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The Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook

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

I love to read cookbooks! I especially love to read them when they are written by someone that I have chatted with over the years about all things gluten-free. The Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook is one awesome cookbook written by Carrie Forbes of the Ginger Lemon Girl blog. Carrie has put together a wonderful resource for all things gluten-free, with a plethora of recipes that can be made in your slow cooker!

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The cookbook begins with the basics of the gluten-free diet. What is safe, what isn’t, baking ingredients, pantry makeover, and cross-contamination concerns.  Great information not only for those newly diagnosed but for veterans as well. If slow cooking is new to you, the next section will answer any questions or concerns that you may have.  I know when I first began using my slow cooker I was very concerned about the food not being heated to a high enough temperature, especially if raw meat was involved.  I now know that there are precautions that must be taken, but if done correctly, the food is perfectly safe.

Slow Cooker 101: Recipes is a section chock full of basic recipes, including broths, roasts, stews, granola, applesauce, and much more. Then comes the good stuff – recipes for everything you could possibly think of:

  • Breakfasts
  • Appetizers
  • Soups, Stews & Chilis
  • Casseroles and gluten-free Pasta Dishes
  • Poultry
  • Beef, Lamb & Pork
  • Holiday Recipes
  • Kid-Friendly Meals
  • Five Ingredients or Fewer
  • Gluten-Free Breads & Desserts
  • Beverages

I never had any idea that some of the recipes in this book could be made in a slow cooker. Bread? French Toast? Omelets? I love the variety and creativity that shines through in each and every section of this cookbook. Recipes that are on my list to make in the very near future are:

  • Shrimp Risotto
  • Tamale Pie (loved this dish as a child – can’t wait to try it in the slow cooker)
  • Butternut Squash and Walnuts with Vanilla
  • Vegetable Stew with Cornmeal Dumplings
  • Easy North Caroline Cheesy Grits Casserole
  • Orange Chicken
  • Old Fashioned Chocolate Cobbler
  • Crustless Apple Pie
  • One-Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
  • Pizza Pasta

The Everything gluten-free Slow Cooker Cookbook can be found on Amazon.com.  What is your favorite dish to make in the slow cooker?

Review: KIND Healthy Grains Clusters

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

Do you like granola?  If so, be on the lookout for the new KIND Healthy Grains Clusters.  The KIND clusters (aka granola) first debuted on the market back in February of this year, but I had not had a chance to sample them until just this past week.  I received complimentary samples of the Dark Chocolate & Cranberry Clusters and Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters.

The Healthy Grains Clusters come in a variety of six different flavors:

Dark Chocolate & Cranberry – Ingredients : Whole grains (gluten-free oats, brown rice, millet, gluten-free oat flour, amaranth, buckwheat, quinoa), evaporated cane juice, dark chocolate (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soy lecithin), canola oil, chicory root fiber, cranberries, sugar, molasses, sea salt, Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), sunflower oil.

Peanut Butter Whole Grain – Ingredients : Whole grains (gluten-free oats, brown rice, millet, buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa), evaporated cane juice, peanut butter, soy crisp (soy protein isolate, tapioca starch, calcium carbonate), peanuts, whey protein, canola oil, sea salt, Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate).

Vanilla Blueberry with Flax Seeds – Ingredients : Whole grains (gluten-free oats, brown rice, gluten-free oat flour, buckwheat, amaranth, millet, quinoa), evaporated cane juice, flax seeds, chicory root fiber, canola oil, vanilla extract, molasses, blueberry puree, apple puree, plum puree, apple juice, glycerine, sea salt, Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate), citrus fiber, citrus pectin.

Cinnamon Oats with Flax Seeds – Ingredients : Whole grains (gluten-free oats, brown rice, buckwheat, amaranth, millet, quinoa), evaporated cane juice, flax seeds, chicory root fiber, canola oil, molasses, cinnamon, sea salt, Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate).

Maple Nut with Chia & Quinoa – Ingredients : Whole grains (gluten-free oats, brown rice, gluten-free oat flour, amaranth, millet, quinoa, buckwheat), evaporated cane juice, canola oil, chicory root fiber, walnuts, chia seeds, maple syrup, molasses, natural maple flavor, sea salt, Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate).

Oats & Honey with Toasted Coconut – Ingredients : Whole grains (gluten-free oats, brown rice, millet, gluten-free oat flour, buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa), evaporated cane juice, coconut, honey, canola oil, chicory root fiber, sesame seeds, molasses, sea salt, Vitamin E (D-Alpha Tocopheryl Acetate).

IMG_2853Both the Dark Chocolate & Cranberry and Peanut Butter Whole Grain Clusters had a wonderful flavor & texture.  There were indeed clusters of yummy goodness in each bag.  I would have liked to have seen bigger pieces of dried cranberry in the Dark Chocolate Cranberry, but that is probably because I am a sucker for dried fruit.  The Peanut Butter Whole Grain not only had nice size clusters, but peanuts throughout.  If you made me choose a favorite I would go with the Peanut Butter Whole Grain. (Bet you didn’t see that coming with my love for chocolate, huh?)  I love eating the clusters straight from the bag, but they also taste great mixed in with Greek yogurt and over ice cream.

KIND Snacks are free from gluten and are manufactured in a dedicated gluten-free facility:

1. Are KIND Healthy Snacks gluten-free?
Our products are tested for gluten and meet FDA’s proposed requirement of 20ppm (0.002%) of gluten. Our manufacturing plant is dedicated gluten-free and has a strict allergen control program.

The Health Grains Clusters are available online for $5.33/pouch (MSRP $5.99) or in select stores across the US.

Have you tried the new KIND Healthy Grains Clusters?  If so, which variety?

*The products mentioned in this blog post were sent to me free of charge for review purposes.  The thoughts and opinions stated here are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything.

Gluten-Free Lunch Box Snacks

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

Kids are tough critics. Trying to find snacks that are gluten-free and appeal to them can be quite the challenge. Sometimes we have to think outside of the (lunch) box. Instead of trying to replace those non-gluten-free foods that they once loved, why not try something new?

I not only love the cruncha ma me because of the taste, but the very cool name!  More about this unique snack:

“cruncha ma-me is the all natural, high protein, non-GMO Verified, gluten-free and vegan, edamame veggie snack. cruncha ma-me edamame snacks come in four delicious flavors and are rich in plant-based protein from non-GMO soybeans.  Enjoy the great edamame taste in every bite of our crunchy snack!”

I really enjoyed this snack – tastes great & high in protein!  I tried the lightly seasoned variety, but it is also available in naked, veggie medley and sea salt & black pepper. They can be purchased right from the website.

IMG_2607The Good Bean makes a variety of snacks, but I am talking about the Chickpea snacks today.  I sampled the sea salt variety, but they also come in sweet cinnamon, cracked pepper and smoky chili & lime.  These snacks are crunchy and have a great flavor!  Not only do they taste great, but they are good for you, too!

“Gluten-free, nut-free, cholesterol-free, low fat, low in carbohydrates, nothing over-engineered, nothing artificial.”

The Good Bean Chickpea snacks can be purchased from the website. Sweet Cinnamon sounds divine! They also offer Fruit & No Nut bars that are gluten and nut-free.

What kind of unique snack ideas can you add to this?

Back-To-School Gluten-Free Tips

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 2 Comments

The time is here!  My kids go back to school today.  When do the kids in your area go back?  The new school year, new teachers, and new worries about eating gluten-free safely away from home.  I worry every year, but as Jon gets older it becomes less and less my responsibility and more his.  How you handle your gluten-free child in school depends a lot on your child’s age.

Elementary School

Meet with your child’s teacher, school nurse, and principal to outline the necessary adherence to the gluten-free diet.  Make sure to bring a letter outlining all of the details that you wish to include.  Some schools are now providing students with gluten-free lunches as well, so make sure to arrange to speak with whoever is in charge of the lunch program and staff to make sure they understand the consequences of cross-contamination.  The other challenge with elementary school-age children is birthday and class parties.  Arrange to be notified in advance if there is a scheduled pizza or birthday party so that you can bring in the appropriate gluten-free version of that food for your child.  You may consider keeping some pre-made brownies or cupcakes in the nurse’s freezer if that is an option.

Middle & High School

Kids in middle and high school age may not want their parents involved in meeting with the school staff to go over their diet.  When Jon was in middle school, I still sent in my letter to make sure the teachers and nurse were aware of his condition in case he accidentally ingested gluten.  Jon chose to stick with bringing his lunch from home at this age, so there was no need to meet with the cafeteria staff.  High school options vary, but often there are choices that he can safely make without much involvement from an outside source.  They will often stock yogurt, milk, chips, fresh fruit, and salads that he can safely eat.

College

Many colleges are able to safely feed those needing a gluten-free diet.  I have been impressed with the Miami University of Ohio when Jon visited for hockey camp the past 2 years.  For more information on staying gluten-free while going to college, make sure to check out GlutenFreeTravelSite.com, which includes reviews for several colleges.

Helpful Back-to-School links:

  • Gluten-free Breakfast Back-to-School
  • Packing a gluten-free Lunch Box
  • gluten-free School Letter
  • Back-to-School with Jules e-Book (free until August 25th)
  • NFCA Webinar: Preparing to Educate School Administrators on the Importance of Gluten-Free – August 23, 2012 – make sure to register

Make sure that your child feels comfortable with however you choose to handle eating gluten-free at school.  Involve your child in any and all talks and decisions so that he or she doesn’t feel uncomfortable or different from the other kids.  There are many kids with special diets in schools these days, so chances are that your child won’t be the only one.

Oral Manifestations of Celiac Disease

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While Celiac Disease (CD) is an internal condition that has to do with the small intestine’s inability to process gluten and absorb food nutrients properly, dentists may often see if and when the condition is present just by looking at the teeth. Celiac Disease, most commonly developing in children, does not begin to show symptoms until much later and often, when it has worsened. But when the tooth enamel demonstrates some problems, the dentist can seek the help of an internist to do more tests and diagnosis for confirmation.

Celiac Disease and the Teeth

Studies done in Europe as far back as the 70s point to the relationship between CD and dental problems, where tooth enamel damage is heavily present. Another study supports previous research done by saying that at least 40% to 80% do present dental health issues when other symptoms of CD are not present.

The indications of CD though oral manifestations vary from patient to patient, but the characteristics of tooth damage generally include the:

  • color variegation
  • the roughness of the teeth’ surface
  • grooves in the dentition line
  • changes in the teeth’s shape to conical or points
  • severe cases that may indicate trauma to the teeth

The enamel damage is also peculiar to celiac disease, as there is symmetry to it. Meaning to say that if the incisors, for example, located on the right side shows defects, it’s also likely that its counterpart on the left side exhibit similar problems.

Other symptoms may include recurrent inflammation of the gums and ulcerations in the mouth, which are usually treated with medication and proper dental care or hygiene. Treating the symptoms of these dental problems, however, does not completely help with the real cause.

Causes

Unfortunately, it’s never easy to detect the root cause of Celiac Disease. The problem baffling experts is that no one can still explain the exact cause of why teeth damage relates to CD. Studies have yet to be done further to determine this. But there are a lot of theories.

Since small intestines have difficulty with absorption, the body may be getting fewer and fewer nutrients, including the teeth that need all these vitamins and minerals for their development. One research says that teeth enamel damage may be present because of the high concentration of HLA DR3, a kind of antigen, in the blood of CD patients. Antigens cause plaque build-up in the teeth.

Early Detection Helps

There are only about 5% of people receive a proper diagnosis for CD, as this is considered a “silent disease”. Some may think that Celiac Disease is only present in young children whose teeth are still developing, and may disregard any tooth problems as part of the process of growing up. And then there’s a minuscule percentage of adults who may have CD and don’t know it. The prevalence of teeth defects should be a clear indication that something systemic must be wrong.

At any rate, if the enamel defect is recurrent, prevalent, or severe, a consultation with the dentist and an internist should be in order, so that the real cause of this is detected early. With early detection, any damage or consequences to the body and general health are greatly reduced.