tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post1651337017827984250..comments2024-02-20T04:43:47.934-08:00Comments on Eco-novice: Why I'm Giving Up Gluten (even though I love wheat)Betsy Escandonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13598482569526345086noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-8222194885570953732015-05-13T20:56:39.867-07:002015-05-13T20:56:39.867-07:00Thank you, Liz! I just checked one of gluten-free ...Thank you, Liz! I just checked one of gluten-free girl's cookbooks out from the library.Betsy Escandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13598482569526345086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-42556850819412051632015-04-28T13:53:41.853-07:002015-04-28T13:53:41.853-07:00I have been gluten-free for nearly 3.5 years now. ...I have been gluten-free for nearly 3.5 years now. After a while you get used to it. Rice cakes are handy to always have on hand for a snack (I'm in the UK and can easily get organic rice cakes). <br /><br />My favourite blog is The gluten-free girl and the chef www.glutenfreegirl.com (she also has some books if you like her writing).<br /><br />I hope you soon adapt to your new diet.Lizhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17479816292532374029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-9145913525824049922015-04-19T20:09:51.259-07:002015-04-19T20:09:51.259-07:00Betsy, I did NOT like that bean flavor much at all...Betsy, I did NOT like that bean flavor much at all when I first tried it. It has grown on me, and my kids. I still have my homemade wheat bread available, but now most of my kids ask for both wheat and GF bread, depending on their mood. So I feel confident we will eventually be able to fully transition to GF bread without too many tears. I made my regular wheat bread recipe recently with these changes - I obviously added no wheat gluten, I added (I think it was) 1 tsp of xanthum gum and I used BRM GF flour mix in place of my freshly ground wheat flour flour (using only 3 1/2 cups GF flour where before I had ground 3 cups of whole wheat which yielded probably more like 4 1/2 cups of flour). I made it as 2 baguettes (in my new baguette pan!) instead of one loaf since you just don't get the same rise. But it wasn't bad at all. I even found myself craving more. I also made rolls/hamburger buns out of the same dough.Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10991484269710265540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-56487339305039504992015-04-18T22:46:13.133-07:002015-04-18T22:46:13.133-07:00Thank you, Diane. Great to hear from someone ahead...Thank you, Diane. Great to hear from someone ahead of me on this new path.Betsy Escandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13598482569526345086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-9729158923712357332015-04-18T22:45:19.812-07:002015-04-18T22:45:19.812-07:00Thanks for the kind words!Thanks for the kind words!Betsy Escandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13598482569526345086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-83633659561447261822015-04-18T22:44:21.369-07:002015-04-18T22:44:21.369-07:00Thank you, Becky. Coming from awesome vegan food b...Thank you, Becky. Coming from awesome vegan food blogger Becky Striepe I know these sites will be awesome!Betsy Escandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13598482569526345086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-59033274538630232482015-04-18T22:42:16.059-07:002015-04-18T22:42:16.059-07:00Indeed.Indeed.Betsy Escandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13598482569526345086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-78159009678977152642015-04-18T22:39:37.393-07:002015-04-18T22:39:37.393-07:00What a great price! I'm glad BRM is working so...What a great price! I'm glad BRM is working so beautifully for you. I first tried it with pancakes and did not live the bean flavor. Will have to try it in other recipes as well.Betsy Escandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13598482569526345086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-5485950461302178612015-04-18T09:49:34.712-07:002015-04-18T09:49:34.712-07:00I have been gf (celiac) for many years now. I neve...I have been gf (celiac) for many years now. I never was much of a bread eater so that didn't bother me but when I do want some I go for "Udi's". I just keep it in the freezer and pull out a slice or two. They make a variety of baked goods. Other baking I do myself but rarely as I am not a sweet eater. I rarely use any grains but I sometimes bake muffins with almond and/or coconut flour. I make a killer flourless chocolate cake and piecrusts with nut flour. Mostly I just eat veggies, fish, meat (was vegetarian pre diagnosis), eggs, some fruit, some beans, nuts . . . Just food that comes the way it grew.Dianehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04878023047516773161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-46276711168256603982015-04-17T10:07:58.908-07:002015-04-17T10:07:58.908-07:00Natalie (the vegan sister) appreciates your sharin...Natalie (the vegan sister) appreciates your sharing these sites! Thanks!Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10991484269710265540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-34245211873192058772015-04-17T09:38:07.444-07:002015-04-17T09:38:07.444-07:00Sorry to hear it but I'm glad you are sharing ...Sorry to hear it but I'm glad you are sharing your experience with your readers - there is a lot to be learned! I have not experienced it myself but I can appreciate how hard it is. Hang in there!Mindful Mommahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11571301448394532484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-63578447653689100362015-04-17T08:56:15.255-07:002015-04-17T08:56:15.255-07:00Oh man, I am so sorry to hear that you have been d...Oh man, I am so sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with Celiac disease. I know a couple of folks struggling with this, and it's hard for sure. There are some great vegan blogs out there that are either totally GF or very GF-friendly, if you need cooking inspiration! These are my faves:<br /><br />http://forkandbeans.com/<br />http://kitteekake.blogspot.com/<br />http://www.allysonkramer.com/<br />http://veganricha.com/Glue and Glitterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04533322895055523713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-12374722829798951532015-04-14T16:43:23.746-07:002015-04-14T16:43:23.746-07:00Thank you, Nadine! I am still trying to decide how...Thank you, Nadine! I am still trying to decide how extremely to avoid gluten while eating out and traveling. How much stress and inconvenience it's worth..Betsy Escandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13598482569526345086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-70741881015982113582015-04-14T16:01:50.578-07:002015-04-14T16:01:50.578-07:00So sorry to hear this. I am traveling and am learn...So sorry to hear this. I am traveling and am learning first-hand how difficult it can be to go gluten-free. I do not have celiac, so if I have to eat wheat, I just shrug and go on, but for someone who can't have a crumb of it, I can see how life can be very challenging. Good luck to you.Nadine_Feldmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05742177071130596367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-57391591508837013652015-04-14T13:37:17.131-07:002015-04-14T13:37:17.131-07:00Betsy, Jeanette told me about this site. The chef...Betsy, Jeanette told me about this site. The chef is all about cooking with "alternative" grains. This link takes you to the GF recipes. <br />http://www.chefbrad.com/recipes/category.php?category=&cat_id=18. Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10991484269710265540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-77802626680430319822015-04-14T13:14:28.484-07:002015-04-14T13:14:28.484-07:00Continuation of the lengthy response from the vega...Continuation of the lengthy response from the vegan sister diagnosed with Celiac… But there were some things my kids were sad to give up. So we discussed how best to address each of these things. The things they were sad to give up included: (1) ramen (considered a junk food at my house and allowed only on Sundays, when the kids prepared it themselves). This we decided to give up altogether, since it isn't any good for them anyway. Being vegan, we never used the seasoning, so I said we could make our "ramen" soup with spaghetti instead. So far, so good. I have a great broth mix that they had always used in place of the seasoning that comes with the ramen. (2) Flour tortillas. We love burrito night with my tasty homemade refried beans (and sometimes black beans, too). This week, we had our first totally GF burrito night. The 16-year-old was in charge of dinner and she wouldn't allow anyone to have flour tortillas (even though they are still in the gluten area of our kitchen). Everyone survived with corn tortillas or tostadas. I would still like to try a GF Indian flat bread recipe my sister-in-law sent me because my 16-year-old would love a replacement for flour tortillas so she could still make her yummy wraps (hummus, veggies, etc). (3) Pretzels. My kids LOVE pretzels with hummus. Frankly, they ate way too many pretzels. So now, those are in the “treats cupboard” in my hall, and they can take a bunch to eat as a snack on the way home from school. They eat far fewer pretzels, so I am happy. They wish they could enjoy them with hummus, but I say - eat your hummus with chips or veggies. They still somehow eat an inordinate amount of hummus! (4) Pita and bread. Only a few people really loved the pita, but they liked it for quick sandwiches. But bread was a BIG sticking point. My kids consider white bread dessert food. They LOVE it, but they don’t eat much white bread. My kids have been eating my hearty wheat bread their entire lives. Many of my friends and neighbors love this bread and ask me to make it for them if I go too long without bringing by a loaf. When I was diagnosed with Celiac, my husband looked at me with teary eyes and said, “Oh honey. Your bread. I am so, so sorry.” So that gives you an idea how we feel about my bread. So beyond the never ending annoyance of calling companies and trying to sort through cross-contamination issues, bread has been the #1 stressor of being diagnosed with Celiac. We decided that my homemade bread would remain a part of our family’s life until I could come up with a decent alternative.<br /> <br />I have made both varieties of BRM GF bread mixes. With a flax substitute for eggs, they aren't too bad. (One has lots of seeds and is similar, ironically, to the flavor of traditional rye bread, also forbidden for Celiacs.) I have had delicious GF bread made by a local vegan bakery that has many GF products. It is made from garbanzo bean flour and brown rice flour (along with all the necessary complementary starches) as well as flax vinegar. I would really like to figure out that recipe!!!<br /><br />Vegan and gluten free is not the easiest combo as the only decent grocery store off-the-shelf GF bread contains eggs. But I have been vegan for 20+ years, and I don't feel like going back now. So no option of eating extra meats until I feel full. I am still working on the healthy snacks and foods I can eat when too busy to cook and/or desperate for something quick. “Luckily” for me, I am well accustomed to reading labels and being that pesky dinner guest who can’t eat anything you prepared. In my own kitchen, beyond baked desserts and bread, much of my cooking – excluding pasta dishes (which I now make with brown rice pasta) – was already gluten free (like chana masala and lentil daal, veggie enchiladas, veggie stir fries, and yummy soups). At least Betsy and I have each to commiserate and share ideas!Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10991484269710265540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-21536496084188127852015-04-14T13:14:02.003-07:002015-04-14T13:14:02.003-07:00Continuation of the lengthy response from the vega...Continuation of the lengthy response from the vegan sister diagnosed with Celiac… Recently, my husband (who went GF the day I was diagnosed just to be supportive of me) and I discussed with our six children how they would feel about making our house gluten free while still purchasing gluten-containing snacks that they could take in lunches or eat outside. Much to my surprise, no one was too opposed. My especially conscientious 16-year-old was ALMOST relieved because she was regularly confessing to me that she had "contaminated" this or that in the kitchen and was always worried that she would make me sick. (Too bad the six year old didn't worry about making me sick!) Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10991484269710265540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-41550669169711487422015-04-14T13:12:37.595-07:002015-04-14T13:12:37.595-07:00A lengthy response from the vegan sister diagnosed...A lengthy response from the vegan sister diagnosed with Celiac… At my house, we now use Bob's Red Mill (BRM) gluten free (GF) flour mix in most of our usual recipes (including in my pancake/waffle mix that we use almost every day). And while I know that I get a 25# bag at a bargain ($43) at a local store, that is many times what I used to pay for unbleached flour. And all my wheat flour (for my delicious whole wheat and flax bread) I ground myself. So Celiac is sad, especially for the wallet! But except for bread (my greatest sorrow!), we have had success just substituting this BRM GF flour mix in any recipe we have tried thus far (as long as we use a small amount of xanthum gum - which brings up another topic for another day). We also LOVE the BRM brownie mix and have used the BRM biscuit mix to make the biscuit topper for our veggie pot pie (made last night by my 16 year old - DELICIOUS!!!). None of the other BRM mixes we have tried thus far (vanilla cake or pancake mix, for example) are as good (in our opinion) as our own made-from-scratch recipes. Eventually, I would like to make my own flour mixes, but for now, I sing the praises of BRM!Nataliehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10991484269710265540noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-30076420382910465352015-04-14T09:03:54.009-07:002015-04-14T09:03:54.009-07:00Thank you, Heidi! You are such a great resource fo...Thank you, Heidi! You are such a great resource for recommended food blogs. Still need to try that chocolate cake you told me about as well : )Betsy Escandonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13598482569526345086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-264294700715447531.post-78943548184212543672015-04-14T09:00:16.369-07:002015-04-14T09:00:16.369-07:00Oh Betsy- I am sorry you have to revamp your whole...Oh Betsy- I am sorry you have to revamp your whole life in the kitchen (and beyond!) The Oh She Glows website has a lot of great gluten-free recipes. Last night we had her Big Vegan Bowl- which I adore! It is probably one of my favorite meals as of late (I've made it at least 4 times now.) We all really enjoy it- even my oldest daughter that whined when I said it was for dinner and usually doesn't like sweet potatoes asked for seconds and specifically for more sweet potatoes with her second helping. My Whole Food Life blog also has lots of gluten-free recipes. I have made several of her snacks and treats and they are great!Heidihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02431097209082291311noreply@blogger.com