Easy Gluten Free Living

Archive for the ‘Gluten Free’ Category

 Hi Mary,  Newbie celiac here with a question.  Other than really not liking the gf breads from the supermarkets, the transition has been fairly easy.  I never liked bread anyway, but I do miss pita bread.  I haven’t been able to find a gf pita bread anywhere, even though my town has three major markets with gf sections and several gf bakeries.  Do you have any suggestions for a recipe or a source?  (Vegan too if possible – that would be beyon heaven.)

Phyllis

Hi Phyllis.  I know what you mean about the storebought breads.  Believe it or not they have actually gotten better over the years since I was first diagnosed, but I try not to have to eat them.    I haven’t really seen it in any of my grocery stores where I shop for gluten free supplies either.  But I did find a Focaccia Flat Bread Mix online.  I’m not sure if it is vegan or not, but it is lactose and casien-free and yeast free.

I haven’t tried this mix for myself yet, but it is going to be on my list to try.  I hope this helped a little.

Keep asking those questions, I love getting them and answering them.

As people in the city of Pittsburgh sat in line in front of the Apple Stores anxiously awaiting their new I Phone 4, little did they know that there is a new app for your IPhone, IPad and IPod Touch that will help make gluten free shopping just that much easier.

My Grocery Master is an inovative idea that gives users access to a database with over 100,000 specialty food products and 360 name brand products at your fingertips.  So that whether you’re local store is out of that specialty nut flour you need or you’re on vacation in another town and run out of gluten free bread, you’re covered.  With the My Grocery Master app, you just type in the zip code plus the food product you’re searching for and the system will scan it’s database of the top 100 store chains in the country and online grocery stores, tell you where the closest location that carries that item is and even give you driving directions.

It works by using a GPS function and for added convience your search results can be saved.  You don’t need a connection unless utilizing the one-touch  website links.  There is also a one-touch link to the My Grocery Master website where they provide recipes and other information.

The App. also includes free updates with new brands and products offered.  The current database includes products for gluten free, lactose free and Kosher diets.

Future updates in the works are for diabetic, vegan and organic diets.

The application is available in the Apple App Store and costs an annual fee of just $4.99.

Some of but not all of the stores included in the database are:

• A & P
• Food 4 Less
• Giant
• Kroger
• Safeway
• Trader Joes
• Walmart
• Wegmans
• Whole Foods

If you found this information interesting, useful, or have anything to add, leave a comment below and let me know.

Barbara asked me last week, “What do you do to make good bread?”.  Bread is probably the hardest thing to make gluten free and still taste good.  I have yet to find a good store bought loaf.  Most of it tastes like cardboard or a dried out sponge.

Barbara also asked if I’d be willing to share a recipe.  So I decided that I would share a bread recipe from my new gluten free cookbook, A Gluten Free Holiday, that will be available within the next month.

A Gluten Free Holiday E-book Cookbook is filled with recipes and tips for getting together with family and friends.  It has the kind of food that you will be able to serve your guests or take with you to pot luck dinners and no one will guess that they are eating gluten free.

I hope you all enjoy this recipe.

                              Better Than Store Bought Gluten Free Bread 

• 3   Extra Large Eggs, beaten
• 3   Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 1/2   Cups Warm Water
• 1   Cup Sweet Rice Flour
• 1   Cup Rice Bran
• 1 1/2   Cups Brown Rice Flour
• 2 1/4   Teaspoons Xanthan Gum
• 3 1/2   Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
• 1 1/2   Teaspoons Salt
• 1/2   Cup Powdered Milk
• 2 1/4   Teaspoon Active Dry Yeast

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Sift all dry ingredients in a bowl.  In a separate large mixing bowl, mix all wet ingredients until well blended.  (I use my electric stand mixer with the dough hook attachment.)  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, 1/2 cup at a time while mixer is mixing and beat well, until dough is thick but not too stiff.  Pour batter into a greased loaf pan. 

Cover and set aside in a warm location for one hour to rise.*  Once dough rises, bake for 50 – 60 minutes or until edges are well browned.  Remove immediately from pan and brush butter or margarine on top of bread.

Yield:  1 loaf (about 12 – 16 slices)

*I heat a cup of water in my microwave oven for about 1 – 2 minutes and then place my bread dough in the warm microwave to rise.

This bread is more like a whole wheat loaf of bread, rather than a loaf of white bread.

If you try this recipe, please let me know what you think of it.

I forgot to say that you want to keep your gluten free flours in the refridgerator or freezer.  Then bring to room temperature before using.    

Actually, gluten free baking works best with all ingredients at room temperature before using.

Just in time for the Memorial Day holiday weekend, my husband brought home some gluten free beer.  Two different kinds to be exact.  Bards and Redbridge.  Both are made from Sorghum.

Just as some background, I like to mow the lawn.  I have a gas powered, push mower with the big wheels on the back.  We have two acres that are cleared and the rest is wooded.  When I mow the grass, it’s my time to think, reflect, and get some much needed outdoor exercise.  And when I am   finished I always love having a nice cold beer. 

Of course that was way before celiac disease.  Now I haven’t had a beer in almost 25 years.  My drink of choice since celiac has been ice cold lemon water.  (I know,  far cry from a beer, but it quenches a thirst.  So when my husband arrived with two bottles of gluten free beer, I was really excited and just a little hesitant to try it.  Would it be as good as I remembered ice cold beer tasting?

First I tried the Bards, it was really good.  I mean really good.  It tasted like real beer.  (At least what I thought I remembered real beer tasting like.)  So I said to my hubby, “Taste this and tell me what you think.”  He said, “It’s good”.

Later I tried the Redbridge, it was good too.  More like a pale ale, than a regular beer.  I used to drink a darker beer, when I drank beer, so the Redbridge seemed a little weak to me.

My preference…..Bards.  It just tasted more like a regular beer.   Even though Redbridge by Anheuser-Busch was the first ever produced, I think the guys at Bard’s Tale Beer Company have nailed it.

By the way, there are more and more restaurants adding gluten free beer to their menus.  Outback Steakhouse for one and P.F. Chang’s for another.  If they don’t serve it yet at your favorite restaurant, keep asking.  The more they realize there are a lot of us out here, the more they will be willing to provide for their gluten intolerant patrons.

If you have tried any of the other gluten free beers, please leave a comment below and let me know what you think of them.  What was your favorite and why?

And I feel I have to say this, drink responsibly, please do not drink and drive.  The life you save will very likely be an innocent sober person.

I have been suffering a bit lately from writers block.  I come up with ideas to write about and then when I start they just seem like the same old rehashed stuff.

So my question to you, my readers, today is: 

 What was the one thing you wish someone would have told you, or would have liked to know when you first became a celiac or gluten intolerant?

I would really like to hear your answers so leave your comments in the comment section or find me on facebook, and leave a comment there.

I look forward to your answers.  Thanks.

I had a newly diagnosed reader ask me if there was any food straight off the store shelf that she could eat.  So I decided that I would post some regular food products that I use regularly.

• Meat:  Poultry, Fish, Canned Salmon, Canned Chicken, Canned Tuna, 100% Ground Beef, Pork, Turkey, Chicken
• Prego Spaghetti Sauce
• Joan of Arc Kidney Beans
• Canned Tomatoes / Dei Fratelli Seasoned Diced Tomatoes
• Hormel Pepperoni and Hormel Turkey Pepperoni
• Any and all fresh fruits and vegetables
• Frozen Vegetables (Not packaged with sauces)
• Potatoes both white and sweet
• Pure Rice – Brown, white, basmati, (Not Rice a Roni or such, it has wheat pasta mixed in)
• Corn Tortilla Shells / Corn Taco Shells
• Ortega Brand Taco Seasoning Mix
• Quaker Plain Rice Cakes (not the flavored ones)
• Salsa
• Cereals – Chex Brand, Corn, Rice (or any with the new Gluten Free Label), Cream of Rice, Grits
• Eggs
• Milk – Cow, Soy, Rice, Goat
• Real Cheese (such as mozzerella, cheddar, and such), Velveeta Cheese, Philadelphia Cream Cheese (plain), Cheeze Whiz
• Sour Cream (not light or reduced calorie or fat free, they can contain fillers that could have wheat in them)
• Butter
• I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter brand Margarine (there may be others but this is the only brand I know for certain)
• Yoplait, Breyers, Yogurt, (check ingredient label, not all flavors are gluten free) 
• Cracker Barrel Cheeze
• Kaukauna Cheese
• Beans and Bean Flours
• Lay’s Potato Chips
• Dorito’s Cool Ranch Tortilla Chips
• Cheeto’s Brand corn snacks
• Salted or Plain Nuts and Seeds (as long as they are not seasoned)
• Nut Flour
• Heinz ketchup
• Kraft Miracle Whip Salad Dressing
• All Vinegars except Malt Vinegar
• Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce (in the United States)
• French’s Yellow and Spicy Brown Mustard
• Guldens Spicy Brown Mustard
• Pickles
• Pickle Relish
• Be Wary of Soy Sauce there are some gluten free brands but you need to check labels.
• Most of Kraft Salad Dressings

Just remember to read labels.  All labels.  If you have any favorites that are not listed here feel free to leave a comment letting me know what I’ve missed.

Just as an addendum, my husband bought a bag of Snyder’s of Berlin Potato Chips the other day.  Snyder’s of Berlin Potato chips are not gluten free.  They say right on the bag that they are processed in a factory that also processes wheat products.

So please be sure to check package labels, always.

Everybody has a favorite “something”.  So my question to you all today, “What is your all time favorite gluten free Easter candy? 

I have to say, that even before I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, one of my all time favorite things in my Easter Basket was the Just Born Candy company’s Peeps. 

There is a real controversy on how to eat them.  I like them any way both fresh and “stale”.  My daughter likes them semi stale.  You know when they are still a little plyable, but a little chewy.  Now my daughter-in-law wants them totally stale.  She opens the package and lets them lie out until they are almost like a brick.

So if Peeps are your favorite candy how do you like them?  And if not what is your favorite Easter candy?

Today I would like to welcome my friend Karon Thackston of  glutenfreeproductlist.com. 

Karon is guest blogging for me today, and she has some really good information for you here.   She has some great ideas on Gluten Free Easter Baskets.  Karon has a very informative website full of  everything gluten free.  Thank you Karon for sharing your expertise on gluten free Easter baskets.

Living gluten free can be hard for adults, but if you have kids with Celiac disease, the challenge is even greater. With so many things they can’t enjoy with their friends, you might feel like the Wicked Witch of the West for saying “no” so often. Christmas cookies are out. S’mores are off limits. Boisterous birthday parties at Chuck E. Cheese’s are a no-no. Even the kid-food staple, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, carries a serious risk if not carefully prepared using only gluten free ingredients.

 Easter, the Gluten Free Holiday

 There is one holiday that lets you be Super Mom, though – Easter. Do you remember the baskets the Easter bunny used to bring when you were little? They were probably full of chocolate rabbits, Tootsie Rolls, and Marshmallow Peeps. You didn’t know it at the time, but those sweet treats are all gluten free. In fact, so are lots of popular candies, which makes Easter a very happy holiday for your gluten intolerant children.

 A gluten free Easter basket can be stuffed with all these favorites: Jelly Belly Jelly Beans, Marshmallow Peeps, Junior Mints, Sugar Babies, Tootsie Pops and Tootsie Rolls, Baby Ruth, Bit-O-Honey, Goobers, and Raisinets. Aside from the obvious sweet choices, don’t forget that a well-planned Easter basket can contain other items as well. Small toys, books, and other gifts are a fun addition.

 However, if you purchase from a mainstream store, remember that even gluten free candies are at risk for cross contamination if they are produced in factories which also make foods containing wheat, rye, or barley. In the United States, food manufacturers are required to indicate the possibility of cross contamination on the label, so be sure to take the time to carefully check each item before including it in your child’s basket. You can also contact the candy manufacturers if you have questions.

 Gluten Free Easter Baskets without All the Work

 Easter is just around the corner. This year it falls on April 4, 2010.  If you don’t have the time to build your own gluten free Easter basket, or if you’re planning on giving the basket as a gift and would rather stick with “certified” gluten free products, then purchasing a premade basket is the best choice. You’ll find a lot of options on the Internet, but use caution. Just because an item is gluten free doesn’t make it a good choice.

 Many manufacturers have tried to redesign traditional favorites into gluten free alternatives by substituting ingredients. Sometimes the results are delicious, but often what you end up with is not only expensive, but nearly inedible. No gluten free Easter basket is going to be well-received if the treats don’t taste good. The safest and least time-consuming alternative is to shop sites that only offer top-rated gluten free products. You’ll save yourself, and your little ones, a lot of disappointment on Easter morning.

 No time to create gluten free Easter baskets? Not sure what to include?  GlutenFreeProductList.com ONLY offers gluten free baskets and candy with 3, 4 or 5 star ratings. Shop with confidence today.

It’s hard to believe that Easter is only a little over 5 weeks away.  Here in Southwestern Pennsylvania we are preparing for another major snow storm that is already hammering the eastern part of the state and due to hit us later this afternoon and evening.  But with Easter this close I thought I would give parents of children with celiac disease some ideas for Easter Baskets.

First let me just say that all Jelly Belly jelly beans are gluten free.  YAY!  I love jelly beans. 

• All Just Born Brand candies are gluten free.  That includes their Peep brand marshmellow candies, (all varieties), Mike & Ike, Teenie Beanie Jelly Beans and more.
• M & M’s, all brands except the krispy kind
• Skittles
• Tootsie Roll Industries, posts that all their candies are gluten free
• as does Ferrara Pan Candy Company
• Laffy Taffy
• Heath Milk Chocolate English Toffee small size bars
• Swedish Fish
• Snickers Bars fun size and minis
• Wonka Giant Pixy Stix
• Starburst Fruit Chews
• and Double Bubble Bubble Gum
• Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Bunny
• Hershey’s milk chocolate eggs
• Hershey’s Special Dark chocolate eggs
• Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bunnies

If you just don’t feel like going through the whole list of gluten free candy, my friend Karon Thackston has done all the work for you by coming up with Gluten Free Easter Baskets .  Be sure to check them out.

If you don’t want to give your kids too much candy, there is always crayons, or other school supplies.

• Crayola Brand Crayons are gluten free this includes their markers, washable markers, 3D markers, chalk, oil pastels, model magic, colored pencils, glue paint and Silly Putty.  However, Crayola Dough is not gluten free.
• All Palmer Paints are gluten free
• All Ross products except the finger paints.

I hope that I have given you some ideas for your childs Easter Basket and that you have a very Happy Easter.

I know it’s been a while since I posted last.  I’ve been doing research into gluten in beauty products.  What I have found is conclusively inconclusive, but I will share with you what I’ve found so far.

When you are first diagnosed with celiac disease, you think that gluten is only found in the food that you were eating.  Not so.  Gluten is found in many things other than food, like toothpaste, although the major brands lke Crest and Colgate do not contain it.  Body wash, body lotion, hair care products, make up, almost everything you come in contact with.

Lipstick, and possibly chapstick.  Since they are used on the lips should be a concern.  Since I’ve used chapstick for a very long time, never really thinking about it, I called the chapstick contact number to see if chapstick has gluten in it.  I mean why would it?  Right?  The answer I received in my opinion was a complete run around.

I asked this exact question, “I have celiac disease, which is an intolerance to gluten, so I cannot eat any products with wheat, rye, or barley in it.  Does chapstick contain any of those grains.”  What I was told, “We do not put gluten in the end product.”  HUH?  Okay but is it in any of the ingredients that make up the end product.  Again I got we do not put gluten in the end product.  I guess I’ll be finding a new product to use instead of chapstick.

Now onto  what if it is body lotion or makeup that is not going anywhere where you might ingest it?  This is where it gets inconclusive. 

In her book The G Free Diet, Elisabeth Hasselbeck says that she can’t have any hair care products, body washes, lotions, or anything that she comes in contact with have any type of gluten in it.

However, Dr. Michael Picco at the Mayo Clinic says, “Gluten containing products and cosmetics aren’t a problem unless you accidentally swallow them.”

“If you use a cosmetic or skin care product that contains gluten and you develop a skin reaction, see your doctor or dermatologist to identify the cause.  It is possible to have an allergy to wheat or another grain that could cause a skin reaction.”

To read Dr. Picco’s full article click here.

That is pretty much what I am finding all over.  Celiac Disease is an intolerance to ingested gluten, but there are some people that can’t use skin  products that have gluten in them.

So it seems the best advice to follow is Dr. Picco’s.  If you use a product and have a reaction see your doctor to find out why.