LuvMoosic4life

I think a common misconception of the gluten-free diet is that it is an "all natural" diet. There are many processed gluten free foods, some can be oraganic and some not, just life non gluten-free foods can be either. Many celiacs may eat more "natural" or whole, unproccessed foods simply because they are easier on the digestive system, but gluten-free definitly is not stictly "all natural." And all natural does not mean it is gluten-free.

Gluten free is one of those what my dad used to call "unique and pregnant" situations. Something is unique or it isn't. There is no "sort of." You are either pregnant or you are not.

You are either gluten free or you are not.

If there is gluten in your house then you are not because as Ridgewalker says, "Gluten seems to sprout legs and walk where it isn't wanted." I would follow her suggestion and scrub everything down. Think especially about what gets touched by gluten-eating people after they have eaten and before they wash their hands. Furniture, door knobs and handles, computer mouse and keyboard, remote control, refrigerator and microwave door, etc. Think bathroom surfaces also.

I think about this all the time. and it also makes me mad b/c I have no choice but to live with people since I'm a college student. I know i am not feeling completely 100% because of the cc issue, but I am 90% better than I was when eating gluten. I wash and scrub as much as I can. but there becomes a point where I start getting "OCD" about it. It is impossible to go an entire day without contact with gluten, just like it is impossible to go w/o contact with germs. I have to go about my daily life and cant walk around in a big bubble that wll protect me from the gluten world around us. Even if your house is completely gluten-free, you are still beinging in outside obejects such as groceries that were more than likely in contact with gluten either at check out or on the shelves.....I mean....there is a point where you have to draw the line....at least for me. as long as my cookingware is clean/gluten-free, hands are washed and food that enters my mouth is f, I know I will not suffer the problems I had anywhere near what I experienced before...

It's hard to say no when they have such good intentions, isn't it? But I always turn it down as nicely as I can and explain that it's such a specialized way of eating that it takes a specially prepared kitchen to avoid hurting you. Explain that even their favorite wooden spoon can hurt you if they stir that gluten-free brownie mix with it, or if they used the same spoon to scoop sugar after using it in flour a long time ago that the tiny bits of flour left in that sugar can hurt you. My sister made potato salad with perfectly gluten-free ingredients, but her mayo jar had been used for family sandwiches and sure enough it got me. Tell them how much you appreciate the thought, and would LOVE to be able to say yes, but your insides have taken a beating and you just can't take that chance. Tell them, if they are determined to treat you somehow, that you'll eat any packaged food that is labeled "gluten-free", or suggest something that you know is gluten-free like a specific type of ice cream or a chocolate bar.

So yes, you might want to give them an info sheet, but don't expect them to fully read/understand/believe it. Be kind to them and accept what you can from them and give them suggestions so that they can continue to feel they are doing something nice for you, even if it isn't home cooking. They mean well, but they don't have to suffer your symptoms.

thats so true. I know they still wont completely understand it,and it's a bumber but at least I am spreading awareness

I noticed this the first time I made pasta salad. I use tinkyada pasta which can withstand a lot of over cooking. I find that if I over cook it it doesnt become as hard when chilled, it actually is just al dente. just be careful that when you purposely overcook it, not to go crazy with stiring it with mayo/dressing or whatever you use otherwise it will start to break apart. I aalos rinse it in cold water after it as finished cooking.

I like al dente pasta though, so maybe thats why it hasnt bothered me being on the hard side. I actual have come to like the rice pasta muh better, and of course for more reasons just than taste!

Since I've been gluten-free, a few of my family members who are really into cooking and baking want to make gluten-free food for me. Although they have good intentions, I'm sure they arent aware of the CC issue, and even if they are the chance of CC is very likely since they bake and cook with gluten food in thier kitchens all the time.

I was thinking of typing up just a 1 to 2 page info sheet about celiacs/gluten intolerance and explaining the precautions /things to know before baking or cooking for celiacs. I figure I can hand it out to my family members before they try to make something for me.

I know my aunt has talked about making cookies for me, but I would hate for her to make them w/o prior gluten-free baking knowledge b/c I would feel bad declining eating them in fear of cc. Or worse, eating them and having a reaction. My reactions arent always horrible, it depends, sometimes I have no reaction, but I just choose to stay completely away from gluten, the results have been amazing, I'm so grateful I found out about all of this...

My co-workers bring in hard candy to work. I know jolly ranchers are safe, but there were also Brach's "soda poppers", which are the same size and shape as jolly ranchers and come in differant name brand soda flavors. )Of course I stupidly had some and there was no bag to look at the ingredients. I felt really tired with a slight headace, kinda gassy later on (not really like a glutening, but just not normal and BLAH!).

I read on this site that Brach's products are not gluten-free.

Has anyone had the soda poppers hard candy?

I'm definitly not touching them again, or anything without contacting the company first!!!!!

thanks

Please don't bake with wheat flour. You'll end up sick every time. I'm still trying to get my mom to see this. It flies EVERYWHERE. There's no keeping it under control. The precautions you'd have to take for yourself are extreme: doing all the measuring AND mixing outside, wearing a surgical mask, and changing clothes and showering as soon as you're done. Who wants to go through all that for a food you can't even eat?

I almost always substitute corn starch for potato starch, simply because it's so cheap. So far, I haven't made a single recipe that that didn't work for.

I haven't found a dinner roll recipe that measures up to gluteny rolls yet. Still looking.

Here's my favorite recipe for rollable, cut-out cookies. Got it from Melissa/Crittermom, and it's awesome- all the gluten-eaters scarf them. Definitely use REAL butter if you can tolerate dairy. If not, Smart Balance is gluten-free and vegan- which should make it dairy-free, I believe, and it has a good flavor.

Butter Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-3/4 all purpose gluten-free baking flour (see note)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients; gradually add to the creamed mixture.

Cover and chill for 1 hour or until easy to handle. (Leaving it in the fridge overnight is fine, but the dough will become very hard, and you'll need to set it out on the counter for awhile before using.)

On a lightly floured surface, roll out to 1/4 in thickness. Cut with cookie cutters and place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

Note: I use an all purpose blend that I keep made up at all time so I can grab some when I need it: 2 c. white rice flour, 1 c. tapioca flour, 1 c. corn starch

thanks! I will try that recipe. it looks very similar to the gluten cut outs I used to make! have you ever tried domata flour?

Open Original Shared Link

You are at great risk of glutening yourself cooking with gluten flour. That stuff gets everywhere. We do not allow gluten of any kind in our house, but especially not flour. My feeling on the matter is that I will not cook or bake something that I cannot eat. Period, end of story. If my family wants cookies, they are gluten-free. If they want rolls, they will be gluten-free, or get the brown and serve ones from the store that you just have to warm up in the oven. This last christmas I made russian tea cakes, candy cane cookies, cut out sugar cookies, fudge, and about a dozen other things. None of then had gluten and nobody even noticed. I didn't bring a single cookie home with me from any family event. Here is a Open Original Shared Link that will knock your socks off.

You have plenty of time between now and the holidays to experiment and find recipes you like. I'm sure you can find lots of gluten eaters in your life to sample and tell you know how things taste. Don't mention anything to your family, just smile and assure them that everything will be taken care of. Then when Christmas rolls around, let them dig in to the cookies, and then you casually start eating them too. Their jaws will drop when they think you are cheating, but the joke will be on them because they will be eating gluten-free without even knowing it. HA!!!

When somebody at work brings in cookies, I say "none for me, thanks." If they want to give me a hard time, I just smile and thank them for their concern. I really don't have many people giving me grief about it, though. I think if we have a positive attitude about it, it carries over to how people treat us (barring the occasional dimwit who just doesn't get it.)

thanks for the recipe! I will have to try it, but substitute something for the potato starch since I'm finding potato bothers me, especially the processed kind in gluten-free foods.

thanks so much everyone. I'm definitly making all gluten-free x-mas cookies and cant wait to experiment with baking once I can afford to!!!. I am pretty much refusing to even get near baking with the "evil" white stuff I figured what I will do is give my mom a couple of my recipes that I used to make with gluten. she can make them at her place (I dont live there) and just bring it with in a container for my oh so picky family (and keep it away from my food). My brother will absolutely not go through a holiday without homeade rolls (unless I can make a recipe gluten-free that tastes really close to what i did- maybe I'll experiment) seriously, when I used to make them he would literally stand next to the oven and grab one and butter it the minute I pulled the tray out I figure at worst my mom can make the dough at her place for the gluten rolls and bake them in the oven where we have the get to gether (after all of the food has been cooked/baked of course)

has anyone ever tried making stuffing with gluten-free bread? I would think that wouldnt taste much differant- if not, better. I also need to experiment with gluten-free green bean caserol, which should be easy, I can just carmelize some onions and make a gluten-free sauce.....now I'm making myself hungry...

I have been drinking tropican OJ forever. ONce and a while I will get heartburn from it, but only if I have it with the wrong type of food- I never had any other problems. I really hope it isn't CC'd because cant live without OJ in the morning

This has been depressing me to no end. I'm the only person in my family who recognized they have a gluten intolerance...I dunno if it's celiac or not. I REFUSE to eat gluten, but there is no way in hell my family will accept my choice 100% or even understand it or even change thier ways at all. Which is fine,whatver, I dont live with them, but it would be nice to have a little support from them

I have just been thinking about the future and all of the holidays involving food- thanksgiving /xmas. When it comes to cooking and baking, most of it is my role. Especially homeade rolls and cut out x-mas cookies, which my family would probably cry if I didnt make them. I don't mind still baking and cooking gluten stuff for them, but I would much rather not, especially since flour usually flies all over the place when I bake. I'm just worried about cc. I am not EXTREMELY sensitive like some on here, but I do notice when I get CC'd and I really really dont like it. Is it safe for me to still bake for them? I do plan on experimenting with some gluten free recipes (in hopes to get them to like it better) but there are some foods my family JUST cannot go without during the holidays since it has pretty much become the tradition for years. Maybe I'm just getting gluten paranoid, but I just feel like no matter what I do, I will be cc'd when staying with family for the holiday.

and I'm really sick of people putting me down for not being about to eat gluten. I really dont even like explaining it anymore, especially at work when people bring in cookies..ect... I know what is good for me and gluten-free makes me happy, but people have to keep rubbing it into me that it sucks. I dont think it sucks at all b/c I am so glad I'm not walking around with aballoon and buring knife in my stomach 24-7. I am glad to give up bread the rest of my life, but people think I'm crazy, as much as I explain I dont miss gluten. (sorry had to rant again aaarrgg!)

sounds like your doing awsome your body will adjust to the diet in time, good luck!

thanks! I hope so. I am definitly doing better than I was a few months ago when I started.

thanks.

and yes, I drink plenty of fluids, mainly just water. Actually to help me drink more water i will mix it with a little lemon and clear liquid stevia. I often wonder if I drink too much water, but if I dont drink as much as I do I feel dried out. I also drink detox tea occasionally and green tea once or twice a day, they are both gluten-free. I definitly eat an insane number of fruits and veggies, but when I'm working it's hard to eat as much. I will keep searching for something...

the only cravings I get occasionally are for sugary foods. I will try to stick to fruit when this happens, or if I have them, a couple "enjoy life" cookies. I notice that if I keep my brain occupied with something else I dont think about food or really even get hungry. I think being diagnosed with celiacs makes us think about food all the time and it is always on our minds, so naturally it may make you want to eat and make you think you're hungry. I actually dont get truly hungry like I used to on gluten. Actually, when I'm ay work I can go for the whole 8 hours and not really feel like I have to eat because I'm focused on work, but I make myself eat something. When I was on gluten I would be starving if I didnt eat in 8 hours, and still not be satisfied after eating.

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone at all has had this problem b/c everyone I talk to thinks I'm nuts. I'm not sure if it is gluten/celiac related or not....

About 1-2 weeks before my period i start having pms symptoms. (its been much better gluten-free however) The symptom I am asking about though is swelling in the sinuses. I can actually see my sinuses through my face and they feel puffy. It gets worse as each day closer to my period comes. I also get pressure in my head, almost like a tension headace from this. It is just so annoying b/c by the end of the day I feel like I don't even want to look in the mirror (even though people will say I look fine) I defintly can see it, it makes my face look differant. I know it's probably water retention and there really isnt much more diet wise I can do since i dont eat sugar (besides fruits) and my sodium intake is very low compared to the average american. I never use extra salt, the only additional source I get it from besides salt naturally found in foods, is occasional miricle whip and margerine that i use on rice/pasta/chicken. Most of my other pms symtoms have decresed dramatical since being gluten-free for a few months, although I still get occasional mood swings/depressed feelings and a little more gassy than usual, but nothing compared to what I went through before.... I pretty much eat all whole foods since it's all I can afford right now.

In both Canada and the US, when the single word "starch" appears on a food label, it must refer only to cornstarch. Any other starch must be explicitly identified.

thank you! I feel better about that now

thanks. Thats what I thought, but wasnt sure and I am always quesitoning everything. I sometimes think the world is out to get celiacs and will hide gluten in the most unexpected things.

I was just looking at the ingredients on some of the easter candy that is still laying around here. One of them is a candy marshmallow and the questionable ingredient is "starch." It doesnt say where it is derived from. Do most candies use corn as the starch or does the label "starch" just mean any source? of course stupid me is depressed with pms and not giving a $%^& so I had a little, now I feel tired with migrane. One day I'll learn my lesson. ha

thanks

if I had eggs, a bagel and cream cheese first thing in the morning or a skillet I would puke too! (but thats just e) The only thing that doesnt bother me first thing in morning is creamy brown rice cereal, "bob's red mill" makes it. you can add butter and sweetner to it- I think it tastes great. You can even use it as a side for other meals, add whatever you want.

I usually cant eat anything heavy until late morning or afternoon

I remember my grandma always telling me that rice will bind you up. After a couple months gluten free my D is completely gone! (just on occasion I'll have extra loose stools with some cramping but not quite D) I have been having more frequent constipation and I assume it's b/c of the rice products I'm eating?? I don't eat white rice. I always buy brown rice and brown rice tinyada pasta with rice bran- does the rice bran add more fiber? or does it really make a differance if i buy it with or without? I was always wondering this. Then I saw that some people cant have rice bran or rice at all because of the protien it.

I eat plenty of veggies otherwise I dont know what I would do LOL - I'd be completely plugged up and dry. I ussually have brussel sprouts or broccolii- theses work the best for me, and I find that canned peaches help also, I eat apples everyday. Carrots I have to stay away from unless they are cooked well and potatoes just bother me altogether...

besides rice for my grains I also eat quinoa, kasha buckwheat cereal and occasionally corn tortillas. If there's anything else natural that helps with dry stools I'd luv some advice I cut back on the rice and notice the differance already. I'm not so much C but just really dry. (wow, gotta luv the poop topics)

Wegman's. You lucky thing, you. I wish Wegman's would expand out here to the west coast.

pele (formerly from Greece, NY)

well I do have to travel 45 mins to get there, but I'm not complaining! The Tops that is 20 mins from me doesnt have anything (well they do) but I like to buy some labeled gluten-free goodies once and while instead of just whole foods

YEP!!. same here. I feel like I am going crazy sometimes! I am self diagnosed and havent even talked to any doctor about it b/c I know they wont really do anything anyways. I told them in the past about my digestive problems but they made up some wierd reason for it- like at 17 I told my doc I have really bad heartburn after lunch everyday at school...she said there is no reason to have heart burn at age 17 and said it must be caused from playin my instrument (clarinet). what????????

I have had D and gas my whole life and just thought it was normal because my dad had it really bad also, I grew up with it...then i get to college and realize I was avoiding being social over horrible horrible gas problems/bloating/diarhea..ect.ect..I thought "who does this?" All my other friends seems fine....then someone mentioned gluten to me....so glad they did!!!! but I still question myself sometimes...even though I question myself I don't even desire to pick up anything gluten again! so I know I'm doing the right thing.

what ursa said is true. when I first started gluten-free I went out and bought processed foods and was still reacting to them. I did elimination experiments and found I cannot have large amounts of soy or dairy ( I try to stay away altogether). I stay away from potatos as much as possible and take it easy on corn. potato flour which is used in many gluten-free products bothers me, same with soy flour.

I've been on whole foods for quite a while. I did feel a bit deprived at first and kept craving something more, but its normal. gradually, I started to introduce new things, and every now and then I will buy something gluten-free and processed as a treat, but I only buy one thing b/c I know I will binge if I buy multiple things... If I have a small amount I am o.k....in the begining, even a small amount bothered me, now I'm fine (dependng on the product. "enjoy life" products work well for me!)- it just takes time. I just keep thinking how good I feel compared to how I was and that it's not worth eating things that bother me, no matter how good they taste. This is what stops me, I will think this : The taste only lasts for the small time it's in my mouth, the symptoms after last much much longer, is it worth it?

i REALLY like Pure Fit bars! www.purefit.com

the chocolate and the almond ones are my favorite. I will eat half of one before I work out, and half after.

thanks! I will look into that!

I know what you are going through. I wasnt officially diagnosed, but figured out gluten was making me sick. I am in college and decided to try going gluten-free on my own. I felt amazing. but then finals came and I got stressed/depressed. I decided to go back on gluten so that mabey I could get tested for an official diagnosis. The gluten actually made me more stressed out and depressed, so I got in that state of mind "oh well, I already feel like crap" so I just kept eating the pre-made gluten stuff I always ate. I decided to stop after I almost went to the hospital- I went out one night and just didnt give a crap, drank beer, ate pizza, chips.... I ended up going home with a pounding migrane followed by incontrollable puking from 12 am till 10 the next morning! I didnt drink too much ( I did have more than I should, but not that much!) I was laying in bed shaking uncontrollably and swore I was going to die, I just wanted to rip my stomach out. Since then I have been much more strict with not eating gluten. I even gave up drinking. being that sick is scary, I would not want to die from gluten! you may not feel it now, but you will regret it later if you keep eating it.