penguin

What do you use xantham gum for?

Gluten is the sticky protein that keeps breads, cakes, etc together and prevents them from being very crumbly.

gluten-free flours have a very low protein level, so you add xanthan gum to give the dough some stretchiness. Most gluten-free baking recipes call for it. You may notice that gluten-free recipes call for a lot of eggs, that's also to replace some stretchy protein.

I went to my local asian market during lunch, and boy was I a fish out of water! Here I am, this chubby, pale, blonde American trying to figure out what everything is. I must have looked like an idiot, and of course I went during lunch when everyone eating could gawk at me

But I digress...

Where does whole foods get off charging like, $5 for rice flour? I got two cornstarch sized boxes of sweet rice flour for .99 each! I also got same size boxes of tapioca starch flour for .99, and potato starch flour for 1.25!

And a big bag of organic long grain brown rice was $3.69, and the coconut milk was .79 each!

Whole Foods is ripping me off

Now if only I could find cheap xanthan gum...

I was hesitant to post anything...it's the first time I've done this, but my husband encouraged me too, and now I know why! It's helpful to know that there are lots of people who have been in my situation. I'm glad to know I'm not alone.

Cheers!

Yay for the hubby! Tell your family to tell you that the gluten-free food tastes good even if it doesn't!

Well, if there are any disasters, anyway. Most of the time the food is good!!!

I too have used the Ranch packets with no problems???

Monica

This is what they say about it:

Q. Do Hidden Valley

I've reacted to the enchilada bowl. My tummy was not happy, and I have no other intolerances that I'm aware of other than wheat.

I assumed it was a CC issue.

I like the "investigative food finding" idea- he would totally go for that

I know he's only 5, but you might want to try having him help you to make his food. If you're making gluten-free brownies, explain how stuff works. Like baking powder helps make the bubbles, or if you're making bread tell him that the bubbles in bread is the yeast burping Or that the eggs in something makes baked stuff like brownies or muffins bouncy. Go a little Alton Brown on him Little boys dig the science part (in my experience)

If he has a hand (even a little one) in making his food, he'll probably be more likely to try it and like it. Also, the earlier he learns how to prepare his own food, 1: the less stress you'll have and 2: he's more likely to maintain a healthy gluten-free diet when he's an adult.

I've been cooking since I was 5, and it's the most valuable skill I have.

Easy things for him to make (almost) by himself are peanut butter cookies (only three ingredients):

1 c jif pb

1 c sugar (or 1/2&1/2 w/splenda)

1 egg

Mix to combine, roll into balls, flatten with fork, bake at 375 for 12-15 mins.

Help him make green eggs and ham by either adding veggies or green food coloring to eggs.

Give him cut up fruit and toothpicks and have him build a fruit monster or fruit people. Make him a fruit dip with strawberry yogurt, cinnamon, honey, and some oj concentrate (if you want specifics I'll post them)

Keep him distracted and involved, and he'll feel like he has more control over his situation

Hang in there, it'll get easier!

Sounds good--I'm in the market for new dinner ideas. I like the boneless breasts--not so much work . I'll be doing the dairy-free version, though

I'm chock-full of dinner recipes, especially since I've had to modify very few of them. I never really noticed, but all but maybe 3 of my dinner recipes in regular rotation are gluten-free

My body was definitely trying to tell me something

I like the idea of the boullion--it would add the saltiness w/ some additional flavor. Do you know off hand which brands are gluten-free?

Herb-Ox is gluten-free (you can check the hormel website, it's on the gluten-free list), I'm pretty sure knorr is also, but it's a unilever company anyway so they'll list wheat products clearly.

DH and I were really missing my ranch chicken strips, which used hidden valley ranch mix and crushed saltines. After seeing Nini's recipe for chicken, I thought, hey, that'll work! And I also made my own ranch mix (was pretty good, but I'm going to keep tweaking.) Like all of my recipes, it has cheese in it

2-4 bonless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 c. mashed potato flakes (I use idahoan premium)

1/2 c. parmesan cheese*

1-2 eggs, beaten (you can get away with only one egg with 2 breasts)

4 tbsp melted butter (or margerine)

HV Ranch mock up:

3 tbsp Buttermilk powder* (found with the other dry milk)

at least 1 tsp garlic salt

" " 1 tsp onion powder

" " 1 tsp dried dill

" " 1 tsp dried parsley

" " 1/2 tsp lemon pepper

Preheat oven to 375. Mix together the ranch copy cat powder and potato flakes. Dip the chicken pieces in the parmesan, then into the egg, and then coat with the potato mixture. Do this with all of the chicken pieces. Place chicken into a pyrex dish (or other oven safe dish with sides), pieces not touching, and drizzle with the melted butter. Cook 30-40 minutes or until done and golden brown.

I made this a total junk food dinner with ore-ida fries and broccoli with velveeta sauce

It's not my old recipe exactly, but it's close, and I think it'll get even better with more tweaking. DH fought me for the leftovers!

*If you are lactose/casein intolerant, you can omit the buttermilk powder. You can also replace the parmesan cheese with gluten-free flour, but season it with salt and pepper first. The first dredging before going into the egg makes for maximum crispyness and helps the potato flakes adhere better!

Thanks Nini, for inspiring me to modify an old favorite recipe!!!

jeeze, why didn't I think of that I guess I keep thinking I need some form of milk to make them creamy..thanks!!

You can also use boullion or broth when you're boiling the potatoes and the extra flavor detracts from the fact they don't have milk creamyness.

I don't see how that would be good in any way shape or form. I can only imagine the side effects and long term effects of a more "watertight" intestine. Besides, if you have an autoimmune disorder, how would that stop the reaction? It doesn't make any sense to me.

Aren't there more important things to research than a get-out-of-jail-free card for diabetics and celiacs? It's not a cure, it's like lactaid or something. Only worse. Ephedrine.

Boo.

In the safe looking cornmeal I just bought. Definite gluten reaction from my cornbread, and that was the only new thing. I seriously doubt it was the tinkyada.

Bob's Red Mill did the same thing.

Why is it every time I make something yummy and normal I get glutened, when I know all other ingredients and tools are safe?

As I understand it, Celiac is a form of gluten sensitivity. With Celiac, the gluten is ingested and it damages the villi of the small intestine. With gluten sensitivity, it doesn't cause damage, but causes the symptoms. Some doctors say that untreated gluten sensitivity can lead to Celiac.

You can be gluten intolerant without being Celiac, but you can't be Celiac without being gluten intolerant.

Either way, it's gluten-free for life.

It is confusing

That looks good! I have a recipe for chicken nuggets too, if you don't mind my sharing...it's got a lot less ingredients (it's a spinoff of nini's chicken)...just let me know and I'll post it

I've been gluten-free for a month and a week, and I am seven days late on my period. I'm normally on the pill, but wasn't this past month due to some logistical errors on my part.

Before you say that I'm preggers, let me say that two HPT's and a blood test reveal otherwise.

Anyway, I've been on the pill for 7 years, but, I have taken breaks here and there, and I'd always get my period like I did when I was off the pill, 28 day cycle, etc. I've always been super regular from my first period on, you could set a watch by it!

My last couple periods were really light, so maybe the pill was the only thing making me have a period every month? Or is it that my body is totally out of whack from the gluten-free diet?

Truly, my diet didn't change *that* radically, I didn't eat tons of gluten to begin with.

WHERE DID MY PERIOD GO?!?!?!

Also, on another note, how do I decontaminate my DH after he eats gluten? He's getting frustrated that he can't kiss me and kind of thinks I'm going overboard...

Any thoughts either subject would be fantastic!!! I'm flipping out a little here!!!

Actually, more similar to "real" milk yogurt than I thought it would be. Except for getting it a bit more solid, I can live with this.

Pretend that it's keifer

I was of the opinion that it was a little overboard to get a medic alert bracelet just for Celiac, especially when I'm not a kid in school. I saw it advertised on a gluten-free site somewhere and wondered if anyone bought them just for celiac.

If I ever have another need to get a bracelet, I'd probably add celiac to it for good measure.

Thanks for all the replies!

Find out the number of the company that makes it and ask them if it has gluten in it.

What I never understood about antidepressants is that the side effects are so bad, how are you supposed to come out of depression? I willfully got my anxiety under control after not wanting to be on those drugs anymore, though now that I think about it, the anxiety was probably celiac related.

Not to be insensitive or uncouth, but what do they mean by "abnormal ejaculation/orgasm"?

Does it come out of a guy's nose? Does your foot fall off during climax?

They need to be more specific

I read once that a good trap for bees and other icky flying stinging things is a 2 or 3 liter soda bottle with just a little soda (full sugar) at the bottom (maybe 1/4 of the way full).

The bees and things go into the bottle but can't figure out how to get out. Orange soda is supposed to work particularly well.

Does anyone out there have a simple cornbread recipe? I don't want a recipe where I have to track down 20 obscure flours, since cornbread is by it's very nature simple.

DH and I dearly miss jiffy cornbread, so help is much appreciated

I will have to get more info about how plants and foods are related to each other!

It is really interesting! I also found out that cocoa is related to celery

I don't know how the botanists figure all of this stuff out

Karen- My dad loves that too! I think his is Irish boiled dinner so it has corned beef in it. Every St. patty's Day it's all he wants!

I make this all the time! It was one of the many dinners that were normal *inside* my house, but not outside my house!

Others were chicken fried steak, salmon patties, greek rice, ham hocks and beans, chicken & dumplings...

My mom is a southern trained cook living in yankee land, so no wonder my friends thought I was wierd

At least now I live in the south so my cooking is normal!

(minus the irish boiled dinner )

I found this on the Clan Thompson site,

Open Original Shared Link

No idea if it would work or not. I need to learn to make it!

And I desperately love greek food!

2 days ago I started getting sick with the flu, bad vomiting and D, sometimes together. I know it is the flu because my mother & nephew had same thing last week. I have finally stopped the D & V but feel like something's eating away inside my stomach, it's very painful and I'm very bloated. The only things I've consumed are Canada Dry ginger ale, orange Gatarade, Motts jello with fruit and Tylenol rapid release gelcaps. Anyone had something similar or know why I ache so bad? Any suggestions? Please? Second day home from work, I need to get back there.

The Rapid Release Tylenol is NOT gluten-free! If you're having trouble taking pills, take the children's liquid.

I hope you feel better soon!

I had to eliminate vinegar before I knew it was a yeast reaction. There is yeast in the process and it very possibly could be the culprit in your mayo. I even tried to make my own mayo with rice vinegar thinking it was the acid but it still bothered me. I found the yeast connection after I had eliminated both from my diet.

Thanks for the info about Breads from Anna!!!!! That sounds like a nice change.

Distilled vinegars are gluten-free, some people still react to them for other reasons, like you with yeast.

You might be able to pull off a homemade mayo with lemon juice in place of vinegar, it's the acid you need for the emulsion.