the importance of having a back-up plan

Last night was a crazy one at our house. Most days are full of activities, interruptions and shortcomings. The days are also full of love, silliness and all the stuff that goes along with raising kids.

Yesterday was a day that got away from me. While our baby napped in the morning, I assembled a Wild Rice and Kale salad from the Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook. This is a recipe that my husband and I often enjoy for lunch throughout the week. The Co-op also makes a version of it in their deli, if you’d like to try it.

I wasn’t sure what to make for dinner, but I was figuring it would be something out of the same cookbook. I meant to decide on a recipe using dry beans, and start them quick-soaking so that I could put dinner together in the 30 minutes of “free time” I have between picking kids up from school and dropping them off at Karate class.

Well, I never decided on the recipe because of -- let’s just call it the unexpectedness of life. And so, I found myself at home at 5:45 starting dinner off the top of my head.

Thankfully, we stocked our freezer last weekend with a back-up plan. We went to Costco for toilet paper and to pick up some organic staples like eggs, butter, and sugar. My friend recently told me about some new products they are carrying that are gluten free.

Usually I don’t buy much food there because they don't stock products I want. Also, most of the convenient foods they stock are not only not gluten free, but they’re over processed and full of unhealthy chemicals. But, now our Costco in Bellingham is responding to member demands for better products!

So we came home with Dr. Praeger’s Gluten Free California Veggie Burgers and Alexia Sweet Potato Fries which are also gluten fee. Both products are in the frozen section and both are what I reached for last night for dinner. The meal was rounded out by the salad that I had made earlier in the day. It was easy and it was a meal I felt great about serving my family. Most importantly, it tasted good!

My husband and two of our boys do not have to eat gluten free. They had their burgers on toasted wheat bread. On this particular night I had no gluten free bread on hand, so I ate the burger between two pieces of lettuce with some tomato, Vegenaise, and mustard. Generally, I keep a loaf of Udi’s Whole Grain Gluten Free bread in the freezer for toast or when I want a bread option. I also topped the burgers with cheddar cheese which is how we like them.

Mary’s Gone Crackers and Larabar are a couple other great gluten free brands that Costco is now carrying.

It feels good to be successful in the face of stressful situations. There was a time when I would have caved and picked up a cheap pizza on the way home and then suffered from the effects. This feels much better!