Grinding your own wheat with a celiacs child? Help me think through this...

[TranquilMind]

You've got one sick child who needs something close to perfection for him to be well. The rest of you can be healthy without the perfection of home ground wheat. I would seriously consider giving up an A+ in wheat products and buy any wheat products you choose to get for the rest of the family, at least until your ds is doing really well and you are used to what it takes to keep him that way. I'm sure it will be hard as it must be a major value to you to grind/bake your own.

 

Me too. I'd ditch the wheat. It isn't worth the risk. Buy some nice bread for everyone else for awhile, or maybe a friend can bake you some and you can bag it separate from where your child will be.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I'd say most of my stuff tastes like the "real" thing. I had another blog that I did initially called Recreating Happiness. It's a total organizational nightmare of a blog that I'm hoping to re-do and move all my stuff over to.

 

The first things I worked on were chocolate chip cookies and pie crust. Those were my two things I just HAD to have that actually tasted good and not like those nasty GF mixes. Personally I think I nailed it.

 

My banana bread is really spot on too.

 

I had given up on Belgian waffles thinking they just couldn't be done but then we went to Disneyland and they made us some awesome GF waffles. So after many, many, many attempts I was able to recreate those. I'm actually most proud of my waffles.

 

 

Thank you for pointing out your blog. I will save the link and try some of your recipes ~ they look great!

[Ann.without.an.e]

Oh the mixes are awful IMO. Made me sad. I love the website http://www.glutenfreegoddess.com. I have played around with her recipes and never been steered wrong so far. At a party this weekend no one could believe the brownies were GF and DF. They are almond meal and rice flour based. The banana chocolate chip bread is really a hit at my husband's work. I think she has a book.

 

 

 

Thank you for the link. :)

[Mom-ninja.]

Katie, can you share some of these recipes? I read about GF baked goods that taste as good as the real thing, but I have yet to experience that myself. :confused: I've even gone with some mixes, thinking they'd be sure bets. :tongue_smilie:

 

Betty Crocker Chocolate Chip cookie mix. Really. You cannot taste any difference.

 

 

 

Thank you! We'll be needing sugar cookies for Christmas. :001_smile: Cinnamon rolls used to be our Christmas morning tradition, but they're so much work! That would be sure to make dd smile. Thanks.

 

For Christmas cookies :D This was the first book I bought.

 

 

 

Charleigh, as far as your little guy still getting sick. Have you completely de-glutened your kitchen? As Shelsi said, you need new cooking utensils, new pot and pan, new cookie sheet, new colander, new cooking board, etc. If you're still going to have gluten in your house you need to separate anything that a knife or spoon will touch. Separate butter, mayo, jelly, honey, peanut butter, etc. Gluten foods should only be prepared on one specific counter and the counter needs to be cleaned with a rag that is then immediately rinsed and put in the laundry or use paper towels. You can't have kitchen towels or rags that may have gluten crumbs or flour dust to wipe counters or wipe/dry hands because he will be exposed.

 

Have you cleaned out all your kitchen drawers? Crumbs are everywhere. I have to always wash my fork (with a fresh paper towel) when I eat at someone's house because there will be crumbs in the drawer and they will touch the eating utensils.

 

Toasters are a nightmare. You need a new one or get rid of it altogether.

 

If you have a waffle iron you need a new one.

 

Basically, you need to scrub down your kitchen and also buy new kitchen items that are strictly gf.

 

You cannot be too careful. It's a huge adjustment and very different than from someone who is eating gluten free as a personal choice. Very different.

[Harriet Vane]

Charleigh, as far as your little guy still getting sick. Have you completely de-glutened your kitchen? As Shelsi said, you need new cooking utensils, new pot and pan, new cookie sheet, new colander, new cooking board, etc. If you're still going to have gluten in your house you need to separate anything that a knife or spoon will touch. Separate butter, mayo, jelly, honey, peanut butter, etc. Gluten foods should only be prepared on one specific counter and the counter needs to be cleaned with a rag that is then immediately rinsed and put in the laundry or use paper towels. You can't have kitchen towels or rags that may have gluten crumbs or flour dust to wipe counters or wipe/dry hands because he will be exposed.

 

Have you cleaned out all your kitchen drawers? Crumbs are everywhere. I have to always wash my fork (with a fresh paper towel) when I eat at someone's house because there will be crumbs in the drawer and they will touch the eating utensils.

 

Toasters are a nightmare. You need a new one or get rid of it altogether.

 

If you have a waffle iron you need a new one.

 

Basically, you need to scrub down your kitchen and also buy new kitchen items that are strictly gf.

 

You cannot be too careful. It's a huge adjustment and very different than from someone who is eating gluten free as a personal choice. Very different.

 

Unfortunately, this is what my sister had to do.

 

When she visits, I do this in my kitchen as well. (Not buying new stuff, but the cleaning.)

[Shelsi]

Unfortunately, this is what my sister had to do.

 

When she visits, I do this in my kitchen as well. (Not buying new stuff, but the cleaning.)

 

When we visit my mom she uses plasticware & paper plates for us. Over time she has accumulated appliances just for our use as well. She's got a toaster, mixer, waffle iron, and a griddle. She's like me and loves to bake/cook & she wants to be able to bake with the kids which is mostly why she's accumulated all this.

 

Btw, no one has really mentioned it but when going out to eat, or finding a place that is GF friendly, I really like the website: http://www.glutenfreeregistry.com People can post reviews which are really helpful.

 

The best, most accomodating and careful restaurant I have ever been to is Cheeseburger in Paradise. Really it should be called Gluten Free in Paradise IMO. They wrap GF silverware in a different room than their regular silverware. They bring out the GF food separate from the regular food (and wear gloves to bring it to the table). They seem to have the best training and take it very seriously. Neither dh nor dd have ever gotten sick there. Plus they have tons of GF food including appetizers and desserts. Outback is usually good too but we did have an issue with them for the first time a few months ago. At the bottom of dh's salad, after he'd eaten almost the entire thing, he found a crouton. We were a 2 hr drive from home too - that was not a fun drive home. :(

[Mom-ninja.]

I've heard Disney is fabulous too. So, you'd think I'd gather the courage to go. I haven't been to a restaurant in over a year since my diagnosis. I'm too scared.

[Ann.without.an.e]

 

 

Charleigh, as far as your little guy still getting sick. Have you completely de-glutened your kitchen? As Shelsi said, you need new cooking utensils, new pot and pan, new cookie sheet, new colander, new cooking board, etc. If you're still going to have gluten in your house you need to separate anything that a knife or spoon will touch. Separate butter, mayo, jelly, honey, peanut butter, etc. Gluten foods should only be prepared on one specific counter and the counter needs to be cleaned with a rag that is then immediately rinsed and put in the laundry or use paper towels. You can't have kitchen towels or rags that may have gluten crumbs or flour dust to wipe counters or wipe/dry hands because he will be exposed.

 

Have you cleaned out all your kitchen drawers? Crumbs are everywhere. I have to always wash my fork (with a fresh paper towel) when I eat at someone's house because there will be crumbs in the drawer and they will touch the eating utensils.

 

Toasters are a nightmare. You need a new one or get rid of it altogether.

 

If you have a waffle iron you need a new one.

 

Basically, you need to scrub down your kitchen and also buy new kitchen items that are strictly gf.

 

You cannot be too careful. It's a huge adjustment and very different than from someone who is eating gluten free as a personal choice. Very different.

 

 

Okay, what if I just REALLY don't have the money to replace everything right now? Can I just really, really scrub everything? What if I clean all of my pans then surely the gluten residue will be gone, right? I could clean and then run brand new water and clean again...repeat the cycle a few times? As long as I also clean out cabinets, etc at the same time? I will just ditch the toaster, I get that, but I can't replace all of my pots, pans, utensils, etc. I can see the cutting board logic so I think I will replace that too.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks a million, ya'll are great :001_smile:

[Ann.without.an.e]

Oh and my DS is 11, so he is not that little. This is good and bad ~ good that he is old enough to know why he can't have certain things and he definitely can't deny what gluten does to him so he is motivated. It is bad in that he is not always with me (this is where it gets difficult). He goes to a friend's house or is at youth group and wham-o he gets something that he "thought" was okay or that a well meaning adult told him was okay :glare: I am teaching him to read labels and he is doing much better calling, texting, or asking before eating anything he is unsure about.

[MomatHWTK]

You could cook your DS' food separately with his own set of color-coded pots and pans. When Ds was first ill with allergies, he had separate utensils, dishes, even his own mini-microwave. I ran his dishes through our dishwasher separately. I also reserved one section of the counter that was for his food prep only, his own shelf in the refrigerator, and separate condiments (double dipping in the jelly jar is a big slip up that can happen really easily.)

 

All of this may have been overkill, but he was just a year old and really sick and I just wanted my baby well. KWIM? Plus, the more preventive measures you have in place the less trouble shooting you have to do from meal to meal.

Edited October 2, 2012 by MomatHWTK

[Mom-ninja.]

Okay, what if I just REALLY don't have the money to replace everything right now? Can I just really, really scrub everything? What if I clean all of my pans then surely the gluten residue will be gone, right? I could clean and then run brand new water and clean again...repeat the cycle a few times? As long as I also clean out cabinets, etc at the same time? I will just ditch the toaster, I get that, but I can't replace all of my pots, pans, utensils, etc. I can see the cutting board logic so I think I will replace that too.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks a million, ya'll are great :001_smile:

 

If you're going to keep cooking with gluten then it doesn't make sense to get rid of your pots and pans. Keep those for gluten cooking.

 

If possible buy one pot and one pan that is only used for gf stuff. If that's not possible (and trust me I know!) you can wash really well on certain pots/pans.

 

Are they stainless steel? Cause those you can get clean and gf. Anything with a non-stick coating will be harder to clean. Gluten can stick/hide in little scratches of the coating.

 

Cast iron? My dh really loves his cast iron pan and has had it for years. I basically scrubbed the life out of it, de-seasoned as best I could, and then reseasoned. I haven't gotten sick. However, once that's done you don't want to put gluten in the cast iron again. Keep it gf.

 

All glassware can be cleaned but don't use plastic storage containers for gf items if they've had gluten in them. You can use cleaned cottage cheese containers for now until you can get new storage containers....unless they are glass of course.

 

Wooden and plastic cooking utensils do need to be replaced. You can just buy one cook spoon and one spatula for now. If you have stainless steel utensils they are fine with a good scrubbing.

 

Let's see anything else?

 

If you have a bread machine do not make gf bread in it. You'll need a new one for gf bread.

 

So just look closely at your stuff. The rule of thumb is wood and plastic have to replaced. Scratched non-stick pots and pans should be replaced.

 

You can line baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

 

Ceramic, stainless steel, and glass are okay. Cast iron really really really scrub.

 

With the holidays coming up it's a great time to ask for new kitchen items....like a new bread machine or toaster oven.

 

I forgot! You must have a new colander. Even if it is stainless steel. Trust me there is no way you can get all the gluten from all those little holes.

 

So for now the must haves are new cutting board, new colander, new cook spoons (unless stainless steel).

Edited October 2, 2012 by Kleine Hexe

[Mom-ninja.]

Oh and my DS is 11, so he is not that little. This is good and bad ~ good that he is old enough to know why he can't have certain things and he definitely can't deny what gluten does to him so he is motivated. It is bad in that he is not always with me (this is where it gets difficult). He goes to a friend's house or is at youth group and wham-o he gets something that he "thought" was okay or that a well meaning adult told him was okay :glare: I am teaching him to read labels and he is doing much better calling, texting, or asking before eating anything he is unsure about.

 

He needs his own food at all times. For now. He's learning and you're learning. It's easier and safer to have him take his food with him where ever he goes. I try to find out in advance what others will be eating so I can give ds a similar item. So if he's going to a pizza party I send him with his own gf pizza I made. If there will be cake I send him with his own gf cupcakes (Betty Crocker gf cake mix is a lifesaver for making quick cupcakes). If there will be a bunch of snack food like pretzels and crackers, I'll send him with popcorn (already popped), chips that I know are safe (there are Dorito flavors that are safe like Cool Ranch...I know those are popular with teens), and sometimes gf crackers. Although gf crackers and pretzels are expensive.

 

Most people have NO clue what is safe. I could tell you some stories. Like the woman who thought my ds could have pizza because the pizza crust is made from flour....and apparently she didn't know flour was wheat. Or my sil who tought ds could have store bought cake because it's cake flour and not bread flour. Or my mil who thought she could just take the ice cream off the ice cream cone and it would be fine. Or dh's aunt who thought that I could just eat the pie filling scrapped out of the crust and just not eat the crust. Or dh's uncle who ruined my perfectly lovely gf baked beans I provided for the family dinner by using the spoon to scoop some out that he had just used for the noodle salad.

 

 

 

:grouphug: to you both. It does get less frustrating.

Edited October 2, 2012 by Kleine Hexe

[Shelsi]

Oh and my DS is 11, so he is not that little. This is good and bad ~ good that he is old enough to know why he can't have certain things and he definitely can't deny what gluten does to him so he is motivated. It is bad in that he is not always with me (this is where it gets difficult). He goes to a friend's house or is at youth group and wham-o he gets something that he "thought" was okay or that a well meaning adult told him was okay :glare: I am teaching him to read labels and he is doing much better calling, texting, or asking before eating anything he is unsure about.

 

I always make sure dd has safe food with her. I've got stuff stored in the car (GF bars, crackers, pretzels, and nuts), I've got a small bag of GF cookies in my purse, and when we're going to a friend's house, to girl scouts, playdates, etc I also bring along something for her. She spends the night at my friend's house sometimes and I'll pack up a few things for her in a bag. She knows that even though grown ups might say it's OK she needs to ask certain grown-ups first if she really can eat it because many grown ups mean well but don't understand what GF really means. She learned pretty quickly that one of her preschool teachers last year could be trusted and the other could not (dd said she would often give her a cupcake along with the other kids and dd would have to remind her she couldn't eat it).

 

It's a learning curve for sure for both parent and child but it becomes much much easier over time.

 

Once you get the hang of it you can make some GF cupcakes and freeze them. Dd & dh have vanilla cupcakes, blueberry muffins, and raspberry muffins in the freezer they can pull out if needed. This way when dd is going to a birthday party or some other event she can have a dessert too instead of just watching the other kids eat yummy stuff. Btw, while it's not my favorite, the Betty Crocker GF chocolate cake mix is OK.

[Harriet Vane]

 

Most people have NO clue what is safe. I could tell you some stories.

 

 

:iagree:

 

Indeed. People are really clueless. We have lived this reality with my ds who cannot have milk, as well as my celiac sister.

[Ann.without.an.e]

Thank ya'll again for all of your help. :001_smile:

[Katy]

I LOVE Pamela's Gluten Free Bread mix (though beware- based on the *ahem* windy effects the next day, it must be primarily bean flour. Also, it tastes so good otherwise perfectly behaved dogs will get up on your counter to steal it as it cools.

 

If you're not as afraid of arsenic in rice as I am, Tinkyada pasta, while not exactly the same, is yummy and has a nice texture.

 

Lately I've been experimenting with recipes from this site: http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/

 

I think next I might try their gluten free fruit loops recipe!