Happy To Be Gluten-Free...

As I mentioned in my first post, my digestive system is sensitive to gluten.  Gluten is found mainly in products that contain wheat, barley, and rye.  Gluten sensitivity can cause gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea or constipation, bloating, indigestion, and many other problems.  One of the biggest problems with gluten sensitivity is that the gluten works on the intestines in such a way that prevents nutrients from being absorbed by the body, which can cause all kinds of medical issues. (Wow, this paragraph really resembles what might be written in a 6th grade book report...sorry for that.)

For many, many years I suffered with diarrhea on a continual basis, Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), leg cramps, insomnia, and I was tired just about all the time.  After going on a gluten-free diet in 2012, all of these issues have greatly improved.  The daily bouts of diarrhea are pretty much resolved, I no longer take medication for GERD, I haven’t had leg cramps in over a year and I sleep better than I have in ages.  I credit this improvement in my health to living the gluten-free life. 

Because I am feeling so much better, I find it fairly easy to stick to the gluten-free diet.  I mean, after all, I can choose to eat anything I want and be sick all of the time or I can choose to eat gluten-free and feel good.  That’s a “no brainer” for me.  I have to say, though, that it is easier to stick with a gluten-free diet if you like to cook from scratch like I do.  Although there are many pre-packaged gluten-free foods on the market now, many are still full of salt, sugar, fat and chemicals that you don’t really want or need in your body.  I like knowing what is in my food and also what is not in my food.  In my opinion, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) allows way too many unnecessary chemicals and “modified” ingredients into America’s food supply.  I really believe that many of America’s health issues would be decreased if everyone relied more on freshly homemade meals and less on the pre-packaged stuff that is on the shelves in the grocery stores.  Just take a look at the ingredient list on any packaged food in your local grocery store and see how many words you recognize as actual “food,” as found in nature. 

You can buy small boxes of gluten-free baking mix, cake mixes, or brownie mixes in the grocery store, but each will cost you from $4 to $5 per package.  I found a grocery store within an hour’s drive of our house that sells bulk flour, sugar, rice, wheat, oatmeal and other food items in bulk.  I asked and they were happy to order gluten-free flours and oatmeal for me, in bulk.  I ordered a 25-pound bag of millet flour, a 25-pound bag of sweet sorghum flour, a 10-pound bag of oatmeal, and a 25-pound bag of white rice.  The cost for all of these items was less than $125.  I used our flour grinder to grind the rice into flour.  I then separated the big bags of flour into gallon-sized plastic bags, labeled them with date & type of flour, and put them in our freezer.  I normally keep a huge plastic jar on my kitchen counter that’s filled with a mixture of one bag of millet flour, one bag of sorghum flour, and one bag of rice flour.  I shake the jar vigorously to mix the flours.  (I also give the jar a good shake prior to taking any out for baking.)  The flours that I have stored in my freezer will last me for a year.  This is much more cost-effective than buying individual cake and/or baking mixes.

Below is my favorite “quick” recipe for Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Muffins.  Unlike store bought, you really can’t tell that these are gluten-free.  My sister says I should market these because she thinks they are so good and Charming thinks they're "awesome", but Charming thinks everything I make is "awesome".  (Ahhhh...he's so well-trained.)  Happy eating!

                        Gluten-Free Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffins

2 eggs, room temperature

1/2 cup  canola oil

1 cup fat-free milk, at room temperature

1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla

1 3/4 cups gluten-free flour

3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 cup  sugar

1/4 cup  cocoa

1 teaspoon  baking powder

1/2 teaspoon  salt

1 1/2 cups  Hershey’s semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine wet and dry ingredients and fold together gently, until just mixed.

Spoon into either greased muffin tin or paper-lined muffin tin.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes.

Remove from muffin tin and cool for 15 minutes.  (To keep muffins moist, store in airtight container.)

Makes:  1 dozen