Chocolate Chip Cookies

Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies, an American Staple.  But, for Gluten Free folks, it can be a celiac disaster.

Today, my son and I went to Applebee's for lunch.  He had a Cowboy burger, and I had a Baked Potato with sour cream, butter, and bacon bits.  It was yummy.

While waiting on my potato, I was looking over the dessert menu left on the table and saw an awesome chocolate chip sundae.  Oh, it looked so good, but we ended up getting a Hot Fudge Sundae shooter because I'm gluten free. (Not to mention it was $1.99 compared to the $6.29 sundae. Wow!)

I also wanted a hamburger, but they don't serve gluten free buns.  But, she told me I could bring my on Udi's hamburger bun next time, and they would be happy to fix me one.

Back to the chocolate chip cookies.  On the way home, I stopped at Kroger, and purchased some Nestle miniature chocolate chips intent on making my own sundae.

Following the recipe on the bag, I made the nicest little crispy cookies you see above.  They didn't have the soft chewy texture I was looking for, but the crispness of the cookie was a good balance with the ice cream, chocolate syrup, and whip topping.  (hum...if I'd only bought cherries!)

To replace the wheat flour normally used in the recipe I used a combination.  Calling for 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, my combination included 1 cup brown rice flour, 1 cup sorghum flour, and 1/4 cup tapioca flour/starch.  I increased the baking soda to 3 tsp instead of the original 1 tsp.  Next time, I'm going to use only 2 tsp since the cookie was crispy anyway.

The recipe called for 2 sticks room temperature butter, but I only used one stick because we have egg allergies and I substituted with vegenaise.  Vegenaise is a sunflower based mayonaise substitute, so I didn't want them to be really oily.  And, I threw in a scoop of egg replacer.  I did lightly spray the baking sheet with cooking oil just in case, and I say very lightly.

It was a dry dough, so I added a couple tablespoons of whipping cream to thin it out a bit.  And, I added only 1 cup chips instead of the 2 cups listed in the original recipe.

Here's my recipe based on the original Nestle Toll House Cookie recipe:

1 c brown rice flour
1 c sorghum flour
1/4 c tapioca flour/starch
3 tsp baking powder (use 2 next time)
1 Tbsp Egg Replacer
1/4 c Veganaise
1 stick soft unsalted butter
2 Tbsp whipping cream
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Mix sugars, vegenaise, butter, and whipping cream.  Combine dry ingredients: mix well.  Gradually mix in dry ingredients with the sugar mixture.  Very lightly spray cookie sheet, drop cookie dough by the tablespoon onto cookie sheet.  Bake 9-11 minutes.  Cool.

I would like to experiment with different flour combinations to get a softer consistency cookie as an alternative to the crispy one, which I really liked!

There isn't any raw egg so you can eat your cookie dough and have your cookies too!  If you have any suggestions on a softer cookie texture, post me a comment, please.

Enjoy.

Pop Tart - my celiac nightmare.

Oh, Pop Tarts!  My favorite snack.  But, since my celiac diagnosis, Pop Tarts are a No Not!

I've got to get busy discovering a flaky crust to bake some home made gluten free pop tarts.  The other day I sneaked a pop tart, and have been dieing with gastric upset.  My guts are so sore, when I cough, I hurt.

Keep following for that recipe, because I'm going to be working on that next week.  Until then, I've decided to kill my sweet tooth, or cravings with simple tasks.


Brush your teeth!  It will help alleviate the desire for something sweet.

Drink plenty of water to trick your body into feeling full.  And, drinking water keeps you hydrated.  Cravings are often caused by dehydration, and your body desperately needing water - thus craving.  We mistake it for hunger, so we snack.

Better days ahead.  Stay tuned...

Wheat Gluten Free Pizza

Trial and error to perfect the wheat gluten free, yeast free pizza yet maintain a soft pan pizza style crust.  Nailed it!

Learning to cook wheat gluten free is hard enough, but when it is coupled with sensitivities to yeast, egg, and milk, virtually everything to eat is a no-no.  So, you simply have to find alternatives to these no-nos. 

I used a Bob's Red Mill bread mix to make this crust, but I did NOT use the yeast packet in it.  And, the following recipe made 2 8x10 pizzas.  I wanted a pan pizza style crust not a thin crust.

Crust

Bob's Red Mill Bread Mix
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup vegenaise
Rice milk - enough to make a sticky dough  (2-3 cups)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

I mixed all of the dry ingredients to well incorporate.  Then I added the wet and barely mixed the dry with the wet.   Next, I used Pam cooking spray, and greased my pans, and hands.  I lightly floured the greased surface and hands with yellow cornmeal so the dough wouldn't stick as I patted it out. 

Patting out the dough was sticky.  I had to grab a handful, pat it out, and patch each handful together to cover the pan surface because it lacks the elasticity of a gluten pizza crust. 

Bake the crusts until brown.

Remove from oven and add toppings, and cook until cheese is bubbly, almost to a browning point.

Left Pizza - Pepperoni

I sauteed pepperoni in a skillet on the stove top to pre cook, removing any grease which may puddle on the pizza.  Then I topped the pizza with Ragu pizza sauce, pepperoni, chopped olive, chopped onion, banana peppers, cheddar shreds, and mozzarella shreds.

Right Pizza - Chicken Alfredo

I purchased a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store, deboned the breast and finely chopped.  An Alfredo sauce covered the crust then topped with the chicken, baby spinach leaves, banana peppers, black pepper, and mozzarella cheese.  I think next time I'll saute some garlic because it needed a pinch for a bolder flavor.

Light, airy crusts with great flavor!  Much better than frozen.

Lime and Cornmeal Cookies with Citrus Glaze

Giada De Laurentis made a wheat-gluten-free cookie on her television show, Giada at Home.   I don't think she intentionally made it wheat-gluten-free, but it is!

  

 Lime and Cornmeal Cookies with Citrus Glaze 

Ingredients

Cookies:

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large limes, zested
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (2 to 3 large limes)
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups rice flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Glaze:

• 1 1/3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 large limes, zested
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• Special equipment: 3-inch round cookie cutter

Directions

For the cookies: Line a baking sheet with a silicone liner or parchment paper. Set aside.

In a food processor, pulse together the butter, sugar, and lime zest until combined. Add the egg, lime juice, and vanilla. Process until smooth. Add the rice flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Process until the mixture forms a dough. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and knead for 20 seconds. Form the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly flour a work surface. Cut the dough in half and roll out each piece into a 9-inch diameter circle, about 1/4-inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut the dough into 10 circles and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Gather any scraps of dough, knead together, and roll out to 1/4-inch thick. Cut out 2 additional rounds of dough and place on the baking sheet. Bake until light golden around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely, about 15 minutes.

For the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, lime zest, and lemon juice until smooth. Spread about 1 teaspoon of the glaze onto each cookie leaving, a 1/4-inch border around the edge. Allow the glaze to harden for about 45 minutes before serving.

This is copied directly from foodnetwork.com

Some glutenologists think corn gluten is equally a problem as wheat gluten.  Please discuss with your doctor before eating this corn product. 

Gluten Free Cornbread

Cornbread, cornbread, greasy, greasy, making this cornbread is easy, easy! A recipe for fluffy wheat gluten free cornbread with a crispy crust!

1 cup Martha White Hot Rise Cornmeal
½ cup brown rice flour
2 tbsp yellow cornmeal
3 tsp baking powder
1 egg
Buttermilk to mix
Sweet milk to make soupy

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Spray skillet with Pam, pour in 1/8 cup vegetable oil, and insert into preheating oven.

Combine cornmeal, flour, and baking powder. Add partial beaten egg or vegenaise, and stir to mix. It will be dry. Add just enough buttermilk to mix. It will be thick. Let sit while skillet is heating.

Just before removing the hot skillet from the oven, pour in sweet milk to make the batter kind of soupy. It will have started rising from the baking powder. Sit aside.

Remove hot skillet from the oven, and sprinkle the entire bottom of the skillet with yellow cornmeal.

Pour in batter. The grease and cornmeal will bubble up around the sides and onto the top. This gives it a wonderful crust. Bake at 425 degrees until golden brown.

This is the ultimate cornbread recipe! The hubs says, “it’s better than cake.” I get all kinds of raves over my bread.

Recipe substitutions:

For Dairy Free:  substitute with Rice milk, or your choice of milk substitute.  Adding a 1/2 packet of Ranch dressing mix will give it a good flavor since the tartness of buttermilk is missing.

For Egg Free:  substitute with Egg replacer, or veganaise.

Some glutenologists think corn gluten is just as problematic as wheat gluten.  I guess it depends on how corn gluten affects you as to whether you should eat this or not.  Please discuss with your doctor.

Gluten Free Blueberry Bran Muffins

Missing your morning muffin?  Need fiber for your diet?  Try this amazing blueberry bran-like muffin recipe.

After a call from the doctor that my bad cholesterol was high, I've been trying to increase my oat intake since oatmeal is supposed to be good for lowering cholesterol.  Staring at a huge bag of oatmeal, I decided to run it through the food processors and make a flour out of it.  It worked!  So, here's the recipe I used for making my muffins.

1 cup oat flour
1/2 cup flax flour
1/2 cup tapioca flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
3 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
2/3 c agave sweetener
1/2 cup vegenaise
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup fat free half and half
1/2 cup blueberry craisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all dry ingredients. Add wet and mix well.  Bake at 350 degrees until brown.

I used paper muffin cups. You can do without those but make sure you grease your muffin tins well.  Heavy cream provided the fat content for the muffin which is why I didn't grease my tin, or use an oil in the recipe.  Also, I added a bit more liquid because the flours absorb so much.  Just work with it until it is a cake batter-type consistency.  The vegenaise, a mayo substitute, was used to replace egg since we have egg allergies also.  If you have a milk allergy, use your milk substitute, but you'll have to add a couple of tbsp of a light oil (I use sunflower).  Fold in the craisins at the very last.

These were all that was left out of 18 muffins.  My family gobbled them up right out of the oven.  Next time, I think I may add some plain Metamucil to it.

Flaky Ideas

What could be better on a rainy day than soup?  But no one likes a soupy soup; it's the thick, chowder-type soups that are so delicious.

One of my favorite pre gluten free foods was Potato Soup from Cheddar's.  My hubby would ask, "What's for lunch?" and my response was, "Cheddar's Potato Soup."  There was enough on the menu to keep him satisfied, but I was addicted.

After beginning my gluten free lifestyle, I was in a quandary over HOW to thicken soups and gravies?  I tried to use gluten free flours, but nothing seemed to work the same as wheat flour.  Corn starch was close, but it was more of a translucent type thickening agent, and it just wasn't what suited my pallet.  And, tapioca starch was a gummy texture.

Some members of my family, for which I cook, have corn allergies, so corn starch was out for another reason.  (Boy, it is hard cooking for my family with so many diverse allergies.)

While reading an article in Better Homes and Gardens magazine, I ran across a recipe for Broccoli and Cheese soup.  It did not contain any wheat flour, or grain based thickening agent.  It suggested the use of potato flakes.

My sister and I perused the potato flake isle at the grocery store to make sure there wasn't any gluten additives in potato flakes just as a precaution.  Sure enough, potato flakes are potato flakes.

After cooking Raspberry chicken, with rice for supper, I made a gravy out of the raspberry drippings from the chicken.  Potato flakes is a perfect alternative for thickening.  My gravy was a bit thick after it sat for a bit, but adding just a bit of water, (or milk) thinned it down just fine.

I am going to attempt Broccoli soup next.  Wish me luck!

Beginners source of help

You are NOT alone.  Gluten Free living is not as uncommon as a beginner may think.  Finding the right sources for you is the key to successful diet overhaul.

"Well, I'm gluten-free, now what?!!"  No more Saturday morning biscuit and gravy, most processed foods contain wheat protein, even Metamucil, which is good for lowering cholesterol, is wheat based, no chicken and dumplings for Thanksgiving, What do I do?

Back to the internet I went.  Thankfully, I found three sources that really helped me get the ball rolling.  (I mentioned to my sister today, "what did we do without the internet when we were growing up?")


Karina's Kitchen - Recipes from a Gluten-Free Goddess

GFG was something I lucked up on while piddling on Facebook.  She is not a beginner, and her Facebook, and website are chock full of information, so much so, I was overwhelmed.  I just kind of backed off and picked a few things to study, and learn at first.  I'm still learning too.  Sharing my story of the beginning hopefully will help you begin your Gluten-Free lifestyle.

Karina actually has a blog at glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com.  Please check out her website for a wide variety of wonderfully diverse information.  As time goes on, you can process more of her information.  She's kind of my "Gluten-Free Encyclopedia" and the "Potentate" of all things gluten free.

Peter Osborne

This glutenologist is also on Facebook.  He has a wide variety of articles, and information on the science of gluten intolerance, and other gluten issues. He is based in Sugarland, Texas.  Many people left testimonials on his website and facebook about how gluten free living has made a difference in their lives.  And, his practice provides practical application through events and services.

Living Without

This magazine has been a great inspiration to me.  Although online information is abundant, just having a magazine to sit with, hold onto, and read makes me calm.  I eagerly look forward to my new issues, and back issues can be ordered from the living without website, www.livingwithout,com. If you prefer online magazines, you can subscribe online as well.

Other Sources

There are a numerous sources to choose from, but these were the first ones that made sense for me during that difficult transition.  Also, there are exceptionally good prepared foods on the market, at a bit of additional expense, to get you through until you learn to prepare homemade gluten free foods.

Finding gluten free foods in some areas can be almost impossible.  Amazon.com is a great place to search for and order many gluten free foods.  And, this can be a money saver as well because the product price is a bit lower.  Adding low to no cost shipping saves even more money.

Cooking gluten free was tricky at first because you have to learn that cooking without gluten is very different than cooking with wheat flour.  But, as time goes by, it gets easier, so press forward, and seek out help from your favorite sources.

So, good luck to you as you begin your journey.

PS:  Metamucil, although wheat based, is said to be safe for gluten intolerant individuals as the husk is used for fiber and does not contain the wheat protein responsible for gluten issues.  If you find out otherwise, please revisit this post and let me know.  Thanks!

Coming next: My favorite foods, personal recipes, and tips for successful gluten free living.

Part two: the beginning

Another new town, another new doctor, or set of doctors.  Part two of Going Gluten Free:  The Beginning.

Having moved AGAIN with my sister and brother-n-law, we ended up in Ohio in 2011.  When I first heard Ohio, I thought, "What?  Of all the states, and we are going to Ohio?"  But, this has proved the most favorite and beautiful of places to be.

Still sick, and dry heaving, I made appointment with a new PCP.  He, in turn, made an appointment with a new gastroenterologist.  However, this gastro actually seemed to WANT to get to the bottom of this problem (literally, I might add).

He scheduled me for an endoscopy, and colonoscopy; something previous gastros had not done.

Prepping for the colonoscopy was a nightmare.  It started 3 days before the procedure with clear liquids, laxatives, and other colon cleansing steps.  Wow, I was drained after the procedure, but felt marvelous, for the first time in years. No pain, no mental fog, and no vomiting or dry heaving.

The next day I was allowed to eat, but I was literally afraid of eating again because of the potential for pain, and nausea.

My little niece is extremely allergic, and she is on a no wheat, egg, dairy, corn, and soy diet.  Her mother/my sister buys her frozen gluten free macaroni and cheese as alternatives to the regular mac and cheese eaten by the family.  The day I was allowed to eat, I ate half of her frozen dish because she only eats half because of her size and age.  I didn't get sick.

"Okay, " I thought, "maybe I will just eat these for a while."  So, I started eating those frozen gluten free mac and cheese dishes.  I didn't get sick.  But, when I ran out, I just made a regular mac and cheese dish and ate it.  WRONG thing to do - I was SO sick. 

I thought perhaps I too was allergic to wheat and/or dairy.  So, I started reading everything I could about wheat and dairy allergies.  Gluten intolerance and sensitivity popped up, and I started following a gluten free diet.  Several resources have become my guide to a gluten free lifestyle, and I will add those to a new post in the coming days.

Sure enough, I have Celiac disease, and perhaps my Multiple Sclerosis stems from this immune bashing problem.  And, I do have a diary allergy to compound the issue. 

Fortunately, I was able to convince my brother-n-law that his symptoms could be a gluten intolerance too.  And, after testing, he was positive for Celiac Disease. So, half of the family is on a gluten-free diet, and the other half isn't, but they still eat some dishes which do not contain gluten simply because I do the cooking.

So, if you have found this blog, and have auto immune disorders, please give Gluten-free a try.  It usually takes a couple of months to tell, but it is worth it.  Or, just get tested so you won't have to wait that long to find out for yourself.  It is the hardest thing you will ever do, and is a bit more expensive, but the money you save on doctors will be a trade off for the extra cost of the food.

But, remember, I am not a doctor.  I'm just sharing my experience with you.  Please seek medical advice before trying any new diet, or self-diagnosing your health problems.

Good Luck and God Bless you!

My personal references to living gluten free in the next blog!  Stay tuned.....

The Beginning

Newly diagnosed with Celiac Disease?  Have gluten intolerance, or sensitivity?  Need to make dietary changes?  Come along for the journey with The Gluten-Free Beginner.

Welcome to my new blog, The Gluten-Free Beginner.  Mine is a personal story of struggle, pain, distress, and anxiety which lead me to the diagnosis of Celiac Disease.

In 2007, I lost my precious mother to auto-immune liver cirrhosis.  She never drank and was quite embarrassed when she was told of her condition.  I watched her suffer those 2 years, and especially the last two weeks.

I started having some of the same symptoms she had been having about that time also.  These symptoms included elevated liver function tests (LFTs), jaundice, pain and burning in the liver area, swollen spleen, bowl incontinence and constipation, unexplained dry heaving and vomiting, itching, weight gain, and hair loss.

Being the investigative person I am, I continued to research these conditions to try to find out what was going on since the doctors seemed just as perplexed.  The allergist said I had a fungal infection.  The gastroenterologist said I had fatty liver.  The endocrinologist said I was insulin resistant.  The psychologist said I had cluster anxiety.  And, my GYN said I was over weight.  All I knew was I was mimicking my mother's demise, and I surely didn't want to die in my 60's of autoimmune liver cirrhosis.

I can remember being 19 years old and hearing my mother speaking of her bilirubin and biliverden being elevated.  And, for 20 years, her blood work always came back with elevated liver function tests.  But, the doctors did not know why, could not figure out why, and perhaps was so perplexed they didn't care any longer.

She, too, had countless doctor visits for elevated LFTs, jaundice, pain and burning in the liver area, swollen spleen, bowl and urinary issues, drying heaving and vomiting, itching, fungal infection, weight gain, and hair loss.  And, those last 2 weeks in her coma made me feel so helpless, ignorant, and angry!

During her illness, I spent many hours on a computer researching to try and dig out the underlying cause of her problems.  Mystery Diagnosis was my favorite TV show, and I prayed someone would be on that matched her condition.  Watching her recover from having fluid drained off her abdomen, and chest cavity kept me digging.  I figured since the medical profession couldn't figure it out, perhaps the holistic aspect of healing was were the key would be found to unlock this puzzle. 

When I was a little girl, my two best friends' grandmother used to go to the herb doctor.  We would giggle to see her come out of the office with a brown paper sack full of dried weeds and grass.  But, as it turned out, Granny Culberson prompted me to start researching holistic alternatives.

Milk Thistle was popping up everywhere, and I started using it because I was beginning to have jaundice, weight gain, and burning in my liver area.  I did notice some easing of symptoms, and talked my mom into trying it.  She did improve to some extent, but I think, for her, it was just too late.

Milk Thistle is said to have liver cell regenerative properties, and was the only thing that eased my symptoms.   Quickly, my body would let me know if I missed a Milk Thistle, and the need for higher dosage increased.  But, I did feel better.  I topped myself out at 1000 mg per day.

Burying my sweet mother was the hardest thing I have ever done, and I felt I had failed her to some extent.  Being a Christian, I adhere to the "our days are numbered" belief, but I just didn't want to believe that this was her day.  I was angry at the doctors.

Part two...next!  Stay tuned to theglutenfreebeginner.blogspot.com!