Gluten Free Garden

This week I’m working at my uncles’ shower business on RAGBRAI (the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa). I’m also biking a small part of the week-long ride. I’ve abandoned my food sensitivity diet (more on that later) and am eating a gluten free and dairy free diet again. Eating this week has been a lot like what I eat when camping.

I brought my little Coleman propane stove and have been grilling burgers and chicken sausage. My cooler is packed with fresh cut veggies and my homemade goat cheese ranch dressing. I made a version of Martha Stewart’s gluten free granola bars with dehydrated strawberries and bananas that are out if this world (thanks for the recipe, Rita)!!!

And last, but certainly not least, I packed TONS of gluten free Redbridge beer. It IS RAGBRAI after all.

Recipes to follow soon!

I have avoided restaurants for the past month because of the restrictions of my elimination diet, the LEAP Program.  Since I am traveling this week I did venture out to restaurants twice.  I am a fundraiser for higher education and I frequently meet alumni for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

My first attempt was at a sushi restaurant called the Sushi Den in Denver which came highly recommended by an alumnus, because the fish is flown in from Japan daily. I decided that since I can eat salmon I should be able to make due.  I ordered Copper River King Salmon nigiri (my favorite!). Now, this was cheating because nigiri is raw fish on sushi rice (which contains rice wine vinegar).  I’m not supposed to eat rice or vinegar and ordering salmon sashimi (just raw fish) would have been a better choice.  I also tried the pickled ginger which is a big no-no.  I left the restaurant with the familiar stomach symptoms, but it wasn’t severe.

My other restaurant attempt was at Citron Bistro, another alumnus recommendation.  I called ahead and asked if they could cook me a steak in foil to avoid cross-contamination with no seasoning.  The hostess told me that they would be happy to accommodate.  The server was very kind and patient with my order: new york strip steak cookd wrapped in foil with green pepper and onion, no seasoning.  I could not order a plain baked potato as their potatoes were already seasoned with black pepper (a spice I react to).  My steak came out and looked a rather strange (grey in color as it had not been seared) but was absolutely delicious.  For dessert the chef thinly sliced a plain pear which I rather enjoyed.  Unfortunately, it soon became apparent that I had eaten something I shouldn’t have, and I had to go back to the hotel to sleep it off.  Sigh… the risks of eating at restaurants!

If you are avoiding severe allergy, intolerance and/or food sensitivity reactions, I would advise avoiding restaurants.  Even when taking appropriate cautions, cross-contamination is often unavoidable.  If you do find a restaurant that can accommodate your diet requirements successfully, then by all means reward the staff for it!  Please remember to tip well, especially if the staff has gone above and beyond to help you eat safely and enjoyably.

I travel for a living.  30% of my working time is on the road.  As you might imagine, this makes eating an elimination diet like the LEAP program exceptionally difficult.   I’ve been in Denver for the last four days and trying to maintain my progress towards determining what I can and can’t eat.  It has been a challenge, to say the least!

I arrived at the Denver airport on Wednesday afternoon and drove up to Fort Lupton, Colorado for a business visit.  I had some time to spare so I stopped at a local grocery store and purchased yellow potatoes, a white onion, a green pepper, a head of garlic, fresh basil, a zucchini, a yellow squash, four pears and a bunch of bananas.  None of the produce was organic, unfortunately, but I figured it would get me through the week.  I also purchased a small plastic cutting board, a small ceramic paring knife with a plastic cover, five small tupperware containers, salt, one and a half pounds of ground beef and a bottle of La Tourangelle hazelnut oil from the Loire River Valley.  This would be the start of my small traveling kitchen.  Total cost of my grocery store trip: $60.

I’ve never done much cooking in a microwave, but it seems that, as I spend a great deal of time in hotels, the microwave will shortly become a much-utilized appliance.  I had called ahead to my hotel, the Embassy Suites on the Southeast side of Denver, and asked if they had a kitchenette.  I was told that every room comes standard with a mini-fridge and a microwave.  I can certainly make due with that.

The mini-fridge was an absolute blessing.  Being able to store vegetables, fruit, meat and cooked leftovers all week has made traveling around Denver much easier.  The microwave and I have been doing a little dance as I try to determine the most efficient way to cook with it.  A couple of things I”ve learned:

• The quickest, easiest way to cook in a microwave is in small portions
• The smaller the food is cut, the faster it will cook
• Only cook one microwaveable container of food at a time (don’t double up containers, or you’ll double up the time).
• When preparing food, make enough for more than one meal and keep the leftovers in the fridge!

I’ve found that there are definitely benefits to cooking with a microwave.  I haven’t had to use the hazelnut oil much (except for flavoring) because you essentially steam all of your vegetables and meats in the container.  Cook time is very fast (between 5-15 minutes).  You can often store your leftovers in the container you cooked them in which lessens cleanup time.  I am a little concerned about the chemicals in my plastic tupperware containers and would like to eventually look into non-leaching, microwave safe, lightweight containers.

The pears and bananas I ate for breakfast, snacks and desserts.  They were obviously simple to eat.  I did take the time to peel the pears with my paring knife because they weren’t organic and I have a growing fear of sodium sulfites and other chemicals used to keep produce from turning brown at the store.  I react to these chemicals and they can easily throw off your radar when determining what produce you can and can’t eat.

The microwave in my hotel room did not have a setting other than “high,” so when I learn how to microwave meals on other settings I will be sure to share them with you.  I also have a couple of items I would like to add to my traveling kitchen:  dish washing soap and a small scrubber sponge!

The recipes:

Microwave Beef Stew

Prep time: 10 minutes, cook time: 10-15 minutes

Serves 1-2

• 1/4 pound ground beef (preferably grass-fed)
• 1/4 cup white onion, diced
• 1/4 cup green pepper, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1-2 small yellow potatoes, diced
• 2 tablespoons water (give or take)
• fresh basil or other herb, chiffonade (cut into small strips) for garnish
• salt to taste
• two medium-sized, microwave safe tupperware containers with lids

Combine ground beef, white onion green pepper and garlic in one container, microwave on high for 5 minutes, until beef is cooked through and vegetables begin to soften.  Combine potatoes and water in the other container and microwave on high for 10 minutes until soft. Combine both containers into one (or divide evenly between the two dishes), add salt and basil and microwave on high for an additional 2-5 minutes until the potatoes begin to melt with the juices from the beef to create a delicious, fragrant gravy.  Let sit for 5 minutes to cool a bit before enjoying.  Makes excellent leftovers.

Microwave Summer Squash Medley

Prep time: 5 minutes, cook time: 5 minutes

Serves 1-2

• 1 medium zucchini squash, diced
• 1 medium yellow squash, diced
• 1 tablespoon water
• salt to taste
• splash of hazelnut or other nut oil for flavor (optional)
• fresh basil or other herb (chiffonade)
• 1 medium-sized microwave-safe tupperware container

Combine zucchini, yellow squash, water and oil in container and microwave on high for 5 minutes.  Stir in salt and basil.  Microwave for an additional 2-5 minutes for a softer texture.

Baked potato with sauteed onions, zucchini and green pepper with fresh bartlett pears.

I would describe the last two weeks as a roller coaster.  I have days when I am high on energy and feel great, and days when I am barely functional and sick.  The LEAP program is a challenge and infinitely more difficult than any gluten or dairy free diet.  But, despite the difficulty, I am optimistic that this is absolutely worth it.  In the end, if I can identify all of my food sensitivities and mitigate reactions, I will ultimately be able to live a healthy, happy lifestyle without fear of eating.

Day 8

The introduction of goat cheese to my diet.  I get so sick to my stomach I have to go home, drink baking soda in water to neutralize the acid in my stomach, and sleep it off.

Day 9

I vow to start from square one and go back to eating only phase 1 foods (no beef).  On the menu for breakfast is hazelnut pancakes with bananas and walnuts, watermelon and honeydew.  Lunch is sauteed zucchini, onions, potatoes, green pepper and sole fillets sauteed in hazelnut oil.  Dinner is a baked potato with sauteed zucchini, onions and green pepper.  Bored yet?  At least my symptoms improved!

Day 10

The day starts off with hazelnut pancakes, roasted vegetables with honeydew, watermelon, basil and sugar salad.  My migraine returns but only minimally.  This is a good sign – I’m getting rid of the toxic reactive foods!  Lunch is three fillets of sole dredged in hazelnut flour and sauteed in hazelnut oil, to fuel a 26 mile bike ride.  We have friends over for dinner and I feast on grilled sole, zucchini, onions, potatoes and green pepper.  My stomach symptoms return.  I deduce that this must be cross-contamination from the grill and make a mental note to grill all my foods on aluminum foil going forward.

Day 11

Breakfast is hazelnut pancakes, watermelon, honeydew and leftover potatoes.  Lunch is leftover cold pancakes and a fresh bartlet pear.  Dinner is a baked potato with sauteed onion and green peppers.  At this point I am getting REALLY tired of potatoes, onion, green peppers and zucchini, but as my symptoms diminish I know it’s worth braving the monotony.

Day 12

I have a baked potato with sauteed veggies for breakfast and meet with my dietician, Marsha McCulloch, for my two-week consultation.  I am feeling GREAT.  I don’t have pain or bubbles in my stomach.  I have energy but am a little tired from lack of calories.  We discuss my successes and relapses over the past two weeks.  My optimism for continuing the program is renewed.

Oh joy of joys, today I will add SALMON to my diet.  For dinner I prepared wild-caught salmon poached in water with salt and fresh basil.  Now, I must tell you… you will never know how amazing a simple food will taste when you have been deprived of most of your options for weeks.  A fresh, ripe pear becomes the most delicious and succulent dessert you have ever tasted.  A baked potato with hazelnut oil and salt becomes a fluffy, golden orb of hope.  And fresh, wild salmon, simply poached and salted, is rich, fragrant and buttery.  I tried to contain myself but must admit that I wolfed (WOLFED) this fillet down in record-breaking time. In a matter of hours I had more energy than I can remember having in weeks.  Life is good.

Before I went to bed I decided to add garlic to the diet so I sliced half a small clove and swallowed it raw.  Not the most appetizing method of consumption, but it is a good way to determine reaction and also good for the immune system!

Quinoa with caramelized pears

Day 13

Today.  I feel like a new person!  My muscles are fortified with protein and omega-3 fatty acids from the wild salmon, my immune system is humming from the garlic.  I feel thin (no bloating) with no pain in my abdomen.  I can take on the world, but I decide to start with the next food on my list: quinoa.

Quinoa is a grain similar to couscous, only it is gluten free.  It makes an excellent couscous-like salad with vinaigrette, vegetables and herbs.  I decide to introduce it to my diet as breakfast with caramelized, boiled pears.  My creation is a delightful combination and resembles something between a soft granola and oatmeal.  I pack a lunch of plain quinoa with poached salmon and vegetables and head to work.

Not long after I can tell something isn’t right.  My stomach is gurgling in that oh-so-ominous way that foretells agony.  I tell myself that this is just my body getting used to its first real carbohydrate in weeks and ignore my stomach.  By lunchtime I am starving but still have the bubbly stomach.  I decide to sample my lunch and dig into the poached salmon and quinoa.

…I only made it halfway through my lunch before the familiar punch-in-the-stomach feeling returns.  I am sick.  REALLY sick.  That afternoon I struggle through my work, trying to keep my trips to the bathroom at a minimum but not being all that successful.  Misery.

OK, so quinoa is a big no-no.  My first official tested food to be crossed off the list. The rest of the day I will have to let my body calm down before adding in a new food.  Sigh…  Oh well, progress is progress. Onward I march!

Amaranth-breaded catfish and fresh melon pear salad.

It has been a frustrating nine months.   When I first began to investigate the cause of my various health issues I believed my symptoms were caused by intolerance to gluten (wheat) and casein (dairy).  What I have found is that my sensitivity to food is much more complicated than I originally thought.

Enter Marsha McCulloch, MS, RD, LD, CLT.  Marsha is a nutrition counselor, writer and owner of In The Aisles Nutrition Counseling.  While searching for local dietitians online I found an article featuring her in the Des Moines Register.  I met with Marsha for an initial consultation to talk about my sensitivity to food and various options.  Unlike other medical professionals, Marsha listened to what I had to say and didn’t try to medicate me.  She told me about the LEAP (Lifestyle Eating And Performance) program and MRT (Mediator Release Testing).

The MRT is a simple blood test that measures the release of mediators in the blood with the introduction of certain foods.  The LEAP program begins with an elimination diet that starts with the least reactive foods on the list. A food journal is kept to ensure that all symptoms and reactions are logged for analysis.  Each week a new set of foods are introduced one by one and the reactions recorded.  At the end of five weeks of introducing new foods to the diet, a rotation diet begins.  The rotation diet is a three day repeating plan, with each day of the plan encompassing a different list of food groups by family.  The idea is that by rotating foods in the diet, new sensitivities are less likely to form.

I took the blood test on June 15th and the samples were shipped to a lab in Florida.  I met again with Marsha on June 30 to go over my results and my diet plan for the next month.

Day 1

Immediately following my consultation with Marsha I went to the grocery store to purchase the limited list of foods I could eat for the next week:

• catfish
• sole
• scallop
• potato
• green pepper
• onion
• zucchini
• watermelon
• honeydew
• pear
• banana
• basil
• cane sugar
• turmeric
• walnut (nuts and oil)
• hazelnut (nuts and oil)
• amaranth flour

Golden turmeric turns these amaranth pancakes bright red in the pan.

Lunch was grilled vegetables with no oil and a fresh salad of honeydew, watermelon, bosque pear, basil and a pinch of sugar.  Dinner was pan-friend catfish in amaranth flour and basil; amaranth, turmeric and grilled vegetable pancakes; and more fruit salad.

Day 2

Hell on earth.  Marsha told me that I would likely experience some withdrawal symptoms (headache, nausea, etc.), but I never anticipated this.  I had a migraine headache so intense that I couldn’t get out of bed.  When I did manage to sit up I was overcome by nausea.  I cancelled all of my plans and spent the entire day in bed, unable to move.

Day 3

Hell continued.  I could barely function and spent the morning in bed.  I managed to haul myself to work for a few hours in the afternoon, but my migraine was excruciating and I wore sunglasses in my office.  Even though my withdrawal symptoms were horrible, my stomach felt surprisingly great.  I had managed to eat a little (mostly bananas) and, determined not to let my symptoms halt my life, I went with my boyfriend Joel to have dinner with some friends of ours.  On the menu was a vegetable medley (potatoes, green peppers, onion and zucchini) cooked on the grill in some tin foil with salt and walnut oil.  I cheated to satiate my feeling of exhaustion and anemia and ate a “clean” pork chop.  I immediately began to feel the familiar bubbles and pain in my gut.

Day 4

Amaranth, banana and walnut pancakes fried in walnut oil. More pain in my stomach.  Onions and green pepper dredged in amaranth flour and sauteed in walnut oil.  The pain and discomfort in my abdomen continue.

Day 5

July 4th: the day of my parents’ annual Independence Day Party.  I struggled with my resolve as friends and family munched happily on hamburgers, brats, hotdogs, potato chips, salads, and desserts of every possible kind.  I ate potato, onion and zucchini pancakes dredged in amaranth flour (yet again) and sauteed in walnut oil.  Joel grilled sole filets for me on the grill.  The pain in my gut is intense.  What happened to the happy stomach I had during Day 1 and 2???  At the end of a long and challenging day I feel weak, tired, cranky and am obviously reacting to something.  I crave protein… red meat.  I finally cave and eat a plain grilled hamburger.  Almost immediately, the pain in my stomach subsides and my energy returns.  Is this a miracle?

Day 6

Feeling fantastic and newly encouraged, I cook breakfast for Joel and myself:  scrambled eggs, peppers and bacon for him, sauteed peppers and onions, and fruit salad for me.   At the store I purchase organic ground beef and make pepper and onion burgers for lunch with dry roasted potatoes (no walnut oil).  I feel great!  I am convinced that walnut oil is a no-no.

Day 7

More veggies, beef and fruit salad.  I can’t remember the last time I felt this good.  My stomach isn’t a constant threat to my productivity and I have energy.

As I continue down this path I am filled with excitement and hope.  I finally feel as though I am heading in the right direction!

More to come soon….

Love,

Hannah

Recipe for Amaranth Battered Catfish

• 1/2 cup amaranth flour
• 1/2 cup arrowroot flour
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2-4 filets fresh catfish
• 1 tablespoon walnut oil

Combine dried ingredients in a shallow dish.  Heat a pan over medium-high heat.  Rinse catfish filets in cold water and dredge in amaranth flour mixture.  Heat walnut oil in the pan for a few seconds, then carefully add catfish filets.  Cook approximately 2-3 minutes per side, until firm.

Recipe for Melon Pear salad

• 1/2 small seedless watermelon, cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1/2 ripe honeydew melon, cut into bite sized chunks
• 2-3 medium bosque pears, skins removed and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 1 teaspoon cane sugar
• 1 tablespoon fresh basil, juliened

Prepare all fruits and toss in a bowl with cane sugar and fresh basil.  Serve chilled.

Recipe for Roasted Vegetable Amaranth Pancakes

• 1 1/2 cups amaranth flour
• 1/2 cup arrowroot flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Hain Featherweight baking powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup roasted or grilled vegetables, diced
• 2 tablespoons walnut oil

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, add water and mix well.  Stir in diced vegetables.  Preheat pan over medium-high and add walnut oil.  Pour about 1/4 cup batter into hot pan and let cook until bubbles pop and stay open (about 60-90 seconds).  Flip and cook for another 60-90 seconds and remove from heat.  Serve hot or at room temperature.  Great when used as sandwich bread.

Recipe for Banana Walnut Amaranth Pancakes

• 1 cup amaranth flour
• 1 cup arrowroot flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon Hain Featherlight baking powder
• 1/3 cup cane sugar
• 1 cup pear juice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 banana, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 tablespoon walnut oil

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, add water and mix well.  Stir in bananas and walnuts.  Preheat pan over medium-high and add walnut oil.  Pour about 1/4 cup batter into hot pan and let cook until bubbles pop and stay open (about 60-90 seconds).  Flip and cook for another 60-90 seconds and remove from heat.  Serve hot or at room temperature, with a pinch of cane sugar on top.

This is an excellent article on the benefits of probiotics for celiac disease.  Please be sure to read through all of Dr. Mercola’s comments at the bottom of the article, as they are a great comprehensive overview of why celiacs (and nearly everyone else) should avoid grains.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/05/27/gut-bacteria-offer-new-hope-for-people-with-celiac-disease.aspx

This CNN article explores the many challenges in diagnosing food allergies and intolerance.  While I am pleased that awareness of diet-related symptoms is increasing, I can’t help but continue to feel frustrated by the lack of medical solutions to these problems. 

I, too, have had a “skin-prick” allergy test for approximately forty different types of allergens and the results were all negative.  The allergists’ advice to me was inconclusive and unhelpful at best:  see an IBS specialist.  I asked whether an IBS specialist would be able to help me identify causes of other symptoms such as skin irritation, migraines, fatigue, etc.  The allergists’ response was that I am absolutely not allergic to any foods (or, I can assume, just the forty allergens he actually tested me for…), but that if I really believe I have diet-related symptoms then I need to practice a limited diet.  I asked how I could medically determine which foods I should avoid if the allergy test was inconclusive.  He didn’t have any answer for me other than, “avoid what makes you sick.”

I am sure many of you have been faced with this frustrating situation.  Doctor visit after doctor visit, copay after copay, test after test, and still… inconclusive results.  The most conclusive response I received from my allergist was that the saliva test I had done through Enterolab was “hooey” and that the lab should be sued for malpractice.  Unfortunately, other than criticizing the one medical establishment whose test results seemed congruent with my own experiences and assumptions, the allergist was unable to give me any real advice or direction.

I try to limit my diet to determine what I can and cannot eat to maintain good health, but the list of foods I can enjoy is growing shorter by the month and I continue to have symptoms.  I find that I feel better when I am on no medication at all, and it is easier to determine sensitivities to food when medication is not a factor in the equation.  So, onward I march!  I will keep you posted on my progress.

What have been your challenges and successes on the road to diagnosis?  Who or what has helped you feel healthy again?

This Saturday, April 17th, from 10:00am to 4:00pm is Gluten-Free Day at the Windsor Heights HyVee Grocery.  Be sure to stop by and check out their gluten-free products!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

This is a super-fast, super-easy recipe guaranteed to put a smile on everyone’s faces.  Fantastic when frosted and decorated for Halloween, these muffins are delicious any time of year!  (We call them “muffins” so we can eat them for breakfast, but really they should be called “cupcakes!”)

We usually replace 1/3 cup of the white rice flour with 1/3 cup ground flax seed meal for a omega-3 boost.

• 1 ½ cups sugar
• ½ cup canola oil
• 2 eggs
• ¾ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1 ⅔ cups white rice flour
• 6 oz. chocolate chips

Mix all ingredients together, pour into baking cups. Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.

Much love,

Hannah and Hailey