Sneaky Gluten

Beware of sneaky gluten! Even if you're certain that you are purchasing gluten free food, is it still gluten free when you eat it? Often times gluten free foods can become contaminated between the time they are purchased and the time they reach your lips. Here are some things to be weary of:

• When buying items in bulk out of bins careful. There is a risk of scoopers being switched and other items falling into other bins.


• Restaurants are another danger area, especially when ordering fried or grilled foods. The grill and/or grease is often contaminated with gluten from other products. Example: if French fries and onion rings are fried in the same oil, the gluten onion rings can contaminate the ordinarily gluten free French fries.


• If you live with others who consume gluten products, look for crumbs in things like butter and jelly. In addition, wipe down counters to keep areas free from crumbs. It's also a good idea to keep your own personal margarine tub and to buy condiments in squeezable containers.

Improve Gluten Free Texture

A common complaint after preparing a gluten free recipe is that the texture of the food is unpleasant. Gluten free foods don't have to be texturally unpleasant, however. To improve the texture of gluten free baked goods. Try using one or more of the following additives:

• Xanthan gum
• Guar gum
• Methylcellulose
• Clear Gel

You can find most of these items at health food stores, specialty cook stores, or even available to order on some websites.

Gluten Free Shopping List

If gluten free shopping is new to you, it can be overwhelming. Selecting a gluten free product isn't always a cut and dry process. While you can find many gluten free pasta, bread, cereal, cookies, waffles, and pancakes at many health food stores, sometimes these options are limited. Need some hints? Until you get the whole gluten free shopping and eating process completely down, here is a brief cheat sheets of gluten free items to pick up at the store:

• Cream of Rice Hot Cereal
• Potatoes
• Rice
• Eggs
• Fresh Fruit
• Fresh Vegetables
• Canned Fruit (avoid heavy syrup)
• Canned Vegetables (no sauce)
• Fresh Vegetables (raw, roasted, boiled, etc.)
• Homemade soups (don't add bullion cubes or pasta)
• Coffees and Teas (avoid flavored ones)
• Popcorn (air popped)
• Pudding (thickened with cornstarch)
• Juice (only 100% natural juices)

Gluten Free Dessert Idea

Are you suffering from a sweet tooth but are sworn to gluten free foods? Just because you have a gluten free diet doesn't mean that you can't indulge in delicious desserts. Here is a great recipe to satisfy your craving:

• 4 teaspoons butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 8 tablespoons of pineapple juice
• 2 ripe plantains, halved and peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• Pinch of cloves, ground
• 4 tablespoons brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons of rum
• Vanilla ice cream

To begin, melt the butter in a frying pan. Next, add lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of pineapple juice and the plantains. Sprinkle with the spices over the ingredients in the pan and sauté for about 15 minutes. Mix in the brown sugar and continue to sauté for about 15 more minutes. Continue to add pineapple juice as needed. Finally, add rum and cook until the sauce reach a desirable consistency. Remove the pan from the heat and serve with a big scoop of ice cream.

Don't Be Fooled

If you're new to the world of gluten free food you've probably realized what a chore it can be to differentiate between foods containing gluten and ones without it. You have to be able to determine which foods are safe for consumption and this can be difficult, as a result of current labeling laws. Gluten can easily be disguised in and is often referred to on labels by such names as:

• Modified food starch
• Spices
• Natural flavorings
• Vinegar,
• Malt

It's a smart idea to personally call the manufacturer to verify that a product is indeed gluten free. Most manufacturers will give up this information.

*Don't be fooled, gluten does not only surface in items like pasta, bread, and cereal; it can also be discovered in dairy products, condiments, lunch meats, juices, and many types of candy.

Gluten Free Booze

As far as a gluten free diet is concerned, alcohol is a tricky item. While there are many alcohols that are packed with gluten, there are also many that do not contain gluten. Some liquors that are usually free from gluten include:

• Wine
• Rum
• Tequila
• Sake
• Some vodkas

Don't just assume, however, that these products are gluten free.

Instead, gauge your reactions to these items and read up on all of your favorite brands. Grain alcohols are the ones to beware of. While the distillation process should eliminate there is proof that they are not always completely eliminated. Many liquors are made with grain alcohol and so should be examined thoroughly. The booze to steer clear of include:

• Whiskey
• Bourbon
• Gin
• Beer

Flour Substitutes

Did you know that there are a lot more gluten free alternatives from which to make flour than corn and rice? There are a plethora of grains that can be used in gluten free cooking. The following items can easily be milled into flour:

• Amaranth • Buckwheat (kasha)


• Chickpeas (garbanzos)


• Lentils


• Millet


• Peas


• Quinoa ragi


• Sorghum


• Soy


• Tapioca


• Wild rice

Many flours milled from these items are readily available in health food stores. Some, such as rice flour, may even be available in grocery stores