Guest guest Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 Hello all, I've been a group member for quite some time - mainly because I was having some stomach issues a year or so ago. I ended up becoming pregnant and everything seemed to even out, but baby is here and it's all back again. That, AND my 2.5 y.o. son is having some issues that have me worried - bloated-looking belly, many bowel movements per day, tooth enamel issues, etc. and I'm thinking he might be gluten and/or dairy intolerant. SO - I'd love if I could get some ideas about where to start. I've looked over the menus and the recipes and it just feels SO overwhelming. We already have a fairly healthy diet - as many whole/natural/organic foods as our budget allows. But - ugh - the gf thing seems so *hard*. What *one* suggestion would anyone give on where to start if I were to just wake up tomorrow (okay, we're out of town right now - we'll say next week) and just START. What do I NEED on hand *right now* to go gf? I mean, I know I can learn as we go, but what would my staples be? I guess there is probably something in the files for that too. <sigh> Kim B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 One thing? Rice pasta. Easy transition food for kids. After that, some gluten-free waffles and rice cakes. We often use rice cakes as a bread alternative, the boys love peanut butter and banana on top. Mmm. We find them cheaper at our dollar store (and find they are more compressed and sturdier, so they don't crumble when you take them out of the bag.) I wouldn't hurry ahead to bread and baking too much yet, sticking to whole foods veggies, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds. (I know, not easy at Christmas time. We started GFCF in November last year.) If you're currently using dairy, pick a gluten free and corn-syrup free milk alternative and start diluting gradually. Use nut butters, hummus, and bean dips for veggies. For the Christmas treats and prep, try going with your usual pies (pumpkin, apple, etc.), but crustless, for an easy transition without trying to find a crust that you like. Look at your traditional square and candy recipes for any easy conversion. I changed puffed wheat squares to puffed rice sqaures, for example. Flourless peanut butter cookies are already in a lot of people's files. Pam On Sat, Nov 29, 2008 at 7:54 PM, Kim B. <Kkimmikim wrote: > Hello all, > > I've been a group member for quite some time - mainly because I was > having some stomach issues a year or so ago. I ended up becoming > pregnant and everything seemed to even out, but baby is here and it's > all back again. That, AND my 2.5 y.o. son is having some issues that > have me worried - bloated-looking belly, many bowel movements per day, > tooth enamel issues, etc. and I'm thinking he might be gluten and/or > dairy intolerant. > > SO - I'd love if I could get some ideas about where to start. I've > looked over the menus and the recipes and it just feels SO > overwhelming. We already have a fairly healthy diet - as many > whole/natural/organic foods as our budget allows. But - ugh - the gf > thing seems so *hard*. > > What *one* suggestion would anyone give on where to start if I were to > just wake up tomorrow (okay, we're out of town right now - we'll say > next week) and just START. What do I NEED on hand *right now* to go > gf? I mean, I know I can learn as we go, but what would my staples > be? I guess there is probably something in the files for that too. > > <sigh> > Kim B. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 The good thing is that today there are so many gluten free & gluten free/dairy free products available for purchase. Some basic things to start with a gluten free diet: brown rice pasta brown rice tortilla wraps there are various types of gluten free breads, doughnuts, english muffins, pizza shells etc--mostly found in health food stores but some large grocery chains carry them too. Eco-Kids gluten free cereals Bob Mills gluten free baking mix (for pancakes, biscuits, some desserts) or The Gluten Free Pantry for breads and baked goods Bette Hagman series of cookbooks, The Gluten Free Gourmet. Use arrowroot or cornstarch to thicken liquids like gravy. Browse the files here--there are lots of great recipes. Don't buy anything processed----you'd be amazed how much gluten is in pre-packaged stuff---once you learn all the code words for wheat and gluten you'll be able to read ingredient lists better. If you have other food sensitivities/allergies then I suggest you take the most offensive food out of your diet and find appropriate substitutions and then work on the next one, slowly changing the diet. We were gluten free/dairy free first and have just recently changed to a more vegetarian/vegan/whole food way of eating---with this latest change I took a 3-day cooking intensive class and came home and bam! changed overnight, although I do admit to some meals since have included a small component of meat or eggs. So we're not completely vegetarian/vegan or whole foods yet, but we are getting there. Susan --- On Sat, 11/29/08, Kim B. <Kkimmikim wrote: Kim B. <Kkimmikim Taking the leap Saturday, November 29, 2008, 9:54 PM Hello all, I've been a group member for quite some time - mainly because I was having some stomach issues a year or so ago. I ended up becoming pregnant and everything seemed to even out, but baby is here and it's all back again. That, AND my 2.5 y.o. son is having some issues that have me worried - bloated-looking belly, many bowel movements per day, tooth enamel issues, etc. and I'm thinking he might be gluten and/or dairy intolerant. SO - I'd love if I could get some ideas about where to start. I've looked over the menus and the recipes and it just feels SO overwhelming. We already have a fairly healthy diet - as many whole/natural/ organic foods as our budget allows. But - ugh - the gf thing seems so *hard*. What *one* suggestion would anyone give on where to start if I were to just wake up tomorrow (okay, we're out of town right now - we'll say next week) and just START. What do I NEED on hand *right now* to go gf? I mean, I know I can learn as we go, but what would my staples be? I guess there is probably something in the files for that too. <sigh> Kim B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 Ok, I'm definitely still struggling with this but for me, the easiest place to start was by serving soup and salad.? From there, I am working on a list of some of our favorite dishes from our pre-gluten free life.? Salad is the first course of every meal at our house (either fruit salad or mixed green salad) because that's where the vitamins are!? Then I make something to go along with it.?? Some quick and easy ideas: soup & salad with popcorn salad, beans & rice rice with stroganoff or stir-fry sushi with seaweed salad vegetable or bean casserole with salad cabbage rolls If you take frozen bananas and run them through a champion juicer it comes out like soft serve ice cream.? So we have banana splits or sundaes made this way quite often.? Another favorite for light fruit meals is popcorn and smoothie.? We pop our popcorn in an air popper and add a bit of olive oil, salt and nutritional yeast. Alina Joy Susan Haggerty <haggboys03 Sun, 30 Nov 2008 7:05 pm Re: Taking the leap The good thing is that today there are so many gluten free & gluten free/dairy free products available for purchase. ? Some basic things to start with a?gluten free diet: ? brown rice pasta brown rice tortilla wraps there are various types of gluten free breads, doughnuts, english muffins, pizza shells?etc--mostly found in health food stores but some large grocery chains carry them too. Eco-Kids gluten free cereals Bob Mills gluten free baking mix (for pancakes, biscuits, some desserts) or The Gluten Free Pantry for breads and baked goods Bette Hagman series of cookbooks, The Gluten Free Gourmet. ? Use arrowroot or cornstarch to thicken liquids like gravy. ? Browse the files here--there are lots of great recipes. ? Don't buy anything processed----you'd be amazed how much gluten is in pre-packaged stuff---once you learn all the code words for wheat and gluten you'll be able to read ingredient?lists better. ? If you have other food sensitivities/allergies then I suggest you take the most offensive food out of your diet and find appropriate substitutions and then work on the next one, slowly changing the diet. ? We were gluten free/dairy free first and have just recently changed to a more vegetarian/vegan/whole food way of eating---with this latest change I took a 3-day cooking intensive class and came home and bam! changed overnight, although I do admit to some meals since have included a small component of meat or eggs.? So we're not completely vegetarian/vegan or whole foods yet, but we are getting there.? ? Susan ? ? ? --- On Sat, 11/29/08, Kim B. <Kkimmikim wrote: Kim B. <Kkimmikim Taking the leap Saturday, November 29, 2008, 9:54 PM Hello all, I've been a group member for quite some time - mainly because I was having some stomach issues a year or so ago. I ended up becoming pregnant and everything seemed to even out, but baby is here and it's all back again. That, AND my 2.5 y.o. son is having some issues that have me worried - bloated-looking belly, many bowel movements per day, tooth enamel issues, etc. and I'm thinking he might be gluten and/or dairy intolerant. SO - I'd love if I could get some ideas about where to start. I've looked over the menus and the recipes and it just feels SO overwhelming. We already have a fairly healthy diet - as many whole/natural/ organic foods as our budget allows. But - ugh - the gf thing seems so *hard*. What *one* suggestion would anyone give on where to start if I were to just wake up tomorrow (okay, we're out of town right now - we'll say next week) and just START. What do I NEED on hand *right now* to go gf? I mean, I know I can learn as we go, but what would my staples be? I guess there is probably something in the files for that too. <sigh> Kim B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 My recommendation is to go through your current favorite recipes and identify which ones are already are GF and which can be easily converted (e.g. Substituting rice pasta). Rely on those while you take some time (a few weeks) to go through the list files. Then start trying new recipes! Kim B. <Kkimmikim Saturday, November 29, 2008 7:54 PM Taking the leap Hello all, I've been a group member for quite some time - mainly because I was having some stomach issues a year or so ago. I ended up becoming pregnant and everything seemed to even out, but baby is here and it's all back again. That, AND my 2.5 y.o. son is having some issues that have me worried - bloated-looking belly, many bowel movements per day, tooth enamel issues, etc. and I'm thinking he might be gluten and/or dairy intolerant. SO - I'd love if I could get some ideas about where to start. I've looked over the menus and the recipes and it just feels SO overwhelming. We already have a fairly healthy diet - as many whole/natural/organic foods as our budget allows. But - ugh - the gf thing seems so *hard*. What *one* suggestion would anyone give on where to start if I were to just wake up tomorrow (okay, we're out of town right now - we'll say next week) and just START. What do I NEED on hand *right now* to go gf? I mean, I know I can learn as we go, but what would my staples be? I guess there is probably something in the files for that too. <sigh> Kim B. [The entire original message is not included] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 Hi Kim, I know it is hard and overwhelming at first. All of here are with you on that. Some things to remember are that all those yummy, natural, and healthful veggies that you love, they are gluten free. Center your meals around veggies that you love. Then add potatoes or brown rice. That will get you started. There all kinds of mixes and boxes to substitute for things you love containing gluten, but they are expensive, and likely won't taste too much like you wish they would. The only two things I recommend from the gluten free isle is gluten free pasta such as Mrs. Leepers or tinkyada brand. Both of those are very good whether you eat gluten or you don't. The other thing I recommend is gluten free oats. If you local store doesn't have them, you can find them on the web in various places, including amazon. With the oats you have oatmeal, granola, and all the loaves and casseroles and patties you used to make with oats. You are going to think you need bread, that you can't live without bread. Sorry to say, the gluten free breads aren't going to taste like you want them to. It was easier for me to make foods and meals that didn't cry for bread, then to try to eat rice bread, especially in the beginning. I started making more Mexican, Thai and Indian foods that don't need bread. I also found that I love raw food cookbooks because there is very little gluten in the whole book. It will add some fun and variety to your eating, and still be good for you. And if you need a recipe, you are in the right place. The files for this group are excellent. I use them all the time. I just made some excellent pumpkin muffins out of the files too, that anyone would love! Yum is for sure. Courage Kim. My baby had gluten problems from the very beginning and I'm so glad now that we are off gluten. Our life is so much better. He is a growing, happy, healthy boy now. Barbara ______ On Behalf Of Barbara Hare, Psy.D. [drbhare] Monday, December 01, 2008 9:47 AM RE: Taking the leap My recommendation is to go through your current favorite recipes and identify which ones are already are GF and which can be easily converted (e.g. Substituting rice pasta). Rely on those while you take some time (a few weeks) to go through the list files. Then start trying new recipes! Kim B. <Kkimmikim<Kkimmikim%40aol.com>> Saturday, November 29, 2008 7:54 PM To: <%40\ ..com> Taking the leap Hello all, I've been a group member for quite some time - mainly because I was having some stomach issues a year or so ago. I ended up becoming pregnant and everything seemed to even out, but baby is here and it's all back again. That, AND my 2.5 y.o. son is having some issues that have me worried - bloated-looking belly, many bowel movements per day, tooth enamel issues, etc. and I'm thinking he might be gluten and/or dairy intolerant. SO - I'd love if I could get some ideas about where to start. I've looked over the menus and the recipes and it just feels SO overwhelming. We already have a fairly healthy diet - as many whole/natural/organic foods as our budget allows. But - ugh - the gf thing seems so *hard*. What *one* suggestion would anyone give on where to start if I were to just wake up tomorrow (okay, we're out of town right now - we'll say next week) and just START. What do I NEED on hand *right now* to go gf? I mean, I know I can learn as we go, but what would my staples be? I guess there is probably something in the files for that too. <sigh> Kim B. [The entire original message is not included] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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