Cooking with Food Sensitive Kids

The latest foray into the land of cooking took us to soups.  My child now has a thing for soups.  It started with chicken noodle and quickly progressed to clam chowder and lobster bisque.  One of the favorites turns out to be broccoli and cheddar soup.  A famous bakery chain restaurant with a lot of soups carries it, but like most of their soups it has wheat in it.  We should not eat wheat, even the amount they use to thicken the broth.  So we made our own.

This version uses gluten free flour as part of the roux that thickens is.  The base is partially milk.  Lactose free milk was used for that.  The hardest part would be to find a lactose free cheddar cheese.  That was impossible in a super market.  We actually did use standard cheeses and just took a lactaid pill, just in case.

It turned out very good.  Now for those of you worried that broccoli is dangerous to those with sensitive digestion, certain foods like broccoli are to be avoided as they may physically irritate the colon due to their shape or roughage, what we used was chopped very fine.  It still had a texture to it but was not the large brush-like shapes that can irritate.

This is a quick, easy dish most any kid can do.  It does have some risk if you are very sensitive thanks to the cheese and broccoli. But if you are able to tolerate those then this is worth trying.

Cooking and kids

Teaching kids to cook makes them aware of what's in the food they are eating.  This is a pizza made by my nine-year-old.  The crust is flaxseed and the cheese is low lactose.  The sauce is organic while the pepperoni has no additives, preservatives.  The meat has no hormones or antibiotics.

He is getting so much better at reading labels on foods.  The ingredients matter, not just the labels.  That happened with learning to cook.  The pizza came from Wheat Belly, by William Davis, MD.  While not specific to celiacs the wheat free diet goes a long way in eliminating the gluten that damages so many who are sensitive to it.

Cooking is another fun activity with the kids, and it imparts insight into food realities.  I'm very proud of my son for stepping up.  He checks labels and ingredients, and now wants to cook more of his own food.

Bake your own bread

So I am not all that thrilled with #glutenfree bread that's available commercially.  They are all frozen, except one that I found which was like a small brick of sawdust, and that makes them dry.  Crumbly, stale tasting bread is what you get when it is frozen no matter how good the initial bread.

That said, for me to find some good bread for toast or sandwiches I broke down and got a bread maker.  It has a setting for gluten free breads.  That means there is only one rise.  The machine, as a real baker, normally lets a standard dough rise once only to be punched down to let rise again.  Gluten free doughs do not have the structure to rise again so can't go through this process.  The program in the machine took away from any manual parts to the process.

The above loaf is from my own dough concoction.  I had recipes but not all the ingredients.  My local supermarket had almost all gluten free flours and stuff so I was able to get this done.  It's not the really airy white bread, a tad on the cake-y side for that, but it is good with nice texture and crust.  I will experiment some more with my new toy.  Looks like I am eating a lot of bread in the near future. Apparently have to make up for the seven months of no bread.

Cross Contamination Worries

I started to think dining out was getting better in the greater Boston area for people with food sensitivities.  The menus might be limited but they existed.  And servers seemed to know about the issue, as in really know, not just the lip service like having to wash your hands.

I was wrong.  Recently we went out to a couple of different restaurants.  One was a steakhouse in Weymouth, MA.  The other was all-American fare in Quincy, MA.   The both got things wrong, much to our detriment, although one more than the other.

In Weymouth, we figured a steak house was a safe bet.  Beef has no gluten.  Now many of the sauces, demi glace or whatever will have gluten.  They usually use flour to thicken them.  However, ordering a steak without sauce should be fine.  It didn't turn out that way.  We ordered after informing our server several times about gluten allergies, and asked questions about specific dishes regarding gluten content.  That still was not enough apparently.  My lovely date ordered filet with a lobster tail.  Now for her I will give the benefit of the doubt that it may have been the lobster.  It came out dull with brown edges instead of the bright red that one would expect.  Our guess is that it was cooked well ahead of time and just reheated when served.  You CAN'T do that to lobster.  I ordered sirloin.  It was a little tough but the butter on top may have had some additive that made me sick.  That is only my guess, there could have been something in the mashed potato.  In any event the food was somehow contaminated.  That is inexcusable in light of informing the server of our food allergies.  What should have let me know was that the same server brought the food.  Previously in other restaurants a designated food allergy server brought out the actual food as a way of insuring against cross contamination.  One place even uses slightly different shaped plates also.  This steakhouse did not.  And we paid for it.

The Quincy restaurant was a bit better.  The server acknowledged our food allergies and even went to check with the chef about our questions on some dishes.  Even with all that there was still something possibly wrong.  I am only mentioning this to highlight the food sensitive's need to be ever vigilant.  She ordered a Cobb salad with steak tips.  The steak was obviously marinated in something, presumably teriyaki.  That may have been good except she cannot have any marinades, and most teriyaki contains soy sauce, which has gluten.

Even with the best of places, and when doing everything a person should do when food allergies are involved - reviewing ingredients, asking questions, informing servers - there is still a significant risk of becoming ill when dining out.  Restaurants are not automated, they are run by people.  People make mistakes.  While that is a fact of life, that fact can ruin another person's day, or life.

Children's Hospital - Boston

So recently we have had to go to Children's Hospital in Boston.  This is an awesome place, but it does give me some concerns.  The doctors and nurses are the best in the world, offering unparalleled care. The hospital itself has undergone some renovations to make its services up to date.

That is where the concerns come in.  The cafeteria has been turned into a food court.  Yes, a food court like at the mall.  There was nothing available for a person with food sensitivities.  At best there was a salad station, but it was not a salad bar, gross as they are, but a manned salad station.  The salad station was closed for the day at least since there seems to be limited services on weekends.  The Subway sandwiches or Pizzeria Regina offered nothing for gluten sensitives.  When I mentioned this situation to the cashier I was informed I could speak to the manager, he was aware and mentioned it but was just a cashier so nothing was done.

The room service for food likewise does not have many options.  There is a note to mention if there are any food allergies, however, that is required of every restaurant in this state.  There is a gluten free menu in this hospital.  I have seen it.  When in the infusion center the wonderful nurses there presented one.  So this place can do it.

The most disturbing event was speaking with the nutrition department.  When I expressed concerns about gluten in a diet and a sensitivity to dairy I was advised that a gluten sensitive diet can be introduced later.  At the moment ensuring more nutrition was absorbed was better.  There was no real validation of my concerns or attempts to accommodate them in a comprehensive diet.  The main focus seems to be on medication.  Since the overall picture involves digestion a more comprehensive approach seems more appropriate.

For the center of medicine and research for the care of children I would think this hospital would be much more aware of how nutrition affects children.  But because there were no blood markers for Celiac's there is no concern what so ever about diet.  It is all black and white, when we just don't live in that kind of world.  There is good food here, but in this case, while it is not making things worse it may not be contributing to a long term recovery.  And full remission needs to be for the whole person, not just what the medicine treats.

Thank you to Children's Hospital - Boston for all the amazing care they provide.  The attention and treatment heals so many ill children from around the globe.  The doctors, nurses, and staff do incredible work.  It is a shame it seems they are slipping in this one area.

Bonefish Grill - Review

The other day we went to the recently opened Bonefish Grill in Westwood.  This whole area along University Ave is being developed with a large shopping area featuring Target, Nordstrom Rack, and a Homegoods among others.  It will soon be home to a Wegman's grocery store, which could be exciting and start to give Whole Foods a run for its money.

Across the street is a new restaurant, Bonefish Grill.  Now this is a chain restaurant that started in Florida but is making its way up north.  The Westwood location is one of three in the area.  Burlington and Rhode Island are the other two, although there is also one off in Connecticut.  We went in between the meal rush hours on a hot holiday weekend.  There were probably about a dozen patrons there at that time, and several friendly staff.  With plenty of space available I am glad we were quickly shown to a nice booth.  It would have been a little disappointing to have to wait for a smaller two person table in the middle of the room, which has happened in other places.  

It has a nice, contemporary decor.  The darkness was very welcome after being out in the hot sun, yet the lighting was still subtle and sufficient between the natural light and house lighting to be able to carry on a conversation.  If it gets too dark I always want to speak briefly in hushed tones.  That stifles a free flowing conversation, but that might be just me.   

I did check out the menu on line and on my phone previously so pretty much knew the offerings.  Seafood, obviously, with some good meat and salads also.  After a quick glance at the menu we did ask for a gluten free version.  It was my fault we did not do this at the Hostess station.  The very friendly server was quick in getting them though.  Throughout the whole meal she was very pleasant and attentive.

The gluten free version of the menu is, like most places with them, a really pared down version of the standard menu.  I usually get a little worried when the gluten free menu does not have prices on it.  This tells me that it is more of an after thought.  The gluten free offerings may not then be updated when the standard menu gets its changes.  

We both ordered salads.  This is what my date settled on after some questions about the menu.  Fish was first considered but the gluten free sides were mostly potato.  We did ask why a sweet potato mashed was not gluten free.  The server asked the chef for the answer that the add cream.  Not pressing the issue that neither cream or sweet potato have gluten, we just assumed the product was not sourced from a gluten free facility.  She handled the questions well so there was no point in torturing her over it.  I went with the Caesar and added chicken.  It was hot out and I wanted something lighter.  My date had their Florida Cobb Salad with some minor modifications.  They both came out quickly but mine did have croutons.  Before I could ask about that, did they have gluten free bread?, by date mentioned it.  So the mortified server readily admitted that this was her fault, she neglected to mention the gluten free on that salad.  She quickly had it corrected and apologized several times.  I thought she might have just said sorry and moved on, blamed the kitchen or something, but no, she took full responsibility without any prompting.  That was a bit impressive and shows she has character.  I can appreciate that.

The salads were good.  They came out with a bit of theatrics, plated in a transparent tall ring mold which was then removed by the server to give a bit of a last toss. The Caesar is basically just lettuce with dressing and cheese.  The Florida Cobb has mangos and avocado with the tomato and blue cheese.  The mangos were a big hit along side the adored avocado.

Once the lunch was done I indulged in dessert.  Bonefish does have a macadamia nut brownie, which is flourless so is gluten free.  With ice cream and a raspberry sauce this sounded perfect.  When it was coming out, just before it reached the table, our server intercepted it.  Restaurants often use a dedicated server for food allergies.  This one person brings them all out to help insure mistakes are not made.  Apparently another mistake was made though.  Our server mentioned to the other person that the whipped cream was not supposed to be on it.  It was sent back before reaching us to be remade in the gluten free version.  (what gluten is in the cream was never explored and is another topic)  After the first occasion she was being very diligent.  The dessert was great.  A moist chocolaty cake with rich sauces and macadamia nuts.  I was expecting a lava cake as gluten free desserts seem to have trouble baking in the middle so places just go with it.  But no, it was a real cake 'brownie'.

Overall this was a good dining experience.  We certainly will try it again for dinner and see how the place does in a rush.  It is new so may be working out some of the kinks that happen with places no matter how well planned, but it is new so is certainly a different experience.  They didn't have in integrated menu accommodating food allergies, but did make reasonable allowances.  Though not perfect they tried.  That's a bit better than some places.  

Gluten or other?

One of the hardest parts of living with a good diet is figuring out just what is good.  I went gluten free and so far it is working well, health wise.  I still can't pass a Dunkin Donut without wanting to buy a dozen.  There are still days of dubious comfort but I will say the days are better now compared to last year.

It is the topic for a different post but I imagine that much of this feeling better is a result of having invested so much personally into going gluten free.  I feel better because it would be pointless if I didn't.  Why put myself through all this if nothing changed?  Call it a dietary placebo effect.  It certainly sounds like good grounds for scientific study.  What part of improvement of health comes from actual changes to diet opposed to the believe the changes will improve overall well being?

That will take some thinking, time, and googling to get an opinion.  But when changing diet I was recommended a process I did not follow.  I was supposed to basically cut out anything and everything that could possibly cause a problem; gluten, dairy, eggs, sugar, carbs, you name it.  I should have been sitting in a corner gnawing on some blanched chicken five times a day.  Do that for a month till you're purged then add back one thing at a time for a week at a time and see how it goes.  That would have been very scientific and I am sure very helpful.  It also sounded dreadfully dull and rather painful to do.  So I didn't.  Now I am coming to the conclusion that there may be more than one malefactor in my diet.  The evil Lord Gluten may have a sinister companion, the Lady Lactose.

It could be one, or the other, or both, that creates great discomfort and horrible moods.  The one way to find out is to give up lactose.  No milk, not a big sacrifice as I do not like milk, no cheese (sorry, pizza) or other dairy containing stuff, read ice cream.  After seeing how things work out I can try and add it back in.  Or I can cheat.  Unlike gluten, lactose has a pill.  Its over-the-counter so who know how well it works, but it is a start.

Saying you're allergic to food is like saying you're allergic to every organic molecule.  It is just too much.  So despite all the pain-in-the-(neck) bother narrowing it down is the best thing.  I have my suspicions.  Now it is time to confirm them.  You can't just shove food in your mouth anymore.  Time to think about things, and once the one or two offenders are identified, then shove the rest into your mouth.  (not recommended but after all the experimentation the treat may feel satisfying.)

Healthy Summer Camps

It is almost time for kids to go to Summer Camp.  Working with schools to make sure your kids get treated well in regards to food sensitivity can be a challenge.  Trying to do the same thing for Summer Camp has similar obstacles.

Sometimes you have to start all over in many cases.  Summer camps are not necessarily run by the schools, and even if they are it is most likely a different set of people.  College and high school kids volunteer to be camp councilors.  These are not the teachers you are used to dealing with.  So it is time to be patient and explain the situation all over again.  So at camp that weekly pizza day means either your kids miss out or the place has to find gluten free pizza.  Either case makes me worry about stigmatizing my kids.  They are special to me but I don't want them singled out for a special table.

One good thing is often I have to provide the lunches and snacks.  I can have a bit more control of what they eat.  A downside is they may be sent to a special table.  I can guess this as the camp already notified me of peanut allergies.  Nothing with nuts should be sent with the kids.  Fair enough.  It also means the peanut kids will probably eat at their own table in case a parent doesn't want to heed that warning.  That's going to be an issue if the kids start to feel second class while at camp.

I imagine there are camps for kids dedicated to healthy living.  They probably have only lactose free cheese and milk, no nuts of any kind, only gluten free products, plenty of spring water fresh from the ground, and everything is organic.  But I do not live in that Vermont commune and one of those camps isn't near me.

I, like every other parent, have to deal with what we have available.  Summer Camp is supposed to be a place of fun and adventure, exploring outdoors and trying to make being away from school last forever.  But when there are food sensitivities/allergies involved someone has to be on the look out.  That random ice cream truck can ruin a day.  Schools are getting better with food concerns, camps may be catching up too, but for now healthy living means being vigilant, even in the lazy days of Summer.

Medicine and Gluten

So I'm sure many others know or knew this but it came as a bit of a surprise to me.  Apparently prescription medicines may contain gluten, especially generics.

I ran out of a medicine a couple weeks ago.  For various reasons I never got it refilled or picked it up at the pharmacy.  I just went without.  Having changed my diet and overall feeling better now that Summer has arrived I almost was going to just stop it.  But I was convinced that I should still include all medications as part of living healthy.  After refilling the prescription a couple of days ago I quickly noticed that I was not feeling well.  A lot of gastric distress is a polite way to put it.

Some quick googling and it may be that the medicine actually contains gluten.  It's a generic, as it is the law that you get generic versions of drugs unless the doctor demands brand name.  (It's another long and technical economic story but that is part of the reason why prescription drugs cost so much.) It is difficult to find out what actually goes into medicines but from what I have seen so far it may have gluten in it.  Or it may not depending on the web page you google.  My symptoms seem to be abating so I may just chalk it up to adjusting to being back on the medicine.  Yet it makes me think of just how much around us contains things that can harm us.  I would not think gluten went into making pills, but apparently it can.

As an aside I tried some new bath products, shampoos, soaps, etc.  These were natural and contain tea tree oil.  Now I am not trying to go all hippie granola, but change can be good.  Or not when I finally look and see that shampoo and stuff have wheat germ in it.  I do not have Celiac's, just a gluten sensitivity.   This might not affect me.  I am not sure I want to find out.  Just another example of how so much in life is impacted by food sensitivity.

I am not saying that the whole world is out to get you, but there are some days where that is more believable.  It's sad I have to check the labels on absolutely everything, not just food.  Being better requires eternal vigilance.

update on baking

So a whole lot of baking did not happen this weekend.  But managed to make a pizza, gluten free.  It's a bacon and cheese.  It was good.

At Children's Hospital

It is so easy to complain about life.  Things happen, others do not understand, can't find what I need and whatever else might happen.  And for those with food allergies/sensitivities there is a lot to complain about.  However, to encourage a greater general understanding its better to give credit where credit is due.  That's this post.

Had to go to #ChildrensHospital in Boston yesterday.  Got there mid-morning so it was time to get a little something to eat.  Children's Hospital Boston is still undergoing major renovations, just putting that out there first.  The renovations made their cafeteria move to a much smaller location in the building, still painted on the wall it clearly said Open, Breakfast 7 - 11.  Some of the staff working in the caf may not have read that.  We went up to the grill area to try and get some eggs and bacon.  There is NOTHING gluten free in the pop up cafe.  Even the ready made salads are marked with wheat as an allergen.  Eggs and bacon seemed a good option despite a cross contamination risk from a shared grill.  Well, that was the thought.  Behind the glass were trays of possibly yet-to-be-cooked ready made breakfast sandwiches stacked on top of each other and a person saying "No eggs, we are closed. I can give you sandwiches."  Pointing out the hours made no difference as they were closed for renovation.

Now, the hospital does have an Au Bon Pain there.  That restaurant is not very #glutenfree but is getting better.  The last time there was nothing to eat, now there are some salads, brownies, and the occasional soup.  What really was helpful was that I was able to order a bacon and egg bagel without the bagel.  The person was very helpful and I was charged not for a full sandwich but for extra sides of bacon and eggs.  My child was able to eat before our appointment.

The part that really deserves accolades was the hospital food services, not the caf.  The appointments would take several hours.  When we were at our final stop the very friendly nurses said we could order food.  And the place had a Gluten Free Menu!!!!

My child got to eat food good for him in the hospital.  That was a huge improvement from the last time we were there.  Children's should be commended for making this change.  Just to be thorough I will point out that the chicken nuggets were not a big hit, but tasting them there was a faint fish taste so they may have been cooked with other stuff.  I assume it was all gluten free.

Having gluten free menus is a great thing for hospitals, and recognizes that food people eat greatly affects their health and well being.  It's not all about pills and potions.  Thank you Children's Hospital Boston for making this needed change.

Time to Bake

For now I have been buying all the gluten free breads and stuff.  This weekend it might be the time to make some of my own.  I have some gluten free mixes for things like brownies, cookies, and corn bread.  And I do have a recipe book for baking, now's the time to put it into action.

If I can find a good doughnut recipe and then find a way to add cocoa to it so I can finally have chocolate doughnuts, I will be very happy.  In the mean time I think I will have to eat my way through a lot of attempts.

It's the internet, I know, so there are a lot of blogs, sites, etc. with lots of information.  I may try to go through all of these again, but I also want to discover things for myself.  When I get more comfortable I will get to baking bread on my own, gluten free of course.  I hope I can find something that acts like gluten so the loaves are not as dense as gluten free bread and still rise to a good size loaf.  Somehow we deserve both in our bread.

Among all the other things happening this weekend,  Happy Fathers' Day to all the other fathers out there, some time in a kitchen with a hot stove churning out the tantalizing aroma of baking bread just might happen.

That's the plan anyway.

Gluten Free Children

For months now I have been doing what I can to live Gluten free.  For me it hasn't been that bad of a transition, challenging, but when put in perspective not all that bad.  Children, however, are another story.

I have one child that will really benefit from going gluten free, and another where it will help but is not absolutely necessary.  They are twins so what one gets the other demands.  Not in this case.  I buy nothing but gluten free food.  That means no cookie dough, no Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, no regular doughnuts, no regular pizza, no regular chicken nuggets, you get the point.  Several times already at the supermarket when the kids are along someone will ask, "Can I get this?" while handing me some awful thing.  I say I can't eat that and your brother shouldn't either.  The conversation quickly ends with a loud, "I hate Gluten!"

The resentment of one is matched by the reluctance of the other.  He just does not want to eat gluten free.  After going to great lengths to find products that actually taste good to a child's palate, at this point, I believe the resistance is not based on taste.  I wonder if two things are not happening here.  One is a realization that he is different and has to eat different.  The other that it seems he is singled out as different and has to eat different.  That everyone sees it.  Both those things can be devastating to a child.  I point out the differences in everyone, not just with diets, in an attempt to not only lessen the feeling of having a spotlight on him but to also help him appreciate the differences.  That's mostly  a lot of touchy happy feel good stuff and does not work all that much.

A different approach has been to try to develop insight within him as to what the affects of food are on him.  Certain foods really make him feel bad.  Some hurt a lot.  Gluten also affects him behaviorally.  It is almost like a steroid.  He becomes aggressive, unfocused, irritable, and restless.  I have no scientific evidence of this but am convinced the gluten is a major cause of bad behavior.  It is almost like clockwork that if he eats something bad soon he will be difficult to deal with.  And that is not his normal baseline behavior.

Healthy eating is just that, eating to be healthy.  And healthy counts more than just being not sick.  It means having a better outlook and behavior.  It was important for me and my own health, but becomes that much more important for my life when I see how it affects those I love.  Healthy living is a challenge for a whole family.  It impacts us on a very basic level.  Working it into the lives of children poses its own special challenges, school, socialization, etc.  I want to give both my children every chance to be the best possible persons, even if that requires them to have 'special' diets.  It is the least I can do.

A new life, Meditation, and Coffee

At the risk of sounding like a wanna be Hippie, or granola eating sandal wearing Earth crunchy type (not that there is anything wrong with hippies, young hippie posers, or associated stereotypes.  I just don't think I am close to being any of those.), I am coming to the opinion that having to change your diet for your health is hardest when it is just that, changing only one thing for an external reason.

It's similar to advice I hear given to young people - don't change for someone else.  A girl is only liking the person you pretend to be, not who you are so knock it off.  Be yourself.  In a similar way trying to change only one aspect of your life is putting on a facade and lying to the rest of yourself.  That is what makes the bitterness, the resentment, the reluctance to continue with healthy eating.  Part of you wants to be who you were despite the pains while some other part is convincing yourself that you are better.

Just yesterday I went in to get a decaf iced coffee.  (yes, at the same place that has no conception of a gluten free world)  And I really wanted their doughnuts (here I steadfastly refuse to spell it the wrong way as in their marketing schemes).  I grew up on them.  I love them.  But I cannot eat them.  I am now just over a relapse where I was in quite a bit of discomfort and pain due to eating something inadvertently with gluten in it - mints. (who knew? but I should have) (for the love of parentheses and as an aside I was all but addicted to Altoids, would eat them one after the other.  These were a knock off brand as I have been out of Altoids for a long time.)  Still I wanted doughnuts even as I stood in line, in abdominal pain, waiting to get an ice coffee.

It finally hit me.  That is not who I am.  Not anymore.  Being attached to an old life, wanting it back, and wanting all the tasty treats that went along with it (and could very well have made me sick) was making me bitter and depressed.  It was wrong.  It was wrong as that is not who I am.  As part of changing what I eat to feel better I am really changing my life to be more who I  really am.  That is what is making me feel better.

Off and on in life I would meditate.  It is rewarding and it helps to get perspective on things, not really be attached so much.  Getting back to that point of view, changing my diet is only a small part of not physically suffering any more.  I'll go back to meditation not only for the many demonstrable benefits but also since it will help lessen the attachment to all the foods and wants that worked to destroy my life.  A healthy lifestyle is just that, a life.  It is not a fad, a phase, or just one thing you have to grudgingly do.  That is why diets so often fail.  It is not something to do.  It is a new someone to be.

Breads - a little review

It was not the Memorial Day weekend when I noticed this but actually right after I switched to gluten free, but I like bread.  I really like bread.  And now for the most part I can't eat it.  Yes, everyone gluten free has encountered this.  I have been trying to find some good alternatives, and I am sure that there are many people out there who have actually found them.  Tips in the right direction are always welcome, yet in the meantime here are thoughts on some products I have encountered so far.

First, I just want to say that Legal Seafoods does a good job with gluten free.  They have a lot of options that can be prepared that way, including a good fish and chips.  On a warm Summer day sitting at the outdoor tables feasting on fish and chips just says Summer.  Legal could work on expanding gluten free options in their drinks menu, but that is a problem most restaurants have.  The biggest compliment to Legal Seafoods is they will serve gluten free bread.  They have gluten free rolls they bring to your table as you order that taste really good.  There is a bit of a cornbread taste to it, so the dough must be heavy in the mix with corn flour, but when it comes out hot it is nice.  It is a good alternative to the focaccia type bread other places offer in that it is more light and airy, similar to gluten riddled dinner rolls.

Restaurant shout-out aside, a good bread is hard to nail down.  So far two brands seem to do alright - Udi's and Rudi's.  Now for the most part all the gluten free bread products I find are frozen.  I cannot recall finding anything fresh.  Actually that is not true - Schar puts out non-frozen bread products.

I did not like these at all.  They tasted bland, dry, and had an odd consistency.  If I can talk about food this way, it seemed more functional than good.  Schar does have some Entertainment Crackers that can serve in a pinch for snacking but otherwise I avoid this bread based on what I got in a sandwich roll.

Udi's and Rudi's are frozen.  Preservatives must not react well with non-wheat flour doughs.  Once thawed out these manufacturers make a good product.  The bread gets to a decent size.  I have noticed that since the gluten holds in the gases released by yeast allowing bread to get big and fluffy the lack of gluten limits how big a load of bread will get.  Rudi's bread has a hearty rye bread feel and texture to it.  That's good for substantial sandwiches, but for kids it's a big change from the WonderBread type bread.  Rudi's can get a little dry, perhaps that was just thawing it out too fast.

I prefer Rudi's bread to Udi's.  They are both very similar, but Rudi's seems lightly less dry.  And dryness has become a big factor in what makes good bread for me.  Something too dry just feels crumbly as well as falling apart when eaten.  Udi's does make good bagels though.  These toast up well and have a good amount of chew without having to really work at it.

Udi's also makes hamburger and hot dog rolls.  Memorial Day made the bread problem all the more poignant.  Cheeseburgers and hot dogs on the grill are necessary for Summer.  I think it's a law or something.  The gluten free complications are felt most for these rolls.  They are just plain more dense and dry than the hamburger and hot dog rolls I remember as a kid.  Hot dogs rolls especially had a light fluffy texture that worked well, both steaming like at a ball game or toasted on the grill.  Gluten free rolls just do not have that moist texture.  I will spare the tirade on how they are not made split top New England style, hot dog rolls that is - it would be pretty stupid to have split top hamburger rolls.  Udi's hamburger rolls are good.  The dryness is noticeable but is not as egregious as the hot dog rolls.  That's mostly just due to the nature of the types of rolls.

Now there are a couple of other bread stuffs that I should mention.  Baguettes.  Nice crusty outside, soft tasty inside.  Remember when I said gluten free bread just doesn't get as large as regular bread?  That's more true of things like baguettes.  I had some in a restaurant in New York, and they seemed like really fat bread sticks, not proper baguettes.  

Against the Grain makes a proper baguette.  It is a decent size and tastes good.  I thawed a loaf out and eventually made a good garlic bread out of it.  Again it is frozen so there is some planning involved to eat it, but there's a bit of planning involved for gluten free anyway so it really isn't bad.  

Lastly, doughnuts.  I desperately miss doughnuts.  Easing that pain, I like Kinnikinnick's frozen (again?) donuts.  I found two flavors, cinnamon and sugar, and chocolate covered.  If you remember the DunkinDonuts brand Ol' Fashioned flavor doughnuts then you know how these feel to eat.  They are good, and I didn't read it on the box but a few seconds in the microwave will thaw them out fast.  

My bugaboo about the frozen is that once thawed the breads do not seem to last as long as regular breads, and since I am not sure I will go through a whole loaf of bread or box of donuts (who am I kidding, I will go through a whole box). I hate to thaw out a whole package just to risk wasting any.  But so far all these products work out well.  And I found all of them at my local super market, or at Whole Foods.  If more stuff like this hits the shelves of non-specialty stores then gluten free eating at home will get even easier, and tastier.

Memorial Day Weekend

First, to all the families of all the service personnel who gave their lives for our freedoms, thank you. The debt citizens owe them cannot be paid.  This weekend is more than just the unofficial kick off to Summer.  The day is for acknowledging and remembering all those men and women who gave their lives because their country asked them to go and risk it all.

Despite the solemnity of the holiday, the long weekend is a time to get together with family and friends.  It is a time to relax and fire up the grill.  Like so many other families that's what mine did.  We drove down to Cape Cod, right to a really nice cottage next to the sea, and joined family for a bar-b-que.  This almost didn't happen.  Grilling has its pitfalls for the gluten intolerant, or any food sensitivity.  Unless you read labels carefully you can't be too sure what goes into your hamburger or hot dog.  Then, of course, there are the buns.  I will probably do a product review posting of bread very soon, yet on this occasion it was not a worry. The extended family went out of their way to be gluten free.

Some of the guys didn't notice, even though I'm sure there would have been some grumbles had gluten free been common knowledge.  As an aside, lots of hot dogs, sausages, and BubbaBurgers are gluten free.  It's the bread that kills you.  But I digress, steak tips and chicken grill very well.  The marinades were selected to be dietarily compliant.  Another digression - sauces and marinades can have gluten related stuff in them.  Read the labels.  Soy sauce, for example, is made from wheat and is often used to give a little salty tang to sauces.  The same goes for salad dressings.  Simple oil and vinegar gets boring.  Ken's Steakhouse brands are almost all gluten free, but again, remember to check the labels.

Back to the story, we had a great time hanging out by the water, eating lots of good food.  The adult beverages were fine.  Stella Artois is basically gluten free thanks to the brewing process (it's not labeled as such so if you are very sensitive or have Celiac's stick to stuff specifically labeled gluten free) and some flavors of Mike's Hard Lemonade is processed to be gluten free.  It was hard to go wrong with steak, chicken and roasted asparagus.  The kids tossed the Nerf football around, and I never knew nine year olds would enjoy croquet so much.

I am very grateful to my girlfriend's family for making an amazing bar-b-que that really accommodated our diets.  It was very thoughtful, and was not hard to do.  We brought down a dessert that went over very well, an apple pie from The Maine Pie Co that is gluten free.  And if they didn't tell you it was gluten free you would never guess it.  It's great.

Hope everyones' Summer started off just as well.  Looking forward to a wonderful Summer with all the good food I want and expect, but still in a way that will keep me healthy.

trying to get some coffee

I tweeted this but think it is funny and astonishing.  I used to love Dunkin Donuts.  I'm not a huge coffee drinker - I can take decaf but that's about it.  And Dunkins has a thing where it's just give me a medium regular, or I'll take a large decaf ice regular.  That's how you order.  No foreign terms, and they add cream and sugar (the 'regular' means a set amount of cream and sugar depending on the size, for the coffee ignorant like me).  And it's great.  Given a no gluten diet I have not indulged in doughnuts much. (I have found gluten free doughnuts that are good but that's another story)

Making a long story short, I order an ice coffee and then ask if they have anything that is gluten free. It was admittedly a long shot but I was hungry. The answer I got stunned me for a second.  The woman looked at me like I had three heads and replied, "No.  No free.  You have to pay."  When asked again she just looked to a coworker.  I didn't press the point and just got my coffee.

The Boston area is getting rather good for eating out and being gluten intolerant, but it apparently has a long way to go for fast food.  It doesn't do the public much good making establishments put up the signs saying, "Please inform your server if any of your party has food allergies." when the staff doesn't know what that means.

Senza Gluten NYC - Restaurant Review

As a food capital I expected New York City to be on the leading edge of culinary trends.  It usually is.  I imagine the city was practically paved in bricks of Himalayan rock salt back when that was the trend, but it seems rather slow in adaptation to food allergies/sensitivities.  I only spend a couple days there so did not have the chance to look around and explore that much.  Yet it was difficult for me to find restaurants that provided gluten free fare. And that is what I need to eat.

The good places, like Geoffrey Zakarian’s or Marc Murphy’s, did not seem to have anything I could eat to avoid gluten.  Frankly, I am sick of salads, and even then there could be issues with the dressing.  Don’t even bring up the issue of croutons.  Looking at the menus there was a lot I really wanted to eat, and I am sure it was all amazing, but I really would have paid for it physically.

So when on a business trip to the Big Apple, after all the meetings and tourist must do’s, it was a god send to come across Senza Gluten.  This small restaurant opened back in January apparently and has a completely gluten free menu, as well as dedicated gluten free kitchen.  It is Italian, senza is Italian for ‘without’, hence the restaurant’s name. Despite the without, the menu was with lots of pasta.  That fact alone had me as a fan.  

We showed up early for our reservation.  This was not a problem for the young and charming hostess, appearing to the daughter of the manager, who was equally gracious.  The place was busy but not packed.  They were able to seat us immediately and gave us a table for four, even though there were only two of us, as all the two tops were occupied.  With dim lighting and basic rustic decor it was a romantic setting.  Large windows could have been opened had it been a little warmer outside, and it looked like there was space for outside dining.

To start we had each cesar insalata and shared an order of bruschetta al funghi.  I know I said I am sick of salads but this was a lovely thing.  My companion told me it was the best caesar salad she had ever eaten, even with the anchovies which she normally avoids like the plague.  The mushrooms on the bruschetta were flavorful and were generally enhanced with the drizzle of truffle oil.  I’m generally not a fan of the truffle oil trend but it did punch up the earthiness.  

A special that night was gnocchi.  Our very attentive waitress described it with the light, pillowy adjectives you expect with gnocchi.  My companion ordered that, and after stealing a few just to make sure I can give an accurate review, can state without hesitation that they were everything you would want out of gnocchi.  I ordered the lasagna.  I was mostly interested to see how that would work since most gluten free pastas are reserved for spaghetti.  It was a good, traditional lasagna.  It came to the table a little cold, I imagine having waited for the gnocchi.  The lasagna was meaty and rustic, without any odd sort of taste I would have expected from a gluten free pasta like corn or rice flour. (I don’t know the flour used for the pasta but none of it had any after taste)  If the lasagna had been hot it would have been perfect.  The very small, one person kitchen visible from the dining room put out great food but I can see how timing could be an odd issue with the chef.  Needless to say it was a very good mean overall, and the gluten free pasta did not produce any stuffed or bloated sensation that can result from a pasta dinner.

For dessert, and there are not pictures as I was too busy eating it, we had a Tiramisu for her and a chocolate lava cake with almond vanilla ice cream for me.  This course did take some time.  It was not due to our having been handed over to another server, but I imagine from the baking my cake to order, a necessity for chocolate lava cake.  The lava bit did solve the problem of how to get a full, light, fluffy cake without the gluten to give structure to the cake.  Once it cooled a little so it was no longer almost literal lava, it was a very satisfying chocolate dessert.  The Tiramisu was excellent.  I had tried a gluten free tiramisu at a different italian restaurant the night before (It was good, and was really the only other place that could adapt most of its menu to gluten free, but was not dedicated) and this was far superior.  Whereas the other was more of a custard parfait without the distinguishing cake-like soaked lady fingers, Senza Gluten’s version was as a near perfect replica of traditional tiramisu as possible.  Light, with all the flavors and textures expected, it was an excellent dessert.  It took great restraint not to eat my companion’s portion.

With such a great meal we were a little surprised the place was not packed on a Saturday night.  It was busy but I would have expected a line waiting at the door.  I can only attribute this to its being new and the word not spreading yet.  If you are gluten sensitive and either in or visiting New York City I heartily recommend visiting Senza Gluten on Sullivan Street.  Even if you are not gluten sensitive go there.  It is well worth it.  The charming and hospitable people there will make sure you have an excellent dining experience with great food.  Or just check out their site, senzaglutennyc.com

(previously published on my Tumblr blog - curioushumanist)

New Beginnings

There are many gluten free blogs out there.  Sharing recipes, finding good places to eat, and sharing stories have all been covered.  So what about one more?  That's this blog.  I'm a writer, analyst, and now blogger who went completely gluten free as a lifestyle starting in 2015.

Writers always want to write everything down.  We take note of things and try to observe.  It's where great ideas for new stories are found.  Changing lifestyles provides a lot of fodder for new stories, hence I'm going to write it down.  This will be a new project for me.  Eventually I will incorporate more Twitter or something to round it out, but for now I hope to reach out to people dealing with similar issues as we change lives to ones without gluten.   I decided to change how I eat for my health.  Apparently I had gluten sensitivity for years without knowing it.  That was just how people were supposed to feel.  Now a new life offers hope to not only feeling better but being better.

Like everything else in life, this blog will evolve and change.  For now it is just starting out, and looks that way.  I'll learn the ropes as I share more, and learn more from you.  Since you can't finish without starting this is the first post.  Thanks to any who read and looking forward to sharing much more with you.

Oh, and my name is Doug, by the way.