Free Celiac Disease Awareness Tshirt!

Here it is--the give-away announcement you’ve been waiting for!

A FREE CELIAC DISEASE AWARENESS T-SHIRT!

How to enter the give-away:

Step 1: Subscribe to my blog in the space provided to the right.

Step 2: Share my blog through email, Twitter, or Facebook by clicking MORE at the top of the page.

Step 3: Sit back and wait for the winner to be announced in July 9th's post.

 Check back Sunday for a post on how to have a successful gluten-free 4th of July barbecue!

Thanks for reading,

Brittany

Oh no! It’s an imPASTA!

Growing up in a family where Mom cooked lots of pasta, the Celiac diagnosis was detrimental.  I couldn’t imagine living without pasta!  Tortellini, lasagna, cheese ravioli, shrimp scampi, macaroni salad-all gone!  That is until I did some research and lots of taste-testing.

Here’s what I’ve found:

Different brands have different flavors.  Just like most food, brands can make a big difference, but as mentioned in last week's post, a better flavor doesn’t always correlate with a higher price.   The best brand I’ve found to make spaghetti, penne, elbow, and rotini is Barilla.  It’s not much more than the regular pasta, and the flavor and texture is almost exactly the same as the real deal.  I also enjoy Wal-Mart’s Great Value Rice Pasta and Cheddar Cheese--or more commonly known as mac and cheese.  I’ve never been a fan of off brand mac and cheese, but this stuff is great!  And Seth loves it too!  He even likes my lasagna!  I use Gluten Free Cafe No Boil Rice Lasagna noodles.  It’s super easy to make and you can’t even tell the difference!

Know your ingredients.  Because gluten-free pasta is not made with wheat flour, a substitute has to be used.  You will see phrases like “made with corn” or “made with rice.”  Some brands even say “made with brown rice.”  Each substitute has a different flavor and texture.  When it comes to any food, I am very particular about texture, so pasta has to be just right.  I like the corn and rice blends more than the brown rice pasta.  The brown rice pasta is a tougher noodle.  I like my pasta al dente, and it seems impossible with the brown rice blends.  I also think the corn and rice blends taste the most like real pasta.

Specialty pasta can be hard to find.  One of the most difficult parts of grocery shopping was walking by the frozen section and having to pass up tortellini and cheese ravioli.  I also had no luck finding large shells to make manicotti.  Then I discovered Conte’s Pasta.  This brand is AMAZING!  Conte’s Pasta has frozen tortellini, cheese ravioli, and large shells already stuffed.  So far, I’ve not found a local store that sells this brand, so I have to buy it online through Gluten Free Mall, and frozen shipping can be pricey.

Keep an eye on the pot when cooking.  I’m not sure what causes gluten-free pasta to cook longer, but they do.  Sometimes it feels like they take forever to make, especially when I’m starving and can’t wait for some yummy mac and cheese.  It is important to keep a close eye on the pasta because once it does finish cooking, it can easily overcook--and mushy noodles are the worst.

So when making a pasta dish for your family or friends that have Celiac Disease, it is great to know the food can still be tasty and gluten-free!

What’s your favorite gluten-free pasta that the whole family can enjoy?  Comment below to share you ideas!

Be sure to check in later this week for my give-away announcement!  

Thanks for reading,

Brittany

Getting Through Grocery Shopping Part 2

Last week, I discussed some helpful tips on going to the actual grocery store.  This week I want to share more about where to get some good stuff because it isn't always easy to find.

I do most of my gluten-free shopping at Wal-Mart.  Thanks to crazy people who are “gluten-free for fun,” more and more stores are showcasing gluten-free items.  This makes it easier to find stuff, but not everything out there labeled gluten-free is yummy or reasonably priced.  

BUYER BEWARE

Some brands like to take advantage of those who buy gluten-free foods.  In the gluten-free section of a store, you will often see foods labeled “gluten-free” and marked at a higher price when these are naturally gluten-free and can be found at a regular price in its regular spot.  A few good examples of this are rice cakes, cereal, and granola bars.  Keep your eyes open!

Not all brands taste the same

Nor do they cost the same.  In the case of GF foods, I’ve discovered some off-brand foods that are cheap, yet taste great.  However, I’ve also found some off-brand foods that are cheap and taste awful.  The same goes with more expensive food.  Just because it costs more, don’t assume it’s automatically better.

Here’s a list of GF food I buy at Wal-Mart or Schnucks, depending on availability:

Great Value Mac n Cheese

Great Value Pretzels

Glutino Table Crackers

Glutino Vanilla Creme Cookies

Glutino Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Barilla GF Pasta: Spaghetti & Penne

Lance Peanut Butter Crackers

Martha White Biscuit Mix

Udis Frozen Pizza Crust

Udis Hamburger Buns

Udis Whole Grain or Rye Bread

Udis Chocolate Chip Cookies

Udis Classic French Dinner Rolls

Udis Tortillas

Bisquick Baking Mix

Pillsbury Flour

Pillsbury Sugar Cookies

Pillsbury Cake

As you can see, I stick with a few brands that are really good.  I’ve tried Udis Frozen Pizza and their breakfast sandwiches.  I didn’t care for them.  I’ve also tried Great Value pasta.  It’s about 50 cents less than Barilla, but it has a different texture, so I pay the extra cost for better texture.  The flavor is still good though, if you need to save.  I’ve also tried some other crackers by Glutino, and I didn’t like the texture of those.  The table crackers and chocolate covered pretzels are fantastic!  The downside to the chocolate-covered pretzels is the cost because the package is small and they are seriously addicting.

Stay home and shop in your pjs!

I live in a rural area, so I’ve found some great places to get food online.  Buying gluten-free foods online and in bulk are not only easier than going to the store, but it is usually cheaper!

Here’s a list of some great websites to checkout (if you buy frozen, check the shipping costs beforehand because some are high):

Wal-Mart

Amazon

The Gluten Free Mall

Gluten Free Delivers

Shop local-if you can

Because I live in the middle of nowhere, the only local shopping I do is at Wal-Mart.  However, there are many health food stores in big cities that have tons of gluten-free options.  Unfortunately, I’ve found them to be more expensive.  As I’ve mentioned before, it helps to do some research before you shop.

Where do you shop for your gluten-free goodies?  What are some of your favorite gluten-free foods?  Leave a comment to let us know what might be good to try!

Thanks for reading,

Brittany

Getting Through Grocery Shopping Part 1

Grocery shopping, a seemingly normal and routine task, has become one of the most difficult parts of being gluten-free and living with someone who is not.  When I lived on my own, I knew what aisles to avoid.  I hardly ever had to go near food I was forced to give up, so the reminders of mouthwatering snack cakes and salty Goldfish crackers weren’t there to pull at my tastebuds.  However, living with Seth completely changed that.  You don’t think a trip to the store can be difficult--unless of course you have four kids under the age of five that you have to literally cart around.

Some people might think it would be easier if he just did his own shopping, but I don’t like that idea, especially since I know he would buy double the junk food if I wasn’t there.  I do have to brag that more gluten-free options are becoming available throughout grocery stores, so that makes it easier.  I’ve also found that while walking passed the fresh bread towards the yummy, Little Debbie’s cakes has become easier when I think about the outcome of eating gluten-filled foods.  Plus, I’ve found some good gluten-free snacks of my own that I will share in next week’s blog.

When I was first diagnosed with Celiac’s, grocery shopping was a little intimidating because I wasn’t sure what was “safe” for me.  The key is to READ THE LABELS!  Most people with Celiac’s know what to look for on a label, but if you’re new to this or trying to make something gluten-free, it’s important to know what’s safe.  A lot of food these days is labeled gluten-free, but when you aren’t sure, you want to avoid food with phrases like “wheat flour” or “contains wheat.”  Many gluten-sensitive people cannot have food that says “may contain traces of wheat” or “made in a facility that processes wheat” because of the risk of cross-contamination.  When I plan on trying something new, I always do research before I go to the store, and I like to grocery shop early in the morning because it’s less crowded, so if I do need to read labels, I don’t feel like I’m blocking anyone.

It’s amazing how much food is “naturally gluten-free,” which makes it easier to transition to living with someone who is not gluten-free.  Any kind of meat, fruits, or veggies that haven’t been seasoned or breaded is naturally gluten-free.  Most cheeses, butters and other dairy products are gluten-free.  Also, most chips are naturally gluten-free because most chips are made from corn or potatoes.  Unfortunately, French Onion Sunchips are made with wheat.  I guess it’s kind of a good thing, considering I would have to stop myself from eating the entire bag in one sitting.  See, there are good things about Celiac’s!

Since the basics of most meals are naturally gluten-free, knowing the things to add to those meals are what can become difficult when shopping.  If you’re like me, you hope to cook a meal that is safe for both you and your hunny (or your children or whoever else may eat dinner with you).  I don’t want to survive off of grilled chicken and rice, and Seth definitely would die of starvation.   I like a good, crunchy breading on most meat, so  I recommend Pillsbury Gluten Free Flour; Seth enjoys this flour and has even mentioned how it’s almost exactly the same as the “real” stuff.  I’ve also used Bisquick Gluten Free Baking Mix, but I tend to use that more for pancakes and waffles.  Bisquick can be used for multiple things, so I do recommend keeping it on hand, too.  Another way to bread meat is to use bread crumbs.  There are a few brands out there, but I find that I like 4C Crumbs, which I buy at Wal-Mart.  It’s also important to have seasonings to add to any meal.  I don’t get fancy when I cook, so I stick to some basics: garlic salt and pepper.  These are my go-to seasonings for pretty much everything!  The seasonings I choose to use are naturally gluten-free; however, I do suggest checking labels because sometimes you just never know!

There’s just so much information about grocery shopping that I can’t fit it into one week’s worth of writing.  Please stop back by next week when I will be sharing helpful tips on where to get some good quality gluten-free food at reasonable prices.

If you would like to subscribe to my blog, you can now do so at the top of my page.

Thanks for reading!

Brittany

Let's Get Started!

I was diagnosed with Celiac's Disease in 2014.  Having to change my diet was difficult but not as difficult as trying to cook for two people when only one needs to be gluten-free.  My hunny, Seth, puts up with my constant "new recipes" and is always more than willing to try them.  While it isn't always easy to cook for us both, I've learned a lot of things these last few years that I want to share so I can help many people in my situation.  So, let's get started!

Cross-Contamination

When you live on your own, it doesn’t matter if you double-dip in the peanut butter or if you cook pancake after pancake... after pancake.  But what happens when you live with someone who doesn’t have guts that will churn at the site of a crumb of “real” bread?  For many people, it is recommended that you and your housemate(s) have separate foods, such as a peanut butter jar for you and a peanut butter jar for me.  Other foods that are recommended to separate are butter, jelly, and mayonnaise--basically anything that might risk contamination of crumbs or anything else with gluten.  I have been very lucky (knock on wood) that cross-contamination isn’t something that kills my guts like it does many other people with Celiac’s.  Seth and I share the above foods; however, I don’t double-dip if I make him a sandwich, so I keep the food crumb-free. 

Something else that most people don’t consider separating is the toaster or waffle iron.  When you want to make breakfast for dinner, which we often do, it can be a hassle to keep things separate.  I have my own toaster.  There’s just too many tiny pieces of gluten floating in his to risk putting my safe bread in.  If I want homemade waffles or pancakes, however, I’ve discovered that I only I only have to keep the batter and utensils separate.  The trick to avoiding cross-contamination here is to cook the gluten-free waffle or pancake first.  The only downfall to this is I wait until everyone’s food is done cooking before I eat, so sometimes my waffle isn’t as warm as I want it to be.  

Living with someone who has Celiac's Disease will be a struggle at first.  Knowing how to avoid microscopic crumbs hiding in your mayonnaise is just the beginning of the learning how to dine with a Celiac!

What is something you learned early on when having to transition to a gluten-free diet?  Please share in the comments below!

Thanks for following!
Brittany