Naomi Devlin is the originator of the Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free! blog carnival. Triumph Dining selected Naomi as its blogger of the month for June for making the gluten-free blogging community “a little cozier, a little healthier, and a lot more fun.” 🙂
Naomi started this blog carnival in February 2008. Each month, a different blogger hosts and selects the theme.
I’ve been participating by submitting recipes since February of this year when Kelly from The Spunky Coconut hosted. Her theme was Sweets for Your Sweetheart—very appropriate considering Valentine’s Day and Kelly’s own sweet nature.
Naomi, herself, hosted for March/April and went a bit “upscale” on us all with her selection of canapés. She wrote a delightful summary of our girls’ evening enjoying them all. (I only wish it could have been a real evening versus virtual!)
May was hosted by lovely Emilia of A Gluten-Free Day, who chose fruit desserts. A simple enough theme you might think, but, once again everyone outdid themselves. The photos were stunning. You wanted to reach through the computer screen and have a bite of those desserts!
Carol of Simply … Gluten Free just hosted for June and she selected Manly Food as the theme. Carol’s a self-confessed competitive gal and I think she achieved a new record for entries—-woohoo, Carol! Not only is Carol a winner, but we all win with so many great recipes available to us. Go check them out here.
Suddenly it’s July, and I have the distinct honor and pleasure of hosting this month! Now, how many times have you heard about our weekend camping excursions to our riverside mountain property? With that in mind, my theme is Make Me a Happy Camper. Maybe you’re already thinking that you don’t camp, so you can’t participate. Au contraire, mon frère! There’s no reason we can’t all participate and still meet the intent and spirit of this theme. We are using “happy camper” in a broad sense. Have you ever been on a picnic and taken a gluten-free dish? Then you can submit that recipe. (Mr. GFE says that’s what we actually do anyway … “we just go on a picnic and spend the night!”) Do you have a special treat that you make to take on hikes? That treat recipe would qualify! And, of course, we’re looking for “die-hard” camping recipes, too. For example, if you make dishes using a Dutch oven right in the campfire or on one of those backpacking/expedition campstoves (think high-tech Bunsen burner!), I want to hear from you. Personally, we have a single burner camping stove, gas grill, and campfire at our disposal when camping. If you can make a dish on one of those—a dish that you could easily make if actually camping—you can join in!
Entries are due by Tuesday, July 28, at midnight EST. I plan to have the roundup posted by Friday, July 31. If you’re a blogger, please submit the link to your post and a photo to me via email at [email protected]. But, you do not have to have a blog to participate. (Hey, not everybody is blogging … we have to have some folks who are only reading and commenting!) If you fit into the latter category, you can submit your recipe via email at [email protected] including a photo, and I’ll include your entry in the post. As Carol noted, you do not have to be a “designated” gluten-free blogger to participate. That’s my whole gluten free easily concept anyway … focusing on food that’s naturally gf or can easily be made gf—i.e., food that everyone wants to eat!
What can you place on the table for us to share together? We’ll have a pleasant feast—the kind that is best savored outdoors—and then later we’ll wander off and take a snooze in one of our hammocks. 
FYI—For gluten-free recipes in general, I like simple and I also like ones that are a bit “outside the box” (yes, even outside the gluten-free box!). Case in point, I’ll be making S’mores when camping this weekend, but I won’t be making gf graham crackers or purchasing them. Intrigued? More on those later.
Of course, you know I have a vested interest in these submissions—I’ll end up with new fantastic gluten-free recipes for our future camping outings! Gotta love that! Oh, one more thing … Naomi is looking for future hosts for this fun monthly blog carnival. Read more here.
Shirley
Not just gf, but gfe!
glutenfreeforgood says
Oh my gosh, Shirley, this is right up my alley (I mean trail)! If I wasn’t so scattered, I would have thought up this idea myself for Naomi’s “Go Ahead, Honey” carnival. Thanks for doing it for me.
🙂
I’m in. For real, this time since I know you’ll stalk me if I don’t comply. I always think I want to do this GF carnival thing and then the date passes me by and I’ve missed it. Yeah, mine will be full-on backpacking food. In fact, I’ll be out camping for a few days mid-July, so I’ll do some R & D. My son and I backpacked almost 250 miles last summer on the Colorado Trail (and Continental Divide Trail) and I made and dehydrated all our dinners. No store-bought stuff from REI for us, we had gourmet backpacking food!
Yippee! Good one, Shirley!
Happy Trails,
Melissa
Shirley says
Hey, Melissa!–Love your enthusiasm!! I thought of your backpacking trips and your winter camping trips when I wrote this post. Can’t wait to see what you share! 🙂 The key to participating in a blog carnival and making it easy on one’s self is to not procrastinate (admittedly, this advice comes to you from a procrastinator). Even though the deadline is not until the end of the month, you can do the post whenever you feel like it (i.e., early) and submit the link to me then. The great thing about posting early is that other readers see your post and will join in, too. A summer “snowball effect”! 😉 Oh, wait, maybe I should use the term, “domino effect” … sometimes you guys get snow in the blink of an eye—no matter what season it is! Now as far as stalking to you, I’ll be gone for 11 days on a motorcycle trip right before the deadline, so I don’t think that approach will work. Not unless I use the web at my various lodging and send you reminders … well, that could work. 😉
I remember you talking about that incredible backpacking trip with your son before! “Gourmet” and “dehydrated” in the same context … now that’s something you don’t come across too often—way cool! Share away, my dear! 🙂
Now I’ll have Roy Rogers singing in my head for a while due to your signoff. I met Roy once as a child … somewhere I have an autographed photo of him.
Hugsss,
Shirley
Ali (Whole Life Nutrition) says
This sounds like fun Shirley! Just saw your post on FB – love that!
The pictures of your property look so serene, peaceful, and inviting. It’s no wonder you and Mr. GFE are always there!
Beyond raw trail mixes, we often take grain/bean salads camping or hiking with us. Dehydrated green smoothies also make great “fruit leathers”!!!
I’ll think of something and email you!
Happy 4th! -Ali 🙂
Shirley says
Ali–Thanks! I’m really enjoying everyone’s enthusiasm! This can be really fun. I already have a ton of ideas in my head, but am looking forward to what everyone shares. 🙂
Thanks, too, for the words on our property. It’s our special spot. We’ll be heading up there first thing in the morning. Our son and his buddies, and some other friends of ours will be joining us at some point. The weather is supposed to be ideal. 80s during the day and high 50s at night—great campfire and sleeping weather!
Your standbys sound good to me! I only recently learned of dehdrating smoothies—amazing concept. Do they taste the same? I had my blender full of green smoothies this morning and have half left for tomorrow’s breakfast before we head out.
Looking forward to your post with your entry or entries (go wild! pun intended LOL)!
Thanks for the July 4th wishes! Same to you, Tom, and your little ones!
Shirley
Emilia says
What a fun theme you have chosen 🙂
I’ll surely participate, if only I have the time for it. We are going hiking to a big national park this month, so maybe I’ll combine that trip with making a post about some of the food we’ll take with us.
Shirley says
Hi, Emilia!–Thanks so much for stopping by. 🙂 I’m hoping all the former hostesses will find their way here and be able to join in!
Your upcoming hike to the large national park sounds wonderful. I would love to explore your country one day! (A college roommate spent time there and just loved it.) Remember your recipe doesn’t have to be anything complicated. I’m hoping we’ll get a mix of good recipes that show that. I bet you have some reliable recipes you use to fuel your family’s hiking that everyone would appreciate!
Last, I just realized I left off the “A” in your blog name—A Gluten-Free Day. I’m so sorry. I’ll go fix that right away.
Shirley
Diane-thewholegang says
A Happy Camper. Love that! I’m marking my calendar so I don’t forget this month. Now my recipe won’t actually be about camping because that would involve bugs. I couldn’t believe I actually went on a picnic out into the grass on a hill at a state park recently. There were bugs but for some reason they stayed away. Must have been all of those threatening little bug signs I posted around my blanket. Looking forward to what others share too. I love blog carnivals. You can get such great ideas. Thanks for hosting!
Shirley says
Hi, Diane–See … your luck is changing with outdoor outings! If you participate in Make Me A Happy Camper!, the next thing you know, you might be camping. 😉 LOL
I’m so glad you are going to participate. 🙂 I’m excited by the positive response to the theme and can’t wait to see the entries myself!
Shirley
miss a says
great blog! i am adding it to my sidebar now! cheers
Shirley says
miss a—Hey there! Welcome to gfe! Thanks so much for the kind words and the link love. 🙂 I’ll be checking out your blog, too! Please participate in this month’s Go Ahead Honey, It’s Gluten Free!
Thanks again!
Shirley
Lauren B says
This month’s theme sounds great! I will have to put on my thinking cap for a GF treat that’s especially portable. Thanks so much for hosting, Shirley!
Shirley says
Hey, Lauren–It’s my pleasure to host Go Ahead Honey! Thanks so much for your enthusiasm … I’ll be looking forward to your recipe! 🙂
Shirley
sonia gluten free says
I see your picture I relax is wonderful peace that inspiration.
thanks
Shirley says
Hey Sonia–Nice to see you here again! 🙂 It is a peaceful spot indeed. We had our son and a bunch of his friends there this weekend. With them and fireworks all around us, it wasn’t quite as peaceful as usual LOL, but it was still wonderful!
I’d love for you to join in the carnival with an entry that works for picnicking, hiking, or camping! 😉
Shirley
Amy Green - Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free says
Ok…I don’t camp anymore. We did when I was growing up, probably 25 weekends a year. So, I do know camp food. My brain is working on this one as my fingers type…I think this will be a fun challenge and can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with. Thanks for hosting and for the unique theme.
Shirley says
Hey, Amy–Wow! You do have camping experience!! 25 weekends a year is A LOT! I’m looking forward to your recipe for sure. 🙂
Shirley
Carol, Simply...Gluten-free says
My idea of camping is when the hotel doesn’t have room service but I think I can come up with some happy camper food! Great theme, it should be fun!
Shirley says
Carol-He He … I know some others of your kind! LOL After two nights in the tent versus our usual one, I might be edging closer to joining your type of camping. 😉
I know you’ll come up with something fabulous. Still oohing and awing over your July 4th pavlova!! With desserts like that, I’m sure you have plenty of friends just hoping to get invited over for celebrations! 🙂
Thanks so much! Can’t wait to see everyone’s entries!
Shirley
Jessie at Blog Schmog says
Ah, so fun! I just posted on my beach day survival kit! Maybe I’ll re-use that!? Well it’s funny thinking about camping food because we have some strange family traditions… dad always brought the shake and pop popcorn that made the tin foil lid erupt (along with our laughter) and made blueberry pancakes (pre-gluten free). Hmmm I’ll have to think on this. Don’t let me forget! Ha ha!
Shirley says
Hey Jessie–Why sure, re-use (never re-invent the wheel when you don’t have to LOL) … outdoor adventures and portable is along the lines I was looking for. 🙂 I enjoyed hearing about your camping adventures. They sound pretty normal to me. We did the Jiffy pop when I camped in college and made pancakes (pre-gf also). I know you’ll come through with something terrific!
Shirley
RobinSue says
Shirley I can’t wait to see the round up with this one! I camp in hotels!!
Shirley says
Come on Robin Sue—join in! It’s the spirit of camping with the particular type dishes, not the actual camping that’s required. 😉 I know you picnick! And, I just saw S’mores on your blog the other day.
Still can’t believe those peach cupcakes you just made … I’m betting someone will see that recipe and make them gf. 🙂 They definitely are amazing for their authentic look!
Shirley
H.Peter says
I will have to consult the resident expert on camping. Isabella who has more experience inthat department than me, will advise of a good GF food idea to send to you.
Somehow I am suspicious she will tell me about those marshmallow roasts she keeps talking about…
Shirley says
H. Peter–Great idea—I’m sure Isabella will help you out! Sounds like she’d appreciate my latest post. 😉
Shirley
Christine says
I’m pretty new to the whole GAHIGF thing – my first one was last month – but I’m excited to try this one as well! 🙂
Now to think of something tasty…
Shirley says
Hey there, Christine!–Welcome to gfe! See … you’re already experienced. 🙂 I’m sure you’ll think of something good … you have lots of time left. 😉 I’m so glad you are joining in the fun!
Shirley
naomi says
What a lovely post! I just want to jump in the car and set up a tent somewhere – or alternatively, (and my all time favourite) take the barbeque to the beach with a sleeping bag and hope that some lovely night fisherman will sell us some just caught mackerel.
I love that you are making your grahams (digestives to us, dahling) from scratch. How spoilt are your family?
Putting my thinking cap on right away and dusting off the camping stove…..
x x x
Shirley says
Naomi–Oh, I like your version of camping!! Fresh caught mackerel are so good. We caught Spanish mackerel once from the back of a sailboat while cruising in the BVIs and then had them for dinner. Out of this world!
“Digestives” … if they are gluten free, they are definitely digestive for me … otherwise, definitely not. 😉 I really enjoy baking although I tend to limit it to when there’s a crowd available these days. Mr. GFE has far more willpower than I do, and I don’t want to be faced with a full tin of cookies …
Can’t wait to see what you come up with for the Go Ahead Honey … Make Me A Happy Camper! theme this month. Maybe a beach trip is warranted to get your creative juices flowing? I like being the cause of impromptu outings!
Hugsss,
Shirley