Give Me Coffee!

I am now on my second cup of coffee this morning and I love every sip of it. I love the smell and I love the taste.
I own a Keurig Coffee Brewer and that makes my mornings easy when I am in a hurry or not. One of my favorite K Cups is Green Mountain French Roast Decaf. Nothing compares.
So if you want to come on over for a cup of coffee I would love to see you!

Pancakes Anyone?

Since I started eating Gluten Free for my health I have been on a mission to find products that taste good and look good. They also have to satisfy my tummy. Today I was in Ames, Iowa and went to Wheatsfield Grocery and purchased Pamela's Gluten Free Pancake Mix. Couldn't wait to get home to make some and eat them.
I am giving this product a thumb's up! They are excellent and I feel like I am eating regular pancakes. I topped them with Real Natural Maple Syrup, my mouth was having a party. So come on over and let's have some pancakes.

Gluten Free for Me Please

Why do I eat gluten free? I have lots of reasons but the main one is I feel really great eating this way and my health is improving every day. Since I had cancer surgery in 2009 eating has been a challenge until I did so much research and testing to figure out what was causing all my stomach and other(if you know what I mean) problems.
I have even lost weight and have more energy than I ever have. There really is so much more available for those of us who do eat this way. I never feel deprived, even when somebody says "Don't you miss eating _ _ _ _ _?" My answer is a definite NO. Not when you feel miserable, sick and takes hours to get back to normal. I never have those days anymore.
The stores are becoming more gluten free friendly also. I have so many more options to try now and haven't tried them all.
I am looking for more recipes from others who eat gluten free. Please send them to me. I love to cook and of course love to eat what is good for me.
Look forward to many more wonderful delicious meals and snacks.

Garden Time is Here!

Ok, garden just got tilled and I am going to be a happy camper soon. I bought some plants, my Burpee & NK seeds, and onion sets. That is only the beginning, there will be lots more to be planted. I can hardly wait to get them in the ground and reap the harvest.
Once in the ground, I anxiously await for the first sprout. I run outside every day to see if anything has popped through the ground. What a glorious site, the first tiny sprout that is soon to be loaded with mouth watering vegetables and fruits.
My two dogs go out with me to tend to the garden every day, they act like they know what to look for. I have had them steal the cut up potatoes out of the hole that was dug for my potato plants. They look like they are laughing as they run away.
Now that the weather is warmer I am ready to plant, love getting my hands in the soil and the smell of the dirt. I really don't mind weeding until the humidity and heat get up high and of course the mosquito's tend to cause some problems. The best part of it all is the produce that I harvest and preserve for us. It gives me great joy knowing I helped to make our life a little more easier.

Court Avenue Restaurant & Brewing Company in Des Moines, IA

Mother's Day, May 8, 2011 my sister Dyanne and I took a road trip to Des Moines, IA to visit the Science Center, meet with her daughter Megan (my favorite niece also), meet friends and eat out.
We live in a small rural area in Franklin County so going to the city was exciting. Eating out is also something we love to do when we get out and about.
After all the fun things we did that day we decided to eat at Court Avenue Restaurant & Brewing Company. We all had something different and the menu had some great looking dishes. I decided to go with the Blackened Salmon Ceasar Salad. Let me tell you this, I was so happy I made that choice. It was wonderful and the dishes my sister and niece had looked equally as good.
We had a great waitress who did a wonderful job, I wish I could remember her name to give her the credit she deserves.
So next time I am in Des Moines, IA I will be visiting Court Avenue Restaurant & Brewing Company. I saw many dishes I would love to try. This picture is my beautiful tasty salad. Eat your hearts out!