Gluten-Free Brownie in a Mug

A friend of mine posted on Facebook yesterday that she had made a brownie in a mug that changed her world. I've made brownies in a mug before, but it's been a while and I have no idea where the recipes are. Myself, along with a few of her other friends encouraged her to share the recipe, and she was nice enough to do so.

She said the recipe came from the Life Hack page that has been circulating (I have no idea what this is, but I like to give credit where credit is due.)

Recipe:
In a mug, put 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 2 tbsp cocoa powder, mix.
Then add 2 tbsp, and 3 tbsp water. Mix well.
Microwave 1 minute 40 seconds.

The only modification I made was using gluten-free flour rather than regular flour. I used my go-to substitute of 1-2-3 Gluten-Free Multi-Purpose Flour and followed the directions precisely.

This is what the mix looks like prior to cooking:

After the minute and forty seconds in the microwave, it still looked a little too wet, so I added another 20 seconds. 

I should have probably waited to eat it, but the idea of a brownie with a cup of coffee sounded amazing. I think it would have dried out and seemed more "brownieish" (I'm aware that's not a word) if I waited until it cooled, but I was too excited. 

I'd love to hear if anyone else tries this out. Let me know what flour you used and if you made any other modifications. 

Enjoy!

Article: Assay Detects Minuscule Amounts Of Gluten In Food

Ever since the FDA ruled on "gluten-free" meaning a food contains less than 20ppm (parts per million), there has been a constant dispute as to whether or not it was the correct limit to set. There were multiple reasons this limit was chosen, including, but not limited to:

• Research has indicated that this is a safe limit for those who suffer with Celiac Disease to consume. 
• Current testing methods only could only detect as low as 5ppm, but 20ppm is a much more available/affordable method. 

One of the things I mentioned above is that the lowest detectable level is 5ppm. That little fact is no longer true. An article was published today stating that a new testing method has been developed that can detect levels as low as .5ppm, which is a whole 4.5ppm less than the previous method.

The article does not state the cost associated with this test or how it compares to methods that can detect up to 20ppm, but at the very least, this is huge progress.

You can find the article in it's entirety here, but if you're not into reading scientific articles, I thought I would summarize a few of the points contained:

• Why was the test developed? "María Jesús Lobo-Castañón of the University of Oviedo, in Spain, and her colleagues work on biosensors and wanted to develop a test for allergens. After learning that a colleague was so gluten-sensitive that even products labeled gluten-free could trigger his symptoms, they decided to devise a sensitive test for gluten."
• Previously, tests relied on antibodies that would "specifically bind to gluten or portions of it." This test uses small nucleic acid receptors (also called aptamers) which are less expensive than antibodies (this could mean this method is similar in cost to the 20ppm test, but this was not addressed). This is also more stable and is easier to make and tweak according to the article.
• Their research found the "aptamer with the greatest affinity for their gliadin fragment." I'm going to risk confusing my readers with scientific jargon now, but I didn't want to summarize the following information and risk misinterpreting it:
• " Aptamer in hand, the scientists put together a competitive gluten detection assay. They attached the gliadin peptide to magnetic beads. Then they mixed a food sample with the beads and added a small amount of aptamer. Any gluten in the food competes with the gliadin on the beads to bind to the aptamer, which allows the researchers to detect very low levels of gluten present in the food. By measuring the percentage of aptamer bound to gliadin, the researchers could calculate how much gluten was in the food, at levels as low as 0.5 ppm."
• They used this test with other flours such as corn and rice to ensure it did not detect gluten in non-gluten containing items, and they were successful. 

Additional research is most certainly needed with this new testing method, but I think it sounds like it holds great promise. Personally, I think it would be great if they could confirm the validity of this test, and make it available for home and commercial use at a reasonable cost. 

There may not be a test that can detect levels as low as 0ppm, but .5ppm is HUGE progress in comparison to 5ppm. 

Photo credit: celiacdisease.about.com

30 Day Gluten-Free Challenge (on hold)

I would like to apologize to everyone who was following along with the 30 Day Gluten-Free Challenge. Circumstances changed in my life, and financial reasons forced us to choose to use up our stockpile of food rather than continue to purchase new food.

The food required for the challenge is not expensive, but we literally have a chest freezer full of frozen meat and other items, and our pantry is stocked with rice, pasta, etc. It makes more sense for us to purchase small amounts of fresh fruits & veggies while using up the items we already have in an effort to save as much money as possible.

I will probably finish the challenge once we have used up our stockpile, but for now, it needs to be put on hold. I apologize to anyone that was looking forward to the posts each day.

30 Day Gluten Free Diet Challenge: Day 13

Day 13:

Breakfast: Eggs, Ham & Hashbrowns

I'm curious if this looks similar to the scrambler I had when I went out to eat last week. It was actually fun to make, and I made the hashbrowns from scratch (I was avoiding going down to the cold basement again to get them out of the chest freezer).

If you'd like to try this, it's pretty simple too. I cut the potatoes into small slices like this:

Then, I coated them in oil in the pan before covering them and cooking them the same way I've always done hash browns.

The eggs were simply scrambled eggs with ham added near the end, and then I added cheese and covered the pan for about 30 seconds to melt it.

Here are a few more pictures from the top and a nice close-up.

Morning Snack: Orange Slices (Grapefruit Slices)
I've discovered grapefruit cut like orange slices doesn't work as well. It's still super good, but you can't put the whole thing in your mouth to avoid the juice squirting because they're too big. If you do manage to get the whole slice in your mouth, the quantity of juice tends to choke you. Lesson learned...

Lunch: Caesar Salad & Rice Chips
I went for a turkey salad instead today. I really need to open myself up to more of the salads. I seem to be skipping all the non garden type varieties.

Afternoon Snack: Popcorn
This is my fresh popped popcorn made in the popcorn popper at my office. Is it obvious I had already dug in and had a serving before remembering to take a photo?

Dinner: Pan-Seared Tilapia in Garlic Sauce w/Asparagus & White Rice
The asparagus at the store didn't look very good, so we had peas instead. I had never eaten any sort of fish prior to using the Easy 30 Day Gluten-Free Diet book, but I've discovered I love it. I'm still perfecting my cooking of fish, but I'm learning slowly. I definitely think tilapia is one of the tougher ones because it is so "fragile" but it also tastes great and it isn't super fishy.

Evening Snack: Fresh Papaya Slices
Is it bad if I forgot to take a pic before eating it?

30 Day Gluten Free Diet Challenge: Day 12

Day 12:

Breakfast: Gluten-Free Toast & Fresh Fruit
Today's breakfast featured Udi's Cinnamon Raisin Bread and apple slices.

Morning Snack: Jello (I had cookies)
It was pretty early in the morning, and I had cookies. Double chocolate chip cookies. They were good. Jello would have been healthier (although Jello brand gelatin is not gluten-free, so that would not be healthy for me). But yes, I had cookies for my snack.

Lunch: Turkey Sandwich and Potato Chips
I have to admit. I strongly dislike the ends of the bread loaf. Some people call it the "crust" while others call it the "heel" while others call it something completely different. Whatever you call it, I don't like it. I normally use these pieces for stuffing or croutons. Unfortunately, I was in a bit of a hurry, and I didn't feel like running to the basement for another loaf of bread so I went with it. It wasn't that bad, but I'd still prefer the middle pieces. I guess I'm picky about my bread.

Afternoon Snack: Carrot Sticks w/Ranch Dip
I managed to eat this, but forgot a picture. I didn't have ranch dip. I have to be in the mood for ranch dip, and I wasn't in the mood. I enjoyed the carrots though.

Dinner: Turkey Burger w/Sauteed Onions & Mushrooms and Sweet Potato Fries
I thoroughly enjoyed the sweet potato fries. I ate way too many of them. After I took the pic of my dinner, I drizzled honey on them and ate them. And then I ate more, and more, and more. My husband doesn't like sweet potato fries, so I had them all to myself.

The turkey burger was made with Jennie-O Ground Turkey and we added Italian seasoning. We used Udi's buns, and added raw red onion, lettuce, tomato, and barbecue sauce.

Delicious dinner! I wish the picture did it justice. The sweet potato fries look burnt, but they're not, and the burger looks dry, but it's not.

Evening Snack: Papaya
Just as great the second day. So yum!

TTB Issues Ruling on Gluten-Free Claims on Alcohol

I'm not sure why I'm so incredibly excited, but I'm giddy about this announcement. I've never been one to get angry, but I've gotten to the point of extreme frustration with my fear that the TTB may have allowed "gluten-removed" beers such as Omission to label their products as gluten-free.

My opinion was that these companies could label their products as "gluten-removed," but it would be terribly misleading to state "gluten-free." I understand that they think their tests are reliable, and that these products are safe for individuals with Celiac Disease. I do not agree. I also don't see what the problem is with issuing a very truthful "gluten-removed" statement. If someone believes that the product is safe for them, they can consume it. If they don't believe it's safe, then they will choose another product.

The problem with the "gluten-free" claim on a "gluten-removed" beer is that there is the (in my opinion strong) possibility that they will determine that these products contain unsafe levels of gluten. What then? What if someone develops colon cancer after adhering to a strict gluten-free diet that wasn't actually gluten-free because they were drinking gluten-removed beer?

Who does it hurt to label it as "gluten-removed" anyway. Those who are very careful with their diet will not purchase it, which could decrease sales. I get that. I think it would hurt their sales even more if they were allowed to label the products "gluten-free," and then a reliable test was found that determined it was not gluten-free. I could see a complete boycott by the gluten-free community. I could see lawsuits galore. I don't think it would be right, but if they stick with the "gluten-removed" terminology, at least they could say, "we never said it was gluten-free" if testing determined it wasn't.

If you'd like to read the article, it is available at the TTB website, and can be found here.

For those of you interested in reading the "important" part of the article. You can go directly to the last paragraph of page 3, or I have it quoted here:

"TTB determined that it would be inherently misleading for alcohol beverages produced
from grains containing gluten or their derivatives to make a “gluten-free” claim or a claim of specific gluten content levels absent a means to verify the accuracy of that statement
through scientifically validated methods or other reliable means as might be revealed
through FDA rulemaking. However, for products that were produced using wheat,
barley, rye, or a crossbred hybrid of these grains, and were then processed, treated, or
crafted to remove the gluten, TTB announced that it would allow use of the statement
“[Processed or Treated or Crafted] to remove gluten,” together with a qualifying
statement to inform consumers that: (1) the product was fermented or distilled from a
grain that contains gluten; (2) the gluten content of the product cannot be verified; and
(3) the product may contain gluten. TTB believed that the qualifying statement was
necessary to avoid misleading consumers and because of the serious health
consequences associated with the consumption of gluten by individuals with celiac
disease. The ruling stated that industry members are responsible for verifying the
accuracy of any such labeling or advertising statement"

So there it is. At least for the time being, I agree with the TTB, and I'm incredibly happy with their decision.

I'll end with a photo I found on mygfgirlfriend.com. I'm sure Omission hates it, but this is the way a lot of people feel.

30 Day Gluten Free Diet Challenge: Day 11

Day 11:

Breakfast: Cream of Rice Cereal
I used Gluten-Free Sensations brand for my breakfast and mixed in some blueberries. I also used So Delicious coconut milk to make it. Nice warm breakfast on another cold day.

Morning Snack: skipped

Lunch: Tomato Soup w/Corn Chips
Once again, I thought I had something in my cupboard that I didn't. It was a really rough day, and although I could have run to the store to get tomato soup, I didn't. Instead I had what we refer to as our lazy meal. Chips, cheese, and meat. I literally stick a slice of cheese on a chip, add meat on top, and eat. It's great when you don't feel like cooking (or in todays case, you're having a bad day and don't want to think). I think it's quite similar to a Lunchable, and I do the same thing with crackers.

Afternoon Snack: skipped

Dinner: Grilled Shish Kebobs & Quinoa w/Garlic Sauce
I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. It's also obvious I love steak, because these kebobs are very meat-heavy.

Evening Snack: Papaya
Yes! It's finally ripe! My husband is cutting it up as I write this, but I'll be sure to take a picture of it plated when I eat it tomorrow. Here is a picture of it cut in half prior to removing the seeds.

I apologize for the short descriptions today. Rough day, and I have little desire to write, so I apologize to my readers. I also skipped snacks. Hopefully the pictures made up for the lack of words...

You know you have Celiac Disease when....

...you get excited that you can spend an extra $3 so that you don't have to lick envelopes.

I could have gotten mad or pissed off that I had to spend extra money. I could have taken the risk and licked them anyway (see note*). I could have used a sponge to wet them. I could have done a lot of other things.

I chose convenience and definite safety for $3.

What things in your life prove you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance? Do you keep a good attitude about it, or do you get angry/pissed off/frustrated?



*Note: It has been determined that envelope glue does not contain gluten. It probably is an old wives tail that it does, but I think envelope glue tastes gross anyway. As far as I know, it used to contain gluten, but now it does not. If you have some really old envelopes laying around, they could make you sick. No idea if that's true, and it's not important enough for me to do the research.

30 Day Gluten Free Diet Challenge: Day 10

Day 10:

Breakfast: Banana Pineapple Smoothie
Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm. Not sure what else to say about this amazing smoothie today.

Morning Snack: Roasted & Salted Nuts (I skipped the snack)
It was a super busy day, and my morning just sort of ran into my afternoon. I rarely skip snacks, so I'm not sure what's going on.

Lunch: Tuna Fish Sandwich w/Veggie Chips (Turkey Sandwich)
I went with a turkey sandwich because I was in a rush when I left the house, so I literally grabbed a handful of turkey lunch meat and threw it in a baggie, and then put two frozen pieces of bread in a baggie, threw it in my purse, and left. This was the resulting sandwich that I ate along with the remainder of a bag of popcorn.

And you would be correct if you're assuming there is no mayo, butter, or any other condiment. This is literally turkey and bread.

Afternoon Snack: Applesauce
I didn't take a picture, but once again, I was thankful for leftover applesauce we made last summer.

Dinner: BBQ Pork Chops w/Baked Beans & Corn on the Cob
I needed a nice wholesome and filling meal after a long day. I didn't want to bother with frozen corn on the cob, and it's not exactly in season, so we went with frozen corn instead. This meal really hit the spot right when I needed it.

I'd also like to say that this meal was incredibly cheap. I got two pork chops and a family size can of baked beans for $4.11. We already had the corn, and it was $1 when we bought it. We didn't use the entire bag of corn, and we didn't finish it. That means we fed the two of us this meal for less than $5, which is $2.50 each. I'll gladly take that kind of savings any day!

I did figure out non-boneless pork chops do not cook well on our Cuisinart grill. I really wanted grill marks, but it wasn't able to close on it because of the bone. Oh well, lesson learned.

Evening Snack: Papaya
It still isn't ripe, but it should be ready tomorrow! Yay!

30 Day Gluten Free Diet Challenge: Day 9

Day 9:

Breakfast: Eggs, Sausage & Hashbrowns
You know it's a good breakfast when almost every burner on the stove is filled ;)

Perfect breakfast to keep me going for hours. Here is the photo of the finished product.

I would love to be able to successfully make an over easy egg someday. If anyone has tips, feel free to share. I love eggs, but I'm really kind of horrible at making them.

Morning Snack: Apple Slices w/Caramel Dip (I skipped the dip)
I thought for sure I had some single serve containers of caramel dip in the cupboard, but I was wrong. The apple slices were quite nice on their own anyway.

Lunch: Garden Salad w/Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing & Rice Chips (I subbed in corn chips (Tostitos) because I didn't have any rice chips in the house)
I guess I'm dropping the ball on my food inventory/grocery shopping because I also thought I had rice chips in the house, but I did not. Maybe I'm still getting used to living with other people because I seem to think things will only disappear when I eat them, and I'm very wrong.
Back to the meal. After a nice hearty breakfast, this was the perfect light lunch. I need to actually make some homemade croutons because I have a bunch of freezer burnt bread, and I refuse to throw it away, so croutons is the perfect way to "save" it.

Afternoon Snack: Mandarin Orange Cup
I must think this picture would be boring because once again, I forgot to take a picture. Anyone ever seen a real mandarin orange that didn't come as prepared food? I would think they look like a clementine orange, but I've always been interested in trying one that didn't come in a can or cup.

Dinner: Pan-Seared Salmon w/GF Teriyaki Sauce, Steamed Broccoli & White Rice
Yay for teriyaki sauce again! This stuff is SO good! I'm sure you can tell because I put it all over the rice and the salmon. It seemed a bit weird to put it on the broccoli. I'll let the picture for tonights dinner speak for itself.

Evening Snack: Papaya (I had grapefruit)
My papaya still isn't ripe (this makes me sad)

30 Day Gluten Free Diet Challenge: Day 8

One week of the challenge is done. I can't believe how quickly it is going!

Day 8:

Breakfast: Fresh Fruit & Yogurt
I absolutely adore this yogurt because the plain yogurt is super sweet all on it's own. I also don't have to take a Lactaid in order to eat it (as I do with regular dairy yogurt). The container I buy is large, so it has a couple of servings in it too. If I didn't put it in a bowl, I would probably eat the entire thing. It was super excellent with bananas and blueberries.

Morning Snack: Popcorn
I went super healthy today--fresh plain popcorn. No salt, no butter, no nothing. Just popcorn kernels popped on the stove in olive oil. Still super yummy!

Lunch: Salami Sandwich & Potato Chips
I was a little worried about todays lunch because I don't recall liking salami. Last year, I'm pretty sure I always ate ham or turkey instead. I figured if nothing else, I would give my husband a second sandwich. He was disappointed, but I actually liked it. Here is my lunch pictured with the remaining mango from last night.

This is a close-up of the sandwich.

Afternoon Snack: Sorbet
I went with raspberry sorbet. I almost went with a warm snack because I'm so cold, but I'm glad I stuck with the sorbet because it was soooo good. I should have taken the time to find our actual ice cream scoop. I used a cookie scoop, and I think this looks like little pink pom-poms. Lol.

Dinner: Grilled Steak, Vegetables & Brown Rice w/Chimichurri Sauce
Let me just say I love steak. Love, love, love steak. Add in some great veggies, and an amazing sauce, and I'm a happy, happy girl. I did make one modification tonight and used quinoa instead of brown rice. I'm not entirely sure what I was thinking, but I grabbed the wrong item. It turned out perfectly fine, and it was the perfect substitute, but I'm still not sure how that happened.

It was actually really flavorful and juicy even though my pictures make it look a little overdone and dry. I also really wanted a t-bone steak, but our chest freezer is really full, and it's in the basement where it's freezing, so I gave up and grabbed the first package of steak I found.

I took a picture from each side for everyone to enjoy.

Evening Snack: Papaya
I'm sad. My papaya isn't ripe yet. I've made the mistake of cutting it open early, and I won't make that mistake again. I hadn't eaten a grapefruit yet today, so I went with that instead. I'm using the "paper bag" trick, so the papaya will hang out in the paper bag until at least tomorrow night to see if that speeds up the process.
Here is a pic of the papaya I won't be eating yet.

30 Day Gluten Free Diet Challenge: Day 7

Day 7:

Breakfast: Gluten-Free Cereal & Fruit
I was running late to my cleaning job this morning, so I ate dry Cinnamon Chex and an apple for breakfast on the way. Not my greatest breakfast ever, but I was proud of myself for adding the apple considering I normally would have just had the dry cereal. (sorry no picture of my on the run meal)

Morning Snack: Yogurt
I love Chobani yogurt because they keep the fruit on the bottom rather than mixing it in. It's also certified gluten-free through the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO).
As far as I've read, sugar eats away at the probiotics in yogurt, so if you mix fruit with yogurt, eventually the probiotics are rendered useless due to the sugar. I prefer to get plain yogurt and mix in my own fruit, but this one works well in a pinch.

Lunch: Vegetable Soup with Corn Chips
When I got home for lunch, I discovered I did not have the can of soup in my cupboard that I thought was there. I had no idea if it would work, but I figured I could throw a bunch of veggies together and hope it turned out. This is literally water, italian seasoning, salt, rice, potato, shredded carrot, red & yellow pepper, and broccoli. Sheer randomness that I brought to a boil and then simmered for about an hour while I cleaned the house. When it was done, I threw some Fritos on top. I don't know that it was technically soup, but it was really good. I'm going to name it Hodgepodge Soup, and I'll be making it again.

Afternoon Snack: Popcorn (instead of Jello)
I've never been a huge fan of gelatin once I hit adulthood, so I skipped the Jello and munched on some kettle corn I had at my desk instead.

Dinner: Pan-Seared Tilapia with Fresh Salsa, Mango Slices & Brown Rice
I had to show a picture of of my book because there is oil splattered all over it from making the tilapia. (I've always felt a good cookbook is one that is dirty and looks well used.)

But back to the actual meal. We made everything as recommended in the book except we used store-bought salsa. I'm not sure why I keep forgetting to buy tomatoes, but I do. My tilapia never comes out looking very pretty, but it tastes very pretty, so that will have to do.

A close-up of the tilapia:

A close-up of the mango which was sweet as candy:

Evening Snack: Pineapple
Last night of pineapple. I got a nice big portion because I wanted to use up all I had except for what I need for my smoothie on Day 10.

30 Day Gluten Free Diet Challenge: Day 6

Day 6:

Breakfast: Banana Blueberry Smoothie
I just have to say that if massive amounts of fruit wouldn't do horrendous things to people, I could drink this smoothie all day long. I'm happy that it pretty much gives me a full days serving of fruit, and it doesn't taste healthy even though it's full of good stuff. I also love that I use frozen blueberries because then I don't have to use any ice. In my opinion, ice is just a way of unnecessarily watering it down.

Morning Snack: Snack Bar
So this is the snack bar that I'm always talking about. I buy multiple boxes of these every single time they're on sale. Every. single. time.

I will fully admit that they're not absolutely amazing, but they taste great, they're moderately priced, and they're capable of holding me over for a minimum of half an hour when I'm absolutely famished. Typically, I can eat one and I'm good for at least an hour.

Lunch: Pit Smoked Barbecue Sub (from a restaurant)
Yep--I went out to eat again. Two days in a row is some sort of record for me. I don't personally care for tuna, and todays lunch was supposed to be a tuna fish sandwich. My initial plan was to run home this afternoon for a sandwich, but I swung by a friends office this afternoon, and she asked if I wanted to go to one of my favorite restaurants down the street from her. I felt sort of guilty eating there without my husband because we normally order delivery (yes, I'm lucky enough that we have a restaurant that makes safe gluten-free food AND delivers), so I was sure to ask him if he wanted me to bring him a sandwich. (he declined because he was looking forward to our dinner)

This picture could have been better, but it arrived at my table and I started trying to close the sandwich. I then got freaked out that it wasn't actually gluten-free bread (this is a very common fear of mine). As usual, I felt horrible about it, but I waited for the waitress to check on us and I asked once again if it was truly gluten-free, and she explained what their regular bread looks like. While I was waiting, I had taken a bite of my pickle because that hadn't touched the bread although I realized it could have been contaminated other ways if the bread was not gluten-free. So this is my picture of a messed up sandwich, and a partially eaten pickle.

Afternoon Snack: skipped
I had a pretty late lunch, so I wasn't really hungry for a snack today which is quite unusual for me. In the interest of full disclosure, I had to be honest that I skipped it. (I also haven't looked for a pudding that meets my dietary needs.)

Dinner: Chicken Tenders w/Oven Baked Fries & Steamed Artichoke (technically "turkey tenders")

When it comes to dinner tonight, first I have to say that I'm still impressed that I'm able to make "breaded" items because I failed at it numerous times even prior to my diagnosis of Celiac Disease. It could be the reason I love this book so much (the Easy 30 Day Gluten Free Diet)--I'm actually capable of breading things now. Second, I have to say that I need to do some research prior to purchasing an artichoke again. I've never succeeded at purchasing a really good one, and the one I had tonight was the worst I've ever picked. My husband said it definitely wasn't ripe enough (he checked and told me this after it was already cooked), and it didn't even have a heart, which made me sad as that's my favorite part. 

Moving on, I took lots of pictures tonight to help walk people through the process. (Please note I base my order of items based on how long they will take--I assume this is how everyone does it, but I suppose I could be wrong.) 

We started with fries because they take the longest. We cut them into "home fries" as it's a little easier, and we wanted something different from the other night. We didn't have any large bags to shake them in, but thankfully my husband is really good at tossing things in a bowl to mix them, so we used a large glass bowl to coat them in olive oil. (I apologize that you cannot see the bowl.)

Next, we spread them on a cookie sheet that we had already sprinkled salt across. We've been having some sticking issues with our fries, and it seemed like that has worked before, so we went with it. We still had issues with them sticking, but I think we need to spray the cookie sheet too even though the potatoes are coated in oil. 

Next, they went in the oven, and the end result was this (they are pictured with barbecue sauce, and they have already been plated). 

Once the fries were in the oven, we started prepping the turkey and the water for the artichoke was nearly boiling. This is the artichoke in the pan. (If you need instructions on how to properly cook and eat an artichoke, there is a description in the book describing the process if you're doing the challenge with the book--I would have been completely lost without this, although I'm sure you could look it up on the internet)

Next was finishing up the turkey prep. We cut the turkey into smallish pieces so we can ensure each turkey tender will fully cook without risking burning the outside. This is the turkey cut up and ready to go on the cutting board. (We used Jennie-O fresh turkey.)

Next the turkey goes in the egg wash.

And then it goes into the flour (I apologize for the fuzzy photo and for the fact that you can't really tell there is a chunk of turkey in there.)

Next, the pieces go into the pan of oil to cook.

I personally don't think it looks incredibly appetizing in the pan, but they are oh so good once you're eating them. I think mine sort of look like chicken nuggets based on the way they were cut, but the good news is they were not made from random chicken parts like many chicken nuggets are. We used Sweet Baby Ray's as our dipping sauce.

And finally one last photo of dinner just because it was so good.

Evening Snack: Pineapple!
I'm really hoping my papaya is ready in two days because I'm really looking forward to it on day 8. I need to check it again tonight and throw it in the paper bag if it isn't looking ripe yet.

(I apologize for any typos in this post. I was exhausted by time I finished it, so I didn't edit.)