Confession: I Fell Off The GF Train

I'm sure it's painfully obvious by my lack of posts here, that I've had a hard time hanging with the gluten free lifestyle. So easy to do when you're not the one directly affected by it. The prepping and cooking and especially the current frustration of not really knowing if the diet is even helping, are all things contributing to my laziness.


That AND we discovered yet another allergy for this guy that I'm not excited about. More to come soon.

The Thing About Flour

When I first started trying out gluten free recipes I was SOO irritated with the number of flours. The flour used to make pizza was not the flour used to make bread which was not the flour used to make cookies, etc.

The solution to this problem is that there is no solution. Suck it up. You'll be elbow deep in different flours and mixes for the rest of your life.

The upside is that it's really not all that bad once you find the flour mixtures that are right for you.

I don't worry about pizza because I buy this at the local grocery store and divide the dough into 6 personal pan size pizzas:

I cook them all completely by following directions on the bag and I freeze the ones I don't use. If my kids are hungry for pizza later in the week I stick them in the microwave for two minutes each. Wa la. They ask for it all the time and it's actually really good...at least by my standards.

Essentially I'm spending in the neighborhood of 5 bucks for 6 small pizzas (or one large one)...and I'm ok with that...which is why I haven't exhausted my resources to find a perfect flour for pizza crust.

I haven't had the same luck with baking flour. The stuff I've found at the store is lacking. I don't know what it's lacking, but it's lacking something because I feel like my own homemade flour mixture has been the best tried and true so far.

This is the flour mix I use whenever I'm baking, no matter what it might be. Cookies, cakes, sweet breads, cinnamon rolls, pancake mix...you name it. I usually measure out a big freezer bag worth and whenever something comes up and I need flour it's my go to bag.

Here tis:

Brown Rice Flour Mix
(All Purpose Baking)

2 or 6 Cups Brown Rice Flour
1/3 or 2 Cups Potato Starch
1/3 or 1 Cup Tapioca Flour

I also have a secret to share with you. A box of Jello Pudding mix does WONDERS for my baked goods.



I just add the powder to whatever batter I have and I swear the finished product holds together better. And just a touch sweeter. I've even put it in the bread I make. I'm begging you to try it! Cookies, muffins, bread, cake...all of them improved ten fold when I added the pudding! (do not actually make the pudding...just put in the box of powder.)

Happy baking!

It's What's For Dinner: Orange Julius!

Gluten free and delicious! The girls helped me make Orange Julius's and they loved them so much I just had to share this easy recipe...but first watch us in action:

Classic Orange Julius

1/2 (12 ounce) can orange juice
1 Cup milk
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
Handful Of Ice

In a blender combine orange juice concentrate, milk, vanilla, and ice. Blend on high speed until smooth and serve immediately.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

UNWANTED: Top 10 Untouchables

My doctor gave me a really great list of the top ten most harmful ingredients found in products we use for our skin that we think are safe.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not one of those crazies who is all about doing things the natural way. I have grown up slathering my own skin with any skin care product I wanted. I never look at the ingredients and if I happened to I'd just shrug at the long foreign words and slather away.

If it's good enough to make it to the store shelves then SOMEBODY important must have deemed it safe enough for me, right? Wrong. According to an FDA document posted on the agency's home page, it is possible for a cosmetic manufacturer to market a final product without government approval.

In fact the FDA granted self regulation to the cosmetic industry in 1938. This means they're in charge of their own products. They get the final say.


So while I've never had a problem (that I know of), my kids do. And now I want to know...why the heck are they breaking out? Why can't I get it under wraps? Why do they seem to scream in pain with one lotion and not another when they're both marked as "natural" and targeting kids with "sensitive skin"?


Did you know there are no regulations as what is considered "natural"? Manufacturers can be pretty loose with the term and they often have the same dangerous ingredients that are in other products we're trying to avoid. In fact, I stopped using soaps and lotions altogether because I'm so afraid of hurting my kids.


Needless to say this list was a huge eye opener. I'm learning to be much more mindful of what exactly is IN those tubes we so generously cover our bodies with.

This list is just the beginning, but if you can train yourself to keep an eye out for these dangerous ingredients then you're off to a good start!

TOP 10 UNTOUCHABLES

Isopropyl Alcohol:
As a solvent and denaturant (poisonous substance that changes another substance's natural qualities), this ingredient is found in hair color rinses, body rubs, hand lotions, after-shave lotions, fragrances and many other cosmetics. It is petroleum-derived substance that is also used in antifreeze and as a solvent in shellac and diluted essential oils. According to A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients, ingestion or inhalation of the vapor may cause headaches, flushing, dizziness, mental depression, nausea, vomiting, narcosis, anesthesia, and coma. The fatal ingested dose is about one ounce.

Mineral Oil:
Baby oil is 100% mineral oil. As a commonly used petroleum ingredient, mineral oil coats the skin just like a plastic wrap. The skin's natural immune barrier is disrupted as this plastic coating inhibits its ability to breathe and absorb the Natural Moisture Factor (moisture and nutrition). As the largest organ of elimination, the skin's ability to release toxins is impeded by this "plastic wrap", which can promote acne and other disorders. This process slows down skin function and normal cell development causing the skin to prematurely age.

PEG:
This is an abbreviation for polyethylene glycol that is used in making cleansers to dissolve oil and grease as well as thicken products. A number next to "PEG" refers to its molecular weight, which influences its characteristics. Because of their effectiveness, PEG's are often used in caustic spray-on oven cleaners and yet are found in many personal care products. PEG's contribute to stripping the Natural Moisture Factor, leaving the immune system vulnerable. They are also potentially carcinogenic.

Propylene Glycol (PG):
As a "surfactant" or wetting agent and solvent, this ingredient is actually the active component in antifreeze. There is not a difference between what is used in industry and what is used in personal care products. It is used in industry to breakdown protein and cellular structure (what the skin is made of), yet is found in most forms of make-up, hair products, lotions, after-shave, deodorants, mouthwashes, toothpaste, and is even used in food processing.

Because of its ability to quickly penetrate the skin, the EPA requires workers to wear protective gloves, clothing and goggles when working with this toxic substance. The Material Safety Data Sheets warn against skin contact, as PG has systemic consequences such as brain, liver, and kidney abnormalities. Consumers are not protected nor is there a warning label on products such as stick deodorants, where the concentration is greater than that in most industrial applications.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) & Sodium Laureth Sulfate (SLES):
Used as detergents and surfactants, these closely related compounds are found in car wash soaps, garage floor cleaners and engine degreasers, yet are even more widely used as major ingredients in cosmetics, toothpaste, hair conditioner, and about 90% of all shampoos and products that foam.

Mark Fearer in an article, Dangerous Beauty shares that "in tests, animals that were exposed to SLS experienced eye damage, along with depression, labored breathing, diarrhea, severe skin irritation, corrosion, and death... according to the American College of Toxicology. The report is also bad news for children's eyes. 'Studies indicate SLS kept young eyes from developing properly by possibly denaturing (dissolving) the proteins and
not allowing for proper structural formation. This damage was permanent.'

Still other research has indicated SLS may be damaging to the immune system, especially within the skin. Skin layers may separate and inflame due to its protein denaturing properties." Perhaps the most dangerous of all ingredients in personal care products, research has shown that, "SLS when combined with other chemicals can be transformed into nitrosamines, a potent class of carcinogens, which causes the body to absorb nitrates at higher levels than eating nitrate-contaminated food."

According to the American College of Toxicology report, "SLS stays in the body for up to five days... Other studies have indicated that SLS easily penetrates through the skin and enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, liver, the lungs, and the brain. This poses questions of it being a serious potential health threat through the use of shampoos, cleansers and toothpaste."

Chlorine:
According to Doris J. Rapp, M.D., author of Is This Your Child's World?, exposure to chlorine in tap water, showers, pools, laundry products, cleaning agents, food processing (fish, flour, meat, fruit, vegetables), sewage systems and many others, can effect health by contributing to asthma, hay fever, anemia, bronchitis, circulatory collapse, confusion, delirium, diabetes, dizziness, irritation of the eyes, mouth, nose, throat, lung, skin, and stomach, heart disease, high blood pressure, and nausea. It is also a possible cause of cancer. Even though you will not see chlorine on personal care product labels, it is important for you to be aware of the need to protect your skin when bathing and washing your hair.

DEA (diethanolamine), MEA (monoethanolamine), TEA (triethanolamine):
DEA & MEA are usually listed on the ingredients label in conjunction with the compound being neutralized; thus look for names like Cocamide DEA or MEA, Lauramide DEA, etc. These are hormone-disrupting chemicals and are known to form cancer causing nitrates and nitrosamines. These are commonly found in most personal care products that foam , including bubble baths, body washes, shampoos, soaps, and facial cleansers.

On CBS This Morning, Roberta Baskin revealed that a recent government report shows these are readily absorbed into the skin. Dr. Samuel Epstein, Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Illinois said, "repeated skin applications...of DEA-based detergents resulted in a major increase in the incidence of two cancers - liver cancer and kidney cancers."

John Bailey, who oversees the cosmetic division for the FDA, said that the new study is especially important since "the risk equation changes significantly for children." Tests at the University of Bologna in Italy, found TEA to be the most frequent sensitizer used in cosmetics, gels, shampoos, creams, and lotion, etc.

FD & C Color Pigments:
"...many cause skin sensitivity and irritation.. .absorption (of certain colors) can cause depletion of oxygen in the body and death", A Consumer's Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients. Debra Lynn Dadd says in, Home Safe Home, "colors that can be used in foods, drugs, and cosmetics...are made from coal tar. There is a great deal of controversy about their use, because animal studies have shown almost all of them to be carcinogenic."

Fragrance:
Most deodorants, shampoos, sunscreens, skin care, body care and baby products contain fragrance. Many of the compounds in fragrance are carcinogenic or otherwise toxic. "Fragrance on a label can indicate the presence of up to four thousand separate ingredients. Most or all of them are synthetic.

Symptoms reported to the FDA have included headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and allergic skin irritation. Clinical observation by medical doctors has shown that exposure to fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope, and other behavioral changes," Home Safe Home.

Imidazolidinyl Urea & DMDM Hydantoin:
These are just two of the many preservatives that release formaldehyde (formaldehyde-donors). According to the Mayo Clinic, formaldehyde can irritate the respiratory system, cause skin reactions and trigger heart palpitations.

Exposure to formaldehyde may cause joint pain, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness and loss of sleep. It can also aggravate coughs and colds and trigger asthma. Serious side effects include weakening of the immune system and cancer.

Formaldehyde releasing ingredients are very common in nearly all store brands of skin, body and hair care, antiperspirants and nail polish. A more complete list of products that contain formaldehyde can be found in, Is This Your Child's World?, by Doris J. Rapp, M.D.
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Click here for the printout.

Gluten Free Groceries!

Since Maile and Kainoa wouldn't touch the gluten free sister of most of the foods I gave them at first, I searched grocery aisles for any "normal" foods that they would be more open to trying.

I think it's probably important to have a quick list of gluten free options...so I'm in the process of creating a list of foods that are OK. If you spot something that doesn't belong please let me know...and likewise if you see something I can add!!

And remember what might be ok now might now be ok a week from now...always double check ingredients!

Here goes:

Country Crock butter and Spread (but not the Country Crock side dishes)
Go-Gurt
Corn tortillas (preferrably white corn for us)
Tricks (the plain balls NOT the shapes)
Vegetables
Peanuts
Peanut Butter
Honey
Jelly
Rice Cakes (double check ingredients!)
Marshmallows
Skittles
Candy Canes
Gummy Bears
Kentucky Fried Chicken minus the skin
Sausage
Bacon
A lot of ice creams (Breyers Vanilla Bean)
Fruit Snacks
Yo-Gos
Cheetos
Jello
Pudding
Fruity Pebbles
Yogurt
Cheese
Fruit
Hot dogs
Lunchmeat
Fruit snacks
string cheese
kraft singles
jolly ranchers
hersheys kisses
m&ms
plain corn tortilla chips
popcorn
carmel corn

ps I've spent a lot of time this month trying to find tried and true recipes that work for my picky kids and I'm going to set up a recipe archive on my sidebar. Keep your eyes peeled. :) If you want me to test your gluten free recipe on my babies send it my way!! mamakatslosinit@gmail.com

It's What's For Dinner: GF Chocolate Chip Cookies

We had a go at chocolate chip cookies and they're pretty tastey! Maile loved them and I found myself snacking on them all day...however, when my little sister Baby got her hands on them she smiled big and then as soon as Maile turned her back she started spitting them into her napkin.



She said they taste like pepto bismal. I SO disagree...and my daycare assistant likes them too. Although, she might just be saying that because I pay her. I'm gonna share the recipe and if you think you have a GF chocolate chip (or m&m) recipe to DIE for then we can have an on line bake off.



I will totally try making your cookies and I will declare an official winner of the best GF chocolate chip cookies ever!



My recipe is simple. Here's what you need:



1/2 Cup Shortening

1/2 Cup Butter

3/4 Cup packed brown sugar

3/4 Cup sugar

2 Eggs

1 Tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. baking powder

2 Cups rice flour

3/4 Cup tapioca flour

1/2 Cup potato starch flour

1 Tsp. xanthan gum

1 Tsp. salt

2 Cups chocolate chips or m&ms



And two adorable cooks. :)

Beat shortening and margarine.

Add brown sugar, sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and rice flour. Beat until creamy.

Beat in tapioca flour, potato starch, xanthan gum, and salt.

Stir in chocolate pieces.

Then it says to drop the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls, but I shaped them into cookies. I found the rounded teasponfuls just cooked and in the end....looked like rounded teaspoonfuls. When I flattened them out myself they looked like real cookies. :)

Cook at 375 for 10 minutes and cool on a wire rack. Yummy.

I usually only cook about 8 cookies. With the remaining dough I shape the cookies, wrap them in wax paper, and stick them in a freezer bag for another day.

This Mother Does Not Approve

I was all kinds of excited when I saw this at the store:

Yay! Something different...and after reading and re-reading and reading the ingredients again it seems to be egg/dairy/gluten free. Woo hoo.

And yet, two hours after eating it, Kainoa broke out in a HORRIBLE rash. Lately his bad areas have been the backs of his legs, but after eating THAT crap he had new rashes all over his tummy and arms.

I immediately google searched the stuff and found a celiac forum consisting of people complaining about that same problem. Not the skin issues so much as just getting sick after eating the stuff.

I guess the celiac community is pretty irritated with general mills (bravo for gf rice chex...BUT...) because the ingredient labels they put on some of their cereals are so misleading. I'm lucky my kids don't react by getting extremely sick (knock on wood)...but Kainoa was extremely uncomfortable...Pat gave him motrin.

Remember when the Dixie Chicks said that thing about Bush in Texas and all their fans turned against them and ran over their cds and stuff?? That's what I want to do with this cereal...just pour it down my driveway and video tape myself running over it. I'll send it to General Mills...not as a threat per se...more as an advisory. That if they don't change their labels soon more cereal might suffer the same fate.

I'm sure I'll get flooded with responses from them.