Being Gluten Free

I have been gluten free for years, I mean, way before people were even talking about it. Believe me, it was very difficult when I first started. Difficult to find anything resembling bread or anything that didn’t feel like lead in your stomach after eating it. I have spent all these years researching my favorite products and when any of my friends say they want to try going gluten-free, I’m the first to say, “Let’s go to the market together.” I’m always the 411 call from most of my friends but it is always my joy to share my favorite things with the people I care about most. So I am taking you all shopping with me! Let’s go to my favorite market P.C. Greens, the local health food store in my neighborhood and I’m going to show you what I always have on hand at home. My kids love my gluten free products and don’t even notice a difference in the taste. In fact, we have found that some of the gluten free products taste better than the wheat ones! I always say, I do the 80%/20% diet. I’m good 80% of the time and 20%, I eat what I want. Sometimes, I just can’t resist the crunchy bread that comes with the house dip at one of my favorite restaurants, Taverna Tony’s here in Malibu. Tony knows I love my bread extra crispy and keeps it in the oven longer than usual but those are rare occasions for me. I’m not celiac but eat as if I am. My boyfriend, Aaron is gluten free, My T.V. son, Max Erlich is gluten free ,My sons are about 50% Gluten free and I have finally converted my 80 year old mom and that was a tough one, let me tell you.

 Here are my favorites: Growing up in London, I have been having toast and tea for breakfast or breakie since I was a little girl. I am a stickler for good bread. My favorite is from Canyon Bakehouse, the 7 Grain Bread. I buy it in 10 loaf boxes at a time and keep it in the freezer. Remember, without Gluten, the bread will fall apart.  The bread can go from the freezer to the toaster and it tastes amazing. I use pure French butter, no more than 2-3 ingredients and raw honey.

I also love to make my own gluten free bread in my bread machine. I use coconut palm sugar to sweeten and love to add shredded zucchini and a banana.

 Aaron made the best gluten free pizza the other night with a ready made Gluten free crust. I was a little suspect as I am a huge pizza snob. It’s possibly the BEST pizza I have ever had and the crust was flaky, perfect and not over powering. 

For snacks, I’m big on Glutino Pretzels. Huge fan! They are the perfect snack but they are so good, I try to only buy the tiny snack bags as I can kill a huge bag of these in no time at all.

My other fav’s are- Hummus chip and avocado and lime oil chips...

 and Guacamole Bites by Nature Box.

 Aaron discovered Canyon Bakehouse hamburger buns for his hamburgers and I had one the other night for dinner, toasted with butter and tomato soup. Simple yet delicious!

Gluten is found in places I never would have thought, licorice, mints and soy sauce. I like to go to Sushi restaurants and I ask for Tamari and always have some at home. I happen to love the taste of Tamari better than soy sauce. It’s a little richer and is fabulous to cook with.

And now on to my favorite meal, dessert!!

I have served Tate’s gluten free chocolate chip cookies and brownies at dinner parties for awhile now and while my guest were all moaning about how good they were, I then said, they were Gluten free. 

Everyone usually looks at me like I’ve said I made them with cardboard! They can’t believe they are so good! Tate’s products are better than any gluten free cookies or brownie’s I’ve ever had.

A Beautiful Beginning to a Beautiful End

It was a beautiful birthday week from beginning to end. Last night I celebrated with my closest girlfriends at the new Malibu hot spot Duck Dive.

My deepest gratitude to all of you who celebrated with me in person and virtually. I am so appreciative of every single one of you!

A Birthday Unlike Any Other

"Two of the most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you realize why." 

- Mark Twain

Welcome to my second act!

Malibu Life

As my "second act" approaches, I find myself on a journey filled with many new opportunities.

As most of you know, I have lived in Malibu for many years. I have celebrated many milestones here, so you can imagine how thrilled I was to be asked to be the cover girl for the inaugural issue of Malibu Life Magazine. Well, now I will be taking it a step further as Conscious Living editor for the magazine!

The first issue will launch July 1.

malibulifemagazine.com

Falling Asleep

This is getting embarrassing.  I can’t seem to stay awake watching movies at home! I’m fine in the movie theatres where believe me, I have prayed for sleep during some pretty terrible movies; i.e. the Pokémon movie!! Anybody see that piece of literary genius?! 

But I can’t seem to keep my eyes open at home where I love to catch up on movies I’ve never seen. Love to re-watch movies that I have loved with my beloved. Love to watch movies that Aaron wants to share with me but I always miss the middle of the movie...OUT LIKE A LIGHT! 

It’s a little better than when I was just starting out on The Young and The Restless. Beth Maitland Banninger ( Traci Abbott ) used to rent movies for us to watch together but she put her foot down after months of me barely able to see the opening credits before I was out. She stopped wanted to watch movies with me or more to the point, watch ME sleep while SHE watched the movie. It’s terrible; I can’t get through a T.V. show either. Thanks God for DVR because at least I can rewind and watch when I’m awake. Aaron found me once sitting up, asleep with the remote in my hand and the finale to Downtown Abbey fast forwarding on the "telly".

Is it Narcolepsy? Supposedly, if you can fall asleep in the movie theatre, it is, says a top doctor in Los Angeles. Well, whew, maybe it’s not? Is it my couch that everyone loves to nap on including my dogs? Is it the soft bamboo sheets with down comforter from my trip to Paris and the feather bed that makes me sleepy? I’m sleepy right now after writing that last sentence! I found out a little secret the other day while watch the most incredible French film called The Intouchables, it had subtitles. WIDE AWAKE. Does my mind need double stimulation to stay involved and awake? It worked like a charm. Anybody else have this issue or is it just me? Please be kind if it’s just me. LOL

Happy Mother's Day!

I am so blessed and grateful to be so close to my mom and to be able to spend special occasions together. Of course anytime that we are together is special and Austin and Landon feel the same way. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Photograph by Kelly Cappelli

Conscious Living photo shoot

My vision for Conscious Living by Tracey Bregman is growing on a daily basis. 

On Saturday, we had our first photo shoot with Vogue published photographer Kelly Cappelli, for the new website we are building and my new line of jewelry, PAIX Bijoux.

The Conscious Living by Tracey Bregman lifestyle includes not only how I live my life, but the brands I design and the products I choose to use everyday.

The backdrop for the shoot was an elegant, privately owned Tuscan estate in Malibu called Villa Sancti.

The owner Susan Burger, lives and breathes the Conscious Living lifestyle complete with her own chicken coop, organic fruit trees, organic vegetables - even chardonnay grapes she plans to harvest into organic wine next year!

Local Malibu brands were also the highlight as 27 Miles Malibu and Pistol and Lucy provided the clothing.

 To make the day extra special, my mother, actress Suzanne Lloyd joined us, taking photos with one of my favorite products, Rebirth Malibu handbags.

My favorite part of the shoot was the chance to take some special photos with my mother - just in time for Mother's Day!

More behind the scenes photos coming soon!