Please keep in mind we are not nutritionist or doctors. We recommend checking in with your doctor before making any changes to your diet and exercise routine. Most of our information is based upon our own experiences and research, although we do hope you keep an open mind.
Here is a part of Michelle and I’s journey to better health that we have not really shared on the blog too much. And we felt it was a story worth sharing.
We are not medically diagnosed with Celiac we just chose to cut out gluten a few years ago. We learned everything through trial and error, and we are still learning because our bodies are always changing.
Changing into a gluten free diet did not happen overnight.
First we took out wheat (ate spelt based products)
Still did not feel great… decided to take out gluten completely.
Still not there…
Next we cut out meat (except fish –ate very rarely)
Still no changes in how we felt…
Next reduced our soy and sugar intake
Feeling a little better…
We took out meat and eggs completely
And now we also watch our intake of soy, corn, and sugar.
Doing MUCH BETTER!
Do we think eating a GF lifestyle has helped our digestive issues? YES
Do we think eating GF has helped us feel better? YES
Do we think eating a GF diet would solve all our problems? NO
Let us explain.
This all happened over a 2-3 year period. We think making small changes over a period of time helped out digestive issues. Remember yourbody is an amazing machine and is capable of healing when you provide your body with the tools needed.
We are not saying a gluten free lifestyle is the answer for everyone. But it sure has helped us. Although not eating gluten was not enough for us. We were still not satisfied with how we were feeling, which lead us to eliminate more foods out of our kitchen. Some people might think this is extreme…”I could never give up this or that!”….but for us it was not.
Eating gluten free has been a blessing to us. We feel bad for those who have such a negative attitude towards this way of eating. We truly enjoy our food choices! We have learned to understand our bodies so now we know what makes us feel great and what makes us feel icky.
We saw on the news the other day the new ‘trend’ of the gluten free diet. First off, we are not huge fans of the word ‘diet’. We prefer the word lifestyle but we understand the word diet is inevitable.
How did we overcome the huge change in our way of eating? We kept a positive attitude!
We consider viewing a gluten free lifestyle as, “LOOK at all the food we get to eat”. Keeping it positive instead of being negative by thinking of what we can not eat. Write out a list of the foods you can eat, you will be amazed the long list of things!
As much as we think it is great gluten free products are getting attention and awareness; we find it difficult when people say they are on a ‘gluten free diet’. Why?
Mainly because they will come to realize that gluten is in just about everything, get overwhelmed, panic and give-up. Than we hear – ‘ugh, gluten free diet is too hard, I am going to give-up.’ We feel the words gluten free are getting some wrong messages nowadays. Some people are doing it for the wrong reasons…and sometimes this gives a bad rap for those who have to eat this way.
We feel a better approach is to just incorporate more non-gluten products into your diet, like gluten free grains, less processed foods, more fresh produce (which already are gluten free). **This is for people who do not have to eat gluten free but just want to do eat more gluten free things.
Now again do not get us wrong we would love for more and more people to eat more gluten free foods, but we understand this is not a perfect world It is not that gluten is necessary bad for you, it is difficult for many to digest, like us.
When we started our bakery we wanted to help educate and change the way people view gluten free baked goods. When we see other companies promoting gluten free products and see their ingredient list … all we see is ‘ingredient’ fillers like sugar, preservatives, etc. instead of ingredients that provide nutrition. This is where gluten free products can get confusing! People may think a product is healthy just because it is gluten free but that is not always the case! It can still be filled with ‘junk’ and highly processed.
At our bakery we strive to use more ‘whole’ grain gluten free flours, less sugar, sprouted nuts and seeds, and no preservatives.
Yes gluten free baking can be a challenge at times but it can be done! We will share more brands we like, recipes,tips on what we have learned from our years of baking gluten free. Hopefully we will help and inspire others to see that gluten free is not so bad
If you are interested in eating more gluten free foods start small and listen to your body. It is not all about eating 100% gluten free (again unless you have to) it is more about eating a variety of foods. We understand that eating gluten free can be challenging but hopefully with more people becoming aware of the issue and taking it more seriously, so people do not have to feel like outsiders.
Our gluten free cupcake
Questions:
If you are someone who has to eat gluten free, does it bother you if companies make gluten free products in a non-dedicated facility?What are some things that helped you transition into this way of eating? What is the one product that you would love to see gluten free?
For those who are not gluten intolerant (for those who can tolerant gluten) is it hard for you to be around people with gluten issues? Would you ever considering eating more gluten free foods?
What are your thoughts on the ‘new gluten free diet trend’? Do you think it is good? Do you think there are mixed messages?
Check this article out. We tried to keep this short, as you can see there a lot of different views on this topic.
Wow, thank you for all the wonderful comments and emails about us sharing our thoughts on veganism. THANK YOU for your support We love you all!!! Looks like we all dislike food labels and putting pressure on ourselves is never a good thing.
As Michelle discussed her issues with labels and being vegan I have similar feelings. I am not a fan of food labels of any kind and from everyone’s comments yesterday no one really is. So I am glad I am not alone there
People ask me if my boyfriend is vegan? No he is not.
Does it bother me that he still eats meat? Yes and no.
I admit when I first starting really changing my diet my views on the world changed too. I was the ‘hard-core’ person who would pressure on my family to eat the way I did… now a few years later I have learned that putting pressure on others got me NOWHERE! Now I just let my family and friends do their own thing and I do my thing! I try to ‘hopefully’ inspire others my leading by example
My boyfriend still does eat chicken and fish from time to time. But since I do all the cooking in the house he rarely sees meat which he is fine with him. He told me ever since traveling overseas he really does not crave meat as much anymore. Typically when we go out to eat that is when he will get meat. I told him that I am fine with him having meat occasionally but I prefer him to buy the meat locally.
I know Michelle feels the same way I do about realizing that this is not a perfect world and people are still going to eat their meat. But we just hope more and more people start to really consider where their meat is coming from and to support their local community instead of the large scale factories.
For more great reads about this subject our dear friend Gena recently discussed her views as well along with another dear friend Averie shared her thoughts.
Here are some meatless inspirations (meals that I have made for my boyfriend that are also allergy friendly and he loved them all)
Creamy rice with sautéed veggies ( I used our raw zucchini tahini hummus as the creamy dressing)
Another meal was quinoa with roasted broccoli
Along with pan sautéed turnips and cauliflower with daiya cheese
Looks like meatless meals are just as bold in flavor, texture, color, and satisfaction! YAY!
Now I am not trying to put anyone down or anyone’s significant other down. I was just trying to show that I started off being that person who was harsh when people ate meat (especially my BF), but over time I let it go and let people eat what they want. And now my family and my boyfriend really enjoy meatless meals. Patience and leading by example with no hard feelings is key!
Ok enough serious talk now… we really did enjoy everyone’s comments on yesterdays post. It means the world to us to hear from all of you and see different people’s perspective on things. We learn so much from our readers!
This morning Michelle and I did another bodyrock tv exercise call the 600 rep sexier toned body. It was a tough one. A little different than some of her other workouts because the workout was based off all reps not time. It was a nice change but I do prefer the time interval workouts
We have gotten a few request for what our favorite bodyrock tv workout is… and that is tough. We like them all (well the ones we have done so far). Here are some good ones to get started with:
You all are amazing, thank you for all your kind words of support. I know we have said it before, but we loved hearing all your thoughts on taking days off from working out. It looks like we all like to be active in some form, which is great but also listening to our bodies and take rest when needed. : )
Jenna said it well, “I have a weak, lethargic feeling.” Lori and I noticed we do not feel as strong when we take days off, which I felt weaker today during our workout. Today we did the Hotel Room Workout from Bodyrock. I am looking forward to working out hard again, I missed it.
Post workout green smoothie
Now we have a heavy topic to discuss here today.As much as we love to keep things light and relaxed on our blog, we do like to discuss things that we consider hot topics. I was catching up last night in my google reader and read a post from a friend that I wanted to further discuss. Now I do not want to offend anyone or tell anyone what to do, I just want to voice my thoughts.
The topic : VEGAN
I am not sure if any of you noticed but Lori and I no longer call ourselves Vegans. It happened awhile ago that we decided we did not want that label. We did not want it to define who we areor stereotype us.
Now I know there are “vegan police” out there that have their rules or guidelines for being able to call oneself Vegan. And I think it is wrong. I think it is horrible that people will treat others badly or make them feel like shit just because they had a piece of cheese or bought something non food related that was not certified vegan.
I feel it is more important that a person is trying. Trying to eat less meat, cut out dairy, make better lifestyle decisions. Aren’t we suppose to support one another?? Why do we feel it is okay to bash someone for a decision they make….it is their choice???
The word vegan seems to have a negative feeling about it with the general public.
“oh she is vegan” eyes rolled, backed turned
Why is this? Why does something that is for good, mean something so bad to so many?
To me vegan – is more than just a lifestyle. Yes I went vegan for health reasons. Is there really anything wrong with that? But I also feel vegan is about treating everything better…animals, people, Earth…but there is such a close narrow mindset around the word – VEGAN.
So I choose not to eat meat. Does that make me a bad person? Does that make me weird?
Yes, to many people it does which to me is unfortunate.
Lori and I have had our fair share of vegans being rude or not understanding some of our choices…yes we occasionally have goat cheese…to me that does not define who I am. I always get it locally…a farm I have visited…a farm that treats their animals well. I understand that yes the animal did not get a say, but I do feel it is also about treating animals better.
I know being vegan is more than just a lifestyle, there is a bigger picture. I sometimes feel sad that I can no longer call myself vegan because I am afraid of others. But at the same time I feel I have freedom again. Freedom to make a choice…MY CHOICE.
One of my favorite things to do is take a recipe and make it vegan…remember this Cookie Dough Tahini Bar.
I thought being a vegan would also mean people would understand or not judge but I was wrong. I sometimes feel more pressure from vegans than I do a meat eaters to eat this way. Is this fair? right?
NO. I do not think so.
Why do we have to put so much pressure on others. I rather see someone eat less meat than to never give “veganism” a try because they have fear or too much stress to keep up with it.
I think we should be more supportive when others try to eat less of this or stops buying this, etc. And if they slip up, it is okay….encourage them to let it go and just get back on track.
Lori and I….
Do not eat meat.
Do not eat fish.
Do not drink milk. (we are intolerant to it)
Do not eat dairy based yogurts or kefir. (we are intolerant)
Do not eat eggs.
Do not eat honey.
Do occasionally have goat cheese.
Do occasionally have bee pollen.
Therefore in many people’s eyes I cannot call myself vegan.
Fine.
I am okay with that, just please stop giving me hell for it.
Yes, I try to buy non-food related products from vegan companies, but again I am not perfect.
I will continue to eat an all plant based diet. I will continue to do my best and support companies that do not harm animals.
But I confess I am no longer labeling myself as a vegan.
I also confess, I used some bad words here. Sorry.
Looks like some of you live nearby your family and some of you live far away. As with Lori and I we live far away from our family. At moments it is fine but other times it gets difficult to be far away. I am really close to my familyand currently we are going through a rough spot.
While the parents have been here Lori and I took these past 4 days off from working out!
Now I am not here to make excuses, get upset at myself, or dwell on it. I know I needed the break physically and mentally. I have been working so hard for a few weeks now non-stop, so this mini break has been really nice! By having the parents here helped me to really enjoy my time with them and enjoy each day to the fullest!! YAY
It used to be very difficult for Lori and I to take DAYS OFF from working out. But this past year we have realized giving our bodies a break every now and then is a good thing! I know working out is always going to be apart of my life, because I LOVE IT! I love the way I feel when I am done exercising but I also value the importance of breaks.
I will admit though I do feel guilty every now and then for not working out everyday. I think we all have that mental battle from time to time. I am proud of myself because I do not stress as much from taking days off! I know it happens…life happens….and I know I will get back on track.
What is your view about working out? Have you noticed any benefits from taking a few days off from working out? Do you notice a better change in your workouts when you take a few breaks now and then?Are you more focused and ready to get back in your routine? Or is it hard for you to get back into working out from taking a few days off?
I am excited to start working out again tomorrow with Bodyrock.I needed this break from everything and now I feel recharged ready to go!!
One thing, besides not working out, that Lori and I have been doing differently while the parents were here was not eating as much ‘raw’ living foods as we normally do. It was not planned, just happened. We have been eating more ‘cooked’ foods and we have been fine with it! Sometimes my attitude is what has to change not the circumstances.
My stomach has been doing fine and I have not noticed any major problems! I am surprised how well I handled a little more cooked foods. Although, I am not sure how long term I could eat these heavier cooked meals (for me) because sometimes I would never really get that hungry feeling. I noticed I felt more full! I am not sure if I am explaining this the best. The one thing with eating a more high raw diet has really helped me to control my appetite and understand my body more. I think I am getting closer to finding the right balance of ‘cooked’ vs ‘raw’ foods in my diet! My body seems to like a little bit of both Everyday is different and I like that. It is not about being perfect but for me it is about finding the right balance!
Today’s lunch was a mix of raw and cooked
Socca, lentils, tomato and cucumber
I have been enjoying some meals with a mix of raw and cooked foods. My tummy has been handling it well
I really enjoyed this simple yet tasty and satisfying lunch.
As I mentioned Lori and I are going through some real rough personal/family situations and learning to not stress about other things and just focus on “life issues” is important. We value and our grateful for our family and the life we have now!!
Well Michelle and I have been working on a fun video for you all! We hope you like it
We have received a lot of questions about what do we do exactly during the day. Well we decided to make a little short video of it. We tried to show ‘fun’ things Now keep in mind each day for us is DIFFERENT. Some days we are on the computer more than others and than other days we are in the kitchen fulfilling orders.
We aim to get up at 6am (though lately we have not gotten up till 6:45am).
We head to the kitchen to make some warm hot water.
Sit on the couch and try to wake up!
Next we discuss what needs to get down for the day. And try to start our day around 7:15am. Sip on another glass of water while we get things going in the kitchen (make raw desserts) or checking emails, etc.
Our unbaked mint brownie bar.
Around 8 or 9am we will have a little pre-workout snack. Thirty or so minutes later we will do our workout.
Our typical workout lately has been:
5-10 minutes warm-up
15-25 minutes of hard high intensity workout (Bodyrock tv workouts)
5 minutes cool-down
Next we shower and make our post-workout smoothie (usually a green smoothie). This happens around 11am or so.
Next we either go back in the kitchen, return phones calls, respond to emails, blog, or run errands.
About 2 or 3pm we make another meal. This meal varies.
Random meal: A small banana pudding with spirulina and cacao nibs.
More work on computer is done and a round of cleaning.
Around 6pm dinner is being made.
Dinner was some steamed beets, squash, fresh rosemary, some raw and steamed leeks, topped with a new spread we made (recipe coming soon) and sea salt.
All mixed around! Glorious!!! There are no words to fully describe this meal Out of this world good! Love it, love it, love it
Some days we have little snacks (usually something for twin cakes bakery).
We usually do more blogging in the evening along with more computer work till about midnight or 1am. Sometimes we are even in the kitchen till very late!
Ok now for the fun video! We tried to keep it short and not too boring Therefore we did not show exactly everything we do because that would be boring, haha.
Lori and I both appreciate everyone’s kind words about acne. Not a fun topic for many to talk about, so thank you.
We have received emails from readers discussing different things and one common topic is skin problems. Today I wanted to share some things we have learned from others, so that maybe it could help someone else.
9 tips for skin care:
Eat a clean diet (no dairy, because it is a common factor to skin problems)
Watch you intake of healthy fats (although some people do great with high fat, so you have to play around with how much you can handle)
Limit your consumption of coconut products (oil, meat, flakes)
Could be yeast (Candida) related
Have a regular face care routine and find a product that works for you
keep you colon clean
take probiotics and/or have fermented foods and drinks
Apple cider vinegar, aloe, and coconut oil are great to rub on face
MSM is a great supplement
Where do we stand on these tips?
First, they are all great and we appreciate our readers sharing what has worked for them with us. We only hope we can help others….although we are not experts, just learning from our own experiences.
We do feel food is an important part for having clear skin. But for us we have not noticed a direct relation to our skin problems. How do we know this? We have eliminated things from our diet before, one example was nuts. We did not notice any improvements skin wise from eating no nuts, although our energy was better. Second, a few people told us coconut butter and/or any part of coconut caused them to break out. Lori and I have gone through periods where we ate little to no coconut and again did not see a difference for us. This is just what we have noticed in the past and it could change as we are still playing around with our eats. Although we know food can play an major role for some people.
Keeping your colon clean is so important for so many reasons. Lori and I both have and still do get colonics! We have the best colon hydrotherapist, hey Kim! Keep in mind that a toxic colon can cause breakouts plus other health issues.
Next up, yeast…ugh, yes we have struggled with yeast problems and sometimes still feel like we do. I mean we were on birth control for 10 years, so it killed our good bacteria : ( So we believe in the power of probiotics, whatever form that may be. Although we prefer eating or drinking (kefir, yogurt, fermented veggies, sauerkraut, water kefir, kombucha) to get good bacteria. But there is nothing wrong with a pill or liquid form, we feel it is important just as long as you are getting it, although be careful because some can still contain dairy!
And we already discussedbefore things we like for our face! We have always loved rubbing aloe on our face, if you have not tried it you must. It is so soothing and you can just feel your pores getting smaller!
Lastly, msm as a supplement. We have taken msm before and we still do, although we do forget sometimes to have it. MSM is an organic form of sulfur. If you are new to it, start small and gradually increase your dosage. It is best to mix it in water.
Okay I hope I covered everything. Now for something a little more fun and easier to talk about FOOD!
Remember when we made beet hummus. Well the other day, I was roasting up some butternut squash, while I was also making up some more hummus, so I threw some roasted squash in.
It is pretty good, but I will have to make it again before I share the recipe. : )
But let me back up…my lunch was inspired by this amazing lady.
I know what an unique title. You are probably wondering what do I mean? I will explain down below
It has been awhile since I have mentioned anything about my face. I have been dealing with troubled skin (mainly my face area) for a year now. Ever since I wentoffbirthcontrol I have been one of those people who broke out with acne. Not everyone who goes off the pill gets acne but some do. And I was that person (Michelle suffered from it as well).
My battle with clearing up my skin, to get it back to where it usedto be, has been very difficult. My acne prone skin led me to depression. I would go through stages where I never wanted to leave the house because I was so embarrassed of my face. Michelle has dealt with both acne and depression so luckily for me she was experienced and was able to keep my spirits up. She was constantly telling me that I will get through this difficult time.
On my ‘good’ days I would get frustrated with myself as why I would get so sad. I knew I would get through it, I just have to be patient and let my body work everything out. And I knew I was doing everything that my body needed to heal because I was providing it with all the nutrients it needs to heal. Though my biggest issue besides depression was stress. I would stress so much over my face and my hormonal problems. It was good to have friends (Lori, Gena, Liz, Jennifer) to keep me positive and keep me going. Thanks girls!
So where am I now?
Acne is under control now dealing with scars. I still get little breakouts here and there but nothing like it was before. My depression is much better
I actually go outside now especially since my vitamin D levels are so low.
10 Things that have helped me with handling my depression:
eating foods that make me feel good
reading self-care cards
mediating more and giving myself some personal time and yoga
having a low sugar diet
exercise
sitting down to eat all my meals with no TV on (helps me really focus on my meal for me to enjoy the food)
taking one day at a time and not thinking to much of the future
being surrounded my loved ones who love me and support me no matter what
smile every time I saw myself in the mirror and say that I AM BEAUTIFUL to myself
and finding a great product, Rodan and Fields to help control my acne
My New Face Product:
My good friend Lori (BTW she has the best name) is the one who brought this product to my attention. Thanks Lori!
I have been using these face products for over 2 months now. During my first two weeks of using the anti-blemish products my face broke again and worse! I know when you try new things sometimes it gets worse before it gets better but it was sill VERY HARD to accept. But as I got closer to using the products for one whole month my face started to calm down and the products really started to work!
I use the products now morning and night. Sometimes my face gets a little red or dry, pelly looking but overall my skin is much better. Now I am just working on clearing my scars That is a whole other battle in itself.
I would recommend the Roden and Fields products the Anti-Blemish line for anyone suffering from acne and breakouts. This product has given me hope that my face will be healed and my breakouts are much more controllable now. Please contact Lori for more information about these products. She is great to work with and a wonderful person! Thanks again Lori!
Now I know some of you might be thinking… these products are not ‘natural’ but I was in need of a product that would help control my acne! I am not sure if I will be on these products for the rest of my life, but I do plan on continuing to use them for awhile. The past year before I tried these products, I was using and trying every ‘natural’ remedy out there and nothing was working. Not saying that natural skin care products and regimens don’t work, they just were not helping me at this specific moment in my life. I still believe in many natural skin care products and will try them again one day.
Thoughts? Have any of you suffered from acne and depression? If so what has helped you?
What skin care products do you like and use, why? When you use a new face care product did you notice your skin get worse or better?
Other news: I finally updated our recipe page. I added some of our recent socca, drinks, dessert creations Enjoy!
Till next time, getting ready for a blog meet-up tonight!
Michelle and I have discussed our issues with body image and food before and how we overcame our battle. We know it can be a sensitive subject for so many people. We hope our story and our blog inspires people to give healthy foods a try, may that be raw and/or vegan foods . At the same time, we do not want to discourage anyone from thinking that healthy foods has to be this or that. Michelle and I feel the journey to find what works for us has and will be a long one because our bodies are always changing
I know portion size is an interesting topic and one we have never really discussed before. I think everyone’s portion size is going to be different – depending on your specific body type, your surroundings, your personal preference, where you are in life, etc. My personal opinion from all my personal experiences with food that I have come to realize that for MY BODY I like to have small meals and most of them blended up! I prefer to eat every 2-3 hours and my size meals are a good size for me. Now some days I do not get to eat my small meals like I prefer but that is ok. I am more mentally ok with going with the flow. I am not perfect and my life is not always perfect.
Even between Michelle and I we see differences in how can handle larger size meals than the other. Michelle has a MUCH weaker digestive system than me so I tend to get less gasy, bloated, and have less stomach aches than she does. Therefore we both have had to LEARN to eat less at one sitting due to this (and sometimes that is not always easy for us).
Please understand that we are not here to tell anyone what to eat…we are only sharing our journey of healing…healing from stomach problems…healing from an eating disorder….learning to love food again!!! And we think food is something that you should enjoy….something you look forward to because you are giving your body the nourishment it needs, so you can live your life.
We care so much for our readers. We hope to inspire others that healthy eating can be fun, colorful and best of all taste amazing! We hope to show people that healthy food is so much more than just the food on the plate. It is the whole experience from knowing where the food came from, put love into the process of making the meal and sitting down to REALLY enjoy every bite. And from our experience over time we have realized that sometime less is more
What do you think? Do you think there is one standard portion size or do think that it varies from person to person?
From our research we have found that it is best to eat when you are two-thirds full. You eat to till you are just about full not overly stuffed. There are days when I do this and I am happy with myself because I truly feel amazing. But then life gets in the way and I go back to my old habits of eating too quickly and not enjoying the meal. Therefore sometimes leading me to eat to much. On days when I get off my normal eating patterns I accept it and move on. I do try not to stress over it.
On a side note…
I wanted to share with all of you a quick and easy recipe. If you remember the dinner I made for Gary last night.
Ever since Gary has been back from his travels overseas he has turned into a huge pesto lover and I told him I have a pesto recipe for him to try.
Here is what I did:
Ingredients:
1 box of pasta ( I used Food for life Sprouted pasta) I really like this Food for Life products because they use sprouted grains
1 recipe of pesto (original Mint Pistachio pesto that I used) (or you could use any pesto you would like but this one went well with the dish)
1 can of artichokes, drained and rinsed
1 sweet onion, sliced and lightly sauteed
handful of fresh parsley or basil
I cooked the pasta according to the box. Once pasta was done I drained it and put pasta back into pan. Next I added in the reminding ingredients and stirred to everything was combined.
Dinner is served Gary loved this! Thanks again Lori for sharing your pesto recipe. Since Gary is in love with pesto I plan on creating many different flavors of pesto that I will share with you all. ** Also please note that you might start seeing different ingredients that I do not eat but I use for my boyfriend. If you guys do not wish to see what I make him I will stop sharing. Just let me know! Thanks!
First upon rising around 6am on Saturday I enjoyed a savory, slightly sweet avocado pudding.
I made this pudding the night before so it was nice and thick in the morning I also topped my pudding off with some cacao nibs, one of my favorite things
I also made Gary (my helper for the day) a delicious chocolate smoothie
Smoothie was chocolate hemp milk, hemp protein powder, and a few dates. Simple and he loved it!
Gary and I loaded up the cars and headed to Johnston and Wales for the event.
Everyone getting all set-up before the doors open.
Here I am talking with some of the event staff. Everyone was so nice!
Here I am all ready to talk away with customers
There were a ton of samples and goodies It was so nice to be apart of this great event and be in the same room as some of the big timers. I hope my bakery will be there soon
Talking with another bakery owner. It was great to speak with so many vendors, to hear their stories and how gluten free is on the rise! It is so great to see gluten free getting more and more recognition and notice! I am so happy to be apart of it
Finally the doors opened and the crowd came rushing in. I meet so many great local Charlotte people who were exciting to have this event in their hometown and excited that they could eat anything there and not get sick! Gary and I did not get a chance to take pictures while the crowd was around, too busy restocking samples and talking with people!
Lunch break. I brought me a green smoothie to drink! It was amazing. I was so thirsty from talking to everyone.
My helper was getting tired. Gary is not used to standing on his feet for so many hours He did great though!
The gluten free event was great!! I really enjoyed myself and had a great time. Everyone I met was so nice and helpful. I have a lot of business decisions to make so the next few days and weeks are going to be tough.
Thanks to everyone who helped put together this amazing event. I hear next year’s will be even bigger. And thanks to everyone in the Charlotte area who came out to see all of us and try our products. It great meeting you all and I look forward to seeing you all again!
Now I am still in Charlotte and plan to be here till Thursday. I am excited to hang out in Charlotte for awhile and get to really see the city. Though I do have a lot of business computer work that has to be done. Yesterday I did have some time to meet-up with the lovely Caitlin. She took me to a local Mexican restaurant where we enjoyed some afternoon cocktails.
Blood Orange Margarita
Delicious. My dad would have loved this drink.
I had a great time talking with Caitlin and she mentioned there are many great local Charlotte bloggers. I can not wait to meet everyone else. Since I am going to be spending more time here in Charlotte I think it is going to be a great fit
Last night’s dinner was a creamy and delicious avocado pudding
Sorry to start the Monday with this but I wanted to clarify something in terms of my previous post. I feel like I need to explain something a little bit better. It bothers me some that something that brought me so much joy also brought me frustration.
In terms of my post yesterday: My breakfast socca was a treat for me because I do not do well with sugar. Not my choice…I just try to listen to my body. Yes, I get a little sick if I have too much sugar. I have a sensitive stomach, which is why I have to be careful of what I eat.
Please understand that I know that my mix of socca and maple syrup was not bad for me. I was just referring to the sugar (aka maple syrup) as my treat.
Second, when I said do not judge me. I was being sarcastic. I did not mean it literally, I am sorry for any confusion I might have caused. I know it can be hard sometimes to understand my humor through words, because I am not the best writer. I apologize.
Yet, here I am having to explain myself. Explain why I eat this. Explain why I enjoyed my treat, which now is not looking so much like a treat anymore. I guess I will have to be more careful if I use that word.
Just as my friend Averie mentioned before, why do we have to justify what we do? Just because we have a blog? We are still human…and what is a treat for me, will NOT be a treat for you. Everyone is different! Please understand that I never want to come off as naive or anything, but I just wanted something different, something fun for breakfast, so I did.
Okay enough of me venting.
I started my Monday morning like all my Mondays….with a great workout! I love the feeling I get from a good hard workout!!!
And now I am enjoying a delicious green smoothie ; )
Lori will be back later with a recap of her Gluten-Free event in Charlotte.
Passionate about fitness, nutrition, health, un-baking, high-intensity workouts, yoga, wine, traveling, certified chefs and making delicious food! We hope to inspire others to appreciate food as nourishment to the body.
Our blog shows our journey of finding balance between food, fitness, and life!
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It is not that gluten is necessary bad for you, it is difficult for many to digest, like us.
That is a whole other battle in itself.
