Yep, that's me, Gluten Free!

Talking with people who aren’t gluten free about being gluten free has its extremes. You have people that know about it and people who have never heard the word ‘gluten’. Being GF doesn’t mean we miss out on things, it just means we have to be more inventive than the next person with our food. GF food has come a long way, even the 2 years that I have been GF. But I meet people who are just becoming GF and it pains me because they are going through what I went, and still am, going through.

It’s hard. I admit, especially as an adult, that it’s extremely difficult at times to eat and eat well. You know what you are missing. I was speaking to someone the other day who is GF. But she only has been for 6 months. I cringed when she told me that she still eats what she wants and suffers through it. I thought, “Don’t you know what you are putting your body through?” I was horrified after I went home and thought more about our conversation. Her main complaint was that it is hard to find things to eat that you want to eat. I agree.

Here are some tips that might help people in her same situation:

1. Keep foods on hand that you really like and will eat often.

2. Keep healthy snack foods on hand so that if you do not know what you want, you can snack on something that isn’t high calorie/high fat until you find something to fix.

3. Keep quick cooking foods around like GF spaghetti.

4. If you don’t eat GF bread all the time, keep some in the freezer. It keeps better and it’s ready in a jiffy when you want a quick sandwich.

5. Keep staples that you and your family eat, i.e. eggs, peanut butter (if you aren’t allergic to nuts), jelly, salsa, etc. On hand.

6. Make a ‘go to’ list of foods and recipes that you can access if you get stuck. Add to that list when you find a new one.

7. Try different GF foods. You have to try the different brands to find the ones you like. When you like them, keep a list in your coupon holder or your phone so it’s at the ready when you are.

8. When you find the brands you like, and they freeze well, keep a GF section in your freezer at home.

9. Different stores have different selections. Make sure if you go in to a store you do not frequent often, you take a peek to see if they have a GF section. Same with the one you frequent. They might add new stock and you didn’t know it!

10. Be open to new and organic foods. A lot of organic foods are GF. They can be expensive, but you can shop around…in the stores and online too!

One more thing…look at the labels. Just because you are eating GF doesn’t mean you are eating healthy! It takes a while to becoming used to being GF. 2 years and I still am not used to it.

Be patient, find a support group, live your life and love that you are taking care of your body. It’s the only one you have!

Happy Eating Everyone!

Blueberries vs Ibuprofin

Being pregnant and gluten free is a challenge. Can't take this, can't take that. But Motrin?!! Come on!!! I lived on that stuff .... when it gets really bad, Flexeril. So instead of taking herbs, which the doctor said to stay away from, what do you take? Nature has this uncanny knack of providing double duty for some foods.

After some research, I found some  great items that naturally have anti-inflammatory properties. I have no idea of how much to eat, but I am sure if you incorporate them more into your diet they will help all the same. And you are eating healthy!

Here are a list of items I have found:

1. Shiitake Mushrooms

• Can be used in soups, stews, salads, stir fry and side dishes.

2. Broccoli

• Can be used in soups, stews, salads, shakes, munchies and side dishes

3. Blueberries

• Can be used in stuffed pancakes/french toast, cereal, salads, dressings, smoothies, teas and desserts

4. Sweet Potatoes, white or orange

• Can be used in mashed potatoes, chips, fries, pancakes, side dishes and pies

5. Kelp

• Can be used in salads, sushi, side dishes and quiches

6. Green Tea

• Drink it hot or cold, caffeinated or decaffeinated

7. Avacado

• Salads, sandwiches, dips and soups

8. Turmeric

• Dips, stews, beans / side dishes, chicken/turkey dishes and salads.

These items, I was surprised to find out, that you should avoid them because they can cause inflammation:

1. Dairy

2. Chocolate

3. Eggs

4. Citrus fruits

5. High-fat red meat

6. Wheat products

7. Processed foods

You hear about these foods all the time, well, most of them. Stay away from the processed foods. It's really not that hard. Wheat products, for the gluten free people reading this post, are naturally something you would stay away from. But try whole grains such as brown rice instead of white rice. Get leaner cuts of meat or go the turkey, pork, or chicken route.

It's not that hard to eat naturally. According to what I have read, eating naturally takes less of a toll on our bodies. There are so many products out on the market today that you can even pick up at Walmart! Just take the time to read the labels. Pick and choose wisely and lead a healthier lifestyle! Please consult your physician and / or nutritionist to help you pick what foods are right for you!

Happy Eating Everyone!

red wine, coffee, tea, and sodas

Gluten Free is Not Just for Food

I am a newly proclaimed survival prepper. I can’t say that for the rest of the family just yet. I don’t think they have fully grasped my ideas yet, but I am working on it! But keep in mind, I am just beginning. So first things first!

Water. Water is the key ingredient for everything we do. Keeping hydrated, watering crops, cooking, bathroom necessities, etc. All of these are essential for a long term sustainment off the grid. There is anything from purification tablets to filtration water bottles and for the bigger projects, the systems that sit on your counter. I am opting for a galvanized well bucket and some 55 gallon, BPA free and food safe, water system. It comes with the barrel, siphon Pump, bung wrench and water treatment solution. If you need more barrels after you buy the initial kit, you can go to the Shelf Reliance website and buy the barrel and water treatment tablets..

I also have the added challenge of being gluten free. Costco has the freeze dried Shelf Reliance Thrive brand of survival foods that are gluten free, but what about the other stuff? For those of you with Celiac’s, I am talking about lotions, shampoos, conditioners, etc. According to Glutenfree-lifstyle.com, there are tons of products that are readily available for your use. And they are good for survival kits too. Why should you be without? Pack enough for the whole family and you won’t have to worry about it.

This even gets into paper products. Who knew? Bounty, Charmin and Puffs are all gluten free. Georgia Pacific products have gluten in the adhesive, but not the other parts of the product. Cottonelle and Viva towels are the same way, but I couldn’t find anything on the cardboard.  You can stock up on this stuff for the rest of the family and they will be none the wiser.

I have started a list of gluten free products to research to put on the website www.4theglutenfreefamily.com. I will start publishing the list as soon as I get confirmation from the company that their product is gluten free.

Happy Eating Everyone!

Gluten Free Cereal

There are, obviously, more gluten free products out on the market now than there were 10 years ago, even 5 years ago. There are restaurants popping up and people advertising their GF menus. But as you well know, not all GF food is, well, delicious. I grew up, as many of us, on homemade meals. Going out to eat was a treat. So it’s trial and error? Yep. I can tell you a list of places I enjoy to eat, but when you go, you don’t care for it. So in this blog, I will try to tell you everything about the product that I list and if you are so inclined, you can try it for yourself!

There are so many products out there claiming gluten free….but are they? The calories are important too. Everything that is GF is not exactly ‘healthy’ for you. Some people gain weight on a GF diet and don’t understand why. Read the labels. It will help you make a better decision on what you eat.

So General Mills has advertised that some of the Chex® line of cereals is gluten free. Corn Chex®, Cinnamon Chex®, Rice Chex®, Honey Nut Chex® and Chocolate Chex® are all GF. The only one I did not care for is the Chocolate Chex®. Yes, surprise, surprise! The chocolate tasted fake to me. The Honey Nut Chex® tasted like Honey Nut Cheerios. The Cinnamon Chex® tasted like a not-overstated cinnamon toast. It is sweetened just right with just the right amount of cinnamon without you gagging. What I like about the Chex® brand is that they make it with the whole grain. Another thing I like is if you are watching what you eat and need an exchange calculation, it’s there on the label! And coming in at 120 calories, Cinnamon and Corn Chex®, add some fruit and it’s a delicious and quick start to the day.

Kellogg’s now has GF Rice Krispies. They are made with whole grain brown rice (don’t know what else they would be made from J) and come in at 110 calories for 1 cup. I did not see an exchange calculation on the label. The taste is another thing. I didn’t detect a difference in the brown rice Rice Krispies over the regular. But I did notice that the texture is different. It almost tasted stale when I tried them. When you put them in Rice Krispie Treats, they are fine. Of course what isn’t with marshmallows?!

And in this corner, coming in at 120 calories for ¾ of a cup is…..Fruity Pebbles! Yes, Fruity Pebbles is GF! YAY! Ok, it’s good news for the kids too! There is an exchange posting on this label too. The taste is just the same as the regular Fruity Pebbles. And I think they are! As far as I can remember, they have been putting a GF label on the nutrition facts side for a while. You could also try making Fruity Pebble Treats with marshmallows! YUM!

There are tons of GF recipes for Chex products on their website: http://www.chex.com/Recipes/GlutenFree.aspx. So have fun with your breakfast, snacks or whatever else you want to create with your cereal!

More products to come!

Be creative and Happy Eating Everyone!

Emergency Preparedness - Are you ready?

Before you think I am crazy, let me explain. Emergency Preparedness is important. I am not talking about the end of the world, nuclear fallout, etc. But if you are considering those ideas to happen for the future, this might be a good start for you. Back to emergency preparedness; FEMA and your local Emergency Manager have put out lists of the most important items you should have on hand in case of an emergency. These things are important for you and your family to consider. The number one reason: survival. Will you go hungry for 7 days or will you be well fed and have enough energy to get the things you need like firewood?

So what happens when there is an emergency? Do we have to evacuate? Or are we staying put? Well, if you have to evacuate, hopefully you have thought ahead, researched what you need and packed an emergency Bug Out Bag (BOB) for the whole family. Survival tools, clothes, compass, maps, emergency radio, food, water, etc. It doesn’t take up much room, just a bin that is easy to grab and put in your vehicle or carry if necessary.

Wait, did you say food? Yes, I said it. There isn’t any problem finding all the rest of the ingredients on your list. Well, what about me, I am gluten free? I can’t eat what everyone else is eating. Oh my gosh, can you imagine the uncomfortableness, pain and possible medical problems?  What about gluten free emergency food? So that got me thinking. Are there really people out there who sell gluten free emergency kits / food? There is more than I thought.

There are many versions of this long shelf life food. One way to go is freeze dried. According to what I have seen, it has a longer shelf life (20-25 years) than the canned versions (5 years).  Veggies, fruit, desserts, grains and beans are also available. If you don’t want to wait, go to your local sportsman’s store and get the meals in a package. Try that next time you go camping. If you like them make sure of the shelf life and get a few for your 72 hour emergency kit.

There are 2 types of freeze dried meats. One is real meat and the other is Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP).  You could also probably do jerky. It seems like the real meat is more expensive. So if you are more on a tight budget for amping up your emergency supply, you might want to try the TVP.

Shelf life is important. You don’t want something to spoil before it’s time for you to use it. Make sure when you get new stock, you rotate it so the new stuff is at the back of the shelf. Keep a log of when your food expires so you can use it before it goes bad. Nothing like paying a premium for something and you have to throw it away. Or it goes bad and you realize it when you need it. Research what you want: gluten free, long shelf life, tasty food. And go with the best option for your family.

Costco actually has a host of foods available for purchase. There even is a kosher, gf, dairy free, nut free, soy free and egg free company that sells these products. That is at http://www.aaoobfoods.com.

Here are some other websites that are informative:

www.Buyemergencyfoods.com

www.Momstart.com

www.Livestrong.com

www.Glutenfreeemergencykits.com

http://www.questproteinbar.com/gluten-free?gclid=CPO2ucG2zq4CFbAEQAodhAoOAg

www.preparedplanet .com

www.FEMA.gov

http://www.celiac.com/articles/21603/1/How-to-Prepare-a-Gluten-Free-Disaster-Emergency-Kit/Page1.html

So do your research, make a list, put together a kit, have a plan and be prepared! It doesn’t take much time. And it’s piece of mind that you and your family are covered just in case. There is no worse feeling in the world as a mother / father than not being able to provide for or feed your family!

Superb Breakfast

Being gluten free is one thing, but being pregnant AND gluten free hosts challenges all on its own. I love to cook and when the food aversions hit me, I didn't want to cook let alone look at food or even smell it. The thought processes that go into food preparation when you are pregnant is awesome to say the least. You can't remember where you left the car let alone what to cook for dinner. Thank goodness for cooking shows and their ability to get the juices flowing once again. Here's a hint: take what you are craving and make a meal out of it! So what if it's sweet....have dessert for dinner! Life is too short and your kids will think the world of you!

I had a hankering for stuffed french toast one morning. Alas, as it goes, I did not have any GF bread. What to do, what to do? Then I had the idea of stuffed pancakes! Why not?! I have some fresh strawberries and blackberries....I will make it a meal! Here is the recipe I came up with....hope you enjoy! P.S., this is great for a Sunday Brunch too!

Stuffed Pancakes

1 C GF Bisquick

1 egg

1 1/4 C milk, saving the 1/4 c if needed

1 qt strawberries

1 oz cream cheese, softened

1 T butter

Blackberry Syrup

1 C sugar

1 C water

1 – 6 oz package of blackberries

Start the syrup by combining the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Once to a boil, add the blackberries and bring to a simmer.  Let simmer and cook down at least to ½ of the volume you started with. You can do this while you are cooking the pancakes.

Core and thinly slice strawberries. Cream the cream cheese in a medium sized bowl. Add flour, 1 C milk and egg. Stir only until combined. If batter is too thick, slowly add the reserved ¼ C of milk until batter is workable. Heat a griddle or flat pan on stove. Add ¼ of the butter, let melt. When pan is hot add a thin layer of pancake batter, layer thinly cut strawberries onto batter and gently push down. Add a small dollop of batter to each strawberry so when you flip it, the strawberries will cook into the pancake instead of being on the outside. When bubbly on the uncooked side, flip pancake and press down so that pancake will evenly cook. When browned, transfer to plate and cover with paper towel.

When pancakes are almost done, turn off syrup and let stand for 5-10 minutes. After slightly cooling, pour everything in pot into a strainer over a bowl. Mash down the blackberries to get all of the juice out, but not the seeds. Transfer syrup to a mason jar for serving and storage.

When pancakes are finished, plate with extra blackberries and syrup and ENJOY!

You can also use some powdered sugar on the top!

Happy Eating Everyone!!