I blog gluten-free

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Hummus, Buckwheat, Curry and Chocolate, Oh, MY!

Too often, what I can't eat seems to be exponentially larger than the list of what I can't eat. SEEMS is the operative word here, it's merely a side effect of living in a mad, mad, mad world of new discoveries, knowing that everywhere, misinformation can rear its ugly head at any given moment.
So, a primer. Let's get the can'ts (Aka the Thou Shalt Nots) out the way first.

Thou Shalt Not (Gluten Free Edition)
1-Wheat
2-Rye
3-Barley
4-Spelt (This is a "gentler" older cousin of wheat. Also, the British past participle of "To-Spell". Spelt is occasionally tolerated by the gluten intolerant, not so much by the celiac. And is in the NO-NO List.)
Be CAREFUL:
Buy from companies that know what they're doing... some ensure that there is no cross-contamination
Oats and buckwheat are naturally gluten-free. Oats are often stored by many companies in storage bins that contained wheat. Oopsie...cross-contamination.
Bob's Red Mill recently removed buckwheat from their gluten-free line (some 70 products) because due to cross-contamination fears, they could not guarantee the buckwheat was not contaminated.
Thou SHALT enjoy:
-Corn (Beware, however, some find it too harsh for their systems. The latest bread I tried, from Shar, the only I Can't Believe It's Not Cardboard GF bread I came across, is a corn and rice mix.)
-Vegetables
-Fruits
-Meats
-Milk (Although many in the community have issues with dairy.) In this case hemp, almond, soy and rice milks can be used.
-Teff, an Ethopian grain known for its teeny size (Its' meaning is "Lost", as in you drop it, you won't find it.)-good tortillas.
-Hummus (Yes, I eat gyro filling, if not the actual outer portion, for the most part-some places serve this separate and I can dish some on my plate.)
-Rice (LOTS of it)
-Buckwheat
-Curry (I often use the green powder to flavor rice dishes, red is HOT!)
-Millet
-bean flours
-Guar and xanthan gums (The latter is synthesized from cabbage.)
And more. To list it all would fill books, honest!
There is pressure on the FDA for better labeling as well, which should make the process easier. I've enjoyed great pasta, hummus, roast beef and swiss, peanut butter, chocolate, almonds, popcorn, pretty much everything anyone else would eat.
Bard's makes a gluten free beer (Sorghum) that I want to test... and they are based locally here in Buffalo. Being celiacs themselves, I would bet this was a trial of love and error for the brew masters.
KIND bars are really good and GF. I like the Protein Plus one, with chocolate and peanut butter.
The Grainless Baker graham crackers are awesome!
Get out there, don't just live on rice.

3 comments:

  1. "I Can't Believe It's Not Cardboard" lol. You poor thing. I'd go nuts if i had to worry about what i eat.

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  2. I found one though! Hallelulujah! "I Can't Believe It's Not Cardboard" is utterly polite compared to my initial assessment of brown rice bread. I've grown to detest certain bread types, Shar though---really good! And a non-celiac has approved it. Well worth $5.99 a loaf! I like it with everything, makes really good sandwiches too!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I found one though! Hallelulujah! "I Can't Believe It's Not Cardboard" is utterly polite compared to my initial assessment of brown rice bread. I've grown to detest certain bread types, Shar though---really good! And a non-celiac has approved it. Well worth $5.99 a loaf! I like it with everything, makes really good sandwiches too!

    ReplyDelete