Gluten free longer-term storage foods

Just in case any of you live in areas that are prone to things like, snowstorms, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes... Augason Farms is having a sale on its longer term storage foods this week. They offer a number of certified gluten free foods that are canned and ready for camping, travel, and/or emergencies. Might be just the thing to include in a care package for your gluten free college student, as well!

Spaghetti Squash

My best girlfriend from high school invited me to a spur of the moment dinner at her house this week. Called and said "plan to stay for dinner - I'll make something you can eat". Gotta love this gal - she's a firm believer that there is nothing that can't be cured by exercise and a good attitude, but she goes out of her way to make sure I always have something that is safe to eat when I go to her house. And more than just a simple salad. Main dishes, sides, the whole nine yards. (I usually take dessert - usually my turtle brownies) This week's dinner revolved around some spaghetti squash she had cooked and frozen last fall. Yum! A little butter, a little maple syrup, and we were good to go with a great side dish that went really well with the ham she heated for dinner. She added in some chopped potatoes sauteed with butter, green and red peppers and onions, and I thought I was in heaven. It sounds so simple, doesn't it? In fact, she sent me home with some of the squash and I'm having it for dinner again today. In other news... I'm going to have a completely gluten free kitchen in a very few days. Getting rid of everything left over by my daughter and her friend who lived here from January to June. The unopened things will be sent to my daughter (she's a junior in college, and always broke) and anything else? Out. Just out. I'm tired of becoming ill because someone else in the house made themselves a meal and didn't clean the pot or utensils completely before putting them away. I know it is hard to get rid of all the gluten, but seriously? Can't you use one of the old pans to make your mac and cheese? Why do you have to use the new pans I got when I received the diagnosis? The whole idea was to never have any gluten ingredients in them, so I would always know they were safe. Which reminds me - If I ever, ever say I'm taking someone other than my daughter in again? Slap some sense into me.

AlpineAire Gluten Free Product List

I don't know about anywhere else, but around here... winter is coming. And with it are blizzards and power outages. So it is very helpful to have a bit of extra food (amont other things) around just in case.

AlpineAire offers a variety of dehydrated foods that can be used in such circumstances, and they also offer a wide variety of informative listings on their site. There are other allergen listings as well as the gluten-free list.

One thing, though - the apple flakes and diced apples are not on the gluten-free list. However, I emailed the company and got their assurance that they had contacted the manufacturer (on the second email - their first stated that they were going to contact them) and the apple products are gluten free.

The entire exchange took less than half an hour, and they were very helpful.

This winter, I'll be eating better as I sit here waiting forever for the roads to be plowed.

GF Tasting at The Raisin Rack today!

I'll be attending the GF tasting at the Raisin Rack in Canton this afternoon. Should be very interesting - there are so many things out there that I haven't tried! I will be picking up some gf burger buns while I'm there, to accompany the hot dog buns I got last week from The Grainless Baker.

The hot dog bun worked out really well, considering. And by that, I mean I was cooking over a bonfire, so the hot dog (and bun) went onto the cooking stick! Made quite the impression on the rest of the guests. But next time I'll save the seasonings for after the cooking... too much ketchup and the smaller side of the bun got a bit soggy and tried to break away from the rest.

Tasted pretty darned good, though. Nice and warm, a little crusty from the fire, and very good with that hot dog. (I'll heat the hot dog thoroughly before putting it into the bun in the future, though.)

All in all, it was a great evening.

My sister invited me for a cookout at her house this coming Saturday. Now, this is unusual. She lives over three hours away from me. But... she's invited one of her co-workers to come over, and that co-worker is also a Celiac. So I'm bringing the brownies (in a disposable pan, and already baked) and I'm going to grab a few treats for her friend as well. She has been a great help in finding things locally down there. My sister tries really hard to make sure I have things to eat, and that I'm safe in her home. She's sweet. And her friend has been a huge help. Turns out there are GF areas in the Meijer stores, and that Kroger has a lot of gf options as well. (Just not their cottage cheese, for some odd reason.)

So I'm making my turtle brownies (they were a bit hit the last time) and buns and I'll pick u an assortment of little things to take down with me for her. Maybe I'll even take a box of Glutino crackers for her... and I'll absolutely be taking the new Snyder's pretzels. I'm pretty sure she can't get them down there yet... they're still mostly in Whole Foods stores. (My wonderful GIG leader, Denise, got some for the Raisin Rack in Canton. I think it was blackmail...)

Hope all is well with you, and that you're finding lots of great gf eats this week.

Out of the blue

This evening I got a call from my sister in Columbus (well, outside Columbus).

She asked me to come to a cookout on the 18th. That's a little unusual, as I'm over three hours away from there. But then came the really strange thing - she asked me to bring brownies!!

She's inviting one of her friends who is also a Celiac, so I'll bring some burger buns and things as well - some things she might not be able to get way out in the middle of nowhere!

And... I get to miss a baby shower. Not that I don't want to celebrate, but those games make me crazy.

A visit to The Raisin Rack in Canton

After several stops, I headed over to the Raisin Rack in Canton today. The road in front of the store is closed, but they have a good path marked through the back and the store remains open. Except for Labor Day, of course.

I'm attending that midwest favorite, the bonfire on Sunday. So I grabbed some smorables, and some Udi's bread. Also got some hot dog buns (they were recommended by Denise, the GIG leader in this area)and some Katz parbaked rolls. I'm looking forward to seeing how they turn out - I've heard great things about the brand, and have never had the chance to try any of their products.

I'll give a full review after the bonfire... I'm having hot dogs and s'mores, just like everybody else!

Who's the Celiac?

This is a question I'm hearing more and more lately. I got it again on Saturday night while at my high school reunion. The minute I mentioned gluten-free, one of my classmates that I would never have imagined having any information whatsoever brought up that a softball buddy of his has celiac disease, and was in terrible pain prior to going gluten-free about two and a half years ago.

I was amazed. But then, maybe I shouldn't have been. Two of my girlfriends from way back when spoke up immediately when I got the diagnosis - one to offer support, and the other to let me know where to find both gf foods and a support group! And we live in the tiniest of small towns.

So far (and I know I haven't been doing this very long at all) I have had no attempts to entice me to eat something I shouldn't, I've had plenty of people offer to help me find things that I can eat, and I while I have had a couple of less than happy restaurant visits, I'm usually able to get what I need.

Still... I have to wonder what the reaction would be if I didn't have that word "disease" to fall back on. If I wasn't the celiac in the group. What if it was a different form of gluten intolerance? Would the perception of my friends and family be different? Would I get the same service when I go out? I hope so, but I suppose I'll never be really sure.

I have resorted to the "wheat allergy" excuse once or twice while eating out - especially when on the road and starving after driving all day. But the strange thing is... most of the time when I say that, they drag out a menu that plainly says "Gluten Free" on the front.

I'm glad to have been diagnosed this year, as I know things are far easier today than they were even a few years ago. And I'm glad to have the family and friends that I do... they are amazing.

Silly Yak Gluten-Free Kennywood trip

My daughter, two of her friends and I met up with Chandra and some of the other participants in the Yahoo "Silly Yaks" group for an outing at Kennywood on Sunday. What a wonderful place! In addition to the great rides, most of the park is covered in trees and there is ample shade available for even the most sunburn-prone among us.

But the very best parts? They allow (and even encourage) people to bring picnic lunches and have a large number of covered picnic pavilions available for both large groups with reservations and small family or other groups to use. They also offer a number of gluten free options throughout the park - their Potato Patch fries are gluten free, as is all the cheese sauce used in the park. And those fries with the cheddar sauce and bacon? To die for! But take someone with you to help eat them - the portions are huge. The burgers (sans buns, of course) and hot dogs are gluten-free, the soft serve ice cream is, too. And of course, the lemonaid and cotton candy are treats everyone can enjoy.

Good rides, and a lot more of them than Maria's friends had expected based on the size of the park. Six dollars for preferred parking, but there is a skyride to the free parking area!!

The only drawback? It took us two and a half hours to get out of Pittsburgh. The tunnel we took on the way in was closed for construction when we tried to get back out.

Still... we'll be doing it again. We will just plan to leave a bit earlier (before the tunnel closes for the night) or to take the turnpike.

Turtle bites

I have a picnic to attend tomorrow. It is going to be hot, humid and gluten-filled. I was asked to bring a side dish, but as I'm brain-dead right now, I could only think of two - pasta salad (which I can't eat) and baked beans (which someone else *always* brings. So I went the easy route... chips and salsa, and a brand-new recipe.

Now, I have to admit it starts with a Betty Crocker mix. And is stolen from their website, with a couple of very small changes. But still, it is my first effort, and from the appearance of the pan in the oven, it might just work out fine.

Preheat the oven as directed on the package.

I started off with a gluten-free brownie mix. Added the two eggs and the 1/2 stick of melted butter (and boy are they right when they say it will be thick!)

I used an 8x8 throw-away pan, as I'm taking them to a picnic, but I think they might do well in a small springform pan as well since the batter is so thick.

Sprayed the bottom of the pan with non-stick spray, and spread about half of the batter into the bottom of the pan. I put the pan into the oven for 10 minutes, during which time I:
1) unwrapped 20 Kraft Caramels
2) put them into the same container I melted the butter in
3) added about 1 1/2 tablespoons of nonfat evaporated milk and
4) melted it all in the microwave (it took about a minute and a half, stirring often.)

I added about a cup and a quarter of chopped pecans to the caramel and mixed them together, then poured the mixture over the layer of brownie in the pan. Spread it out all over the brownie, and then put the remainder of the batter on top. I managed to cover most of the caramel mixture with the brownie batter, but I think it might look nice if you were to just drop dabs over parts of the pan and let the caramel show more.

Baked again for ten minutes and then turned off the oven and left the bars in the oven while it cooled so they wouldn't overbake. (I hate dry brownies)

I'm going to take them out now (about ten minutes after I turned off the oven.) We'll see tomorrow how they turned out!

Gluten Intolerance Group Conference

Finally made it here after the trip from hell - went to New Jersey to see off a friend on Tuesday. He left Wednesday afternoon, and we headed directly to Minneapolis for the conference. Got here last evening, and had a lovely nap along the way in one of the Indiana Turnpike rest areas.

I'm looking forward to two jam-packed days, and will let you know what I learn. Maybe typing it out will help me retain some of it! Or at least I'll be able to go back to the posts to refresh my memory as it fades.

I hope there are handouts. I did bring note-taking supplies, but they aren't as good as handouts that you can make notes on.

Can you tell I'm a little bit excited? After being on the road all this time, I'm really looking forward to hearing about (and taste testing) a variety of foods that aren't bananas and vanilla ice cream. Or burgers without a bun, like last night's dinner. Oh, and what's the deal with all the melon? Ask for fruit with your meal, and you get a couple of strawberries and a boatload of melon. Would it kill them to throw in a blueberry or a grape?

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.)

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.

Doing something

Is way better than doing nothing. I've modified my other weblog to reflect my new "interest" and am going to be starting to plan the trip to California to get my daughter and bring her home for the summer.

While I will attempt to arrange my evening stops for areas where I can get a hot, gluten-free meal, I know that most of the time on the road I'm going to be improvising. That's where the supermarket info and brand info come in handy.

I have two flexible coolers that I will be taking with me, and I am *not* going to live on chips and snickers bars for two or more weeks. (Both ways)

Food memories

Just immersed myself in something I haven't eaten since I was three years old. My grandmother had some strawberry plants, and when we visited my sister and I would go into the back yard first thing in the morning, when there was still dew on the plants, and pick a bunch of them.

Grandma would bring us the sugar bowl, and we would dip the fresh strawberries into the sugar and wolf them down like the candy they were. What an amazing memory.

Sometimes gluten free brings me closer to the innocent little kid I once was. Tonight is one of those times.

Did this happen to anyone else when first diagnosed?

Or am I just strange? I appear to have lost my appetite. Almost completely, for the past four days.

Is it my brain telling me that since I can't eat half the things I have in my cupboards, I should just avoid eating at all? Or am I dealing with something else entirely?

I am making myself eat at least a little each day, although on Tuesday that consisted of a Snickers bar for lunch. Not really the best thing in the world, but at least it was something.

Happy Mardi Gras!

While I can't partake in all the traditional festivities, I am planning to do a bit of celebrating tonight. Gonna make myself a good, gf dinner, followed by some sort of fatty egg and bread-like thing for dessert. Maybe some sweet french toast made with udi's bread. Sounds interesting, doesn't it? Not quite pancakes, but close enough for this year.

Next year I hope to be able to make a nice king cake. Gluten Free, of course!

(Yes, I'm feeling a bit better today. Amazing what a little B12 will do for you!)

Stick a fork in me, I'm done.

So, on Sunday I found out that my liver is enlarged. Not terribly much, but enough. And I had five more tubes of blood drawn.

This morning, I had my cat scan. Appointment at 9:30, test takes ten minutes, tops. Made it out of there at a quarter after 11. Ugh.

Then off to the doctor to start over with the p. anemia treatments. One shot per day for three days, then one per week for two weeks, then one per month. So damned stupid. I told them I needed the shots. But I guess I'm just a dumbass who doesn't have a clue about my own medical history. Asshats.

So, I'm bruised, tired, thirsty, craving pasta, and my cholesterol is evidently through the roof. At least Maria gets done with college in three years, and then I can just tell them all to go to hell and enjoy what little is left of my life. (And yes, I'm aware that I could have a much longer one if I did all I was told. But I'm done now. I really just am.)

Happy Valentine's Day

Got an ultrasound done this morning. My liver is enlarged. (of course) and my left kidney is hidden. Took the poor woman several minutes just to find the thing.

And... I went to the bigger grocery store on my way home. Found a bbq sauce that I can eat (the Jack Daniels original), but my favorite isn't gluten free. Nor is any of the reasonably priced soy sauce or its relatives. Oh, the gf brands are out there, but they cost twice as much as the originals. And I just can't afford that.

I did find one type of sushi at the counter that I can eat... the roasted salmon rolls. Of course, I can have the veggie rolls, too... but I do like the texture of the fish rolls. California roll is out of the question, as it uses the fake crab. And that's made with... wheat. Who'd have thought that fish was made with wheat?

My trip to Starbucks went better, though. The one near me has discontinued the gf cake, but they had a brand of cookies that they have just brought in - Lucy's - and it is gluten free. And not bad tasting, either. Very, very crisp, but I dunked them in the coffee, and they acted just like regular sugar cookies, and tasted just like them, too. I'll be getting them when I go back, and I'll be going back pretty often. (It is right next to the big grocery store.)

Oh, and I found corn tortillas at the big store. They were with the cheese. Strange, but I guess they have to be refrigerated. Who knew? So now I can have some lovely chicken wraps and things of that sort. It will make my life easier, and will keep me from just eating Fritos for dinner from now on. At least most of the time.

Raisin Rack, Canton, OH

I visited this store yesterday after the doctor made it *very* clear that yes, even a tiny bit of gluten would start the whole process all over again. Not a good thing, I don't think.

And I stood there for over an hour, just staring at things. They have it all, mixes, flours, baked goods, snacks, even pizza/pizza shells and frozen dinners for both kids and adults. Oh, and cheesecake.

But I wound up just getting a few things - some flour, a loaf of bread and some english muffins. I figure if the things I put with them are flavorful enough, I won't notice anything but the texture, right? And if I'm paying six dollars for four english muffins, they had damned well better have the texture right.

One piece of good news, though. He says that the stupid patch on my elbow should be gone within a few weeks. No more cracking and bleeding and being embarrassed at the fuzzy looking shards of dry skin that stick up from it and hurt whenever anything brushes against them. Yay for that, anyway.

Living Without Gluten-free Recipes

I think my first attempt will be the Boston Cream Pie... it won't be exactly the same, of course, but it might just satisfy my craving for custard filled donuts.