Gluten Free Doesn't Have to be Yucky!
Okay, so yes, this is a writing site...but I wouldn't be a southern lady if I didn't write about food every now and again, and who can write without eating chocolate??? I have bumped into some luscious items pertaining to eating gluten and soy free.
When I was told I would have to go gluten free I thought I would die. So I ignored it, but then years later I started having health issues and went to the doctor again. After getting the results of some tests I had a nice visit with the doctor---said no patient ever. I went in all positive and smiling, as oft I do. The doctor looked at me and said, "Do you like chocolate candy?" to which I replied, "Who doesn't, especially Nutella spread." He shook his head and said that I had an even worse allergy to processed soy, and that soy lecithin, an emulsifier, is in most chocolate candy...as well as many other candies and foods. I looked him straight in the face and said, "Well, sir, that means the second coming must be today, because if I can't have chocolate the world's coming to an end!" So what did I do? Went into complete denial and ate as much Nutella and M&M peanuts as I could in the next few days. I was determined to prove him wrong, after all, chocolate was my friend...it would never turn on me. The result? The traitorous vermin turned on me and treated me to a nice visit to the ER about a week later.So I had to concede that I could not eat store bought chocolate candy, brownies, cookies, cakes, etc. As I started looking at other foods I could not believe how many things had soy lecithin, hydrolyzed soy protein and many other forms of adulterated soy. So basically I had to get back to basics. I started making everything from scratch and found that not only did everything taste better, but I felt better. Don't get me wrong, I've always made a lot of things from scratch, but life gets busy and there were many times I went the quicker method. What I learned from this is that chocolate itself is not evil, but what man is doing in some food processing is. If people would not mess with food so much it would not turn against us. The more they mess with it, the more cases of allergies pop up. I do not remember there being so many illnesses due to food when I was young, but I'll stay off of that soap box for now and concentrate on some ways I have found to "have my cake and eat it too!"That brings me to the next topic; what about desserts??? They lord have mercy! I had tried baking with gluten free flours and everything was so dry, ugh! Well, as time went by I put my southern nose to the grindstone and found a few good all purpose flours to work with. My favorite is Cup 4 Cup http://www.cup4cup.com/our-products/P... have different comfort zones though when it comes to textures and taste, likes and dislikes will vary. I have had the best luck with their flour, and thanks to a fellow southerner who has Celiac, I have been introduced to some recipes that are way better than any store bought.Go to this site for the best gluten/soy free chocolate cake. http://www.agirldefloured.com/2013/04/17/gluten-free-fudge-cake/It's a little heavier than regular cakes but it's oh so good. I like the fact that it is heavier, that is how homemade cakes used to be. It's thick and rich too!For the best gluten/soy free chocolate cookies: http://www.tasteloveandnourish.com/2012/11/18/virtuously-sinful-fudge-cookies/If they come out too thin just add a bit more flour and roll them into a ball.My newest discovery is the best pancakes EVER! Even if I wasn't gluten free I would be eating these!http://lizheather.com/thisislizheather/2014/5/22/healthy-banana-pancakesSlather on some buttah and honey and OH, MOMMA! They are surprisingly delicious! If you want a bit more protein, wedge a piece of sausage in-between two pancakes.I am still on a road of discovery concerning other foods, but if all else fails, I add lots of buttah and shuggah...you know...it's a southern thang, and if I can't resolve it, I'll fry it. LOL
When I was told I would have to go gluten free I thought I would die. So I ignored it, but then years later I started having health issues and went to the doctor again. After getting the results of some tests I had a nice visit with the doctor---said no patient ever. I went in all positive and smiling, as oft I do. The doctor looked at me and said, "Do you like chocolate candy?" to which I replied, "Who doesn't, especially Nutella spread." He shook his head and said that I had an even worse allergy to processed soy, and that soy lecithin, an emulsifier, is in most chocolate candy...as well as many other candies and foods. I looked him straight in the face and said, "Well, sir, that means the second coming must be today, because if I can't have chocolate the world's coming to an end!" So what did I do? Went into complete denial and ate as much Nutella and M&M peanuts as I could in the next few days. I was determined to prove him wrong, after all, chocolate was my friend...it would never turn on me. The result? The traitorous vermin turned on me and treated me to a nice visit to the ER about a week later.So I had to concede that I could not eat store bought chocolate candy, brownies, cookies, cakes, etc. As I started looking at other foods I could not believe how many things had soy lecithin, hydrolyzed soy protein and many other forms of adulterated soy. So basically I had to get back to basics. I started making everything from scratch and found that not only did everything taste better, but I felt better. Don't get me wrong, I've always made a lot of things from scratch, but life gets busy and there were many times I went the quicker method. What I learned from this is that chocolate itself is not evil, but what man is doing in some food processing is. If people would not mess with food so much it would not turn against us. The more they mess with it, the more cases of allergies pop up. I do not remember there being so many illnesses due to food when I was young, but I'll stay off of that soap box for now and concentrate on some ways I have found to "have my cake and eat it too!"That brings me to the next topic; what about desserts??? They lord have mercy! I had tried baking with gluten free flours and everything was so dry, ugh! Well, as time went by I put my southern nose to the grindstone and found a few good all purpose flours to work with. My favorite is Cup 4 Cup http://www.cup4cup.com/our-products/P... have different comfort zones though when it comes to textures and taste, likes and dislikes will vary. I have had the best luck with their flour, and thanks to a fellow southerner who has Celiac, I have been introduced to some recipes that are way better than any store bought.Go to this site for the best gluten/soy free chocolate cake. http://www.agirldefloured.com/2013/04/17/gluten-free-fudge-cake/It's a little heavier than regular cakes but it's oh so good. I like the fact that it is heavier, that is how homemade cakes used to be. It's thick and rich too!For the best gluten/soy free chocolate cookies: http://www.tasteloveandnourish.com/2012/11/18/virtuously-sinful-fudge-cookies/If they come out too thin just add a bit more flour and roll them into a ball.My newest discovery is the best pancakes EVER! Even if I wasn't gluten free I would be eating these!http://lizheather.com/thisislizheather/2014/5/22/healthy-banana-pancakesSlather on some buttah and honey and OH, MOMMA! They are surprisingly delicious! If you want a bit more protein, wedge a piece of sausage in-between two pancakes.I am still on a road of discovery concerning other foods, but if all else fails, I add lots of buttah and shuggah...you know...it's a southern thang, and if I can't resolve it, I'll fry it. LOL
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