The Gluten-Free Homemaker

I ate gluten.  For the first time in over ten years I actually ate gluten.  Not just a crumb or a bit of cross contamination.  I ate it.  But it was an accident.  It was an accident that was completely my own fault and could have (should have) been avoided.  I hope you will enjoy my little story, and hopefully learn from it.

Last week, my oldest son brought home a cold.  It didn’t hit me like a normal cold because my sinuses didn’t feel congested.  I was tired, though.  Very tired, and my head was definitely not right.  It must have settled in my ears a bit because I felt slightly dizzy at times. 

Thursday I didn’t leave the house, but by Friday I was feeling pretty good, I thought.  I needed to go to the health food store for a few things, and I took along some coupons I had for free coconut milk products.  I was sent the coupons so I could sample the products for review.  Now normally, I only review gluten-free products which usually come from gluten-free companies.  In this case, the products were dairy free, but not necessarily gluten-free.  Most of them are naturally gluten free like coconut milk or coconut yogurt, so I had in my mind that all their products were gluten free.  That was my mistake.

After getting some milk, kefir, and yogurt, I headed over to the frozen dessert section and saw some boxes of ice cream sandwiches.  They were calling to me, and I picked out two boxes.  It never occurred to me that they were not gluten free.  I never looked at the ingredients.  I bought them without though to gluten.


I went home and ate a dairy free banana split ice cream sandwich.  Granted, they are mini sandwiches and pretty small, but still.  It was an ice cream sandwich.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  At least I had that pleasure.  As I was chewing and swallowing the last bite, I thought to myself, “They did a really good job on the wafer part.  I wonder what flours they used.  It tastes just like the gluten-filled ice cream sandwiches I remember.”  Then the light bulb went on.  It was too late.  I had eaten the whole thing.  There was nothing left to spit out of my mouth.  The deed was done.  I started saying, “Oh no.  Oh no. Oh no….”

I pulled the box out of the freezer, but I already knew what I would see.  Wheat flour.  It was right there, plain as day.  How could I be so stupid!?!  I thought about throwing up, but it’s not something my body does.  I’ve thrown up twice in my life and the last time I was 14.  I went through three pregnancies wishing I could throw up, but I never do.  I knew I couldn’t make myself do it, and I didn’t have any ipecac. 

I called my husband who reminded me to take enzymes.  I keep some around to take with me when I eat out.  It seems they do help reduce symptoms.  The ones I had are these gluten peptide enzymes.  I took four plus two other general enzymes.  Then I waited.  I chatted online with Shirley of gfe.  It helped just to tell someone who would really understand.  She minded me that I would need to detox.  Good advice.

I ate the ice cream sandwich in the afternoon.  I was not hungry for dinner that evening and it was some time after dinner that I began to feel bad.  I had a lot of burping and felt like I could vomit, but never did.  Then I had lots of gas, and finally diarrhea.  I’m sorry to be blunt like that, but it’s just reality with celiac disease. 

I do think the enzymes helped.  There were a few symptoms I did not have.  Usually, one of the first reactions I have is to suddenly become very sleepy.  I was tired for days, but I never had that extreme and sudden sleepiness.  Also, with “bigger” reactions in the past I have had intense abdominal pain.  It’s a pain that I have only had with gluten and is different from any pain I get with other digestive upsets.  I was really happy not to have that.  The thing that worried my husband the most was a mental reaction.  I have shared before about how gluten can affect me mentally.  While I was out of it, as you will see in a minute, I didn't have any major mental issues to deal with.  I'm very thankful for that.

The next day, Saturday, I was in my pajamas all day.  I can’t remember the last time I did that.  I slept for a large part of the day, and lounged around for the rest.  I ate little because I simply wasn’t hungry.  Green tea and oranges were what interested me and I figured they were good options. By dinner time I decided I was ready to eat a little.  There were lots of leftovers and everyone was fending for themselves, buy my husband and I sat down to eat together.  I had warmed up a small plate with a little leftover curried roast and carrots.  I had one small slice of beef and a small amount of rice with the vegetable mixture on it.  Here’s where I realized how out of it I really was.

I was about to start eating when I noticed my right thigh felt quite warm.  It was unusual, and I couldn’t imagine why it would feel that way.  It didn’t go away so I put my hand there and felt something very strange.  I grabbed a hold of it and took a look.  It was my beef!  It was on my lap!  How it got there, I have no idea.  I told my husband, “This is pathetic.  I’m a mess.”  I can laugh about it now, but it wasn’t funny at the time.
It took several days for me to feel mostly back to normal, and now that I’m there I’m ready to talk about it.  When I was sick, I had not interest in sharing the story, but I think it’s a good reminder of how diligent we need to be.  I’m usually so careful, but in this case, a little illness was enough to bring down my guard. 

The next time I’m at the store and not feeling up to par or just mentally distracted in some way, I will remember this accident.  I will read yet another label.  I will force myself to be diligent, because it is worth it.


Have you ever made a really stupid mistake like mine?

Labels: celiac disease, gluten-free diet

One topic that was brought up several times at the General Mills Gluten-Free Summit was the high cost of gluten-free products.  Why should a gluten-free cake mix cost twice as much as a gluten cake mix and only make half as much cake?  I’m not trying to pick on General Mills here.  This is a problem with all packaged gluten-free foods. 

Ingredients
I understand that gluten-free products use ingredients that differ from their gluten containing counterparts.  Since I mostly bake from scratch, I know that purchasing gluten-free flours and starches is more expensive than buying wheat flour.  For that reason, I would expect to pay a little more for gluten-free products.  A little more.  Not a whole lot more.   Having said that, though, it seems that the prices I pay for those baking ingredients are higher than they need to be.  Why is potato starch so much more expensive than corn starch?

Demand
More and more people are embarking on a gluten-free diet every day, and the gluten-free market is booming.  Demand for gluten-free products is up, but it is still only a fraction of the demand for gluten filled products.  For that reason I would also expect gluten-free products to cost a little more.  A little more.  Not a whole lot more.  While we’re on the subject, since demand for gluten-free products has gone up in recent years, shouldn’t prices come down a little?

Discounts
Another issue raised at the summit is that many gluten-free products do not go on sale.  A few companies offer coupons for their products, but very few. 

Where That Leaves Us
I think a lot of us end up feeling that we are being taken advantage of.  We have to eat gluten-free, and if we want packaged food (including single ingredients such as flour) we are limited in our choices, all of which are overpriced.  We pay $5 - $7 for a very small loaf of bread because it’s good, and it’s better than the other very small loaves of gluten-free bread that sell for the same price.  We either pay the high prices or go without.

My Opinion
I would personally love to see a company provide safe, certified gluten-free products and ingredients at prices that are competitive with regular prices.  If the products are good, I believe the gluten-free community would flock to that company and show their support by buying their products.  What they would lose in profit on each product would more than be made up for in the volume they would sell.

What are your thoughts on the the high cost of gluten-free products?

Labels: gluten-free diet

This is a guest post from Cheryl Harris of Gluten Free Goodness and Harris Whole Health.

I’m delighted to stop by here right in time for the holidays. Linda has done such a great job to support our happy little (but growing) gluten-free community, especially with Gluten-free Wednesdays. I’ve been hosting a weekly menu plan on my website for the past few years (although we’re much smaller) and everyone is of course welcome to stop by and get inspiration there, too!

So, I love to bake, cook and eat…and I’m a dietitian and nutritionist. It’s all about finding the right balance between the delights of food and friends and eating well to feel great throughout the holidays. Since we’re smack in the middle of eating (and shopping) season, here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy the spirit of the season and favorite holiday foods, while staying reasonably healthy, too.

Holiday Tips

Balance: If you are going to a holiday party in the evening, make an extra effort to eat well on other days. Add in more vegetables, fruits, beans, gluten-free whole grains, etc. and move more, too! A piece of chocolate cake one day won't make or break a diet, but treats every day will add up.

Move the goodies out of sight: One of the biggest challenges of the season is a see-food diet, otherwise known as "if I see it, I eat it". Studies show that when people keep food out of sight, they eat less. Avoid the constant temptation. Instead, put fruits on the counter or in your refrigerator where they are easy to grab. Seasonal fruits in the winter months include Clementines, oranges, pineapples, grapefruits, grapes, pomegranates, persimmons, mangos, and more.

Fill your table with fruit and veggie dishes: Have your holiday meals feature seasonal vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, collards or other greens. Make roasted chestnuts as a snack. Have a fruit inspired dessert, like baked apples, poached pears, sautéed bananas, etc.

Soups: As long as they're not cream based, most soups are a healthy snack or part of a filling meal. Chicken and turkey soup with brown or wild rice, butternut squash soup, lentil soups and other beans soups are a great way to stay warm and enjoy seasonal flavors.



Image via office.microsoft.com

Cheryl Harris is a Registered Dietitian and nutritionist in Alexandria, VA providing nutrition session and classes on Celiac disease and other food intolerances. She writes on Celiac Disease for her Today’s Dietitian, the Gluten Intolerance Group, DC Celiacs and her own free monthly gluten-free newsletter.  She considers herself incredibly lucky, because she loves her work and the chance to help others enjoy healthy and safe foods, even with food restrictions. For more information on Cheryl and many gluten free resources, see www.harriswholehealth.com or her gluten free and allergen avoiding recipes on www.gfgoodness.com

Labels: gluten-free diet, holidays

In the past ten years I’ve seen a lot of changes take place for people who are on a gluten-free diet.  Most of it is good.  There is more and better information.  There are more and better products.  Food labeling has improved.  More people are discovering they have problems with gluten, and they are healthier on a gluten-free diet.  More doctors are aware of the prevalence of celiac disease, and some are even aware of non-celiac gluten sensitivity. 

On the other hand, there is sometimes more confusion about the gluten-free diet.  All kinds of people give all kinds of advice, and some of it is bad advice.  Companies are anxious  to label their products gluten-free, but sometimes there is cross contamination, making it difficult for a consumer to know whether a product really is gluten free.  Companies also place warnings on their products to avoid a law suit, but the warnings often cause confusion or keep people from eating a product that actually is gluten free.

How do we know if a food truly is gluten free?

Determining a Safe Level of Gluten

There is a proposed FDA standard (which has not been approved) to set the limit for the amount of gluten allowed in products labeled as gluten free at less than 20 parts per million (ppm).  Now some of you might ask, “If it’s gluten free, shouldn’t it be 0 ppm?”  That would certainly be ideal, but the fact of the matter is that for processed foods, that’s just not realistic.  There is too much gluten in our world for that to happen.  Keep in mind I’m talking about processed foods.  Things like fresh fruit and vegetables should be completely gluten free after being washed.  But even gluten free grains are at risk for cross contamination due to growing, harvesting, and packaging. According to an article in the current issue of Gluten-Free Living magazine, rice, amaranth, and quinoa have the lowest risk of cross contamination.  You can read more about and see results of a pilot study on the Gluten-Free Living blog.

For more information regarding the gluten-free labeling proposed rule, you can visit the Food & Drug Administrations questions & answers page.  In regard to the 20 ppm criteria the site states,

The level is proposed based on the available analytic methods. Data from peer-reviewed scientific literature demonstrate that current analytic technology can reliably and consistently detect gluten in wheat, rye, and barley at levels of 20 ppm in a variety of food matrices.

What concerns me about that statement is that there is no mention of what is safe for people who need to be on a gluten-free diet.  At one time the safe limit was considered to be 200 ppm, and we now know that was way too high.  Many people, myself included, believe that 20 ppm is too high also.  It may not be scientific, but when numerous people react to products that are tested to 20 ppm, it says something to me.

My Personal Experience

I am not as sensitive to gluten as I used to be, but for years I was very sensitive.  It was always frustrating to hear people say that people’s reactions aren’t always due to gluten.  It’s true that people do react to other types of food, and every negative response our body has is not necessarily due to gluten.  But, I have certain reactions such as a particular abdominal pain, extreme and very sudden sleepiness, and mental reactions that I only get when I ingest gluten.  Of course, ingesting gluten is always accidental for me, and those symptoms can almost always be traced back to a specific source or a risky situation, such a eating at a restaurant.  I never get those particular symptoms when I have a stomach virus or other adverse reaction to food.  I believe many other people reporting reactions are the same way.  They know when they’ve been glutened.

Certification Programs

I appreciate companies who make efforts to provide safe food and believe the proposed standard is sufficient.  However, I will not eat those products on a regular basis.  I’m much more confident in products that participate in a gluten-free certification program, because the standards are usually higher, and because people outside the company are involved in the certification process.  GFCO is considered by many to be the best certification program.  They certify to less than 10 ppm  gluten.

What We Don’t Know

We don’t know how much gluten contamination there is for many foods, even some foods that are labeled gluten free.  There is also uncertainty about what level of gluten is truly safe, and whether that amount is different for different people.  I wholeheartedly agree with the idea that you should not base your decision of what is safe on your reactions alone.  There are people with celiac disease who have gotten diagnosed because of a family member, but they did not have symptoms, and still do not have symptoms even if they eat a piece of whole wheat bread.  Just because I am not as sensitive in my reactions as I used to be does not mean that a small amount of gluten is not causing an autoimmune response.  It simply means that I’m no longer reacting with obvious outward symptoms. 

All this makes it difficult to know what is safe to eat, especially if you or your child does not react easily.  Many people with celiac disease monitor how well they are doing by having antibody blood tests done on a regular basis, such as yearly.  That can certainly be a helpful indicator, but whether it’s sufficient is a personal decision.  There is just no clear cut way to test for whether you are having a reaction to gluten after eating a particular food that likely has cross contamination.

At Home Testing

If you are interested, EZ Gluten sells test strips for detecting gluten in food samples.  It claims to be 99% accurate and tests to 10 ppm.  You can order different amounts of test strips ranging in cost from $12.50 - $10.50 per test.  I have not tried them personally, but you can read a review by Wendy of Celiacs in the House.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that if you are eating any processed food, you are likely getting some amount of gluten in your diet.  Remember that processed can even refer to a basic grain.  For example, even though I mill many of my own flours, it does not guarantee that the flour is 100% gluten free due to cross contamination of grains. For that reason as well as others, we’re better off eating fewer grains and less processed foods and instead eating more fruits and vegetables.  I do love baking and eating baked goods, though, and I will continue to do it.  For me the key is moderation and making what I believe to be the safest choices.

Note:  My thanks to Shirley of gluten free easily for helping me to edit and clarify the information in this post.

Labels: celiac disease, gluten-free diet

Thanksgiving is less than a week away and Christmas is only five weeks away! Some of you may be approaching the holidays with a bit (or a lot) of fear and trepidation.  Food is a huge part of holidays whether it is family gatherings, office parties, or a special meal for you and your immediate family.  If you are on a special diet of any kind, these occasions can be a real challenge.  Although I’ve been gluten free for ten years, this year will be an adjustment for me as I face the holidays with new diet restrictions--dairy and soy free.  In addition, I now have a son who is gluten free, and I want to make the holidays as easy for him as possible.

With that in mind, I thought some holiday tips would be helpful to both you and me.  These tips are geared towards food and eating, but I would like to start by reminding you that your relationships with family and friends really are the most important part of the holidays.  Food is quickly consumed, and then it’s gone.  Relationships are lasting.  Try to focus on time with people, and the food might not seem so important.

1.  Plan.  Plan.  Plan.   I know.  It used to be so much easier, didn’t it?  You probably had to do some planning then, but now you have to do a lot.  If you are one of those people who really doesn’t care much about food, then you can get away with minimal planning, but if food is important, you have to plan.  See the following points for the specifics of planning.

2.  Communicate and Educate.  This is best done ahead of time (hence the planning point).  If you will be eating at someone else’s home or a restaurant, talk to the cook (or cooks) ahead of time.  Let them know of your diet restrictions, and find out if anything they are making is gluten free or could easily be made so.  Most people don’t mind using corn starch to thicken gravy instead of flour, but they won’t do it if they don’t know.  Educate them on cross contamination and the need for clean surfaces, utensils, bowls, pans, etc.  Communicate nicely, and don’t expect them to make everything gluten-free. 

3.  Contribute to the Meal.  You might want to contribute to the main meal and the dessert so you have something you are sure is safe for both.  Desserts in particular often contain gluten, but gluten-free desserts are just as delicious and can be enjoyed by all. 

4.  Bring Your Own Food.  In addition to contributing food for everyone, you may want to bring something just for you.  If attending a holiday party, bringing your own crackers could be helpful, or maybe you will want to take your own stuffing or dinner roll for Thanksgiving. 

5.  Prepare and Freeze Food in Advance.  It’s no fun to be stressed out over food when you should be enjoying the holiday.  If you plan ahead and know what foods you want to have for particular occasions, many of those foods can be prepared and frozen.  I have made multiple pumpkin rolls and frozen them a couple of weeks before Thanksgiving. 

6.  Oversee Food Preparation.  You can’t do this in every situation, but you often can.  If the event is at your home, of course, this is easy.  But even at a family member’s home you can often work with the cook to make sure contamination is avoided. 

7.  Watch Out for Contamination When Food is Served.  Your efforts to keep something gluten free while it is being cooked can be totally destroyed by crumbs from rolls or a serving utensil that is used for the stuffing then dipped into the green beans. 

8.  Get Your Food First.  I know this can seem a bit awkward, but getting your food first can ensure that it stays uncontaminated from situations like I mentioned in number seven above.  Take as much as you think you will want and don’t go back for seconds.

9.  Set Food Aside.  Hold back some food from the serving dishes so that all of it doesn’t risk contamination.  That way you can enjoy some of the leftovers too.

10.  Smile.  Smile.  Smile.  Even if you don’t feel like it.  Smiling will enhance your mood and help you feel less stressed.  Reflect on how much better you feel being on a gluten-free diet.  Remember that a diet change is better than taking medications.  Enjoy your gluten-free food, and treasure your relationships.

Labels: gluten-free diet, holidays

Ten years ago this month I was diagnosed with celiac disease.  I’ve already written out my celiac story, so I won’t go over it again. It doesn’t look like we’ll be having a party as my son suggested in the post A Reason to Celebrate, but we’re continuing to enjoy good food. 


Interestingly, it is that son who is now also eating gluten free.  He has given me permission to share some of his story.  Let’s just call him J.  He’s my oldest and is now 19 years old.  Over the summer he worked long hard hours for a tree company.  It was one of our hottest summers ever and he drank lots of Gatorade and water.  When he mentioned one day that he had a slight change in bowel habits, but no other symptoms I attributed it to the sugar in the Gatorade.  A couple of months later he casually mentioned that he thought he should be tested for celiac.  Work had been over for a while and he was still going to the bathroom more than usual.  He also noticed that he was more tired than usual.  Later he asked me what to do for mouth sores.  I told him that canker sores can be symptom of celiac and that I had them before I went gluten-free.

I’m going to skip a lot of details that I might give if it was my own story.  The good thing was that we had testing, including an endoscopy done very quickly.  Both blood work and biopsies were negative.  The doctor said his villi looked great.  The confusing thing is that his symptoms vary.  Sometimes he seems to have a strong reaction such as diarrhea or a mental reaction (you can read about how I react to gluten mentally here).  Other times, he seems to be fine.  After all the tests came back negative and the doctor recommended a gluten challenge, J hesitantly ate some gluten.  He didn’t react, so he ate some more.  He went a week eating normally with no strong reaction, but his canker sores started coming back and he was noticably irritable.  After that he decided he should probably eat gluten free. 

I don’t think he’s completely convinced the problem is gluten because he still has fatigue.  It may be that he needs to be gluten free longer and be more careful, or it could be that something else is also affecting him.  I find his symptoms and reactions to be too much like my own to think that it’s not gluten.  For now he is eating gluten-free, though.  He respects my opinion on the matter, but he’s not a child who I can tell what to do. 

Before we had the results of the tests, I actually wanted them to come back positive.  It seemed obvious that the problem was gluten and I wanted J to know for sure that he had to eat gluten free.  Now I have mixed feelings.  I’m glad he does not have celiac disease, and I feel pretty confident that this is a case of gluten intolerance rather than celiac.  However, I hope that he will not give up on the diet. He commutes to college and plans to do so in the future, but at some point he will move out and not have mom to cook for him.  I would hate for him to live with symptoms unnecessarily, and eating gluten-free will make it much less likely that he will develop celiac disease.  However, any accidental ingestion could trigger it.

Having another gluten-free eater in the house changes things a little.  Anything I cook or bake is always gluten free and the whole family eats it.  That doesn’t mean that everyone always eats gluten free, though.  I do purchase bread, cereal, and crackers for the gluten eating members.  Thankfully, J is not a picky eater and is pretty happy as long as he has food of some sort to fill him up.  He can do a little cooking and fends for himself pretty well.  I had to clean out cabinet space to make room for more gluten free items.  Being young and on the go a lot, I try to have some quick and easy food on hand for him.  I have made and frozen some food, but I hope to do more of that soon.

That’s the gluten-free news at our house.  It’s been 10 years for me and about a month for my son.  How long have you been gluten free?

Labels: celiac disease, gluten-free diet

Last week as I read comments and tweets, I was freshly reminded of how difficult it can be when you first start on the gluten-free diet.  It takes time to learn what you can eat, and while I don’t recommend a diet high in processed foods, they are a fact of life for many of us.  I’m also reminded that people starting on a gluten-free diet are of all ages and with varying degrees of cooking skills.

If you are new to this diet, walking through a grocery store can be overwhelming. The first thing you should know is that all fresh fruits and vegetables are gluten free.  They are also delicious and healthy.  There are other fresh food options like milk and eggs, but that’s not what this post is about.  This post is for those of you who walk down the isles of condiments and wonder if you can eat any of it.

This list is a bit tricky for a couple of reasons:

1. These items usually do not have gluten in the ingredients.  That does not mean they never do.  You have to read labels.
   
   
2. Even when an item does not have gluten in the ingredients, it can have cross contamination.  People are on a gluten-free diet for different reasons.  If you have celiac disease or for some other reason need to avoid cross contamination, some of these items may not be a good choice for you.  Items that I believe run a high risk of cross contamination (like mainstream cereals) are not on this list at all.  When reading labels, look for allergy statements about being produced in a facility that makes wheat products.

So here you have it.  A list of processed foods that are likely to be gluten free.

Condiments

• peanut butter
• jelly
• ketchup
• mustard
• Italian or vinaigrette dressing (many others are too)
• mayonnaise

Snacks

• plain corn tortilla chips
• plain potato chips 
• popcorn
• nuts
• hummus
• rice cakes
• corn tortillas

Canned

• spaghetti sauce
• plain vegetables
• plain fruit
• fruit cups
• applesauce
• salsa
• beans

Staples

• herbs/spices (single ingredient)
• sugar
• baking soda/powder
• plain rice (all types such as Jasmine, basmati, etc.)
• dried beans
• cooking oil

Drinks

• soda
• juice
• plain coffee
• plain tea
  
  

Other posts that might be of interest:

• Gluten-Free Ingredients List
• Gluten-Free Frugality
• Gluten-Free Flour Mixes

Labels: gluten-free diet

This weekend most of my family is participating in the Gluten-Free Challenge.  It’s going well.  I bought some Chex cereal for them to have for breakfast.  For lunches, they are enjoying calzones that I baked and froze the other week.  Dinners, of course, are gluten free anyway.



I have been on a gluten-free diet for over nine years, but I have a new challenge to face these days.  I am trying to eat dairy free.  I bought this thyroid bookrecently, and in addition to a gluten-free diet, the author also recommends a dairy free diet for most people with Hashimoto’s disease.  I have suspected dairy for some time, and I’m finally ready to give it a good try.  This is a hard one for me.  I’m not a milk drinker, but I use plenty of it in baking recipes. I am a cheese and butter eater.  I love cheese and butter.  I try to go easy on them because of their fat content, but the thought of giving them up for good is sad.

However, I know I can do this.  It’s been a week, and already I have found that it’s not as hard as I thought.  Last week I had pizza without cheese and really didn’t miss it that much.  I’m still very new at this, though, and I would love to get your help.  I know many of my readers are also dairy free, and I would love to hear from you.  What are your favorite substitutes?  What are your favorite web sites?  What are your favorite cookbooks?  Please leave a comment or send me an email. 

As for this blog, I’m not sure what this change means.  You will certainly be seeing some dairy free recipes, though some recipes with dairy will probably still show up.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Be sure to enter this week's giveaway!

Labels: blogging, gluten-free diet

 
You are in the store trying to buy a seasoning mix, salad dressing, pasta sauce, or marinade, and you don’t know if it’s gluten free.  How do you figure it out?  This is a topic that needs to be addressed repeatedly for people who are new to the gluten-free diet.  Figuring out what is gluten-free isn’t that hard.  What makes it difficult is old information that people find on the Internet or hear from others.  When I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2000, it was hard.  But food labeling laws have changed, and made my life much easier.  Here’s what you need to know.

Gluten is found in wheat, rye, barley, and contaminated oats. 

Wheat

Out of those four ingredients, wheat is by far the biggest problem.  It is also the easiest ingredient to identify.  Because wheat is one of the top eight allergens, it must be listed on a product label if it is an ingredient or part of an ingredient in a product.  For example, if a product contains modified food starch which is made from wheat, the word “wheat” has to be on the label.  If it’s not, you can be sure the food starch is gluten-free.

Rye

This is another easy ingredient.  It’s easy because it is not often used in foods and when it is, it is labeled as “rye.”  It’s not the kind of ingredient that will be used in other ingredients.

Barley

Barley is the trickiest ingredient.  Because it is not one of the top eight allergens, it does not have to be clearly identified on a label.  It can be part of another ingredient, and in fact, it is usually part of any ingredient with the word “malt.”  That includes malt flavoring, barley malt, malt vinegar, or just malt.  The exception to this is maltodextrin which is a gluten-free ingredient.  According to Gluten-Free Living Magazine, barley malt can be listed as “flavoring,” but it is rare. 

Oats

Pure oats are considered gluten-free and safe for most people on a gluten-free diet (a small percentage of people with celiac disease do react to oats).  Most oats, however, are contaminated with wheat and are therefore unsafe.  Oats listed on the label of any regular grocery store product should be assumed to contain wheat. 

Additional Information

While ingredients like barley do not have to be clearly stated on labels, many companies are aware of the large group of gluten-free consumers and voluntarily offer information on their labels.  Besides doing things like stating “barley malt” instead of just “malt,” many companies offer additional information about processing.  You may see statements such as “This product is produced on equipment that also produces wheat.”  Personally, I avoid products with such warnings.  Generally though, it is not an issue with things like sauces and salad dressings.

Always Read Labels

Please remember that ingredients in products do change.  Just because a particular brand of an item is gluten-free today, does not mean it will be tomorrow.  Make it a habit to always scan labels.  I would much rather be safe than sorry.  How about you?

Labels: gluten-free diet

Many people starting out on a gluten-free diet are concerned about the cost and want to know how they can save money.  The bottom line is that special diets of any kind usually cost more.  I think it helps to face that fact, and then do what you can to keep the additional cost as low as possible.  Here are some suggestions.
 

1.  Cook and bake from scratch.  That has always been a way to save money, no matter how you eat.  You pay for processing and packaging.  Cut that out as much of that as possible, and you will save money.  You’ve probably noticed that packaged gluten-free foods are much more expensive than their gluten counterparts.  You will certainly save money by making your own cookies or other baked goods.  They will taste better too!

If you are new to this, gluten-free baking will take time to learn, but there are many great cookbooks and blogs that can help you out.  You can save money on cookbooks by looking for them at your local library. 

Cooking and baking from scratch does take time, but you might find it takes less time than you think.  Making things in bulk and freezing them is a great way to prepare your own “fast food.”  Try making a double batch of baked goods and putting the extra in the freezer.  When making dinner, double everything and put the extra in the freezer for another night.   Buy a large pack of ground meat and brown it all, maybe adding seasoning, divide and freezer.  Cooked meat thaws quickly and is ready to throw into spaghetti sauce or tacos.

 2.  Use a grain mill.  I save money by grinding my own rice, sorghum, and millet flours.  I also plan on trying buckwheat.  I purchase whole grain sorghum from Twin Valley Mills.  I buy a 30 pound bucket for $40 including shipping.  That’s only $1.33 per pound.  You will probably pay $4 - $5 a pound to buy sorghum flour.  Of course, a grain mill is not cheap, but it pays off in the long run.

You can read more at my previous posts about milling sorghum and other grains.

3.  Change your eating habits.  Gluten-free bread isn’t all that great, and some of it is pretty bad.  It’s expensive to buy, and even baking it yourself can be costly if you are using lots of it.  Before going gluten free, I ate sliced bread regularly for things like sandwiches and French toast.  Now I seldom eat it.  I often make a loaf of bread if I’m going to be traveling, because sometimes sandwiches are the easiest thing.  Other than that, I make loaf bread only occasionally.  I do enjoy baking biscuits or rolls to have with dinner at times, and that along with homemade gluten-free pizza takes care of my urge for bread.  In place of bread, consider eating more salads, smoothies, dinner leftovers, or corn tortilla wraps.  I also find that homemade granola bars are great for helping to fill me up.

If you are an oatmeal eater, then you know that gluten-free oats are expensive. Try out other whole grains such as brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa, and sorghum.  Cook them well, and add some spices and fruit.  You might like them best in combination.

4.  Shop around.  You can now find gluten-free products at local grocery stores, health food stores, ethnic stores, and online stores.  Shop around and remember to include the cost of shipping if you order online.  It takes time to do price comparisons, but it can be worth while.  The two online stores I use the most are Amazon and iHerb. 

Some items at Amazon are part of their subscribe and save program which can save you money.  If you do order from them, consider going through the above link, or any Amazon link on my site.  When you do, I receive a small commission on any products you buy.

 iHerb has good prices on the gluten-free products they carry, though what they offer is more limited than other places.  I really like their shipping rate which is a $4 flat fee for orders over $40 being shipped anywhere in the contiguous United States.  If you have never ordered with them before, you can use my code: LUT727 to save $5 on your first order and send me a little commission.  I’m promoting these stores because they are the ones I use most, not because of the possibility of commission, but I do want to disclose the affiliate connection I have with them.

I’m no expert at pinching pennies, and I don’t do all of the above all the time.  There are times when I choose to pay for convenience.  I would love to hear your ideas.   How do you save money on a restricted diet?

For more frugal ideas visit Life as Mom's Frugal Fridays.

Labels: gluten-free diet

As I have mentioned, I traveled to Nashville last week to attend the blogging conference, Blissdom ‘10.  I had a great time, and I’m glad I went, but the whole eating thing wasn’t easy.  As far as travel is concerned, it was a new situation for me.  In the nine years that I have been gluten free I have traveled in various ways including:

• driving across the country and camping in our pop-up camper, cooking all my meals
• flying to destinations in the US and abroad, then staying with family or friends (this meant I had transportation and a kitchen once I arrived)
• driving to other cities where I stayed in a hotel or condo (driving allowed me to take along plenty of food, go to local grocery stores, and find restaurants where I was comfortable eating )

As Blissdom approached I realized I had not flown somewhere and stayed in a hotel.  My options were going to be very limited.   I couldn’t count of finding gluten free food, and I wasn’t willing to take risks that might result in my having to miss half the conference.    I put on my thinking cap and came up with some possibilities. 

1. I packed two suitcases.  At first I thought one would be for clothes and one for food, but that’s not what  I ended up doing.  I packed a small carryon suitcase with a day’s worth of essential clothes and toiletries, my laptop, and anything else I had room for in order to free up space in my other suitcase for food.   I put a few snacks in my purse for the trip.
   
   
2. In my large suitcase I packed an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack, sliced cheese, baby carrots, celery sticks,  zucchini slices, a small container of almond butter, and a small container of jelly.  I also included plastic bags for ice once I got to the hotel. 
   
   
3. I packed other food items in plastic bags if there was a chance they could leak or in plastic boxes if they could get crushed.  Those items included crackers, bread, homemade granola bars, Lara bars, nuts, dried mango, and fruit cups.

I pretty much lived off those items for four days, but I did have a nice dinner Friday night which was part of an event at another hotel.  Erin of $5 Dinners, who is very familiar with food allergies spoke to them ahead of time and made sure I would have a gluten-free plate of food.  The others ate from a buffet.  The plate contained a piece of chicken breast, a piece of beef, potatoes, and green beans.  They were all seasoned well, so it was not a bland meal like gluten-free eaters sometimes receive.  It was wonderful to have a real meal, and I felt fine afterwards.

I was supposed to return home on Sunday, but was unable to because of the snow storm that hit Maryland on Saturday.  I stayed in Nashville an extra day with Toni of The Happy Housewife.  Sunday evening we decided to take a taxi to Outback Steakhouse, and I was able to enjoy another real meal that was gluten free. 

The food I traveled with lasted just the right amount of time, even with the extra day.  I did get tired of the food, especially the granola bars, but it was gluten-free food I could count on, and that was better than taking risks.

What are your travel tips?

Labels: gluten-free diet, travel

People who are new to the gluten-free diet often find they are having reactions but don’t know where they are picking up gluten.  If that’s the case with you, the problem might be contamination in your own home.  If you don’t have a totally gluten-free kitchen, there are several things you can do to greatly decrease the risk of contamination.

1. Separate the non refrigerated gluten filled products.  Things like bread, cereal, and crackers make crumbs, and crumbs equal contamination.  If at all possible, I recommend having dedicated cabinet and counter space for gluten-free food preparation.  In my case, since I’m the cook and the gluten-free eater, it means that most of my kitchen is gluten free with a portable island cabinet at one end of the kitchen for gluten items.  Sandwiches, bagels, etc. are prepared on that cabinet top, carried on a plate to the table, then the plate is taken directly to the dishwasher or sink.  In some households it might be the other way around where the gluten-free items are kept in a small separate area. 

2.  Label gluten-free refrigerated foods.  Most of the food in my refrigerator is naturally gluten free, but some items are used in combination with wheat products such as condiments or cheese slices.  If a knife is used to spread mayonnaise on a piece of bread and then put back into the container for more, the mayo is likely to be contaminated.   If one of my kids puts bread on his plate then takes out a piece of cheese, the cheese could become contaminated.  To avoid this problem, I use brightly colored yard sale stickers with “GF” on them to indicate items that are not to be contaminated.  I also use a Sharpie to label containers. 

3.  Clean counters and tables well.  There is a trick to doing this.  Wipe your table, then get down at eye level with it.  Chances are good you will see a few (or not so few)  stray crumbs that you would have never guessed were still there.  While I don’t do the eye-level test every time I clean a surface, I try to do it often because it reminds me to do the job well. 

Constantly being aware of contamination risks is one part of the gluten-free diet I don’t like, but as a person with celiac disease,  it is a fact of life.  If you’re new to this, I will say that it gets easier, but you have to be careful and not grow lazy about it.  It’s also important to educate the other people in your home.  Kids are capable of understanding the idea at a pretty young age, but even after being gluten free for 9 years, I have to remind my teenagers to be careful with their crumbs at times.

I’m sure some of you have tips for managing gluten in the kitchen.  Feel free to leave a comment and let us know what you do.

Labels: gluten-free diet

Have you ever watched a movie where a kid whose mom has died says, “I’m starting to forget her,” or something similar? It’s always so sad.  I’ve been feeling the same way about gluten except I think I’m past the “starting to” point and have almost completely forgotten.  It’s going on nine years since I’ve taken a bite of gluten filled food.

There are still the smells as I walk past an Auntie Anne’s shop or the sights when I walk past a bakery, and even occasionally the feel when I make a sandwich for one of my kids.  But really that’s all that’s left to help me remember.  I can’t remember the exact taste and texture in my mouth. 

I’m left with simply saying, “Do I like this?” rather than “How does it compare?”  I’m dependent on my family for making comparisons, but they are not real food critics.  They are mostly thinking about whether they like it or not.  Besides, they have been eating my gluten-free cookies and cakes for almost nine years.  They do eat gluten counterparts at the houses of friends and family, but the majority of what they get it gluten free.  Sandwich bread and crackers are the exception.  I do buy those things for them as well as the occasional package of cookies. 

My point is, I sometimes wonder how much they have simply gotten used to gluten-free baked goods.  Are they forgetting about gluten a little bit too?

Unlike the movie scenario I mentioned above, I don’t consider this a sad situation.  It does make it harder to review products and recipes, but if the food tastes good, does it matter how it compares?  I’m glad I’m forgetting.  Gluten wasn’t good and kind and loving to me, like a mother.  It was a thief, a destroyer.  Good-bye gluten memories.

Labels: celiac disease, gluten-free diet

Zeer is a new web site that provides useful information for people on a gluten-free diet. I will tell you up front, that it is a subscription service costing $14.95 per month. But before you stop reading, I also want to tell you that at the end of this post, you will find a promo code one free month. Even if you don’t subscribe, some basic, but helpful information is provided for free.

Please read my update here.

I have no affiliation with Zeer, but I was given a run through of the site before it went public. I’m writing about it here because some of you, especially those who are new to the gluten-free diet, might find it worth the subscription price.

What is Zeer?

Zeer is a food product database that provides you with a gluten free status rating and label information for thousands of products. 500 products are added or updated each week. Their four status categories are:

• Labeled as gluten free
• Appears to be gluten free
• May contain gluten
• Contains gluten

Each category has its own icon which allows you to quickly see what category products fall into. Ingredient and nutrition information is provided with possible problem ingredients being highlighted and linked to an explanation. Manufacturer statement and allergen warnings as well as contact information is also given.

The database is easy to search. You can search by product name, UPC, brand, or category, but searching for products is not the only useful tool. You can also select items to create a printable grocery list or to email to a friend or family member. If you don’t subscribe, you are still able to view ingredient and nutrition information for many products (though not all).

Learn more by visiting the Zeer web site. If you would like to sign up for a 30 day free trial just do the following:

1. Go to this page.
2. Enter a name, email and password, then continue.
3. Enter payment information (you can cancel at the end of the 30 days and you will not be charged, but you have to enter the information).
4. In the last box on that page, enter GFHOME as the promo code. It is case sensitive.

I’m interested in hearing what you all think of the service. For me, it’s not worth the subscription price. After being gluten free for over eight years, I no longer panic about what I can eat. The change in the food labeling laws has also been a tremendous help. Many of the products that Zeer lists are ones that can easily be determined as gluten free by simply reading the label. But that’s just me. What do you think, especially those of you who are new to the gluten free diet?

Labels: gluten-free diet

There was a question on my Tater Tot Casserole post about tater tots being gluten free. I have been using Ore Ida, based on the ingredients list. However, I went to their web site and found that tater tots were not on their list of gluten-free products. I then contacted them and received the following letter. The tater tots are indeed gluten free (first item listed under Ore Ida products), and they included a recipe for gluten-free BBQ sauce at the end of the letter.

Please remember that product lists are not a substitute for reading labels. One mistake has been found on this list (it was removed), and there could be others. The list should be a helpful starting point.

Letter from Heinz with Gluten-Free Product List

Thank you for your interest in Heinz Products. We certainly understand how difficult it can be to find foods that meet the requirements of a restricted diet.

As you requested, the following is a listing of all of our products that do NOT have gluten containing ingredients. If the product you asked about is not on this list, then it may contain gluten containing ingredients. Also, please note that recipes can change without notice. Therefore, we recommend you always check the ingredient statement on the label.

HEINZ PRODUCTS:
Heinz BBQ Sauces (Original, Chicken & Rib, Garlic, Honey Garlic Only) Heinz Chili Sauce Heinz Cocktail Sauce Heinz Horseradish Sauce Heinz Ketchup Heinz Organic Ketchup Heinz Reduced Sugar Ketchup Heinz No-Sodium Added Ketchup Heinz Hot & Spicy Ketchup
Heinz Mustard (All Varieties)
Heinz Pickles (All Varieties)
Heinz Peppers (All Varieties)
Heinz Relish (All Varieties)
Heinz Sloppy Joe Sauce
Heinz Tartar Sauce
Heinz Traditional Steak Sauce
Heinz Vegetarian Beans
Heinz Distilled White Vinegar
Heinz Red Wine Vinegar
Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar
Heinz Apple Cider Flavored Vinegar
Heinz Red Wine Vinegar
Heinz Garlic Wine Vinegar

Jack Daniel's BBQ Sauces (Original #7, Honey Smokehouse, Hickory Brown Sugar, Spicy BBQ Only) Jack Daniel's EZ Marinader -- Teriyaki Variety Jack Daniel's EZ Marinader -- Garlic & Herb Variety Jack Daniel's Steak Sauce (Both Varieties) Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce Lea & Perrins Traditional Steak Sauce TGI Fridays Salsa (All Varieties)

CLASSICO PRODUCTS:
Classico Red Sauces (All Varieties)
Classico Alfredo Sauces (All Varieties)
Classico Pesto Sauces (All Varieties)
Classico Bruschetta (All Varieties)

DELIMEX PRODUCTS:
UPC CODE: PRODUCT NAME:
1769600012 Taquitos, 36 ct. Delimex Chicken
1769600018 Tamales, 12 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600019 Tamales, 12 ct. Delimex Chicken & Cheese
1769600024 Tamales, 6 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600028 Taquitos, 25 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600029 Taquitos, 25 ct. Delimex Chicken
1769600048 Taquitos, 36 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600095 Taquitos, 12 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600096 Taquitos, 12 ct. Delimex Chicken
1769600155 Tamales, 15 ct. Costco Beef
1769600159 Tamales, 20 ct. Delimex Beef, Costco
1769600180 Taquitos, 60 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600186 Taquitos, 60 ct. Sam's Club Beef
1769600214 Taquitos, 25 ct. Delimex 3-Cheese
1769600565 Tamales, 20 ct. Beef, Sam's Club
1769600684 Taquitos, 66 ct. Costco Beef
1769600685 Taquitos, 66 ct. Costco Chicken

ORE-IDA PRODUCTS:
UPC CODE: PRODUCT NAME:
13120XXXXX- ALL VARIETIES of Ore-Ida® Tater Tots®
1312001879 Ore-Ida® ABC Tater Tots®
1312000080 Ore-Ida Golden Patties® (9 ct.)
1312000258 Ore-Ida® Golden Fries® (32 oz.)
1312000278 Ore-Ida® Golden Fries® (5 lb.)
1312000286 Ore-Ida® Golden Crinkles® (32 oz.)
1312000291 Ore-Ida® Golden Crinkles® (5 lb.)
1312000296 Ore-Ida® Pixie Crinkles (26 oz.)
1312000377 Ore-Ida® Cottage Fries (32 oz.)
1312000392 Ore-Ida® Southern Style Hash Browns (32 oz.)
1312000428 Ore-Ida® Country Style Steak Fries (28 oz.)
1312000455 Ore-Ida® Zesty Twirls (28 oz.)

1312000469 Ore-Ida® Potatoes O'Brien (28 oz.)
1312000647 Ore-Ida® French Fries (8 lb.)
1312000654 Ore-Ida® Country Style Hashbrowns (6 lb.)
1312000784 Ore-Ida® Steam N' Mash Cut Russets®
1312000785 Ore-Ida® Steam N' Mash Cut Sweet Potatoes®
1312000786 Ore-Ida® Steam N' Mash Three Cheese Potatoes®
1312000787 Ore-Ida® Steam N' Mash Garlic Seasoned Potatoes®
1312000483 Ore-Ida® Golden Twirls® (28 oz.)
1312000484 Ore-Ida® Zesties® (2 lb.)
1312000800 Ore-Ida® Steak Fries® (28 oz.)
1312000801 Ore-Ida® Shoestrings® (5 lb)
1312000828 Ore-Ida® Shoestrings® (28 oz.)
1312000829 Ore-Ida® Shoestrings® (40 oz.)
1312000833 Ore-Ida® Country Style Hashbrowns (30 oz.)
1312000854 Ore-Ida® Hash Browns (5 lb.)
1312000862 Ore-Ida® Country Style Hashbrowns (6 lb.)
1312001012 Ore-Ida® Potato Wedges with Skins (24 oz.)
1312001036 Ore-Ida® Crispers® (20 oz.)
1312001176 Ore-Ida® Waffle Fries® (22 oz.)
1312001190 Ore-Ida® Steak Fries® (3.75 lb.)
1312001260 Ore-Ida® Extra Crispy Crinkle Cut (26 oz.)
1312001280 Ore-Ida® Extra Crispy Seasoned Crinkle Cut® (26 oz.)
1312001417 Ore-Ida® Extra Crispy Fast Food Fries (26 oz.)
1312001461 Ore-Ida® Country Fries (30 oz.)
1312001492 Ore-Ida® Fast Food Fries (4 lb.)
1312008564 Ore-Ida® Golden Crinkles® (8 lb.)
1312008572 Ore-Ida® Golden Crinkles® (8 lb.) CLUB

SMART ONES PRODUCTS:
UPC CODE: PRODUCT NAME:
2580002011 Smart Ones Broccoli & Cheddar Potatoes
2580002247 Smart Ones Lemon Herb Chicken Piccata
2580002254 Smart Ones Fiesta Chicken
2580002360 Smart Ones Santa Fe Rice & Beans
2580002904 Smart Ones Creamy Tuscan Chicken
2580002907 Smart Ones Grilled Chicken in Garlic Herb Sauce
2580002915 Smart Ones Home-Style Chicken
2580002918 Smart Ones Chicken Santa Fe

Again, we appreciate you taking the time to contact us. If you need further information, feel free to call us at this toll-free number (1-800-255-5750). Our offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM until 6:00 PM, Eastern Time.

Heinz Consumer Resource Center
Heinzconsumeraffairs@us.hjheinz.com

When contacting us, please refer to the following reference number: 003035421A

HEINZ/JNEEL

P.S. - For your convenience, here's a recipe for a barbecue sauce without gluten-containing ingredients:

Heinz Ketchup Basic Barbecue Sauce

½ cup Heinz Tomato Ketchup
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce

In saucepan, combine all ingredients.
Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Brush ribs or chicken with sauce during last 10 minutes of grilling or broiling.

Makes about ¾ cup of sauce.

Labels: gluten-free diet

The other day I received the 4th edition of Triumph Dining’s The Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide. If you go out to eat at all, this book is helpful. If you travel often, it’s very helpful.  Here’s why.

The book is divided into three sections:
I. How to Get a Gluten-Free Meal Anywhere!
II. Restaurant Listings by State
III. Gluten-Free Lists & Menus

I. How to Get a Gluten-Free Meal Anywhere!

This short section contains chapters on conveying information effectively, building relationships, and words of advice.  If you are new to eating out gluten-free, this section will give you the knowledge you need to get started.

II. Restaurant Listings by State

This section comprises the bulk of the book. Each state is listed alphabetically with restaurant suggestions. Many states are broken down into a couple of major cities and all other cities.  Brief information is given for each restaurant including address, phone number, and web site. Notes about how they accommodate gluten-free diners are also included.

An example from The Corner Kitchen in the Asheville, NC, section is,
“Note: Manager Katie reports GF diners are welcome. Alert the server upon arrival.  All kitchen staff has been educated on GF. No GF menu.”

Symbols next to the entries are used to denote if a gluten-free menu is available, if gf specialty products such as bread, beer or pasta are available, if it is a 100% gf establishment, or if it is a restaurant listed in section III.

III. Gluten-Free Lists & Menus

This section contains a listing of 82 chain restaurants and gluten-free items that can be ordered there, along with notes from the restaurant.  Some of the restaurants are fast food, but most are not. Many of them I was familiar with, and others, because they are regional, I had not heard of.

Triumph Dining puts a lot of effort into this book. All information is checked and updated each year. Click the link to their web site to order the book and their dining cards. They also offer The Essential Gluten-Free Grocery Guide.

If you already own this book or a previous edition, leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Labels: books, gluten-free diet

When I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2000, the list of ingredients I had to avoid was very long. I didn’t quite understand why citric acid would contain gluten, but I avoided it anyway. Thankfully, many ingredients have been researched since that time and have been found to be gluten free (including citric acid). Unfortunately, old information still abounds, and many people avoid foods unnecessarily.

Tiffany Janes at examiner.com has written an article covering some of the most controversial gluten-free ingredients. Take a look and see if you are up to date on the gluten-free status of blue cheese, stamps & envelopes, natural flavors, and more.

Labels: gluten-free diet

There are some things in life we have no control over, such as developing celiac disease and having to follow a gluten-free diet. We do, however, always have control over our attitude.  My brother-in-law says, “It’s more fun to have fun.”  It’s so true. Why have a complaining, woe-is-me attitude and make your life miserable? Having an attitude of gratitude for the good things in life makes life much more fun.

My mom has been a great example. When I was only a baby she had both retinas detach. She ended up being blind in one eye and having poor sight in the other. Although she had three young kids and could not drive, I never heard her complain. We rode our bikes a lot and my dad became the chauffeur. He never complained either.

When I found out I had celiac disease, I was relieved. Like many others, I was terribly sick and was grateful to have an answer. I knew that following the gluten-free diet would be hard, but I was happy to be alive. I was also grateful I didn’t have to take drugs.  While the gluten-free diet has been challenging, it has motivated me to do more cooking and baking from scratch. I have tried so many new recipes, and I’ve learned to eat foods I didn’t know existed before (such as quinoa). Reading labels has made me more aware of what is in processed foods and has helped me make better decisions about the foods we eat.

The reason I’m writing about this topic today is because Kathryn at This 'n That From on the Mountain has nominated me for the Attitude of Gratitude Award. Thanks Kathryn!

I have chosen to nominate ten gluten-free bloggers. While none of us is perfect about having a good attitude all the time, I believe these bloggers benefit the gluten-free community by their positive attitudes toward living and eating gluten free. I find ten to be a difficult number. It enables me to include so many people, but I fear that a few might feel left out. I appreciate many gf bloggers and they are all deserving of this award.

My nominations, in no particular order:

• Dana at Gluten Free in Cleveland writes about eating gluten free in the Cleveland area as well as product reviews and recipes.
• Kim at Gluten-free is Life does a lot of product reviews and menu plans.
• Rachel at Living Without Wheat has recipes and menu plans.
• Marlow at Gluten Hates Me but I'm Surviving has recipes and product reviews.
• Debbie at The Gluten-Free 'Dish' has recipes and information on living gluten, dairy, rice and sugar free.
• Heather at Life, Gluten Free writes about living with celiac disease and allergies as well as parenting.
• Wendy at gluten-free greenie does product reviews and recipes.
• Gina at The Gluten-free Gourmand provides recipes and product reviews.
• Emily at Celiac Underground shares tips and information about living gluten free.
• Wendy at Celiacs in the House provides recipes and menu plans.

Your instructions are:

• put the logo on your blog or post
• nominate at least 10 blogs that show an an attitude of gratitude
• link to your nominees within your post
• comment on their blogs to let them know they've received this award
• share the love and link to this post and the person who nominated you for the award
• tell us how you've come to have an attitude of gratitude

Labels: celiac disease, gluten-free diet

Last Saturday I attended a gluten-free vendor fair which was put on by a local celiac support group. It was wonderful to be around so much delicious food and have it all be gluten-free. All the vendors had samples available, which were mostly desserts and breads. One company had hot soup which was a nice change.

There were three raffles held during the day.  Each raffle contained numerous gluten-free baskets with books and goodies that were contributed by vendors and stores. I won a small basket which contained several Chebe Bread mixes. It also contained a gift certificate to a local bakery which makes beautiful and delicious gluten-free breads and desserts. Since the bakery was represented at the vendor fair, I used my gift certificate the same day. My family drooled over the Boston cream pie, coconut cake, and black bottom cupcakes that I brought home. They were small, but big enough for me to share with everyone. (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture.)

I thought I would list some of the vendors that were present because they might be new to you. Click on the name to visit their web site.

Chesapeake Gardens - “Chesapeake Gardens offers a full line of ready-to-heat soups, chowders, chili and sauces. Our all-natural, gluten-free products use fresh, local ingredients! We carefully prepare our foods so they provide two essential benefits: flavor and health.”

Gluten-Free Naturals - “Premium gluten-free baking mixes and other fine gluten-free foods.”

Joan's GF Great Bakes - “Great taste and texture is what sets our products apart from the rest.  Dry, crumbly, pre-packaged baked goods are a thing of the past. Imagine - fresh, hot, crusty, chewy New York Style Bagels whenever you want, the delicious smell of cookies baking in your oven without taking out your mixer, or a real sandwich on soft, chewy, fluffy sandwich rolls! All of our products come ready-to-bake, easy to make, and are fresh when you want them.”

Jules Gluten Free - “If you’ve found your way here looking for an uncompromised approach to gluten-free baking, if you’re in search of delicious, tested recipes, if you’re looking for a patient-expert’s take on living gluten-free…you’ve come to the right place.”

Meister's Gluten Free Mixtures - “David and Rhonda Meister are gluten free flour specialists. Their goal is to allow people to bake gluten free more easily and to enjoy scrumptious baking. They also want to empower the food service industry to better serve all people with dietary restrictions.”

Mr. Ritt's Bakery - “An expanding bakery located in Millville, NJ, we cater almost exclusively to the celiac community and offer gluten-free desserts virtually indistinguishable from our original wheat based products. We have to say virtually, because a few of our products actually taste better now that we've converted them to gluten-free recipes!”

Namaste Foods - “We are a small (but growing!) manufacturer of fine foods that contain no wheat, gluten, corn, soy, potato, dairy, casein or nuts. In business since 2000, we continue to strive to be the best at what we do so that you can enjoy all the foods you’ve known and loved all your life.”

Spice of Life - “We bake goodies that are not only gluten-free, but packed with nutritious grains and organic ingredients.  We believe in providing delicious, HEALTHY breads and sweet treats that just happen to be gluten-free!  Even people are not gluten-free will enjoy our baked goods for the nutritional benefits alone!”

Labels: gluten-free diet

If you’re new to the gluten-free diet and are trying your hand at gluten-free baking, you might be a bit overwhelmed because there are so many gluten free flours. Unfortunately, you can’t just buy a type of flour and substitute it for wheat flour. Gluten-free flours usually have to be combined to work well in baked goods.

Once you’ve figure that out, there’s a new problem. There are so many gluten-free flour mixes! There are recipes in cookbooks and on web sites for flour mixes, and there are packaged mixes at the health food store. Which one should you use?

To answer that question, you have to ask yourself a few other questions.

• Do I want the convenience of buying a flour mix for all or part of my baking?
• Do I want to save money and make my own?
• Are there other types of flour I need to avoid?
• Is the nutritional content of a mix important to me?
• Do I want to avoid certain tastes, textures, and smells?
• Do you want to achieve certain tastes, textures, and smells?

There are so many flour mixes out there because people have different answers to those questions. If there was one perfect gluten-free flour mix, we would all be using it! Once you have answered those questions, look for flour mixes that meet your requirements for the first four questions. Try them out to see how they match with your answers to the last two questions, and you will find what works for you.
Here are my personal answers to the above questions:

• I don’t buy flour mixes, I make them. I even go as far as milling some of my gluten-free flours. 
  
• I don’t have other allergies or intolerances to restrict me.
  
• Nutritional content is important to me. I like using brown rice flour and sorghum flour for that reason. My decision, though, depends on what I’m baking. If it’s an occasional treat, I don’t worry so much about the nutritional content. If it’s part of my regular diet, I do.
  
• I don’t like the smell or taste of bean flours, and I don’t seem to digest them well. Although they add protein and give breads a nice texture, I don’t use them. Soy flour is included in that.
  
• Who doesn’t want their food to smell, taste, and feel good? Specific preferences depend on the specific food I’m baking and I adjust my flour mix according to that.

When I was first diagnosed with celiac disease, there was not the wealth of information and recipes available that there is now. My greatest help came from cookbooks by Bette Hagman that I found at the library. Bette Hagman was a pioneer in the field of gluten-free baking and cooking. In some ways, we all owe her our gratitude for blazing the trail. One of her many accomplishments was to develop a gluten-free flour mix that works well in many recipes. I don’t use it as much as I used to, but I still keep the mix on hand and find that it works particularly well in dessert recipes.

Bette Hagman’s basic gluten-free flour mix (she did develop other mixes):

• 6 parts rice flour (white or brown)
• 2 parts potato starch
• 1 part tapioca starch

The second cookbook author who has greatly influenced me is Carol Fenster. You can check her out at Savory Palate. She also has several flour mixes, but my favorite is her sorghum flour blend.

• 3 parts sorghum flour
• 3 parts potato starch or corn starch (I use potato)
• 2 parts tapioca starch
• 1 part corn, almond, or bean flour (I use corn)

You can see that Carol’s mix has more starch than Bette’s which makes it lighter. It does not contain rice, which is a benefit for those who can’t have it or don’t like the texture of rice flour. I also keep this flour mix on hand. Sometimes I will use a combination of the two mixes.

I know there are plenty of other good, nutritional gluten-free flours such as amaranth, millet, and quinoa. Some I have tried, some I haven’t. I occasionally try different things, but I run out of room to store so many flours, and what I have works.

You will find that most of my recipes on this site do not call for a flour mix, but have individual flour amounts listed. I do that so that if you want to duplicate what I have done, you can do so without having to make up a flour mix first. It is also because I am often tweaking a recipe a little. However, you can substitute whatever flour mix you like using for the total amount of flour I have listed, and you should still get good results. Just remember that if your flour mix has xanthan gum in it, omit that from the recipe or adjust it.

The one exception to substituting any flour mix would be when making a loaf of bread. If you’ve tried it, you know that baking gluten-free bread is tricky. Therefore, I recommend following anyone’s bread recipe closely the first time, unless you just like to experiment.
If you have questions about gluten-free flours or mixes, please leave a comment or send me an email.

Labels: gluten-free diet