Getting Back to Business With Food!

I am still chipping away at my inbox, so for anyone who may be thinking, "What? She hasn't replied to me yet??" I swear I'm getting there. Slowly. But I'm getting there. 


The A to Z Challenge was amazing! It forced me to blog everyday when, really, the lazykin monster had started to rear its ugly head. I've met plenty of very cool, very witty bloggers.

But, it made me completely forget that Wednesdays used to be devoted to food!

My old followers know this about me, but I have plenty of new followers (welcome, by the way! sit back with a cup of tea and enjoy some very yummy food!) who do not yet know I am gluten intolerant.

I do not have a full-fledged allergy*, but I am intolerant to all things wheat. Also, I love cooking from scratch and preparing very healthy meals. My philosophy is that if it's real food that comes from nature, it's automatically better for you than what comes from a lab and/or factory. And to be honest, the writing life is not conducive to a fit, healthy body. We sit all day at our computers, maybe getting up once or twice to go to the bathroom. This isn't good for the waistline. Let's help our bodies out by eating healthy, nutrient rich foods!

So! On my quest to find yummy gluten free meals that don't take a lot of money to prepare (because, let's face it, all the gluten free flours and everything else you need to mimic the effects of gluten on food are expensive), I've resorted to a lot of Asian food.

Now, I've always loved Asian food (all varieties), so it's been really easy to find meals that I and my family would enjoy. Here's one I recently made:

Peanut Butter Noodles (from allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger root
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons peanut butter
• 1 1/2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons hot chile paste (optional)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 8 ounces rice noodles
• 1/4 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped peanuts

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add noodles and cook until tender according to package directions. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, combine chicken broth, ginger, soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, chili paste, and garlic in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until peanut butter melts and is heated through. Add noodles, and toss to coat. Garnish with green onions and peanuts.

Enjoy!!

*Because I'm not actually allergic to wheat, I am still able to consume products with trace amounts (such as spices and other such foods that use wheat as preservatives). Therefore, many of my recipes will not specifically say gluten free soy sauce (for e.g.) or wheat free spices.