One More Question About Syrup (and Webkinz). Is Country Kitchen Butter Syrup Still gluten-free?

[Kara'sMom]

I emailed Pinnacle about the Log Cabin Country Kitchen Buttery syrup. And they emailed back and they basically said....they don't have a dedicated line and to just read the ingredients. Well, that didn't answer my question of what is "natural butter type flavor"....it doesn't sound very good but I"m at the point that if it doesnt' have gluten in it...I want Kara to have it. She cried again in the car a few minutes ago b/c she gets so upset about missing her favorite foods. She hates the fact that (and I quote) "I have to eat it and if I don't like it...too bad. I dont' have any other choices." She's not a whiny child or bratty...just getting sick of having this. She said she thought it wouldn't be so bad to being with...but now.....it's BAD and getting old. I know everyone here can relate and I THANK YOU for letting me vent. I'm on the verge of crying right along with her.

Now...do any of your kids have webkinz? Kara has 16 of them and would love to have a fellow webkinz celiac friend. If any of you would like to...please email me your childs username so she can add them to her list. She asked me if I had asked ya'll about webkinz and I promised I would.

Thanks for all the responses about syrup. She did not like the pure maple syrup but I'll keep trying.

Mary

[dandelionmom]

Bless her heart! I'm always amazed at how well kids take this news. I'm finding it all much harder than my daughter or your daughter!

My 7 year old, non-celiac daughter just got two webkinz. She probably doesn't really fit the bill (too young and is only partially gluten-free) but if you're desperate, send me a message and I'll figure out her webkinz name!

[shayesmom]

I emailed Pinnacle about the Log Cabin Country Kitchen Buttery syrup. And they emailed back and they basically said....they don't have a dedicated line and to just read the ingredients. Well, that didn't answer my question of what is "natural butter type flavor"....it doesn't sound very good but I"m at the point that if it doesnt' have gluten in it...I want Kara to have it. She cried again in the car a few minutes ago b/c she gets so upset about missing her favorite foods. She hates the fact that (and I quote) "I have to eat it and if I don't like it...too bad. I dont' have any other choices." She's not a whiny child or bratty...just getting sick of having this. She said she thought it wouldn't be so bad to being with...but now.....it's BAD and getting old. I know everyone here can relate and I THANK YOU for letting me vent. I'm on the verge of crying right along with her.

Now...do any of your kids have webkinz? Kara has 16 of them and would love to have a fellow webkinz celiac friend. If any of you would like to...please email me your childs username so she can add them to her list. She asked me if I had asked ya'll about webkinz and I promised I would.

Thanks for all the responses about syrup. She did not like the pure maple syrup but I'll keep trying.

Mary

You can buy Walden Farms pancake syrup on-line. It is advertised as being gluten-free and is relatively inexpensive. You may be able to get your local grocer to carry it.

I am sorry that your daughter is going through this grieving period. Unfortunately, this is normal for all of us. And it definitely stinks. It is important to understand that this upset is not about pancake syrup. No one can possibly understand just how far-reaching this disorder is in our daily lives until they get on the diet. It takes months to fully grasp it and then several more months to find acceptable substitutes that make life seem more normal. And even then....this diet doesn't become any easier until you find a way to change perspective.

For me, it took a long time to stop focusing on all the stuff we couldn't eat (gluten, dairy, eggs and soy) and start focusing on all the stuff we could. It also took a long time to find mixes and recipes that brought fun back into eating. My dd is only 4 (and we started being gluten-free when she was 15 months). It has got to be tough for an older child to make this transition. They KNOW what they are missing! And as a parent, it is even tougher to see them struggling and to feel powerless in making things better.

The only suggestion I can offer is to set aside time to experiment in cooking with your daughter. Find out what she is missing the most and research out recipes to see if you can find substitutions. I have baking days that I set aside with my dd and she loves it. I figure that I am providing her with foods she enjoys while teaching her about the ingredients which are safe and how to prepare her own food down the road. As you know by now, our dd's will have to know how to cook way before their peers do if they hope to survive college. Once we find a recipe that we like, I set aside an evening to bake up a big batch and we freeze back-up portions so that we have it when the mood strikes, or when we need it for an event. I find that by setting aside an hour or two a week, that I can keep us well stocked and that this doesn't feel so overwhelming.....both emotionally and financially.

I can say that Carol Fenster's recipe for Italian breadsticks is positively awesome. I've made them for gluten-eating friends and they all love them and go back for more (they say it reminds them of the rolls served at Red Lobster). I've made them as both breadsticks and rolls. Can't keep them in the house for the life of me! The recipe can be found in two of her books, Gluten-free Basics: 101 and Cooking Free. My dd has enjoyed several of the recipes in those two books and so have I. I have found that her mix (which relies on sorghum flour) is the closest to tasting like wheat. The rice flour mixes are okay, but many are a bit on the "gritty" side and don't come close to tasting "normal". My dd's pre-k teacher has volunteered to be my "guinea pig" and taste tests my new recipes. lol! It has been very important to my dd that others try her food AND that they like it.

And I don't know how practical this is, but what are the odds of the entire household being gluten-free along with your dd? My dh and I decided that we would make this transition with her in the home (with the exception of dh's beer...which is no big deal to a 4 year old). I steer clear of all of my dd's allergens (as it seems I have the same issues). I always tell her, "It's gluten-free for you and me". If nothing else, at least she knows that I support her completely and that she's not alone in this. And I keep the house gluten/allergen-free because she has to say no to so many things when outside of the home. I want her to feel safe and included in at least one place. Everything in the pantry, refrigerator and freezer is fair game for her. It took me a while to get it that way, but I am happy that it's finally there. Our home is her "safe" haven. And her friends love coming over....which I am thankful for because it is a lot easier dealing with this here than at her friends' homes.

Sorry to ramble on. If it's of any consolation....we DO understand where your dd is coming from. And although it will take some time, you do have the power to redefine life on YOUR terms. Find the positives and reinforce them. Then find the negatives and find ways to neutralize them. Your love for your daughter will allow you to find the way.

[ptkds]

It will get better! My dd is 7 and she has been gluten-free for 1 year. The other day, she told me that regular gluteny pizza looked disgusting to her! I still drool over it! She has learned that when she has gluten, she hates the way she feels. So gluten filled foods aren't apealing to her anymore. But at first, it was hard.

Both of my older dd's have webkinz. My 7 yr old loves sending gifts to her webkinz friends! I will PM you with her ID. My 10 yr old is not completley gluten-free, but she does have 3 sisters who are. So she understands what it is like. And she was gluten-free at one point for about 2 months. I can send you hers, too.

[Guest lorlyn]

My 11 year old daughter has celiac and also plays webkinz.(I also have 2 I take care of) would like to hook up together. Since yesterday we can not get the webkinz web site to work?

[Izak's Mom]

The only suggestion I can offer is to set aside time to experiment in cooking with your daughter. Find out what she is missing the most and research out recipes to see if you can find substitutions. I have baking days that I set aside with my dd and she loves it. I figure that I am providing her with foods she enjoys while teaching her about the ingredients which are safe and how to prepare her own food down the road. As you know by now, our dd's will have to know how to cook way before their peers do if they hope to survive college. Once we find a recipe that we like, I set aside an evening to bake up a big batch and we freeze back-up portions so that we have it when the mood strikes, or when we need it for an event. I find that by setting aside an hour or two a week, that I can keep us well stocked and that this doesn't feel so overwhelming.....both emotionally and financially.

Just to add to this comment - my son is only a toddler but already loves to cook with me. I made these Open Original Shared Link on new years day and they were AWESOME - soooooooooo yummy!! I just glazed them with a mix of confectioners sugar, water & maple syrup and they were gone before they'd even had a chance to sit for a day - my non-celiac husband couldn't stay away from them. Working together, I'm sure you can find a solid list of gluten-free 'favorites' that she can focus on, instead of the eat-nots. And I wouldn't be surprised if some of the gluten-free recipes/foods you find are even better than the gluten ones! Good luck...

[Kara'sMom]

My 11 year old daughter has celiac and also plays webkinz.(I also have 2 I take care of) would like to hook up together. Since yesterday we can not get the webkinz web site to work?

[/quote)

Really? Our webkinz has been working fine. Check again...you know how they like to "shut down" and add new stuff. Send me a PM and I'll give you Kara's username so she can be friends with your daughter. She is sooooo excited about making new celiac friends from all over. It's just ashame she doesn't have any around here that she can play with in person!

[Kara'sMom]

You can buy Walden Farms pancake syrup on-line. It is advertised as being gluten-free and is relatively inexpensive. You may be able to get your local grocer to carry it.

I am sorry that your daughter is going through this grieving period. Unfortunately, this is normal for all of us. And it definitely stinks. It is important to understand that this upset is not about pancake syrup. No one can possibly understand just how far-reaching this disorder is in our daily lives until they get on the diet. It takes months to fully grasp it and then several more months to find acceptable substitutes that make life seem more normal. And even then....this diet doesn't become any easier until you find a way to change perspective.

For me, it took a long time to stop focusing on all the stuff we couldn't eat (gluten, dairy, eggs and soy) and start focusing on all the stuff we could. It also took a long time to find mixes and recipes that brought fun back into eating. My dd is only 4 (and we started being gluten-free when she was 15 months). It has got to be tough for an older child to make this transition. They KNOW what they are missing! And as a parent, it is even tougher to see them struggling and to feel powerless in making things better.

The only suggestion I can offer is to set aside time to experiment in cooking with your daughter. Find out what she is missing the most and research out recipes to see if you can find substitutions. I have baking days that I set aside with my dd and she loves it. I figure that I am providing her with foods she enjoys while teaching her about the ingredients which are safe and how to prepare her own food down the road. As you know by now, our dd's will have to know how to cook way before their peers do if they hope to survive college. Once we find a recipe that we like, I set aside an evening to bake up a big batch and we freeze back-up portions so that we have it when the mood strikes, or when we need it for an event. I find that by setting aside an hour or two a week, that I can keep us well stocked and that this doesn't feel so overwhelming.....both emotionally and financially.

I can say that Carol Fenster's recipe for Italian breadsticks is positively awesome. I've made them for gluten-eating friends and they all love them and go back for more (they say it reminds them of the rolls served at Red Lobster). I've made them as both breadsticks and rolls. Can't keep them in the house for the life of me! The recipe can be found in two of her books, Gluten-free Basics: 101 and Cooking Free. My dd has enjoyed several of the recipes in those two books and so have I. I have found that her mix (which relies on sorghum flour) is the closest to tasting like wheat. The rice flour mixes are okay, but many are a bit on the "gritty" side and don't come close to tasting "normal". My dd's pre-k teacher has volunteered to be my "guinea pig" and taste tests my new recipes. lol! It has been very important to my dd that others try her food AND that they like it.

And I don't know how practical this is, but what are the odds of the entire household being gluten-free along with your dd? My dh and I decided that we would make this transition with her in the home (with the exception of dh's beer...which is no big deal to a 4 year old). I steer clear of all of my dd's allergens (as it seems I have the same issues). I always tell her, "It's gluten-free for you and me". If nothing else, at least she knows that I support her completely and that she's not alone in this. And I keep the house gluten/allergen-free because she has to say no to so many things when outside of the home. I want her to feel safe and included in at least one place. Everything in the pantry, refrigerator and freezer is fair game for her. It took me a while to get it that way, but I am happy that it's finally there. Our home is her "safe" haven. And her friends love coming over....which I am thankful for because it is a lot easier dealing with this here than at her friends' homes.

Sorry to ramble on. If it's of any consolation....we DO understand where your dd is coming from. And although it will take some time, you do have the power to redefine life on YOUR terms. Find the positives and reinforce them. Then find the negatives and find ways to neutralize them. Your love for your daughter will allow you to find the way.

Thank you! I needed to hear this! You are so kind to take them time to write to me and my DD will appreciate it. Mary

[Kara'sMom]

Just to add to this comment - my son is only a toddler but already loves to cook with me. I made these Open Original Shared Link on new years day and they were AWESOME - soooooooooo yummy!! I just glazed them with a mix of confectioners sugar, water & maple syrup and they were gone before they'd even had a chance to sit for a day - my non-celiac husband couldn't stay away from them. Working together, I'm sure you can find a solid list of gluten-free 'favorites' that she can focus on, instead of the eat-nots. And I wouldn't be surprised if some of the gluten-free recipes/foods you find are even better than the gluten ones! Good luck...

My DH is buying the buttermilk today. THANKS!! It sounds great and I can't wait to try them. Tonight is our first attempt at making her a pizza crust. I pray she likes it.

Mary

[shayesmom]

My DH is buying the buttermilk today. THANKS!! It sounds great and I can't wait to try them. Tonight is our first attempt at making her a pizza crust. I pray she likes it.

Mary

Pizza crust usually isn't too bad. The sauce, cheese and toppings do a lot to cover up the flavor of it! lol!! I have managed to come up with a thin and crispy crust (after 3 years of messing around). So if this one doesn't work out, PM me and I will send you mine. I'd imagine that your dd's will taste more normal as we are also dairy-free and I use a cashew cheese on our pizzas. The cashew cheese is good....but we don't get that chewy, gooey texture. But dh also likes it and he often takes some of the leftovers to work (which in not the norm for him). Considering that he could easily get the "real" thing during his lunch break at work, I feel that it's a good sign that I am finally making some headway in my cooking experiments!