Having A Bad Day

[Jo.R]

So, I buy rice wraps by some Ezekiel Co. and feed it to the dog. I buy some bread and feed it to the dog, I buy Annie's mac and cheese and put it down the disposal (cheese and dog don't do well).

So today I make some gluten free brownies from scratch (I hate to bake from scratch). They are horrible, and I can't give the dog chocolate. The Hodgson Mills baking mix said it was delicious. They lied.

I almost broke down and ate my kids Kraft mac and cheese. It looked so good, smelled so good, and I KNOW it taste good.

Anyway just need to sound off. I'm going to bed. Yes, I know it's 9:30 on a Friday but it was a horrible, no good, bad day. Yes I am overreacting but I have PMS and I wanted brownies!

[wowzer]

I'm sorry that you had such a bad day. I hope tomorrow is better.

[darlindeb25]

So today I make some gluten free brownies from scratch (I hate to bake from scratch). They are horrible, and I can't give the dog chocolate. The Hodgson Mills baking mix said it was delicious. They lied.

Awwwwwwww Jo, I feel bad for you. Now, from reading this, I am confused, did you make the brownies from scratch or from a mix? When I make chocolate chip cookies, I use the same recipe that I always used before gluten-free, except I use Bob's Red Mill all purpose flour and xanthum gum. Yes, they are a bit more crumbly, but they taste good. You could do the same with a brownie recipe. My sister makes all kinds of desserts and most people can't even tell that they are eating gluten-free foods. It can be done.

I have never found a store bought gluten-free bread that I liked, NEVER! I'm not very good about rice wraps either, too bland for me. When I could still have corn, I did like corn wraps, but can't have them anymore.

Cheer up and keep at it!

[Jo.R]

Hi, excuse my rant. I was very over the top yesterday. Granted some of it was tongue-in-cheek, but I was angry. I hate throwing out food. I feel better now.

darlinbeb: it was a all purpose baking mix, with a recipe for brownies on the back. Anything that requires me to do more than add eggs, oil and water is from scratch

[tarnalberry]

I personally like those rice tortillas, as long as they're warmed up, of course.

But that points to a key thing about 'replacements' - they're different from what you're 'used to'. And everyone has different tastes. If you're tastebuds prefer the straight and narrow, as it were, and don't welcome things a bit father off 'center' than normal, gluten-free replacements are hard, and you'll spend some time finding the ones that *YOU* like.

For example, my husband, who is not gluten-free, is a picky eater, so it took quite a while to find pancake mixes (gluten and dairy free) that he liked. Having soy milk or soy flour in them were right out for his taste buds - too bitter (and hence, nasty) for him - almond milk was alright. Quinoa or amaranth flour also too bitter. White sorgum, sweet rice, and tapioca works for his taste buds, but not my blood sugar, so then the games begin (some flax meal is ok, too much isn't...).

Point is, you're dealing in a whole new range of taste-related chemicals that your brain is just not used to sensing, and, as such, may automatically just go "yuck" to. Give it time, be patient, and explore. Tasty food isn't nearly as likely going to be yours out of a box any more, unfortunately. (Well, your 50-year health may be saying fortunately, but all the rest of you may not be. )

(All this is what makes your rant not really over the top. How many years have you been able to take for granted what things would taste like? How many years did you have a baseline you were familiar to work with because generations before you worked with the same one? Now you've got to make your own, and it's HARD for a lot of people.)

[pooter]

the rice wraps are gross, I'll give ya that... for brownies, I swear by Pamela's brownie mix... they are yummy! For Mac & Cheese, we use Tinkyada elbow noodles and mix with Kraft Mac & Cheese powdered cheese mix (in a can like their parmesan cheese) I get it at Super Wal Mart... mix it with butter and milk just like the regular kraft mac and cheese and you have a very happy pooter and kidlet...

[mamatide]

Hey Jo.

Sorry you had a crappy (and expensive) day in the kitchen... when you're ready to try brownies from scratch again, try these. They're great. No flour in them at all - I made them for a kids' birthday party and they loved them. Just make sure to process the beans well - so no one finds any whole!

Oh, and they're just the ticket for pms!

I got the recipe from Canadian Living Magazine.

Too-Good-To-Be-Gluten-Free Brownies

Note: look for adzuki (or azuki) beans (small sweet red beans popular in Japaneze cooking) in health food stores, Asian markets and some supermarkets. If you can't find them (I couldn't) use 1 3/4 cups (425mL) drained rinsed canned or cooked black beans.

1/2 cup butter (125mL)

6 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped (175g)

1 can (14 oz/398 mL) adzuki beans, drained and rinsed

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1. Line 9-inch square metal cake pan with parchment paper, leaving 1-inch overhang. Set aside.

2. In small saucepan, melt butter with chocolate over low heat; set aside. Meanwhile, in food processor, puree beans until smooth; set aside.

3. In large bowl, beat eggs with sugar until pale and thickened; beat in vanilla. Stir in chocolate mixture until combine; stir in beans until smooth. Scrape into prepared pan.

4. Bake in centre of 350F oven (180C) until cake tester inserted in centre comes out with a few moist crumbs cinging, about 45 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack.

5. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until cold, about 2 hours. Using paper as handles, remove brownies from pan, cut into squares.

Makes 16 squares.

Per square:

222 calories

4g protein

11g total fat (6g saturated)

28g carbs

2g fibre

65mg chol

146mg sodium

%RDI

2% calcium

6% iron

7% vitaminA

2% vitaminC

8% folate

mamatide

[missy'smom]

We all have our days. It's good that we have a place like this to come to where everyone understands.

Today was a day for me. I'm not complaining. I enjoy my health too much but...sigh... I went to lunch at a place I've had a safe meal at many times and ordered the same thing as always. Little did I (or anyone else) know that the fish has changed and I had to send it back twice and by that time DS and DH has already finished their meal and I didn't feel like trying to figure out another safe meal option or trust them to handle it. So, I just said I'd have something at home. Then tonight I was low on groceries and didn't feel like cooking so made DS and grandpa grilled cheese sand. that smelled SO good. I would never eat one (I enjoy feeling good too much). Didn't have any gluten-free bread on hand for me. Mean to make some and some tortillas but..sigh.. just couldn't get excited about it. I'm so tired of my kitchen. It's blah and small and I feel like I live in it. I was thinking when we buy a house I have to get one with a really nice cheerful kitchen with some windows and a nice view. need a maid too!so I can just walk in and get to work and not have to clean it first before I can start!

[zansu]

...

1 can (14 oz/398 mL) adzuki beans, drained and rinsed

...

more than the chocolate to keep you from giving THOSE to the dog

I like both gluten-free pantry and Bob's red mill mixes for fudgy brownies. But you have to follow the instructions. All those years of brownie making when you weren't supposed to stir anymore than necessary after adding the eggs, now you're supposed to whip the daylights out of them before adding the dry ingredients! Its a different world... Oh, and if you're desperate and rich and have a whole foods near you they have a 6x9(?) pan of their gluten-free brownies for $7 .

oh, and that wasn't ranting, hang around, you'll see ranting!

[Jo.R]

need a maid too!

I want a cook who will make wonderful, healthy gluten free food. (I think it's supposed to be me ). I've got the gluten free down, now just need healthy and wonderful.

Thanks for all the shoulders to cry on, and the new things to try. I'm doing much better today. I was even able to get my kids pizza.

[missy'smom]

I want a cook who will make wonderful, healthy gluten free food. (I think it's supposed to be me ).

Ditto.

[NicoleAJ]

I'm sure you just pictured the money you spent going down the disposal with the mac and cheese--I often feel that way too. I experiment with baked goods only on a limited basis to spread the disappointment out, and then I'm always so thrilled when I have good results. Hang in there!

[mamatide]

more than the chocolate to keep you from giving THOSE to the dog

Don't knock 'em 'til you try 'em...

[VioletBlue]

I'm sure you just pictured the money you spent going down the disposal with the mac and cheese--I often feel that way too. I experiment with baked goods only on a limited basis to spread the disappointment out, and then I'm always so thrilled when I have good results. Hang in there!

I second that. I only "experiment" once or twice a week now if that. I do that in case whatever it is doesn't agree with me, and because I just can't take the disappointment if multiple somethings don't work. I think we need to be as kind to ourselves as possible while navigating this huge freaking learning curve we've been handed. If something works for you great! Savor the discovery for a few days, or make a second batch even. If it doesn't work, give yourself a few days to get over it.

I loved baking before, and gluten-free baking is not the same and it never will be. And yeah, those rice wraps were a huge disappointment to me too. I ate one or two and finally just threw the rest out. I don't much bother with pasta at all anymore either. I'm not willing to settle for imitations of what I ate before. I'd rather just not go there. And here's a tip. Chocolate taste just fine on it's own. Why bother trying to bake it into brownies, just eat it plain It's an excellent excuse to buy the really good stuff too.

Violet

[Jo.R]

The frustration was in part the money, we are not rich and eating healthy is expensive. The other part is I hate to cook (would rather do any house hold job than cook). So I wasted money, and time, doing something It's been hard on me having to do more "real" cooking instead of box food. I just remind myself it will be better for me and the kids. I hated without a pay off. Brownies are my comfort food.

I have found that I like Tinkyada pasta as well as the "real" thing.