Well, it is official. We finally went through all the testing with Fairy, and on top of her already known lactose intolerance, we found out that she cannot eat gluten either. For the past few weeks we have been experimenting, and sadly, we’ve tried some seriously awful things. Really!
So, this is my call for help… I know there are many of you out there who are traveling the gluten-free path already. I would greatly appreciate any recipes you can share with our family (and potentially our readers) that actually taste good 🙂 If you have a recipe to share please email it to us at weefolkart@yahoo.com. If you would like the recipe to be considered for publication here on WFA make sure to include a photo… it just makes the recipe directory look so much prettier and somehow makes us all a little more adventurous to try something new! Feel free to include a little story of how you found the recipe, when you make it, etc. Be sure to include your blog address if you have one so we can link to you if we post the recipe… that way we can all stop by and pay you a visit!
We will try to include as many recipes as possible on the blog. Please note… if you submit a recipe and photo, you are giving us permission to share them on Wee Folk Art.
Also, we would love recommendations for different products. We used the flour shown above and we did not care for it. In our opinion, everything we made tasted like bean sprouts! So if you have suggestions for ingredients or prepared foods you have enjoyed and found particularly yummy, please include them here in the comments. We also welcome any advise you may wish to share. Being new to all this, we welcome your comments and you will help put a smile on Fairy’s face 🙂 Thanks!
Thank you all for the kind words and tons of resources. I have a lot of links to sift through this weekend. I’m sure I will be able to find some new favorites for Fairy. Thanks!
To kick things off, here is a recipe that we do like and will be on our go-to list now.
Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies
2 cups Peanut Butter
2 eggs
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
Place on cookie sheet. Press down with a fork in a crisscross pattern.
Bake a 350 for 8-10 minutes.
Can she tolerate nut flours? If she can that is the only way to go. Almond flour has such a great flavor and texture that works well with muffins, cookies, waffles and cakes and it is very filling. Check out elanaspantry.com. She uses agave nectar instead of sugar but honey can easily be substituted. Also, I recommend looking into the GAPS diet to help repair her gut.
The research stage is the hardest! Good luck!
I’ve seen Betty Crocker Gluten Free cake mixes at my local Big Lots. They also have a lot of information on their website including tons of gluten free recipes in all categories and a store locator for the products. In addition to gluten free yellow cake mix, they also have devil’s food, brownie and chocolate chip mixes. And I do believe that there is a gluten free Bisquick mix.
http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/preparation/baking-recipes/gluten-free-baking
The login is quite a ways down in the left hand column. I know there is tons of stuff in our columns and you have to do a bit of digging. Let us know if you can’t find it on our homepage. Maybe there is something wonky going on!
I’ve been baking GF for 2 years now. I will start taking pictures when I bake. I just made the banana bread recipe on the back of bag of flour you have last night, really yummy (I used choc. chips instead of the raisins/nuts). Would you like a list of my favorite books? I have tried so many at the library and then bought my favorites after trying countless recipes.
We would LOVE book suggestions. We are all trying to switch over our diets so Fairy doesn’t feel like she is alone. Also, we don’t want her to feel like she is being deprived. I, personally, am finding my problems with IBS are improving by reducing the gluten in my diet!
My 1st daughter is the one allergic to gluten, among many other things, but I also found my IBS symptoms all but go away when I stopped eating gluten. I also have much more energy.
Easy Gluten-Free Baking — and IBS
Elizabeth Barbone is hands down my favorite GF book for bready recipes. She does use a lot of whey and milky ingredients. I use Non-homogenized milk and have no problems with it where I can’t handle the normal homogenized stuff at the store. Also– since I haven’t seen anyone say it– if Fairy is your biological daughter you have a REALLY good chance of also having the same Gluten problem genes that she does. I’ve been told my son has a 50% chance of getting mine. IBS is a REALLY common misdiagnosis of Gluten problems. Every GF person I know has been diagnosed IBS on the way to figuring out the real solution was to go gluten free. Good luck!
Yes, BRM uses bean flour in their All-Purpose flour to increase the fiber. Some people like it, but everyone I know hates the aftertaste! We use Pamela’s baking mix, but we also own a lot of different flours for custom mixes. Check out the Glutenfreegoddess on blospot. A lot of the premade stuff is just not worth the money!
GF is tough at first, but you’ll wonder how you ever lived with gluten after awhile. 🙂 Good luck!!
Tinkayada rice pasta seriously tastes like the real thing. The taste and texture are perfect. Also, Waffles translate to gluten free super well, just substitute rice flour in your favorite recipe-comes out crisp golden and yummy. My Gluten free sister swares by this book, for cobblers, pies, and cookies “Allergy-Free Desserts: Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free,Soy-free and Nut-free Delights” by Elizabeth Gordon. Good Luck!
My nephew is GF but not lactose free so when I cook for him I use milk and butter.
Miller’s Natural Foods in Bird in Hand has wonderful selection of GF products and all types of GF flours. They also have tons of rice, red rice, wild rice, white, brown….
http://www.amazon.com/Cooking-Isaiah-Gluten-Free-Dairy-Free-Delicious/dp/1606521659/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1296839068&sr=8-1
Heard that this book is great for GF and lactose free.
Heather
It’s a journey. but there are a lot of great recipes and products out there. I’m not gf anymore but I still love to bake gf.
I have an article that was published in our local co-op paper and a few great gf recipes on my blog. Look to the sidebar for gf tips and gf recipes.
On this one there’s a gteat flour ratio. http://chocoeyes.blogspot.com/2008/10/im-published-and-semi-repost.html
this is my fav chocolate cake. http://chocoeyes.blogspot.com/2008/09/best-chocolate-cake-ever-and-gluten.html
this is my fav lavender cake
http://chocoeyes.blogspot.com/2008/08/gluten-free-lavender-cake.html
my fav pumpkin muffins
http://chocoeyes.blogspot.com/2008/10/my-favorite-pumpkin-muffins-gluten-free.html
Feel free to use any recipes & photos.
Here is my favorite blog for GF recipies. They are very focused on wholesome real food.
http://www.glutenfreeforgood.com/blog/
Best of luck- it is a journey and a challenge for sure!
There’s also a great blog called Gluten Free Girl (http://glutenfreegirl.com/) all about cooking without gluten. Lots of good recipes there. And I think the author has a book too…
Just go ahead and expect to be GF forever– I had huge candida yeast problems until I went Gluten Free. As my cousins are maturing more and more of them are coming down with Gluten problems– this is clearly in our genes. However, I can now tolerate some normal milk and almost any amount of non-homogenized milk. Also– DO NOT EAT OATS for at least a year. Even the “GF” ones. The protein they have is “gliadan” (I am not sure how to spell that) It is very structurally similiar to gluten and most people cannot tolerate it very well until AFTER the gut has had a chance to heal. It still hurts my belly 5 years into a GF diet.
Have you checked into the possibility that she may have problems with candida overgrowth in her system? My little one had dairy allergies…until we treated him for candida and within three to four months, he no longer showed any signs of dairy allergies. And still doesn’t to this day! A lot of people who have candida problems are diagnosed with Leaky Gut and have to go gluten free, but treating candida may treat the root of the problem so she doesn’t have to be GF forever.
http://www.healingnaturallybybee.com
http://www.glutenfreebetsy.com/
Found this blog about a year ago. I’m not on a gluten free diet, but the recipes look fantastic.
Hi there!
I’ve been Gluten Free for over 4 years. And its a wonderful time to be gluten-free! There’s so many products out there now its so hard to choose.
Here’s a good place to start
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/
almost all recipes are gluten free.
Pamela’s All Purpose baking mix is my absolute, hands down favorite. It is so versitle. And really good for newbies who are just starting out. Buy it via subscription from amazon, you’ll save over 30% vs buying it at the store.
If you can’t tolerate nut flour try either Tom Sawyer flour or Better Batter…they are both good.
Gluten Free Mama makes 2 different nut based blends…you have to add xantham gum to them to use though. The almond mix is excellent as a cake flour. I find it to be too soft for cookies, scones, etc.
Trader Joe’s is your friend. They have a LOT of GF items and their pasta is the best. (And a a lot cheaper than most)
Udi’s is a new to me product and the bread is just awesome…you can eat it straight out of the bag without heating it, its that good.
Any of Pamelas Mixes are good as are mixes from the Gluten Free pantry.
I hope that helps!!!
Jen
First of all {{{hugs}}}. It really does get better and in about a month or two it will just be second nature.
Some books I’ve enjoyed are Jules Shepard’s “The First Year: Celiac Disease.” The info is good, the recipes and flour mix are NOT.
The BEST gluten-free cookbook I’ve found is “Cooking Gluten Free” by Karen Robertson. Seriously amazing bread, flour mix, cookies, etc. Haven’t found a bad recipe yet in this book. You can find the flour mix by googling “wendy wark gluten free flour mix.” I use it cup for cup in my regular cakes, brownies, cookies, and quick breads – not to mention in all of the recipes in your cute preschool program. Also the bread recipe is online, just google “karen robertson gluten free bread class.”
Best pasta we’ve found is Ancient Harvest Quinoa pasta. We buy it in bulk from them (quinoa.net).
Once you’ve found good replacements for all your staples – pasta, bread, flour, etc, it’s pretty simple to convert favorite dinner recipes to be gluten free.
Good Luck.
We went GF for our dd a year ago. I’m not very good at baking and don’t have any spectacular recipes to share. As challenging as it’s been, the change in our daughter is well worth the struggle to keep a gf home.
My fav book is Artisanal Gluten Free Cooking by Kelly and Peter Bronski. Try finding it at a bookstore or library to scan through it first, since they do use dairy products. You could substitute your non-dairy alternatives to their recipes. This book, by far, has the best GF flour I’ve tried.
Glutino’s pretzels are the best. TJ’s has good rice pasta, rice crackers, and a gf brownie mix. Rice cakes make a great bread substitute.
Here are my fav blogs on GF cooking. Some are also dairy free, some aren’t:
http://marinecorpsnomads.com/
http://glutenfreegirl.com/
http://glutenfree.wordpress.com/
http://www.artofglutenfreebaking.com/
http://www.glutenfreehomemaker.com/
http://noglutennoproblem.blogspot.com/
http://angelaskitchen.wordpress.com/ This one is for sure gluten and dairy free– she’s posted some Girl Scout Cookie recreations I’m dying to try.
I love your blog. I can’t wait to borrow a skill saw to make some of your wonderful apple trees and birds. Thanks for sharing your talents!
My family is mostly gluten free and one of my very favorite blogs is http://www.nourishingmeals.com I am friends with the people who wrote it, Alissa Sergersten and Tom Malterre, and they have created some truly amazing recipes. One of our favorites is their Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, which we make quite often. They have a cookbook as well as the blog called The Whole Life Nutrition Cookbook. Not only are all their recipes gluten free they are also daily and egg free, but you would never know by tasting! Good luck:)
We are not gluten free here, but I have tried several of the recipes from this blog and liked them. They are gluten, dairy, and refined sugar free. Here’s a link to her recipe page. http://livingfree.aubreecherie.com/recipes/
Good luck!!
Thank you all for the kind words and tons of resources. I have a lot of links to sift through this weekend. I’m sure I will be able to find some new favorites for Fairy. Thanks!
King Arthur Flour overhauls some of their recipes to be gluten free.
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/gluten-free/view-all
Hi! I was diagnosed with Celiac when I was 8 years-old. Twenty-three years later, I love to bake and only do it GF. While many people have mentioned Pamela’s Baking Mix and it is one of my favorites too, it does include dried buttermilk. Babycakes has a great cookbook that is vegan and mostly gluten-free. Stay away from the spelt recipes if Fairy has Celiac, they rip me up. Good luck and it does get easier.
I can’t believe no one has listed this lovely blog yet.
http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com/
For THE MOST AMAZING homemade wheat-like GFCF bread around try the post below. Don’t be scared by the shear amount of ingredients: the bread is truly worth it. It even kneads.
http://wildflowermorningrecipes.blogspot.com/2010/10/barbaras-gluten-free-almost-whole-wheat.html
We are experimenting with grain free as well and am loving
http://www.thespunkycoconut.com/
Just FYI my basic flour blend is Carol’s Sorghum Blend from 1000 GF recipes. Although I wouldn’t necessarily recommend buying the book (read the reviews for why)her flour blend rocks. 35% sorghum, 35% potato starch, 30% tapioca flour. Add in a small bit of xantham gum and it can substitute for wheat flour in exhisting (non bread) recipes.
Just wanted to second this! Gluten free goddess has a whole gluten free vegan (thus dairy free) section with awesome recipes!!
I am gluten free nut free vegan with all sorts of other allergies thrown in. It’s a learning curve for sure, but sooo worth it!
You can also just mix 1 cup of peanut butter, 1 egg, and enough sugar to sweeten. It was initially 1:1:1, but I find that a bit too sweet, and I used unsweetened peanut butter. Next time, I will try half a cup.
I have also tried some pretty awful gluten free stuff, and the prices were outrageous on top of it all.
We LOVE Pamela’s mixes. They are just absolutely the best! Also if you can tolerate spelt, many people can, it is almost wholly substitutable with no special ingredients needed. You would have to ask your doctor though, and research it.
I love nut flours for baking and have found it much more cost effective to grind my own.
I have several recipes on my blog, including a latke one from this morning and am always adding.
I hope that the transition goes very smoothly for you!
I would also really suggest replacing xanthan gum or guar gum with psyllium husk. I have found that it works just as well as a binder and has much more nutritional value than the others. Plus it is known to have healing properties for the digestive and intestional tract therefor helping to repair/alleviate damage done through IBS and Celioac’s.
Flax or acacia fiber are safer alternatives to psyllium. It can do some damage on its own!
so is psyllium not safe in small amounts (I mean as a binder, not to as a laxative on its own) in baking? Why not? I do use flax but have never even heard of acacia fiber! Some more learning to do:)
I know I’m late to the thread but I didn’t see them on here already, so let me just throw out NAMASTE MIXES. Their baking mixes are truly terrific, we haven’t tried a bad one yet but their pancake/waffle mix, brownie mix, blondie mix, and chocolate cake mix end up as good or better than their gluten-containing cousins from Duncan Hines or what have you.
http://www.namastefoods.com/
I’m the baker and gluten-eater, while my wife is gluten-free, so finding things that actually taste good has been important to me. She’s desperate and will eat anything resembling a baked good. 😉
I also second the Tinkyada rice pasta – waaaaay better than the others.
My Kids and I are 100% gluten free. We also have a very active life that involves Living History and Waldorf. Part of our Living History includes creating period feasts. Fun! I have been teaching gluten free cooking and living for a couple of years now.
Let me recommend what I recommend to my students.
Any of Betty Hagman’s books. They are excellent for starting on the gluten free path. They are simple every day meals that have been modified for the gluten free diet. A family favorite is beef stroganoff. I have enjoyed them because many of ingredients are easy to find in most grocery stores.
When looking at ingredients, flours and sources you want to make sure the product is made on “dedicated lines.” This means that the flour or product is made only on a 100% gluten free dedicated facility. Some products, like candies are made on assembly lines that other wheat products are made on. There is a concern about cross contamination. By example:Rice Crispies from Kellogs is NOT gluten free. The Chex brand of gluten free cereals are safe.
Skin care. My Son and I are also skin sensitive to gluten products. As of right now, the *only* gluten free product I trust are the California Baby line. They also have Gluten Free sunscreen. Be aware of moisturizers, shampoos, cleansers et al. Vitamin E oils are often made with wheat germ. Halloween make up is not gluten free.
Art Supplies: Be aware that Play dough is NOT gluten free. If you want I can send you a list of Gluten free art supplies and our gluten free play dough recipe.
Please Please and I can emphasis this enough. There is no “partial gluten free” or “I am just gluten intolerant so I can eat this….” and be aware of this path. The gluten in the grains damages more then the intestine. Long term damage will damage the hormones, the skin, growth, bones and can lead into cancer. It will take at least a year for your Grandaughter to heal and another seven to really recover. There is promising research out there but the only path for now is a gluten free one.
http://www.celiac.com
http://www.celiac.org
http://www.glutenfreemall.com
Helen
I missed this post somehow; just saw your post thanking folks. My daughter is dairy and wheat free. Something that was new to us is Bisquick gluten free. It made really good biscuits (with rice milk). Oat flour makes a wonderfully tasty bread too. Enjoy Life brand makes some good dairy/gluten free items too. Good luck to you. Once you get good gluten free versions of your essentials its not so hard.
PS: The Gluten Free Vegan cookbook has some pretty good recipes.
I highly recommend Jules Gluten Free Flour. You can find a recipe for the mix online or you can buy it already mixed from her. You can also buy a sample bag of flour with a recipe for just a few dollars. It is the closest thing to “regular” flour I found, and I had a cupboard full of all of the GF flours (tapioca, buckwheat, rice, almond, oat, etc.). I still love buckwheat pancakes though as I grew up on them (they are my dad’s favorite).
As far as bread goes, a lot of them are just doorstops in disguise. The best one I tried was Udi’s brand (not to be confused with Rudi’s brand). It tasted like regular bread to me (I believe I ate the white sandwich bread).
When I was eating GF (ate GF for a few months, found out that wasn’t my problem), my favorite meal was brown rice, chicken, and veggies. Cook chicken in a pan, add your veggies, saute with a little Italian salad dressing. Top the rice with the veggies and chicken and you are good to go!
Best of luck on your adventure! GI problems are no fun, especially for little ones.
Thanks for sharing. Like the sound of the chicken dish. Going to have to try it soon 🙂