Gluten Free Fantasy

Medical Update: 15 Years Gluten-Free... Still No Seizures, and No Meds

2025-01-29T04:18:00.000-08:00

Seizures suck. Ask anyone who has had them.

Last September marked 15 years without a single seizure for me without any anti-seizure medication. April 1, 2008 was the date of my last seizure. I began to take Tegretol later that month and had not had a seizure since starting the drug. I still felt awful, had horrible digestion, and lost over 120 pounds in a 9-month period.

This was all after my 3rd child was born. During the previous pregnancy, I felt pretty good. Afterward, I began losing weight rapidly, I was not digesting my food, and every time I ate I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. The doctors were at a loss to the cause. Some guessed a form of postpartum depression. I knew it was not that.

Then the seizures began.

It was in the middle of the night in early 2007. My husband woke me up and said, "We need to go to the hospital." I was confused, and really tired. I was confused because my husband hates hospitals and would do anything to avoid them. I was really tired because I had just had my first grand mal seizure.

Thankfully, I went. My husband was scared enough to grab my phone and call all my friends, trying to find one awake at 3 am and ask them to watch the kids. They were 8 months, 2 years, and 5 years old.

After dropping the kids off at my friend Amber's house, we headed in. They did scans and found nothing abnormal, thank God. "If you did have a seizure...," they started the gaslight. My husband knew what he saw, but that didn't stop the medical system from doubting him. He had seen the same thing years before in the mall food court when someone fell down and seized. He remembered being very frightened.

They sent me home with a brand new anti-seizure drug, which is now off the market. It caused suicidal ideation and within the first two days I stopped taking it.

The prescribing doctor was indignant. "You need to take it, you had a seizure." When I refused to keep up with the drug, he sent in the paperwork to the DMV to revoke my licence. When I got the paperwork in the mail that I was to surrender my licence, I knew it was in retaliation of me stopping that drug.

I spent the next few weeks recognizing other symptoms. The "dizzy" spells my primary doctor prescribed anti-vertigo medication for were actually absence seizures. I was terrified at the thought of what could have happened if I had had a grand mal seizure behind the wheel with my kids in the car. Now that I knew what they were, there was no way I was driving anyone anywhere, licence or no licence. The doctor "taking" my licence in retaliation for not taking a drug that he was most likely getting a kickback from prescribing, was laughable. Dismissing my sudden and severe reaction to the medication was not funny in the least.

That is when I decided to fire my neurologist.

Then God brought me an angel of a doctor. She and her office were compassionate and caring. Even though she didn't find anything wrong on the EEG, she agreed with my husband that what he described was indeed a seizure, and the fact that it happened in sleep was an even bigger indicator that it was so.

Before I met her I had a total of 9 grand mal seizures, and hundreds of absence seizures, sometimes as many as 4 a day. One time I was writing at my desk in the early morning hours after my husband left for work. Next thing I knew, I was on the ground with my face two inches away from the filing cabinet, with a nasty bump on my head. The groggy feeling told me the unwelcome truth. I had just had my first daytime seizure.

As the seizures were getting worse, I waited for my appointment. She put me on a well traveled drug named Tegretol. This drug had zero side effects for me at first.

After just a few weeks my daytime seizures diminished, and my nighttime ones stopped altogether. During his time my mom, who was a nurse and a pretty good researcher herself, told me about celiac disease. She said, "seizures are a rare complication, but they can happen." That was enough for me to try the treatment, which is the gluten free diet.

It was June of 2007, and my family orderd me a flourless cake from Whole Foods. After I ate the dairy-rich "cake" I had one of the worst absence seizures ever. I then cut out dairy too.

That is when things really started to change.

I was two days in and a friend said, "You look different, there is color in your cheeks again." I had more energy, and the seizures had all but disappeared.

I went another few months on the diet, and on the medication, not sure which was giving me the most success. That is when I got my latest bloodwork back, my blood counts, all of them, were bottoming out.

Because of this in September of 2008, my doctor said we needed to try something else, I said, "Can we try nothing?" She shrugged and rolled her eyes. She expected the seizures to return, but she aergreed to try.

"Can I have my driver's license back?"

I had been seizure-free for almost 6 months. I had hoped to gain my freedom back.

"Uhh, no."

I hoped the answer would be different, but expected the refusal.

I felt so much better not eating wheat that I refused to reintroduce it into my diet so I could be tested for celiac disease. I had little to no "auras" which those with seizures sometimes call the warning sign that a seizure is coming.

Now it is 2025. I have been seizure-free and medf-free for over 15 years. All of those three little children are adults now. We ended up adding to our family and have a wonderful and talented teen that our lives would not be complete without.

I am extremely greatful to have been given a chance to see my children grow to adults. Challenge after challenge, God has sustained us and even helped us thrive.

I know not every mom gets this chance. If you are going through a loss of a family member, or are going through a life altering illness, know that God is there. He loves you and is working.

He is even working when you become homeless, but that is another story. ;)

New Year, New Look

2016-01-27T07:01:00.001-08:00

Most people take time at the beginning of the year to spruce themselves up a bit. Well we took a little time to spruce up Gluten Free Fantasy too! Enjoy the new look, and know how much I appreciate you spending a little time reading my posts. If you like what you are reading and want help support my work, please consider a monthly gift. Even $10 will go a long way in helping me continue my work! To give a monthly gift of any amount click the "donate" button on the top right sidebar.

Natural Food Coloring Powder - Creative Coloring for Creative Cakes

2015-12-28T11:17:00.002-08:00

Frosting is not good for us. Ironically, you can add things that are good for you to create some pretty awesome all natural food colors!

Cake frosting is almost all refined sugar and fat, and even if you use organic palm kernel oil and fair trade powdered sugar you are still getting a ton of calories and not much in the nutrition department. Using natural food coloring powder can quell the pangs of calorie regret you may otherwise have also ingesting coloring agents that have a list of infamous side effects.

Natural Blue Food Coloring - Spirulina Powder

Spirulina is a blue-green algae used as a multivitamin supplement. Thankfully due to it's popularity, it can be found in the supplement section of many grocery stores. It comes in many forms, but the ones you can use here are loose powder and powder in a gelatin capsule. Leave the tablet form on the shelf. Even if you could crush the tablet, it contains binders you don't want in your frosting.

Blue is a tough color to get in nature. I've used expensive all natural liquid food coloring purchased at Whole Foods and ended up with a gloppy mess trying to get the color intensity I was looking for. I had some spirulina powder in my supplement cupboard and tried it one year and have used it ever since. It gives a rich greenish-blue color and can be added to other colors to make them a deeper shade. Due to it's somewhat large grain it is a bit mottled, but still is small enough to make an even enough color.

Natural Red Food Coloring - Cranberry Powder

Red is a red-ily (pun intended) available color in nature, and as such there are many things you can use to make frosting a pink, or even a reddish hue. Beet powder is used as a natural colorant in factory made confections, and it is available as a supplement, but it is not widely available.

This is where cranberry powder comes in. Everyone who has ever had a UTI knows that cranberry supplements are all over the place. They come in everything to drink mixes to liquigels, but to color frosting, use loose cranberry powder or cranberry powder in the gelatin caps that have one ingredient.

To get the color above, I opened up six capsules to 1 cup of frosting. It blended nicely and tastes delicious! My daughter loved the pink on her birthday cake. and kept telling me the pink frosting was the best tasting as well.

Natural Yellow Food Coloring - Turmeric Powder

This shouldn't be much of a surprise. Turmeric has been used for centuries, even millennia, to give curry a yellowish tinge, but it is also great for frosting as well. The deep yellow orange powder quickly changes frosting to a bright vibrant yellow. Just use a small amount, mix it in thoroughly, and add more if necessary. You'll be surprised how little it takes to make a very bright color.

Recent studies indicate that turmeric's active ingredient, curcumin, helps the body fight certain cancers better and those populations who eat between 100 and 200 milligrams per day over a long period of time have lower cancer rates. It is used in everything from soup to salsa, and is a certified coloring agent in the UK.

Frosting Flops and Fanfare

You might expect these colors to change the taste, but they don't, excepting for the cranberry which brings an ever so slightly fruity flavor. I have tried other things to color frosting, like reduced blueberry juice, which was an epic fail. Nothing I've found works quite as well as these three powders.

Powder coloring agents in general work better for frosting which, by their nature, are finicky to the addition of any liquid. Liquids such as the gel or alcohol found in manufactured food coloring can make the frosting change behavior while in the frosting bag, which can make frosting a big pain in the palm.

The drawback to powders is they are somewhat difficult to mix. It takes a bit of beating to get the color uniform, but not so much more that you can't accomplish the task by hand.

Next time you pretty up a birthday cake, hit your local vitamin store instead of the baking isle. Tell them glutenfreefantasty.blogspot.com sent you. ;) Now, let's go have some colorful gluten free fun!

Celiac Disease - It's Not Just a Trend, It's a Way of Life

2015-07-29T02:24:00.000-07:00

"I can't eat gluten," I say to a store clerk as I ask him where the gluten free section is in the store.

"Oh, that is becoming very popular," he retorts, with a roll of the eyes. He must see many of those willing to try the next new thing.

For me, this is far from a trendy new diet.

In 2005, a full 10 years before now, my second daughter was born. I started having strange "spells" that made me very uneasy. I noticed they generally happened after I ate.

Two years later daughter number 3 was born. During the pregnancy I felt really good, much better than I should have. When I took her home and started to nurse her, the "spells" returned.

By that Christmas I had had my first grand mal seizure.

I continued to have seizures, a total of 9 grand mal seizures from December 2007 to April 2008, and simple partial seizures nearly every day during that same time. Now that I knew what they were, I stopped driving, especially since I never knew when I may have another.

I lost weight rapidly, to the tune of 125 pounds from mid 2007 to early 2008. I'd forget people, events and appointments, and I slept too much. Even then I had dark circles and an ashen complexion. I ate because I knew I should, but I had no desire to do so. This was mostly because every time I did, it felt like someone kicked me in the stomach.

I read about Celiac disease at the prompting of my mother, who is a nurse. She was always one of those people who is super insightful when it comes to medical matters, even before she got her nursing licence. After having a nasty seizure after eating takeout pizza, I decided to try cutting the gluten.

The first weeks were hard. I was still having seizures and they seemed to be more frequent than before. I decided to cut out dairy, as that was one thing that was said might be necessary. I drastically cut back on the variety of foods I was eating. The menu consisted of meat, veggies, potatoes and rice.

Eating the rice made me feel horrible, but I was so starved for carbohydrates and weak, I felt like I needed to take that in to keep some balance. Eating meat and vegetables isn't exactly cheap either. We needed to make the food budget stretch somehow with a total of three kiddos, two of which were in diapers.

Flash forward to 2015 and we've now gone through one miscarriage, most likely due to the Celiac Disease, and had one more kiddo. I still don't eat gluten, and I still get the eyeroll. But it is worth it. I have not had a seizure for over 7 years. and I did it without medication.

Sayonara Gluten! I don't quite understand why or how you caused my seizures, but it is certain that you are not just a diet trend in my house.

Alton Brown - Our Latest Binge

2015-06-15T08:32:00.000-07:00

Org. Photo by Jen Segrest, (https://www.flickr.com/photos/verybigjen/),
Speech bubble courtesy of Canava (https://www.canva.com),
Text is purely from my brain (Copyright Christine Emmick 2015)

My daughter wants to own a restaurant when she grows up, which means we either need to remortgage the house or get her into cooking and baking so she can do it for someone else for a while, or both.

Wanting to inspire her, we, as a family have nibbled on all the episodes of Master Chef Junior that can be found on Netflix. We went on to devour Master Chef, Cupcake Wars, and even a few episodes of Hell's Kitchen. This all while ignoring my motorcycle loving husband's insistent plea for an episode of Feasting on Asphalt.

Dad never did get his way, but thankfully we were introduced to the host, Alton Brown via his show Good Eats. We sat back and laughed our pork butts off at the puns, the puppets, and the peppery dialog. It was history, science, home economics, and literature all rolled into one.

So I did what any good homeschooling mom does. I introduced it into our school day.

Now we start each day with some AB, then move on to our regularly scheduled curricula and our affinity for the poaching punster lead me to his blog. I now scour AB's recipes and look for G-free alternatives. My puppeteer kiddo has even offered to help me with a video.

Now, let's go have some fun... with puppets and fire. ;)

Take No Prisoners - The Gluten War is On

2015-06-10T08:21:00.001-07:00

We've been living with this for years invisible, lacking supplies, and feeling alone.

Not anymore.

Comedians Dave and Brian have taken on our cause. In a mix of funny and truth, they're latest video brings awareness, and levity... the good kind.

Let's keep up the fight... and go have some fun!

Quick n' Easy Ranch Dressing

2015-05-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

Hidden in some far off valley lives the secret blend of herbs and spices, as well as some modified food starch, that creates the perfect ranch dressing.

Since I am gluten free, food starch is not on the menu. Thankfully you can create your own creamy, tasty ranch dressing without the little pre-packaged mixes with the extra stuff you cannot pronounce.

Quick n' Easy Ranch Dressing

Medium Glass Bowl
Mayo - As much as you want. A big veggie tray needs about a cup or so.
Greek Yogurt - The same amount as you used of mayonnaise, give or take a spoonful.

and these additions to taste...

Dried Onion Flakes - 1 to 3 Teaspoons. These sweet crunchy little yummies add texture and flavor to the final product. More onion means more texture, so add accordingly.
Garlic Powder - 1 to 3 Teaspoons. You could also add fresh minced garlic if you don't mind the texture it adds.
Dill Weed - 1 to 3 Teaspoons. This adds flavor and color. It is almost like sprinkles on a cupcake, some like a little, some like a lot, and some like it a little too much. If your dip is more green than white, you may be overdoing it.
Salt - 1/2 teaspoon is good enough.I use the fine grained sea salt for this.
Whisk - Small enough to go nuts on the stuff and not do too much splattering of dip.

You could also experiment with other herbs and spices like paprika, pepper, cumin, and parsley!

Get the bowl and put in the mayo and yogurt. Whisk in a small amount of what you think you will use of each spice and (this is important) taste the dip. If you skip this step you may make a pint of sludge that makes children's faces twist up in strange positions. You may also hear exclamations of displeasure as well. Heck, have everyone taste it, then add more as necessary.

Now here comes the hard part. Cover and put in the fridge for at least an hour, 2 if you can handle it. This gives the herbs and spices a chance to mingle with the mayo and yogurt.

DISCLAIMER: I have not been dairy free for some time, so this is not dairy free. Could you use almond yogurt? I don't know. There is a soy based sour cream out there, but I have not tried it since I learned way back that soy is a no no for me.

Comment and tell me what you added, what you liked, and what you goofed. I promise I wont laugh, especially since I have had my share of GF fiascoes myself. Maybe soon I will share a little story about pancakes. For now I'll just say it involved a scrub brush, a scraper... and the fire alarm.

Facebook 10 Blessing Challenge for the Salvation Army

2014-11-27T16:36:00.000-08:00

Ready to be blessed?

To create a atmosphere of thankfulness in my heart, I am creating the "10 Blessing Challenge" to my friends and family. Here's how it goes... post 10 blessings in 10 hours and challenge 10 others to do the same. If you don't, you have to give $10 to the Salvation Army buckets this season!

Here is my list:

1. My family is healthy.
2. My husband has a job.
3. My girls are growing.
4. We have family and friends who love us.
5. We know that no matter what happens in the next year, we are loved and will be provided for.
6. We have great passion for what we believe.
7. God has put awesome people in our lives to guide us, love us, and support us.
8. We have a warm house.
9. My girls are sharing the same great passion, but taking different paths. It is awesome to see God's plan emerging in their lives.
10. We have enough leftovers that I do not have to cook for at least two days!

Now it is your turn, share and challenge! GO!

http://www.salvationarmy.org/

Milk in the Raw - Hype or Hope?

2013-03-01T19:00:00.000-08:00

The milkmaid. Johannes van der Meer, circa 1660 (1647-1675)

I've been dairy free for 5 years.

This means no mac and cheese, no yogurt, no pizza, no cottage cheese, no lasagna, no ice cream, no cute little blocks of cheese dipped in mustard at the buffet, AND none of the protein and nutrients that come with it.

That is until last week.

While I've dabbled in dairy over the last year or so. I've sampled, with a mixture of hope and dread, goat and sheep milk products, with mixed results. I have stayed far away from cow's milk however.

After consuming 4 years worth of processed cheese and milk like products, I was so tired of faking. I also thought if I'm trying to eat whole foods, why am I allowing these weird chemical combinations in my body?

I started to research raw milk.

Friends and family said, "Isn't it dangerous?" "Why would you want to pay that much for milk?" "Just take Lactaid."

Ignoring their warnings, I bought a quart of raw milk from my local co-op. I figured there was something to the raw milk craze and even though most of the people around me said that it was dangerous, I guessed they were speaking more out of fear than fact. I drank it and had zero ill effects. I decided to order a gallon from a local dairy from grass fed organically raised cattle because it was less expensive than what I found in the store. Besides, with 6 people in the family, a quart of milk goes in half a morning.

Researching the benefits of raw dairy products I came across some some interesting information. A study reported by realmilk.com highlighted some interesting findings with raw milk when it was intentionally contaminated with salmonella...

"To study this issue further, Organic Pastures contracted with BSK labs in Fresno to perform multiple challenge and recovery tests on our raw milk and raw colostrum. When 7 logs (10 million counts) of pathogens were added to one-milliliter samples of organic raw milk they would not grow. In fact they died off. The salmonella was so badly out-competed that it could not be found less than 24 hours later."

After a week of raw milk every day, my celiac symptoms, the gastric pain, the irritable bowel, the colitis, whatever you want to call it...

ceased.

I've also noticed the eczema on my face and nape of my neck fizzled to a mild dryness. Coincidence? Considering that we ran out of raw milk and it, AND my gastric symptoms, are coming back, I don't think so.

I am amazed, ecstatic, excited and NOT scared! Raw milk here we come!

If you find hope, usefulness, insight or help in this information, please consider giving a gift! It helps me to be able to feed these 4 hungry kids! Thank you for your support. :)

Call, (or boycott) Prop 37 Killers

2012-12-10T18:42:00.000-08:00

A recent post by the Organic Consumers Association calls for the boycott of a long, surprising list of products whose parent companies donated millions of dollars to out swagger the prop 37 bill. This list includes tons of top name food brands including PepsiCo and Kraft.

Now this type of maneuvering may hit them where it hurts in the extra long run, but reaching out may be a better idea. As a consumer of Cascadian Farms Cereals (oddly enough the only one on the list I buy), I did some research and found the contact information for their parent company, General Mills. Calling them, writing letters and calling again, not only lets them know how you, as their customer, feel about their corporate influence, it also ties up resources that are usually fielding calls from stockholders and suppliers.

I complied a list of contact information on the parent companies donating to influence the downfall of Prop 37 so you can get in on the job of educating our food manufacturers:

PepsiCo:

1-800-433-2652

Consumer Relations
1 Pepsi Way
Somers, NY 10589

M-F 9:00a.m. - 5:00p.m. EST

Website: https://cu.pepsico.com/pepsi

Kraft or (Mondelez International?):

The general telephone number is 847-646-2000.

Kraft Foods Group, Inc.,
Three Lakes Drive,
Northfield, IL 60093

Mondelēz International
Three Parkway
North Deerfield, IL 60015

Website: http://kraftfoods.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/26

Oddly, both of these companies have the same style of corporate website and I was directed to the Mondelēz International site automatically when searching Kraft.

Coca-Cola:

The Coca Cola Company
P.O. BOX 1734
ATLANTA, GA 30301

USA (800.438.2653)

Website: http://www.coca-colacompany.com/contact-us/

General Mills:

763-764-7600. I

General Mills
P.O. Box 9452
Minneapolis, MN 55440

Website: http://consumercontacts.generalmills.com/consolidatedcontact.aspx?page=faq&js=True

Conagra:

U.S. Consumer Affairs 1-877-CONAGRA(1-877-266-2472)
Canadian Consumer Affairs 1-800-461-4556
Investor relations 402-240-4154
Corporate Headquarters 402-240-4000

ConAgra Foods Inc.
One ConAgra Drive
Omaha, NE 68102-5001

Websites:

Consumer website: http://www.conagrafoods.com/contact-us
Investor website: http://www.conagrafoods.com/investor-relations/contact-information

In 2008 or 2009 I contacted these folks and asked where they sourced their Wesson brand oil. The lady on the phone became very nervous and said, "That information is privileged." Then she hung up on me. I was just going to ask if their canola was GMO. I don't think they wanted me to know.

Kellogs:

Call Consumer Affairs 1-800-962-1413

Kellogg's Consumer Affairs
P.O. Box CAMB
Battle Creek, MI 49016

Website: http://www.kelloggs.com/en_US/contact-us.html

Smuckers:

The J.M. Smucker Co.
1 Strawberry Lane
Orrville, Ohio 44667-0280

1-888-550-9555 (9-7 EST Monday-Friday)
Fax: 1-330-684-6410

Website: https://www.smuckers.com/contact/default.aspx

Unilever:

1-800-298-5018 Monday-Friday 8:30 AM-6:00 PM Eastern Time.

Unilever
800 Sylvan Avenue
Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 07632

Website: http://www.unilever.us/resource/contact/default.aspx

Dean Foods:

Dean Foods
2711 N. Haskell Ave.,
Suite 3400
Dallas, TX 75204

214-303-3400

Website: http://www.deanfoods.com/media/56157/df_fact_sheet_2012.pdf

This "website" is actually a media flier.

If you'd still like to boycott the products, this is Organic Consumers Association's list:

"PepsiCo (Donated $2.5M): Naked Juice, Tostito's Organic, Tropicana Organic • Kraft (Donated $2M): Boca Burgers and Back to Nature • Safeway (Member of Grocery Manufacturers Association, which donated $2M):"O" Organics • Coca-Cola (Donated $1.7M): Honest Tea, Odwalla • General Mills (Donated $1.2M): Muir Glen, Cascadian Farm, Larabar • Con-Agra (Donated $1.2M): Orville Redenbacher's Organic, Hunt's Organic, Lightlife, Alexia • Kellogg's (Donated $791k): Kashi, Bear Naked, Morningstar Farms, Gardenburger • Smuckers (Donated $555k): R.W. Knudsen, Santa Cruz Organic • Unilever (Donated $467k): Ben & Jerry's • Dean Foods (Donated $254k): Horizon, Silk, White Wave"

As a last note, please use this information with prudence. Do not go and call them and scream in their ear or picket their headquarters in your underwear. Respect begets respect, and you gotta give it to get it.

Now, lets go have some fun!

How to Cook Butternut Squash - Yes You Can!

2012-09-30T09:36:00.000-07:00

Do the isles of strange looking vegetables in the produce department scare you? It used to scare me too. Now I revel in the inexpensive variety of squash avalible at my local Whole Foods every fall and winter. Acorn, Butternut, pumpkin, Patty Pan, Hokkaido, I've tried the traditional and not so traditional and had yummy results.

Squash is not only healthy, it is very tasty too. It's not hard to prepare fresh squash either. Butternut, my favorite squash, has a mild nutty flavor, and you can prepare it similar to sweet potatoes. The organic butternut has a rich orange color and a wonderfully sweet flavor. It's great with cinnamon and honey! This is how I prepare it:

First Peel the squash with a vegetable peeler.

Then chop off the ends of the squash with a chef knife.

Then cut it in half. Depending on the ripeness, this may be a difficult task.

The heavy chef's knife makes this an easy task.

Next, save the seeds. Gently pinch the seeds out of the goo with your finger.

This should not be done to varietys that have patented seeds.

Next slice it lengthwise in strips and cut into chunks. Place the chunks in a baking dish and sprinkle with honey, olive oil (or butter if you are not dairy-free), a sprinkle of Himalayan sea salt and cinnamon. Bake at 325 degrees until the chunks are soft. Smash the chunks with a fork and serve!

Pampered Chef (RTM) Microplane Review

2012-06-04T05:26:00.001-07:00

Ready, Get set, GO!

I'm launching the PC part of Gluten Free Fantasy this week with my very first "First Look" at several PC products. My friend and upline, Lauree, is a super gal and she and I are going to have a fantastic time bringing you REAL info on these products. Expect excitement... expect fun... and expect fast paced info that is anything but fake!

Hold onto your laptops here we go!!

I grated the whole block of cheese in less than a minute!

Here is the PC Microplane (TM) adjustable fine grater (there is also a coarse FYI). It grated an 8oz. block of cheese so fast I nearly lost a finger when I turned my head. We grated pecorino Romano cheese which is made from sheep's milk. It's salty, and normally a lot like Parmesan, but not with this tool. The micorplane lives up to it's name and made fluffy micro-thin curls from this hard cheese. They were so thin and light that they melted in my hand! Also, as you can see in the video, I spent very little energy and time (things I have in short supply with 4 kids!) grating a good amount of cheese. In a later video I'll show you the whole pile I made in less than 1 minute!

The Blade is Made in the USA!

The one thing I didn't like about this was how sharp the blade was, but that is the reason it works so quickly. It look harmless coming out of the box, and I even was able to "test" the blade and did not get cut (that is until was using it for real), but it is not. Let the kiddos watch you (and point and laugh while they get you a band-aid) on this one. :)

My next video will be a "use and care" video, as I really didn't read the directions before I used it the first time. (hence the need of first aid, LOL)

If you'd like to get this, go to:

http://new.pamperedchef.com/pws/glutenfreepc

and search "microplane," or just drop me a line on Facebook and I'll hook you up. :)

And the Winner of the Wal-Mart Contest is... HUMANKIND WATER!!!!

2012-06-01T23:14:00.000-07:00

I am proud to announce that HumanKind Water is the WINNER of Wal-Mart's Get-it-on the shelf contest!!

HumanKind Water is not just a company with an entrepreneurial spirit, Hk also has a heart. It donates 100% of it's net profits to build water wells in Haiti, as well as several other underdeveloped countries.

Right now Wal-mart.com is out of stock, but you can click here to have Wal-mart contact you when it becomes available.

God Bless Hk Water!! For more info. visit: http://money.cnn.com/2012/05/03/smallbusiness/walmart-humankind-water/index.htm

Monsanto's Bitter Pill

2012-05-19T09:29:00.000-07:00

There is a saying at the FDA that says only a drug can cure a disease. Since a natural substance, like naturally occurring citric acid in oranges for instance, can't be patented, this FDA stance creates quite a dilemma. What drug, for instance, cures scurvy?

Why are we trusting this regulatory agency when all they are doing is allowing food manufacturers to deliberately poison us with their "flavor enhancers"? Why is it fully legal here in the US to make us addicted to their crap? Look at Monsanto and his GMO Horror Corn story, splicing human and corn genes, and what high fructose does to your system. This reminds me of a global mafia type organization pushing frankenfood and then pharmaceutical poison to cover up the symptoms of what the food does to us!

Our bodies are craving the minerals and nutrients found in a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, high quality grass fed meats and other, non-genetically modified, protein. Instead we are pasteurizing, homogenizing, sterilizing and plasticizing our food to last forever, robbing it of the enzymes, photochemicals and whole natural vitamins and minerals our body needs. No wonder we over eat!! Our brains are starving for the snippet of whatever is left of the nutrients in the "food" and the big manufacturers are stuffing their pockets with our money we throw at them. It reminds me of the relationship between the drug pusher and the addict, except the drug task force (the FDA) is saying to Monsanto, "go ahead, deal away."

There are other sources that say this is all related to population control plans hatched in the grip of the Rockefeller Foundation and food management is just a small part of the conspiracy. "The World According to Monsanto" certainly does have a lot of compelling commentary to make me think that GMOs effects are not just accidental.

Color Me Natural - Homemade Gluten Free Frosting with No Funny Stuff

2012-05-19T08:59:00.000-07:00

The kids (and Grandma) had a grand time, and I was happy the frosting didn't have wierd, unpronounceable stuff in it.

For birthday parties I sometimes bake gluten free cupcakes and mix up a bunch of colors and put each into a decorating tube. Then I give each party-goer a "blank canvas" cupcake and stand back and watch the creativity squeeze out. Each child exchanges ideas and frosting colors and a fun time is had by all.

So how did I get all those awesome colors without weird stuff? I used combinations of blueberry juice, spirulina (a blue green algae sold in health-food stores as a whole food vitamin and mineral supplement), turmeric, and India Tree Natural food coloring. I use a palm kernel oil shortening to make my frosting with powdered sugar and natural peppermint flavoring.

Here is what I used to create the colors:

Red: India Tree red and a small amount of blueberry juice gave me a richer red than with the coloring alone. I also added a tiny sprinkle of turmeric.
Orange: I used the India Tree red, a drop of blueberry juice (to get the "red" in the orange), turmeric, and some of the India Tree yellow.
Yellow: Turmeric and India Tree yellow combined to make a much brighter yellow than the coloring alone, I then added the tiniest bit of spirulina.
Green: I mixed turmeric, spirulina and the blue and yellow India Tree colors until I got a great green. I went heavy on the spirulina. I added the slightest bit of blueberry juice to ad a bit of depth and got a great result.
Blue: I used the IT blue, blueberry juice and spirulina. Blue is a tough color.The spirulina made this easy though because it balanced out the "purple" of the blue India Tree coloring and blueberry juice.
Purple: Blueberry juice, Blue food coloring, and just a little bit of spirulina made a surprisingly vibrant purple.

If you think this looks yummy, you should see my G-Free K-Too cake on my Facebook page!

Kashi = GMOs

2012-05-19T07:41:00.003-07:00

The Kellogg brand Kashi is in trouble. A recent sample tested by Cornucopia contained 100% GMO soy. Like any spoiled child, Kellogg stamped their foot and whined that no testing had actually occurred.

Cornucopia's research director, Will Fantle, stated in response:

"We purchased a readily available box of Kashi's GoLean® cereal from a Whole Foods store. We then sent a sample to an accredited national lab for testing, finding that the soy in the natural cereal was 100% GMO."
Caught in their lie, Kellogg is now promising that their products will, within 3 years, contain a whopping 70% organic ingredients. This may fool some, but it is clearly a way to save profits. They may as well say they are changing their inGREEDients, as their intention is not on food quality, but strictly on profits.

Further research revealed Kellogg's plan. By 2015 all NEWLY INTRODUCED Kashi products will be NON-GMO project certified (http://www.kashi.com/ourcommitment). They say nothing about their current line.

(Click here to see an enlarged version of this chart)

According to Phil Howard, Kellogg also owns Bear Naked, Gardenburger, Morningstar Farms and Natural Touch brands. Expect your favorite natural brands to change recipes when the corporate ownership changes. It is also important to note that you should ALWAYS read the ingredient labels of the foods you purchase, and CALL the company, to be sure there are no food allergens, (such as soy) in the recipe.

Sometimes though, you may not get all the answers you are looking for.

Gluten Free Restaurant Review - Verona Village Inn

2012-05-17T20:45:00.000-07:00

Verona Village Inn - 551 Wildwood Avenue - Verona, PA

Hubby and I headed out last night to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. As a woman on a gluten-free and dairy-free diet, restaurants are often a big hit or a big miss, and I dread trying something new since some of my G-free dining experiences have been truly horrible. These bad experiences include pricey "fine dining" places to fast food joints. Many people just don't understand what food intolerance is and often make rash judgments ("She's SOOO picky!") or express fear ("Am I going to have to call an ambulance if you smell the broccoli cheddar soup?") when I share my dietary needs with waitstaff. But share I must, mostly because if I don't make my needs known I'll invariably get a meal I can't eat.

Of all the types of restaurants, Italian ones are the worst as far of selection for me. Italian restaurant menus are saturated with pasta dishes slathered with cheese and I must navigate a minefield of wheat and dairy based dishes reading the ingredients carefully, then asking the waiter "what else" is not listed in the description on the menu. When my husband recommended the Verona Village Inn, I was not enthused. We in fact passed it to try another local eatery, but turned back when it was obvious that we would not get a table until sometime next week. We turned back and walked in, and as I perused the menu and took in the ambiance, my expectations changed drastically.

The place was busy, but there was not a wait, even though we did not make reservations. We were seated and served by friendly courteous staff who were bustling through the restaurant, but they did not make us feel rushed. Our drinks and meal were served with wonderful smelling garlic bread and fresh salad. I selected a grilled chicken salad topped with french fries and asked that they hold the cheese. My waitress was a bit surprised when I brought out my own cheese substitute and jokingly asked where I found it on the menu. My chicken breast was grilled just right and had a wonderful flavor. The salad was a fresh mix of romaine lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes and mushrooms, which tasted as if it was just cut right before I ordered it. My husband's lasagna looked yummy and smelled even better, and even though I couldn't eat it, I enjoyed the fact that he was full and happy afterward.

My glass of white Zinfandel topped off the evening perfectly. I haven't had a meal out at a restaurant this good in a very very long time. Verona Village Inn was a definitive big hit! They may have to get used to seeing us every year. ;)

HumanKind Water Makes the Finals!

2012-04-05T10:29:00.003-07:00

Humankind Water has started something big and have their sites set on making it huge! Big box retailer, Wal-Mart, is running a contest to see what their next product should be and asking people to vote for the most worthy product. The final round of voting begins April 11 and continues til the 24th, and Humankind water is asking people to vote for them.

Why should we vote for Humankind water? Because 100 percent of the net profits go directly to building wells and helping people gain access to clean drinking water.

Go to the Humankind website to learn more about their mission and vote!

Gluten Free Product Review - Julian Bakery ZERO Cookies

2012-03-17T14:57:00.000-07:00

Ginger Spice, Cocoa Delight and Strawberry Banana Perfection
Photo courtesy of julianbakery.com

I recently was given the opportunity to try Julian Bakery's "Zero!" cookies. I must say this is one of those gluten free products that I, being the sweet tooth that I am, was very eager to try. These treats have zero net carbs, no gluten and no sugar, which is quite intriguing, but how do they taste?

Soft AND Chewy "Home Baked" Texture

Gluten free cookies are often not soft and are certainly never chewy. Somehow the folks at Julian Bakery did both in these cookies, AND they STAY that way after they are opened! This my friends is nothing short of a miracle.

Sweet, But Not Too Much

Sometimes in an effort to win us over, gluten free manufacturers bombard us with too much sugar. Zero! cookies are designed not just to meet the needs of those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease, but they have crossed boundaries and offered something good for diabetics as well. The Zero cookie is also naturally sugar free, so you are not downing a bunch of chemicals (for more see my information on processed coconut and grain fumigation). Instead they use Erythritol, Stevia and Monk's Fruit extract. While I would have preferred a bit more sweetness in the Cocoa Delight, the other flavors (Strawberry Banana Perfection and Ginger Spice) were plenty sweet enough.

WHEYt a Minute!

Alas, I did find that these cookies were not completely dairy free. They do have whey protein in all three flavors. Whey is an excellent source of nutrition, unless you are sensitive to the protein. I've not really experimented with anything containing whey before and I found I had no reaction to the Zero! cookies. I actually felt energized after eating these, which is the opposite of what a K-too does to me.

As you can see from this photo, the Ginger Spice were my favorite. Julian Bakery's website has a list of why they call them "Zero!" cookies. I can add one more to that list. There will be "Zero!" left! Don't worry, the hubby got enough of the Cocoa Delights. ;)

Bottled Water Brand to Make a Splash in Africa

2012-03-02T07:54:00.002-08:00

Humankind Bottled Water to Give 100% of Profits to Drill Wells

A new company has put a new twist to the bottled water industry by using 100 percent of their profits to fund wells in Africa. While some are condemning the bottled water industry, the chlorine and fluoride in municipal drinking water leaves little else for health conscious families to choose from. The fight to take back municipal water continues, and Humankind water fills the gap. This all while helping the world drink cleaner water.

They are asking people to vote to bring them to the shelves of our local Walmart. Visit them at humankindwater.org to vote.

As a spokesperson for the company says, "When you buy Humankind water, you buy humankind... water."

Christmas Humor In a Cookie - The Christmas Turd

2011-12-20T03:19:00.001-08:00

T'is the season to revisit cookie recipes! This one is easy, and ALWAYS makes a big impression. Whether it is a good or a bad impression depends on your family's sense of humor. :)

I remember my grandmother lovingly making those buttery-chocolaty good cookies called "Church Windows" every year (which always were gluten-free by the way;). My mother carried on the tradition, and influenced by my father's potty humor, I would often exclaim the "log" (which you would cut into the beautiful church windows) really resembled something that should be out in the lawn after Fido did his business.

Later, I would expound on those thoughts and create a delectable treat with an unappetizing name. I give you, "The Christmas Turd."

Enjoy!

The Christmas Turd

Stuff to grab:

Non-Butter Butter - (No pun intended) - You'll need about 1/2 cup. Good butter substitutes include palm kernel oil, coconut oil, Earth Balance (we use the "soy free" version). If you use coconut oil, use a bit less since it's melting point is so low.

Salt - Just a pinch, and not really necessary if you have a salt added to your butter substitute.

Chocolate Chips - Be sure they are the non-dairy kind. Look closely on the bag for milk fat, milk, milk powder. It may also be within another ingredient's ingredients. For instance, the ingredients may list "chocolate," then beside it "(cacao, milk fat, sugar, vanilla)." The items in the parenthesis are the chocolate's ingredients. Oh... by the way, use the whole bag (12 to 16 oz.), unless you got the club store size.

Vanilla - 'Cmon use the real kind! Your family will thank you. One teaspoon should do it.

Mini Marshmallows - Any color, including white, will do for this recipe. Choose the multi-colored if you want to make it festive, AND you don't mind ingesting the red dye #5. You'll need the whole bag, so make these after the kids are asleep. Darn those little snack snatchers! Since I try really hard to avoid corn syrup, I try to get the Elyon brand of mini marshmallows when I can.

MARSHMALLOW UPDATE FOR CHRISTMAS 2015! - I am always looking to make healthier food options for my kiddos, and I can honestly say that the old church window recipe threw me for a loop since there are ZERO commercially produced colored marshmallows. So like I have had to do for the last 7.75 years, I improvised with white marshmallows.

BUT...

If you are longing for the old multi colored window, I found a perfect recipe on brittanyangell.com. She used freeze dried fruit pulverized in a coffee grinder, well washed before hand! Here is what you can substitute for the traditional colors:

Freeze Dried Strawberries - Pink
Freeze Dried Mango - Orange
Turmeric Powder - Yellow
Spirulina Powder - Green

You could even try freeze dried blueberries for blue which is not even normally in the mix if you are feeling especially artistic.

I have used turmeric and spirulina in frosting (Color Me Natural) and the colors have turned out fantastic and they tasted even better! I'd also use a larger pan, dust, cover with a piece of parchment, and roll them out using a small rolling pin to create a smaller marshmallow. You'll also need to cut them with a starch covered pizza cutter, and let them dry a day. Then toss them in a bowl of starch all together and shake off the excess.

Is this a lot of work? Yes, but can you put a price on re-creating a memory? ;) If you are not the sentimental type, just skip that last part, buy a bag of 'em, and keep reading.

Flaked or Shredded Coconut - This is for the "snow" that your turd will lay on, so one small bag should do it. Bob's Red Mill has an all natural version that doesn't have the anti-freeze in it. YES I DID SAY ANTI-FREEZE!! Sorry guys, the "regular" coconut has propylene glycol in it, which is just another form of the chemical you don't want your dog drinking out of your car's radiator. If you are wondering why you shouldn't eat the stuff, Dow said in the safety data sheet for propylene glycol
that:

"Effects of Repeated Exposure: In rare cases, repeated excessive exposure to propylene glycol may cause central nervous system effects."

Unfortunately the data sheet has been pulled. Yeah internet police for protecting me from myself. Still, the quote was taken directly off their data sheet, and my central nervous system is taxed enough with 4 kids. I don't need any more "effects," thank you.

The awesome news is that more and more people are reading labels and leaving the crap on the shelves! There are tons more options as far as coconut is concerned. My new favorite is dried coconut from Aldi which comes in chunks. I can grate it any way I want, including with my Pampered ChefTM Micro-plane which makes fluffy little snow like curls, and there is no funny stuff! If you want crunchy "snow," pick up Let's Do Organic's brand of dried coconut. It has a crispy texture and is a little bigger than the grated kind. You could even make candied coconut, if you are so inclined, which is similar to making candied ginger.

Large Double Boiler - Or just be VERY careful with a bigger saucepan

Large Mixing Bowl and Large Spoon - Grab the biggest one you have, you won't be sorry you did.

Wax Paper - for forming your, um, gift...

Wrapping Paper and Ribbon

Printer and Paper - Unless you are really good with penmanship.

You made me get a boatload of stuff, Now What?

Ok, take your "butter" and melt it over a VERY low flame, or a double boiler. Add the chocolate and stir occasionally as it melts. ...IN THE MEANTIME ... Get your coconut "snow" on strips of wax paper about a foot long. sprinkle a 6 inch scat trail right in the middle of the wax paper. This recipe makes about 6 to 8 healthy, um, logs.

Now take your melted chocolate off the burner for a few minutes to cool enough so that it does not feel like it's going to burn your skin if (I really mean WHEN) you take a taste. This is so the chocolate doesn't melt the marshmallows. Remember, you want the little marshmallow lumps in the "gift" to add texture! They can't do that if they are melted into a gooey mess. If you are using homemade marshmallows this step is especially important since these tend to melt really fast!

Fill your large mixing bowl with the marshmallows and then take your chocolate mixture and dump about a 1/4 cup of it over the marshmallows. If they look like they are melting, take 5 and let the chocolate cool. When it is ready, pour the whole thing in and stir until they are coated. Plop the mixture by the spoonfuls on your trail and squeeze the log into the perfect poo shape. Sprinkle with a little more coconut "snow" and wrap the wax paper around the "gift" and chill it in the fridge.

Now head over to your printer and print out multiple copies of this poem. You can use it as many times as you would like (freely distribute), as long as you don't modify it and also include my name and websites. ;)

Take your log out when it is hardened and wrap a copy of the poem around the wax paper, then wrap it in festive Christmas paper. Tie each end with ribbon and trim the extra paper and place it in a large zipper bag and put it back in the fridge. Then on Christmas morning watch your family's shocked faced as they realize what they might have sitting on their laps. Don't let the gag go too long, you don't want to create any family feuds. :)

Now, let's go make some Christmas cookies!!

Good Gluten Free Bread Options

2011-08-21T03:58:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine asked me, after trying one of those brickabread gluten free blocks, “is there any good gluten free breads?” I said, "Of course!" Well I didn't say it, I typed it. We were FBing.

If you've asked yourself the same question, you need answers, and fast. Here are a few tasty options...

Rudi's
Their hot dog buns are fantabulous! Their breads are soft and chewy, unlike almost every other gluten free bread. After freezing a loaf, they can be a bit crumbly (see http://glutenfreefantasy.blogspot.com/2011/07/rudis-breadthumbs-up.html), but not nearly as much as that older brickabread stuff! It makes great French toast and sandwiches. The bagels are my second fave!

Udi's
No, that isn't a typo. The Udi's brand is almost just as good as the Rudi's brand. It almost makes me think that they are one in the same. The difference, Udi's hot dog buns are not so, well, hot.

Rice Cakes
This is what I used before I started writing for Rudi's and getting free bread. ;) Its an inexpensive alternative and easy to manipulate. Doesn't make good french toast though, and you can just forget about folding them in half. :)

Lavash
I recently discovered a millet based lavash bread at our local food Co-op. :9 It was great! Soft and chewy and while it didn't roll, it folded nicely to make a great little snack!

One other thing, don't be afraid to break out of the bread mold (pun intended). We as Americans have been trained by advertising for the last 50 years or so that bread is part of lunch. It doesn't have to be. We make whole meals out of carrot and veggie sticks with peanut butter! Hubby hates it when I do that, but... Now, let’s go have some fun!

Nutritional Supplements for Those with Celiac Disease

2011-08-20T04:56:00.000-07:00

UPDATE!

I was reading an article at Mercola.com and he had a very interesting quote from Green Med Info:

"The selenium that is found in foods like brazil nuts, mustard seeds, and fresh produce grown in selenium-rich soil is infinitely different from the biologically inert forms being put in some multivitamins. In fact, i.e., sodium selenite/selenate can cause cancer, whereas the selenium found within food, or laboratory chelated forms like selenomethionine have all been shown to prevent and combat cancer.
The basic principle that explains this difference is that when you isolate a nutrient or vitamin out of the food complex within which it is naturally found, and where it is inseparably bound to thousands of known and unknown food factors (e.g., enzymes, protein chaperones, glyconutrients, etc.) it is no longer as beneficial to life. This is especially true in the case of vertebrate mammals who are equipped to get their minerals from the plants they ingest or through the biotransformation of inorganic minerals to organic ones by microflora in their gastrointestinal tracts.
The primary reason that sodium selenite/selenate are preferred by some vitamin manufacturers over safer, more beneficial forms like chelated or yeast-grown selenium is because it is more profitable to use raw materials of lower quality."

It seems this further proves my point. If you are not taking a vitamin or mineral where it naturally occurs, you are likely doing more harm than good. I'll now say it is almost ALWAYS better to get your nutrients from raw foods.

Thanks Mercola.com for bringing this to light. Dr. Mercola also warns about supplements containing magnesium stearate, or stearic acid, and titanium dioxide. Both of these fillers cause immune system problems and stearic acid can acutally cause a nutrient barrier in the intestines which blocks your body from absorbing the very nutrients you think you are getting with the supplement. You can read the whole article here: Is Your Multivitamin Toxic?

________________________________________________________

It would seem reasonable that if Celiac Disease drained your body of required nutrients and damaged your intestinal lining you should take supplements that help meet your nutritional need as well as aid in the healing process. Celiact, a supplement designed especially for those with Celiac Disease, has done just that. It has 5 components of the supplementthat that address different Celiac needs:

Multivitamin

This includes vitamins A, E and K for vision, immunity and blood clotting, the anti-oxidant Vitamin C, and B vitamins, including folic acid and B12, which may reduce the risk of anemia.

Bone Health

Calcium, magnesium and vitamin D all work together to help build strong bones. Many of those with Celiac Disease suffer from bone loss due to lack of absorption of these essential nutrients.

Gut Healing

Zinc, glutamine, and citrus bioflavinoids work to heal the damaged intestines according to the maker's site. Zinc helps "patch up" holes, while glutamine provides nourishment for the lining of the gut. The bioflavinoids are said to reduce inflammation.

Probiotics

Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Bifidobacterium Lactis, and Bacillus Coagulans are the three cultures available in this supplement. Some research says that probiotics help crowd out the bad bacteria, fungus and other pathogens in the gut.

Digestive Enzymes

These help break down food to allow it to be more easily absorbed.

More information on this supplement can be found at celiact.com. What I did not find at this site is a list of ingredients. I like to stay away from magnesium sterate and steric acid for the potential gut disruption they cause, and I will not buy a supplement with non-bioavailable (cheaper) forms of vitamins. While it's more convenient to take one supplement to meet the needs of those with Celiac, it makes sense to only take those supplements needed, and to take the most bio-available form of those supplements. For instance, the sublingual form of vitamin B is the most readily absorbed for most of us, and when your gut is damaged, sublingual bypasses the gut to go directly into the bloodstream through the tissues in the mouth.

It is possible, and probably most beneficial, to try to get these same vitamins through your food. Liver, for instance, is very high in vitamin A. Digestive enzymes can be found naturally in fresh pineapple, papaya and papaya seeds. The reason it is so important to try to consume these nutrients in foods is that the components required for proper absorption are usually already built in to the food. That means if you eat spinach, you will not only get calcium, you get the vitamin C that aids absorption.

Fresh and raw foods often are the best way to consume your "supplements." Don't hesitate to browse your produce section and make a salad of things like kale, papaya, broccoli and red cabbage. Iceberg has gotten a bad rap, but it's fiber and water content can help digestion, just don't make it the "base" of the salad as most of us do. Add things like raw apple cider vinegar and olive oil to dress it up and help aid the absorption of the fat based vitamins contained in the veggies. Papaya seeds can be dried and ground like peppercorns and give a sweet and spicy feel to the salad.

Now, go play with your food! You'll be healthier for it. :)

Growing Gluten Free - Yes You Can!

2011-08-05T11:48:00.000-07:00

I am a sucker for growing things. I love to watch a pumpkin blossom turn into a tiny green globe, only to swell into an orange fruit (yes it's technically a fruit) that I will bake and mash up later for a better-than-you-could-ever-get-out-of-a-can, gluten free pumpkin pie. I get so excited seeing those little seedlings sprout up in their cozy cubes of soil.

Many of the things I have grown however have not turned out so well. Most of the tomato plants I grew two years ago got a severe mold infestation rendering them...well, fruitless. This is why to limit disappointment I've tried to grow foolproof plants that stand the droughts and take the rain. Here are some of my successes:

Spearmint - Most herbs are pretty easy to grow, and spearmint is no exception. The fresh stuff is also way better than you can get on any grocery store. It's great in tea, hot or iced. You can also snap off a sprig and chew it like gum to freshen your breath!
Pumpkins - Even with the drought we had, these little beauties still sent out loads of little fruits just right for making pies. You can save the seeds fairly easily (make sure your seeds are not patented) and use them again next year as well.
Oregano - I planted a packet of these back in 2002 and we still have a nice bunch of it in my herb garden. I let it reseed itself by making sure not to take too much of the new growth at each harvest. It then sends up little seed making pods. When they dry out in the fall I crumble them to release the seeds and sprinkle the contents on my oregano bed.
Cucumbers - Given the space and the hill we have, I plant them at the top and let them cascade down. Hubby likes not having to mow the spot too. Bonus!
Sunflowers - The seeds are great for roasting and they are truly a plant you can't goof up. Plus the quick growing stalk gives you something to marvel over every week.

Going gluten free opened me up to tons of fruits and veggies I wouldn't have tried before. Some of them I can grow. Those that I fear I might destroy, wasting my efforts and breaking my heart, I buy at Whole Foods.

Papaya, acorn squash, ginger, star fruit, kiwi, asparagus, bok choy, mango, butternut squash and fennel are all new and exciting foods I've grown to love since going gluten free. My "limited" choices opened my eyes up to the limitless possibilities these wonderful foods contained. Enjoy your GF gardening journey!

Rudi's Bread...Thumbs Up!

2011-07-14T06:08:00.000-07:00

So here is the low down on the Rudi's Gluten free line...

Soft and Chewy?

YES! The Rudi's brand are soft and have a wonderful chewy texture reminiscent of wheat bread. They spring back up instead of cracking when squeezed.

Crumbly?

Yes and no. When I first got the bread it was not crumbly, but it didn't pass what I call "The Fold Test." I loved making sandwiches as a kid by folding the bread in half. I have found no gluten-free bread that will pass this test yet, and maybe I never will, but Rudi's White Bread came the closest to passing by far.

After I froze the Rudi's, more of the moisture was taken out and the bread did become crumbly, but not too much so, and it still had a pleasant light chewy texture to it. This is in stark contrast to the gluten-free gummy glob of goo that is supposed to pass for bread. Rudi's is nothing like these bread bricks, and is very much like, well, bread!

Tasty?

YES! Rudi's made this bread rich in flavor and gave it just a touch of sweetness. They use sugar, honey and molasses to sweeten their breads and rolls. You won't find any high fructose corn syrup here.

Cost?

The better quality gluten free breads often cost a little more than the "more" you'd pay for the frozen brick GF breads, but the cost is worth the difference. Expect to pay anywhere from $5 to $7 a loaf depending where you live. If you are near a Costco's, you can pick up two loaves of Rudi's for about $7, That's $3.50 a loaf! Since I'm not a member at Costco's, I'll be hitting up my buddy Vince at my local Whole Foods for a case discount. :)

Funny Stuff?

NO! This is a big pet peeve of mine. Food manufacturers have long been putting fillers, preservatives, colors and even flavor enhancers in their products. These chemicals have been approved individually (and I think the FDA process for that is a bit dubious) but I bet if you put all them all together in a barrel it would have to be halled off to a toxic waste facility.

Well, evidently this is a pet peeve of Rudi's as well because you won't find any of that stuff in a loaf of their bread. They stick with the basics, and as an organically based bread company with an entire wheat based organic line, you can bet they know their sources. You will find things like potato, rice, egg, honey, molasses and flaxseed in their breads. Nothing with poly-this or nitrate-that is anywhere on the label.

In future posts I'll go into detail about each of Rudi's gluten free products and how they fared in each of my tests. I'll also fill you in on what my family said about each. Now lets go have some fun! Grilled Goat Cheese Sandwich anyone? :)