Listerine Left This Celiac Green

 

 

I've had a long stretch of feeling really good! 

 

Matter of fact, I was superstitious about counting how long it's been since the last time I got glutened-- for fear I would get glutened. 

 

Then about a week ago I started feeling a little off. 

 

We're in the middle of cold and flu season, I figured that was causing my congestion.

 

A slight nagging feeling under my rib cage worried me on and off; not bad enough to take my breath away.  Hmm... maybe I should have the HIDA scan my doc recommended. 

 

Every day my fingers got slightly stiffer.  But it was not the KA-POW from a full gluten hit. 

 

Four days ago my knee cap started aching; sitting or standing made no difference.

 

I began losing my nouns. 

 

Communication became like a bad game of charades.  "Hand me the, you know, the whatchamacallit that you use to lift the round thingy off the doo-lolly that I'm cooking on."

 

Spatula?  Yeah, that doo-diggy.

 

My dear husband started saying, "I really think you got glutened." 

 

I protested,  "No, no, I'm not that bad.  I'm just a little off.  Night sweats?  Weren't you hot too?  No?  Nah... I still don't think it's gluten."

 

Yesterday I left communion coffee with the neighbors, ready to have a nice Thanksgiving with my family and I burst into tears.  I sobbed the whole walk home!  And then I continued to cry on my husband's shoulder when I got home.  Can I tell you, I'm generally not a weepy person.  

 

I finally gave in an admitted I could have been glutened. 

 

I racked my foggy brain trying to remember every morsel of food that went into my mouth the last week.  Nothing jumped out at me.  Resigned to the fact that I might never know, that's when it hit me.

 

I started diligently using Listerine at bedtime about a week ago.  After discussing its benefits with a friend, it seemed like a good practice.  I never thought to read the ingredients or call the manufacturer.

 

Doing a quick search for information on the gluten status of Listerine yesterday, I found this blog written in June 2012. The response the blogger got was, basically, they can't guarantee the product has not been cross-contaminated.

 

My husband said, "Why don't you quit using it and see if you get better?"  

 

Thank goodness for him, because I really might not have come up with that on my own.  No sarcasm, my brain really was that fuzzy. 

 

That was yesterday.

 

"Wow, you're up early!" was the response I got this morning when I popped out of bed. 

 

"I didn't use any Listerine last night!"  I started wiggling my fingers and kicking my leg like someone cured at a revival.

 

My knee has miraculously stopped hurting.  My fingers aren't swollen and my disposition in on an upswing.

 

I'll call the company myself on Monday to see if they have changed their gluten free status... but I think I already have the answer I need.

 



Celiac Disease Sounds Better with an Accent

Katie Couric interviewed Dr. Green of Columbia University, a recognized expert on Celiac disease. 

Katie asked all the basic questions and even touched on the touchiest of subjects for people with Celiac, the current 'trendyness' of our affliction.  I think Dr. Green made a good point on this topic.

Yes, Americans seem to be jumping on the gluten free bandwagon but, even with the frenzy, our wagon is more Radio Flyer than Conestoga.

This video is like 'Celiac Disease 101'.  It touches on the main points about this auto immune disorder.  It's a well presented introduction and Dr. Green has a lovely Australian accent, which makes these facts easier on the ear:

• Symptoms of Celiac disease are diverse.  According to his website, very few are intestinal. 
• Celiac disease is not rare.
• Most Americans with Celiac disease are undiagnosed.
• America is behind many other countries in awareness and diagnosis.
• Eating large quantities of processed, gluten free foods is not a healthy diet.
• Untreated Celiac disease can lead to other serious health conditions.
• There is no pharmaceutical treatment for Celiac disease.

She's No Martha Stewart!

 

A good friend is having an engagement party next weekend.  She honored me by asking if I would design her invitation. 

Bicycle built for two?  Why, YES!

The email below came from her last week: 

I will buy some (Gluten Free Houston) millet bread to make breadcrumbs for the meatballs and you can have the rest of the loaf.

You will be able to eat the following:

--Meatballs (made with my homemade sauce, no gluten)

--Cucumber bean salad I made when Laura & Caroline were here

--Prosciutto—cheese—apple pieces

--Chicken salad in tomatoes as long as Kraft Mayo is GF…do you know? The other ingredient is greek yogurt then fresh veggies.

--your eggplant nastiness (She doesn't like any eggplant, much less my caponata.  I don't take it personally!)

So I think the only things you will NOT be able to eat are the desserts and spinach dip. I will make sure to prepare everything before I make the dip and make a plate for you and put it in the fridge.

Yay!

Remember when Martha Stewart declared about guests with special dietary needs, 'Oh my God! Don’t ask! My rule is do not ask about dietary restrictions.'

It's easy to understand where she was coming from; it's presumptuous for a guest to expect to be catered to at someone's house or event.  Before living with celiac, I would never expect preferential treatment--and I'm not about to start now.

I adore my friends who honestly tell me, "I will never try to cook for you because I'm worried about cross contamination in my kitchen."

But this? 

This email shows that someone who has not built an empire on being a hostess can offer the kindest gesture to make a guest feel welcome and included at her celebration.

 

How to Peel Large Quantities of Garlic

 

I just recently saw a way to peel large quantities of garlic in a hurry and I had to try it. 

Sure, I have one of those garlic roll-y thingies, but this method is more fun and is faster if you have a lot of garlic to peel:

 

Break off the number of cloves you need.  Place them in two same sized aluminum bowls, one on top of the other... and start shaking.

 

It works! 

I've even used two same-sized aluminum loaf pans instead of bowls. 

I find it works best if you sing when you do it.  Any Beatles, Cars or Outkast song will do.


outkast hey ya from Johnny Wu on Vimeo.

Who All Seen the Leprechaun, Say "Yeah"

 

 

A few weeks back we stopped in a little pub between water polo games.  They had a great beer selection on tap, so I asked if they had any gluten free beers.  The bartender said they didn't have beer but they had a new hard cider on tap that came from a local business. 

I was skeptical.  Ciders tend to be too sweet for my taste.  I'm a beer girl; present tense even though I can't have gluten beer anymore. 

She handed me a glass of cider that was drawn from the tap and said, "It's called 'Leprechaun'.  The company is here in Houston.  I think you'll like it.  It's not too sweet."

I tried it.

I'll try anything, especially if it tugs at my jingoistic pride for all things Texan AND makes homage to my Irish roots.

In the eloquent words of Ana Steele, from the book I call Fifty Shades of Meh,  "Holy cow!"

It was good!  Not just, "I'm-drinking-this-because-I-have-to" good but really, really good!

It reminded me more of a sparkling wine than a cider.  I later read that champagne yeast is used rather than beer yeast in the brewing.  That probably accounts for the slightly drier feel this cider has compared to others.

But it was only a sample.  Would a whole bottle of it be as tasty?

Excited to see that the company has grown from tap-only distribution to having stock in stores, I found some at HEB.   

I've enjoyed every bottle I've purchased so far.  It's not beer but it doesn't have to be beer.  It's good on its own merit.  It  pairs well with spicy foods, (gluten free) pizza, salads, hot summer nights and crispy fall weather. 

The only problem I can find with this cider is that every time I open one my mind goes straight to this...



If you get a chance to try Leprechaun, let me know what you think.

Bottoms up or should I say, "I want the gold!  Show me the gold!"?

Wheat Belly?

 

Someone recently asked me if I had read the book Wheat Belly. 

 

I did my best Mae West impersonation: "Read it?  Honey, I LIVE it."

 

 

The photo above on the left was taken the last time I got glutened.  The photo on the right is me, in the same dress, once the effects of the glutening had passed (it took a few weeks). 

It's a Schar Thing

Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, Tomato, Onion with Homemade Ranch on Schar Baguette

As someone who loves to cook, I am amazed at my lack of imagination when it comes to making gluten free food that travels; default setting goes straight to sandwiches.

Nothing satisfies like a sandwich.  It's the stuff of which childhood lunch memories are made.  A sandwich is quick, transportable and self-contained. 

For someone with celiac disease, a sandwich is a thing of longing.  It was one of the first and one of the few things I miss.  Not the first; beer being the first.  I can barely type the word 'beer' with out pangs of angst.  Beer first and then, sometimes sandwiches.  See, it takes over.  This blog entry is not about beer.   

I don't miss any particular type of sandwich, it's the comfort, the shape, the familiarity, the ease of making a meal.

Sure I make lettuce wraps now.  Sure I've gotten better at packing left-overs for on the road meals but every now and again I want long for a sandwich.

Many of the sliced gluten free breads leave me cold (and gritty).  I do love Gluten Free Houston's Millet Sour Dough but some sandwiches call for heft like this one:

That picture was taken in La Ferté-Bernard, pre-gluten free me and that is the type of sandwich that comes to me in my dreams.  I thought it was gone from my life forever...

...until my friend found gluten free Schar bread hiding in our local HEB.  She picked up some of their classic white rolls for me to try.  They are wonderful and so I went to buy more.  That's when I found this:

Baguettes!  Gluten free baguettes!  They look and act just like a baguette should!  I've used this bread toasted and slightly warmed.  I've even bitten off a hunk of it right out of the bag.  I may even try to make french toast with it soon.  It's good.  It feels right.  It satisfies my longing.

 

I'm still looking for whole food, grain free options for my dietary mainstays.  But sometimes nothing can beat a Schar thing. 

All Your Labs are Normal

"All your labs are Normal.  May need to do further evaluation if fatigue continues."





This is a doctor's note from 2003. 

Nine years ago.

It's not the first 'normal' report I got from a doctor... it's just the only note I still have.

I started going to doctors after my son was born in 1997 looking for a reason for my debilitating fatigue.  It was always the same response, "All your labs are Normal." 

Actually, they were usually better than normal; they indicated that I was very, very healthy.

But I didn't feel healthy.  I was tired; tired to my bones. 

The docs always appeared to listen intently; asking questions about my everyday life: 

You have two children under two? 
Both your parents just passed away? 
You're managing their estate and working two part-time jobs?

Well, no wonder you're tired!

I remember telling one doctor, "I'm really in tune with my body.  I know there's something else going on."

Years went by.  Years and years of  'Normal' labs.  Years and years of doctors looking at me as if I had a touch of the hypochondria.  Years and years of pushing myself through my daily life. 

It wasn't uncommon for me to sit in the car with my head on the steering wheel, arms drooped in my lap, before I had the energy to lift them to start the engine and drive.

I came up with a phrase to get me to the end of the day: muscle your way through. 

"Come on, Kim, muscle your way through the grocery store."

"Get up and muscle your way past your aching joints."

"Muscle your way through this spin class.  It will make you feel better... eventually." (It never did but I looked better.)

"Muscle your way through the bedtime story."

Stubbornly I propelled myself through the days.

I didn't exactly ignore the increasing pain and fatigue... I just started believing it was 'Normal'. 

"You have young children" turned into, "Well, you're not getting any younger."

This is where the anger starts.

I missed at least fourteen years of my life!

Perhaps if my body hadn't responded so quickly and positively to going gluten-free I would feel differently.  But my symptoms started to lift two days after removing gluten from my diet!

Fourteen prime years.

I try not to take it out on every doctor I see now.  I do, however, see it as my mission to educate them.

They don't seem to like it much.

I started with my internist, who I happen to like:

"When you have a patient presenting with mysterious, seemingly unrelated symptoms, but their standard labs are normal, why don't you run  a panel for celiac disease?  It's just simple blood tests.  The Italians include it in their yearly physicals." 

She didn't even registered a verbal response.  She glazed over more than a Dunkin' donut and hurried to finish the consultation.

Fourteen early years of my children's life!

I said the same thing to my general practitioner.  He replied, "Oh, when I have patients with gastrointestinal problems, I always tell them to cut out dairy.  If that doesn't help I have them cut out wheat."

I reminded him I never had gastrointestinal symptoms before my diagnosis.  He blinked a few times. 
That was his response, a few blinks and a goodbye.

Fourteen precious years!

So why the rant now? 

A blog by the Gluten Dude rekindled my ire last week and sent me searching for evidence; proof that I do, indeed, know my body better than anyone.  That's when I found this note I had filed away.  Like a time capsule waiting to reaffirm what I used to believe deeply: I know my body better than anyone else.

When it comes to being a know-it-all, this note proves that I AM. 

YOU are too.

Let's take it beyond ourselves.  Let's tell everyone we can about celiac disease.  Let's make it a truly 'normal' consideration for ourselves, our loved ones, our doctors and our society to screen for this disease.  It's not some diet fad but the very real cause of what ails many of us.

FOURTEEN FREAKIN' YEARS.

(Can I point out that the doc used a capital N for 'Normal' but not on the word 'need'?  Maybe I'm reading too much into it- but it's as if he wanted to emphasize that everything was ok.  Yes, I'm bitter;  FOUR-teen years.)

Cra-zay for Caprese

 

 



Firm ripe tomatoes, marintated mozzarella balls cut in half, fresh basil.  Stick a toothpick through them.  Drizzle with balsamic vinegar reduction.

That is all.

For real, that's all there is to it.

Avocado Margaritas

I love avocados so much I think they should be their own food group!  But when our friends said they had a recipe for an avocado margarita, I have to be honest, I was skeptical. 

 

Avocados in a drink? I didn't believe it could be good. 

 

But, boy, was I wrong! These margaritas are sublime.  The avocado lends a creamy smoothness that does not overwhelm.  So delicate and refreshing, I am now an avocado margarita believer!

 

Here's the recipe from The Mission restaurant in Arizona:

 

1 1/2 oz. of Cruz Reposado

1/2 oz. Triple Sec

2 oz Sweet and Sour

1 oz Lime Juice

1 oz Orange Juice

Splash of Agave Nectar

1/2 oz of Grand Marnier

1/2 an Avocado

 

Cut out and mash avocado into a martini shaker.  Top with ice and add other ingredients to shaker. 

 

Shake vigorously until thick and creamy.  Strain through a fine mesh and pour over crushed ice in a short glass.

 

Arriba!

Fried Eggplant, the Gluten FreeK Way

 

Dish three of Eggplantapalooza: 

 

I bring you gluten free fried eggplant at my family's request. 

 

The starting place for all eggplant dishes is to start with a male eggplant.  No gender discrimination here; just fact that boys have fewer seeds and will be less bitter.  Look for an eggplant with smooth, un-bruised skin.  I like the big boys, so I try to find one that is heavier than it looks.  This tells me it has nice, firm flesh.

Leaving the skin on, slice both ends off and then slice the eggplant into sticks that are about as wide as your index finger.  The edges will be odd shaped, but that's ok.

 

In one bowl, mix the ingredients for the egg wash. 

 

In another, combine the ingredients for the breading.  A few  notes on the breading: 

 

My favorite gluten free bread crumbs are ones that I make from Gluten Free Houston's Sourdough Millet Bread.  I save the ends and grind into crumbs in my Vitamix.  The crumbs can be frozen.  They may freeze into lumps but a quick spin in the Vitamix or food processor will break them apart again. 

 

My favorite Italian seasoning is Instant Gourmet's Original.  My father-in-law knows the owners and they have assured him it is gluten free (I also have a non-biological Celiac nephew!?!)  This spice blend makes great garlic bread and is salt free!

 

Now you dip the eggplant sticks in the egg wash and then dredge in the breading mix one at a time.  Sometimes I have to press the breading onto the eggplant to be sure it sticks.  Place the breaded eggplant on wax paper to wait for frying. 

 

The breading does not stick well to the skin.  I like the skin to show some, but if you want those end pieces to have breading, then do the egg wash and breading a second time.

 

Use one hand for the "wet" bowl and the other for "dry"mix. 
This will minimize having big gooey globs of breading on your fingers by the end of the process.
 

I now have the luxurious Emeril deep fryer, thanks to my Canadian friend who didn't want to transport it north of the border. Never touched by gluten, this fryer has taken all the worry out of deep frying. I fill it to the line and preheat to 356°F. 

 

If you don't have a deep fryer, these can be made in a deep fry pan.  You will need enough oil in the pan to cover the eggplant sticks at least half way.  A thermometer is the best way to tell if your oil is between 350-365 °F.  If you don't have a thermometer, a wooden chopstick or wooden spoon can be inserted into the oil.  If the oil bubbles steadily around the chopstick, the oil is ready.  If the bubbles are too vigorous, turn the heat down slightly.  Few to no bubbles?  The oil is not hot enough and your food will soak up too much grease. 

 

Some will suggest dropping water into the oil to see if it sizzles.   Hot oil and water do NOT mix safely!  The oil could possibly pop and hit you in the eye or face. 

 

Fry the eggplant sticks a few at a time so as not to crowd them.  Crowded fryers yield soggy food.  Use the chopsticks to help turn them over once one side reaches a toasty brown color.  Allow to cook on the other side.  Remove from grease and hold over fryer and allow to drain.  Place the eggplant on paper towels to absorb additional grease. 

 

Serve freshly hot.  If you need to put them on hold until eating, place in a warm oven on a wire rack over a cookie sheet. 
Dip these aubergine dreams in marinara sauce... or better yet, some creamy cilantro dip!

If you want to make Eggplant Parmesan, slice the eggplant into 1/2"  rounds and follow the same breading and cooking method.  Cover in your favorite red sauce, mozzarella cheese and then bake at 350 °F until warm.

 

Caponata

I've gone through many of my cookbooks and marked the recipes that are naturally gluten free. I love the cookbook Ciao Y'all. It combines the traditional dishes of Sicily with Texas, Southern, Cajun and Creole flavors. Many of its recipes need little, to no, adjustment to be gluten free.
 

Summertime brings an eggplantapalooza to my house and the Carrabba/Mandola cookbook comes out for their eggplant relish; which is both refreshing and filling. Caponata blends the sweetness of caramelized onions with the sour of vinegar in this Sicilian version of ratatouille.

Caponata can be served room temperature as an appetizer or main course. For either purpose, it's always better the next day. If you have time, make it a day in advance to give the flavors time to 'marry'.
 

This dish comes together fairly quickly if you gather and chop all the ingredients at the beginning.  Remember to buy a 'male' eggplant so you don't have to salt and rinse to take the bitterness out before cooking.

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on high until it sizzles. This only takes a few minutes.

2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the eggplant cubes. Leave the eggplant on one side without stirring. Let it cook for about four minutes.

3. Stir the eggplant for four to six minutes until it becomes very soft.

4. Remove the eggplant from the skillet.

5. Add the onion and celery to the skillet and saute until tender and translucent.

6. Return eggplant to skillet with onion and celery.

7. Add tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, water, tomato paste and salt and pepper to taste.

8. Cook over medium heat for another five to ten minutes.

9. Remove from heat and add the remaining ingredients.

10. Put in a bowl and refrigerate.

The recipe from Ciao Y'all calls for green olives and pine nuts. To cut cost I excluded these from this batch of caponata. I also had to save time by using canned tomatoes.

For serving the caponata, I bought a Schär gluten free baguette. It looks like a baguette. It acts like a baguette. It tastes like french bread and it doesn't come frozen!

Not All Eggplants are Created Equal

 

As a kid, I loved going to the grocery store with my mom.  It was part adventure, part education, part scavenger hunt and pure art. 

 

My mother wasn't a woman of many words, because she didn't have to be.  Her words were chosen carefully and always counted.  'Prattle' was never something she did.

 

Groceries were selected as carefully and meticulously as her words.  Food was purchased based on merit; vegetables were examined, fish was smelled, meat was moved out from under the 'pink' light of the butcher case into the harsh fluorescent light to check for freshness. 

 

When I was young, I watched her every move, soaking up insight as to why one onion was chosen over another.  As a teenager, I would cringe when the butcher would go in the back to pull out his best cuts  for her; knowing she was going to take them and walk away from the counter to examine and smell the meat.  Even though I was embarrassed, as I developmentally had to be, I knew I was watching a master at work.  And I learned:

 

Meat needs to be slightly marbled.  Pineapples should be fragrant but fish shouldn't.  Never buy a dented can and always, always buy a male eggplant.

 

Wait.  What?

 

The boy eggplants, those are the ones you want.  They have fewer seeds and will be less bitter.

 

How can you tell the boys from the girls? 

 

It's easy.  Turn them over and look at their, scar/bellybutton/dimple on the bottom. 

 

 

 
The boys, you see, have a long, oval mark.

The girls are round.

Now, some eggplants are ambiguously marked.

If you look at one and you can't readily tell what it is, put it back.

Androgyny worked for David Bowie but doesn't make for tasty aubergines.

Someone laughed at me once for calling eggplants 'male' and 'female' so I did a slice test for him. 

 

The 'girl' was full of seeds and the boy had fewer, as you see below. 

 

Try it if you don't believe it, but be sure to salt the girl eggplant and let it sit for a while to remove some of the bitterness.  Rinse it and pat it dry before cooking.

Pick a 'boy' eggplant and you won't need to salt and rinse your eggplant to make it sweeter.



This is a boy eggplant.

 

 

 

 

Eggplant can be a versatile forgiving fruit once you learn to avoid the ones full of bitter seeds.  It can be made into a summer spread like caponata, fried as an appetizer or base for eggplant parmigiana or even sliced thin to use as lasagna noodles and more!

 

Enjoy!

You Say Potato, I Say I'm Going to Have a Break Down

Full schedule.  Hungry kids.  Hungry mama.  I buy delicious looking, pre-made scalloped potatoes at Costco.  All the ingredients appear to be gluten free but I take a quick look on the Reser's website to double check.

This is what I get: 

"...we cannot guarantee a 'gluten free' manufacturing environment for any single product."

Did I say I was hungry?  Well, now I'm hangry. 

My dear, sweet daughter said, "At least you can eat the ham?"

But I don't want JUST ham for dinner.  I want easy, cheesey, comforting scalloped potatoes.  I want something quick that I don't have to think about and prepare in advance.  I want to enjoy the same full meal my family is having. 

Tonight I don't want to have Celiac disease. 

Somewhere Over the Rainbow Roll: Eurasia Fusion Sushi

Pre-C (before Celiac diagnosis) eating at a sushi restaurant was a regular part of the dinner rotation. 

 

I haven't had sushi in a restaurant for over a year.  I've been too afraid; between the soy sauce and the fried food in many Americanized rolls, it's terrifying.   

This week I broke the seal. 

Stopping by a friend's house after work, she suggested we try a local sushi restaurant that has good reviews.  I tried to hide the panic I feel when faced with going to a new restaurant without the opportunity to call ahead.  She must have seen the terror in my eyes because she said, "Or we can go to Red Robin?"  (It is a dear, dear friend who is willing to trade sushi for a burger.) 

But I WANTED sushi.

From this point on, there's nothing I can say about the food that the pictures can't tell you.  It was divine.  What I can comment on is the gracious and attentive care I received at Eurasia Fusion Sushi. 

As soon as we were seated, the manager promptly came over carrying a bottle of gluten free soy sauce.  He assured me that he had other patrons who ate gluten free and then went through the menu with me to advise on what I should order.

A server brought over edamame, which we sent away because we hadn't ordered any.  The manager returned to the table with the edamame to let us know it was compliments of the house.  He then walked me through the special care they were taking with my roll preparation: clean surface, clean knife, clean everything. 

 

The staff at Eurasia Fusion Sushi made me feel like this:

It was an exceptional gluten free experience!*

http://www.eurasiasushi.com/

* I waited a few days after dining here before posting this, to make sure it was gluten free.  I've had no signs of being glutened! 

Salmon Salad

Like tuna salad, but with less mercury!  I think the potato helps to mellow the strong flavor of the salmon.

Add all your favorite gluten free tuna and potato salad fixin's to a can of wild caught salmon.   I topped mine with a dash of sriracha sauce.  I may try capers or olives next time!

Serve on baby kale or romaine leaves.

This recipe makes 6-8 servings.

Gluten Free BLT

Have I told you lately how much I love the Sourdough Millet Bread from Gluten Free Houston? 

Just look at it toasted for this bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich!  It got the ultimate compliment from my teenaged daughter, "This tastes like a REAL blt!?!" 

 

Dreamy Cilantro Sauce

Cilantro.  Coriander.  Chinese Parsley.  Call it what you want, I call it divine!  Full of flavor and nutrients, cilantro can brighten any dish. 

Mix it with your favorite creamy (gluten free) substance, mayonnaise, yogurt, cream cheese or ranch dip and you have a dipping sauce that is great on chips, tacos, salmon patties... you name it!

7/21/12 Revision: I forgot to mention the lime juice that makes this sauce so bright.  Roll the lime against the counter top a few times to release the juice.

Wild and (Gluten) Free Salmon Patties

Before going gluten free, a weeknight family go-to meal was baked salmon patties.  I would mix the salmon with bread slices and mayo then coat in panko bread crumbs before baking.  Surprisingly, everyone in the family loved them! 

I have not been able to reproduce them gluten free and still make them tasty... until now! 

I have fallen love with Gluten Free Houston's Sourdough Millet bread.  It toasts up nicely and has such a great texture.  I've been saving the ends of the loaf in my freezer, not wanting to waste a crumb.  I now realize what I was saving them for!

If you do not have access to Gluten Free Houston's products, use your favorite gluten free bread that tastes good toasted.

Wild and Free Salmon Patties

6 cans wild caught salmon (I buy at Costco)
2 medium baked potatoes
1 cup mayonnaise
2-3 tbs dill
1 cup gluten free bread crumbs
1 cup unsweetened coconut
garlic powder and/or italian seasoning to taste
butter

1.  Bake then cut potatoes into small cubes, 1/2 inch or smaller, including the skins.  This is easier to do if the potatoes are cooled or chilled.

2.  Process bread in a food processor or Vitamix until it makes a fine bread crumb.

2.  Drain salmon and place in large mixing bowl with potatoes, dill, and mayonnaise.

3. Mix bread crumbs, coconut and seasoning on wax paper.

4.  Scoop the salmon mixture and shape into a patty.  I like to use a large ice cream scoop with a release lever.

5.  Press into the bread crumb and coconut mixture.  Be sure to coat the sides of the patty with crumbs also.

6.  As you shape the patties, melt about 1 tbs of butter in a large skillet at medium heat.  Add patties and cook at medium heat.  Do not flip the patties until the first side is well browned and crunchy.  Once brown, flip and continue to cook the second side.


Serve with Dreamy Cilantro Sauce!

This recipe will make about eight hamburger sized patties.  They save nicely for left overs too!

Ready to Thai One On

Since wheat is not traditionally grown in Thailand, most Thai dishes are naturally gluten free.  This has made Thai food my new comfort food. 

Although all the ingredients in this salad are not classic Thai, this salad is my new summer time favorite!

Dressing: 12 ozs coconut milk (a little less than a can) 1 tbsp fish sauce 1/4 cup lime juice 1 lime zest 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 tsp pepper 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar 1/2 tsp salt Salad Fixin's: Chopped Romaine Lettuce Sliced strawberries Grilled chicken (sliced thin) Avocado Chopped Cilantro Fresh Parmesean Cheese

The Beatles, Maureen O'Sullivan and the Gluten Dude

When The Beatles were in India, one of their ashram mates was Prudence Farrow, sister to Mia and daughter of one of my favorite actresses, Maureen O'Sullivan.  Apparently Prudence took the whole 'get-closer-to-God' thing a little more to heart than the Fab Four.  She would spend all day meditating in isolation trying to transcend her earthly reality.  John Lennon wrote the song "Dear Prudence" to encourage her to socialize more with the group.

What in the WORLD does this have to do with being gluten free?

Hold on tight--my stream of consciousness can be like a whitewater run.

My favorite celiac blogger, the Gluten Dude, had a bad experience at PF Chang's.  He blogged about it and PF's sent him a gift card to, I don't know; make getting glutened more cost effective?  At any rate, the dude went altruistic with the peace offering and is giving the card away.  To be entered in his drawing, all you have to do is write a letter to "Dear Gluten". 

Introspection is a good thing, but the reality of living with Celiac Disease is isolating enough.  In order to transcend the experience, we have to pull together.  Like John Lennon coaxing Prudence from her room, the Gluten Dude asks other celiacs to come out and play. With acerbic wit, candor and a touch of rebellion, he's sharing his journey.  He's enticing the celiac community to do the same. 

Still wondering how The Beatles, Maureen O'Sullivan and the Gluten Dude ended up in the same stream of thought?

Simple.

'Dear Gluten' sounded too much like 'Dear Prudence' in my head.  It just spiraled out of control from there...



Dear Gluten (Sung to the tune of Dear Prudence)

Dear Gluten, won’t you get out my way?

Dear Gluten, out of my life you’ll stay
I’ve wizened up, I’m through with you
Barley, Malt and Rye grains too
Dear Gluten, won’t you get out my way?

Dear Gluten, I finally realized

Dear Gluten, fog lifted from my eyes
My rash is gone, my joints now spring
You muddled up most everything
Dear Gluten, I finally realized

Doctors give run a round

(Round, round, round, round ,round
Round, round, round, round, round)

AhhhhAhhhAhhhAhhh

Dear Gluten, you’re going in the trash pile

Dear Gluten, by you I’m not beguiled
My energy I will regain
So in my house you can’t remain
Dear Gluten, you’re going into the trash pile

Dear Gluten, out of my life you’ll stay

Dear Gluten it’s a brand new way
I’ve wizened up, I’m through with you
Barley, Malt and Rye grains too
Dear Gluten, won’t you get out my way?

Getting My Gluten FreeK on at the Mellow Mushroom

Headed to Austin.  Meeting friends at a pizza joint. 

I was feeling pretty anxious about food arrangements so I called ahead to The Mellow Mushroom to verify that there would be nothing there that I could eat.

"Is there any chance y'all have gluten free items?  Yes?!?  You have a menu of six pizzas and I can custom order one if I want?  Can you tell me how you prepare the gluten free pizzas so I can determine if I would be able to eat it?" 

The guy on the other end sound very excited to be able to tell me about the special measures they take to assure the gluten free pizzas are guarded from cross contamination:

• The cook removes their apron, washes hands, puts on new gloves and a new apron.
• The pizza is assembled in the 'cooler' with fresh ingredients.  The other pizzas are made up front
• A screen is placed on the stone so that the crust never touches it.

He sounded so confident and reassuring that I felt confident and reassured...

...but I still asked my server the same questions when I got there.  She told me all the same steps they would take to keep my pizza gluten free and dare I say, she almost looked excited about my special requests!  No blank stare, no huff, only reassurance!  Then she brought me an extensive gluten free menu that reiterated their cross contamination precautions. 

I ordered the Kosmic Karma and mellowed out until the pizza came. 

That's when I freaked out!  It was beautiful: fresh basil, fresh tomatos, fresh pesto and feta cheese!  The crust was gluten-free-good: not gritty, not gooey (I still miss the chew of glutenous crust).  The toppings placed it over the top.  I ate half of it right then and there!!

Best part about that pizza?  I didn't wake up with Lady Gaga claw hands this morning! 

Happy Gluten Free Anniversary To Me!

It's been a year. 

June 1st of 2011 was the day of my endoscopy.  It was the day I decided to give up gluten, before I even got my test results. 

It was the start of a new life.

Within days of eliminating gluten from my diet, I started feeling better.  I could not believe how the seemingly unrelated health issues that bothered me for years started to resolve themselves-- just by changing my diet.  By time I went back to see my gastrointerologist, I didn't care what the endoscopy said. 

"I know you just told me I have a life long auto-immune disease, but thank you." I said to my doctor when he confirmed that I did, indeed, have celiac disease. 

He looked me square in the eyes, stared at me for a minute then said, "You're not crazy." 

I almost started to cry.  I had been told nothing was physically wrong with me for so long, that I was starting to believe it was all in my head.   

I started coming out from under a fog a year ago and I never want to go back. 

I never want to go back to:

• Constant fatigue
• Snoring
• Chronic sinus infections
• Sleep apnea
• Unexplained weight gain
• Aching joints
• Endometriosis
• Irrational food cravings
• Feeling hangry (a bad mix of hungry and angry)
• Dry eyes
• Itchy scalp
• Yearly strep infections
• Mouth ulcers
• Puffy face
• Brain fog
• Backne (you know, acne on your back)
• Hair loss
• Chronic rash on my chest
• Bloated stomach

All of these issues cleared up or started improving as soon as my body cycled out the gluten in my system. 

I'm still recovering from being dismissed and discounted for so long. 

I'm not going to get back the fourteen plus years searching for what was wrong with me. 

But I have this year and the years ahead of me.  I have the knowledge of what 'healthy' feels like. 

It feels pretty darn good! 

I've had immeasurable support from my family and friends these past twelve months.  I have seen continued resistance from those trained in Western medicine; doctors refusing to hear that celiac disease doesn't always follow their flow chart to digestive symptoms. 

This has been a year of learning, healing, trials and triumphs. 

It's been a good year.

Do you remember when you first went gluten free?  Please share your journey with me.

Ball in Play

Here's the playing field: Mexican restaurant on a quiet Sunday, large group of people.  The restaurant had a separate gluten free menu.  I explain to our server that I can not tolerate any amount of gluten.  He was very reassuring and attentive.  I asked about the tortilla chips on the table:

"Are the ingredients gluten free?"  Yes.
"Do you fry them here?"  Yes.
"Do you have a dedicated fryer?"  Yes.
"Does anything else go in the fryer with the chips?"  No.  No, we don't fry anything else with them.
"Are you sure?"  Yes.
"Are you positive nothing else goes in the fryer?"  Yes.

So, I ate the chips with measured glee.  The green salsa was divine--tasted like it could have had pineapple in it.  And then out of left field I see our server heading for me like a baseball player diving for a line drive.

"Stop eating the chips!  Don't eat any more chips!"   He said breathlessly.  Apparently the chip fryer was a shared fryer.

How'd the ball get dropped?  I don't know.  Sometimes they just get past you.  But you still have to pick it up and try not to let it mess with your head. 

"Do you think you got glutened?" asked my friend. 

All I could think was, "I don't know.  I don't want to be.  I'm not going to be.  If I am, I'm going to muscle my way through it like I have for the past fourteen years before I knew I had celiac disease.  And the last thing I'm going to do is talk about it at a dinner table full of guests."  I smiled through and maybe I laughed a little too loud at jokes but I didn't enjoy the rest of my meal.  I just couldn't.

That was five days ago.

I did pretty well.  I almost faked myself out.  I blamed my irrational thoughts and irritablity on my hormones.  I blamed my fatigue on the fact that our a/c had gone out.  I blamed my itchy skin on the pool water.  And I tried really, really hard to ignore the nagging pain that was getting worse under my right rib. 

I dropped the ball.  I let myself be glutened.  So I took a little dirt-nap?   I'm brushing myself off and getting back in the game. 

I'll go back to the play book and see if I can make some different calls next time.

Countertop Strawberry Ice "Cream"

Strawberry "Ice Cream" in the Vitamix and on the counter.

Looking through all the beautiful food blogs and gluten free recipe sites reminds me of the time my friend, who was a professional photographer, spoke to a group of mothers about how to take great photos.  One mom said, "I have to take hundreds of pictures before I get a great shot."  My friend told her, "Me too, but I'm a professional.  Do you know what that means?  That means I only have to show you the good pictures I've taken.  I don't show the bad pictures to you.  That's what makes me a professional." 

Well, I guess I'm not a pro at blogging yet, because I'd like you to see the reality of cooking.  Gluten free or not, cooking can be messy and outcomes imperfect. 

It made a decent pizza crust.



What was supposed to be a gluten free french baguette!?!

 "If you're not going to be ready to fail, you're not going to learn how to cook." said Julia Child. 

 

It's time to try that gluten free recipe that looks delicious.

What's the worst that is going to happen?  Maybe you'll have to throw out something made from expensive gluten free flour; but I'll bet it's still cheaper than a tenuous meal at any restaurant.

Go fearlessly into your kitchens and let me know who comes out alive!

Countertop Strawberry 'Ice Cream'

6-8 large strawberries (frozen may actually work best)

1 frozen banana, cut in pieces

1/2 can coconut milk

1-2 cups of ice as necessary to make thick

Place berries, banana and about 1 cup of ice in a blender.  Add 1/4 cup of coconut milk and beging blending.  Add ice and/or coconut milk until mixture is blended and becomes too thick to pour.  Transfer to a container (this is where the mess happened) and place in freezer to harden.

Serve with fresh mint, sliced strawberries, chocolate syrup or any other topping you like!

 

 

Eating Gluten Free at a Restaurant Doesn't Have to Be a Crêpeshoot

There are reports that a biker gang has been on the roll to the local crêperie on Sunday mornings.  Be on the look out for them.  Among them are:

 Texadians throwing gang signs.

They are riding dirty with big fat tires and are looking for a java fix. 

It's been substantiated that there is a Celiac among them and she's packin'.  Eyewitnesses confirm that she's carrying her own gluten free crêpes and she's not afraid to take them out in public. 

I've been wanting to ride to our local shopping village for quite some time.  A group of us decided to head up one Sunday for breakfast and coffee. 

I wasn't going to miss out on the first group bike ride even if the destination was a crêpe shop.  I didn't think they'd have any gluten free offerings.  And I was pretty sure if they did, I still wouldn't eat them because it is a small, flour filled environment. 

None the less, I went and had a great time.  I had a cup of coffee and a bag of chips. 

There's somthing about eating outside that makes all food taste better.  The company, the weather and the setting made that one of the best bag of chips I've ever eaten.


This week, we decided to roll again. 


When I was trying to talk myself into getting out of bed, the idea came to bring my own gluten free crêpes.  It was awesome! 

Crêpes, fresh strawberries, whipped coconut 'cream', scrambled eggs, Sriracha sauce and the magic combination that made those the best crêpes I've ever eaten!

Quick Gluten Free Crêpes

1 large egg

1/4 cup of Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix

Water

Heat a no-stick fry pan that is the size of the crêpe you want to make.  Add a slice of butter to the pan and melt.

  Mix the egg and pancake mix until it makes a paste.  Slowly add water in tablespoon increments and mix.  Keep adding water until the batter is very thin (almost the consistency of whole milk). 

Pour batter into hot fry pan until there is a thin layer in the middle.  Swirl the pan to make the batter run from the middle of the pan out to the edges.  Cook on medium heat until the top of the crêpe  looks mostly dry.  Flip and cook until done.

Remove from pan and fill with your favorite gluten free ingredients:

Strawberries

Bananas

Nutella

Peaches

Peanut Butter

Raspberries

Honey

Whipped Cream

Eggs

Ham

Sauteed Mushrooms

Carmalized Onions

Spinach

Brie

Feta Cheese

Pesto

Chicken
Goats Cheese
Orange Marmalade

THEN GO EAT IT OUTSIDE!