Gluten & Dairy Free & Single

Now that I am single, I want to spend some time to myself, however, I do want to date people. However, I am really nervous about dating because of my dietary restrictions. When I tell my friends what I can and can't have, some of them look at me like I have ten heads. I can only imagine telling potential dates of my dietary needs. It's not like I can hide these dietary restrictions. As soon as I am contaminated with gluten or dairy, I am sick. I can actually feel the gluten or dairy as I am eating it. I know too much information. But you get my point.

I think dating and maintaining my gluten and dairy lifestyle will be a challenge. But I like challenges. I have never turned down a challenge before and I am not going to now. I am just going to have to find a person with my same dietary restrictions or a find a person who is understanding and likes a good challenge.

Love

I stopped loving my ex-boyfriend over a year ago. However, I didn't do anything about my feelings at that time. I didn't discuss my feelings with anyone. I kept going on with life like nothing was wrong. I am not sure what I was waiting for. A sign that the I could relove him again. Not too sure. I guess mentally and emotionally I shut myself off towards him. We just lived together like roommates. Then I decided I couldn't physically go on with the relationship. That's when I had to end it.

I guess at an early age, I learned how to stop loving someone quickly. Maybe that comes from having so many people come in and out of my life in a short period. I do not enjoy not loving someone when you really should. It's a hard feeling to explain. In a beginning of a relationship, I have noticed that I start loving people early on. However, if for some reason the relationship is not working, I can stop loving them quickly. It's almost like I have a switch inside of me.....turn love on....turn love off. Sometimes I feel like Coldheart from the Care Bears.

I guess that's just who I am.

Update on my Beef, Beans, and Rice

Last night, I was hungry for something that stuck to stomach. Enter in my chili recipe. I took this recipe and add a few more items.

I added hot sauce, garlic, onions, green peppers, and dark brown sugar. I sauteed the garlic and onions with green peppers. Once that got going I added the beef. I followed the recipe like normal. Once I tasted the final product, it was a little too hot for me to handle. Looking through my pantry, I decided to add some dark brown sugar. My taste buds were doing the hokey pokey, it was that good. The dark brown sugar gives it a subtle sweet flavor. When I took a bite, I first experienced the slight sweetness then the heat.

Definitely will make again.

What do you add to your chili?

Finally A Posting

It's been over a week now. I am happy and relieved. It feels like a load of bricks have been taken off of my shoulders. Yet at times, I wonder what the hell did I do a week ago. There are times I cry, there are times I am smiling from ear to ear. There are times I feel like I made a mistake. I am looking forward to reclaiming my independence.

What exactly am I talking about? I ended my seven and half year relationship with my boyfriend last week. If you review my posts from either last July or August, I was not happy with our relationship. Well this past Thursday, I snapped mentally and emotionally. I didn't snap at anyone, just myself (if that makes sense). I wrote my boyfriend a letter stating that I would like him to leave. I cried as I typed that note. It was one the hardest things that I have ever done. Writing that letter was much harder than putting my father in jail.

I prefer not to discuss all of the reasons why I made that decision, but the above referenced posts will give you the reader some insight as to why I ended the relationship.

I refuse to be one of those people who constantly bad mouthes their exes. Growing up, I saw this attitude from my parents and step parent towards each other. It's not classy, healthy, and it's just down right depressing and hard for me to do. I will have nothing but good things to say about him. I realize and understand that everyone has their flaws. No one is perfect. Some people may say, "Why did you end the relationship then?" Those people do not need to know my explanation. I just prefer to take the high road.

It's finally starting to set in that I am by myself again. I understand when other bloggers state that they miss having that other person in bed with them. There's this cold feeling. Slowly, I am adjusting to this cold feeling. I don't like the feeling, but it's something that I am learning to handle.

Here's a question to anyone reading this: Do you keep the things that an ex has given you? I have some nice items that he gave me throughout our relationship. This was my first real relationship and my first real break up. So, I am not sure what I should do. My heart says to keep these items and move along in my life.

One of my coworkers gave me a card today, it said, "Boys go to Jupiter to get stupider." All I could do was laugh. I understand that the card was to make me laugh and it sure did. I keep that card in my desk in my glass box with the words "Pull out for laughter". That card came in use today when several things were not going to plan. I just pulled out that card and it made me laugh. I was able to regain my mind and plow forward with my projects. She doesn't realize how much that card meant to me.

A lot of times, actions speak louder than words. However at times, words do speak louder than actions. As in the case of my letter and my coworkers card.

I haven't disappeared, just haven't felt like writing lately.

Let's see...what has been happening. The carpets are finally okay. However, I still don't have a desk. I am actually saving up for a new desk. Yes, you read that right...saving.

I have been going to physical therapy for the past few weeks. The therapy is working. I just have to find time to do the exercises at home. Here's the problem with my knee, I somehow badly bruised the cartlidge between my knee cap and the bone behind the knee cap. The cartlidge between those two bones does not get a regular supply of blood. Due to this, there will be irriation. To help the blood circulate in that area, I have to do my exercises. Over time, the cartlidge will start to heal. It hurts the most when I am sitting for too long. The doctors call it "a movie knee". I am constanly getting up and down because of the irritation.

Lately, I have noticed that eating out at restaurants is becoming a lot more difficult for me. The cross contamination of gluten is killing me. Recently, I went to two restaurants that offer gluten free menus. I specified to the staff about my gluten-free needs. However with both meals, I could feel myself getting sick as I was eating my food. The weird thing with me is, I can actually feel if I will be getting sick as I eat the food. It's as soon I digest the food, I can feel the pain and other effects. I am lucky that it does not take too long for me to feel the "poison (gluten)".

I have been gluten free for almost a year now. Since then, I have realized that I am becoming for more sensitive to cross contanimation. This is making it hard for me to eat out at other people's houses and at restaurants. Due to my sensitivity, I will be making my own birthday cake. I plan to make Karina's Coconut Carrot Cake. I made this cake for the holidays and everyone (gluten-filled people) couldn't believe there was no gluten in it.

Well, I am planning to have a good weekend as I will be celebrating my birthday up in Portland watching a Sea Dogs baseball game on Friday night. Technically, my b-day isn't until Sunday, but I like starting it early.

Today's Comic - This made my day

I love the Non-Sequitur comics. I wish I could have those visual aids as an accountant and HR rep. I'll update more when I have a chance.

Catching up

Since I last posted, our apartment sustained water damage, I have had several doctor's appointments, my car needed major repair work, and both of my interns are done for semester. It's been a crazy week and half.

Due the water damage, we had mold on our bedroom carpet. The mold actually grew on the bottom of my desk. So, I am currently without a desk which means no computer right now at home. It stinks not having a computer at home.

Back in February or prior months, not sure when, I strained my ACL in my knee. Now I have to go to physical therapy starting early next month. I also went to see my OB/GYN doctor. The birth control pills that he prescribed sent me through a loop. I was constantly moody and could snap on anyone at any time. I know this was one of the side effects, but I just could not handle to emotional rollercoaster. I have tried several different kinds of the pill, but I get severe side effects from them. Normally, I am a calm mild-mannered person. My doctor and I decided to try no birth control pills and gave me another prescription to regulate everything. Let's hope it works.

I am hoping that next week will be much calmer than the previous two weeks. I have been itching to get back into the kitchen to make some sweet gluten-free desserts. I have a huge sweet tooth. However, nothing will ever replace ice cream. During the past two weeks, I actually had ice cream and chocolate for dinner.

Beef, Beans, and Rice

Lately I have been craving beef, hamburger in particular. I made my boyfriend hamburgers for dinner. I wanted something different though. For my dinner, I started thinking back to the days when my family couldn't afford alot of food. We always had rice and hamburger on hand because back then, it was cheap. Well, those ingredients were my base then I started to clean out the pantry and freezer for the rest.

Ingredients:

Ground beef (I like 80/20) - I know it's not the healthiest, but it has so much flavor
Favorite Spices - Cumin, Cayene Pepper, Chili Powder, Salt Pepper
Gluten Free Beef Broth - can use water instead
White Instant Rice
Red Kidney Beans
Can of Hunt's Diced Tomato with Sweet Onion
Mild Thick and Chunky Salsa
Corn Kernels - thawed - I had frozen on hand - Use whatever you have


I used my 5 quart dutch oven pan to brown the meat. I added my favorite spices to the meat as it was browing. Once the meat was browned, I drained grease from the meat. Put the meat aside. I quickly rinsed out the pot, but leaving some grease in there for flavor. I then boiled the gluten-free beef broth. Add equal amounts of instant white rice. Cover and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Once the rice is cooked, add the drained meat, kidney beans, diced tomato, salsa, and corn kernels to the pan. Stir. Adjust the seasoning levels to taste.

I made a big pan of this so it would last me for a week. I think I will add some sharp cheddar cheese to it for lunch one day.

Enjoy!

HR

Sometimes I don't like being the Human Resources administrator. At times, you are put into tough positions. On one hand you are a co-worker to these people. Other times you are their friend through work.

No one ever tells you how hard HR really is.

I'm still alive. I haven't had time to write due to work. Will try to write more as the month end nears.