Bid’s Gluten Free Bird Bread

My friend Biddy gave me this great gluten free recipe which is the best thing for a tempting breakfast or treat. She says her family just love it and are always asking her to make it.

 This gluten free recipe requires:

1/5 cup of pumpkin seeds
1/5 cup of sesame seeds
1/5 cup of linseed seeds
¼cup of sunflower seeds
4/5 cup of corn meal
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 cup of boiling water
1/5 cup of olive oil*

*Note: Alternatively, Biddy uses a wonderful oil that is lime and chili infused she gets from Zara on line. She thinks it is an amazing, wonderful product. When making for her family she often uses a good quality olive oil and ¼  tsp chili, ½ tsp of lime juice: have used half Parmesan for corn meal and don't forget cumin a good additive. Sometimes she doesn’t add any flavor.

Instructions

1)      Mix seeds and corn meal

2)      Add salt and oil

3)      Pour on boiling water and stir

4)      Divide mixture between two steel baking trays lined with baking paper

5)      Place another baking paper over top in order to roll out flat and thin with no holes and should fill to end of trays

6)      Bake at 1500C on fan bake for an hour

7)      Alternatively, Biddy has an incinerator so cooks 20 mins at 1500C, then 20 mins at 1300C and finally 20 mins at 1000C

8)      Watch your oven carefully because it burns easily

Once you get it, this is the easiest, simple, and tidy product to make. It keeps for ages airtight and it can be refreshed by reheating it. With products from retailers such as Binn Inn (NZ) it is extremely cost effective, it is modern eating, tastes good and is 1005 gluten free!  It is very expensive to buy anything like it.

Enjoy

Check out my other GLUTEN FREE recipes with this free e-book.

Why You Shouldn’t Go On A Gluten Free Diet Without Medical Advice

Being on a gluten free diet is all the rage at the moment and you may even be thinking of going on a one yourself. But before you do, there are some things to think about. Unless you are medically advised to do so, most people should not go on a gluten free diet.

A gluten free diet is essential for people with celiac disease, a serious autoimmune disorder that destroys the villi of the intestinal tract. Celiac disease affects about 1-2% of the population. There is no cure but symptoms can be reversed by taking gluten out of the diet. But the danger of self-diagnosing and taking gluten out of your diet prior to being diagnosed is that test results could be affected and you may end up with an inaccurate false negative test for celiac disease which could affect your long term health. An intestinal biopsy is the only way to detect celiac disease accurately.

There has been a lot of media hype about going on a gluten free diet. People tend to go on a gluten free diet because the think it will help their general well-being, or in response to feeling tired, bloated or depressed. They often find that reducing gluten correlates with improved feelings or losing weight. But this is more likely to be explained by the fact that they've cut out the excess calories found in many flour-based snack foods, and they mistakenly attribute feeling better to taking out the gluten.

Another theory is that people feel better because they have reduced the FODMAPS which are also high in foods which contain gluten. 

Going gluten free is tough, and can be much more expensive. And not only that, it may lead to malnutrition if not managed properly. Studies have found that a gluten free diet can be seriously nutrient deficient such as low in fiber, iron, folate, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, calcium, vitamin B12, phosphorus and zinc. That's because so many gluten free products are made with refined, unenriched grains and starches, which contain plenty of calories but very few vitamins or minerals. So starting on a gluten free diet needs to be done carefully ensuring that all your nutritional needs are met.

There is no truth either, in the assumption that a gluten free diet causes you to lose weight. In fact, the opposite is true, the extra calories can make you put on weight. So instead of going on an unnecessary gluten free diet, why don’t you cut down on carbohydrates and eat an apple or carrot instead.

The gluten free industry has sky rocketed, but unfortunately this has meant that there has been an explosion in gluten free junk foods which are not healthy and I hope you don't become a victim.

The other health consideration is that if you do not eat sufficient carbohydrates such as bread, you may develop ketosis, which is a metabolic state in which most of the body's energy supply comes from ketone bodies in the blood, in contrast to a state of glycolysis in which blood glucose provides most of the energy. High levels of ketosis are dangerous, but there is controversy about the effects of eliminating carbohydrates. Some say it is unhealthy and dangerous and others regard low level ketosis as a safe biochemical process that occurs during the fat-burning state.

Obviously people diagnosed with celiac disease or one of the other gluten related conditions have to be on a 100% gluten free diet for life. However, if you have not been told by a doctor or a dietitian that you need a gluten free diet, then you probably don’t need one.  

I suggest that instead of going gluten free you work on your nutrition and eat healthier foods as well as look at life balance as well as exercise and you may be surprised. The symptoms may vanish!

If you continue to suffer symptoms it is essential to see a doctor and/or specialist to have the cause of those symptoms accurately diagnosed. Don’t go on a gluten free diet until you have had a diagnosis confirmed. It is always a good idea to see a dietitian if you feel you have dietary issues you may need assistance with.

If you do need to go on a gluten free diet you may find my "Gluten Free Cooking Guide" helpful - It shows you how to achieve a 100% gluten free kitchen

Is Ice Cream Gluten Free?

A person newly diagnosed with celiac disease recently posted in a face book celiac group  that she felt sick every time she ate ice cream and she was wondering if she could also have an allergy to dairy. My response to her was that actually most ice cream brands contain gluten and like every other product on the supermarket shelves, a celiac must check the label. In Australia at least there are only a few brands which are actually gluten free.

It is hard to imagine someone putting gluten containing ingredients into ice cream but actually flour from wheat is in virtually all ice cream brands, not just the obvious ones like cookies-n-cream. And obviously ice cream cones contain gluten as well.

BEWARE of gluten containing ice cream

The basic dairy ingredients and sweeteners used to make ice cream are usually gluten free, as are, natural flavors such as vanilla, pure cocoa and fruits such as strawberries. Unfortunately, different ice cream brands will use different ingredients which do contain gluten, so it is absolutely essential that you read the label of the carton before purchasing.

For example, flour is often used to help thicken the mixture. Obviously, even a tiny bit is way too much for celiac, so it is important to check the labels of all brands – even the homemade ones brought in an ice cream shop. And even if you find a gluten free flavor – make sure there is no cross-contamination with other gluten-containing flavors and cones. Different ice cream flavors are often served with the same scoop all through the day; this means that the scoop has been in contact with the gluten-filled cookie dough flavor as well as the gluten free chocolate flavor.

Fortunately, this problem can be easily solved by asking the staff in the shop to serve your ice cream from a newly opened carton. At certain ice cream stores, the management reserves sanitized, unused ice cream scoops so that they can serve their gluten intolerant customers without endangering them with cross-contamination.

Never assume ice cream is gluten free (even a flavor that seems like it ought to be gluten-free, like simple vanilla or chocolate ice cream) unless you actually verify the ingredients.

Bulla (Australia) is the brand I buy for my celiac daughter.

If you have had a reaction to ice cream I suggest you stay off ice cream for a few weeks until you are feeling better. During this time find a gluten free brand you can eat. After the avoidance period reintroduce the gluten free ice cream into your diet. If you are not affected by it, then most probably the initial reaction was due to the gluten contamination in the ice cream itself. If you still react to it, the reaction could be due to the dairy and it would be wise to seek a diagnosis from your doctor. 

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A Family Approach To Celiac Disease Is Best

If you or a loved one is diagnosed with celiac disease the best approach to control it is a family one. The entire family needs to be involved in the changes required so that you can achieve the optimal result for the person who must be on a gluten free diet.

I am not suggesting that everyone needs to go on the gluten free diet, but that all the family is educated about the disease and the consequences for the celiac if a 100% gluten free diet is not maintained. All family members must but into the new systems that need to be put into place in the family kitchen to ensure it becomes a gluten free friendly environment, with no chance of cross contamination from a careless action in the kitchen.

Celiac disease is a serious digestive order that can run from one generation to another. The disease causes severe damage to the small intestines as a reaction to gliadin or a gluten protein, and results to inflammation and flattening of the lining of the small intestines. The person with Celiac disease is unable to absorb gluten, which is a group of protein common in wheat, rye, oats and barley.

There is no cure, hence, celiac disease imposes a gluten free diet for those who are affected for the rest of their lives. The home is the best place to start addressing the needs of the celiac. A family approach to knowing the disease and understanding how it affects everyday life will provide the battle gears for coping. This is especially helpful for the celiac, who needs all the support and guidance they can get.

A family that eats together heals together. This can be a reasonable motto for families afflicted with the history of Celiac disease. Several measures can already be taken if these families consider carefully their eating habits. One step is taking into heart what food to buy, grow, store, prepare or eat at any time of the day. By this, it is not just about ensuring that food is gluten free but also ensuring that the needed nutrients are sourced from other food groups.

The family can also seek help from dietitian for the information on gluten free foods. This includes help on how to read labels that may not specify gluten but contains it nonetheless. An example is hydrolyzed vegetable protein that may be sourced from wheat. Familiarization with these gluten free foods may be hard at first, but with the aid of a food diary and the collective memory of the family members, it will soon be easy.

Remember also that it is not just about knowing what to avoid, but rather knowing what to eat. For example, fruits are very much encouraged since these reduce other stressors to the digestive system, such as constipation. Further, in planning what meals to prepare and what other food to stock in the kitchen, the family can treat this as an opportunity to monitor and ensure balanced nutrition and sufficient calorie intake.

When my daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease I converted my kitchen into a gluten free safe zone. All the basic ingredients in the cupboard were gluten free varieties – soy sauce, stocks, icing sugar, vinegar, ice cream, cocoa, thickeners etc.  That meant when anyone was cooking a meal, accidental contamination with gluten was avoided.

If I was making pasta – the pasta sauce was gluten free and then I had 2 pots for the pasta. One for the gluten free pasta to go with the sauce and the other for the ordinary pasta for everyone else.  At Xmas I stuff the turkey with gluten free stuffing and make gravy with gluten free flour.  I have two toasters located on different benches – one bench for gluten free bread and the other for ordinary bread – remember cross contamination is a real problem for the celiac so crumbs from bread are a huge risk and must be kept separated. As far as butter and spreads go – I had one set for my celiac daughter marked with a big RED X and another set for everyone else. Everyone was taught not to double dip and introduce contaminating crumbs to the ones marked with the X.

It is important for the family to plan meals ahead. Children and teens should be part of the whole process of learning about gluten free food. To engage their interest and to ensure that they like what they eat, children and teens may be entrusted with the responsibility of choosing what gluten free meals to prepare. In this way, they would be able to prepare for food they can either eat at home or have as packed lunch or snacks.

But in cases when they have to buy food outside the home, knowledge about gluten free food is essential so they are able to discriminate which foods to buy. Most celiacs say that they biggest challenge they have is to eat out safely.

For young children with celiac disease, their parents can also talk to teachers about the food requirements of their children. Remember play-dough is also a problem for the celiac child and a gluten free variety needs to be sourced for them. I think it is easier and safer to have all the play-dough gluten free if a celiac child is playing. If a celiac child is attending a party or having a play date talk to the parents of their children’s friends, and explain the child’s dietary needs.

In the end, a realistic talk among family members is the best approach. Each member, especially the children and teens, needs to know the consequences of eating meals with gluten.  A 100% gluten free diet is essential to keep the celiac healthy and well.

Another important thing to remember is that celiac disease can run in families and if one member has been diagnosed then the entire family should be tested. It is a fact that around 80% of people with celiac disease do not know they have it, so there could be someone in the family sitting on a time bomb, so it is better to identify them and get them started on a gluten free diet as well. However it is important not to start on a gluten free diet until diagnosis has been completed because this can lead to a falsely negative test.

For more information on celiac disease and having a gluten free zone in your home check out my book - it is full of useful information and tips. http://www.cooking.what-is-gluten-free.org/

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