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Don't be a downer. St. Valentine's Day is not a Hallmark Holiday. This holiday has a sociological value and psycho-emotional value of lifting the winter doldrums and inspiring people to be romantic, thoughtful, and profess their love. Plus, there's the candy! See's candy is almost all gluten free. I'd observe and ask about cross-contamination, but I'm planning on getting some! My faves are trinidads, turtles, and carmallows. Here is Celiac Family's list of other Valentine Candy. Russell Stover's is mostly gluten-free (not the obvious items containing cookies and crackers) but read this link re: RS's shared equip. Other faves of mine are Peeps marshmallow hearts, Reese's hearts, and Ghirardelli chocolates. I never begin my summer shapeup/diet at New Year's- I always slowly lean into after Valentine's Day and ramp it up each week until it's full-fledged in March-April-May, until I look fab in June! So, candy, here I come! It's too hard to post pics on this blog so I do it on my other one. Sorry!

Since moving to the DC/Virginia area, Oyamel is a chow champion of mine, since it's near the museums (I left my car in California-no snowy driving 4 me). Not only do I volunteer at one of the Smithsonian Museums, but I set a goal to see as many of the museums/sights in this area as possible during our year here. Let's tangent to a museum/tourist list: So far, I've toured : Pentagon, Gettysburg, Newseum, Library of Congress, Spy Museum, G.Washington Masonic Memorial, Freer Gallery, Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Castle, Nat'l Building Museum, Nat'l Geographic, Gadsby's Tavern, Torpedo Factory, Mount Vernon, Amer. History, Hirshhorn, Christ Church (G.Washington's), Nat'l Harbor, Baltimore Harbor, Nat'l Mus. of the Marine Corps, Carlyle House, Ramsay House, Arlington Nat'l Cemetery, Dulles Air and Space (not on mall), Postal Museum, Natural History, Air & Space (on mall), American Indian, Portrait Gallery, Kennedy Center, Fredericksburg, and that's all I remember so far. My faves are: Library of Congress, Dale Collection at Museum of Art, Mount Vernon, and the giant Washington statue at the Masonic Memorial, and Iwo Jima. Newseum, FDR Memorial, and Gettysburg surpassed my expectations. I had already been on the city tour in '05 with the Capitol, embassy row, and white house. I have several museums yet to see: Black History in Alexandria, African American Smithsonian, Basilica, Nat'l Cathedral, inside White House, inside Wash. Monument, Colonial Williamsburg, Lee-Fendall, Ft. Ward, Anacostia, Nat'l Botanical Garden, Nat'l Zoo, Renwick, Arts & Industries, Nat'l Design, Women's, Cherry Blossom Festival, Dumbarton Oaks, and I'm sure there are more. Back to FOOD: Call it serendipity, but Oyamel is almost next door to Red Velvet Cupcakery, which without fail has gluten free cupcakes (usually the delectable, crispy-topped, "black velvet" flavor, which is fudgy but with a dark depth to its taste, with a perfect texture, not crumbly or dense) and the cupcake elves are aware enough to put on a clean glove to grab it with. For now I'll keep updating this brendygirl blog (I've had since Oct 06 and over 30,000 hits), but I'm trying to get my new one going on gluten free breeze at blogspot where there are pics (even of the grasshopper taco) and more. Also twitter at glutenfreebree. I dig Oyamel because they have a separate and lengthy gluten-free menu. Plus, you can get single plates (similar to Spanish tapas) of $4 items to build your own meal. I get the various tacos, soup, or tamale, all freshly made on daily homemade corn tortillas and guacamole. Today I had 2 fish tacos which were deceptively filling, and felt adventurous enough to go for the chopped grasshopper taco. It was spicy and crunchy and orange-colored. I liked it. Next time I'll try the cow tongue and maybe a dessert (chocolate flan with pomogranate gel on top). Mexican food is hard to please me with, after living in SoCal. Their salsa is the real deal and everything is fresh and back-to-basics. I only wish we could have the chips!! It is no fun to watch other people chomp on chips when I can't! Even if I brought my own, they wouldn't be warm. Boo hoo. Rosa Mexicano and Legal Seafoods are a matter of blocks from there, so I'm lucky to be able to eat out! There are lots of places all over here, but I've had many times where I've eaten successfully at an establishment, only to return and get sick. I guess it just depends on who is working and how tidy they are back there in the prep/cookin zone. At home here is what I've been grubbing on: Morning Mealdom: Udi's Cinnamon Raisin Bagels with Philly strawberry cr. cheese and fresh sliced strawberries on top Homemade Quaker Grits- My Marine went to Tulane, so he enjoys Southern stuff and he's capable of whipping it up himself Chobani yogurt (cheaper, giant tub of plain) I add flax seed, fresh blueberries Egg Sammich: Udi multigrain bread (toasted), with egg and rhubarb/straw jam Jimmy Dean turkey sausage Bisquick pancakes with bananas or Ghirardelli milk choc chips and syrup canteloupe apple with peanut butter (not all at the same time) Lunchy-love: Progresso Split Pea & Ham Soup Sargento Provolone Grilled Cheese (on Udi) GlutenFreeda's microwaveable burrito- chicken n cheese or bean n veg Lara Bar- peanut butter cookie, apple, or pbj, or cashew cookie (these bars were an acquired taste, I hated them at first and still detest the chocolate flavors) Veggies and Hummus No GLut-in din-din: Bisquick Recipes: Amazing Chicken Fingers and Chicken Pot Pie-My Marine Marvels! Allrecipes: Coconut Curry with Tofu (I added chicken, water chestnuts, & baby corn cob) This was my first time cooking and eating BOK CHOY! Thumbs way up! My Marine did all the veggy chopping, since I have carpal tunnel, so it was a fun, team project! Served it over a boxed Taste of Thai yellow curry rice marked gluten-free Allrecipes Lasagna with Pepperoni and ground beef- amazing, but expensive--(we splurged on the fancy $11.99 Romano Cheese last time, but this week we got the Kraft kind so we'll see if it measures up) Pad Thai- From box Taste of Thai (cheap) and not enuff sauce rendered it bland Edamame Super Snack-a-licious EnviroKids Krispy Rice bars- Peanut butter choco drizzle- pretty good, crunchy and chewy at the same time, not too dry, decent flavor, hint of a strange aftertaste like fakey chocolate items sometimes produce Schar crackers- a bit on the dry side, but crisp and desirably doughy in the mouth, and nice with toppings-not overly crumbly Schar breadsticks- crunchy and hard, with a buttery flavor, as they are intended Andes mint chocolate wafers Snickers almond GummiSavers Bursts- we stealthily sneak em to the movies Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate with Kraft mini mallows-I never knew if SM was gluten-free, but I had been drinkin it as a newbie (before I knew it could be questionable) and never reacted Blackberries and blueberries (fresh) when they're on sale veg n hummus Lara bar-acquired taste, tread carefully fruit salad with cool whip Fritos- took em on a day trip Peanuts Craisins Shopped and ready to try: Shepherd's Pie with Manwich (Manwich was on sale cheap and I saw a recipe on a blog, and my Scottish Marine LOVES Shep pie--wish me luck) Keep your gluten free focus, live lovely and lovingly, and may the gluten free breeze blow gently your way! Besos!

In the elevator to our hotel room (the cdf conference in L.A.), a woman commented on the Udi bread she spied sticking out from my bag on the bellman's luggage cart. This was my marine's first clue that "people like ME" were swarming the hotel. My beau learned SO much from the speakers (Dr. Peter Green, Dr. Sheila Crowe, Dietician, Shelley Case, and Cook Extraordinaire Frank Baldassare! My Marine needs to step up his know-how pertaining to Gluten Freedom since.. *drumroll*: The Marine Corps is sending him to Command & Staff School for a year and so I'm going to rent my house out, sell my car, put my teaching job on hold, adopt a carefree attitude, a scarf, and a metro card...and shack up with him for a year! Funny enough, the hardest part has been thinking about glutenous tenants contaminating my virgin, high-end fridge and stove! Back to the conference: After dining on gluten-free Bisquick Pancakes (perfect texture, yummy, can't wait for them to hit stores this fall),and savory Jones Dairy Farm All Natural Sausage Links (thumbs way up!)we alternated between raiding the chillbump-inducing superfluous vendor sample hallways and watching the presentations. I preferred last year's lunch, this year was chicken (snore), but the Betty Crocker cupcakes were tasty. It's always such a special occasion to eat out without needing to tame & train a server and just relax and enjoy with lots of "special" people, who are "against the grain", like me! I was pleased to see lots of nutritionists at a seminar learning about gluten-free! Now for the GOODS on the GRUB: Foods/Products I liked and recommend: Udi Bread (Awesome & loaf can be thawed!) Rudi's Bread (similar to Udi's and if I see it, I'll buy it) Glutino Chocolate covered pretzels- 2 die 4! Asian Chicken Helper (Hamburger Helper)- pretty tasty. A good replacement for the "normal" kind gluten-free Bisquick Pancakes- Yum with a capital Y--it came with 9 other gluten-free recipe cards to use bisquick Jones Dairy Farms All Natural Sausage- Savory and Delicious Kettle Cuisine Soups- I like them, but I'm too thrifty to purchase them Soy Delicious (fake ice cream): It's rich and flavorful- cookie dough is a nice gluten-free flavor! Zojirushi Breadmaker- the bread was good, and machine is $200 or so Simply Gluten Free desserts- oatmeal cookies were delicious and only a tad overchewy PureFit Nutrition bars- fair as nutr.bars go, but too pricey, I'll stick with Lara (half the price) Bard's Tale Beer- great French Meadow Bakery Brownies- Vey Good, texture&taste. I prefer Rudi's Raisin bread to theirs Smooze Mango and Coconut Fruit Ice- tasty, but I use cheapie popsicles Green's Beer- Great The Pure Pantry Baked Goods- Delicious Sof-ella cake mix- Good, I get it cheap at FreshNEasy Boar's Head deli meats and cheeses and condiments are tasty and ALL gluten free Annie's Bunny Crackers Cocoa & Vanilla- yum Schar breadsticks and Wafer cookies- crunchy and tasty Boulangerie Brownies and Baked Goods- Excellent- My favorite find at the conference!!! Things I didn't like (don't waste your dough) Simply Boulder Culinary Sauces- not creamy enough and too tart Earth Cafe Desserts- taste like mush Mary's Gone Crackers- taste like birdseed, CrunchMaster are better Nature's Agave sweeteners- yuck. Better to go with real sugar various pastas- stick with Mrs. Leepers and Tinkyada

My new favorites: Glutino Gluten Free Organic Bars (chocolate & peanut)-smaller than a "traditional" granola bar, but taste fabulous and travel well. Progresso Canned soup (low sodium chicken and wild rice)- $1.25 a can at Target with pop-off lid I don't really like creamy soups, but they have many gluten free soups, and many are LABELED gluten free! Glutino breakfast bar (reformulated) CRANBERRY. Really good. New formula is less chalky. Good to keep in car or to travel with. Good Eats (I will buy these regularly): Dr. Praeger's Fish patties (breaded with potato)- breading stays on pretty well, tastes great. EnviroKids Organic Crispy Rice bars (chocolate)- good taste and texture, but a hint of a weird aftertaste. One box was rotten-as in the bars were super hard, so I'm going to try to get that resolved by calling the co. Expensive but tasty: Frozen meal: I forgot the brand but I bought it at Sprout's to keep in the freezer at work for emergency food: It's got a single lunch serving of chicken and quinoa and stuff. It was tasty, but it took FOREVER to heat in the microwave and it was over $6 for one frozen meal-because it's ORGANIC (pricey). Tasty but hurt my tummy (too rich and cheesy): Caesar's brand frozen gluten free lasagna (from Sprout's) Please stop buying that DISGUSTING Food4Life frozen bread that is super DENSE and has an overwhelming fruit juice flavor! When I visited my mom, she had bought that because it was the only kind available at the nutrition store she went to. Whatta waste! Get it off the shelves so GOOD kinds can flourish! Eating Out at Restaurants: Thumbs-Up: Uno's Italian (stuffed chicken thing) they forgot to take the breadstick off and had to redo it, but it was ultra-flavorful and juicy. Denny's: Kudos for consistency- haven't gotten glutened in many many meals. Fair: Carrabba's Italian: I hate gluten-free menus that are just meat and veggies with all the flavorful sauces and goodies removed. It worked, but it's a major pia (pain in the...) to drool over everyone else's tantalizing tastings while you eat dry meat and plain veg. Applebee's: Too bad you won't put out a gluten-free menu, but I did have the shrimp add-on (I added on to my bf's meal- it comes in it's own dish) and the bbq ribs without problems several times. Tony Roma's ribs are only $2 more and much better meat, but... Kudos on free Vet's Meals Nov.11th Terrible: Quizno's Didn't have a thing and after thorough explanation and changing of gloves,the worker continuted cc so I had to just have a drink while everyone else ate Chili's: Boo for you, CHili's for taking your gluten free honey bbq ribs off the menu. SHameful Recent menus: Breakfasts: Yogurt, hard-boiled egg, or Denny's Build-Your-Own-Slam: Hash browns, eggs, fruit, and bacon, or half a Glutino sesame seed bagel with fake cream cheese Lunches: Progresso Soup and Glutino Pretzels or Crunchmaster Multiseed crackers (I prefer over Mary's Gone) or tuna on a Kinnickick hamburger bun or grilled cheese on Kinnickick Robin's Honey Brown Bread and fruit or carrots Dinners: Trader Joe's Frozen Tamales with tomato and avacado salad, or Spanish Rice (I'm bad and cook it in bacon grease then add bacon crumbles to it- I use the Betty Crocker Cookbook recipe but add the bacon part) with steamed veg, or black bean tacos, or steamed crab legs from grocery store with gluten-free crackers Valentine Dinner: Tony Roma's for ribs (Tony Roma Orig. sauce) and corn and cole slaw. Boy was I full! Yum! Desserts: Trader Joe's Chocolate Walnut Cookies that taste like soft fudgy brownies, or Reese's Pieces, or chocolate pudding (it's actually in the milk group on the food pyramid, not a dessert- especially since I don't drink "real" milk), or s'mores I make with gluten-free graham crackers from Clark's Nutrition market Hooray! I'm finally doing a really consistent job of remembering to keep my reuseable cloth grocery bags in the trunk so I don't have to use those shameful plastic store bags. I have JURY DUTY soon and I'm bringing Glutino granola bars in my purse, eating a big breakfast, and going to look for yogurt or drive to IN N OUT burger if I need to eat lunch. Emergency snacks in car: Glutino Breakfast bars, Salt N Pepper Baked Chips, Nerds Candy