What Contains Gluten

Gluten Free Hot Chocolate

2010-04-28T14:45:00.000-07:00

If you're a fan of milky, chocolatey drinks, you're liking craving a gluten free hot chocolate recipe. On the service, it looks easy enough. After all, chocolate is gluten free, milk is gluten free... so what's the problem? The problem, it turns out, is that many commercial hot chocolate mixes use wheat as a filler and thickener.

Dairy Free Gluten Free Hot Chocolate Recipe

Ingredients

1/3 cup unsweetened Ghiradelli cocoa powder
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
3 1/4 cup plain almond milk

Instructions

Combine sugar and cocoa powder in a bowl, whisking to mix well.
Put water in a saucepan. Add cocoa powder mixture, whisking to combine.
Stir over medium heat until water begins to boil.
Add almond milk, stirring until well combined.
Reduce heat. Simmer for five minutes. Serve.

List of Gluten Free Foods

2009-09-04T16:03:00.000-07:00

Making a list of gluten free foods is tricky. There are foods that are naturally gluten free, but cooking or preparation can add gluten. Then there are issues of cross-contamination. Even if a food you love appears on a list of gluten free foods, it's still important to check individual packaging.

Gluten Free Meat and Poultry

All meat and poultry are naturally gluten free, but you have to be careful of preparation and cooking methods. Most fried meat is fried in a cracker or flour coating, so it will contain gluten. If you are shopping for prepared breaded or fried meat, make sure the packaging specifically says "gluten free."

These items, in their natural state, are gluten free:

chicken
beef
turkey
lamb
cornish hens
pork
game

The above items are gluten free as long as they are not cooked with items containing gluten. Also beware of cross-contamination issues.

Vegetables

Like meat, vegetables are gluten free. It is only through cooking and handling that vegetables come in contact with gluten. Saute, boil, broil, stir fry, of bake your veggies without breading or grains to keep them free of gluten. Enjoy: cabbage, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, eggplant, okra, cauliflower, and all other veggies.

Grains and Flours

Grains are the really tricky part of gluten free living. Most common flours contain wheat, so they are off-limits to those who live the gluten free lifestyle. However, there are gluten free alternatives. Although some of these are not normally considered to be grains, they can be used to make gluten free flour and so are included here.

Acorn
Almond
Amaranth
Arrowroot
Artichoke (may be used to make flour)
Beans (used in many gluten free flours)
Buckwheat
Cassava
Chickpeas (made into flour)
Coconut (used in flours)
Corn
Corn flour
Cornmeal
Cottonseed
Dal
Fava bean
Flaxseed
Gram flour
Hominy
Hominy grits
Job's tears
Kasha
Lentils
Manioc
Millet
Milo
Modified corn starch
Potato (used to make flour)
Quinoa
Rice
Rice couscous
Risotto
Sago
Sesame
Sorghum
Sweet potato (may be ground into flour)
Taro flour
Soy
Tapioca

What Contains Gluten

2009-04-15T20:02:00.001-07:00

If you or someone you love has celiac disease or gluten intolerance, knowing what contains gluten can mean the difference between health and discomfort. The simple answer is that wheat, barley, rye, kamut, and spelt contain gluten.

Unfortunately, it isn't that simple. Many sources of gluten are hidden. Although wheat must be clearly labeled on food labels, that isn't the case with other gluten sources. Some can hide behind the innocuous label "natural flavoring."

Further, some foods, such as oats, do not actually contain gluten but are likely to come in contact with gluten during processing or manufacturing, which raises the risk of cross contamination.

This site is devoted to everyone who strives for a gluten free diet, either by choice or by necessity. We will list foods containing gluten as well as those that don't.

Stop by and click around. We're adding new articles all the time!

Gluten Free Pancakes

2009-04-15T20:01:00.001-07:00

Pancakes were another food on our mourning list when we went gluten free, but we lucked out and found some great gluten free pancake mixes. Our favorite so far is Pamela's. This versatile mix can be used to make everything from muffins and bars to waffles and pancakes.

Just like with regular pancake mix, you can add little extras to make your pancakes extra special. We like:

Chocolate chips
Nuts
Whipped cream
Dried cranberries
Mashed bananas

Just add syrup and you're done!

Gluten Free Pizza

2009-04-15T19:53:00.001-07:00

When I found out my daughter has celiac disease and the entire family would be going gluten free, pizza ran through my mind: all the pizza we wouldn't be eating! Our first attempts at gluten free pizza more closely resembled cardboard than any pizza we'd ever eaten.

Luckily, we found some pizza that we enjoyed. In fact, my kids now prefer the gluten free versions. Here are some of our favorites:

Chebe: When we are in the mood to make our own pizza, we love the mixes made by Chebe. Their cheesy bread balls are delicious, and the pizza crust is great as well. We have had a problem with ours sticking to the pan, but the taste makes up for it.
Joan's: Joan's GF Great Bakes makes absolutely wonderful pizza! You can order a frozen crust or a readymade pizza, ready to be popped in the oven.

Thanks to these companies, my daughter can have "normal" sleepovers and parties.

Gluten Free Cookies

2009-04-15T19:52:00.001-07:00

When my daughter was first diagnosed, we assumed cookies were a thing of the past, so we were pleasantly surprised to learn there are many GF versions available. Of course, most of them are too expensive for regular consumption.

I was beyond thrilled to see that Betty Crocker has gotten in the gluten free game. Woo hoo! So far, Betty is offering GF chocolate chip cookies, yellow cake, chocolate cake, brownies, and chocolate chip brownies. We've only tried the chocolate chip cookies, but they were a hit. We liked them just as much as the "regular" chocolate chip cookies. At a little over $4 per box, the mix is a bit pricier than the non-GF versions, but still cheaper than most GF cookie mixes.

Other GF cookies we've tried include:

Mi-Del Arrowroot: These were not a hit with my kids. We found the texture a bit dry and... off.
Mi-Del Chocolate Chip: We liked these more than the arrowroot, but they weren't our favorite GF cookies. I don't see us buying these again.
Pamela's Chocolate Chip: We love these! These are our favorite prepared GF cookies. They're a little expensive, so we don't splurge on them often, but they're excellent for an occasional treat.
Pamela's Mini Chocolate Chip: These have a slightly different flavor than their larger counterparts, but they're still quite tasty. Their smaller size makes them a bit too easy to eat, though!
Bob's Red Mill Chocolate Chip Mix: This mix is easy to make and the resulting cookies are good.
Gluten-Free Pantry Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix: So far, I've been impressed with all of Gluten-Free Pantry's offerings, and the chocolate chip cookie mix is no exception.

Why are you still reading? Go out and eat some gluten free cookies!

Gluten Free Dessert

2009-04-15T18:47:00.001-07:00

Gluten free dessert... does that sound like an oxymoron? Well, it isn't... really! There are many options available, from specialty gluten free cakes and cookies to some things that are naturally gluten free.

There are many companies offering gluten free cookie, cake, muffin, and brownie mixes. These include Pamela's, Bob's Red Mill, Cherrybrook Kitchen, Maggie's Gluten-Free Goodies, Gluten-Free Pantry, Arrowhead Mills, Hodgson Mill, Namaste Foods, and Betty Crocker. Yes, Betty Crocker!

One of our favorite gluten free desserts comes from Outback Steakhouse. It's their lava cake, and it is delicious! It's a flourless cake that is naturally gluten free-- the same cake appears on both the GF and regular menu!

Gluten Intolerance Symptoms

2009-04-15T18:32:00.001-07:00

Do you suffer from gluten intolerance symptoms? If so, you may have celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Either one will benefit from a strict gluten-free diet. To know for sure, you would need to be tested by your doctor, but there are some common gluten intolerance symptoms:

Abdominal pain

Bloating

Frequent diarrhea

Weight loss or inability to gain weight

Failure to thrive in children

Foul smelling stools

Weakness

Muscle pain

Joint pain

Itchy skin

Mouth sores

Depression

Anemia

Although this list is long, it is not comprehensive as not all sufferers experience the same symptoms. If you have some of the gluten intolerance symptoms, remove all gluten from your diet for at least a month and see if your symptoms improve. Keep a journal to record your symptoms and meals from day to day.

List of Foods Containing Gluten

2009-04-15T18:26:00.000-07:00

Since gluten appears in many foods, some obvious and some not so obvious, the list of foods containing gluten is a long one. Do not be alarmed, though. For any gluteny food that can be cooked or baked, there is a way to make it gluten free.

List of Foods Containing Gluten

Grains

Grains are gluten in its most natural form, so avoid:

Barley, including barley malt

Bran

Bulgur

Couscous

Farina

Kamut

Orzo

Semolina

Spelt

Tabbouli

Wheat

Pastas

Any pasta, whether elbow macaroni, bowtie, spaghetti, rigatoni, or any other shape, that is made of:

Wheat

Semolina

Farina

Baked Goods

Most processed baked goods are made from wheat, so these contain gluten. Look for gluten free alternatives to these goodies:

Cake

Bread

Cupcakes

Tortillas

Bagels

Sandwich buns

Hotdog buns

Pizza crust

Cereal

Cereal made from rye, wheat, bran, and barley always contain gluten, but ones containing oats, corn, and rice are often processed on the same equipment as their gluteny counterparts. It is imperative that you look for the "gluten free" label on cereal.

Meat and Poultry

In its natural state, meat and poultry is gluten free. However, the processing and cooking of the meat often adds gluten. Be wary of any meat or poultry that is precooked or prepared, especially these types:

Breaded meat or chicken

Oven- or deep-fried meats

Hot dogs and other meats processed with "natural flavors"

What Is Gluten

2009-04-15T18:25:00.000-07:00

The first time I heard that my daughter has problems with gluten, I actually corrected the doctor! "You mean glucose, right?" I asked. After he assured me he did, in fact, mean gluten, I had to ask, "What is gluten?"

Gluten, according to Dictionary.com, is "The mixture of proteins, including gliadins and glutelins, found in wheat grains, which are not soluble in water and which give wheat dough its elastic texture."

If you've been diagnosed with gluten intolerance, gluten allergy, or celiac disease, the exact definition is less important than the foods that contain it. Wheat is the most obvious source of gluten, but it's not the only one. Rye and barley also contain gluten, and oats is a bit controversial. While oats do not actually contain gluten, they are often processed on the same equipment that handles other grains, so cross-contamination is a real possibility.

Of course, this rules out many (most) cereals, pastas, breads, cookies, cakes, and other processed foods. Breaded and cured meats also contain gluten as well.