detritus

The first year I was gluten free I reacted to vanilla. It could have been cross contaminated from before diagnoses or my body wasn't healed enough to handle it. The vanilla top is smaller than the diameter of a dime, and I always use a clean measuring spoon (if any) during baking.

Would you mind posting your recipe? I have been looking for an awesome cherry pie recipe.

Wow, that must have been a hard one to figure out !!!

I used the cherry pie recipe from the current issue of cook's illustrated (except I used a gluten free pie crust, of course ) In it, they tackle the issue of using sweet instead of tart cherries, which don't soften up in baking as well as the tart varieties. My local farmer's market has been bursting with cherries lately, so I thought I'd give it a try. The filling was perfect! When I brought the rest of my pie to work, the five people there raved about it. I wasn't as thrilled with the crust, myself. I had made one gluten free pie crust prior to this one from the gluten free every day cookbook. It was okay, but it browned super fast although I tented it with foil the entire time. And that one was a one-crust pie. In the cook's recipe, they say you have to put a top crust on to keep in the moisture, that even a lattice would let too much escape. So I tried a crust recipe from the gluten free italian cookbook.

Well, I'm really wondering if she actually makes pies with her recipe, because it was about the consistency of a very sticky cookie dough. I couldn't detach it AT ALL from the wax paper I rolled it out between, so I scraped it off with my fingers and pressed it into the pan. Then for the top, I used a spatula to kind of scrape strips off, and lay them on top of the pie till it was covered. I tented it for the first 30 minutes, and then let it brown the last 40. It came out ok, didn't brown too fast and had a nice flavor, but I think I'm going to keep checking out other recipes or start tinkering with these. Anyway, here are the recipes-I highly recommend the filling:

Cherry filling:

2 red plums, pitted and halved (I couldn't find red plums right now so I used the closest thing I could find, which was a yellow plum-like fruit that was a hybrid of a plum and a nectarine, or something like that)

6 cups (about 2 lbs) pitted sweet cherries,halved

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 tsp salt

1 T lemon juice

2 tsp bourbon (optional) (I used it, but I couldn't taste it, so maybe I'd leave it out next time)

2 tablespoons tapioca measured and then ground

1/8 tsp cinnamon

Process plums and 1 cup halved cherries in food processor (I used my blender) until smooth. Strain puree through fine mesh strainer into large bowl, pressing on solids to release the juice, discard solids. (you have to keep pushing on the puree until you've got most of the juice out-it takes a couple minutes)Stir remaining cherries, sugar,salt,lemon juice,bourbon,tapioca, and cinnamon into puree, let stand at least 15 minutes.

(You can use tapioca starch/flour if you don't have a grinder, it's just a question of figuring out how much to use because it's measured whole first)

Mary's Baking Mix:

2 cups brown rice flour

2 cups white rice flour

1 1/3 cups potato starch

2/3 cup tapioca flour

For the crust I doubled the recipe so I could have a top crust,so here it is doubled:

2 cups Mary's baking mix

4 T tapioca flour

6 T brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 and 1/2 sticks butter chilled (16 T)

2 eggs (I'm thinking here maybe I only used one egg, and that might have been why I had such a problem with the dough)

2 or more T ice water

Blend together dry ingredients. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add egg and just enough water so that dough forms ball. Divide in half, form two slightly flattened discs, and wrap separately in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1/2 to 1 hour. Roll out first disc between two sheets of waxed paper and place in greased glass pie pan. Refrigerate for 40 minutes. Roll out top crust between waxed paper. Remove crust from frig, and fill with cherry filling. Place top crust on pie (somehow) and pinch together edges.With sharp knife make 8 evenly spaced 1 inch vents in top crust. Freeze pie 20 minutes.

Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place baking sheet in oven, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Place pie on baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes. (I tented it here with foil) Reduce oven to 350 (un-tent pie) and bake for another 30 to 40 minutes until juices bubble and crust is golden brown. Transfer pie to wire rack,(here's the hard part) let cool to room temperature so juices have time to thicken-2 to 3 HOURS Cut into wedges and serve.

Hope it works for you-I'll probably wait till next year's cherry season and try again;)

Good point. Have you replaced the equipment you used for baking before you were diagnosed? Anything wooden like boards and rolling pins need to go. Stand or hand mixers and food processors need to be cleaned really, really well. Any baking trays or pans need to be looked at too. If they are old and scratched they should be replaced as they can harbour gluten.

Also be wary of any gluten free baking products that you used before diagnosis. I had to throw out all my sugars, baking powder, bi-carb soda, cornflour, etc because I couldn't be sure that I hadn't contaminated them with measuring spoons or cups while baking with regular flour.

The bourbon should be okay. Distilled alcohol doesn't have any traces of gluten left even if it is derived from wheat or barley. http://www.celiac.co...ages/Page1.html But some Coeliacs do seem to react to distilled alcohol so it might be worth trying it without. I think you can get bourbon essence.. Maybe you can try that?

What kind of sugar did you use in the filling? Some icing sugar (confectioners sugar) has wheat flour in it. So you always need to check that.

Or it might just be too soon in your healing process to eat something so complicated. Or it might be an intolerance.

Hmm...that's a good point about the sugar...but I think I tend to use separate measuring cups for separate ingredients....I'll have to think about that. All of these gluten free crusts are so sticky that they have to be rolled out between waxed paper, so the dough never touches the rolling pin. Anyway, this crust was such a beast to deal with, it was more like making a sculpture than rolling a piecrust:lol:

Good to know about confectioner's sugar-I hadn't heard that. Maybe I'll try again with a piecrust w/out eggs & with less butter, and keep the bourbon out of the cherries. It's funny...this is such a scientific way to live one's life-cause/effect cause/effect: no effect-ok, data stored. I guess I'll get used to it over time.....

Thank you, everybody, for your thoughts and suggestions-it means a lot!

I'm not a bourbon drinker, but many here have said that Maker's Mark is gluten-free.

I know, you're right! That's why I used it, because I never eat anything without researching it first, and I did see a thread where a number of people said they drank it without any issues. But now I don't know, maybe it was the bourbon

I made my first gluten free pie from fresh farmer's market cherries. It was delicious, but sadly my body rejected it. I don't know if it's because I'm only 4 months gluten-free, and my body isn't ready for something complex, or if it's one of the ingredients. It's not cross contamination in my kitchen, because I live alone. If anyone has any ideas or has experienced sensitivity to any of these ingredients, please let me know; it would be very helpful! This is what went in it:

Crust:brown rice flour, white rice flour,potato starch, tapioca flour,brown sugar,salt,butter, egg,water

Filling: Sweet cherries,plums,sugar,salt,lemon juice,tapioca starch,cinnamon,Maker's Mark bourbon

It's so sad to have a delicious cherry pie sitting on my counter, and not be able to eat it

I'm taking it to the kids at work today.....

The genetic tests are not diagnostic. They can be a component of diagnosis but are not diagnostic on their own. In addition many labs only test for 2 of the celiac related genes not the full 9 that are associated. One lab that does test for all of the genes is Enterolab but many doctors do not accept their test results. Enterolab can tell you if you are making antibodies up to a year after you are gluten free and can tell you what genes you carry. I found them helpful 5 years after diagnosis when my DD, who was diagnosed by both blood and biopsy, was told she couldn't be celiac because she doesn't have DQ2 or DQ8. If I had been gene tested before diagnosis I would have been told I have RA as my gene DQ9 is considered to be an RA gene here in the US. I don't think it is a coincidence that so many RA patients also have IBS. Anyway gene testing, while interesting, can not diagnose us conclusively.

I saw a doctor for the first time yesterday since self-diagnosing for celiac's 4 months ago. Typically, he was superior and dismissive. When I mentioned my rheumatoid arthritis (which WAS diagnosed "properly" by a physician) he got practically angry, insisting that I didn't have it, that it's a VERY serious disease that needs medication. When I told him that a physician diagnosed me, and that RA is often found in conjunction with Celiac, he insisted over and over that the incidence of that is EXTREMELY RARE. When I mentioned the pain I have in the joints of my little bones when I eat gluten or nightshades as corroborating evidence for my RA, he said "everyone has joint pain" I left feeling extremely frustrated and upset. Why is the idea of what a doctor is, so far from the reality?

Getting close to the 3 month mark now; felt pretty bad for the first 3 weeks, then slowly started to see symptoms recede. At 2 months I felt like I was on solid footing, and felt like I was coming back stronger after the occasional accidental glutenings. But the last couple weeks I've been having wretched muscle/joint pain running up and down my right arm. And there haven't been any of the "good" days to balance the bad ones. I don't know if this is another part of the healing phase, or new sensitivities cropping up, or my body reacting to deficiencies, or something I have no idea about.Finding out that gluten was causing my problems gave me confidence to be able to overcome them, so it's hard to feel lost again. I hope this part of the battle doesn't last very long.....

It can. I personally developed a semi intolerance to coconut milk. I now can have it once in a while--certainly no more than once a week. Many here cannot tolerate it at all--having to avoid coconut oil and even remove charcoal filtered water that uses coconut as its base. I personally have not had to go to that extreme. Did you get digestive disturbance, some brain fog and D like I have done when I have had too much coconut milk too often??

The main felt difference with these food intolerances is that the effect usually only lasts a day rather than 3 or more as they might with gluten... It is caused I believe greatly in part due to the leaky gut effect from so much time from the gluten effect attack and thus erode the villi. It shows up after the gluten is removed I think because the body is no longer overloaded from having to deal with a much worse situation. It now can be more descriminating so to speak in its quest for balance and health... Eventually as your villi heal and your body rights itself you may become less reactive. I have to many foods I originally couldn't tolerate though I still don't seem to handle most of them every day. Others I still avoid -- like nuts, corn, sugar etc.

Bea

Thank you! Yes, those are my symptoms, along with body ache. It's encouraging to know that it probably won't last as long as the usual rough ride!

Hi, I'm nearing the 3 month gluten-free mark. I've had my share of glutening experiences over the last 3 months, but I could always identify the culprit. Today I ate the exact same breakfast I have every day since going gluten-free; Bob's Red Mill gluten-free hot cereal, except today I made it with So coconut milk instead of the almond milk I normally use. And now I'm having the same symptoms I do as though I were glutened. I live alone, so it's not CC. What I'm wondering, is, when people say,"I can't tolerate X" do they have the same symptoms as if glutened? I've never had problems with coconut before, but I know sensitivities change after going gluten-free. When you fellow celiacs have food intolerances other than gluten, does ingesting them manifest in the same way as gluten?

I appreciate any responses.

Hi, I was just reading a recipe, and it mentioned "gluten-free" baking powder. I rushed to my 365 whole foods brand baking powder that I've been using, and it doesn't say gluten free, but the only ingredients are cornstarch, monocalcium phosphate and baking soda. I've been feeling off and trying to pinpoint what is glutening me-could it be this? What is the difference between this product and the gluten-free version? Their offices are closed on the weekend (of course) so I can't contact them directly to find out. Help please!

Hi Benji:

I don't know where you are currently based, but we obviously share some of the same concerns.

Like you, for years I shared that problem with my legs - a total tightness, like every ligament. tendon and muscle was stretched taut and would snap at least excuse. I underwent years of excruciating massage in order to be able to sleep at night. Nothing could relax those legs, daytime, nightime, relaxation exercises - the more I focused on trying to relax them the tighter they became I could, and still cannot, bear anyone to touch or grab my legs, nor can my sister who is also "gluten intolerant" (her daughter is a diagnosed celiac). There are ramifications to the modification of gluten, and genetic engineering and modification of crops, far beyond what the scientists engaged im this research are willing to contemplate. Once you start messing around with Mother Nature, someone has to pay the price. Unfortunately it is we poor souls. And we are but a voice crying in the wilderness of the crowds who insist we must genetically modify to feed ever greater numbers of us - for what purpose pray tell?? Surely the world does not need more peoples?? Fewer would be better!

SUE MONSANTO!!!!! Gluten-intolerant group lawsuit!

Hi Everyone,

I am delighted to join this great forum where everyone is out to help each other.

I travel quite often and being gluten-free is difficult for me. Scheduleing and Bookings take much longer than it used to since I need to do a lot of research on where to buy gluten-free stuff, which hotels, resteraunts cater to my needs,ect.

I hope to be able to obtain helpful information from experienced gluten-free travelers or any member which happens to live close by to the places I'll be visiting.

My next trip is to Los Angeles, CA. Anyone out there familiar with where to shop/eat gluten-free ?

I LOVE Real Food Daily. There's one in LA and one in Santa Monica. They have gluten-free waffles for brunch on Sunday. If you're also avoiding casein there's a terrific dish called Not-chos, which is made with cashew cheese and tofu sour cream. They have a lot of gluten-free options, and are very knowledgeable. I like their food so much I bought their cookbook

Oh, I soooo needed to read these posts today! I've been feeling terrible off and on for weeks and today is a VERY rough day, emotions are all over the place. It really helps to know you've been there. Hoping I get out of this funk very soon! Thanks for the help!

I'm sorry you're having a rough one. Lately I've been finding that a tablespoon of organic blackstrap molasses in hot almond milk really helps my mood. It has a lot of B-vitamins which help with depression. Hope things get better soon.

Maybe lIke the bachelor. Gluten free dates. Or maybe more of a competition. They have to cook for the Celiac and get eliminated if they gluten her.

Ha ha- I love it!

LOL, I've fantasized about a gluten free city too! And I am really enjoying this post because it's particularly relevant to me. I just ended a 3 and a half year relationship, and dating for the first time with celiac... well, it's an experience

I would love to date someone gluten free, but I've never met anyone. My ex was really really good. Washed his hands after he ate wheat, never brought it into the house, brushed his teeth and washed his face and waited before he kissed me. He wasn't perfect though, to get him there it took some fights and um, "training"

Anyway the dating scene is weird. I learned if you meet someone and they don't take your allergy seriously they are probably not the best person to date. Also, the first time I met someone I wanted to kiss, I didn't tell him about my allergy until he leaned into kiss me after just having a gulp of beer! I sidestepped but I felt bad. Sooo now I tell them earlier.

This was also helpful to me after my experience:

Open Original Shared Link

I also think that since wheat products are so crumbly that they should wash their faces too. But I am super super sensitive, so it might be okay for you. I just wanted to say that it is possible to date gluten eaters!

That's a great link! My friend was rolling her eyes at me when I told her that kissing gluten-eaters was dangerous for me, and now I have something to send her;)

I also like the idea that the way in which someone responds to the kissing info is a litmus test for how they will treat one in a relationship.

I can totally relate! I love France, and love the food, but now, post-celiac diagnosis, I wonder how I could ever be safe eating there again. They put flour in everything! I just came back from a week in Mexico, and since I'm only 2 months gluten-free, I was quite nervous, but everything was fine because wheat flour is not so integral to their cooking; they are much more corn reliant.

I am now going home to visit my family, and am cooking dinner myself to stay safe. But my brother is making "gluten-free" bread for me, and I'm terrified! He makes a lot of bread, so I know all of his baking equipment has been coated in flour at some point.

The worst thing is that he tested positive for the anti-bodies indicating celiac, and "went off gluten " for a year, but since he never had symptoms he went back to eating gluten. So he'll never understand how sensitive I am to even the tiniest amounts, and will probably think I'm being over-obsessive. My goal in this trip is to try to get him to understand how he is hurting his body by continuing to eat gluten, but also to remain unscathed myself. I wonder if I could pretend to eat it and then hide it in a napkin.......

So what vitamins or supplements do I need to get while being gluten free? I know magnesium cuz of constipation, but what else should I get?

I was concerned about the anemia, so instead of coffee every day I drink hot almond milk with a tablespoon of organic blackstrap molasses. It has lots of good vitamins in it, and I actually get a little "happy" high about 20 minutes after drinking it

I also take calcium with magnesium, digestive enzymes with every meal, probiotics, fish oil, and a multi-vitamin. All of these gluten-free, of course. Be careful to check on-line if the vitamins, etc. are gluten free.

I'm also adding brewers yeast to my hot cereal.

Would be lovely. Restuarants, bakeries, bars, pizza delivery we could go to & not ask a flourful question. So relaxing. Of course the homes would be nicer, the public art artier, the pets friendlier, the birds more colorful. Alright you fertile ones, get going!

You can't go there. We need you in our gluten-free city. What shall we name it? Sprue Town doesn't cut it.

Hmmm...Wheatless,Wisconsin? Flourfree, Florida? Deglutened, Delaware?

But if we made lots of Celiac babies, we could take over the world. Wouldn't have to worry about gluten if we are the majority. Bah HA HA!! (sinister laugh)

I've had daydreams about a gluten-free town-can you imagine it?!!!!!

Sure it might be a lot easier when eating together - I am living down under and there is a serious man drought- Honey we are happy if there are Available men around- let alone Celiac men. The ratio is 4 women to 1 man!!!

Yikes! Sounds like how it is in New York, only there it's 4 women to every 1 commitment-phobic man

Awesome I was gone from here for a few days and my thread got me all sorts of good pizza tips. Cool!

I rested a lot this weekend and it improved my health and my mood. Hopefully it sticks.

I love this board. Have I said that lately?

I second that! I,too, have been having crazy mood swings! This morning I was walking down the street practically singing because I felt so good, but tonight I feel icky and down. So I came here, and once again am comforted by reading everyone's thoughts and experiences. Life would be sooo much harder right now without our community.

I went through a period where I was panicking that celiac had caused some horrible things to my body. But everyday I feel better and better.

My biggest challenge is dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. If I don't sip water all day long and front load in the morning with a couple of big glasses of water, plus my electrolyte replacement, I will get dizzy spells and short of breath again. My doc said autoimmune disorders can cause terrible dehydration and since I have hypothyroidism too it's my greatest issue right now.

It's a pain to take water everywhere and drink water in the morning. I hate drinking it with breakfast, but if I don't I start the day off bad and it never gets better.

Hey, I know you've mentioned gatorade, but I've actually become hooked on Pedialyte! Not the main brand one, but the mom-to-mom one-no flavor. It's cheaper and tastes like salty lemonade

I would probably not recommend this as the official slogan for a gluten-free-dating site.

I thought about this all last time I was at Whole Foods in the gluten-free isle, tried chatting it up with a girl I thought would also be gluten-free, turns out she was just slightly lost...

Maybe you could have "turned" her

Thank you all so much for your responses. Feeling a bit better today.

I'm comfortable with the diet. I love to cook so I have embraced the challenge. I haven't had any temptation to cheat. It hasn't even crossed my mind. I feel too good being gluten, soy and dairy free to risk it for a few moments of indulgence. Plus, the homemade gluten-free/sf/df food I can make tastes a whole lot better than anything that might come in a cardboard box.

What upsets me the most is the lost years going from doc to doc, the damage to my body (known and unknown) and the likely exacerbation of my RA which resulted in 20+ surgeries in a 10 year time frame. I lost a good chunk of my youth to feeling like poop. It feels so unfair. I think about what 39+ years of gluten ingestion has done to me. I think about if there will be cancer in my future due to the lack of diagnosis and proper diet. I couldn't be more proactive about my health, more assertive, more educated and dedicated. I have access to the best hospitals and docs. And yet here I am. It feels like a bad joke.

I accepted my RA a long long time ago, accepted it was my lot to bear. I rolled with the punches. I soldiered through the meds, tests, surgeries, pain, fatigue, etc. But here I am with a celiac diagnosis and I think if only someone had discovered this it could have saved me so much damage and my quality of life could have been so much better. That's what is pissing me off.

Pity party - party of one!! At least I can laugh at myself.

You're all right. This is a grieving process. That makes sense. There will be ups and downs. I still want to yell at someone though. :-)

Thank you all - your support means so much to me. You have no idea!

Welcome to the community:) I think what you're feeling, and what we've all felt, is why it is SO important for us all to raise awareness about this disease, even through just raising the awareness in the people around us. Hopefully ,one day celiac sufferers will not have to go through decades of distress before receiving the answers they need.

I, too, have/had RA, which seems to be particularly triggered by nightshades. I used to eat fresh homemade gazpacho every day in summer (tomatoes,bell peppers,cucumber & vinegar) with no issues. Then I had pneumonia, which I believe was my trigger. Summer rolled around, I whipped up a big bowl of gazpacho and "ouch" ! My hands were so inflamed I couldn't turn the key in the lock to my house.

Now that I've been off gluten for 3 weeks, I haven't even felt a twinge. Hopefully one day my body will repair to the point where I can make my gazpacho again:P

In one of the books I read about Celiac's Disease, it says that even those who haven't been triggered are more susceptible to developing certain cancers than the rest of the population, but that once one starts eating gluten-free that potential is reduced.

This is why I worry about my brother. My sister and I both have strong symptoms-bowel issues, me with the RA etc., her with the osteoporosis etc., but my brother has never had any symptoms. I found out that he had a positive blood test, and supposedly went off gluten for a year, but decided he didn't feel any different and went back. I'm a little frustrated that he never told me that he tested positive for a genetic disease, and that I had to find my own way to diagnosis years later (especially because he's a geneticist) but I am more worried that he is poisoning himself, only to run into worse issues down the line.

I think for my sister and I it is easier, because we are both so desperate for relief.

Megan - Seattle is an area of great natural beauty. Water, mountains, forests, as well as a very cosmopolitan city. Terrific ethnic diversity, which I love, especially for the food. Not that I've been able to indulge in much of THAT, lately... Also some pretty decent small theater, which I like, though not nearly as much as in LA, with all those marginally employed actors running around.

I'd say Santa Monica is just about the prettiest part of LA. And it's generally a few degrees cooler than areas to the east, which suits my taste. And of course, great food! Have you ever been to Jiraffe, on Santa Monica Blvd? Or Melisse, over on Wilshire? I'm especially a fan of sushi (sometimes wonder if my current gut issues might not be a weird bug I picked up in some sashimi... One interesting sushi place is Open Original Shared Link at the Santa Monica airport. I don't generally give a rodent's rump about celebrities, but at the sushi bar there once I do recall sitting next to Harrison Ford and that skinny chick who was on some show, "Alley Mcbeal", I think it was. What's her name? Odd, I can recall the name of a program I don't think I ever actually saw, but not the PERSON. Hmmmm...

Calista Flockhart. I was the costume designer for her first film as a main character. It was low budget, so I put her in all of my own clothes. I had to take them up a bit, because she's a little shorter than me, but we're both skinny...hmmmm...wonder if she has Celiac's

I love Jiraffe-it's right around the corner from my work. I think it's going to be a long time before I go to any restaurants, though. That was one of my favorite things to do, before I found out. I've been to wonderful restaurants all over europe and new york. I loved doing the chef's tasting menu; just putting myself in his hands for the night.

No more

Fortunately I love to cook, so this isn't quite as hard on me as it might be on people who don't. And I'm exploring the cooking of cultures that don't eat a lot of wheat. Right now I'm making a lot of Persian food, since it has simple ingredients and lots of rice. One door closes, another opens......