Silas helping me make juice–he loves fresh juice and has been begging for me to make it every morning!
You may have noticed that we’re been experimenting with some gluten-free recipes at our house. One of our children has been experiencing some health issues and they are currently on a gluten-free, dairy-free diet for three weeks to see if it clears things up.
The rest of our family is adapting our diet somewhat, too, to make it easier for this child. It’s a new adventure and we’ll see how it goes! By the way, if you have any fantastic gluten-free recipes or websites you’d recommend, I’m all ears.
Here’s this week’s menu:
Breakfasts
Granola Bars
Fresh carrot/orange juice, scrambled eggs
Green Monster Smoothie
Chocolate Peanut Granola
Oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins
Cereal
Wheat-Free Pancakes, fruitLunches
Lunch at friends’ house
Macaroni & cheese, peas
PB&J on rice cakes, carrot sticks, apple slices
Refried beans, rice, carrot sticks
Soup, carrot sticks, fruit
Leftovers x 2Snacks
Healthy Chocolate Mousse
Fruit/Veggies
Black Bean BrowniesDinners
Steak, potatoes, broccoli, fruit
Black Bean & Taco Bake, tossed salad
Hamburgers, tater tots, steamed veggies
Frito Chili Pie, fruit, brown rice
Dinner out
Dinner with extended family x 2Freezer Cooking
What’s on your menu this week? Share details and/or your link to your menu plan in the comments.
Heather says
I have been off of gluten and dairy for a number of years and have a blog to help others who are venturing on the same journey. http://allergy-friendlytastebuds.blogspot.com/ I thought I’d share in hopes that it might help you out. 🙂
Jenny says
I eat gluten free and mostly dairy free and one of my favorite cookbooks is “Cooking for Isaiah” by Silvana Nardone. The rest of my family eats gluten-full, and they love the recipes too. 🙂 I’ve shared the brownie recipe w/friends and they love it. My daughter requested the chocolate cake for her birthday…to me that must be a winning recipe! 🙂 My thoughts and prayers are with you and your kids as you try and figure out what is making them feel bad.
Laura Miller says
I just came across these tonight. http://www.recipegirl.com/2007/11/24/chewy-gooey-flourless-chocolate-cookies/ Haven’t tried it yet but they look yummy!
Holly says
You can make the brownies even easier and egg-free by using a gluten-free brownie mix then puree a 6oz soy yogurt and a can of black beans and then mixing that into the brownie mix and spreading in a pan.
Natalie says
I’m sorry if this is repetitive but 180comments is a lot to read through.
I noticed that you have been posting a lot about Gluten Free Diets and I want to make sure that your readers understand that eating Gluten Free is not a healthier way of living UNLESS you have been diagnosed by a doctor with Celiac’s disease. Eating Gluten Free is not healthier. People who are on gluten free diets have to be very careful that they are getting enough vitamins and minerals and often this is very difficult.
Thank you as a healthcare provider I wanted to just voice this warning to your readers!
Jenelle says
Or a food allergy/intolerance, which is different from Celiac’s. There are plenty of people that test negative for Celiac’s and still cannot eat gluten. Thanks for voicing your concern, but there are plenty of conditions that you didn’t include.
Lisa says
I am new to eating gluten free and thankfully since I cook a lot (like you!) it really hasn’t been that hard. What is difficult is eating out, since you don’t know what is in your food. I know you and your family love chocolate chips- so you should try my chocolate chip pancake recipe! http://glutenfreesupper.com/?p=519
Good luck!
Jennifer says
Crystal-
My three-year old son recently went gluten/dairy/soy free d/t some food intolerances and ADHD behaviors with spectacular improvements. It is hard but so worth it! The best gluten-free flour I have found hands down is the King Arthur gluten-free flour blend. Their website has some amazing gluten-free recipes. I pack my son’s lunch for daycare, and a big favorite is chicken tenders made with pieces of chicken, ran through an egg batter and then using either the KAF gf flour blend or gf bisquick mixed with spices to dredge the pieces and then skillet fry or bake. They freeze awesome, so I usually make up a big batch and pull them out as needed. Good luck with the gluten-free journey, it is an adjustment!
Linda says
Crystal, I know it’s not easy, but I would recommend trying the diet changes for 6 – 12 weeks. It can take up to 6 weeks for gluten and casein to completely leave the body. Many people notice some improvement within the first week, but that’s not always the case.
Also, you are probably aware that most oats (such as Quaker) are usually heavily contaminated with gluten. I would not recommend using even gluten-free oats during this trial period. Some people cannot tolerate oats, and if that is the case, it may cloud the results you see from the diet.
I’m more than happy to help if you have any questions for me. Shoot me an email!
Crystal says
We’re already seeing positive results, so we’re hopeful that possibly we’ve found the culprit to some long-standing issues. Thanks so much for your thoughts & encouragement!
T says
It can take a year or more to fully heal from the damage caused by gluten intolerance. Just be patient if things change slowly.
Darlene says
I think you will enjoy this new gluten free site as well: http://balancedplatter.com/menu-planning-ham-chowder/
Kris says
Elenas pantry.com has THE best desserts and homemade candy bars.
Cheeseslave.com has a good coconut flour pancake recipe.
The civilized caveman.com also has great paleo desserts. Love the chocolate coconut milk ice cream
Jennifer says
How was last week’s Raw Veggie Cereal?
Amy says
Amanda at http://www.afewshortcuts.com has some good gluten-free recipes
Courtney says
I was wondering what appliance you used for making juice. I would love to do this but don’t really have storage space or the desire to have an appliance that only serves one purpose. Also, I have found this to be very expensive (very little juice from a lot of fruit). Do you or anyone else have suggests to make this more cost effective? Thanks so much.
Courtney says
*suggestions
Dineen says
I see that Kimberlee from PeacefulMom.com already posted. I just started reading her site and she has great budget-friendly GF menu plans. She’s right that eating whole, natural foods is the most budget-friendly way to go GF — get your carbohydrates from non-baked goods like potatoes, rice, alternate “grains” like quinoa, buckwheat and so on.
I like Lynn’s Recipe Adventures – http://lynnskitchenadventures.com/lra/ has a wide variety of baking recipes using individual flours instead of premixed flours.
I haven’t made any of their recipes (you really need a good gram scale) but I love Gluten-free girl and the Chef because now they are baking with whole grains a lot more instead of the white starches and not using xanthum and guar gums (breaking rules of what you thought you had to do to get good baked goods). [glutenfreegirl.com] They have more than just baking recipes and she is just a joy to read too.
I was lucky to find Gluten-Free for Dummies at a thrift store for 50 cents. It is a great reference book and starter tool. It includes basic recipes and information on the most common gluten free grains used in GF baking. I highly recommend it. Perhaps you can find it at your local library?
I am new to GF myself because of autoimmune issues and I am hoping my husband on the Autism spectrum will experience relief of some symptoms as well.
Jane Lange says
WOW!! there are so many out there who eat gluten-free, etc-free, me too. 🙂 One simple but delicious item I use for quick things like muffins, is ,” Pamela’s pancake and baking mix”. It is a wfgf mix, ready to use (I prefer making my own mixes) but in a pinch or hurry this is great. Great pancakes and great muffins. 🙂 Look for it at Woodman’s, it is the least expensive that I have found. Otherwise, Amazon.com has this product and you can purchase it there for even less, and usually it is free shipping. I love to cook and bake, so I adapt my favorite recipes by using a wfgf substitute and xanthan gum, then continue with my normal recipe. So far this works for me. Have fun with all the recipes.
Andrea says
Three things I thought of to add (that I didn’t see mentioned):
If your daughter is super sensitive to gluten and you still have it in the house, everything she eats is likely cross-contaminated.
Store-bought play-doh contains gluten. Some children are so sensitive that playing with it causes a reaction.
Instead of thinking of all the things she can’t eat, think of all the things she can and build your menus around those. There are hundreds (if not thousands) of things that she can still eat.
Jen says
We substitute Silly Putty for play dough. Silly putty has no gluten, unlike play dough. 🙂
Kristi Kain says
I commend you for making these dietary changes for your son… And for your whole family. It is not easy but it does get easier with time. Please check out my Facebook page for information and recipes about gluten-free food. I absolutely love to bake and I love to find new recipes and make them so that you guys can try them too. I have posted over 95 albums about recipes and products that we like! Good luck and many blessings on your family! I love your blog by the way!
Kristi Kain says
On Facebook, you can find my page under celiac chick Newburgh. The recipes are all in the photos. click see all photos. Again I just make the recipes I do not create them!
Kelly says
My brother, dad and sister-in-law are doing the Paleo diet (mostly nuts, seeds, meat, fruit and veggies) and I have found a lot of great recipes doing a search for paleo in Google. As well http://www.foodgawker.com and do a search for Paleo. My FAVORITE recipe (and I will be making this again, it is amazing) is 5 ingredients and it tastes like a cookie/bar…
Paleo Pumpkin Brownies (from This Primal Life)
1 cup almond butter
¾ cup mashed pumpkin or other squash, canned or steamed
1 egg
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp baking soda
Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. Pour into a greased 8 x 8 in pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Serves 8.
Jamie says
Thank you for this recipe! It looks great, I will definitely try it!
Natalie says
Crystal,
My son was diagnosed with Celiac Disease a little over a year ago. The best advice I can give you is to read everything. You will be surprised by the things that have gluten in them. Such as toothpaste, soap, soy sauce, certain medications. We stick to a mainly meat and vegetable diet, but he can still have his favorites, I just had to try several recipes to get one he liked the best. With my child I can tell within an hour if he has gotten gluten. His behavior changes a little while before he gets violently ill. The other problem we have noticed is that he tends to be vitamin deficient especially of B12 which makes him very tired. He takes a multi – vitamin everyday and gets a b12 shot every two – three months. Just be careful with the multi – vitamin as a lot of them contain gluten. Good Luck and I hope things get easier for you!
anon says
I hope your child gets better. My, Silas is getting so big!
Tiffany says
Here is what we are having this week:
http://healthynbalanced.com/weekly-menu-130-25
grocery says
healthyindulgences.net
chocolate cake….
http://www.healthyindulgences.net/2009/05/healthy-chocolate-cake-with-secret.html
Katy @ Purposely Frugal says
Can’t wait to see how the black bean brownies turn out!
Here’s my menu plan:
http://purposelyfrugal.com/2012/01/30/groceries-menu-7/#.Tyf6YsAxBMk
Debrah says
We’re gluten free and have found that http://www.glutenfreemommy.com is a great resource. We love her millet-oatmeal bread. Also the cookbook “Cooking for Isaiah” has been a great help. Food Network also has several recipes if you search “gluten free”. Whole Foods also typically has a gluten free cooking series this time of year, if it becomes apparent that this is going to be a way of life for your family. In general, I’ve discovered that I can make better food from scratch than the pre-prepared products and mixes. That being said, King Arthur Flour makes a fantastic cake mix and their flour substitute works well for converting most of my “normal” recipes to gluten free.
ann says
Hi Crystal,
I don’t have any gluten free recipes. I would like to suggest giving a lot of homemade water kefir to your child to populate the gut with good bacteria. You can get kefir grains that can be used over and over again making it very economical. Have you tried reading about the Gaps diet? I read it from keeperofthehome dot org and nourishedkitchen dot com. There are some good books too. It looks very promising.
Goodluck!
Heather says
I wonder if all the people going gluten and/or grain free (who are not gluten sensitive) and feel so much healthier, are feeling better because they have cut out the gluten, or because a diet like that naturally forces you to cut back on processed foods, store-bought baked goods, and sugar.
Tiffany says
I was wondering the same thing Heather! It seems like gluten free has become the new “fad”. When I was growing up (I am 31 now) I never heard of gluten and certainly didn’t know anyone that was GF. Now, it seems that so many people are allergic to gluten and I don’t understand. Was it because people were allergic and just didn’t know it, so they lived with the consequences? It’s all so confusing to me. I also heard that unless you are truly allergic to gluten then it’s not advised to go GF, because it can have health benefits. It’s like I almost feel “bad” that I am not GF.
Heather says
Well, there is a blood test for celiac disease, so there are people who legitimately have it. I think that in the past it was either diagnosed less, or for some environmental reason the number of cases are increasing. But I think it is also becoming a fad now, too, thanks in part to the Internet facilitating the rapid spread of information.
It’s a topic that interests me, as I have a friend with it, and I suspect that a family member does. I am also interested in general nutrition – I know I should eat less sugar, but boy, it’s hard! And, I have also heard that there is nothing wrong with gluten unless you are allergic to it – that there are health benefits to it. But I know that not everyone agrees with that. Again, the Internet makes it easy for people with inadequate medical and scientific training, or with a particular axe to grind, to have a large voice. We have to very careful what we believe.
Sheri Graham says
I wanted to send this ebook to Crystal, but decided to just post it here for everyone. I will leave it up as a free download only until Saturday (2/4/12)…so grab your copy now! I put together these recipes a couple summers ago when my parents (from out of state) came to see us for a couple weeks. They were on a gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free diet, so I went to work coming up with recipes I could fix while they were here. This cookbook is the result of all my research.
Here is the link:
http://www.sherigraham.com/files/Gluten-Free Cookbook for Beginners-ebook.pdf
I hope it is a blessing to some who are just starting out with a gluten-free diet!
Sheri Graham says
Oops..that link got messed up. Let’s try this one:
http://sherigraham.com/gluten-free
Remember that this ebook will only be available until Saturday!
Enjoy!
Dineeen says
Thank you very much, Sheri! This book looks wonderful.
Crystal says
Thank you so much, Sheri! I hope you don’t mind if I highlight this in a post!
Sheri Graham says
Not at all Crystal! I just pray it is a blessing to those that are needing some help getting started. It doesn’t have to be that hard or that expensive!
Vanessa says
Wow! Lots of great GF info. I’ve been thinking about trying this diet, but it seemed so daunting that I kept putting it off. All the links and information has given me the courage to at least start incorporating it into our diet!
Here’s our non-gluten free menu this week: 🙂
http://www.vanessasvalues.blogspot.com/2012/01/meal-plan-monday-january-30.html
karen says
Silas looks just like you, more so than the girls even!
Andrea says
We have found that black bean brownies taste especially good cold. The warmer they are, the more you taste the black bean. From the fridge with some strawberries on top, though….yum!!
Crystal says
Yum! Thanks for the suggestion!
Amy @ Gospel Homemaking says
I don’t know if anyone has shared this or not, but there is an iPhone app called “Is That Gluten Free?”. A couple of summers ago, my daughter was very sick, and we gave gluten-free a try. I don’t think I could have survived the grocery store without this app! There is one for restaurants that was helpful for us, too. These apps allowed me to to feed her a gluten-free diet without being an expert on every food, brand, or ingredient. Thankfully, my girlie is now fine, and gluten is not an issue for her.
Lisa says
Go to http://www.nourishingmeals.com/ The green smoothies here are the BEST! The recipes are terrific, and this is definitely my favorite recipe site!
Naomi says
Hello,
I will pray for your lil one. I have had celiac’s for many years as does my oldest daughter, who is now a very healthy and beautiful 17 year old. I won’t take a lot of your time but wanted to share my grandmother’s recipe with you. I do not give this out often as it is very special to me but my heart was touched by your story and I felt God’s calling to contact you. So this is simple and easy but wonderful for all of us who want to know “what” we are eating. God Bless
Abuelita’s Corn Chips:
Buy a pkg, of corn tortillas
Cut in half, then cut halfs into triangles.
Deep fry using canola oil, corn oil or olive oil (some of my friends use a deeo fryer. Personally I use the least amount of grease possible and use a large frying pan with grease covering bottom)
They fry fast, don’t let them get brown.
Drain on paper towels.
(for fun my llils love Chilitos. we take these chips, place scrambles eggs over top and top with cheese. Melt in oven for a mimute and serve with salsa)
Good luck on your journey!! Naomi
Crystal says
Thank you so much, Naomi!
Amanda F says
It can be challenging when you need to change your family’s diet. I hope all goes well with your adjustments! It is so nice that there really are so many gluten free options now!
Here is my meal plan for the week:
http://thefrugalgreenishmama.com/2012/01/weekly-meal-plan-013012-020512.html
jessica says
Hands Down, Jules Shepherd , of Jules Gluten Free is one of the best resources you can have for a gluten free lifestyle. She also manufactures her own brand of GF flour, a bit pricey but well worth the cost if you don’t have access to the separate ingredients to use to make your own. Also Jules shares a recipe for making her nearly normal GF flour. I used this for everything until we moved and I didn’t have regular access to the list of ingredients, now I watch her daily deals and info passed in news letters for when it is on sale and stock up. we went GF about 3 yrs ago now, and nothing compares to the texture esp. the breadsticks, crescent rolls , battered fish … she is on FB and quite accessible to answer questions, and has youtube videos. It is well worth your time to become familiar with her
Danielle says
Good luck with the gluten-free, but I loved reading all the tips and links! We are not gluten free, but here is our menu for the week:
http://cozycakescottage.com/2012/01/30/our-menu-week-of-january-29-2012/
Jenelle says
I have a son with peanut, gluten, dairy, and soy allergies which mostly shows up as severe eczema. It’s a journey. I post our favorite recipes at http://www.frugalfamilyfeasts.blogspot.com/
Favs include – Pumpkin Pancakes – http://frugalfamilyfeasts.blogspot.com/2010/07/gluten-free-pumpkin-pancakes.html
Zucchini Muffins – http://www.frugalfamilyfeasts.blogspot.com/2011/05/gluten-free-zucchini-muffins.html
Dairy-free Beef Stroganoff – http://www.frugalfamilyfeasts.blogspot.com/2011/04/dairy-free-beef-stroganoff.html
Sesame Garlic Chicken – http://www.frugalfamilyfeasts.blogspot.com/2011/01/sesame-garlic-chicken.html
Pasta – Heartland GF from Walmart or Quinoa pasta from Azure Standard
Bread/Bagels/Pizza Crust – http://www.samisbakery.com/
I hope the your little one finds some relief/help for the issues they are dealing with.
Martha Artyomenko says
I know Crockpot365 has all gluten free recipes and five Dollar Dinner’s also has gluten free recipes!
I hope you get to the bottom of your child’s health issues, but one caution I would say, as I know several people who actually have had had worse health issues from cutting out grains than with them. I have found it is good to look to what your diet lacks sometimes rather than cutting out things, unless you have a firm conclusion for sure that there is a for sure link.
Kellie says
Crockpot365.com is ALL gluten free crock pot recipes!!! Amazing!!
Steph says
I have four children and one of my girls is wheat-egg-dairy-almond-peanut-free. And I read labels on EVERYTHING!! I know you mostly cook from scratch, but there is a great deal at the Kroger chains this week with Vann’s gluten, egg, dairy free waffles and french toast sticks for 1.99 wyb 10. I like to keep these stocked for “emergencies”…like extended family get togethers, etc. I actually think all my kids would be better off if they ate like my sweet allergy girl 😉
Sheri Davis says
Wow! Lots of posts! We are also GFCF+. I have about 65+ GFCF recipes on my blog under GFCF Recipes. If you want them in a “cookbook” type format, you can e-mail me, and I’ll e-mail it to you. I have one recipe per page. These are just a collection of our favorite recipes from several different cookbooks. Good luck!
Sheri
[email protected]
http://allnaturalmomof3.blogspot.com
Ginger M. says
Hello! I am also gluten-free and dairy-free. Feel SO much better now (and so awful when I slip up and eat something with the above), no skin issues, no allergy issues, sleep better.
Toni says
Our breakfasts are mainly cereal, Cocoa Wheats, and/or English muffins. Lunches are PB&J, soups, etc.
Dinner:
Garlic kale soup and whole grain bread
Chicken and dumplings, fresh pineapple
perogies, asian green beans, pumpkin pie
ham and bean soup, whole grain bread
Chicken cream cheese crescent puffs, broccoli
Superbowl family party (finger foods and snacks)
one night out
Denny says
Good for you! My daughter and I are both gluten sensitive and have been off the wretched stuff since last summer. Looking at your menu, you are still consuming a lot of gluten. A little gluten is all it takes to trigger flare-ups. I had to read every book I could get my hands on to educate myself. You will feel like a new person once you rid yourself of the gluten. Blessings!
GWEN says
I started the PALEO DIET in January 2 and have lost 6 lbs already, I can be more happy! I eliminated ALL grains and sugar of my life forever!
Katie says
My husband was diagnosed with cancer this summer and then had some other related infections and issues, so we went Gluten Free AND Vegan. So no gluten, no dairy, no eggs, no meat. Zoinks!! That was a stretch. WE’ve since gone off this diets for practical reasons but intend to go back to it this summer. The biggest thing I learned about GF cooking (which is actually a personal preference) is that GF baking doesn’t work! I’m sure if I had no baked goods for a year the GF stuff would taste great, but going from full fatty-floury-buttery goodness to GF just did nothing for my palate. So I aim for recipes that aren’t “made over”. That is, recipes ehich are gluten free anyway but don’t look obviously so. Like instead of trying to find gluten free pancake recipes, now I make oatmeal in all it’s variations a lot more. Or if we’re in the mood for pancakes, I make something similar – like potato pancakes or veggie fritters. Because the texture isn’t “bread-like” to begin with, using oatflour or almond flour or whatever as a binder doesn’t affect the outcome as much. Good luck on all this; I really hope your kiddo’s health issues clear up!
Katie says
Just remembered – check out “primal” blogs for recipes. The Primal Diet doesn’t allow for grains at all so they get really creative. They also limit sugar and dairy. Some of the recipes don’t appeal to me at all and they tend to be REALLY heavy on the meat, but where they are useful (for me at least) is in the baked goods / desserts / treats area. If you search around you’ll find some neat ideas using coconut flour, almond flour, avocados and bananas.
Catherine H. says
I highly recommend Carolyn Ketchum’s site All Day I Dream About Food (http://www.alldayidreamaboutfood.com). She’s brilliant with alternative flours.
Terri Dawson says
Crystal, check out Glutenfreegirlandthechef.com
It’s the best website that I’ve found for gluten free living. The recipes are incredible and blogging by Shauna is inspirational.
Mary Jo @ Covenant Homemaking says
We’re doing a gluten, wheat, soy, peanut, corn, & egg free elimination diet for my husband for a few weeks to see if it helps at all with his asthma, so I’ve been doing a LOT of experimenting myself the past week.
If you want to look at my menu plan, everything is gluten & dairy free. So far, everything has been good besides the Apple Flax muffins–but I had to do several substitutions since we’re also egg & corn free (and baking powder has corn).
http://www.covenanthomemaking.com/2012/01/menu-plan-january-30-february-5.html
Adding a probiotic might be beneficial as well. I’ve gotten a recommendation for this one as an excellent children’s probiotic: http://www.udoerasmus.com/products/probiotics_super8_en.htm
They also have one for children ages 0-5.
Hope the diet helps your child’s health concerns!
Ramona says
http://www.celiac.com has a list of safe and unsafe ingredients for a gf diet. A lot of people don’t know that anything “malt” is a no-no. I beleive there’s some good recipes on the site too. Locally, I have a gf support group so there may be one in your area. Barbara’s brand makes some good baking mixes but expense-wise, you might be better off with stuff made from scratch. Celiac disease, once diagnosed, or even gluten intolerance is nothing to mess with, they can both have detrimental effects on a person’s health in many ways.
Cara Ivey says
We are on week 3 of our P90X menu, the affordable way! So far it’s been great and easy to stick to! See our plans here:
http://sweetherseykisses.com/2012/01/29/p90x-menu-plan-129-24/
Darlene says
I’ve been following gluten free recipes off and on since mid last year. My favourite substitute for white or whole wheat flour is Almond Flour. It is wonderful and there are so many delicious recipes for almond flour.
Here are some of the recipe sites I’ve been following:
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/2009/02/delicious-gluten-free-bread.html
http://www.dailybitesblog.com/
http://www.elanaspantry.com/almond-flour-recipes/
http://www.glutenfreeforgood.com/blog/sugar-a-good-thing-gone-bad
http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/
http://www.celiacchicks.com/
You may find this site interesting in regards to food allergies
http://www.marksdailyapple.com and this one http://www.paleoplan.com/
Shar says
Check out http://www.GlutenFreeSociety.org for the most comprehensive understanding on what is truly gluten free–ALL grains have gluten. There is a gross misunderstanding on this because of one study done in the 1950’s on just 10 people on rye, wheat and barley only. All the other grains weren’t studied, but everyone has based what they think about gluten on that study since then, until now. Dr. Peter Osborne is teaching health care professionals the real truth about it. It’s life-saving for many. You can order a genetic test that is fool-proof to see if your child is sensitive or intolerant to gluten from the above website. There’s so much help there, recipes too.
Penny says
Just another mention about the oats: some people with Celiac cannot tolerate oats at all, even GF oats. I have Celiac and have been GF for 5 years, and even GF oats cause all of my symptoms to return. I know others who are the same way. To be safe, you really have to avoid all oats until your body is healed and then gradually add GF oats back to see if they can be tolerated. Just FYI. I wish I could eat them!
Diana says
Yep–I read that oats have a protein that is similar to gluten, so if you’re really sensitive (like with Celiac), it could definitely affect you similarly.
Debbie says
I was just about to say this after reading all the comments on GF oats. *any* oats, dairy, legumes can cause the same problems gluten can even if you are not sensitive to those ingredients.
Also, my doctor was very specific in telling me that the effects of gluten last 6 to 8 MONTHS, not weeks.
Jennifer says
My mother-in-law is unable to eat gluten, so I’ve had fun trying out new dessert recipes for her. I’ve ranked them below.
1) Dessert Hummus (I recommend peeling the chickpeas for a smoother consistency.)
http://www.thewannabechef.net/2011/01/11/peanut-butter-chocolate-chip-dessert-hummus/
2) Chocolate Cake/Brownie (Time consuming, but delicious)
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Flourless-Dark-Chocolate-Cake
3) Chocolate Cookies
http://wingitvegan.blogspot.com/2010/08/mutant-flourless-chocolate-cookies-and.html
4) Peanut Butter Cookies (Very simple and easy to prepare)
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/flourless-peanut-butter-cookies/detail.aspx
Julie says
Laura at Heavenly Homemakers has an EXCELLENT coconut flour muffin recipe. It is dairy-free and gulten-free (and absolutely delicious!)
ariella says
thank you for your menu plan! there are links to some great recipes that I have never seen. I really appreciate them. Thanks!
Jessica says
Afewshortcuts.com has lots of gluten free recipes (she has a child who cannot do gluten either). While we’re not gluten free at our house, we have done some of her recipes and they’ve been great.
My favorite menu-meal this week is pulled pork sandwiches in my crockpot. We cook it in root beer and add our own homemade BBQ sauce at the end. It’s amazing. Here is our simple menu for this week: http://www.motheringwithcreativity.com/2012/01/weekly-meal-plan.html
Michelle @ Willing Cook says
Wow! You’ve received tons of great tips and resources here. Is your head spinning? Now I know why I’ve been repinning some of your recipes on pinterest (I follow you :)….that sounds kind of weird.) Anyway, I’ll chime in too. This past Wednesday, myself and 4 other bloggers started an Allergy-Free Wednesdays blog hop. There are so many incredible recipes on there, many of which are gluten-free. I feel very blessed to have so many great recipes shared and stored on my little blog.
http://willingcook.com/allergy-free-wednesdays-january-25-2012/
I would caution you (knowing that you are a frugal person) to steer clear of the pre-packaged gluten-free items (mixes, etc). While they are convenient, they are also pricey!!! You may remember that you published a guest post of mine on here a while back about making my own GF flours with a coffee bean grinder. Well, many months later and more GF cooking under my belt, I’m still using my trusty coffee bean grinder.
Don’t hesitate to let me (and all of us) know if we can help out as you forge your way on this journey!
Blessings!
Michelle
Jen says
Oh, another thing, if you use oats, be sure to buy GF oats. Regular oats off the shelf have been tested and those tests have revealed high gluten levels because of contamination.
Be careful of overdoining the rice too! We eat gluten / dairy free, and rice free too. We also avoid soy when possible.
Don’t forget to pray about the diet too! 😉
Trish @ Finances With Funk says
Wow, so much information from everyone on Gluten Free. We are not and I think The Husband might die if I tried it at our house but I totally appreciated the suggestion of B-12 and magnesium. I have been thinking a lot that I need to start investing in some good vitamins that will help with energy/mood/sound sleeping.
Definitely makes me want to do some more research.
Here is our menu plan http://www.financeswithfunk.com/2012/01/29/our-menu-plan-this-week-2/
Jen says
I have a gluten free blog, and have a post about meal ideas.
For pasta, the best and cheapest GF pasta I have found I got at Big lots for $2.50/lb. It was Miller’s Best corn pasta from Romania (GMO free too!). Amazon.com carries Sam Miller brand of gf corn pasta that appears to be the same. I am waiting for the arrival of my order. From Amazon using the Subscribe and save, I was able to order a case for $1.80/lb. Excellent price!
My advice, buy a bag of Better Batter or Jules first, to use as a replacement in your traditional recipes.
Also, know that gluten sensitivity/Celiac is genetic.
Elizabeth Barbone’s Easy Gluten Free Baking is an excellent starter for replacing recipes. Her Chocolate cake is amazing. 🙂
Mama Moose says
Celiac has a genetic component, but only about 10% of Celiacs have a first-degree relative with it…
Charity says
I also grind rice and gluten free oats in a coffee grinder to make gf flour.
Lisa says
Us too! Only we use a wheat grinder.
Charity says
Just so you know, and I’ve found this out the hard way!, it takes at LEAST 6 weeks for all the gluten and dairy to get out of your system. 3 of our kids are gluten free, and one of them is also dairy free, making our whole family gluten and dairy free. 🙂
A great blog is glutenfreeonashoestring.com
The cookbook that I regularly use is the Kid-Friendly Food Allergy Cookbook. The recipes in it can be made any allergen free that you need it to be.
Ruth says
i love http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/. It’s all crock pot fare that happens to be GF… pretty much everything I have tried has been delicious…
Robyn says
Gluten Free Website
http://thatfamilywiththecats.blogspot.com/
Jeff Crews says
One of my friends can only eat gluten free stuff. Do you have any tips for gluten free athletes? I have read some information but didn’t know if you had any tips.
Andrea says
Have you researched the paleo diet?
Jeff Crews says
I have been in contact with many trainers that promote the Paleo Diet. Never really have looked into it though. Any quick thoughts?
Jamie says
Check out Paleo for sure: Robb Wolf is a name to Google. It is all about the diet of a GF athlete.
Jeff Crews says
I actually have been in contact with Robb Wolf for the website I am manager over (WeightTraining.com). I am going to have to have him write a blog post specifically on this subject.
Jenn says
We’re gluten, egg and dairy free at our house, plus we avoid soy. Here’s how I’ve modified your own Pumpkin muffin recipe:
5 T ground flax and 12 T water
1.5 cups sugar
3/4 cup non dairy milk
3/4 cup oil
1 can pureed pumpkin
1 tsp gluten free vanilla
3 cups gf flour blend (I use King Arthur but any rice blend will work)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice blend
1 cup mini chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand is gluten, dairy and soy free)
Mix flax, water, sugar, pumpkin, milk, oil and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Add in dry ingredients and mix well. The batter will be wetter than you’re used to. Fold in chocolate chips. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 16-20 minutes. Makes 24-30 muffins. Save out enough to last you a couple days and freeze the rest.
Andrea says
This looks great! Thanks!
Ceridwen says
http://www.elanaspantry.com
Excellent gluten free website.
tarena says
http://www.wellfedhomestead.com
you’ll love it!
Carol D. says
My husband and I are eating gluten-free (I was diagnosed with celiac disease about 2 years ago), and the family has had to adapt as well. After all, if I’m cooking, I’m cooking for everyone! 🙂 A site I love is adventuresofaglutenfreemom.com. She has a post that’s exclusively aimed at creating kid-friendly gluten-free food. She even has a how-to-make-GF-goldfish-crackers tutorial! Plus, there’s lots of information. Prayers for you and your family. It’s hard to have most everything you’ve learned about nutrition turned upside down!
Mariposa says
Here is my gluten-free, SLOW COOKER CHICKEN TACOS recipe. Our whole family loves it (even the kids!) and it freezes wonderfully so I always make at least a double batch.
http://www.thecleverclipper.com/2012/01/17/slow-cooker-chicken-tacos/
You can also find it on Pinterest here – http://pinterest.com/pin/64246732153954251/
KimH says
Wow, Im going to have to bookmark this page so I can check out all these links! Thanks everyone for sharing them.
If you’d like to read a really awesome book on how & what glutens do to our bodies, check out “Life Without Bread” by Allen & Lutz http://www.amazon.com/Life-Without-Bread-Low-Carbohydrate-Diet/dp/0658001701 Excellent read.
I’ve been mostly gluten free for about 8 years now.. I go thru phases where it sneaks back into my diet, or I just really need that cupcake or piece of cake, & the problems start again.. And its getting worse as I get older.
Flour is in everything just about that man has touched & processed. Many cheeses have it in them, and so do most frozen foods.
Its easy to stay away from glutenous foods if you eat single ingredient foods. Then you know to stay away from wheat, rye, & barley.
You have to keep on your toes though.. I ‘ve seen recipes “out there” that say they’re gluten free, but then turn around & use vital wheat gluten in their “bread mixes”.. makes me crazy when I see that. 😉
I like Bobs Red Mill products and my boss found either Duncan Heinz or Betty Crocker Gluten free cake mixes and made me a birthday cake with it last year. ♥ It was really good too. I never looked for them cuz I just dont normally eat that sort of thing anymore..
I’d steer clear of any soy blends for breads or cakes.. YUK!
nellbe says
I am gluten free myself so I have many GF recipes. Also I adore Gluten Free on a Shoestring, Stephanie O’Dea and Organizing Junkie http://orgjunkie.com/ – she does a Menu Plan Monday with a link up and many gluten free people link up to this so a huge range of blogs to check out.
B@Becoming A Housewife says
Hopefully the diet leads you to some answers! We had to do the same thing a few years ago because of problems my daughter was having. It turned out that since she was a preemie her stomach was just still too underdeveloped to consume dairy like a regular toddler would. Thankfully she mostly grew out of it by the time she was about 2. Good luck with everything and prayers for your child!
StephF says
We are also recently gluten-free. I see you’ve already found Chocolate Covered Katie. We recently found http://www.glutenfreefix.com. It looks to have some great healthy, but yummy options. 🙂
Vicky says
Good luck with your menus! Going GF can be challenging. We are in the process of cutting out ALL grains right now. There are tons of fabulous websites dedicated to the Paleo Diet, where you will find many fabulous recipes for adding more fruits and vegetables (mainly vegetables) to the family table.
V icky says
If you are going gluten free I might add, to read all labels and omit all wheat, oats, barley and rye and their sub grains. These are NOT all GF on your list for your weekly menu – Granola Bars, Oatmeal, Macaroni and cheese(dairy), Tater tots (coated with wheat), Lunch with neighbor and Dinner out 2x does not guarantee gluten free foods. If the kids feel better on the wheat and dairy free diet. If you decide to go back on the old diet and they feel bad again. Then you know it’s better to keep them GF and DF.
Brooke says
Great comment – and remember that anything with modified food starch or food starch (unless it specifies corn), more than likely contains gluten (think, distilled vinegar, soy sauce, some marshmallows, etc.) They sneak it into everything.
Debrah says
Soy sauce naturally contains gluten. It’s made from fermented wheat and soybeans. Try tamarind sauce instead.
Mama Moose says
The devil is in the details, that is for sure. “Modified Food Starch” are my three least favorite words in the English Language. 🙂
Frugal Jen | Frugal, Freebies and Deals says
We do gluten, corn and dairy free- so all the recipes that I do on my site are gluten free- http://www.frugalfreebiesanddeals.com/category/recipes (there are a few referral psots to other sites that are not)
Two of my other FAVORITE sites are http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/ and http://www.elanaspantry.com/
jen
Publix Coupon Queen says
I know http://afewshortcuts.com/ blogs gluten free recipes! =)
[email protected] says
I agree with Janelle–eating natural foods like meat, fruit and veggies is the cheapest way to eat gluten free. My daughter has been gluten free for 3 years now and we have been able to keep our weekly budget at $100 for six by using that principle.
We do have certain “gluten free” products we buy like Udi’s Gluten Free bread and bagels on occasion, but we make most of our own from scratch.
Here’s a link to my recipes: http://thepeacefulmom.com/recipes/
Here is our Simple Gluten Free Weekly Menu for this week: http://thepeacefulmom.com/2012/01/30/simple-gluten-free-weekly-menu-13012/
I hope your child feels better soon!
Kimberlee
amy says
Thank you for making the time to post your menu and the link ups. They give me so many great ideas and I missed them while you were busy with your book. I appreciate all you do. Thank you!
Carollynn says
I hope you will post how your Black Bean Brownies turn out. I made some a few months ago and they went directly into the trash can. YUCK! No body, not even my “he eats everything” husband thought they were good. I hope you have better luck. If so, I’ll try again with the recipe you’re using!
Kristen says
I tried some too a few months ago…didn’t like them till I topped them with plenty of chocolate fudge….which might negate the whole purpose of making “healthy” brownies…but they tasted better, lol!
Julie@teachinggoodeaters says
Good luck with the gluten free. I have been gluten free at various times in my life and am somewhat gluten free at the moment due to gestational diabetes (it seems like wheat just really sends my sugar soaring!)
One of my favorite finds has been almond flour. I found a recipe for pancakes with almond flour at “Real Kids Eat Spinach.” When I eat these I don’t feel deprived at all… they are truly amazing. (And you can sub “real milk” for the coconut milk- though they are more watery so I would use less- I also add the coconut oil to the dry ingredients instead of the wet because it seems to make the other ingredients curdle.)
http://www.realkidseatspinach.com/fluffy-pancakes/
You should also check out http://www.wholenewmom.com
and for deserts- http://www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com (the cookie dough dip made from chickpeas is amazing!!)
I have some gluten free recipes (ideas) in my list this week:
Have you ever tried spaghetti squash? That’s what I’m having in place of pasta tonight…
I have a link to a sweet potato chili from chocolatecoveredkatie which looks amazing, also a link for sweet potato black bean tacos from which is from GoodLifeEats (Can you tell it’s sweet potato week?!) I also will be posting my favorite soup (stuffed green pepper soup)
http://teachinggoodeaters.blogspot.com/2012/01/this-weeks-meal-plan-january-30-week-of.html
Also, I would recommend a recipe I just made last night for lemon/basalmic chicken with onions, mushrooms, and baby corn— It is soooo good (and you could sub cornstarch for the little bit of flour which is used for thickening.)
http://teachinggoodeaters.blogspot.com/2011/11/balsamic-chicken-aka-chicken-with-worms.html
Jamie says
Julie,
I just learned yesterday that wheat products actually have a higher glycemic index than actual sugar! Who knew?!? I am listening to Wheat Belly by Dr. William Davis. Great book, I am learning a lot!
Jamie
Julie@teachinggoodeaters says
I always eat whole wheat, so I thought I’d be ok, but not so! It sounds like an interesting book, thanks for the recommendation.
Christine says
My family went gluten free for 3 months last year to see if it would help my husband. Here are a few sites I love:
http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/
http://www.elanaspantry.com/
http://www.thespunkycoconut.com/
http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/
I actually feel better gluten and grain free so I still use these sites. Hope they help!
Jamie says
I was just getting ready to post that Elanaspantry.com is my FAVORITE gluten free site-LOTS of yummy cakes, cookies, desserts. I have tried many of her recipes and they all turn out great. She uses some different ingredients like grapeseed oil and agave nectar but I substitute honey and other oils (after I ran out of grapeseed) and the recipes still turn out great!
robyn says
Love Love Love elanaspantry.com and thespunkycoconut.com.
had to go gluten free two years ago and although i felt a bit better, have since gone grain free. these are two of my favorite sites!
crystal says
best gluten free cinnamon rolls ever! I made these Christmas morning and even the pickiest gluten eater loved them!
http://deliciousglutenfreebaking.blogspot.com/2011/03/gf-cinnamon-rolls.html
My favorite cookbook is Gluten Free on a Shoestring, we’ve loved every recipe we’ve tried and tastes just like the gluten versions. It has saved us money also! I also LOVE her blog: http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/
my boys love the vanilla wafers, my husband loves these also because he missed banana pudding.
Holly says
Thank you everyone for the resources. I just went gluten/wheat/dairy/nut-free three weeks ago, after testing revealed food allergies. I’ve felt terrible for two years, and I feel SO MUCH better now! Best wishes!
Kelli @ Holistic Sisters says
My sister and I have a blog, and all of the recipes that are currently on there are gluten free due to a wheat allergy in my family. Here is a link to the recipes… http://www.holistic-sisters.com/p/recipes.html
Kaylee says
We are excited about making fun treats for the Super Bowl and a few birthdays we have this week:
http://couponingncooking.blogspot.com/2012/01/monday-meal-plan-130.html
august says
Oh! A good recipe to try, (I’m not sure about the wheat aspect) is Lizzie’s Granola. It’s from Disney chanel. It’s SO good. You can eat it as a bar, or cereal. I love it. I keep it in a baggie in the cabinet so I can eat it as cereal in the mornings.
Lizzie’s Granola
4 Cups rolled oats, Pinch of Salt, 2 Cups unsweetened Coconut, 4 oz Honey (more to taste), 1-2 cups Cashews, 1-2 cups Almonds, 1 t Cinnamon, & ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil. Flatten out on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 30 min/until golden
stacey @ www.gettingthroughtheday.com says
Here’s our menu for the week. Mostly from the freezer, which I love!
http://www.gettingthroughtheday.com/2012/01/staceys-menu-plan-monday-130.html
Jennifer says
I make a gluten-free sausage/apple/sweet potato bake. Basically layer sweet potatoes, then apples, then browned ground sausage (or beef could work). Mix up 1/2 water with 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 teaspoon water and pour it over. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour at 350. Delicious!
Heather says
Do you cut up the sweet potatoes – about how many do you use?? This sounds delicious – we don’t eat sausage but could try it wth browned beef.
Jennifer says
Oops, sorry! You peel and slice both the apples and sweet potatoes, although last time I made it I peeled and diced and that worked well too.
Kathye Shuman says
I have a very picky eating gluten free/dairy free daughter. She says to tell you not all gluten free pasta’s are created equal. We buy Tinkyada brand pasta. It’s not mushy. It is available at Wal-Mart, but if you buy in bulk, buy from Amazon. For mac and cheese: make a cheese sauce using the recipe from http://www.argostarch.com and use lactose free milk, extra sharp cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese (she also uses provalone, which doesn’t bother her, but might bother others with lactose intolerance) and use Tinkyada elbows. She made it and everyone in the family said it was better than what I had been making before.
She also says that Udi’s bread is better than Rudi’s bread, but the best is a bread from Earthfare Market. (and never buy bread with tapioca flour). If you have a salvage grocery store nearby, check there for gluten free foods. We have Amazing Savings here in Asheville.
august says
I keep seeing that black bean & taco bake. This is probably a silly question, but is it good? I love Taco Soup, are they similar (minus the whole soup thing)?
Heather says
After seeing Crystal post it a few times, I had to try it last week. We found it pretty tasty and my family wants me to make it again. 🙂
Lori Trenary says
My family operates a dedicated gluten free bakery.
We don’t use rice in our products, so they taste better!
Check out our website: http://www.gflife.com
We are offering a 10% discount during the month of February on all online orders!
Check out our coupon code on our Facebook page!
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Gluten-Free-Life/133042083415140
Coming soon, so check back after the first of the month.
Crystal, if you would like to try our products, email me and we can send you some free samples!
Beth says
I so appreciate you lists of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. It is soooo very helpful.
Thank you!
Grace says
Prayers for you and your family. It is so hard working around allergies and trying to find the problem. 3 of my 4 children have allergies…….and they all have different ones! (We have wheat, corn, eggs, beans just to name a few.) The good news is now there is alot of information available; there wasn’t 16 years ago when we started. Enjoy learning to eat and cook with new/different things. 🙂
Emily @ Our Frugal Happy Life says
I post my menu plan every week and I am gluten free, while my husband is not. Generally speaking, our meals are GF and he adds bread if he wants it. He also still eats wheat pasta b/c he doesn’t care for rice pasta.
http://ourfrugalhappylife.blogspot.com/search/label/Menu%20Plan
This week, we are having Parmesan Garlic Chicken (breaded with GF bread crumbs), homemade Spanish Rice with hamburger, Baked Chicken Taquitos (use corn tortillas for GF), and tacos (we each use our own respective tortillas!).
http://ourfrugalhappylife.blogspot.com/2012/01/menu-plan-129-parmesan-garlic-chicken.html
I have a lot of GF recipes that we love – I’d be happy to send you a list in an email if you want; just let me know!
Sarabell says
There were so many comments I didn’t want to read through all of them to make sure what I’m about to say hasn’t been said… so sorry if this is a repeat!
Just an FYI, most granola bars and oatmeals are NOT gluten free unless specified on the package. The main reason is cross-contamination, because of the way wheat and oats are harvested, so this isn’t a big deal if you aren’t worried about x-contamination. I just wanted to let you know though, just to be on the safe side!
I don’t have Celiac Disease, but quitting gluten cleared up a few health issues I had going on, plus two fairly major food allergies. I hope y’all get great results from this!
Katie says
My blogging friend, Heather, at Marine Corps Nomad posts the most awesome gluten-free recipes. Her blog would be a wonderful resource I think!!!
Check her blog out here:
http://marinecorpsnomads.com/
Just click on the “Gluten-Free” tab at the top.
Will be praying for your little one!
Blessings,
Katie
Jen @ Dear Mommy Brain says
I’ve been trying a GF diet since the beginning of January, and it isn’t nearly as hard as I thought it would be. Some of my favorite meals have been chicken enchiladas (with corn tortillas), mongolian beef, and shepherds pie. I also made a GF broccoli rice casserole (from scratch) the other night and it was pretty good.
I will say I’m bored with the same breakfasts and snacks. Sadly, I really haven’t noticed much of an improvement, so I might be going back in the not too distant future.
But good luck and I hope it helps!
Kristen says
Hi! just thought I’d chime in. Gluten can take 2-3 months to completely clear your system, so it can take that long to feel better off of it! I tried gluten free earlier this year for a month and it didn’t help, I have been gluten free again for 4 months now and I’ve noticed a big difference in my migraines. The chiropractor I’m seeing for all this insisted I try GF again, cause I only did a month last time! Try to keep at it for another month or two just so you know once and for all! Stinks to have to do it again! 🙂
Andrea Q says
Kristen’s comment is similar to the one I was going to make. Three weeks isn’t enough time for dairy to completely clear your system, though you might notice some improvements. It sounds like it takes the body even longer to shed gluten.
Carolynn @ mylittlebitoflife.com says
If you need any more ideas, let me know, I can ask my aunt! Hopefully you find something that helps!
Here is our menu: http://mylittlebitoflife.com/?p=2990
Tracy Dixon says
Did you make sure to use specially marked GF oatmeal? Just wanted to make sure, as any regular oatmeal typically contains quite a bit of gluten because it is grown with wheat and harvested on the same machines.
Michelle @ Simplify, Live, Love says
We’re not gluten or dairy free…but I’ve been reading lately about soaking/fermenting/sprouting grains to make them more nutritious. I’m not sure I’m going to go down that path, but the cookbook I’m reading right now is Nourishing Traditions. I currently grind all of my own flour.
Our menu is here: http://www.simplifylivelove.com/2012/01/weekly-menu-freezer-cooking-plan-130.html
One recipe I’m making in bulk and adding to my freezer stash is Eggy Breakfast Muffins (not gluten free). They are soo good. And heat very nicely. The recipe is here: http://www.simplifylivelove.com/2012/01/weekly-menu-freezer-cooking-plan-130.html
SARAH says
Be sure to check the ingredients in your tater tots. It seems silly, but some actually have gluten in them! Thanks for the great recipe links!!!
~Sarah
Crystal says
Thanks so much! I’ve been reading ingredients in everything, just to be safe!
SARAH says
You are most welcome! And I love the grain free brownies! They are so yummy! Just be sure to blend them up enough, otherwise they are not so good…
Katie says
Thanks for posting! My husband is considering going gluten free because of some symptoms that have persisted for the last few years and his inability to gain weight. (I wish I had that problem) Let us know how your week goes and if symptoms seem to subside. Will definitely try a few of these recipes out this week!
Erin @ My Mommy World says
I’m so sorry that one of your kiddos isn’t feeling well 🙁 Hopefully you can find out the cause very soon!
This is the menu I came up with this week…
http://www.mymommyworld.com/2012/01/menu-plan-monday-january-30
Jackie Patterson says
I recently found imhungrymommy.blogspot.com that has several yummy gluten free recipes that look yummy!
Keila says
Actually, just finished posting my menu for the week. Here is the link!
http://ridiculously-delicious.blogspot.com/2012/01/what-we-have-cooking-up-this-week.html
Black Bean Brownies…those sound delicious! Love your recipes!
Jessica says
Here’s my menu:
http://jandjnewleaf.blogspot.com/2012/01/whats-for-eats-this-week_29.html
Jaime says
I know quite a few people that are completely gluten free, and oats is something they have to completely because often oats are grown near wheat, and thus are dependably gluten free. I don’t know how strict you are trying to be, but thought I’d throw that out there. 🙂
Jaime says
*completely avoid
Mama Moose says
I agree… at least for now.
KimH says
I think what you mean is that oats are often processed in the same facility that processes wheat and therefore can be cross contaminated with gluten in that way.
There are oats out there that have been processed in a gluten free facility. I dont know which ones specifically, but perhaps someone else will.
Kristen says
The only brand I have found at my local stores is Bob’s Red Mill….they specifically say “Gluten-free” across the top in a big purple banner. 🙂 I like their steel cut oats.
Brooke says
I’d be very, very careful with this as well, if you or anyone you know has Celiac and is REALLY trying to cut out all gluten. Oats are NOT gluten-free unless they are very specially processed (read, expensive). If you aren’t paying a fortune for gluten-free oats, they aren’t gluten-free. Our family members with Celiac do not ever eat oats, or they pay the price.
Cassie says
Yum!
We are having:
-Baked buffalo chicken strips w/homemade blue cheese (made with greek yogurt)
-Light Chicken pot pie
-southewest salad!
My recipes and full menu are here: http://www.lcvalleymom.com/2012/01/this-weeks-menu_25.html
Janelle (Gluten Freely Frugal) says
Crystal, for being so new at this, your menu plan looks awesome! Here are a few quick and easy ideas for you:
For Dinner: http://www.glutenfreelyfrugal.com/category/recipes/meats/hamburger-and-vegetable-crockpot-stew/
For Breakfast:
http://www.glutenfreelyfrugal.com/2011/10/16/favorite-gluten-free-pancakeswaffles/
Try it with the apple juice – it’s great!
If you need any help, seriously feel free to email me. Maybe I can help! My best tip: Naturally gluten free is the cheapest, most nutritious way to go. Your kiddos will be in my prayers….I know how it feels when they’re sick and you’re not sure how to make it better!
Courtney says
After eating GF for the past several years, here are my recommendations for our favorite GF products.
Best bread mix – Pamela’s (I make 2-3 loaves/week in my bread machine).
Best cake/brownie mixes – also Pamela’s (we cannot tell the difference between these & “regular” cakes & brownies).
Best pizza crust mix – Bob’s Red Mill.
Best pancake mix – Bisquick (also makes great dumplings).
All of these products go on sale frequently on Amazon, so it’s easy to lock them in on Subscribe and Save when they’re at their lowest prices.
Sara@Save Money, Live Joyfully says
I’m not able to tolerate dairy when I’m pregnant, so here is our simple dairy-free menu. I made Fresh Fruit Smoothies last night using Coconut Milk and Almond Milk Ice Cream in place of the dairy, and they were fabulous!!!
http://www.savemoneylivejoyfully.com/2012/01/weekly-menu-january-29-february-4-2012.html
I have some family members who are celiac, so I try to post gluten free recipes, or ways to make our favorite recipes gluten free. There are so many wonderful gluten free options out there right now, a GF diet is not nearly as limiting as it used to be!
Lorena @ successfully saving says
Crystal, you might want to try The Gluten-Free Homemaker (http://glutenfreehomemaker.com/) or http://threeboysandglutenfree.com/.
We’re having several chicken dishes as well as turkey meatloaf and Swedish meatballs (also made with ground turkey).
Natalie says
You should check out Gina at http://www.moneywisemoms.com. She eats gluten-free and often posts recipes on her website! I really enjoy her blog.
Jen says
I was diagnosed with celiac over 3 years ago now. I used Tom Sawyer’s (at Whole Foods) or Better Batter’s (betterbatter.org) all-purpose cup-for-cup flour substitutes in my baking. I have a ton of GF recipes that are amazing. I’m not sure if you’re looking for anything specific, but if you are, I’d be happy to post anything I may have in the category you’re looking for. If you enjoy Crock-pot cooking, Stephanie O’Dea has a wonderful blog: http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
I started eating Paleo in November, and I highly advocate that people go grain-free in addition to dairy-free. I have lost a lot of weight, have more energy, and have seen my skin clear up. I was told today that I looked “glowing”, and I’ve been regularly breaking out since puberty hit at 10! As a previous poster recommended, Mark’s Daily Apple is a great source of information. You may want to read some of his posts on grains. We all have to make our own health choices, but since most of the grains available in this country are GMO, it’s my choice to steer clear. Good luck with your little one! 🙂
Jamie says
Yes, I’ll second this! I went Paleo in October and have lost weight, lost my sinus problems, and have more energy!
ksenia says
Quinoa is a wonderful gluten-free substitute for rice. Buckwheat flour (and quinoa flour) is also an awesome gluten-free option in pancakes and baked goods. Good luck!
Mama Moose says
I second Quinoa, and if you grind it yourself you can be pretty sure it is actually GF!
Melissa says
We’re gluten free.
Breakfasts:
Fried Rice (Made with eggs instead of meat)
Eggs/grits
oatmeal
eggs/toast
baked oatmeal
buckwheat pancakes
Suppers:
Rice and potatoes are good inexpensive carbs
Trader Joes has the best price (and good quality) rice pasta
You eat a lot of mexican, and it is easy to use corn tortillas, and corn chips and rice for mexican.
Blogs:
A Whole New Mom (gf and frugal ideas)
There are so many more, but she is my newest favorite.
Jacqueline Snell says
glutenfreeonashoestring.com delicious gluten free! She cooks that way for her entire family. I love her blog
Emily @ Our Frugal Happy Life says
That’s my top recommendation, too! I love her cookbook and blog!! 🙂
Carrie says
I JUST posted about how going on a vegetable oil-free diet for one of my children caused the other to lose weight–and not in a good way. You can take a look at what our family’s doing to cope with both of our children’s food issues!
http://www.livingproverbs31.com/?p=452
Heather @ Work At Home Market says
One of the best gluten free meals I’ve had lately, was a cauliflower crust pizza. My husband devoured it and has asked me to make it again! I loved it and couldn’t believe how “crust” like the cauliflower was!
Here’s a link if you are interested! http://pinterest.com/pin/19210735880135404/ I added Italian herbs to the crust to give it more flavor.
Jen @ Dear Mommy Brain says
Ooh, I tried that recipe and thought the flavor was dead on, but the texture was really gross. Like a pancake with pizza sauce and cheese.
Heather @ Work At Home Market says
The texture was def different. I thought it tasted better when I cooked the crust a bit longer…so it was more “crunchy”, not sure if that makes since… 😉
Katie says
I made 2 at a time the last time and I discovered that the crust that cooked on the bottom rack had a MUCH better and crunchier texture than the one cooked on the top. I’ll be doing all of mine on the bottom rack for the initial cooking and then moving it up to broil and melt the cheese.
Melissa says
We are already dairy free and soy free, but I am considering experimenting with going gluten free to see if that helps my chronic tiredness. I don’t know if gluten is a problem, but it doesn’t hurt to remove it for awhile.
I hope you find the source of the problems for your little one.
Here is our menu for the week:
http://www.momsplans.com/2012/01/menu-planning-january-29-2012/
Sara@Save Money, Live Joyfully says
I thought I was suffering from chronic fatigue last year, and it turned out I was deficient in vitamin B12 and magnesium. I started taking supplements and felt great! (Until I got pregnant again, at which point chronic fatigue is a constant 😉 )
Darlene says
B12 and Magnesium are great vitamins. Consider adding in Vitamin D Drops as well.
Sara@Save Money, Live Joyfully says
We live in CA, no shortage of vitamin D here…we spent all day outside in the 80 degree weather yesterday 😉
LA says
Even people in sunny climates can suffer from a Vit D deficiency, though not in as high of a rate as in Northern climates. A simple blood test can rule it out.
KimH says
I was sick & tired & tired & sick, and joints ached for years until I went on the Atkins diet about 8 or so years ago. Within a week of keeping all glutens & sugar out of my diet 100% I was a different person.. I was gluten free and felt like a million bucks for about 6 months until I tried the then brand new low carb wraps from Subway.. The next day I hurt so bad and gained about 5# of water weight..I felt horrible.
I thought maybe it was a fluke and tried it again in a month or so and again, the next day.. the fire was alive in my body and I was convinced.
I’d been to an endocrinologist & he told me that even though my tests came back negative for celiac spru, he said that I was highly sensitive, which is just a degree from being truly allergic.
As long as I stay off glutens, I feel human.. when I let them creep back in my diet here & there on the odd occasion, thats when I start feeling horrible again.
Hope this works for you too!!
Lea Stormhammer says
Can I second the B-12? Taking a daily suppliment has really helped with my fatigue. My doctor told me that any time your immune system has been working hard, there is a good chance that your vitamin B-12 can be low. Especially in areas with lower sunlight in the winter (I live in MN). This will in turn lead to things like fatigue, “brain fog”, etc.
Good luck!
Lea
Wendi says
I had been feeling low on energy for quite some time and attributed it to running after 3 kids all day. About a week ago, I started eating chia seeds, two or three tablespoons with breakfast, and one or two tablespoons with lunch. I am a new person! I have so much energy, I could give it away. I’m getting 10 times more done in the day. My husband and my mom started them and they feel the same energy effect. In addition, I’m so happy (chia seeds are loaded with Omega 3 fatty acids), and more focused. I had never heard of chia seeds before, but a little research told me they are an amazing sorce of fiber, calcium, protein, vitamins and minerals. I’ve even been baking with chia seeds—they substitute half of the fat in recipes. Amazon has the best prices for chia seeds. I’m so happy with this change in my life that I want to sing it’s praises to everyone.
Challice says
3 ladies in our town have gone not just GF but grain free and have had so much more energy. I personally have not done it…yet but I do want to try.
Katie says
I have felt horribly tired and fuzzy headed for at least a year. I also felt like I needed to crash and sleep every day around 1-2 pm. I began drinking green smoothies a few months ago and cannot believe how alert and focused I feel…and no more fuzzy headed, sleepy feeling! I must have been deficient in some vitamins!
I use a different recipe than the one Crystal mentioned. Mine has only fruits and veggies. I use 1/2 c. frozen blueberries, 3/4 c. carrot juice (you can sweeten it by adding grape juice instead), 1/2 avacado (or banana), and two large handfuls of spinach. I drink it for breakfast everyday and feel amazing!
Melissa says
Thanks for all of the suggestions, ladies! I plan to start taking my vitamins again and experimenting with diet.
Cassie says
Thank you so much for always sharing your recipes! We are trying a few new things this week:
Baked buffalo chicken strips with blue cheese (made with greek yogurt)
Light Chicken Pot Pie
Southwest Salad
My Menu and recipes are here: http://www.lcvalleymom.com/2012/01/this-weeks-menu_25.html
Jennifer Van Dahm-What's Cookin' Recipes says
CROCK POT ROOT BEER DRUMSTICKS! One word…Incredible. http://www.jennifervandahm.com/2012/01/crock-pot-root-beer-bbq-drumsticks.html
Anne @ Modern Mrs Darcy says
Good luck with your gluten-free adventure! We’ve done the same thing at my house recently. All my kids had dairy allergies when they were young, but then we thought they’d outgrown them. But then two of our kids started having health issues and we finally traced it back to the dairy, so now we’re back to gluten-free and dairy free.
Marks Daily Apple and Wellness Mama are my favorite sites for gluten free (and largely dairy free) recipes and inspiration.
Jamie says
I was just logging on to recommend Wellness Mama too, as well as EverydayPaleo.com and thefoodieandthefamily.com. We recently started a GF and DF diet this fall (because mama wanted to loose the baby weight) and we have had the wonderful surprise of loosing some of our health issues as well. My sinus problems are gone and we have learned that my daughter has a gluten sensitivity (lots of tummy aches with gluten exposure). The Paleo and Primal community are all GF and there are tons of blogs with recipes that will fit what you are doing, Crystal. Good Luck!
Oh, just finished your book last night! It was great! Thanks so much for writing it!
Jamie
Marie says
Crystal- Elisabeth Hasselbeck has a cookbook called the G-Free Diet. She was on Rachael Ray last week and made these amazing blueberry waffles!! You can go to Rachael Ray’s website to print the recipe. I’m not gluten free and really wanted to try these because they look that amazing!
Stephanie says
Elizabeth did a bunch of her reciepes on an episode of The View so you might be able to see some of them on thier website too.
Challice says
This is the best book I have found so far in my research with GF. I married a GF man, had 2 kids that ended up needing to be GF as well. Its a interesting journey.
crockpot365 is GF and has amazing recipes. 😀
Cheryl says
I was wondering if you where using American Oats? If you are trying to truly be gluten-free, you cannot use American Oats because of cross contamination. My mom has to live gluten-free and has found oats from Scotland to be the best. I just wanted to pass that on to you.
Crystal says
We’re using gluten-free oats that I got from Vitacost.
Mama Moose says
I have to say that while you are experimenting, it is probably not worth taking the risk of “gluten-free” packaged foods. There is such a risk of cross-contamination, and even things labeled “GF” in the US can have a certain amount of gluten in them. I’d hate to have you go through all that work to end up with the wrong answer because of cross-contamination. Even those of us who have been doing it for years get caught sometimes!
jessica says
u can have gluten free (GF) oats in the US if the field hasn’t been used to grow wheat before. the common misconception is that oats are gluten free…. in and of themselves they are, but unless the oats are grown in a field that hasn’t had any wheat planted you run the risk of cross contamination- depending on what your sensitivity is (celiac, allergy etc) it’s not worth the risk. However, there are at least a handful of trustworthy reliable sources of GF oats here in the US.
Living So Abundantly says
I have substituted white rice flour successfully in pumpkin bread and muffins. The end result is not the same texture as wheat flour, but my hubby and I loved it. Best wishes for recipe finds!