Some more helpful tips...

Well, I want to talk some more about gluten...

Gluten is tinier than microscopic, so it can into the smallest scratches in plastic, metal and glass and in places that you've never thought of, like between the tines of your forks, in the beaters on your mixers and on wooden utensils.  Contrary to popular belief it is NOT like a germ that can be killed off with heat or chemicals.  So dishwashers aren't any more effective in cleaning dishware than handwashing is in this case.  That is why I STRONGLY recommend having a separate set of pots, pans, storage containers, cooking utensils, silverware, anything that contacts your food, especially if you are cooking your food in it.   As long as counters are not badly scratched, they can be cleaned well, and be safe.  I also use a glass cutting board and cooling racks if I am not certain about the counter I am using or if it is a shared space.  I have one counter that is used for cooling foods and I use cooling racks for all the gluten free cookies and the counter itself for non-gluten free cookies.  We use a lot of wax and parchment paper and scrub everything very well.

When it comes to cooking and baking both GF and non-GF foods, I also do NOT cook both on the same day at the same time.  Ideally, I get to cook GF foods on one day, and non-GF foods on another.  If not, then I prepare the GF foods first, and the non-GF foods last.  You also have to be extremely careful when preparing non-GF foods that you do NOT let the ingredients get co-mingled.  For example:  Be very careful NOT to let your wheat flour go fluffing up into the air and then land all over GF foods and spaces.  And after you prepare non-GF foods, clean all surfaces whether you used them or not to avoid cross-contamination.

That is why when some products and restaurants have GF foods offered, you still have to be extremely careful b/c if a restaurant fixes a salad for a non-GF diner, and tosses on some croutons and a couple fall into the lettuce or on the counter, and then your salad is made next out of the same lettuce or your meal is prepared on the counter and it isn't cleaned well in between, then you've been exposed to gluten.  When a food producer uses their production lines to produce a non-GF product and then prepares a "gluten-free" product, there's cross-contamination again.  There are safe cleaning and manufacturing guidelines, and a lot of the companies that produce both GF and non-GF items practice them, but some do not.  That is why I spend a lot of time on the phone with companies trying to learn what their guidelines are, and if they change regularly.  And in the end, they are still just guidelines, not laws...

The last thing for tonight is that you must be aware of gluten hidden in things you never dreamed of it being in. Gluten is used as a binder in almost everything out there, like coffee filters, tea bags, paper towels, paper plates, tissues, etc.  We don't use coffee filters, but Celestial Seasonings have a great line of affordable and GF teas, and we use Bounty Paper towels.

Hope everyone is well, and healing!  As always, I welcome questions and comments anytime!!  Have a great evening...

Quick & Delicious Pork Chops in Sour Cream Sauce

Today I am sharing a delicious recipe from www.glutenfreechecklist.com!  If you like some tang to your pork chops, this is awesome!!  Of course I adjusted it a little bit to suit our particular tastes, but I am sharing this one as it was printed...

Pork Chops with Sour Cream Sauce

6 boneless pork loin chops (I used 3 bone-in chops b/c there is just the two of us)
1 TBSP canola oil (I use olive oil for everything)
1/2 Cup water
2 TBSP brown sugar (Great Value Brand)
2 TBSP chopped onion
2 TBSP Heinz ketchup
1 tsp beef bouillon granules (I use Better than Bouillon paste)
1 tsp garlic, minced
2 TBSP GF flour
1/4 Cup cold water
1/2 Cup sour cream

In a large skillet brown pork chops in oil on both sides.  Combine the water, brown sugar, onion, ketchup, bouillon and garlic, add to skillet.  Bring to boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 - 20 minutes or until the meat juices run clear.  Remove chops and keep warm.  Combine flour and cold water until smooth, stir into skillet.  Bring to a boil, cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.  Remove from the heat, stir in sour cream.  Serve over pork chops.

A few juicy tidbits of information to share...

First of all, I am sorry I wasn't on here yesterday (and maybe the day before...)  Some crazy things happened around here and needed our attention, but I am ready to go again!!  Aren't you lucky?!?

First I want to remind everyone that May is CELIAC/ GLUTEN INTOLERANCE AWARENESS month!! Find a way to celebrate!!

Here are some links to some websites you may find helpful.  The first one is for Angel Food Ministries - a discount way to get food - think food bank, and now they have a GF box!!!  YAY!!

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

http://www.glutenfreely.com/

And this last one is a study they have been doing on other conditions existing in the stomach of celiacs and others with gluten intolerance...

http://glutenfreeworks.com/blog/2009/09/10/treating-candida-albicans-intestinal-yeast-overgrowth-in-celiac-disease/

I will be back later today with the last post about what exactly is in my pantry, and a few great recipes that my friends have been requesting!

So WHAT exactly is in my pantry...

Ok, I bet you are wondering just what exactly is in my pantry.  I won't include my food that is full of gluten, but all of the GF stuff!  Get ready, here we go!!

Koolaid - Grape and Lime
Great Value (Walmart Brand) granulated sugar
Tom Sawyer GF flour
Smucker's Magic Shell Chocolate Flavor
Del Monte Canned Peas and Green Beans
Great Value Brand canned whole potatoes and sliced potatoes
Great Value Brand sliced Carrots, Whole Kernel Corn and Cut Green Beans
Green Giant Canned Corn
Swanson Canned Chicken Broth (100% natural, 99% Fat Free, No MSG added)
Swanson Beef Cooking Stock
Del Monte Canned Sliced Pears
Betty Crocker GF Chocolate Cake Mix, Brownie Mix and Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
Ener-G Lasagne noodles
Minute Rice Brown Rice
Hamburger Helper Cheesy Hashbrowns
Bisquick GF Baking Mix
DeBole's Corn Elbow Style Pasta
Carnation Canned Fat Free Milk (at Cmas I have the Carnation Sweetened Condensed Kind too)
Mrs Leeper's Chicken Alfredo,  Beef Lasagne, Beef Stroganoff, and Cheeseburger Macaroni
DeBole's Corn Spaghetti
Heartland GF Spaghetti
Chebe bread mixes (pizza crust, cinnamon bun, cheddar rolls, flat bread, and all purpose)
Bob's Red Mill GF Pizza Crust Mix
Bob's Red Mill Corn Muffin Mix
Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix
Jello Instant Chocolate Pudding
Great Value Brand Brown Rice
Red Star Quick Rise Yeast
Bob's Red Mill GF Quick Cooking Oats - eat these very sparingly until you get used to them b/c they will
                                                                   make you POOP!!!!!
Nestle Toll House Cocoa
Great Value Iodized Salt
Clabber Girl Baking Powder
Argo Cornstarch
Baker's White Chocolate Baking Squares
Knox Gelatine - Unflavored
Simply Organic madagascar pure vanilla extract
Great Value Clover Honey (almost gone b/c I am replacing it with...
Pure Honey from Kevin L Queen - Jane Lew, WV 304-884-6429
Great Value Marshmallows
Mayacama's Turkey Gravy Mix
Mayacama's Alfredo Sauce Mix
Mayacama's Hollandaise Sauce Mix
Great Value Apple Cider Vinegar
Great Value Shortening
Progresso Vegetable Classics French Onion Soup
Kroger Pure Olive Oil
Great Value Pure Olive Oil
Contadina Tomato Paste (NOT flavored with anything)
Contadina Tomato Sauce (NOT flavored with anything)
Lipton Iced Tea mix Wild Raspberry
Karo Dark and Light Corn Syrup
Great Value Canola Oil (for frying)
Mix 'n Drink Pure Skim Milk Powdered Milk
Great Value Natural Applesauce in the jar and in the cups for lunch
Bush's Best Kidney Beans
Libby's 100% Pure Canned pumpkin
Bumblebee Chunk White Albacore Tuna (Chicken too)
Halstead Acres (Save-A-Lot) Chili Hot Beans
Wylwood (Save-A-Lot)Chili Hot Beans
Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce

Now that's just my one cupboard.  I have food in the fridge, fridge freezer, and a small chest freezer too.  We just got fresh eggs and a whole organic chicken today from a customer on my husbands route!  He gets to meet so many neat people!  I will continue this list from my other places tomorrow.  Hope this helps!!  I must also note that I LOVE to cook and bake from scratch, so I make almost all of my husband's food and snacks.  We have some go-to quick foods, but that will be tomorrow's list too....are you hungry yet??

Setting up your GF pantry

If you plan on having GF food and food containing gluten in the same kitchen, you aren't alone.  It is practical to have everyone on the same diet, but not always enjoyable.  If everyone follows some simple but STRICT rules, it is possible to do it all and stay safe.  The first thing we did here is I went through every single food item in our entire house, every single one, drinks included.  Then we designated a set of cupboards that would have ONLY GF food in them and I set up all the GF food in that cabinet.  All the food containing gluten was moved to another set of cupboards.  There was a drawer in the fridge crisper designated to store all the flour blends, xanthan gum, chocolate chips and perishable baking items in.  If you need to share cupboard space then the GF foods MUST be on the top shelves.  This is so that if any food containing gluten should fall out of it's containers, the natural direction to fall is down, so it is safer to have gluten foods on the bottom.  This is also true of storage containers that you store in shelves or anything for that matter.  We have a separate section in our silverware drawer for his utensils too.  We shared silverware for a long time, but b/c of the little grooves on the butter knives and the nooks and crannies in the forks, we just got him some separate silverware.  We also got separate containers to hold GF utensils too.  We got two toasters, and a separate set of non-stick skillets.  Gluten is microscopic and can hide in the tiniest cracks or scratches in pots, pans, utensils, bowls, etc.  So to protect the person with gluten sensitivity, it is just simpler to have two of these things.  Even when you store things in the fridge, save the top shelves for the GF fare, and keep the lower shelves for regular food.  Try to keep the freezer separated in the same manner too.  If we have to share freezer space, the food with gluten is always put into freezer bags to keep any crumbs from getting loose.  Please if you have any questions at all, don't hesitate to put them in the comment section, and I will get you answers ASAP!  I know I will think of more stuff to say about it as soon as I sign off on this post, but the longer you are GF, the more you will be able to see little things that can be changed in your specific circumstance to make things easier and safer for you.  It DOES get easier!!

Some GF websites

As promised, here are some of the websites we go to regularly.  I will post others often.  They may not always be in list form, but may be named in some of the posts I just write.  Hope it helps!!


http://www.avoidingmilkprotein.com/M-Zceliacshopping.html

http://www.celiac.com

www.bobsredmill.com

www.smartbalance.com

www.landolakes.com

http://www.glutenfreely.com   (This is the General Mills site!)

www.glutenfreeflour.com

www.celiac.org

www.netrition.com

www.glutenfreegoddess.com

www.liveglutenfreely.com

Getting your feet wet...

In my pie crust recipe post I mentioned that Jello products were all GF UNLESS stated otherwise on the package after the ingredient list.  I am very happy to also say that ALL KRAFT products are very well labeled and do NOT contain gluten UNLESS it is stated as "Contains Wheat, Barley, Rye or Oats" after the ingredient list.  And KRAFT is TOTALLY trustworthy.  They take GF very seriously and are very good at their labeling.

Also, a LOT of Wal-Mart's generic GREAT VALUE brand products are GF and it will state that clearly on the label as "Gluten Free" or "Naturally Gluten Free".  This is found outlined in a blue rectangle somewhere on the back of the label near the ingredient list.

Speaking of reading the labels, gluten is hidden in a LOT of things that you wouldn't expect.  A few watch words to look out for and avoid include:
*Modified Food Starch
*Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
*Malt
*Beer
*Bulgur
*Cereal Extract
*Farro
*Flour - unless specifically labeled GF
*Graham
*Kamut
*Matzoh/matzoh meal
*Semolina
*Spelt
*Cracker meal
*Durhum
*Eikorn
*Emmer
*Farina
*Bread Crumbs
*Dextrin
*Natural flavors
*Artificial flavors
*Hydrolyzed vegetable or plant proteins also labeled as HVP/HPP
*Imitation Bacon or seafood
*Processed food
*Seasonings/Flavorings
*Seitan
*Soy Sauce or soy sauce solids
*Textured Vegetable Protein

Some words that you will see and that are SAFE, include:
*Soy Lecithin
*Food Emulsifiers
*Cornstarch

You will notice that a brand will have one specific item that is labeled GF, while other items will not be labeled GF.  This is okay.  Usually the items labeled GF are processed in separate facilities or the facility practices the Safe Manufacturing Cleanliness Procedures.  Just make sure that the bag of chips or whatever you buy says that it is GF, or in the case of Kraft, doesn't have any gluten listed after the ingredient list.  Some products will not specifically say "Gluten Free" but will still be safe.  Being able to judge which are safe and which are not will come with time and research.  In the meantime, here is a website that has a ton of GF foods listed by brand that you can try while you figure out your new diet...

http://www.avoidingmilkprotein.com/M-Zceliacshopping.htm

After you get to the page you can navigate to the A-L section of the list at the top of the page.  This has been a great help to us!  Next time I will work on getting you a list of websites to look at, and of course some more advice and suggestions!  Just remember to BREATHE!!

In Honor of Jello...A GF Pie Crust Recipe

cutting the butter into the flour

Placing the dough between two pieces of parchment

After the dough is rolled out

Placing the dough in the pan

Poke holes in the crust with a fork before baking

OK, friends!  I just got some great news!  Jello products are all GF UNLESS they say "Contains wheat, barley, rye or oats" after the ingredient list.  Today I bought some instant chocolate and banana cream pudding to make GF pies!  So, in honor of Jello, I am adding a GF Pie Crust Recipe.  Don't forget to grab a can of Great Value (Wal-Mart Generic) Whipped Cream, it's a great GF pie or fruit topper!!

Gluten-Free Pie Crust (Makes 2)

2 Cups of GF flour  -  Tom Sawyer brand (or flour blend of your choice)
1/4 tsp salt  - Great Value Brand (Wal-Mart)
3/4 Cup shortening  -  Great Value or Crisco Brand
1/4 Cup cold water

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.  Then using a fork, cut the shortening into the flour.  (This means to push the shortening and flour through the tines of the fork).  When the mixture resembles large crumbs it is ready to add the water.  Make sure the water is cold.  Add it a little at a time until the mixture sticks together good.  Don't use more than the 1/4 cup or it may be too sticky.  Should it become too sticky, just add a little more flour until you can handle it.  Just DO NOT overmix it or it will become tough.  Then with your hands you can press half the pie dough into the bottom of a glass or aluminum pie plate until it is about 1/8" thick.  You can also roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper with a GF rolling pin, and place it in the pie plate.  Poke the crust with a fork.  Then bake it at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes or until it no longer looks wet.  Then cool completely.  You are ready to add your favorite GF filling.

NOTES:  I use half shortening and half butter (Great Value Brand) instead of all shortening in the crust.  It gives a better flavor.  Also, if you roll out the pie crust, you may want to roll it out between two pieces of parchment.  Don't spend the big money on pre-cut parchment paper, just buy a Great Value Brand roll of it at Wal-Mart.  It will come in handy in a lot of recipes!!

First things first...

The very first thing I recommend after getting this diagnosis is:  Take A Deep Breath!  Breathe!  Repeat!  Let it soak in a while, and read everything you get your eyes on.  Don't take it all in all at once because it will overwhelm you and make you want to give up, but knowledge is power.

The second big step is to concentrate on what you CAN have instead of what you can't have.  Try to make this the most positive change you can.  Sometimes all it takes is just changing your perspective.  If you have just been diagnosed, this sounds like a bunch of talk, but we did this exact thing and it has been a blessing to us.

Admittedly, I am not the one having to live gluten free, but I am gluten free by association...and I have found that I actually LIKE a lot of the food and we eat the same things for many meals!  Once in a while I will fix myself something different, so I do not have a strictly gluten-free kitchen.  The secret to that is keeping separate cupboards and counter spaces, and clean, clean, clean.  I also do not have a dishwasher so all of my dishes are washed by hand - mine...  I guess you could say I do have a dishwasher, it's just the two-legged variety.

The third thing I did was go out and buy a separate set of frying pans, invested in some Pyrex Visionware (I found a couple of complete sets at yardsales) and separate cooking utensils and storage bowls (also Pyrex glass ware).  We decided to try and eliminate plastics from our kitchen and storage, then we try to eat as much organic and hormone/steroid/antibiotic free food as possible.  We buy locally every time we can, and I may be able to share some leads on that as well.

Also, get the person going gluten free a new toothbrush and some Crest.  And if one of you is gluten free and the other is not, make sure the one that is not gluten free brushes their teeth before they kiss the one that is!  More than germs are passed in saliva...and on a more touchy subject...The allergist says they cannot say for sure if gluten is passed in other bodily fluids, so if you are gluten free and still having issues, you may need to invest in condoms.  We don't have the kind of gluten reaction that affects the skin, scalp and tissue, just the stomach, but I know that a type of dermatological reaction to gluten does exist and then you have to change you soap, shampoo, dish detergent, laundry detergent and fabric softner...everything that touches the skin.

Last, but not least, accept your new condition, and decide to befriend it and make the best of it.  If you fight it, it will take longer to heal, and you will have stress and all the problems that come with it to deal with on top of your original condition.  The more stress you can eliminate, the better you will feel and the faster your stomach can heal.  Also, accept that nothing and no one is perfect.  You are going to make mistakes, and you are going to ingest some gluten, somewhere, no matter how careful you are.  There are going to be setbacks, just try to learn from them and go on and do the best you can.

We will have to address family attitudes and dinners, reunions, etc later.  This is an issue we are still dealing with.  And sometimes we aren't doing very well with it, but we just do our best, and let God take care of the rest.

I am happy to report that after a year, my husband showed at least a 50% improvement in the cilia on the lining of his intestines!  So that encourages us to keep on going and doing our best!

*NOTE: from now on I am going to try to always abbreviate "gluten-free" with the letters GF.

Welcome to heidihobbie-gluten free!

Hi everyone!  Welcome to my new blog!  I want to get a few things out of the way and then we can get started! I will do my very best to make sure any recipes or instructions I give here are accurate.  I will not be responsible for ANY outcome whether it is positive or negative.  I don't accept credit or blame.  I want to share what has and has not worked for us, and I will use brand names whenever necessary, but feel free to use whatever brands you want.  After all, this has to work for you too as it is just as much your journey as it is mine.  I just want to offer all the information I can to as many people as I can and hopefully help someone and at least make everyone else smile!  So become a follower, comment, and join in this exciting journey of life gluten free!