New Celiac

[gf49erfan]

I wanna cry , I miss my Pizza, Beer, Bread.............any help would be helpful, I spend hours at the store reading labels, I get so frustrated , I just go and get fruits and veggies instead!

The store I go to has a "little" area that have gluten-free products, but I do mean little!

I like to cook, but not sure what to use, would I just subsitute rice flour for regular flour??

I may just turn into a veggiefruiter, I know those are gluten-free (at least I hope!!)

If anyone can give some suggestions, or send me food! that would be GREAT!!

Thanks

Allen

[CarlaB]

Sorry, it's tough, especially in the beginning.

Meat, chicken, eggs, fish, nuts, fruit, veggies, rice, and potatoes are all naturally gluten-free. Just start there, then find substitutes for your glutenous goodies you miss. It's not as complicated as trying to replace everything that you're eating now with something similar.

[queenofhearts]

Welcome, & fear not! There is pizza, beer, & bread in your future. Since you like to cook you have a great head start! There are plenty of good recipes on this site (including flour mixes), but I'd also recommend you look up Bette Hagman's gluten-free gourmet series. You'll find out a lot about the different flours out there & what they do best. Annalise Roberts is also great for desserts. You may want to order flours online, or if you have an Asian market nearby you can find many there at great prices. There are many avid cooks on this forum, so ask any question & you'll find the answer here!

Eat well & be well!

Leah

p.s. There is a beer called New Grist that is available in many locations that is gluten-free.

[elonwy]

Is it a regular grocery store or a health food store? The regular grocery store can be a bit daunting at first, until you find that their are whole aisles you can just breeze by and it makes the trip that much shorter.

Do you have a large health food type store in your area? Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Wild Oats. etc? They have lists on hand in thier stores that help you find gluten-free stuff and label really well in the aisles, and usually have a much larger selection of things, makes you feel alot better. I had a manager give me a guided tour of the gluten free things my first time in. (SPelt is not gluten-free, no matter how much some health food employee insists, btw).

Or if not, check out : Open Original Shared Link or the store on this site. There are also recipes on this site, but a gluten free cook book is a good investment. Bette Hagman is awesome. Know that gluten-free baking can be a bit challengin at first, expecially if like me, you cook more with "feel" than exact measurements. My first couple trys were disastrous, but I made it funny, and then got better at it. Pamela's products are also quite tasty for a quick cookie or a pancake mix. By far my favorite baking mixes over anyone.

Theres ALOT of stuff out there, it just takes a little bit of detective work and imagination.

Quick pizza fix: ( I won't take credit for this, it came from someone else but I love it) Corn tortilla, place pizza toppings on, I use tomato sauce or salsa, cheese and pepperonni and olives. Place in oven or microwave. YUM!

If you have a local Bevmo they carry gluten-free beer, though you may need to get them to order it for you. I have two six packs in the fridge right now.

Its not hard, its an adventure

Elonwy

[stilljoyful]

I just started 'gluten-free' yesterday and have found recipes by googleing gluten free recipes. Good luck!

[neil]

Hi Allen

As an avid beer drinker before being diagnosed with Celiac, that's what I miss most.

I've switched to cider, most of which are gluten-free. Check with the manufacturer. You can even get cider on tap in some bars.

Almost all distilled spirits are gluten-free, even malt whiskeys.

Also, most wines are gluten-free.

From your user name, looks like you could be in the Bay Area. I'm down in the South Bay.

Neil

[mythreesuns]

I'm new to this too, I'm about 2 weeks into it. I have a great health food store near me that even has fresh-baked gluten free goodies! Unfortnuately, I can't have milk, either, though, so I still have to be careful with the gluten free only stuff.

You can still have (I think) peanut butter! Put it on apples or celery. I make a LOT of salads these days, but I put all kinds of stuff in it, like hard-boiled eggs and crushed up Fritos. I use just mayo for a salad dressing (Hellman's) and man is it yummy!

The happiest day of my life was one day 2 weeks ago when I found BROWNIES!!!! They're in the frozen food section by a company called By George. No gluten, no milk!

Hang in there, I am hopeful that it gets easier.

[Guest nini]

if you click on the link to my web page in my signature below, scroll to the bottom of the page and there you can download the Newbie Survival Kit, it's a collection of files essential for the newly dx'ed Celiac. You CAN eat again! And eat well!

[gf49erfan]

Is it a regular grocery store or a health food store? The regular grocery store can be a bit daunting at first, until you find that their are whole aisles you can just breeze by and it makes the trip that much shorter.

Do you have a large health food type store in your area? Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Wild Oats. etc? They have lists on hand in thier stores that help you find gluten-free stuff and label really well in the aisles, and usually have a much larger selection of things, makes you feel alot better. I had a manager give me a guided tour of the gluten free things my first time in. (SPelt is not gluten-free, no matter how much some health food employee insists, btw).

Or if not, check out : Open Original Shared Link or the store on this site. There are also recipes on this site, but a gluten free cook book is a good investment. Bette Hagman is awesome. Know that gluten-free baking can be a bit challengin at first, expecially if like me, you cook more with "feel" than exact measurements. My first couple trys were disastrous, but I made it funny, and then got better at it. Pamela's products are also quite tasty for a quick cookie or a pancake mix. By far my favorite baking mixes over anyone.

Theres ALOT of stuff out there, it just takes a little bit of detective work and imagination.

Quick pizza fix: ( I won't take credit for this, it came from someone else but I love it) Corn tortilla, place pizza toppings on, I use tomato sauce or salsa, cheese and pepperonni and olives. Place in oven or microwave. YUM!

If you have a local Bevmo they carry gluten-free beer, though you may need to get them to order it for you. I have two six packs in the fridge right now.

Its not hard, its an adventure

Elonwy

It is a regular grocery store, I do have a Wild Oats somewhere in my area, (that's what I heard)

That "Pizza" sounds good I'll try

What's a Bevmo??

Allen

Hi Allen

As an avid beer drinker before being diagnosed with Celiac, that's what I miss most.

I've switched to cider, most of which are gluten-free. Check with the manufacturer. You can even get cider on tap in some bars.

Almost all distilled spirits are gluten-free, even malt whiskeys.

Also, most wines are gluten-free.

From your user name, looks like you could be in the Bay Area. I'm down in the South Bay.

Neil

Cider?, I guess since I always drank beer, I never even thought of Cider, Cider Vinegar yes cider drinks no, I'm already learning stuff

I used to live in the Bay Area, I now live up north in Washington State, but my heart is always with the Niners!

Thanks for the suggestions!!

Allen

if you click on the link to my web page in my signature below, scroll to the bottom of the page and there you can download the Newbie Survival Kit, it's a collection of files essential for the newly dx'ed Celiac. You CAN eat again! And eat well!

THANKS!!, I'ts a great site

[evie]

I'm new to this too, I'm about 2 weeks into it. I have a great health food store near me that even has fresh-baked gluten free goodies! Unfortnuately, I can't have milk, either, though, so I still have to be careful with the gluten free only stuff.

You can still have (I think) peanut butter! Put it on apples or celery. I make a LOT of salads these days, but I put all kinds of stuff in it, like hard-boiled eggs and crushed up Fritos. I use just mayo for a salad dressing (Hellman's) and man is it yummy!

The happiest day of my life was one day 2 weeks ago when I found BROWNIES!!!! They're in the frozen food section by a company called By George. No gluten, no milk!

Hang in there, I am hopeful that it gets easier.

And it will...when I first went gluten free a few months ago I thought I might starve because I had a lot of tummy aches that felt like hunger pangs and I was trying to get by with only meat, veggies and fruit, then I added a few grains cooked for cereal.They were millet, amaranth, cornmeal and buckwheat, then I purchased some of those flours along with bean flour and a daughter made me some scones. My first cake, cookies & bread all rolled into one!!! whoopee!! but I did not go over board on them and since then I have been making my own cupcakes, cornbread and cookies from alternate flours. As some have said if you can get to an Asian store some items for gluten free people are cheaper.

Any way I am now gaining back some of the 25 lbs I lost when I was so sick late winter and early spring '06, so once in awhile I have to slow down so I do not gain back a few unwanted pounds!!

It does seem like things will never get better (did for me) but it will, just try not to be too anxouis and it will happen. Everyone has there own time line depending on how soon you got diagnosed and how old you are when you went gluten free. I wish you the best of health and you will get it, just hang in there & listen to some of the experts here on this form. You just can't do better than to ask questions here!!

Wishing you health and happiness::: evie

[elonwy]

I would definitly check out the Wild Oats. Are you in Vancouver? There is one Wild Oats there, the only one in Washington. There is a Whole Foods in Seattle and one in Bellevue.

Order gluten-free beer online from Bevmo: Open Original Shared Link

Its like Costco for booze. Its amazing.

Also if you go to one of the health food chains, they will have great things like frozen dinners and convienence food, which though I don't eat that stuff all the time, its really nice to know I have those options. Everyone needs a chicken nugget now and then.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it earlier, but its good to freeze your gluten-free baked goods and thaw them as needed. They last longer that way, especially the Kinnikinnick stuff. All gluten-free bread tasted better toasted, same with the bagels and english muffins and things. Beware your old toaster, BTW. If its a toaster oven, a good cleaning should take care of it, but if you use a normal top loading toaster, you're going to need a new one, as its going to be full of evil little contaminating crumbs.

Whats your favorite kind of bread? White, or nutty and full of things? I've eaten alot of the bread thats gluten-free getting to the ones I like, I might be able to help direct. ( I absolutely cannot stand the Food for Life bread, I think its like eating sawdust).

Elonwy

[br616]

Try chebe bread mix to make a pizza and sandwich rolls. Tinkyada pasta is good, too. Good luck, hope you feel better!

Try the Really Great Food Company, especially the banana bread cake mix.

[daffadilly]

For the best brownies try the Truffle brownie mix by Gluten Free Pantry I like to add nuts and if I have a really sweet tooth I top with homemade powdered sugar icing. Everyone likes these brownies... You will not be able to tell that they are gluten-free !!

forgot to say that you can wrap the leftovers in foil & freeze them for lunches etc.

[gf49erfan]

I would definitly check out the Wild Oats. Are you in Vancouver? There is one Wild Oats there, the only one in Washington. There is a Whole Foods in Seattle and one in Bellevue.

Order gluten-free beer online from Bevmo: Open Original Shared Link

Its like Costco for booze. Its amazing.

Also if you go to one of the health food chains, they will have great things like frozen dinners and convienence food, which though I don't eat that stuff all the time, its really nice to know I have those options. Everyone needs a chicken nugget now and then.

I'm not sure if I mentioned it earlier, but its good to freeze your gluten-free baked goods and thaw them as needed. They last longer that way, especially the Kinnikinnick stuff. All gluten-free bread tasted better toasted, same with the bagels and english muffins and things. Beware your old toaster, BTW. If its a toaster oven, a good cleaning should take care of it, but if you use a normal top loading toaster, you're going to need a new one, as its going to be full of evil little contaminating crumbs.

Whats your favorite kind of bread? White, or nutty and full of things? I've eaten alot of the bread thats gluten-free getting to the ones I like, I might be able to help direct. ( I absolutely cannot stand the Food for Life bread, I think its like eating sawdust).

Elonwy

Yeah I do live in Vancouver, I checked and found the Wild Oats store, I googled It!, So a place like Wild Oats will have frozen gluten-free meals and other pre-made stuff?

I for sure going to try that bevmo site!

My Favorite bread is, or was Rye & Sourdough

Thanks for everything!!!!

Allen

[graindamage]

I absolutely cannot stand the Food for Life bread, I think its like eating sawdust).

Elonwy

When I first cooked the Food for Life breads, I felt the same, but I noticed that, for some reason, the bread has to be cooked a lot longer in order for the oils to be released. Once I did that, I really enjoyed the bread.