We B Gluten Free

Okay, it is time to think about "the juice". What liquids can we put on, in, around or over our food? This is a bit more complex than it sounds, and yet is not difficult to solve at all. After all, you add liquid to nearly a 100% of things you create. So lets begin. Sauces and Gravies: Red sauces and White sauces are often gluten free. Without that "stamp" on the label you have to look. Where danger enters is the HIDDEN or MISSED gluten in things such as Soy Sauce or Teriyaki Sauce. It is even in licorice ... but that is not a sauce is it:-) Label reading or declaration are critical here. Caution here is to pay attention to the additives for flavor. On the other hand, gravies are "thickened" with flour. Occasionally you will find a blend of cornstarch and flour. If you make from scratch you could use just cornstarch, but may find flavor ....personal opinion ..... yucky:-(   BUT there are many things you can add to enhance flavor and several g...

Well you are on your way to a treat! This has become one of my favorite categories! I have found that not only are there many great options, but there are many more great recipes and mixes that open the door to my creative juices. I love to bake, even more then cooking. But a great Julia Child's cookbook can certainly inspire me. But I digress. As we continue our assessment of foods that are eligible for gnashing, we find not only are there great options, but we might discover that some of our current favorites are already gluten free. This is probably one of the most valuable lessons.....financially and anxiety wise. And one I wish I would have learned pre-trashing my cupboards. See post one if you are "in the dark". Anyway, you will find it well worth your time to visit some websites here and learn what is already on the shelves in the local grocer. As I have encouraged in the previous posts, go to the website of companies whose products you currently consume and se...

As you begin exploring markets and shelves you never glanced at before, it will help to know exactly what you need to buy. You will need to replace certain items on your current menu, clearly, BUT the good news is that some of the foods you like may already be gluten free. YEAH! That list you have been making from your daily menu will help guide you along the aisles. You have been making your list, right? So lets talk "gotta go" foods. What is that list again? This is a test. Okay I will help.....Wheat, rye, barley, malt, triticale and spelt. Oats too unless they are from a dedicated farm. Good job:-) And a critical note, WHEAT FREE does not mean GLUTEN FREE. Be sure you look for GLUTEN FREE or label read to assure it is a safe food. Bread: There are a few options for replacement. There are three places you will find these in stores, most will be in the freezer or in a mix you can bake at home. There are a few considerations when selecting ...

In review, you have just discovered you need a gluten free diet for someone or yourself. Your first instinct is likely to eliminate all food as you know it by depositing it into the nearest dumpster. STOP NOW! Take time to identify changes needed and plan how you will shop and organize your NEW kitchen. It can be done and it can be fun. It might even help to see this uncharted territory as a great adventure. Let me give you a visual.....  Many years ago I went to a foreign country. I had many beverages and foods that, well, I had never had before. As a matter of fact I am not certain what food category many of them belonged to, but that is another blog. Anyway, each had unique flavor, texture, aromas, all very different than what I was accustomed to. That being said, some I really enjoyed while some not so much. Some I immediately captured a recipe for and learned how to make. Some I avoided like the plague, not that I wasn't grateful, but you can understand. W...

Why are we in the kitchen? I would like to have had a lengthy conversation with ANYONE when we started this journey. So let me tell you what we did so you will know exactly what to do and NOT to do! We came home after learning our 12 year old had Celiac disease. "You must remove the gluten and he will be well."  "It is in his food"......WHERE I began to wonder. I researched this enough to know that it was in everything he ate. Period. 100% of his diet contained gluten. I often joked that he was a "dairytarian" only ingesting dairy and starch. So like every great mother I went home immediately and threw away everything, EVERYTHING! I would not recommend this method, and will provide a better plan later.   At this point, I suddenly had an epiphany. I did not know what to replace it with. And I had not stopped to think about our blended family. Those consuming gluten and those gluten free. Hmmm So there was another glitch. SPROUTS, one of my very favorit...

What is the deal with gluten? Gluten is a protein found in wheat that gives dough its tough, elastic character. Other grains also contain gluten such as rye, barley, malt, triticale and spelt. Oats are safe if from a dedicated farm, but historically are harvested on shared fields that have produced gluten containing grains.  For this reason caution is given because of contamination. Gluten is also found in everyday products such as medicines, vitamins, and lip balms. Thus label reading must become second nature. For those with Celiac disease, ingestion of gluten results in potentially life-threatening malabsorption, and over time can lead to many chronic, debilitating health conditions. The only treatment is to remove gluten from the diet. Those with allergies to gliadin, a component of gluten, also need to avoid ingestion.1 What is the Difference between Celiac Disease and a Gluten Allergy? Celiac disease, which affects approximately 1% of the we...