If you've read my blog for awhile, it will be no surprise to you that I LOVE to cook!  When I initially started cooking, I really didn't view kitchen tools as something to "invest" in.  I bought some of the cheapest things I could find, and within a few months they already needed replacing. 

From that moment forward, I learned my lesson:  There is really nothing like good quality equipment in your kitchen.  Yes, it may cost a little more, but good quality pans and especially knives will last for many years, and make cooking easier and more enjoyable.

I was recently given the opportunity to try out a Classic 5-inch Santoku knife from Wusthof. The blade on this knife is ideal for slicing paper thin vegetables. It has a hollow edge blade which helps the food more easily release.  It's a little shorter than some of my other Chef's knives, but I actually found that makes it easier to handle, and slice almost anything! 

Hello Lover!

Last Wednesday I attended the first local farmer's market of the season in my town.  Every Wednesday our Marketfest sets up for a few hours at the local community center, and vendors come and sell all sorts of fresh fruits, veggies, breads, jams, salsa, eggs, etc.  I bought rhubarb, eggs, and parsnips.  The rhubarb was calling my name to be made into a crisp! 

Dilemma #1:  How will I make this rhubarb crisp as low points as I can, but still have it taste good?  Dilemma #2:  My friend who is has celiac disease is coming over for dinner, so how will I also make said crisp gluten free?

Using my new best friend Santoku knife, I chopped away at my delicious fresh rhubarb and strawberries, making quick work out of all of the slicing I needed to do.  It was amazing... and sharp!  I sliced up all 8 cups of fruit for this recipe in just a matter of minutes.  I think I'm in love... with a knife!
The result.  A perfect delicious crisp both healthy and gluten free!

Filling:
4 cups of Fresh Rhubarb diced
4 cups of sliced fresh strawberries
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp Kraft Minute Tapioca
1 tsp Penzey's all spice
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt

Topping:
1-1/4 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 tsp kosher or sea salt
1 tsp Penzey's Cinnamon
6 Tbsp cold cut up butter (into about 12 pieces)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and lightly butter a 9x13 pan.

Mix together all of the filling ingredients and put into the pan.

In a separate bowl, put the topping ingredients.  Mix with your hands (the best way in my opinion) until the mixture resembles very course bread crumbs.

Sprinkle on top of the filling and bake at 350 for 50 minutes.
So... would you like to win your very own 5" Wusthof Santoku Knife?  Yep... I thought so.  It's your lucky day, because Wusthof has offered to give one of my readers their very own knife!

Here's what you need to do to win.  There are 3 total entries possible, you can do one or ALL three:
1 - Leave me a comment on this post telling me why you want to try out a Wusthof Santoku knife.  Easy as that! 
2 - Facebook  First, make sure to follow me on Facebook (if you already follow me then you are already ahead!), and then follow Wusthof on Facebook.  Leave me a comment telling me you did.
3 - Twitter.  First make sure to follow me on Twitter (hopefully you already are).  Then follow Wusthof on Twitter and tweet the following:  I entered @fatlittlelegs giveaway to win a @wusthof Santoku knife. You can too: http://tinyurl.com/7hfvexq
Good luck!
This contest is open to US Residents only, and will run until next Tuesday at 9 pm Central time, at which point I'll randomly draw a comment from all comments to pick the winner.

Opinions above are all my own.  I only post on things I really do love.  That said, Wusthof did provide me with my very own Santoku knife and one for one of my blog readers in order to promote their product.

Turner Syndrome Awareness Fact:  Girls and women with Turner syndrome are at higher risk for developing celiac disease. 

According the Turner Syndrome Society:  "When people with celiac disease eat foods containing gluten, their immune system responds by attacking and damaging the villi. Villi, the fingerlike protrusions found on the small intestine, are needed for the body to absorb important nutrients."  Source

Last Saturday we tried something different with Lily.  We fed her some rice cereal.  We are really hoping this will provide just enough extra calories to bulk her up a little - help her gain a little weight.

I, of course, had high hopes going into feeding number one - she would eat right away and love it. After 4 very small spoonfuls, which apparently she was hiding in her cheeks, a big blob of rice cereal came out of her mouth, sort of like lava flowing out of a volcano. She immediately gave me a nasty look, and started fussing. Feeding #1 of cereal was over. 
Lily 1, Cereal 0

On Sunday, I knew we had to try again.  So late morning, I made up a few teaspoons of cereal.  We did have better luck.  She actually swallowed a few bites before she got mad and started pushing me away.  A few minutes after I took off her bib, I noticed cereal all over the front of her onesie.  Apparently she was still sneakily saving it up to spit out later.

Lily 2, Cereal 0

On Monday we informed Lily's daycare that she would like to try rice cereal there.  We did not inform them, however, that she seemed to be storing what was fed to her in her cheek to come out later, at random intervals.  Evil, or conveniently forgetful?  I'm not really sure.  I just wanted to see how they would fare.

When I picked her up her daily sheet read:  2 Tbsp of cereal - ate "some".  Of course the definition of "some" is pretty squishy, but I was at least happy to hear that she was interested.

Lily 2.5 Cereal .5

Tuesday the sheet read:  2 Tbsp of cereal - ate half.
Lily 3, Cereal 1

Wednesday it read:  2 Tbsp of cereal - ALL - Note (and I paraphrase here):  "Lily did not like how long it was taking me to feed her the cereal so she starting licking what had spilled off her bib."

Woo hoo - SCORE! 

That's my girl!  It is no secret this mama likes to eat - hence the 115 pound previous weight loss.  So, I was very proud!

Lily has made some awesome progress this week with eating, and I couldn't be happier.  I have, at the same time, noticed she hasn't been sleeping as well the last few nights, and yesterday I changed 4 poopy diapers between 5 pm and 10 pm!  She also has horrible diaper rash. 

And I went there...I immediately went to thinking that she may already be experiencing a gluten reaction (and yes most baby "rice" cereals actually do contain wheat).  Never mind that it could be something "normal" for a 5 month old.  Maybe her stomach is simply adjusting to a new food, or maybe she's started teething, and is experiencing the many poops and diaper rash of teething, just like her brother did. 
Its so hard to know.  Its hard to know if what my sweet girl is experiencing is a normal baby development thing, or if its the sign of something more serious.  And I know that for the future, my mind will probably always go "there"; always go to the worst case scenario.  After my pregnancy and Lily's diagnosis, it seems to be how I've been reprogrammed.
I've already thought about the "what ifs" of celiac disease.  She won't be able to eat cake at a birthday party, and snacks at daycare will be impossible.  She won't be able to have pizza with her friends, without at least planning ahead.  It makes me worried, but even more so, it makes me sad.  How much should I as a mother worry, and how much should I just chalk up to normal development?  And how can I possibly know?

I don't know.  I don't think anyone does with any child they raise.  And well, raising a child with some special needs, makes knowing even cloudier.  While, I don't know what the future will be in this regard for Lily, I do know that one of my dearest friends has Celiac Disease.  I know it hasn't been an easy journey for her, but I fed her dinner a couple of weeks ago at my house, and I do know that she had steak, a baked potato, and salad... just like all of us did.  She is coping... and if we have to we will too.  Its just another punch on our card of symptoms that could show up at any time. 
Every new symptom, every new sign, I over analyze.  Week after week I make myself just a little bit crazy waiting for the next shoe to drop. 

I desperately want for Lily to be one of the girls that only experiences mild Turner Syndrome symptoms, given some of what she has already been through in her short 5 months, but as soon as that thought crosses my head, I remember how incredibly lucky we are.  She doesn't have a heart defect and she doesn't have a kidney abnormality, like so many of her amazing Turner Syndrome sisters, and I know instantly that I would trade having to live gluten-free for a perfect heart and kidneys any day!