wheat free people

[y4m]

Do you cook? I've found it's almost impossible to avoid wheat eating out and using convenience foods. But it's pretty easy if you cook.

You might also try giving up just major sources of wheat at first, and not worrying too much about the random wheat in a salad dressing or soy sauce. Your body is going to tell you what you can handle.

[Deleted]

Yeah, it is Wheat Belly.

ETA: The point of Wheat Belly is to get you to eat wheat/gluten free for weight loss and curing/alleviating ailments like heart disease, high cholesterol, neuropathy, diabetes, etc., not necessarily in assisting if you have to be wheat-free... although it does give some meal ideas IIRC.

I'd suggest reading The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain b/c Paleo is, by design, wheat and dairy-free.

[Deleted]

Yes, it's Wheat Belly. The book is mostly about the physical/medical benefits of giving up wheat. The weight loss is secondary.

[midnightrae]

Eating gluten free and dairy free is not easy. I have to do it too. I also have to eat things that are honey free and egg free. My only advice is to be sure to read labels. There are many foods that have gluten/wheat and dairy that you wouldn't think would. Also, it will be easier to cook at home than go out and try to find something. It will take awhile to get used to it. I'm still getting used to it.

Sent from my ADR6330VW using proboards

[Deleted]

Jan 24, 2013 13:00:44 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

Jan 24, 2013 12:47:39 GMT -5 y4m said:

Do you cook? I've found it's almost impossible to avoid wheat eating out and using convenience foods. But it's pretty easy if you cook.

You might also try giving up just major sources of wheat at first, and not worrying too much about the random wheat in a salad dressing or soy sauce. Your body is going to tell you what you can handle.

I've been getting better at it!!! I've been making more of an effort since the beginning of the year, trying to batch cook for the week and all.

My biggest challenge is crackers (LOVE) and more of the junky food. I'll admit it. I eat a lot of the lower fat junk food (Baked Lays, Twizzlers are main offenders, but I LOVE it). I also eat a lot of air popped popcorn, but that is wheat free.

Major sources of wheat I assume are cereals, crackers, breads?

We also have a bread maker at home...I may start making my own wheat free bread. Lucky for me, I love rye bread - just need to find recipes without the wheat flour right?

[Deleted]

Once you get the hang of using alternative non-wheat flours, the possibilities are endless. Really, you'll never miss wheat, aside from the fact that it's a hell of a lot cheaper than every other flour.

[fortnightlily]

Almond meal/flour and almond butter are great for baking wheat-free brownies/cookies/cakes, if you're addicted to sweets like I am. I agree with mrsspunky that looking for Paleo recipes will be an easy way to avoid gluten and dairy.

Asian foods are also a good path to go down, especially if you cook them yourself. There are a ton of yummy Thai and Indian recipes, for instance, that are naturally wheat and dairy free. You have to invest in the seasonings, and they can be more labor intensive, but they're worth it, especially if you make a big batch on the weekend and freeze it Let me know if you need recipe suggestions.

Since you're not celiac, and can probably tolerate some cross-contamination, I'd look for crackers and cereals that are made from corn and rice, like Chex, before you pay the premium for the certified gluten-free ones. You can buy rice pasta at Trader Joe's, which is pretty darn similar in taste/texture to traditional semolina pasta.

[fortnightlily]

Trader Joe's also sells the almond meal if you think you'll bake. Or you could also use it to bread chicken or fish. It's usually in the baking aisle, but sometimes in the nut aisle.

They are more chip-like than cracker-like, and the bags aren't big, but I'm in love with the Snap Pea Crisps. TJ's sells this brand or their own version, I've seen both: www.amazon.com/Calbee-Snapea-Crisps-Original-Flavor/dp/B000FMZO8G

Otherwise I usually get something like the blue corn or flaxseed tortilla chips. I don't buy a lot of crackers so I would just check the labels and see what they have, or maybe someone else can suggest something.

Ooh, looks they have a list on their website that you can print out! www.traderjoes.com/lists/no-gluten.asp

[jigsy]

I liked to make almond meal crackers, because I was eating cheese and meat for a snack, but really missed the cracker part.
Also, if you aren't strictly doing it for weight loss, you could eat corn/rice chex for cereal. For a twizzler replacement, you can get gummy fruit snacks.

[orangello]

Jan 24, 2013 13:05:56 GMT -5 papiercherri said:

Once you get the hang of using alternative non-wheat flours, the possibilities are endless. Really, you'll never miss wheat, aside from the fact that it's a hell of a lot cheaper than every other flour.

This is true for everything EXCEPT pizza crust

Signed, cranky wife of H with celiac

[AAM2012]

Tostitos are GF and my favorite snack food.

My suggestion is to cook basic meals at first and then expand into baking bread and whatnot. A lot of people tend to gain weight when they switch to GF (I know you are just going wheat/dairy free but same concept) because they try to replace their normal snack with the GF versions. The replacement foods are normally more expensive with more calories.

Good luck to you!

[ESF]

Jan 24, 2013 14:36:33 GMT -5 carrotsmakemefat said:

Jan 24, 2013 14:03:59 GMT -5 fortnightlily said:

Almond meal/flour and almond butter are great for baking wheat-free brownies/cookies/cakes, if you're addicted to sweets like I am. I agree with mrsspunky that looking for Paleo recipes will be an easy way to avoid gluten and dairy.

Asian foods are also a good path to go down, especially if you cook them yourself. There are a ton of yummy Thai and Indian recipes, for instance, that are naturally wheat and dairy free. You have to invest in the seasonings, and they can be more labor intensive, but they're worth it, especially if you make a big batch on the weekend and freeze it Let me know if you need recipe suggestions.

Since you're not celiac, and can probably tolerate some cross-contamination, I'd look for crackers and cereals that are made from corn and rice, like Chex, before you pay the premium for the certified gluten-free ones. You can buy rice pasta at Trader Joe's, which is pretty darn similar in taste/texture to traditional semolina pasta.

oh thanks! I was going to hit up TJs this weekend too! Any suggestions on crackers? I really love Tiscuits and Ritz if you have any suggestions.

I was at a friend's house this weekend and she had gluten/wheat free bagel chips.  I thought they were normal crackers and even asked her if she had been cleared to eat wheat again.   I'm not sure what the brand was, but I'd try looking around for gluten free bagel chips. 

[alleinesein]

My mom is gluten free so we have been testing out all sorts of products for the past year. 

For crackers get these www.marysgonecrackers.com/ If you have a Costco near you they usually sell a big box for around $5-6.  They are awesome and I prefer them to wheat crackers.

Baked goods are hit or miss....when they are good they are amazing and when they are bad they are awful.  I just made some Chewy Brownie cookies over the weekend and altered the recipe to make them gluten free and they turned out awesome. I used the recipe in the current Taste of Home magazine and subbed in gluten-free flour.

[orangello]

Take it back! I didn't think any of the Ezekial breads were GF - we always get the Udi's.

[Deleted]

The guidelines to label something gluten free are very loose. As long as the product stays under a certain amount the FDA gives companies permission to slap the gluten free label on there.

Sprouted wheat has a lot less gluten than wheat flour. So much less that it can be tolerated by many with gluten sensitivity and mild celiacs, but enough that it can seriously fuck with someone who has a true gluten allergy.

[Deleted]

If you don't have a serious wheat allergy you could try it to see how it effects you. Ezekiel bread doesn't bother me.

What does bother me is that stupid Ghirardelli brownie mix that MM talked me into buying, I feel like shit today after those. For the love of food, back to my gluten free brownie mix. lol

[Deleted]

This is seriously yummy: www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Lemon-Layer-Cake-233013

You can make your own frosting with whatever flavor you want and sub the extract for whatever you want.

[livinitup]

You don't have to be celiac to benefit from all the great resources online. Celiacs can not eat any gluten (including barley, wheat and rye) so you'll find a wealth of information and strategies. And you'll find all kinds of advocacy and links for other food sensitivities and issue like dairy.

There are many sites - this is just one: 

www.celiac.com/categories/Safe-Gluten%252dFree-Food-List-%7B47%7D-Unsafe-Foods-%26amp%3B-Ingredients/

And food choices get a LOT easier once you get the basic "okay foods" in place. Like Wise Potato Chips are gluten free, and Gutino Crackers are tasty.

It does mean you have to cut out a lot of foods you may be used to eating, but once you get a running list of go-to foods, and feel healthier and stronger, it won't seem so hard.

Good luck. 

[AAM2012]

Betty Crocker makes GF cake and brownie mixes that I really like when I'm in a rush. They're a little more expensive but worth it since I hate baking and don't do it very often.

Also, some of their frosting a are GF as well.