Tag Archive: free

2014: Gluten Free for Life! New Beginnings!

2014: New Beginnings!

Happy New Year, readers! This is your chance, your clean slate…the opening you were waiting for to make the diet changes necessary to survive. I’m not talking about going ON a diet, losing weight, or freaking out about cellulite. I’m talking about cleaning up the things we’re all ingesting, and some of them, not so special. Gluten free, dairy free, and clean eating will be the focus of 2014, with our cook book coming out sometime this year!!!

It’s time to focus on all of the delicious things that we CAN eat, and less on what we can’t!! If you’re new here, for starters, read the candy blogs first. And then skip to the gluten free safe food list, which happens to be printable, with limited pictures and extras.

You’ll see some new recipes, more information on what’s safe to eat and what is not, and more humor to keep those like me, who would rather eat grass than gluten, going on, giggling all the way.

Here’s to a year with as few gluten-induced flares as possible!

Peace.

Simple Gluten Free Lunch Ideas

Gluten Free Lunch Ideas
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So many people are eating gluten free now, that it’s becoming easier and easier to find simple plans to follow. These are things that we’ve liked along the way, piled into a list for you. Some of our methods did require extra “storage” items, such as a thermos/canister, Tupperware, hot/cold, etc.

Our Top Choices
~GF Breads: Udi’s- making panini’s piled high, or grilled cheese (recipes coming in the cook book 2014)
~Dietz & Watson Deli meats
~Lettuce Wraps or Rudi’s tortilla wraps
~Baked Potatoes
~GF Soups and Stews (MANY recipes coming for GF/DF soups in the cook book 2014)
~Salads
~Tuna Salad or Chicken Salad
~Nachos or Fried Rice
~Fresh fruit, kebabs with fruit dip
~General Mills fruit roll-ups and Gushers
~GF Homemade 100% Fruit Snacks (recipe coming in the cook book 2014)
~GF Chex Puppy Chow (IMPROVED recipe coming in the cook book 2014)
~GF Chex Mix—TONS of varieties!
~GF Banana Nut Bread (recipe coming in the cook book 2014)
~GF Zucchini Bread (recipe coming in the cook book 2014)
~Fresh vegetables
~Dipping Sauces: Maple syrup, fruit yogurts, ranch dressing, seed/nut butters, organic honey, hummus, salsa, mustard/honey mustard
~Gogurt yogurt tubes
~Jell-o Cups
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Breakfast: Keep it Clean, Simple & Gluten Free.

 Breakfast: Keep it Clean, Simple & Gluten Free.

It seems that when people first make the big change over to a gluten free diet, a clean eating diet, or any diet for that matter, sometimes when it’s tricky, meals are left out. Forgotten. Skipped on purpose. We all know now that it isn’t healthy to do that, and that it makes for a terrible eating pattern, and thusly, and terrible GI pattern, as well.

It’s not as hard as it seems to find easy, simple things that go with the gluten free diet. There are numerous pre-made products available now, but I’d advise you to pay attention to the calorie and fat counts in all of these items. Most recently, the news has shown us, and reminded us, that premade gluten free is often no better health-wise, possibly even worse due to the excessive amounts of fats and other things that are no good for you either!

Start simple.

What are your favorite fruits? Grains? Yogurts? Who doesn’t love a good fruit & yogurt parfait?! It’s even better now, with the addition of almond base yogurts to the group. Now those with dairy issues can still enjoy a good parfait. And I must say, the almost yogurt is not bad!! Some of the “safe” gluten free brands of yogurt are: Brown Cow Farms, Yoplait (also has lactose free variety), Stonyfield Organic. I really appreciate that Yoplait has made their kids’ varieties gluten free, as well!

How about Cereal? Hot Cereals?

The easiest thing to do for breakfast is often a good bowl of cereal. If you’re feeling extra special, maybe you’ll add in some milk. (Not me, however. Dairy=Death.) There are a LOT of people in this category, and FINALLY, companies in the cereal business are responding. Some of the “safe” gluten free brands of cereal on the market today are: Bob’s Red Mill varieties, Glutino brands, Nature’s Path, and Udi’s. More commonly known brands like Chex and Post have also gone gluten free, with some of their best sellers and favorites among children! The wide variety of GF hot cereals allows people to still have a large choice for quick breakfasts!

How about some toast?

Lucky for you, these days there are LOTS of varieties of GF bread! Buns! Rolls! The most common one I hear from my GF friends is Udi’s. (There are even cinnamon rolls by Udi’s!) There are other brands of GF bread, and baking your own in the bread maker is always a delicious alternative, too. Some other bread brands are: Schar, Food for Life, and Kinnikinnick. (although, I have never tried the last.) Remember, too, that baking your own gluten free breads and freezing them works great!!

Breakfast meats?

Watch your meat! Ha. Seriously though. The preservatives used in some of these processed meats do contain gluten, and for those of us THAT sensitive– YES, it matters. Applegate Farms has a good quality, and most of their breakfast meats are gluten free. Buddig Organic is another to check out. Many people find that at this point, getting fresh meats from the butcher may be the better way to go. Some even end up going vegan due to this fact.

What about your COFFEE?!?! Your TEA?!?!

Coffee’s mainly safe! So, drink away! And it was recently proven that coffee does give your body the fluids it needs, even though it’s riddled with caffeine and such! Tea can be a bit more tricky, but many of the brands you drink are indeed gluten free. Check them out here: AriZona Teas, Bigelow Teas, Honest Tea, and some varieties of Snapple.

See! Relax, you’ll get this figured out. Check out our post on GF Lunch Ideas!! 🙂

Gluten Free: What does that mean?

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Gluten Free: What does that mean?
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Over three million people in the United States alone suffer from different levels of gluten intolerance. Many of those people are unaware that they have a sensitivity at all. Some of these people suffer from Celiac Disease, which is an autoimmune disorder. In folks with Celiac’s, the smallest trace of gluten can trigger the mass production of antibodies that damage the lining of the small intestine. Sometimes the damage is beyond repair. This condition poses other health risks, but also affects osteoporosis, infertility, and intestinal cancers.

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Until this past Friday, the definition for being “gluten free” was not well defined. Gluten Free labels were being put on products in stores on a “faith based guess” if their ingredients were truthful, or not. Now, for products to have that label, they MUST adhere to the FDA’s new rules. These state that all gluten free products must have less than 20 parts per million of the protein, which is about the equivalent of an eighth of a teaspoon of flour. That much gluten can be found in about 18 slices of gluten free bread. It may seem like a lot, but that level seems to be tolerable in people with the most severe form of Celiac’s.

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Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye, and other select grains. It has become increasingly troublesome in recent years, and it is most definitely not a “made up” illness or allergy! Sufferers are put through hell and back each time they ingest the wrong foods, whether it be on purpose or accidentally.

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Years of research have now been done, and the research tested, recorded, and proven. These rules will ensure that companies adhere to the stricter gluten free labeling guidelines, and not allow products that may have the chance of cross contamination to have the label. Manufacturers now have until August 5, 2014 to be in complete compliance with this rule.

There are still some food labels that confuse the general public. These are: organic versus all-natural and cage-free versus free-range. This is such a great new law for people who follow a gluten free diet, regardless of the reasoning. Especially for parents like me who have to be at the utmost diligence to protect their Celiac child.

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For more information on food laws and labeling, even some allergen info, check out the FDA site for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Food Allergy page.