Food, Lifestyle

4 Delicious Gluten-free Breakfast Meals y

 

Welcome to another week of:

Friday Gluten-free Flavors! (1)

 

If you are looking for a yummy, gluten-free breakfast meal, or a quick, on-the-go breakfast I have you covered. These breakfast meals are my top favorite, and as always, are gluten-free too.

Enjoy!

To watch Youtube on this segment click here

 

#1 Parmesan Cheddar Eggs

I learned this egg technique from one of my favorite Youtubers  @Brittany Vasseur

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

1 tablespoon butter

1 egg

1/2 cup cheddar cheese (to your liking)

1 Tablespoon of parmesan cheese (to your liking)

Salt and Pepper optional

Screen Shot 2020-01-31 at 1.00.17 PM

Instructions: 

  1. Heat your pan and add olive oil first. Olive oil helps to coat the butter so the butter doesn’t burn. Stovetop is on medium heat and then add the butter. 
  2. Once the butter is melted add your egg. 
  3. Poke the yoke of the egg so it spreads throughout the pan.
  4. Add about cheddar cheese on top of the egg mixture.
  5. Sprinkle Parmesan cheddar on top. 
  6. Flip egg over and make sure it’s cooked thoroughly. 
  7. Enjoy! 

plate with egg

 

#2 Christy’s Gluten-Free French Toast Bake

french toast baked

1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 loaf gluten-free bread (I use Franz brand)

4 eggs

1 1/3 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Cinnamon for sprinkling

french toast in dish

Instructions: 

  1. Melt the butter
  2. Mix brown sugar and melted butter thoroughly
  3. Pour butter/sugar mixture into a 9×13 pan and spread around, set aside
  4. Combine milk, eggs and vanilla and beat. 
  5. Lay down first layer of gluten-free bread
  6. Pour half the egg mixture over bread
  7. Add another layer of gluten free bread on top of the first layer
  8. Pour the rest of the egg mixture over this layer
  9. Sprinkle with cinnamon 
  10. Cover and chill in the refrigerator over night 
  11. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes (30 minutes covered)
  12. Serve with maple syrup and enjoy!

french toast eat

 

#3 Peanut Butter & Dark Chocolate Kind Bars

kind

Delicious and quick breakfast!

Found a box for $5.39 at Walmart

Click here to purchase

 

 

 

#4 Pro 6 Protein Drink

For a tasty, on-the-go workout I grab a Pro 6 protein drink. Its a bonus if I sneak in a workout with this protein drink because it aides in breaking down amino acids and building muscle.

Screen Shot 2020-01-31 at 1.33.17 PMTo purchase click here

Price is $44.99 but with code WELCOME15 you get 15% off!

 

As always, Id love to hear any of your favorite gluten-free recipes and such.

Comment below and Gluten-Free Friday Flavors will be back next week!

 

Until next time,

 

xoxo,

 

Christy Lee

 

 

Family, Lifestyle

What does a Marriage and Staying Fit Have in Common??

Any guesses on this question?

I’m sure if you think about it for a minute…you’ll think of many things that a marriage and staying fit have in common.

My husband and me randomly started talking about this topic and I was fascinated with the idea and just had to share. IMG_7314

First, if you think about it, marriage and staying fit both take A LOT of work. I would add to that…consistent work.

We all know the scenario, when someone decides they want their body to be swimsuit ready in June…and it’s already May! One month, to get their body perfectly toned and in shape is pretty tough to do. What’s the ideal way of staying fit and in shape so that you are toned and ready for that beach body? We all know this answer…it’s to work out everyday. Now it may not be a vigorous and intense workout everyday, but you are consciously putting forth the effort every single day to do something to keep yourself physically fit.

Sooo…how does this convert over to a marriage relationship?

I think often times many people think, “I’ll work on my relationship maybe by our Anniversary.” So nothing changes, no effort is put into the relationship….and then before you know it, your anniversary is a month away..and it’s not even very exciting to celebrate the anniversary because you haven’t rekindled that love, or that spark with your spouse and the relationship isn’t where you’d hoped it would be.

Before I continue…I have to note, I am writing this for my husband and me. I am writing this as a reminder that love is a workout, not just occasionally, not just on date nights, but every single dayeven every moment of the day. Relationships take a conscious effort to improve and build and if the mind is thinking about how to strengthen that relationship…you’re headed in the right direction. Then of course, “action” has to come into play and it’s vital that couples are BOTH working at the “little” things that build a strong relationship foundation.

For example, when we start working out, do we go right for the big weights? No. I guess you could, but if you haven’t tried the big weights before than you have to build up to it or you are going to be in a world of hurt. Basically, it’s those smaller weights to begin with, that get us in shape and can help us continue on our fitness goals.

pexels-photo-416809
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

This goes for relationships, it’s those small acts of thoughtfulness that build a great foundation in a marriage. The tricky part with relationships, is making sure BOTH spouses are doing those small acts everyday to build upon their relationship.

Some examples of those small things in relationship may be:

leaving a sweet note for your spouse before work, calling your husband/wife during a lunch break to check in, packing a lunch for your sweetheart, or even just going on a walk with your spouse to talk and enjoy each other’s company.

The possibilities are endless, and they are simple, but it does take a conscious effort on BOTH sides to achieve happy results.

pexels-photo-2072185
Photo by Giftpundits.com on Pexels.com

Think about when you first began dating and how you wanted so badly to stay in a strong, happy relationship…. it was those little things that moved your dating life to marriage right? Sure big, grand date nights are wonderful and I highly recommend them…but relationships are built on those smaller acts of kindness that are crafted everyday.

So we come back to the comparison, how is a marriage similar to staying fit?

They both take work every single day. And I would argue, a marriage is even more complex that staying fit because staying fit takes that person alone to accomplish goals. And yet, with a marriage BOTH partners have to commit to working hard every…single…day.

In a world that’s busy and full of deadlines and priorities I myself have seen how easy it is to let the relationship “priority” slip, but I will tell you in three words… “don’t let it.”

Relationships are such a key aspect of having a happy and successful life, and when we aren’t doing those little things that build a foundation for love…..even the greatest relationships can crumble.

So as I said, this may speak to some of you and it may not. You may agree or disagree with my comparison, but at the end of the day….I write this post for my husband and me. I don’t ever want anything to take over my commitment and my love to my sweet husband. I personally notice a difference when my husband and me are both working on our relationship together…and I love how we feel when we are truly connected.

Yes I am basically saying that a marriage relationship is like a muscle…you are either strengthening that muscle AKA marriage, or weakening it. It takes day-to-day effort, sacrifice, time and careful thought…but oh what a beautiful thing it can be to have a healthy, happy marriage.

If you ask anyone that feels they are in a happy marriage..I can pretty much guarantee they will tell you they do those small things everyday to keep that marriage foundation strong.

So I ask myself and since you are reading this, I ask you…”what are you doing everyday to strengthen your marriage?”

What are you doing everyday that may be weakening the marriage, and how can you change that?”

We all know what it takes to stay fit…a daily commitment to physical health.

So my challenge is to take that daily commitment for your relationship health.

For in the end…the love and memories we have with our spouse and loved ones, will be what really counts in this life.

I can delve more into this topic, and will probably come back to it, but for now…I will let it marinate.

Prioritize that marriage relationship, it’s worth it and you won’t regret it.

January 2020 Relationship Goals

Screen Shot 2020-01-03 at 9.54.10 AM

 

Until next time,

 

xoxo,

 

Christy Lee

 

Uncategorized

Delicious Gluten-free breakfast cereal ideas

Breakfast cereal is usually a staple in most American families .. but if you have celiacs disease or a gluten-sensitivity, cereal can be a poison.

pexels-photo-325526
Photo by Leah Kelley on Pexels.com

Thankfully, some cereal companies have jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon. I can tell you being able to eat a variety of cereals again has been refreshing.

My hope is that there will be more cereals that become gluten-free certified.

(For FDA approved gluten-free certified click here)

Here are my favorite gluten-free cereals:

 

Click here to watch this on YouTube

Favorite Gluten-Free Cereals!

 

 

 

  1. Cheerios Screen Shot 2020-01-24 at 2.13.32 PM

 

2. Chex Cereal (not Wheat Chex)Screen Shot 2020-01-24 at 2.20.17 PM

 

 

3. Lucky Charms Screen Shot 2020-01-24 at 2.22.32 PM

 

 

4. Fruity PebblesScreen Shot 2020-01-24 at 2.24.39 PM

 

I hope to try the Kashi gluten-free cereal brand soon. I will let you know what my thoughts and opinions are on the Kashi cereal when I try them.

 

What are your favorite gluten-free cereals?

 

Until Next Time!

 

xoxo,

 

Christy Lee

Clothing & Accessories, Lifestyle

Just a few Cute Valentine Gifts for that Someone You love…

 

Hands up if you LOVE Valentines Day! I have always loved the decorations, the candy, the colors schemes and the excitement of Valentines Day.

Many of you know that I love shopping on Jane.com.  Jane.com has some great  gift ideas for Valentines Day

Jane.com is my favorite place to go for all things holiday related because they always have a wide variety of cute items. If you’re looking for your husband, your kids, your mom, your best friend etc… Jane is sure to have something for everyone this Valentines Day!
I think one of my favorite things about Jane.com is that they have cute, boutique-style items, at decent prices. And even better, since I don’t have much time as a mom of three young toddlers to actually go shopping at a department store, going online to Jane.com is easy and fast.
I have been very impressed with all the items I’ve received from Jane.com, so much so that I now have the Jane app. Did you know Jane has an app? It’s definitely worth the free download for a quick look at cute new items.
 Jane has so many cute items that many people love and want to buy –so my advice is to snag an item fast if you like it because it may not be there long!
I have been shopping through Jane.com for over five years now and I can tell you at least half of my closet today is filled with Jane.com clothes! I have loved that Jane’s clothes are just a bit unique, and yet comfortable and nice for a mom of young kids like me. Can you tell I am a fan yet of Jane.com?!

If you have shopped at Jane.com Id love to hear an item you have bought and loved. Just comment below.

Here are just a few items that may make your loved ones happy you remembered the big February 14th!

Disclosure: this blog contains affiliate links. This means that I get commission from links you click on ..but of course it’s at no cost to you!

 

Gift ideas for Her:

These adorable Valentines tees are sure to not only be comfy and cute, but they are a great price too!

This cute T-shirt ships for $17.98

Click hereto purchase

 

This adorable sweater is sure to be stylish and comfortable and comes at a great price. I love the color schemes of this cute sweater. It comes in pink, brown and multi color.

Ships for $29.98

Click here to purchase

 

A gift for Him:

This valet tray is such a wonderful gift idea for dads! Just think, keys, phones, wedding rings etc… all fit perfectly in on little organized area. And I love that they are customizable! This is definitely on the list for my husband:)

Ships for only $16.99 (free shipping)

Click here to purchase

 

Hopefully you can get a head start on Valentine gifts this year…more ideas coming your way soon!

 

Until Next Time,

 

xoxo,

 

Christy Lee

Food, Lifestyle

Tasty Gluten-free snacks from the freezer isle!

 

Here is another Friday of:

FRIDAY GLUTEN-FREE FLAVORS!

pexels-photo-953864
Photo by emirkhan bal on Pexels.com

I have spent many hours looking through the freezer isles at many grocery stores to find some tasty gluten-free food items.

Today I want to share some of my favorite freezer-isle snack foods that are gluten-free and taste great! 

I hope there is one that you can enjoy, I don’t have a favorite, so in no particular order, here they are:

Here is my youtube page where you can check out these favorites here as well:

 

#1  Screen Shot 2020-01-16 at 8.02.22 PMRealgood Jalapeno & white cheddare poppers

These jalepeno poppers have a mild spicy flavoring to them (jalapeno makes sense right?!) They have a great tasty flavoring, and come in small bite-size pieces. Have a glass a water next to you and you will enjoy these freezer snack.

 

Screen Shot 2020-01-16 at 8.02.07 PM(PS-If you have an air fryer, I put these jalapeno poppers in the air fryer for 5 minutes on 370 degrees and they tasted amazing!) 

To purchase click here. 

 

 

#2 Gusto Brazil Cheese Bread

Screen Shot 2020-01-16 at 8.20.07 PM

These little cheese bread bites are delicious. This brand in particular is my favorite, and there are a variety of flavors: cheese, bacon, and jalapeno.

You may be able to guess that I love the jalapeno flavor, but the cheese is great too. I am yet to try the bacon but I can imagine the bacon would taste great as well.

I found my gusto brazil cheese bread at Harmons Grocery store, however, you can also find them on Amazon, click here. 

 

 

 

#3 Simple Truth Thin Cut Sweet Potato FriesScreen Shot 2020-01-16 at 8.33.42 PM

These sweet potato fries are a great frozen food snack. We actually top our sweet potato fries off with course sea salt and it makes them EXTRA taste amazing!

You may notice…I love my air fryer and we stick these fries in the air fryer for about ten minutes on 370 degrees and they taste crispy and tasty.

I found these fries at my local kroger store for under three dollars!

To purchase, click here.

 

#4 Katz Gluten-Free Donut HolesScreen Shot 2020-01-17 at 5.35.23 PM

As far as taste and texture go…these donut holes are delicious! I personally like the maple and cinnamon, but there are also chocolate and powdered doughnuts as well.

The nice part is it only takes a few seconds in the microwave for this tasty snack to be ready to eat!

To purchase, click here

 

#5 Katz Gluten-Free Mini PiesScreen Shot 2020-01-17 at 5.37.47 PM

These mini pies are another favorite of mine. The apple flavor is my personal favorite, but who knows you may enjoy the blueberry and cherry.

The flavor and consistency of these pies are great. These pies are easy to warm up quickly in the microwave as well.

To purchase, click here

 

I hope you have enjoyed this post for Friday Gluten-free Flavors!

As always, please comment below and share any great gluten-free foods that you enjoy. 

 

Until Next Time!

 

xoxo,

 

Christy Lee

 

 

 

 

 

Uncategorized

5 Tasty Gluten-free lunch ideas

Yay!! I’m excited to start this:

Friday gluten free Flavors!

Every Friday I want to focus on food items, recipes, and all things gluten-free.

I was diagnosed with celiacs disease in 2008 and my resources for gluten-free food were next to nothing. (sigh)

My first year of eating gluten-free was rough and honestly, quite emotional.

The flavor and taste of gluten-free food was not ideal and I felt like I was spending a lot of money on food I didn’t even enjoy.

Hence why I am starting this weekly post. I want to be a resource for those that eat gluten-free. I hope to help make gluten-free eating exciting and tasty and enjoyable for those that either HAVE to eat gluten-free or would like to eat gluten-free.

 

So my first post we are focusing on…..5 Tasty Gluten Free Lunch Ideas

Here is the Youtube if you prefer watching….please like and subscribe as I will be posting more gluten-free food items and recipes every Friday!

My new youtube channel!

 

 

  1. Progresso Brand Chicken Rice Soup  

If you are looking for a gluten-free soup that has that hearty chicken flavor, this is my favorite canned chicken soup! I have tried a variety of chicken soups, and I haven’t loved too many with noodles.   Progresso Brand did great to create a tasty, gluten-free chicken and rice soup. This would make a quick and tasty lunch item. Screen Shot 2020-01-10 at 3.49.41 PM.png

To purchase this item click here

 

2. Kroger Brand Gluten-Free Italian Bread CrumbsScreen Shot 2020-01-10 at 10.09.26 PM.png

If you like making meatballs or breaded chicken these bread crumbs are delicious! Even better, these breadcrumbs are not super pricy (as we all know gluten-free food can be). I have seen these breadcrumbs at most grocery store and of course online as well. If you are feeling like meatballs, or breaded chicken for lunch…use these great breadcrumbs in the recipe!

Click here to purchase.

 

3. Udi’s Gluten-free Pizza

Screen Shot 2020-01-10 at 10.12.36 PM.pngI was impressed with Udi’s gluten-free brand of pizza. This pizza has a good flavoring and even better…it didn’t cost more than ten dolloars!

Hooray when we can save some pennies on gluten-free food right? Again, this is one of my kids’ favorite things to eat for lunch. You have the option between pepperoni or cheese.

To purchase, click here. 

 

4. Foster Farms Gluten-free Corn Dogs

Screen Shot 2020-01-10 at 10.19.36 PM.pngThese corn dogs have a great honey flavor to them. Other gluten-free corn dogs that I have tried have an undesirable after taste, but this brand does not. I mention in my video that I would like to try them in the air fryer and see if it gives them that perfect “crunch” that many corn dogs have.

I have found these for under ten dollars at most grocery stores.

To purchase, click here.

 

5. Members Mark Waffle FriesScreen Shot 2020-01-10 at 10.23.14 PM

These waffle fries remind me of Chick-fil a’s tasty waffle fries. We also tried the instructions on the back for cooking them in the air fryer and they tasted delicious. The air fryer helps give them that tasty crunch. We decided to add some seasoning salt and wow…it was like we were sitting down at a tasty restaurant!

We found this big bag at Sams club.

To purchase, click here. 

 

As always, hopefully these ideas can help you enjoy some great-tasting lunches. And if you have great gluten-free food items that you just can’t live without…please share!

Friday Gluten-free Flavors will be back next week so make sure to tune in…and spread the word to your friends!

 

PS– If you have been following my January Goal “Prioritize Relationships” hopefully you are doing a service for someone you loved once a day..something simple, but reminding that person that you care:)

January 2020 Relationship Goals

 

xoxo,

 

Christy Lee

 

 

Family, Lifestyle

Why Prioritize Relationships for the New Year?

After thinking and pondering about New Years Goals for 2020, I chose to involve everyone reading the blog to join my goals.

I decided to “Prioritize” areas in life that I want to improve on. The very first area that came to mind was to prioritize my “Relationships.” IMG_7314

I believe that the world we are living in right now is so fast-paced and can be quite intense and distracting. Because of the distractions it’s easy to forget to nurture the important relationships in our lives. 

For example, how many times do we have dinner with our family, where we are checking our phones the entire time? Instead of talking and learning more about the people you love…you are learning about strangers on instagram.

close up portrait of a young woman typing a text message on mobile phone
Photo by Kaboompics .com on Pexels.com

If you do the research, there is a HUGE decline in nurturing relationships. We all know reasons why the decline is occurring…but why is it so hard for people to commit to improve in their relationships?

Good questions to answer and think about right?

So for this month I want you to join me in PRIORITIZING RELATIONSHIPS.

I have a free calendar for you to click on and follow along with. Basically, I have broken how I hope to “Prioritize Relationships” in my own life week by week. I have small little weekly goals that I hope to follow through with. One example, put that phone away when you eat dinner with your family and have a real, organic conversation with your loved ones.

My hope is that I can get to know my loved ones more and understand them deeper. I recently had a baby and it’s interesting what happens to the family dynamic with a newborn in the house. Our sweet baby girl definitely brings us closer as we fuss over every tiny milestone she makes. And yet, because this mama has to make sure the baby is thriving, it’s easy to forget to have date nights with dad.

I know that the ONE big ticket item in life is having healthy relationships. It’s amazing how critical relationships are to us human beings, and the lack thereof can truly affect people in such harmful and negative ways. So let’s take initiative and Prioritize Relationships!

silhouette of man touching woman against sunset sky
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Just a little fun insight into this goal, I am interviewing couples that have been married 50+ years and will compile insights and share all I have learned with you!

Click on the calendar below to follow along on this January adventure with me. (It is currently under construction but I have attached a picture below to follow along).

Click here: January 2020 Relationship Goals

 

Screen Shot 2020-01-03 at 9.54.10 AM

And as always, I would love to hear your insights on prioritizing relationships!

 

Until Next Time,

 

xoxo

 

Christy Lee