marks 1 year since I started my Gourmet Girl Cooks Blog. It has been an interesting journey that has evolved and changed as the year went on. Beginning this past July, I began my journey of eliminating all wheat, grains and sugar which meant having to learn how to cook and bake without using them. What initially seemed like a daunting task has actually turned out to be challenge that I thoroughly enjoy. I have proven to myself that it is possible to eat well and without deprivation with a few simple modifications. Since I have always enjoyed cooking, this way of eating has also allowed me to expand my creativity in the kitchen by experimenting and using ingredients I was not familiar with. And...the "sugar free icing" on the "wheat free cake" was that I also lost 52+ pounds in the process by simply eliminating those 3 items. Who knew it could be this easy? I look forward to seeing what this upcoming year will bring. I would also like to thank all of you for your kind comments and support over this past year. I hope that in some small way I have helped inspire and support you in your journeys too.
For whatever reason, tonight I wasn't in the mood for a typical dinner of meat, veggies, etc. However, I was in the mood to bake (not cook). :-) After I got home from work, I made a batch of Apple Pecan Coconut Muffins using a modified version of the
Cinnamon Spice Muffins that I made last week by substituting 1/2 cup of "no sugar added" applesauce for the buttermilk, increasing the cinnamon, removing the cloves, adding chopped pecans instead of walnuts and mixing in 1/4 cup of unsweetened grated coconut. I was also in the mood to have breakfast for dinner which meant I needed to bake a batch of my
Southern Style Buttermilk Biscuits to go along with the scrambled eggs & white cheddar cheese and chicken breakfast sausages (by Applegate). I snapped a couple photos for you to see below. Enjoy!
Happy 1 year Anniversary! You have helped me in my journey and I thank you!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much! :-)
ReplyDeleteLove your blog. Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful recipes.
ReplyDeleteHappy 1st Anniversary! I am a recent follower, gluten intolerant, and have already tried a couple of your recipes. Great on your weight loss, amazing!!! Now, I hope to convince my husband to give up sugar and wheat too, as he needs to lose his big belly.
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy for you, GG! You and I got on the wheat free train around the same time, so it's comforting to share our love of grain-sugar free cooking together. I get that you can cook like nobody's business and from all the amazing recipes you've shared I can see it's true. I am looking forward to reading about your continued successes and milestones. Take care and many blessing, Renee
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sharon -- you are welcome! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Sami -- my hubby is slow to completely switch over too -- he eats what I fix for dinner and enjoys it but still eats his big wheat bagels too! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Renee! I always appreciate your kind comments! It really does help to have others to share recipes, ideas, etc. with! :-)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on a year! I have very much enjoyed your blog since going wheat free in October! By the way, I made your chicken scampi-ish over the weekend. It was so delicious! Next time I think I'll try it with shrimp. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes.
ReplyDeleteHappy 1 year anniversary! Dinner looks good, muffins look good. I may have to try those muffins - love coconut :)
ReplyDeleteFinding your blog has been fabulous for me. We gave up wheat and sugar last August as the result of cholesterol issues for my husband and of course, reading the Wheat Belly book was quite an eye opener. I couldn't see how I could adapt a lot of our favorite recipes so I have thoroughly embraced your meals and have shared your site with many people. I have regained my interest in cooking which had severely deteriorated once we became empty nesters. Your meals are delicious. I wish I had the courage to create things without a recipe like you do but I have experimented with other recipes that I have found on the internet. I have especially been trying to find a bread and pizza crust recipe. But, after many flops, I think I have finally succeeded and since sandwiches are an easy lunch for me, I'm glad the bread finally tastes good. Thanks so much for all your efforts. It is a labor of love, I'm sure.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary! Thank you for all the work you do to develop and share recipes that are delicious, nutritious, healthy, wheat free and low carb. Those of us who love to eat but are perhaps a bit challenged when it comes to new recipes are grateful :-)
ReplyDeletePat in Ohio
Happy Anniversary & Happy New Year! My resolution this year is to plan my meals ahead, a week at a time. My hubby & I have been wheat free since August, so between your blog and the Wheat Belly cookbook, I know this task will be a lot easier for me. Thank you so much for being there & sharing your tempting & delicious recipes!!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Liz! Glad you liked the chicken scampi-ish too! I bet it will be delicious with shrimp! When I made it on Sunday for the 2nd time in a week, I considered doing a mixture of both chicken and shrimp...but my son wanted to try it the way I made it earlier in the week. Let me know how it turns out if you try it with shrimp. Thanks! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks Trina! I'm getting ready to have one of them with a cup of tea. :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Pat -- so glad you enjoy the blog. I like to challenge myself to see if I can either make something totally new or recreate/revise a traditional recipe and modify it so that I can eat it. I have not gotten bored with cooking or eating yet! :-) Again, thanks for your kind comments -- it is a labor of love! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much "Pat in Ohio" -- glad that you enjoy the blog and recipes. It gives me an opportunity to share my love of cooking with others as well as hopefully inspire someone or give them an idea that they can run with! Thanks again! :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Darlene. I wish both you and your hubby much success and good health this year -- and so glad that my blog was able to help you in a small way too! Thanks again! :-)
ReplyDeleteWe have just started wheatfree. Am loving your blog. Thanks for all the hard work. I just baked your Blackpepper Bisquits. I put a little too much salt but otherwise beautiful and delicious.
ReplyDeleteMJ
Hi there Anonymous! Congratulations on just starting wheat free -- I wish you loads of success, whether you are doing it for better health or to lose weight. I'm so glad you like my blog. Glad you liked the biscuits, too -- sometimes you need to be careful when adding salt since the cheese has salt in it, too. Thanks for your kind words and good luck on your wheat free journey! :-)
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous...again! I just noticed that you made the buttermilk biscuits, not the cheddar biscuits that I thought you made. Sorry about that -- if you like cheddar cheese...you should try my "Easy Cheddar Black Pepper Biscuits" -- they are my favorites so far. Here is the link in case you want to give them a try... http://www.gourmetgirlcooks.com/2013/06/sunday-bruncheggs-bacon-easy-cheddar.html :-)
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