A good discussion about the various levels of gluten deemed "acceptable"

I suppose I should move to Australia if I want to be really gluten-free, but I am hoping that the American proposed standard of <20ppm will be good enough. I just wish they would get around to actually passing the thing and beginning to enforce some of the regulations that go with it. It will be just so very much easier to eat when "natural flavor" is less of an unknown.

Oh, well. At least I can have my cream eggs this Easter.

Awareness Month

Gluten Free

An Article in Living Without

I just read this article, and while I agree with the idea that the daughter needs to be rewarded for her help, I disagree with the author's apparent assumption that she doesn't resent having to do the things she does.

I may be new to the Celiac thing, but I'm an old hand at being the younger, sick child. My sister was always left to be in charge of me, to protect me, to watch me, to take care of me when my parents couldn't be there. And she suffered for it. A lot.

They were there at her performances and such, because she was far enough ahead of me in school that I could just be dragged along with them when they went, but there was never a summer vacation when she could just pick up and go with her friends without having to take me along, and in the end, her friends wound up being my friends. And that hurt her more than I can express. I even wound up marrying the boy she had a crush on in high school.

In short, they need to *make* things happen for her. They need to plan some spontaneous things, or at least be prepared when they come up. There are snack packs and coolers and all sorts of ways to prepare for those things - and they can encourage her to go out on her own with her friends families if the opportunity arises.

They will all be healthier for it in the long run.

Today's dinner...

Chili cheese rice. I used to love chili-mac. Ate it regularly. Nowadays, that's a thing of the past - gluten free pasta is just too expensive to use for an everyday meal.

So I substitute instant rice for the pasta, and add a boatload of cheese. Still yummy, but I'm considering splurging and making the real thing when my daughter gets home from college.

Yummy lunch today

I got a strange desire for a toasted peanut butter sandwich this morning, but rather than indulge in that, I broke out the Glutino crackers.

Not wheat, that's for sure, but once again I'm reminded that if what I put on or in it is tasty enough, all I really need is the correct texture. And these crackers have it. So glad I found them at the supermarket near my sister's house.

Eggs, cheese and vegetables

I am getting things done around here. Cleaned out the fridge and freezer yesterday, and am bringing all the new groceries in from the garage today. I've got a space for them in the bottom of the china cabinet, and once they are all inside, I'm going to do an inventory.

Why? Um, well, I appear to be losing track of what I have. While cleaning out the fridge I found four pounds of butter, three dozen eggs and about seven pounds of assorted cheeses. Oops! Yeah. My doctor will be so very proud of my efforts to keep my cholesterol down!!

But with the new room in the house for groceries, I will be able to keep track better, I hope. I already know I have about two cases of canned green beans, and nowhere near enough of anything else. Got to fix that. Maybe I should put a list up on the front of the fridge, and check things off as I use them. That way I would know when I actually *need* things, as opposed to just guessing in the grocery store. Maybe.

About that new dining out thing...

I'm considering giving it up for a while. Not that it was bad... the young lady was very considerate, and told the cook all about my allergy, and he gave me exactly what I had ordered, exactly the way I ordered it.

(I told her it was a wheat allergy, just to make things easier on myself... I was getting pulled pork, and I didn't think it would matter. I'm dumb that way sometimes.)

I don't know if there was gluten in that sauce, but it sure was spicy. And I paid for it all the way home!

Next time I'll order the pork without the bun *and* without the sauce!

One more for the road

Tomorrow I'll be testing out another new thing... going to meet a friend in Euclid for lunch. I'm not at all sure where we'll be eating, and may wind up driving all over the metropolitan area while I'm at it.

I don't know what I'll wind up eating, but if I find a place that's good, and has a decent staff, I will let you know.

Thank Heavens for BBQ!

As I am looking through the CSA's Gluten-Free Product Listing, I am finding that most BBQ places are loaded with gluten-free choices. Of course, it is helpful that I enjoy the stuff, and that most offer a variety so I don't get too bored.

And I am certain Maria will enjoy visiting local spots as we travel across the south this spring on the way back from California! It is one of the things I like best about travel, and she appears to have inherited my appreciation of local eateries and trying just about anything that is considered local fare.

I think I might just survive this. At least, I think so today.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

I hope you will all have a wonderful day, filled with corned beef, lamb stew, cottage or shepherd's pie, and green gluten-free beer!!

I'm torn between corned beef and some sort of amazing potato dish. Who knows... maybe I'll just do both.

At least this is one holiday when I don't have to worry about finding something to eat.

Home again, home again, jiggity jig.

As my grandmother would have said.

Just got back yesterday from a visit with my sister and her husband. She and I are getting along far better than we ever have, but this time she kind of pissed me off. You see, she lives near a bunch of stores that have gluten free items. And she has a Sam's club card. So I went down to do some shopping and visit a little bit.

I understand that she's my older sister, but come on... we're both in our fifties!! Time to quit thinking you have to "do" for me. I paid for our purchases at Sam's, and she got really mad at me. Even though she bought lunch, and paid at the grocery store, she was upset with me for paying for my own (and some of her) groceries. Now, isn't that a bit strange?

And this was just after we had discussed the fact that she is having money trouble. I just don't understand this compulsion of hers to take care of everyone she comes in contact with. Okay, I have some of the same tendencies, but nowhere near to the extent she does. She's supporting her brother-in-law, sends lunch every day for one of her husband's co-workers, and then tries to pay for my groceries! While she's worried about her mortgage payments.

I keep trying to talk to her, but it never seems to work. She is a lovely, caring woman and she is bound and determined to make everyone else's life easier. But she's making herself crazy.

Food Network

I admit it... I am an avid watcher of the Food Network. And while I think Guy is just remarkably overrated, I do love Diners, Driveins and Dives. Because there's just nothing like local food, and a diner or dive is exactly the right place to get the local stuff.

However, I am finding myself watching the shows now and instead of saying "Oh, I'd love to try that one day... maybe I'll look that place up when I'm in the area" I find myself going, "Oh. I can't have that."

It is depressing. Maybe I need to find another station to watch.

Successful Casino Trip

I went to this casino with some friends yesterday, and not only did I break even, I was able to find some food in the buffet. Not the sort that most CD people would probably trust, but hey... nobody ever said I was going to be perfect.

The BBQ station had a carving station set up with roast beef and turkey, and had grilled veggies available. And the "American" station had its hamburger, cheeseburger, and chicken patties separate from the buns!! Of course, I understand that it is to keep the buns from getting soggy, but it works for those of us who have to avoid them as well.

I did not try out the salad bar, as I had indulged in a lovely chef salad for dinner on Wednesday... and one meal of salad per week is pretty much my limit. But it looked as though they offered a number of acceptable items.

Still want the real lowdown on mushrooms, though. I miss mushrooms.

Second Hep B shot today

I'm slowly becoming friends with a very nice woman who is also anti-vaccination. This is only slightly disturbing to me, as my daughter is finished with both elementary and secondary school, and is therefore not likely to become ill when this woman's children bring their nasty diseases into the school system.

(Is that too harsh?)

She really is a lovely woman, and I understand that since one of her children did have a severe reaction to a vaccine, she is unwilling to take another risk. That being said, she has no right to expose others to the risks she is willing to take for her children. And no, she doesn't home-school. She sends her children out to mingle with others on a daily basis.

So... one more friend with whom I have to avoid certain subjects. Sigh. Oh, well... at least she's not going to call me a filthy meat-eater. (And yes, she is vegetarian. Just not rabid. Or rude.)

Strange new symptom

I'm fat. That is one of the reasons you will never see a profile photo of me. Only the cats.

However, I have almost completely lost my desire to snack. This is abnormal. It is so abnormal, I'm going to talk to the doctor about it when I go in for my shot on Wednesday. You'd think I would be thrilled, but I'm not. I'm worried.

Not that I don't need to lose the weight - I do. But the change is so dramatic it is causing me some distress.

Now if I had lost my desire for cigarettes, I'd be thrilled.

Marzetti Salad Dressings

Almost all of the Marzetti brand refrigerated salad dressings are gluten free. This is a great thing for people like me who are planning to both travel and eat on a budget. I can take salad dressing, some cold cuts and cheese that I know are gluten free, such as Hillshire Farms roasted turkey and Sugerdale ham, and just buy salad greens in supermarkets along the way! Great thing for chef salads (without the egg, of course, unless there are preboiled eggs in the market) and will make an inexpensive and nutritious dinner at least a few nights per week!

Way less of a problem than trying to eat on the road at fast food places, and far less expensive than eating steak and a baked potato every night for three weeks!!

Over a month now

And most of my GI symptoms are gone. Not too bad. Still working on the dermatology stuff, but it seems to be clearing up nicely, too.

Found a gluten-free bakery in Alliance, OH... Kathy's Creations. She makes the most wonderful double chocolate cookies. Huge, and soft and delicious. The pie crust tastes gluey to me, but I imagine I'll get used to it. I was never a big crust fan, anyway. But the fillings are lovely, and when you walk in the door - heaven. It smells the way a bakery is supposed to smell. Like flour and sugar and all things yummy. She is only open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, though. But some of her creations are available at local outlets, like the Raisin Rack in Canton.

She did warn me that they get their deliveries on Thursdays, and are usually out of stock by Friday evenings, though.

Next week is one of the first big tests... I'm going out of town with a friend to a casino for the day. We'll see if I can find anything to eat there. (I am taking some snacks with me, just in case.)

One month

Hello, imaginary readers. I know you're (not) out there.

Well, today makes one month. So far, so good. I'm finding lots of resources on the internet, meeting some people who have gone gluten-free for one reason or another, and maybe, just maybe, making a difference in the life of a celiac who doesn't drive and thus cannot get to group meetings. (I'm taking her copies of my information) (And no, I can't just take her with me to the meetings... she lives 120 miles from here, near my sister.)

Found a local gluten-free bakery that I'm going to check out today. And one of my friends has let me know that some gluten-free pastas and things can be found at Big Lots and the grocery outlet in Hartville for way, way less than at the health food stores. That'll be good for my budget!!

And let's face it... this is a big, big hit to my budget. I have a whole kitchen full of food I can no longer eat. And a daughter in college. Tuition, fees, books and living expenses come first. So anything I can do to trim the extra costs will be done. Who cares if the boxes are a little crushed, as long as they aren't open?

Costco vs Sam's Club

I hear that Costco has a good number of gluten free items, even in its own Kirkland brand of foods. This is great, and will help me no end when I go out to California, where there's a Costco on practically every block. Here in middle-of-nowheresville, it isn't a huge help. The nearest one is over 45 miles away.

Sam's Club, on the other hand, hasn't been reviewed for gluten free items, at least not as far as I've been able to find in my (limited so far) research on the web. But they are everywhere out here. So, the next time I head down to my sister's house, I'm going to drag her to the nearest one and try to find some things that I can eat. (Other than the veggies, of course.)

Maybe it will be worthwhile to renew my own membership. Or maybe I'll go for the Costco membership and just make a huge trip once a month.

Simply Recipes

This lovely website has a whole section devoted to gluten-free recipes, although lots of them appear to be pictured alongside things like flour tortillas... we can always substitute corn tortillas for them.

One of the things I'm finding on this new diet is that I tend to get into a rut of eating the same things all the time... and I'm less than a month into it. Got to open myself up to new things or I am going to get bored, not to mention I'm going to miss out on lots of delicious and healthy things that are available.

Still searching for something to replace Nacho Cheese Doritos, though. With no luck so far.