April Peveteaux's Blog, page 2
July 8, 2017
How to Gluten-Free Relax
[image error]Wine helps.
When you have celiac disease, traveling is anxiety inducing. You know this. I know this. We all ‘effing know this. If you want to really relax, you either rent a house or apartment with a kitchen and BYOGFF.
I’m sorry, I meant if you want to really relax about what you’re eating.
There’s still the cooking and cleaning. Which I find, worth it, but sometimes you just want to leave your dirty dishes on the table and walk away like a boss. Which is why my super quick visit to Napa Valley was a truly relaxing food situation.
You guys, I left dishes EVERYWHERE. Okay, just at the breakfast table. And some cookie crumbs in the room. Because I was staying at the Inn on Randolph, which is 100% gluten-free. BAM. This was my gluten-free welcome basket.
[image error]They gave me wine, chocolates, popcorn and made gluten-free chocolate chip cookies daily and we ate them hourly. Freaking delicious, you guys.
[image error]Oh, hi, are you my very first gluten-free breakfast muffin with red and blue types of berries on the 4th of July? Aren’t you adorable, and on point, you little muffin? Yes, you are.
[image error]I haven’t had Eggs Benedict in YEARS. Then, I did. With a nice side of taters and broccoli pesto. Hello.
[image error]Next morning, French toast with frosting and syrup.
[image error]Hash browns, fat ass bacon, fried mother scratching egg.
Which is actually exactly what you need if you’re going wine tasting for the day. Which is the whole reason one goes to Napa. That, and the jacuzzi tub.
So the hubs and I signed on for a day of super fun wine tasting and I met my new best friend, Jason who I want to cast in every movie I ever write, at the David Fulton winery which claims to be the OG winery from back in the 1880s day. After that, I’m not sure where we went because, wine.
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WINE!!!!!!!
What I do remember is that my husband decided that he should approach the wine day with some serious precision. See, my husband is more of an IPA and bourbon guy, although we’ve killed many bottles of red on nights in. And he felt this was a learning vacation. I was def up for it, as long as he let me write down all of the questions he had pre-wine tasting for my enjoyment.
Favorite quotes from the man in my life on wine tasting:
“In all honesty, I’m going to think about what I’m drinking.”
“My goal is to become a wine guy.”
“I think I’ll wear pants.”
“I’m pink curious.”
Aren’t we all, babe. Aren’t we all.
So, yeah. It was a fun day! And made even better by filling up on gluten-free chocolate chip cookies in the 100% gluten-free inn, that was 500% freaking adorable.
RELAXATION, people. We all need it.
June 26, 2017
Gluten-Free Travel: It Gets Better
Bottoms Up Pizza, FTW!
I’m so sorry because that headline is a TOTAL LIE. But I thought I would start positive, so we could all feel good for the half second it took to read it. I’m nice like that.
YOU GUYS. I’ve been on an epic travel adventure and have hit every single time zone (if you count the Denver airport, which I DO) in America over the past five+ weeks. I’ve been werking book events, hanging out with screenwriters doing writer stuff, and a little family vacation snuck in there. Which brings me to my first gluten-free travel tip: Travel solo, so you never have to consider any one else’s needs. Ever.
Yes, that is a great tip. You are welcome. I stand by this tip because while I was in Chicago, Vermont and New York I staked out the recommended joints and made my day work around delicious gluten-free pizza and muffins. I had a real live amazing donut in Chicago that rocked my ever loving socks off. [image error]And while I built in time to walk to many gluten-free and amazing restaurants in Chicago (shout out to Do-Rite Donuts, Lou Malnati’s, Burger Bar and Brightwok Kitchen!) when I tried to do the same in Virginia, well . . . it did not go as well.
I want to thank all of you for your amazing gluten-free tips all over Virginia. And had I been solo, I would have eaten the gluten-free hell out of Virginia, but what with a schedule and people other than me wanting food, it did not work out as well as I’d hoped.
The first morning of our grand historical tour through the southern region of Virginia really set the tone for the whole trip. For in spite of me pre-ordering a load of gluten-free donuts (because, of course I would), my dreams of getting up, getting fed, and getting on the road to another location where extended family awaited, would have been the ultimate.
Instead, I woke up, discovered that no one had answered my pleas of, “What’s a Hugenot?” so I could locate the gluten-free donut truck, so we drove around Richmond for almost an hour trying to find breakfast. At that point my children were cranky, hungry, and did not give a shit about my gluten-freeness. Understandable, yes. This is how families work. Still, I was out a donut or five, and this particular disappointment set the tone for the entire trip—food-wise.
It turns out that some restaurants don’t like to update their websites so you show up to a joint expecting a decent-sized gluten-free menu of delicious offerings, and instead are handed a small piece of paper with literally nothing on it you can eat. This seems like bad business, since even though the other 3 family members could eat off the menu, I get hangry and storm out of restaurants and because they love me/feel sorry for me, they leave too. Dear reader, this happened more than once in Virginia. And I find that confusing. I didn’t get the memo that it was menu changing season, and therefore everything you read on the internet was a lie.
Luckily I did find a few great places with safe gluten-free offerings, and I only had to send my husband out for peanut butter once. This was especially fortuitous since he brought back CHUNKY peanut butter, knowing damn well I eat like a child. I mean, I’ve been married to this man for almost 12 years and not once has he seen a jar of chunky fucking peanut butter in our pantry. When I asked him what could possibly have possessed him to pick up a formerly perfect product, mangled by sharp chunks, his only defense was, “I thought you’d think it was fun.”
Do you know what was fun? My ‘select’ box on United Airlines on the way home because the whole GD thing was gluten-free. Now that is sad. But it was a nice moment, nonetheless. Oh, and this lady singing for us at the King’s Arms Tavern in Colonial Williamsburg (where I did eat well, and gluten-free).
[image error]Check her out! That place is a trip, ya’ll. So do yourselves a favor and get your history on and tour through Virginia. Just maybe bring your own food. Or don’t bring your family. It’s really a personal choice.
For this summer, at least, I’m mostly staying put and eating in my own home. With one exception when I take a quick jaunt up to Napa, but girlfriend is staying at a gluten-free hotel. A GLUTEN-FREE HOTEL. This may be the only place I travel from now on. I mean, wine tours and gluten-free waffles. That’s what gets better. Isn’t it swell I started and ended on a positive note? God bless you, summer travelers. And good freaking luck.
May 30, 2017
Talking Bake Sales with My GFF (Discounts!!!!)
Those nice peeps gave me a nice shout-out for my new book—
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Aren’t they the coolest? But their coolness does not end there! Because you’re here, and you are in need of amazing recipes, fun articles, and all things gluten-free, GFF mag is providing you, the GIMB/BSAMB reader with a VERY special offer for Celiac Awareness Month. That’s right now, you guys! And only for 2 MORE DAYS.
GFF is extending a 50% OFF discount code for subscriptions to all you lovely people which will be good only through the end of the month of May. So act fast! Like, right this second.
Go here – https://gffmag.com/subscriptions/
And enter the very special code which is, of course: APRIL
Start reading.
April 20, 2017
Bake Sales Are My B*tch, Too!
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Yep, my new book is out and I’m pretty sure everyone needs to buy it RIGHT NOW. I mean, it came out last week, but I was pretty busy wrangling spring breakers so I’m just now officially saying it on this blog. Jaysus, children are needy, are they not? How old do they have to be to go grocery shopping on their own? Is 11 good? Because, holy Mary, mother…
Which, actually, is how this book came about. You see, I’m a mom (those are my kids I’m complaining about in case it wasn’t clear) and I’m exhausted. I’m also hungry, as are they. My big gluten-free transition was difficult enough on my own, but once the kiddos started having opinions on what I put in their little mouths it became a family issue. A family issue that came to a head one day when I was trying to figure out how to pack a gluten-free, tree nut-free, peanut-free, spinach-free, kosher lunch that my kids might actually consume rather than squish to the bottom of their lil’ lunch boxes, only to be peeled out by yours truly at the end of the day. It was also around this time when my daughter was breaking out in hives from strawberries and citrus so I was on my last grape (potential choking hazard), ready to give up.
And I was the lady who wrote about this stuff! And loves to cook! And is sympathetic to all diets! So if I was losing my shit and thinking about ordering pepperoni pizza every day for my kid’s lunch boxes and risking the wrath of the head of our Jewish Day School, I realized there was no way that I was alone in all of this. No ‘effing way.
It was also around this time I heard the following from people I knew, or were in school meetings with, or was maybe even related to:
“A peanut allergy? Oh, yeah, my kid has a broccoli allergy. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”
“Food allergies are such a white people problem.”
(A giant eye roll when I mentioned a kid I knew who had tree nut allergies.)
“How come we never had food allergies when we were kids?”
These comments were not meant kindly. I mean, doi.
Being gluten-free so I don’t drop dead (eventually), and knowing parents of kids who are truly terrified to send their children to sleep away camp, or even a birthday party, I realized that we were two sides at war and there would be no winners.
So I set out to write a book that offers up the sympathy all parents need when we have to hustle around to feed our own children, and the classmates who absolutely eat different food, whether by choice or by necessity. Whether we’re the frightened parent, the annoyed parent, or both at any given time, we need to work together. I suggest we work together while enjoying some Sunbutter Buckeyes, or any of the magical ice pops in my book (thank you Maura Wall Hernandez!). And if we need to add some sparkling wine to make it all go down that much smoother, let’s do it.
Come together, parents! We can do this.
Get your copy of Bake Sales Are My B*tch: Win the Food Allergy Wars with 60+ Recipes to Keep Kids Safe and Parents Sane, today!
The audio book, too!
February 3, 2017
GIMB Presents . . .Gluten-Free Prosciutto Lasagna
[image error]Holy dinner time, peeps. I know what I’m having dinner tonight. Meat on top of carbs, filled with cheese and more meat. Woooo-hoooooo!
If you want to rock some comfort food this weekend, check out this gluten-free prosciutto lasagna, make it, and shove it in your mouth.
XO, GIMB
January 31, 2017
Self Care for the Gluten-Free & Angry
My 7-year-old has it figured out.
Oh, hi guys. It’s been awhile!
I mean, I’ve been cooking, and making mistakes, and eating those mistakes, and posting about them, but it’s been awhile since we’ve talked. So let’s do that for a minute, yes?
Realizing that celiac disease and gluten intolerance, and Crohn’s and other autoimmune diseases cross party lines, I know that some of you won’t like my POV. And that’s okay. Yes, I’m here to give advice and give voice to your frustration as someone who can’t enjoy the flaky croissant, or if that’s too French for you, a good old-fashioned dinner roll, anymore. But I’m also a mother, a U.S. citizen, a friend, a daughter, and someone who gives so many damns. Maybe too many damns, but I kind of don’t think that’s possible in this current era of burning everything we know to the ground.
Which brings me to, where I’m at right now. I’m guessing I’m not the only person with health issues who isn’t being too healthy these days. When you live with an autoimmune disease, anything that gets you off track—an amazing vacation, the holidays, or stress—can cause serious problems. I stuffed myself with gluten-free chocolate chip mint cookies and champagne to deal with, and celebrate, all of the above for a few months and woke up in the new year still stressed, plumper, and with seriously high cholesterol. I know I’m not alone here, because another friend just polled our book club on how we’re suffering physically and emotionally after a misogynist, racist, dictator has taken over our country. Turns out, we’re all kind of fucked up right now.
Usually my answer to those of us who are dealing with multiple stressors is this: Be easy on yourself. Mess up where you have to mess up (see cookies + champagne above). Don’t beat yourself up for not taking the best care during times of serious mental anguish. I still believe these words to be true, but at the same time I’ve realized if I don’t start taking care of myself, and not just trying to comfort myself through delicious, potentially unhealthy, habits, I’m not going to have the energy to stand up and fight for my country, and my family.
SO. If you’re in the same boat, I’d like to share just a few things that I’m doing to help me stay strong and focused, without feeling like I’m deprived of not only gluten, not only equal rights for my gender and general safety in my country, but comfort as well. Here’s what I do:
Start the day off right
[image error]I’m not a morning person by any stretch of the imagination, and sometimes getting to my coffee pot is all the effort I can put in before 10 a.m. But juicing a lemon and adding it to a tiny bit of water first thing in the morning should not only help my cholesterol, but it also makes me feel cleansed and puts my head in the right space to enjoy a healthy breakfast. By healthy, I mean either gluten-free whole grains or a protein and vegetable (again, maybe too French for some, but I dig scrambled eggs with wilted greens). Once I’ve started it off in a good way, I’m much more inspired to keep up the good work throughout the day. Which for me means, adding as many vegetables in as I possibly can to keep my body energized and packed full o’ vitamins. And avoiding the grab and go that could not only be bad for my general health, but be contaminated with gluten as well.
Exercise
[image error]Ugh, I fucking hate exercise. HATE. So I’ve started doing little things that help me stay focused on being healthy, without making me curse the day I was born (September 19th, BTW, in case anyone is sending gifts). I recently moved to a neighborhood that is no longer filled with hills, so I’m able to not only take my dog on long walks, but take her on runs. If I’m running with her, I feel like I’m doing something for that little adorable ball of fur, and I get the side benefit of running out the stress. It’s been oddly fun, for a girl who bitched so much about cross-fit she forgot how to learn the proper lift protocols. Find something you enjoy, and doesn’t make you want to throw in the towel after one week. The more you dread it, the more likely you are to skip it. I know. I KNOW how hard it is to keep doing something once you’ve been gluten’d, or or having another outbreak of perioral dermatitis (fuck that shit, too) so consider some sit ups followed by a meditation session just as good as a run with an adorable fox-like dog. Whatever it takes, peeps. Whatever it takes.
Talk It Out
[image error]I can’t go to lunch, my book club, or a professional meeting without joining in a chorus of despair about what the holy hell is going on in our country. My last date night with El Hubso also wound up in a deep discussion about, “Should we flee or fight?” At the same time, joining in a march, getting together with friends, and even talking with a therapist is fantastic for getting your head right and relieving stress. Join a group that’s working on political actions that you can get behind, and spend all that crazy energy on working for justice. Find your people, and look out for each other. Give lots of hugs.
Don’t Give Up
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When all else fails, puppies.
Take it from the woman who actually destroyed her television remotes (oh god, and I LOVE TV), and her favorite new marble table on the late hours of November 8th, we cannot give in to despair. Don’t give up no matter what you see. Don’t give up even if you just ate an entire gluten-free cheesecake and drank a bottle of Pinot Noir and now you’re swollen and feel like shit. Don’t give up even if your best friend from high school is telling you to chill out. Don’t give up even if your dad is ignoring your calls. We’re all human. We all deserve equal respect and opportunity under the law. That’s just being decent, and there should be zero controversy about that position. Own it, live it, defend it.
It’s going to be a long four years, my friends, and we need to stick together. And if you truly don’t understand what the rest of us are freaking out about, ask. We need to communicate, and reach an understanding. It’s a tall order, but I feel like those of us who already deal with the challenge of a chronic illness, are much more likely to spread empathy and understanding.
Let’s do this.
How are you coping?
January 27, 2017
GIMB Presents . . . Gluten-Free Breakfast Cookies
[image error]You guys, I love cookies. I love breakfast. And I especially love having an excuse to eat cookies for breakfast. I also love that I’m pretending I don’t just eat normal gluten-free cookies for breakfast sometimes.
Still! If you can tolerate gluten-free oats, bake these up for a special treat when you wake up. And I won’t even tell if you just hoover them up any time of day.
XO, GIMB
January 17, 2017
GIMB Presents . . .Gluten-Free Ribollita
[image error]‘Cuz soup is good food.
Happy new year, folks! I hope you’re making big plans, working towards goals, being kind to yourself and others, and basically having zero life problems. Hahahaha! I’m kidding. I hope you all are just doing what it takes to get by. Bonus if any of the above comes into play.
If you’re one of the zillions of people who decided 2017 was the year to go vegan, well, you’re in luck! My husband is ditching meat (mostly) and I’m here to support him even if what I really want is a double cheeseburger. So my first recipe out of the box is this gluten-free ribollita, which I have made before but now I’ve changed it up a bit to add some more texture. It is vegan only if your bread is vegan, but otherwise it’s all vegetarian. So that’s good too, I suppose.
The last time I made this I had some of the amazing gluten-free sourdough from Bread Srsly to pour over. But this time my local store that usually carries it, has stopped carrying it. GET IT TOGETHER EREWHON.
But whatever your bread choice (but Bread Srsly’s sourdough is THE BEST) toast it up before pouring the soup on and you’ll have a very satisfying, healthy, winter-y meal.
XO, GIMB
December 24, 2016
GIMB Presents . . . Gluten-Free Latkes
[image error]Tonight begins the festival of lights, where the Jewish people celebrate the rededication of the second temple in Jerusalem, play some dreidel, eat some latkes, light the menorah, and basically join together to say, “Yo, we’re still here!”
Fry up some latkes and join in the fun! This time, gluten-free.
XO, GIMB
December 15, 2016
Gluten-Free Brisket 4 Hanukkah + Whenevs
[image error]GIMB is presenting more holiday foods, you guys! This time it’s a video of a scrumptious melt-in-your-mouth gluten-free brisket that’s gonna’ knock off your socks. I LOVE THIS SO MUCH. Watch it, make it, love it. Spin a dreidel while you’re at it.
XO, GIMB
