The winner of the copy of Gluten-Free Made Simple by Carol Field Dahlstrom, Elizabeth Dahlstrom Burnley & Marcia Schultz Dahlstrom is commenter #37 – Ricki of Diet, Dessert and Dogs!
Congratulations, Ricki!
Didn’t win this one? I still have another giveaway going on right now! I’m giving away 5 gluten-free baking mixes, courtesy of Lauren’s Gourmet! Check it out!
In case you haven’t already heard, May is Celiac Awareness Month. This is a fairly new designation; but it’s quickly gaining ground. I, for one, hope it continues to do so. The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness states that 3 million Americans are affected by celiac disease, yet 95% don’t know they have it. That’s nearly 3 million people that are suffering from symptoms ranging from digestive distress, emotional, neurological, and behavioral disorders, numbness and tingling in various parts of their bodies, headaches, malnourishment, and many other things, not knowing there’s a way out. Did you know there are more than 300 symptoms of celiac disease? All of these could be alleviated by a gluten-free diet.
And that’s just celiac disease. What about those with gluten intolerance? The numbers for those that cannot digest gluten are many times higher.
Many of us with undiagnosed celiac disease or gluten intolerance visit the doctor, complaining of symptoms. I did. It started in 2004-2005 – and I complained of a lot of digestive issues. (In hindsight, I had some of these issues for many, many years before then – they just worsened over time.) After multiple visits to my doctor, multiple visits to a gastroenterologist, I was told I had Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I was given several medications (none of which worked). After explaining to my doctor that I had an immediate family member with diagnosed celiac disease, he reluctantly gave me a blood test. All the while he told me I couldn’t have this issue – I wasn’t underweight. (Fact is, many people with celiac disease and/or gluten intolerance can be at any weight.) My blood test did come back negative. I kept eating gluten, and resigned to the fact that I’d have to deal with my issues for the rest of my life.
A few years passed. Over time, I wanted to be healthier. I didn’t feel energetic anymore, and I had even been given ADD medications for a while, as it became harder and harder to focus at my job. I started to try to exercise daily. I transitioned to a healthy, nourishing diet. More whole grains (lots of whole wheat bread), more vegetables, less fast food. I did all the “right” things. And yet I continued to feel worse. I got sick more often, I couldn’t handle stress, my hands and feet would swell, go partially numb and tingle, I couldn’t focus, and my digestive issues continued to plague me. My vitamin B and D levels were low, even though I regularly took supplements and ate properly. Towards the end of my “gluten-eating time”, I couldn’t eat anything, it seemed, without severe heartburn and/or nausea. I’d given up my well-loved imported beer, my coffee, and regularly took Prilosec with little relief. Finally, after talking with other family members that already went gluten-free, I decided to eliminate gluten from my diet. I did a 90-day trial. Most of those symptoms disappeared before the 90 days was up. I felt better – better than I had in a long time. I did eat gluten at the end of the 90 days, to “double-check” that it was indeed causing me harm, and my reaction to it was severe enough that I knew I had to stay away from it for the rest of my life. I never received a formal medical diagnosis of celiac disease, but I know my body doesn’t like gluten. That’s enough for me.
Many times, throughout this process, I felt like I was going crazy. That it was “all in my head.” That I had to deal with it, and that I was just getting older. (I went gluten-free at age 29. I certainly hope that’s not old!) I’ve heard this story echoed over and over as I’ve become friends with others that have discovered they are intolerant to gluten or have celiac disease. Often times, it takes years until a diagnosis is reached. Or in my case, it’s a matter of personal trial and error. (In my mind, that almost makes it tougher – many people don’t feel “validated” without that diagnosis. We should take our health and our diet just as seriously as those with a diagnosis. After all, our bodies react “seriously” to gluten!)
This is what makes Celiac Awareness Month and the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness so important. Their mission is to further research and raise awareness for celiac disease and gluten intolerance. They work to improve the time it takes for someone to receive a proper diagnosis, and to help people improve the quality of their lives.
They offer valuable information for anyone curious about what celiac disease is, what the symptoms can include, and how to deal with a gluten-free diet. They offer educational opportunities and events. They are even highlighting gluten-free bloggers every day this month on their blog (I’m one of them highlighted today!) Their website is a wealth of information and an opportunity to gain a sense of community. (For those of us dealing with gluten intolerance or celiac disease, we need all the information and community we can get.) I hope to see more and more positive events in the future from the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness and others – awareness is the only way that the millions of undiagnosed people can begin to find relief.
For those of you that suffer from some of the symptoms of celiac disease or gluten intolerance – it’s not all in your head. Visit your doctor. Get tested. Listen to your body. For me, that last part is still a work in progress, but I feel a million times better than I did two years ago. I promise you, if you find gluten is causing your problems, removing it from your diet might seem daunting at first, but you’ll feel the benefits. Your body will thank you.
Want to read more stories about symptoms of celiac and gluten-intolerance? Check out this great post by Gluten-Free Girl. She shares her story, but there are many, many commenters on that post that share theirs as well.
Filed under About, Gluten-Free
Diane over at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang is hosting an incredible series during the month of May called 30 Days to Easy Gluten-Free Living. This series came about during a conversation among several of the gluten-free food bloggers. We decided that we were tired of hearing the same old complaints about the gluten-free lifestyle – that it’s really complicated, the food is horrible, it’s expensive, etc. (In fact, I even once had a gastroenterologist tell me that the gluten-free diet is expensive!) These are gripes that are heard over and over among those people that must eat a gluten-free diet. The thing is, none of these complaints are absolute truths, and that’s what this series is all about – to help you learn how to live gluten-free easily (and frugally).
Today, I’m sharing some easy gluten-free solutions to those old standbys in the Standard American Diet (S.A.D.) – convenience foods. Convenience foods can include everything from fast food and take-out, to frozen dinners, to packaged, pre-processed, or otherwise frankenfoods that fill up many a pantry and refrigerator throughout our country. Theses foods are not only commonly filled with gluten (which we said “goodbye” to on our gluten-free diets!), but also many times are loaded with sugar, corn syrup, refined flours, hydrogenated fats, and unpronounceable mystery ingredients, such as preservatives, artificial dyes, flavors, and other unnatural substances. These aren’t good for anyone’s body, but for someone that is healing a sensitive digestive system or other adverse effects from gluten, they can definitely slow the healing process.
But even those with the best of intentions know that the reason we reach for these foods is that they’re so gosh darn CONVENIENT! When we’re busier than ever with our lives, running from one task to the next, going to school, work, then homework, taking kids to 5,000 different places, and of course, trying to keep our home in some type of order, we all wish for meals to be as convenient as possible. How do you meet this goal and incorporate gluten-free living at the same time?
Make your own “convenience” foods!
Sounds counterproductive? It doesn’t have to be. With a few key tools at your arsenal, you can make some convenience foods for you and your family that can be available when you need them most – during those times when you literally have just a few minutes to prepare your meals. With a bit of planning, and the use of some of these ideas, you can transition those old convenience foods out of your pantry for better-tasting, better-for-you homemade “convenience” foods.
Cook In Bulk – Make large quantities of dishes, and freeze individual portions. Then you can have your own homemade “frozen” dinners available for convenience. Many soups reheat particularly well, and make great lunches. I do this on the weekends, when I have more time to cook, but I also tend to use my slow cooker to cook large portions both on weekends and weekdays.
If you don’t have a ton of freezer space, you can also cook in bulk for just the coming week or a few days. For instance, you can hard-boil eggs for breakfasts, lunches or snacks for the coming week. Make beef jerky for snacks, either in a dehydrator or the oven. Cut up carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, or any other raw veggie and divide into individual containers or ziploc bags for snacks or lunches for the week. (While you’re at it, if you have fresh vegetables on the menu for various other nights of the week, wash, peel, and prepare those vegetables for your recipes too, to save yourself time later!) Bake a batch of muffins, and individually wrap them for the week (muffins tend to freeze well too!). Make a batch of gluten-free oats, cream of buckwheat, quinoa flakes, or whatever porridge your heart desires, and store it in individual containers for the week. The more batch cooking and preparation you can do, the more time you’ll save when you’re having a hectic day. Just an hour or two in the kitchen on a Sunday can save your sanity on a busy Wednesday night.
Some recipe ideas that make great “frozen” dinners:
Vegetarian Bean and Pumpkin Chili
Slow Cooker Sloppy Joes (FYI, sloppy joes taste great on a baked potato – a delicious gluten-free meal!)
Chicken Meatballs (freeze meatballs, cooked or uncooked, by spreading on a baking sheet and freezing, then place in ziploc bag)
Make your own condiments and “base” ingredients – Many condiments aren’t gluten-free, their gluten-free status is dubious, or they’re otherwise filled with corn syrup, sugar, or other processed ingredients. Does this mean we should do without? Of course not! Try your hand at making your own! I’ve fallen in love with making my own salad dressings, ketchup, pumpkin puree, nut butters, and even jams, jellies, and salsas. You’ll find when you start making your own that they taste better, fresher, and many times are cheaper to make. For example, I can find whole almonds for $5 a pound on sale, sometimes less. Try finding a 16 oz. jar of almond butter for the same price. Besides, when you make it yourself, you can customize the amount of sweetener and/or salt added, and can experiment with all sorts of nuts. Cinnamon walnut butter, anyone?
Some recipes for homemade condiments and “base” ingredients:
More Gluten-Free Salad Dressings
Gluten-Free Convenience Foods that are Relatively Free of Processed Ingredients – Generally, whole, fresh, unprocessed foods are best, and most of the time, that is what we eat in our home. It makes gluten-free living so much easier and less expensive. But there are a few “boxed” ingredients that are relatively free of preservatives and processed ingredients, and these ingredients can help streamline the meal-making process. I often keep these kinds of things on hand in my pantry, as “emergency” items, in case plans fall through.
Instant Mashed Potatoes (Idahoan and Potato Buds have varieties that are gluten-free)
Frozen Vegetables (make sure you’re buying the plain variety, and not the variety with sauce)
Canned Tuna (again, make sure you’re buying the plain variety, and not the flavored varieties)
Canned Tomatoes, Tomato Sauce, Tomato Paste
Canned Beans (check labels – plain varieties are generally gluten-free)
Gluten-Free Pasta (I love Tinkyada)
Come to think of it, if you combined a few of these above items, (for example, top minute brown rice with a bag of mixed steamed frozen vegetables, and drained and rinsed beans, warmed and seasoned to taste) you could have a gluten-free meal in a few minutes. How’s that for convenient? Of course, with a little creativity, your options for convenient meals can be endless.
Shirley over at Gluten-Free Easily has come up with an even more comprehensive list of convenient foods that are gluten-free, called 50 Gluten-Free Foods You Can Eat Today.
There you have it. Gluten-free can be more convenient than the masses would lead you to believe, and at a fraction of the price of those packaged, less-than-tasty gluten-free cookies, cakes, crackers, and other treats at the grocery. Making your own convenience foods can be healthier too!
Don’t forget to check back throughout the month for other great tips for Easy Gluten-Free Living! Here is the schedule:
Monday May 2nd Diane from The WHOLE Gang sharing Easy Gluten Free Grocery Shopping Tips
Tuesday May 3rd Iris from The Daily Dietribe sharing on How to Start a Gluten Free Diet.
Wednesday May 4th Heather from Gluten-Free Cat sharing Smoothing the GF Transition with Smoothies
Thursday May 5th Alta from Tasty Eats at Home sharing Make Your Own Convenience Foods
Friday May 6th Elana from Elana’s Pantry sharing Quick and Easy Gluten Free Cherry Vanilla Power Bars
Saturday May 7th Cheryl from Gluten Free Goodness sharing Easy Meals GF Style
Sunday May 8th Megan from Food Sensitivity Journal sharing Gluten Free Baking Undone: Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Monday May 9th Amy from Simply Sugar and Gluten Free sharing Magic Cookie Power Bars.
Tuesday May 10th Ricki from Diet, Dessert and Dogs sharing Gluten Free Baking Tips
Wednesday May 11th Ellen from Gluten-Free Diva sharing Gluten Free Travel Tips
Thursday May 12th Kim from Cook It Allergy Free sharing Eating from your Garden for Easy Gluten-Free Living
Friday May 13th Melissa from Gluten Free For Good sharing Gluten-Free Food Rules (recipes included)
Saturday May 14th Brittany from Real Sustenance sharing Healthy Allergy-Free Quick Bread with easy flavor variations.
Sunday May 15th Nicola from g-free Mom sharing Kids Lunch Boxes
Monday May 16th Wendy from Celiacs in the House sharing Fast Food for Gluten Free Teens
Tuesday May 17th Shirley from gluten free easily sharing Your Pantry is the Key to Living gfe
Wednesday May 18th Nancy from The Sensitive Pantry sharing Tips for BBQ and Picnics
Thursday May 19th Heidi from Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom sharing Tips for Getting Kids to Embrace Whole Foods
Friday May 20th Silvana from Silvana’s Kitchen sharing Everything I’ve Learned So Far about Gluten-Free plus my Dairy-Free Nutella Knockoff recipe!
Saturday May 21st Maggie from She Let Them Eat Cake sharing Easy Gluten-Free Living With Preschoolers and a Vanilla Cupcake recipe!
Sunday May 22nd Sea from Book of Yum sharing Easy Gluten Free Vegetarian Soy Free Breakfast Burritos
Monday May 23rd Tia from Glugle Gluten-Free sharing The Value of Support
Tuesday May 24th Alisa from Alisa Cooks and Go Dairy Free sharing Wrap it Up-Thinking Outside the Bun
Wednesday May 25th Hallie from Daily Bites sharing Cooking by Color
Thursday May 26th Carol from Simply…Gluten-Free sharing tips on Entertaining
Friday May 27th AndreaAnna from Life as a Plate sharing Tips on Traveling on Day Trips with Kids
Saturday May 28th Zoe from Z’s Cup of Tea sharing Feasting With Their Eyes: Food Packaging and Presentation For Kids
Sunday May 29th Kelly from The Spunky Coconut sharing Buying in bulk to save money, Cooking in bulk to save time.
Monday May 30th Rella from Penny Pinching Epicure sharing Gluten Free on a Budget.
Tuesday May 31st Naomi from Straight into Bed, Cakefree and Dried sharing how to prepare grains so they are more nutritious & digestible and create fluffier wholegrain baked goods!
Filed under About, Uncategorized
I bet you’re just dying to know who won a copy of Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free by Amy Green, aren’t you? Well, I won’t make you wait any longer. Here they are!
Pat R.
Zoe from Z’s Cup of Tea
Stephanie from Lunges and Lunch
Jeanie from Allergy Free and Gluten Free
Congrats to the winners!
I will be emailing you all, but if you don’t hear from me, please contact me.
For the rest of you, this book is available on Amazon for a great price – $10.22 (and it’s eligible for Super Saver Free Shipping!). It’s quite a find – I love the book and am finding myself going back to it again and again for ideas and inspiration.
Many thanks to Amy Green and Ulysses Press for making this giveaway possible for you all! They supplied these books and my copy for review.
Filed under About
We interrupt this not-so-regularly scheduled program to bring you this special report…Subway is testing gluten-free sandwiches in its restaurants here in the North Texas area.
That’s right, a gluten-free sandwich, only a few minutes away.
Normally, I am one to plan in advance for hectic days. Not sure where/when I’ll get to eat? I stash my purse with nuts, dried fruits, LARA bars, or a banana. I pack my lunch nearly every day for work, which often is a salad, soup, or leftovers from dinner. I rarely eat out, and when I do, it’s almost never a fast food chain. There’s just not many safe options, and they’re not all that appealing to me. I have my small circle of restaurants that I trust (Which is to say that I still explain my whole situation to them every time, share my Triumph dining card, and they are accommodating, and I haven’t gotten sick. These restaurants are also the ones that receive a generous tip from me for their efforts.), and I am cautious about when and how often I venture outside of that circle.
When I heard that Subway was trying out gluten-free sandwiches in our area, I was skeptical. There are bread crumbs everywhere, I thought. In my mind, it didn’t seem worth the risk. Then my brother called.
Guess what I’m doing right now, he says into the phone.
What?
Ordering a gluten-free sandwich at Subway.
I start to express my concerns for cross-contamination, and he responds with a description of all of the precautions they take.
I’ll call you back afterwards to let you know how it is, he says.
A few hours later, he calls back to tell me that it pretty good, and he was headed back for another for dinner. This was a reassuring sign, but I wanted to see for myself.
This past week, when I was swamped with training for work, I decided I would try it out for dinner. I look online beforehand at their allergy chart to determine what I could safely put on my sandwich. I decide on roast beef with lots of veggies and some brown mustard. I call the store near my home to make sure they’re offering the gluten-free sandwiches. (They were.) I arrive in the evening, and see that they even have a sign inside showing the “safe” ingredients for sandwiches. I place my order. Immediately, the guy behind the counter takes off his gloves. He goes and washes his hands thoroughly. He puts fresh gloves on. He takes a gluten-free bun, which is individually wrapped and sealed in cellophane, and opens it and places it on a brand new piece of uncontaminated paper. He takes out a plastic knife, which is also individually wrapped and sealed in cellophane, and opens it. He splits the bread, and moves the bread (still on the paper) to the toaster. He removes it, and tops with my meat (which has been underneath that paper that separates the slices, so there was little chance of contamination there too). Back into the toaster, still on the paper the whole time. Then he tops with my requested vegetables and mustard, and wraps the sandwich. Never does my sandwich touch their counter, and gluten-y fingers never touch it. (In fact, the guy making my sandwich held that piece of paper containing my sandwich so gingerly, so carefully, one would have thought he was carrying a small infant for the first time.) Sure, there is still a slight possibility for cross-contamination (there always is when there is gluten in the same kitchen), but Subway has obviously trained their employees well. My brother’s description of the process he encountered was identical to what I witnessed. Being able to watch the employee like a hawk also gave me some peace of mind – even in the best restaurants, I have to trust that that they understand what I mean when I describe how my food should be handled. This time, I can watch for myself.
They also offered a French Meadow Bakery gluten-free brownie. To my surprise, upon reading the label, it was also dairy-free. I opted to give it a try, just so I could share the results. See the sacrifices I make for you?
So…how was it? Good, actually. Not gourmet, of course (this is Subway, after all), but the bun was soft, which honestly, is more than I can say for their regular buns, which as I recall, were sometimes stale and hard on the bottom. It is a smaller sandwich than the typical 6-inch sub, but for me, that was just fine. They did have a sign guiding which chips were gluten-free (I didn’t buy chips), if one was interested. As for the brownie, it was surprisingly tasty – better than I anticipated. It was fudgy, and darn good for a packaged brownie, gluten-free or not.
While I’m not likely to eat this often, I do hope that this endeavor is successful for Subway, and that they soon expand it nationwide. I’m much more in favor of eating whole, unprocessed foods whenever I can (my body much prefers it, and I can ensure what I’m eating is indeed gluten-free), but for many, this would be a wonderful option. It wasn’t extremely cheap – my sandwich and brownie cost over $8 – but it was fast, and as safe as one can get eating at a fast food restaurant. If I was on the road traveling, this would be a nice option to have available for sure. So many companies and restaurants have jumped on the gluten-free bandwagon lately, and many times, it seems more as a response to a fad than an actual help for those of us that have real gluten issues. In my opinion, it seems a lot of these companies give little thought to cross-contamination, and there is often a lack of education in the restaurants. I was happy to see the care that the Subway employees took. I hope to see this trend continue. While those of us with food intolerances/allergies often have to be our own advocates when it comes to our health and food safety, it comforts me to know that someone else is paying attention.
Filed under About, Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Quick and Easy
2010 feels like a whirlwind of a year to me. Doesn’t it to you? This has been the first full year that Tasty Eats At Home has been gluten-free, and I feel like I’ve learned so much about gluten-free living, baking, and health in that time. Tasty Eats At Home has become dairy-free as well. Still, there is so much left to learn, and so much left to do. I took a look at my resolutions I posted at the end of 2009, and while I’ve accomplished a few, I realize I still wish to tackle some of those goals!
But first, let’s review some of your favorites from 2010. These are all tasty recipes – and run the gamut from quick-and-easy dinner recipes to yummy sweets.
Slow Cooker Pot Roast – I have come back to this recipe time and time again for an easy solution to dinner.
Quinoa Salad with Spinach, Raisins, and Walnuts – a healthy, light way to enjoy a quick meal.
Jap Chae – This is one of my favorite quick meals, and it’s completely vegan. Talk about satisfying without the guilt!
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins – I’ve made these multiple times since posting this recipe. A treat for kids and adults alike!
Gluten-Free Oatmeal Raisin Cookies – A favorite of mine from childhood. Yum.
Gluten-Free Churros – These were fun, and I kid you not, our kids have requested these for Christmas morning next year. Guess they were a hit.
Chocolate Ice Cream – Need I say more? Who doesn’t like chocolate ice cream? To make it dairy-free, simply use coconut milk and another dairy-free milk. I’ve made all-coconut milk ice creams before – they’re so creamy and decadent!
Gluten-Free Brownie Bites – Brittany just made these a few weeks ago, and they’re wonderful. We made them dairy-free by substituting 7 tablespoons of palm shortening for the 8 tablespoons of butter. Easy peasy, and SO worth it.
Masala-Spiced Adzuki Beans and Rice – I think it’s time to make these again, especially once the holiday overindulgence has occurred. The dish is vegan, packed full of protein, and comforting.
Flourless Almond Butter Cookies – Another easy-to-make treat! Who doesn’t love cookies, and these can be whipped up with just a few ingredients.
And what was my favorite recipe of 2010? It’s hard for me to choose! Here are my top 10 that I truly enjoyed.
Peach and Kumquat Crostada – I loved the crust here, and this was a perfect ending to a heavy meal.
Gluten-Free, Vegan Broccoli “Cheese” Rice Casserole – I was so excited when this was just as tasty as the original!
Texas Chili – This is my “go-to” recipe for chili. I made some for Christmas day, actually, using venison. (Yes, we had chili on Christmas. Long story, but we had our traditional Christmas dinner the day after, so chili was the meal for the actual holiday.) Talk about yum.
Curried Acorn Squash, Sweet Potato, and Apple Soup – a delicious and healthy soup; one of my favorites made this year!
Vegan Cheesecake with Blueberry Compote – I was ecstatic when this turned out. Cheesecake is back on the menu!
Gluten-Free Sweet Potato and Pork Pierogies – These were phenomenal. I think I should treat my husband and I again to these!
Perfect Lamb Chops – If there’s one dish that was enjoyed over and over again in our home this year, this would be it. Something that’s delicious and easy? Yes, please!
Moist and Herb-y Turkey Burgers – Another healthy dinner recipe that’s sure to make its rounds on our menu soon!
Ratatouille – If there was a vegetable that I truly fell in love with in the past year, it would be eggplant. This is one dish that truly makes eggplant sing.
Croquembouche – If there was ever a Daring Bakers Challenge that I had to conquer, this was it. I had multiple failures before this dessert finally worked, but when it did, it was heavenly.
Whew, that was harder than I thought! Apparently I am quite attached to a lot of my posts.
And now, in keeping with my tradition, a few food/cooking-related resolutions for the New Year:
– Perfect and post a great gluten-free bread recipe (I posted a baguette recipe, but I’d like to make my own sliceable sandwich bread)
– Learn to make menudo (was on the resolution list last year and I didn’t get to it)
– Learn to make gluten-free puff pastry (I’ve read about it, I just need to take the plunge!)
– Improve Tasty Eats At Home design
– Achieve work/life/blog balance! (A lot has happened in the past few months – and as much as I’d love to spend all my time with you guys, I must revisit my goals and find balance.)
And most of all, I’m curious: What would you like to see on Tasty Eats At Home? I’d love to read some feedback – more healthy recipes? More desserts? Easier layout, search functions, etc? Let me know!
Happy New Year to you all. I hope you have a safe, healthy, happy, and prosperous 2011!
Filed under About, Uncategorized
The winner of the Fresh Express coupons (giveaway details are here), chosen by random.org, is Joy at Joy’s Misadventures! Congrats, Joy! I hope you make delicious salads with these free bags of Fresh Express salads.
Filed under About
