Gluten Free

I have struggled with stomach issues for most of my life. When I was anxious as a child I would get a stomachache. I was anxious a lot. Almost every morning before school my stomach was in knots.

At some point I outgrew some of the anxiety, it let up quite a bit when I married and became a mom. Probably because of the peace I felt with realizing those dreams and settling into a role I had longed for as long as I could remember.

In the last few years there have been several factors that brought me full circle. I found myself facing the sensitive stomach issues again and they were worse than ever. It peaked last winter and I spent the holidays miserable. I didn't really say much to those around me because that then added to my anxiety about it. It was so frustrating trying to read and narrow down what I could do to improve it. In an effort to tame my insides down I tried eating bland foods like bread and pasta.

At some point I came across the realization that it could be gluten. I don't have all the symptoms of Celiac disease, but I have some of them and so figured an elimination diet was worth a shot. Starting right after the first of the year I cut out wheat.

Within a week my stomach had calmed significantly but I noticed other things in the weeks that followed. I felt better overall, the winter blahs that came every year where less significant, I was sleeping better, I had more energy.

It has not come without challenges and set backs. There are moments when I let myself have something with gluten and I regret it so quickly. I've also found that it's easier in certain areas than others. When we were in Sacramento there was a gluten free store, while just a couple hours away I did good to find one or two things in the grocery store.

Here are a couple gluten free links/recipes that I like.

I make this pasta with broccoli and mushrooms at least once a week. I like to modify recipes to feed our tastes so I copied from her site but then added the changes that I make in italics.


Penne with Broccoli & Mushrooms


1 pound brown rice penne pasta I use the brown rice fuselli from Trader Joes.
1 - 2 tablespoons of olive oil
one large clove of garlic, minced
three chopped scallions I never add these but I do add extra garlic
one head of broccoli, stalks peeled, chopped into small pieces
1 ten ounce package of baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
red pepper flakes
salt & pepper
parmesan cheese I like to use goat cheese or raw milk cheddar

     1. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Be very careful not to overcook.           Mushy rice pasta is quite unappetizing. Drain then run cold water over pasta to stop it from continuing to cook.
    2. While the pasta is cooking, chop the broccoli and drop into boiling water for about 90 seconds. Drain and run cold water over it to stop it from continuing to cook. Because of our limited space and pans in the RV I boil the water for the pasta but before I cook the pasta I put the broccoli in for 90 seconds, then scoop out the broccoli and use the same boiling water for the pasta.
   3. Saute the garlic and scallions in olive oil. Adjust amount according to your taste preference. After about 1 minute, add the drained broccoli and mushrooms. Saute for about 3 minutes. Add red pepper flakes, salt & pepper to taste.
   4. Pour drained pasta into large bowl. Add some olive oil to coat. Pour broccoli-mushroom mixture over pasta and mix well. Grate parmesan cheese over the top.



These oat pancakes are a favorite. I like to make them with tempeh "bacon" and some warm applesauce. Again any notes in italics are mine.


Gluten Free Oat Cakes


4 cups whole oats, ground (preferably not the quick cook kind)
4 cups plain yogurt (I’ve also used whole raw milk) I use almond milk
4 tablespoons melted butter
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
2-4 tablespoons local raw honey (optional) I usually don't add this and we never miss it
Olive oil or butter for cooking (optional)
I grind my oats in the blender. You can also use a food processor. You want it ground as fine as you can get it. I grind mine in our Vita-Mix then add the milk and blend it all together.

1. Mix the oats in the yogurt or milk and let it soak overnight (from 12-24 hours).
2. Add the butter, eggs, sea salt, baking soda and optional honey and mix very well.
3. Cook over a medium-low heat. I like to cook them in a bit of olive oil or butter for a slightly crispier edge or you can use a griddle. The temperature seems to vary depending on the pan, so experiment with yours. Oatmeal pancakes do cook slower, and are easy to burn with a gooey center, so take your time.

Christine shared this chili recipe with me last winter and as the weather cools off I'm coming back to it. I like it because it's a new twist on chili. It's for a crockpot but I just make mine on the stove and let it simmer for a little bit. It's even better the next day, but we never have leftovers. My kids call it zebra chili because of the black and white beans.

Zebra Chili aka Crockpot Black Bean Chili

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 to 3 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
1 bay leaf
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes in juice I've salsa or even marinara sauce as a substitute, I have a couple kids who don't like tomato chunks
1 tablespoon soy sauce make sure you use gluten free if you are wheat sensitive
1 1/2 cups water
1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 cans (16 ounces each) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 cans (16 ounces each) beans -- pinto, garbanzo, great northern, kidney beans, etc. -- drained and rinsed
grated cheese, sour cream, chopped parsley, chopped hard-cooked egg, green onion, or other garnishes
Avocado is my favorite chili topping

    1. Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the onions, garlic and red pepper flakes.
    2. Cook 1 minute, then add chili powder and cumin and cook 2 minutes, stirring.
    3. Add this mixture to the slow cooker/Crock Pot along with all remaining ingredients except canned beans and garnishes.
    4. Stir well and cook on low all day.  I usually start this about 2 hours before I want to serve it and by then it's had time to simmer on low heat for long enough. 
    5. Stir in canned beans an hour or so before serving.  Serve with garnishes.

If you try these let me know how you like them. If you have a gluten free recipe that you'd like to share please link here.