Wow. I was so happy with the responses from yesterday’s post! I promise to do more “Dairy Free Tips” as I think of them!
I love getting feedback too – I wish I could respond to your comments, but I’m having HUGE problems trying to install a new comment forum that I can respond in. Facebook is probably the best place to leave comments if you want a response for now!
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So because of school I was super late planting my garden this year – but it’s finally starting to produce goodies!
I have 2 kinds of tomatoes – one big one and then a cherry tomatoes plant!
And then a bunch of zucchini (and weeds!)
I’m going to have loads of zucchini – which is good because I LOVE zucchini pasta!
Also all my kale has pods of seeds!! I’m going to have LOADS of kale seeds
And then cucumber!! I have tried to grow cucumber a bunch of times and never had anything – so I was so excited when I saw these babies!
Do you see it?
Mmmmm cucumber!! I’m so excited for these to be ready!
Got to be careful of the bumble bees while in the garden though – he crawled over my toes! EEK!
Was your weekend fun?? We went to my cousins wedding and it was beautiful!
Unfortunately my iPhone photos weren’t so beautiful so I don’t have many pictures to share (apparently it’s not so good indoors – note to self)
The bride walked down the isle to this song.
Which of course makes everyone in the crowd sniffly! (truthfully, I’m sniffly just listening to it now!) As always, I didn’t ask if I could share the pictures so I won’t – but here are a few others from that day!
Dave, my mom and dad during the break between the ceremony and reception! (don’t worry, we all had black jackets etc., but we were colourful and happy underneath!)
The resort
It was a good time!! We laughed A L O T – especially when I showed my mom photobooth!
Oh my gosh –we laughed SOOOOOOOOO hard!! (ps. this is an awesome app!)
I turned my phone over to my mom and her and my dad stood outside doing it (SO FUNNY!)
SOOOOOOOOOOOO funny!
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Speaking of weddings – it can be so hard to be dairy free at weddings. A few tips!
ALWAYS (whether it’s a buffet or sit down) put on your RSVP that you are dairy free.
Arrive at the reception place a few minutes early so you can check with someone what you can eat and identify yourself as the dairy free person!
Pack snacks – there is a chance the only thing you can eat will be a bun and some meat. I usually pack a larabar, some nuts and seeds etc. (I also try to pack something sweet – because you cannot have cake or dessert)
Be friendly to the wait staff – they were likely not told anyone was dairy free (I’ve had it happen many times that the bride and groom haven’t passed on the info) – they typically will help you out. At this wedding, after I mentioned it the chef made me a plate of steamed veggies (because I could eat the meat, potatoes and bun). I thanked him about 100x because I really enjoyed my meal. Being friendly usually pays off!
Buffets
Most salads that have an oily type dressing are safe.
Anything that looks creamy – stay clear of – even potatoes salads (which usually have just mayo) end up with other dairy ingredients mixed in
Check out the sauce on the meat – if it looks oil be careful – steaks or prime rib sometimes have butter on them to keep them moist.
Roasted potatoes are usually ok (double check), stay clear of mashed potatoes.
Unless there is fresh fruit – none of the desserts are safe.
Sit Down Dinners
Thankfully the only sit down wedding dinner I’ve been too was my own and let’s be honest – they didn’t get the whole dairy free thing.
Be a “dairy detective” – Even though they promised me my meal was dairy free – I found parmesan sprinkled on the lettuce of my salad.
Ask (before the meal is in front of you) for no sauce on anything – boring yes, but it’s better than feeling sick in 1/2 hour.
If all else fails – eat the bun.
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I hope this helps. Weddings turn into a challenge when you can’t eat anything or when you are unsure – but make the best of it and pack snacks – yes I broke out my chocolate larabar when everyone was eating dessert!
Do you have any weddings this summer – this was our 1/2!!!
Hope you still love me even if I’m not posting as much!
Last night I got to head out to the place I did my raw foods course last summer for dinner! It was lovely to see all the new recruits and to reunite with Raw Rose and my good friend Deborah!
The location is just so stunning!! These pictures were taken as I was walking in.
Look close – cruise ship sighting!
The place that they do their (un) cooking looks out on this view! Incredible hey?
The cooking location is beautiful and oh so west coast.
The ladies making Cashew Cream!
For dinner was “neatloaf” with coleslaw and a few left overs from the night before – including deconstructed shish kabobs (with pineapple), sprouted quinoa/carrot salad and an avocado salad with blueberries!
My plate! Not so pretty but I assure you the food was incredible!
Side view!
Loved it!!
For dessert were apricot chews – which unfortunately I didn’t try – as flax and I are not friends (and I’d already had some in the meatloaf)
Luckily they saved me RAW chocolate covered frozen banana! (This recipe was one of my favorite –yet simple- treats from the course)!
Enter bad banana picture!
And a funny face!
It was a great evening, and I’m SO glad I got to visit this year. Rose and Deborah are some of the sweetest ladies out there!
You can check out my raw adventures from last summer here.
And of course check out Raw Roses website (she has an amazing raw food e-book for sale too), it’s my favorite raw food cookbook and it has free recipes! And I only promote it because I love it! (I get nothing for it in other words!)
Not sure when I’ll be back – we have a wedding this weekend and then next week is a busy one, the studio/gym that I am working at is opening next Monday so we are busy busy getting everything organized!! (Aka – I have not been cooking or creating!)
Happy Monday! I hope you all had a great weekend!! Mine was fantastic – and I’m looking forward to the next few being just as great!
I am SO excited about what’s coming up!
An email was sent out last week to a bunch of bloggers = asking for some help with an upcoming auction and bake sale for our dear friend Susan from the Great Balancing Act. She was recently diagnosed with cancer – and will have a bunch of medical bills to pay for over the upcoming months. We all decided to ban together to put on THE GREAT FUNDRAISING ACT on July 25th (2 weeks from today).
This is open to anyone – bloggers, non bloggers – anyone at all can bid on items or can just donate. You can donate at any point – but the auction/bake sale will take place on the 25th.
If you are able to donate something awesome! If you want to bid – beautiful. If you want to just donate – you are amazing!! All proceeds go 100% to Susan!
Want to know more – Check out all the details here and here.
Well here we go again. I cleaned off my iTouch and found a bunch of fun pics!!
I LOVE instagram photos – I just think they are so fun… so let’s see what I’ve been up to!!
Haha.. I thought this might be interesting? Maybe not!
This my gym face! I’ve been working out like a crazy lately. Between the gym, zumba and Just Dance 2 – which if you really do it, it’s a great workout.
Proof?
haha note to self… stop the machine before photos.
Ok, it’s stopped. LOVE the saying that this gym has “We never said it would be easy, we said that it would be worth it”. so true!
I also found this – grad photo photobooth! haha
And the lovely flowers my hubby got me for grad.
I’ve been trying to take my itouch with me everywhere I go… including cleaning up the messy room in our house. While cleaning I found some old artwork!
Note to self – must start painting/drawing again!
More fun pictures from a drive up island a few weeks ago.
I love the different settings – you can play around with the photos so much!
For the parade I was in a few days ago.. I decided to paint my nails neon PINK! They don’t look that bright, but they were pretty much day glow pink!
And I had crazy hair!
We have also been walking lots… who wouldn’t want to with these gorgeous trails?
I love where we live!
Lastly. We went out for Thai food the other night and we had these INCREDIBLE appetizers!
They were wontons with sweet potatoe. A M A Z I N G – must recreate without deep fry action!
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this day of instagram photos!!!
Thanks to everyone who congratulated me on my new job! I’m SO excited!
