Give Thanks

Giving thanks-to health and family!

It is a tradition at Thanksgiving to go around the table and share what we are thankful for. We forgot to do this during our big meal with all ten of us squished on a picnic table and three dogs running around trying to sneak some turkey. My sister reminded us to take time and think about what we are thankful for the following day.

It was easy for me to answer.

I am thankful for being healthy once again. After a year and a half of officially having celiac disease, I am feeling good. I am learning each day better ways of preparing food gluten free and how to educate my family. I am happy about my diagnosis, something I couldn’t say a year ago.

Which brings me to another gratitude- my family. I am thankful to have all those that gathered for our Thanksgiving meal. Included in this group were my husband’s parents. I am blessed to be a part of two families that enjoy spending time together.

Now to the food, which of course I am thankful for! My family gave up traditional food to make it in a way that I could enjoy.

My sister made squash soup with a kick to awaken our taste buds.

My mother-in-law made their family’s traditional Jell-O salad, but with gluten free pretzels!

We concluded that green bean casserole made with Bob’s Red Mill GF flour mix and gluten free corn flakes tasted even better than the one grandma used to make.

I made gluten free cornbread stuffing with sausage, cranberries, and walnuts.

The turkey dressed with herbs, lemon, onion, and garlic and finished off with thyme butter under the skin was a big hit.

Everyone agreed that the best side was the sweet potato dish with a cranberry glaze that my mom made.

I didn’t even miss having pie with the gluten free trifle I made. Layers of gluten free spice cake, vanilla pudding and pumpkin, and whipped cream. Delicious!

Who misses gluten with a meal like this?

love my co-ops

Gluten free pretzels, what could be more important?

That is how I felt last night at a co-op in Saint Paul. A simple question at the register inquiring if the store carried any turned into a storewide search. I love that about people who my husband refers to as “my kind:” those that have food allergies, care about the environment, and eat healthy. Usually they are eager to help with whatever I need and want to know about my celiac disease. At the co-op I followed the nice cashier around the store as she pointed out her favorite gluten free items. Tortillas, truffles, crackers, pizza crust…most I had heard about, but I followed eagerly happy to listen to her enthusiasm.

I love even more talking to people that have celiac disease or are eating gluten free for other reasons. Which brings me to a new topic. The cashier last night indicated that she was gluten free because of the diet she is on for her blood type. My future sister-in-law is eating according to her blood type as well. Is this something new? Am I one of the only few that hasn’t heard of this yet? If you have information on this, please enlighten me. I find this fascinating.

Thanks for your help, all you lovely people that help me at the co-ops. You make my life easier and more fulfilling!

What's in a kiss?

Do I dare ask this? There are so many ways to answer this question. If you had asked me a little over a year ago I would have instantly gone dreamy eyed and gushed something romantic. There are the knees that go weak, the butterflies fluttering in your stomach, and the feeling like you are the only two people in the world. Today, I have to be a little more critical with the way I answer. Don’t get me wrong I still love a good kiss, but with celiac disease I have to be careful.

After Jake has eaten anything with gluten I will not kiss him until he has brushed his teeth. This may seem a bit overboard, but in my case I have felt better following this rule. That means no sharing drinks too.

The spontaneity of kissing may occasionally be lessened, but now I have other things to look forward to. For instance when I hear, “Kiss me, I just brushed.” Romantic? No, but we do start laughing like children and have fun with it. Then there is always the ease that comes from both of us eating gluten free. That is when my world feels perfect. We eat good food, enjoy each others company, and kiss freely.

I’ll stop there before family reading this gets too much information.

Here’s to safe kissing! Or you could always grab a chocolate kiss- they’re gluten free!

soup for the soul

I am back after a nice long weekend at my parent's cabin near Hayward, Wisconsin.

I am rested.
I am happy.
And I am full.

We had some amazing meals, all of which were gluten free of course. I am so appreciative of how careful my parents and hubby were at making sure nothing I ate was contaminated. With my mind at ease, I created and dined happily.

Oh so happily.

There were eggs scrambled with any veggie that we could find in the frig with our favorite Parmesan reggiano to melt everything together. There was homemade guacamole. That was all I needed for lunch! Korean inspired steaks were a big hit right off the grill with a chili cilantro sauce and a tall glass of zin. I found a new cornbread mix that would fool any eater into thinking that there was gluten in it. Who knew that in tiny Hayward, Wisconsin there would be a gluten free bakery? (More on that topic later).

The highlight for me was chopping, sauteing, and getting a nose full of spice as I made soup. Thanks to Karina's creative palette at glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com, her hearty African bean sweet potato soup awakened any and every sense that had been hibernating for winter.




So many textures, so colorful, so full of flavor.






Please try her recipe and give your taste buds a vacation!

Don’t feel crumb-y!

I strongly advise not sharing anything that people could double dip in. Peanut butter, jams, mayo, butter etc., can be havens for gluten after knives have touched bread and then are dipped back into the jar. Please buy your own and label them somehow.

I was just noticing the butter in our household last night.

This is my husband Jake’s butter.

Most people don’t notice the crumbs that accumulate in it, but that is enough to make us sick- really sick!

Since I have a special diet, I try to make the things I eat special too. My grandma gave me the idea to keep my butter in a pretty little bowl. This way I can have something small and nice to look at near my plate at the table.

Also related to this topic is the toaster. I know our "bread" tastes better warm and toasted, but it is not safe to share a toaster that gluten has been in. Since we do not have much counter space in our kitchen and I do not trust having designated sides of the toaster, I have given it up to Jake. When I do have bread (not all that often) I am happy to use the broiler.

Better safe than sorry!

Eating Out

I dined last night at a Malaysian restaurant in Minneapolis. Eating out can be a horrific experience and I know that many celiacs do not trust the outside world in insuring they will not be contaminated. That is smart. I can not do that however. I live to eat and eating out is one of those occasions that I look forward to. So I do all that I can to be safe.

I called before we left to inform them that I could not eat gluten.

"Can you easily accommodate my diet?"

"We have many things on the menu without gluten."

Wow, I didn’t even have to explain what gluten was. This was good.

"And my waiter will be able to help me order?"

"Yes."

Ok, here we go.

At the restaurant it was a different story. The waiter looked at me utterly confused.

"Glu…"

"Gluten. No wheat." Thinking that most ingredients at an Asian place would contain wheat.

I told the waiter that I had called and asked kindly if he could talk to the manager and chefs.
He came back to the table and pointed to a couple veggie dishes that I could have. I still questioned when he pointed to one that said "special sauce." Hmmmm, don’t think so. After more explanation I settled on some curry veggies.

I was still nervous.

I found the manager and asked that my meal be made in a spotlessly clean wok. I made it clear that if my food touched anything with gluten I would be in trouble. Sometimes I like to say, "I am SEVERELY allergic to gluten." That usually gets their attention.

I am feeling fine today. It is worth taking the few minutes to explain to the restaurant what you need. You are their customer and if they are a good business they will be happy to help you.

Eat wisely and fully!

Nothing Fancy

Cream of rice.

It is nothing fancy, but can be completely satisfying.

This cereal, made completely of rice, and therefore completely safe for us celiacs, can turn into a wonderful breakfast. When I was first diagnosed and missing cereal terribly, cream of rice was a welcoming bowl of warmth that soothed my aching body. What healing power these foods have.

So try a bowl and be sure to jazz it up-be creative. I like mine with homemade applesauce and cinnamon.

23

23

23 was the year I was anticipating.

After not feeling like myself for nearly a year and struggling with certain aspects of my last year of college, I decided that my twenty third year of life was going to be different. I made a pact to myslef to make it one of the best years of my life. Sometimes that is all you have to do. Sometimes all you need to do is say you want things to change and they do in ways we never imagined.

Why look forward to being 23?

To start, it is my golden birthday and I love my birthday. My parents always made a big deal out of it so that I never felt neglected being a Christmas baby. So it just happened to be my golden birthday when I wanted things to change in my life. That was reason enough for me to celebrate!

That year changed my life.

The love of my life proposed in Fiji while we were on our way to a glorious four months of living in Australia.

We put our fresh college degrees on hold while we played in the wineries of Australia and befriended their culture.

We were married four months after we were back in the states. Why wait when you know you want to spend the rest of your life together?

And to top that all off, two months before the big day I was diagnosed with celiac disease.

My year as the age of 23 was a whirlwind of emotions, full of adventure, and life altering. My life as I knew it before was a distant memory. No more pasta, bread, or cereal. At least none made from wheat, rye, or barley. A new last name really did feel like a new identity. I was discouraged, angry, and felt all alone.

That is why I am writing this. I want to talk to more people like me. I want to try to make life a little easier for someone else. I want to share the freedom I have found living gluten free.