it’s about time i wrote my gluten-free post - listing gluten-free blogs (most are vegan and some of veggie (with recipes that are easy enough to veganize)), a few products i really enjoy, a tip or two, a few links, and i'm gonna share my story (for those of you who aren't familiar with it). ready?! set?! gluten-freeeeeeee!!
i don’t have celiac disease, but i do have a gluten intolerance that for a majority of my life was causing me to suffer from IBS. ever since i could remember i’d had IBS, it wasn’t fun having to use the restroom 10+ times a day (sorry if this is getting a little too personal for some of ya – you can totally skip this part.). in the summer of 2009 i decided to try a cleanse because i was feeling really crappy, eating a lot of not-so-good-for-me eats (hence feeling crappy), and was going bonkers with sugar consumption (we’re talking full on binges with sweets). i started the
Adventure Cleanse Tune-Up (ACT) that
june (no animal products (already had that part down), no sugar, no gluten, no coffee, no alcohol, etc. and it focused on consuming lots of veggies and raw eats) and within 3 days my IBS completely disappeared. i wasn’t sure if it was the sugar or gluten – or maybe all the awesome veggies and mostly raw meals that were helping, but when the cleanse ended i introduced everything back in (obviously staying vegan) except for the gluten, ‘cause i had a sneaking suspicion it was the culprit. sure enough it was. i’ve never visited a physician to have any tests done, but a few months after the cleanse i did a little experiment and ate a few slices ‘o wheat bread and ooooooh, boy – hello my not-so-good friend IBS. that confirmed gluten was causing my IBS and i decided to cut it out of my life for good.
honestly, some days being gluten-free is pretty tough – and i've gotta hand it to
kittee 'cause
she said it best, “it can be emotionally challenging to be gluten-free as a vegan.” fo ‘sho. i used to strike out a lot being vegan (and i am sure you all do as well sometimes. while i am thankful that rva has some pretty swell vegan options, we’re no pdx or nyc) and going out to eat with friends, well - now it’s even tougher. did i mention my baking world has been turned upside-down and given a good shake? potlucks and holidays are even more challenging, and there are definitely days when i just want to be able to head to a bakery and pick something out that i can enjoy or have an entree instead of another croutonless salad at a restaurant. i can’t even imagine how much more frustrating and limiting it is for people with celiac disease, those gluten-free soy-free vegans, corn-free gluten-free soy-free peeps, and everyone else in between. it’s gotta be tough sometimes. but all is not sadfaced (i promise) though and i’m slowly learning my way around baked goods (while my list of epic fails still outweighs my successes – i am hopeful and continue to try and try again and not cry about feeding my failures to the squirrels) and there are more and more gluten-free options popping up everywhere. it’s getting to be soooooo much easier - and i've gotta keep in mind that while food is tied to a lot of tradition, emotions, and memories for me - it's just food - and there's a lot more i can enjoy outta life. :)
check it out……-
gluten-free on the post punk kitchen forums:
PPK Gluten Free Boards!
-
great gluten-free blogs & blogs with many gluten-free recipes (and if i’m missing any, PLEASE let me know and i’ll totally add them to the list):
*
affairs of living*
bitt of raw*
book of yum*
cake maker to the stars*
cupcake kitteh*
diet dessert ‘n dogs*
gluten free goddess*
gluten free soy free vegan *
gluten free vegan munchies*
i am gluten free*
in the mood for noodles*
in my box*
manifest vegan*
mitten matchen*
veg-am*
wheatless and meatless- a few gluten-free yummies we enjoy (dan’s the best & eats all the gluten-free foods i make & loves these products as well.):
*
tinkyada brown rice pastas*
mary’s gone crackers & other yummies*
enjoy life's gluten, soy & nut-free chocolate chips*
envirokidz cereals (i believe most, if not all of them, are vegan.)
*
bob’s red mill gluten-free flours & gluten-free oats, and TSP*
dr.lucy’s cookies*
liz lovely’s gluten-free cookies (the fudgy chocolate & chocolate chip ones are my fav!)
*
coconut aminos (for a soy-free gluten-free soy sauce option)- great gluten-free cookbooks:*
ani’s raw food desserts*
babycakes*
flying apron cookbook*
sweet freedom (wheat-free, but all the recipes can be made with gluten-free flours)
*
the gluten-free vegan- i’m also working on perfecting my recipe for a super delicious gluten-free vegan pizza crust & (sidenote: if you have one in your area, pizza fusion offers a
gluten-free vegan crust that kicks booty. dan and i have tried it out and he says he likes it better than their regular wheatsie crust.)
the latest pizza crust this past weekend was almost to where i want it (we’re talk’n a dough that you can roll out sans parchment paper & without it sticking to everything or falling apart), and i’m going to be working on this some more next week to get it just where i’d like it and share it before MoFo is over – so keep an eye out.
- a few little tips (please, please, please share your tips & let us know what gluten-free goodies you love the most!):
* you can bring a little jar of tamari (or coconut aminos) with you for veggie sushi restaurants. i’ve been known to carry a gluten-free bun or a few slices of gluten-free bread along when i know i’m gonna be stuck eating somewhere with limited options, as some sammie fix’ins (eggless salad, baked tempeh for reubens, bbq tofu, etc.) can be gluten-free (just be sure to ask!). just order for the sammie sans bread and use your own when it gets to the table. :)
* there’s a great guide called
gluten free flours and baking tips that is helpful in explaining the different flours. keep in mind that not all gluten free flours are equal in weight. brown rice flour heavier than potato flour, so you can’t always just switch out one flour for another – this is why a kitchen scale is most helpful and can ensure better results with your baked goods.
* ethiopian restaurants can be your friend. teff flour is gluten-free and while not all injera is gluten-free (be sure to ask that the restaurant knows for a fact their injera is gluten-free, often times it's supplied by an outside company which creates their injera from a sourdough that contains wheat) it’s definitely worth asking about. here in rva
the nile is entirely gluten-free!
* i also try and keep in mind (and sometimes it’s really difficult) when dining out that even if i’m stuck eating another booooring salad i can always go home and make myself super delicious to enjoy. sometimes it’s more about being in good company & sitting down to take time with friends and family.
don't go thinking i'd leave you without a recipe, my friends. here's one crazy delightful gluten-free chocolate chip cookie that's truly amazing. dan didn't know these were gluten-free until i told him, and i have tested them with many people and they've received many mmmmmmmmmmmms and much praise!
gluten-free chocolate chip cookies (adapted from
Shauna's gluten-free take on David Leites's famous
36-hour chocolate chip cookies)
ingredients:1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 + 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 + 1/4 sticks earth balance margarine, softened (or 10 tbsps)
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 flax egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup o' gluten-free chocolate chippers of your choosing
what you'll need:- 1 medium sized mixing bowl
- 1 large mixing bowl
- cookie sheets
- a little patience ;)
- fork for mix'n
what'cha gotta do:combine the the dry ingredients in the medium sized mixing bowl - make sure you mix them together really well. set aside. in the large bowl mix the sugars & softened margarine together until creamed. add in the flax egg & combine until it's incorporated, then add in the vanilla and give it a little mix. dump the dry ingredients into the wet ones and mix 'em up. once combined, add the chocolate chippers and give it just a wee little mix. now here's where i always have to put my patient pants on: cover the dough with plastic wrap and stick it in your fridge until it gets nice 'n cold (a few hours & you can leave it for 36 hours if you realllllly wanna). if you want to dig in sooner - i'll tell you that i have put the covered dough in the freezer for about 1/2 an hour and it worked well - your call. :) once the dough o' delicious is chilled, remove from fridge, take off that plastic wrap, and preheat your oven to 350°. take a spoonful o' dough and gently roll it in your hands until it's nice 'n round - then give it a little press to flatten it out just a tiny smidge. these cookies will spread a bit, so give them some elbow room. bake for 15-17 minutes. remove from oven and let them cool for JUST A MINUTE (otherwise i find they stick to my cookie sheet (but i bet parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat would prevent this) then gently transfer them to a cooling rack to chill out for a smidge more. gobble up and enjoy!
i want to share the best possible recipe with you all, so when it's there i promise to post it. it should be sooner than later 'cause i'm getting crazy close and i want everyone to enjoy more gluten-free pizza!
