Man, Do I Feel Stupid!

[Findin my way]

So I've been gluten free for almost 6 months and dairy free for about 3 months. I found a recipe for dairy/gluten free shortbread. I finally got around to making the dough and baking up some cookies. Unfortunately I mixed it all in my old mixer. I haven't replaced it yet. We just don't have a couple hundred dollars lying around to do so. I had three cookies about half an hour ago. They weren't too bad, taste wise. BUT, now I'm in pain all down my right side. It feels like someone is pinching the nerves down my right leg and right arm.

I can't believe I did that. I really didn't think I was that sensitive. Oy this learning curve. I hope everyone else is doing better than I am right now. And learn from my mistake - replace your old appliances. This really sucks!

[love2travel]

You actually do not need to replace your mixer unless dough has somehow managed to cling to something that was not perfectly clean. However, if your attachments are plastic and scratched I can see how it would be possible. I have a very expensive KitchenAid stand mixer, professional series, and did not want to replace it. It can be thoroughly cleaned, including the pasta attachments. It is still possible you picked up gluten from your mixer, sheet pans, wooden spoon, whatever. As an aside, be aware that gluten can also lurk on your can opener. Most people do not replace expensive pots, pans and appliances, though some do. And you know better than me how sensitive you are.

I hope you feel much better very soon!

[Lisa]

So I've been gluten free for almost 6 months and dairy free for about 3 months. I found a recipe for dairy/gluten free shortbread. I finally got around to making the dough and baking up some cookies. Unfortunately I mixed it all in my old mixer. I haven't replaced it yet. We just don't have a couple hundred dollars lying around to do so. I had three cookies about half an hour ago. They weren't too bad, taste wise. BUT, now I'm in pain all down my right side. It feels like someone is pinching the nerves down my right leg and right arm.

I can't believe I did that. I really didn't think I was that sensitive. Oy this learning curve. I hope everyone else is doing better than I am right now. And learn from my mistake - replace your old appliances. This really sucks!

It may be possible that your old mixer could have blown some residual flour from your mixer. But generally, I would think that a good cleaning would render it usable again. I don't see any reason to replace a two-three hundred dollar mixer.

Maybe you can run the motor to blow out some of the left over flour. Maybe use a mask at the time. And clean the outside well.

I think you should be able to still use it....just my thoughts.

Edit: loves2travel is a quicker poster than I.

[Findin my way]

Thanks for the replies. My mixer is a Cusinart. It has been used and abused. Before Celiac I was a specialty cake baker. I've done some gluten free cakes in it. It has been throughly cleaned many times. The blade is metal, but it has (I think) teflon on it. That has worn away a little and there are scratches on it. I'm just surprised I'm that sensitive considering the damage to my villi was "mild."

That's ok. This is a really good excuse to bug the husband person for a new and better mixer.

[Marilyn R]

So I've been gluten free for almost 6 months and dairy free for about 3 months. I found a recipe for dairy/gluten free shortbread. I finally got around to making the dough and baking up some cookies. Unfortunately I mixed it all in my old mixer. I haven't replaced it yet. We just don't have a couple hundred dollars lying around to do so. I had three cookies about half an hour ago. They weren't too bad, taste wise. BUT, now I'm in pain all down my right side. It feels like someone is pinching the nerves down my right leg and right arm.

I can't believe I did that. I really didn't think I was that sensitive. Oy this learning curve. I hope everyone else is doing better than I am right now. And learn from my mistake - replace your old appliances. This really sucks!

You can get replacement parts from a site like this...haven't purchased from them myself because I have a K. A., but they're an authorized dealer. Open Original Shared Link

[ravenwoodglass]

Thanks for the replies. My mixer is a Cusinart. It has been used and abused. Before Celiac I was a specialty cake baker. I've done some gluten free cakes in it. It has been throughly cleaned many times. The blade is metal, but it has (I think) teflon on it. That has worn away a little and there are scratches on it. I'm just surprised I'm that sensitive considering the damage to my villi was "mild."

That's ok. This is a really good excuse to bug the husband person for a new and better mixer.

If you have mixed other gluten free cakes in it and not had an issue with them it might not be the mixer that got you. One thing that is hard, especially at first, is figuring out what may have glutened us. Some of us have delayed reactions so it isn't always the last thing we consumed. It can be something we consumed even up to a couple of days before. Keeping a food and symptom diary can be helpful in pinpointing other problem foods or something that slipped by. As an example I thought I was being glutened for months by for sure gluten free products. After I started keeping a log I realized the one thing they all had in common was soy. I wasn't being glutened after all I had developed an intolerance to soy.

[GFinDC]

Flour can get airborne and get inside the electrical motor housing during mixing. You can take the mixer oustide and blow out the motor housng with compressed air. Those cans of air they sell for cleaning computers would work. Or take it to a car garage and ask them to blow it out with their air compresser.

Plain metal is not hard to clean generally. I boiled soapy water in my pots and pans and had no problem with them.

[M-Rods]

So any porous type utensils should be replaced? I'm only starting my 4th week gluten free, there is so much to learn.

[GFinDC]

So any porous type utensils should be replaced? I'm only starting my 4th week gluten free, there is so much to learn.

Hi M-Rods,

Yes, generally speaking it is good to replace scratched old plastic and wooden utensils/bowls. Or get out the can of ellbow grease and sand the wooden stuff down and re-season it with olive oil. Plastic that is old and all scratched up is hard to really clean down in them there cracks. You should also replace toasters and colanders since they are hard to clean effectively. Some of this may be overkill at first but people do tend to get more sensitive after a while on the gluten-free diet. Toasters and colanders though are certainly a problem with gluten cross-contamination issues.

[Findin my way]

Luckily that nerve pain only lasted the night. I was better by morning. Whew!

I`ll try the canned air and blow the crap outta the motor to see if that helps. Thanks for the tips.

I didn`t use any baking utensils. They`ve all been replaced anyway. All the ingredients were weighed directly into the bowl.

We have two toasters now. Unfortunately mine looks too similar to the family`s. I think I need a purple or red one. Too many times I`ve absentmindedly grabbed their toaster and thrown my gluten free waffles in there. As soon as it touches the toaster and I realize what I`ve done I give the waffles to someone else in the family. And then I curse myself every time.

[kareng]

Luckily that nerve pain only lasted the night. I was better by morning. Whew!

I`ll try the canned air and blow the crap outta the motor to see if that helps. Thanks for the tips.

I didn`t use any baking utensils. They`ve all been replaced anyway. All the ingredients were weighed directly into the bowl.

We have two toasters now. Unfortunately mine looks too similar to the family`s. I think I need a purple or red one. Too many times I`ve absentmindedly grabbed their toaster and thrown my gluten free waffles in there. As soon as it touches the toaster and I realize what I`ve done I give the waffles to someone else in the family. And then I curse myself every time.

You can get duct tape in all sorts of colors and patterns. You could give your toaster a jaunty hot pink racing stripe or a complete leopard spotted coating.