2011's Top GF Blog Posts

Thanks to Foodista once again, I bring to you their Top 10 Gluten Free Blog Post List of 2011. Here you will find all sorts of recipes that are sure to please. I hope you enjoy these in the New Year. I know that I will be trying out a number of these recipes!

http://www.foodista.com/blog/2011/12/29/top-10-gluten-free-blog-posts-and-recipes-of-2011

Happy New Year!

Dangerously Addictive... GF FUDGE!!!

As any Celiac knows, gluten is everywhere...even when it comes to chocolate. Well for all those Celiac Chocoholics out there, here is a fudge recipe that is so simple to make it would take you longer to drive to the store to buy yourself a piece of chocolate heaven.

I was lucky enough to discover this recipe gem through Foodista on Facebook. It truly is as simple as it looks. I did only a couple of minor changes. First I highly recommend using the plastic wrap suggestion of lining your pan- it makes things so much easier. I also used Semi Sweet Hershey's Chipits instead of the brand that was recommended. As for marshmellow's make sure you read your labels here again- I've used Jet Puff before, as well as store brands as I did for this recipe. Many do not contain gluten, but I've come across the odd brand that does- so read. Also feel free to experiment with flavorings. I made one batch with orange flavoring and omitted the vanilla and nuts. I used the same amount of orange flavoring as what was called for vanilla- however, next time I try that orange-chocolate combo I may increase the amount of flavoring slightly. Peppermint has also come to mind.

One last tip...if you find that when you are combining the marshmellow mixture with the chocolate that it is cooling too quickly and cracking- put it in the microwave for 30 seconds, give a final stir, and then pour into your pan.

Woops! I forgot...more tips!!! Place plastic wrap over your poured fudge and press into place with your hands while warm. This makes a smooth top, helps get rid of air bubbles, and your spatula wont keep grabbing the surface of the fudge as it cools while you try to press it into the corners and edges. Don't fuss over the size of your pan either- mine was 13x9 inches. Also, store your fudge in the fridge after cutting into squares. Other than that, I hope you enjoy this delight as much as my family and friends did.

I've included the original recipe below. If you want to visit the site this came from, take a peek at foodiecrush.com.

http://www.foodiecrush.com/2011/12/craving-the-best-homemade-fudge-and-a-big-kiss/

WARNING: This recipe results in extremely tasty treats. Potentially addictive.


My Mom’s Fudge with Pecans
1. In a large mixing bowl, add:
1 stick butter, or 8 tablespoons (room temperature)
12 oz. package Ghirardelli semi sweet chocolate chips
Set aside
2. In a large pan stir together:
2 cups of sugar and
2/3 cup evaporated milk, until mixed
Then add 12- 15 large, fresh marshmallows
3. Cook over medium heat, (I use an electric fry pan set at 250 degrees) and stir constantly, I use a rubber spatula to stir and clean the sides of the pan. Once the mixture has melted, continue to cook and stir a bit more until you’re sure the sugar has melted; don’t let it change color.
4. Pour the hot mixture over the ingredients in the bowl and stir until the butter and chocolate melt then add:
¾ cups chopped nuts (I use pecans)
1 teaspoon vanilla
5. Continue to stir vigorously until it is very well mixed. [I kind of beat it by hand with the spatula]
6. Spray an 11” x 7” Pyrex baking dish with Pam and pour in cooked mixture, cover and refrigerate until set and ready to cut. FYI Recently I’ve lined the dish with plastic wrap so I could easily remove the fudge and sliced it with a pizza roller.

GF French Fry Cravings...Solved!

French fries are one of those things that you must be careful about as a Celiac. Many restaurants use the same deep fryer to cook things like battered pork bites and chicken tenders, including fries. This automatically excludes Celiac's from enjoying this simple food when out and about, since this causes cross contamination. Even these small amounts of gluten that are transferred to fries in this way causes problems for my Celiac daughter- severe cramping, bloating, the sensation wanting to vomit but can't, and then for the next day or two... a general blah lethargic feeling combined with headache often and becoming lactose intolerant for a week. Not fun.

For many (including myself), making fries at home is an intimidating proposition. I have attempted it, but my results have varied greatly ranging from burnt tasting to underdone, to oily and risking my skin to being scorched by the hot oil. Oven fries on the other hand, are either soggy or tough. Some of the frozen oven fries are not even gluten free, having been coated with gluten to adhere flavorings to their exterior. A losing battle it seems all for the sake of a simple comfort food. But I am here to tell you that all this fuss and frustration can be pushed aside!
 
Perfect homemade fries are possible. The "How", is called the ActiFry -made by T-fal. My son has been wowed by the commercials for the last few months and has begged for us to get one. Although intriguing, it was not on my priority list.

With Christmas coming, I took stock of my Airmiles that I have collected over the year, and began using my points to purchase various gifts for my family. As I browsed, I came across the long desired ActiFry that my son was wowed about. Well as you might guess, I bought it with my Airmiles.

It arrived yesterday. My son was elated, and hurried to help me wash the components. (If only I could get him that excited about doing dishes all the time! Lol.) I asked the kids what they wanted me to make with our new appliance, and in unanimous shouts it was FRIES.

I must say that I was impressed with results. The fries were golden brown, perfectly done and had an audible crunch to their exterior while still being tender and fluffy inside. All this was done with a tablespoon of oil! No more dealing with oil baths and splatters...and not to mention the cost savings in oil usage alone.

The ActiFry also comes with a cookbook. Here you will find everything from risotto to shrimp, and even desserts. Tonight I am going to try out a creation of my own. I will share it with you if it turns out! In the meantime here is a link to see for yourself what this contraption is all about. To briefly describe its cool factor... it is similar to what people have told me that they did when they got their first front loading washing machine (myself included)- stand there and watch it! http://tfalactifry.com/

Amazing and Easy GF Ribs

I've had alot of cravings these days and good ribs was one of them. I've never made great ribs before...until this recipe. And these are not great- they are Amazing! On top of that, they are simple with little to no fuss. The hardest part of this recipe is getting them out of the slow cooker in one piece. Yes they literally fall off the bone. Gotta love Google when you can find recipe gems like this one I found!

Easy GF Ribs

Ingredients:

2 tbsp   Brown sugar

2 tbsp   Smoked paprika

½ tsp    Salt (I use kosher)

1 tsp     Garlic powder (I ran out of powdered, so used 2 cloves of crushed garlic and mixed it in with the cola)
½ tsp    Cayenne pepper
2-3 lbs. Pork back or side ribs
1 cup    Cola, regular  (I used Pepsi, but don't use diet of either Coke or Pepsi)
½ cup   GF BBQ sauce (I used CattleBoyz again, it's gf- use your favorite)


Method:

Combine the first five ingredients to make a rub.
Generously rub the ribs with "the rub" all over both sides and then let them sit for 5 minutes.
Cut the ribs into 3-4 bone pieces and layer in a slow cooker.
Gently pour the cola over the ribs, making sure you don’t wash off all the rub. .
Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
After 6-8 hours, carefully remove the ribs from the slow cooker and place them on a baking sheet.
Brush with bbq sauce and place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes.
Enjoy!

Note: Smoked Paprika really makes this dish. It is more common in grocery stores now than even 5years ago. It is wonderful to add to many dishes and is one of my go spices- a great addition to any pantry.

My source for this lovely recipe:
http://moneygrubbinglawyer.com/2008/10/03/foodie-friday-lazy-man-slow-cooker-ribs/

GF Fried Zucchini...Yes, this means it's Battered!

This recipe discovery came about as a result of a sudden craving. I had remembered how good the tempura veggies were at our local Japanese restaurant and I began in search of a recipe that I could easily do at home. This one (http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1750,157176-224207,00.html) found on Cooks.com was simple and I quickly set to work within moments of finding this recipe. Aside from being easy, it took care of my craving. Yum!!!

GF BATTER-FRIED ZUCCHINI STICKS  

1 cup of your preferred Gluten Free flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup milk
2 tbsp. oil (I used Canola)
1 lb. zucchini, cut into 3 or 4 inch sticks (small zucchini work better)
Additional Gluten Free flour (optional)
Oil for deep frying

In a medium sized bowl, mix your gf flour with the baking powder and salt- I get fancy here and use a fork to do this...  ;)  . Then in a small bowl, now combine the egg, milk, and 2 tablespoons oil- a fork can be used here too but a whisk makes it easier. Now slowly add your liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, beating until smooth- this is where the whisk is key (a hand blender might do the trick too!). Begin heating your oil at this point- set on about medium high depending on the stove power you have- about 375'F. I used a medium to large sauce pan and poured in about an inch of canola oil- add more if necessary. I also added a bit of olive oil, having run out of canola, to top up the oil levels. Next, pat the zucchini sticks very dry (if desired, dredge lightly in gf flour- but I skipped this step since I was running low on flour). Test your oil temp by drizzling a drop or two into the oil- if it begins to sizzle and rise to the top, it is good to go. Dip the zucchini in batter, coating well, and carefully place in hot oil. You can cook a few at a time, but don't overcrowd your pan. Fry until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Drain on paper towels and place in warm oven until you have finished cooking the whole batch so they don't get soggy on you (about 170'F). Sprinkle with more salt, if you like- and serve.

Note: This tends to make a fair amount of batter. I refrigerated it overnight to use the following day and left my oil in the pan covered to reuse. In doing this, I discovered that the batter is better chilled. It sticks better and also has a heavier coating when fried, which I prefer. It was also easier to work with when transferring the battered zucchini to the oil.

Another suggestion recommended by the author of the original recipe, is to substitute with artichoke hearts, carrot sticks, cauliflower florets, sliced parsnips, or sweet potato/yam sticks. I will be sure to try this too!

Though I did not make the accompanying sauce as of yet, I am still including it for you to try out if you like. (See below.) Let me know how it turns out!!


HOLLANDAISE SAUCE:
4 egg yolks
1 tbsp. water or dry white wine
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 tsp. salt
Dash of black pepper
1 tsp. lemon juice

To make sauce, beat egg yolks until thick and light colored. Mix in water and transfer to top of double boiler set over barely simmering water. Heat and stir 2-3 minutes until warm, not hot, and eggs have begun to thicken. Add butter, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating continuously until well blended. Cook, beating 2-3 minutes until sauce thickens enough to coat back of spoon. Remove from heat and stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, pepper and lemon juice. Serve immediately with zucchini sticks.

Mouthwatering Meatloaf

Sometimes as a Celiac it feels as though you can't be "naughty" in the kitchen anymore... that all the bad things are off limits, or that you have to modify the recipe so much that it is unrecognizable as being sinful and satisfying. Well this meatloaf proves that you can eat gluten free while enjoying a truly satisfying comfort food. I found the original recipe on allrecipes.com (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/bbq-oatmeal-meatloaf/detail.aspx) and modified it to suit my gf daughter's needs. It is simple to make, moist, and mouthwatering. What more can you ask for?!... it makes two loaves so that you can freeze the second for a rushed mealtime or surprise dinner guest, and it freezes well! Woohooo!!!

GF BBQ Oatmeal Meatloaf *

*(this recipe assumes you are tolerant of oats)

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 3/4 pound mild sage-flavored (Gluten Free) breakfast sausage 
• 1 medium/large onion, chopped
• 2 medium/large carrots, shredded
• 5 tablespoons dry onion soup mix (I used Safeway brand- 1 envelope- but read your labels!)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups barbeque sauce (I used CattleBoyz- it is labelled gf and has good tang- but use your favorite gf bbq sauce)
• 1 cup Only Oats quick rolled oats, or more if desired
• 6 slices bacon, divided  

Note: I omitted the breakfast sausage since I didn't have any on hand and just increased the amount of ground meat- then added about a half teaspoon of dried sage to replace the sage flavor in the sausage. I also used half ground beef and half ground deer with success. Feel free to try a ground beef and pork combo too!

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Mix the ground beef, sausage(if using), onion, carrots, gf onion soup mix, brown sugar, eggs, and gf barbeque sauce together in a large mixing bowl until thoroughly combined. Stir in enough gf oats to make the mixture hold together- you can use up to 2 cups of oats. Divide the mixture in half, and spoon into two 9x5-inch loaf pans*. Place 3 strips of bacon the long way onto each loaf. *(If you only have one loaf pan like me, use a 9x9 square pan for one of the loaves and add more bacon to cover the top.)
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the meatloaf is no longer pink in the middle and the juices run clear, about 1 hour.

Freezing

To freeze the second loaf, put in the fridge overnight to cool completely. It will come out easily with a spatula when cold and the can be placed in a large ziploc freezer bag. Remove all the air to help protect against freezer burn. To reheat, pop frozen loaf into loaf pan again and thaw. Just before placing in oven I brushed bbq sauce over the top to prevent the top from drying out. Reheat in a 350'F oven till hot- about 30min.

Gluten Free "Fricassee"

I make this one pan meal when I'm stumped as to what to make for supper or too tired to cook something that requires much effort. This is something that my mom made on occasion when she was in a supper rush or looking for something easy to throw together at the end of a long day. The "recipe" came from her mother, who called it "Fricassee". Easy and comforting with the addition of savory, I'm happy to share this family recipe with you.

Fricassee

• Ground Beef
• Potatoes, cubed (2 two three)
• Onion (large to medium), chopped
• Peas, frozen
• Savory (1/2tsp to 1tsp- depends on how much ground beef used, you can always add more if needed)
• Salt and Pepper
• Water (1/2 to 1cup depending on amt of beef and potatoes used)
• Oil (olive or canola)  

Method:

Heat oil in skillet and cook onions until translucent. Add ground beef and brown. Season with salt, pepper and savory to taste. Add potatoes and water, simmering partially uncovered, stirring occasionally. Cook until potatoes are nearly cooked through, then add peas for the remaining few minutes. Serve when peas are bright green and cooked through (about 5 minutes).  

Easy Gluten Free Pizza Dough

My daughter has been wanting to have pizza lately these days, and it has been sometime since our local grocery store has carried gf pizza crusts. (They seem to like to do this alot!- just discontinue items suddenly.) In the past we have tried gf pizza mixes with limited success in the taste and texture department. In the last little while she has been even using gf waffles as a crust substitute, making mini pizzas. However, tonight my daughter wanted to try a recipe that was more reminiscent of "real' pizza dough. So it was off to Google! Some recipes, although promising a good final product and had good reviews, just had alot of ingredients- I would have had to make a trip to our specialty store 25min away. Then I stumbled across this recipe. Simple. Not too many ingredients. And the ingredients listed were things that most of us would have already in our gf pantry. So with recipe in hand, my daughter set to work. The end result- a dough that has good consistency, as well as taste. In her words, "It's the best one I've made at home so far- I like it! It's really good!!" She was also pleased that she could eat it like real pizza- with the crust holding together and not crumbling apart- no fork required! She is quite tickled with her crust. So give it a try- click on the link!

http://www.wisebread.com/frugal-gluten-free-living-easy-pizza-crust

Easy Homemade Gluten Free Soup

Soup is one of those things that can be difficult to find prepared in a can if you are a Celiac. And to some, making your own soup from scratch can seem intimidating. Soup making though is easier than you think, and doesn't require alot of time or money. In fact your homemade soup will most likely cost you less and taste better, as well as be free of MSG too. Soup is also forgiving when you are making it, and you can let your creative side have free rein.

The Basics:

1) Stock: You can definitely use store bought- just read your label as I find stocks vary alot where gluten is concerned. I make my own stock from chicken or turkey dinners when I've got mostly bones left.

Method: Remove most of the skin from the bird- this will help cut down fat. Place the bones in a large pot. Don't worry if there is some meat left on the bird. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Keep a lid on the pot and set temperature at medium high to high- or enough to keep it boiling, but not high enough that it will boil over. Boil the bones for at least an hour- but a good indicator is when the bones fall apart, which will depend on the size of the bird. You will also have to occasionally check to see how much water is in the pot and then add water as needed to keep the bones covered. When finished boiling, you will want to strain your stock. Use a sieve (or cheese cloth) that you have placed over a fresh pot or other large vessel and carefully ladle the hot  stock into it. The sieve will remove small bones and skin that you will throw away. Next, let the strained stock cool overnight in the fridge. This will cause the fat to harden slightly on the surface of the stock. Using a spoon, remove the fat from the surface. Most likely your stock will also have slightly solidified too- jello like. Don't worry it isn't ruined. Place it on the stove to heat it back into a fully liquid state. Next, is storage. I use ziploc freezer bags. Use a small bowl to use as a support for your bag- place an open bag in bowl. Measure two cups of stock and pour into the bag. Remove as much air as you can when sealing the bag. Freeze the stock, placing it on a flat surface. I use one 2 cup measurement for making one large pot of soup- so though the process may seem tedious it will give you alot of stock(several bags worth) for soup making down the road. You can use this for gravy making too.

2) Veggies: Ok, now we get to freestyle. What do you have in your fridge or freezer?...Just about anything goes really. Experiment. Use for example tomatoes that are getting a little on the ripe side. Broccoli cut down to size works well too- use the stems to that are not overly woody, peel and chop. Carrots, green beans, potatoes(rinse chopped potato to reduce foam), frozen corn, peppers, celery...whatever you have on hand will work. Even leftover veggies can be used. If you use peas or spinach, just put in the last few minutes of cooking.
3) Meat: This is again up to you. You can go meatless if you so desire. I sometimes use the left over turkey or chicken I froze. You can also cut up a chicken breast, or make beef meat balls and drop into the hot stock. Just note that any raw meat placed into the stock will cause some foam to form at the surface, so you may want to skim this off- but it does not affect flavor. You can also pre cook meat that you put into your soup too.
4) Other Goodies: Here you can add more to your soup if you like. This can include things like kidney beans, french lentils(since they hold their shape), leftover rice in the fridge, or a few handfuls of quinoa thrown in. I just don't recommend adding gluten free pasta to the soup as it tends to dissolve and make things gluey. If you are wanting noodles in your soup, I would make a separate pot of gf noodles and add some to a bowl of soup and not to the whole pot of soup.
5) Seasoning: This can be as simple as salt and pepper. You can add a bay leaf and/or parsley if you like. Salsa can be an interesting addition for flavoring soup, or even a can of diced tomatoes. Onion can be a good flavor adder too- but cook until translucent so it doesn't overpower the soup. Use your nose also as a guide. Smell your herbs to determine whether it might be a good addition- and when in doubt err on the side of caution. Herbs like dried sage can become easily overpowering. You can always add more seasoning remember, but you can't take it away. Use dry herbs at the beginning of cooking, and fresh herbs towards the end- you can use both fresh an dry herbs in combination if you like too. Remember to taste your soup for seasoning, and adjust as necessary. And from experience- avoid garlic in your soup...

So now that you have the basics, start with cooking your onion if using. Use a bit of olive oil or canola in a large pot- cook onion until translucent. You can cook your celery and carrots now too for about 5min. Then add your homemade concentrated stock (or 1 carton of store bought), adding enough water to cover vegetables, and make the soup the consistency you desire (my husband likes a thicker soup for example). You may also need to add a bit of water throughout the cooking process due to evaporation, as well as compensating for items like quinoa and lentils that will absorb liquid. Put in all ingredients being used, except fresh herbs and peas or other more delicate vegetables- then season. If foam develops on the surface then skim what you can with a spoon. Simmer soup for at least 30min to develop flavor- add fresh herbs and peas if using and cook an additional 5min. Serve and enjoy.
Remember there is no right or wrong way when making your soup. Express yourself. The possibilities are endless.

Today I Went to Market...a Celiac Market!

I took my daughter today to the 2nd Annual Calgary Celiac Market. It was the first time we had gone, having missed the one last year. Though there was not a large number of vendors, they were more than enough- the quality and variety of product and services offered were fantastic. They also had one thing in common no matter what they were offering- good tasting food that happens to be for celiacs. (I should note that there was a spa and a makeup line too- dedicated to going above and beyond the gluten free status.) I will apologize ahead of time for not including all the vendors in this post. I had not planned on making a post about my visit until after the fact, and there was no vendors list that was available. So that being said, here are some of the highlights.

The first table we came across was JorDan distributing. They specialize in gluten free pasta imported from Italy. It is made with a rice and corn flour combination. This pasta looked good even in the packaging. The vendor sold us though when he said that the texture was even better than the corn or rice pastas on the market that we were familiar with. When we came home from the market, my daughter set to work at making herself a pot of her new gf pasta. The first thing she noticed was that the water did not look as murky, nor did it even become sludge-like while cooking. When rinsed, the pasta did not yield the customary grit either. With eager anticipation she added butter and dove in...with a "wow" soon after. I then sampled a bite- it was nearly indistinguishable from regular pasta. I think it may be better. It was not mushy, not gritty, and had a pleasing spring in the bite that is much like good non gf al dente pasta. http://www.glutenfreepasta.ca/

Another notable is a newbie...literally- officially in business for a week! Edible Rebellion makes very yummy gluten free granola. My daughter is not a fan of granola, but she loved this granola. She is still raving about it! Look for them on facebook or twitter. 

Next stop is The Gluten Free General Store. http://glutenfreegeneralstore.ca/index.php A friendly husband and wife team who have personally tried all the products that they sell. But better than that, they deliver to your home if you live in Calgary and area- charging only $3.50 for delivery for orders under $200. Food prices are also very competitive, often less than grocery store prices.

At the table across from the GF General Store was the author of Gems of Gluten Free Baking, Wendy Turnbull. Though I did not get the opportunity to meet her (as she was talking to someone about her book), it was explained to me that her recipes are made with her own gluten free flour combination that incorporates whole grains for nutrition, and provide an excellent consistency to the final product. While adding this from Amazon.com, I noticed that it has excellent reviews too. People rave at how good the end result tastes, as well as having excellent texture. In the book she also provides the flour recipe for baking success. Will let you know with an update when I try a recipe or two out!

Here are a few other vendor mentions:

Judy G gluten-free: Amazing tasting gluten free pizza! http://www.judygfoods.com/g/Judy_G_Gluten_Free

Mia Bella Beauty: Gluten free makeup made with natural minerals and soy protein. miabella@telus.net

Community Natural Foods: http://www.communitynaturalfoods.com/ Have Calgary locations and sell online.

Calgary Gluten Free Store: www.calgaryglutenfree.com

Lakeview on 90th: Fresh gf baking. glutenfree90th@gmail.com

Jam Goddess: jamgoddess@shaw.ca

Gluten Free Marketplace: http://www.glutenfreemarketplace.ca/

Effective Health Solutions: www.effectivehealth.ca Shop, clinic and spa- that is very celiac friendly on all fronts. Holistic Nutritionist, Marie-Claude Beaulieu is a Celiac herself. She seeks to provide a whole health experience for visitors- celiacs included!

Coco Brooks: www.cocobrooks.com Yummy pizza for all, with a large selection of frozen gf pizzas. My daughter bought one for herself to try. Will let you know her verdict. I have eaten their non gf pizza before, so I have confidence that the gf ones will be good as well.

GF Patisserie: I have a particular soft spot for this bakery- they are in my backyard! (Cochrane, AB) Their flour mix is phenomenal, and works well for substitutions that call for non gf flour. Other than that, all I can say is yummy- from gf goodies to gf staples, we have never been disappointed. They do birthday cakes too that my son(a non celiac) says are better than regular cake. http://www.gfpatisserie.com/ We missed the cupcakes though that they were bringing to the market- got there too late before they were all gone...

For anyone that I missed (and I know there were more)- please comment and add yourself to the vendors that I have listed here. Or comment on my facebook page if you like. Hope to see all of you and more next year! Thank you for a terrific market for Celiacs. 

Gluten Free Defined?

A recent response to my "It Still May be Edible" post got me thinking more about the term Gluten Free. At face value, Gluten Free would be interpreted as being completely void or free of gluten. However, this is not the case on a number of fronts.
All grains, including rice and corn, contain gluten. I myself was surprised when I first learned of this. However, as shown in the table in this article, wheat, barley and rye come from a different branch of the grain family tree. http://www.thorne.com/altmedrev/.fulltext/10/3/172.pdf (See Figure 1. Taxonomy of Common Dietary Grains and Table 2. Gluten Content of Various Grains).
This then brings us to the discussion of oats. Oats in the Celiac diet are controversial. Many celiacs are able to include uncontaminated oats in their diet. The fact that some are not able to consume oats, maybe due to oats being a closer relative to wheat, barley and rye vs rice and corn. However, when it comes to labelling... it then depends on which country you live in. The FDA in the United States currently does not include oats along with wheat, barley, and rye when labelling something gluten free. (See #16)  http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/FoodAllergensLabeling/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ucm111487.htm#q11 
In Canada, if a label says it is gluten free, oats is included along with wheat, barley and rye as being prohibited. http://glutenfreediet.ca/blog/?p=176 Not even uncontaminated oats is allowed to carry the Gluten Free label in Canada.
The next eye opener is broken down into parts per million (ppm). A gluten free label in Canada and the United States, means that there is no more than 20ppm of gluten in the product. Gluten free does not mean that there is zero gluten in the product. In the European Union gluten free standards previously allowed for no more than 200ppm of gluten, but have now revised these regulations to 20ppm- however, these new rules will not be enforced until January 2012. Austrailia and new Zealand on the other hand, reserves the Gluten Free label for products containing no detectable traces of gluten, and is the strictest in the world. This label requires a measure of gluten that is in the range of less than 3 to 5ppm! http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=100494046660564&topic=272 Many countries do not have any standards in place for gluten free labelling. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gluten-free_diet 
There are also many products that do not contain any ingredients which are of concern, and yet are not labelled as being gluten free. This could be be as a result that it is made in a plant where wheat or other problematic grains are being used, or that the manufacturer does not want to go to the trouble of getting a product labelled gluten free because of the compliance that would then be involved.

While standards are improving and becoming slowly clearer, there are some Celiacs I have discovered that feel the need to go grain free. This means that not even corn or rice are eaten. These individuals find they are still symptomatic even though they follow the current accepted gluten free diet. Going grain free thus virtually eliminates any gluten in the diet from being ingested. http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/life/story.html?id=44ca5fc0-8f4b-4833-b1b2-0b258b608961&k=21125

Essentially what Gluten Free eating boils down to, is what you feel is best for your personal health. Gluten free is a relative term to guide you, that is backed up by the food regulations where you live. Whether that includes oats or not is up to the individual Celiac and their personal "gluten free" diet. Gluten free does not mean that no gluten is being consumed- rather it is an accepted amount of gluten that is suitable for most Celiacs, proposed by the medical community and enforced by government. On the flip side, something that does not have a Gluten Free label does not necessarily mean that it is not safe to consume either. Use your educated judgement where labels have failed to keep up with the times. Therefore if you feel that your risk is low for consuming gluten in products that have not been labelled Gluten Free (of course reading your labels each time), then do so if you feel comfortable. If you feel you need to remove all gluten, go grain free. The best judge in your own health is often yourself. Be informed. Go with your "gut".

Crispy Battered Fish

Last night not knowing what to make, not feeling well with MS, and looking for something quick and easy- I decided to try my hand at making battered fish. So I "googled" it looking for a suitable gluten free recipe. I must also note that my kids are not huge fans of eating fish. My daughter especially so. I figured that battered fish would be a good way of packaging the fish so my children would be more apt to gobble it up without complaint. Though still skeptical, my son and daughter did end up liking the end result. My daughter in particular was surprised that she liked it as well as she did.
So here it is- from About.com:   http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/breadingsandcoatings/r/Coatings.htm

Gluten Free Fish Batter

This gluten free beer-battered fish fry batter produces crisp, light fried fish. It makes a delicious gluten-free batter for onion rings and shrimp too! If you don't like beer batter just substitute club soda for the beer. (Not having gf beer or club soda on hand, I substituted with Gingerale and cut my sugar down by half or more since I thought it may be too sweet otherwise.)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Ingredients:

• Oil for Frying -Use an oil designed for high heat frying, preferably peanut or coconut oil-(I used mostly peanut oil, but needed a bit more so topped it up with canola oil.)
• 2 pounds fresh fish fillets (I used Basa because my husband went crazy buying it on a sale- but though it definitely was not dry, the end result was a bit mushy. Basa I think is too delicate a fish. I maybe would recommend maybe cod or haddock instead since it tends to firm up more when cooked.)
• 1 cup all purpose gluten-free all purpose flour mix (I used our local gf baking mix)
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon gf baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon cayenne powder (I did used the cayenne- it was good and it wasn't overpowering. Next time I am going to try maybe smoked paprika or ground ancho chili pepper.)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounce bottle of gluten-free beer, or 12 ounces of club soda (I used Gingerale and it worked fine.)

Preparation:

Step#1:

Combine cornstarch, gluten free all purpose flour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper in a large, plastic zip lock bag.

 

Step#2:

Shake the bag to thoroughly mix the dry ingredients. Pour this mixture into a medium sized bowl.

 

Step#3:

Add gluten free beer or club soda and mix until the batter is smooth, and not too thick or thin. Add more liquid if the batter is too thick. (You will need a whisk for this since the corn starch doesn't want to blend well if a spoon is used. Also make sure you incorporate your liquid well before adding more. Mine turned out maybe a tad thin, but still ended up tasty and crisp.)

 

Step#4:
Dip fish fillets in batter, making sure both sides are coated. Hold above the bowl to let excess batter drip off. (This is where if you make it too thin that the batter will want to run off too much.)
 
Step#5:
Fry in hot oil until golden brown. (I had my gas burner on high the whole time while cooking. I used a deeper pot to help prevent spatters. To test your oil, use the end of a wooden spoon- hold it touching the bottom of the pot. If bubbles appear around the spoon then the oil is hot enough to begin cooking. When done cooking, I placed my fish on a cooling rack for cookies that sat on top of a cookie sheet. That way the oil can drip off and the batter doesn't become soggy. Place in a warm oven until ready to serve.)

Enjoy!

Insight into Celiac Disease

Here's an interesting article that gives some insight into the factors that contribute to Celiac Disease.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_108645.html

A GF Something I Stumbled Upon

Today as I was out and about, I accidentally came across this book. It looks like gluten free heaven for Celiacs. Many of the things that you miss and crave are right here in this book. I had to pass this along! Will let you know when we try some of the recipes. If you have this book, please comment- tell us what you think!

A Hidden Source of Gluten You May Not Consider

OK- you're being a "good" Celiac. Following all the rules. Reading your labels. Not cheating on your gluten free diet. Bravo! Keep it up!!
However, don't let your guard down just yet. There is something other than food that you may not have considered as a potential source of gluten...Medication.
"Really?" you may say..."does it ever end?". Yes, this too you must be vigilant in. Medications often contain fillers to deliver the active ingredient. These fillers are made of starches, and can come from a variety of sources- including wheat.
Though you may be feeling insecure again with this news- that even medicine may may you ill (when it is supposed to make you feel better not worse), don't panic just yet. There are resources out there to help you navigate your way through this too.

http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/clinical/departments/medicine/divisions/digestive-health/nutrition-support-team/nutrition-articles/PlogstedArticle.pdf

http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/glutenfree-medications-and-supplements.html

http://www.glutenfreedrugs.com/

Note: Supplements and Vitamins fall into this category too.

Good GF Information Source

I have referred to this site, The Gluten Free Diet, on and off the past couple of years. http://www.glutenfreediet.ca/index.php The author is dietician Shelley Case- and she knows her stuff! I also have her book The Gluten Free Diet, which is our GF bible. The website adds additional information that nicely compliments the book, containing the latest information, suggested resources, and other websites that are helpful.

Gluten Free Cheese Puffs

This recipe was passed on to my daughter from her classmate who is a Celiac. Her whole family of 5, except for one child, are Celiacs. This has been a regular staple in their household for a few years now. The classmate often brings these in her lunch too, and makes tiny little sandwiches with meats and cheeses she brings. They almost remind me of the biscuits that Red Lobster restaurants serve. They are most definitely satisfying!

Brazilian Cheese Puffs (Pao de Queijo)

Ingredients

• 2 cups sweet manioc starch or 2 cups sour manioc starch (use your favorite gluten free flour mix- ours contains a combination of potato flour, rice flour, tapioca flour, etc)
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups grated parmesan cheese, or 1cup of mozzarella or cheddar cheese
• 2 eggs

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Bring the milk, salt, and margarine to a boil.
3. Remove from heat.
4. Slowly add manioc starch, stirring constantly until thoroughly mixed.
5. Add the cheese and eggs.
6. Knead until smooth.
7. Form into balls approximately 2-inches in diameter and place on a greased baking sheet.
8. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
9. Bake until golden brown. (they don't take very long, so keep an eye on them) 
10. Eat while hot.
11. Enjoy!

Makes 20 cheese puffs.

Not Labelled Gluten Free?...It May Still Be Edible

OK, before you get excited...I Am Not telling you to break your gluten free diet. No, that is a big no no in my books. However, in the grand scheme of things labels have not kept up to the times. So this is where you need to read your labels and be versed in the language of "glutenology". You also need to get in the habit of reading the label each time you buy a product- sometimes ingredients change, so be vigilant. Also, depending on what country you live in, ingredients may differ slightly. Read the label every time! But to save you some of the effort of wondering exactly you may possibly consider that is not labelled gluten free, here is a list:

Corn Pops Cereal*

Captain Crunch Cereal*

Original M&M's

Peanut M&M's

Peanut Butter M&M's

Dark Chocolate M&M's

Skittles (all flavors- so far)

Lays Potato Chips (plain, and some other flavors)

Ruffles Potato Chips (plain, and some other flavors)

Carnation Hot Chocolate (mini marshmallow and Rolo too)

Maynards Candy

Miracle Whip Salad Dressing

Knorr Ready to Serve Soups (Yellow, Red, Orange, & Green)

V8 Ready to Serve Soups (in carton)

Areo Chocolate Bar

O'Henry Bar

Reeses Pieces

Jelly Belly jelly beans

Cadbury Mini Eggs

VH Soya Sauce

*Note: Contains oat flour. Do not consume if you cannot tolerate oats. My daughter is able to eat oats, is a fairly sensitive Celiac, and is able to eat both the above listed cereals. If you do not feel confident that you may eat this then avoid.

There is more...but I will update soon. I have to pester my daughter to list more, since she is the Celiac and tends to have a better memory than me. Until then, make sure you read your labels before you dive into anything on the above list.

Raspberry Thumbprint Cookies

This is a recipe that my mother emailed me a few weeks ago. Delicious! And easy to make!!

Hi.

Here is the recipe I talked to you about. Very tasty!!
I am sure you will have a hard time keeping these around for long.

Hugs, Mom  XX00

 

RASPBERRY THUMBPRINT COOKIES
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. sifted flour (use your prefered gf flour or gf flour mix-

rice flour would work well)
2 tbsp. milk
1/4 c.  miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips (or pulse regular chips in a food processor)
Raspberry preserves (seedless is better)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In medium mixing bowl, cream
butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla together until fluffy.
Blend in flour and milk, stir in chocolate chips. Shape dough
into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Make small
indentation with thumb in top of each ball. Use teaspoon

to place small amount of preserves in each.
Bake 10-12 minutes.

I don't remember where my mother had said she got this recipe from- a magazine I think...maybe Southern Living...but kudos to whomever created this delight.

What is celiac disease? - Prevention - Canadian Living

  

Celiac Disease: When gluten containing grains
cause the body to launch attack on itself,
leaving the individual with
nutritional deficiencies

and other health issues in its wake.  



Having gotten together with some family yesterday for Easter, the topic of Celiac disease came up. My daughter is the only known Celiac in the family and questions regarding her diet naturally became a topic of discussion. Then it was asked what the various symptoms were...and my cousin piped up and said- "Maybe that's what I have." So for you or any one of your family or friends that are looking for a good article about what Celiac Disease is all about...here it is: What is celiac disease? - Prevention - Canadian Living 



Wheat, Barley, Rye are Toxic to a Celiac's health.



To cheat or not to cheat?... That is the GF Question



Cheating on your GF diet?...is it really OK?

Whether newly diagnosed or a veteran Celiac, cheating on the gluten free diet has probably crossed your mind. Likely you consider how you will feel afterwards, before you decide to indulge or not.

My daughter has wished on a number of occasions that she could cheat even just once in a while. However her extreme reaction to gluten exposure is enough of a deterrent for her. She is particularly sensitive to gluten, with a single crumb causing more than enough discomfort that she is now gluten phobic (much like germaphobe fears). For that reason I do not worry about her cheating.

However, I have met Celiacs who believe that cheating once in a while is OK- that the indulgence is worth the discomfort they will experience later. In this viewpoint, the only reason to be on a gluten free diet is to avoid intestinal discomfort (and need I say, just feeling blah too). Really? Is that what being a Celiac is?...going gluten free because it upsets your tummy?
Celiac Disease is an autoimmune condition with no cure, but can be controlled through diet. A gluten free diet. Autoimmune refers to a condition in which an individual's immune system launches an attack on the body because the area under attack is seen as foreign. Much like a virus is a foreign body, in the case of autoimmunity in Celiac Disease the villi of the small intestine are seen as a foreign body when exposed to gluten. Villi are a hair like carpet that cover the interior walls of the small intestine. Instead of protecting the body, the immune system of a celiac attacks these villi and causes damage. This damage can take a significant time to heal- possibly taking up to a year to completely feel symptoms subside once going gluten free after diagnosis. The villi are responsible for absorbing the nutrients from food we consume- so are very important to our overall health.

Blah blah blah...so what, you may say- "I"m gluten free most of the time." While this is better than your previous diet of eating wheat and other problematic grains, this cheating still causes damage. Firstly and most obvious, this damage affects your absorption of vital nutrients to important to health. So depending on how often you cheat, the risk for osteoporosis for example will increase. Celiacs are more at risk for this condition because they are not absorbing calcium as well; and if one considers that many Celiacs go undiagnosed for 10 years or more, that is a huge void in calcium intake. Bones are not rebuilt overnight. So now that you are gluten free, imagine how long it will take your body to play catch up... Cheating just defeats and sets back your optimum bone health. There are also many other nutritionally dependant celiac conditions to consider too, osteoporosis is only one of many.
OK OK you may say...but...  No buts! There is more yet to consider! Having an autoimmune condition is no matter to be taken lightly. Having an autoimmune condition automatically increases your risk of having other autoimmune conditions appear. Celiac Disease in my opinion is the the warm fuzzy one of the bunch. Ever heard of Type1 Diabtetes or Thyroiditis? How about Rheumatoid Arthritis? If those sound boring, how about Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Scleroderma, or Sjo¨gren’s syndrome? Then there is Autoimmune Liver Disease or Addison's Disease. This next one is not too bad though if you are into wigs...Alopecia Areata (hair loss in patches). All of these conditions listed are known to be potential partners in crime with Celiac Disease, especially if you are undiagnosed...or cheating. It is thought that part of the relation (other than genetics) of Celiac Disease to these autoimmune disorders, is that a celiac ingesting gluten then also causes the gut or small intestine to leak, allowing the antibodies attacking the villi to cross into other areas of the body and wreak havoc on other systems. So do yourself a favor- lower your risk and don't cheat. Ever!
At this point I am feeling a little like the Dr. Suess Cat in the Hat, telling the children..."that is not all!" But alas there is more you face if you do not keep strictly gluten free. Want to have children?...yes infertility possibly awaits if you cheat. So does cancer- but who wants to live a long and productive life of living to your fullest potential?!
If you're young at heart and body still, not having reached puberty quite yet, I'm sure you're looking forward to your growth spurt. Well if height doesn't bother you, then welcome to potentially remaining the height you currently are. My daughter has had to deal with this reality, since her disease was not detected until she was too far along into puberty. It bothered her for a long time- but if she was a boy, I'm sure she would be still struggling with shorter stature.
If you still need more reasons of why you shouldn't cheat, I have more. Some individuals more than others struggle with depression. Celiac disease can cause depression as you may or may not know. So protect your mental health and enjoyment of life by being proactive- just refuse to cheat.
Lastly, if the above aren't scary enough...Refractory Disease. This is one that I was not familiar with until I started researching to write this post. This is gem is essentially Celiac Disease that doesn't respond to a gluten free diet. This can be a result of years of going undiagnosed and having the small intestines so ravaged that their ability to heal is undermined. The other is a result of cheating. To treat, steroids are often used as well as immune suppressants. Some individuals however, still do not respond to this treatment and must be "fed" intravenously. And you thought your current restricted gluten free diet was bad!!!http://www.medicinenet.com/celiac_disease/page7.htm
Sadly, though I have mentioned most of the demons that await if you don't remain gluten free, there are a few more. These again are related to malabsorption and the havoc that being deficient can cause to one's health. Some of these issues of deficiencies I will save for a later post, but I hope you get the point. Cheating is not worth the brief indulgence when it comes to what the risks involved are. Adapting is hard when going gluten free, mostly psychologically speaking. But if you continue to give in to your gluten laden desires, you are 1) sabotaging yourself into continuing the cheating cycle, and 2) risking your overall health and life potentially. So next time you see that donut calling out to you, ask yourself..."Is it worth my life?"




Additional Reading:
http://www.thorne.com/altmedrev/.fulltext/10/3/172.pdf
http://customchoicecereal.com/blog/cheating-on-a-gluten-free-diet/ 
http://www.direct-ms.org/pdf/LeakyGutMS/Fasano%20Celiac%20other%20autoimmune%20disease.pdf

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000233.htm