Well, my gluten-free frustrations always give way to a renewed energy for making GFCF meals my family will rave over, and this morning brought new success.
This coffeecake recipe comes from Lisa Lewis' cookbook Special Diets for Special Kids - Two and it was created by Sue Crosby, creator of the wonderful GFCF Quickie Baking Mix. This cookbook and its predecessor have a wealth of information on the science of this diet, research material, substitution information and tips on helping kids try new foods. But honestly, I have had no trouble getting my kids to try any of these delicious treats. And I'm learning a lot of new GFCF baking tricks in the process.
I used DariFree for the milk, and Bob's GF Baking Mix (basically 4-bean flour) for the flour. This is DELICIOUS!
Ingredients
Batter
1 beaten egg (or egg replacer)
1/2 cup GFCF milk
1 cup GFCF flour
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons safflower oil (I used canola and it was fine)
2 teaspoons GFCF baking powder
Topping
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon tapioca starch
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I omit these)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon GFCF margarine, melted
Beat batter ingredients together until smooth. Pour into a greased 8x8x2 inch pan. Mix topping ingredients and sprinkle over top of batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Toothpick in center should pull out clean when done.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Gluten-Free Dreams
A warning to many of you: this is a part of my life that may be foreign to you. I am not writing this to drum up sympathy in any way. Really, it is more of a vent over my good intentions gone wrong.
My daughter is four years old and was diagnosed with autism over two years ago, several months after suffering an immediate regression after receiving a flu shot and Hepatitis A shot at her 18 month doctor visit.
After some time, and months of rejecting the idea, we began an experiment into diet: a gluten-free, casein-free adventure that seemed daunting at first. Cutting out wheat, oats, rye, barley, and all dairy products except eggs took getting used to, especially for this comfort cook who loves sauces, gravy and cheese in almost every dish. We had already cut out artificial colors and additives, and for a few months the world looked dreary. Would we ever eat delicious food again?
If you are curious about this diet, you can look up 'leaky gut syndrome' and find oodles of information on the theory behind this approach. We approached the diet head-on, starting the day after Ruby's third birthday party. No more macaroni and cheese. Milk and bread - out. Those first months were rough at times as we held our ground and learned which of these new, wheat-less breads tasted good to us (turns out, none of the pre-made ones really did!). But we stuck with it, and saw noticeable improvement in Ru-baby's eye contact and responsiveness after just a month (which I later learned is about the time it takes for dairy products to exit the body entirely). And along the way, we were discovering treasures like Anna's Bread Mixes and Namaste Foods Fudge Brownie Mix and Taco Pasta. And I gained a new appreciation for those who have lived with Celiac Disease and provided market pressure to produce gluten-free friendly products.
When you are on the diet and mess up, it is called an infraction. We had many infractions in the beginning, learning that Play-Doh and some laundry detergents contain gluten. Marshmallows and many other foods are dusted with gluten to prevent sticking, and this does not have to be listed on the ingredients. The only way to be sure something is gluten or dairy free is to call the manufacturer directly and ask. And sometimes you find that they don't know either, such as the nice lady at Dairy Queen headquarters who assured me that their Dilly Bar treats do not contain casein. I tried to assure her that they did contain milk, but she insisted that the word 'casein' was not present in the ingredient list. I decided it was probably best to avoid DQ. But then there is Chik-Fil-A, who have a dedicated oil pit for their waffle fries, so that they will not be contaminated by the breading on the chicken. They are the only fast food place that I know of that takes this step, and we go there once a week for a special treat of waffle fries. :)
So we ate this diet for over a year and really had come to enjoy it. When you take away artificial dyes, flavors, bleached sugar and flours, growth additives and artificial lighting, you end up with fresh fruits and vegetables and grains that were grown in good soil (how does food grown in soil without good nutrients really nourish, anyway?), and actual sunlight. It makes sense that these taste better than plants grown in warehouses under artificial light. Of course the chicken that is free to roam leisurely around a grassy barnyard yields better meat and eggs than the one which lives its life in a crate too small for it to stand up in, fed chemicals that make it grow too big to even stand on its own legs and drenched daily in the feces of the layers of chickens above it.
Before our trip to Africa this summer, we felt Ru-baby's digestive tract was well enough to try an occasional planned infraction. And this was going well, with none of the out-of-control episodes we had seen with early infractions. In fact, she was thriving in every area of development and was by this time largely indistinguishable as having special needs when with her peers.
Unfortunately, her illness in Africa and the antibiotics that helped her there also cleaned out her gut flora again, and since our return we have started over with the diet, hoping to get her balanced again. And she has made progress quickly, able in this last month to handle one or two infractions a month without great consequence.
Well, this weekend I took it too far. Fall parties and regular pizza at Grandma and Grandpa's and my own greed in wanting to give her all the things I enjoy, even though she is great at saying 'no' to things she shouldn't have, took her over the edge again. And Space Ruby has been back for a day or two, although today was a better day. But my frustration at myself for going too far will outlast her symptoms.
As we prepare to move, I am stocking up on our favorite rice pastas and GF flours and mixes and enough potato milk to last a year, and I am hopeful that somehow, in all the crazy transitioning and adjusting to a new country and culture, we will find a way to thrive without strict adherence to this diet.
At the moment, though, that seems like a far-off dream.
My daughter is four years old and was diagnosed with autism over two years ago, several months after suffering an immediate regression after receiving a flu shot and Hepatitis A shot at her 18 month doctor visit.
After some time, and months of rejecting the idea, we began an experiment into diet: a gluten-free, casein-free adventure that seemed daunting at first. Cutting out wheat, oats, rye, barley, and all dairy products except eggs took getting used to, especially for this comfort cook who loves sauces, gravy and cheese in almost every dish. We had already cut out artificial colors and additives, and for a few months the world looked dreary. Would we ever eat delicious food again?
If you are curious about this diet, you can look up 'leaky gut syndrome' and find oodles of information on the theory behind this approach. We approached the diet head-on, starting the day after Ruby's third birthday party. No more macaroni and cheese. Milk and bread - out. Those first months were rough at times as we held our ground and learned which of these new, wheat-less breads tasted good to us (turns out, none of the pre-made ones really did!). But we stuck with it, and saw noticeable improvement in Ru-baby's eye contact and responsiveness after just a month (which I later learned is about the time it takes for dairy products to exit the body entirely). And along the way, we were discovering treasures like Anna's Bread Mixes and Namaste Foods Fudge Brownie Mix and Taco Pasta. And I gained a new appreciation for those who have lived with Celiac Disease and provided market pressure to produce gluten-free friendly products.
When you are on the diet and mess up, it is called an infraction. We had many infractions in the beginning, learning that Play-Doh and some laundry detergents contain gluten. Marshmallows and many other foods are dusted with gluten to prevent sticking, and this does not have to be listed on the ingredients. The only way to be sure something is gluten or dairy free is to call the manufacturer directly and ask. And sometimes you find that they don't know either, such as the nice lady at Dairy Queen headquarters who assured me that their Dilly Bar treats do not contain casein. I tried to assure her that they did contain milk, but she insisted that the word 'casein' was not present in the ingredient list. I decided it was probably best to avoid DQ. But then there is Chik-Fil-A, who have a dedicated oil pit for their waffle fries, so that they will not be contaminated by the breading on the chicken. They are the only fast food place that I know of that takes this step, and we go there once a week for a special treat of waffle fries. :)
So we ate this diet for over a year and really had come to enjoy it. When you take away artificial dyes, flavors, bleached sugar and flours, growth additives and artificial lighting, you end up with fresh fruits and vegetables and grains that were grown in good soil (how does food grown in soil without good nutrients really nourish, anyway?), and actual sunlight. It makes sense that these taste better than plants grown in warehouses under artificial light. Of course the chicken that is free to roam leisurely around a grassy barnyard yields better meat and eggs than the one which lives its life in a crate too small for it to stand up in, fed chemicals that make it grow too big to even stand on its own legs and drenched daily in the feces of the layers of chickens above it.
Before our trip to Africa this summer, we felt Ru-baby's digestive tract was well enough to try an occasional planned infraction. And this was going well, with none of the out-of-control episodes we had seen with early infractions. In fact, she was thriving in every area of development and was by this time largely indistinguishable as having special needs when with her peers.
Unfortunately, her illness in Africa and the antibiotics that helped her there also cleaned out her gut flora again, and since our return we have started over with the diet, hoping to get her balanced again. And she has made progress quickly, able in this last month to handle one or two infractions a month without great consequence.
Well, this weekend I took it too far. Fall parties and regular pizza at Grandma and Grandpa's and my own greed in wanting to give her all the things I enjoy, even though she is great at saying 'no' to things she shouldn't have, took her over the edge again. And Space Ruby has been back for a day or two, although today was a better day. But my frustration at myself for going too far will outlast her symptoms.
As we prepare to move, I am stocking up on our favorite rice pastas and GF flours and mixes and enough potato milk to last a year, and I am hopeful that somehow, in all the crazy transitioning and adjusting to a new country and culture, we will find a way to thrive without strict adherence to this diet.
At the moment, though, that seems like a far-off dream.
Monday, November 2, 2009
A Word From Your Creator
The knees and I finally made peace. My trekking poles are already lashed to the suitcase so we don't forget them next time.
More about the Springs hike. Glen Eyrie is a gorgeous property that backs up to the Garden of the Gods, has a resident herd of wild bighorn sheep, visiting wild deer and wild turkeys in the midst of terraced gardens, red rock formations, sweeping hillsides and miles of good hiking trails. And a castle built by one of the Colorado Springs pioneers as a gift for his wife. You really have to see it to believe it.
With a few hours of down time our first afternoon there, I decided to hike a couple of trails to get a view of Garden of the Gods. If this place doesn't make you fall in love with geology, nothing will. From the pink Precambrian granite to red Cambrian Quartz, to Upper and Lower Cretaceous shale and sandstone, walking any of the trails is a rainbow of history and beauty.
The first trail took me through all of it, around the side of a small mountain and finally through fields carpeting geologically recent deposits of sand and clay, right up to the northern boundary of GoG. Which, to my chuckles, was marked with a barbed-wire fence with a hole neatly cut through the bottom two strands. Plant life is as varied as the rocks. Not a dull moment!
But you're wondering, "What is the word from my Creator?"
The second trail I tried was a loop that began on the fire road behind the castle. Now, the visible fire road is an inviting trail - a wide, flat dirt trail wide enough for a large four-wheeler to easily speed along for about a quarter-mile, then it curves out of sight. It isn't until you turn that corner that you see how steep it becomes for the rest of the ascent. I decided to take it in 50-pace segments, stopping to check out the ever-changing view and catch my breath frequently.
at the top of the fire trail, the path switches back sharply to the left, to a much more narrow trail, and continues up, although with less climb.
A short walk up that trail I saw the prize: Garden of the Gods, from an overlook as close as you can get, with great views of the major formations. It was so close I almost thought I could jump and land on top of them.
Fortunately, I passed on that idea and instead sat down to savor the view of over 180 degrees of Colorado skyline, including Pike's Peak and GoG, as the sun was setting. I sat there for almost 20 minutes, feeling the coldness of the evening as the sun faded, wanting to squeeze every last second out of the experience before I had to start back to get there by dark.
Then, God spoke.
"All this is nothing except that I made it."
Really? That's it, God? You're bragging now?
But as it sank in, I was humbled to realize that I had been worshipping the beauty and almost forgot who made it. And don't we see this in so much of life; people with all the beauty and luxury and splendor money can buy but without peace and joy in their lives? Am I not that person from time to time, wanting something and getting it, only to realize it brings me no joy?
"All this is nothing except that I made it."
Yes, the greatest geological wonders in the world are nothing except that they were made by God. I like to think they are his personal gifts to us to enjoy. The sunset, the horizon and all it holds, they are all worthless by themselves. Fancy paperweights. But because they were born of the work of God, they are priceless.
And as I started down the trail (this is where my knees got cross with me), I thought about my life and the lives of kids I know and don't know...what value do any of us have on our own? But what great worth is available to each of us as children of Creator God, who showcases his geology in Garden of the Gods and Glen Eyrie, who made the sun that sets over Pike's Peak and the moon that rises in the east, who knows my name and your name and hears our every word?
Yes, this is my great worth - that God made me. And I am nothing without Him.
More about the Springs hike. Glen Eyrie is a gorgeous property that backs up to the Garden of the Gods, has a resident herd of wild bighorn sheep, visiting wild deer and wild turkeys in the midst of terraced gardens, red rock formations, sweeping hillsides and miles of good hiking trails. And a castle built by one of the Colorado Springs pioneers as a gift for his wife. You really have to see it to believe it.
With a few hours of down time our first afternoon there, I decided to hike a couple of trails to get a view of Garden of the Gods. If this place doesn't make you fall in love with geology, nothing will. From the pink Precambrian granite to red Cambrian Quartz, to Upper and Lower Cretaceous shale and sandstone, walking any of the trails is a rainbow of history and beauty.
The first trail took me through all of it, around the side of a small mountain and finally through fields carpeting geologically recent deposits of sand and clay, right up to the northern boundary of GoG. Which, to my chuckles, was marked with a barbed-wire fence with a hole neatly cut through the bottom two strands. Plant life is as varied as the rocks. Not a dull moment!
But you're wondering, "What is the word from my Creator?"
The second trail I tried was a loop that began on the fire road behind the castle. Now, the visible fire road is an inviting trail - a wide, flat dirt trail wide enough for a large four-wheeler to easily speed along for about a quarter-mile, then it curves out of sight. It isn't until you turn that corner that you see how steep it becomes for the rest of the ascent. I decided to take it in 50-pace segments, stopping to check out the ever-changing view and catch my breath frequently.
at the top of the fire trail, the path switches back sharply to the left, to a much more narrow trail, and continues up, although with less climb.
A short walk up that trail I saw the prize: Garden of the Gods, from an overlook as close as you can get, with great views of the major formations. It was so close I almost thought I could jump and land on top of them.
Fortunately, I passed on that idea and instead sat down to savor the view of over 180 degrees of Colorado skyline, including Pike's Peak and GoG, as the sun was setting. I sat there for almost 20 minutes, feeling the coldness of the evening as the sun faded, wanting to squeeze every last second out of the experience before I had to start back to get there by dark.
Then, God spoke.
"All this is nothing except that I made it."
Really? That's it, God? You're bragging now?
But as it sank in, I was humbled to realize that I had been worshipping the beauty and almost forgot who made it. And don't we see this in so much of life; people with all the beauty and luxury and splendor money can buy but without peace and joy in their lives? Am I not that person from time to time, wanting something and getting it, only to realize it brings me no joy?
"All this is nothing except that I made it."
Yes, the greatest geological wonders in the world are nothing except that they were made by God. I like to think they are his personal gifts to us to enjoy. The sunset, the horizon and all it holds, they are all worthless by themselves. Fancy paperweights. But because they were born of the work of God, they are priceless.
And as I started down the trail (this is where my knees got cross with me), I thought about my life and the lives of kids I know and don't know...what value do any of us have on our own? But what great worth is available to each of us as children of Creator God, who showcases his geology in Garden of the Gods and Glen Eyrie, who made the sun that sets over Pike's Peak and the moon that rises in the east, who knows my name and your name and hears our every word?
Yes, this is my great worth - that God made me. And I am nothing without Him.
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