Breakfast (Lunch, Dinner, Snack) Made Easy This open-faced Italian version of an omelet is a simple breakfast, lunch or dinner and a delicious way to use up leftovers. Recipes for frittatas abound – and are helpful. (Linda’s Spinach and Ham Frittata looks delish) But you can also go through your fridge or freezer and pull [...]
Gluten-Free, Right Owner Kellie Hopkins (left) and Jayme Yates Last week a major pizza chain unveiled their not-so-gluten-free pizza. We’re fortunate in Nashville to have a restaurant that does gluten-free and does it well. Before A Matter of Taste’s owner, Kellie Hopkins, learned she had to stop eating gluten in 2009, she’d been trying to [...]
When we start on the gluten-free diet, we’re just trying to find food to eat. It’s a matter of survival. Once we learn we can do that (because you can do that), it’s easy to tweak it and make it our own, find foods we really want to eat, find ways to change this [...]
Telling the World about Gluten Brandy Wendler didn’t dream of winning a beauty pageant. (Well, no more than other little girls might.) Once diagnosed with celiac disease, she realized a title would help her to help others so she pursed it and won. She’s been busy ever since. We were both at Chicago’s Gluten [...]
No Gluten in Sight Stepping through the doors of a gluten-free expo can seem overwhelming. Vendors at tables are offering samples of their foods, some to eat there and some packaged to take home. A taste here, a taste there. A bite of cookie, a piece of cracker. (I should mention here, come hungry.) Since [...]
Making Allergy-Free Foods for Kids Megan Ancheta of Wasilla, Alaska, makes delicious food for her two girls, ages 3 and 7 then shares those recipes with her happy readers on Maid in Alaska. I’m originally from nearby Anchorage, Alaska, so I became intrigued by her familiar Alaskan touches like moose in her yard. Then I [...]
Always a Bit of a Tart To me, lemons have a taste that brings sunshine on a rainy day. They’re light, fruity, fresh but with a hint of tart. They’ve been in the Americas for hundreds of years. Columbus brought lemon seeds along on his second trip to the Carribean. Early Spanish settlers to [...]
Sweet Treats “My passion is creating gluten-free products that taste better than their conventional counterparts,” said Pamela Giusto-Sorrells, who personally develops all Pamela’s recipes. “Gluten-free shouldn’t mean sacrificing delicious, home-baked comforts like light, fluffy bread or decadent warm cookies from the oven.” Pamela’s Products makes a wide variety of sweet treats, both as already made and as [...]
Higher Learning, Gluten-Free Style Wendy Gregory Kaho of Celiacs in the House has two children who went off to college last year. From their experiences, both good and not-so-good, she’s become, I suspect unexpectedly, an expert in eating gluten-free at college. Wendy’s “Gluten-Free College” page has some great links to articles and other information including [...]
Continuing an excellent interview with author, editor and teacher, Ron Hoggan. This is on the technical side, but full of good information. “With current trends in obesity, insulin resistance, learning disabilities, behavior problems, and addiction, gluten grains may well be contributing to each and all of these enormous social ills.” Ron Hoggan Q: Describe what [...]
I’m honored to present this interview with Ron Hoggan, Ed.D., author of “Dangerous Grains” and “Cereal Killers,” and editor of “The Journal of Gluten Sensitivity.” Diagnosed with celiac disease in 1994, Hoggan has devoted much of his life to the pursuit and sharing of information about gluten and its related issues. Dr. Hoggan answered [...]
I’m honored to present this interview with Ron Hoggan, Ed.D., author of “Dangerous Grains” and “Cereal Killers,” and editor of “The Journal of Gluten Sensitivity.” Diagnosed with celiac disease in 1994, Hoggan has devoted much of his life to the pursuit and sharing of information about gluten and its related issues.
Dr. Hoggan answered my questions and provided so much excellent detail that I broke it into two posts. The first gives suggestions about what to do when your doctor refuses to test you (something that happens alarmingly often), whether or not non-celiac gluten intolerance is an autoimmune disorder, and possible reasons all grains are an issue for some. The second post will be about opioid peptides, and how gluten impacts both mood and learning disabilities.
“Dangerous Grains,” co-authored with James Braley, M.D., has great information about gluten and how it affects health. Though it’s ten years old, the information remains timely. One of my favorite things about this book is the amazing “Comprehensive List of Gluten-Associated Medical Conditions” in the back of the book.
Co-authored with Scott Adams, founder of celiac.com, Hoggan’s newest book is “Cereal Killers.” Filled with articles by many individuals, some experts in the field, some simply people sharing their gluten story, the book covers just about every imaginable gluten-related subject from diagnosis to dining out.
Q & A:
“If you feel better when gluten free, why would or should you care if you meet the medical diagnostic criteria for celiac disease?” Ron Hoggan
Q: Medical professionals and others shout from the rooftops that someone needs to be tested before they go on a gluten-free diet, but that isn’t always an easy thing to do. What advice do you have for someone who wants to be tested for celiac disease and gluten intolerance but cannot get a doctor to do so? (My aunt has rheumatoid arthritis and whole wheat makes her sick, but her doctor told her she didn’t have celiac disease – without testing her. Mrs. United States, Shannon Ford, also had a hard time getting a doctor to test her.)
A: I would argue that when a physician refuses to order a simple test, like the serum antibody tests for celiac disease along with total IgA measurement, they are working from an outdated understanding of medicine where the patient is objectified, and the patient’s input is devalued or ignored. It is probably time to find a new doctor when such testing is refused. If that is not possible, she might ask her physician to put in writing her/his reasons for refusing the test. I have found that almost always leads to the expedited ordering of serum antibody tests, but be sure to ask for a total IgA measurement as well. If there is an IgA deficiency (common in celiac disease and rare in the general population), the tests will be negative even in active celiac disease.
That said, perhaps the most important facet of this issue is that the individual who has been refused testing really has only four choices: they can change the doctor’s mind; they can live with their complaints; they can go doctor shopping, asking the new doctor to test for celiac disease; or they can try a gluten-free diet on their own.
If a person chooses to try the diet, they should understand that they are unlikely to ever get an accurate diagnosis of celiac disease even after just a few days on the diet. It sometimes takes years to develop villous atrophy, and prescribing specific durations and quantities of gluten to ingest for a gluten challenge are really just based on guesswork. Everyone is so variable that it is impossible to rule out celiac disease with certainty. Although some people do get a diagnosis following a gluten challenge, many more continue to suspect celiac disease, with good cause, despite negative test results.
On the other hand, the most reliable test is, in my opinion, the diet. If you feel better when gluten free, why would or should you care if you meet the medical diagnostic criteria for celiac disease? Just stick with the diet. But that is a problem with self-prescribing the gluten-free diet. The research shows that people are less likely to stay with the diet, long-term, in the absence of a firm diagnosis. Nonetheless, I do know people who have self-prescribed the diet and have been on it for more than twenty years.
“For instance, when gluten avoidance reverses another form of autoimmunity or provides relief from the symptoms of autoimmunity, it is difficult to argue that these are not cases of autoimmune disease driven by gluten.” Ron Hoggan
I keep hearing people say that celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder but being gluten intolerant is not. What is the difference? Is there a difference?
Autoimmune disease has repeatedly been shown to benefit from a gluten-free diet in some patients. Most of these people do not have celiac disease. They are sometimes characterized as having non-celiac gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance. There are others with bowel symptoms similar to celiac disease but without villous atrophy. These, too, are often identified as having non-celiac gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance. Still others have symptoms of other ailments that are not associated with celiac disease or other autoimmune disease, but appear to benefit from a gluten-free diet.
The arguments I’ve heard and read on this issue indicate that celiac disease is an autoimmune disease while those with bowel symptoms that improve on the diet are not. This argument is silly. We don’t yet know enough about non-celiac gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance to categorically state that it is or is not autoimmune. All we can say with any confidence is that non-celiac gluten sensitivity does not cause an autoimmune attack on the intestinal wall resulting in villous atrophy. However, it may well cause other forms of autoimmunity.
For instance, when gluten avoidance reverses another form of autoimmunity or provides relief from the symptoms of autoimmunity, it is difficult to argue that these are not cases of autoimmune disease driven by gluten. There is even debate about some of the immune mechanisms at work in non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Dr. Fasano recently identified innate immune responses as characteristic of non-celiac gluten sensitivity. As mentioned earlier, I recognize that gluten impacts natural killer cells which are part of the innate immune system. We know that adaptive immune reactions are a characteristic of celiac disease. However, I would argue that there is a huge gap there that has been ignored in Dr. Fasano’s stated position (and I can’t imagine that he overlooked it by accident).
IgG and IgA serum antibodies against gliadin, a family of proteins found in wheat, are considered non-specific. Yet they indicate that our bodies are mounting an immune reaction against this very common food. They are currently dismissed because they are not specific to any single illness or group of illnesses. They are very common in many autoimmune illnesses. Yet they are also seen in apparently healthy people. So the assumption is that they are meaningless. I think that Dr. Fasano has very wisely avoided the conflict surrounding this contentious issue and is pursuing other ways of characterizing non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
I am not so wise. While I agree that anti-gliadin antibodies are non-specific, they are far from meaningless. They reveal that undigested and partly digested gluten proteins are getting into the bloodstream, which should not be happening. They also identify an immune reaction against gluten that reflects our bodies’ trying to avert the harmful impacts of gluten. Dr. Marios Hadjivassiliou, the head of neurology at the Royal Hallamshire Hospital in Sheffield, has been publishing reports for about twenty years that connect a variety of neurological diseases with anti-gliadin antibodies. They are only meaningless to those who have difficulty admitting to our broad areas of ignorance in this unexplored area of medicine.
“And if you produce selective antibodies against protein segments (peptides) that are common to one or more other members of the grain family, you will probably react to this other member or members of the grain family.” Ron Hoggan
Do you know of any research about grains other than wheat, rye and barley (and perhaps oats) being problematic for the gluten intolerant? (This one is because of my personal situation. I recently had to eliminate all other grains and have noticed a significant difference. This may be just me but I’m curious.)
Sure, just look at an image of selective antibodies on the Internet. You will see that the antibodies only identify a small segment of the harmful protein they are specifically made to combat. If the antibodies you make react to a segment of protein that is common to other members of the grain family, you will react to those as well.
Donald Kasarda published a grain family taxonomy on the Internet. If you look at that taxonomy of the grain families, you will see the relationships between the grains. For instance, while rice and corn are somewhat removed from gluten grains, they are still related. And if you produce selective antibodies against protein segments (peptides) that are common to one or more other members of the grain family, you will probably react to this other member or members of the grain family.
Sometimes, after avoiding these other grains for a few years, celiacs can return to eating them again. Sometimes they can’t. I don’t know of any way to predict an individual’s prospects on this issue.
The second half will be posted on April 5th.
Thank you Ron!
I talk to a lot of people who want to know more about the gluten-free way of life so I decided to write this post, Part 1 of what will be a running series of articles about living gluten-free. This one is simply 10 easy tips for those just starting out on a gluten-free diet. This is for you if you or a loved one have recently been diagnosed or you believe you/they have a problem with gluten so want to give the diet a try. (Note: Remember that once you’ve stopped eating gluten, the blood test or endoscopy will show negative so you can’t have these tests later, they must be done first if you ever want to have them done. Gluten would have to be added back in the diet to test later.)
To be clear, gluten is in wheat, rye and barley. Oats must be certified gluten-free because of possible cross contamination*.
1. Rule One. If you have to become gluten-free, Don’t Panic. If this advice comes too late, go to step 2.
2. You’re wondering if there’s anything left to eat. Am I a mind reader? No, we ALL wondered. Go to your favorite grocery store and browse the produce department. All of those fruits and vegetables are gluten-free. If you’re like my husband and these weren’t your favorite foods to start with (unless the peaches were in a peach cobbler), go to the meat department.
3. Meat is also naturally gluten-free. This department can trip you up, though, because poultry can be injected with gluten-containing ingredients and marinades can be added. Be particularly careful if buying processed meats like bologna and ham. Eggs are naturally gluten-free.
4. Now go check out the dairy department. This is generally safe but you’ll have to read labels more here. Cheese, other than possibly blue cheese, is generally safe. Of course, milk is fine. I have read that some lower fat sour creams can contain gluten. (The brand we see most here in Nashville doesn’t.) When other ingredients are added to dairy products as with flavored yogurts and cheese spreads, you’ll need to be more careful about checking labels, but it can’t be said enough, read all labels! If you don’t eat dairy, there are many non-dairy alternatives including milks such as almond and coconut, coconut yogurt and vegan “cheeses” that can be found in many regular grocery stores today.
5. The freezer section has good and not-so-good choices in it. Frozen veggies, fruit, and plain meat (no seasoning) are generally fine but – yes, I’m going to say it again, read the label. Most mainstream frozen dinners contain gluten. (There are some frozen meals that are gluten-free but these will most likely be specialty brands, not Stouffers or Healthy Choice.) Anything that comes with a sauce or seasoning packet has to be carefully checked out because you’ll often find gluten containing items in them. Canned foods such as soup almost always contain gluten but other canned goods like beans can be fine.
6. Many condiments – mayo, ketchup and mustard – are ok but check to make sure. Some mustard has gluten in it so check it carefully. Vinegar, other than malt vinegar, is considered safe. Plain herbs and spices* are generally fine but be careful of seasoning mixes and packets: look them up online or call the company if you don’t find anything online.
7. Most regular grocery stores now have gluten-free bread in the freezer section. Ours also has good gluten-free waffles. They also have sweets such as muffins and donuts. Just remember that you knew you shouldn’t live on sweets before so it isn’t a good idea now. Take care of yourself, give your body all the nutrients it needs, and don’t overindulge.
8. Snacks may seem challenging. My husband likes bars such as Larabar and Kind Bars which are both gluten-free. Larabar recently added uber bars that are nuttier than their regular bars (and taste less like a date bar.) I like apple slices and nut or seed butter. Other snack ideas include nuts (read the label), fruit, dried fruit, cheese, ants on a log (celery topped with peanut butter and raisins), bread with a nut/seed butter and yogurt (dairy or non-dairy).
9. Go International. Western cultures focus more on wheat and other gluten-filled grains than many other cultures. Make a stir fry over rice (brown or white); spaghetti – many sauces are gluten-free and gluten-free pasta can be quite good (we like Tinkyada); tacos (read the label – some corn tortillas have gluten) and refried beans; or one of the many Indian curry dishes. Don’t forget, there are many delicious gluten-free dishes that are still made with grains or foods that act like grains: try polenta, a wild rice pilaf, a quinoa salad or a gluten-free version of buckwheat pancakes.
10. Check out the growing list of gluten-free products that are available. If you have a Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s or other similar healthy foods store, also see what they have to offer. If these stores aren’t available to you, shop online. Possible places for an assortment of gluten-free foods are Amazon, celiac.com’s gluten-free mall or iherb (use this code – PEM 300 – to receive $5 off your first order**). If you’d like to bake with almond flour, after trying two others, I’ve found Honeyville’s is my favorite.
One last time, say it out loud with me: Read the label.
Here are a couple of posts from this site with great info for beginners:
Shreve Stockton used her oven for storage and didn’t own plates so she really started from scratch. Then wrote a gluten-free cookbook: http://enjoyingglutenfreelife.com/cookbook-author-shreve-stockton-2/
Shirley from glutenfreeeasily.com has great advice for beginniners. http://enjoyingglutenfreelife.com/shirley-braden-of-gluten-free-easily-gfe/
*We must have a discussion about things that appear gluten-free but can have gluten on/in them. This is called cross contamination and can happen when a food is handled by anyone other than you. It could happen during manufacturing or in a restaurant. Wheat flour hangs in the air for days, so a place that manufactures wheat bread and gluten-free bread side-by-side would most likely have wheat in the “gluten-free” bread. A company that makes gluten-filled seasoning mixes could bottle plain spices on the same line so do research. Chips (or fries) might be made in the same oil as something with gluten. Do the research on the chips and ask the restaurant about the fries. (If anything with gluten is ever in the same oil, it isn’t gluten-free.)
**I will be compensated if you use the iherb code for your order. Someone gave me one for my first order which I appreciated even more after I’d experienced their fast service and knew I’d found a company I would shop at again.
This post is linked to Gluten-Free Wednesdays.
This is not to be taken as medical advice. I am not a medical professional. You are responsible for your own research and for choosing what you/your family eat and drink.
Photo Credit: USDA
The tests with EnteroLab are different than the Celiac blood tests and endoscopy many of us are familiar with. EnteroLab’s Nurse and Clinical Manager, Phyllis Zermeno, answers some questions about the tests to help us learn more. Her job description includes educator, counselor, conducting consultations on diet, explaining testing procedures to clients and practitioners, helping clients and practitioners determine which tests to order based on patient health history & symptomology, and clarifying interpretations of results. Whew. We first spoke when I called with questions about a test.
(This is in no way to be seen as an endorsement of EnteroLab or its tests. When my blood test and endoscopy were negative, I started researching other testing methods and found EnteroLab. They are considered by some to be controversial but my husband and I have found their results to be accurate. As in all things, you are responsible for your own decisions.)
Why is an EnteroLab test more sensitive than blood or saliva tests or biopsies? Why is an EnteroLab test for gluten able to find gluten sensitivity that a celiac blood test and biopsy couldn’t?
The stool tests are more sensitive because approximately 80% of IgA antibody production happens in the small intestine. That is where these antibodies “live” primarily. Since fecal matter passes through this area regularly, it is the best medium to absorb the antibodies, hence the best medium to test for them. An individual must first have a reaction (sensitivity) to gluten before s/he can ever become Celiac. Most of the time, the IgA levels in the blood for anti-gliadin and tissue transglutaminase antibodies will not be elevated until the reaction is very severe and has been happening for a long time. This is especially true with an elevated tTG, which usually will not show until there is damage to the villi. Even though the biopsy is still considered the “gold standard” to diagnose Celiac, they are still often inconclusive or the correct area isn’t tested, or the patient has no damage to the villi so the practitioner says it is okay for him to consume gluten. This vein of thought totally ignores the possibility of non-Celiac gluten reaction, which we know exists.
What can we say to doctors and others who question the validity of an EnteroLab test? What proof is there that it diagnoses properly?
Dr. Fine based his theory of testing fecal matter on Dr. Ann Ferguson’s previous research wherein she was testing gastrointestinal contents for IgA antibodies and found them. He simply took the more practical approach of testing material that is normally evacuated from the body but had still been in the same area as gastrointestinal contents. His research was begun at Baylor University Medical Center, and it evolved into our current lab. The largest body of proof is in the extreme volume of individuals who were tested within the normal medical system and were told they had no reaction to gluten but then tested positive with EnteroLab and experienced improved health on a gluten-free diet.
How long can someone be completely gluten-free and still have accurate results from an EnteroLab test?
In retesting patients over several years, Dr. Fine has found that it usually takes anywhere from 1-2 years (sometimes longer) for a previously elevated IgA antibody count to significantly decrease in the stool. These antibodies seem to stay in the small intestine for quite some time before they are flushed from the system. This is a general guideline, however, because it will take some individuals less time to decrease their counts on the diet if their previous levels were only slightly elevated.
Your website says: “If you have recently been diagnosed as a celiac, we recommend our Gluten Sensitivity Stool Panel to establish baseline levels for your gliadin antibodies in stool and to determine the severity of intestinal damage.” How does the test determine the severity of intestinal damage? If you do retest 12-24 months later as suggested, what results are you looking for to show healing or not healing?
Using fecal fat microscopy, we count the amount of fat globules that are in the sample provided. There is a reference range of normal fat content, but if the value is above this range it is classified at mild, moderate, or severe damage. This stems from Dr. Fine’s research at Baylor. Damage does not necessarily always mean to the villi, though that is one of the main types of damage seen with a gluten reaction. There can be damage to the intestinal wall and chronic inflammation of the tissue as well. Bringing the fecal fat value down (usually by adopting a gluten-free diet) helps to heal the intestine. When you retest, we like to see this number drop significantly. If you retest the antibody count, which Dr. Fine doesn’t recommend before about 24 months on the diet, we also would like to see this number drop.
If a test for something other than gluten (casein, rice, corn, etc.) is positive, is it possibly temporary or is it like gluten and must be permanently avoided? If temporary, can someone retest for these in the future even if they are not eating that food?
It is possible that reactions other than to gluten may be temporary, but if it is a severe reaction it could also be permanent, especially if the body also reacts with IgE and/or IgG antibodies to that same food. Getting the primary reaction (usually gluten) under control first is key, though, to bring the body out of the hyperimmune state*. Someone can always retest in the future to see how well they have been keeping a food out of the diet, thus producing a lower antibody count than the previous result.
Is the gene testing EnteroLab offers the same or different than that offered elsewhere?
Many labs offer gene testing. We feel it is important, however, to ensure they are reporting exactly what genes are present at the DQB1 locus and not just report if someone is positive or negative for DQ2 and DQ8.
For others with similar results on their gene test, my results say: “Although you do not possess the main HLA-DQB1 genes predisposing to celiac sprue (HLA-DQB1*0201 or HLA-DQB1*0302), HLA gene analysis reveals that you have two copies of a gene that predisposes to gluten sensitivity (any DQ1, DQ2 not by HLA-DQB1*0201, or DQ3 not by HLA-DQB1*0302).” Does this mean I cannot have celiac disease?
“Cannot” is too strong of a term, as there have been cases where individuals without a Celiac gene have actually been diagnosed with Celiac, but the percentage is very small. Less than one percent of diagnosed Celiacs, from what I have read, do not have at least one DQ2 or DQ8 gene.
My doctor wouldn’t order an EnteroLab test (so insurance wouldn’t pay) because the test isn’t FDA approved. Are there any plans for this in the future?
The ELISA test kit that we use is actually FDA approved. The only difference is the medium being used. I have not heard Dr. Fine mention any plans to pursue FDA approval on use of fecal matter instead of blood at this time. Just so you know, though, some insurance carriers do cover our tests, but it largely depends on whether or not a physician will actually provide an order for the test and what type of coverage individuals have.
[I asked Phyllis to tell us more about this.]
*The hyperimmune state comes from having an inflammatory response within the immune system for a long period of time. The longer it manifests without removing the causative foods, the more additional foods are added to the cascade of immune response. These are usually the foods we eat most routinely in our daily diet. Some people may not be able to add foods back into the diet once the immune system is under control again due to the body’s lack of ability to process those proteins, but in some cases the reactions are not necessarily permanent. Immunologic reactions are very individualistic as to how they manifest and how severe they become, so if someone wants to attempt reintroduction of previously eliminated foods into the diet, this should be done systematically and very slowly so that the individual can determine if reaction still exists to those foods.
Thank you Phyllis!
If you’re like most of us, you eat the same foods over and over again. I know I’m in a rut. I walked past broccolini in the store the other day and had a flash of interest before moving on. I might be missing something wonderful there or with the parsnip that’s in my fridge. (I got bold and bought it. But haven’t cooked it.)
Jenn Oliver enjoys trying new foods and shares that lifestyle with us on Jenn Cuisine. She’s an American living in Switzerland, cooking gluten-free for her husband. Some find cooking gluten-free to be a burden. Jenn doesn’t. Read on to see her take on new foods. And enjoy the beautiful photos she’s shared with us here.
Q & A:
Your website says, “Food is deeply connected to how we define and see ourselves, and how we relate to others.” How does food define who you are?
To me, activities surrounding food are inherently social, and growing up food was always enjoyed together, with friends and/or family. There is a ritual and sharing that I found through enjoying food with others, and always viewed cooking and eating as a time for making bonds and connecting with other people. I believe much of our culture is defined by how we interact with others, and so I see those activities relating to food as a deep reflection and reinforcement of those cultural values – and eating is a daily activity – I believe the more we eat and share food with others, the richer our lives become.
Most of us have the same meals and eat the same foods over and over again, month after month. You embrace the new – quail eggs, truffle oil, chanterelle mushrooms. Share with us the path to trying new foods.
I think I have always been open to trying new foods – I never was a picky eater, and I’m willing to give anything a shot at least once – and I fully understand that if I don’t like something it may not be because I don’t like the food, but that I just didn’t like the way in which it was prepared.
When I got to college and started cooking more on my own, it became a grand daily experiment, and that’s essentially how I taught myself to cook – I would walk around a market or grocery store, pick up some produce item that I had no idea what it was, and see what I could make with it. I still do that from time to time, and it’s a fun activity living in a foreign country where there are lots of foods available here that I normally would not be able to find so easily in the U.S. And when I met my husband and learned he was gluten free, that introduced an entire world of brand new-to-me ingredients that I might not have ever taken the time to notice or play with otherwise.
Also when we eat out, I try to go for dishes that I would not cook at home – and often ones with ingredients I might not normally pick up. For ex., that’s how I learned that I like Jerusalem artichokes – we spent Christmas in Austria this year, and Jerusalem artichoke soup was always on the menu when we ate out – so, intrigued, I had to give it a try – and then once we came back home I was determined to find them and figure out how to cook with them, because I loved their flavor. I guess I just generally take the philosophy that I’ll probably like most anything, and so I don’t approach new food with trepidation but rather a sense of adventure – it’s certainly more fun that way.
Do you research the time it takes to cook a quail egg or the uses of truffle oil before working with them?
Sometimes, it depends. I did look up cooking quail eggs because they were a bit pricey and I didn’t want to waste them by botching them up. But other things I will just “wing it” and see what happens. I may browse the internet for a variety of recipes just to see how other people use them or what they are paired with, and then just keep that as a general idea in the back of my head when I go to cook something.
Do you cook based on an idea you have before going to the market or based on what you find freshest there and/or seasonal?
Sometimes yes, sometimes no. I really do enjoy playing the game of “well let’s see what inspires me at the market and we’ll plan from there.” When I go shopping, I always go to the market first because I find the quality and freshness is generally superior compared to what I find in my local grocery store. I’ll choose things that sound good, and then from there my husband and I usually chat together as ideas start to flow about what we should create with what we just purchased – and that will often influence the rest of our market purchases or help define our grocery list.
Living in Europe, I’ve found produce availability is much more seasonally dictated than when I was living in the U.S. – I can’t just buy whatever I want any time of the year, and those things that are out of season that are available (from far away) are really not awesome in flavor. So it’s easy for me to want to choose fresh/seasonal ingredients at the market, because they simply taste the best (and they are much much more affordable which also helps.)
You say on your website, “Learning and discovering the main concepts behind making gluten free food has been surprisingly freeing.” Many would think anything gluten-free was difficult, not freeing, so what do you mean by that?
To me it’s all about attitude – I could focus on all of the things that I can’t make because of my husband’s gluten issues and be depressed about it, or I could embrace what we can make and set ourselves on a path for discovery of new flavors and foods. To me it’s a simple choice as to which is more enjoyable. And really, there isn’t that much I find that is lacking from our day to day diet.
Learning about gluten free did a lot to get me cooking from scratch rather than from a box. It taught me how to experiment, try new techniques, and become a more educated home cook. Don’t get me wrong, some parts about gluten free food are difficult – for ex. I have yet to come up with a bread recipe that I am completely happy with, and I still have yet to tackle other traditional baked goods to satisfaction, such as biscuits or puff pastry. But really I would not know nearly as much as I do about cooking and baking in general if it weren’t for my husband’s gluten issues.
Before I knew about gluten free, I was stuck in a paradigm that regular AP [all-purpose] flour was the only way things could be made. Since learning how to make GF food, I have discovered that flour can be used to flavor a dish just as much as any other ingredients – buckwheat, almonds, chestnuts, beans, quinoa, coconut, they all can impart flavor directly into the baked good by using their flours, and so baking GF has opened up a brand new set of options for flavoring a dish. I encourage people who do not need to be GF to try baking with some of the GF flours, if for no other reason than to see the multitude of tastes and combinations that can be made by incorporating some of the GF ingredients.
Gluten free got me out of my comfort zone in the kitchen and to it helped me to view limitations as opportunities rather than challenges – and that is when real creativity and discovery can happen.
How long did it take from beginning to cook gluten-free until “the fun of cooking and creating food” came back? How can we have fun in the kitchen?
Not long at all. At first there was the dilemma of “hmmm now what in the world am I going to cook for this guy?” and so I started cooking dishes that were naturally gluten free, i.e. those that required no alterations that I could make just like I’ve always made. That was a great discovery experience for the both of us, because before he met me he was just as clueless as to how to enjoy a GF lifestyle, and so we experimented and learned together. And then I gradually started using all-purpose GF flour mixes to try to recreate versions of some conventional baked items, such as pizza, etc., as well as simpler things like gravies and soups. Just knowing those things worked out great for us for a while, and we could make a number of flavorful meals knowing just those things – but curiosity got the best of me and I kept looking at the options available to GF home cooks/bakers, and have continued on that path of discovery ever since.
The feeling of creating a successful dish is just so exhilarating. I remember making a GF peach pie for my father-in-law (who is also gluten free) – I think it was the first peach pie he’d eaten in years and he was over the moon about it – it’s such a wonderful experience to know that a simple act of preparing food can bring such joy to someone. I think it all can be fun. It’s just a matter of your approach and the philosophy you take with you when you step into the kitchen – and as with any cooking, it’s always more fun cooking with others. 
You don’t have to eat gluten-free but have chosen to embrace this life for your husband. Is your home gluten-free? Do you have any tips for others in a similar situation?
Our home is not completely gluten free, but our system works for us. Not being a doctor, I won’t claim that what we do works for everyone, and I am sure there are several people who do need to live in a completely GF environment. And once we have children, depending on their allergy issues, we may decide that we need to change our methods a bit.
As it is only my husband who needs to be GF, I do keep “evil gluten granola” and “evil gluten pasta”, and even “evil gluten bread” from time to time. Those are the only gluten things in our home, and mainly that is for cost reasons more than anything else – we do buy some GF products, and those things are expensive – for ex. the GF bread my husband can find here amounts to over $1 per slice of bread! That bread is a treat for him, and I cannot in my mind think it ok to take that away from him by eating his bread when I know I can eat the “evil gluten bread” without issue for myself for one tenth of the price. If we were rich and could afford that price for everyone, it would be a different story.
To prevent contamination, we keep the gluten ingredients well separated and/or sealed away. If I am going to use a gluten ingredient for myself (like say, pasta), I will make his first and serve it to him to get it out of the kitchen, and then make mine and clean the kitchen thoroughly. Right away. I clean the kitchen a lot. Even a few stray crumbs can create a gluten contamination, so by choosing to have gluten in our home, I am extra vigilant in doing everything I can to prevent that from occurring.
I will spoon jam into a separate container for myself for spreading on gluten bread, so there is no risk of double dipping and contaminating the whole jar. Same for any other condiments. Certain utensils don’t get shared between gluten and GF foods. And I would never ever ever ever bake with gluten-containing flours, because flour can hang in the air for extended periods of time and thus the risk of contamination is way too great. Besides, what fun is baking a gluten-filled cake if I can only share it with myself?
Obviously, it is easiest if we both eat gluten free. And that is what we do most of the time. I have no issue with eating GF food, and most of what we eat on a day to day basis is naturally gluten free anyways – lots of veggies, rice, potatoes, meats, eggs, dairy, fruits, it’s amazing the diversity one can cook without ever having to reach for an ingredient to replace gluten.
Thanks Jenn!
I tried two of her recipes, I’d never made pesto or a reduction so I stepped outside by comfort zone for these. And I really enjoyed trying something new. My photos aren’t yet at Jenn’s skill level
The pesto is simple to make and was good on chicken. I did have to substitute for the pine nuts because I didn’t find them at the store. I used cashews – one little white nut substituting for another – and it was quite good. Update: I put this on a hamburger patty and it was great there, too. I see many possibilities for this pesto.
The strawberry balsamic reduction was fun to make. My strawberries didn’t have a huge amount of flavor, even though it’s spring, so the dressing was light on the strawberry flavor. Next time I make this, I’m going to make sure they’re flavorful strawberries.
I’ve watched hour upon hour of the Food Network for years so I’d seen pesto and reductions made many times. I’m glad I finally tried them.
USDA Photo
Since so many who avoid gluten also need to avoid dairy (I’ve seen figures up to 50%), I thought we’d all benefit from a chat with Alisa Fleming, author of “Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living” and host of the websites Go Dairy Free and Alisa Cooks.
About 1/3 of the book is a detailed look at dairy, what dairy can do, debunking the myth that dairy is essential for calcium (since some parts of the world don’t eat dairy so this must not be true), and help for living dairy-free. The Go Dairy Free blog has many recipes, not all but many gluten-free. Alisa Cooks has a tab for Gluten-Free Recipes.
Many people who need to eat gluten-free also need to be dairy-free (myself included). For someone who is wondering if they need to take that step, what symptoms could dairy be causing?
This question is answered fairly well in my book, “Go Dairy Free,” and would be a hard one to touch on in a short answer. It also depends on what in dairy is causing ailment. Symptoms could be digestive (upset, irritable bowel, gas, diarrhea, even vomiting), immune (rashes, hives, swelling, skin disorders, asthma), or what seem like everyday issues (headaches, migraines, acne, weight gain). The list goes on.
With a gluten-free diet, none is allowed. Does someone have to remove all dairy from their diet to see benefits?
I am not a physician and can’t advise on if someone should remove all dairy or just some. In general, if you have any dairy, then the cravings for dairy will persist. Like any food, cutting it out completely is the best way to get over the hump of cravings. I find that people are much, much less successful when they have some dairy because their cravings persist and in some cases their symptoms persist. We are all different, but most doctors advise elimination of a food (not reduction) when testing to see if it is causing a reaction. If it is, then they usually advise avoidance.
To avoid feeling a sense of loss when removing dairy (I should say a sense of loss again for those who are already gluten-free), can you give us some ideas for meals that are dairy-free?
Whatever you do, do not focus on what you can’t have! Sit down, and make a list of what you can have … and include everything (vegetables, fruits, condiments, grains, etc.). Some great, easy options include corn tortilla tacos w/ guacamole and salsa instead of sour cream and cheese, chili, stir fries (use wheat-free tamari to keep them gluten-free!), pad thai with rice noodles, and of course a regular grilled meat or fish entrée with roasted vegetables. In my opinion, roasted vegetables of any kind make every meal great! The list goes on, I’m just scratching the surface with these ideas. Also, for many dishes it’s as simple as leave out the cheese, but add a little extra salt or some chopped olives. Our culture has gotten so used to adding cheese to everything that people often forget there is real food under there!
Eating dairy-free in restaurants often seems to offer fewer (or less flavorful) choices than eating gluten-free does. I have watched my husband eat the sides that came with his gluten-free meal, a Caesar salad without croutons and a loaded baked potato, while I ate a plain salad and plain baked potato. Do you have suggestions for getting tasty dairy-free (but still gluten-free) meals out?
This question put a big smile on my face as my husband and I had a similar poor experience at a restaurant. He is strictly gluten-free, I am strictly dairy-free, but we both find benefit in eating dairy-free and gluten-free together (to note, he has been dairy-free with me for all of these years, but when he went gluten-free at first, he accommodated a small amount of dairy at restaurants as he adjusted).
We were at a restaurant that had a full gluten-free menu and they said “no problem” on accommodating dairy-free too. Well, what we both ended up with were $25 entrees where the main dish was completely unseasoned (it seemed the normal seasoning had gluten and they just didn’t bother to season with anything else!) and accompanied by a dry baked potato and dry green beans. It was one of the worst meals I had ever had! The crux of the problem was that our waitress communicated poorly and the kitchen obviously had no real culinary skills. She simply said “no problem” but didn’t tell us how that would affect what they served us. Rather than rice pilaf they simply subbed dry baked potatoes without even asking us. A good restaurant would have seasoned the beans with salt, pepper and olive oil to ensure flavor. What it did teach me though is one, don’t go back to that restaurant! But two, make sure we know in advance exactly what they will be serving me.
If there is risk of something like a dry baked potato, I ask questions like … do you have a guacamole that is dairy-free, a flavorful salsa, a salad dressing that would go nicely, or another sauce like a sun-dried tomato or pure basil pesto that would add richness and flavor? You’d be surprised how many ways there are to dress up a potato without dairy! For salads, I ask if they can sub the cheese with some good olives. Most restaurants will accommodate. If they don’t have a salad dressing that will work, then I ask for balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and pepper to make my own flavor topping.
My husband loves all things coconut so I made this especially for him. He enjoyed it but, with his super sweet tooth, thought it could use a bit of sweetener. If we use it alone again (see what I did below to make it sweeter), we’ll sprinkle on some Truvia (a brand of powdered stevia.)
The recipe for Coconut Butter is both online and in the book. I used the oven method mentioned in the book and toasted the coconut at 300 degrees until golden then processed it in the food processor until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides. This takes a while, don’t give up. Tip: Don’t put your finished coconut butter in the fridge. It’s becomes hard. Update: It can be scooped out at room temperature but it’s still solid. I put some in the microwave for a very short time (15 seconds in mine) to make it spreadable again.
Oh my, these are so good! Maple and cinnamon cover the pecans. These taste like they were complicated to make but they’re easy. I hadn’t realized that pralines usually had a dairy product such as cream or butter in them. We put these on a strawberry turkey salad for lunch. Delicious. After dinner, I thought, hmm, how would the pralines be on the coconut butter? I smoothed some coconut butter on a slice of gluten-free toast (Rudi’s) and topped it with the pralines. My husband loved it – with a glass of milk.
(Thank you for using this link if you purchase Alisa’s book. I have to tell you that if you do this, I will receive some money from the purchase.)
Emily also has craft and home & garden projects on her blog. But we’re here to eat. So many of her recipes suited our tastes that I had a hard time choosing. Tip: She has a “grain-free” category, not gluten-free, so look for that. (For those new to gluten-free – or exploring the idea – gluten is only found in some grains, so as long as you verify that your other ingredients such as seasonings are gluten-free, these are naturally gluten-free recipes.)
This is my lunch to go:
First, I made her orange flavored Good Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pinenuts. My husband loves anything with orange in it, and I had about 2/3 of a beautiful organic orange left from another recipe so this was a perfect choice for us. (Plus I love chicken salad. See the avocado version I made for the Gluten Free Recipe Box interview.) I added the fresh squeezed orange juice until the mayo tasted like orange, so it was a bit runny but once combined with the chicken, it worked perfectly. I almost bought grapes for this recipe but remembered I had some strawberries in the fridge so I hope Emily doesn’t mind the switch. I had enough time for this to sit in the fridge for about 1/2 hour for the flavors to combine. Then I topped it with sunflower seeds instead of pine nuts because I had them and the texture was similar. The flavor was wonderful! I had mine on lettuce with tomatoes and avocado. My husband had his as a sandwich on his favorite Rudi’s bread.
I also made Emily’s Yummus Hummus which was my first attempt at using tahini. There are just the two of us so I cut the recipe in half – except for the garlic which we love. She said to add herbs to taste so I added basil and cumin (because I can taste cumin in the hummus I enjoy at the local gluten-free restaurant.) She also said it was really good with red pepper thrown in, and my husband loves that variety of hummus so I threw in some roasted red peppers. I like to dip carrots into hummus so here’s the photo:
I also made the Grain-Free Gluten-Free Sugar-Free Cookies of Awesomeness. I had to try a cookie with a name like that. I tried them twice. The first time, I was out of almond butter so made some with my blanched almond flour. This was creamy but without the stronger taste that regular almond butter has, so it didn’t have much flavor. To give these a chance, I bought my usual brand, Justin’s Classic Almond Butter, and tried again. They have an unusual texture, not quite cake-like but similar. I used mini chocolate chips but think I would prefer these cookies with chocolate chunks. I added quinoa flakes, cinnamon and some vanilla to part of the batter and liked those best. I think a creamer almond butter would result in a moister cookie.
I didn’t have time to make all of the recipe’s on the Joyful Abode site that appealed to me. Her Paleo Banana-Pecan Waffles make my mouth water but that will have to wait for another day. Thank you, Emily!
I’m very excited to bring you my first giveaway and want to thank Attune Foods for agreeing to be the sponsor! Win one each of the three boxes of cereal I tested. (They’re very good.)
Full disclosure: Attune Foods provided the cereals for review and the giveaway but did not pay me to write this post. All opinions expressed here are my own.
For the giveaway, check out instructions at the end of the post.
Attune Foods, makers of Erewhon cereals, offered to send me three of their cereals to test. I chose Crispy Brown Rice, Crispy Brown Rice with Mixed Berries and Strawberry Crisp Cereals. These cereals aren’t just gluten-free, they also have an ingredient list with words you know. The Crispy Brown Rice cereal’s ingredients are: organic brown rice, organic brown rice syrup and sea salt. They taste very much like their gluten-filled counterparts.
The Crispy Brown Rice cereal tastes so much like the famous brand of rice cereal that I made a familiar treat with it. (See below) It’s a whole grain alternative – brown rice vs white. The version with the mixed berries is fun for those of us who put fruit in our cereal. I like whole grain cereals, but my husband is more of a sweet cereal guy. He still liked the Crispy Brown Rice with Mixed Berries cereal; he just had to add sugar to it. But then he would have added sugar to Rice Krispies. I really like the taste of the Strawberry Crisp cereal (which is appropriately named because it is crispy.) My husband also enjoyed it. My brother-in-law and teenaged niece liked the flavor but found it too crunchy. Since I always prefer cereal that isn’t too crunchy, I add milk then come back to eat it in about five minutes when it isn’t soggy but just right.
Attune Foods Inc. answered some questions. I always want to know how my gluten-free foods are made so I once again asked that question. (Do you also want to know that or is it just me?)
What makes Attune Foods’ gluten-free products different or better than those made by other companies?
We believe what matters most is what’s inside and make foods from simple ingredients, simply made. That said we use pure ingredients to make a cereal that’s tasty and boasts a short ingredient list.
All of your gluten-free cereals are certified gluten-free. Since you use equipment shared with gluten containing products, what steps does Attune use to make sure the cereal produced is gluten-free? Do you routinely test for a specific ppm?
Our gluten free cereals are run on shared machinery with other products that have gluten in them. That said, the machinery is thoroughly washed down in between production runs and the cereal is tested after it’s made. Currently it is tested to be less than 15 ppm but we are working to be able to test it to be less than 10 ppm. Our gluten free cereals are certified gluten free by GIG which tests them to be less than 10 ppm.
Do you have plans for any new gluten-free products in 2012?
We shall see… 
I thought a great test for the Crispy Brown Rice cereal would be Marshmallow Treats. To make them I used: a bag of Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallows (which were gluten-free at the time I wrote this), 1/2 a stick of butter (1/4 cup), and 5 3/4 cups of the cereal – most of the box. I melted the first two ingredients in a pan on the stove then stirred in the cereal. To half I added mini chocolate chips then I pressed both halves of the mixture into a foil-lined 9 x 13 pan (and buttered the foil) – meeting them in the middle.
I chose a group of college students as taste testers who wouldn’t hold back on the truth. They loved them. They said they tasted just like the regular ones – and that this recipe was nice and goey. Someone also thought that the chocolate chip version tasted like S’mores.
Attune Foods is giving one winner (U.S. only because of shipping) the same three boxes of cereal that I tested – one each of Crispy Brown Rice, Crispy Brown Rice with Mixed Berries and Strawberry Crisp Cereals. Enter by midnight EST on Wednesday, March 14. The winner will be announced here on Thursday. To enter, simply make a comment here saying you’d like to win the cereal. Earn an extra chance to win by also signing up to receive these posts by email or “Liking” Enjoying Gluten-Free Life on Facebook and commenting here that you did so.
Thank you for visiting Enjoying Gluten-Free Life. I truly hope you’re enjoying your gluten-free life.
"We began milling whole grain gluten free products in America in the early ‘80’s because our customers were requesting great tasting alternative options when they had nearly none, not because it was profitable,” said Bob Moore. (Standing far left - red vest - in this photo taken in the Gluten-Free Packaging Room.)
Many of us had heard of Bob’s Red Mill before going gluten-free. Founded by Bob Moore and his wife Charlee in the 1970s, they began making gluten-free products more than three decades ago but admit to having had a learning curve about the importance of testing the product. Bob’s Red Mill says, “Once he understood, he found a qualified person to run our Quality Assurance Department. We began gluten free testing in-house in the fall of 2000.” (Read on to learn more about their current testing procedures.) They now offer just about every gluten-free flour imaginable in addition to gluten-free mixes with all of their current mixes except the Gluten Free Pizza Crust developed by well-known gluten-free cookbook author Carol Fenster. The company the Moore’s founded is now employee-owned; he gave it to them on his 81st birthday.
If you’ve used their products, please share your results. Which have you tried? Did it work well? What did you make?
Bob’s Red Mill answered some questions in their own words.
I have read that the gluten-free area is part of a building where wheat is processed and I’ve also read that it’s in a separate building. Which is it?
We have a separate facility within our main facility where we produce our gluten-free products. It is all under one roof, but the gluten-free facility has separate ventilation, dedicated employees and equipment and strong controls in place to prevent anything that contains gluten from ever entering the gluten free facility. Additionally, we have a separate lab where only gluten-free testing is done to ensure our gluten-free tests are entirely accurate.
Please go into detail about how incoming gluten-free materials are kept separate from those with gluten.
The first sample being taken; before the product is released into gluten free quarantine.
Gluten Free Quarantine: Signs say “passed inspection."
When product is received, it is initially tested for gluten to be sure that what we received is indeed gluten-free. Once it passes a gluten test, the product is moved into a gluten-free quarantine room in our gluten-free facility. We are a HACCP certified facility, which means, among other things, all of our staff are well-versed in good manufacturing practices and have been trained in preventing cross contact between gluten, as well as other major allergens.
What is your testing process? Why don’t you test down to 10ppm and why don’t you become certified gluten free?
In the Gluten Free Lab: Weighing a sample to be tested
We test in a dedicated gluten free lab using the R5 ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay) test. We feel 19 ppm is a sufficient maximum, until the government releases a mandate requiring a specific level. Most of our products do not even come close to 19 ppm, but that is the maximum threshold we’ve set for our products. Many do come as low as 5 to 10 ppm. We have not felt that becoming gluten free certified will be beneficial to our business. We have looked into the GFCO many times in the past and are not comfortable with how they do business. For instance, if we have a corn product that does not test below 19 ppm, we move it into our regular facility and use it for our conventional products. The GFCO would require that our product is quarantined and we would be unable to sell it. We feel our in house practices are more than sufficient to ensure our products are gluten-free.
I can assure you, though, that when the FDA releases guidance for the gluten-free industry, we will be among the first to adopt the measures, no matter how strict. We have been working with them since 2005, when our Vice President was asked to testify at the FDA’s hearings regarding the state of the gluten-free industry, to encourage legislation that would set a standard practice in place, and we anticipate it will likely be 20 ppm. We feel there are many in our industry who cut corners and do not take gluten-free as seriously as we do and feel government guidance will be the best way to control the safety of gluten-free foods.
Will any new GF products come out in 2012?
Yes, we will be launching Gluten Free Thick Rolled Oats and Gluten Free Oat Bran at Expo West in early March and have plans to release a new gluten-free hot cereal later in the year, although I am not at liberty to share more than that about that particular item. We have several new mixes in the works, but I can’t say if they’ll be ready by fall of 2012 or spring of 2013.
(Disclaimer: This company did not pay me to write this post. I like learning more about a company and enjoy sharing that with you. This is also not a recommendation that you should eat their products – you alone choose what you eat and/or feed your family.)
I like chocolate. In my wedding vows, I reminded my husband-to-be to remember I like dark chocolate. (He’s a fan of milk chocolate.) I have a roundup of gluten-free chocolate recipes (most also dairy-and-grain-free) below with photos of two that I made – fudge that became peanut butter truffles and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. But first, I’m a history geek so I’ve written a short history of chocolate. Skip this is you don’t share my passion for where things came from and when.
On July 1, 1907, the Kiss was born. Chocolate genius Milton S. Hershey’s invention came on the heels of his Milk Chocolate Bar which was first produced in 1900, bringing inexpensive milk chocolate to the average American. When he created the Kiss, Americans truly fell in love.
USDA Photo - Cacao Pod & Seeds
Chocolate has a long history which began thousands of years ago when the cacao tree was discovered in South America. The pods of the tree have seeds that are turned into chocolate; by about 600 B.C. both the Maya and Aztec had learned to grind the seeds and mix them with other flavorings such as chile to create a bitter chocolate beverage. The prized cacao seeds became money for the Aztecs.
When the Spanish came to South America and took some of the seeds back with them in 1544, the rest of the world learned of the wonder of chocolate and wanted more. To meet demand, the native peoples became slave laborers for growing the cacao. In Spain only the wealthy and church leaders could afford this new drink. A new twist was given to the bitter beverage by heating it and adding sugar and spices such as cinnamon.
A hundred years later, chocolate was the fashionable new thing throughout the courts in Europe, with milk and sugar added to the beverage. In France in the early 1600′s, it was actually decreed that only royalty could consume chocolate, but in England anyone who could afford it could drink it, and chocolate houses sprung up to serve the beverage. Crops were now grown in other locations such as Sri Lanka, Ceylon, and Java.
The Industrial Revolution resulted in new machines that could make a smoother chocolate which was shaped into a bar, but this wasn’t milk chocolate – yet. The 1800s were a time of great change in chocolate. This less expensive and creamier chocolate could now be used in cakes and pastries, plus in 1875 milk chocolate was born when condensed milk was added to chocolate. Chocolate was still a luxury item only enjoyed by the wealthy.
Fast forward to Milton Hershey, the owner of the successful Lancaster Caramel Company. At the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, he learned about German chocolate making equipment and bought some for his plant, hoping to make a chocolate covering for his caramels. He discovered the secret of making a less expensive milk chocolate, one that the masses could enjoy, and the Milk Chocolate Bar we know today was created. Mr. Goodbar was introduced in 1925 and chocolate chips in 1928. (What would the world be like without chocolate chips?) But even a man like Milton Hershey didn’t always have success with his inventions. Most of us have never heard of Hershey’s Sweethearts and Silvertops.
Other companies also entered the chocolate arena. The Baby Ruth candy bar first appeared in 1920 and was named for President Grover Cleveland’s daughter. Reeses Peanut Butter Cups were created by H.B. Reese in 1928 with Hershey supplying the chocolate. In 1956, Hershey bought the company. Mounds and the Milky Way bar were both first sold in 1923.
The chocolate industry uses more than 300 million pounds of peanuts each year. That’s a lot of Snickers Bars (which were introduced in 1930.)
In recent years dark chocolate has been discovered to have healthy antioxidants and has become a popular trend with familiar candy bars morphing into a dark chocolate version. Another trend is the popularity of more expensive chocolates such as Godiva, a company founded in Belgium in 1926. Americans on average consume more than eleven pounds of chocolate per year.
*Of the candy mentioned, Milky Way bars definitely have gluten, the others are possibly gluten-free but always, always, always do your own research into whether or not a product is safe for your diet.
I’m sharing chocolate recipes I favorited during the recent chocolate frenzy (a.k.a. Valentine’s Day). I’ve made a yummy two of these. If you make either of these or any of the others, please post and let everyone know how they came out. I’ll do the same as I give them a shot.
First, I made:
This fudge wasn’t quite sweet enough for me (and I don’t have a very sweet tooth) but I had added a handful of chopped pecans, and they can produce an almost bitter taste. I drizzled a bit more maple syrup in. Once I’d made the fudge, I thought, hmm, how would this be rolled into a ball with peanut butter inside? Okay, I was in a peanut butter mood from the other recipe I made today, but this was OUTSTANDING with the PB inside. Creamy and delicious.
To make these, refrigerate the fudge until solid. Scoop about a heaping tablespoon of it out and form a hollow in the middle.
Add about a 1/2 teaspoon of peanut butter then work the fudge around it until it's a covered ball.
I made this with coconut oil and that does make it melty when you touch it . . . but who cares? (UPDATE: These must be refrigerated. They also start to melt at room temperature and make a mess – but a delicious mess.) I think next time I’ll leave out the pecans and roll the candy in something that coordinates with whatever I chose to put inside – crushed peanuts for peanut butter, almonds for almond butter, maybe coconut or powdered sugar for sunbutter.
Then I made these. Twice.
The first time I used coconut sugar (Coconut Secret), and it came out with an odd texture. (I discovered hours later that they were good after they’d cooled.) I made them again with regular brown sugar, and they taste great (per my husband who loooooooves sweets). Both batches stayed close to their original shape, not spreading, and I believe that’s due to the natural peanut butter I used. The chocolate chips are Enjoy Life Mini Chips. There are many versions of this cookie out there, some with another egg or other slight variations. These are definitely tasty.
Of course, all of these recipes are gluten-free (if you choose gluten-free ingredients) but some are also: DF=Dairy-Free, SF=Refined Sugar Free, V=Vegan and/or GrF=Grain-Free (possibly Paleo) which is noted on the type of recipes that often have grain.
Chocolate photo courtesy PublicDomainPictures.net.
Gluten Free Gigi, Gigi Stewart, restored her health and resolved decades of pain with a diet that is free of gluten, dairy, soy and nuts. A master’s degree in Behavioral Neuroscience with a focus in chronic pain gives her a uniquely scientific approach to food and healing. But Gigi’s site is still accessible and down-to-earth. Watch some of her how-to videos which include pancakes, dairy-free butterscotch chips and sunbutter (I made my first sunbutter after watching), and try some of the long list of recipes. My husband and I enjoyed her “Orange Baked Salmon.” (Photos below.) You can also read about subjects such as iron deficiency anemia and autism.
Gigi is a mom who runs her business and homeschools but still finds time to cook healthy food for her family. Share in some of her wisdom here. (And, if anyone is uncertain about trying a gluten-free diet, read her answer to the last question.)
Living gluten-free means you’ll be spending time in the kitchen, sometimes a lot of time. What’s your favorite short-cut for making gluten-free food?
It sure does! I’m an advocate of cooking at home as much as you can, using whole foods and natural, organic ingredients, especially if you are on a special diet. This gives you maximum control of what is going into your body.
My favorite short-cut for having healthy, delicious gluten-free food available is to spend a few hours on the weekend (or whenever you have the most free time) and cook ahead.
Cooking dry beans in the slow cooker, putting a pot of homemade veggie or chicken stock on the stove, and baking a great loaf of gluten-free bread are things that can be done easily and can feed the family all week long. I have YouTube videos available for beans and stock showing just how simple this can be. I’ve also got a terrific gluten-free bread recipe that is low in fat, high in protein and fiber, and slices like a dream!
If you eat grains like quinoa, millet, or rice, I recommend cooking enough for a couple of meals during the week. If you can tolerate certified gluten-free oats, I even have a great baked oatmeal recipe that I love to make on Sunday morning in a double batch, then store leftovers in individual serving containers for a quick but hearty breakfast on busy mornings. I also have a baked quinoa dish that is fantastic for a healthy breakfast and can be made ahead and stored just like the baked oatmeal.
Prepping veggies in advance is also something I do to save time when I make a meal. I love doing this right after returning from the market. I prep, clean up, and store my veggies (dice an onion, cut a green pepper into strips, slice mushrooms, mince some garlic, wash greens and air dry then roll in a clean kitchen towel, and wash fruits like apples and grapes) then I’m set for a week of fantastic healthy meals with limited prep work.
Special flours and other ingredients cost more than gluten-full foods. Do you have a cost saving tip for eating gluten-free?
I do. As I said, one of my primary goals is to demonstrate how affordable living gluten free can be. My number one tip for saving money on your gluten-free (or any!) diet is to eat seasonally. If it’s growing in gardens in your area, then it will be more affordable at the market. Food in season tends to have a higher nutrient content, too, so you get a little bonus for eating seasonally.
Another great tip is to make more foods yourself. Even if you don’t cook or bake a lot, if you have something you eat often, for example, if you love to have a muffin and coffee for breakfast several days each week, find a great gluten-free muffin recipe and learn to make it. You’ll save a bundle making your own versus buying pre-packaged baked items.
The same goes for foods like cakes, cookies, and crackers. The store-bought varieties are pricey and often full of undesirable ingredients, high in calories, and high in fat. If you love cookies and serve them for dessert or a snack a few times each week, learn to make your favorite varieties gluten free. There are terrific resources out there these days with lots of recipes to try. I have lots of dessert recipes on my site that are so simple to make like Nut Free Sunbutter Cookies with only four ingredients, Dairy Free Fudge, and quick healthy Raw Nut Free Fudge that you just won’t believe! I think my Decadent Chocolate Cupcakes are my kids’ favorite, though! They love to use the Raw Nut Free Fudge as frosting for them!
It’s five o’clock and you’re walking in the door after a hectic day. What’s your go-to meal when it’s time to get a gluten-free dinner on the table in a hurry?
I’ll do something like a frittata or a stir fry where I’m able to use those pre-prepped veggies I mentioned earlier. With a frittata, I can sauté the veggies while I get eggs whipped and ready for the pan. If you can eat eggs, they are a terrific low-cost source of protein. For a stir-fry, again, those pre-prepped veggies come in handy. I get those cooking and heat up a pre-cooked grain in another pan (I do not own a microwave, so it’s all stovetop and oven heating for me!). I add some protein to the meal – again, usually something I pre-cooked like chicken or bison and we’re all set. For dessert, (we always have dessert at my house… always!) I love healthy homemade cookies with what I call “fruit bowl.” Cubed fruits that are in season tossed with a bit of fresh lime juice, a drizzle of honey, and a dash of cinnamon are just fantastic!
How did you discover you were intolerant of all nuts? Have you found a substitute for almond flour, a common flour in gluten-free recipes?
Two months after eliminating all gluten in my diet, I had a reaction to pecans. I tested other nuts (almonds, walnuts, peanuts, macadamia nuts, etc.) and had a reaction to all of them, so I avoid all types of nuts, except coconut, to which I have not experienced a reaction. I have encountered quite a few people who experienced similar reactions after going gluten free. The same thing happened to me with soy, as well, which is why I am also soy free.
Regarding almond flour, I never used it in large quantities, so no, I wouldn’t say I found a replacement, per se. I didn’t need one. I use a combination of gluten-free flours from alternative grains and legumes in my recipes. Because one of my primary goals is making gluten-free living accessible to everyone who needs to adhere to a gluten-free diet, I make it a point to use ingredients that are readily available in most areas and that are affordable, which factors into my flour selection and recipe development.
Many recipes call for not only the easily substituted milk or butter but also cream cheese or yogurt. Have you found it difficult to cook and bake without dairy products? Any tips? (I’m gluten, soy and casein-free so thank you!)
When I first went gluten free, I ate dairy, so used products like skim milk and non-fat yogurt in my cooking and baking. I never used a lot of butter in my baking prior to going gluten free, so didn’t afterward. I always tried to be creative replacing fat in recipes (I baked and catered prior to going gluten free, and healthy nutritious foods were what I was known for!), so continued this when I went gluten free. I find coconut milk yogurt is a good substitute for dairy yogurt in baking. It even adds a degree of sweetness to baked goods, so it allows me to reduce the amount of sweetener in baked goods, which is a bonus! It also helps keep gluten free baked goods moist, which is terrific! Cream cheese is a tough one. I have developed a recipe that so far works in most recipes. It is still in the R&D phase of development and needs to be tested in several more applications before I’m able to share it, but it is gluten, dairy, soy, and nut free. The recipe should be published later this year.
Gigi at a GIG Atlanta Lecture
I recently interviewed one of the authors of “The Kid-Friendly ADHD & Autism Cookbook” and am fascinated by the fact that dietary changes can make dramatic differences with some autistic children. In your blog, you mention you have a child with Asperger’s syndrome (an autism spectrum disorder). Can you share the dietary changes you’ve made for your child and the differences the changes have made?
Thank you for asking about this. Autism Spectrum Disorders, especially Asperger’s Syndrome, are near and dear to my heart. First, that is because I have a daughter with AS, as you mentioned. However, before her diagnosis, I worked with ASD children and had already received my research training in Behavioral Neuroscience. Although my area of research expertise is in natural products research with a focus in chronic pain and analgesia (alleviation of pain), I am passionate about neuroscience and how foods we eat affect our neurochemistry, and ultimately our total health.
Because of my background in science, I knew adopting a gluten-free, casein-free (GFCF) diet was something we should explore for our daughter. We made the transition slowly and carefully. At the time, we already had a gluten free kitchen and my family was supportive of my need to be gluten free, so this part was not so difficult. When we came upon a food my daughter wanted, I simply made it gluten free (chips, crackers, doughnuts, etc.). As you can imagine, that led to a lot of recipe development! Going dairy free for her was more of a challenge. She loves cereal for breakfast and late-night snack, and yogurt has always been a favorite food for her. But, we did it! After the first 3 weeks of a totally gluten-free diet, her father and I noticed she was sleeping so much better and was much more calm than she had been. Her eczema, which she had since birth, went away completely, which was such a blessing! She was able to stop using medication for that, which was fantastic! Severe nasal allergies also improved and she has been able to use much less medication for that, so, again, we feel she has benefitted tremendously from going GFCF.
Of course, I do want to say, I am not an advocate of a “one-size-fits-all” diet. We are all unique individuals with unique needs, and I respect that. I know some parents who have implemented the GFCF diet for their ASD child and have not detected any appreciable differences. I know some ASD children who benefitted from a gluten-free diet, but who still eat dairy and vice versa. Part of what I do in private consultations is to help people find what works for them and what puts them on the path to optimal health and keeps them there. That can, by the way, change over time for each of us.
What would you say to someone who’s fairly certain they have a problem with gluten but hasn’t changed their diet because the thought of living gluten-free is overwhelming?
First, I would say, “I understand. A gluten-free diet is a major lifestyle change; however, it is so worth it and it can be simple, affordable, nutritious, and even fun! I know because I live it every day!”
Second, “I can help.” It is my passion to make gluten-free living a positive experience. I tell people a gluten-free diet is not about restriction. It is about liberation. If you need to be gluten free for health issues, in doing so, you liberate your health and heal your body. It is true freedom! In my case, I experienced a total transformation of health and for the first time in over 25 years, I was free from chronic pain and many other chronic, unexplained health issues I had suffered from since childhood. THAT is liberation!
Thank you Gigi!
My husband and I enjoyed a recipe from her website: Orange Glazed Salmon.
This salmon was so pretty with the orange zest (a gorgeous color combination)that I snapped a picture before baking. Coming from Alaska and having eaten a lot (I mean a lot) of salmon, I’m somewhat of a salmon expert and this was a lovely fresh take on the fish. It was also quick and extremely easy to make. (As to the photo of the cooked salmon, I really need to get some pretty plates to use for the photo shoots.)
Thank you for visiting. I've spent many, many hours reading blogs and books about the gluten-free life. I love research. Really love it. I'm a writer so this is part of what makes me tick. But I know not everyone likes it. My goal is to bring this wealth of useful information to you here through interviews with prominent people from the gluten-free community. I hope that each time you visit, you’ll walk away with a little something new, something that helps you enjoy your gluten-free life even more.
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