Best Gluten Free Birthday

Best Gluten Free Birthday 

You don't turn 36 every day, and this year was definitely a memorable one.

I want to thank all of those who contributed to my fundraiser campaign for FARE, the Food Allergy Research & Education organization. "FARE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that was formed in 2012 as the result of a merger between the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network and the Food Allergy Initiative."
The biggest way that FARE benefits the Celiac community is throught the partnerships they have to train restaurant personnel, both through ServSafe and the AllerTrain Program

With your help I was able to raise over $300! The day of the walk was a little cold and wet, but it was well worth every step as we met other families living with food related illnesses. We even got to meet a group representing Auvi-Q, the makers of a epinephrine delivery system complete with audio step-by-step instructions. Imagine an AED machine, but instead of an electrical shock, it delivers a life saving injection to prevent a person from dying from a food allergy reaction. Amazing stuff and something I think every school and restaurant should have on hand.



So aside from spending the day with my larger food allergy family, I was blessed to spend the weekend with my family. Friday night my dad made me dinner and a special birthday cake. Can you make out the 36?



Saturday morning, before the walk, we had a great gluten free breakfast at the FlapJack Shack. I tried their new gluten free waffles, but I think I prefer their pancakes.

                  

Lunch was Red Robin followed by MSU Dairy Store for dessert. 

Specially colored "allergen" baskets to alert servers to gluten free needs!


If you've never been to the MSU Dairy Store, you gotta go! They even get out a fresh tub of ice cream if you have food allergies and concerns about cross contamination!

 One of my birthday gifts allowed the gluten free fun to continue long after September 13th. 
My dad and his wife bought me a bag of Sweet Ali's Gluten Free Pancake mix.

 I recently bought a bag of Namaste Perfect Flour blend. While it's great for baking bread and cakes and muffins, it's not so great for pancakes. So I've been craving GOOD gluten free pancakes for quite sometime. Especially since we have a ritual of eating pancakes EVERY Saturday.

And this mix did NOT disappoint. They were so light and buttery and WOW!
 The non-gf hubby liked them just as much as I did.
I met this company at the Chicago Gluten and Allergen Free Expo, and their claim to fame was their cinnamon rolls. My dad happened to have one on their recent trip to Chicagoland, and they bought me this while they were there. SO thankful that they did!

Labels: ,