Could FODMAPs be Causing Your Discomfort?

It's been a few years now since I started my journey to understanding what was causing my digestive issues. Since then I've been tested for Celiac, Lupus, and allergies. The first two came back negative, thank goodness, but the allergy testing did show some mild food allergies. A few of those were grains, so I've adopted a gluten free diet in an effort to avoid some of those grains. I'll admit, I'm not as strict as I should be, and because of this, I still have symptoms from time to time. For me, this means I suffer from stomachaches, gas, bloating, headaches, and joint pain. It's not fun, and I don't know exactly what causes it. Yes, their are foods that I know, for sure, that if I eat them, I will be in pain, but without an official diagnosis of anything other than some allergies (mild at that... which tend to cause a stuffy nose and some mouth itching), I just do my best to avoid known issues. The rest is guess work.

I have read that Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity does not exist. I've read that it does. I've read that it could be sensitivity to pesticides, and I've read that it could actually be a sensitivity to FODMAPs.

Cybele's Free-to-Eat cookies

I am so excited to find these at our local Kroger. I've been waiting since their launch to actually try them & they didn't disappoint! They are free of the top 8 allergens- dairy, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, & shellfish. The last two seem like no brainers... fish in cookies? You'd be surprised what some ingredients are derived from! Anyway, these chocolate chip cookies were moist and tasty with a good texture. Nothing ruins an allergen free cookie more than a sandy texture! Although they were a little one the small side, there were 12 in the package, so I was ok with it (and they're probably the size cookies are supposed to be... not the behemoths sold in the bakery). Personally, I enjoyed them & will definitely look for these again!

Crispin Certified Gluten Free Hard Cider

Crispin Natural Hard Cider

As the label states, Crispin Hard Cider are certified gluten free. This particular one is their Artisanal Reserve Honey Crisp. Contrary to what it's name might lead you to believe, it's not made from Honeycrisp apples, but rather a variety of apples. The name is a play on the company name and the fact that it has honey instead of sugar in it. The cider is made from freshly pressed apple juice and is cloudy  because it retains some of the natural apple wine sediment. The manufacturer recommends a "full bottoms up tilt and swirl" to mix that sediment into the cider for full flavor. It is definitely better served cold or over ice. It has a tart apple flavor with a hint of sweetness. I would definitely place it's flavor in the beer range as opposed to wine. I thought it was refreshing, but I was expecting it to be sweeter. I would be interested in trying the other Crispin varieties to see how they stack up.

Tuesday's Tips: Gluten Free Alcohol Options

The holiday season is upon us, and so is the time for gatherings, spreading good cheer, and toasting! So, how do you know if the drinks being served are safe for the gluten sensitive? The National Institute of Health has stated that all alcohol is gluten free because the distilling process removes gluten proteins. However, some disagree. There's a short article on About.com that explains this quite well. If you're unsure, contact the manufacturer or avoid it. Thankfully, more and more companies are catering to the gluten sensitive these days, and gluten free labels make it easier to find safe options. I've searched the internet for gluten free libations and have complied my results here.

Vodka - Traditionally made with grains containing gluten, but some specialty vodkas are safe. Choose those made with potato, corn, or even grapes. Gluten free vodka list

Wine - Most wines are gluten free, but some might be at risk of cross contamination (lower than 20 ppm) from the wine-making process. Is Wine Gluten Free

Beer - Beers are generally NOT gluten free since they are primarily made with wheat or barley (both contain gluten). However, there are some options that are gluten free. Gluten Free Beers

Hard Cider - Most ciders are gluten free, however those that use malt could contain traces of gluten. Angry Orchard, Crispin, and Woodchuck Cider are some options. Gluten Free Alternatives to Beer

Rum - Rum is naturally gluten free because it's made from sugar. Is Rum Gluten Free

Whiskey - Most whiskeys are made from gluten containing grains. Jack Daniel's states on their website that their whiskeys are made gluten free during the distilling process. Corn whiskey, or moonshine, if it's made from a pure corn mash should be naturally gluten free, but manufacturers warn of possible contamination.

Tequila - Tequila is generally gluten free... except possibly the cheap stuff. Is Tequila Gluten Free

In general, check with the manufacturer if you are unsure, or steer clear. Search for alcohols made from potato, corn, grapes, or 100% Agave tequila. Wine coolers and malt beverages as well as flavored liquors should be avoided.

Other sites:

Glutenista's Gluten Free Liquor List

Glutenista's Gluten Free Drink Recipies

Gluten Free Alcoholic Beverage Guide

Gluten Free Alcoholic Beverages

Is Alcohol Gluten Free

Gluten Free Alcohol

O'Dough's Bagel Thins

I honestly can't remember the last time I had bagels. They used to be a favorite of mine, but since my food allergy/sensitivity diagnosis a few years ago all things wheat, egg, and dairy are out. I still had to forgo the cream cheese, but these bagel thins were great! They're tasty and soft, but have just enough chewiness to separate themselves as bagels not rolls. They toast up great and keep well in the freezer. I will definitely buy these again! The best part? They're on the low end of the price range for similar products and they're only 100 calories apiece! 

Get more information from O'Doughs.

Pillsbury GF Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

I'll admit I was excited when I saw these little tubs in my grocery. While I shied away from buying them at first, a PMS-prompted shopping trip was all it took to get this container in my cart. They cost $3-$4 for a tub just shy of 1 lb. I wouldn't buy them if I had a need to make a lot of cookies (for a gathering) they certainly did come in handy to squash my cravings. 

I was able to bake up (in my toaster oven I might add) 3 batches of 4-6 cookies each. They baked up better when I used the recommended tablespoon or less and pressed them flat. So how did they come out? They looked good and baked up soft and chewy, but I had a hard time finding a balance between under-cooked and hockey puck. This may have been due to operator error. While they have good flavor, there is a slight gritty texture. The bad news... they do contain soy and "less than 2%" of egg.

Gluten Free Gigi has a great post about this product and lays it all out in a way that's very easy to understand. As she says in the post... without labeling laws, we don't know what's in our food. These are gluten free, but they do have highly refined ingredients and GMOs. 

Nutritional information, ingredients, and allergy information is available on the Pillsbury site.

FRIENDLY FRIDAY: Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

I was pleasantly surprised during a recent trip to Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen. Known for its fried seafood and rich sauces, it has not been the easiest place for me to find allergy friendly options. Well, that is until now. Pappadeaux's now offers a gluten free menu! While that doesn't take care of all my allergies it's a start, and the waiter at our local restaurant was very helpful. The menu was understandably limited, but there were some really tasty options. I had the Jumbo Sea Scallops with Lemon & Herb Olive Oil (since I can't have butter), and they were delicious. If you have any other food allergies be sure to tell your waiter. When it came to dessert, there really are no options on their menu for me (they either have wheat or dairy in them). Thankfully, our waiter was nice enough to put together a wonderful fruit cup for me.

Of course, like it says on the menu, Pappadeaux's prepares all food in a common kitchen so there is always the chance for cross contamination. 

Allergy Free Halloween Candy

I love candy, but like millions of people, I have to be careful about the sweets I choose. Thankfully more and more companies are rolling out safe options and identifying what's in their products. It doesn't make a bit of difference to me whether they're doing it because they have a genuine concern for people with food allergies/sensitivities or if they're just jumping on the bandwagon. It makes my decisions easier!

Here are some links to lists and articles that might help make this holiday season a little easier to navigate. Of course, if you're ever in doubt, it's better to err on the side of safety, and you can also contact the manufacturer's customer service department to find out if your candy is safe.

Gluten Free Candy
Peanut and Tree Nut Free Candy
Allergy Free Candy - All candy is free of the top 8 allergens - wheat, milk, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish or shellfish.
Allergy Free Halloween Candy Round-Up

Going Gluten Free

Gluten free products are becoming easier and easier to find, and thanks to recent legislature, guidelines are being set to regulate the requirements for that label. All of this is great for those of us with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities, but is it for everyone? Gluten sensitivity causes inflammation and neurological symptoms, and in people with celiac, gluten actually destroys the lining of the intestines. For these people, a gluten free diet is necessary. So what are the benefits of going gluten free without a diagnosis of celiac or gluten sensitivity? Well, before I answer that let's look at a few issues. According to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, approximately 1% of the U.S. population has celiac disease, and it is believed that even more people with celiac disease are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. In addition, it's believed that as many as 1 in 20 Americans have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS). So, trying a gluten free diet could be beneficial for people who are noticing symptoms of sensitivity such as gastro-intestinal distress, headaches, and joint pain with no other explanation. Otherwise, you run the risk of losing out on the valuable fiber and nutrients that gluten containing foods possess. Don't take my word for it. WebMD outline some facts and concerns about the issue on their site. In people without gluten sensitivities there has been no noted health benefit and some people actually gain weight when they go gluten free. The bottom line is you have to educate yourself and make decisions based on knowledge, not hype. Be smart. Gluten free cookies are still cookies, and overly processed or refined foods are unhealthy regardless of whether or not they contain gluten. If you suspect a problem with wheat or gluten, talk to your doctor. Ask for the appropriate testing, and get to the bottom of the problems you're having. It took me almost 10 years to get my food issues sorted out... just don't give up until you feel better.

See my post about getting proper nutrients on a gluten free diet.

Gluten Free Lentil Snaps

These little snacks are pretty tasty! I was skeptical at first because I thought they would just be baked lentil pods, which didn't entice me at all. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they're actually light, crisp, and airy. They're obviously made from an extruded lentil dough... like a cheese puff. I also tried their lightly salted Snapea Crisps, but I wasn't as impressed with those. They didn't have as much flavor. The Lentil Snaps have 120 calories per container (3 servings per container), 6 grams of fat, 85 mg of sodium, 5 grams of protein, and 2 grams of fiber. They do warn that they are made in a facility that also processes wheat, milk, soy, shrimp, and fish.

Go Picnic Hummus & Crackers

www.Gopicnic.com

I have heard about (in fact I've even blogged about), but never actually seen Go Picnic products near me... let alone try them... until recently. I have to admit I was giddy to find these in the Houston airport. Knowing I was going to be traveling for a while, I grabbed one to keep in my bag.

Here's what I like about these snack boxes, they're compact, nutritious, and they list all the possible allergens clearly on the side of the box. I tried the Hummus & Crackers. It comes with individual packets of gluten free Multi-Seed Crackers, Wild Garden Hummus, Power Play (roasted edamame, pumpkin seeds, and watermelon seeds), Baja Blend fruit & nut mix (habanera almonds, sweet & salty peanuts, and mango cranberries), and a piece of dark chocolate with sea salt. 

                          






The crackers are tasty and the hummus was delicious. I shared with my brother and sister during my trip and they were both impressed with the hummus. I had never had watermelon seeds and am not a fan of edamame, so I was skeptical of the Power Play mix. Soy beans just have the tendency to leave a gritty texture in my mouth, but these were toasted nicely and I found them at least tolerable. I was pleasantly surprised by the watermelon seeds. They were like delightful little puffs of toasted goodness. Overall, I preferred the Baja Blend to the Power Play. The habanero almonds were spicy but not overpowering, and the peanuts and cranberries balanced out the heat with some sweet. Now, I'm a huge fan of chocolate and of course I loved the dark chocolate with sea salt. It is a very rich chocolate so I wasn't disappointed that there was only one piece. It was just enough to satisfy my sweet tooth.

I appreciated GoPicnic's easy to stow packaging, and their products are high quality & worth the $5-$6 price tag. I would have easily spent more buying little bags of comparable components. I will definitely be seeking these out again!

Banana & Peanut Butter "Ice Cream"

I have seen this recipe floating around the interwebs for a while, and it was even recommended to me by a friend not long ago. It just took me this long to break down and give it a try. I really couldn't see how it was going to translate to "ice cream". It was actually really good. I added chopped strawberries to mine & was very pleased with the outcome. It was very creamy and did an excellent job killing that ice cream craving. 

If you're allergic to peanuts try a substitute like Sun Butter. You could probably skip the peanut butter altogether and mix in other ingredients that sound good to you. It's super easy to make!

Here's what I did. 

Ingredients:

2 bananas (over ripe is ok)

1 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

1 tsp cocoa powder (optional)

2-3 diced strawberries (optional)

Slice bananas & place in the freezer for a couple of hours. Blend in a good blender or food processor until creamy & smooth. Add peanut butter & cocoa. Mix thoroughly. Add strawberries or other add-ins.  Place in container & return to freezer to firm up.

Mine started to melt on me... It may not look appetizing here, but trust me, it was delicious! 

Chocolate Crack Cookies

I found the recipe for these little beauties somewhere on the interwebs, and I have to say they're amazing! These little gems are DAIRY FREE and FLOUR FREE! I was doubtful they would be any good, and I'm glad I was wrong! I'm not sure what they're really called, but I call them Chocolate Crack Cookies because the surface cracks when you bake them... and they're so good they're like crack!

Ingredients
3 egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 semisweet chocolate chips
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbsp corn starch
1/4 tsp salt

Stuffed Peppers

My apologies for the lack of picture to accompany this recipe.
This recipe came from Foodnetwork.com, and you can find nutritional information for this recipe at Yummly.com.

This is a very traditional stuffed peppers recipe, but it IS free of the top 8 food allergens. It can be changed up by substituting thyme and oregano for cumin and chili powder. Then add corn, black beans, and jalapeno peppers for a Tex-Mex flavor. I have also seen where people have substituted quinoa for rice, or go vegan and take out the meat.


Ingredients
1/2 cup rice
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely chopped
6 ounces ground beef
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 cups crushed tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
4 red or green bell peppers

A Rant for the Dietarily Restricted

I hate people's views of gluten free/allergy free eating (especially the media). I don't have dietary restrictions because I'm trying to be trendy or heard it might help me lose weight. I don't do it to be difficult or because I'm a picky eater... I'm anything but. I have to eat this way because if I don't I get sick. Don't believe me, ask my husband. He's seen me doubled over in pain feeling like I wanted to die because the pain in my gut was so severe. He's seen me spend entire evenings in the bathroom over a slice of bread or cheese... ONE slice. He's seen me near tears because my entire body hurt... every joint... at the same time. It sucks. I still crave the same foods I used to eat, but if I want to feel like a normal human being, without joints that make me feel like an 80 year old woman with arthritis, without constant nausea, without severe abdominal pain that can literally last for days, then this is how my life has to be. I'm sorry if you don't understand it. I'm sorry for your ignorance. Just do me a favor & don't assume that you know my motivation behind ordering the way I do, or making the choices I do.

FRIENDLY FRIDAY: Texas Roadhouse & Logan's Roadhouse

  

I'll admit I'm a fan of the occasional steak dinner, but since the discovery of my food sensitivities, finding a steakhouse that can accommodate my needs isn't easy. Tonight I did a little research into Logan's and the Texas Roadhouse. My first hurdle is that both establishments offer ridiculously yummy-smelling rolls. It's hard to say no when the smell makes your mouth water. So, for me it's either stay away and resist temptation, shove my mouth full of peanuts while I wait for my meal, or give in and pay the consequences. Not fun, but I have found that I do much better when I have done my research before hand and go in with a plan. I was a bit disappointed by my findings this time.

Texas Roadhouse does not offer a gluten free menu or nutritional information for any of their food (according to their own statements on their website). They claim that it is too difficult to give accurate information like some other outfits because other places use prepackaged food and they make their food from scratch. Call me crazy, but I'm pretty sure there are other "from scratch" restaurants that are doing a decent job of informing customers about allergen and nutritional information. Sounds like a cop out to me. So while I'm fairly certain there are items on their menu that I can eat, the choice is simple for me. At least I know one place to leave off my list.

Logan's does at least offer a gluten free menu. Although it is not available online, you can request a copy from your host. Of course, since Logan's uses a common cooking area they can't guarantee that cross-contamination won't occur, and they do make a statement to that effect. I was unable, however, to find any other allergy information. According to discussion boards, it's hit or miss as to whether the staff is knowledgeable about allergies or even willing to accommodate a diner's needs. Personally, I have been able to eat there without incidence, and the staff have been very accommodating, but when in doubt I follow 2 rules of thumb... ask or avoid!

Udi's Gluten Free Pizza Crust

Visit Udi's to purchase this product.

I've been a fan of Udi's products for a while now, but this weekend I picked up their pizza crust for the first time. I'm always a little hesitant when trying new gluten free products. There's such a wide variety of textures... not good for someone with food texture issues to begin with. As with most gluten free products, the serving size was a bit small (think personal pizza size), but it has a smooth texture and tastes good. I've tried Domingo's GF crust & it has a sweetnesss to it that makes it taste a little weird. Udi's doesn't have that issue. It's a thin crust & bakes up crispy. All in all I was pleased with this product & would definitely buy it again!

Go Picnic - Gluten Free Snack Packs

GoPicnic

I'm really excited about these little gems. I have not yet tried them, but they look promising. GoPicnic have a few different combinations (they also offer non-gluten free products, or "fully leaded" as I like to call them). When eating gluten/allergy free takes so much planning it's nice to know there are products out there for those "grab-and-go" moments. The price ranges between $3 and $5, which isn't much different than the cost for Lunchables. From what I've found on their website, they are mostly carried in Target stores. I'm hoping to find some soon so I can give my opinion on their taste! Please comment if you have tried these!

Immaculate Baking Co. Gluten Free Cookies

All I have to say is, oh my word these are good cookies! This is the first time I have had gluten free cookies that actually made me forget they were gluten free! I'm in love! They are break and bake cookies so there aren't any mixes to mess with. At around $4 a package they're a bit more than the fully leaded type, but worth it!

http://www.immaculatebaking.com/product/gluten-free-chocolate-chunk-cookie-dough/

Green Pozole Recipe

Made Pozole tonight... for the first time. For those of you who have never heard of it (which was me until about a week ago) it's a Mexican soup made with hominy. I had never had hominy aside from grits, but I was pleasantly surprised by this soup. I found a big drawn out recipe that included cooking and grinding pumpkin seeds, but I simplified it with great success!

1-1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken
2 32oz containers of chicken broth
8-10 tomatillos (peeled)
1 small white onion (quartered)
1-2 Serrano peppers
2 tsp minced garlic
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
2 cans hominy
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

(A jar of salsa verde can be substituted for tomatillos & peppers)

Combine all ingredients except hominy and cilantro in a large pot. Heat until chicken is cooked through and tomatillos are dark. Remove onion, pepper, and tomatillos & purée in a blender with 1-2 cups broth from the pot (add garlic and salt to taste). Remove chicken shred once it's cool enough to handle. Return tomatillo purée (salsa verde) and chicken to the pot with broth. Add hominy and cilantro. Heat until hominy is warmed through.

Garnish with cheese, avocado, or lime.

I added sweet corn to mine and it worked well.