Gluten Free Resources And Ideas

[ktmoomau]

I wanted to thank everyone that has contributed over the past couple years to this thread. And I appreciate different posts for whom glutten causes stomach issues/ versus the life threatening. I am on a low glutten to glutten free diet for a while even though blood tests came back negative just to see because nothing else seems to be working yet. But the doctor said not to worry about things like soy sauce or etc, just to focus on the biggies to see if it helps.

But this has been a really good resource.

Any opinions on the current best brands of glutten free breads or baked goods or any good ones at any of the farmer's markets? Or glutten free pasta? I am trying to make this transition a little easier. Although who knows it may be only for a month or two.

[KMango]

I wanted to thank everyone that has contributed over the past couple years to this thread. And I appreciate different posts for whom glutten causes stomach issues/ versus the life threatening. I am on a low glutten to glutten free diet for a while even though blood tests came back negative just to see because nothing else seems to be working yet. But the doctor said not to worry about things like soy sauce or etc, just to focus on the biggies to see if it helps.

But this has been a really good resource.

Any opinions on the current best brands of glutten free breads or baked goods or any good ones at any of the farmer's markets? Or glutten free pasta? I am trying to make this transition a little easier. Although who knows it may be only for a month or two.

Re: pasta, I love this stuff.

And the GF bread that makes me cry with joy every time is from Restaurant Eve. It's been a while since I've been fully GF, but as of a few months ago, you could call the restaurant and ask for a couple of loaves for pickup on certain days.

[TedE]

I wanted to thank everyone that has contributed over the past couple years to this thread. And I appreciate different posts for whom glutten causes stomach issues/ versus the life threatening. I am on a low glutten to glutten free diet for a while even though blood tests came back negative just to see because nothing else seems to be working yet. But the doctor said not to worry about things like soy sauce or etc, just to focus on the biggies to see if it helps.

But this has been a really good resource.

Any opinions on the current best brands of glutten free breads or baked goods or any good ones at any of the farmer's markets? Or glutten free pasta? I am trying to make this transition a little easier. Although who knows it may be only for a month or two.

If you contact him during the week Stefano of Copper Pot will bring GF pastas to the weekend farmers markets (they are at Dupont and Bloomingdale that I know of). Fresh gnocchi and gemelli made with soy flour. It's the only fresh GF pasta we've found at retail around here.

For pre-made breads we like Udi's which Whole Foods has recently started carrying. It's not nearly as dense as most other GF brands.

[ScotteeM]

I'll second the vote for Restaurant Eve's GF bread. It is a real treat! And I just tried Udi's lemon muffins, which made me want to try more of the Udi's line as it becomes available.

I've also had good results with the majority of the Glutino brand products. I like their corn bread and the flax seed bread very much--much lighter than most GF breads.

[As far as not worrying about soy sauce and other "little" sources of wheat gluten, my internist is emphatic that to notice a difference in one's health, one must eradicate all sources of wheat gluten, and potential sources of cross-contamination, for at least 4 months. I found this to be true in my own exploration of going GF. I'm not celiac (AFAIK) but even a small cross-contamination now causes a swift reaction, and actually consuming wheat products will make me sick for up to a week. I'm just sayin'.]

I keep a bottle of San-J GF soy sauce in my pantry, and have a small table-service container that I can slip into my purse for eating out at sushi restaurants (although some of those do carry GF SS).

[ktmoomau]

Thanks for all the help. I luckily am not in the health situation that many people here are, and after eating some glutten free products and trying to figure out what is safe on food labels or in restaurants it is really tough. I really feel for the people who can't have any traces of glutten. It is almost as hard to try to shop for food as to find a restaurant as so many products have small traces of wheat.

For me I have had a lot of issues for years that have been diagnosed as IBS, and we have been trying to limit certain foods to see what helps. I also have family history of major stomach problems (gal bladder problems, appendix, diverticulitus, stomach cancer, thyroid problems) so I get monitored pretty closely.

I have had to reduce my intake of: red meat (my number one love in life after growing up on a beef farm), spicy foods (my number two love in life), glutten is a new thing, all the tests failed, but they think it will help to reduce it (but I need a lot of fiber) and alcohol.

I normally try to eat really well for lunch and dinners at home so I can generally eat what I want within reason when I go out to dinner. The biggest sources of glutten for me are pizza, pasta, sandwich bread at lunch, cereal and snacks like crackers and chips.

I was going to post my thoughts on some of the things I have tried so far and what I thought of them in this thread in the coming weeks so it is here for people. first trip was to Route 7 Whole Foods by Tysons. The store didn't have a huge glutten free section, but it wasn't bad. The Fairfax store is probably better as it is much bigger.

Udi's sandwich bread is pretty close to normal sandwich bread, thanks all for that recommendation. I need to get in touch with Restaurant Eve and see if I can get some bread for them.

Blue Diamond Rice and Almond crackers, sea salt variety were ok, but I think I would try another flavor next time.

Glutino- Glutten Free Organic Bars actually were a good substitute for a normal granola bar, I really liked the taste of these.

Ohh! And at 3 Bar and Grill in Clarendon they have duck lettuce wraps that have the really good duck they use in the BBQ sandwich. I am not sure about the BBQ sauce (served on the side) it may have worchestershire or some sort of glutten I didn't ask. It also had a slaw and cucumbers. It was really good.

[leleboo]

Gluten-Free Girl has a very nice blog, particularly if you want to do more of your own cooking. I mentioned upthread too about DCGluties.com, which keeps track of restaurants with gluten-free options.

[KMango]

...I was going to post my thoughts on some of the things I have tried so far and what I thought of them in this thread in the coming weeks so it is here for people. first trip was to Route 7 Whole Foods by Tysons. The store didn't have a huge glutten free section, but it wasn't bad. The Fairfax store is probably better as it is much bigger....

Have you been to My Organic Market on Glebe Road? Their GF section is admirable.

They have both a shelf-stable GF section and a frozen GF section. And don't forget to snag some Mary's Gone Crackers on the second aisle, either the original or caraway variety.

Oh, and they have Fever Tree tonic water. Which may not have a heck of a lot to do with GF issues, but not many stores carry it, so be like a pioneer and stock it up.

(was just there this morning)

(adore that store)

(super friendly staff, too)

[ktmoomau]

Have you been to My Organic Market on Glebe Road? Their GF section is admirable.

They have both a shelf-stable GF section and a frozen GF section. And don't forget to snag some Mary's Gone Crackers on the second aisle, either the original or caraway variety.

Oh, and they have Fever Tree tonic water. Which may not have a heck of a lot to do with GF issues, but not many stores carry it, so be like a pioneer and stock it up.

(was just there this morning)

(adore that store)

(super friendly staff, too)

No but will go next time I am in need. Was between Falls Church and Trysons running errands and just decided to stop at that Whole Foods just to see what they had and get some staples. Thanks for the cracker recommendation! I read up-thread that it had the best variety for that sort of thing. We normally shop at Wegman's but we have had so much going on we really haven't done too much major grocery shopping since my doctors visit. I think now we will be altering many of our grocery habits.

My husband is a little silly about grocery shopping. He used to think some grocery stores were too frou frou for him, he is a coke and Hellman's sort of guy, bless his heart. We both agreed on Wegman's because it had normal and specialized things at good prices. But now that I need more specialized products he is actually coming to appreciate stores like Whole Foods and MOM. He used to get mad because you couldn't get a normal anything at Whole Foods, but he actually really likes their diet soda with stevia and is coming to like more and more things there. He really loves their key lime mini bundt cakes, so while I was trying to find the best gluten free whatever he is over in the bakery licking his chops getting bundt cake and pretzel rolls. Funny how those things work

[ktmoomau]

So I want to recreate a family recipe (for the picnic, but need to test beforehand) to be GF, 1 c. fruit, 1 c. sugar, 1 c. flour, 1c. milk (I think),1 egg, 1 tsp. vanilla mixed together and baked. It becomes sort of a cross between cobbler and cake. Can I substitute any alternative flour or is there a specific one for this need? I don't use self-rising or anything fancy, just normal flour. There might be baking soda in it though.

[zoramargolis]

So I want to recreate a family recipe (for the picnic, but need to test beforehand) to be GF, 1 c. fruit, 1 c. sugar, 1 c. flour, 1c. milk (I think),1 egg, 1 tsp. vanilla mixed together and baked. It becomes sort of a cross between cobbler and cake. Can I substitute any alternative flour or is there a specific one for this need? I don't use self-rising or anything fancy, just normal flour. There might be baking soda in it though.

My understanding is that you cannot just substitute rice or tapioca or other non-gluten flour for wheat flour. I'd suggest looking up some recipes--you might have to invest in some xanthan gum or other specialized ingredients if you want your cake to come out right.

[lekkerwijn]

Thanks for all the help. I luckily am not in the health situation that many people here are, and after eating some glutten free products and trying to figure out what is safe on food labels or in restaurants it is really tough. I really feel for the people who can't have any traces of glutten. It is almost as hard to try to shop for food as to find a restaurant as so many products have small traces of wheat.

For me I have had a lot of issues for years that have been diagnosed as IBS, and we have been trying to limit certain foods to see what helps. I also have family history of major stomach problems (gal bladder problems, appendix, diverticulitus, stomach cancer, thyroid problems) so I get monitored pretty closely.

I have had to reduce my intake of: red meat (my number one love in life after growing up on a beef farm), spicy foods (my number two love in life), glutten is a new thing, all the tests failed, but they think it will help to reduce it (but I need a lot of fiber) and alcohol.

I normally try to eat really well for lunch and dinners at home so I can generally eat what I want within reason when I go out to dinner. The biggest sources of glutten for me are pizza, pasta, sandwich bread at lunch, cereal and snacks like crackers and chips.

I was going to post my thoughts on some of the things I have tried so far and what I thought of them in this thread in the coming weeks so it is here for people. first trip was to Route 7 Whole Foods by Tysons. The store didn't have a huge glutten free section, but it wasn't bad. The Fairfax store is probably better as it is much bigger.

Udi's sandwich bread is pretty close to normal sandwich bread, thanks all for that recommendation. I need to get in touch with Restaurant Eve and see if I can get some bread for them.

Blue Diamond Rice and Almond crackers, sea salt variety were ok, but I think I would try another flavor next time.

Glutino- Glutten Free Organic Bars actually were a good substitute for a normal granola bar, I really liked the taste of these.

Ohh! And at 3 Bar and Grill in Clarendon they have duck lettuce wraps that have the really good duck they use in the BBQ sandwich. I am not sure about the BBQ sauce (served on the side) it may have worchestershire or some sort of glutten I didn't ask. It also had a slaw and cucumbers. It was really good.

Have you considered working with a Registered Dietitian? It seems like you have a lot of questions that someone who is familiar with working on gluten-free diets could help you with. There is a lot of misinformation out there and it often helps to have a visit or two with an expert who can help make sure all your tough questions are answered. PM me if you would like a referral.

[goodeats]

My understanding is that you cannot just substitute rice or tapioca or other non-gluten flour for wheat flour. I'd suggest looking up some recipes--you might have to invest in some xanthan gum or other specialized ingredients if you want your cake to come out right.

Yep, I agree. I learned a lot of the combos in cake-making, gf-style by reading through Babycakes cookbook. I think it's worth adding to your collection, but I would borrow from the library first (or put on hold because it was a popular item for awhile).

[TedE]

My understanding is that you cannot just substitute rice or tapioca or other non-gluten flour for wheat flour. I'd suggest looking up some recipes--you might have to invest in some xanthan gum or other specialized ingredients if you want your cake to come out right.

This is by far the best ready-made GF substitute we've found. Yes, it's expensive, but most of the non-wheat flours are pretty pricey on their own and this way you aren't having to keep half finished bags on hand and do all of the mixing yourself. Not worth it if you are doing lots and lots of GF baking, but for occasional use it's great.

[ScotteeM]

For crackers, I like the Glutino plain or multi-grain crackers. They come in cheddar, too, but since I'm eating them with cheese, I haven't tried them. I also like Schar brand Crispbread crackers, especially with soft, runny cheeses.

I still like the Glutino breads, but I find they're best if toasted, or used in grilled-cheese sandwiches.

I am in love with Udi's brand sandwich breads. I enjoy them toasted or straight out of the package for sandwiches.

I made little pepperoni pizzas with Udi's pizza crusts, and even my very picky husband deemed them worth having again. I now keep a package in my freezer for when the mood strikes and I need a pizza.

Progresso soups! Yes, that's right! Some of the Progresso's line of soups, and all of their broths, are gluten-free, made in a dedicated facility. You can get a list of which ones are GF on their website, or read the label carefully. New England Clam Chowder, Chicken and Corn Chowder, Chicken and Rice, and Lentil are all GF, to my recollection, and great convenience foods, when you can't make your own soups.

Some of the snacks in the Frito line are GF, although I don't think they're made in a truly dedicated facility, so YMMV. I've tried Cheetos (regular crunchy) and Lay's potato chips--plain. The flavored chips do tend to have traces of wheat gluten. Fritos regular are also free of gluten ingredients (although not made in a dedicated facility).

Corn Chex and Rice Chex have been reformulated and are now made in a dedicated facility, and proudly sport the "Gluten Free" designation on the front of the box.

The really significant thing about the Progresso's, Frito-Lay, and Chex products is that they don't charge more for them than their other, gluten-containing products. Some of this is thanks to someone in management at Betty Crocker (part of the same parent company) who has been diagnosed with celiac disease, or has a relative with that diagnosis. In any case, it's great to have some choices in the mainstream that are gluten-free.

For eating out, I find that restaurants with brigade-style kitchens, where stations are dedicated to particular dishes, lead to a lower risk of cross-contamination than kitchens where everything is cooked on the same griddle or in the same pans. It helps to call ahead, talk to someone in management or the chef, and become familiar with the cuisine before entering a particular restaurant. Some chefs are more familiar with gluten and its issues than others, and some waitstaff are more or less familiar with their kitchen's ingredients. I had a particularly good experience last night at Galileo 3, where every member of the staff with whom I had contact seemed extremely aware. And Chef very kindly made some gluten-free spaghetti in a separate pot of boiling water for me, so that I could enjoy his lobster cream sauce with butter-poached lobster.

The list of restaurants where gluten-intolerant and gluten-sensitive diners can safely eat is constantly expanding. As with the gluten-free items in groceries and supermarkets, the greater the demand for gluten-free dining options, the greater the supply will become.

[ScotteeM]

I meant to add also that Betty Crocker Potato Buds are now Gluten Free! I know, mashed potatoes aren't that hard to make, but sometimes when I'm tired, almost everything is too hard. Thank goodness for Potato Buds!

[TedE]

Snyder's now has gluten free pretzels that are significantly cheaper than the Glutino offerings. I think they taste about the same.

[ktmoomau]

Thanks for all the tips.

I agree on the Udi's pizza shells, my husband will eat them!! I found a quinoa pasta at Whole Foods that has been my favorite so far, but I haven't tried a ton as you have to get through a whole box first, but my hubby will eat it too so that is good. Some of the pastas I have tried so far taste very strange. I really love the GF cornbread from WF too. I might try to make stuffing with it for Thanksgiving, although Food and Wine magazine just had an awesome looking sticky rice stuffing recipe I might try. Although I might add some things to their recipe to jazz it up a bit too.

I was really missing pretzels and got Glutino's, but will look for Snyder's.

It is interesting how your dining landscape changes. Going home to see my family I thought was going to be really hard to eat out because there aren't a lot of choices. But I did surprisingly well. I got buckwheat cakes and sausage for breakfast, and where we went to dinner I could have just about anything on the menu so that was reassuring. I am excited to try Carmine's GF pastas, and Hubby is excited to eat a big bowl of regular pasta in front of me without any guilt. When I was getting ready for a wedding I was in a few weeks ago in Boston my husband went to the North Side and got a heaping bowl of pasta and meatballs. He also escorted me quickly by some of the big pastry shops in town and held my hand and then got me some chocolates.

I have to give major props to Restaurant 3, which is one of the best places for me to go for happy hour in my area.

Giant in Ballston actually has a good selection of GF products, it was suprising, and Wegman's in Fairfax had an ok selection, but I expected them to be better than they were. Haven't been to MOM yet, but will go when my current supply is down.

I am slowly finding my way around, and my husband is getting better and better at looking at menus and labels. But it helps so much to know what products are good, because they aren't cheap and I hate buying something and then hating it. So keep it up!

Anyone know where you can get a burger with a GF bun? Or have you ever taken a GF bun to a burger place and put it on that? I go to Big Buns and get a burger in a bowl, which is pretty close to hitting the mmmm burger spot, but just thought I would ask.

[KMango]

...I was really missing pretzels and got Glutino's, but will look for Snyder's.

Try the Glutino pretzel variety with sesame seeds. Just had some this weekend, +++.

Haven't tried any gf hamburger buns yet. I recently bought Bob's Red Mill gf pizza dough and wonder if that might make interesting buns. If I try that, will let you know the verdict.

[Sundae in the Park]

I believe that yuca/manioc/tapioca starch is gluten-free. Therefore, yuca bread, those cheesy little puffs, should be safe. I make them all the time in place of cheddar biscuits because I prefer the texture.

[ScotteeM]

I believe that yuca/manioc/tapioca starch is gluten-free. Therefore, yuca bread, those cheesy little puffs, should be safe. I make them all the time in place of cheddar biscuits because I prefer the texture.

I'm not familiar with this. Would you mind posting a link or a recipe? Thanks!

Edited to add: Tapioca starch is used in a lot of gluten-free flour mixes, so it certainly should be "safe".

[Sundae in the Park]

I'm not familiar with this. Would you mind posting a link or a recipe? Thanks!

Edited to add: Tapioca starch is used in a lot of gluten-free flour mixes, so it certainly should be "safe".

Ooooh, they are, as I said, a lot like cheddar bisuits, but have a lovely gooey, chewy texture inside, I think because of the fineness of the starch. Here are a couple of recipes with pictures - they are mostly prettty similar with about the same ingredients. I just use whatever cheese I have on hand and estimate the amount and they turn out pretty well, but I know you can get the white cheese at Latin markets. I also make them in a muffin tin, so they bake up nice and neat.

I modified a recipe I got from a friend, with my notes in parentheses:

2 eggs

1 cup whole (eh, we only ever have skim at home, and it works fine) milk

½ cup vegetable oil

1 (scant) tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 white cheese from latin market. Aprox: 300-350 g (I substitute whatever cheese I have around, including hard cheeses. I use maybe 1.5 cups? I will try to remember to measure next time)

1 box yuca flour from latin market (I use a little over half of the 24-oz bag of starch by Goya; available at Shoppers)

Preheat oven to 350. Put everything except the yuca flour in a blender and mix (I tend to mix by hand). In a bowl mix the contents from the blender with the yuca flour (carefully! The starch is VERY fine!) and let sit for about 10 minutes. Pour(/spoon) mix in muffin tins, using oil or pam if necessary. Bake for 15 mins or until golden brown.

The approximate measurements come out all right, even though I know my proportions change a bit each time. This recipe seems to be pretty forgiving of changes. These are BY FAR the best right out of oven, and harden up quickly so are best eaten the first day. That has never been a problem in my house, even when I double the recipe.

[KMango]

Just a quick shout out to Gluten Freda's Breakfast Beef Burrito.

I'm having one right now and Gawds these are good. Be mindful to follow the cooking instructions; half power in the microwave, leave in wrapper, etc.

I've only ever seen them at Wegman's near Dulles. But worth seeking out.

[goodeats]

Apparently, this is celiac-awareness month--Amazon has a discount on gluten-free items on their grocery page.

[ktmoomau]

Ok... so I DO NOT LIKE Annie's Gluten Free Frozen Pizza, I couldn't eat it, not enough sauce, soggy crust, yuck cheese, just bad...

I also figured out that the Whole Foods in Fairfax has a huge selection of gluten free, like really really big. I really like it- I have been to MOM, but I dunno I prefer the Whole Foods.

[ScotteeM]

Ok... so I DO NOT LIKE Annie's Gluten Free Frozen Pizza, I couldn't eat it, not enough sauce, soggy crust, yuck cheese, just bad...

I also figured out that the Whole Foods in Fairfax has a huge selection of gluten free, like really really big. I really like it- I have been to MOM, but I dunno I prefer the Whole Foods.

Your comment about Annie's GF Frozen Pizza is appreciated! There are so many GF products on the market or hitting the market, and not all are wonderful.

GF selections at Whole Foods stores vary by location and most likely by demand. I have found that my requests for products are taken seriously by those placing orders, which is nice. As far as the Fairfax WF, they do have a good selection of GF products, but it can still be difficult to find any specific product because they are scattered. There is a GF section in groceries and in frozen foods, but there are also GF products placed alongside regular products. When I was searching for Udi's bread and products in the frozen food aisle, another customer directed me to a separate freezer in the bakery department where that brand was stocked.

Safeway is rolling out a new shelf label to identify GF products, which are integrated. I have thanked my local grocery guy at Safeway for carrying so many GF products (including Chex cereals and Snyders pretzels). Again, I found that the response to my request for specific products was "Check back soon, we'll get it in."

[ktmoomau]

Ok, so I am going to wax poetic about GF bisquick here for a moment. Growing up my Mother from time to time would make chicken and dumplings and I love well made chicken and dumplings. So I was very excited to see the Betty Crocker recipe for gf chicken and dumplings at bisquick.com. I didn't make it quite like the recipe, used my own stock, fresh veggies, turkey picked from the bones instead of chicken. But the making of the dumplings themselves were super easy and very tasty. They even warmed up well the next day without tasting all gluten leftovers weird. I am very excited. I know for many bisquick just doesn't taste as good as other things, but I have now had their pancakes, waffles and dumplings. It is a nice way to have some comfort things in a quick and easy way. And I have found them all to taste very authentic to the real deal.

I have also found that people getting used to having to cook differently for me have found it very convenient to be able to use something rather familiar, with rather familiar results. Anyway if you haven't mastered gluten free baking with other flours and things, I highly recommend gf bisquick as a nice easy stepping stone.

[lperry]

Well, Mr. lperry just got back the blood test results and his doctor says he's probably got celiac. Instead of doing the highly invasive (and somewhat horrifying) endoscopy and biopsy, he negotiated to go gluten-free for a couple of months and re-test to see if it took care of the problem, or if we are looking at something else. As someone who bakes frequently, I'm grateful to this list for keeping information handy on what is working. The problems will come with travel, which is more frequent than my baking, and hidden sources of gluten.

I'm headed out to shop this afternoon. Trader Joe's and Mom's are on the list. Wish me luck.

[goodeats]

Good luck! Please report back as I am doing some testing on celiac recipes and would like to know the price comparison et al. Thanks for doing the leg work lperry!!

[porcupine]

Bethesda Co-op has a gluten-free section. No idea what might constitute "extensive" in this context, so I can't say whether it's worth your time, but it's there.

[ktmoomau]

Well, Mr. lperry just got back the blood test results and his doctor says he's probably got celiac. Instead of doing the highly invasive (and somewhat horrifying) endoscopy and biopsy, he negotiated to go gluten-free for a couple of months and re-test to see if it took care of the problem, or if we are looking at something else. As someone who bakes frequently, I'm grateful to this list for keeping information handy on what is working. The problems will come with travel, which is more frequent than my baking, and hidden sources of gluten.

I'm headed out to shop this afternoon. Trader Joe's and Mom's are on the list. Wish me luck.

Good luck with everything. The traveling stuff isn't as bad as you think it will be at first, the most annoying part about eating out starts being that I get sick of certain things quicker because I tend to eat more of some things now than I used to. Some places like Liberty Tavern if I bring a gf crust will make me a pizza on it (you have to be careful about cross contamination though). And more and more restaurants are getting savy about everything (of course I am intolerant not celiac which is slightly different). I just went to Chicago and ate at a ton of different places who could accommodate me. I find the worst is actually family occasions I don't cook for and holiday parties, work lunches and conferences. Advance research and notification to restaurants has really been key for me. My Mother just can't get her head around what is gluten and what isn't, my MIL is like on the gluten free bandwagon and is great about it. My Aunt is getting better about it. The worst part of traveling is airports and trying to find decent food there, if you can pack a sandwich or a lunch for the flight that is the best.

But I wanted to say some things that have helped me through the transition: popcorn has been a good replacement for a lot of snacky items and nuts if he can eat nuts.

GFBisquick obviously, Ancient Harvest GF pasta, Schar ciabatta rolls. And chocolate and gf ice cream to sub in when I can't eat cookies or other things, although if you are a baker you can probably make things that are quite tasty. Also to keep from getting frustrated I try not to beat myself up about splurging on other things from time to time like chips or something because sometimes I get cravings for things I just can't have and sometimes eating something a little bit bad for me that I wouldn't otherwise eat helps. Everyone at my office gets cake on their birthday, obviously it's things like that which are sometimes difficult, but for my birthday they got me gf cupcakes from Buzz. I have to say sometimes it is kind of nice to be able to say no to things I generally wouldn't eat anyway and just say politely thanks so much for the offer, but I can't have wheat and that (whatever) look very good though.

I am the first person in my immediate family to have a major food sensitivity so they just are getting used to it. Sometimes I get really frustrated though and then Hubby takes me out for gf pizza or something to make me feel a bit better. But I have a cousin who has been celiac since it wasn't accommodated at all, and she has had wonderful advice for me. But it definitely changes your life and patterns, but my husband has been really supportive and kind of a watch dog to keep me on the straight and narrow and that has been the most helpful, he also has been very empathetic when I get frustrated because he understands what a big change it was for me.

Having someone who changes their patterns and understands is the most helpful thing. When his mother made me gf lasagna last time I was down there it was not just tasty to have it, but really nice gesture of support. And comfort food, a lot of it tends to be made with gluten, but remaking it without has been very helpful for me: rice casseroles, meatballs, meatloaf, biscuits, dumplings that kind of thing is what I tend to miss the most. Bette Hagman has a cookbook the Gourmet Gluten Free Comfort Foods or something like that she has other gf cookbooks, but that one I especially like, you might check those out. Really good.

I might be sensitive to lactose too, I am working with a dietician and am going off of lactose for a two week period coming up here (we are trying a couple other things here first, then that, then some more tests). At least knowing what makes me sick has been really comforting to help me control my body instead of being at its mercy.

[ScotteeM]

If you're going to do any gluten-free baking, I really recommend Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef by Shauna & Danny Ahern. They have spent hours working out GF recipes for various baked goods, and it will save you re-inventing the wheel as it were. There are several books of GF recipes out there, but I think this one is the best. (Disclaimer: I don't bake, but others who do have praised this book.) It even made the top 10 list of cookbooks for 2010 for the New York Times.

[lperry]

Thanks, everyone. I got the AP "flour" recipe of the Gluten-Free Girl website, picked up loads of stuff at Super H this afternoon, and will be experimenting soon. I bake, therefore I am. A little protein won't get in my way.

[ktmoomau]

Thanks, everyone. I got the AP "flour" recipe of the Gluten-Free Girl website, picked up loads of stuff at Super H this afternoon, and will be experimenting soon. I bake, therefore I am. A little protein won't get in my way.

Fyi- you probably already know this, but macarons use almond flour. If you have any extras you can always let me know! I cook; therefore I bake less well If only I could convince my Hubby to spend more time baking, he is actually very good at it because unlike me he is much more scientific and actually strictly follows recipes.

[lperry]

Fyi- you probably already know this, but macarons use almond flour. If you have any extras you can always let me know! I cook; therefore I bake less well If only I could convince my Hubby to spend more time baking, he is actually very good at it because unlike me he is much more scientific and actually strictly follows recipes.

Macarons are definitely on the list. To be honest, my first thought was - wow - now I can only make tortes!

[ktmoomau]

My Aunt made a fantastic polenta "lasagna" with ground lamb. When I get the recipe from her I will post it, Hubby was wild about it, ate two servings! And I thought it was great too. I think her recipe could be a base if you wanted to add in other items or switch things up.

[Ilaine]

Just wanted to say that after many months of trying to convince myself I was just "better without wheat" but could take it or leave it, I decided, "No gluten. None." Due, not to philosophy, but chronically painful innards.

I probably still get some gluten from, say, hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, although not willingly, but cannot get over how much better I feel. Wish I had done this long ago.

Also, at this point in time, no dairy. None.

No eggs. None.

No fatty meat. None. Fish, mostly.

No sugar, other than fruit. None. And low sugar fruit. Berries, mostly.

It's still a work in progress. But I feel ever so much better. Pain in innards almost gone. Pain in joints, almost gone. Swelling in joints, almost gone. Numbness in toes, almost gone.

Toying now with the idea of no grains. I probably don't have any problem with corn or rice or oats, but awaiting clarity.

Radical thought, what about no starch? Hmmmm. No, I think beets and carrots and sweet potatoes and so forth are probably OK.

Another thought, as someone whose mitochondrial DNA (from mother-to-grandmother-to-great-grandmother, etc.) is Native American and is closely related to people in Asia, maybe I should eat like an Asian, not a European?

[lperry]

I probably still get some gluten from, say, hydrolyzed vegetable proteins, although not willingly, but cannot get over how much better I feel. Wish I had done this long ago.

I was amazed at the difference going gf made in Mr. lperry's overall health, as well as his mood. That doesn't mean I don't hope they find a cure for celiac sooner rather than later, but he certainly doesn't miss the bread.

[lperry]

Coming soon to Mount Vernon Ave. in Del Ray, a GF bakery. Click.

[ktmoomau]

Wanted to say that Hodgson Mill angel hair pasta is the worst gf pasta I have had yet. It clumped into a mass of gook. Not good.

[johnb]

My sweetie has just been diagnosed with celiac, so we are just getting into this thing. I'm going to go down the road with her as much as possible. We'll see how it all works out. We have a trip to New Orleans planned at Thanksgiving with old friends, so that will be a challenge.

In case others may not have stumbled onto it yet, in my internet searches I came upon this which is a 55 page pdf compendium of "mainstream" products that are gluten free. Hasn't been updated for a while but still could be useful.

[squidsdc]

This website Allergy Free Passport has some good information. I found out about it from a newsletter that announced the availability here:

New app available: iEatOut Allergy Free

[lperry]

We just took one for the team and had the GF pizza from the Homemade Pizza Company on Mt. Vernon Avenue in Del Ray. The toppings were delicious, fresh, and generously applied. The sauce was very flavorful and even a little spicy. The crust was not good. Zero structure, just a solid mass of starches, zero rise, zero bubbling, and little flavor other than what seems to be added sugar. It did get brown and crispy on the edges, but with no air bubbles or flakiness... So A on the toppings, D- on the crust. I hope they come up with something better because we'd really like to have some more options.

[ktmoomau]

Just had Pete's APizza and it doesn't have the best crust on their pizza either, it's just ok. I have to say I really miss the American Flatbread crust that was so good. And Rustico so far has been second best.

[ScotteeM]

The best g-f pasta I've found comes from Italy. We love Le Asolane and La Veniziane, which can be ordered from Quattrobimbi. It is not at all inexpensive, although my understanding is that a large portion of the increased cost is a special tax on imported g-f pastas, and that this tax may be eliminated in the near future. Meanwhile, we don't have pasta as a cheap meal, but we enjoy it for the special meal it has become. I have not tried everything on the website, but I did try the g-f couscous, and it was good, although I'm certainly not an expert on that food.

[TedE]

Somebody just gifted us with a bag of Thomas Keller's gluten free flour mix. We've been pretty happy with the Jules product I posted above for the occasional baking that happens in our house, so we'll see if this (shockingly expensive) substitute is the real deal.

[ktmoomau]

So finally caved and started working with a dietitian after finding out I am also very lactose intolerant. I was getting increasingly frustrated. But the good news is the lactose was messing my system up far more than the gluten. I am now eating mostly gluten free and even though I can take lactose pills I feel much better if I have no lactose so I am really limiting that to really special nights out or etc. But it means when I cheat on the gluten I am not affected near as much. My nutritionist really thinks the gluten intolerance may be a result of stress and the lactose intolerance and IBS stressing my stomach to the point it couldn't process even more foods and proteins than otherwise, and then general stress in my life. But for now I am still doing my best to eat LF and GF, except on special occasions, as that is how I feel at my absolute best, but that gets REALLY frustrating. So we will see where this all goes. But it's nice after about 12 years to finally feel like this is kind of getting figured out. The dietitian has been able to spend more time with me and work with me much more than any doctor and explains things to me much better. We are trying things, seeing how they are going, trying something else. But she did say my case was difficult since I have no actual allergies. So thanks to everyone on this board, without your support I wouldn't have gone to a dietitian and it would be much harder to deal with all this. It has been really hard to change my eating habits so dramatically, and it is still a process and I still fall off the wagon. And I know for me this is so much less serious than those with celiac, but it is still been extremely frustrating to deal with for so long. (My doctors didn't think to test me for lactose because of my history: I grew up part of my life on a dairy farm and had no problem with it most of my life. But the specialists I went to see did.) And I really am so appreciative of everyone on this board for the tips, the recipes and just the support.

[lperry]

^ I'm happy to hear you've figured some things out, and I think maybe I can help make the lactose thing less stressful. It is fairly common for celiacs to have lactose intolerance issues due to the damage that has occurred, and Mr. lperry is no exception. Cow's milk causes some pretty serious GI distress, but milk from goats and sheep is no problem. I've gotten very familiar with sheep's and goat's milk cheeses over the past few years, and find that it's a fairly easy transition in cooking to use these in lieu of cow's milk cheeses, and sometimes there is even more flavor because of the sharpness of the alternatives. For milk and butter, he has fewer problems when the food has been cooked. I have no idea why this is true because all the books indicate that heat does not break the bonds in the sugars, but it means that I can make a quiche with goat's cheese and half-and-half and he will be fine. YMMV, and, alternatively, you can buy the lactaid-type products fairly easily now. Good luck and feel better!

[zoramargolis]

And I know for me this is so much less serious than those with celiac, but it is still been extremely frustrating to deal with for so long. (My doctors didn't think to test me for lactose because of my history: I grew up part of my life on a dairy farm and had no problem with it most of my life. But the specialists I went to see did.) And I really am so appreciative of everyone on this board for the tips, the recipes and just the support.

You are fortunate to have figured this out already. My mother complained of digestive upsets all of her life, which were usually dismissed as psychogenic. In her early 90's (she just turned 95 in September) someone at the geriatric clinic she goes to for medical care suggested she might be lactose intolerant. She is someone who ate cottage cheese and used skim milk just about every day. So she switched to almond milk and quit eating cottage cheese. Guess what? She feels better.

[darkstar965]

I think I once posted on a different dr thread about some reading I'd done this year concerning "gluten sensitivity." It's explained fully in a number of books, blogs and research papers including those by Gary Taubes, James Braly/Ron Hoggan and Robb Wolf for those interested. The basic idea behind these beliefs are that there is a large but unquantified number of people in the US (ostensibly world wide) who haven't been diagnosed with celiac disease but do have some level of sensitivity to gluten which only manifests in the form of any number of a large set of possible diseases, conditions or other maladies. It's not mainstream (yet?) but I think worth considering for some.

There's a related and fast growing interest (among scientists, clinicians, businesses and financiers) in "personalized medicine." Google, IBM and GE are all companies investing in this. Top US universities (Ivys, Stanford, etc.) are researching it. This is the idea that eventually therapies (whether pharmaceutical, dietary or clinical) will be tailored specifically to each of us according to our own DNA or genetic profile. So, instead of there being a 'cancer drug,' there will be a drug for joe or jane. This relates to some of the stuff I referenced above about gluten sensitivity and may explain why, for some, eating a ton of bread (or dairy or whatever) every day never phased them and they lived to be 100 whereas others are able to feel much better after cutting consumption of X or Y. Can google "personalized medicine" if interested in this. Fascinating to consider IMHO. It's the future of healthcare.

Interesting reading to be sure. And totally on point with people who realize they are gluten sensitive, lactose intolerant or have other diet-related issues only after years of experiencing symptoms without much relief from traditional medicine. One can ask a doc to be tested for gluten sensitivity or lactose intolerance, etc. But, more often than not, that won't be proactively suggested by a doc as exemplified by ktmoomau's realization only with the help of a dietician or zora's mother's discovery thanks to someone at her geriatric clinic.

[johnb]

First, it was really easy to eat gluten-free with traditional and delicious Chinese food,

I also have a bottle of GF soy sauce, although I've recently read that soy sauce is GF anyway due to the brewing process.

If all this is true then it's music to my ears. I recently went through my entire collection of Chinese sauces and pulled out everything that had wheat in it and that was nearly everything. Since my sweetie was diagnosed, I had assumed our days of eating Chinese in restaurants were over (and you know that for me that's a big sacrifice).

Where did you read about soy sauce (normal with wheat) being OK? And what strategies did you use at Chinese restaurants to avoid gluten generally? How did it all work out (i.e. was the "GF person" pain free after eating)?

PM me if its easier.