In celebration of Christmas, I want to share a few delicious recipes!! The first one is a yummy cereal bar that makes great lunch snacks.
Peanut Butter Cereal Treats
30 Large Great Value Marshmallows
3 TBSP Great Value No Salt Added Butter
1 TBSP Great Value Creamy Peanut Butter
6 Cups Enviro-Kids Peanut Butter Puff Cereal
1 1/2 Cups Sixlets (M & M's work great too!!)
In a large saucepan, combine the marshmallows, butter and peanut butter. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in the cereal and Sixlets (M & M's). Pat into a buttered 13 x 9 x 2 inch cake pan. Cool. Cut into bars.
GF Chex Mix Chicken Feed
3 Cups Corn Chex
3 Cups Rice Chex
3 Cups Krogers Ultimate Cheese Poppers
(I substituted some Snyder's Gluten Free Pretzels, some Glutino Honey Nut O's for the Rice Chex)
1 Cup mixed nuts (I used P-Nuttles Butter Toffee Sunflower Kernels)
6 TBSP Great Value Butter
2 TBSP Kurtz Worcestershire Sauce - Sav-A-Lot Brand
1 tsp Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
1 tsp Kroger Onion Powder
Heat oven to 250 degrees. In a roaster pan, melt butter in the oven. Add seasonings and mix well. Add in the cereals and pretzels and cheese corn, nuts, etc. Stir well. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool. Store in an airtight container.
Monday, December 5, 2011
Friday, May 20, 2011
Honey Glazed GF Chicken
Well, tonight we are having a well-anticipated favorite!! This takes a little more prep time, but is WELL worth it! It is mouth-watering!!
Honey Glazed Chicken
4 chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed and cut up into approximately 1 inch pieces (kitchen shears
are great for this!)
1/2 Cup GF flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp seasoned salt (Tony Chachere's)
3/4 - 1 Cup butter melted
1/4 Cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 Cup honey
1/4 Cup lemon juice
1 TBSP soy sauce
1/4 Cup butter, melted
Blend flour, salt and seasoned salt. Roll chicken pieces in mixture. Pour 3/4 - 1 Cup melted butter in bottom of 13 x 9x 2 inch cake pan. Place chicken pieces in butter. Turn one time to coat. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, blend brown sugar, honey, lemon juice, soy sauce and remaining1/4 cup butter. Blend well with a fork. Pour over chicken. Bake an additional 20 - 30 minutes till done...If chicken is sitting shallow in the sauce, baste often.
Note: We love this served with red potatoes cubed with the skin on. Wash and cube potatoes. Place on a piece of tin foil with several pats of butter and sprinkle with Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning. Place another piece of tin foil on top and curl up the edges tight. Place right on oven rack or on a cookie sheet to prevent accidents. Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour in the same oven with the chicken.
Honey Glazed Chicken
4 chicken boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thawed and cut up into approximately 1 inch pieces (kitchen shears
are great for this!)
1/2 Cup GF flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp seasoned salt (Tony Chachere's)
3/4 - 1 Cup butter melted
1/4 Cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 Cup honey
1/4 Cup lemon juice
1 TBSP soy sauce
1/4 Cup butter, melted
Blend flour, salt and seasoned salt. Roll chicken pieces in mixture. Pour 3/4 - 1 Cup melted butter in bottom of 13 x 9x 2 inch cake pan. Place chicken pieces in butter. Turn one time to coat. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, blend brown sugar, honey, lemon juice, soy sauce and remaining1/4 cup butter. Blend well with a fork. Pour over chicken. Bake an additional 20 - 30 minutes till done...If chicken is sitting shallow in the sauce, baste often.
Note: We love this served with red potatoes cubed with the skin on. Wash and cube potatoes. Place on a piece of tin foil with several pats of butter and sprinkle with Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning. Place another piece of tin foil on top and curl up the edges tight. Place right on oven rack or on a cookie sheet to prevent accidents. Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour in the same oven with the chicken.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Easy, Peasy, GF Meatloaf
Tonight we are having meatloaf and mashed potatoes! Yummy! And it is soooooo easy and pretty quick! So whip this up and enjoy it - Feel free to double it and freeze some for an even quicker weeknight meal later too!
One pound of hamburger (deer burger, elk burger, bison burger...)
1/4 to 1/3 cup ketchup (Heinz brand)
One big squirt of Barbeque Sauce (Jack Daniel's Brand)
2 eggs
1/2 to 3/4 Cup GF bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ground mustard (or a healthy squirt of Heinz mustard)
2 tsp ground sage
1 tsp onion powder (or garlic powder or both)
1 tsp Tony Chachere's (optional)
Mix this with your hands in a big bowl till really well mixed...I make sure it is well squished between my fingers. Then press into a loaf pan and cover with about 1/2 to 1 inch of water. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Chris likes a big slice of cheese on a slice of meatloaf, and I love a cold meatloaf sandwich. Enjoy!!
One pound of hamburger (deer burger, elk burger, bison burger...)
1/4 to 1/3 cup ketchup (Heinz brand)
One big squirt of Barbeque Sauce (Jack Daniel's Brand)
2 eggs
1/2 to 3/4 Cup GF bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp ground mustard (or a healthy squirt of Heinz mustard)
2 tsp ground sage
1 tsp onion powder (or garlic powder or both)
1 tsp Tony Chachere's (optional)
Mix this with your hands in a big bowl till really well mixed...I make sure it is well squished between my fingers. Then press into a loaf pan and cover with about 1/2 to 1 inch of water. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Chris likes a big slice of cheese on a slice of meatloaf, and I love a cold meatloaf sandwich. Enjoy!!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Variation on the Bisquick GF Biscuit
A new friend of mine sent me a variation she uses on the recipe from the back of the GF Bisquick box. She and I halve the recipe b/c they dry out quickly if not frozen. So here is the recipe halved... This will make about 6 biscuits. If you want more just double it!
1 Cup GF Bisquick Biscuit/Baking Mix
3 TBSP Butter Flavor Crisco
One egg
1/3 Cup buttermilk
Grease or butter your pan (Or use parchment paper - that's what I do). Then spoon the dough onto the paper in 6 equal portions or butter your hands and form biscuit shaped balls of dough. Bake as directed on the box. Serve warm with butter or under some of GF gravy I mentioned in an earlier post about my pantry. Enjoy!
1 Cup GF Bisquick Biscuit/Baking Mix
3 TBSP Butter Flavor Crisco
One egg
1/3 Cup buttermilk
Grease or butter your pan (Or use parchment paper - that's what I do). Then spoon the dough onto the paper in 6 equal portions or butter your hands and form biscuit shaped balls of dough. Bake as directed on the box. Serve warm with butter or under some of GF gravy I mentioned in an earlier post about my pantry. Enjoy!
Friday, May 13, 2011
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...
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...
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
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.
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.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
A new posting by the Be Free For Me Blogger
Here is a link to a posting on the Be Free For Me Blog, that I thought you may get some helpful information from... http://www.befreeforme.com/blog/?p=4957. It was an informative read for me even though we have been dealing with celiac for almost 18 months now...
At long last - the rest of the pantry, fridge and freezer contents!
Now that we have all the medical issues resolved - at least for the time being - I can get back to my blog! I apologize for my absence! It has been a roller coaster around here, and this just sort of fell off the ride, so to speak... But now here is the rest of what is in my panty, fridge and freezer:
Chex cereals - Rice, Corn, Honey Nut, Chocolate
Erewhon (Brand - not product) GF Corn Flakes
V-8 Fruit Fusions - Our Favorite is Strawberry Banana
Fleischman’s Yeast
Yoplait Yogurt - Key Lime, Orange Creamsicle, Vanilla, Lemon Burst, Strawberry Banana, Mixed Berry, Strawberry
Kozy Shack pudding - chocolate, strawberry and rice
Great Value melt n dip cheese bar
Kraft shredded cheese
Great Value shredded cheese
Oscar Meyer Beef Bologna - and 98% Fat Free Bologna
Great Value Cream Cheese
Great Value Parmesan
Heinz Ketchup
Heinz Spicy Brown Mustard
Smart Balance mayonaisse
Kroger Private Selections 100% Maple Syrup
Jack Daniels BBQ Sauce
Borden Lactose Free Cheese
Kraft 2% milk cheese slices
Marburger buttermilk
Great Value Cottage Cheese
Great Value Romano Cheese
Great Value Butter - regular and salt free
Great Value Extra Creamy Whipped Cream in a can
Olivio Spray Butter
Kikkoman Soy Sauce
Better Than Boullion Beef and Chicken Base
Ocean Spray Cran-grape and Cran apple
Nestle Premium White Chocolate Morsels
Nestle Milk Chocolate Morsels
Bob’s Red Mill Xanthan Gum
Make N Mold Premium candy wafers in Vanilla and Peanut Butter (lot of other flavors available - purchased
at Craft’s 2000 in Parkersburg
Great Value Brand Mashed Potato Flakes
Great Value Brand Creamy Peanut Butter
Great Value Brand Powdered Sugar
Great Value Brand Brown Sugar
Ian’s Chicken Nuggets
Ian’s Fish Sticks
Steak-umms Steaks
Lloyd’s Beef, Pork and Chicken Barbecue (Heat N Eat)
Lloyd’s Rack of Ribs (Heat N Eat)
Turkey Hill Ice Cream
Del Monte Fruit Chillers -Freeze N Eat
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST: REDBRIDGE GLUTEN FREE BEER BY BUDWEISER!!!
Chex cereals - Rice, Corn, Honey Nut, Chocolate
Erewhon (Brand - not product) GF Corn Flakes
V-8 Fruit Fusions - Our Favorite is Strawberry Banana
Fleischman’s Yeast
Yoplait Yogurt - Key Lime, Orange Creamsicle, Vanilla, Lemon Burst, Strawberry Banana, Mixed Berry, Strawberry
Kozy Shack pudding - chocolate, strawberry and rice
Great Value melt n dip cheese bar
Kraft shredded cheese
Great Value shredded cheese
Oscar Meyer Beef Bologna - and 98% Fat Free Bologna
Great Value Cream Cheese
Great Value Parmesan
Heinz Ketchup
Heinz Spicy Brown Mustard
Smart Balance mayonaisse
Kroger Private Selections 100% Maple Syrup
Jack Daniels BBQ Sauce
Borden Lactose Free Cheese
Kraft 2% milk cheese slices
Marburger buttermilk
Great Value Cottage Cheese
Great Value Romano Cheese
Great Value Butter - regular and salt free
Great Value Extra Creamy Whipped Cream in a can
Olivio Spray Butter
Kikkoman Soy Sauce
Better Than Boullion Beef and Chicken Base
Ocean Spray Cran-grape and Cran apple
Nestle Premium White Chocolate Morsels
Nestle Milk Chocolate Morsels
Bob’s Red Mill Xanthan Gum
Make N Mold Premium candy wafers in Vanilla and Peanut Butter (lot of other flavors available - purchased
at Craft’s 2000 in Parkersburg
Great Value Brand Mashed Potato Flakes
Great Value Brand Creamy Peanut Butter
Great Value Brand Powdered Sugar
Great Value Brand Brown Sugar
Ian’s Chicken Nuggets
Ian’s Fish Sticks
Steak-umms Steaks
Lloyd’s Beef, Pork and Chicken Barbecue (Heat N Eat)
Lloyd’s Rack of Ribs (Heat N Eat)
Turkey Hill Ice Cream
Del Monte Fruit Chillers -Freeze N Eat
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST: REDBRIDGE GLUTEN FREE BEER BY BUDWEISER!!!
Thursday, May 5, 2011
One of two MOIST GF dessert bread recipes that we LOVE!!
Land O Lakes Glazed Triple Chocolate Bread
2/3 Cup firmly packed brown sugar, Great Value Brand
1/2 Cup butter, softened, Great Value Brand
1 Cup GF Chocolate Chips, Nestle Semi-sweet, Milk or White *
2 eggs
2 1/2 Cups GF flour, Tom Sawyer Brand
1 1/2 Cups applesauce, Great Value Brand
1 tsp baking powder, Clabber Girl Brand
1 tsp baking soda, Arm & Hammer Brand
2 tsp GF vanilla, Simply Organic Brand **
1/2 Cup chocolate chips, set aside
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together brown sugar and butter in large bowl. Add melted chocolate chips mix well. Add eggs, applesauce and vanilla. Mix well. *** Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Blend in 1/2 Cup chocolate chips. Spoon batter into 5 mini or one regular sized greased and sugared loaf pans.**** Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until center crack in bread is dry when touched - or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, put glaze on and let it set, then remove from pans. I also slice it, bag it in sandwich bags and freeze it. It stays fresher and more moist if you freeze it.
Glaze
1/2 Cup chocolate chips
1 TBSP butter
5 tsp water
1/2 Cup powdered sugar, Great Value Brand
1/4 tsp vanilla
Dash of salt, Great Value Brand
Combine chocolate chips, butter and water in a small saucepan. Melt over low heat and stir until smooth. Remove from heat, add powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Stir until creamy and smooth. Frost each loaf with glaze. Cool completely.
NOTES:
*I use Milk Chocolate Chips in the bread and White Chocolate Chips in the glaze...
**The reason why you have to make sure your vanilla is GF is that it has alcohol in it, and you have to make sure it isn't "grain" alcohol...
***The reason you add the chocolate chips and mix them well before adding the eggs, is sometimes the chocolate is warm enough to make the eggs cook a little and that would leave egg chunks in your bread.
****I use greased and sugared pans instead of greased and floured pans because it tastes better and you don't get a hit of dry, gritty flour as your first texture when you pop this bread in your mouth.
2/3 Cup firmly packed brown sugar, Great Value Brand
1/2 Cup butter, softened, Great Value Brand
1 Cup GF Chocolate Chips, Nestle Semi-sweet, Milk or White *
2 eggs
2 1/2 Cups GF flour, Tom Sawyer Brand
1 1/2 Cups applesauce, Great Value Brand
1 tsp baking powder, Clabber Girl Brand
1 tsp baking soda, Arm & Hammer Brand
2 tsp GF vanilla, Simply Organic Brand **
1/2 Cup chocolate chips, set aside
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together brown sugar and butter in large bowl. Add melted chocolate chips mix well. Add eggs, applesauce and vanilla. Mix well. *** Add dry ingredients. Mix well. Blend in 1/2 Cup chocolate chips. Spoon batter into 5 mini or one regular sized greased and sugared loaf pans.**** Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until center crack in bread is dry when touched - or a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely, put glaze on and let it set, then remove from pans. I also slice it, bag it in sandwich bags and freeze it. It stays fresher and more moist if you freeze it.
Glaze
1/2 Cup chocolate chips
1 TBSP butter
5 tsp water
1/2 Cup powdered sugar, Great Value Brand
1/4 tsp vanilla
Dash of salt, Great Value Brand
Combine chocolate chips, butter and water in a small saucepan. Melt over low heat and stir until smooth. Remove from heat, add powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Stir until creamy and smooth. Frost each loaf with glaze. Cool completely.
NOTES:
*I use Milk Chocolate Chips in the bread and White Chocolate Chips in the glaze...
**The reason why you have to make sure your vanilla is GF is that it has alcohol in it, and you have to make sure it isn't "grain" alcohol...
***The reason you add the chocolate chips and mix them well before adding the eggs, is sometimes the chocolate is warm enough to make the eggs cook a little and that would leave egg chunks in your bread.
****I use greased and sugared pans instead of greased and floured pans because it tastes better and you don't get a hit of dry, gritty flour as your first texture when you pop this bread in your mouth.
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!
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!
Monday, May 2, 2011
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??
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??
Sunday, May 1, 2011
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!!
The long-awaited Easy, Delicious GF Bread Recipe
Ok, I got it together and here it is!! The much anticipated, delicious, easy GF bread recipe...(*dramatic music*) Be sure and save the crumbs (and the crumbs from any bread or cracker product you try and don't particularly like) to use in meatloaf, to bread chicken breasts or fish filets...Keeps you from feeling like you are throwing money away...
Tom Sawyer Gluten Free Bread
3 1/4 Cup Tom Sawyer Gluten Free Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder - Clabber Girl brand
1/2 tsp salt - Great Value Brand
2 TBSP sugar - Great Value Brand
3 tsp Fleischman's active dry yeast
Place these in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer and mix on low. Remember to use the regular beaters for this recipe. Do NOT use the bread dough hooks!! After these are blended together well, turn off the mixer and create a shallow indent in the dry ingredients.
In a separate small bowl, combine:
2 TBSP olive oil - Great Value Brand
2 eggs - we use farm fresh locally gathered eggs
1/2 tsp cider vinegar - Great Value Brand
1 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup milk
Beat the wet ingredients until well mixed. Pour into depression in dry ingredients, and mix till all moist. Set mixer on high and beat for two minutes. Batter will be VERY soft and have the appearance of cake mix batter. Grease a bread pan well and flour it. Then place the batter into the bread pan and set it in a warm place to rise until doubled - about 2 hours. When bread has doubled in size, place in a 350 degree oven and bake until nicely brown and edges pull away from sides of the pan, about 40 minutes.
NOTES: Always make sure you are not using the same mixer for your GF recipes as recipes containing gluten, and always use a designated GF toaster too, don't share!! You could use a regular hand mixer instead of a stand mixer if you prefer, just make sure it is not used for foods containing gluten!!
My tips: I have only made this recipe using the Tom Sawyer's GF flour. It bakes up nice and smooth and reminds me of English muffins. Other flours may be grainy or gritty, I'm not sure, but you could substitute any flour blend you prefer. The reason I use cider vinegar is that white vinegar is usually grain based and can easily be a source of gluten. The cider vinegar comes from apples. You can decrease the amount of water and increase the amount of milk to satisfy your specific taste, and you can also substitute dry powdered milk for the liquid. Also, GF bread can be rather heavy, and this recipe can be that way too, so instead of using one regular size loaf pan, I make it in two smaller loaf pans and cut the slices as thin as I can with an electric knife. Chris also prefers it to always be toasted.
Tom Sawyer Gluten Free Bread
3 1/4 Cup Tom Sawyer Gluten Free Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder - Clabber Girl brand
1/2 tsp salt - Great Value Brand
2 TBSP sugar - Great Value Brand
3 tsp Fleischman's active dry yeast
Place these in the mixing bowl of your stand mixer and mix on low. Remember to use the regular beaters for this recipe. Do NOT use the bread dough hooks!! After these are blended together well, turn off the mixer and create a shallow indent in the dry ingredients.
In a separate small bowl, combine:
2 TBSP olive oil - Great Value Brand
2 eggs - we use farm fresh locally gathered eggs
1/2 tsp cider vinegar - Great Value Brand
1 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup milk
Beat the wet ingredients until well mixed. Pour into depression in dry ingredients, and mix till all moist. Set mixer on high and beat for two minutes. Batter will be VERY soft and have the appearance of cake mix batter. Grease a bread pan well and flour it. Then place the batter into the bread pan and set it in a warm place to rise until doubled - about 2 hours. When bread has doubled in size, place in a 350 degree oven and bake until nicely brown and edges pull away from sides of the pan, about 40 minutes.
NOTES: Always make sure you are not using the same mixer for your GF recipes as recipes containing gluten, and always use a designated GF toaster too, don't share!! You could use a regular hand mixer instead of a stand mixer if you prefer, just make sure it is not used for foods containing gluten!!
My tips: I have only made this recipe using the Tom Sawyer's GF flour. It bakes up nice and smooth and reminds me of English muffins. Other flours may be grainy or gritty, I'm not sure, but you could substitute any flour blend you prefer. The reason I use cider vinegar is that white vinegar is usually grain based and can easily be a source of gluten. The cider vinegar comes from apples. You can decrease the amount of water and increase the amount of milk to satisfy your specific taste, and you can also substitute dry powdered milk for the liquid. Also, GF bread can be rather heavy, and this recipe can be that way too, so instead of using one regular size loaf pan, I make it in two smaller loaf pans and cut the slices as thin as I can with an electric knife. Chris also prefers it to always be toasted.
Friday, April 29, 2011
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
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
About our diagnosis...
I thought I would address the process we went through to finally get his diagnosis...I am sure it was a process for each of you, and our journey took over 12 years! He started out just having periods of not feeling well. He would be fine for several months and then wind up in the hospital overnight because he was so sick. It would be anything from severe fatigue, severe acid reflux, severe allergic reactions with rashes, itching, coughing, sneezing, and sometimes severe nausea, and other various, often vague symptoms that each alone would not cause major problems, but put several of them all together and they are overwhelming to say the least. It seemed like any stress would make things worse and the holidays seemed to always bring a trip to the hospital. There were multitudes of tests done...Ultrasounds, Cat Scans, MRI's, Upper GI w/small bowel follow through, colonoscopy, Barium Swallow, Biopsies, and more that I have forgotten. All came with awful concoctions to be drank, and then the nastiness of passing the same concoctions later. Of course massive amounts of blood was drawn and wouldn't you know it that EVERY SINGLE TEST ALWAYS came back NEGATIVE or NORMAL! We even went to UPMC and they couldn't figure out anything, but they didn't really order any testing either, just more or less reviewed everything we brought with us Finally we went to a doctor that listened to us and said he would NOT give up until we knew what was wrong, and what to do about it. So we had more blood work and a SERUM TISSUE ANTI-TRANSGLUTIMINASE test. That finally came back POSITIVE or ABNORMAL. So then the next biopsies were ordered, and they came back positive for celiac sprue. So we went GF. Then the doctor we started with had very little experience with celiac, so we changed over to one that had a few patients with it. We also switched gastroenterologists. He told us from the beginning that we probably had a false positive on the biopsies because the samples had been taken from the wrong part of the stomach/intestines. He said that if we chose to go with him as our specialist, that he would repeat all of the biopsies. He took his samples from the right place - the duodenum, or bulb below the stomach. The results were that the cilia were damaged, but were not completely flattened, but about 50%. That meant that the celiac diagnosis was inconclusive. I fully believe that by following the diet so closely that the cilia were in the process of repairing themselves and had made a good comeback. Picture the cilia as fat little fluid-filled hairs, that are in charge of absorbing the nutrients from our food. When the are damaged, they deflate and lose all their fluid and lie down flat, then they cannot get to the food to get the nutrients we need out of it. That is what leads to malabsorption and malnutrition, and sometimes incredible weight loss. Recovery does not happen overnight, but it does happen. We are about 18 months out, and are just now experiencing an extended period of time where things are just about as normal as they can be. There have been several set-backs and a day or two of feeling well followed by a week or two of feeling rather sick. But we treasure the days when all is better, and we learn something new all the time about the disease, and about how we can live our lives around it and not have it completely consume us. Try not to let it get you down! And if you want, please share your story in the comments!!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
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!!
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!!
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
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.
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!
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