Guest Post {Jane’s Tips for Gluten-Free Living}

My daughter has had digestive issues for awhile, including acid reflux, headaches, and fatigue. So I decided to take her to our Naturopathic doc to see how to remedy these symptoms through diet and homeopathy. She is now on a gluten-free diet – which mean the whole family is now gluten-free!

It’s been about a month, and her symptoms have almost all cleared up. AND, the good news is, the rest of our family of 5 feels better, too! Less bloating and digestive issues, a little bit of weight loss, and LOTS more energy.

I thought I’d share some info that I have learned during our transition, in case you or someone you love is going through this, too. It’s easier than you think and there are tons of great options out there, not just at health food stores but at most local grocery stores, too!

Here are some examples of Gluten-free foods

potatoes
buckwheat
oats (*must be labeled gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination)
corn/ maize
rice
quinoa
amaranth
teff
millet
beans
nuts and nut butters
eggs
fresh fruit
fresh vegetables
herbs and spices
meats and fish purchased without sauce or seasonings
home-made soups (avoid bouillon cubes, barley malt, and all types of pasta)
juice (all-natural, 100% fruit juice.)

Some foods to avoid…
Wheat, kamut, spelt, rye and barley. Oats are generally avoided because they are almost always processed in mills that also process grains containing gluten. Commonly used ingredients to avoid are modified food starch, barley enzymes (found in majority of breakfast cereals), soy sauce and distilled vinegar (malt vinegar).

To avoid Contamination…
For those with serious gluten allergies or Celiac Disease, here are some tips for avoiding contamination:
• Clean out cutlery drawers; they are great crumb collectors.
• Replace your old wooden spoons and cutting boards.
• Wash dish rags/sponges often.

Be sure to use a new toaster for gluten-free foods only or buy toaster bags (do not use a toaster that’s already been used to toast regular bread). Use squirt bottles for condiments like mayonnaise, mustard, jelly, etc. to avoid contamination. Mark containers with “GF” on the lid of gluten-free items. Clean food prep areas. Dedicate shelves and cabinets in your kitchen and refrigerator to “gluten-free food only.”

Our family has by default given up most processed foods but occasionally one needs a cupcake or pancakesOne gluten-free baking mix that we really love is called “Pamela’s” – it’s great for breads, pancakes, cupcakes and cookies. Check it out online at www.PamelasProducts.com.

And here is a gluten-free recipe courtesy of my alma mater, the Institute for Integrative Nutrition:

Apple and Pear Cobbler
Dough
¼ cup sorghum flour
¼ cup tapioca flour
¼ cup potato starch
¼ cup almond flour
1 teaspoon fine salt (or sea salt or kosher salt should be ground fine)
4 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon cardamom
¼ teaspoon cloves, ground
¼ cup sour cream
3 tablespoons chilled, unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Combine gluten-free flours and potato starch, sugar, cloves, cardamom and salt. Add butter and cut inuntil mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add sour cream and blend just until dough just begins to come together. Do not form ball.

Place the completed dough between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper. Form a large ball of dough between the sheets, and then gently flatten it into a square. Refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Filling
2 pounds crisp, fresh apples
2 pounds Bartlett pears
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¾ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon cloves, ground
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375°

Transfer fruit slices to a pie dish or a 9” baking dish. Combine lemon juice and vanilla in small bowl. Pour over apples and toss to coat. Combine 3/4 cup sugar, flour and cloves in small bowl. Sprinkle over fruit and toss to coat. Rearrange fruit to make compact and wipe rim of dish clean. Place dough atop fruit and gently tuck edges under at 3-inch intervals. Sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons sugar. Sprinkle 1/4 cup sliced almonds over top. Bake for 35-40 minutes. It’s done when the cobbler topping has a firm feeling and is golden brown and the fruit bubbles up around the edges of the pan.

Some websites for additional resources:

Glutenfree.com

http://www.glutenfree.com/

Gluten-Free Girl Blog Spot

http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com/

Celiac.com

http://www.celiac.com/

Celiac Disease Foundation

http://www.celiac.org/

Best of luck on your gluten-free journey!

Peace & Veggies,
Jane

Jane Ashley, MA, CHHC, AADP
Certified Holistic Health Coach
Web/Graphic Designer for Wellness Pros
www.JaneAshleyDesign.carbonmade.com