Pamela's Chocolate Brownie Mix

E - mmpf, gumpph, (thumb sticks up in the air), flumpf. They're great!
D - Goooooooooood. My skin smells like brownies!



(This mix was on sale for $2.89 at my local grocery store. I bought every one they had on the shelf! They are pretty good, but not this good. )

The Original Pancake House

I don't, generally, trust other people to cook gluten free for us.

But we were out of town. And we haven't been to a restaurant as a family in so long.

And The Original Pancake House was advertising their new gluten-free menu.

So we gave it a try.

And? Yum. (At least I thought so, my kids got banana pancakes and weren't in love with that, though I think they'd like the plain buttermilk ones more.)

It's been three days and we haven't had a reaction yet.

Verdict? Success!

Thank you, Original Pancake House, and we apologize for the noise and mess.

How about you? You down with OPH? (And, I apologize for that also.)

Making a Gluten Free List, Checking it AGAIN

Weight Watchers recently introduced an all-new program. And with it, is selling all-new materials. I got myself a "Dining Out Companion," which is an updated list of foods offered at major chain restaurants and their POINTS values. I thought I'd go through and highlight everything that was gluten free, as listed on the restaurant's web site. Easy peasy.

Except for something huge that I didn't know (probably all of you know this, but I didn't, maybe someone else doesn't either).

McDonald's and Wendy's fries and hash browns are NOT gluten free! Gulp. (Though Burger King's and Dairy Queen's fries are.)

We'll be switching to Apple Dippers instead of fries, though it may be a tough sell for the kids. It's a sad, sad day at the GFF house, I tell you.

Qdoba has lots of great gluten-free choices, and we've been eating there a lot. Not so much frugal, though. Wendy's is pretty good, what with the chili and baked potatoes and mandarin oranges and yogurt, but without fries? Dairy Queen also seems to be a good option, their burger patties, fries, soft serve, and many of their prepackaged treats are gluten free.

Or, you know, we could be more frugal and just stay home. :)

Do Disposable Diapers Contain Gluten?

This is what I wanted to know, so I tried to contact every disposable diaper company I could think of:

Parent's Choice - I actually couldn't even find a web site for them, or any contact info. So. Status unknown.

Luvs - E-mailed, no response.
Luvs update 8/15/08 - Luvs are gluten free too! WOOOOO! This makes me very happy!

White Cloud - "Our diapers do not contain gluten." (Actually this e-mail came from Covidien.com and I had to Google around a bit to figure out WHICH diapers they were talking about. My understanding is that this corporation makes several store-brand diapers, none of which contain gluten.)

7th Generation - E-mailed, no response, though they are sold on several GF web sites. So, assume from that what you will.

Huggies - "Kimberly-Clark consumer products do not contain wheat, rye, barley, spelt, triticale, kamut or farina. Certain Kimberly-Clark products do contain oats. The only Kimberly-Clark products containing oats are HUGGIES® Soft Skin products." Majors props to Huggies for the thorough response. Too bad these diapers don't work for us, like, at all.

Pampers - Lindsey called and was told that the diapers are gluten free. However, in this thread a poster stated, "I did call Pampers and their response was that there is gluten in the diapers but it cant be absorbed by the skin." (I, Tenille, personally do NOT believe this to be true. My kids have both reacted to topical products containing gluten, including shampoos and lotions. They reacted. Period.) I also e-mailed Pampers, but haven't yet received a response. Anyway, Pampers has obviously provided conflicting info on this, so be wary!
8/14/08 Update on Pampers: Pampers has an awesome employee in Bev! She found this post on my blog and took the time to let me know that Pampers ARE gluten free (which is a big relief to me, since this is what the hospital uses, and this is what we stocked up on for new baby). Yay! Thanks, Bev!

As of 8/15/08 ( days) - I still have not heard from 7th Generation. Boo! They're probably busy saving the world.

But, anyway, guess what never contains wheat? Cloth diapers! That's right, folks. As the evidence mounts, we're considering jumping back on the cloth diaper bandwagon (actually, I'm not sure that's a bandwagon on which anyone would want to travel - pee-yooo! LOL.), as soon as we can get someone to come look at our washing machine and make sure it is working well enough.

I'll update this thread if/when I hear back from some of these companies (Luvs? Luvs, where are you?)! :)

Gluten Free on a Budget Revisited

I don't really know why people visit this blog. I do know that when my kiddo was first diagnosed with gluten intolerance, we were already living on the edge budget-wise (or lack of budget-wise, more accurately), and I was absolutely panicked as to how I was suddenly going to afford $5.00/pound for flour and how I was suddenly going to find the time to start making everything from scratch. And it didn't really feel like I could find any information at all about how to do it more cheaply.

And honestly, that's because you really can't. I mean, of course, you "can" - see My 5 Basic Rules for Eating Gluten Free on a Budget to find out how we do it. But, as far as I know, there aren't great, amazing, awesome deals on GF foods. You can't use your CVS Bucks to get free Bob's Red Mill flours or Pamela's cookies. There just isn't a way to make GF products as affordable as conventional products.

Which is why so often is blog isn't even about GF living. It's about all of the things we do in other areas of our life to make GF living affordable. It's about saving a buck or two by hanging our own laundry and planting a garden and buying clothes from the thrift store, so that we have enough money in our budget to buy the occasional package of Mi-Del cookies (with a whole lot of homemade cookies in between).

Plus, as you may have noticed, I'm definitely no world-class chef. I like things simple, and easy, and fast, and convenient. Healthy would be nice too, of course. But there are other blogs that deal with that. Some of the most amazing cooks (and hard-working too, trying recipes over and over until they get them right!) can be found in links in the sidebar over there (see me bopping my head that-a-way?).

But me? I'm just a busy mom, on a tight budget, trying to make it work.

Gluten Free Strawberry Whipped Sensation

I got this recipe from Kraft. I just replaced the Oreos with Mi-Del GF chocolate chip cookies. YUM. That's all, just yum. (I'd rather not think about what this really cost. I did use the low-fat Cool Whip, though, and it still tasted great.)

Updates.

Gluten Free Eating Update: SuperDad wanted lasagna for dinner last night, so I made a gluten-free version for the kids using DeBoles Rice Penne, spaghetti sauce, ground turkey, cottage cheese, mozzerella, and parmesean. D said, "I LOVE zagna!" :)

Reading Update: I finished Little House on the Prairie just in time to get it back to the library (ahem, note to my mother, who never reads this: you could bring over my own personal copies anytime, thanks). I know we're supposed to be outraged that they were kicked off "their" land at the end of that book and had to walk away from the crops they'd just planted and all, but... Well, it just wasn't really their land. Sorry. (But then... is my land mine? Sigh.)

On to Farmer Boy. I remember really not caring for this one as a kid, since it isn't about Laura, but about her future husband, Almanzo. I must not be the only one that feels this way, since the library copy of this is practically pristine in comparison to all of the other books. One of the first scenes is about the teacher having to battle a group of big boys who beat up the last teacher so badly that he died from his injuries. And we thought school violence was a new thing.

Money Update: Due to my own laziness, when I took our weekly cash out at the bank, I never separated it into the envelopes. Groceries are bought, gas is full, and we have $39 to make it until Friday. Can we do it?

Garden Update: Looking good! We ate our first radishes. SuperDad put up a trellis type thing for the peas, which are growing up it nicely. I'll try to take photos sometime this week.

Baby Update: 23 weeks along, everything looks fine, I am already enormous, no, it isn't twins.

Gluten Free Travel on a Budget

We never (and by that I mean, occasionally, but not often) eat in restaurants. Three times a year, maybe four? With the kids, anyway. SuperDad and I do occasionally wrangle grandparents into babysitting.

We spent this weekend out of town. I find travelling gluten free to be a particular challenge, especially with little kids who are not used to eating out, and a budget that doesn't really allow for it anyway.

• I packed a whole bunch of stuff. Milk and hot dogs and cereal and raisins and peanuts and animal crackers and more. Enough so that we'd never be stuck without food.
• We hit the natural foods store as soon as we got to town. I pretty much let E pick out whatever she wants, within a $25 budget or so. She chose: Envirokidz Crispy Rice Cereal Bars in Berry, Envirokidz Amazon Frosted Flakes, three packages of Thai noodles, Ener-G Gluten Free English Muffins, Mi-Del Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, and an Amy's Rice Crust Cheese Pizza. This kept them fully stocked up on snacks for the whole weekend, plus E loves being able to go pick out "anything on this WHOLE wall!"
• Then I went to the grocery store and bought ingredients for two dinners and a breakfast, which came to $27.00.
• That got us through the weekend. Until we went out for breakfast and spend over $30 on one meal. (The kids shared hash browns and a ham steak, and they each got a milk.) Which is why we don't eat out.

How do you travel gluten free?

Bwahaha!

The Cost of GF Living

Too hilarious!

Dieting Gluten Free

My awesome friend Becky sent me this link today, and I thought maybe some of my readers might enjoy it.

http://www.hungry-girl.com/askhg/askhgdetails.php?isid=1379

Okay, so ignore that thing about the Cap'n Crunch shake there on the top (which sounds kind of gross even to me, and I'm the freak that actually thinks that glucose-intolerance-test soda tastes kind of good), and scroll on down to the low-POINTS gluten-free picks.

Of the things listed, we've tried the Larabars (the kids didn't really like), the Van's Wheat Free Waffles (good, but my kids prefer the taste of Lifestream's Buckwheat Waffles - these are actually yummy enough for me to steal), and the Blue Diamond Nut Thins - LOVE!

This post has absolutely nothing to do with budgeting, since all of these products are EX-PEN-SIVE. But, my theory is that when you're gluten intolerant, these little indulgences are worth it. I'd give up cable to buy my kids gluten free waffles, and I'm not even kidding about that.

A budget-friendly GF (and lite!) product we recently found (by accident) was Michelina's Lean Gourmet Creamy Parmesean Chicken. (Warning: This contains both maltodextrin and unidentified modified food starch, so proceed with caution, but we didn't have problems. Also, it totally contains milk and soy.) I can't say this was exactly my toddlers' cups of tea, but I thought it was yummy, and it was only .98. So. There it is.

What the Budget Smells Like

My pregnancies always come with a good heaping helping of morning sickness. Which makes it really difficult to stay on top of the meal planning. The gluten free cooking has looked a little like this:


And this:



And, yes, sometimes this:



Not only is it hard to stay on top of the food situation, what with everything thinking it needs to have a smell, it's doubly hard to stay on top of the budget.

For example, right now, today, it is five days until pay day and our checkbook has a zero balance. Yes, we have savings, and quite a bit more than we've maybe ever had before, but every dollar saved already has a name on it, and what do we raid? The Christmas fund? The minivan fund? Medical? No matter where we take from, it will hurt later.

All we can do is the best we can, and if we can keep from using the credit card, well, we'll still be in better shape than before.

A Gluten Free Shopping Spree

I'm still kicking myself for completely missing the bread. But, not too shabby for 60 seconds. Pretzels, anyone?

Gluten-Free Corn Bread Awesomeness

1 c corn meal
3/4 c. Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
1/4 c. Expandex Modified Tapioca Starch
1 t xanthan gum
2 T sugar
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 eggs
1 c milk (I used regular milk, but I got this recipe from a GCFC friend who uses rice milk w/out problems)
1/2 c oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, tapioca starch, xanthan, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a small bowl, beat eggs, milk, and oil slightly.

Add egg mix to flour mix and stir until smooth. Do not over beat.

Pour into greased pan. 9X9 for 20-25 minutes, or muffin pan for 12-15 minutes.

Total cost: ??? All of these ingredients are things I keep on hand all the time, so I'm not really sure.

Verdict: Fairly yum. They ate them, anyway!

Big Mess Up

E has been acting reacty for a week or so. She's had some skin problems with her hands and face, and we've had the kind of discipline problems that indicate a gluten reaction. We reviewed everything she'd been eating, especially new things, like the dried banana chips we tried this week, and they were clear. I checked out the gum she got from the dentist, fine there. Could it have been something she ate at school? No, since we provided the treats this time. We were baffled.

And then I checked the new shampoo and conditioner. The shampoo is fine, but, oops! Wheat starch and wheat protein in the conditioner.

So, I'm curious: Gluten free people, what shampoo and conditioner do you use???

The Blessings of Being Gluten Free

Finding out that our daughter was gluten intolerant when I was 8 months pregnant was more than a little overwhelming. But, almost two years later, I can see the many blessings that have come along with the diagnosis.

1. Firstly, we figured out what was making my little girl so sick. She started gaining weight and absorbing the food that she ate and she's been happier and healthier ever since.
2. When our son started showing the same symptoms, he didn't suffer for two years before we figured out what to do.
3. Our kids both eat healthier than they would have otherwise. They get whole foods like fruits and vegetables, meat, and dairy. Many, many gluten free products are also hormone-free and dye-free and preservative-free. There is just less junk food in our house, overall.
4. Many gluten free products also happen to be organic, which is better for the environment. Bonus!
5. We've learned how to spend a little more money to get better quality food. As Jennifer commented earlier, cheap food is filled with cheap ingredients. The extra money is often worth it!

I'm sure there are more! Anyone want to share?

Tutorial for Newly-Diagnosed Food Allergy Patients

Someone recently asked me, "Where do I begin?" Well, probably where we all begin. Completely freaked out.

1. Take it slowly. Don't expect perfection and don't beat yourself up for not knowing sooner. Especially when it's your child, you suddenly feel guilty that he or she suffered, and that you didn't know. Understand that, as we learn, we make mistakes. And that's okay.

2. Figure out what you/they can eat. With *most* allergies, you will be fine with fruits, veggies, rice, potatoes (white and sweet), chicken, beef, and pork. Go out and stock up. Buy raisins for snacks.

3. Ask around about the rest. Find a bread that works for you (you don't have to start out making your own, there is likely a frozen variety in your local natural foods store), a pasta, maybe some cookies.

4. Add other things slowly. Work up to making pizza crusts. Find out what you really miss and Google recipes for it.

5. Remember cross-contamination. Clean the crumbs out of your silverware drawer. Don't put GF bread in your regular toaster. If you haven't completely eliminated the allergen from your home, then be sure to use separate utensils, maybe separate butter containers (or squeeze variety is helpful), make the GF version first. Some people go as far as having separate pans for GF foods, but I've found that if I can really wash something, it's safe for us.

6. Hit your library. Check out books that will help you learn more about living with your particular allergy.

7. Find a vitamin. I think Target brand children's chewables are wheat and dairy free. They do have dyes in them, though, so I don't give them to my kids. Any suggestions?

8. Which brings me around to my next point - keep asking for help. The best thing about this blog is all of the advice and comments I've gotten.

Super Easy Chicken

5 frozen chicken breasts ($6.00 on sale)
1 packet of dry Italian dressing mix ($3.00-ish?)
1 c. of warm water (mostly free)

Place all in slow cooker. Heat on high 1 hour. Turn down to low, heat 7 more hours. Yum.

I served with sliced raw apples and toast ($0.50?)

Total cost: $9.50, with plenty of leftovers. I'm planning to make a chicken pizza later this week. We spent a lot (for us) on this meal. But it's faster and easier than eating out.

Verdict: I cannot get D to eat chicken. Or any kind of meat. Anything beyond milk is really a stretch for him. But I will be patient. E liked this a little, and the grown ups liked this a lot.

Ken's

For those of you who live near me, mark your calendars! As of the week of January 20th, Ken's will have an all-new gluten free section in their store. How do I know this?

I know because the manager called my house. To ask our opinion on how to do it! (I'm so famous! Squeee! Ahem, sorry.) So we suggested, please, to put all the gluten free items in one area. What they have now is scattered throughout the store, and as anyone with Celiac's knows, walking down the flour aisle is a risky proposition.

Also, please keep the tiny shopping carts. Because pushing those around is pretty much my kiddos' favorite thing to do. In the world. Additionally, you might want to avoid us, because they can't steer so well. I'm just sayin'.

Merry Gluten Free Christmas, Ev-e-ry-bo-deeee!

We had a wonderful Christmas. Lots of family, lots of fun, lots of great gifts. Enough pajamas to last at least another year. More toys than any child really needs. And, oh my gosh, I never thought I'd say this, but TOO MANY BOOKS! :) Or, maybe it's a matter of not enough bookshelves. Hm.

I made Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free brownie mix. YUM.

I made Hobo Dinner for nine.

I made Fruit Salad:
3 apples, diced
1 pear, diced (which I then picked out of my portion, because, ew pear)
1 can of pineapple, drained (juice reserved for my children who never get juice and think this is an awesome treat!)
1 orange, peeled, sectioned, and diced
Or whatever fruit you have.

Mix all fruit in a bowl.

In a jar or other small container with lid, mix:
1 T of oil (I used canola)
1 1/2 t of poppy seeds
2 T of lemon juice

Shake well. Pour over fruit and mix. Mix before serving. Enjoy.
This recipe is from the Betty Crocker Cooking Basics cookbook, which is awesome.

I also made Deviled Eggs. Here are my deviled egg "secrets":
1. Start with old eggs. They should be in your fridge a week or more. New eggs don't peel. Trust me.
2. Start with cold water when you hard boil your eggs.
3. After hard boiling, cool the eggs in ice water.
4. You've got to use Miracle Whip. Mayo just doesn't do it.
5. I know you know this, but maybe you don't know this. I set up a baggie inside a heavy glass. I put the yolk filling into the baggie. I cut off the corner of the baggie. I use this to fill the eggs. This is much prettier than trying to use a spoon and your finger and getting mad and yelling at your husband when he was really just walking by. Or something.
6. My kids don't really like deviled eggs. Even though they are awesome and also gluten free.

Gone Crunchy

You know how when people are dating and they guy loves to show the girl how to bowl or throw a football or whatever? I was never that girl. I didn't particularly like (that's an understatement, actually) being told how to do things, even if it meant I would never learn how to throw a dart (which, by the way, did get *much* easier after I got glasses). Which is why my husband is a photographer, and yet I take photos like the one here.

Honey Baked Granola
1 c. SAFE gluten-free rolled oats
1/8 c brown sugar
cinnamon, some
pinch salt
1/8 c honey, warmed until liquid
1/8 c light olive oil, or 2 T melted butter (I used the oil, because I was too lazy to heat up something else. I mean, really.)
1/2 c raisins or other dried fruit

Mix together the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the honey and oil (or butter, if you're not lazy, like I am) . Bake at 325 for 15-25 minutes or until crunchy. Stir once, half-way through baking.
Add raisins before serving.

My kids really liked this!