Don't Cry Blueberry Pie and Vanilla Banana Vodka Pudding

And to keep a toe on health and function, Scallops and broccoli.

Do you ever have times when you just need some comfort? Sometimes, mostly when I am in the middle of a serious gluten flare, I feel like I will not be able to bear my life one more moment unless something nice happens. I look for something legal, something available, something that hopefully won't make me sicker. Sometimes it works, and I feel better and nothing bad happens. And sometimes, nothing bad happens, but it still doesn't taste good.

The Vanilla Banana Vodka pudding was a hit. I don't have an alcohol problem, so for me it's OK now and then. If you have alcohol issues, don't make this. The Don't Cry Blueberry Pie had some good points - it wasn't hard to make and I stopped crying, but it also didn't taste very good. It looked great on the counter covered in plastic wrap, like it came as a present. So, it had visual and emotional value. That's something.

Pudding:

1. One cup of coconut milk. Real milk is fine.

2. One cup of water.

3. One egg.

4. Two tablespoons, rounded, potato starch. (Corn starch works fine, but because there is always the possibility of contamination with gluten from the shared fields, truck, trains, and so on, I avoid it.)

5. An ounce of maple syrup.

6. Vanilla flavoring, non gluten, like in non-alcohol base, such as glycerin. (If it says alcohol, it is always grain alcohol, unless it claims to be another kind of alcohol, like "brandy" which is from grapes and has no gluten.)

If you've made any of my pudding before, you may be getting the idea.

Whip it with a whisk or blend it gently in a blender. Heat it while whisking until it starts to thicken and bubble.

7. Cut a banana length wise two times, and then slice it cross wise every half inch. That should give you four small pieces with each slice. Scoop 'em up and drop them in the bubbled and thickened pudding and stir them in gently.

8. Add an ounce of 100% potato vodka for one person, two ounces for two people. Trader Joe's has it. It is gluten free and doesn't bother me.

9. Stop cooking it now so the vodka doesn't burn off. Serve. It should make two nice servings.

No recipe for Don't Cry Blueberry Pie as it was a failure.

Scallops and broccoli is my basic seafood and vegetable recipe.

1. Wash the scallops and dry tenderly on paper towels.

2. Flour them with mildly spicy non gluten flour - I like potato starch. Rice flour is OK. I'm so nervous about dried spices as it now seems likely that's why I was so sick for three weeks - garlic powder. But maybe you're not so sensitive, and should just use the spices you like. Fresh though or as Adele Davis said, you may as well be eating cigar ash.

3. Warm a mild tasting oil. Scallops have a delicate taste, easily masked by stronger flavors. Butter or good margarine are fine too.

4. Add the scallops, saute, stir, turn them over gently.

5. I added lime juice because I am crazy about lime on seafood, but the truth is it overwhelmed the scallops and I didn't really get to enjoy their own flavor. Live and learn. Maybe just a little (lime juice and learning).

Baby Broccoli

1. Wash it well.

2. Cut it into 2 inch sections.

3. Chop lots of garlic, as many cloves as you would like. It's good for you and so tasty.

4. Put some olive oil in the pan to heat, add the garlic and broccoli pieces.

5. Stir now and then until it's soft and hot and starting to brown.