Elana is giving away 5 pounds of almond flour and her new cookbook, The Gluten Free Almond flour Cookbook.  But it’s only open until Jan 11th, so move as fast as you can!  This recipe is great. My favorite is just how it is. Vanilla cupcake and chocolate frosting.

Vanilla Cupcakes with Vegan Chocolate Frosting (grain free and gluten free)

½ cup coconut flour, sifted
½ teaspoon celtic sea salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
6 eggs
½ cup grapeseed oil
½ cup agave nectar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. In a medium bowl, combine coconut flour, salt and baking soda
2. In a small bowl, blend together eggs, grapeseed oil, agave and vanilla
3. Mix wet ingredients into dry and blend with a mixer or hand blender until smooth
4. Pour batter into well oiled muffin tins
5. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes
6. Cool completely
7. Top with chocolate frosting

Makes 12 cupcakes

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General Mills has developed a wonderful website just for us. You can sign up for their newsletter dedicated to gluten free. There is a tab for recipes and you can print their list of gluten free items. They have over 200 gluten free products to chose from!

http://liveglutenfreely.com/

This is one of the recipes they have on their site.

If you contact the company by phone they will send you pages of printed recipes. I did this a few months ago (before this site was up and running) and they sent me tons of recipes and a list of their GF items.  Awesome!!

Turtle Brownies

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I recently purchased a can of Progresso Creamy Mushroom soup. I read the ingredient list and did not see any hints of gluten except the MSG. I called Progresso which happens to also be General Mills and I wanted to confirm that this soup is ideed GF. I was told at this time they do not publish a GF list because of constant formula changes but if the soup contains any gluten not just wheat that it would be listed. Such as, if the MSG was made from any gluten source it would list the gluten after it. I was also told the only reason they do not write gluten free on the label is because they don’t test the final product.

Some might think this would warrant them not to use this product.

I will not hesitate to eat this soup! Before the laws were changed we were all forced to read labels. In order for a company to label their food GF it must either be naturally GF (such as eggs, they would all be GF) or they must test the end product. I have a feeling many companies cannot afford to switch to testing all of it’s products so we must still rely on reading labels and calling the company. Progresso will be sending me some recipes to use and they also asked if they come out with new GF lists (or other relevant such items) if they could send me new information. Unfortunately, they can only send via snail mail but at least they are willing to send something.

The woman I spoke to also started to tell me about the Betty Crocker GF mixes that they carry. I absolutely love the convenience of buying them in a regular store. She is sending me some recipes specifically for their GF mixes.  They don’t offer any coupons that they can send in the mail but they do offer a newsletter where you can print coupons. Give it a try! If you click the link on the left side of that page it will bring you to a sample newsletter. I personally love all of the recipes and coupons!

I almost forgot. I was told that all of their soups are going to be reformulated without MSG. The process will take some time but they are starting to recreate their soups without it. That is a bonus because so many people are sensitive to MSG (myself included).

So in the end I would recommend calling General Mills for any of your GF questions!

photo credit: Special*Dark

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My sister and her two year old daughter have just been diagnosed with Celiac’s Disease. I have been pushing my entire family to get tested because they all have stomach problems. My sister was told she could not be tested while she was pregnant so when one of her daughters started to show signs they both went in. She does have three other children that will also need to be tested.

She is starting to feel the overwhelming  stress that many of us feel when we were first diagnosed.

I want this transition to be as easy as possible. While researching local stores for her we remembered that when I visited two years ago we went shopping at a Harris Teeter store. Just out of curiosity I went to their website. To my delight, I found they have a system where you can enter your desired items online into a list and pick them up at your local store. I searched through their groceries and found many GF items. This was a long process but once you have the list made it couldn’t be easier. I created a username and password for her and now she has access to an entire list of GF products at a store she can go to at her convenience. I don’t have a Harris Teeter anywhere near me but this is a great resource for her living in North Carolina.

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I know there is a lot of criticism circulating the GF world about this being a fad diet. We all know that is not true! Recent publications are making readers think that following the gluten free diet can be used for weight loss. Some might lose weight initially but I would never consider it a fad diet or quick fix for losing weight.  There is a percentage of us who experience weight gain because our bodies are finally absorbing nutrients again. Lucky us!

Either way those of us who will be following this diet for the rest of our lives will reap the benefit of this fad. More and more mainstream manufacturers are creating a gluten free version of easy made products. Thank you to Betty Crocker and General Mills, just to name a few!

DFW NBC – Buzz Word: Watch the video and let me know what you think.

Video from VodPod

No related posts.

Here is the other half of the soup list. There are more soups out there but these are the ones I have either seen in a local store or have actually tried myself. I personally love the Imagine soups but currently I am still working on the list of their GF soups. If you are lucky enough to find Amy’s Organic soups at a local store then make sure you give them a try. Her vegetable lentil soup is amazing.

Pacific Soups

Broths

• Organic Chicken Broth

• Organic Chicken Broth Low Sodium

• Free Range Chicken Broth

• Organic Vegetable Broth

• Organic Vegetable Broth Low Sodium

• Organic Beef Broth

• Beef Broth

• Organic Mushroom Broth

Creamy Soups

• Organic Creamy Tomato

• Organic Creamy Tomato Low Sodium

• Organic Creamy Butternut Squash

• Organic Creamy Butternut Squash Low Sodium

• Organic Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato

• Organic Roasted Red Pepper and Tomato Low Sodium

• Organic French Onion

• Creamy Roasted Carrot

• Cashew Carrot Ginger

• Buttery Sweet Corn

• Curried Red Lentil

• Spicy Black Bean Soup

• Tuscan White Bean

Hearty Artisan Soups

• Organic Spicy Chicken Fajita

• Organic Spicy Black Bean with Chicken Sausage

• Organic Savory White Bean with Smoked Bacon

• Organic Split Pea with Ham & Swiss Cheese

• Organic Savory Chicken & Wild Rice

Amy’s

• Amy’s Fire Roasted Southwestern Vegetable Soup

• Amy’s Light In Sodium Lentil Soup

• Amy’s Organic Cream of Tomato Soup

• Amy’s Black Bean Vegetable

• Amy’s Black Vegetable Lentil Soup

• Amy’s Organic Tuscan Bean and Rice Soup

• Amy’s Organic Chili with Vegetables

• Amy’s Chunky Tomato Bisque Soup

photo credit: *Noema*

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In the Fall the weather starts to cool and I start craving a big bowl of hot soup. While majority of my soups are homemade, sometimes it is nice to just open a can and grill up some sandwiches.  For those days when I am feeling tired of cooking this is a fast fix.

Campbell Soup Company

Swanson Broth & Stock (Aseptic)

• Natural Goodness Chicken Broth

• Chicken Stock

• Chicken Broth

• Beef Stock

Swanson Broth Canned

• Natural Goodness Chicken Broth

• Chicken Broth

• Vegetable Broth

• Chicken Broth with Garlic

Manischewitz

Daily Only (Not Kosher for Passover)

• Ready To Serve Reduced-Sodium Chicken Broth

• Ready To Serve Chicken Broth

• Ready To Serve Beef Broth

• Hearty Bean Cello Soup Mix

• Split Pea Soup Mix With Seasoning Cello Soup Mix

Kosher For Passover and All Year Round

• Condensed Clear Chicken Consomme

• Condensed Clear Chicken Broth

This list if very thorough . Please make sure you double check with the manufacturer. Companies are now required to list the top allergens but gluten is not on that list, just wheat for our requirements. I plan on continually giving you small sections at a time so feel free to visit back on Gluten Free Listfull Tuesdays.
photo credit: VirtualErn

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Nothing can compare to the pain we were suffering up until our diagnosis, right?. We had this huge wave of relief wash over us once we realize it can all be controlled by a simple diet change.

Oh, did I say simple?

Well, it can be if we don’t let ourselves get too overwhelmed. We have such a huge resource available to us now and that is the internet. Amazon is one amazing site that ships a ton of items free – I am going to cover that in more detail later.

The biggest challenge out there: FAMILY!

You think, oh sure they are going to be totally supportive and this will be easy. For those of you who fall into that category GREAT! Unfortunately, there are many of us who don’t. The biggest comment I get is, “Oh a little won’t hurt you.” They don’t realize how wrong they really are!

My reactions are different from my daughters. Just like hers is different from many other people. I get lethargic and sleepy. Sometimes I get a migraine or just plain achy. But like my daughter, I do get the severe stomach aches. Sometimes they end up making me so sick I don’t know if I should sit or kneel. Sorry for that image but it is a reality for most of us.  I have an amazing mother in law but she still does not understand the extent of this disease. She tried telling my daughter that, “Angel Food Cake does not have wheat in it. No, Only Flour!” That is what she said! Unfortunately, that is what a lot of people think. Where do they think flour comes from?

Ok, I may be getting a little snotty here…  sorry, I just get completely exhausted and annoyed when I realize how little people actually know about what goes into their mouths.

Even before I knew I had this disease I knew what I was eating all of the time. If you are like me then this adjustment won’t be so hard. There are so many whole foods we still can eat. After I talk about the cleaning house portion I will be covering some simple ideas you can make from your pantry. Kind of a get started guide. Then we will expand to the more complicated things such as baking GF. It really isn’t that bad!

Should we just tell them it’s an Allergy?

If that gets the point across then so be it. It makes it a lot easier and people understand that it needs to be taken seriously. Some people do need to go to the ER if they can’t stop the vomiting or other side effects. Not to mention the long term effects that we suffer.

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Gluten Free cooking can be incredibly daunting when first starting out.

To say the least! I am going to try and break it up into small sections so I don’t have any naps occurring while reading my blog. I can not stress enough the importance of finding a flour mix that suits your tastes and needs. Many people who are gluten intolerant are also sensitive to other grains, such as corn. There are many substitutions.

Please do not go out and buy every single flour that is labeled gluten free.

Unless you have an extra $100 or so to blow. If that is the case feel free! No, I am not exagerating. That is what I spent the first time I went out and attempted this whole process. I finally threw away some of those flours that I had purchased 5 years ago and never used. There are so many combinations. Some for baking and some for just cooking. I like to try and use only a few. It saves on cost.

Bette Hagman was one of the pioneers in GF cooking.

It took her many years to perfect the mixes and recipes but they are a huge benefit for those of us who came after her. This recipe is very simple to make and can be used to replace wheat flour in most recipes. I stress the words most because there will always be at least one recipe it won’t work well for. I highly recommend purchasing some of her books. They are very valuable resources.

Bette Hagman’s GF Gourmet Flour Mix

• 6 cups white rice flour
• 2 cups potato starch flour(not potato flour)
• 1 cup tapoica flour

These ingredient can be found at most grocery stores and sometimes you can get them on Amazon without paying the cost of shipping. I know all the Walmart Superstores I have been to carry rice flour and our little local grocery store carries all three flours. I know I haven’t said it yet but I live in the sticks and Walmart is our largest store in the area.

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I love my local organic food store. It took many many years for us to get anything like it in our rural area. I have to say the owner of Millie Hill Market has had her hands full with me. She is constantly ordering new GF items for us to try. To her delight most of them end up selling right off of her shelves. This is the type of relationship you want to have with your local store. If they are supportive it can make your life a ton easier.

Find out who is in charge of organic foods at your local grocery store.

They are always looking for feedback on what to carry. They want to know what will sell and if you can give them some items they might be more willing to carry similar items.  If they seem hesitant just keep on building that relationship with them. Have other friends or family come in and request the same items. Usually if they get enough requests they will try out the product and watch the sales of these items.

I had been trying to get our local store to carry the Tinkyada noodles because they were my favorite. My uncle is a manager at this store and I had him ask his supervisor. After about a year of asking I lucked out one day. I was shopping and the store had managers from another store visiting and setting up displays. I asked them if I could talk with them for a minute and they were willing to listen.

I explained that the GF noodles they carried were not selling because they turn to mush when cooked. I also told them I had a much better quality noodle that would sell a ton faster. Let’s just say in a few short weeks my store had 4 different shapes of Tinkyada noodles and they have been selling like crazy. Now all I usually have to do is ask my uncle if they can carry an item. If they are able to order it they usually will. They had the Betty Crocker GF mixes almost imediately after I asked. This whole process makes grocery shopping a lot easier on us and our budgets.

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