Celiac Underground

The newest in cookie fads

2011-08-22T21:10:00.000-07:00

At my house, anyway. I wanted to make some cookies to share with neighbors and somehow got a hankering for M&M oatmeal cookies.

Straight out of the Betty Crocker cookbook, the recipe for oatmeal cookies (flour blend of Rice, Potato and Tapioca--or use your favorite pre-made blend). Used Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats, too, and a cup of M&M's.

So easy, yet so good. The reviews were positive!

La Tortilla Factory GF Wraps

2011-08-17T18:18:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

I was really bummed to see that Fresh Market had stopped carrying our favorite GF wraps, the last time I stopped in, this summer. :o(

You can read me singing the praises of the flexible, delicious wraps in my blog post here.

But when I talked my local Fresh Market manager about it (who was very courteous and helpful), he recommended that I request the item, so I went online to their "contact us" form and requested they start keeping them in stock again.

You can request this, too, here:

http://www.thefreshmarket.com/Company/customer_service.aspx

Here's what I wrote:

Hi there! I have been shopping at your store because you have stocked La Tortilla Factory Gluten Free (Teff) Wraps, now, for at least a year. I could always count on them being at your store, and selling for a reasonable price.

The last time I purchased some of them was late spring/early summer. I'm single so I don't get through them really quickly (I stock up) so by the time I got back there (a few weeks ago), they were nowhere to be found! I spoke with the manager who said he didn't know why they weren't being stocked, but recommended I ask here, online.

So, especially because you stock other varieties of wraps by this company, would you PLEASE consider bringing the gluten free wraps back? I have also told everyone I know in our local Celiac Disease support group (over 200 members) to come to your store for these wraps. I also have mentioned your store by name, as carrying this awesome product, in my personal Celiac/Gluten Free blog (May 15, 2010).

http://celiacunderground.blogspot.com/search/label/La%20Tortilla%20Smart%20Delicious%20Teff%20Wraps

http://celiacunderground.blogspot.com/2010/05/wraps-go-get-em-in-raleigh.html

I have also noticed, in recent trips, that you are starting to carry more gluten free items. Thank you! I would like to come back and shop more often, but I'm so disappointed that you've removed one of my personal favorites (that is extremely difficult to find elsewhere) from your shelves.

Of course, if I can get the wraps again I will keep telling everyone how great you guys are and that you have some great Gluten Free products!

Thank you so much for your consideration.

Emily

I shop at the Fresh Market Cameron Village store. I don't know if all their stores have the same items. I stopped into the Cary, NC store recently, but I didn't think they had exactly the same things. Sigh, and no wraps (that I could find), either. Sigh.

Raleigh continues to be a great place to live gluten free. Let's keep telling people we appreciate it when they stock awesome GF items! No matter where we live. :)

Blueberry!!

2011-07-23T18:09:00.000-07:00

This morning, I made one of my favorite gluten free treats! Blueberry Buckle!

I use the recipe directly from my betty crocker cookbook, and where it calls for 2 cups flour, I use a mix of 4 different kinds of GF flours (1/2 cup each), and a tsp-ish of xantham gum. For the topping, where it calls for 1/2 cup flour, I just use rice flour.

Wow, it always tastes as good as I remember (I don't have a chance to make it very often).

Raleigh Bread Trial Video

2011-04-11T19:26:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness, Paul Seelig was found guilty as charged for selling a bunch of us wheat bread as "gluten free."

Justice does help make it better. I hope that his horrible example will help us move forward in the area of food safety and labeling improvements!

Who can we trust to keep us healthy?

2011-04-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone.

You may have noticed I've remained rather silent the past few months. It's a combination of working a lot, many personal and professional commitments, etc. But there is also a lot of soul-searching I've had to do about what I am doing here, with this blog, and how to do it best.

When I set out to start a blog about my experiences living gluten-free, I came with great excitement to my computer keyboard, full of the ideas that are working for me in my life, and wanting to inspire others that it IS possible to live a full life that is gluten-free. To live a life that doesn't feel like something is missing.

That's still what I believe, and still what I'd like to do.

However, some of my faith has been shaken. In the past year or so, it's really come to light that you cannot trust every product, you cannot trust every company, and we do not have stringent enough food safety and labeling regulations in this country to ensure that not all "gluten free" products can be trusted. While I don't think it should be like this, I have to face reality.

Last time our celiac group here in Raleigh toured the Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse, I remember that they were telling us that they test every single ingredient that comes in, and some have tested positive for gluten. And they refuse to use, return these ingredients to sender and won't use their company in the future. I applaud and am relieved by their diligence.

One of the earth-shaking experiences I've had in the last year or so was being duped by the gluten-free claims of Paul Seelig, who is on trial this week in Raleigh. I was quite ill for some time, after eating wheat bread sold by this man as "gluten-free." It is unfathomable to me that anyone would do such a thing, but the overall lesson from this might be that the world is still the world--some people are looking out for themselves, no matter what the cost to others.

So who can we trust? Good question. I don't have the answers. I'm navigating through just the same as everyone else. Quite frankly, though, I do not like the reality that it might be better for me to expect the worst, until proven otherwise. For example, I'm so glad I can feel pretty confident about the Whole Foods Bakehouse items. But I haven't toured every gluten-free facility and do not have that assurance from other companies. So I guess a skepticism is healthy for my body.

Even more reason to keep eating the naturally gluten free foods--your vegetables, fruits, meats, rice, nuts, etc. The outside aisles of the grocery store, as they say. It's fairly unlikely that someone's gonna pour flour all over broccoli by accident...but I guess, you know, never say never...

Gluten Free in France, Part II (Alsace)

2010-11-21T06:52:00.000-08:00

A day or two after arriving in Paris, my friend and I took a trip out to Alsace for a couple days. I went to France to visit this friend from college, and she is also originally from the Midwest, like me. I mention that to explain how we came up with the idea of going to Alsace. We both have ancestral lines that originate in Alsace-Lorriane. She had never visited Alsace, and we thought it might be fun. And of course, it was.

Alsace is on the eastern edge of France, bordering Germany. In fact, Alsace-Lorraine has historically been both part of Germany and France. Lots of war, fighting for territory, in this area, for thousands of years. My aunt told me that our ancestors, the Voniers, would be at the dinner table and hear fighting, they'd gather up all the food in the tablecloth and go hide out until it was over. A young lady in a bar that we talked to said that her Alsatian grandfather had been forced to fight for the Nazis in World War II. Hard times for these people. You can start to see the allure of an Ohio farm life...

When we got into Strasbourg, we went out to find dinner. After a little walking around the square, we found a restaurant. I got something that is a traditional Alsatian meal, called "Choucroute Alsacienne." You don't see any resemblance to German food, do you?

I was glad to find something without bread, flour, you know. But I sort of thought to myself, "where are the vegetables?"

That was the first evening. The next day we were off to the Route du Vin (Wine Route--it's a country drive through the small winery towns of the region, and it's beautiful!). But not until we had a big breakfast of an omelette. You can find omelets most everywhere. This one was pretty good, if not a little bit salty.

So we picked up our rental car and got going to the Wine Route. We saw villages, wineries, churches, cathedrals, castles, vineyards, and it was breathtaking. We stopped in the little village of Barr, and found a home cooking restaurant. Just one young lady was waiting on the whole restaurant. It was very popular! We said our usual, "Mon amie a une allergie au blé" (or, "j'ai une allergie au blé") and we asked if the fish was made without blé. The kind lady came back and said, it had wheat in the sauce, but they would make sauce without wheat just for me.

Oh my god! How nice!

Here's a pic of my meal. I think it might have been my favorite meal of the trip:

After we left the restaurant, delighting in the niceness of the people we were meeting, we stopped at a bakery and I got a big bag of meringues, which I proceeded to eat in the rental car, leaving a white powdery dust all over! Meringues are made with egg whites and sugar, so there are no gluten ingredients. It might be possible to be cross-contaminated because they are made at a bakery. But I am VERY sensitive, and I never had a problem with them.

So, I could find restaurant meals, bakery goods--what more could a hungry celiac want, anyway?

Gluten Free in France, Part I (Bon Appétit!)

2010-11-14T17:29:00.000-08:00

I got back from France about a week ago. It was WONDERFUL! I had a terrific time.

I said I would let you know about eating gluten free while there, and here's the first installment. On my first day, I met my friend Sarah at the airport. Because my suitcase did not arrive with me, we decided to go into the city, rather than go straight home to her place (in a suburb). My first gluten free meal in Paris was at a cafe across the Seine from Notre Dame. Here it is:

At the time, I was a little jet-lagged, so it didn't really occur to me that I should eat something substantial. But that was some good sorbet and wine.

After walking around a bit, we asked some people if they knew where the closest "Bio" (Bee-O) was. That's what the French call their health food stores. The people we asked directed us to a regular grocery store (they said it had bio kinds of foods).

I found a small gluten-free section that contained items of the name brand "Gerblé." I purchased boxes containing Baguettes, Bread, Strawberry Cakes, and some pasta. I do believe that the French word "Gerblé" translates into English as "Awful." Sorry, I didn't really like any of these. The strawberry cakes were somewhat tolerable, the pasta cooked up alright. But the Baguettes and Bread were horrible. They made the entire apartment smell funny when I warmed them up in the microwave. They were pretty hard and bland on their own.

I did finish the baguettes, and half the box of bread. If you slather anything with goat cheese, it will be edible, which is how I did it.

So that was the first day of gluten free adventures. Not so hot. But there are always things, not specifically labeled gluten-free, to eat that are OK, anyway. (Fruits, Vegetables, Rice, etc).

Sarah has family from the U.S. who have Celiac Disease. This was so nice, because she knew how to talk to people at restaurants, for me. My French is OK, but she knew the right words, and that was a pretty big relief for this weary traveler. She would say, "Mon ami a une allergie au blé" and she would say that "C'est très sèrieux, elle ne peux rien manger la farine de blé." It was nice that she had been through this before. She could also advise me on some important details, such as most restaurants mix their own vinaigrettes, so I felt comfortable trusting most salads (because they usually come with the dressing already mixed in).

And for all you purists out there, my friend is also aware that Celiac Disease is not an allergy. She said, though, that it is so uncommon for people to be diagnosed in France that people normally react like, "Ça n'est pas possible," (it's not possible) that someone can be allergic/intolerant to wheat. So she simplifies by saying "allergie" rather than going into all that about what Celiac is (which would be a lot harder for those of us not fluent in the language). You do what you have to do, I think. And I don't think I was ever glutened on the whole trip, hooray!

Here's a wonderful French salad that I enjoyed (a few days later):

Did I mention that wine is gluten-free?!? If you go to France, I assure you, you will be able to eat. That's a start to my story. I'll post more as I am able.

Going Underground, Sans Gluten, in France

2010-10-10T10:42:00.000-07:00

In the near future, I'll be taking my first trip to France.

I am excited for so many reasons. Paris will be great, I'll start and end there, but it sounds like I'll be getting to go to a few off-the-beaten-path kinds of places as well.

I have begun to snoop around online for info/help about eating gluten free in France. I am so glad people have shared information and resources about this. I promise I will share my gluten free stories as well, up on return.

Has anyone else been? Has anyone else tried using gluten-free restaurant cards, the ones that list what you can and can't have? I know French (un peu) but it seems like those may still be a good idea.

Merci!

Gluten Free...and Dairy Free?

2010-08-18T19:44:00.000-07:00

My mom is intolerant to dairy, and I've wondered myself about it. But cutting out gluten is a big deal, and to cut out something else would be even harder.

Because who doesn't think a yogurt cup, a snack cheese, or a bottle of kefir isn't a quick, great snack? Especially for people on the road.

But after reconnecting with an old friend who is gluten free AND dairy free (and a few other things too), I became inspired that maybe I could become healthier.

For example, I hired a trainer and for about 4 months all I could lose was 6 pounds. She was like, "what are you eating??" Like I was sneaking 52 cupcakes every week and leaving it off the food journal.

I was eating greek yogurt all day! Because it is a really good thing to eat. I like dairy. I like cheese, milk, etc. etc.

But this past sunday I quit. I've been eating other things, using coconut milk creamer in my coffee, and had a little almond cheese. Yes, I said almond cheese.

The thing that's been really different, is that I have energy all day and all evening. I can work all day, eat dinner, and then practice the 3 or 4 hours that I really need. I'm not too tired anymore.

And I weighed myself at the gym. Since Saturday, I have lost 2.6 pounds.

Coincidence? Possibly.

But I'm going to go on like this for a while and see. Then inevitably I'll have some dairy somehow, and then I'll really see.

What I don't like about this change is that it puts me one step further out from "regular" food. But I know I can deal with the hassle of telling everyone about being gluten free, and so what's dairy too?

I like the idea of making a positive change for better health. In itself a reward.

Thoughts? Comments? Are you GF and dairy free?

Duinkerken Bread

2010-08-15T10:15:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how amazing this bread is. While I was in NYC, we made this mix at my friend's house, and it was better than any eating out we'd done.

What I mean to say, is that my friend made it. I provided some moral support, of course. And an appetite. At first, it seemed like a bother to me that the directions require you to beat 2 egg whites. I mean, who beats egg whites in recipes anymore?

I'll tell you who. The people who work hard because they want to eat some super-awesome gluten free bread, that's who!

Check this out:

Looks like bread to me. Tastes like bread to me. In fact, the best gluten free bread I've ever had.

Actually, I think the beaten egg whites make all the difference. The ingredients do not contain any dairy, nor do the directions advise adding any. Therefore, I have decided to take the leap of also going dairy-free. (I have been holding out on this because my previous favorite, the Gluten Free Pantry Bread Mix, contains dry milk).

So I ordered a whole case of the stuff (that's 6). It's not on Amazon, but my friend Jen found it on buy the case: http://www.buythecase.net/products/index.php?page_function=search&keyword=duinkerken&x=0&y=0

So yesterday I tried it in the bread machine. I put the warm water in the machine with the yeast, then beat the egg whites, then added all the ingredients and mixed. It went pretty well. I also put the 2nd (not used in the recipe) egg yolk on top for a crusty top.

So here's what it looked like out of the bread machine:

Success! Guys, you have to try this one!

Oh, Babycakes. Why.

2010-08-08T21:23:00.000-07:00

I had the opportunity to spend this past weekend in New York City, and I had a wonderful time.

I stayed with an old friend from Ohio who lives in the city, who also eats gluten-free, so we had a lot to talk about and compare notes on.

We tried to go to as many places with gluten free offerings as possible, however we weren't able to get everywhere. On my next trip, I really look forward to finding some Everybody Eats products to try, because I was disappointed to have missed them on this trip, having heard so many good things about them.

One of the places I was able to go to was Babycakes Bakery. We arrived later in the day, and I was a little surprised that it is such a small storefront, but of course that doesn't matter. Great things can come from small places!

Anyway, the location was extremely small, I would guess the storefront was about 12 feet wide, with the main counter just a few feet away from the door. It was quite cramped, with a couple stools against the wall on the right, and two or three stools in front of the counter in the few feet between the counter and the front window.

When we arrived, there were two people sitting and talking on the stools to the right, which were directly in front of the main cooler with the baked goods. About two or three people were ahead of us and so we were not able to look at the selections until after they had all checked out with their orders, due to the space.

When it was our turn to step up to the glass, I began to look at the selections when a young lady carrying two large trash bags (I mean large, they were about 5 feet tall each) came out of the kitchen area and asked us to move so she could take the trash out of the front door. We walked all the way up to the front of the store and got out of the way.

After she had passed by, we returned to the counter, and because the written item descriptions were not all matched up with the trays of cupcakes, etc., I asked the man behind the counter which gluten-free (non-spelt) selections were still available. He looked at me like I was stupid and said, "what it says on the glass." Then he seemed to be obviously annoyed that I was not selecting a baked good soon enough for his taste, because he said, "Can I help anybody who knows what they want?"

That comment, I felt, was pretty rude. I really didn't appreciate someone talking to me like that, someone who is asking for my business and my money.

So anyway, I went ahead asked if I could please have a red velvet cupcake. He said Ok, I also selected a vanilla, chocolate and carrot. Then my friend ordered a "Healthy-Ho" which is something like a sandwich of two brownies with cream filling inside. He brought the order to the front, with a total of only three cupcakes and the fake Ho-Ho. I said, "that's only three cupcakes," to which he replied, "Oh, did you want the carrot?"

To which I replied, "Um, no." Which was my best decision all day. The total price for these items was 16.60.

We took our selections to go, which he packed in boxes and put into an "I heart NY" plastic bag.

We then walked briefly around the Chinatown and Little Italy neighborhood, returned to the car, and drove up to Lincoln Center and sat down to enjoy them while watching the fountain.

The man at the counter had packed the three cupcakes in a box with a plastic window that was not glued to the top of the box, so the piece of cellophane had fallen onto the cupcakes under the weight of the box containing the Healthy Ho. So when I opened the box, it looked like this:

But it's not what it looks like, it's how it tastes, right?

So I picked up the red velvet to taste what I expected to be a great cupcake. But it was heavy.

So I pulled back the paper and took a bite. I'm sorry to say, it was quite dry, and rather dense. And the icing was very oily. The texture was kind of inconsistent, with a moist spot here or there, a harder spot here or there, and the rest just, well, um...dry.

And the taste? Well, I must admit I grew up in the midwest at a time when most every woman baked and many were masters. So for better or for worse, my background dictates certain expectations for baked goods, and I am sorry to say that the taste fell far below my expectations. It had more of a taste of fruit ingredients than that famous taste of red velvet cocoa with creamy frosting.

And so I did what my grandmother, who taught me how to bake, would probably have done. I put it back in the box.

But I don't think it's fair to judge an entire bakery based on two bites of one cupcake. Fortunately, I had two more chances to be delighted.

I moved to the vanilla cupcake with the green frosting. Again, as I picked it up, it felt a little heavy. I took one bite--and how was it, you ask? Dry, yet again. And it tasted more like orange or citrus than vanilla. I commented to my friend that I must have been given the wrong flavor, and she thought it might have been "flavored" with lemon extract, or there may be lemon juice in the icing.

Well, the last time I baked anything "vanilla" flavored, I used vanilla. And the last time I baked anything "lemon" flavored, I used lemon juice. And so on.

So to me, this was not a pleasing flavor when I expected "vanilla."

After my first bite, I also returned it to its box.

When we made it back home, this is how the box looked (Uh, yum?):

I would just say, that in terms of an overall experience, I am going to have to give Babycakes a thumbs down.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest, I'd give them a 1 for customer service, a 1 for price/value, and a minus 2 for taste. (Maybe that's a little harsh. How about just a minus 1.)

When we got home, my friend made a batch of homemade gluten free chocolate donuts, which were awesome. That cheered me up! But the ironic thing, is that when I was leaving Raleigh to come to NYC, I stopped by our awesome local dedicated gluten free specialty store, Rosie's Plate, to pick up some pita bread, they asked if I wanted to buy some cupcakes to also take to my gluten free friend. I declined. But next time, that is exactly what I am going to do.

(Also a shout out to other triangle bakeries like Moonlight Bakery, The Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse, and Meepcakes in Winston-Salem.)

Food in our lives, what changes and what doesn't

2010-07-18T10:01:00.000-07:00

I read a great post this week from Wendy at her Celiacs in the House blog. She talks about the complicated relationship with food, and how that can change when we find out we are celiacs, and it is then necessary to make diet changes.

It has me thinking about the bigger picture of food in our lives. What culture in the world doesn't have its food playing a major role? Having meals together, "breaking bread" together (if you will), is a part of life, everywhere in the world. We all must have food, clothing and shelter to live. Whatever else we have culturally (arts, entertainment, etc.) is just details.

Everyone remembers our mother's cooking. She was the first to care for us and make sure we were fed. Similarly, many of us remember our grandma's cooking, and her bringing infinite wisdom to the kitchen that would sparkle, often brighter than our own mother's prowess.

So we have these memories, these tastes. But sometimes we didn't like everything. Who here likes brussel sprouts, for example? We don't always make the foods our grandmothers made and integrate them into our lives. We don't always have the same non-food traditions that our grandparents and those before them had. I mean, I sure don't.

But I do know that I am who I am because of their care and values. I know there are many kinds of dishes that I love, that were made by my grandmother, like Beef and Noodles, every kind of home grown vegetable, jello, custard pie, pumpkin pie, all other kinds of pie, sugar cookies, Turkey and homemade stuffing, baked ham, baked chicken, sweet yams, scalloped potatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet Easter bread, scrambled eggs, bacon, etc. etc. You know, Ohio german farm food.

What traditions have I not continued? I don't cook up a pan of bacon. I don't work on the farm 8 hours a day, and will not work that fat off while sitting at my desk at work. So I am discarding this tradition, one which would be unhealthy for me. I think my grandmother would agree that's a good idea. Also, I don't make sweet Easter bread (yet). That would take something like 2 days to do, if I could even figure out how to make it gluten free (which I probably could). Instead, I am spending those 2 days working and networking, or practicing, all things that are leading me to greater opportunities in my life. And I feel like that is alright as well.

And what new traditions do I have? My mother started a tradition of making soft sugar cut-out cookies as a family around Christmastime. We would bake them together--she, my 2 brothers and me--and then we would frost and decorate them. We would give them to all our teachers, friends and neighbors, etc. This wasn't an old tradition, but now that I've successfully adapted this recipe to gluten free, I do the same in my life. I share cookies with work contacts, local friends, etc. It's inexpensive, and so I can give more to people, can take a plate to share with everyone at work, and something homemade means so much more than store-bought anything. And I think it's a fun thing to do.

********************

I have always maintained that Celiac Disease doesn't change your life. It might change a few details about how you have to plan ahead your meals, a little bit, but it doesn't change who you are, your dreams, and what you can do, one bit. However, I do see that it is becoming part of my story. Just from the way I live, and how planning my eating has changed. But I'm really OK with that, and I think the fact that I do approach eating and food a little differently is just an extension of taking care of myself. Something I know my ancestry would smile upon and support.

Whenever someone is asking me, "isn't that hard? That would be so difficult. Don't you miss eating things?"

My response is always, "Anything you can have that's made with wheat or gluten, can be made without. I don't feel deprived of anything. If I want something bad enough, I know I can have it, although I just might have to make it myself." I've found it to be true. And I'll share with you if and when I ever get that Easter Bread converted to gluten free, because I'm sure it can be done.

Read this if you're a celiac tempted to eat gluten

2010-06-27T18:27:00.000-07:00

Last fall, several of us in my area were duped, I am sad to say, by a guy who was selling bread that he claimed was gluten free, baked in his own bakery. Turns out, it was wheat bread he was repackaging that he'd purchased wholesale and passed off on us. It was lie after lie after lie. You can read about it on Zach's blog here.

I do not know of any studies that have looked into the long-term effects of "glutening" over a period of time. In any case, here are photos of me, before and after being glutened, so you can see what it looked like on me.

The first photo is me in November 2009 (before):

The second is me at Christmas, Dec. 25, 2009. I ate wheat bread at almost every meal for approximately 2-3 weeks, starting November 25 and finishing probably around Dec. 11th-13th, somewhere in there. So this 2nd picture is from AFTER I was glutened, and I think it's pretty obvious that I had still not recovered by Christmas.

I felt horribly tired and could barely do anything outside the bare minimum for work, which was excruciatingly difficult itself. All I felt like doing was staying in bed. All day.

Check out the bloating of my face and hands. Not to mention my coloring.

Thank goodness I am feeling better. I've been working to lose the weight I gained over the winter (that I really believe was in a large part secondary to the glutening), and I feel much better overall now. Here I am yesterday with my gluten-free little brother (a little sweaty after an outdoor concert--but looking and feeling much, much recovered!).

So you might be thinking, gee, one little wheat cookie (or two, or three)/piece of bread/cake, etc. might be OK. If you want to kill yourself and feel horrible, go right ahead. Don't say I didn't warn ya.

(and what I really mean, is--please don't. It's not worth it.)

The Three Kinds of Celiacs

2010-05-21T10:44:00.000-07:00

I originally started to write this entry, titled "The Two Kinds of Celiacs," and then had a Monty Python Spanish Inquisition sketch moment, if you know what I mean.

It seems like I largely meet diagnosed Celiacs who roughly fall into one of the two categories: 1) learned about the disease on their own through research, collecting information from family members, and presented this to their healthcare provider begging for the test, and for answers about why they feel sick all the time, or 2) after prolonged illness, misdiagnosis, and having to almost die in the hospital, as a last resort, some doctor, as a last ditch effort, gives a celiac test, which turns out to be positive.

In the first category, most of us who did this met were dismissed as crazy by doctors, were refused the test, or in some lucky cases like mine, were listened to and given the test. I've heard stories that relatives of diagnosed people would save all their money to go in and see a doctor to ask for the test and be refused, being told that Celiac Disease is a rare thing (1 in 133 is rare???????).

The second case is far more tragic, I think. My heart goes out to those people.

In both cases, doctors have failed.

For people like me, the doctors over the years who just told me I was tired because I didn't exercise enough or that I needed to take iron pills, or the dentists who told me I should just stop eating candy and drinking sodas--all failed. Failed to see the real thing that was going on, that I had a very common condition called Celiac Disease, and for me, the very staple of our diet, wheat, was killing me slowly. I felt horrible all the time but people just thought I was lazy, because I was so tired and lethargic.

In both cases, the two groups have been failed by the US Medical system, because people are not routinely tested to rule out Celiac. And if we were tested, many of us could avoid our related conditions altogether, like autoimmune disorders of the thyroid, neuropathies and ataxia, etc. The conditions that once acquired, cannot be reversed. I think that's a tragedy, and a crime by doctors.

The third type of Celiac is the undiagnosed. Especially I am thinking of the people who are related to us, the already diagnosed. Those undiagnosed people who refuse to be tested, despite the fact that there is a genetic link. Doctors especially fail these people when they do not insist they be tested. It seems like all of us have them in our families.

When someone says, "I have cancer," no one says, "No you don't. That's not a real illness."

I hope that someday there is only one kind of American Celiac. The one who is diagnosed early by way of routine screening, as a child, who successfully eats a gluten free diet and lives a long and healthy life.

Wraps!! Go Get 'Em! (in Raleigh)

2010-05-15T20:48:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! I was over at Fresh Market today, one of the few places where I can find Wick Fowler's Taco Seasoning (Gluten Free), and look what I found:

I found the pot of gold!

That's right, here in Raleigh you can have a wrap that doesn't break when bent, La Tortilla Factory's Smart and Delicious Gluten Free Teff Wraps! As I mentioned in this earlier post.

And they were on sale for only 3.99. If we keep buying them, they will keep stocking them, I hope.

Chebe Pizza Crust Mix

2010-05-06T21:17:00.000-07:00

This is an awesome mix. I ordered a whole case on Amazon, and couldn't be happier!

Tomato Bread (crust, tomatoes, and mozzarella):

That took one package.

Then I made another, for breadsticks, knots, and a calzone/stromboli (isn't that the same thing?)

Living Underground

2010-04-18T12:50:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

I'll bet you've been wondering where I went. I've been juggling multiple jobs, travel, and responsibilities lately. While I've been busy, I've also been thinking of you.

I've created and revised some recipes, and will be sharing those things with you soon. Also, with travel I've been to some new places and tried some new things.

I sort of got away from this blog last fall, and when we got to Nov/Dec., I wound up be glutened in a big way that I was unaware of...which made me really too sick and tired to keep up with everything. That story is all coming out in the wash. At the same time, I began a new job and that's been keeping me busy.

It is important for me to keep up on here and share with you all. In the past couple weeks, one of my best friend's husband was diagnosed Celiac after years of illness. I almost jumped for joy, because he has an answer, and we all know it is not rocket science to eat gluten free. And so much better than drugs, and eventually we become healthier and happier than we ever were! So he will be more well, and that delights me.

And so I sent him a box of homemade cookies. It's the least I can do.

I had the chance to try the beef tacos off the Chili's gluten free menu last week, and they were good, but a little ho-hum. I mean, nothing on the whole plate is green! But I thank them for making gluten free options available and making the effort.

Yesterday's Smoothie

2010-03-24T21:32:00.000-07:00

This fine sunny afternoon, I had this thought:

"Yesterday's smoothie is today's road trip treat!"

Yep, smoothie season is here. Time to stock up on frozen fruits, flaxseed meal and frozen spinach! Don't forget the cranberry, pomegranate and acai juice.

While I love to share all the foods I make, (while living alone) I still wind up making much more than I can consume at one time. So a side benefit of this is enjoying the food again, later. For example, right now I've got a freezer full of beans and rice, vegetable stew with dumplings, etc. MMM. Lots of healthy lunches for the office.

Whenever I make a blender-full of fruit smoothie, I get another one and a half frozen in my fridge. I enjoyed a very nice mango, peach, cherry smoothie for about 37 miles on I-40 this afternoon. A great treat for myself. Love it!

Scones

2010-03-14T08:58:00.000-07:00

This morning, I tried the recipe for scones on the Gluten Free Gourmand's blog. I haven't ever made scones before, and rarely eat them. But life is about learning and trying new things, so I thought I'd try these out.

I made them with my favorite flour blend, which is 2 parts rice four, 1 part potato starch, and 1 part tapioca flour/starch (so, 1 cup rice, 1/2 cup potato, 1/2 cup tapioca). With a little xantham gum. I used 1/4 tsp. as she indicated in the recipe.

I used half and half instead of real cream. I can't believe how fattening cream is (or half and half). I will definitely look into using an alternative in the future, like perhaps the coconut cream? Or maybe almond milk or something?

As for the added ingredients, I used what I had around, dried cranberries and chocolate chips. If I make them again, I will use cranberries, but not the chocolate chips. I think the chocolate made the scones too sweet. So they are scones, trying to be a cookie, it seems. They should make up their mind, these scones, to either be a cookie or a scone. By taking out the chocolate, I believe I will help them secure a true identity of being a scone.

Anyway, my batch of these came out a little stickier than probably the recipe author's. The idea of cutting the dough apart and separate them on the baking sheet did not work well. Check it out:

But they baked up nicely, and I drizzled a little icing on them. They're a good dessert scone, and I'll enjoy passing them out to friends and coworkers. They are a good consistency. It's a good recipe.

Before and after Celiac diagnosis photos

2010-02-27T22:07:00.000-08:00

Ok everyone. This took a lot of guts for me, so please be kind.

I was in bad health, and I feel that you could see it. Check out the photos. Please read the captions. It was an amazing and wonderful transformation for me to become gluten free.

Emily's before and after gluten free pics

(I fixed the settings, it should work now. Please tell me if it doesn't)

Gluten Free With Love Cookbook

2010-02-01T20:06:00.000-08:00

A while back, I was given a review copy of Gluten Free With Love: Hypo-allergenic Recipes for the Sensitive Family from Lee Fecteau, the husband of the author Tricia Fecteau. There are many things I think this cookbook has to offer, and I'd like to tell you a little more about it. You can see and order the cookbook online here.

The cookbook is set up with an introduction that tells the background of the Fecteau household's gluten free lifestyle and some of the things they have learned through trial and error in their diet. I really think this approach--being sensitive to reactions and learning more about what one's body can handle through experience--is very intelligent, though often pooh-poohed by established medicine. Doing this is, in fact, research. I applaud them for working hard to learn what foods make their family well and what foods make their family sick. If we all had the patience and dedication to do this, we'd be a much healthier species.

The book is divided into the following categories:

Appetizers
Breads, Muffins, etc.
Breakfast Entrees
Desserts
Dinner Entrees
Drinks
Salad and Dressings
Sauces and Gravies
Sides
Soups

It's a pretty no-frills book, with clip art photos on most pages (so unfortunately no photos of completed recipes). I think it's got a kind of down-home charm. And that's really a compliment, from a small-town Ohio girl like me.

The recipes are easy to read, in a large enough font, one per page. Some recipes are very short and quick, others more involved. I think dividing the directions for the longer recipes into more paragraphs would have made them easier to read while cooking. Some of the recipes were so easy, at first glance they seemed a little boring. But who says simple can't taste great?

What did I try, you ask? Well! My favorite recipe in the entire book was "Vermont Maple Pie" with a "Mock Graham Crust." Check it out:

The book has many gluten free/dairy free recipes. The above Maple Pie is totally gluten free and dairy free. It was amazing.

I really appreciated that the recipes are tested and reliable. These people really know how to cook things that are safe, in both large and small quantities. All the recipes have nutrition information and say if they are "quick" and/or "lowcal."

Definitely a worthwhile cookbook. Definitely a great cookbook for families. It's so inspiring when people share their experience and help everyone by doing so!

Rachel Ray Cookie Sheet GIVEAWAY!

2010-01-22T15:03:00.000-08:00

Please check this out, contest open til midnight tonight!

http://glutenfreegreenie.blogspot.com/2010/01/rachel-ray-cookie-sheet-give-away-and.html

Wendy has a great gluten-free blog and has this fantastic giveaway contest going on today!

Logging Gluten Reactions?

2010-01-01T10:30:00.001-08:00

Does anyone do this? Write down when you were glutened, how you think, how much it was, and then track how long the reaction lasts?

End of the year

2009-12-29T21:12:00.000-08:00

Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. I was busy trekking all over the state for gigs, so I didn't get a chance to write anything here. But I ate a lot of individually wrapped cheese and other snack-type gluten free foods during that time! (Also ate at Posana Cafe in Asheville, NC--which was AMAZING!--review to come).

Anyway, the end of the year is a good time to think back and remember the positive things, as well as the things we'd like to improve upon in the upcoming year.

I've been thinking a great deal lately about my approach to eating out vs. at home. I mean, how much of each should I do? How can I make my life easier, as well as safer?

The bottom line, unfortunately, is that you can't really guarantee yourself that you won't be glutened by outside foods unless they are prepared in a true, exclusive, gluten-free facility. And even then...

That reminds me of a story. When I had the opportunity to tour the Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse, they were telling our group that they test every single ingredient that comes into the facility. It has happened that they have received gluten-containing ingredients. Some companies won't admit if a cross-contamination has occurred, or sometimes god forbid, they aren't aware of exactly what gluten-free means. Yikes. Anyway, it's nice those guys are looking out for us with their testing.

What you can guarantee yourself is that non-gluten containing foods, such as vegetables, fruits, beans, etc. are still great, healthy, options. I have started to take tons of celery, carrots, and apples to work every day to munch on at my desk. Totally normal food, no one will suspect you're different. They'll just think you're healthy and smart. I can live with that!

Happy New Year! Best wishes for a great start to your year.

Keep lookin for that Gluten!

2009-11-20T04:15:00.000-08:00

I really enjoyed the North Raleigh Celiac Support Group (CSA Chapter 108) meeting we had last night. It was fun to see everyone (I had to miss last month), and Moonlight Bakery had some great samples for us to try.

We were talking about recipes, and some ideas about how to eat for the holidays.

Most of us have figured out how to avoid cross-contamination in our own kitchens, but it was a good reminder for all of us about eating with family and friends--to watch out for shared or swapped spoons on the buffet, turkeys that have been cooked with stuffing inside, etc.

What was news to me was that we cannot always trust "tuna fish in water" products. Apparently, a food label that says "in water" doesn't always literally mean "water." So there are tuna fish products that are not Gluten-Free. The culprit, apparently, is "vegetable broth". Can't trust broth in anything, it might contain gluten.

Turkeys. Many contain "natural flavoring," which may contain gluten. Best to get a fresh turkey with no additives.

Why are so many things added to our foods? Whose great idea was that? Has our health improved or worsened since food production has changed in this way?

What's for Breakfast?

2009-11-08T21:29:00.000-08:00

I am not a cold cereal lover, never have been. Sometimes I do enjoy hot cereal, but not that often.

So what can I eat that's gluten free and a great way to start my day?

One of my favorite breakfasts is fresh fruit with greek yogurt. My cousin taught me this. Put your fruit in a bowl, and then dollop a few spoonfuls of the yogurt on top, mix and enjoy.

What's great about greek yogurt is that it does not contain sugar, and especially doesn't contain HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, which I try to avoid like the plague. So it's easy. The ingredients are usually just milk and cultures.

If I feel like I need a bigger breakfast, then I might add a piece of gluten free toast. Keep it simple.

Hash Browns (scattered, smothered, covered, etc)

2009-11-04T15:05:00.000-08:00

The other day I found myself at Waffle House with some friends, and I got really hungry for some hash browns.

We gluten free folks can't opt for the waffles, or toast or anything like that, but hash browns are made of what--potatoes, grease, salt. Right?

I was all ready to order up one of these heart attack-size platters of hash browns, when what did I see? I saw them slice up two sandwiches diagonally, push the currently cooking hash browns off to the side, and slap down those sandwiches, crusts to the sky, right in the middle of all the cooking hash browns. Aaack, the Celiac Nightmare.

No way, Waffle House! With your poisoned grill!

So, what next?

Can't live without hash browns. Here's how to make your own, which are probably less likely to kill you (though I can't guarantee it of course!):

Get 1 or 2 small to medium potatoes (per serving). I like red potatoes.
Grate the potatoes. Stop grating when you feel like you have as much as you want to eat.
Spray skillet with Pam, or lightly butter or grease. Heat skillet (medium heat).
Add potato shreds. Salt lightly, if desired. Cover.
Flip over when they start to brown.
Remove from pan and eat when 2nd side is brown.

I found that I didn't really need much oil. The potatoes when fresh naturally have moisture, and they cook very well.

I'd rather sit at home and grate a couple potatoes than sit at home in agony from being glutened. How 'bout you?

Uno's Pizza

2009-10-07T20:26:00.000-07:00

Where does the time go? I'm sorry I haven't posted on here in a while. Fall is in full swing!

A little while back, it was my birthday, and I celebrated with friends at Uno's in Raleigh. I ordered a gluten free veggie pizza, and it was alright.

The toppings tasted great, but the gluten free crust was just a little bit like pizza-crust-shaped bread. Like I said though, it was alright. I would definitely go there and hang out with friends and order it again. I enjoyed a Redbridge beer with it as well.

My gluten free friend Wendy (from the Gluten Free Greenie Blog) ordered from the menu to try something different. She got a grilled chicken breast, which I think was also good.

Here's a picture of that too.

I am really glad that Uno's has decided to offer Gluten Free choices on their menu. Now I know wherever I find one, I can get something there. That is especially helpful when traveling.

Add it to the list of hangouts we can go to without having to eat beforehand, hooray!

Apple Brown Betty!

2009-09-27T21:19:00.000-07:00

Hooray, it's Fall!

As the brown leaves are beginning to cover up my sidewalk outside, I remember those days when we raked them into piles for jumping! Fall is the fun time when we start to wear sweatshirts and begin thinking about our Halloween costumes. The harvest time that naturally is followed by one of my favorite holidays, Thanksgiving!

Anyway, this is one of the best recipes I have for you, it is a favorite in my family. My dad has made this for years.

Here it is:

First, fill up a 9 X 13 pan with apple slices (I use a 5-lb bag of Granny Smith apples)
Drizzle with 1/3 cup orange juice.

Then, mix in a bowl:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup rice flour + 1/2 cup potato flour (or 1 cup of any flour will do)
1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 tsp. nutmeg
dash salt
1/4-1/2 cup butter

I mix the above in a microwaveable bowl, and nuke it til the butter melts. Mixture should be crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the apples.

Bake for 45 minutes at 350 or 375. Crumb topping should be slightly browned.

Enjoy!!!

Underground tip: Tart apples taste the best. A combination of different varieties of tart apples is even better.

Insurace Company cancels policy due to Celiac Diagnosis

2009-09-22T04:53:00.000-07:00

I hope by now, everyone has heard of the practice of Rescission by health insurance companies. They approve your coverage and accept your premium payments, only to later cancel your coverage when you get sick. This is a horrible practice that must be stopped, in my opinion. Here is a story of a young lady whose coverage was cancelled when she received a celiac diagnosis:

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/9/20/784011/-A-Walking-Pre-Existing-Condition

Gluten Free Every Day Cookbook, by Robert Landolphi

2009-09-07T20:30:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone!

A little while ago, I was sent a copy of Robert Landolphi's Gluten Free Every Day Cookbook, and I'd like to tell you why I'm really excited about it.

Cookbooks are a tricky thing, because they need to be interesting enough that you actually want to make things out of them, but not so complicated that they are impractical for people living regular lives (like too many ingredients, ingredients that are difficult to find, or too hard to make).

The story goes that Chef Robert Landolphi's wife was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. He started experimenting and creating gluten free dishes.

From the back cover, "Not just another gluten-free cookbook, the Gluten Free Every Day Cookbook is an essential lifestyle resource complete with informative ingredient glossaries, cooking tips and techniques, baking tutorials, and even advice for eating away from home."

The book is attractive and easy to use. Chapter One is "Gluten Free Basics" and includes a "Flours and Starches" section. I think this is very helpful--it describes properties of the flours and their nutritional information. It also offers tips on how long and where to store the flours (how long in the cupboard vs. the fridge vs. the freezer).

The chapters are:

Gluten Free Basics
Soups, Chowders, Chilis, and Bisques
Entrees
Side Dishes
Pies and Cakes
Quick Breads, Biscuits, Muffins, and Bread Sticks
Cookies and Sweet Bars
Puddings, Mousses, and Cobblers
A Chef's Perspective on Eating Out

Also, at the end is a section of Resources, which lists Celiac Organizations, Gluten-Free Food Distributors, and Dining Information. I feel like these list are somewhat incomplete. (For example, Bard's Tale Beer is listed, but nothing about New Grist or Redbridge products). It would seem that these categories are expanding so much that a cookbook can't keep up (which I think is great!)

Anyway, the main dishes I made were the Chicken Piccata and the Beef Stroganoff. Both were amazing!

Here's a pic of the Chicken Piccata:

I made this dish with my family this summer. (ha ha, don't you love the 70's plates?)

Yum--Everyone loved it! It was like eating out at home.

Some of the recipes are simple. Some of the recipes take time, and have more than a few ingredients. But good things take time. And this book was easy to understand and the directions were easy to follow. The recipes were DELICIOUS! Really good. Like you can count on them when company's coming over.

Anyway, I haven't felt this good about very many GF cookbooks! This one's a keeper.

Whole Foods Winston-Salem Gluten Free Fair!

2009-08-27T20:48:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

My piano player Jay and I will be playing some Jazz standards this Saturday, August 29th, at Whole Foods in Winston-Salem, from 1-4, at their Gluten Free Fair.

If this is anything like the Gluten Free Fair they had at the Raleigh Whole Foods, you don't want to miss it. Lots of great GF items to sample.

It should be a great time! Please stop by if live in that neck of the woods.

La Tortilla Smart & Delicious Wraps

2009-08-26T11:27:00.000-07:00

...so, um, why aren't all the wraps made from Teff (and Millet)?

These are absolutely amazing--great tasting, pliable, wraps! And you can make any fajitas, wrap sandwiches, or burritos with them! Because they bend 1000% better than all the brown rice wraps.

I bought these for 3.69 at the Raisin Rack in Columbus, Ohio, on a recent trip.

Has anyone ever found these in NC? I would buy these all the time if I could find them.

I made a wrap sandwich--spread cream cheese on the wrap, and added fresh veggies (cucumbers, alfalfa sprouts, carrot shreds, orange pepper slices, and some fresh basil). I often will use hummus instead of the cream cheese.

This was one of my favorite lunches before my Celiac diagnosis. And I'm elated that I can have it again.

Three cheers for La Tortilla Factory!!

Hello, again! (and pizza)

2009-08-19T14:11:00.001-07:00

I can't believe it's been so long since I've had a chance to post! Wow, thanks for your patience. It's been a little busy, and then I've been recently visiting family in Ohio.

All the while, though, I've been collecting ideas, products, and recipes to tell you about.

One thing I did this summer was go to the Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse (WFGFB) tour, with our local North Raleigh Celiac Support Group. You can read about our tour here on Zach's Gluten Free Raleigh blog.

Check out the following pics, I tried the WFGFB's pizza crusts, and they were wonderful! They're a thick crust that is soft and pliable. They told us they have "pizza fridays" at the bakehouse and make all the crusts by hand. What wonderful work they are doing for us over there!

Angel Food Cake, part 2

2009-08-02T07:10:00.001-07:00

Here's my comment I entered on the Glutino/Gluten Free Pantry website:

"Many of us miss the Angel Food Cake mix terribly.

Here's a blog I posted about it, that includes links to many other people's comments about how they want it back:

http://celiacunderground.blogspot.com/2009/06/angel-food-cake.html

Your mixes are among the best. We all love them. This was a wonderful product. I can't understand why you would take it away. Please consider bringing it back. Nothing else compares to it.

Sincerely,
Emily"

I'll let you know how they respond, if they respond. Here's the link to the comment form, where you can leave your comment/suggestion to them as well: http://www.glutino.com/content/view/54/63/

Brainstorming about Gluten Free Party Food Ideas

2009-08-01T09:59:00.001-07:00

Well, I've been talked into hosting a party next week, and was looking for ideas of easy GF party food.

I am planning on some Perfect Nacho Dip, but undecided on what else...

Let's exchange Gluten Free Party Food Ideas!

Leave a comment and share yours. This will be fun!

Cheenies

2009-08-01T07:16:00.000-07:00

This is a fun snack-y product that you might enjoy trying.

I'm talking about Cheenies Cheese Bite Rolls. "One bite - that's all it takes...and you'll understand why Cheenies have been the favorite snack in Brazil for the last 100 years."

I got this box over at Harris Teeter. I don't know how available the product is, I had never seen it before.

They're small rolls made mostly of tapioca starch. Ingredients: Tapioca Starch, Imported Parmesan Cheese, Homogenized Whole Eggs, Vegetable Oil, Whole Milk, Water and Salt.

The box has about 20 rolls that are pre-frozen, unbaked. You just set them out on a cookie sheet and bake them about 30 minutes.

The come out of the oven piping hot! Crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. I think they are wonderful. MMM.

I recommend you try them out. They're so easy, and taste amazing. You can eat them with soup, as dinner rolls, or just a snack by themselves. I just had some for breakfast. A great, versatile little food!

Celiac Spirits in a Gluten World

2009-07-30T15:12:00.001-07:00

Well, I have a long list of topics to catch up on with you.

But even before I do that, I want to talk about our need to be vigilant in order to stay on the GF diet. For me, the better I do for myself at home and the more comfortable I feel relying on safe products and a growing number of GF items available in restaurants, the more I relax about asking questions when ordering and working to educate others on our Celiac needs.

For example, I went to Outback a few days ago, and asked for the Gluten Free menu. They brought out a large, laminated tri-fold menu, printed in color. It was the same size as the regular menu. They are really invested in this, I thought. How wonderful. I ordered a very simple chicken dish (grilled chicken on the Barbie, I think it was), and had a side of mashed potatoes. That might have been a mistake.

6 hours later, approx. 3 in the morning, I awoke to the uncontrollable scratching of a Dermititis Herpetiformis rash. The other food I had eaten that day was leftovers from home (I think I had grits, yogurt, coffee, maybe a leftover baked sweet potato or hamburger from my GF grill), and some Almondy Daim cake at IKEA. (which is totally amazing, more on that soon).

I have no idea where the gluten came from. But how easy would it be for a crumb to fall into the mashed potatoes? Or for a crumb to fall into the barbecue sauce I had on the side w/the chicken. Or maybe a crouton fell in there and they fished it out earlier that day. What I mean to say is that unless we are eating at a facility with a dedicated kitchen, we are still at risk of being glutened.

The week before, I went to my local tavern for dinner with my neighbor and ordered a salad with oil and vinegar, was assured by the waiter that the chicken was gluten free, after he double-checked, and then 2/3 of the way through the salad found a crouton.

In the past couple days I figured out that whatever days I was eating tostadas at home, while they do not contain specific gluten ingredients, must contain gluten in some way due to my DH reaction again. Or could it have been something else? Yes. But I don't know.

So I'm not saying I do not appreciate the efforts of the establishments like Outback and others who are trying to cater to our dietary needs. Of course I appreciate them! What I AM saying is that we still need to Trust No One to be caring about our diet as much as we should, and we need to remain attentive and vigilant. After all, it is our permanent health and well-being we're talking about here.

I want it to be easy. We all do. So these couple incidents are a bit of a wake-up call for Emily to get back on the wagon. Become vigilant again and look for more products for home that are made in a dedicated gluten-free facility. Ask questions. Eat at home as much as possible. Buy the more expensive, safe products. (but plan meals better so I don't buy things I don't really need).

I had the unique opportunity to tour the Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse a couple weeks ago, and I was really impressed with their commitment to safety. They test every single batch of outside ingredients used in their products. They have found gluten sometimes in places it should not be. And they will tell their supplier and not use the product. They are looking out for us! Thanks, Lee and the bakehouse staff! (more on this later).

Celiac Disease is still a medical condition; our diet is still a prescription. I'm disappointed in myself for allowing myself to be glutened because I just got a little complacent.

There is still a lot of educating others that we must do in order to make our world safer for us and our Celiac friends and family.

******************************************************
Keep talking, keep sharing. Keep telling your story.
The world is listening.

Tomato Basil Parmesan Bread

2009-07-25T17:04:00.000-07:00

Hi!

I'm trying to catch up my entries on here. This was a quick and easy loaf of delicious bread that I made a while back.

I've settled into a routine of using the 365 Sandwich Bread or Gluten Free Pantry Sandwich Bread mixes in my bread machine. So now that I trust these mixes and know they are always reliable, I've been pushing the envelope.

Ta-dah!

Anyway, all you need for this sensational loaf is this:

one 365 Sandwich Bread Mix
a large handful of fresh basil from your garden, chopped
one medium/large tomato
about a cup of parmesan cheese
a bread machine. (or else, some real guts to bake bread the old fashioned way, and I say good for you if you do!)

How to do it:

chop the basil
slice the tomato, and discard the seeds. Rinse. Dry the slices. Then dice into pieces. (it's important to make sure it doesn't add too much extra water, so this is an important step)

Add the mix to the bread machine
Start the bake cycle
On the first knead, once the batter is mixed well, add the tomato, basil and half of the parmesan cheese
if needed, help the machine mix the ingredients well

Once the knead cycles complete, and the bread is ready to rise, sprinkle the rest of the parmesan cheese on top.
close the lid and leave it alone the rest of the cycle.

Voila, a homemade masterpiece. Fresh bread always tastes the best!

Underground tip: Because of the water in the tomato, I use about 1/4 cup less water that is called for in the mix's recipe. This worked superbly.

News Flash: Five Guys in Greensboro NC

2009-07-20T04:27:00.000-07:00

Yep, you heard it here first. Five guys is coming to Greensboro:

http://www.news-record.com/content/2009/07/20/article/five_guys_to_open_greensboro_restaurant

It's a great burger joint, and you can read about their menu here, from a post by GF Road Warrior. Everything on the menu except the buns are GF.

Also, please stay tuned...I have fallen a little behind and have a few posts on deck that I hope to finish soon...

Hope everyone is doing well!

Taco Night for Celiacs!

2009-07-05T14:00:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I thought of making tacos--but they are so good! And doesn't Taco Night always feel like a party?

Anyway, one of the bummers of our manufactured food world is the presence of gluten hidden in items that have nothing to do with bread or flour. One of these things is meat seasoning. What in the world does meat need gluten for?

I guess the answer to that is with the manufacturers. So maybe we should ask them?

Anyway, enough Celiac-tivism for now. Onto food.

Unfortunately, most of your run-of-the-mill Taco Meat Seasoning packets contain gluten--in it's nefarious "Modified Food Starch" form. So, we have to dig a little deeper, search a little farther. Wendy, on her Gluten Free Greenie blog talks about trying her hand at a Celiac Family Blog recipe for chicken. That one calls for McCormick brand Taco Seasoning.

But I wanted to tell you all that I found another brand of Taco Seasoning that does not contain gluten ingredients--it's Wick Fowler's Famous Taco Seasoning Mix!

The ingredients: Ground Chili Peppers, Salt, Onion, Comino, Garlic, Oregano.

It was .79 at Fresh Market here in Raleigh.

Grab a pack of taco shells, shredded lettuce, a tomato, and a little shredded cheese, and you've got a Happy, Gluten Free Taco Night! Sure beats trying to ask the Spanish-speaking waitstaff at the Mexican restaurant if their items are gluten free!

Angel Food Cake!!!!

2009-06-28T20:35:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed some pretty good gluten free cake today at a GF birthday party. All this cake made me think of one of the best gluten free items I've ever eaten.

It was Gluten Free Pantry's Angel Food Cake Mix. I say "was," because for some reason, they discontinued the product. When I googled the item I found this blog post here on the Gluten Free Food Reviews blog.

I am shocked and distressed that they've discontinued this product.

When I started the diet back in '05, this was one of my favorite GF items. It was so encouraging that you could still even have ANGEL FOOD cake! Hooray! I have never tried any other brand, because I knew after trying this one, I wouldn't need to try any other. It was that good.

So now I've got a hankerin' for Angel Food cake topped with a can of cherry pie filling and what's a girl to do...?

One of the comments on the above blog suggests asking glutenfree.com to reinstate the product. Click the email link or you can call their customer service line and ask them to bring it back (and/or why they lost their minds and discontinued this awesome product in the first place)! (800) 291-8386

Unfortunately, until we convince them, you'll have to take my word for it that this product was GREAT. It was THE BEST!

Check out the picture on the blog--doesn't it look good to you? I promise you, it is. Here's another 5 star rating, from amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1ZCM8H89AASI5

more reviews: http://www.glutensmart.com/gfpangel.html#customer-reviews
(I also added a review to the above link)

Well, why don't we all try to get this back on the store shelves. The thing is, now we know they can make something so good.

So my only question is: why not give us what we want, if we are ready to pay for it??

(The Frugal) Celiac Road Trip

2009-06-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

Well, it's that time of year! Off to the Beach, the Mountains, or wherever for vacation fun!

I had a brief overnight at the Outer Banks (NC) this weekend, and I will fill you here in on the details of my gluten free eating while on this trip.

There is an essential item for every Celiac for any road trip, however brief. I can't think of anything more useful or more helpful.

Do you know what it is?

It's a COOLER!

Are you the type of person that hates to worry about tomorrow, hates to make food ahead, or loves to eat out?

Well, I want to encourage you to reinvent the way you think about food while traveling.

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Almost everywhere I go for more than a day, I take a cooler. I even take a cooler on many day trips, with lunches and/or dinners. This not only ensures that you can know with 100% certainty that your food is safe to eat, but also saves you money by preventing you from buying food and beverage!

And it's not like it takes up that much room in the car.

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What's in Emily's cooler?

You might be thinking: If it's a bunch of cold leftovers, I'll have to say, "no thanks."

Right. Well, I agree. Nothing like choking down that last piece of leftover chicken out of obligation (but you do have to do that now and then).

This overnight trip (noon Friday to noon Saturday) I filled my cooler with:

4 water bottles
3 diet coke bottles

2 Larabars
3 Attune probiotic white chocolate bars
1 Envirokids crispy rice bar

2 yogurt cups
4 frozen Pamela's Lemon Shortbread cookies
1 sliced tomato
4 pcs. sliced mozzarella cheese and fresh basil leaves
1 frozen Glutino plain bagel

Don't forget Ice Packs

That sounds like a lot, but it's just a few drinks, snacks and meal food.

So what did I eat?

On the 3 hour trip going, I drank one water and ate one Attune bar.

For dinner, I went out to eat, at the Full Moon Cafe in Manteo, NC. I had their nacho plate. The waitress checked and they use Utz corn chips, which only have corn, oil, and salt. (remember, some restaurants, especially if they make their own chips, have corn chips that are not gluten free). It was good, no reaction for me.

For after-concert snack back at the hotel, while unwinding with friends--I had the mozzarella, tomato, and basil. MMM.

For 2nd day's breakfast, I had hotel coffee, 2 hard boiled eggs from the hotel's continental breakfast, my rice bagel heated in my room's microwave (topped with cream cheese from the hotel).

For lunch the 2nd day, I lunched at Adrianna's Restaurant on the water in Manteo, NC. They didn't have too much to choose from, but I had a Kobe burger without bun, and a house salad. It was very filling, and tasted very good. On my receipt it said "GLUT ALLERGY", so whether or not they really know what to do, they at least have it in their computer that they should do something.

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So was I completely isolated and did I hide in my hotel eating cheese and crackers out of my cooler? (Oh, cheese and crackers are good!).
--no! I was out and about, eating and asking questions.

Did I save money by not having to go out for breakfast and evening snack (2nd dinner)?
--absolutely!

But this little bit of planning ahead helped fill in the cracks of snacks and incomplete meals (like hotel breakfast). I always had something I could eat, so I knew I wouldn't starve. I didn't eat everything I took, but I could have if I needed to. And I could mix-n-match my food with the food I found (like using the hotel cream cheese).

What came home with me in the cooler?

Yogurts
2 Larabars
1 Envirokids bar
1 Attune bar
3 Diet Cokes
1 water

Had I been staying longer, I'd have done a little more to eat things frugally in my hotel room. But this was a short trip and I had a carpool friend (so eating out was the better choice for some meals).

Maybe you are wondering--How did I keep all that from spoiling?

---ICE PACKS! and the hotel had a fridge in my room.

Oh, no! you say. What if my hotel doesn't have a fridge? How can I be a happy celiac traveler then?

--Easy. Old traveling musician trick. Keep all items in cooler. Take along a couple gallon-size ziplock freezer bags. When you arrive at the hotel, take the bags to the ice machine, and fill up with ice. Voila-- you have instant ice packs. You can keep refilling them as long as you stay at the hotel.

Underground tip: Don't stress out. Pretty much you can take all kinds of stuff to eat on road trips. Just plan ahead and think of what you'll need beforehand.

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Epilogue. The Pamela's Lemon Shortbread cookies. Did you notice they were unaccounted for? I don't know what happened, but they didn't make it home. Those cookies are missing in action. Where could they possibly have gone?? (read: my tummy says "mmm").

Dr. Peter Green, MD on The People's Pharmacy

2009-06-15T15:52:00.000-07:00

Everyone go listen to the podcast of this week's radio program:

http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2009/06/12/727-celiac-dise/

I heard part of this in the car yesterday, and I'm listening to the podcast right now!

New bread experiment (Onion Dill Bread)

2009-06-13T11:56:00.001-07:00

Direct from Breadman (my bread machine), I present to you: Onion Dill Bread!

Made from 365 Sandwich Bread Mix, Dill (fresh from outside), and a small chopped onion!

Taste: GREAT!

Texture: Like BREAD!

Difficulty: EASY!

I think next time I go to an Italian Restaurant I'll take some of this along to dip in the bread oil.

Here's a close-up of the texture. Next time, I will add much more Dill. Much more.

Why "Celiac Underground"?

2009-06-12T21:12:00.000-07:00

So you may think my blog name is funny, or maybe you think it's strange, or maybe didn't even think about it for a second.

But I'd like to tell you how and why I thought of it.

Most all of us, after we find out we're gluten intolerant, and as our health improves exponentially as we start our gluten free journey through life, start to think and feel differently about the world. We lose our faith in the doctors who misdiagnosed us for years (or decades), we lose our faith in the nutritionists and magazine articles recommending whole grains and whole wheat bread, etc. etc.

So who do we have left? Blogs, I guess. Other people like us. People who actually believe us. (doesn't every Celiac have friends or family who think we're just crazy, like, bread can't kill anyone?)

So every time I go to any grocery store, every time I go to Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, or Earth Fare, and when I see people tossing a pack of gluten free bagels into their cart, a gluten free pizza box or GF cake mix, I think to myself, "Hi there, you're one of us!" or, "Now you're better too, hooray!"

You and I, we are part of a gluten-free movement: we are part of The Celiac Underground.

To the wheat-eaters I say: we work beside you in the next cubicle, we're behind you in line at the grocery store, we're driving in the car next to you on the highway. We blend right in. (That is, until you ask us why we aren't having any cake at the office birthday party...)

The following scenario is happening to me more and more:

I am standing at the Whole Foods GF freezer case and thinking about if I really need gluten free hamburger buns or not (probably not). Meanwhile, I see you (my fellow Celiac) grab the Kinnickinnick Donuts box or the Whole Foods GF Bakehouse Peach Pie, and think--"Oh, wonderful, you are cured too!"

I become very happy for you and almost want to exclaim, "Aren't you so glad you figured out how to become healthy?! Don't you feel great, like me?!"

Well, now, I am something of an introvert in real life, so I rarely speak up at times like these. But I think to myself, we're all in this together. We all are part of a growing force that will drive the market to bring us better GF products. We are part of a movement that is pushing to educate our healthcare providers to save people's lives by early testing for the disease.

I'm so glad we're in this together. And I think our voices are starting to be heard. It's exciting. Hooray!

Whole Foods GF Bakehouse Almond Cookies

2009-06-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

I don't know if this item is nationally available, or if it's just local because the bakehouse is in NC.

Regardless, it's a great product and I hope it's something everyone has the pleasure of trying at some point.

These cookies are soft and melt in your mouth. They are a relatively new Gluten Free Bakehouse item, but Whole Foods in Raleigh used to have a similar cookie (which they don't have anymore) that was a "regular" (non-gluten free) bakery item.

I think they realized I was buying up all those cookies and decided to tap into the market potential of the Celiac World (Underworld?)--and now they are baked in a gluten free facility. Hooray!

Good thinking!

Ingredients:

Almond Paste (Sugar, Almonds, Natural Flavors)
Confectioners Sugar (Sugar, Cornstarch)
Egg Whites
Evaporated Cane Juice
Almond Meal
Rice Flour
Almond Emulsion

One fourth of the package is the serving size, and of 270 calories, there are 110 from fat, 20 mg sodium (that's low!), and 12 total grams of fat. Compared to a lot of other items, that's all pretty good, and it's just a special now-and-then kind of treat anyway.

Try them out! I was pleasantly surprised when I first did--and I continue to gobble them up!

Grilled Cheese (with Bread Machine Bread)

2009-06-09T18:56:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:

2 slices sandwich bread
1-2 slices cheese (I like American!)
butter

Butter one side of a bread slice. Place face down in skillet or on griddle. Put a slice of cheese on the bread. Put a buttered slice on top of the cheese. Pan-fry until golden brown on both sides.

But you already knew that.

Mmm...delicious. Tomato soup, anyone?

Call for Flour Tortillas

2009-06-06T16:13:00.000-07:00

I haven't had a real burrito since 2005. When I say the word, "real," I am not referring to food containing gluten. My use of the word real is, "something (I actually want to eat) that doesn't malfunction or taste terrible."

I prefer to blog about gluten free things I enjoy eating, and have had success with. Unfortunately, I cannot say this for any burrito. And the problem I've found so far is the rice tortilla.

Two gluten free south-of-the-border items that I think are pretty easy to make are enchiladas and quesadillas. I actually improvise with corn tortillas and make something like a grilled cheese with them (I call it skillet enchiladas--if you douse them in salsa verde, then, "Salsa Verde Skillet Enchiladas"). Make the quesadilla with a flour tortilla and cheese. No problem.

The problem comes about when you try to wrap up anything with a rice flour tortilla. I think both Food for Life Brown Rice Tortillas and Trader Joe's Brown Rice Tortillas are both great tasting, but unfortunately both are too brittle to make into a burrito, or even a delicious wrap sandwich.

Pretty much, you make the first burrito fold, or the first turn of the wrap, and crack--it's broken into pieces. Mmm...(insert record scratch here)? Plate of tortilla pieces and wrap sandwich fillings?? eeh.

So my question for everyone out there is, do you know any good flour tortillas that are available that are more pliable? I wonder if some company is working on it...might be a good idea...

I wonder if Teff might be a good ingredient; perhaps a combination of flours. I think of this because of the flatbread I've had at Ethopian restaurants.

If you know about, or even manufacture a tortilla that is trying to be more versatile than those I mention here, I would be very interested in knowing about it!

Bread, from the Bread Machine

2009-05-28T14:43:00.000-07:00

I still have yet to develop my own recipe for the bread machine. It's really a challenge! (But I'll keep trying and let you know...)

But here's a loaf I made today with the 365 Gluten Free Sandwich Bread Mix. (That's the Whole Foods store brand). It's almost the same mix as the Gluten Free Pantry Sandwich Bread Mix. They are the only two mixes that I have had any success with. And they both ALWAYS come out right.

Hello, Sandwich!

NC Triangle Race fo the Cure 2009

2009-05-26T18:31:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend!

I just wanted to share with everyone (if you have not already heard). Zach from the Gluten Free Raleigh Blog has set up a team for the NC Triangle Race for the Cure. What a great cause, and what a great way to bring fellow GF people together in service to the community.

If you live in the Triangle area and would like to join up, you have just a few minutes left, today is the deadline! You can sign up here.

If you'd like to donate to help out our team, we would appreciate it!

Two things you can donate to:

To raise funds for Gluten Free Week at Camp Kanata (through Zach's blog)
To donate directly to the Komen Race (through the GF team)

Thanks to Zach for putting this together and see you at the race!

Happy, Healthy Fruit Smoothies

2009-05-13T19:02:00.000-07:00

One of the ways I reward myself when I actually go to the gym is by making myself a refreshing smoothie to enjoy afterward.

A cool treat on hot evenings. And can be pretty good for you too.

So, to celebrate today's gym night, I made a smoothie batch and will share it here with you!

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Smoothie Q & A

What's in a smoothie?

Whatever you want to put into it--fruit, juice, yogurt, flaxseed, etc. etc.

What do I need to make one?

A Blender
A Spatula
Another Spatula (a backup for when you chop up the first one by accident)

Specific Ingredients?

Bags of Frozen Fruit
Fruit Juice, Milk, Soy Milk, Rice Milk--any liquid you prefer
A Banana?
Yogurt?
FLAXSEED meal--(provides Omega-3's, yea!)

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As you can see, I have filled my blender with frozen fruit (peaches, pineapple, mixed berry blend), Pomegranate juice, and 2 Tbsp. Flaxseed Meal

Put the lid on the blender.
Turn it on.

And...voila! ...Wait!--your smoothie is not blended. (What??)

Now comes the most important part of the directions. The rest of making your smoothie is completed by the very scientific process that I like to call, "Trial and Error". Most likely, you will need to add more liquid, if your smoothie started out like mine looks.

But if it gets too watery, then you'll need to throw in some more frozen fruits or a banana. I use a spatula to push the chunky fruit at the top down to the mixing blades. I have killed about 4 spatulas this way. (Always keep a spare around! That must be why they often come in 2-packs.)

In the end, it should look something like this:

Today, I enjoyed a half glass smoothie, and made SMOOTHIE POPS! Check out my new toy that I just got on amazon.com--homemade popsicle molds. You probably already know this, but when I was growing up in Ohio, your mom didn't love you if she didn't make you homemade pops! (We never even knew what store-bought pops were.) Underground Thought of the Day:
It is so true, now more than ever: Homemade IS Better. It's a delicious fruity treat--WITHOUT high fructose corn syrup--woohoo!

What's to eat Underground?

2009-05-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

Here in the Underground, life gets a little busy. I saw someone put up a tweet the other day asking for ideas of GF things to eat that are "quick, easy and not Amy's". I love Amy's. I found some great prices on Amy's frozen dinners at Kroger this afternoon. The Rice Mac'N'Cheese was 2.89 (the best price I've found in Raleigh), and the Rice Lasagna was 2/7.00 (3.50 each).

That said, what else is there to eat?

Well, lots of things. This weekend I had Singapore Noodles from a chinese restaurant (one of the few dishes without SOY SAUCE). Corn Chips. Yogurt. Jello. Fruit Smoothie. The other day I had a Glutino Pizza Crust pizza. Today I've got some bread in the machine for the upcoming week.

My little brother thinks a gluten free blog is a little bit silly. Because he doesn't really feel like he goes out of his way to find GF things to eat in his life. He said, "come on, just have your corn chips, grits, and eat plain other stuff like meat, vegetables, rice and potatoes." You know, he's right. There are times that I think to myself, there's no need to blog any of this stuff, it's so obvious.

Ten GF things that are amazingly easy to find/make/eat:

Corn Chips (I dip in salsa, guacamole, plain greek yogurt, or hummus)
Rice. It only takes 20 minutes to cook rice. Serve with butter, or Mrs Dash, or other seasoning. Combine with any vegetables and it's a great side or light meal. Put extra in the fridge for later. Sometimes I'll eat plain rice with butter, even for breakfast.
Tuna Salad. Mix a can or pouch with real mayonnaise (check label to make sure it doesn't have modified food starch) and relish. Spread tuna salad on GF bread for a sandwich, or onto gf rice crackers. Nut Thins are awesome crackers for this.
Personal Pizza. Use either a Glutino Pizza Crust* (see note below), piece of GF bread, half a GF French Roll or English Muffin from Trader Joe's, or your choice any other bread product. Spoon spaghetti or pizza sauce onto bread or crust, sprinkle with shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake in oven @ 400 until all cheese melts. Broil about another minute, to make the cheese bubble, if desired. Also easy to make in a toaster oven, or even a microwave (careful in the micro, though, it will prob. turn out mushier).
Fresh fruits and vegetables. This week I had a bag of oranges that I was enjoying one a day. Apples are very good anytime. Celery and carrots. Melon. If you're not eating enough of these, go out and find a cool new vegetable/fruit cutting board and big knife. Then you'll want to use it--and just from excitement you'll be bringing home all kinds of pretty new produce. You can throw these into recipes too. Have them both ways.
Hummus. Anything goes with hummus. These days, they have all kinds of amazing flavors, such as: roasted garlic, red pepper, basil, cilantro, white bean, etc. I eat it with corn chips, baby carrots, any other veggie or chip.
Yogurt. Just double check the ingredients to make sure they don't have modified food starch. I think Breyers used to be OK, but now it isn't. (anyone know?) But I've been trying to move to the organic yogurts more and more, and lower sugar ones. Most of the time, I've just been getting plain greek yogurt. You can add any fruit, fresh or frozen (I esp. like fresh apple pieces, frozen raspberries or cherries). Honey too, if you are into that. It's wonderful stuff, and very good for you (lots of probiotics).
Soup (homemade). I don't know anyone who can't get a carton of GF organic/low sodium broth, a bag of frozen vegetables, a chopped onion (also available frozen), a couple cut up potatoes, a can of tomatoes (and leftover meat, or a ham bone, etc). Put everything into a big pot and cook for an hour or so. Vary with whatever's in season or make with any variety of beans or lentils.
Salad (oh, yeah!) Any to-go salad or bag of greens will do. Some ideas: add fresh grilled chicken, salmon or veggies--mushrooms, grape tomatoes, cucumber slices, julienne carrots, etc. (**Just watch out for the dressing. Assume that all dressing is EVIL (GLUTEN) unless proven otherwise--esp. watch for Modified Food Starch. Read the ingredients. I usually enjoy Maple Grove Farms dressings).
Any cut of meat, poultry or fish. Seasoned any way you like, just without CARAMEL COLOR or MODIFIED FOOD STARCH or SOY SAUCE (also found in TERIYAKI). Grilled, broiled, baked, etc. etc. Of course! So simple, yet so good.

There you have it. Mix and match any of them for a delicious meal. It doesn't have to be hard. Just leave the pre-made foods out of it. Simplify. It's easier than it sounds.

*Glutino Pizza Crusts. A few years ago when I first tried these, I was very disappointed in them. I felt that they came out very DRY from the oven. They seemed flavorful enough (they have tons of sodium, so they must taste good), but just dry. I hate dry foods...so I discovered this Underground Tip: Rinse the crust (both sides) in warm/hot water when you take it out of the freezer, for about a minute. Then, turn the crust upside down and douse it in water, set it on your cookie sheet/pizza pan. Soak like this for about 5 minutes, until the water seems absorbed. No longer or it will be soggy. Flip over, cover with sauce, cheese, toppings. Bake until cheese melted all over (about 12-15 min) @ 400. Tell me if this works for you! It's really good to me.

Onion Pepper Confetti Basmati Pilaf

2009-04-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

Today, I was out in my driveway cleaning up a new (used) dresser with some Murphy Oil Soap, and my neighbor friend stopped by with some vino! Yay!

We got a chance to visit, I asked her if she'd eaten--she said no--so I said, "Stay for dinner!"

I have a giant bag (10 lbs., I think it was originally) of Basmati rice from the Indian grocery store, purchased on 7/14/07. I know that because I dated the bag, to track how long it takes to eat it all (just for fun). When I finish it some day (a long time from now?), I think I'll have a party.

Anyway, what would I make for dinner? I had one red and one orange pepper in the fridge...um...starting to shrivel up (whoops, didn't cut up for hummus soon enough!)...so this is what I was able to come up with: Onion Pepper Confetti Basmati Pilaf, in my large stock pot.

The simple ingredients:

two peppers (I like red, orange or yellow)
one medium onion
a couple Tbsps. Olive Oil or Butter
2/3 box of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth (I like Pacific Foods or Trader Joe's)
3 cups basmati rice
water
parsley flakes
1-1/2 tsp. celery salt

Directions:

Invite friends into kitchen and talk with them. Simultaneously: chop peppers and onions. Share stories about bad dates (optional). Saute onions and peppers in oil or butter. When onions are clear, add the broth, rice, parsley and celery salt. Add maybe about a cup of water. Bring to boil. Simmer on low until rice is cooked. Taste the broth. If it is bland, add a little more celery salt.

Stir the rice occasionally. If all the water cooks off before the rice is fully cooked, add some more. (I'm sorry I don't measure exactly. You can do it. Be courageous.)

This makes a large pot that you can keep in the fridge for the next couple days. I served with a fresh salad with chopped tomatoes and balsamic vinegrette, and some vino. Then an orange for dessert?

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Part of the wonderful conversation I had with this friend of mine was about how we remember our mid-western grandmothers made very simple foods with very few ingredients. No MSG, modified food starch, high-fructose corn syrup, or anything. Just 3 or 4 ingredients!

We also were talking about how many of our mothers and grandmothers never used recipes, they just cooked "by ear." Whatever you've got on hand, put something together, and make it work.

Um...you can BE CREATIVE. (I just love it when people tell me that).

Many of us are feeling a little stressed about money these days, but I think if we get psyched about being creative cooks, and enjoying the experimentation that we can come up with new recipes and even enjoy the journey of trying them out.

This recipe cost:

2 peppers: $2 from a 6-pack from Costco ($6)

3 cups Basmati: maybe $0.72 from my $5 10-lb bag?

1 onion: maybe $0.37 from my 3-lb yellow onion bag that cost $2.49

1 box low-sodium chicken broth (70mg per cup): $2.29 at Trader Joe's

parsley flakes: 1 Tbsp from a package, maybe $0.12's worth?

celery salt: maybe $0.15's worth?

I didn't calculate the exact numbers...but isn't it about $6 for several days worth? You can serve this as a main dish, or just a fancy side.

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So you might want to try it. I can't upload photos for the time being, so you'll have to use your imagination (I'll try to add them later). But I promise you will enjoy this. It tastes even better if you share, so invite that neighbor or friend over. Enjoy!

Hey Blue Cross, You're Welcome!

2009-04-21T16:19:00.001-07:00

So there's been a little stir since my post Let's Do Free Lunch. The question I meant to raise was this: "If there are so many drug reps constantly encouraging MD's to prescribe their products to their patients, why aren't we making a clamour ourselves, educating and encouraging the medical community to consider symptoms as possibly indicating Celiac Disease (DH, or gluten sensitivity, et. al.)?"

My foremost thought when composing that short piece was that MD's could really be more aware of the wide spectrum of associated symptoms w/CD because so often people are misdiagnosed (and treated with unnecessary drug therapies).

I was undiagnosed probably about 12-15 years (prob. since middle school). Over all those years I was told:

"Here, take these Iron pills"
"You should work out more"
"I don't want to diagnose you with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome because it's not a real illness"
"Let's try Prozac."
"You have 9 cavities."
"Here's an extra antibiotic for your next (chronic) sinus infection"

The list goes on, but that gives you an idea. So I just accepted the fact that I was unable to stay awake an entire day, I could never feel energetic and happy, I was always sick all winter, I destroyed my teeth because I'm a jerk, I'm lazy and that's why I don't work out more, and so on. But I forged on, graduated from college with honors, and just worked as hard as I possibly could in life, trying to ignore how terrible I felt. Lots of caffeine consumption!

When I was in grad school, my mom mentioned offhand that a 2nd cousin of ours had received a Celiac Disease diagnosis after being very ill for many years. My response? Ok, whatever, mom, that's nice.

To back up a little bit, my mother had ovarian cancer in the early 1990's, and thankfully survived. After she had a year of chemotherapy, she saw a holistic MD, who prescribed that she follow a yeast-free, gluten-free diet. For many years (I think 5-7), she religiously stuck to this diet. We all thought she was crazy.

One day in 2005, I was at a Borders or B & N, and found a "Gluten Free Recipes" book on the sale table and picked it up for my mom, thinking it had to do with her crazy diet. Next time I was on the phone with her, I told her about it. She said, "Oh, that's what our one cousin has."

Celiac.

What is this "Celiac Disease"? (No doctor had ever told me!)

So because my life was boring, I started reading. And reading. And asking my mom about her problems, other problems in our family. (BTW, it's our Dutch lineage). Anyway, I made lists of my symptoms, her symptoms, autoimmune diseases that were rampant in our family (all thyroid, goiter, Hashimoto's, Sjogren's, Lupus, Cancer, skin rashes, chronic fatigue, depression, etc. etc.)

I'd try anything to stop being so tired.

I made an appointment w/the university clinic to get a lab test. They had no idea what I was talking about. I was prepared--had my lists and some printed literature. I was excited. It could be an answer, I'm not just a lazy jerk!

A few days beforehand I'd piled up on the gluten. Birthday cake (had the test a few days after my birthday), Lofthouse cookies, crepes.

I convinced the practitioner to give me the test. I had it drawn that day. She said, "this is amazing. Wow, I never really knew about this. Of course I can order this for you."

Right after the test, I immediately stopped eating gluten, but had to wait over a week for the result. By the 4th day, I felt better than I'd felt my whole life. So I made a batch of wheat flour crepes. To see if it was all in my mind, or what.

Wretched misery! I felt absolutely terrible--I couldn't think, I got all hot and feverish feeling, started scratching all over my body, and had to lay down I was so exhausted.

The result you know already: POS.

Gluten was killing me! I felt so betrayed.

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That's my story. I'm pretty sure my insurance is aware of my diagnosis.

But I've needed fewer office visits, drugs, and I've been much healthier overall. And it's possible (or probable) that I'm going to avoid the mid-life cancers that many folks in my family have faced. Compared to cancer surgery, chemotherapy and all that, eating some GF pita bread is way cheap!

*****************************************************

I told you all that to tell you this. My Let's do Free Lunch post started much discussion (by accident--but an important discussion nonetheless) about whether or not you ought to be diagnosed. And there is a problem that insurance companies consider this a liability, a "Pre-Existing" condition.

To that, I say, we must spread the word--our stories and the research. (I don't feel like it needs to be political in any way, just sharing the information...)

Check out this article:

The Cost of Undiagnosed Celiac Disease

The insurance companies could save big by encouraging diagnosis of this condition. The classification of this CD, DH (Dermatitis Herpetiformis), and gluten sensitivity as "Pre-Existing" conditions is just plain nonsense. We who are diagnosed want to be healthy, and strive to maintain our own wellness (the act of even finding out our diagnosis in the first place is a testament to that).

I think the best thing we can do is keep talking. Keep discussing. Share our stories. Get the word out. Help others live better lives.

Thoughts?

Mexican Rice

2009-04-16T20:58:00.000-07:00

I said I had some recipes up my sleeve. You will love this. When I make this recipe, I usually double it (approximately), and never freeze any. That's because I can count on myself eating it all up right away. Pretty much, I just use large portions as meals, often with sides of plain frozen veggies (broccoli, mixed vegs, peas, green beans, etc).

Mexican Rice

1 cup rice
1 cup broth (usually chicken)
1 cup tomatoes--chopped, diced, whole, whatever, & juice (canned or fresh)
chopped onion (1/3 cup or more, about 1 medium onion)
oil--3Tbsps?

Heat oil in skillet or saucepan.

Add rice and stir until white (be careful not to burn--keep stirring).

Add onion, broth and tomatoes.

Bring to a boil.

Turn heat down to simmer.

Cover and don't lift lid for 1/2 hour.

Enjoy!

This recipe is from my Aunt Loretta, who got it from her friend of Mexican heritage. It's so simple, yet so good. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Underground tip: I usually go heavy on the onions. MMMM, flavor!

Let's Do Free Lunch

2009-04-16T12:32:00.001-07:00

Tonight there are going to be Zpizza samples at the Greater North Raleigh Celiac Support Group. That's pretty cool; I do believe I will stop by.

However, I've had Zpizza a few times since I originally tried it, which you can read about here. Mostly it's been at the place where I work (my day job!), a physician's office. Maybe you've heard about this? Every single day, drug reps bring lunch to every single doctor in America, it seems. Each lunch is a presentation, in which the drug (SALES) rep goes over the selling points of each drug, clinical trial data, etc.

I have been very flattered that many times these very nice people remember I am celiac and bring me gluten free lunch items, including Zpizza and Whole Foods baked goods. This is so cool. But then I keep having this thought:

WHO IS GIVING PRESENTATIONS TO DOCTORS TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO DIAGNOSE CELIAC PATIENTS? WHO IS REMINDING THEM OF THIS WIDESPREAD CONDITION, THAT IS NOT TREATED WITH DRUGS?

I was absolutely appalled when at her Raleigh presentation Jules Shepard said medical providers she'd spoken with had told their patients "you don't want to be diagnosed if you're celiac." So why aren't we taking them our best GF items, so they will have the courage and frequent reminders to screen our undiagnosed brothers and sisters?

Which of our awareness organizations might want to get a program started, do you think? Does anyone know of people doing this or any current programs in place? Please comment or email me thoughts on this. I just hate it that people are suffering unnecessarily.

News brief from The Underground

2009-04-15T04:03:00.000-07:00

Hello there!

What's happening at The Underground?

I have a bunch of posts saved up w/pics to add here, which I should be able to accomplish in the next few days, so please stop back. Mexican Rice, a recipe for stellar Mexican Chicken, beans and rice salad, Z pizza, and more.

Yesterday I went to Rosie's Plate in Raleigh, and got some Fresh Cheese Ravioli. It was pretty good! I also ordered some Pita Bread for later.

I realized they are next door to Marsh Woodwinds, one of the coolest music shops ever. Be sure to stop by there if you are stopping by Rosie's!

Off to work, just wanted to post something here so you know I'm still alive and thinking about ya! Happy Tax Day!

Easy, good things

2009-04-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

Busy times here.

So, some quick and easy things:

Amy's Rice Mac N' Cheese! Quite good. Maybe a little high in sodium/fat. But it's not like we'd eat it every day. It's pretty rich, reminds me of Stouffers.
Pamela's Lemon Shortbread cookies! These are a little hard to find (I find them at Kroger). Apparently chocolate chunk is a much more popular flavor... These are OK room temperature, and AMAZING when frozen.
Individual packs of hummus (Tribe brand, comes in a box of 16 packs at Costco, for about 5 bucks). Mix with a bag of baby carrots, or other treats (corn chips, peppers, etc.)

Bahama Rice Burgers

2009-04-04T14:07:00.000-07:00

I picked up a box of these the other day at my local Earth Fare. I chose the "Jerkin' Spicy" variety. I haven't had a veggie burger for probably about 3 years.

These are great!! Two of my friends came over last night to carpool with me to go watch a concert, and I asked them if they'd eaten--NO. So I said, you guys want a Bahama rice burger? Some veggies? Quesadilla?

I had 2 takers on the Bahama Burgers, so that was 3 including me.

Both of these friends were meat-eatin, wheat-eatin guys. And they both said they like the burgers (served on Trader Joe's Gluten Free French Rolls) very much! One asked me for directions to Earth Fare, so he could go get some. So 3 taste testers agree. And even though I cooked these on the stove inside, it tasted like a cookout at Emily's.

I also cut up a few red/yellow pepper slices. It was a great night, and we attended a very good concert afterward!

Black Beans and Rice

2009-03-30T19:36:00.000-07:00

I am adding this post to The Gluten Free Homemaker's "What's for Dinner Wednesday" --Hope everyone enjoys some Beans-n-Rice!

One of my favorite GF recipes is one that I had been making long before I knew that gluten was killing me. One of my friends got a crock pot in college, and made this for a party--actually, a Jazz party. Anyway, it was amazing and I was hooked.

I make this in a 2-quart crock pot.

1-lb dry black beans (one bag), or 2 (16 oz.) cans beans
4 cloves minced garlic (or 5-6 tsp. from a jar)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery
3 medium carrots
1 can tomatoes (14-16 oz.) diced or stewed

1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. Hot Sauce (Tabasco, Texas Pete, etc.)
salt and pepper to taste
1/8 tsp. baking soda, if you have hard water (when using dry beans)

4 c. vegetable or chicken broth
enough water to fill up the crock pot
2 or 3 cups cooked rice

Chop the vegetables, rinse the beans, then put everything (except the rice!) in the crockpot and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 5-6 hours, until beans are tender. The beans will never get soft enough in hard (city) water if you don't add the baking soda, I have learned.

Feel free to skip one or two ingredients that you don't have around--I often skip the celery or carrots, depending on what's in the fridge. You could probably add stuff like green peppers, too. Good luck.

Anyway, once the beans are soft, it's time for the rice. The first serving, I serve the beans over the rice (as in photo), but after that I mix all the remaining rice into the bean mixture and freeze individual portions for lunches.

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Underground tips: Use the baking soda, seriously. Also, while cooking in the crock pot, the bean stew will seem pretty spicy to taste (and I usually overdo the spices on purpose). You want that, because when you add the rice, it will dull the flavor somewhat.

Serve with Tabasco, shredded cheese or sour cream. Maybe even a little fresh cilantro. Mmm.

Raleigh GF Vendor Fair

2009-03-28T20:01:00.000-07:00

I had such a fun time today at the Gluten Free Vendor Fair at Whole Foods!

There were tables set up all over the store with samples, and Zach who writes the Gluten Free Raleigh blog had an information table, as well as the Cel-Kids group. I met some neat folks, and enjoyed hearing everyone's stories. Some recently diagnosed, some diagnosed for quite some time.

One of the things that was really nice about them having food samples was that you could try a variety of the Whole Foods brand GF items. It would be pretty expensive to purchase all the different products individually. Surprisingly, though, I realized that I have already tried a majority of them!

Pretty much everything from the Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakehouse is delicious. I got to meet Lee Tobin, the head baker and founding baker of the Bakehouse, who was serving up delicious baked treats!

My personal WF Bakehouse favorites are: Sandwich Bread, Honey Oat Bread, Cheddar Biscuits, Blueberry Muffins, Molasses Ginger Cookies and Nutmeal Raisin Cookies!

I also met representatives from Rosie's Plate, and they had some amazing PITA BREAD to try, and I liked their trail mix a lot, too.

Trevor from Bella Monica Flatbread Company was there, who I have met before, and it was nice to talk with him a little while. (And the flatbread pizzas still taste great!)

It was just a great day all-around.

Why don't we do this every Saturday?? :)

Sugarland!

2009-03-27T21:41:00.000-07:00

I became a fan of Sugarland last summer, while playing an opera in Chapel Hill. One of my music colleagues kept turning up there every day for Gelato--and soon I discovered that I really enjoy some Gelato myself. mmm...

But what is very cool is that I also found out from the baker/manager that they special order gluten free cakes and specialties. I'm not sure why they don't seem to mention that on their website. (some restaurants are concerned about liability?)

But in any case, everyone should check them out. I guess it's not a dedicated facility, but I have every reason to believe they take every precaution to prevent cross contamination. They really sounded like they got it when I talked with them.

Mmm--sugarland--gelato--cakes---mmm!

Brownie Sundae Extraordinaire

2009-03-24T20:18:00.000-07:00

One of my friends gave me a bag of Namaste Foods Brownie Mix (in the brown bag). That was really a cool gift.

But...what is a girl--who can't make enough time to go to the gym--going to do with an entire pan of brownies?

Get creative.

I made the brownies. They were

delicious. I couldn't eat them all myself, of course. So in order to solve this dilemma, I had a party! A few brownies were eaten, but mostly everyone at my party that night was busy destroying the nacho bean dip. So...now what?

Freeze them. Maybe give away?

A week or so ago, I met someone newly gluten free. To inspire and encourage her, I took her coffee cake, brownies, and a Whole Foods Bakehouse Cupcake I had laying around (long story).

That took me down to about 6 small brownies.

I can handle 6, probably, I thought.

We celiacs never get to order them in restaurants, so I never think of it. But--Eureka! It dawned on me--and here's a pic of my brownie sundae! It was pretty good!

Ingredients: Brownie, Breyers Natural Vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of carmel syrup.

Directions: Heat the brownie for about 15-20 seconds. Stack like the photo.

Enjoy!

Taste of Thai Coconut Ginger Noodles, in the box

2009-03-22T12:50:00.000-07:00

Here is a great standby quick dinner or lunch, on the go. Taste of Thai Coconut Ginger Noodles. I have been eating these on the road for years now. At one point, all the varieties were Gluten Free, but I think this has changed, so be sure to read the box.

I have seen 4 flavors of these, but hands down, the Coconut Ginger Noodles is the best flavor. What is great about this box is that all you need is a microwave, tap water, and sharp knife or scissors to open the seasoning packets. It cooks right in the box.

Pretty much, you could make this anywhere, I'd say even a boxcar, if you had those three things. And a fork to stir/eat with.

and...voila! These retail anywhere from 2.50-3.50.

Supplement with some carrot sticks or fresh grapes and you have a quick, easy meal on the go. If you're really hungry, maybe even add a ziplock of Glutino GF pretzels or Envirokids Gorilla Munch. Life is good, get out there and go live it!

Pancakes at home

2009-03-22T10:22:00.000-07:00

My car is getting fixed this weekend, and I have been needing rides from friends to get to gigs this weekend. This also means I have had to make due with eating what I've got on hand. I'd like to share with you a recipe for pancakes I came up with yesterday. It was quite good.

I have noticed lately that a lot of bloggers are saying they hate using rice flour, due to its grittiness. I agree that Bob's Red Mill rice flour is gritty and ruins a lot of recipes. But I think it is because they do not grind theirs finely enough, not because there's something inherently wrong with rice flour. It is possible to get flours that are finer, and I usually buy big bags of rice flour at the Indian market. Yeah, it's from a foreign country, but so are a lot of other foods, and how do we really know how much "cleaner" or "safer" food from the USA really is (think of the peanut plant in Georgia). So at this point, I am working with this flour and hoping American producers and suppliers improve their products and prices (step up production, to lower prices). And for the time being, this flour is a lot cheaper than Bob's...

Pancakes:

1 cup flour (this time I used 2/3 c. Rice, 1/3 c. Teff)
1 tsp. xantham gum
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1-1/3 cup almond milk (you can use dairy milk, soymilk, whatever)
2 Tbsp. oil
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix dry ingredients together, mix wet ingredients together, then combine.

The vanilla makes all the difference.

Pour into pan and cook on medium heat for a few minutes until they start to dry on top, then flip. Serve warm.

I added some frozen blueberries to the second half of the mix, so I had both plain and blueberry. This made about 9 medium size pancakes. I froze the extras in individual bags of 2 or 3, which I'll heat up for early morning breakfasts this coming week.

GF Italian in Wilmington, NC

2009-03-20T20:14:00.000-07:00

Hello, blogland! Where to begin? I have been on the road lately and working a lot. Not much time for cooking, or blogging. But that's why I've got quantities of food frozen ahead and Glutino bagels. Trader Joe's frozen Enchiladas. Brown rice flour tortillas and corn tortillas to make quesadillas (AKA mexican grilled cheese). Bags of frozen veggies to cook up in the microwave, in a hurry. These types of things.

Wilmington, NC

While I was there, I did an internet search for gluten free dining, and

found a really great place to get some GF Italian food! I hadn't eaten out for pasta/Italian for about 3 years until I went to Bella Monica in Raleigh a few weeks ago with the Gluten Free Greenie Blogger (Wendy). But now, it seems that new opportunities are surfacing all over for GF dining. This is so amazing compared to even just a couple years ago!

I was able to talk a carpool friend of mine into going with me to Toscana Cafe in Wilmington. I could hardly contain my excitement--you always feel like such a wet blanket when you say, "no, I can't eat out Italian." I asked this friend if Italian was OK, and he said, "I love Italian!" So I felt like way less of a buzzkill...

Toscana Cafe. I had the Penne (Tinkyada) w/Grilled Shrimp, mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes in a tomato cream sauce. It was amazing, and I was so delighted. I haven't had good Italian food in so long (not counting Bella Monica). It was very simple for them to just substitute the GF pasta with their sauce and ingredients. But it was so far beyond anything I ever make for myself at home, and such a treat. I hope more independent (mom & pop) restaurants realize they can substantially grow their customer base by offering safe GF choices! If they cook it, we will come!

I met the manager, and the owner, and they both were very nice. They explained they have more and more people, of all ages (even 60s, they mentioned, many recently diagnosed) who are ordering GF pastas all the time. I thanked them for providing the option for us. They were very careful and I think they understand how to minimize the chance of cross-contamination.

I was very pleased, and hope you are, on your next vacation to Wilmington when you drop in for some Penne!

Tasty GF Eatin!

2009-03-10T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hey Blog Readers! So sorry it's been a while since I got a chance to post! I've missed you!

A few weeks ago, my laptop and camera were stolen, so I was unable to blog properly for a while. But I got that straightened out, and now--armed with a new camera and borrowed laptop, I am ready to tell you about the great stuff I've been cookin' up!

Here's a pic of the coffee cake I made, which was from a recipe right out of the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, substituted with Whole Foods GF flour blend. It worked very well!

Also, I have made homemade mushroom soup, which I have been enjoying with toasted Trader Joe's Gluten Free French Rolls.

Tonight I experimented with a pizza/flatbread crust, but I didn't get it exactly right. I will have to try again (bake it a little longer before adding toppings, and/or modify the ingredients a little). But the toppings were so good--fresh mushrooms, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, and a drizzle of italian sauce, topped with a light covering of mozzarella cheese, that I enjoyed it thoroughly anyway.

I am on the road for a couple days, so I am packing the cooler with yogurt cups, carrots and Trader Joe's White Bean and Basil hummus, coffee cake, and pizza. Pretty sure I won't have to eat out, which is nice because I know 100% that I will not be glutened! And...think of all the dough that will stay in my pocket!

See you on the highway!

Bella Monica

2009-03-05T19:57:00.001-08:00

I went to Bella Monica tonight with my friend Wendy, and she beat me to writing a review! Please check it out:

Gluten Free Greenie Blog

They were very nice and accommodating. What a treat that this is a part of our local scene and what an excellent example they are to other establishments--your restaurant too can be gluten free!

Thanks, Bella Monica!

Cool GF company--news to me

2009-03-01T18:42:00.000-08:00

Hey, everyone check out this supplier I just learned about:

Gifts of Nature, inc.

They have OATS and other flours, mixes, etc. It looks good. I like that their mixes have chick pea flour in them. That's a great addition to any flour blend, in my opinion. Once I order up some items and try them, I'll let you know how it is.

Free Beer and Pizza!

2009-02-28T10:31:00.000-08:00

It's hard to imagine getting up on purpose on a weekend, but this time was really worth it. I went to the Jules Shepard baking demo at Earth Fare, organized by Zach who writes the Gluten Free Raleigh blog.

I got to meet some new people, and reacquaint with other nice people I'd already met from the Raleigh Celiac Support Group. It's so fun to talk with people who are all in the same boat.

Jules was nice and gave a well-informed presentation. She is the real deal--nice to hear from someone who is walking the walk. She said she's been GF since 1999. I especially liked how she said she takes her baked goods to share with health care providers, so they can be aware that eating GF foods can be just as good, or better than, evil-wheat-containing foods. I was appalled when she mentioned that she's heard doctors tell their patients they "don't want to know" if they're Celiac, because they think the diet is awful. A doctor like that might try to convince the patient to not get tested. Unbelievable.

She baked us some bread, oatmeal scones, berry scones, and chocolate chip cookies. It was all pretty good. I would want to try the bread machine recipe at home before I weigh in with an opinion on it. You don't know how bread really turns out until it cools, and she sliced it before then. It seemed a little on the moist side, and it was still warm, so it's hard to tell. I will continue to experiment with the man in my life--Breadman, that is--and let you know if and when I find the holy grail of bread recipes. I am still searching.

Trevor from Bella Monica was there to promote his flatbreads, and give samples! It is really good. I read the box, it seems like a lot of calories are packed into the portion size (1/3 flatbread--had about 450 calories, 7.4g saturated fat). I really try to shy away from high calories and fat, but it has very good quality ingredients like olive oil, so maybe it's not as bad as it sounds to me? And a treat once in a while is a good thing!

They also had Green's Gluten Free Beer, an amber and a dark variety. I liked the dark one, to me it was robust and flavorful. The amber was OK. But all of this was sampled with scones and bread, so hard to give a thorough review of those.

It was a fun day for me. Earth Fare also gave us a tour, but the real value of the day was hearing what Jules had to say, and talking with the other participants. I thought it was really cool how Jules said that she was a gluten free consumer too, and wanted to find quality products and ingredients. She also wasn't pushy with us to buy her products (which I didn't buy). She even encouraged us to look up her flour blend and make it ourselves if we were so inclined. I appreciated that a lot.

Hope everyone has a great GF weekend!

GF Breakfast at the Motor Inn

2009-02-24T21:02:00.000-08:00

When on a road trip, staying at any hotel or motel, this is an easy GF breakfast:

Take a cooler.
Load it up with waters, sodas, whatever drinks you like.
Add one or two yogurt cups, depending on your meals you are planning. (breakfast only = one cup. Breakfast and lunch = 2 cups).
Before check-in, stop at a SHEETZ gas station. Go to menu screen. Order 2-pack hard boiled eggs. Get one orange juice bottle, if needed.

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Keep in hotel room fridge overnight. If fridge is unavailable, take gallon ziplock bags to the ice maker and fill one or two. Add ice bags to cooler--voila (and surprise)--you have made your own fridge.

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Wake up tomorrow, and enjoy: Yogurt, 2 eggs, orange juice, bad hotel coffee, and a feeling of complete GF independence and joy.

Underground tip: Actually, you can put anything you want in your cooler (but you already knew that). These are just some ideas that work well for me. When I found out I could get hard-boiled eggs at a gas station I was awestruck. WAY better for you than a candy bar, overall!

Perfect Nacho Bean Dip

2009-02-22T12:35:00.000-08:00

1 can refried beans
about 1 cup Medium or Hot salsa
shredded co-jack cheese (optional)
1 bag corn chips

Empty can of beans into microwave safe dish, pour salsa on top.

Cover. Cook in microwave 2 mins, stir.

Continue cooking until heated through in 30 second intervals, stirring between.

When this is hot, sprinkle cheese on top and melt in microwave (about 30 seconds).

Serve immediately w/corn chips, or keep warm in the (regular) oven @ 200 until your guests arrive.

Underground tip: Seriously, do not even consider using mild salsa. The beans really take the edge off the spices in the salsa. Whenever I've used mild salsa, the dip winds up tasting bland. The above recipe, made with Medium salsa, does not seem spicy at all (so don't worry if you don't like spicy food), but instead it tastes flavorful and delicious!

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This is great for parties, because it's fast, easy, and there's a lot to go around. But--this travels well for road trips (no cooler needed), and after say, a 7:30 to 10pm rehearsal, it's a substantial snack/mini-meal that you can make, which many of my friends have enjoyed sharing with me!

Bon Appetit!

Bagel, please!

2009-02-21T11:15:00.000-08:00

I haven't had a chance to write much lately, but I will now report the thing I'm most excited about this week: Whole Foods in Cary has started carrying Glutino PLAIN Bagels again! I haven't been able to find these for years, and I went yesterday and found them, on sale, for 5.39 for the 5-pack! (or was it 5.69?). No matter.

What is great, is that a plain bagel is just that--PLAIN. They have been stocking Glutino Cinnimon Raisin Bagels, but there are some people who like fruit in their baked goods, and then there are the rest of us.

I am so excited about this I can't even put it into words.

The size and texture of these bagels are amazing. Honestly, I feel like the Glutino bagels are to Kinnickinick's bagels, what Panera Bagels are to Lender's. I just love 'em, and am so glad they are back! I was so excited, I went out and bought a toaster!

So you can either have a bagel with butter or cream cheese, of any savory or sweet flavor. Everybody wins. This is the magic of a plain bagel. You just can't put a lox on a raisin bagel! You just can't turn a raisin bagel into a bagel-pizza!

So, this week, it's kudos to the freezer guy at WF in Cary for re-stocking this magical product!

One fine weekend out

2009-02-16T19:55:00.000-08:00

Hello GF friends!

I had a great GF valentine's weekend, hope the same for you all. I had a concert Sat. evening, then met up afterward with some friends at The Village Draft House in Raleigh. Because this is a great (quieter) hang out in a great central location, I often find myself there surrounded with wonderful company.

And what is newsworthy about this trip: after a good 6 months of asking them (every single time): "Don't you have any gluten free beer?" --and adding, "Hey, if you guys just had a 6-pack on hand, I definitely would buy one every time I came in here..."

So what happened Saturday? This time--"Yeah, actually we do have a GF beer. I think it's called 'Lakefront.' We just got it in."

I said, "Alright," I would have one of those, "thanks!"

The server brought me a cool, crisp bottle of New Grist. She asked me how it was. (I have not had any gluten-containing beverages since 2005. I am not really sure why she asked me this...just to say something, or be nice?)

Whether you drink beer or not is not the issue. The point is that, little by little, our specialty dietary needs continue to slowly creep into the mainstream, one Draft House at a time (and after we ask, ask, ask and ask).

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The next day, I made it out to Zpizza in North Raleigh. I convinced two wheat-eatin' friends of mine to split two kinds of GF pizza with me. When I thought about it, I hadn't been out for pizza in over 3 years. Which is kinda funny to think about, because with being able to make it at home, I don't feel particularly deprived.

We had the American and the Provence. The taste was amazing. Even the wheaties agreed.

Also, the staff was extremely conscientious about cross-contamination.
It was a great experience, and you all should go when you get a chance.

(My favorite moment was the moment after the cashier took our order, we went to get our fountain drinks, and her voice rang out like a bell, "Gluten Free Alert!" I thought, if I could save that soundbyte and have it as a ringtone. If only....)

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Best wishes for a happy and safe week for everyone!

South of the Border Grilled Cheez

2009-02-11T18:40:00.000-08:00

A recipe for you:

Heat skillet, spray lightly with Pam.

add 1 soft corn tortilla
sprinkle with cheese (I use co-jack shredded cheese)
add 1 soft corn tortilla

heat through, and flip, once the first side is crisp.
then crisp the 2nd side.

Possible names for this recipe: Corn Quesadilla, Tex-Mex Grilled Cheese, Mexican Grilled Cheese, South of the Border Grilled Cheese, etc. (Or, if you have another idea for a name, post it in a comment! Maybe it would be a fun contest--name the recipe?).

I garnish with and/or dip this in:

salsa
sour cream
guacamole
enchilada or mole sauce.

Can be served with a mexican lettuce salad, tomatoes, etc. Or refried beans and mexican rice (I will post a great recipe for that soon). Or just plain.

A package of 36 tortillas (33oz): 2.49

Shredded cheese: 2.89

15 cheap, easy, delicious snacks or meals in about 5 minutes: Priceless.

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Other underground happenings:

Been inspired by Celiacs in the House to make pizelles! I used her recipe: 2/3 cup GF cake mix, 2 eggs, 2 Tbsp Oil, 1 Tbsp Vanilla--and they came out amazing!

I have been thinking a lot about eating GF easily, inexpensively, and our current economy. We all really should be thinking about ways to save...we just never know what's around the corner...I keep hearing of more and more family, friends and people in the community who are without work. So I hope I can provide a few good ideas...while at the same time, don't get me wrong--I do feel it is important to support quality products that we want to keep available on the market.

Souper Duper Alphabet Soup!

2009-02-09T15:43:00.001-08:00

Check out this savory edible delight!
This vegetarian vegetable soup will warm your soul from the inside out.

Oh, did I mention it tastes great? And it's not that hard to make, either.

This is one of my favorite things to make, and it can either feed a lot of people (e.g. family, army, etc), or you can freeze portions for later. More to come on that.

First things first. What do you need and what do you do?

Exact quantities will vary depending on the size of your soup pan. Pretty much, whatever fills up the pan, or however much you want to make. When I make this, I use a 6-qt pot.

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Ingredients:

2-3 medium onions
2 Tbsp oil, or so

3-4 potatoes
2 small (14.5 oz) cans or 1 large can stewed tomatoes
4 to 6 cups of water
2 cans of beans (garbanzo, kidney, etc.)
1 bag frozen mixed soup vegetables

2 Knorr Vegetarian Vegetable Bouillon cubes
Salt, to taste
1/3 package Mrs Leeper's Alphabet Past a (about 2/3 cup) (or any other pasta)

Directions:

Cut up onions and saute in the oil over medium-low heat. When onions are clear, add the cans of tomatoes, bouillon, and add just enough water to fill the pot just a little over 1/2 full (4-6 cups?). Turn up the burner to medium high.

Wash potatoes and cut into about 1/2" pieces (I cut the potatoes while the onions cook). Add the potatoes. Add the frozen vegetables. Open the cans of beans and rinse in a collander. Add the beans to the pot.

Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Simmer on medium-low about 30-45 minutes until vegetables look tender. Taste the broth and add salt if needed.

When the soup looks and tastes like soup, add pasta. Cook until tender (12-15 min). I love this with Mrs. Leepers Alphabets. It's just like being a kid all over again. Hooray!

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Underground tip: When I finish cooking this, I divide up into individual servings in containers. I reuse containers from the store, which is FREE, and saves the environment by reusing instead of discarding or even using energy to recycle. Usually just a little over a cupful in each container is about the right portion for a meal for me.

Then I freeze the containers, and voila! I have 9 lunches (and two other large containers for the fridge). So over the next few weeks, one choice for lunch at work is soup, or any time for dinner at home. I cook one evening, and get nine other meals I can make in about 3 minutes in the microwave. This thinking ahead saves me time and money, and it's been working for me for years. So that $12.95 on lunch becomes 12.95 in my retirement account or rainy day fund. Surprise, you're gluten free, and saving money! Who knew?

Oh, and for those of you wary of using plastic containers. I live my life on the edge, so I just cook these right in the plastic container in the microwave. BUT you can allow soup to thaw slightly and then you can just pop it out of the container into a glass bowl, or pan on the stove.

Boxed Mac 'n' Cheese

2009-02-05T17:27:00.000-08:00

I promised some product reviews, so here ya go.

If you are like me (and everyone else who grew up in America since about 1937) sodium-rich boxed macaroni and cheese is probably one of the first solid foods you knew on a first-name basis.

So here are the best GF products that I've found: DeBoles 7.25oz Gluten Free Rice Pasta & Cheese (2.19 at Kroger), and Trader Joe's 6oz Gluten Free Rice Pasta & Cheddar (1.99 at Trader Joe's). Both are great tasting, but slightly different.

Ingredients:

DeBoles: Elbow style pasta (rice flour and rice bran extract) and Cheese Sauce Mix (Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese [Milk, Salt, and Enzymes], and Dry Buttermilk). 100mg sodium per 1/2 cup serving

Trader Joe's: Rice Pasta (rice flour), Cheddar cheese (cultured pasteurized milk, salt, enzymes), whey, buttermilk, butter, salt, natural flavor, sodium phosphate, annato extract (color). 390mg sodium per 1 cup serving

Underground thoughts:
The box of Deboles seems like a lot more macaroni looking into the pan. I also had forgotten that it is white cheddar, which even if it's just psychological, I think caters to a more sophisticated palate. The orange-ness of the Trader Joe's makes me think of screaming kids, who deserve food that they can enjoy too. So everyone wins if you keep a box of each of these in the cupboard.

I don't know how the sodium compares with kraft, you know the one we grew up on that was apparently a celiac killer. Probabaly a lot better for you.

Speaking of Kraft, I had a real hankerin' for some Mac 'n' Cheese and wrote to them, to ask if they could sell the sauce mix independently of the pasta, or offer a gluten-free version of their product (something like, "Can you either make available your cheese sauce alone-without noodles-so we can make our own rice noodle mac 'n' cheese..." etc.). They told me about this product: Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Topping

So, there is life after wheatey-mac. If you want it. Or just that occasional hankerin'. I find that it's probably a lot better to look for less starch in my diet, e.g. more fiber and fruits and vegetables. But it sure is nice to know that you aren't denied any particular foods, we really do have everything we need...GF Life is Good!

P.S. You probably want to avoid Annie's GF mac 'n' cheese in the blue box. The bunny on the box is cute. It's been a few years since I tried it, but I remember that the cheese was OK, but the pasta was horrid....save your money on that one.

Good Restaurant Bad Restaurant

2009-02-01T18:51:00.000-08:00

I'm catching up on my Gluten Free log of events. I'll start with last weekend. I ate out in Raleigh on both Saturday and Sunday. I had two very different experiences.

Saturday

Lunch with a violinist friend, to catch up on things and enjoy hanging out. We went to Noodles & Company at Cameron Village, and I thought I could try it out because a few of their dishes are made with rice noodles. I was fairly confident and didn't check their website before going, we just went!

When I asked the cashier about gluten free options, I was delighted when she went under the counter and brought out a large laminated paper with graphs that had checkmarks corresponding to allergens in their foods. They could tell me for sure!

The only gluten free option was: PAD THAI, and a tomato/cucumber vinegar salad. So I ordered them both, and they were delicious! It's funny that their Pad Thai was GF, because at a lot of Thai Restaurants, that is one that is pre-made with soy sauce that can't be served gluten free, I have found. So now I know where to go get some GF Pad Thai, right in my neighborhood! They were fast, and reasonably priced.

******************************

Sunday

I played in two matinee concerts on Sunday and went to lunch with two orchestra colleagues in between. We went to Greek Fiesta in Raleigh, on Western Blvd. I thought, this could work fine. They have lots of kabobs, hummus, salad, etc.

So I asked the cashier if the chicken/steak for kabobs was marinated in something. He said, "yes." So I asked if he would be so kind to please check the ingredients to see if they were gluten free, for example, did they have any soy sauce, modified food starch, carmel color, etc.?

He said that one man makes the marinade, and brings it to their 5 locations, and he is the only person who knows what is in it.

I said, "you are serving something and you don't know what it is?" The guy just looked at me like I was a complete jerk for asking any kinds of damn questions and I should shut up and order. I told him I didn't mean to be a pest, it's just that I could become sick if I ate any wheat or gluten. We went back and forth for a minute or two; I guess I'm just getting really used to places being cool.

So I ordered the Greek Veggie platter, hold the pita bread.

What did I get?

Iceberg lettuce salad with cucumbers, yellow peppers, feta cheese, one purple olive (yes, just one olive!), with Cucumber Sauce, 3 small grape leaf wraps--with 6 pita wedges sitting on top. Yeah, thanks, guys. This cost 7.99.

What could I do for 7.99 in my kitchen at home? At the very least, one box of GF mac 'n' cheese (Trader Joe's or DeBoles) is about $2, a bag of salad is $2-3, a yogurt is .75 cents. None of these things will make me sweat, fog up my brain, or break out a dermatitis herpetiformis rash all over my body.

Needless to say, I don't think I'll be going back over there.

Epilogue: And what happened with the pita wedges? When I told them I didn't ask for them and didn't want them, they brought a plate out to the counter and took them back into the kitchen. Do you think they'd re-use them? They had that ikky cuke sauce on them. Did they give them to the next people who came in?

Gluten Free, (can be Casein Free) Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

2009-02-01T18:38:00.000-08:00

Hey, some of the packaged GF cookies are really great, such as PAMELA's, in the box or in the bag. I especially like the Lemon Shortbread cookies from Pamela's, which I keep in the freezer for a crisp, cool treat.

But here is the recipe for the cookies I pictured in the last blog. I was on the road literally every day last week and just didn't have the time to type it up. These might be some of the best cookies you ever eat, gluten or not. And they take only a little time, and minimal effort.

In addition to being cheaper than store-bought GF cookies, doesn't homemade always taste better?? I think even my grandmother would have approved of these.

Chocolate Chip Cookies (like Tollhouse)

2-1/4 cups flour (1 cup Rice, 3/4 cup Corn, 1/2 cup Millet)
1 tsp. Xantham Gum
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Soda

mix the above dry ingredients. Then, in another bowl, combine:

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup butter or margarine (I used Vegan Buttery Sticks)
1-2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs

Mix the two bowls together. Add one 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet, bake 8-10 minutes. These came out awesome. I don't think I'll ever need another recipe.

Underground tip: When you bake cookies, remember that because they are so hot in the oven they continue "baking" after you take them out. I take the cookies out once I notice the top appears dry all across but not any later. This way they do not overbake and dry out. They are soft and delicious.

More sweets than I know what to do with

2009-01-29T21:17:00.000-08:00

This has been a pretty busy week, and something gluten-related comes to mind almost every day, even though I haven't had a chance to post everything.

Yesterday at work, someone brought me a Whole Foods GF Bakery cupcake. What a nice surprise! It was delicious. I am glad someone gave me only one, because I probably don't need the temptation of a package of 4. But it was good to try one; I only recently have seen them and I think these are a new product. I don't know what the ingredients are. This would make a nice treat, and it would be a great thing to take along to a party where they're having cake if you didn't want to feel left out (or for a non-GF host to have at a party with GF people).

Also, I made some GF chocolate chip cookies, just to remind myself that I can, and they came out tremendous! I used Vegan Buttery Sticks as the margarine/butter, so mine were Dairy/Casein free too. I took these to rehearsal and all my section-mates thoroughly enjoyed them, said they were better than "real cookies." Whatever that means. But they didn't take a bite out and throw them away when I wasn't looking, which is the real test. They gobbled.

Did you know you can click on my photos and they supersize? You can see the detail of the pics this way.

Underground tip: When you bake cookies, remember that because they are so hot in the oven they continue "baking" after you take them out. I take the cookies out once I notice the top appears dry all across but not any later. This way they do not overbake and dry out. They are soft and delicious.

Flour Power

2009-01-26T21:03:00.000-08:00

Whenever I go to a grocery store looking for flour or mixes, I get sick to my stomach when I see the prices. All the time we read about how more of us are getting correctly diagnosed, and our niche market for GF products is growing.

But as demand goes up, supply has to work to meet the demand, and then as supply grows, prices go down....right? I wasn't an economics major, but I think we talked about this in elementary school. So--why when I go to Whole Foods or another store, the lowest price for GF flour is still somewhere around $4 a pound? Do you remember when we ate wheat, and you could get a huge bag of the stuff for 89 cents?

So here's one of my secrets: You can buy flour at INTERNATIONAL GROCERY STORES! Think about the diets of people in other countries. Think of all the places where, for centuries, WHEAT has NOT been a staple. Asian places. Eastern European places. Africa. To name a few.

For example, I like to buy a Polish bag of potato flour, which last time I believe was 1 kg (2.2 lbs) for 2.99, from the International Market in Cary, NC (they were out last time I was there, but the flour worked GREAT in my christmas cookies).

But really, the pot of gold is waiting for you at the Indian Grocery Store. In addition to buying lots of delicious Indian items (instant meals, pappadons, etc.) and giant bags of bulk spices, I buy ENORMOUS bags of Gluten-Free flours.

Please note that many of these are manufactured in facilities that also process wheat (so use them at your own risk). But I think the products are really nice, and I have never had a reaction, bag after bag. Rice flour 4-lb bags are 2.99, or 2 for $5 at the Around the World Market in Cary, NC. So that's less than 75 cents for one pound. (How do you like that, Whole Foods?) Other prices vary. I got Teff--4 lbs for 6.99. Sorgham--4lbs for 4.99, Corn was pretty cheap (2.49), and Millet too.

The rice flour is, in my opinion, FAR superior to many US brands, it is finer and acts much more powdery. Baked goods are finer and don't have that gluten-free flour "grit".

I think our GF manufacturers here in the USA ought to take note that these products are available, and strive to bring their prices down and/or match the quality offered in these products (Hey Bob from the Red Mill, why not take a lesson from Deep Rice flour and grind your Rice flour until it's flour, instead of a sand-like consistency?).

Because my dollars are voting for the products that are serving me, the Gluten Free Consumer, best.

Going Bananas

2009-01-26T20:40:00.000-08:00

I mentioned that I used to drive 35,000 miles/yr the last couple years. Fortunately, I don't have to do that anymore. But I am on the road this week. Every evening this week I have rehearsal about 1-1/4 hour away from home. This is a challenge to eat well because I get home from job #1 and have about an hour to eat/pack/email/etc. then straight out the door, onto the highway, to job #2.

Leave home at 7:30, get home from job #1 at 4:30, leave for job #2 at 5:30, return home at 11:20.

Then write a blog.

So, how do you I eat gluten-free on the go?
Lunch, at job #1 (microwave available at lunchtime):

Frozen lentil stew (from crock pot that I made last week)
Frozen green beans
Yogurt
Banana

Dinner(?) between #1 and #2:

Finish leftover tomato basil pasta
Apple
Banana Bread (See recipe and photo)

But I wasn't that hungry, because it was only 4:30. So, road snacks to fill in the gap:

One slice banana bread in a ziplock
bag of Ener-G gluten free pretzels
one yogurt
Fruit leather
Soynuts

I only ended up eating the fruit leather, banana bread and yogurt. but I had some choices!

So that worked out for eating today. I will be having an overnight later this week and will talk about some things I take in a cooler.

************************************

Here's my recipe for Banana Bread, which is scrumptous, and easy.

2 cups Flour (1 cup Rice, 1/2 cup Corn, 1/2 cup Sorgham)
1 tsp Xantham Gum
1-1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Nutmeg

Blend together the above. In another bowl:

2 Eggs
1-1/2 cups Mashed Bananas (4 or 5)
3/4 cup Sugar
1/3 cup Cooking Oil

Spray a 9" loaf pan with Pam. Mix the two bowls together. Fold into loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour, or until knife comes out clean.

Let me know what you think!

Happy Weekend from the Underground!

2009-01-23T20:17:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for stopping by. I hope at some point I may have some helpful info for you here. If we all share, we can all learn, and I'm so excited about this.

Please be patient with me as I learn to manipulate the blog settings to be most user-friendly. For example, I just learned, a few minutes ago, how to unlock the comment settings so it will allow anyone to leave a comment.

If you have any thoughts or comments, either about this blog itself or the content within, please do not hesitate to email me at: celiacunderground@gmail.com

Have a great day!
Emily

Great Fresh Basil Pasta

2009-01-22T18:33:00.001-08:00

Tinkyada makes amazing pasta! It only contains: stone-ground brown rice, rice bran, and water.

This is a very easy recipe that a chef friend of mine, known as "The Lady" taught me how to make:

A bunch of Fresh Basil, probably about 1/8 c.? More or less to taste
Handful of small tomatoes, grape or cherry
Fettucine noodles (cook with a pinch of salt and olive oil)
Fresh Mozzarella (opt.)

While cooking the noodles as directed, cut tomatoes in half (bite sized pieces).
Cut up basil (I use kitchen shears).

When noodles are finished, toss together. Garnish with fresh mozzarella.

Serve immediately. This is an amazingly flavorful dish.
I eat the leftovers cold, it's like a pasta salad.
Underground tip: Make sure to add oil to pasta water. Stir immediately when you add the noodles to keep them from sticking together.

Enjoy! Grazie!
(p.s. my camera ate the photo of the pasta it was so good! Sorry I don't have it, I will add another photo to this entry the next batch).

Super Fast Tostada lunch

2009-01-20T12:07:00.001-08:00

Ok, get ready: this one's really hard!

Buy:

large package of tostadas from the Mexican Foods aisle at a regular grocery store.
can of refried beans
package of shredded cheese (or lettuce, tomato, guacamole, whatever)

Directions:

Open Tostada bag, remove tostada.
Open can of beans, scoop out into a container (container optional, you could leave in the can)
Spread beans onto tostadas with knife.
Optional: sprinkle with shredded cheese.
Microwave approx. 1 minute, until beans are hot and/or cheese melts.

Voila! Instant lunch.

You could dress this up with some lettuce, tomato, sour cream, guacamole, or salsa. Or just eat plain. Soy cheese could be used. Vary however you like.

The bottom pic is the finished tostada, prep time: 3 mins, cook time: 1.5 mins. And the rest of my lunch--yogurt (0 min.), bag of carrots and dip (0 min., can be substituted with Hummus, which is probably healthier!).

Underground tip: Heluva Good makes some real good GF dip!

Enjoy some pancakes on a cold morning!

2009-01-20T09:18:00.000-08:00

I am not exactly a pancake person, but now and then it is a nice morning treat, especially on a SNOW DAY, like we're having in Raleigh NC right now!

So I thought I would share with you the product that I believe is the BEST tasting pancake mix. Hands down. The flavor is amazing, and the consistency is fluffy and light!

Maple Grove Farms Gluten Free Pancake Mix

My GF brother gets this mix at Giant Eagle in Columbus, Ohio. I found it once at Big Lots in Greenville, NC, and stocked up several boxes for $1.70 per box! Unfortunately, I haven't seen it at any of the groceries here in Raleigh. The Maple Grove Farms website says the 16 oz. box retails for 3.65, but their online store is currently unavailable.

Maple Grove Farms (scroll down to see the Gluten Free mix at the bottom) Ingredients: Rice Flour, Soy Flour, Dextrose, Leavening (Monocalcium Phosphate, Baking Soda), Salt, Corn Starch, Natural Flavor, Xanthan Gum.

I'll bet we could lobby Whole Foods or another local grocery (maybe Kroger--they have lots of great GF items, and reasonably priced) to start carrying this. The taste is amazing. The plate in the photo shows one batch, that's about 1/2 the mix, it made about a dozen mini-pancakes.

Pure maple syrup is Gluten Free. I haven't successfully found a cheaper option, but at least it is a delicious special treat! I bought this last bottle from an International Grocery store in Cary NC.

Underground tips: When I make these, I add a little extra water (about 1/3 cup) because I prefer thinner pancakes.

Also, freeze in a ziplock and enjoy all week long for breakfasts!

First and Foremost: LA PIZZA

2009-01-19T17:50:00.000-08:00

First of all, upon diagnosis, you think of everything you will never have again. Oh, how depressing.

Probably the first thing that comes to mind: PIZZA. It used to be so easy to just dial up the pizza joint (or order online) and voila! there was dinner.

Believe it or not, it seems that the days when you can order up a gluten-free pizza are just around the corner. If not already here, in some metropolitan areas. So there's no reason to be depressed!

But here is one of the most important basic recipes to keep on hand. This has passed the test of approval by wheat-eaters. Very much like the homemade pizza mom used to make us back in the 70s and 80s when it was too expensive to order pizza (much like the direction of our economy today). So save yourself a few bucks and cook this one up at home!

* * * * *

3 cups GF all-purpose flour blend
(I use 1 c. Rice flour, 1 c. Potato flour, 1 c. Corn flour)

1 tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1-1/2 tsp. xantham gum

1 package active dry yeast

1 cup warm water

2 tbsp. Olive Oil

Sauce and toppings

* * * * *

Blend the flour, sugar, salt, xantham gum and yeast (works very well to mix in a gallon size ziplock bag).

Put the flour in a bowl, add the water and oil. Mix with a wooden spoon, and then knead as much flour into the dough as possible. I usually add a little (a tablespoon or two) extra water to moisten. Dough should be moderately stiff but smooth and elastic.

Cover and let rest at 10-15 minutes.

Get one large jelly roll pan (this is a cookie sheet with edges). Grease or spray the pan with PAM. Press the dough into the pan. Cover with Italian sauce, mozzarella cheese and your favorite toppings (I like mushroom and onions).

Bake 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees, or until edges are golden brown.

This is actually just an adaptation of a recipe in my famous-name, generalized cookbook.

Underground tip: After enjoying this delicious pizza, cut the remaining pie up into 3" squares and place pieces in ziplock bags. Freeze. Now you have a week of lunches, or food for your cooler when you go on the road!

Introduction

2009-01-19T15:16:00.001-08:00

Hello there and welcome to the Underground! My name is Emily, and I'll be your guide on this delicious journey.

Since I got the idea to start this blog I have been very excited about sharing some of my tips and tricks for keeping up with a busy lifestyle while maintaining a gluten-free diet. I have some great news: It can be done!

I have some more great news:
It doesn't have to be expensive!

My training in the Arts has taught me to be a creative problem-solver, and I have a lot of helpful hints that I can share, that I hope will make your adjustment to living on a gluten-free diet easier and happier.

One of the things I have learned in my life is that if you have the desire to achieve or become something, and commit to the learning process, nothing can stop you. Being a happy, healthy Celiac is no exception. Many of my gluten-eating friends will vouch for the delicious foods I make and share with them. Simple and fast recipes. Life has never been so good--eating well and feeling well, what more can we ask for?