Talk about a learning curve! (re: gluten and wheat free foods)

[AimeeM]

My husband is being amazing about this, since dd's dx of having a serious wheat allergy and celiacs. I thought for sure he would balk - after all, an Italian... our main staples are crusty breads and tons of pasta, lol.

Instead, when Autumn cried because she wouldn't be able to eat her favorite spinach ravioli, he told her that from now on Saturday evenings the two of them would make fresh gluten/wheat free pasta... and that he thought everyone in the house could stand to do with less gluten. It put a smile on Autumn's face at least.

 

Last night Tony decided to make an asian chicken salad - lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, marinated grilled chicken breasts, ginger dressing. We weren't thinking. We were only thinking that nothing in the salad had OBVIOUS wheat/gluten. Didn't think to check labels until too late. Mommy fail! Eventually it dawned on me to check, and sure enough... freakin' EVERYTHING had wheat in it! The ginger dressing, the soy sauce... everything but the main ingredients (i.e. the lettuce, veggies, chicken)... everything else had wheat.

 

:(

 

Learning curve...

 

Oh, and I picked up a bag of the Pamela's brownie mix that was suggested. Is it normal for it to taste a bit grainy or did I do it wrong? I'm a fantastic baker, but don't usually use bag/box mixes.

[Dandelion]

Kudos to your DH for having such an amazing attitude about this!

 

And yes, the majority of dressings have wheat/gluten in them unless they specifically say gluten-free. It might be helpful to you to print out a list of all the "code words" for gluten if you haven't already done so. Gluten can hide under other ingredient names.

[NicAnn]

It does take a while! But don't stress...you know the problem and can fix it. Your dh is awesome for helping with this. It can be difficult when the support isn't there.

 

Pamela's doesn't taste grainy, to me. But we have been gf for 5 years now so maybe I don't remember...

[celticmom]

_:grouphug:

[Ellie]

Kudos to Mr. AimeeM!!!

 

This is where you now get to learn to make *everything* from scratch, including salad dressings. Of course, the truth is that it's probably better for all of you anyway, because so many prepared foods have all sorts of undesirable ingredients. You might be able to get a copy of "The Supermarket Handbook;" following its recommendations will cut down on the, um, opportunities to find gluten in the most amazing places. o_0

[Matryoshka]

Oh, and I picked up a bag of the Pamela's brownie mix that was suggested. Is it normal for it to taste a bit grainy or did I do it wrong? I'm a fantastic baker, but don't usually use bag/box mixes.

 

I've never had Pamela's, but I had a friend who was GF and baked a ton. In analyzing her very yummy recipe results, it seemed the secret to great GF cooking was including either a fruit or fruit puree (bananas, pumpkin, applesauce, berries...) or shredded veggies (zucchini, carrots), AND extra eggs. These seemed to add the moistness and lift that was needed to offset the lack of gluten.

 

I think most of her recipe books came from the Gluten-free Gourmet series. Using these guidelines, though, I was able to successfully alter some of my own recipes for when I was baking for friends who were GF.

[celticmom]

Nourishing Traditions is not a GF recipe book per se but it has multiple recipes for salad dressings and condiments.

[Karen in CO]

When we first went gluten free, our shopping time more than doubled because of extra label reading. And please read every label every time because ingredients can change without notice.

 

Some other places you may not think of - meat - lunch meats frequently contain gluten as do some chicken, turkey, tuna.

Also potato chips, corn chips, ice cream, yogurt, and any kind of prepared sauce.

 

Your cooking utensils, kitchen surfaces, and appliances can retain gluten. We have a double-toaster with one side being gluten free. I also don't cook with non-gf flours in the house because of cross-contamination.

[AimeeM]

When we first went gluten free, our shopping time more than doubled because of extra label reading. And please read every label every time because ingredients can change without notice.

 

Some other places you may not think of - meat - lunch meats frequently contain gluten as do some chicken, turkey, tuna.

Also potato chips, corn chips, ice cream, yogurt, and any kind of prepared sauce.

 

Your cooking utensils, kitchen surfaces, and appliances can retain gluten. We have a double-toaster with one side being gluten free. I also don't cook with non-gf flours in the house because of cross-contamination.

 

Including freshly sliced deli meats (say, from the deli counter in Publix, lol)?

[Plateau Mama]

 

Oh, and I picked up a bag of the Pamela's brownie mix that was suggested. Is it normal for it to taste a bit grainy or did I do it wrong? I'm a fantastic baker, but don't usually use bag/box mixes.

GF baking definitely has a different texture than regular baked goods. It will take some getting used to. I can't use Pamela's (has dairy) so I can't remember what the texture was like, but it was one of my favorite mixes when we could use it.

Including freshly sliced deli meats (say, from the deli counter in Publix, lol)?

Yes. I would not do the deli meats due to cross contamination. Even if you find meats that are GF the other meats and cheeses sliced on the slicers may not have been. I have found a few brands of "natural" packaged lunchmeats that are safe. My sons favorite is Applegate Naturals. Costco also has some (I just discovered this week).

[Laurel]

 

Including freshly sliced deli meats (say, from the deli counter in Publix, lol)?

 

I'd ask to look at ingredients for other brands, but Boar's Head is gluten free.

[NicAnn]

Private Selection/Kroger is too. It's becoming more common, and most deli brands are gf now.

[itsheresomewhere]

I don't know if you have a Wegmans nearby but every Saturday throughout May, they are featuring gluten-free foods. Pamela's doesn't taste grainy to me.

[wapiti]

Here is a gluten-free soy sauce replacement (our house is not GF but dd actually prefers this to soy sauce). I found it at our local natural food/vitamin store.

http://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Secret-Organic-Vegan-Aminos/dp/B003XB5LMU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368038647&sr=8-1&keywords=coconut+amino

[Karen in CO]

I'd ask to look at ingredients for other brands, but Boar's Head is gluten free.

 

We use Boars Head and only from a deli that exclusively serves gf meats.

[my2boysteacher]

My husband is being amazing about this, since dd's dx of having a serious wheat allergy and celiacs. I thought for sure he would balk - after all, an Italian... our main staples are crusty breads and tons of pasta, lol.

Instead, when Autumn cried because she wouldn't be able to eat her favorite spinach ravioli, he told her that from now on Saturday evenings the two of them would make fresh gluten/wheat free pasta... and that he thought everyone in the house could stand to do with less gluten. It put a smile on Autumn's face at least.

 

Last night Tony decided to make an asian chicken salad - lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, marinated grilled chicken breasts, ginger dressing. We weren't thinking. We were only thinking that nothing in the salad had OBVIOUS wheat/gluten. Didn't think to check labels until too late. Mommy fail! Eventually it dawned on me to check, and sure enough... freakin' EVERYTHING had wheat in it! The ginger dressing, the soy sauce... everything but the main ingredients (i.e. the lettuce, veggies, chicken)... everything else had wheat.

 

:(

 

Learning curve...

 

Oh, and I picked up a bag of the Pamela's brownie mix that was suggested. Is it normal for it to taste a bit grainy or did I do it wrong? I'm a fantastic baker, but don't usually use bag/box mixes.

 

 

According to my sister who has Celiac's, a lot of chicken has chicken broth injected in it to make it taste better. Most of the broths contains gluten. Make sure your chicken is labeled 'gluten free'.

[Jaz]

Oh, and I picked up a bag of the Pamela's brownie mix that was suggested. Is it normal for it to taste a bit grainy or did I do it wrong? I'm a fantastic baker, but don't usually use bag/box mixes.

 

Unfortunately, all the gluten-free flour mixes taste grainy. If the recipe has cream cheese or another strong flavor it isn't as bad. We've basically stopped using gluten-free flours and look for other alternatives. Our go-to recipe is gluten-free peanut butter cookies. I also make pies without a crust, pumpkin pie with a topping is a big hit (bake at 450* for 15 minutes then add some coconut oil or butter with brown sugar and cinnamon on the top. bake at 350* for 50-60 min.). It creates a crunchy top. These almond flour brownies and these oatmeal raisin cookies are pretty good. I'm sorry, I know it's difficult at first. I wish we had stayed away from all gluten-free alternatives and just made simple meals to start with ice cream for dessert. My dh (celiac)says it is much easier to eat gluten-free flour items after being away from wheat for several months.

[Mabeline]

Many of Chocolate Covered Katie's recipes are gluten free. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie is one of my favorites and is easy to make.

 

http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2011/05/31/deep-dish-cookie-pie/

 

[Mom-ninja.]

Including freshly sliced deli meats (say, from the deli counter in Publix, lol)?

 

There is too much risk of cross contamination. Trust me when I say that cross contamination is the bane of every celiac's life. It's exhausting but you always have to be vigilant. Unless you get there as the very first customer and the slicing machine is completely clean and hasn't been used yet. Also, you can get Boar's Head (all gf) prepackaged. Also, Hormel Naturals is gf. We get that.

 

I know it's a lot of work to make the change right now. The first thing you need to do is decide if you are going to have a completely gf house or not. If you will still have gluten in the home you need to divide everything. All gluten containing foods need to be stored separately from gf foods. This means in the pantry and the fridge. You can have all gf on one special shelf in the pantry or on one side of the pantry. Same in the fridge. Dedicate a shelf for gf foods only. Be strict about it. GF should be on top so that in case something with gluten falls over and spills you don't contaminate any gf foods.

 

All condiments should be labeled as clearly gf. Take a big sharpie and write gluten free across it. If these are used by other family members this items with gluten fodds they muct never ever double dip the knife or spoon. Ever. The tiniest crumb will get a celiac sick.

 

You will need separate cooking utensils, separate cutting boards, a separate colander (very important!), separate toaster or toaster oven. These items should never be used with gluten foods. You may think you can get a wooden or plastic cook spoon clean but you can't get all the gluten. The gluten molecules get into the smallest cracks and soak into wood/plastic and can make your dd sick.

 

I know someone who designated an entire counter to being gf. That means no one is allowed to prepare or set any gluten on that counter ever.

 

I decided to have a 100% gf house because I can't expect my young children to never ever get gluten somewhere it shouldn't be. It just makes things easier and safer for me (and my ds who is also gf). Even adults make mistakes and I'm not putting my health in the hands of my children!

 

A few weeks ago my dh was cooking. He was drinking a beer (the only gluten he's allowed to bring into the house), and he absentmindedly put his finger in the beer to get something out (piece of dirt or something), wiped his finger on his pants, and then later stuck his finger into the pot of food he was cooking. Yep, I got sick. I was throwing up later. I'm that sensitive. So now the rule is no more drinking beer while cooking.

 

What I heartily suggest is this book. It is hands down the best I've read. Really. Check your library or order it today.

 

For people just starting on the gf/celiac journey I recommend this book. It's great to have to quickly look something up. They release a new edition every year.

 

Oh, you may be interested to know that Italians have one of the highest rates of celiac disease. :) Italy has some really good gf substitutes. My family in Europe has sent me small packages with gf foods made in Italy. So much better than what is here....at least the things I've tried.

 

As for brownies.....I really like Betty Crocker gf brownies much better than Pamela's.

[AimeeM]

I think I want to cry.

I didn't realize how hard this would be!

My husband is fine with the idea of going completely GF as a household, but I first want to talk to my son's specialists about the implications to his health (my almost 4 year old has some congenital health problems and is very, very, very small for his age as a result of the conditions, but is also a picky eater - I can't afford to deny him the few foods he eats heartily and the doctors agree); on a similar note, I'm also going to request he be given a similar blood workup (that my dd had). What if he isn't gaining weight, not only due to his lung condition, but because of underlying celiacs? I say that because one thing that concerned my dd's new ped was not only the stomach pains, but that she hadn't grown in well over a year.

This is hard. I feel like such a wuss right now.

There is too much risk of cross contamination. Trust me when I say that cross contamination is the bane of every celiac's life. It's exhausting but you always have to be vigilant.

 

I know it's a lot of work to make the change right now. The first thing you need to do is decide if you are going to have a completely gf house or not. If you will still have gluten in the home you need to divide everything. All gluten containing foods need to be stored separately from gf foods. This means in the pantry and the fridge. You can have all gf on one special shelf in the pantry or on one side of the pantry. Same in the fridge. Dedicate a shelf for gf foods only. Be strict about it. GF should be on top so that in case something with gluten falls over and spills you don't contaminate any gf foods.

 

All condiments should be labeled as clearly gf. Take a big sharpie and write gluten free across it. If these are used by other family members this items with gluten fodds they muct never ever double dip the knife or spoon. Ever. The tiniest crumb will get a celiac sick.

 

You will need separate cooking utensils, separate cutting boards, a separate colander (very important!), separate toaster or toaster oven. These items should never be used with gluten foods. You may think you can get a wooden or plastic cook spoon clean but you can't get all the gluten. The gluten molecules get into the smallest cracks and soak into wood/plastic and can make your dd sick.

 

I know someone who designated an entire counter to being gf. That means no one is allowed to prepare or set any gluten on that counter ever.

 

I decided to have a 100% gf house because I can't expect my young children to never ever get gluten somewhere it shouldn't be. It just makes things easier and safer for me (and my ds who is also gf). Even adults make mistakes and I'm not putting my health in the hands of my children!

 

A few weeks ago my dh was cooking. He was drinking a beer (the only gluten he's allowed to bring into the house), and he absentmindedly put his finger in the beer to get something out (piece of dirt or something), wiped his finger on his pants, and then later stuck his finger into the pot of food he was cooking. Yep, I got sick. I was throwing up later. I'm that sensitive. So now the rule is no more drinking beer while cooking.

 

What I heartily suggest is this book. It is hands down the best I've read. Really. Check your library or order it today.

 

For people just starting on the gf/celiac journey I recommend this book. It's great to have to quickly look something up. They release a new edition every year.

 

Oh, you may be interested to know that Italians have one of the highest rates of celiac disease. :) Italy has some really good gf substitutes. My family in Europe has sent me small packages with gf foods made in Italy. So much better than what is here....at least the things I've tried.

 

As for brownies.....I really like Betty Crocker gf brownies much better than Pamela's.

[walkermamaof4]

Vanilla extract is also usually made from wheat vodkas. We now buy smirnoffs and vanilla beans and make our own in a pretty dark glass bottle. We use the coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. HTH! It is HARD. Just imagine - our ds can't eat gluten, dairy, eggs, peanuts, cinnamon, spinach, and more. It is my idea of a nightmare.

[Plateau Mama]

Vanilla extract is also usually made from wheat vodkas. We now buy smirnoffs and vanilla beans and make our own in a pretty dark glass bottle. We use the coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. HTH! It is HARD. Just imagine - our ds can't eat gluten, dairy, eggs, peanuts, cinnamon, spinach, and more. It is my idea of a nightmare.

 

I hear ya! Mine can't have beef, pork, lamb, any gluten grains, dairy, soy, eggs, corn, bananas, sesame, peanuts or pecans!

 

OP, just breathe. Take it one day at a time. The first thing I would do is remove all gluten from the house, just temporarily until you get things under control. Maybe keep a bin of things just for yo 4 yo. It will be so much easier in everyone if its just not in the house.

 

Next, think whole foods, meat, fruit, veggies. That's all a body need anyway. Look into the Paleo Diet (Practical Paleo is my favorite book). Forget flavorful sauces for now. You can add them in later once you figure things out.

 

Lastly, make a menu for a week. Use that as your backbone use it for the next month until you get a handle on things. As you get more recipes you can expand it to two weeks etc.

[Mom-ninja.]

I think I want to cry.

I didn't realize how hard this would be!

My husband is fine with the idea of going completely GF as a household, but I first want to talk to my son's specialists about the implications to his health (my almost 4 year old has some congenital health problems and is very, very, very small for his age as a result of the conditions, but is also a picky eater - I can't afford to deny him the few foods he eats heartily and the doctors agree); on a similar note, I'm also going to request he be given a similar blood workup (that my dd had). What if he isn't gaining weight, not only due to his lung condition, but because of underlying celiacs? I say that because one thing that concerned my dd's new ped was not only the stomach pains, but that she hadn't grown in well over a year.

This is hard. I feel like such a wuss right now.

 

It is hard. It is overwhelming. It is depressing. Allow yourself to cry. Allow your dd to cry. It's okay to be angry at the unfairness of it all. Then, you get back up, brush off, and are happy that it's only celiac you're dealing with and not a terminal illness.

 

Gluten is not essential to anyone's diet. Just keep that in mind with your youngest. Make a list of his favorite foods. Then you can try gf substitutes and see if he likes them. Besides keeping a few items for a 4 yr old separate would be easy. He could have his own special basket. He might like that. Just make sure he doesn't spread gluten crumbs or drops.

 

When I was diagnosed celiac I had all my kids take the genetic testing for celiac along with the antibody test. I'm very glad I did. Turns out only one out of my three kids carry the celiac genes. I was happy to find that out. So, you might ask for your youngest to have the genetic blood test as well. It might be good to know considering his other health issues if he is at risk of ever developing celiac at any time in his life.

 

It's almost the weekend. Take the weekend to clean out, scrub, and reorganize the kitchen. You can buy a new set of utensils, a cutting board, and colander for pretty cheap right now, and make the changes for other items (like toaster) later. For now if she wants to toast gf bread you can put foil on a baking sheet (to prevent contamination) and put in the oven.

 

I actually took a week off home schooling to give myself time to redo my kitchen, go through all my food, search the internet for recipes, and read celiac books.

 

Has anyone mentioned the Make It Fast Cook It Slow cookbooks yet? The author's dd is celiac and there are great recipes...easy too. So easy.

[goldberry]

I'm new to GF also, and after realizing that pretty much everything had wheat in it, I now just look for things that specifically say they don't. (Aside from main ingredients, like you mentioned, meat, vegis, etc.) But anything in a bottle or box, I look either for gluten free, or if it lists allergy ingredients but doesn't say wheat.

 

I'm not smart enough yet to decipher all the ingredients. So if it doesn't say GF or list allergy ingredients, then I'm afraid to buy it.

[goldberry]

Many of Chocolate Covered Katie's recipes are gluten free. The Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie is one of my favorites and is easy to make.

 

http://chocolatecove...ish-cookie-pie/

 

Chocolate Covered Katie makes me drool....

 

DD is picking out recipes we are going to try during summer...

[Dahliarw]

Gluten Free Goddess is also a great resource. Some really yummy recipes. http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/

 

When baking gf, from scratch, I find it is WAY eaiser to do the flours by weight, and it's more accurate. Gf recipes can be really finicky. I recommend a good kitchen scale that measures in grams. I have this hanging inside one of my kitchen cupboards for quick reference: http://realfoodmadeeasy.ca/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/glutenfree-flours-volume-weight.pdf I also have a shelf in my freezer to store the gf flours. A lot of them go bad faster then I can use them if they sit at room temperature.

 

As far as soy sauce, I use SanJ wheat free tamari. They even have little packets you can buy to take with you (I do to go with sushi - though if you do sushi avoid sauces and imitation crab meet).

 

Small stature can be a sign of celiacs in children. I agree with having your son tested, or just pull gluten for all and see if he benefits.

[LizzyBee]

For flavoring foods, all of McCormicks single spices are gluten free.

 

I second Practical Paleo. My family has really liked some of the recipes I've tried.

 

Here is a recipe for paleo curry meatballs that my family loved. I have tried numerous meatball recipes and never liked any of them, but these are amazing. Gluten free doesn't mean flavor free. http://paleomg.com/leftovers-curry-meatballs/

 

:grouphug: It will get easier with time.