FEUD with FOOD

I am pleased to say that my Sundays now offer something extra special to look forward to.  Every Sunday at the Conspiracy Room (at the Uptown Theater), a brunch is offered for $15.  In addition to this being a great opportunity to eat healthy, & still being able to follow my own dietary restrictions, this particular event is focused building community around health and sustainability.

This is a great opportunity to share information, and learn as much as possible.  For ME this is a necessity.   I normally feel like I only get this sense of community by leaving town, & visiting places like Chicago, Denver, Seattle or Portland.  But this brunch is giving me hope for Kansas City.

I am excited to see what this develops into with each passing week.  I know that they have plans to incorporate a market of sorts, as well as opportunities for people to hopefully order organic food, & make the location a point for pick-up.

I will report more, with photos & menus at a later time.  I just wanted to share my enthusiasm for this new brunch option.

Here are the links with additional information (including the current menu for each week)

http://www.meetup.com/The-Uptown-Health-Wellness-and-Sustainability-Meetup

http://www.facebook.com/UptownTheaterOrganic

Thank you to two fine cities, who awed us with their plentiful, and delicious gluten-free food options.  I cannot WAIT to go back, when we have more time to explore.  Some recaps & reviews of places we visited will be posted eventually.  But for now, I have to go on & on about my very first cheesecake experience in over two years.  And oh my was it a memorable one.  Our very first official meal in Chicago was arranged by a vegan friend in Seattle, who was mindful of our location, & my food intolerances.  So we met at a spot called Chaco Canyon Cafe.  For some reason I was not hungry (which is a rarity), so I labored over which of the many items on the menu I should have.  Eventually it occurred to me that they had CHEESECAKE, & it was cheesecake that I could actually EAT.  I then knew that my “dinner” would be dessert.

The cheesecake was amazing.  Not only could I tell no difference from my beloved memory of past cheesecakes (which were full of gluten AND dairy).  But this was amazingly good.  My partner (who is a gluten AND dairy eater) tried it as well, & wholeheartedly agreed with me.  It was beyond just a decent dessert.  It was addictive.  And the best thing is, I ate 3/4 of it, & did not feel the least bit ill, or as if I had overindulged (which would have happened three bites into a regular piece of cheesecake).

We look forward to heading back, trying more things on the menu, AND OF COURSE, having more cheesecake.

Check out this link for information on the first Gluten Free Food Labeling Summit, in Washington, D.C. on May 4th, 2011.

http://www.1in133.org/index.php

Has anyone been to this cafe yet?

http://www.omgitsglutenfree.com/

And is anyone attending the Expo?

http://gfafexpo.com/

The boyfriend & I are thinking about possibly making an appearance at the May 6th  Spring Flours 2011 Annual Benefit in Chicago as well.  Anyone else going?

Kansas City’s 39th Street corridor, which is a haven for food options, people watching, & even some shopping, is now home to a very lovely bakery/coffeehouse.  This particular spot just happens to meet my needs even more so than some of the other options out there because THIS place is entirely vegan.

My toxic relationship with dairy (among other things) sometimes even keeps me from enjoying a caffeinated treat due to the fact that I enjoy my coffee with “milk”.  I do not prefer it black.  Mud Pie has all of their regular coffee menu items with a default of SOY MILK (which at the moment I have eliminated again due to recent health issues).  But they ALSO offer almond, cashew,  coconut, & hemp milk.  Since I have taken a break from soy….this is very exciting to me.  I have OPTIONS even.  This is so rare for me.

I also appreciate that Mud Pie has better hours than some of my other favorite spots.

Mon: Closed   Tues – Thurs: 6 am – 9 pm   Fri – Sat: 7 am – 10 pm   Sunday: 8 am – 8 pm

I am excited to go back with some of my fellow Kansas City Fake Mustache foodies on a Wednesday.  Currently Mud Pie has reserved Wednesday for GLUTEN-FREE bakery items.  So I can indulge in something sweet sans the dairy AND the gluten.  This is totally a dream scenario for me when it comes to treats & coffee.  I normally cannot get the best of both worlds in one location.

We will also have to check out the “kid area” we were told about upstairs, & enjoy a beverage outside on the patio.  The atmosphere of Mud Pie is very welcoming & warm.  I felt comfortable immediately.  I look forward to many more visits filled with foods I do not feud with.

http://www.mudpiebakery.com/

The much appreciated, & at one point in even my own life, anticipated work-related functions where we were informed there would be food & beverages provided.  I work for an amazing company, & they always make sure to show us we are appreciated on many levels.  And at some of these events, there is food, and drink.  Today there was a buffet & a bar.  It was AT my office.  At one point in my life, that would have seemed like the best possible scenario.

But now as I am officially entering into the 2nd year of when all types of eliminations & food knowledge that ended up shaping me into the gluten-free, dairy-free, once vegetarian (but now eating free-range meat in order to keep a better blood sugar balance) girl that I am today………the sight of a buffet no longer brings those feelings of excitement.

I do know that it is a HUGE success for me that I can BE in the same room as the buffet now.  It no longer sends me into a state of disappointment & resentment towards food I can no longer enjoy.  But I did catch myself giving a dirty look to the brownies as I picked one up for a friend who was working on a project during the event.

My saving grace?  Realizing that refraining really was NOT that hard.  It wasn’t even close to as difficult as I can now recall it being just a year ago.  I’ve come a long way with this new lifestyle.  AND then the best part? Getting back to my house, & enjoying a delightful gluten-free/dairy-free brownie from Kneaded Specialites, with some organic peanut butter, & a glass of rice milk.  Now THAT was satisfying.