queenofhearts

MMMMMM, I love gazpacho & even pre-diagnosis I always made it without bread (even though the bread is authentic-- I just like the lighter texture of veg-only). If you make it ahead & keep it icy cold, it is one of those things that tastes like heaven in really hot weather, when you don't think you have an appetite.

In the middle of Summmer I use tomatoes from the garden or farmer's market, but if only store-bought are available, canned are actually more flavorful.

I'm pretty sure the Hunt's tomatoes I use are gluten free, at least by the ingredient list. Anyone heard otherwise?

And I often use V-8 for the tomato juice-- does anyone know if that is gluten-free?

Leah

I think the potato flour is your problem too. Both are useful but not interchangeable.

Hope that solves your crumbles!

Leah

The traditional method of stripping the seasoning from a cast iron pan right down to the metal is to put it into a fire and leave it until the fire burns out. Sounds like you've got it down pat.

Great! I was dreading having to replace all my cast iron stuff-- I have several skillets & a muffin pan-- I'm going to "self-clean" them all in the oven & forbid gluten to touch them henceforth.

At this rate my oven's going to be cleaner than it was when I bought it!

Thanks,

Leah

Interesting discovery today: this morning I made Bette Hagman's waffle recipe, first time I tried gluten-free waffles. The family loved them but I suddenly realized that oh my god, the waffle iron is probably like a gluten archive. (This was after I'd made them, unfortunately. ) I love my waffle iron, it was a gift from my inlaws & is this wonderful forties-looking model that weighs about 30 lbs... well I just have a weird attachment to it & I'm NOT going to buy a new one. So I just decided I'd have to clean the livin' bejeezus out of it. Talk about hard to clean! I tried all sorts of scrubbing powders, iron brushes, steel wool-- hopeless! Then suddenly I had the notion to stick the plates (it has removable plates) in the oven, turn on the self-clean feature, & cross my fingers. WOW! It took off every trace of what is probably at least half a century of gluten build-up! Now all I have to do is spend a few weeks putting the oily patina back on so everything won't stick to it.

I think I might try the same thing with my cast iron pans... has anybody tried this?

Leah

What great ideas, Andrea! I'm from the southern US so cornbread is an old friend to me, but you've given me some new variations. Cornbread gingerbread, what a concept! I'll have to try that soon.

My recipe is quite similar to Andrea's first, but I always use buttermilk for the liquid, & in southern fashion, bake it in a cast iron skillet. I oil the skillet liberally (I use less oil in the bread itself, by the way) & put it in the preheating oven while making up the batter. I bake mine at 375, to make up for the initial direct heat. Be careful spooning in the batter, because it can spatter a bit, but it makes the most delectable "fried" crust while the interior is light & bready. My family is crazy about it. I also use a bit more leavening in mine, & half the sugar, but otherwise the proportions are the same.

The other southern cornmeal staple is fried anything, egged & coated in seasoned cornmeal. Fish is the classic. My mom makes the most wonderful fried okra. If you've never had it fried, it is COMPLETELY different from the sliminess of the stewed article. Of course it's not quite as good for you, & to tell the truth I don't do much fried food, but I love it when I eat it at Mom's! You slice the okra in 1/4" slices so they're very crusty but also juicy & yummy.

Enjoy your cornfest, Cathy!!

Leah

So just who are the "food industry" ...? well according to themselves.... Open Original Shared Link

Now the question to ask is are Monsanto, Kraft and Tyson richer than a guatamalan farmer and are they lobbying the FDA and representatives on the codex comitee?

I just got the superfine flour (yikes, it is pricy!) & can't wait to try this cake. Next week I'll finally have both of my sons home for the Summer, & that calls for a celebration!

Love the pix, love the inspiration, love you guys!

Leah

I would be very suspicious of the authenticity of any Japanese restaurant that didn't use rice vinegar in their sushi rice.

My sushi spot is very authentic but communication is tricky since the sushi chef can't really speak English, & some of the servers have trouble too. Does anyone know the Japanese for vinegar? wheat? rice?

Leah

I think any gluten-free bread recipe would work salt-free. Just watch the rising time since salt does slow yeast down. I'd check the dough after half the usual time, & keep an eye on it. If it rises too high before baking it will fall in the oven. I would suggest a quick bread recipe, which would be unaffected, but I'm afraid the leavening itself would be high in sodium. Certainly baking soda is & I think most baking powder.

You are so sweet to help your friend take care of her aunt. We all need to look out for each other since so few folks understand Celiac.

Leah

Yikes! I thought they used rice vinegar! Sushi (no eel, no "spicy", my own soy sauce) was my safe haven for eating out! I'm a newbie so I don't get clear symptoms when I mess up. Am I glutening myself?

Leah

Maybe we should all take up zen & then perhaps we could make sense of this paradox.

Congratulations, Julie!

It's the most amazing & wonderful thing to know you have brought a new life into the world. My "baby boys" (twins) are home from college for the summer, over 6 feet tall now, & still I can remember so vividly the day they were born... the miracle of gazing into those brand-new eyes... the most beautiful sight I had ever seen.

Wishing every joy to you & your sweet little one!

Leah

I don't have that particular book, so I can't comment on their recipes, but I'm a lifelong baker just learning the gluten free ropes, & here are my thoughts:

Gluten is the protein in wheat flour that binds the starches together, helps them rise & keeps them from crumbling. Since we Celiacs are dependent on flours without this type of protein, we need to compensate by adding binding substances, like xanthan gum, eggs, & such.

Rice flour is very low in protein & tends to be especially dry & crumbly. If your recipes don't call for other flours (potato starch & tapioca, for instance) blended with the rice flour, the results will be as you describe.

If you are baking bread, sorghum & millet flours are really good. Also garfava flour leads to a nice moist result if you don't have a problem with the (very mild) bean flavor. All are higher-protein than rice.

Often there is more liquid in gluten free doughs, especially bread doughs, & the baking time is very different from that of wheat breads you may be used to working with. I find it helps to test early & not count on the timing in recipes, but rely on touch & toothpick-tests.

Bette Hagman's books have been a great help to me, also Annalise Roberts.

What in particular are you trying to bake? I may be able to share a recipe that has worked for me.

I'm a baking maniac, so if you want to compare notes, I'll be more than happy to share what I've learned.

Happy baking!

Leah

Yeah, there are no rules! The FDA does not have guidelines in place for gluten-free foods. Most companies that do test for gluten use the codex standard that is used in Europe which is <20 parts per million. American (and Canadian) companies are required to declare wheat *in* foods since wheat is in the top 8 allergens and all 8 must be declared when used. I'm not sure the facility statement is required for wheat, though. Technically, someone could slap a gluten-free label on a loaf of wonder bread and it would just be a pretty label (well, other than the false advertising thing). There is no standard in the US for gluten.

Very infuriating, which is why so many of us have been glutened by "gluten-free" products

Yikes... that is not very comforting! I can't say I'm surprised, though, having long thought the nutrition labeling was deliberately misleading... the way the fat content is presented for instance. It's good that wheat must be declared at least, but we're on our own for oats, rye & barley-- is that because Celiac isn't an anaphylactic-shock-type allergy? Or just because it's less common? (Supposedly!) Or am I being naive to even expect reason to exist in the FDA?

I can definitely see why lots of folks go for the caveman diet concept... nothing created by the hand of man or woman... but I don't think I'm ready for that yet. I'm glad at least I really like to cook, so I can control things to some extent, but I still worry about ingredients, cross-contamination of flours, &c. It's all pretty intimidating, especially when everyone I talk to about it looks at me like I've finally gone over the edge. (When, strangely enough, I'm finally convinced that I'm sane after all!)

Boy have I gotten an education in the past 3 weeks!

Leah

This brings up something I've wondered about... what constitutes 'gluten-free" in legal terms? Is there any actual amount that is considered "inconsequential", according to labeling laws? (Heaven knows there are products that declare themselves fat-free, but list oils as an ingredient... there is some percentage threshold that allows this, as I understand.) This whole labeling business is so confusing & very often infuriating!

Does anyone know the rules?

Leah

This is SUCH a welcoming, comforting place, not to mention an incredible fount of information. I'm newly diagnosed myself & this forum has been a real lifesaver. I see a complete range of folks posting here, from the undiagnosed & curious to old hands sharing years worth of hard-won wisdom! Stick around; you'll be glad you did!

Leah

I have visual migraines (always preceding the actual headaches, which I can sometimes head off if I immediately lie down in a dark room) & also notice that my eyes are extremely sensitive to bright light. Also, I find that my eyes will sometimes feel very "sludgy" & slow to focus (sort of as they do when I first wake up) during the day for no apparent reason. Who knows, maybe that too is Celiac-related!

Curiouser & curiouser!

Leah

Yes, yes, yes! I have always been a "dizzy dame!" Yet another of my mystery symptoms that seems to be linked to Celiac-- it's just amazing. I do have rather low blood pressure too, & occasional fainting spells... especially in my teens I seemed to crumple often for no apparent reason. Also when I was pregnant... hmmm, maybe changing hormones are involved now that I think of it.

I'm going on 3 weeks gluten-free (though I think I may have had some glutened vitamins for part of that time) & though the dizziness still bothers me, I'm now looking forward to being rid of it too! Hurray!

Leah

I live in Miami (a pretty big city) and can't even find a support group to join. I've tried to start my own, but can the people of this city be so "out of it" that they haven't yet discovered that roughly 1 in 100 of them has celiac disease? Anyway, sadly, leadership is not one of my stronger qualities, but if anyone has ideas on how we can join together and make some noise, count me in.

I live in Raleigh, NC, & I KNOW i'm not alone here... just given the amount of gluten-free that the local Whole Foods offers... BUT...

There's supposedly a support group, but apparently it is inactive since no one answers my messages. (Well, I had one reply, but she said she wasn't active in the group anymore.) I did find one fellow Raleighite on this message board. And just now, I tried to renew a gluten-free cookbook & found it was on order at the library. I'm so desperate, I stuck a note with my e-mail address in the book in the hope that the next borrower would get in touch! I especially need help with eating out; I'm not big on chains & would love to know which of the local spots are gluten-free-friendly & which are certain doom!

Good luck in Miami,

Leah

Honestly I'm not sure what this group will do if they even found a celebrity for our cause.

I feel like there are only a small few of us that write letters do reseach, write to manufactures, or speak to people to get the word out about celiac disease. THAT IS WHY NOTHING IS BEING DONE! It is a shame. I just think more should stand up and offer to help. If everyone finds excuses and does NOTHING. Nothing will get done. I have asked for help in several of these projects and no one seems to want to help. I have been on a mission the last 5 years. I spend most all my days since in some way to help celiac disease, I've been on the radio more then several times, I've written letters, (and even have a manuscript to be published) and really would like other to become PRO-ACTIVE, instead of just typing here. I'm sure it's easier to throw stones at me for telling the truth.

I for one would be very interested in taking some action. Is there a politics thread here? (I'm a newbie but I'm feeling more moved to start a revolution by the day-- as I struggle with recalcitrant manufacturers, especially.)

Celiacs of the World, Unite!

Leah

After having a nasty reaction from Endocet (their version of Percocet), I called my pharmacist to ask if the inactive ingredients contained gluten. He did not have a list of ingredients, but gave me their phone number. I spoke with a very nice pharmacist there named Margaret who was not ALLOWED to tell me if the starch that was listed was from wheat or corn. She said that if my pharmacist would call, she could tell HER, but not me.

GAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!

So my pharmacist called, and it is apparently corn-based, if anyone wants to know, but I gotta repeat (from other post): plain Tylenol had MUCH more effect on the pain than the Endocet, with fewer side effects. Today is the first day I have not felt dizzy since having taken the Endocet on Thursday. (And it wasn't the anesthesia from the surgery, because I didn't feel dizzy UNTIL I took the Endocet 6 hours after the surgery!)

I don't know what we can do besides jump up and down and scream, but these pharmaceutical companies ought to tell US, the consumers (and the ones reacting to the side effects) of their products WHAT THE HECK is in their products! Food manufacturers have to print allergy info. Shouldn't the DRUG manufacturers? And they won't even tell us directly when we CALL them? This is ridiculous!!!!!

I feel your pain! We really need to start a Celiac Rebellion & let the companies, & the FDA, know that this has to change. By the way, one thing that really gets to me is that (as I understand it) the new label law about allergy ingredients does NOT require mfrs. to disclose rye, barley, or oats-- just wheat. So it really doesn't help us all that much. ARGHH!

I had issues with labeling before I was diagnosed, but now I'm just livid about it. Ralph Nader, we need you!

Leah

Hi! I have a friend who has chronic IBS and has tendonitis in her hand. When she gets stressed & her IBS is really bad, her hand swells up so much that she can't use it. THis can be problematic for someone who SEWS for a living!! SO-- when it's really bad she takes Chlorophyll so that she can alleviate the swelling & function somewhat normally at work. She said it doesn't upset her stomach & works just as well as Benedryl which makes her far too sleepy. I know IBS and celiac are different but if it doesn't cause her any irritation & it doesn't have any gluten in it, then it should be safe for you as well.

Good luck to you.

This is great to know. I'm an artist & sometimes have awful wrist pain that makes it hard to work. I'm guessing chlorophyll would be very good for you-- parsley is full of it, & that's calming to the digestion, at least in my experience. (That's one reason it's a tradition to put a sprig on the plate-- it's also good for sweetening the breath!)

Thanks for the info! I think I'll head for the garden & munch some parsley!

I just spoke with a Kroger's dietician last week & she had a very long list of gluten-free ice cream. I really don't eat much ice cream so I didn't take down all the info, but you can call 1-866-632-6900 & get all the details.

Enjoy!

Leah

But what do Celiacs do with the need for Good carbs???? MtLady

I really feel for you, Eden. My previous doctors didn't catch on to Celiac's despite 20 years of recurrent diarrhea, anemia, joint pain & migraines. It was only elevated liver enzymes (& even then a clear CAT scan) that finally got me a referral to the wonderful specialist who almost instantly diagnosed Celiac's just from my list of symptoms. Endoscopy confirmed it. It's distressing that even your GI specialist isn't seeing the pattern, but my first GI didn't either. (Good ol' IBS was his diagnosis.)

I hope another L.A. Celiac can help you find a doctor who knows what he/she is doing. But be careful of following the gluten free diet before you are diagnosed as it can throw off the test results.

Hang in there! You sound exactly like me pre-diagnosis, so keep fighting to get tested.

Leah