Preparing For The Gf Future!

[Emme999]

Dearest and Most Wonderful Gluten Free Friends,

Hello I was just thinking to myself, "Self, we are going to have to start eating gluten free stuff soon! We should probably start stocking those cupboards!" So, I went to the Gluten-Free Mall, and then to FoodChoices.com and then ShopByDiet.com and then to Miss Robens and then to some other allergy food sites and ... Uh-oh. I have no idea what the hell I'm doing!

What is good? What is nasty? I know I had a *really* bad experience with Alfredo Style Mac'n'Chreez last week and almost swore off food forever. (Blech!!!) I never knew that noodles could be so mushy! Or that I could spit out something so fast! (eeww!!)

So, here I am, on my knees (well not really, but use your imagination) begging for your advice! Please tell me about something you love Please advise a novice on what kind of flour to buy should I happen to go crazy and try to bake something

If everyone who looks at this could just tell me one thing they *really* like, I will be set! Wahoo!! (And if you tell me *more* than one thing, my bliss will grow exponentially )

My biopsy is in a little over a week, I'd love to be prepared to do the gluten-free thing like a pro! Please help

- Michelle

p.s. I am allergic to dairy, eggs, and sesame seeds in addition to the gluten stuff. THANK YOU :)

[celiac3270]

I was going to recommend Foods By George products, which are free of most things: gluten, dairy, casein, lactose, nuts, soy, etc. but noticed that none of their products are egg-free. I think that will be the biggest problem with finding foods--so many food places cater to dairy-free, but not nearly as much for eggs.

First, is your kitchen ready? New toaster is a must, same with wooden spoons and the like. Replace any teflon...

Umm...I don't know what's egg-free...I think Danielle's Chocolate Cake Mix from the Gluten Free Pantry is egg-free and dairy-free because...not positive. And it was quite good for not having two major components (eggs/dairy) to work with.

You'll want to have the basics around the house: veggies, meat, potatoes, etc. That way, in case you don't find a lot of gluten-free food that you like at first, you'll still have natural stuff to fall back on.

Tinkyada brown rice pasta is amazing...not sure if it's df/ef. Pamela's makes an Ultimate Brownie Mix or a similar name that is egg-free, but I'm not sure about dairy-free.

Sorry...someone with similar sensitivities might be able to help you a little more.

[lbsteenwyk]

Have you used ENER-G egg replacer? It is egg, dairy and gluten-free. You might want to get a copy of Bette Hagman's The Gluten-Free Gourmet Bakes Bread. There are several egg free, dairy free recipes. If you are going to be baking, I recommend having the following flours on hand:

Garfava or Garbanzo Bean

Sorghum

Brown or White Rice

Tapioca Flour

Potato Starch

Corn Starch

Xanthan Gum - not a flour, but a must for baking

The secret to gluten free baking is using a combination of flours. Bette Hagman's books are a good starting point if you want to bake.

I also keep on hand: Buckwheat flour, ground flax seed, almond meal and rice bran, to add extra nutrition and fiber to my baked goods.

[lovegrov]

Don't know the man and cheese you tried but if you overcook gluten-free noodles most turn to mush very quickly. You must watch them closely.

richard

[lotusgem]

Hi Michelle,

how about some condiments to spice up your gluten-free cooking?

If you're in Utah, I'm guessing that you can probably find Western Family products.

They have gluten-free soy sauce and dijon mustard. (Unless there are sesame seeds under "spices", which I doubt, these are fine.)

Frank's Red Hot cayenne pepper sauce is a great substitute for Tabasco sauce.

Heinz ketchup is safe.

McCormick flavor extracts (vanilla, almond, etc.) are made with synthetic alcohol and are gluten-free.

Just a few ideas for you.

Good luck!

Paula

[Emme999]

Yay! Someone suggested a gluten free soy sauce!! I was going to ask, but forgot.

Paula.. are you psychic? Whoa!

Thanks to everyone who's making suggestions!!!

- Michelle

[tarnalberry]

For the most part, I stick with naturally Gluten-free Casein-free stuff. So listing my favorites there would look like: salmon, tri tip, chicken breast, mango, carrots, strawberries, peaches, cherries, bell pepper, sugar peas, baby broccoli, brown rice, peanut butter... Not real helpful since you already know about fresh foods!

Here are a couple of things that are, in most cases, naturally gluten-free that you may not have seen yet, however, that I love: (everything here is gluten-free and CF, and I believe EF and sesame free, with the possible exception of the falafel mix)

* Open Original Shared Link Rice Cakes (regular and honeynut are my favorite - they make a good breakfast or snack when topped with peanut butter) (this company's brown and wild rice blends also make a fab stuffing for Thanksgiving)

* Open Original Shared Link Mochi (plain and seeded are my favorite)

* Open Original Shared Link Millet Grits and Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal (both a good hot cereal, especially when made with unsweetened Silk soy milk, a bit of honey, an cinnamon and vanilla) (this company is also the manufacturer of most of the flours I buy)

* Open Original Shared Link Powdered Vanilla (it's not that other vanilla isn't gluten-free, it's that - unless I'm baking - I can taste the leftover alcohol base of regular vanilla if I use it in smoothies or the like, and I hate that; the powder doesn't have that problem) (this company also makes a fab falafel mix)

* Open Original Shared Link Wheat Free Tamari (to replace soy sauce)

* Open Original Shared Link Red Chili Paste (for stir fries, which are my husband's favorite type of food at the moment)

* Open Original Shared Link Chicken and Vegetable Broths (perfect for soups and stews, and a quick snack)

* Open Original Shared Link Cranberry Sunrise (if I'm going to have a dry cereal, which isn't often, this is one of them)

* Open Original Shared Link Mesa Sunrise or Cornflakes (if I'm going to have a dry cereal, these are the other ones I'll eat)

* Open Original Shared Link Raw Food Bars (great for a quick snack on the go without getting too much sugar)

* Open Original Shared Link Raw Food Bars (the only other "bar food" that I eat - these are an aquired taste, and some people always hate them)

* Open Original Shared Link Rice Pasta (as was noted, though, you've got to watch rice pasta really carefully)

* Open Original Shared Link Organic Chocolate Velvet Non-Dairy Dessert (this is by far my favorite flavor)

* Open Original Shared Link Unsweetened Soy Milk and Soy Yogurt (for smoothies and other breakfast creations)

That's about all of the prepackaged stuff that I ever get on any sort of regular basis, though not all the time. Particuarly around winter, I don't bother with the pasta (which I don't eat often anyway) and use spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti - it's yet healthier and adds a lovely new texture to a hearty tomato pasta sauce. Anyway... I digress....

As for flours, I'm one of the unusual ones around here. I don't particularly like using rice, potato, and tapioca flours. I tend to be hypoglycemic, so I want a flour with more nutrition - particularly more fat, protein, and fiber. I tend to use the following flours most of the time, which I usually get from Bob's Red Mill (though I get them at my store):

* amaranth

* quinoa

* millet

* buckwheat

* soy

* nut flours

* garbanzo bean (or garfava)

* sorgum

* masa harina

I have the following flours on hand for when I need them:

* white rice

* brown rice

* sweet rice

* tapioca

* potato starch

* potato flour

* corn meal

If I had to pick only a few flours to keep around, one would be

- sweet rice (as I find it to be the best thing to use for thickening stews and sauces (and I've tried a lot of them)

- masa harina (because handmade corn tortillas taste way better than store bought ones, though they're not nearly as convenient)

- amaranth (I love the flavor and it makes great pancakes)

- millet (again, love the flavor and the texture)

- soy (need that added protein!)

- sorgum (very useful for what it does for textures)

- bean (strong taste limits its use, but very useful for what it does for textures in many cases)

I say all of this about the flours based on how I bake - and that's pancakes, waffles, muffins, and quick breads. I don't try to make yeast or risen breads because I just don't care enough to eat them. :-) If I did, it would likely change the types of flours I'd prefer.

But I don't even bake all that often. Primarily, I find it simplest, and tastiest, to stick to whole, natural gluten-free foods. It's hard to go wrong with a bowl full of mangos and strawberries for dessert after a dinner of chicken, vegetable, and rice soup!

[Emme999]

Tiffany,

Wow, it must have taken you a long time to type all that out! You are exceedingly kind and I am very, very thankful

And it's cool that the San-J wheat-free tamari is also gluten free because I already have it! Yay!!

------

celiac3270,

You mean I get my very own toaster?? Well, this Celiac stuff is pretty freakin' cool I am so happy!!

Okay, okay - I'd actually read about the toaster thing before But, teflon? Really? Hmm.. Does this mean I get my very own utinsels drawer too?

I always thought I deserved to have my own toaster anyway

----------

Laurie,

Does that egg-replacer stuff really work? I've bought some but haven't used it yet. Any special instructions?

-------------

You guys rule

[celiac3270]

Most definitely your own toaster--the most important issue in cross-contamination. Though wood is probably the worst material to use for both gluten-free and non-gluten-free things, teflon is bad, too...too easy for stuff to get caught in it and I find that teflon often begins to peel pretty quickly, anyway.

[Scott Adams]

A thourough hand and dishwasher cleaning should be all that is needed--neither teflon nor wood should retain gluten in any amount that could detected if the items are washed properly.

I believe that this is one of those Internet rumors that won't seem to die.

Take care,

Scott

Most definitely your own toaster--the most important issue in cross-contamination.  Though wood is probably the worst material to use for both gluten-free and non-gluten-free things, teflon is bad, too...too easy for stuff to get caught in it and I find that teflon often begins to peel pretty quickly, anyway.

[skoki-mom]

A thourough hand and dishwasher cleaning should be all that is needed--neither teflon nor wood should retain gluten in any amount that could detected if the items are washed properly.

I believe that this is one of those Internet rumors that won't seem to die.

Take care,

Scott 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Wow Scott, thanks for that! Here I have been overwrought with guilt that I can't afford to go out and replace everything I cook with and thinking that if my next scope isn't better I have no one to blame but myself! However, I am willing to give the benefit of the doubt to those individuals who are at the extreme end of sensitivity and find they are better with new pots and pans!

[FaithInScienceToo]

MY THANKS, too, Scott!

Too bad I didn't know this was a rumor before I gave away my favorite wood cutting board from Williams Sonoma ;-)

At least I will not freak out now when guests stay with me and want to use my as of right now 'previously gluten-free only' new wooden cutting board :-)

Gina

[paw]

I am new here and not yet Gluten Free. I would consider using glass cutting boards -- they can go in the dishwasher or wash by hand. I have a really large one for rolling out pie crusts and things like that. I will be looking for a couple smaller ones and toss out the old wooden one and the cheap plastic ones I have had for so long.

Wood may be able to be cleaned if it is in really good condition. Mine is old and not worth worrying over.