The Savvy Celiac Branches Out

Start of the Monster Dash. I race directed this event. Click to enlarge photo

This fall has been crazy busy and I know my site as been a bit quieter than usual.

I have another job that periodically pulls me away from my regular (and passionate) duties on The Savvy Celiac.  In September-October I was the Race Director for a running race called the Monster Dash in St. Paul, MN.  With well over 7,000 participants, dressed in costume, it was a lot to plan. It was a successful race on Saturday, October 29th.  And I am very glad it is over.  Since then I have been trying to refocus on The Savvy Celiac and I have some exciting updates for you.

I will be writing articles for Gluten Free Living Magazine in 2012.  So if you like The Savvy Celiac, maybe consider buying a subscription for yourself for next year (or perhaps a holiday gift for someone else? Gluten Free Living’s Facebook page says order subscriptions by 11/16 to have the magazine  in-hand by Christmas). The only place you will be able to see The Savvy Celiac’s articles for the magazine is in the magazine.  It is so exciting to have an opportunity like this and if you ever considered getting a subscription, maybe now is the time!

Also, the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness is reposting some of my articles on parenting a gluten free child.  You can find them under their revamped Kids Central section on the website.  Watch for a comprehensive 504 Plan article coming soon.

If you’re a Facebook user, we do a lot of topical discussions on The Savvy Celiac’s Facebook Page.  Please “like” The Savvy Celiac and get in on the discussion.  Also feel free to “like” Gluten Free Living Magazine  and the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness on Facebook!  You will get great tips on living a gluten free life!

Tags: celiac, gluten-free, magazine

Celiac disease is often mis- or underdiagnosed.  Many people who approach their physician explain their symptoms and are diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome, fatigue or stress — or something else all together.

The problem in delaying the diagnosis of celiac disease is that it can lead to so many other issues like osteoporosis, cancer, infertility and other serious health issues*.

Researchers just published a new study (I found on 7thspace.com) looking at the delay in celiac disease diagnoses.  They sent out 1500 questionnaires to people in Sweden with confirmed celiac disease and received about 1,000 back.  Of those 1,000 here’s what researchers learned:

• Average delay in diagnosis after first symptom was 9.7 years
• Average delay in diagnosis after first doctor visit was 5.8 years

Scientists said these numbers did reduce over time in some cases.  My guess is greater awareness has led to some quicker than average diagnoses.  But the one thing that made me say “Yikes!”….Does this mean the average celiac patient sits on their symptoms for four years?

Researchers reported there was definite improvement in quality of life from before, to after diagnosis (and treatment).  Diagnosed celiacs who went on the gluten free diet (treatment for celiac) apparently felt better than the “healthy control subjects”.

In conclusion, the scientists said the delay from first symptoms to diagnosis was “unacceptably high”.  The study said, “By shortening the diagnostic delay it is possible to reduce this unnecessary burden of disease. Increased awareness of CD [celiac disease] as a common health problem is needed, and active case finding should be intensified.  Mass screening for CD might be an option in the future.”
*Source: National Institutes for Health

Tags: celiac symptoms, delay, diagnosis, gluten-free, research

One of the biggest concerns of newly diagnosed folks with celiac disease is that they can’t eat their favorite foods. It’s true, you won’t be able to eat many of your favorites in their original form– but you may be able to make a substitution that satisfies your craving, and with any luck, tastes just the same as it did before.

Substitutions for Gluten Free Food

Some of the most creative I have seen involve finding ways to forgo crust on traditionally “crusted” foods.  I have two examples.

GF Lemon Angel Pie; Meringue is the Crust!

This weekend I was in Duluth.  My mom pulls out this Lemon Meringue pie.  She says it’s gluten free, and there’s no crust.  This isn’t actually a crustless pie.  The company who makes it (in Minnesota) actually makes the meringue as the crust!  It is baked first and then the rest of the ingredients are  added.

I am not a baker, I wouldn’t know how to explain what you need to do to make the pie complete, but I thought having the meringue as the crust was so creative!  And it tasted good too.  It was firm enough to keep the pie pieces together too!  The pie is actually called “Lemon Angel Pie” made by the Rustic Inn Cafe and Gifts in Two Harbors, Minnesota (up the North Shore of Lake Superior).  I am sure you can purchase the pies there ( I hear there’s a raspberry version too), or you can also get them at the Whole Foods Co-op in Duluth, Minnesota.

I, on the other hand, have made egg bake with hash browns as the crust.  It is perfectly yummy and works ideal for making a breakfast dish when you’re away from home because the ingredients are so easy to find.  See the egg bake recipe here.

Other substitution ideas

A regular recipe that’s being transformed into gluten free may need more flour (to give it more substance), or an extra egg (to make it more moist), or some ground flax seed (to pump up nutritional value).

The basic tip I would give is that when changing a regular recipe for a baked good (bread, cookies, cake etc) to a gluten free recipe, you will need xanthan gum.  It is the binder that keeps it all together.  You will need about 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum per 1 cup of flour in your recipe.  You will only need this if the gluten free flour you have does not already have the xanthan gum in it.  Please look in your gluten free baking flour’s ingredients to find out.

The aforementioned Lemon Angel pie doesn’t use any xanthan gum because its crust isn’t a pastry (like most pies have), but rather meringue.

I have been experimenting with different kinds of flours as well, sorghum and brown rice are my favorites.  I think they add a good texture to baked goods making them more “gluten-like” in my book.  Plus, the flours are more nutritious.

While you’re cooking or baking this fall, keep in mind that you should keep practicing (and taking notes) until you get your favorite recipe just right. It may take some time and potentially a lot of ingredients (as it does me– I never get it the way I want it the first time).

Tags: baking, celiac, cooking, gluten-free, recipe, substitutions