Want To Steal Food From Little Siblings..

[PadmeMaster]

Firstly: I'm 18. I almost typed 17 -.- I LOVE sweets, although my fav gluten-free food is actually pretzels (which wasn't a fav before going gluten-free).

So my siblings are 1, 3, 4, and 5 (I don't wanna steal the 6mo old's food, plus the only thing she has that isn't gluten free is oatmeal..). I prepare their dinner almost every night, and I do breakfast and lunch a lot. Breakfast isn't bad. Princess, Mom, and myself do a smoothie some cereal (P gets the "kid's cereal" and we have gluten-free Rice Crispies with either chocolate or Vanilla "milk".. Soy, Almond, or Coconut.). Lunch isn't bad. Boys typically have a sandwich or snack bar/pudding/etc combo (they need extra fat; trying to get them to gain weight) and Princess has a half a sandwich with a smoothie (bigger than the breakfast one). I eat a sandwich and smoothie also.

The hard meal is dinner and the rare breakfast when we try something special for the boys. This week it's poptarts. Last week was Toaster Strudel. Dinners are some of my favs though.. Like there's been Lasagna, pizza, etc. Lasagna has always been an absolute fav for me, and the one kind I've tried gluten-free had Feta cheese in it (and I *hate* Feta cheese)

I have access to a Whole Foods store, but my biggest issue is that I just added a new limitation. While at the health food store (that I shop at most of the time; they have Kinnikinnik (sp) bread, which I prefer over the Udi's), I saw bagels. Now, I know you can put Jelly on bagels instead of cream cheese, but I *want* cream cheese. But the gas and bloating and "D" from the milk (I am 90% positive that is what causes it. Doing dairy free for at least 2 weeks to test again; cheese was an accident the other day) is too much to handle.

So what I need is some suggestions on what I can eat instead of stealing the naughty stuff.

Oh, btw, I don't like the frozen waffles. I also don't *like* cooking. I do it when I have to or really want a certain something. But I dislike it so much I couldn't convince myself that I wanted brownie mix.. lol

[domesticactivist]

You are so sweet helping out so much with your little brothers and sisters I love big families <3.

My first question is whether the little kids have been tested. This stuff can run in the family and needing to gain weight can be a sign of it! If the boys have low weight I wonder if part of that could be due to problems with gluten. I don't know if it is just a coincidence, but my son hit a major growth spurt after going gluten-free.

I'm also a little bit worried for you preparing all that glutenous food for your siblings and eating food from the same kitchen and utensils. Getting cross-contaminated is not a good thing, and you might not even notice it if it's been ongoing all along.

OK, all that out of the way, it's just hard to be around old favorites all the time. Would the whole family consider trying out food that can work for *everyone* (after they are tested, of course)?

I can have our homemade yogurt (from raw, unpasteurized, organic milk) but other dairy does not work for me. I'm also barely eating eggs, while the rest of the family eats them all the time. Lasagna and pizza were big favorites of mine, as were enchiladas. While we don't try to make substitutes, introducing the same kinds of flavors is a big help.

Chili is a new one on our list (we just introduced tomatoes and white beans after 6 months with no nightshades or beans!) My partner made it in the crock pot with ground beef and it really hit the spot.

Another thing she did was bake sliced zucchini with red pepper flakes, oregano, thyme, salt, etc. That actually satisfied my pizza craving somehow. I think it was those Italian herbs.

For a sweet tooth I'll chop up almonds and drizzle them with honey and some cinnamon, and maybe add some fresh or frozen fruit.

I won't lie, though... if it's in the house and I don't have an obvious reaction to it, it's SUPER hard for me to stay away. The easiest thing by far is not to have it around. Next best is to give yourself a script you read in your head whenever you are tempted, that reminds you of exactly how awful it is to be sick or have long term health problems.

For easy cooking inspiration, check out Open Original Shared Link A crockpot is a great way to make sure you have good food on hand without a lot of work!!! If you don't have one, you can get a new big one that works fine for about $25.

[organicmama]

Try Follow Your Heart vegan cream cheese. The texture is great and the flavor isn't bad at all.

[PadmeMaster]

My brother (Munchkin) will be tested at the end of the month depending on his weight change. The 5 littles are foster kids, so not biologically related to me (but due to other circumstances, we do suspect it's possible for the one, and if he tests positive his brother and sister will be tested). My mom was tested a few years back, but came back negative. She *was* Gluten free for like 3 days this week, but she's not at a point she can emotionally handle it, although if Munchkin is diagnosed with Celiac, she'll probably do it to support him with the all-new foods (minus the cookies. He's had mine and loves them)

I've tried a lot to avoid CC, including that I don't toast my bread anymore. I did get CCd this week, but that was serving, not cooking. I'm very careful with the cooking process. Dad threw a fit last night cause I asked him to drain the kid's mac n cheese with the lid to the pot because I needed the colander. I've read that the dishwasher helps, too? When I first went gluten-free CC wasn't a concern at all because we didn't hardly ever cook dinner, so I was the only one using those dishes. I do notice CC since it hasn't been all along (Mom and dad started fostering in March), though.

Chili is one of my favs (disappointed mom's choosing to make farmer's pie instead of filling out our yummy chili) and I'll be sure to try that Cream cheese!

I have an extreme reaction to anything. The CC I got from touching the kid's plates the other night (soy sauce, probably thickened too) had me in pain for 3 days and I'm still having loose joint issues today (But thankfully no pain)

If the dishwasher (after John rinses with a heat of 100+ on the water) isn't enough to avoid CC with dishes, I can go buy some new dishes just for me.. I only use a little bit anyway; I'll get plastic for spoons and forks and a set of bowls all my own (John would love if I washed my own bowls, anyway), and a crockpot. That would just about cover me anyway.

My biggest problem really is the milk.. I've (yet again) gotten milk into my system.. I'm trying to be careful, but I have a major chocolatey sweet tooth! (Muddy Buddies were my downfall this time.)

[organicmama]

Are you sensitive to soy?

[PadmeMaster]

Not that I know of. I've had different soy products all along my journey, although less at some points than others. Mom didn't buy cow's milk at all before she started fostering, so all milk drank was soy (although cheese etc came from cow's milk)

[organicmama]

You should be fine with that vegan sour cream then. If soy free, the only brand I know of is from Wayfare Foods.