The Gluten-Free Life

[YadaYadaYada]

Thank you @kipari and thanks for that recipe, my older son loves to
try out new foods and recipes so maybe he will want to give crepes a whirl.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Does anyone following a GF diet take vitamins and if so what do you take and how much?

@2Neezers, I hope you don’t mind me tagging you but you were the first that came to mind.

 

[2Neezers]

Does anyone following a GF diet take vitamins and if so what do you take and how much?

@2Neezers, I hope you don’t mind me tagging you but you were the first that came to mind.

@YadaYadaYada I don’t mind you tagging me at all!
I should definitely start taking vitamins regularly. I have GERD that flares up pretty easily and vitamins have given me reflux problems in the past, so I usually only take them during periods of time when my digestive system is feeling especially strong. I’ve tried these two in the past and it went pretty well. I started with just one a day and worked up to the recommended dose.

Women's Multivitamin Gummies | Adult Vitamins | vitafusion™

vitafusion™ Women's Multivitamin Gummies are gluten-free and formulated to support the immune system

www.gummyvites.com

https://www.costco.com/vitafusion-calcium%2Bd₃%2C-200-gummy-vitamins.product.11622370.html



I just recently bought these since they were well reviewed, but haven’t tried them yet.

https://www.costco.com/kirkland-signature-daily-multi%2c-500-tablets.product.11491625.html

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@2Neezers, I was surprised (although I shouldn’t be at this point) how many vitamins have gluten. Yikes it was an uphill battle but I got a bunch that are more or less immune system supportive for now. You are smart to get a multi, that’s probably something to add. This is what I’m starting with:



Sorry about the GERD, I know that is so unpleasant, fingers crossed that the new vitamins don’t cause a flare up!

 

[2Neezers]

@YadaYadaYada That looks like a great selection of supplements! I can’t understand why they put gluten in so many things like vitamins. I always look for labels that say gluten free, just to be safe, and certified gluten free is even better.
Please report back on how the new vitamins work for you. I hope you feel positive results from taking them!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Thanks @2Neezers, I will. It seems that those on this diet are advised to supplement with vitamins since we “lose out” on all the enriched products. I try to get most requirements from real food but there are some (vitamin D in particular) that are very difficult to meet this way.

 

[GemmaBella]

I loved reading this thread! I have been gluten free 6 years now. It was very difficult in the beginning but it has been effortless for years and well worth it. I love to cook and that helps. Cooking de-stresses me and is my way to be creative. I have raised my son gf as well (he's 5) and we don't feel like we are missing out on a thing. I dug deep on the internet a few years ago and found some awesome anti-inflammatory recipes for banana bread, muffin tops, cookies, cupcakes and a few other "kid foods" so he feels like he's not missing out at all. I bake every week something to have on hand and my family loves it. We are "refined sugar free", which I feel is so important for beating back inflammation.
Instead of cane sugar, I use organic maple syrup or local honey as sweeteners and also over ripe bananas (dates work well too).
My main proteins are fish, turkey, chicken (we gave up pork and beef). Main grains are quiona, millet, some rice, and a variety of GF organic pastas (chickpea, red lentil, etc). One is even made just from peas and wild garlic by the brand Al dente.
The bread I order online - it is amazing! It is by Happy Campers. They ship it to your door and it's all organic as well as GF and free of the top allergens. Like some have mentioned, I avoid soy at all costs too and mainly corn as well.
If you are craving cheese and have gone non-dairy, try Miyoko's cashew cheese. It's so delicious.
Oh, and we eat lots and lots of veggies and homemade soup!

 

[2Neezers]

I loved reading this thread! I have been gluten free 6 years now. It was very difficult in the beginning but it has been effortless for years and well worth it. I love to cook and that helps. Cooking de-stresses me and is my way to be creative. I have raised my son gf as well (he's 5) and we don't feel like we are missing out on a thing. I dug deep on the internet a few years ago and found some awesome anti-inflammatory recipes for banana bread, muffin tops, cookies, cupcakes and a few other "kid foods" so he feels like he's not missing out at all. I bake every week something to have on hand and my family loves it. We are "refined sugar free", which I feel is so important for beating back inflammation.
Instead of cane sugar, I use organic maple syrup or local honey as sweeteners and also over ripe bananas (dates work well too).
My main proteins are fish, turkey, chicken (we gave up pork and beef). Main grains are quiona, millet, some rice, and a variety of GF organic pastas (chickpea, red lentil, etc). One is even made just from peas and wild garlic by the brand Al dente.
The bread I order online - it is amazing! It is by Happy Campers. They ship it to your door and it's all organic as well as GF and free of the top allergens. Like some have mentioned, I avoid soy at all costs too and mainly corn as well.
If you are craving cheese and have gone non-dairy, try Miyoko's cashew cheese. It's so delicious.
Oh, and we eat lots and lots of veggies and homemade soup!

Thank you for sharing this info @GemmaBella ! I placed an order for Happy Campers bread and am looking forward to trying it!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@GemmaBella thank you for sharing all of that, it’s super helpful to hear from someone who has been doing this over the years. I thought GF eating would be harder than it is but admittedly, I haven’t eliminated dairy or sugar yet. The dairy really needs to go but then ice cream happens

Feel free to share any of your favorite recipes here too. It’s been way to hot but once fall and winter are here it will be game on for baking.

 

[GemmaBella]

Thank you for sharing this info @GemmaBella ! I placed an order for Happy Campers bread and am looking forward to trying it!

I am so glad to hear that you are giving it a try! I really do not think you'll be disappointed! I also love their hamburger style buns. They are really great for bbqs. I wrote to them and asked them to make a hotdog style bun, lol And they said it was in the works. I love to get Wild Alaskan salmon burgers and dogs from Vital Choice seafood online. My son actually can't digest beef so I am grateful he loves fish! One tip for HC bread is give it a light toasting before you make a sandwich. Somehow it improves the texture and it really then tastes like "regular" bread.

 

[GemmaBella]

@GemmaBella thank you for sharing all of that, it’s super helpful to hear from someone who has been doing this over the years. I thought GF eating would be harder than it is but admittedly, I haven’t eliminated dairy or sugar yet. The dairy really needs to go but then ice cream happens

Feel free to share any of your favorite recipes here too. It’s been way to hot but once fall and winter are here it will be game on for baking.

I get it. I know people get those cravings for sweets! That's why I figured out some alternatives, b/c as a mom you have to have goodies for the kids. We've gotten SoDelicious (dairy free) brand cashew milk ice cream and loved it. The sugar content was lower than the regular ice cream.
I will definitely post the baking recipes soon. I found them online and will dig out the links I have bookmarked.
I forgot to mention another great GF carb choice is Fonio. It's a west African GF grain and cooks up like couscous in 5 min! I get that one from Thrive Market. You can add anything to it. I usually saute onions, garlic, mushrooms, celery in some olive oil and mix it in after the Fonio is done cooking. It's also a great breadcrumb alternative for stuffed peppers!

 

[GemmaBella]

Ok, guys, here is the recipe for the best GF banana bread ever. (I actually use 2 whole bananas instead of 1 and a half and it comes out perfect at 42 min in my oven using a glass Pyrex loaf pan, although an aluminum loaf tin works great too.) I also have done variations with this like adding blueberries and dried cranberries. Also to change up the flavor you could do almond extract instead of vanilla extract. You can also sub the coconut oil for olive oil. It's an easy recipe!

Chocolate Chip Banana Loaf Cake (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Refined Sugar-Free) - DADAEATS

In my quest for the perfect banana bread, this time I set out to do something a little different. I wanted to create a banana bread with a bakery style, cakey texture that makes you feel like you were eating something a lot more decadent than just a slice of banana bread. Enter the solution

dadaeats.com

 

[SparklieBug]

I've been GF for years, with being on/off wheat for many years. Finally quit wheat entirely ten years ago. My bumpy skin cleared up, night vision improved immensely (went from being very sensitive to headlights of oncoming traffic to being able to stare at oncoming headlights!), a perpetual "clog" in my throat evaporated, puffiness in my face disappeared, weight dropped, and so on. Those are some of the outer physical things I noticed—I can only imagine what's changed in the "invisible" inner part of the body!

For those who love sugar, BochaSweet is so very close in texture, taste (as in, no horrid aftertaste/sensation like Stevia, etc.), and it cooks like regular sugar. It's expensive so I use it mainly for sweetening tea. For those in Canada, this company ships quickly: sweetandsprouted.com.

Several years ago I had wicked-high cholesterol (familial, from maternal side) and went down the plant-based path. In a matter of months, my cholesterol reduced to within the parameters for my age! My GP and a cardiologist said it wasn't possible to change familial cholesterol with diet. Wrong! A cousin of mine did the same with his high (familial) cholesterol by going vegan/plant-based. An odd bonus, I lost nearly 20 pounds unintentionally! And had to buy a new wardrobe.

I find that most GF foods are high in other carbs like rice flours, tapioca, potato, etc., flours, and often are a disappointment. I've stopped trying to replace gluten-type baked goods. That said, early on, while (endlessly) researching plant-based recipes, I came across this recipe for chocolate chip cookies. They are truly excellent! Even my husband likes them—and he refuses to eat anything that isn't full of gluten. LOL!

Liz Moody’s gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe

Ingredients
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted creamy almond butter (well-stirred)
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp fine-grain sea salt
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
Maldon or flaky sea salt, to sprinkle (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, beat together with a large spoon the egg, vanilla, and almond butter until combined. Stir in the almond flour, salt, coconut sugar, and baking soda until smooth. Stir in the walnuts, oats, and chocolate chips, working the dough a bit to get everything distributed evenly (the dough will be thick—that’s okay).

3. Scoop the dough into rounded teaspoonfuls and drop them onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with Maldon salt, if using. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until edges turn golden brown.

4. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. While the texture of these is best on the first day, they’ll keep uncovered at room temperature for two to three days.

 

[SparklieBug]

@YadaYadaYada Are you familiar with the lectin-avoidance approach? I have a couple friends who were really fanatic about it and they were quite strident about it, so I didn't look into it. Fast forward a couple years and I read The Plant Paradox, Quick and Easy which has recipes in it.

In a nutshell, I now avoid a lot of veggies that have certain lectin proteins (nightshade family, all grains, and others), but it was a simple shift for me due to being plant-based. I've introduced sheep cheese (Manchego, six months old, is amazing!), and I found some very mild-tasting sheep-milk yogurt which I eat small amounts of occasionally.

I followed the Plant Paradox-style of eating for well over a year and have recently started to incorporate seafood again, once in a while.

Evidently eliminating the offending lectins goes a step further than GF, and can help with reducing inflammation. I didn't have any inflammation-related symptoms that I was aware of so I'm not sure if it made any difference to me. My friend noticed her aches (arthritis) disappeared.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@SparklieBug, I have heard about lectins but haven’t looked into it but I will need to check out that book. There are so many more things I need to eliminate but it’s a bit overwhelming so one step at a time. Where do you get the sheep cheese from? Haven’t ever had it so that would be fun to try.

 

[SparklieBug]

@YadaYadaYada I've tried different sheep yogurt/cheeses, and my fave cheese by a long shot, is called "Manchego", the six-month-old version. It's very mild and firm-ish but different than cheddar. I first found it at a deli counter, then at our local grocery store(s), surprisingly! It's made in Spain, and I think that Costco also carries it? I don't shop Costco but it appears they carry it, from an online search.

There's a product that's made a big difference for me when we go out to eat where I don't know if there will be 100% GF choices. Or maybe to a friend's place where they have used soy sauce in a dressing, etc. Here's a link to Gluten Cutter on Amazon, although I purchase at our local pharmacy.

For me, Gluten Cutter, works a wonder by taking two capsules immediately before consuming something GF. One of my sisters is diagnosed as celiac, the other sister is like me, G-intolerant, although her symptoms are WAY worse than mine! My G-intolerant sis tested the product out by eating...pizza!!! Like, three big slices! And it was fine! No upset gut, no itching skin, no itching scalp, etc. Usually, her gut would be debilitated for couple days if she ate that much wheat.

I've eaten small amounts of wheat, like sauces with soy in them, at a Japanese restaurant, or something that had a few wheat crumbs in it. I finally got "brave" and had tempura at a Japanese restaurant. Amazing! No effects! I wouldn't do this every day, but once in a while, it's great to have the option to know I'm okay if I eat something that has wheat in it.

 

[SparklieBug]

@SparklieBug, I have heard about lectins but haven’t looked into it but I will need to check out that book. There are so many more things I need to eliminate but it’s a bit overwhelming so one step at a time.

Agree! One step at a time when things are so new/different!

In Plant Paradox, Dr. Gundry mentions supplements he's developed. The really cool thing is, he also gives what one can take/put together to just buy off the shelf. And what he recommends works well for me, for lectin foods.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@SparklieBug, thank you so much for mentioning Gluten Cutter! Funny and ironic, today we were at a relative’s house and she put soy sauce in the rice without realizing there was wheat in it. So that would be handy to have in an emergency.

Do you mind me asking if you take any vitamins or supplements?

 

[GemmaBella]

I've been GF for years, with being on/off wheat for many years. Finally quit wheat entirely ten years ago. My bumpy skin cleared up, night vision improved immensely (went from being very sensitive to headlights of oncoming traffic to being able to stare at oncoming headlights!), a perpetual "clog" in my throat evaporated, puffiness in my face disappeared, weight dropped, and so on. Those are some of the outer physical things I noticed—I can only imagine what's changed in the "invisible" inner part of the body!

For those who love sugar, BochaSweet is so very close in texture, taste (as in, no horrid aftertaste/sensation like Stevia, etc.), and it cooks like regular sugar. It's expensive so I use it mainly for sweetening tea. For those in Canada, this company ships quickly: sweetandsprouted.com.

Several years ago I had wicked-high cholesterol (familial, from maternal side) and went down the plant-based path. In a matter of months, my cholesterol reduced to within the parameters for my age! My GP and a cardiologist said it wasn't possible to change familial cholesterol with diet. Wrong! A cousin of mine did the same with his high (familial) cholesterol by going vegan/plant-based. An odd bonus, I lost nearly 20 pounds unintentionally! And had to buy a new wardrobe.

I find that most GF foods are high in other carbs like rice flours, tapioca, potato, etc., flours, and often are a disappointment. I've stopped trying to replace gluten-type baked goods. That said, early on, while (endlessly) researching plant-based recipes, I came across this recipe for chocolate chip cookies. They are truly excellent! Even my husband likes them—and he refuses to eat anything that isn't full of gluten. LOL!

Liz Moody’s gluten-free chocolate chip cookie recipe

Ingredients
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted creamy almond butter (well-stirred)
1/4 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp fine-grain sea salt
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate
Maldon or flaky sea salt, to sprinkle (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, beat together with a large spoon the egg, vanilla, and almond butter until combined. Stir in the almond flour, salt, coconut sugar, and baking soda until smooth. Stir in the walnuts, oats, and chocolate chips, working the dough a bit to get everything distributed evenly (the dough will be thick—that’s okay).

3. Scoop the dough into rounded teaspoonfuls and drop them onto the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with Maldon salt, if using. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until edges turn golden brown.

4. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. While the texture of these is best on the first day, they’ll keep uncovered at room temperature for two to three days.

The cookie recipe looks really good! Definitely going to try it!

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Excited to try the cookie and banana bread recipes

Thank you @SparklieBug and @GemmaBella for sharing them!

 

[SparklieBug]

@SparklieBug, thank you so much for mentioning Gluten Cutter! Funny and ironic, today we were at a relative’s house and she put soy sauce in the rice without realizing there was wheat in it. So that would be handy to have in an emergency.

Do you mind me asking if you take any vitamins or supplements?

@YadaYadaYada Yes! This is precisely why Gluten Cutter is always in my bag. I even keep some in the car in case my bag is at home, when I'm not driving.

Oh, yes. Supplements! I take quite a variety of things, and have done so forever. Currently, I typically take a multi with high B's, Vit. C, Vit. D, DHA (vegetarian algae formula), K2, B12, one for brain support (gingko), and occasionally other ones if I'm in the mood. LOL!

Interestingly, if I don't take Vit. D, my hair drops out far in excess of what it should—at times, when my hair was longer, it looked like a small woodland creature was in the shower hair catcher. When I take Vit. D again, the number/amount of hair falling returns to "normal" (as in, not many).

 

[YadaYadaYada]

@SparklieBug, thank you for that! I think I need to add a multi vitamin, the only other vitamin off your list I don’t take is DHA. I do take zinc because I figure it can’t hurt with the fall and winter seasons coming up.

Interesting about the hair, I always leave a good bit of hair behind in the shower. Will be interesting to see if that changes.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I feel so sorry for you gluten intolerant peeps
May i politely ask for a nice morning tea recepie for a lady i work with who is also lactose intolerant
Im looking for something tasty but easy and with as many 'nornal' (and inexpensive) ingredients as possible
I want to invite her over

 

[foxinsox]

I feel so sorry for you gluten intolerant peeps
May i politely ask for a nice morning tea recepie for a lady i work with who is also lactose intolerant
Im looking for something tasty but easy and with as many 'nornal' (and inexpensive) ingredients as possible
I want to invite her over

Is she gluten and lactose intolerant? Edmonds GF flour mix bakes like normal flour and is probably the most affordable of the GF flours. Sub in margarine and soy or coconut milk for butter and milk in most cakes.
Alternatively Orgran buckwheat pancakes make lovely pancakes. I can’t recall if they need milk but you could substitute coconut, soy or lactose-free milk. You could make them as small pikelets instead with a bit of sugar added to the batter. Then just normal jam and margarine on top? Or if you don’t put any sugar in the batter, make blinis (little not-sweet pikelets) and top them with some hummus or similar?
Or rice crackers, carrots and hummus?

 

[GemmaBella]

Here is the muffin recipe! Great for breakfast or a snack with tea. My whole family loves them, even those that don't need to avoid gluten. No one suspects that they are refined sugar free.

Paleo and Gluten Free Blueberry Muffins

One of the most popular recipes on the blog. This gluten free muffin recipes tastes just like a fluffy bakery muffin, but made with all natural ingredients like almond flour and honey. Hands down my favorite gluten free recipe!

www.almostsupermom.com

 

[GemmaBella]

I love Purely Elizabeth brand pancake mix. They have one using buckwheat and also a grain-free option. They also make tasty granola, which my son enjoys with almond milk instead of traditional cereal.

Supplements were mentioned....does anyone else take cod liver oil for their skin? I have been taking it for years and giving it to my son (orginally because he had eczema) and it has helped greatly. A good one is by Vital Choice seafood. (We get a lot of tinned sardines, tuna and anchovies as well as their salmon burgers.)

Other than that I take D3, C with rosehips, Quercetin (for inflammation), and a cranberry supplement. If I can remember, I mix Natural Calm magnesium into my water. My acupuncturist/nutritional counselor recommended it for digestion.

 

[SparklieBug]

@GemmaBella The muffin recipe looks great! I have a similar one that I adapted from a carrot muffin. The recipe I use has a couple tablespoons of coconut flour in it, and I changed from carrots to blueberries. Yummah!

I also use Natural Calm magnesium when I haven't been eating enough dark leafy greens. We moved recently and it's nearly impossible to find collard greens here! I've been eating some rainbow chard and a bit of kale, but I love collard so much better than the others!

 

[GemmaBella]

@GemmaBella The muffin recipe looks great! I have a similar one that I adapted from a carrot muffin. The recipe I use has a couple tablespoons of coconut flour in it, and I changed from carrots to blueberries. Yummah!

I also use Natural Calm magnesium when I haven't been eating enough dark leafy greens. We moved recently and it's nearly impossible to find collard greens here! I've been eating some rainbow chard and a bit of kale, but I love collard so much better than the others!

I love dark leafy greens too! I make a big batch of veggie soup 2x week to eat daily with lunch. It always features either kale or spinach, which I can find organic in the frozen section. I also love chard, but don't see collard available as much.
I am also in love with mushrooms; shitake, baby bella, white button, etc. I cook with them almost every day in some fashion.

 

[YadaYadaYada]

Interesting about cod liver oil, another one to look into!

@GemmaBella, love a delicious veggie soup. I can’t wait to start making soup again.

 

[bling_dream19]

I love dark leafy greens too! I make a big batch of veggie soup 2x week to eat daily with lunch. It always features either kale or spinach, which I can find organic in the frozen section. I also love chard, but don't see collard available as much.
I am also in love with mushrooms; shitake, baby bella, white button, etc. I cook with them almost every day in some fashion.

Would love to know your veggie soup recipe if you wouldn't mind sharing