Cooking With Gluten For Others

[Kaycee]

Last night, I volunteered to make soup for a workmate and it had barley in it. It was a bit tough to cook, as there was no way I could tell whether it tasted right or not. But the room had the aroma of soup, and it smelt quite unappealing, and I am normally such a soup lover.

Later on that evening, my stomach played up as it seems to when I get glutened. Is it safe to cook gluten foods or not. Could the smell of the product set of an attack? I can handle touching sandwiches etc, and prepare morning teas. as in placing things on plates, but is cooking from scratch is another thing. Or is it? Maybe it is just me being a bit crazy. All this non-gluten stuff is enough to drive anyone crazy. In having said that, the diet once perfected will be awesome.

I also drank some diet lemonade, could that have been the problem? I seem to be able to drink normal fizzy, but do wonder about the diet drinks.

I think I kissed my husband as well

So what do I have to give up, the husband, the soup making, or the diet drinks?

Why is it that a lot of gluten free stuff is so fattening, as in full of fat? Not all of us are pencil thin.

Cathy

[DILIROTH]

Hi Cathy,

I would definately give up soup making with Gluten ingredients, consider the artificial sweetners in the sodas but if hes good to you - keep the husband.

There could always be a chance that the Barley ended up in your system through cross contamination.

I am the only Celiac in my home and I refuse to cook anything that is not gluten-free because its just too difficult to not eat it and I dont want to risk being sick. The only exception I have made since diagnosis was making my daughters Birthday Cake.

Also, I dont drink diet sodas or consume diet products because of the aspertame in most of them - I dont like the flavor and it has always upset my stomach (Maybe there is Glutne in them but I am not sure?) There are a lot of new drinks that contain Splenda and they dont seem to bother me. You might want to experiment with the artificial sugars and see if they might be the cause.

Additionally, since going gluten-free I eat much healthier and hardly any fatty foods because I try to avoid processed foods and due to my location, I cant have fast foods so it forces me to eat more fresh vegies and fruit snacks. I have always liked healthy foods but the convience of the Glutened items made it too easy for a busy lifestyle. My regular cooking habits have not changed that much for dinners - only a few alterations to some old favorites.

Theresa

[zip2play]

The last 3 times I made cake/cupcakes/cookies for functions at schools, I got sick. Raw flour seems to harm me more than anything! Other than that, I tend to not have very obvious or horrible symptoms. From here forward, Hubby makes those kind of necessary things. WIN WIN for me!

Monica

[TriticusToxicum]

I am the only Celiac in my home as well. My wife and daughters love pizza, and it is a tradition that Friday night is pizza night. I always buy dough at the supermarket (we live in the boonies - nobody delivers) and make the pizza from there. I found that the flour gets airbourne and into my nose/mouth from there and I suffer mild symptoms. So I now cover my face with a bandana and assume my alter ego - the Pizza Bandit. I try to keep the dust to a minimum and make sure I scrub the whole prep area, as well as my hands and arms. It's one of the tortures I put myself through (making it but mot getting to eat it!) - gluten-free pizza doesn't compare! I always make my gluten-free pizza first and it goes on the top rack, theirs on the bottom. If I am careful I can avoid the cross contamination. This is, however, the ONLY non-gluten-free thing I attempt in the kitchen.

[eKatherine]

I am the only Celiac in my home as well. My wife and daughters love pizza, and it is a tradition that Friday night is pizza night. I always buy dough at the supermarket (we live in the boonies - nobody delivers) and make the pizza from there. I found that the flour gets airbourne and into my nose/mouth from there and I suffer mild symptoms. So I now cover my face with a bandana and assume my alter ego - the Pizza Bandit. I try to keep the dust to a minimum and make sure I scrub the whole prep area, as well as my hands and arms. It's one of the tortures I put myself through (making it but mot getting to eat it!) - gluten-free pizza doesn't compare! I always make my gluten-free pizza first and it goes on the top rack, theirs on the bottom. If I am careful I can avoid the cross contamination. This is, however, the ONLY non-gluten-free thing I attempt in the kitchen.

Have you tried using rice flour to dust the (gluten) dough?

[ravenwoodglass]

I am the only Celiac in my home as well. My wife and daughters love pizza, and it is a tradition that Friday night is pizza night. I always buy dough at the supermarket (we live in the boonies - nobody delivers) and make the pizza from there. I found that the flour gets airbourne and into my nose/mouth from there and I suffer mild symptoms. So I now cover my face with a bandana and assume my alter ego - the Pizza Bandit. I try to keep the dust to a minimum and make sure I scrub the whole prep area, as well as my hands and arms. It's one of the tortures I put myself through (making it but mot getting to eat it!) - gluten-free pizza doesn't compare! I always make my gluten-free pizza first and it goes on the top rack, theirs on the bottom. If I am careful I can avoid the cross contamination. This is, however, the ONLY non-gluten-free thing I attempt in the kitchen.

I have a 'sneaky' suggestion. I use Gluten-Free pantry's French Bread and Pizza mix. While it is a pain to spread as all our 'doughs' are it cooks up and tastes like pizza. It is soft and chewy and even non-gluten-free folks can't tell the difference as long as they don't see you make it. I always loved thick crust deep dish pizza and had missed it so much. It seems you could pound nails with most of the gluten-free pizza crusts but this really is like gluten bread without the pain. I also use it to make pita breads and sub rolls and freezing actually improves the rolls crust by making it flakey. It's well worth giving it a try.

[tarnalberry]

eh... gluten-free foods, non-gluten-free foods, vegetarian foods, this kind of food, that kind of food... any way you want to categorize it, you can find unhealthy food or healthy food or high fat food or high sugar food. you just got to eat the stuff that keeps your body happy and healthy. and what exactly that is varies a bit for all of us. it can be tough, especially if you're used to one thing or another, but with some planning and preparation, you can make the switch.

[Kaycee]

Additionally, since going gluten-free I eat much healthier and hardly any fatty foods because I try to avoid processed foods and due to my location, I cant have fast foods so it forces me to eat more fresh vegies and fruit snacks. I have always liked healthy foods but the convience of the Glutened items made it too easy for a busy lifestyle. My regular cooking habits have not changed that much for dinners - only a few alterations to some old favorites.

Theresa

Theresa, in this last paragraph, it could be me. My location only means McD's, pizza hut and KFC. Yuck. Or if I want to take a risk, fast foods from local outlets. Have definately given up most processed foods. Yes glutened items were so easy to use, and now it is cooking from scratch, I have got to the stage where that is second nature, and very yummy.

At this stage the husbands stays, only been married for nearly a year, and he has been a rock.

There is no more cooking with flour for me, as I know that gets me, but I thought, barley in s aoup mix might be a bit different, but it was probably a mixture of the diet drink and the barley that got me. I have wondered about the diet drinks, as there have been warnings about it giving people diahrea.

Thanks for your reply.

Cathy

[L.A.]

I am the only Celiac in my home as well. My wife and daughters love pizza, and it is a tradition that Friday night is pizza night. I always buy dough at the supermarket (we live in the boonies - nobody delivers) and make the pizza from there. I found that the flour gets airbourne and into my nose/mouth from there and I suffer mild symptoms. So I now cover my face with a bandana and assume my alter ego - the Pizza Bandit. I try to keep the dust to a minimum and make sure I scrub the whole prep area, as well as my hands and arms. It's one of the tortures I put myself through (making it but mot getting to eat it!) - gluten-free pizza doesn't compare! I always make my gluten-free pizza first and it goes on the top rack, theirs on the bottom. If I am careful I can avoid the cross contamination. This is, however, the ONLY non-gluten-free thing I attempt in the kitchen.

I use a face mask--like they do in the hospitals if cooking with gluten products

[Mango04]

I just don't ever cook with gluten. Non-celiacs don't really need gluten If you don't tell them it's gluten-free they never know the difference.

[taz sharratt]

I just don't ever cook with gluten. Non-celiacs don't really need gluten If you don't tell them it's gluten-free they never know the difference.

mango 04, you are so right, maybe i should dtart cooking gluten-free for my kids now so if and when they have the test its not way out there for them, BUT, you can taiste the differnce in cakes and pasts which is what my kids love the most.

[penguin]

mango 04, you are so right, maybe i should dtart cooking gluten-free for my kids now so if and when they have the test its not way out there for them, BUT, you can taiste the differnce in cakes and pasts which is what my kids love the most.

DH is a gluten addict, and he actually likes tinkyada better than regular pasta. I thought pasta was the easiest thing to replace! It also helped that most of the things that were in my dinner rotation were already gluten-free, and the others were easily modified. Nini has an oven baked fried chicken recipe using instant potato flakes that works really well. I make ranch chicken tenders with them. My suggestion would be to start phasing gluten out of your house, starting with dinners.

In my house, I allow pre-packaged gluten only for DH. That means he can have his cereal and crackers. I don't allow regular bread though, but we never ate it anyway.

When I have kids, or if I have kids visiting, I'll make the house TOTALLY gluten-free because kids leave crumbs everywhere and their hands get on everything and then they kiss you with gluteny mouths...not worth the risk to me. At least while they're young.

Many ice creams are gluten-free, and if they HAVE to have cakes, buy store bought cupcakes to reduce the crumb factor.

[eKatherine]

mango 04, you are so right, maybe i should dtart cooking gluten-free for my kids now so if and when they have the test its not way out there for them, BUT, you can taiste the differnce in cakes and pasts which is what my kids love the most.

I developed a cake flour blend which I used to make a sponge cake with last night, and it tastes great! Maybe it didn't rise quite as high, but I never made the recipe before, and I don't intend to make it with wheat flour to test it. It's tasty, has an excellent texture, and is not in the least bit dry.

I buy my rice flours in the Asian market for .79 a pound.

3 cups white rice flour

1 cup sweet rice flour

2 teaspoons xanthan gum

I would substitute this in any cake recipe. Remember, bleached white cake flour doesn't have any flavor anyway.

I also buy white rice spaghetti and noodles of other shapes at the Asian market. Spaghetti-like noodles and long tubes go for 1.29 to 1.99, while more traditional Asian styles are less. Put sauce on it and nobody will miss wheat spaghetti.

Hint: Asian rice noodles cook much more quickly and have a better texture if you soak them in warm water until they are flexible before boiling.

[TriticusToxicum]

Have you tried using rice flour to dust the (gluten) dough?

I've actually never thought of that- DUH! Being as cheap as I am I would probably convulse at the thought of "wasting" perfectly good rice flour! However, I may yet try it!

[angel-jd1]

Cooking with regular gluten filled flour seems rediculous to me. It is easily breathed in, hangs in the air, and covers EVERYTHING when you are cooking with it.

If you breathe it in through your nose, your nasal cavity goes down your throat, which of course leads to your stomach.......contamination and glutening is bound to happen! Why end up sick?!!?

Tell your family to make it themselves or eat the gluten free version! It really isn't worth the risk.

-Jessica

[CarlaB]

I am the only Celiac in my home as well. My wife and daughters love pizza, and it is a tradition that Friday night is pizza night. I always buy dough at the supermarket (we live in the boonies - nobody delivers) and make the pizza from there. I found that the flour gets airbourne and into my nose/mouth from there and I suffer mild symptoms. So I now cover my face with a bandana and assume my alter ego - the Pizza Bandit. I try to keep the dust to a minimum and make sure I scrub the whole prep area, as well as my hands and arms. It's one of the tortures I put myself through (making it but mot getting to eat it!) - gluten-free pizza doesn't compare! I always make my gluten-free pizza first and it goes on the top rack, theirs on the bottom. If I am careful I can avoid the cross contamination. This is, however, the ONLY non-gluten-free thing I attempt in the kitchen.

Wow, a hubby that cooks! And I thought my husband was Mr. Perfect! Okay, he is, but he can't cook, and please don't tell him that thing about Mr. Perfect, make him keep working ...

I'm not as nice as you are, I won't cook food with gluten in it. My family would prefer it that way as well so that I stay healthy. We have a counter set aside in the kitchen, and all the gluten food is fixed there. My kids are used to kissing me on the cheek if they've been eating.

Last night, I volunteered to make soup for a workmate and it had barley in it. It was a bit tough to cook, as there was no way I could tell whether it tasted right or not. But the room had the aroma of soup, and it smelt quite unappealing, and I am normally such a soup lover.

Later on that evening, my stomach played up as it seems to when I get glutened. Is it safe to cook gluten foods or not. Could the smell of the product set of an attack? I can handle touching sandwiches etc, and prepare morning teas. as in placing things on plates, but is cooking from scratch is another thing. Or is it? Maybe it is just me being a bit crazy. All this non-gluten stuff is enough to drive anyone crazy. In having said that, the diet once perfected will be awesome.

I also drank some diet lemonade, could that have been the problem? I seem to be able to drink normal fizzy, but do wonder about the diet drinks.

I think I kissed my husband as well

So what do I have to give up, the husband, the soup making, or the diet drinks?

Why is it that a lot of gluten free stuff is so fattening, as in full of fat? Not all of us are pencil thin.

Cathy

Keep the husband, get rid of the diet drinks and barley!! Try water with lemon squeezed in it, it's really good for you. Even if you add a bit of sugar, it still beats the diet. I cooked with barley once since going gluten-free. I don't know about your experience, but there was a lot of dust in the air when I used it. That was the last time I cooked a non-gluten-free food.

[penguin]

It's one of the tortures I put myself through (making it but mot getting to eat it!) - gluten-free pizza doesn't compare! I always make my gluten-free pizza first and it goes on the top rack, theirs on the bottom. If I am careful I can avoid the cross contamination. This is, however, the ONLY non-gluten-free thing I attempt in the kitchen.

Friday night is also pizza night in my house, and we just switched to gluten-free pizza. I am a pizza snob, so I know my stuff. If you make the red bag of chebe mix, add parmesan to the mix, and bake it on a stone, it passes for real pizza! The crust is crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, just like it should be. If you use your old gluteny stone though, make sure it's lined with parchment paper, or you'll get glutened from the stone! The parchment also makes for embarassingly easy cleanup!

[Mango04]

mango 04, you are so right, maybe i should dtart cooking gluten-free for my kids now so if and when they have the test its not way out there for them, BUT, you can taiste the differnce in cakes and pasts which is what my kids love the most.

I think some gluten-free cakes taste just as good (maybe better) than gluteny ones. We threw a huge graduation party for my brother last weekend and served all gluten, dairy and soy-free food. People loved it. After the party, when everything was all cleaned up, my brother's friend came rummaging through our kitchen. When we asked what he was looking for he said, "I'm looking for some more of those delectable cupcakes!" He had no idea they were gluten dairy and soy free. Nobody could even tell the difference.

[CarlaB]

I think some gluten-free cakes taste just as good (maybe better) than gluteny ones. We threw a huge graduation party for my brother last weekend and served all gluten, dairy and soy-free food. People loved it. After the party, when everything was all cleaned up, my brother's friend came rummaging through our kitchen. When we asked what he was looking for he said, "I'm looking for some more of those delectable cupcakes!" He had no idea they were gluten dairy and soy free. Nobody could even tell the difference.

I've found this to be true, too. The only way my family knows for sure if something is gluten-free is if I'm eating it. Sometimes they'll even comment that it was the only way they knew because the food was so good.

[Susan123]

I got one along the lines of this conversation. It is not regarding feeding kids or hubby but fish. Fish food has gluten in it. Do you think it is ok to feed them as you pinch it in your fingers and spread it on the top. My boyfriend has been doing it so far but I feel like I am neglecting them.

[dionnek]

On the pizza thing - can you put parchment paper on a regular pizza pan (the metal kind with holes in it)? My 2 pizza pans have both been used for gluten pizza and I don't want to buy new ones, but I'm afraid they mind still hold some gluten in them....

[penguin]

On the pizza thing - can you put parchment paper on a regular pizza pan (the metal kind with holes in it)? My 2 pizza pans have both been used for gluten pizza and I don't want to buy new ones, but I'm afraid they mind still hold some gluten in them....

You can use parchment paper for almost anything

That would definitely work.

[TriticusToxicum]

You can use parchment paper for almost anything

Parchment paper ROCKS! Zero clean up for cookies and no CC worry- BONUS!

I have tried the Chebe Mix too, but never on my stone. It was ok. I like Chebe better as rolls - still warm and slathered with fake butter - yummmy.

[Kaycee]

mango 04, you are so right, maybe i should dtart cooking gluten-free for my kids now so if and when they have the test its not way out there for them, BUT, you can taiste the differnce in cakes and pasts which is what my kids love the most.

Yes you can taste the difference in the textures.

I now when cooking cakes go for the more flavoursome cake. eg I make fruit muffins, instead of plain ones.

I really go for the cakes with different flavours, where it is not too much like a plain cake. I have yet to try a carrot cake. The boys who are great connosoirs say my concoctions taste quite nice.

The thing that I do, is if it is a cake recipe, I cook it in muffin trays. Then we all have one of the little delights, and then I freeze the rest for me to eat later, while the rest have their biscuits from the shop. I don't feel left out this way, and they still get to taste my cooking.

I have had a bit of success replacing flour with gluten free flours in recipes and it seems to work quite well. These are my treats, as I just so hate buying processed food with all the additives.

Last night I made an apple crumble, it had stewed apples, custard over top of that and then a crumble on top, baked in the overn. I cooked these in little cups, and I liked it, well that is the main thing I guess, as long as I like them, but I would not like to be left with eating all that pudding

Cathy

[eKatherine]

I've actually never thought of that- DUH! Being as cheap as I am I would probably convulse at the thought of "wasting" perfectly good rice flour! However, I may yet try it!

I get white rice flour in 1# bags for .79 at the local Asian grocery. I understand it's available for even less at some Asian stores.