Gluten Free Resources And Ideas

[lperry]

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.

The research on soy sauce was with Kikkoman, IIRC, and I read about it on the celiac.org site in one of the forums. I bought the GF soy sauce and black vinegar made from rice, so I don't worry about it. It's not Chinese, but you can even get Korean gochuchang made from rice and no wheat or barley. You just have to be willing to spend a little time reading labels. Generally speaking, Great Wall is a better resource for the GF items than HMart, which makes sense. Korea is completely in the northern wheat growing area, while China has southern reaches in the rice zone.

For GF Chinese, I was thinking of cooking it at home, not eating out, and in home cooking I don't use the prepared sauces so much, so it's pretty easy. In China I noticed that rice noodles, rice "breads", mung bean noodles, and other naturally GF items were commonplace, and the dishes I had were quite good, so I plan to use more of those at home. Mr. lperry is the celiac, and he wasn't with me, so I can't vouch for all the sauces in restaurants being GF, but I do know it's really easy to do at home.

[KMango]

I've been subbing out pasta and swapping in polenta lately. Chef Ed (Winchester, VA) recently posted another good tip for the corn-y stuff:

Polenta Tip

[lperry]

I've been subbing out pasta and swapping in polenta lately. Chef Ed (Winchester, VA) recently posted another good tip for the corn-y stuff:

Polenta Tip

Excellent tip. You can also cheat even further by mixing it into the cold water and cooking it in the rice cooker. I love that gadget.

[zoramargolis]

Chef Ed (Winchester, VA) recently posted another good tip for the corn-y stuff:

Polenta Tip

Chef Ed is awfully pedantic. There are often several "right ways" to do things, depending on personal preference. A wise woman who was teaching psychotherapeutic techniques when I was in graduate school had an aphorism: "There are many ways to get to Woodland Hills." (This was at UCLA: substitute any other neighborhood somewhat distant from your present location.)

[thistle]

I have only dipped a toe in the gluten-free pond (I don't live w/ anyone w/ gluten allergies, but I want to be prepared). The commissary at Ft. Belvoir has a rapidly expanding gluten free section, I picked up some mary's gone crackers sticks n twigs- at first, I thought, 'yuck, but I'll finish them', then somehow by the end of the bag, I thought, 'these are quite good'. We (my daughter & I) also baked a poundcake, using our usual recipe, & subbing Bob's Red Mill GF flour (but no added xanthan gum)-after baking, it was very similar to the original recipe.

[johnb]

We (my daughter & I) also baked a poundcake, using our usual recipe, & subbing Bob's Red Mill GF flour (but no added xanthan gum)-after baking, it was very similar to the original recipe.

The Bob's Red Mill GF Flour that I have already contains xanthan gum (needed in GF flour to reproduce the glutenous quality of, well, gluten), so why would one add more in the first place? Does Bob also have a no-gum version?

[thistle]

I guess so, because the one I have doesn't have it listed in the ingredients (garbanzo flour, potato starch, tapioca flour, wh. Sorghum flour, fava bean flour) & gives suggested amounts to add for different baked goods. At the commissary yesterday, several of the Bob's red mill flours were on sale, so I picked up coconut & tapioca flour, & flaxseeds (not a flour, but a good add-in for lots of stuff, will stick this in the freezer). I'm also thinking about cutting down on dairy (which for me, would be a big step), so I'm browsing lots of vegan cookbooks...(not gluten related, but a similar major switch in dietary habits)...

[lperry]

I have a report from a friend with celiac that she and her daughter used Keller's Cup4Cup for some of their Christmas baking, and there was no textural difference in cookies. There are varied reviews on the web dependent upon the recipes used, but if you are making something where you don't care about whole grain content, it may be a good product.

Life just got a bit more complicated here as Mr. lperry got sick off certified GF oats. I've got a box of rolled quinoa from MOMs and I will try some granola bars and report back.

[lperry]

I'm on The Happy Tart Bakery email list, and just got a note today that they are opening January 21! They are tucked in the space to the North of the pottery store on Mt. Vernon Avenue in Del Ray, and are 100% gluten free, so no issues with cross contamination. We are looking forward to bread.

[ktmoomau]

I'm on The Happy Tart Bakery email list, and just got a note today that they are opening January 21! They are tucked in the space to the North of the pottery store on Mt. Vernon Avenue in Del Ray, and are 100% gluten free, so no issues with cross contamination. We are looking forward to bread.

thanks for the report, I have been eagerly awaiting their opening.

[agm]

I do not eat gluten-free, but I'm cooking next weekend for someone who does. And who has made a couple of requests that don't quite fit with her limitations. So, can anyone suggest a good substitution for breadcrumbs? Not as a filler or binder, but as a topping - think golden brown, crispy crust on a casserole.

[johnb]

I do not eat gluten-free, but I'm cooking next weekend for someone who does. And who has made a couple of requests that don't quite fit with her limitations. So, can anyone suggest a good substitution for breadcrumbs? Not as a filler or binder, but as a topping - think golden brown, crispy crust on a casserole.

I've been having good luck with crushed potato chips. Very versatile actually; in addition to crust for casserole, they are good for example as the bread filler for meatballs or meatloaf. Fun too, since there are so many flavored varieties to play with. Read the ingredients to be sure there is nothing wheat-based in there. To be extra safe, get something plain, or I believe most of the "Kettle" brand varieties are labled as gluten free.

[bookluvingbabe]

Cheese can also work. Think of those crispy melted parmesan chips.

[Barbara]

Also, you might want to try crushed up baked lentil chips that I found recently (at WF? or maybe Yes! Gourmet). The bag said they were GF. I thought they were rather tasty just on their own.

[ktmoomau]

I do not eat gluten-free, but I'm cooking next weekend for someone who does. And who has made a couple of requests that don't quite fit with her limitations. So, can anyone suggest a good substitution for breadcrumbs? Not as a filler or binder, but as a topping - think golden brown, crispy crust on a casserole.

Or you could make bread crumbs from gluten free bread... although that leaves a lot of leftover bread, so the other ideas might be easier. Udi's is my favorite GF bread, I normally use the heels for that sort of thing.

[ScotteeM]

I also used GF bread to make breadcrumbs. Udi's is good, but I like Rudi's better overall. I also have used plain Glutino crackers to make cracker meal.

Please let us know what you are making and how the event goes!

[weezy]

I do not eat gluten-free, but I'm cooking next weekend for someone who does. And who has made a couple of requests that don't quite fit with her limitations. So, can anyone suggest a good substitution for breadcrumbs? Not as a filler or binder, but as a topping - think golden brown, crispy crust on a casserole.

crushed pork rinds is another possibility.

[johnb]

Just a little shared info for those who must avoid gluten but like fried foods. Since I (and my blushing bride, the one with celiac) really really miss fried chicken, I've been experimenting with different coatings, with so so results. Last evening I tried chickpea (gram) flour, which I have understand is a common chicken coating in India. Worked very well -- good taste, no serious burn problem, nice crust. Not hard to find this flour in Indian stores.

[lperry]

The Happy Tart is open and has a case full of gorgeous tarts, pastries, cupcakes, and even bread. We tried the raisin / pecan baguette - quite good - and took home a regular baguette. It's not the same texture as a wheat baguette, but is a very nice bread that we liked even better toasted a bit. Mr. lperry ate his first pastry in over a year and is a very happy man. It was an apple danish, I think, and I didn't get a taste because he ate the whole thing making happy pastry noises the whole time. We really hope she succeeds!

[zoramargolis]

Just a little shared info for those who must avoid gluten but like fried foods. Since I (and my blushing bride, the one with celiac) really really miss fried chicken, I've been experimenting with different coatings, with so so results. Last evening I tried chickpea (gram) flour, which I have understand is a common chicken coating in India. Worked very well -- good taste, no serious burn problem, nice crust. Not hard to find this flour in Indian stores.

I often use chickpea flour as a dredge for frying fish filets, so it makes sense that it would work on chicken. Love the beautiful golden color and nutty flavor.

[lperry]

I just spent my lunch hour and then some studying labels on just about every sauce at Great Wall. Unlike the Chinese and Japanese soy sauces which almost all contain wheat, I couldn't help but notice that the soy sauces from Vietnam were all made from rice with no wheat, barley, or even maltose added. (Insert "yahoo!") A bit of research on the internet led to the general conclusion that soy sauce is used by Vietnamese vegetarians instead of fish sauce, but there was no good description of the flavor profiles of any particular brands. Does anyone know which one mught be a good thick/heavy soy sauce? I've been using the Kikkoman and adding in a bit of cane syrup to get that thick flavor, but it would be nice to have a single step.

[goodeats]

醬油膏 is the traditional thick soy sauce used, but usually wheat-based (thickened by adding more wheat flour). Is this what you mean?

I did find a recipe online in Chinese that called for homemade thick soy sauce:

材料 (Ingredients)：

醬油100cc (Soy Sauce)、水150cc (Water)、糖20克 (Sugar - 克=grams)、地瓜粉8克 (Sweet Potato Flour)、糯米粉8克 (Glutenous Rice Flour)。

做法 (Prep)：

1將地瓜粉及糯米粉混合後，加入少許的冷水調勻 。Mix the sweet potato and glutenous rice flour together, then add cold water a little at a time to mix thoroughly into a paste.

2將醬油及水放入鍋內小火加熱，接著放入砂糖煮至溶解。Add soy sauce and water to saucepan; heat on low, then stir in sugar until dissolved completely.

3以小火，邊攪拌邊緩緩的倒入粉槳，需不停的攪拌以免燒焦，直到鍋內的液體呈透明黏稠狀即可。Slowly stir the flour-water mixture/paste into the soy mixture until the mixture is thoroughly transparent and sticky.

PS. Also found a homemade hoisin sauce, but can't attest to either recipes...

PPS. Just found a gluten-free expo upcoming in DC.

[lperry]

^ Thank you so much!

[lperry]

Another note on GF Chinese cooking sauces - Most Union Foods brand sauces do not have any gluten products in them, and they also don't have the mystery "natural flavors" that can be maltose or something else that could set off a reaction. I found them at Great Wall and a few at Grand Mart. I used the spicy broad bean paste last night and the flavor was excellent.

[Rhone1998]

The Happy Tart is open and has a case full of gorgeous tarts, pastries, cupcakes, and even bread. We tried the raisin / pecan baguette - quite good - and took home a regular baguette. It's not the same texture as a wheat baguette, but is a very nice bread that we liked even better toasted a bit. Mr. lperry ate his first pastry in over a year and is a very happy man. It was an apple danish, I think, and I didn't get a taste because he ate the whole thing making happy pastry noises the whole time. We really hope she succeeds!

I'd like to buy a birthday cake for a friend with Celiac this weekend. Happy Tart sounds like a nice possibility, but wondering if anyone had any suggestions for a good source in DC proper?

[goodeats]

I'd like to buy a birthday cake for a friend with Celiac this weekend. Happy Tart sounds like a nice possibility, but wondering if anyone had any suggestions for a good source in DC proper?

Sticky Fingers Bakery prices (Columbia Hgts right across from Giant Foods). You might need to call ahead.

Otherwise, you can call Hello Cupcake and order their GF cupcakes as a cake option?

[lperry]

"Rudi's" sandwich bread in the Costco freezer is the best we've tried, and runs about 8 bucks for two decent-sized loaves. Nice flavor and texture, no tapioca metallic taste.

[ktmoomau]

Just a heads up that Willow has very good gluten free bread, cornbread, gnocchi and baked good at the Ballston Farmer's Market. Don't know if you could also purchase them from the restaurant, but it is very good. The bread was shaped kind of like rolls, but stuck together enough that I ate half like rolls, but was able to slice the other half to make slices of bread for a sandwich (albeit a fairly small sandwich, oh well!) moist, not very crumbly, nice texture and tasted so much like bread. Will report back on gnocchi which I am making tonight. Tried the cornbread it was good, didn't buy it because gf cornbread is fairly easy to make. They also had some baked goods which I was very good and didn't buy Anyway thought I would report back.

[Anna Phor]

I need to crowdsource a breakfast menu--I'm seeking help.

Here are my parameters. Guests arrive late at night (after midnight) after a day and a half of air travel. (Really. My people live in just about the farthest away place you can get to from here.) They will be staying in our building's guest rooms (so no cooking facilities), and I want to leave them food that will work for a late night snack or an early morning breakfast, depending on their sleep/hunger needs. I was going to do some bagels or rolls, cream cheese, smoked salmon, fruit, a couple breakfast pastries. BUT, just learned that on doctor's orders, my mom is now on a gluten free and dairy free regime.

I would love any ideas for packaged/baked goods that might work, or alternate menus. I don't really have the time to cook something. My shopping options include Giant, Brookville, Yes, and Whole Foods. I've seen a bunch of package gf products, but I have no idea if any of them are any good!!

[Pat]

Is there any form of refrigeration? You could always pack a cooler with ice packs and things you wanted to keep cold.

Popcorn

Fruit

Nuts

Granola (but check ingredients--I've don't think I've ever seen a recipe for it that included gluten, but who knows what goes into the prepared stuff...)*

Smoked salmon should be gf, unless possibly it's a specialty seasoned type, and ingredients would be noted on the package -- it could be wrapped in lettuce for eating

Kimchi?

And, I never know: does dairy mean no eggs? because hard boiled eggs would be good. Actually, kimchi, hard-boiled eggs, and smoked salmon wrapped in lettuce sounds like it could be a pretty good meal.

*I've got a good recipe from mktye that may have been posted here years ago that does not take long to make and uses pretty standard ingredients. Let me know if you want that.

[KMango]

Assuming you have a fridge, because you mentioned cream cheese...

• Hard boil (avoid the sulphur ring of flavor death!) eggs, peel, quarter them, and place in a clear, covered glass bowl (attractive presentation). Place a shaker of Penzey's Fox Pointe, 4S Smoky Salt, Mural of Flavor (salt free), or other herbs next to the fridge. Fantastic evening or morning high protein option, guests choose their own seasoning.
• You mentioned no time to cook, but slice-and-baking up raisin cinnamon Mochi Squares, available at Whole Foods, is borderline effortless. The squares are rice-based, taste sinfully indulgent, but gluten free and shockingly nutritious.
• "Upscale PB&J" meaning a container of almond or cashew butter, coupled with unique/interesting/high quality fruit preserves, on gluten-free crackers. I have a strong affinity for Edward & Sons Exotic Rice Toasts, purple rice and black sesame flavor.
• The fruit you mentioned, yes, absolutely, and coupled with dairy-free cheese from Yes or Whole Foods. Ask the staff which is best, there are bound to be dairy free people on the team. And if the fruit is lackluster, serve it with a container of the best honey you can find.

Let us know how it goes!

[ScotteeM]

There are some very good suggestions above!

As for granola, make sure it does say "gluten free" on the label. Cross contamination is a clear and present danger, especially with oatmeal. Bob's Red Mill makes a gluten-free muesli that is very good, but I find it goes best with dairy products (milk, cottage cheese, or yogurt).

Beware prepared foods, particularly from Whole Foods. I've had a cross-contamination reaction from potato salad and egg salad from Whole Foods.

Mixed nuts and some trail mixes (check labels) are great for snacking.

Canned fish is usually a safe bet. I use Glutino crackers to accompany them.

HTH, and please do let us know what you end up doing! And, above all, enjoy your family's visit!

Corn chips and salsa or guacamole should be safe--again, check labels, but most corn chips are gluten-free.

If I think of anything else, I'll post again.

[Ilaine]

I need to crowdsource a breakfast menu--I'm seeking help.

Here are my parameters. Guests arrive late at night (after midnight) after a day and a half of air travel. (Really. My people live in just about the farthest away place you can get to from here.) They will be staying in our building's guest rooms (so no cooking facilities), and I want to leave them food that will work for a late night snack or an early morning breakfast, depending on their sleep/hunger needs. I was going to do some bagels or rolls, cream cheese, smoked salmon, fruit, a couple breakfast pastries. BUT, just learned that on doctor's orders, my mom is now on a gluten free and dairy free regime.

I would love any ideas for packaged/baked goods that might work, or alternate menus. I don't really have the time to cook something. My shopping options include Giant, Brookville, Yes, and Whole Foods. I've seen a bunch of package gf products, but I have no idea if any of them are any good!!

Dairy free AND gluten free is hard. Been there, done that, after months of gluten free, I can now do most dairy but not milk, per se.

OK, here goes. Nuts, mixed nuts. Nuts are our friends. Pecans, almonds, cashews.walnuts, Brazil nuts.

Berries. Raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries. Fruit in general, if they don't have diabetes. Apples, bananas.

Crudites. Carrots, cucumbers, summer squash, bell peppers, asparagus, tomatoes.

Eggs, Eggs are also our friends. Hard boiled is easy, devilled eggs are divine.

Meat. Can they do meat? Charcuterie. Pate. Actually hard to find gluten free pate, but it can be done.

Meat assumes a refrigerator. If so, and a microwave, consider a frittata.

If there is a refrigerator, and a microwave, consider soup. A nice mushroom soup, perhaps?

[weezy]

hummus stuffed in celery sticks is my go-to quick gluten-free snack offering

[thistle]

My new low-carb, gluten/dairy free breakfast is a hard boiled egg/sea salt, carrot slices, & a couple of Kalamata olives- it's not the bagel/peanut butter I'm used to, but I'm adjusting. It would be more delicious w/ some charcuterie & hard cheese.

[Ilaine]

This is probably not easy for the situation above mentioned, but I recently came across a suggestion to use bacon itself as the scaffolding/bread for a "sandwich" with guacamole. Which led, inexorably, in my mind, to a "sandwich" with bacon as the "bread" for an egg salad "sandwich".

Which then led to the concept of shorter pieces of bacon made into "chips" for any kind of dip, including, but not limited to, guacamole.

For the "sandwiches" one would probably want to nuke the bacon, which thereby remains flexible, but as "chips", probably fry, to obtain crispness.

Yours in the holy name of saturated fat.

Edited to add, if anybody can think of a way to weave bacon into a raft, of sorts, please sing out.

[Anna Phor]

I would think that the bacon should be prewoven, raw, then cooked.

And thanks to all above for suggestions! There is no microwave/refrigeration available in the room, alas, but I'm planning to leave a small cooler.

[thistle]

I just picked up a new book that looks like it might be helpful- the Gluten-free Asian Kitchen. I do not suffer from gluten sensitivity (that I know of), I'm just trying to adjust my diet to lower carb alternatives (while trying to keep in as much rice as I can, who gives a rip about pasta). At first glance, it duplicates a lot of other Asian cookbooks that I have, but it has lots of dumpling wrapper recipes that should be worth the price of the book.

[lperry]

I just picked up a new book that looks like it might be helpful- the Gluten-free Asian Kitchen. I do not suffer from gluten sensitivity (that I know of), I'm just trying to adjust my diet to lower carb alternatives (while trying to keep in as much rice as I can, who gives a rip about pasta). At first glance, it duplicates a lot of other Asian cookbooks that I have, but it has lots of dumpling wrapper recipes that should be worth the price of the book.

Please let us know how the dumplings turn out. That's one of the things I'd like to make more, and thus far, I've been cheating with the Vietnamese summer roll wrappers.

If you are OK with rice, Trader Joe's has GF brown rice pasta that I like better than most brands of semolina pasta.

[thistle]

I'll report back, because Lizzy is really pushing me to make dumplings w/ her. We had lunch at Kumo Asian Bistro today, she got a lunch bento box, & she said the teriyaki shrimp was too sweet & she didn't like all the sesame seeds, the shumai were not nearly as good as the har gau at Sampan Cafe (shrimp was chopped & maybe mixed w/ a little cabbage, kind of flabby shumai wrapper), the fried rice was ok, & she saved the CA roll for her brother. She finished most of the miso soup, even though 'tofu feels like Jello'. She told me, 'it was still pretty good, Mom', but I think she knows what to say, to keep those lunches coming....she also views herself as an adventurous eater, citing the ostrich egg she ate at a picnic about 4 yrs ago....

[lperry]

A press release from California Pizza Kitchen:

 

LOS ANGELES, CA (October 16, 2013) "“ California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), the authority on California-style pizza and industry leader in creative dining, today announced the launch of a new line of gluten-free pizzas available at restaurants nationwide through a partnership with the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG). The four gluten-free pizzas are prepared using strict procedures set forth and approved by the GIG, including a certified gluten-free crust and other ingredients verified by California Pizza Kitchen's suppliers as gluten-free. GIG will also conduct regular site inspections and audits to ensure all guidelines are being met.

 

"We are excited to expand our product offering to provide delicious and flavorful pizzas to guests who are affected by Celiac Disease or may suffer from gluten sensitivities," said Brian Sullivan, SVP of Culinary Development for California Pizza Kitchen. "Through this partnership, we can now offer guests the opportunity to dine with confidence and an understanding that we have followed the strict guidelines set forth by the Gluten Intolerance Group. Over the past several months, we've unveiled several new initiatives that are all part of the next chapter at California Pizza Kitchen and the addition of our gluten-free pizzas is another great example of the culinary direction in which we are headed." 

 

Guests may choose from four options under the new gluten-free pizzas line, including: 

 

·         THE ORIGINAL BBQ CHICKEN PIZZA "“ Our legendary BBQ sauce, smoked Gouda, red onions and cilantro. Add Nueske's applewood smoked bacon for even more flavor. 

 

·         PEPPERONI "“ A combination of rustic and spicy pepperoni, fresh Mozzarella and wild oregano. Add white truffle oil to incorporate a unique element to America's favorite pizza.

 

·         MUSHROOM PEPPERONI SAUSAGE "“ Cremini mushrooms, rustic pepperoni, spicy Italian sausage, torn basil, Mozzarella and wild oregano.

 

·         MARGHERITA "“ The classic. Italian tomatoes with fresh Mozzarella, basil and Parmesan.

 

The Gluten Free Food Service (GFFS) certification logo, an industry program of GIG, will be displayed on all California Pizza Kitchen menus to indicate the independent verification of quality, integrity and purity of food preparation policies, education and standards. Any of California Pizza Kitchen's pizzas may be made on a gluten-free crust for an additional $2.00, but due to current kitchen space, only the pizzas listed above can be prepared using GIG's certified procedures. 

 

"We look forward to partnering with California Pizza Kitchen as the company is committed to maintaining strict policies to ensure that guests are served quality pizzas that meet our gluten-free guidelines," said Cynthia Kupper, Executive Director, Gluten Intolerance Group.

 

California Pizza Kitchen is also testing a new Lunch Duo in 29 restaurants. Guests will be able to choose from any two of California Pizza Kitchen's 7-inch pizzas, California Flatbreads, sandwiches, salads or soups to create their own meal. Guests may take advantage of this promotion between Monday and Friday, from 11AM "“ 4PM at participating California Pizza Kitchen locations.

 

About California Pizza Kitchen

Born in Beverly Hills in 1985, California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is a leader in authentic California-style cuisine and is widely known for its innovative menu items. California Pizza Kitchen provides a range of California-inspired dishes, from signature hand-tossed and hearth-baked pizzas, to imaginative salads, pastas, entrées, soups, sandwiches and cocktails. A Southern California classic, CPK incites international cravings in more than 11 different countries. For more information on California Pizza Kitchen visit cpk.com. Follow them on Twitter @calpizzakitchen, like on Facebook at www.facebook.com/californiapizzakitchen and stay connected through http://instagram.com/californiapizzakitchen #cpknextchapter.

 

About Gluten Intolerance Group:

Since 1974, the Gluten Intolerance Group has been providing education and support for persons living with gluten-related disorders. In 1996 GIG began working with food services to develop safe food handling practices for serving gluten-free meals. In 2005, GIG launched the largest certification program for products and a retailer education program. Through work in 20 countries, GIG is an internationally recognized leader and advocate for gluten-free consumers. For more information on the Gluten Intolerance Group visit www.gluten.net. Follow them on Twitter @glutendotnet, like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/#!/GlutenIntoleranceGroup.

 

###

[lperry]

Heads up for those with gluten issues: restaurants and hotels are using pancake batter in the scrambled eggs to make them fluffier.  One of our friends with celiac got poisoned at a hotel this morning.

[ktmoomau]

Heads up for those with gluten issues: restaurants and hotels are using pancake batter in the scrambled eggs to make them fluffier.  One of our friends with celiac got poisoned at a hotel this morning.

What in the world, eggs are supposed to be eggs people!  That is gross not even on a gluten level, but just a honesty in food level.

[TrelayneNYC]

You might try looking into chickpea flour. I don't know if someone's already mentioned it upthread.

[lperry]

What in the world, eggs are supposed to be eggs people!  That is gross not even on a gluten level, but just a honesty in food level.

I know.  She ordered an omelet and specified gluten free, so they didn't give her the toast, but they forgot about the big dose of wheat in the eggs themselves.  (This was not a cheap hotel.)  Knowing about this is an enormous help to Mr. lperry, who travels all the time.  He could lose three days of work to something like this.

If you do a quick search, you'll find it's a "trick" for fluffy eggs.  Bizarre.  I think people are probably safe at diners, but for chains (IHOP does it, according to my search), and hotels, be sure to ask.

[KMango]

I don't normally recommend frozen things in supermarkets, but you gotta try this.

Crack open a bottle of coconut water, ideally one with pulp.  Sip that while you zap this in the microwave:

http://www.garden-lites.com/recipe/butternut-squash/

This isn't a GF vegetable dish, it's dessert.

*wow*

[squidsdc]

Not sure if anyone has mentioned this before, but I've just discovered/been made aware of a soy substitute. Coconut Aminos. (I'm allergic to soy, but not celiac.) There is another amino product by Bragg's that is still made from soy, so make sure to look for the one by Coconut Secret. Found it at MOM's and at Whole Foods. So far, I've only just tasted it out of the bottle-hope to try it soon in a marinade or dressing. I'm sure it's not an exact sub, but I can't tell you how very happy I am to have something that comes even close.

[ktmoomau]

Hey All,

This is just a message I want to put into the stratosphere.  After years and years of weird stomach issues and a host of other strange seemingly unrelated cyclical symptoms, a bunch of different doctors and specialists, hundreds of blood samples, and etc, I have finally been diagnosed with Lyme Disease.  I never knew there was anything to be worried about in terms of getting Lyme Disease unless you had a rash and/or fever after getting bitten by a tick.  I try not to get angry about how little I knew about Lyme Disease.  I wish I had known or been taught what the symptoms of early disseminated or late stage Lyme were when I was younger. I lived in an area full of ticks and never knew.  I am posting this here because Lyme can manifest in women (and some men, but more often women according to my doctor) with some major dietary issues and can develop into auto-immune diseases which also have dietary issues including gluten processing issues.  I have probably had this for years and years.  Luckily my prognosis seems to be very good.  So if you read this, do me a favor, if you don't know the symptoms of all stages of Lyme disease, read about them.  Even if you are healthy read about them please, in case you ever need to know, I never had a rash or a fever, but I have Lyme Disease.  There are lots of infected ticks in this area.

 If you think you may have the disease don't let doctors stop with a basic test for just Lyme, make them do an in depth screening for other factors in your blood.  I always thought there was something wrong with me beyond what my previous doctors were diagnosing and if I hadn't kept pushing to find out what was really going on I may have ended up much worse.  Trust your instincts.  I finally found a doctor who looked through my whole medical history, sat down and really talked with me and listened, he listened to the strange little things that I had noticed throughout the years which made me think I was a hypochondriac: not sleeping as well due to developed sensitivity to light and sound, joint pain, heart palpitations, tingling and numbness in my extremities, TMJ, thyroid issues, etc.  If you don't have a doctor who really cares about your health, find one.  It's not that my other doctors weren't good doctors, but they treated the symptoms presented at that moment, they never read through my full medical history or even the full history I had with their practice.  They never sat down and really thought about my case because that isn't how modern medicine works, those aren't check boxes on a billing form and they had a busy practice.  Anyway enjoy your picnics in the grass, hikes through the woods, but please if nothing else but to humor me read about Lyme.

[zoramargolis]

Wow. Sorry to hear this, but I know it is a relief to finally have a name for what has been ailing you. Unfortunately, too many doctors, when the symptoms aren't severe and the answer is not obvious, will ascribe the problem to anxiety or stress, especially for women. An older cousin of my husband--who lived very close to Lyme, Connecticut for crying out loud--went to a zillion doctors with pain and cardiac symptoms until someone finally considered lyme and tested him for it. His case was very advanced, and he had neurologic symptoms and spent six months with a central line and daily i.v. antibiotics. It has unfortunately become fairly common. J had a bulls-eye rash, and even without confirming that he was positive, his MD gave him 6 weeks of antibiotics to take.

[DonRocks]

This is just a message I want to put into the stratosphere.  After years and years of weird stomach issues and a host of other strange seemingly unrelated cyclical symptoms, a bunch of different doctors and specialists, hundreds of blood samples, and etc, I have finally been diagnosed with Lyme Disease.

Wow. Sorry to hear this, but I know it is a relief to finally have a name for what has been ailing you. 

I'm sorry too. For whatever it's worth, someone I know (who is entirely untrustworthy, so take this story with this grain of salt) was extremely ill for a couple of years, to the point of almost being bedridden. Ultimately, a diagnosis of Lyme Disease was obtained.

I say this because I've always heard that results are better if you "catch Lyme Disease early," but in this instance, a full recovery occurred fairly rapidly, and the person has never been in better health. So take heart!

I suspect you've gotten used to feeling like hell, and from what I read here, a diagnosis of Lyme Disease is about the best news you can have - there will come a day when you've entirely forgotten about feeling bad. Can you imagine?