Hello!
So these posts are going to turn into a weekly thing until I decide that maybe I need to be posting more frequent information. Today I want to talk about quinoa and, a little off topic, exercise.
As someone who is very active and healthyI found it hard to transition to my GF diet. I kept wondering how processed white flour could really be that much better for me. In fact, I gained a bunch of weight after going on a GF diet because my body was starting to absorb food now, and I was eating soooo many refined carbs (in short, those are the bad ones). White rice flour has no/very little fiber, and really doesn't do much good to our bodies, in fact it is the equivalent to eating white bread, in a certain sense!
This problem began by my obsession with finding foods that were gluten free and good for me ex: full of fiber and rich nutrients! QUINOA!!!! Now there are many grains out there now that are gluten free and good for the body, but I find quinoa to be the most versatile. I can eat it for breakfast, and in a salad for lunch and as a replacement for rice at dinner (usually don't do this cause that would be way too much quinoa in one day!)
Quinoa is an ancient grain from South America, it is full of protein and fiber (for about 1/4 of a cup 4g of fiber and 6g of protein). It has a nutty flavour and can be bought as a grain, flakes or puffed (cereal). The grain is the most versatile but the flakes are great to add to baking or make a quick breakfast (just add hot water, mix and go!).
Here is a quick and easy salad recipe, which happens to also be vegan/vegetarian! I am not adding any real measurements because it is very free flowing and I suggest you experiment with how you like the taste!
Yummy quinoa salad
2 cups Quinoa
1 mango, chopped
1 cup, chopped asparagus
1 red and yellow pepper, chopped
dressing:
flax or hemp oil
apple cider vinegar
cinnamon
red pepper flakes (optional to add some spice)
Mix and enjoy! This is great added to some grilled tofu or meat of your choice. Its also very helpful to taste the dressing as you go to make sure you like how it tastes and then tweak it to your liking!
I also like to eat quinoa by cooking up a batch, adding some soy milk or almond milk, with a few chopped nuts and brown sugar (or maple syrup). YUM!!!!
As always, I would love your feedback so send it my way!
Have a great day experimenting with quinoa, it too may become your new BFF!
Ally :)
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
More Hidden Gluten and Fun facts about tax
Hello fellow gluten free friends!
I want to make a quick note today on hidden gluten.... yes, gluten can hide in anything from shampoo to miracle whip.
I will make this short and sweet and put the offer/challenge out to others who find hidden gluten in their products to list it here as a comment.
A few things that are important to look for are hair products, make-up and toothpaste, because all of these go directly on your skin and close to your mouth. It is also very very very (can't stress this enough), important for people who have a skin reaction to gluten : dermatitis herpetiformis. This skin disease can feel itchy, look red and look,feel, seem like an allergic reaction.
I recently noticed that some products from Aveda have wheat protein listed on their ingredients, as well as the Aveeno products, which, almost all, contain a small amount of oats (most likely not the organic GF ones). It would be easy for you if I listed all the names of products that contain gluten, but that list my friends, would be much too long for one wall post. I suggest instead, that you make sure to read all labels before buying your new shampoo or gel, etc.
The reason that hair, body, and face products can cause harm is because of accidental indigestion. In reality, a product containing gluten has had no evidence of making a Celiac person sick, but I can tell you from experience that, that is not always the case.
I used some curl cream the other day with wheat protein, and sure enough I felt a little under the weather for the next few hours. Now usually my reactions happen between 1-3 hours after contamination and I get sick to the point of passing out/having to take gravol to stop from throwing up (I know I'm not painting you a pretty picture right now). Followed by my being sick for a day or two afterwards..... This did not happen when I used the hair product, I simply felt a little ill and had to lie down. Needless to say, if you can, stay away from products containing gluten.
A big fear with face or lip products, is that the gluten will get into your mouth, get absorbed and then make you sick...... now ask yourself, where those pretty pink lips really worth the hours of pain? I think not!
Now I'm sure this all seems a little much, which is why I have provided you with a link to a website that sells GF products, yay!! Not only are Green Beaver products earth friendly, but they are also made in Canada: http://www.greenbeaver.com/
There are many other companies out there, but I have found Green Beaver to be everything I need!
Secondly, hidden glutens in medication! This one can be tricky because not all medications will indicate what allergens are contained in their products. An easy way to bypass this problem is to talk to your local pharmacist. They usually have a book or some resource to find out the answer for you. This is very important, because some brands can coat their medicine with gluten containing ingredients... I have no idea what they would think this was a good idea!!!
Lastly, as promised above, I had to let you all know that you can claim celiac disease/buying gluten free items on your taxes. So make sure to check that out!! If your going to spend up to 5x more money than your neighbour on food, you might as well get something back for it right!!!
Hope that helps. Happy Gluten Free shopping.
Cheers,
Ally :)
"Our greatest fear is not in our lack of experience or knowledge, but in our hidden potential"
I want to make a quick note today on hidden gluten.... yes, gluten can hide in anything from shampoo to miracle whip.
I will make this short and sweet and put the offer/challenge out to others who find hidden gluten in their products to list it here as a comment.
A few things that are important to look for are hair products, make-up and toothpaste, because all of these go directly on your skin and close to your mouth. It is also very very very (can't stress this enough), important for people who have a skin reaction to gluten : dermatitis herpetiformis. This skin disease can feel itchy, look red and look,feel, seem like an allergic reaction.
I recently noticed that some products from Aveda have wheat protein listed on their ingredients, as well as the Aveeno products, which, almost all, contain a small amount of oats (most likely not the organic GF ones). It would be easy for you if I listed all the names of products that contain gluten, but that list my friends, would be much too long for one wall post. I suggest instead, that you make sure to read all labels before buying your new shampoo or gel, etc.
The reason that hair, body, and face products can cause harm is because of accidental indigestion. In reality, a product containing gluten has had no evidence of making a Celiac person sick, but I can tell you from experience that, that is not always the case.
I used some curl cream the other day with wheat protein, and sure enough I felt a little under the weather for the next few hours. Now usually my reactions happen between 1-3 hours after contamination and I get sick to the point of passing out/having to take gravol to stop from throwing up (I know I'm not painting you a pretty picture right now). Followed by my being sick for a day or two afterwards..... This did not happen when I used the hair product, I simply felt a little ill and had to lie down. Needless to say, if you can, stay away from products containing gluten.
A big fear with face or lip products, is that the gluten will get into your mouth, get absorbed and then make you sick...... now ask yourself, where those pretty pink lips really worth the hours of pain? I think not!
Now I'm sure this all seems a little much, which is why I have provided you with a link to a website that sells GF products, yay!! Not only are Green Beaver products earth friendly, but they are also made in Canada: http://www.greenbeaver.com/
There are many other companies out there, but I have found Green Beaver to be everything I need!
Secondly, hidden glutens in medication! This one can be tricky because not all medications will indicate what allergens are contained in their products. An easy way to bypass this problem is to talk to your local pharmacist. They usually have a book or some resource to find out the answer for you. This is very important, because some brands can coat their medicine with gluten containing ingredients... I have no idea what they would think this was a good idea!!!
Lastly, as promised above, I had to let you all know that you can claim celiac disease/buying gluten free items on your taxes. So make sure to check that out!! If your going to spend up to 5x more money than your neighbour on food, you might as well get something back for it right!!!
Hope that helps. Happy Gluten Free shopping.
Cheers,
Ally :)
"Our greatest fear is not in our lack of experience or knowledge, but in our hidden potential"
Friday, March 13, 2009
Hidden Gluten - Flavoured Tea and drinks
Good morning!
I was drinking tea at work the other day, and my co-worker asked me to try this new white tea from Lipton (i think). I thought, why not.... sounds interesting! Now usually I am pretty good at reading labels, but this time I only thought to look at the ingredients after pouring my cup, but before taking a sip. Turns out the artificial flavour in my tea contained wheat. Let this be a lesson to all of you who love tea, or anything with artificial flavour. Always, always , always read the labels.
Secondly, citric acid made in other countries other than the US and Canada, can also contain gluten so make sure to read the labels. And if you are planning a trip down south, be careful with the drinks that you choose to have at the open bar, they could contain citric acid.
Usually sour tasting drinks will have citric acid, as it tends to make a drink taste sour without it being too overpowering. I always opt for some spirit such as vodka with lime and perrier, or water!
I also want to point out that not all alcohol is gluten free. This was another one of the" find out the hard way" experiences. Generally vodka, gin and rum are gluten free, so long as they are not disitilled with grains. The more expensive vodka's are distilled with wheat...... so be very careful! I always opt for Sky Vodka, or any other cheaper kind. Its best to check with your liquor store.
You should also watch out for drinks at bars, but luckily most use fairly cheap alcohol when they are making your $10 drinks.
I'm sure that this is going to sound crazy too some of you.... we already need to look at every single food label, why do we also have to look at drinks. How can gluten, a substance that helps make things stick, be in our drinks?? Well, truth is, gluten is found in so many common foods because it is a great "filler" and lets be honest, none of us want to be eating filler anyway. We want to enjoy eating food that makes us feel great!!! So start reading every label before you buy or consume a product! It is much better to be safe than sorry.
Ok, now to end this week on a positive note! Flourless GF peanut butter cookies. The recipe below makes the BEST cookies ever!!!! I have made them for my family, friends and even some boys, who loved them! Enjoy :)
Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup super chunky peanut butter (I use the organic kind from the Superstore, no additives, just roasted peanuts!!)
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup miniature dark chocolate chips (optional)
Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients until well blended, spoon onto cookie sheet in small round balls. Use a fork, dip in hot water and flatten cookie tops. (The hot water helps the dough not stick on the fork). Bake for 10 minutes, depending on your oven. Cookies should look a little puffed and edges turning brown. Let cool for 5 mins.... toughest part because you really want to eat them, I know!!!! Indulge with a big glass of soy milk, or skim milk if you are able to tolerate lactose!
I hope this recipe starts your weekend off on the right foot! It always helps me:)
Have a great weekend and keep your feedback coming! Look out for my where to eat guide for Montreal and Toronto coming soon.
Happy eating!
Ally
I was drinking tea at work the other day, and my co-worker asked me to try this new white tea from Lipton (i think). I thought, why not.... sounds interesting! Now usually I am pretty good at reading labels, but this time I only thought to look at the ingredients after pouring my cup, but before taking a sip. Turns out the artificial flavour in my tea contained wheat. Let this be a lesson to all of you who love tea, or anything with artificial flavour. Always, always , always read the labels.
Secondly, citric acid made in other countries other than the US and Canada, can also contain gluten so make sure to read the labels. And if you are planning a trip down south, be careful with the drinks that you choose to have at the open bar, they could contain citric acid.
Usually sour tasting drinks will have citric acid, as it tends to make a drink taste sour without it being too overpowering. I always opt for some spirit such as vodka with lime and perrier, or water!
I also want to point out that not all alcohol is gluten free. This was another one of the" find out the hard way" experiences. Generally vodka, gin and rum are gluten free, so long as they are not disitilled with grains. The more expensive vodka's are distilled with wheat...... so be very careful! I always opt for Sky Vodka, or any other cheaper kind. Its best to check with your liquor store.
You should also watch out for drinks at bars, but luckily most use fairly cheap alcohol when they are making your $10 drinks.
I'm sure that this is going to sound crazy too some of you.... we already need to look at every single food label, why do we also have to look at drinks. How can gluten, a substance that helps make things stick, be in our drinks?? Well, truth is, gluten is found in so many common foods because it is a great "filler" and lets be honest, none of us want to be eating filler anyway. We want to enjoy eating food that makes us feel great!!! So start reading every label before you buy or consume a product! It is much better to be safe than sorry.
Ok, now to end this week on a positive note! Flourless GF peanut butter cookies. The recipe below makes the BEST cookies ever!!!! I have made them for my family, friends and even some boys, who loved them! Enjoy :)
Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup super chunky peanut butter (I use the organic kind from the Superstore, no additives, just roasted peanuts!!)
1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup miniature dark chocolate chips (optional)
Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients until well blended, spoon onto cookie sheet in small round balls. Use a fork, dip in hot water and flatten cookie tops. (The hot water helps the dough not stick on the fork). Bake for 10 minutes, depending on your oven. Cookies should look a little puffed and edges turning brown. Let cool for 5 mins.... toughest part because you really want to eat them, I know!!!! Indulge with a big glass of soy milk, or skim milk if you are able to tolerate lactose!
I hope this recipe starts your weekend off on the right foot! It always helps me:)
Have a great weekend and keep your feedback coming! Look out for my where to eat guide for Montreal and Toronto coming soon.
Happy eating!
Ally
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Gluten Free in Atlantic Canada
So you've decided to venture out and travel around our beautiful east coast!! Fear not my gluten free friends, for I have found some wonderful stops for you along the way!
I'm from Fredericton, and always found it so difficult to eat out at restaurants, until I moved to Halifax and realized that there is a world of GF food out there! I have since been down to New Orleans, New York, Boston, California, Oregon among many other cities. I will try and be as helpful as possible to all of you, but also welcome comments on great places that I may not have come across yet.
Ok so here we go, a list of restaurants and travel tricks that make GF travelling a breeze!
1) always bring along energy bars, GF pasta and some dried fruits and nuts. You can always fall back on these staples when there really is no where to stop other than the Irving stock piled with unhealthy chips and pop.
2) Most fast restaurants nowadays have a list of GF items on their corporate site. McDonald's, Wendy's and Tim Horton's have been surprisingly good at posting the nutritional information in their products. I know that some people have had success with ordering a burger without the bun, and bringing their own, so satisfy the need for food! I usually just opt for the salad when I'm in a desperate situation *** but be careful with the dressing***
3) When all else fails, a good smoothie with added protein powder works well too!! I was once travelling for two days on a bus and had very little food, so I survived by buying smoothies or energy drinks (no red bull but stuff like the Aquafina plus) and adding a protein powder to it: this way you get protein and nutrients, without completely starving yourself. However, I would not recommend this for a long period of time, because you do get hungry!
Enough about tricks on how to just deal with travelling, below is a list of great restaurants, that I whole heatedly think anyone with Celiac's should try! I've only listed the restaurants that are fully gluten free. As stated above, if you want to go to a chain restaurant, such as Boston Pizza, it is usually fine to check out their website beforehand or ask the server for their allergy book as soon as you sit down. Generally they will send out a manager to speak with you.
Moncton:
1. Calactus restaurant
125 Church Street, (506) 388-4833
*** this is an AMAZING vegetarian, gluten free restaurant!!!**
2. Rosie's Gluten Free Gourmet/Chesnut Bistro
620 Coverdale Road, Riverview NB
http://www.rosiesglutenfree.com/
506-855-5988
** you can also buy Rosie's stuff at most supermarket's now! I love her pizza and lasagna, and cookies.... I could go on!!**
Fredericton
1. The Blue Door
100 Regent Street, (506) 455-2583
** this is a pricier restaurant, but with a GF beside all items on the menu that are gluten free**
2. Brewbaker's Restaurant
http://www.brewbakers.ca/
546 King Street, (506) 459-0067
**another pricier restaurant, but very yummy! You can even have GF dessert**
3. The Delta Hotel
** now this is more of a side note, but I was there on conference a few weeks ago, and received a fully GF breakfast, snack, lunch and dinner which included GF bread, pasta, cinnamon roll and cookies. They really went out of their way to make my day as normal as possible**
Saint John
1. Swiss Chalet
86 Consumers Dr ,(506) 657-9477
**I have not been in a while, but when I was there past, they brought me out a separate GF menu. It was great! **
- if anyone from Saint John is on this site, please post a comment on where to eat in your town. I have not been to any place other than Swiss Chalet, and would love your input on local fare. Thanks!-
Halifax (by far my favourite GF city other than Toronto or Vancouver)
1. Wooden Monkey
1685 Argyle Street, (902)444.3844
http://www.thewoodenmonkey.ca/
**Amazing, local, and fresh! This restaurant has it all, including lots of options for GF, including pizza. A little pricier than some, but worth every cent**
2. Morris East
5212 Morris St, 902.444.7663
http://www.morriseast.com/
**GF Pizza, wood fired..... yum!!!! need I say more?**
3. Talay Thai
1261 Barrington St.
http://talaythaihalifax.com/
** If you like thai food, please go hear and eat amazing thai food, that is GF and at a great price**
4. Bann Thai
1569 Dresden Row
http://www.baanthai.ca/
**This is a new thai restaurant, but also one of my favourite places to go in Halifax**
5. The Cellar
5677 Brenton Place
(902) 492-4412
** GF dessert, and Pasta!!! Go here for a great pasta dish, some good wine and mouth watering dessert**
6. Local Joe's Coffee Shop
2959 oxford street, (902) 455-6225
** GF cookies and treats to eat while you sip on your fair trade coffee or latte**
7. Pete's Frootique
http://www.petesfrootique.com/
** another great place to get a quick salad or smoothie and go**
8. Hamachi House
5190 Morris Street
*GF sushi and gf soy sauce and miso soup. This place is amazing. Best sushi in Halifax**
http://www.hamachirestaurants.com/morris_street/index.html
9. Check out the Saturday morning market for locale treats that are gluten free. Big Life makes GF turnovers and pizza, which are so awesome!
PEI
I've just been searching online and found a forum that may be helpful for people travelling to PEI: http://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/lofiversion/index.php/t5864.html.
Safe travels and enjoy gluten free food all along your road through Atlantic Canada. If anyone has comments or knows of other places in Nova Scotia or Newfoundland, please post a comment.Thanks!
Enjoy your day:)
Ally
I'm from Fredericton, and always found it so difficult to eat out at restaurants, until I moved to Halifax and realized that there is a world of GF food out there! I have since been down to New Orleans, New York, Boston, California, Oregon among many other cities. I will try and be as helpful as possible to all of you, but also welcome comments on great places that I may not have come across yet.
Ok so here we go, a list of restaurants and travel tricks that make GF travelling a breeze!
1) always bring along energy bars, GF pasta and some dried fruits and nuts. You can always fall back on these staples when there really is no where to stop other than the Irving stock piled with unhealthy chips and pop.
2) Most fast restaurants nowadays have a list of GF items on their corporate site. McDonald's, Wendy's and Tim Horton's have been surprisingly good at posting the nutritional information in their products. I know that some people have had success with ordering a burger without the bun, and bringing their own, so satisfy the need for food! I usually just opt for the salad when I'm in a desperate situation *** but be careful with the dressing***
3) When all else fails, a good smoothie with added protein powder works well too!! I was once travelling for two days on a bus and had very little food, so I survived by buying smoothies or energy drinks (no red bull but stuff like the Aquafina plus) and adding a protein powder to it: this way you get protein and nutrients, without completely starving yourself. However, I would not recommend this for a long period of time, because you do get hungry!
Enough about tricks on how to just deal with travelling, below is a list of great restaurants, that I whole heatedly think anyone with Celiac's should try! I've only listed the restaurants that are fully gluten free. As stated above, if you want to go to a chain restaurant, such as Boston Pizza, it is usually fine to check out their website beforehand or ask the server for their allergy book as soon as you sit down. Generally they will send out a manager to speak with you.
Moncton:
1. Calactus restaurant
125 Church Street, (506) 388-4833
*** this is an AMAZING vegetarian, gluten free restaurant!!!**
2. Rosie's Gluten Free Gourmet/Chesnut Bistro
620 Coverdale Road, Riverview NB
http://www.rosiesglutenfree.com/
506-855-5988
** you can also buy Rosie's stuff at most supermarket's now! I love her pizza and lasagna, and cookies.... I could go on!!**
Fredericton
1. The Blue Door
100 Regent Street, (506) 455-2583
** this is a pricier restaurant, but with a GF beside all items on the menu that are gluten free**
2. Brewbaker's Restaurant
http://www.brewbakers.ca/
546 King Street, (506) 459-0067
**another pricier restaurant, but very yummy! You can even have GF dessert**
3. The Delta Hotel
** now this is more of a side note, but I was there on conference a few weeks ago, and received a fully GF breakfast, snack, lunch and dinner which included GF bread, pasta, cinnamon roll and cookies. They really went out of their way to make my day as normal as possible**
Saint John
1. Swiss Chalet
86 Consumers Dr ,(506) 657-9477
**I have not been in a while, but when I was there past, they brought me out a separate GF menu. It was great! **
- if anyone from Saint John is on this site, please post a comment on where to eat in your town. I have not been to any place other than Swiss Chalet, and would love your input on local fare. Thanks!-
Halifax (by far my favourite GF city other than Toronto or Vancouver)
1. Wooden Monkey
1685 Argyle Street, (902)444.3844
http://www.thewoodenmonkey.ca/
**Amazing, local, and fresh! This restaurant has it all, including lots of options for GF, including pizza. A little pricier than some, but worth every cent**
2. Morris East
5212 Morris St, 902.444.7663
http://www.morriseast.com/
**GF Pizza, wood fired..... yum!!!! need I say more?**
3. Talay Thai
1261 Barrington St.
http://talaythaihalifax.com/
** If you like thai food, please go hear and eat amazing thai food, that is GF and at a great price**
4. Bann Thai
1569 Dresden Row
http://www.baanthai.ca/
**This is a new thai restaurant, but also one of my favourite places to go in Halifax**
5. The Cellar
5677 Brenton Place
(902) 492-4412
** GF dessert, and Pasta!!! Go here for a great pasta dish, some good wine and mouth watering dessert**
6. Local Joe's Coffee Shop
2959 oxford street, (902) 455-6225
** GF cookies and treats to eat while you sip on your fair trade coffee or latte**
7. Pete's Frootique
http://www.petesfrootique.com/
** another great place to get a quick salad or smoothie and go**
8. Hamachi House
5190 Morris Street
*GF sushi and gf soy sauce and miso soup. This place is amazing. Best sushi in Halifax**
http://www.hamachirestaurants.com/morris_street/index.html
9. Check out the Saturday morning market for locale treats that are gluten free. Big Life makes GF turnovers and pizza, which are so awesome!
PEI
I've just been searching online and found a forum that may be helpful for people travelling to PEI: http://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/lofiversion/index.php/t5864.html.
Safe travels and enjoy gluten free food all along your road through Atlantic Canada. If anyone has comments or knows of other places in Nova Scotia or Newfoundland, please post a comment.Thanks!
Enjoy your day:)
Ally
Monday, March 9, 2009
The basics
Good morning fellow celiacs!
I thought that a post on what, where, when and how would be important, before I dive into other recipes and alternative medicines. This post is going to be my simple version of celiac.... the one that your doctor decided not to give you!
The way I always explain this disease is by showing people my little fingers (picture me wiggling little fingers at people). These "fingers" are called villi, and can be found in our intestine. When people with celiac eat gluten, we kill the villi... it's as though our fingers get cut off.
-I'm going to back track for a moment to explain that villi are what absorbs all of our nutrients and minerals. This is also a reason why people who have celiac, but aren't diagnosed yet, and still eat gluten, tend to not gain weight and seem almost fragile. This is also why a GF diet is so important to fighting off other diseases that can erupt from malnutrition. When our system stops absorbing nutrients we become prone to other diseases: stomach cancer, osteoporosis, etc. Here is a link to information on celiac disease: http://www.celiac.com/
Ok, so our little fingers are cut off, what do we do now? Well, the benefits of a GF diet are not only going to start making you feel better, but will also allow your villi to grow back and begin absorbing the oh so important vitamins and minerals.
Some key pointers to think about when you are trying to rebuild your system after being diagnosed are:
1- buy a very good multi-vitamin, you may also want to try to buy an older adults vitamin, because the doses tend to be higher. I also want to point out that not all vitamins are equal. Most, in fact, are not easy to digest and therefore get lost on your system, and not absorbed. A really great brand, that is also cost effective is : Quest http://www.questvitamins.com/. or you can try a chewable multi-vitamin.
I still use a multi-vitamin and probably always will. I also started my system off with an iron supplement, a vit-D supplement and a few others depending on what my blood tests showed. It is very important for you to go see a nutritionist and get the proper blood work done, in order to assess how messed up your system is due to eating gluten.
2- probiotics are a great way to help your stomach heal! It does not taste good (kind of sour yogurt). But if you mix your probiotic yogurt (bio-k is a good brand) with flavoured yogurt or fruit, it tastes much better. You can also choose to buy it in pill form, for easier consumption.
I know that it,s tough to deal with all the pain and discomfort of being diagnosed, changing your whole diet, and still not seeing a difference. But it takes time!!!!! It took me about two years to get fully healed, and its still a work in progress everyday, as I try new foods. For a while, I was also lactose intolerant and kept thinking, why me??
Here are a few tricks in case you find yourself in a similar situation:
1- lactaid pills are you friend! lactase, the enzyme that breaks down the lactose is found in this magical little pills that allow you to eat ice cream and cheese. You can buy lactaid pills at any drugstore.
2- once your body has been on a GF diet for a while, it will begin to accept milk.... once again it just takes time!!
3- as mentioned above, consulting a dietitian to help you make a good eating plan, is crucial to proper health and a good recovery.
Lucky for us, gluten free or carb free diets are becoming popular, and its must easier to find alternatives with no bread and gluten when you browse through the grocery store. Its also so much easier to find lactose free items in your milk section.
I should also mention that your local celiac chapter can be a great source of support when you are first diagnosed. check out this site to find your local chapter: http://www.celiac.ca/EnglishCCA/echptr.html
Now if any of you are from around New Brunswick, and if you are lucky enough to live near the moncton area, go buy some Rosie's GF pizza and treat yourself to the best gluten free dinner! Here is her website: http://www.rosiesglutenfree.com/
Check out tomorrow's post when I start listing all of my favourite restaurants around North America, starting with Atlantic Canada!
Have a great day!
Cheers,
Ally
" Try something new everyday, you may surprise yourself!"
I thought that a post on what, where, when and how would be important, before I dive into other recipes and alternative medicines. This post is going to be my simple version of celiac.... the one that your doctor decided not to give you!
The way I always explain this disease is by showing people my little fingers (picture me wiggling little fingers at people). These "fingers" are called villi, and can be found in our intestine. When people with celiac eat gluten, we kill the villi... it's as though our fingers get cut off.
-I'm going to back track for a moment to explain that villi are what absorbs all of our nutrients and minerals. This is also a reason why people who have celiac, but aren't diagnosed yet, and still eat gluten, tend to not gain weight and seem almost fragile. This is also why a GF diet is so important to fighting off other diseases that can erupt from malnutrition. When our system stops absorbing nutrients we become prone to other diseases: stomach cancer, osteoporosis, etc. Here is a link to information on celiac disease: http://www.celiac.com/
Ok, so our little fingers are cut off, what do we do now? Well, the benefits of a GF diet are not only going to start making you feel better, but will also allow your villi to grow back and begin absorbing the oh so important vitamins and minerals.
Some key pointers to think about when you are trying to rebuild your system after being diagnosed are:
1- buy a very good multi-vitamin, you may also want to try to buy an older adults vitamin, because the doses tend to be higher. I also want to point out that not all vitamins are equal. Most, in fact, are not easy to digest and therefore get lost on your system, and not absorbed. A really great brand, that is also cost effective is : Quest http://www.questvitamins.com/. or you can try a chewable multi-vitamin.
I still use a multi-vitamin and probably always will. I also started my system off with an iron supplement, a vit-D supplement and a few others depending on what my blood tests showed. It is very important for you to go see a nutritionist and get the proper blood work done, in order to assess how messed up your system is due to eating gluten.
2- probiotics are a great way to help your stomach heal! It does not taste good (kind of sour yogurt). But if you mix your probiotic yogurt (bio-k is a good brand) with flavoured yogurt or fruit, it tastes much better. You can also choose to buy it in pill form, for easier consumption.
I know that it,s tough to deal with all the pain and discomfort of being diagnosed, changing your whole diet, and still not seeing a difference. But it takes time!!!!! It took me about two years to get fully healed, and its still a work in progress everyday, as I try new foods. For a while, I was also lactose intolerant and kept thinking, why me??
Here are a few tricks in case you find yourself in a similar situation:
1- lactaid pills are you friend! lactase, the enzyme that breaks down the lactose is found in this magical little pills that allow you to eat ice cream and cheese. You can buy lactaid pills at any drugstore.
2- once your body has been on a GF diet for a while, it will begin to accept milk.... once again it just takes time!!
3- as mentioned above, consulting a dietitian to help you make a good eating plan, is crucial to proper health and a good recovery.
Lucky for us, gluten free or carb free diets are becoming popular, and its must easier to find alternatives with no bread and gluten when you browse through the grocery store. Its also so much easier to find lactose free items in your milk section.
I should also mention that your local celiac chapter can be a great source of support when you are first diagnosed. check out this site to find your local chapter: http://www.celiac.ca/EnglishCCA/echptr.html
Now if any of you are from around New Brunswick, and if you are lucky enough to live near the moncton area, go buy some Rosie's GF pizza and treat yourself to the best gluten free dinner! Here is her website: http://www.rosiesglutenfree.com/
Check out tomorrow's post when I start listing all of my favourite restaurants around North America, starting with Atlantic Canada!
Have a great day!
Cheers,
Ally
" Try something new everyday, you may surprise yourself!"
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Fiber filled breakfast items!
As promised, I woke up this morning eager to talk about fiber.... the most challenging part to a gluten free diet. When I was first diagnosed, I racked my brain trying to figure out how I was going to eat bread that didn't taste like cardboard. The first loaf I bought was from Sobey's and it crumbled in my hand before I could even taste it. This was the first breaking point, and also the time when I realized there had to be a better way to eat. Lucky for me, it was also at this time that companies started making decent frozen breads.
Frozen breads are a great, quick way to make sandwiches and toast, but if you're looking for a fiber filled, great tasting bread I recommend buying a bread maker. Not only can you tweak the recipes to your liking, but you also get to smell fresh baked bread every week! You should always cook your bread on the quick setting, for light crust; the reason being that GF flours have different properties than normal flour. Its also nice that companies have started making their machines with a GF options, which allows the bread to cook up very nicely. Here is a links to GF bread makers:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00820639000P
This link is to the sears website, and the Cuisinart brand of bread maker. This one is particularly good, with a great price tag. $150 is generally the average price for a good bread maker!
** have patience when attempting to first make bread, you may encounter some problems such as flat bread, overcooking or under cooking, these problems can all be fixed by changing the amount of yeast, water and cooking time, most cook books will help you figure out what your problem may be: I recommend Betty Hagman's Gluten Free Gourmet series**
Moving on to cereal! Most GF cereals have very little fiber, due to the fact that they are made primarily from rice or corn. This means that they are also highly ranked on our glycemic index(GI) chart ( this means that corn and rice have a tendency to elevate our blood sugar levels). I won't go into detail now, but in general, we want to be eating foods with a low or moderate GI.
That being said, great alternatives are: oats, quinoa and buckwheat. Most grocery stores and specialty food stores have cereals made with these grains.
Quinoa is a nutty grain, packed full of protein and fiber. It is also very versatile and can be used as a replacement for rice or potatoes. Quinoa may look weird to cook at first, but the general rule is 1 cup quinoa, 2 cups water and 15 mins of boiling/simmering time. You can also find quinoa flakes which require very little prep time: simply add hot water, mix and eat!
Oats must be from a wheat free producer, and some celiacs still have problems digesting oats, and therefore I would recommend to limit your intake. A great company is Speerville Oats (http://www.speervilleflourmill.ca/product_list.htm) and Creamhill Estates (http://www.creamhillestates.com/en_order.php). I always add nuts and seeds to my oatmeal to make it that much better! try adding a little chopped apple or banana for a change.
Buckwheat flour is great to use in pancake mix and baking, but be careful because pre-made mixes containing buckwheat, tend to also have wheat flour. It is always wise to look for that GF symbol or writing. Buckwheat can also be bought in its unprocessed form and cooked up to make cereal.
I have also found satisfaction in drinking smoothies for breakfast, because they are jam packed with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Its a great way to start your day! I simply add some frozen fruit, Vega smoothie powder (or your choice of protein supplement), soy milk and blend! I like the Vega supplement because it is plant based and mixes really well with fruits ( check out my links to learn more about the Vega products).
Well that's a lot of information in one post, so I'm going to end it with a yummy recipe from the book Thrive (http://www.amazon.com/reader/0738212547/180-7062401-5090211?%5Fencoding=UTF8&ref%5F=sib%5Fdp%5Fpt#reader)
Toasted Apple Almond Cereal
Toasted Almond Cereal:
1 apple, chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup GF oats or quinoa (cooked)
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup Vega Smoothie Supplement
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
mix 1/2 cup flax oil with 1/2 molasses and add to dry mix.pour out onto baking sheet, and cook at 250 for 1 hour, let cook, break apart and store in fridge.
This cereal is so great in the morning!
And for those of you with kids, look for cereals and waffles from Nature's Path: http://www.naturespath.com/. These can usually be found at the Superstore and other chain grocery stores. I turn to them for convenience and a little treat (I love the Peanut Butter Panda Puffs).
Have a great Gluten-Free day!
Cheers,
Ally
Frozen breads are a great, quick way to make sandwiches and toast, but if you're looking for a fiber filled, great tasting bread I recommend buying a bread maker. Not only can you tweak the recipes to your liking, but you also get to smell fresh baked bread every week! You should always cook your bread on the quick setting, for light crust; the reason being that GF flours have different properties than normal flour. Its also nice that companies have started making their machines with a GF options, which allows the bread to cook up very nicely. Here is a links to GF bread makers:
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00820639000P
This link is to the sears website, and the Cuisinart brand of bread maker. This one is particularly good, with a great price tag. $150 is generally the average price for a good bread maker!
** have patience when attempting to first make bread, you may encounter some problems such as flat bread, overcooking or under cooking, these problems can all be fixed by changing the amount of yeast, water and cooking time, most cook books will help you figure out what your problem may be: I recommend Betty Hagman's Gluten Free Gourmet series**
Moving on to cereal! Most GF cereals have very little fiber, due to the fact that they are made primarily from rice or corn. This means that they are also highly ranked on our glycemic index(GI) chart ( this means that corn and rice have a tendency to elevate our blood sugar levels). I won't go into detail now, but in general, we want to be eating foods with a low or moderate GI.
That being said, great alternatives are: oats, quinoa and buckwheat. Most grocery stores and specialty food stores have cereals made with these grains.
Quinoa is a nutty grain, packed full of protein and fiber. It is also very versatile and can be used as a replacement for rice or potatoes. Quinoa may look weird to cook at first, but the general rule is 1 cup quinoa, 2 cups water and 15 mins of boiling/simmering time. You can also find quinoa flakes which require very little prep time: simply add hot water, mix and eat!
Oats must be from a wheat free producer, and some celiacs still have problems digesting oats, and therefore I would recommend to limit your intake. A great company is Speerville Oats (http://www.speervilleflourmill.ca/product_list.htm) and Creamhill Estates (http://www.creamhillestates.com/en_order.php). I always add nuts and seeds to my oatmeal to make it that much better! try adding a little chopped apple or banana for a change.
Buckwheat flour is great to use in pancake mix and baking, but be careful because pre-made mixes containing buckwheat, tend to also have wheat flour. It is always wise to look for that GF symbol or writing. Buckwheat can also be bought in its unprocessed form and cooked up to make cereal.
I have also found satisfaction in drinking smoothies for breakfast, because they are jam packed with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. Its a great way to start your day! I simply add some frozen fruit, Vega smoothie powder (or your choice of protein supplement), soy milk and blend! I like the Vega supplement because it is plant based and mixes really well with fruits ( check out my links to learn more about the Vega products).
Well that's a lot of information in one post, so I'm going to end it with a yummy recipe from the book Thrive (http://www.amazon.com/reader/0738212547/180-7062401-5090211?%5Fencoding=UTF8&ref%5F=sib%5Fdp%5Fpt#reader)
Toasted Apple Almond Cereal
Toasted Almond Cereal:
1 apple, chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup GF oats or quinoa (cooked)
1/2 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup Vega Smoothie Supplement
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
mix 1/2 cup flax oil with 1/2 molasses and add to dry mix.pour out onto baking sheet, and cook at 250 for 1 hour, let cook, break apart and store in fridge.
This cereal is so great in the morning!
And for those of you with kids, look for cereals and waffles from Nature's Path: http://www.naturespath.com/. These can usually be found at the Superstore and other chain grocery stores. I turn to them for convenience and a little treat (I love the Peanut Butter Panda Puffs).
Have a great Gluten-Free day!
Cheers,
Ally
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
First Post - General GF Info and a Microwaveable Chocolate Cake
Good morning!
Six years of Celiac disease and countless trips around North America has brought me to create a blog dedicated to helping others with celiac disease (and other allergies) find restaurants, information and support in one place. I have done research on Vegan diets, Alkaline Diets, Sugar free diets.... you name, I've tried it, along with being Celiac. I figured I needed a place to let others know what has worked for me and what hasn't so here it is! I will continue to update this site, and hope you will add your comments to help get this information out there.
So you've been told you have Celiac... sucks doesn't it! Lucky for you I've already gone through the withdrawals, cravings and horrible feeling of being the odd girl with weird food. Keep on reading to find out what little tricks helped me in the beginning.
Tips and Tricks:
1) Go buy a bread maker!! GF bread tastes really bad if bought from the store, but there are frozen breads that are good. El Peto, and O-Dough's are great here in Canada. Otherwise, I always made my own bread, and then you can tweak it to add fiber, and fruit, etc. to make it healthier.
2) Cooking with bean flours, and buckwheat and quinoa will add a lot of fiber and protein. It saves you from having to eat processed white rice flour and corn starch, which are in most pre-made gluten free mixes.
3) Overall, the diet can be hard to get used to, but taking the time to make good snacks, will make is so much easier to transition. Owning a great cook book, and going to Bulk Barn and Scoop and Save to stock up on GF flours and mixes is really the key! I say this, because the pre-made GF breads are not good, and will make you think that Celiac's is the end of the world (I know it happened to me, and it wasn't funny trying to deal with the way my body reacted to eating gluten, after being GF for 3 months).
4) Cheating: As I mentioned above, cheating is not a great idea, even if you only get slightly ill when you eat gluten. Its a lifelong disease, and the secondary effects, such as stomach cancer, osteoporosis, etc. are very real. It also takes a while for your body to heal, it took me two years, and therefore patience is also key to not going insane!
5) Supplements! Buying a good multi-vitamin and using protein powder are two staples to my diet. I love the stuff from : http://sequelnaturals.com/vega. (I will post a fibre filled granola recupe tomorrow)
6) finally, here is a website that lists what companies have GF options:http://www.celiac.com. You can browse this website for information!
7) oh and I forgot to mention that there is GF beer, called "La Mesagere" and you can get it at the liquor store downtown, or order it!
As promised in my title, here is the recipe for an awesome mid day treat to share with co-workers who think that your disease is just plain weird....
________________________________________________________________________
Microwaveable Chocolate Cake:
3 tbsp GF cake mix, I really like the El Peto products
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 egg
3 tbsp milk ( i use almond milk to make it lactose free)
3 tbsp oil
mix in a mug, microwave on high for 3 minutes. Surprise, you have a spongy GF chocolate cake
Enjoy!
Watch out for tomorrow's recipe and blog about fiber and celiac disease
Cheers:)
Ally
Six years of Celiac disease and countless trips around North America has brought me to create a blog dedicated to helping others with celiac disease (and other allergies) find restaurants, information and support in one place. I have done research on Vegan diets, Alkaline Diets, Sugar free diets.... you name, I've tried it, along with being Celiac. I figured I needed a place to let others know what has worked for me and what hasn't so here it is! I will continue to update this site, and hope you will add your comments to help get this information out there.
So you've been told you have Celiac... sucks doesn't it! Lucky for you I've already gone through the withdrawals, cravings and horrible feeling of being the odd girl with weird food. Keep on reading to find out what little tricks helped me in the beginning.
Tips and Tricks:
1) Go buy a bread maker!! GF bread tastes really bad if bought from the store, but there are frozen breads that are good. El Peto, and O-Dough's are great here in Canada. Otherwise, I always made my own bread, and then you can tweak it to add fiber, and fruit, etc. to make it healthier.
2) Cooking with bean flours, and buckwheat and quinoa will add a lot of fiber and protein. It saves you from having to eat processed white rice flour and corn starch, which are in most pre-made gluten free mixes.
3) Overall, the diet can be hard to get used to, but taking the time to make good snacks, will make is so much easier to transition. Owning a great cook book, and going to Bulk Barn and Scoop and Save to stock up on GF flours and mixes is really the key! I say this, because the pre-made GF breads are not good, and will make you think that Celiac's is the end of the world (I know it happened to me, and it wasn't funny trying to deal with the way my body reacted to eating gluten, after being GF for 3 months).
4) Cheating: As I mentioned above, cheating is not a great idea, even if you only get slightly ill when you eat gluten. Its a lifelong disease, and the secondary effects, such as stomach cancer, osteoporosis, etc. are very real. It also takes a while for your body to heal, it took me two years, and therefore patience is also key to not going insane!
5) Supplements! Buying a good multi-vitamin and using protein powder are two staples to my diet. I love the stuff from : http://sequelnaturals.com/vega. (I will post a fibre filled granola recupe tomorrow)
6) finally, here is a website that lists what companies have GF options:http://www.celiac.com. You can browse this website for information!
7) oh and I forgot to mention that there is GF beer, called "La Mesagere" and you can get it at the liquor store downtown, or order it!
As promised in my title, here is the recipe for an awesome mid day treat to share with co-workers who think that your disease is just plain weird....
________________________________________________________________________
Microwaveable Chocolate Cake:
3 tbsp GF cake mix, I really like the El Peto products
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 egg
3 tbsp milk ( i use almond milk to make it lactose free)
3 tbsp oil
mix in a mug, microwave on high for 3 minutes. Surprise, you have a spongy GF chocolate cake
Enjoy!
Watch out for tomorrow's recipe and blog about fiber and celiac disease
Cheers:)
Ally
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