Sam used to love the Nature’s Valley Crunchy Granola Bars before he went GF. I finally got around to make him a GF version that tastes similar to the store bought granola bars only they are free of gluten, peanuts and treenuts!

GF Granola Bars

4 c. dry GF Oatmeal
6 Tbs. Unsalted Butter
3/4 c. Honey
1/4 c. Brown Sugar
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add honey, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Stir and heat through. Add the oatmeal. Stir until everything is incorporated. Spread mixture onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 10 – 15 minutes, until the oatmeal starts to brown. Remove from oven and allow it to cool and crisp up in the pan. Store in sealed Ziploc Bag.

Just thought I would show the snack box that I make for each of my boys to take and keep at school. This saves lunch box space and they always have a “backup plan” should another child, etc. bring in an unplanned treat for the class that is not GF. Sam and Luke will always have something special for themselves.

I use a 30 quart plastic storage box that I clearly label with their name and the words “Gluten-Free.” No, I didn’t order mine from Amazon, just wanted to show you a better picture of it! Target, Walmart, Kmart would all carry these, as well as other sizes.

Inside, I put shelf stable “pantry” snacks like pretzels, Corn Nuts, applesauce and fruit cups. Pudding cups are also greatly appreciated on occasion.

My boys LOVE Clif Kid Twisted Fruit ropes. Heck, I even like them! The flavors are INTENSE and tart..(think Sour Patch Kids tart). They are organic and “count as a serving of fruit.” This is what I love about Amazon: I have seen these sell for as much as $0.99 EACH at local stores. On Amazon, if you do the subscribe and save (where shipping is always free and you can cancel at any time…I sound like a commerical), a box of 24 that would normally sell on Amazon for $14.99, drops to $12.74; or $0.53 EACH. That is almost half off!

I also recently stumbled upon Fruit Roll-Ups Simply Fruit fruit rolls. Yummy, all-natural fruit roll-ups! I found these at my local Target. You can call General Mills to ask where they sold at a store near you. 1-800-231-0308.

I also throw in a bag of disposable plastic spoons and a box of Kabnet Wax wax paper sheets for the kids to use as a “disposable placemat.” I get my Kabnet Wax at my local Sam’s Club.

One of my favorite entrees at Red Lobster before I was diagnosed with CD was the Crab Alfredo.

Here is my GF re-creation:

During crab season, when king crab is marked down to $8.99/lb (versus the $30.00/lb something you pay at a restaurant), I buy a few pounds (okay, probably 20!) and keep it in my freezer to pull out when needed.  When I get a craving for Crab Alfredo, I pull out a few crab legs, wrap them in foil and heat them up in the oven at 400 degrees.  I put the crab legs in the oven frozen so that as the ice melts, the crab leg becomes a “built in steamer.”  You could also use prepared lump crab meat.  Just make sure it is not “Krab,” imitation crab meat is NOT gluten free!

As the crab legs are heating up; I start to boil some water then add salt (I wait until the water is boiling before adding the salt to avoid the salt marks on my stainless steel pot).  Once the water has come to a full boil, I add Tinkyada Penne pasta and cook for about 16 minutes.  Drain and rinse.

Meanwhile, in another sauce pan, heat 1 1/2 Tbs. of butter (I used Smart Balance spread), add 1 1/2 c.  milk (I used skim) and cook until “butter” melts.

Add a 1.48 oz packet of Simply Organic Alfredo mix, stir until completely dissolved.  Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes.

Add 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese and stir constantly for 20 seconds.

Remove from heat and add crab meat. Serve over freshly prepared noodles.

This is not my recipe, I will never take credit for something I did not create. This recipe is from a cookbook by Roben Ryberg. She is the founder and former owner of Miss Roben’s gluten free foods. The following recipe hails from her cookbook, “You Won’t Believe It’s Gluten Free!” I absolutely love love love this cookbook, every recipe I have tried so far has turned out great. I was initially very skeptical because many of the recipes only call for one GF flour. I have always been taught that when using GF flours, you needed several different types blended together. Roben has shown in this book that that is not always the case!

Another neat aspect about this cookbook is that Roben gives a few different versions for each recipe. The following recipe, which is simply titled, “Crackers, Cheese” in the book, is a corn-based recipe (p.28). On page 29, she gives an oat-based version. Page 30 is a potato-based version. Page 31 is a rice-based version. So, if there are additional food sensitivities in your family besides gluten, you have other options! Roben also adds personal notes on what she thinks of the outcomes of the recipes.

I have 2 copies of this cookbook. If you do not have it, I HIGHLY recommend buying a copy!

Gluten Free “Goldfish” Crackers (my contributions, ideas and alterations are in red).

4 oz. Cheddar Cheese, shredded (I am sure you could use a dairy-free cheese, or a goat’s milk cheddar too…I also added a bit more cheese, 4 1/2 oz.)
4 Tbs. Butter (for dairy free, try Earth Balance buttery spread)
3/4 c. Cornstarch
1/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Xanthan Gum
1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
2 Tbs. Milk (for dairy free use your favorite substitute, I used a splash more so when I rolled out the dough with additional cornstarch, it wouldn’t become too dry)

Topping: salt, dried herbs or spices if desired

Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Combine all the ingredients, except the milk, in a medium size-bowl. Mix until the mixture resembles a fine crumb. Add the milk and beat well.

On a lightly greased surface (I sprinkled the surface with cornstarch instead), pat or roll the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 3/4 inch squares or another small shape that you like (I used mini fish cookie cutters). You can also cut the dough into larger round or square shapes, just extend the cooking time.

Prick the tops of the crackers with a fork and sprinkle lightly with your desired topping (I just used salt).

Bake on the prepared baking sheet until golden brown and crisp, approximately 10 minutes (Mine came out perfect at 8 minutes with my convection oven). The crackers will be light and crispy, although barely browning at the edges. The bottom of the crackers will have a bit more color.

To me, they taste identical to the commercial crackers. My boys can have goldfish crackers right along side their buddies. The bonus: No artificial flavors or preservatives. No neon colors, (Luke will actually run away from Cheetos screaming. He freaks out over the bright orange color, no kidding!). Zero chemicals that you cannot pronounce. It’s a feel good mommy moment.

Click this link for an update to this post, Gluten-Free Goldfish Crackers, part deux.

Kids whose moms have autoimmune diseases such as type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and celiac disease face a risk of Autism that is up to three times higher than that of the general population, according to a new study.

Click the following link to read the full article by Jefferson Adams on celiac.com: Autism Linked to Mom’s Autoimmune Disease – Including Celiac Disease

Alright, I will share my secret for putting a big smile on my little ones’ faces…

Ohhhhh….this was the essence of summer in a cake pan! A strawberry jello “poke” cake, GF of course! The taste reminded me of Strawberry Shortcake.

I wasn’t sure how this would turn out with a GF boxed cake mix, but I was tickled pink on the results, especially as I watched the cake disappear in a largely gluten eating crowd!

Here is the recipe:

The following article is from The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse:

Researchers Find Irritable Bowel Syndrome Associated with Increased Likelihood of Celiac Disease

Celiac disease is four times as likely in patients diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as it is in people without IBS, according to a report in the April 13, 2009, issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

A group of investigators headed by Alexander Ford, M.D., at the Health Sciences Centre, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, searched databases containing studies published from 1950 through mid-2008 and identified 14 studies that involved patients diagnosed with IBS, tests for antibodies associated with celiac disease, and biopsy-confirmed celiac disease. The studies were then evaluated through meta-analysis—a statistical approach that analyzes a single set of pooled data from numerous small studies designed to investigate similar hypotheses. In this case, the researchers assessed the likelihood of biopsy-proven celiac disease or positive findings for celiac antibodies—antigliadin antibodies, or either endomysial or tissue transglutaminase antibodies—in patients diagnosed with IBS.

The research group included investigators from McMaster University; the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; the Mayo Clinic Florida in Jacksonville; the Mayo Clinic Rochester in Minnesota; and the UCLA School of Medicine.

The studies included 4,204 people, of whom 2,278—or 54 percent—met diagnostic criteria for IBS. Analysis showed that prevalence of celiac disease in IBS patients was 4.1 times the prevalence in patients without IBS. Positive antigliadin antibodies were 4 times as likely and positive endomysial or tissue transglutaminase antibodies were 1.6 times as likely in IBS patients as in those without IBS.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases has fact sheets and easy-to-read booklets about celiac disease and IBS at www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/a-z.asp.

Here is a great article from an online newsletter I just started receiving from the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. I included a link to the newsletter at the bottom of the article. Check it out!

Small Business Grant Will Enable Researchers to Pursue Celiac Disease Treatments

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) has awarded a Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) grant, titled “Drug Engineering of Transglutaminase 2 Inhibitors,” to fund a collaboration between Chaitan Khosla, Ph.D., a Stanford University biochemical engineer, and Numerate, Inc., a California-based biotechnology company.

Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is an enzyme that plays a key role in the biological process that causes gluten to trigger an immune response that damages the lining of the small intestine in people with celiac disease. The collaboration is an extension of Khosla’s research, which focuses on TG2 and celiac disease. Using techniques that allowed him see to the physical structure of TG2, Khosla found that the flexible molecule undergoes a substantial rearrangement in the early stages of the gluten-induced immune response.

“Very few proteins have been observed to undergo this type of large-scale transformation,” Khosla said. “Our results create a foundation for dissecting the process by which the autoantibody response to TG2 is induced in celiac disease patients.”

Khosla’s work makes it possible to see the TG2 structure on the scale of individual atoms. Numerate will use that structural information to develop candidate “inhibitors”—molecules that bind to specific TG2 sites and block the chain of biological events that leads to immune system damage to the intestine.

The NIDDK STTR program allows a small business to partner with a research institution on projects that will lead to a commercial product. More information about the program and other funding opportunities is available at www2.niddk.nih.gov/Funding.

This article is from :

http://www.celiac.nih.gov/NewsletterSpring09.aspx#1

I just received a phone call from Sam’s new kindergarten teacher.  A very nice lady who has never heard of Celiac Disease.  As I explained CD to her and sited Play Doh as an example of cross-contamination, her only comment was, “I don’t know what I would do if I can’t have Play Doh in my classroom!”

It was like hearing screeching tires in my head, but I bit my lip since I did not want to start the year off on the wrong foot.

So, I offered to make gluten-free play dough for the entire class.  I found the following recipe on the Celiac Sprue Association website and made just one small tweak by adding unsweetened Koolaid for color and scent.

GF Play Dough
1/2 c. Rice Flour
1/2 c. Cornstarch
1/2 c. Salt
2 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1 c. Water
1 tsp. Canola Oil
Food Coloring

This play dough has an interesting aroma while it is still warm so I decided to add Koolaid (based on other recipes I have viewed on the web) to make scented play dough.

Unsweetened Koolaid Packets with flavors to match your play dough colors (ie: orange flavored Koolaid for orange colored play dough).

• Mix ingredients.
• Cook and stir on low heat for 3 minutes or until it forms a ball.
• Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

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