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Recipe: Gluten-Free Mini Donuts And Glaze

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff Leave a Comment

Homemade gluten-free donuts are always fun to make because they can sit out for a few days and still be good (it seems like all gluten-free products need to refrigerate!). Here is a recipe for both gluten-free donuts and a gluten-free glaze to go on top.   Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Donuts & Glaze Recipe

Dry Ingredients:

  • 1 cup gluten-free Pantry Muffin Mix (or any gluten-free flour mix)
  • 1/3 cup Sugar
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
  • Dash of Salt

Wet Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup Rice Milk
  • 1/2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 Cup Unsweetened Applesauce
  • 4 tbsp Oil

Glaze Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup Powdered Sugar
  • 2 tbs Rice Milk
  • 1/4 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Donut Directions:

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl, combine dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
  3. In a separate bowl, blend the wet ingredients together.
  4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir until just combined. It should form a very soft, moist dough.
  5. To have smooth donuts, use a pastry bag or a ziplock bag with the end snipped off to squeeze the dough into an ungreased mini-donut pan. Fill the sections until just below the edge of the pan. Smooth the filled sections with a knife or spatula.
  6. Bake for approximately 10-11 minutes. The bottom (visible part) will not be brown, but you will see brown edges around the top.
  7. Remove from oven and let the pan cool for 5 minutes on a baking rack before attempting to remove the donuts. If the donuts do not flip out of the pan, gently loosen the edges with a butter knife.

If you’d like to check out other recipe ideas, check out our gluten-free recipes page!

Facts & Statistics About Celiac Disease

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 4 Comments

Thanks to a heads-up from Zach of Gluten-Free Raleigh (via our contact form), it looks like he has taken the time to put together and post a great collection of Celiac statistics and/or facts about Celiac Disease.

As Zach mentions in his post, you can use this information to continue to promote Celiac awareness in your local area.

Celiac Disease Facts & Statistics

  • 1 out of every 133 Americans (about 3 million people) has Celiac Disease.
  • 97% of Americans estimated to have CD are not diagnosed.
  • CD has over 300 known symptoms although some people experience none.
  • Age of diagnosis is key: If you are diagnosed between ages 2-4, your chance of getting an additional autoimmune disorder is 10.5%. Over the age of 20, that rockets up to 34%.
  • 30% of the US population is estimated to have the genes necessary for CD.
  • 2.5 babies are born every minute in the USA with the genetic makeup to have CD.
  • There are 15 states in the US with populations less than the total number of Celiacs in the US.
  • CD affects more people in the US than Crohn’s Disease, Cystic Fibrosis, Multiple Sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease combined.
  • People with CD dine out 80% less than they used to before diagnosis and believe less than 10% of eating establishments have a ‘very good’ or ‘good’ understanding of GF diets.
  • It takes an average of 11 years for patients to be properly diagnosed with CD even though a simple blood test exists.
  • The US Department of Agriculture projects that the GF industries revenues will reach $1.7 Billion by 2010.
  • GF foods are, on average, 242% more expensive than their non-GF counterparts.
  • The Food Allergen Labeling & Consumer Protection Act became law in 2006 allowing for easier reading of food labels for those with CD. What took so long?
  • 12% of people in the US who have Down Syndrome also have CD.
  • 6% of people in the US who have Type 1 Diabetes also have CD.
  • Among people who have a first-degree relative diagnosed with Celiac, as many as 1 in 22 people may have the disease.
  • There are currently 0 drugs available to treat CD.

What is Dermatitis Herpetiformis?

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff Leave a Comment

Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH), also commonly referred to as Celiac Skin, is a rare skin disease that is commonly found in people with Celiac Disease. Some quick research on the subject unveiled a few interesting things.

Here is what I’ve learned so far about DH:

What are the Causes of Dermatitis Herpetiformis?

The rash is caused when gluten in the diet combines with IgA, and together they enter the bloodstream and circulate. They eventually clog up the small blood vessels in the skin, which attracts white blood cells (neutrophils), and releases powerful chemicals called complements. This is how the rash is created. Iodine is required for the reaction, so people with DH should avoid using Iodized salt if possible.

What are the Symptoms of Dermatitis Herpetiformis?
The symptoms of Dermatitis Herpetiformis are intense burning, stinging, and itching around the elbows, knees, scalp, buttocks, and back. More locations can also be affected and the severity can vary depending on the person.

What Does Dermatitis Herpetiformis Look Like?
DH looks like small clusters of red, itchy bumps. There are tiny water blisters, but these are quickly scratched off. Before they form, the area usually has a burning feeling. They scab and heal over within 1-2 weeks, but new spots continue to appear.  DH is a lifelong condition, but remission may occur in 10 to 20 percent of patients.

What are the Tests for Dermatitis Herpetiformis?
Diagnosis of DH usually requires at least one skin biopsy, and sometimes a blood test (looking for anti-gliadin, anti-reticulin, and anti-endomysial antibodies).

How Do You Treat Dermatitis Herpetiformis?
Complete elimination of gluten will often cure DH, but improvement often takes months.  This means sufferers must follow a strict gluten-free diet.  Cutting down on wheat and gluten may reduce the amount of medication needed, but will not be curative.

In the meantime, there is a very effective treatment available to sufferers of DH.  Dapsone is a drug that will improve DH in only a few days. Because there can be side effects, the dose of Dapsone is usually started at a small amount, and then raised up over a few weeks until all symptoms are suppressed. Dapsone may have adverse effects, so weekly or bi-weekly blood tests will be needed for the first three months. There are a few alternative treatments if Dapsone cannot be used (sulfapyridine, tetracycline), however, these do not work as well.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Christmas Cake

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Can you believe we are almost halfway through October already? Christmas will be here before we know it! I’ve always found that cookies seem to be the most popular choice of dessert for Christmas time, but some people prefer a good Christmas cake. If you are looking for a recipe for a Christmas cake, you’ve come to the right place.

Gluten-Free Christmas Cake Recipe

Cake Ingredients:

  • 850g dried mixed fruit
  • 1 cup brandy
  • 150g butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 3 eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup gluten-free flour
  • 1/4 cup gluten-free self-raising flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 3/4 cup blanched almonds
  • 1/4 cup apricot jam

Cake Directions:

  1. Place dried fruit and 2/3 cup brandy in a large airtight container. Mix well. Cover and stand overnight or preferably for 1 week, stirring occasionally.
  2. Preheat oven to 150°C. Lightly grease a 7cm deep, 20cm (base) round cake pan. Line the base and side with double layers of brown paper and baking paper (see note). Using electric beaters, cream butter, and sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
  3. Sift flour and spices over the butter mixture. Add fruit mixture and stir until well combined. Press mixture into pan. Smooth surface. Decorate the top with almonds.
  4. Bake the cake for 2 to 2 1/4 hours or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Pour the remaining 1/3 cup of brandy over the hot cake. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
  5. Place jam in a heatproof, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH (100%) for 30 seconds or until warm. Remove the cake from the pan and brush the top with warm jam. Allow setting. Serve.

Additional Tips:

  1. You will need to start this cake at least 1 day ahead.
  2. Tip: To test if eggs are fresh before using, place eggs in a bowl and cover them with cold water. Fresh eggs remain on the base of the bowl, stale eggs will float.
  3. Baking tips: Lightly grease the cake pan. Line base and sides with double-layer brown paper, then double-layer baking paper, allowing a 6cm overhang at all sides. Position the oven racks just below the center so the cake sits in the center of the oven.

Gluten-Free Communion in Church?

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff Leave a Comment

While doing some research for an upcoming post I ran across some information about the various Christian church branches and how they view/handle communion for members with Celiac Disease.

If you belong to one of these branches, let us know how communion is handled at your church in the comments below!

Lutheran Church Communion:

The policy is outlined in section 44c of its sacramental practices statement, “The Use of the Means of Grace.” It states, “For pressing reasons of health … congregations might decide to place small amounts of non-wheat bread or non-alcoholic wine or grape juice on the altar. Such pastoral and congregational decisions are delicate and must honor both the tradition of the Church and the people of each local assembly.” Similarly, the Episcopal Church allows congregations to offer non-wheat wafers if someone in the church community makes such a request.

Catholic Church Communion:

The Catholic Church’s Code of Canon Law permits priests to set aside a special wine chalice exclusively for worshippers following wheat- or gluten-free diets. This eliminates the possibility of the hosts accidentally contaminating the wine. The Canon Law also offers parishioners the alternative of drinking only wine or consuming low-gluten wafers.   But for many afflicted individuals, low-gluten wafers are not an option because even a tiny amount of the protein can trigger immediate reactions.

United Methodist Church Communion:

“There is no church law or official rule that would invalidate the efficacy of the sacrament when served with gluten-free bread,” reports Dan Benedict, worship services director of the General Board of Discipleship of the United Methodist Church. He reports that generally speaking, as awareness of wheat and gluten intolerances grows, more congregations are offering wheat alternatives for communion. Benedict explains that the United Methodist Church, unlike the Catholic Church, believes the “substance of the sign is in the signified, Jesus Christ, and not in the chemical make-up of the sign.”

Christian Reform Church Communion:

The church allows gluten-free wafers, and the pastor’s wife began baking rice-based hosts after learning of Annette Baker’s sensitivity. “She told me ‘the essence of Christ is inside us, not in the gluten,'” remembers Baker, who was touched by the woman’s kindness and understanding. The rice wafers are kept separate from those made with wheat to avoid cross-contamination and are available at every service. [quote from a book]