THE SPRUE-NIK PRESS
Published by the Tri-County Celiac Sprue Support Group,
a chapter of CSA/USA, Inc. serving southeastern Michigan
Volume 6, Number 8 November 1997
**********************************************************************
..................................................
: What's Inside Search For :
: ------------- ---------- :
: Miscellaneous Notes . . . . . . . . . -1- :
: Travis, a Story of Hope . . . . . . . -2- :
: Bread Machine Tips . . . . . . . . . . -3- :
: Interesting Celiac Connections . . . . -4- :
: Newsletter Roundup . . . . . . . . . . -6- :
: Recipe Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . -7- :
:................................................:
References
Disclaimer
Miscellaneous Notes:
---------1----------
President's Corner: Thanksgiving is just around the corner. I have a
few areas of concern for ALL of the holidays. Please make sure the
turkey is gluten-free (GF). You can do this by either requesting
whomever is having the meal to buy a specific brand, OR you can
purchase the turkey yourself. Do not eat the turkey if it has been
stuffed with regular (non-GF) stuffing. Regular stuffing has to be
made separately or it will contaminate the entire turkey. Also, don't
eat the filling from regular pies and leave the crust, if you do you
will definitely be ingesting gluten! Ask whomever is making the pies
to put some filling (check what kind it is) in a separate custard dish
for you, or offer to make the pies yourself. (Bette Hagman's pie
crusts are wonderful.) I know this is a hassle, but with a bit of
"homework" ahead of time you can have a safe holiday. Once you've
instructed your family members to check with you on your food
preparation, they will check with you every time.
I had a few requests after last month's meeting for my bread recipes.
The recipes I rely on the most are the ones from the Red Star recipe
brochure (if you don't have one, call 1-800-4CELIAC and they will send
you one) and also many of the Bette Hagman recipes. I find they are
all very good. It's really a matter of learning to use your own bread
machine, which involves a lot of trial and error.--Mary Guerriero
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
A New Beginning: Here is a story with a happy ending....well not an
ending but a beginning.
One of our members, Glyke Dixon, moved to Warsaw, Poland with her
family because of her husband, David's job. Now the fact that she
does not speak Polish did not dampen her spirits. They packed their
three children, Alexandra, Andreas and Christopher, their three dogs,
Zeus, Apollo and Olympia and off they went. Mary, our president, knew
that I communicate with my cousins in Poland so she asked me if I
could find out how Glyke was doing. When I called Glyke, I learned
that they had been in Warsaw about a week, the children were enrolled
in school, but Glyke was not feeling well at all. So I called my
cousin Wiesia Salach in Warsaw whose daughter, Ania has been learning
English.
Wiesia called the Polish organization for People on a Gluten Free Diet
for information. Then Wiesia and Ania took the Dixons on a shopping
trip. Ania was so happy to make friends with Americans so that she
could practice her English. The Salach family met the whole Dixon
family and Ania sent me an e-mail message telling me how happy they
were with their newfound friends, the Dixons, who are such warm and
friendly people.
And so this is the story of a happy beginning....of a new adventure in
a new country....of a new friendship. I am happy to have been a part
of this story. TCCSSG and its members have done so much for
me!--Regina Kukielka
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The Gluten Free Gang's 9th Annual Celiac Program will be held on
Saturday December 6th, 1997, in Columbus Ohio, at 8 am. The location
is the Children's Hospital Education Center. This is a program for
adults as well as children. Special Guest Speaker Joseph Murray, MD,
will begin the program. Mary Kay Sharrett, MS, RD, LD, will speak on
the celiac diet. There will be workshops, sessions on the internet,
GF Asian foods, the mind-body-spirit connection, and manual bread
making. Then there will be a panel discussion and Q & A, with
panelists Joseph Murray, B Li, MD, Steve Plogsted, PharmD, and Mary
Kay Sharrett. The program will conclude with a Holiday Pot Luck
Luncheon at 1 pm.
There will also be separate programs for teenagers (including
roundtable sessions on the Internet, exploration stations, and "From
Parties to Overnights....Fitting in with Celiac"), kids ages 7-10, and
kids ages 4-6. Toddler care will be provided for children ages 2-3.
All the children will join their parents for the pot luck luncheon.
Registration is $15 for adults (age 15 and over) and must be received
by November 21, 1997. Children 14 and under attend for free. Make
your check payable to Children's Hospital and mail it to Community
Education, Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH
43205-2696. Along with your check, indicate:
...the names and ages of each person attending.
...your address, daytime phone number, and (if applicable) e-mail
address.
...if you are attending the luncheon; if so, include the recipe for
the dish you are bringing to share (and where you got the
recipe, if known). Prepare enough to serve eight.
...any special medical needs for your children.
For each adult, choose between these sessions: "Interacting on the
Internet" OR "Gluten-Free Asian Foods". Also, for each adult choose
between these sessions: "The Mind, Body, Spirit Connection" OR Manual
Bread making.
Call (614) 722-4949 with questions.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
You know you're a celiac if...
...the centerpiece on your dining room table is a bread machine.
...your bread looks like a moon rock and tastes like dried out Play
Doh.
...your bread weighs more than any moon rock could possibly weigh.
...one of your primary goals in life is to create "Fake Oreo
Cookies".
...there are Garage Sale stickers on all your kitchen food
containers.
...you've disinherited loved ones for putting their knife in your
mayo. --Diane Wright
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
A Safe Haven: The safest place you can be (GF-foodwise) is your own
kitchen. When you eat out there is always the danger of a little
cross-contamination. Use your restaurant card to help minimize this
risk. Give it to your server and ask them to take it to the chef and
find out what they could make that would be gluten-free.
Your own kitchen needs to be a safe haven for you. Make sure you mark
your own personal GF products and jelly jars, etc., with your name
(especially if you have non-celiac children). Make it clear that on
no condition should they touch anything with your name on it. Why be
so adamant? Well, they can go out and buy anything they need
tomorrow, but celiacs often have to order products specially or visit
out-of-the-way health food and ethnic stores to get your GF products.
So make sure your own kitchen is a safe haven for you.--Mary Guerriero
-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Suitable for Faxing: The following is a variation of our
restaurant card that Denise Parsons prepared. She will mail or fax
this page to a restaurant in advance so the chef will be prepared to
safely cook for her upon her arrival. To use it, just fill in your
own name, address, and phone number at the top, then make
copies and send it on its way when you are going to eat out.
--====--====--====--====--====--====--====--====--====--====--====--
FROM:
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
___________________________________
I HAVE CELIAC DISEASE
I HAVE SEVERE REACTIONS TO FOODS WHICH CONTAIN WHEAT, RYE, BARLEY,
OATS, MILLET, BUCKWHEAT AND THEIR DERIVATIVES. THESE MAY BE CONTAINED
IN:
Tenderizers
Marinades
Caramel Color
Dextrins
Emulsifiers
Extracts (grain alcohol)
Flavorings (grain alcohol base)
Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein
Malt
Modified Food Starch
Vinegar (distilled from grain)
Soy Sauce
I must also be concerned with food preparation. If my food comes in
contact with offending grains, it is considered contaminated.
* food cooked in the same fryer that is used for breaded foods
* meats cooked on the same grill as buns or pancakes
* if the grill is used for breaded foods, please use aluminum foil
Breakfast Example:
Scrambled Eggs (cooked in a clean pan)
Fruit
Lunch Example:
Pure Ground Beef Patty (no bun)
OR
Unmarinated Chicken Breast
Plain Salad (no croutons)
Dinner Example:
Plain Unmarinated Unseasoned Chicken, Fish or Beef
Baked Potato
Steamed Vegetables
Plain Salad (no croutons)
Red Wine Vinegar and Oil (on the side)
--====--====--====--====--====--====--====--====--====--====--====--
Return to the Table of Contents
Travis, a Story of Hope
-----------2-----------
(as seen through the eyes of his Auntie)
by Diane Wright
Travis was born in Canada on June 29, 1994. His parents, Beth and
Ray, enjoyed watching their happy baby grow. As Travis neared his
first birthday, his health began to deteriorate. For the next six
months there were numerous doctor and hospital emergency room visits.
Scores of tests failed to determine the cause of his failing
condition. Celiac Disease was one of the disorders that was ruled out
early on because he was not anemic. Still, the word "celiac" kept
nagging at his mother. Travis gradually became so weak that he could
no longer walk and his intestinal problems became more pronounced.
Getting him to eat became a constant chore. His skin was translucent
and his belly protruded like a child suffering from malnutrition. He
cried often, unable to tell anyone how much he was hurting.
In October of 1995, Travis refused to eat and became listless. Beth
rushed him to the doctor again. She carried a little scrap of paper
with the word "celiac" scribbled on it. Upon seeing this, the doctor
again told her "we ruled that out". But then he abruptly left the
room, returning ten minutes later with his decision to rush Travis to
a specialist 200 miles away.
His father spent the following night pacing the halls of the hospital
critical care ward with his son, providing small comfort to a child
who could no longer even lift his head. His mother wept, fearing that
she would never again hear the charming chuckles of her only child.
The following morning, Travis almost stopped breathing twice during
the biopsy procedure. They left the hospital with a confirmed
diagnosis and little information on the treatment required. They felt
so alone.
After weeks of frustrating phone calls, Beth found the help of the
compassionate people at the Tri-County Celiac Sprue Support Group in
Michigan. They took Beth under their wing and provided her with the
knowledge and confidence she needed. With their huge Shopping Guide,
she was able to provide Travis with a variety of gluten-free meal
choices. More dear friends were discovered at the Windsor Support
Group, providing shoulders to cry on and sounding boards for the
occasional bouts of profound frustration. CSA/USA and the Canadian
Celiac Association sent very helpful printed material. The Celiac
Listserv Archives on the internet provided an abundance of reliable
data from the medical community and other celiac experts. On the
Celiac Listserv, a conversational link to over2000 other celiacs was
established. Beth was not alone and Travis thrived.
Acting on the advice of celiac experts that all first degree relatives
should also be tested, Beth was diagnosed with Asymptomatic Celiac
Disease in November of 1996. She had no obvious symptoms prior to
diagnosis. After the initial shock, she was thankful that she found
out before any serious medical problems developed. She has to be
there to help Travis grow. She has to help him deal with the hurts
and traumas that are sure to come. There will be an untouched cupcake
at a childhood birthday party, teenage teasing and the unavoidable
dinner-date dilemmas. She must try to transform his pain into a
fierce determination and encourage him to become a strong advocate for
celiac rights and awareness.
There are bumpy roads ahead but Travis has a devoted family to smooth
the way. Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends
will all contribute to the growth of this delightful child. His
father spends countless hours at play, teaches him to speak French,
and is careful not to put his knife in the food jars with the orange
stickers on them. His Grandmama teaches tenderness. Poppy is
constantly stirring up sumptuous soups and sauces for Travis' culinary
delight, and he scours the stores for gluten-free treats. Dearest
Nana, whose tears have mingled with Beth's through it all, felt the
pain and now shares each small triumph. Her songs will sing in his
heart forever.
When I talk to Travis on the phone from my home 1200 miles away, he
always asks, "Where's Tinkerbell?" Tinkerbell is my dog. When we
visited for six weeks this past summer, my feisty terrier taught
Travis how to bark incessantly. The constant yapping from the two of
them was really annoying! But you know what? I'm glad that Travis
lived to learn how to bark. I'm so glad my sister saved him on that
fateful day with that little scrap of paper in hand. Beth is my hero.
She continues to amaze me with her determination, devotion, and
tremendous patience. She is even teaching him how to cook and doesn't
even mind that he makes disastrous messes in her kitchen. She doesn't
even scold him when he snitches food off her dinner plate! How could
she scold him when his chuckles are so charming?
Thanks mostly to the expanding network of Celiac Support Groups and
the efforts of devoted people in the medical field, Celiac Disease is
gaining world-wide attention in the medical community and the general
public. We still have a long way to go to put a stop to the common
horror stories we hear. We grieve for those that found out too late.
We grieve for the lost babies.
We must have high hopes for this next generation of celiac children!
They are our future doctors, nurses, technicians, scientists,
researchers, journalists, and teachers. They are our future Support
Group leaders, activists, and advocates. They will be farmers who
will not contaminate the fields, food manufacturers with dedicated
lines of gluten-free products, chefs and restauranteurs who will take
special care to accommodate special diets. They are the future voices
of celiac awareness.
Personally, I hope they all learn to bark. I hope they bark so loud
and so incessantly that everyone will really hear them. Then everyone
will finally understand that sad little child...
The one who left the untouched cupcake at the childhood birthday party.
Return to the Table of Contents
Bread Machine Tips
--------3---------
by Mary Guerriero
Excerpts from Mary's talk at our October meeting.
Red Star (makers of Red Star yeast) has a booklet entitled
"Gluten-Free Bread Recipes". The booklet explains a lot of the basics
of making gluten-free (GF) bread and contains some really great
recipes. [We usually have copies at our meetings, or you can call Red
Star on their special celiac hotline (1-800-4CELIAC) and they will
send you one.--ed.]
Mary showed us the Red Star breadmaker, which sells for less than
$100. (It is now called the Magic Chef bread machine, available at
Wal-Mart.) Other bread machines may work equally well, so long as
they are programmable. When you make GF bread you only need one
kneading cycle and one rising cycle. Most bread machines have two
cycles, which unnecessarily prolongs the time it takes to make a loaf
of bread and can help cause GF breads to fall in the center. But with
a programmable machine you should be able to eliminate the extra
cycle. If you have problems with your machine just call the
manufacturer; they should be able to tell you how to eliminate the
extra cycle.
We also have a brochure from Toastmaster, another bread machine
company. Most of their recipes use soy flour and make an excellent
loaf of bread.
Mary starts by whipping her eggs with a fork and then mixing in all
the other wet ingredients. She then puts the wet ingredients in the
bread pan. Next she whisks all the dry ingredients together in a
separate bowl and dumps them into the bread pan. Then she starts the
bread machine and lets it knead for about five minutes. At this point
she takes a spatula around the edges of the bread pan to make sure it
all mixes. This is recommended because the GF flours are so heavy
that you sometimes have to help things along. [Some bread machines
direct you to put the dry ingredients in first, then the liquid
ingredients--follow the directions for your machine.--ed.]
When measuring your flours, remember two things: Don't pack your
flours down, just spoon them into the measuring cup; and always level
the measurements off using the back of a knife.
If your bread sinks in the middle, that usually means it had too much
liquid. The other thing to remember (with the Red Star bread machine)
is that once the kneading is finished, NEVER lift the lid. If you do
then all your heat is gone and the bread ends up sinking like a
crater.
Mary slices her bread before freezing it, and has each slice wrapped
in plastic wrap so that she can easily pull one slice out at a time to
thaw.
If you decide to experiment with a new recipe, first make a loaf of
bread using a tried-and-true recipe, slice it up, and freeze it. Once
you've done that, you will have a loaf you can fall back on if the new
recipe doesn't work out. That way you won't be in a panic late at
night, still needing bread for the next day.
Bette Hagman's cookbooks (The Gluten-Free Gourmet, More From the
Gluten-Free Gourmet, and The Gluten-Free Gourmet Cooks Fast and
Healthy) are absolutely wonderful. If you don't have them, get them.
They are our kitchen bibles.
If you don't have a bread machine, you can still make bread. You can
do the same mixing as is done in the bread machine, then spoon the
dough into bread pans and bake it in the oven. You may find that you
have to bake it longer. Another alternative is to use the little
mini-loaf pans. You can still get normal sized slices if you slice
the mini-loaves lengthwise. You will probably have to cover the
loaves with a tent of aluminum foil, shiny side up, after 10-15
minutes in the oven or they will burn on top.
If you have any questions about making GF bread in a breadmaker, call
Red Star at their special celiac hotline. Even if you don't have one
of their bread machines, they will help you out. For instance, they
recommend that the water you use in the recipe be only 80 degrees F,
because the bread machine will heat your water for you to the proper
temperature and at the proper time.
Until you are getting dependable, repeatable results, DON'T leave your
house while the bread machine is in use. Otherwise, you may come home
to find that it overflowed the bread pan during the rise cycle to form
a baked-on, crusty mess on the heating element.
Always use large eggs for baking. Extra-large or jumbo eggs are too
big, so part of them must be discarded. A good rule of thumb is 1/4
cup per egg (or egg substitute).
Some celiacs tell me, "I can't bake, it would only be for me." But
that is the case for most celiacs. A loaf of GF bread is expensive,
so it only makes sense to get regular bread for other household
members and save all of the GF loaf for the celiac in the family.
That is why you package it individually and keep it frozen.
Try to keep at least two different kinds of bread in your freezer, to
give you some variety.
Bagels are time-consuming to make, but they aren't hard. There is a
recipe in the third Bette Hagman book that is excellent.
Mary advises us that she never used to bake anything and was convinced
she never would. She decided she would just eat rice cakes her whole
life. Now she has learned how to bake her own breads and has become
fairly successful at it. So no matter how futile you feel in your
kitchen, you can and should learn how to bake your own GF breads.
Mary remembers calling Toni Richardson in tears to talk about her
latest disaster, which the birds wouldn't even eat. Toni would then
make her a loaf of bread to have so that she wouldn't panic and could
keep on experimenting and trying. You just have to keep working at it
until you start getting good results.
As you experiment with a recipe, put a post-it note next to it and
write down exactly what you did different from what the original
recipe said. If the bread turns out good, then write in your changes
right on the recipe itself; if the loaf is a flop, then throw that
post-it note away.
The cheapest places to find your flours are ethnic stores that cater
to oriental or Indian cuisine. Don't buy in-bulk from open bins, make
sure you buy it in prepackage containers. [For example, we regularly
purchase 5-lb. bags of rice flour for $1.99-2.49 at India Grocers in
Sterling Heights--ed.]
To pack a GF sandwich for lunch, put your toasted bread in one
container and the sandwich fixings in another container; then when it
is lunch time put it all together. This keeps the bread from becoming
soggy. (You need to toast it to keep it from crumbling.)
One member suggested adding an extra egg and using honey instead of
sugar in the recipe to help keep the bread from getting crumbly.
Dough scoops can be great tools for making buns, muffins, etc. The
high-quality ones can be bought at Kitchen Glamour for $30; cheaper
versions are available at places such as Lechter's. Put these items
on your holiday gift list!
Return to the Table of Contents
Interesting Celiac Connections
--------------4---------------
by Leslie Elsner
[This information comes from the CELIAC e-mail list on the internet.
It was posted on July 6, 1997. To obtain a copy, go to
http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/celiac.html and click on "July
1997, week 1."]
Is it just me, or are others finding other celiacs in the oddest
places? I just had to share my tale of how I came across three new
celiacs in the last four days all through one of my well informed
non-celiac friends.
Scenario 1: Laura's friend calls to say hi and mentions how he has
been very ill and has just finally received a diagnosis but is still
feeling sick in the gut. She mentions that maybe he should ask his
doctor to test him for celiac disease (CD) and she hears dead silence
on the other end of the phone and then, "That's what I have and what
do you know about Celiac Disease?"
Scenario 2: I join Laura down at her shore house this weekend and as
I am showering, she quietly asks one of the house mates who is in
charge of the BBQ if he wouldn't mind cleaning off a portion of the
grill as her friend has severe food allergies and can't eat off the
spot where barbecue sauce had just been. He looks at her with a
strange look and asks, "What kind of allergies?" "She's a celiac and
can't have something called gluten." He looks amazed and says,
"Laura, that's funny, I'm a celiac too. I was diagnosed 8 years ago."
Scenario 3: I arrive at the table and get into a full discussion of
CD with my new celiac buddy and a visitor to the house sits down and
says, "Excuse me for intruding, but I have a question. My
sister-in-law doesn't have celiac disease but she has something called
severe gluten intolerance and they sometimes call it sprue, would you
mind if I ask you some questions for her?"
Is that weird or what?
The moral of the story: Don't keep CD a secret. Spread the word,
inform those around you, tell them about the CELIAC e-mail list and
the support groups and vendors that are available to us. I can't tell
you the relief on those faces when they realize they are not alone. I
think it's coming closer to a time where CD may be the "in disease",
not that I wish it on anyone, but gosh, how many people can be saved a
great deal of suffering and isolation!
Return to the Table of Contents
Newsletter Roundup
---------5--------
Compiled by Jim Lyles
This section contains excerpts from newsletters produced by other
celiac groups.
............................................................
: :
: Excerpts from _CNY Celiac Newsletter_ :
: ------------------------------------- :
: Oct.-Nov. 1997 Amy D. Eliezer, editor :
: Central New York Celiac Support Group :
: 4 Firtree Lane :
: Jamesville, NY 13078 :
:..........................................................:
Diagnosis of CD in the USA is more difficult, according to Dr. Alessio
Fasano[1]. One reason for this is that many symptomatic people go to
allergists and are put on a wheat-free (along with egg-free and
milk-free) diet without a proper diagnosis. Also, many HMO's will not
pay for a biopsy [of the small intestine, which is necessary for a
medically-accepted diagnosis of CD-ed.]
-=-=- -=-=-
Tips from Bette Hagman:[2]
* Use bean flour in your recipes. It makes wonderful products and
is very nutritious.
* Carry a gluten-free (GF) powdered soup mix for a portable meal.
Also, carry other portable GF food items in a Tupperware-like
container wherever you go.
* If traveling carry a letter from your doctor, so foreign
countries will allow you to bring your own food.
* If you must follow a milk-free diet, you can order a milk
substitute from Ener-G foods: either a powder called Lacto-Free,
or a liquid milk substitute called Farm Rich.
* Do not buy food from open bins in a store because of the danger
of cross-contamination.
* Make your whole home GF.
* Always carry medication for diarrhea (such as Lomotil, Immodium,
Cantil, etc.).
...........................................................
: :
: Excerpts from the Greater Philadelphia CS Support Group :
: ------------------------------------------------------- :
: newsletter: Sep. 1997 Phyllis J. Brogden :
: 6318 Farmar Lane :
: Flourtown, PA 19031 :
:.........................................................:
From the Food Chain (Gang): Four members set out with the goal of
preparing, evaluating, and objectively rating gluten-free (GF) mixes
and recipes. They rated each mix/recipe in five different categories
(easy to make, taste, texture, serves well, and aftertaste), using a
scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most favorable.
* Bette Hagman's Tapioca Bread, from the Gluten-Free Gourmet, pg.
29. Ratings: 4-5-5-5-4. Comments: This is a great everyday
bread. It's light enough to eat with anything. It stores,
freezes, and travels well. It's great plain or toasted. Use 1/2
tsp. less xanthan gum to improve the aftertaste.
* Authentic Foods Bread Mix. Ratings: 5-3-5-5-2. Comments: This
is a flavorful, hearty bread that can be served with winter soups
and stews. It stands up against any cheese or spinach dip you
can muster. It is a darker bread that slices, stores, freezes,
and travels well. We do NOT recommend toasting this bread. It
has a full, hearty, nutty (but not heavy) flavor.
* Scones using Pamela's Pancake Mix and Baking Mix. Ratings:
*** 5-5-5-5-5 ***. Comments: These are a real treat, especially
for a fast breakfast. Serve warm with melted butter; you'll
think you've died and gone to heaven. They freeze well, too. We
suggest that you increase the amount of Pamela's mix by 1/4 to
1/2 cup.
* Pizza Crust using Pamela's Pancake Mix and Baking Mix. Ratings:
5-3-3-3-5. Comments: This pizza crust was very fast and easy.
It only has one 30-minute rise time required and only takes about
20 minutes to put together. However, in our opinion it wasn't a
"real" pizza crust. It was flat, had a non-pizza nutty taste,
and wasn't the best use of Pamela's Mix. Also the crust crumbled
and had a grainy rather than doughy texture.
* Bette Hagman's Yeast-Rising Thick Pizza Crust, from the
Gluten-Free Gourmet, pg. 163. Ratings: 4-5-4-5-4. Comments:
This crust was crispy and good-tasting, but didn't have the
"chewiness" we were looking for. It certainly tasted better than
other rice crusts we've tasted. Our test baker felt there was a
lot of "prep" time involved in this recipe.
* Carol Fenster's Pizza Crust, from Special Diet Solutions, pg. 19.
Ratings: *** 5-5-5-5-5 ***. This is the pizza you've been
waiting for! This is the genuine article. Though it is a little
work, this pizza dough is worth every minute in the kitchen. It
makes a fabulous chewy, tender, crispy pizza crust that you won't
believe is gluten-free. It has no aftertaste at all.
* "Perfect Pie Crust" made with the Gluten-Free Pantry's French
Bread/Pizza Mix. Ratings: 5-5-4-5-5. Comments: This delicious
pie crust is tender, flaky, and easy to make. It had a slight
graininess but sliced well and did not crumble or fall apart. It
had no aftertaste.
* Lily's Gluten-Free Pie Crust. [This recipe originally appeared
in the Summer 1996 issue of _Lifeline_, on page 5. It also
appeared on the recipe page in the July/August 1996 issue of _The
Sprue-nik Press_.--ed.] Ratings: *** 5-5-5-5-5 ***. Comments:
This recipe makes the best gluten-free pie crust we've ever
tasted-- bar none! The crust was flaky and tender. It sliced
and served beautifully. There was not a hint of graininess in
the texture and no aftertaste. It is an easy crust to make and
handle, and is excellent for beginning bakers.
* Donna Jo's Dream Crust, from Bette Hagman's More From the
Gluten-Free Gourmet, pg. 146. Ratings: 5-5-4-3-5. Comments:
This crust was easy to make and handle. It rolled out easily
between layers of plastic wrap and didn't mind being worked and
shaped. The taste was great and there was no aftertaste. The
crust was not as light as we expected, and it broke apart when we
sliced and served it.
* Bean Flour Oil Crust, from Bette Hagman's The Gluten-Free Gourmet
Cooks Fast and Healthy, pg. 161. Ratings: 5-5-4-2-5. Comments:
This recipe is very easy to prepare. When using bean flour we
strongly recommend that you use Authentic Foods bean flour for
its lighter taste. Our test baker recommends using this crust
only for open face pies OR shells, mainly because you have to pat
the dough into the pie pan. This crust does not roll out well.
This crust tasted like a cookie crust rather than a pie crust.
The pie fell apart as soon as it was lifted out of the pan. It
looked great and tasted good, but was hard to handle.
-=-=- -=-=-
Special Bread Machine Offer: The Gluten-Free Pantry has a special on
until supplies run out. Their Zojirushi Home Bakers Super Model
BBCC-Q20 is being offered for $169.50 (incl. shipping). According to
their catalogue, the Q20 kneads like a charm and bakes a delicious 2
lb. loaf of bread without the "bells and whistles". The touch of one
button produces great breads in under 2 hours. This is perfect for
those who want a simple, basic machine that just bakes great bread.
To order by phone call 1-800-291-8366.
The Gluten-Free Pantry also has those great GF pretzels. Due to high
demand, there is currently a limit of 6 bags per order. The cost is
$2.49 per bag plus $5.25 shipping. For 6 bags, that works out to be
$20.19 total.
........................................................
: :
: Excerpts from _Lifeline_ :
: ------------------------ :
: Fall 1997 (Vol. XV, No. 4) Leon Rottmann, editor :
: CSA/USA, Inc. :
: PO Box 31700 :
: Omaha, NE 68131-0700 :
:......................................................:
Too Much Vitamin D (as well as too little) disrupts normal calcium
metabolism which then often results in a loss of calcium from the
bones. Reports in two national journals (Annals of Int Med, Aug.
1997; Healthnews, Aug. 1997) plus several recent inquiries at the CSA
office related to men and women who lost bone mineral density from
taking too much vitamin D. All patients were taking dietary
supplements containing 3600-5000 international units (IU) of vitamin
D, well over the generally accepted range of 200-800 IU. Once
patients stop taking excess vitamin D, their bone density typically
returns back to normal over a 2-3 year period.
-=-=- -=-=-
SIPAL is NOT GF: SIPAL is an organic sweetener that is advertised as
being gluten-free (GF). However, it is actually a wheat-based
sweetener! False advertising? No, not exactly: The international
standard for a product to be termed GF allows for up to 0.3% gluten
for all proteins, and SIPAL has only 0.11% gluten. But
never-the-less, celiacs should avoid using this product if they truly
want to be on a GF diet [which we strongly advocate--ed.].
-=-=- -=-=-
Date Sugar refers to ground dried dates. It is often used in bread
doughs as a sweetener and is excellent on rolls, muffins, and coffee
cakes.
.................................................................
: :
: Excerpts from the San Antonio CS Support Group :
: ---------------------------------------------- :
: newsletter: Oct. 1997 Lynn Rainwater, Secretary/Treasurer :
: 1023 Cloverbrook :
: San Antonio, TX 78245-1604 :
:...............................................................:
More From Kraft: The printed list of Kraft gluten-free (GF) products
(dated July 1997) contains additional products that were not in the
list printed on the internet. [See the Aug./Sep. 1997 issue of
_The Sprue-nik Press_] The following Baker's brand products are
GF: Angel Flake coconut (bag & can), Premium Shred coconut, Real Milk
chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate flavored chips, semi-sweet
chocolate bar, bittersweet chocolate bar, unsweetened chocolate bar,
white chocolate bar, and German's sweet chocolate bar.
Return to the Table of Contents
References
----------
[1] From a talk given on Sept. 21, 1997, by Dr. Alessio Fasano, a
pediatric gastroenterologist at the University of Maryland Center
for Celiac Research.
[2] From a recent talk given in New York.
Return to the Table of Contents
Recipe Page
-----5-----
**********************************************************************
Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup Pioneer sugar
1 cup peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
1 egg
1 tsp. baking soda
Mix the ingredients and roll into balls (about the size of walnuts).
Place the balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F
for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool for two minutes. Yields 24 cookies.
This recipe comes to us from our September meeting. [It was unsigned.
If the author steps forward, I'll give credit in the next
newsletter--ed.]
**********************************************************************
Butter Squares
1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1 stick (1/4 lb.) of margarine or butter
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup margarine
1 Tbsp. GF vinegar
1 Tbsp. tapioca starch
1 cup nuts or 1/2 cup raisins
Mix the rice flour, 1/2 cup tapioca starch, stick of margarine and
sugar until crumbly. Press into a 9" pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for
10 minutes. Let it cool for a short time.
Beat the eggs, brown sugar and 1/4 cup of margarine until fluffy. Add
the vinegar, then the remaining tapioca starch, then the nuts and/or
raisins. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes
until golden brown. Refrigerate.
This recipe comes to us from our September meeting. [It was unsigned.
If the author steps forward, I'll give credit in the next newsletter
--ed.]
**********************************************************************
Marge's Drop Biscuits
3 cups GF flour mix**
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp. baking powder
3 Tbsp. shortening (soft butter or Crisco)
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
Mix the first six ingredients together (through the baking powder).
Cut in the shortening. Add in the eggs and buttermilk.
Drop by tablespoons on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake in a
pre-heated oven at 400 degrees F for 15 to 16 minutes, or until
lightly brown on top
This recipe comes to us from TCCSSG founder Kathy Davis. I believe
the original author of this recipe is Marge Johannemann of the Derby
City Celiacs in Kentucky.
**********************************************************************
Onion-Potato Bake
2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (2-1/2 cups)
3 medium onions, thinly sliced
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup skim milk
2 Tbsp. chopped pimento
2 Tbsp. snipped parsley
2 ounces Swiss cheese, shredded (1/2 cup)
Layer half of the potatoes and half of the onions in a greased 10 x 6
x 1-3/4 inch baking dish. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Combine the milk, pimento, and parsley. Pour half of the mixture over
the onion-potato layer. Repeat layers.
Cover the dish and bake at 350 degrees F until the vegetables are
tender, about 60-65 minutes. Uncover. Sprinkle the cheese over the
top and return the dish to the oven until the cheese melts.
Makes 6 servings, at about 87 calories per serving.
This recipe comes to us from Bruce Richardson, in memory of his mother
Toni Richardson. It first appeared in the San Antonio Celiac Sprue
Support Group's October 1997 newsletter.
**********************************************************************
Gourmet Rice Dressing
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped celery leaves
1 can (4 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained
1 cup uncooked rice
3 Tbsp. margarine
2 cups boiling GF chicken broth
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. GF poultry seasoning
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds (optional)
Saute the onions, celery, celery leaves, mushrooms, and rice in the
margarine until the vegetables are tender and the rice is golden.
Turn the mixture into a greased 2 quart casserole dish. Stir in the
chicken broth and seasonings.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until the rice is
tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and top each
serving with toasted almonds if desired.
This recipe comes to us from the Healthy Villi Greater Boston
Celiac/DH Group's Fall 1997 newsletter. No author was listed.
**********************************************************************
** GF flour mix:
6 cups white rice flour
2 cups potato starch (NOT the same as potato flour)
1 cup tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
**********************************************************************
Return to the Table of Contents
Tri-County Celiac Sprue Support Group Officials:
------------------------------------------------
Physician Advisor: Thomas Alexander, M.D.
Pediatric Advisor: Robert Truding, M.D.
Dietitian Advisor: Dorothy Vaughan, R.D.
President: Mary Guerriero
Vice President: Sue Gentilia
Past President: Diane Morof
Finance Committee: Maria Montie
Secretary: Denise Parsons
Newsletter Editor: Jim Lyles
Disclaimer:
-----------
All recommendations, information, dietary suggestions, menus, shopping
guide suggestions, medical updates, miscellaneous articles, and
recipes in this newsletter are intended for the benefit of our
members, readers, and the general public. No liability is assumed by
the Tri-County Celiac Sprue Support Group or any of its members.
Information in _The Sprue-nik Press_ has been approved by our
physician and dietitian advisors. Individuals should consult with
their physicians and dietitians before following any medical or
dietary recommendations in _The Sprue-nik Press_.
Original material used in _The Sprue-nik Press_ is placed in the
public domain for the benefit of all celiacs. The information is not
copyrighted to facilitate the easy exchange of celiac information.
Feel free to reproduce any portion of this newsletter, unless it
specifically states otherwise. All we ask is that you indicate where
the information came from.
_The Sprue-nik Press_ is published by the Tri-County Celiac Sprue
Support Group (TCCSSG), a local chapter of CSA/USA located in
southeast Michigan. Members receive this newsletter, a shopping
guide, and a new member packet full of articles and useful
information. Mail-in subscriptions are welcome. For subscription
information, send a note to Jim Lyles.
Return to the Table of Contents