Luvs to Scrap

I had the health food store order if for me a case a time. Some of the bigger health food stores where we live stock some of it anyway. Tinkyada is the most wonderful thing--totally saved my sanity now that we are gluten-free at our house. Kendra

When I gave up dairy I found it was just easier to try to give up all the "old" foods and not try to substitute for them. It just means finding new favorite foods that don't involve cheese, milk, etc. That was easier to do than live with the disappointment of new foods not tasting as well with weird substitutions. I think it was also easier in some regards because I wasn't constantly reminding myself of what I was missing.

So for me, SE Asian cooking was a great fit (Thai, Vietnamese). They don't use much wheat or dairy. I realize that might be harder to do with kids. But you could go through the family meals and try to figure out which ones don't use any of the forbidden ingredients and then slowly increase your collection of gluten-free/CF recipes. There are a lot of kids eating gluten-free/CF so I bet you'll find tons of recipes online.

Thanks for your encouragement, Nancy. DH said that we do eat some stuff already that will work so I asked him to mention them as he thinks of them so I won't feel so overwhelmed and can make a list of ok things I already know how to make.

Kendra

Wow! This thread is a source of inspiration for ideas! We will be going off casein and soy in a week once I get organize and it is great to find so many ideas in one place. Now I just need to figure out how to print the thread. . . Kendra

I don't know if this is what you mean but I saw this at the healthfood store in IA near my parent's house and bought it and was going to try in that recipe. It is made by Glutino and has the website glutino.com listed on it. The product is called Chicken Flavored Soup base. My son just got diagnosed as soy and casein intollerant in addition to gluten and I think it looks safe. Ingredients are: corn syrup solids, sea salt, corn flour, corn starch, dextrose, autolyzed yeast extract, spices, guar gum, parsley, tumeric extract, celery extract, sugar flavour, onion extract. I used it once as a shortcut for cream of chicken soup for a recipe and it worked pretty well. (except for I accidently but too much cornstarch in to thicken it ) Hope this helps. Kendra

oh, it cost $3.99

I don't know if this is what you mean but I saw this at the healthfood store in IA near my parent's house and bought it and was going to try in that recipe. It is made by Glutino and has the website glutino.com listed on it. The product is called Chicken Flavored Soup base. My son just got diagnosed as soy and casein intollerant in addition to gluten and I think it looks safe. Ingredients are: corn syrup solids, sea salt, corn flour, corn starch, dextrose, autolyzed yeast extract, spices, guar gum, parsley, tumeric extract, celery extract, sugar flavour, onion extract. I used it once as a shortcut for cream of chicken soup for a recipe and it worked pretty well. (except for I accidently but too much cornstarch in to thicken it ) Hope this helps. Kendra

Hugs and welcome to the forum. My DH has been on the gluten-free diet since Oct 2005 and my DS since last June. I am by no means an expert but I will try to answer some of your ?s. If you want a recipe let me know. The first couple months were the worst for me. It does get better although I still have my days! Right now I am adjusting to the shock that i need to remove soy and casein from my DS diet.

Is the intestinal villus test the "gold standard" for diagnosing Celiac, or are the blood tests enough of an answer that I shouldn't have to put her through the intestinal test? Unfortunately that is still considered the gold standard for most doctors. We started our DS on the gluten-free diet after just the blood test--didn't want to put him through that. He has been doing better. we just finished doing the genetic and stool testing from enterolab and discovered he is also intollerant to soy and casein(dairy) so we have some other diet changes to implement now and hopefully that will help him to be even better. If you are planning on having the scope done you need to keep daughter on regular diet until after the scope. If you want to use enterolab you can still get accurate testing done even on a gluten-free diet.

Where can I find a definitve list of the foods to avoid, and assistance for label reading? Danna Korn's book Raising a Celiac Child is awesome. I also have read Wheat Free Worry Free by Danna Korn and The Comprehensive Guide to the gluten-free Diet by Shelley Case. The Gluten Free Gourmet cookbooks by Bette Hagman all have helpful tips at the front if you can find one at the library.

I have 3 other children. Do I de-gluten the whole house? You don't have to. Raising the Celiac Child addresses this. There are pros and cons to either way. You do need to be VERY careful about cross contamination and not letting daugher's food touch anything with gluten--even a crumb. We started out cooking my DH separate food but by now with DS and DH on the diet I make nearly all parts of the meal gluten-free with my DD and I occasionally having flour tortillas instead of corn. It was just easier for me to make one meal--also DD is almost 2 so she is also "sharing" her crumbs with others.

How difficult is it to re-train your palate to heavier grains?

It takes time but it can be done

Do you make your own flour mixes for baking use? Store-bought mixes are so expensive.

I buy my flour and then make up my own flour mixes. I use Bette Hagmans Gluten Free Mix, Bette Hagman's Featherlight Mix and Bette Hagman's Four Bean Flour Mix. I use brown rice instead of white rice flour. I also have a mix for bread and muffins that I just add a few ingredients to when I am ready to bake.

Can the "fluffiness" of American baked products/breads be duplicated in any way?

I made some biscuits that takes fluffy even though they look like hockey pucks.

Right now dinner consists of chicken and rice or tacos/taco salad. My kids are not very adventuresome and anything that doesn't look "right" to them they won't eat. I can't define "right" it is their whim. Someone always seems to refuse to eat dinner. Suggestions?

My kids are sometimes that way too. My mom told me that if i have food made that is safe and appetizing to eat and they choose not to eat it it is their problem. They will eventully get hungry and usually my kids will eat part, sometimes most and once in awhile all of their meal. I just try to offer a variety and have at least one thing I know they usually like.

I understand that it is genetic, and I am assume that it is a recessive gene. Should I consider having my other children tested?

Yes and you and your husband should be tested too. take care. Kendra

Luke has been gluten-free since last June from a blood test. After doing more blood work in Aug and then the pediatrician wanting us to but Luke back on a regular diet for 6 months to see how sick he got and then do the scope we decided to save up for Enterolab. We just got his results back last night and I think I know what they mean but I want to make sure.

Fecal Antigliadin IgA 20 units

Fecal Antitissue Transglutaminase IgA 11 units

Quantitative Microscopic Fecal Fat Score <300

Fecal anti-casein (cow's milk) IgA antibody 31 units

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allele 1 0301

HLA-DQB1 Molecular analysis, Allel 2 06xx

Serologic equivalent HLA-DQ 3-1 (subtype 7,6)

Fecal anti-ovalbumin (chicken egg) IgA antibody 7 units

Fecal Anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae (dietary yeast) IgA 10 units

Fecal Anti-Soy IgA 28 units

normal range for all units is supposed to be <10

The gluten results don't surprise me--just confirm what we have been doing and since he doesn't have malabsorption issues maybe being on a gluten-free diet helped that. I had sort of figured out the soy while we were waiting for the results. Casein is what is freaking me out. Also, does that also mean we need to avoid yeast? To me the results mean he is intollerant to gluten, casein, soy and maybe yeast. And at some point I need to be tested to since I contributed on of is DQB1 genes. My bloodwork this summer turned up normal. My DH has been on the gluten-free diet since Oct 2005. His grandma has celiac and DH was the first one we did the bloodwork on.

I am on the Enterolab site ordering the same tests for Kirsten, my DD, who had elevated levels when we did bloodwork but they were still in the normal range. Gut feeling is that she will have similar labs results as Luke. She will be 2 on Jan 31st so hoping we can get results with her this young.

Ok, I thought gluten-free was a big challenge but I have been figuring that out. Soy is hidden in everything but I discovered as I started looking this month. We will have to eliminate his gluten-free animal cookies, pretzels, and some other commercial stuff but I haven't been using it when I bake. My big hurdle is casesin. Luke has been off milk but I have still been using cheese, half and half and buttermilk for cooking. Now I will need to find substiutes. He loves cheese and the gluten-free pizza I have been making and mac and cheese. The casein intollerance makes me feel like our life is ending! Help!

DH wants to know if casein and soy intollerances are lifelong like gluten or just for awhile. I told him I thought lifelong--am I right? Hopefully not!

Anyway, thanks in advance for your help and prayers! Kendra

I agree that having the dr talk o the nursing home about needing to be strict with the diet would be helpful. For some reason some people just don't believe people who live with the diet every day. Your post made me realize how lucky we are with the nursing home in town where my DH grandma lives. Someone comes in and makes her special bread and they are very careful what they give her. They even served gluten-free peanut butter cookies at the Christmas party for everyone. DS and DH were thrilled because they actually had something to eat too at the party. They have also but gluten-free sandwiches on a plate for grandma, DS and DH at other parties. DH hasn't gotten sick eating what they say is safe so I think they must be pretty careful. Grandma cheats but it is her choice not their fault and it is usually at one of our family things. My DS and DH do not cheat and it frustrates me when she does because it makes me look ultra strict and paranoid about my husband and son and being careful about what they eat. DH says if he is 80 something and lives a couple feet from the bathroom and doesn't have anything else to do he guesses it would be ok to cheat but he currently does not think it is work the big D and health problems.

Possibly providing staff with some "safe" cookies that they can give the resident might be an option too since they seem to be inclined to think he needs cookies. I wish your friend the best and hope the nursing home gets a clue soon! Kendra

I second the suggestion to get the Gluten Free Gourmet cookbook, there are some recipes in there for pizza that work pretty darn well... one is called "Jill's Quick and Easy Pizza Crust"... this is one of the first things I attempted to make out of that book and it's wonderful!

Amen to the gluten-free Gourmet cookbooks and that pizza crust recipe! Both have been a lifesaver here. I altered the recipe to use buttermilk and melted butter instead of shortening and milk. It makes the dough batter less runny and easier for me to spread. We also bake the crust for 10 minutes before topping it and then another 8 minutes after the sauce and toppings are on. We have it about once a week at our house since DS and DH can't go out for pizza. My daughter actually likes the gluten-free version better. Kendra

I can empathize with you too. My husband and son are the ones with celiac but I do all of the cooking and most of the work in the kitchen. The first few weeks are the worst and then it does get better once you catch on to what is safe, where to buy things and what tastes decent. My DH's favorite meals are the ones where I can make something naturally gluten free. I make ham and beans in the crockpot, homemade chili, red beans and rice, scrambled eggs, etc. Tinkyada pasta has been a lifesaver for us since we have always been big pasta eaters. Our whole family eats and and it tastes fine to me. When I was first learning to cook gluten-free Bette Hagman's Gluten Free Gourmet books were a godsend. You might want to check one out from the library. I do order some stuff from Amazon in bulk. The guys like EnerG Foods tapioca dinner rolls and hamburger buns, pretzels, and I have gotten some other stuff too. They often have a special that you get $10 off a $49 purchase. It is fine to come here and vent! We all have days where this diet or its challenge almost or do put us over the edge. Some days it just frustrates me that we can't have an "instant food" day like other people. Later I remind myself how great it is that Jason is feeling so much better.

We just did the bloodwork and positive diet change too instead of the biopsy. Take care. Kendra

Bette Hagman's Gluten Free Gourmet cookbooks have been a lifesaver for me. I make bread, biscuits, cookies, cakes, muffins, pizza, and lots more. gluten-free Betsy from this forum sent me her website--I think it is eatingglutenfree.com or something like that. Anyway so far all the recipes I have tried from her have been great. The chocolate cake was better than a lot of wheat ones I've eaten and we used it for my son's b-day party and even the non gluten-free guests liked it.

Tinkyada pasta is my friend! We also like Bob's Red Mill gluten-free Pancake mix. DH thinks it tastes as good if not better than regular pancakes. DS and DH use EnerG Foods tapioca hamburger buns and dinner rolls. We also get their wheat free (also gluten-free) pretzels. DS likes envirokidz crispy rice bars and also enjoy life's snack bars. The longer you are cooking the better it gets. DH has been on diet over a year now and DS since June. Our family pretty much all eats gluten-free at home except for a couple exceptions. I am so much less overwhelmed now. There are good desserts out there. Kendra

I love my crockpot for roasts, made dressing/stuffing in it for Thanksgiving, and lots of other things. Of of the things I make a lot once it is getting cold is Ham and Beans. It is awesome in the crockpot because you don't have to soak the beans first.

2 cups beans (washed and sorted)

7 cups water

ham pieces (I think I put somewhere between 3/4 and 1 1/2 cups depending what I have at the time)

salt, pepper, and chopped onions or onion powder to taste

Put in crockpot on high all afternoon or on low all day. (I often start it on high to get it started for 30minutes to an hour if you are there)

1 1/2 cups beans and 6 cups water works too

We serve it with barbeque sauce and I usually make cornbread too. Yum and easy! Kendra

I can totally emphathize with you about thinking the school was "getting it" and then having an art project come home. Luke's was various pasta (not Crispix) but the same idea. I know it wasn't gluten free. Every time I talk to his teacher she acts like she understands--I guess her mom was gluten-free for awhile but I am thinking they probably weren't as strict. I hope things improve at daycare. Kendra

At Taco Bell Luke likes to get the pintos and cheese. (the tostada is also gluten-free) I often bring a EnerG Foods tapioca dinner roll along when we eat at wendys, braums, or McD and order a bunless hamburger with pickes and then he has his own bun. He also likes to dip his bunless hamburger in chili at Wendys. (My husband is gluten-free too so he always has the chili at Wendys) I usually pack applesauce, grapes or something else to supplement his meal. He currently is off dairy but before that he loved yogurt too. I think it was ribs he ate at chilis and then the corn on the cob. They did have some gluten-free kids choices there. We usually just pack some stuff to add to his meal (and my daughter's too) Hope this helps. We don't go to really fancy places right now with the kids and I always bring a cooler along with extra foood.

I send his own treat for birthday parties. Kendra

I know this does not answer your question, but I made a delicious mac n cheese the other night (tastes just like the Kraft Mac n Cheese). I cooked up a bag of Tinkyada elbow noodles. Then added milk, butter and a can of the Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Cheese Topping (it comes in a little blue can, looks just like the orange powdered cheese that comes in the regular "gluten" Kraft mac and cheese boxes ). I don't really have measurements, I sort of just through everything in, to taste. Then I mixed in a pound of cooked lean ground beef. It was delicious and so easy!

Where did you find the Kraft Mac and Cheese topping? What is the size of the can? I would love to find that--would be a lot easier that buying those microscopic boxes of gluten-free Mac and Cheese? Thanks! Kendra

I'm 33 so I'm not actually your age either but we live south of Wichita. MY DH (31) and DS (4) are on the gluten free diet and my DD (1 1/2) and I eat a little gluten now and then. DH has been gluten-free for a year now and DS has been gluten-free since June. I'm a Iowa native who married a Kansan so here I am around a bunch of wheat. Welcome to the board! Kendra

Stacie,

I can totally empathize with getting frustrated about being the one doing all the work for your DH's diet. That would be me too with me DH and DS. I do all the cooking and all of the research. (I think I remember both of us cooking up a storm so that our husbands would have something to eat while we were both going to be gone for a week) My DH has just recently taken a slight--and I mean slight--step toward helping with his diet. He actually emailed one restaraunt that he eats at once a week to find out what was gluten-free. (for months he was denying he got sick/glutened there but he was ALWAYS sick on Thursdays after eating there!) He is also finally being more careful at potlucks, etc. It always frustrated me that I would work so hard to have safe food for him and then he would help himself to something what was unknown at a potluck. He has been gluten-free for a year now and we are seeing improvement. Of course we have learned a lot in that timeframe and he was getting contaminated a lot the first 5 months not knowing that his food couldn't touch gluten. (This site is awesome!)

I am glad DH is going to try a doctor and know from what you said that this is a BIG step. Hopefully you can get some answers. The work is much more worth it if you know that there is hope in the future and that gluten really is the problem. We are thinking about enterolab for our kids since their testing is inconclusive and after putting DS on gluten-free diet because our doctor told us to a GI wants us to put him back on a regular diet to see how sick he will get for 6 months. We have seen some improvement and don't want to go there.

Take care! You are an awesome wife and support for your husband. I think letting your husband take the lead for awhile would give you a break as far as pushing and reminding. It is his health and he needs to take responsibility for it--be there to support but if he isn't wanting the diet don't put yourself through all of the stress for nothing.

Hugs! Kendra

Just wanted to thank you all of the laughs. My DS and DH are the ones who have celiac but I can identify with a lot of it because I am the one preparing the food, shopping, and reading the labels, etc. Here are some to add . . .

You pick your son's friends by who has a mom who will only feed him "safe" snacks.

You celebrate when the poop in the diaper actually can be dumped in the toilet--solid at last!

Kendra

Frozen lasts forever. We just got a new deep freeze so my husband emptied the one in the shop. Some applesauce had gotten buried from the summer of 2001 and we have been eating it and it is still good. (Of course usually we have it done within a year or two) It seems like apple trees produce better crops every other year so I often only get ahold of apples every other year. Today we made 34 1/2 pints for the freezer using the food mill my mom let me borrow. (Lots easier than coring and slicing) Yummy!! Kendra

I'm going to be making applesauce tomorrow too. I always freeze mine in freeze containers though. I just peel and slice apples and add a little water and cook on med low heat on the stove and keep stirring so you don't scorch them. (YUCK!) I've also microwaved apple pieces in a dish that lets the steam out for 5 minutes at a time until the apples are mushing and just smash them up. That worked well when my 1 1/2 year old was "helping" and I kept getting interrupted. It didn't matter if it took all day. I just add sugar to taste and yum! You can also cook the apples in the crockpot all day too. The apples seemed to brown worse when I did that but they tasted ok. Good luck. I know your kids will love homemade applesauce. It always tastes the best. Kendra

I've heard over and over that I should just let him do it when he's ready - which is what I've been doing. I just picture packing him up for college and asking him if he's sure he's packed enough pull-ups.

Thanks for the advice. I'm sure you understand my frustration.

This sounds just like what I have been thinking except I have envisioned having to go and clean up the poopy pull ups too. My DS just turned 4 and he will go pee in the potty if we remind him and insist he go in time. (I swear he doesn't have any sensation of when he needs to go because he will say he doesn't have to and refuse and two seconds later we have an accident) He does not poop in the potty. He has been gluten-free since June and while his poops are somewhat more solid they are still closer to D than I was hoping for far too often. I keep hoping he will catch on soon but it is hard to be too optimistic since it seems like we are making no progress . . . Kendra

I just got the cookbook yesterday and wondered if any of you could share which recipes were favorites at your house (or ones to avoid). I am getting quite the cookbook collection for gluten-free but thought I better get one aimed for just kids. Thanks for your input. Kendra

Today was Luke's 4th birthday so I made more cupcakes and took them to Caravan at church tonight. I put peanut butter chips on top this time instead of frosting. The leaders said all of the kids gobbled them up--didn't suspect they were made with different flour. Kendra

Nancy, I've seen frozen gluten-free nuggets at Wild Oats, I can't remember who makes them, but I can find out for you if you can't find them.

Ian's makes some chicken nuggets that tasted normal (or would have if my Mom hadn't screwed up the time on the microwave) I got some fish sticks from them and they were good too. I made them in the oven but they have directions for both microwave and oven. Kendra

What wonderful news! I am so glad the boys are responding to the diet and that their mom is coming home next month. Keep up the great work! Kendra