luvs2eat

We went to a Mexican place we'd been to many times and I asked, like I always do, "Can you please check to make SURE the tortilla chips are corn?" Our server came back and told us that the restaurant had recently changed their corn tortilla vendor and ALL the corn tortillas were dusted w/ wheat flour!! We don't go there anymore.

I always ask... every single time.

I know that the glue on envelopes is suspect. Maybe that's it??

Not only are store brands NOT evil... if you read labels (and we have to)... there are often more natural ingredients in there and less things like high fructose corn syrup! We're huge store brand fans!

When I was diagnosed (at age 48 and no family history), my blood work was so positive, my GI told me I didn't need to have a biopsy. I went gluten free and that was it. Several years later, I did have an endoscopy/biopsy because I was suffering wicked heartburn. The test itself is nothing... don't be afraid if you need one.

Count me in as one who overloaded on things I COULD eat after finding out all the things I could no longer eat. Another difficulty is the higher glycemic index and calorie count for some of the foods we can have. For example, when dieting, one can find high-fiber, lower calorie breads that are 50-100 calories a slice. ONE slice of my delicious Pamela's bread mix, as prepared, is 170 calories PER SLICE!!

This recipe is from Alton Brown on the Food Network. They're chewy... not crumbly or gritty at all!! You need to bake them on a Silpat or parchment paper tho. Regular cookies have lots more butter so you don't need to grease the cookie sheet, but these will stick if you don't use the Silpat or parchment paper.

8 ounces unsalted butter

11 ounces brown rice flour, approximately 2 cups

1 1/4 ounces cornstarch, approximately 1/4 cup

1/2-ounce tapioca flour, approximately 2 tablespoons

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 ounces sugar, approximately 1/4 cup

10 ounces light brown sugar, approximately 1 1/4 cups

1 whole egg

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons whole milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Once melted, pour into the bowl of a stand mixer.

In a medium bowl, sift together the rice flour, cornstarch, tapioca flour, xantham gum, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

Add both of the sugars to the bowl with the butter and using the paddle attachment, cream together on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the whole egg, egg yolk, milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.

Chill the dough in the refrigerator until firm, approximately 1 hour. Shape the dough into 2-ounce balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes, rotating the pans after 7 minutes for even baking. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on the pans for 2 minutes. Move the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. Store cooked cookies in an airtight container.

I don't have kids in school anymore, but just wanted to say... WOW, am I impressed by the way your son's school is accommodating him. Those people (nutritionist and cafeteria peeps) deserve some kind of awards!! Maybe peeps here having to deal w/ these school issues can call your son's school and see how implementing a plan in their schools would be a great help!!

Share the recipe, will ya?? I'd kill for a good bagel!!

Seems most of the recipes they do at parties use crescent rolls. I wonder what sort of recipe you could do... even w/ all the precautions?

I was diagnosed in my late 40s... the ONLY one in my family and extended family! My middle grown daughter was diagnosed about 4 years later, at 23. My youngest daughter has just been diagnosed at age 26... w/ celiac AND interstitial cystitis. I told the oldest, who had negative bloodwork when I was first diagnosed, to enjoy gluten now cause it appears celiac will show up sooner or later!

I made the gluten-free boule yesterday!! It's not exactly like the original wheat flour recipe, but then what gluten-free result is the same? It was delicious! Absolutely the best homemade bread recipe I've tried yet... I use Pamela's bread mix for sandwich bread. It didn't shrink back on itself after baking and everyone liked it! (even non-celiacs). It was light and WONDERFUL!

I did like I do when I make the wheat bread for fam and friends... I mixed it up in my Kitchen Aid mixer and just put plastic wrap tightly over the bowl for rising out of the fridge and then the whole bowl right into the fridge. I don't think I've been this excited since I discovered Tinkyada pastas!

The funny part for me was that I didn't have a heavy dutch oven (I imagined they were talking about a Le Crueset casserole/dutch oven), but I did have a big, really heavy cast iron thing w/ a lid. I think it weighs about 10 lbs! I put that into the 500

I developed petechia about a year after going gluten-free. I noticed them on my arms... when I'd scratch even a small itch, I'd end up w/ red lines that stayed for hours, sometimes days! I went to my doctor who told me it was a symptom of LUPUS and since I was dealing w/ autoimmune issues, she sent me to a rheumatologist. He sent me for blood work ... MANY little blood vials! I had a mildly elevated ANA and nothing else. I saw him every 6 months for 18 months and nothing ever came of that mildly elevated ANA.

It was that rheumatologist who gave me the best description of celiac or any autoimmune disease. He said that my body was like a country (I asked him if that was a FAT joke... haha) and my immune system was the army who protected my country. Sometimes, he said, the army doesn't have much to do and they begin fighting amongst themselves causing damage to the country. And that's an autoimmune disease... when your protective army is fighting itself! I thought that was really neat.

I've made the regular boules many times for my wheat-loving friends and neighbors. It's very easy and delicious... or so they tell me. I'm SOOOOO PSYCHED that I can try it gluten-free!!!

Been wanting to do a muffaleta ever since I saw the Neely's do it on Food TV!! Not to mention making tiny boules and taking out the middles and toasting them for soup bowls!!

I don't know about the enzymes on shredded cheese, but I don't like it because I think it has a flavor and a texture. I always shred my own... tastes way better!

I have a friend who is wonderful about knowing the ingredients of what he cooks so he can make sure I can eat it. I'm so touched when he does this. But we had a conversation last night about eating in restaurants ... even when they have a gluten-free menu. I explained to him that I can have a lengthy conversation w/ the server or the manager and even the chef... but when that kitchen door closes, I am absolutely at the mercy of the people behind it to REALLY understand and not use a contaminated spoon or cooking pot. It's almost always a crap shoot (pardon the pun!) and why we dont' eat out very often.

So many of my friends "get" it... up to a point... heck... all these years later and I'm STILL figuring it all out myself!

I've done the Pamela's bread mix bagel variation and thought it was the closest to the texture of a real bagel I'd had since going gluten-free.

I completely understand your grieving. I went thru it and my daughter's going thru it now. She's not grieving for the gluten free part, as she's been familiar w/ mine and my middle daughter's issues for years. But she's discovering that she also has interstitial cystitis, which limits her diet even more! She's having a hard time dealing w/ the idea that so much of entertaining and being w/ friends revolves around food!

It's all a learning process... it'll get easier... I promise!

I saw my GI doc to be diagnosed... he did blood work and a colonoscopy (cause I was near the age to be needing the first one). My blood work was so positive that he didn't see a need for an endoscopy. The next time I saw him was several years later when I was having terrible heartburn and acid reflux. That time he did an endoscopy and said he saw evidence of celiac disease, but that I was doing well w/ my gluten-free diet. I've not seen him since and don't see a need, as long as I don't have any unusual symptoms and keep on keepin' on w/ my gluten-free diet.

I like Pamela's bread mix and baking (pancake) mix. I also like all the Tinkyada pastas. There aren't many other products I buy. Kinnikinick pizza crusts are pretty good, but I don't eat them often.

There are too many foods to even list!!

TONS of all the different kinds of homemade bread I make

Subway hoagies

PIZZA w/ the cheese in the crust

Pepperidge Farm stuffing

croissants

anything made w/ puff pastry

toll house cookies (not gluten-free ones)

ravioli and gnocchi and manicotti

a whopper or a big mac

non gluten-free beer

all sorts of things made using cresent roll dough

chinese food at a buffet

biscotti

Walker's shortbread

... sigh ...

I was a fairly normal weight when I found out I have celiac disease. I was diagnosed very quickly ... only 2 months after symptoms (unrelenting diarrhea) showed up. I GAINED about 40 lbs. after going gluten free!! It's my own fault... I made up for all the things I could no longer eat by eating way too much of what I COULD eat!

I'm dieting now ... rather, I'm eating less but really well ... lean proteins, lots more veggies and fruit, and less bread/carbs. I've been carrying that extra 40 lbs for WAY too long!!

I was the ONLY one in an extended Irish family of about 20. Thankfully, I was diagnosed very quickly... only 2 months after developing unrelenting diarrhea. 3 or 4 years later, my 25-year-old daughter started exhibiting the same symptoms. She's been gluten-free since.

Recently, my youngest daughter was diagnosed and wasn't too upset about it, having been thru it w/ me and her sister. Plus, she lives in Portland, OR, where there are gluten-free bakeries and entire restaurants! But now she's taking it even further, by having to deal w/ interstitial cycstitis, which is making a gluten free diet look like a piece of cake!

I told my oldest daughter to enjoy gluten while she can. I'd say the chances of her developing it are pretty good.

Older sister has many food allergies, but has been tested negative for celiac. She lives in France and just isn't willing to give up the amazing breads there. Older brother had episodes of eczema on his hands and noticed they lessened or disappeared when he simply cut down on wheat, but he's not been formally tested.

I've polled first cousins and no one else has it!

You have so much going on... trying to stay gluten free... weak-ass boyfriend... job stress... winter blahs... it's no wonder you're flipping.

I'd like to recommend staying w/ the counseling. I'd stress to my therapist that dealing w/ day-to-day problems and longer-term goals is where you're headed.

Good advice here... this is a GOOD place to vent!

I lived in Miami many years ago and every time we drove past the Holsum Bread factory, this bready yeasty smell would almost overwhelm you!! It took a long time to get used to the smell, but we eventually did.

As far as situational illness goes... I know I sure feel like barfing when I have to spend any time in the same room/ ANY room w/ my jerk of an ex-husband... does that count? ha ha

Also check out www.dwlz.com online. It's a site made by a lady named Dotti (dwlz = dottie's weight loss zone) who lost a bunch of weight on WW and it's got TONS of information about restaurant points and recipes and forums.

Gearing up for WW...