hez

A quick and healthy meal would be stir fry or fried rice. Just make sure you have the safe soy sauce (I do the wheat free San-J but Lay Choy is also gluten-free and cheaper)! I made a quick soup last night with gluten-free broth. Threw in some leftover beef, potatoes and vegies. Why not try breakfast for dinner! Eggs or fritata's, gluten-free toast or waffle, and bacon. When I first started cooking I just tried to keep it simple. Things that had few ingredients with little sauce. Try taking something rather dull, like chicken, and make a quick fresh mango salsa, tomato salsa, or gluten-free apricot jam as a sauce. I always keep on hand a jar of gluten-free spaghetti sauce and gluten-free pasta (I like tikyanda-sp). Finally, for those days that I really cant do anything I throw a Amy's Rice Crust pizza in the oven.

When you get bored and feel up to doing more check the archives for recipe's as well as the internet. Go to the library and check out a gluten free cookbook. That allowed me to see how much variety one can have with this diet.

I will keep researching! It drives me nuts not to have an answer as to why it was once thought unsafe.

I will keep researching! It drives me nuts not to have an answer.

I had a dream the other night about my husbands family! They purposly had nothing I could eat! I was so angry! I woke up pissed off and unable to get back to sleep because I was still angry. Even though I knew it was a dream!

It has been suggested that you use pans that have never had gluten in them. The thought is that sometimes, depending upon the surface, you are never sure to get the gluten out. For example my non stick angel food pan has things (angel food cake) that will not come off no matter how hard I scrub. I have slowly (due to cost) started replacing my non stick cookware. As for my cookie sheets I have been using parchment paper.

The mixes I have used have turned out pretty good. The timing seems to be fairly accurate on the package. Depending on what I am making I check for browness, a unjiggly center.

This board will be a great resource for you in trying to figure out the new lifestyle. It is overwhelming at first. However, everyone says it gets easier with time!

Thank you! Do you know why some celiacs think these are unsafe?

I feel as if I am getting different information on emulsifiers being safe. Someone in my support group said that all emulsifiers are unsafe for celiacs. She informed me that movie theater popcorn is a no no because it contains emulsifiers. However, when I searched movie popcorn there were several people who said it was safe. The resese' peanut butter cups that I worship that are safe have emulsifiers in them. I am not trying to cause a riot but I am frustrated! Is this a gray area in which some say it is okay and others not? Has there been any research to give a scientific answer? I am hoping that someone who has been around the celiac block a time or two can help answer this burning question! Thanks, Hez

I love gin and tonic with a squeeze of lime! Somewhere I heard that Tanqerey (sp?) was safe and use that.

Debbie- One of the things I like to do is put italian dressing on the potatoes when they are hot. Let them marinate overnight then add mayo. It does not take much mayo because of the dressing. Then I throw in green onions, pickles and anything else that looks good!

I use Manwhich in a can. Mostly because I was to lazy to ever make it from scratch. I usually use a gluten-free hamburger bun or I also like to put it over rice. Although now that I think about it I am not sure if Manwhich is gluten-free. A quick check in my gluten-free book did not help. It looks like I will be needing a new recipe!

I am still healing and not fully recovered since my diagnosis. I have started to notice that I seem to be sensitive. Licked food off of my finger and felt as if I had been glutened. The only culprit was lotion on my hands!

One of the things I love most about this group is that I come away feelilng normal! Sounds very familar.

I love Gluten Free Living! It gives you a little science, food and advice. The only bummer is that it is quarterly.

Being new to the celiac way of life (found out in April), I can tell you that I have had the same feelings as you. I think it is perfectly normal to mourn the loss of gluten. It is a huge lifestyle change and it is okay to have a good cry. After wiping your tears take heart in knowing you are not alone. This board has been a great source of information for me. I look at the lifestyle change as taking baby steps because it was to overwhelming to me. First, I got rid of all gluten that was just too tempting to me. I am a mother of a 7 and almost 4 year old who still eat gluten (tests have been negative so far). Second, I did what was easy for me. Dinner in our house is gluten free. It was just to hard at the end of the day to try and fix two meals. I was exhausted! Recently, I have been buying new cosmetics, pans and utensils. I am still not feeling 100% yet but I have a few good days with a few more bad days. Hang in there!

First, let me state that I am by no means an expert! I know from my own experience that it is taking a long time to feel better (four months out on gluten-free diet, only small improvement). However, there was no question I had celiac. If the doc thinks your better off on the diet keep it up. Time will tell if your other symptoms improve. If they do not, go back and see if there is a secondary issue that has not been considered. You have come this far on the diet, try giving yourself more time.

I am just happy to know that I am not the only one! I have good days and bad. This just happens to be a bad day. Feeling sorry for myself and depressed. Thank you.

Hi I am fairly new to the board and was looking for support. I was diagnosed in April with celiac disease through blood work and endoscopy. I have been gluten-free since April and still not feeling 100% better. The gi doc thought this was not unusual since I have extensive damage. The doc looked at 10 inches of my small intestine and not a vili in sight! Just wondering if anyone else had similar damage? How long did it take you to feel better?

Hez in CO

Hi Lori! I am new here as well. I know exactly how you feel about communion. For a month I would go up to the alter sobbing because I could not partake. Luckily for me our priest is a wonderful and caring man and could not stand to see me cry. We have been using rice crackers for communion. I have my own separate plate (not the right technical term) to keep my host separate. I am Episcopalian so the wheat in the host is not an issue as it is in the Catholic Church. I have found this board very helpful and I know you will to.