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Gluten-Free Children’s Arts and Crafts

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Just when you think you get your head wrapped around gluten-free foods and personal care products, and you think you have everything covered, there is a whole other category to think about…children’s arts and crafts, or adult arts and crafts for that matter. Even if you do not have children, it can be in products you would never imagine..markers, tape, stickers, glue, paints, ink pads, scrapbooking materials, and clay.  It is enough to make one’s head spin.

It may seem like a no-brainer to think that those items are safe, I mean, who is going to eat finger paint?  But the issue comes in cross-contamination.  What happens when those little hands have been playing with clay and then go to eat a snack, or you touch something that you are about to eat after touching something unsafe, in addition to the fact that some people are sensitive to gluten when touched?

In my case, our house is 100% gluten-free, even though it is just me who is gluten-free.  I find it easier to eliminate all possible traces and know that I can be worry-free in my own home. Then comes someone with a gift of playdough for my daughter, and the label clearly states it contains wheat. Thankfully their products are labeled, but in the beginning, I never would have thought to look. In my personal instance, I hated to take a present away from my daughter, so I let her play with her PLAY-DOH at the table on a newspaper.  When she was finished, she had to wash her hands, and I tossed the dough and cleaned the table. This was an exceptional experience and usually, I wouldn’t let her have PLAY-DOH brand dough at home.

Fortunately, today, there are many recipes out there to make the gluten-free and allergen-free dough at home, as well as some manufacturers of allergen-free dough, such as blue dominoes, which is also organic, American-made, lead-free, with no artificial colors, and certified by the Celiac Sprue Association.  Other brands of gluten-free doughs include Aroma and Colorations. The Celiac Sprue Association has also posted a recipe to make the dough, more economically at home:

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup rice flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • ½ cup salt
  • 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon cooking oil
  • Food coloring, if desired

Directions:

Mix ingredients. Cook and stir on low heat for 3 minutes or until it forms a ball. Cool completely before storing in a sealable plastic bag.

In addition to playdough and clay, we have to be sure to monitor all art and craft supplies, even tape.  Some common brands of safe products include:

  • Glue: Elmers, Ross
  • Tape/stickers: 3M brand including Scotch tape and Post-It Notes, RoseArt stickers, Mrs. Grossman’s stickers
  • Paint: Crayola*, Palmer (All), Elmers (all Elmer’s products are gluten-free, except for the finger paints), Ross (finger paints contain gluten)

Always remember to double-check all art and craft supplies for hidden gluten.  It may not be stated on the package, so it is always good to call if you are unsure.  There are many brands that will have gluten-free supplies that are not listed above, but many are not, so always confirm.

*All Crayola products are gluten-free except for the Crayola Dough.

Gluten-Free Soup Mixes from Bear Creek

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The Darn Good Chili mix from Bear Creek was reformulated to be gluten-free quite a while back. Since the soup mix contained wheat flour when I started following the gluten-free diet, we had not purchased any of the Bear Creek soup mixes for several years. What a nice surprise it was to find out that the company removed wheat from quite a few of their soup mixes. Another one of the mixes from the line we’d enjoyed in the past was the Cheddar Potato soup. Now that the wheat (the only form of gluten in the item previously) flour is missing, we can enjoy our wintertime favorite again – creamy Cheddar Potato soup.

Bear Creek has investigated the ingredients in all their products to determine which ones are made without any gluten ingredients. Due to the fact that there is still no ruling from the FDA about exactly what a gluten-free label means, the company does not label their “no gluten ingredient” soups gluten-free. While some people want to see those reassuring words – gluten-free – on every single product they buy, the absence of the term on a product in no way indicates that there is gluten in it. Once I understood that important fact, my gluten-free life got so much easier.

Soup is something that is very hard to find when dining out gluten-free. There are very few options for safe soup at restaurants in our area so we make a lot of soup during the cooler months. Not being someone who really loves cooking from scratch when it can be avoided, having safe soup mixes to whip up is a really big treat at our house. The Cheddar Potato soup mix requires eight cups of water, salt, and pepper (to taste) and takes approximately 20 minutes to make. After bringing the water to a boil, just whisk in the soup mix and let it simmer for 15 minutes. That’s all there is to it. Simple to make and simply delicious!

The Cheddar Potato soup was thick and creamy – almost surprisingly so. The flavor was of mild cheddar cheese and potato, of course. The soup package offers add-in suggestions of chicken, asparagus, broccoli, ham, peas, corn, sausage, bacon, and jalapenos. We added crispy bacon and scallions for extra flavor but the soup is wonderful without any additional ingredients. The soup mix contains milk and soy and makes approximately eight servings.

In addition to the Bear Creek Darn Good Chili and Cheddar Potato mixes, these soups from the line are also made without gluten ingredients:

  • Cheddar Broccoli
  • Clam Chowder
  • Creamy Potato
  • Creamy Wild Rice
  • Navy Bean
  • Split Pea
  • Tortilla

It’s absolutely fabulous that there are so many non-specialty foods that we can enjoy these days. While almost every soup mix from Bear Creek contained gluten in the past, 9 out of the 14 flavors are now made with corn starch or other non-gluten thickeners. In the Atlanta area, I’ve found the Bear Creek soup mixes at Fresh Market and Publix stores. The mixes are also sold on Amazon.com. With a cost of under $5 per bag, each serving costs around $.60 or $1.20 if you consider serving two cups instead of one. Either way, that is quite a bargain!

Gluten-Free Dining Out Tips

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Sometimes the best way to approach learning something new is with the mind of a student. Instead of thinking about how hard it is to dine out gluten-free, treat it like a new skill that, once mastered, will give you a lifetime of dining out with confidence.

Lesson 1: Have a plan.

If you know where you want to go, research the restaurant beforehand. Check their website for allergen information or a gluten-free menu. If you can’t find any information on their website, or if they don’t have one, try to “google” the restaurant and “gluten-free” to see if other people have eaten there, and if they had a good experience. Many bloggers will write about restaurant experiences, good and bad, so take what they say with “a grain of salt” because they may have a personal bias. Also keep in mind that chain restaurants vary significantly by location and staff, so one persons good experience in Atlanta does not mean you will have the same experience in Austin. If all else fails, call the restaurant and ask to speak with a manager, preferably a kitchen manager. Sometimes this is pointless because the manager doesn’t even know that the corporate office has a gluten-free menu posted to their website! Either way, take it as a learning and teaching opportunity. (The best times to call a manager are the “off” times, between 2:00pm and 4:00pm).

Lesson 2: Timing is everything.

The best time to ask for special attention from the manager and kitchen is when they are not busy. This means that the best time for a gluten-free meal is NOT when everyone else is eating. Try for an early or late meal, and just remember that if they are too busy, your requests may be lost in the crowd.

Lesson 3: No one likes to take orders.

If the restaurant has a gluten-free menu, the ordering process should go smoothly. Be aware that most servers have no clue what gluten-free means, so they are not prepared to answer questions about ingredients. I usually say “can you ask the kitchen manager if the ranch dressing is gluten-free?” instead of saying “is the ranch gluten-free?” or “will you see if the ranch is gluten-free?” simply because it clears up any confusion about who should be looking for the information. If the restaurant does not have a gluten-free menu, ask to speak with a kitchen manager, and discuss the gluten-free options, remembering to question cross-contamination practices, such as frying potatoes (French fries) in the same fryer as breaded products. When ordering, keep in mind that you are asking them to service you, and go above and beyond their normal duties. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, but do it kindly. If you get a response that makes you worry, such as “oh yeah, that should be safe” then opt not to eat it. I don’t like people making assumptions about my food. If they don’t know, then it is better to go without!

Lesson 4: Think before you eat.

When a salad arrives at the table, check for crouton pieces. If there is a sauce or fried food item that is questionable, double check the gluten-free status with the server. I always do this with pasta dishes or dishes that are also served with gluten (such as the lettuce wraps at P.F. Chang’s). I will ask “this is the gluten-free version, right?” which prompts the server to check the plate or the ticket to be sure. This has saved me several times. I am careful to say it in a polite and curious way, not accusing them of making a mistake.

Lesson 5: Be memorable for the right reasons.

A customer with a special order or request will be remembered as an inconvenience (at the very least). If you plan to return to that restaurant, leave a kind tip, and you may receive more personal service at your next visit. I have servers at my favorite restaurants that remember me and know my “usual” order! They watch for mistakes with my food and are usually the ones to catch a crouton or sauce that isn’t safe, because they know me and what I usually get.

Extra Credit:  In my experience…..

  • I always talk to the manager when eating at a restaurant for the first time, and usually on repeat visits too.
  • I request salad dressing from “the walk-in” cooler, instead of the regular salad area, to reduce the chance of crouton contamination.
  • I try to order something simple, so there are fewer ingredients for me to worry about or question.
  • I put a sugar packet under the lettuce if I get a salad with croutons. Then, when the salad comes back, I can check for the sugar packet, and see if they just picked the croutons off of the salad, or if they actually made me a new one.
  • I always tip well. The servers at my favorite restaurants remember me, and remember what I usually order, and they catch kitchen mistakes for me, giving me much more confidence in eating out.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Crab Bisque

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We were snowed in over the weekend in Atlanta and it was freezing cold. With the wind chill it felt like it was zero outside, which is not normal here to say the least. To stay as warm as possible we stayed in and enjoyed some great gluten-free meals. I made one of our favorite soups, Crab Bisque, which calls for flour. We used Jules gluten-free flour which works well in most any gluten recipe. The company sent me a bag of their excellent flour. The bisque made with Jules gluten-free flour was one of the best I’ve made. The flour created a perfect rue, just as if I’d used wheat flour in the pan.

Since we finally found the Blue Horizon Organic gluten-free appetizers at Super Target, we had the Fish & Chip Bites with our soup instead of corn muffins. To include something healthy, we had a nice green salad as well. The Fish & Chip Bites were excellent and we’ll be trying the Crab Cake Bites soon. Each of the four options are $4.99 at Target in Atlanta. They are in the health food freezer which is not with the other frozen food. Please note if you find one of these products with malt listed in the ingredients, the malt is made from corn. The products are tested by a third party to ensure they are gluten-free. So many consumers were concerned over the term malt on the label that the company switched from corn malt vinegar to apple cider vinegar in August 2009.

Gluten-Free Crab Bisque

Ingredients: 

  • 2 tablespoons gluten-free flour blend (plain rice or bean flours will work here)
  • 2 tablespoons butter (I use unsalted)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper (or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon powder (low sodium version is best)
  • 6 tablespoons minced green onions
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 1/2 cup skim milk (use 1 cup for thinner bisque)
  • 1 pound fresh crab meat (or two cans of crab meat – use one can for budget friendly dish)
  • 1/2 cup cooking Sherry

Directions:

  • In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter and stir in flour, white pepper, salt, chicken bouillon powder and 4 tablespoons of the minced onions.
  • Turn heat up to medium and stir occasionally until soup thickens.
  • Add remainder of combined milks and the crab.
  • When soup reaches desired thickness, add Sherry and stir, cook one minute and remove from heat.
  • Garnish with remaining minced onions.
  • Serve with green salad and Pamela’s corn muffins.

This isn’t the healthiest soup in the world but it is one of the best we make at home. Since gluten-free soup is fairly difficult to find when dining out, we have a lot of soup in the winter at home. For the best ready-made frozen soups, check out Kettle Cuisine. All ten flavors are gluten-free and several are dairy free as well.

Progresso has several gluten-free options now and they are finally labeled as such. Check the listings on the new Live gluten-freely website. Please note that there are a couple of soups missing from the list on that site. The Chicken Rice with Vegetables soup (not to be confused with Chicken with Wild Rice) is clearly labeled gluten-free.

Recipe: Gluten-Free Spinach Ball

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This recipe originally called for seasoned bread crumbs and it was through many trial and error experiments that I finally figured out how to make them deliciously gluten-free. I tried about every cracker on the market before deciding that Ener-G Onion Crackers work superbly in this recipe. If you use another cracker, these might not come out right. The plain Ener-G crackers don’t work as well as the crunchier Onion Crackers, though they run a close second to the onion flavored version. Gluten-free breadcrumbs – ready-made or home made don’t work well in this recipe either. At least at our house, none of those options made an excellent product in terms of both taste and texture.

Because the only store that carried the Onion Crackers here stopped, I have to order them from Amazon.com but with free shipping, it’s no bother at all. I serve the crackers (only the onion version) to gluten eaters often and they always comment about how great the crackers are. The only negative thing about them is that when you want to use them with spreads or cheese, they are too large. They really require breaking up or cutting into smaller pieces. I have found using a butter knife to cut the crackers into four parts works fairly well. It at least works better than randomly breaking them up with your hands.

I took these spinach balls to a Super Bowl party last year, where the guests raved about them, as always. One person there suggested I add bacon to them. The next batch I made included turkey bacon and the one after that had regular bacon in them. Bacon might not be good for us but it does make everything better! These days I rarely make these delicious spinach balls without bacon of some kind, but they are perfectly delicious without meat. We ate them that way for many years. Someone told me that this recipe can not be converted well to be dairy free due to the cheese and butter needed. Substitutions don’t seem to work well here.

Gluten-free Spinach Ball Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 2 packages of frozen chopped spinach
  • 1 stick of butter, softened
  • 3/4  cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 small onion – finely chopped
  • 2 cups Ener-G Onion Cracker crumbs (add ½ tsp. of Italian blend spices – we use Alchemy Spice brand)
  • 1/2 tsp. of salt and pepper (use less if these are in your spice blend)
  • 4 eggs
  • *optional 1/2 cup of minced cooked bacon or turkey bacon

Instructions:

  • Thaw and drain spinach.
  • Mix all ingredients well and place mixture in freezer for 30 minutes.
  • Remove mixture from freezer and spray hands with non-stick cooking spray.
  • Form tablespoon sized balls from chilled mixture.
  • Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. *Can be frozen and baked later as needed.
  • When baking from frozen, remove from freezer approximately 10 minutes before baking.

These are best when served warm. When baking them at someone else’s house, I line the baking sheet with parchment paper for easy clean up. This trick also keeps the spinach balls from browning too much if an oven is not calibrated correctly. This recipe makes approximately 72 spinach balls and can easily be halved. Because these are such a wonderful appetizer any time of the year, I always make a big batch and freeze 8 or so in baggies to pull out as needed. Enjoy!

Special thanks to Jamie for the bacon idea!