What is Gluten and Who is Affected?

I thought that this post would be of great interest to my readers.  Please visit MPHOnline.org for the original post.  This info was used with permission.  

Source: MPHOnline.org

Gluten is the spongy complex of proteins found in wheat, barley and rye that allows dough to rise.

The main cause of all the hype is Celiac disease, which can cause patients to develop headaches, tingling, fatigue, muscle pain, skin rashes, joint pain and other symptoms because the autoimmune attack at the root of the disease gradually erodes the wall of the small intestine, leading to poor absorption of iron, folate and other nutrients that affect everything from energy to brain function.

Is Celiac Disease Common?

Despite being a primary reason why many people claim they can’t have gluten, Celiac disease is still exceedingly rare.

Percentage of U.S. population with given disease or disorder

Celiac disease 1%

Bipolar disorder 2.6%

Diabetes 8.3%

Arthritis 20%

Cancer 4.2%

Heart disease 11.5%

Non-celiac gluten sensitivity 8%*

Note: Some rates listed are for adults only

* Estimates place the number between 5% and 10%.

Remember: Gluten sensitivity is not a form of Celiac disease. Celiac is an autoimmune disease in which the body triggers an attack on the intestines every time gluten is eaten. People with sensitivity may have similar symptoms, such as headaches, but they don’t experience the same type of intestinal damage as those with the disease.

Gluten-Free Everything

Estimated size of gluten-free industry by year

2012 2015 2017

$1.9 billion $5 billion $6.6 billion

242%

How much more expensive gluten-free food is compared to its counterparts

59%

North America’s share of global gluten-free market

Why Not Go Gluten-Free Anyway?

Unless you’re one of the unlucky few who actually have Celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, removing gluten from your diet won’t necessarily make you healthier.

If you suspect you have either condition, contact your doctor; you can’t self-diagnose either one. And don’t eliminate gluten “just in case.” Cutting out gluten before getting tested will cause test results to be inaccurate.

Think going gluten-free will help you lose weight? It may not. Following a gluten-free diet doesn’t guarantee you’ll drop the pounds. Many gluten-free products contain more sugar and fat than gluten-heavy counterparts.

And some foods that are naturally gluten-free, like potato chips and rice, can be unhealthy in large portions.

Gluten Free Spooky Spaghetti

Spooky and child friendly gluten free dinner idea

Want to make a Gluten Free Halloween Meal for your little one.  Don’t want to spend a lot of time on it? 

You can make Black Spaghetti. 

Ingredients

Gluten free spaghetti noodles of choice

Black icing paste (the paste used to color icing)

Water

Salt

Your Favorite gluten free spaghetti sauce

(Orange icing paste can be added to the sauce or you can even make the sauce black as well.)

Prepare your water for the spaghetti as directed.  Add in the black icing paste to the color you desire.

(Note: the amount of paste that you use will determine the color of the spaghetti that you get.  With less color you will get purple noodles, with more you will get a rich black.  Either color works well for this.) 

Boil the spaghetti to the directions

While the spaghetti is boiling heat up your sauce on the stove top in a pan.  If desired add the color you wish to get a spooky effect.

Some people make meatballs that look like eyes to add to this.  Let me know if you wish that recipe?  

Halloween Gluten Free Cocktail Ideas

I was thinking Halloween.  I mean most people are.  Only a few days away and I realized that I am not ready?  You would think with all the time they give you prepare now that I would be able to get my act together and get the holidays right.  Well the issue this year is that I am working.  This leaves me with little desire to do anything when I get home.  If it doesn’t include eating, working out, or relaxing then you can write it off my list.  I may have gotten used to working my schedule now.  However, that doesn’t always mean that I am full of energy when I come home.  Ok, anyway enough defending myself.  While I am going out on Halloween after I hand out the fantastic candy stuffs to the little ones.  I still was thinking about some great drinks that I could serve.  A lot of Halloween based drinks have Oreos in them which makes them full of gluten.  While you can use the gluten free sandwich cookies as a substitute and still have a fantastic drink.  I found one that really knocked my socks off.  Well two.  I am going to share these drinks with you.  Fun, gluten free and alcoholic drinks to share with your friends on Halloween night or at a party. 

The Brain Hemorrhage.  I am sorry if you have seen this everywhere, I just can’t get over how cool it is.

most of a shot glass of peach schnapps
1 tsp Irish cream
2 drops grenadine syrup

Pour the peach schnapps into a shot glass. Slowly add the Bailey's, top with the grenadine, and serve.

Want an Alien Brain Hemorrhage?  Just add a small amount of blue curacao and allow it to settle before adding the grenadine.

Ingredients

Ingredients for Candy Corn Vodka: 

1 1/2 cups vodka

1/2 cup candy corn

add the candy corn to a mason jar and pour the vodka over it.  Close tightly and allow it to sit for 5 days out of direct sunlight.

Candy Corn Martini

5 ounces of Candy Corn Vodka

1 ounce of vanilla Vodka

2 ounces Orange Liqueur

The Juice of 1/2 a lemon

Candy Corn (for a garnish)

Directions: Mix the candy corn Vodka, the vanilla vodka, the orange liqueur and the lemon juice together.  Shake over ice and add to your glasses.  For an extra  snazzy look, pour the mixture over candy corn at the bottom of the martini glass.  

What are your favorite Halloween drinks?

Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Cleaners have been known to contain gluten.  That is one of the sneaky ways that it can make its way into your house.  However, there are cheap, green, gluten free ways to clean your house.  Here are common items that you could use.

Vinegar

Water

Lemon

Baking Soda

Cream of tartar

Salt

Oil

A few recipes that I myself use are as follows…

Gluten Free Cooking and Baking Tips

You can have a roast. Brown it without using flour.  It takes longer, however, nothing changes in the flavor.  You get the browned look, the right texture and you didn’t add flour, gluten free or not.  Then to make the gravy from the dipping use corn starch.  (Or another starch if you can’t eat corn.)

Staying Gluten Free at Work

Keeping your home gluten free can be a challenge.  However, once you have that done you should be good to go right?  Nope, being gluten free at work can also be a challenge.  There are many pitfalls which are easy to fall into.  Such as the Potluck, the lunch for breakfast, the work late, and the fast food gambit.  The issue with being gluten free at work is that it can be hard to stay on track.  Your co-worker brings in these cookies that everyone is raving over.  The truth is that you can’t eat them.  Here are a few suggestions to help you stay gluten free.

Why Those with Celiac Should own a Crock Pot

With the weather cooling off and the days feeling longer due to less sunlight this means that those of us working full time or more have little energy to cook.  Not only that but with many forms of celiac there is no choice but to cook.  This is why gluten free families should have a crock pot.  Something that you can start in the morning and then eat when you get home.  If that first paragraph didn't convince you.  Then here is a list of reasons why you should own a crock pot.

Gluten Free Halloween Candy - 2013

This image is public Domain

 So many places are doing trick or treating this year, and also they are not doing it on Halloween   I figured that this would be the perfect time to get this information out.  This is this years list of gluten free candy.  This list is as complete as possible at this time.  However, please make sure that you check the labels.  This is for the safety of you little one or even yourself if you like to pinch Halloween candy.  This could also be used as a guide in order to make sure that you yourself are giving out gluten free candy.  

Results and excuses

This image is public domain

Alright, I am very sorry for the break.  So many things in my life have occurred in one week.  My ward has left for the US ARMY.  We couldn’t be prouder of him.  When he became part of our lives he was not the person he is today.  He worked so hard and finished high school, got his life turned around and now he has left to make his own way.  I am proud of him and sad about the loss at the same time.  That was my weekend was helping him get packed and ready to go. 

Semi-Homemade Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

Betty Crocker came up with an easy and Semi-homemade pumpkin bread. In the honor of the leaves finally changing colors, and just in case you haven't gotten sick of pumpkin flavored everything.  Here is the Betty Crocker recipe that is so easy and sounds so good.

Ingredients:

1 box Betty Crocker® Gluten Free yellow cake mix

1 can (15 oz) pure pumpkin

½ cup canola oil

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla

½ cup gluten-free semisweet chocolate chips (dairy- and nut-free)

Gluten Free Thousand Island Dressing Recipe

I love Thousand Island dressing.  Not just on salads, but also on burgers or to use as a dip.  The issue is that many of these fantastic dressings contain gluten.  My mother in law pointed out a recipe on food network.  It is gluten free, easy to make and it tastes perfect.  I didn't change a thing.  If you love this Thousand Island dressing make sure you let them know.  

1 quart mayonnaise
1 quart salsa
1 quart nonfat yogurt
1 dozen hard-boiled egg, chopped
green pepper (Add to taste)
green onion (Add to Taste)
sweet pickle (Add to Taste)

Gluten Free lemon Tahini Salad Dressing

So many of the sauces I have been sharing have been heavy.  This is a fantastic and light gluten free salad dressing.  It would also be great as a marinade for fish or chicken.  Also since I am having issues with my computer, I don't have any of the pictures I took.  That is fine.  I will upload them when i get a chance. 

Ingredents

½ cups tahini
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
Juice of 2 fresh lemons (about ¼ cup)
½ cup water
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon agave syrup
2 teaspoons gluten-free soy sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
freshly ground pepper (To Taste)

Gluten Free Cocktail Sauce Recipe

Cocktail sauces are well known for containing gluten on the shelf.  Again, there is no reason for the gluten to exist in cocktail sauce.  It is so very easy to make.  It only takes minutes to make the perfect cocktail sauce for your needs.  

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of ketchup
2 tablespoons horseradish
Worcestershire sauce
1 lemon
Tabasco sauce, to taste

Gluten Free Ranch Dressing Recipe

Homemade Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream (make sure it is gluten free)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 cup chopped chives
1 clove garlic
salt and coarse ground black pepper
additions:
garlic powder
tabasco sauce
worchestershire sauce (some are gluten free already!)
chopped dill

EatGreenTea Whole Leaf -Product Review

I was able to test EatGreenTea.  Needless to say I had some mixed reaction.  Promises was that this product would help you lose weight, it would give you all day energy and the same amount of antioxidants as 30 cups of green tea in one teaspoon. Organic and ready to eat.  Easy to eat, mix in with a smoothie or sprinkle on top of any meal. Those are some large claims.  I tried it for three weeks and here is what I found.

Gluten Free Barbecue Sauce Recipe

One of the items that often contain gluten is Barbecue sauce.  Again this is easy to make and it should only take 10 to 15 minutes.  Bottled varieties contain gluten so that it has a good consistency after being on the shelf for a while. 

1/2 cup Heinz ketchup
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons vinegar
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon salt

Gluten Free Tartar Sauce Recipe

Sauces are the bane of any person with a gluten reaction.  This week I will be posting recipes for sauces.  Today I am going to start with Tartar sauce.  I have found gluten in many varieties of off the shelf tartar sauce.  Since this is so easy to make I don't see why most people would buy it anyway.  Here is a basic tartar sauce recipe.  This is the one that I use every time I decide to have fish.  

Ingredients

1 cup Mayonnaise

3 teaspoons Relish (dill or sweet)

1 teaspoon Lemon Juice

1 teaspoon yellow Mustard (optional)

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed peppers

This dish is fantastic and naturally gluten free.

8 oz. Thinly Sliced Roast Beef

8 Slices Provolone Cheese

6 oz.  Mushrooms

2 Large Green Bell Peppers

1 Medium Sweet Onion

2 Tbs. Butter

2 Tbs. Olive Oil

1 Tbs. Garlic – Minced

Salt and Pepper – to taste

GF Granola Bars Recipie

Found and altered from the recipe found on Cream Hill estates. 

Gluten free Granola Bars

Ingredients:

2 cups shredded coconut, unsweetened

1 1/2 cup certified gluten-free oats

1 1/2 cup raisins (or gluten free candy)

2 cups sunflower seeds

1/3 cup sesame seeds

3/4 cup peanuts or soy nuts

1/2 cup dried fruit,

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup honey

1 tsp. GF vanilla extract

1/2 cup peanut butter

Gluten Free Cold and Allergy Medications

It is cold and flu season again.  Also fall allergies are just now starting for those sufferers.  You need to make sure that the medications you use are in fact gluten free.  I have compiled a list of gluten free cold/flu and allergy medications to help you through the fall season.  Also, if you know any medications I have missed please let me know.