New Meal Plan for the week of 6/28 - 7/4

This week I'm concentrating on making most baked items with almond flour. I'm still doing a lot of experimenting with what my body needs from me right now. I've been getting really good at eating gluten free but I feel like there's something I'm substituting that's actually hurting me rather than helping me. To experiment, I'm going to mix in a few things from the Selective Carb diet (SCD) and try to monitor my sugar intake... not just with sugar itself but the carbs that turn to sugar and are higher on the Glycemic Index & Glycemic Load list. There's a lot more to be done before I think I'll reach my ideal diet to feel great! I'll let you know how this goes and please leave me any tips you have.
You can download our meal plan for the week here: http://snipurl.com/yd89s

Garden Update 6/27 - Cucumbers a plenty! Crazy tomatoes!

I've pulled the first three cucumbers off the vine!

Now, here's where I still need advice from you pros... how big should they be when they are harvested? And when it starts to change color - is it good or bad? Any advice would be great!
Also, we had a big storm and it's really messed up the cucumber trellis and the tomato cages. I knew the wire cages wouldn't last forever but hopefully I can figure out a good supplemental bamboo situation so that they can keep on growing. I'll get that done tomorrow as well as some pruning. One thing I have had a lot of advice on is that pruning the crazy branches will keep the plant producing more!
I hope everyone's had a great weekend. And just remember, it's almost the 4th of July holiday weekend. That should help you get through this week a little better :-)

Garden update: 6/20

I'm learning lots of fun lessons about gardening lately! The most important thing I've learned is that I didnt have a great space plan in place. I planted things like zuchinni/squash/cucumbers/watermelon too close together! Dont get me wrong, I'm glad everything has grown beyond my expectation but if I dont handle it the right way, a lot of my planting will have been in vain.
I started this weekend by cutting out a zuchinni plant entirely. There were three plants too close together and it was causing moisture problems for all of them. There was really disgusting looking mildew killing everything and it had to go before it ruined all three plants. I hope this gave the other two enough room to breath and continue producing. We've gotten four great zuchinnis so far and they've tasted great!!
Also, I'm going to experiment with putting my cucumber plant on a trellis after it's already grown a lot. I made the mistake of going on a vacation ;-) and not securing the cucumbers to anything before I left. It feel like they grew a mile while I was gone and they desperately need to be climbing something tall to get them off the ground. I'll let you know how that goes. If you have any budget friendly suggestions please let me know!
The corn looks almost ready to harvest - maybe another week? And the tomatoes are growing awesome green tomatoes right now.
The peas have perished and have been removed. I'm going to rework the soil and plant something else there. Weather above 90 degrees has just been too much for them and they didn't make it.

Favorite Friday: Burger Up!

Today's Favorite Friday post is about a new Nashville restaurant: Burger Up. Started by Miranda Whitcomb Pontes, who also owns the Frothy Monkey coffeehouse down the street, it has a great vibe with a casual, hip atmosphere. The best part is... they now have a gluten free bun & gluten free beer! 
My husband and I were able to go out on a date this week and the waitress didn't look at me like I had three heads when I said the words "gluten free bun & beer"!!! Yay! Having come home from West Palm beach with some restaurants that were beyond horrible to me, it was a great feeling.
I got the Woodstock which had some really amazing bacon. Added sweet potato fries and a Bard's beer. When I got my beer, I was surprised that it was a Green's Dunnel Dark beer. They had run out of the Bard's and substituted for the same price. Now, I love Bard's but I also really love Green's. This was exciting!
The flax/quinoa bun was amazing! It was the first time I've been able to eat a burger and have it feel authentic. Bravo to you bun master - whoever you are! I need to meet you and get some tips on how you bake. 

My only complaint is the noise level, which I hear they are working on. And of course there's the price. $15 for a burger and fries isn't awesome but it also isn't bad at all when you consider it's from a local ranch (Triple L Ranch) in Franklin. I'm always willing to support local, natural food!
Overall, I cant tell you how great it felt to have a nice meal out with my husband without having to ask for a gluten free menu or get told "there's always lettuce to eat" by hostesses. Thank you everyone at Burger Up for knowing those of us with allergies want to eat out too! We appreciate it more than you know! Check out the menu at www.burger-up.com

Meal plan for the week of June 7-11

Here's my meal plan for the week! http://snipurl.com/x69p9
I'm out of town part of the weekend so the husband is on his own for that part but otherwise we're stocked with fresh food and recipes ready in the binder. A reminder: I only specify breakfast and lunch. We choose from the list for our dinners, that way it's more flexible and we can find something we're in the mood for that night.
I hope everyone has a great week!