Diagnosed with celiac (can't eat wheat)

[Offthegrid]

Velogirl, if it's not too much trouble, could you give me an idea of your sample menu for a day?

Ugh I hate corn by itself, but can tolerate it on the cob. But I do like tortillas.

I may not be able to eat oatmeal, either. My problems were a LOT worse when I was eating oatmeal every morning. I have read that the oats are "contaminated" because they are handled on the same equipment as wheat. Although it's possible I may be able to find some that are certified gluten-free.

One Web site suggested cream of rice. Looks absolutely awful but I guess I'll have to give it a try.

Don't know of a Trader Joes, but there are a lot of health food stores around here. And I bet Wegmans has a pretty good selection of gluten-free stuff. Better get out the wallet. I hear it's much more expensive.

Mimi, I am type O, but my aunt also has celiac and she's not type O.

[mimitabby]

thanks for the blood type info.
There was a movement a few years ago that got very popular. it was the blood type diet. And for us O's, wheat was verbotin. But there are a lot of people
still on that diet and there are LOTS of recipes on line for you to look for.
But I wouldn't try cream of wheat if I were you. It's made out of the same
stuff as white bread! WHEAT!

I forget why oats are bad too, I think they are too close to wheat genetically!

[DebW]

I know someone with Celiacs who makes her own bread out of non-wheat grains. It can be done.

[HappyAnika]

I'm sorry! I have a friend of a friend who has been diagnosed with Celiac, along with her two children. When she first found out she was angry and frustrated, but over time she's accepted it and even turned it into a business. She started a company making gluten free desserts (and they are fabulous, mostly chocolate stuff). She even figured out how to make cookies using a blend of different flours. She also dropped about 30 pounds from her petite frame after discovering this, even while taking pastry chef classes. If you have a Whole Foods nearby, they have nutrition specialists (I don't know how certified they are) who will consult with you on things you can and can't eat within the store, highlighting gluten free alternatives.

Good luck!

[Offthegrid]

But I wouldn't try cream of wheat if I were you.

Oops, I meant to type cream of RICE.

[bouncybouncy]

*one handed typing...so i keep it brief

celiac is not so bad at all...once you get used to the brands and all! my cousins 4 year old has it along with diabetes...he is one ACTIVE soccer player and can run circles around most kids! my boss has it too...i used to do her shopping and after a few trips to the store i was a wheat-free pro!

many restaurants have wheat-free menus...just ask! yes, some things are more expensive but once you get the hang of what you like you can balance the budget to adjust i guess. now take a deep breath and start here...

http://www.livingwithout.com/welcome.htm

http://www.google.com/search?q=glute...en-US:official


you will get thru this and feel soooo much better soon!!! ride on!!!

[uk elephant]

Initial disclaimer: I do not have celiac's and have not had to eliminate wheat....

But I do cook a lot and like you, love bread and other starchy foods. So I tried to think of a few alternatives.

Tortillas made with corn flower should be ok. And you can use them to make wraps instead of sandwiches. In Norway we have lefse made with potato which can be made using potato flower instead of real flower. Works like a tortilla basically but a bit thicker. Also a good way to use up leftover mashed potato if you ever have any.

Being from Northern Europe, I'm big on potatoes. We use potatoes with every meal (my dad insists it's not dinner if it doesn't have potatoes and will even have potatoes with his spagetti bolognese). And they can be used in a very wide variety of ways! If you want potato recipies, just let me know.....

[aicabsolut]

I may not be able to eat oatmeal, either. My problems were a LOT worse when I was eating oatmeal every morning. I have read that the oats are "contaminated" because they are handled on the same equipment as wheat. Although it's possible I may be able to find some that are certified gluten-free.

Don't oats have gluten?

Rice crackers are awesome. You can probably find spelt things that are gluten free too, like spelt english muffins (so good), spelt pretzles.

It's a big lifestyle change, but you can still get in your carbs. At least now you know what the problem is.

[solveig]

I don't have celiac, but I do enjoy cream of rice cereal often. I cook it with 1/2 soy milk, 1/2 water, and a touch of salt, then sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top and eat it with additional soymilk. A nice source of protein, and I love the taste!

Best of luck with the gluten-free foods. You've gotten some good suggestions here - hope you start feeling great soon!

[KnottedYet]

Don't oats have gluten?

Rice crackers are awesome. You can probably find spelt things that are gluten free too, like spelt english muffins (so good), spelt pretzles.

It's a big lifestyle change, but you can still get in your carbs. At least now you know what the problem is.

Spelt is a variant of wheat, so be careful.

If you crave something made with cracked wheat (like bulgar) try using quinoa instead.

I just had a great quinoa salad (using just plain quinoa grains) at a restaurant Trek took me to in Pt. Reyes Station. It was essentially a pasta salad with cooked quinoa grains instead of pasta. You could get salmon or chicken with it, but I had it plain. It was "tasty" as Trek says.

Quinoa can be made into a great warm morning breakfast cereal, too. Treat it like oatmeal with honey brown sugar, nuts, raisins, etc.

I think quinoa is a complete protien, too. And it's very cute when it's cooked! (like little ufos with rings around them or like little Saturns. very cute )

There are quinoa pastas out there, but they are very expensive and I like just using cheap rice pasta from the asian foods section. It takes a little more olive oil to keep the rice pasta from sticking to itself, but it turns out great! SKnot eats it, too.

[Duck on Wheels]

I think the basic message in many posts above is to shift your focus from what you can't eat to what you can eat. You need to keep a corner of one eye on the can't eat list too, especially when eating out, but mostly you just need to build up a repertoir of foods you like and that work well for you. There are lots of options out there, and learning new recipes can be fun.

At least, that's what I keep telling myself, living on a low fiber diet in a high fiber world. Not exactly the same problem as yours, but shifting my focus away from "Darn! But I love raw fruit and veg!" to "Hmmm... what can I do with this?" has helped enormously in terms of my spirits. And my guts are doing better too.

[eclectic]

OTG

I just wanted you to know that I have been thinking about you alot since reading your diagnosis.

I am not celiac but know a few people who are. It is a very inconvenient condition to live with and will mean many changes for you. The upside is you will feel so much better because of making the changes. I am thinking you will end up healthier and stronger than you are now once your system is fully purged and healed.

Hang in there - one day at a time - you have received excellent suggestions - I just wanted to add my support.

[Bluetree]

Sorry to chime in so late, OTG.

But just to let you know, if I have a big ride or workout planned, I find that white rice is as good as any pasta load I've ever done the night before.

My Japanese parents force fed me white rice growing up as a kid, so I rarely eat it anymore. However, I have found it's a great fuel source. Sometimes I'll have it with a bit of curry, or teriyaki or even vegetarian chili. If I plan to run one day, the night before it's rice. And like Knot said, finding a good Thai restaurant is great!

I'm both severely fructose and lactose intolerant, so I have had to make adjustments, but like others said, focus on the tasty things you CAN eat, instead of the ones you can't. Good luck!

[KnottedYet]

Last night's dinner: posole - no wheat or gluten (easy crock pot recipe: 3 shoulder steaks cubed, 3 big 29 oz cans of hominy, 3 heaping tbsp chili powder cooked on low for 5 hrs. Top with chopped onions, tomatoes, avocadoes, sour cream and fresh squeezed lime juice)

Night before last dinner: Trader Joe's brown rice fusilli with artichoke puttanesca sauce, and fresh shaved parmesan. - no wheat or gluten www.traderjoes.com

This morning's breakfast: pancakes (plain) and pancakes with fried banana slices. Real maple syrup. Apple butter.

YES!!! PANCAKES!!!!
Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix. www.pamelasproducts.com
Crispy edges, soft springy cake, warm and yummy! For the banana pancake, slice banana into circles like double-thickness quarters, let sit on griddle for about 30 seconds, then pour the pancake batter over the slices and cook like a normal pancake. - no wheat or gluten. This mix has almond meal in it, which makes a *fabulous* flavor and texture.

Trek has been almost gluten-free this week, and she hasn't complained yet! She says, "I'm not missing ANYTHING!"