Currently draining store-bought greek yogurt so as to make more yogurt ice cream (with a friend who was excited after having a spoon from the last batch and wanted to try making some).
This means that I’m left with about a cup or so of whey. And I’m trying to figure out what to do with it. I’ve heard that it can be used in baking, but I don’t know how…Â And that it can be used to make ricotta, although I’m guessing 1 cup isn’t enough to make much. I’d hate to let it go to waste.
Suggestions?
Yogurt Ice Cream, with Blueberry Sauce
A friend of mine has Crohn’s Disease, which makes celiac look like a visit to Disneyland (assuming you like Disneyland). She’s on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), which is incredibly limited. Much better than the alternative, though.
Turns out, she hasn’t had ice cream for nearly a year. Possibly longer. She can’t handle the sugar or the lactose in most commercial ice creams, and she can’t handle the agave nectar in the coconut milk ice creams. She does, however, make her own yogurt. And she can have honey.
I know what you’re thinking (well, I probably don’t, but I’m going to pretend). Frozen yogurt is usually pretty meh. Too soft. Bland. The diet version of ice cream. Thanks to Fraiche, I now know frozen yogurt doesn’t have to be that way. And that sparked an idea…
I am crazy busy today so instead of a detailed, well thought out post, I give you a recipe for pound cake. My friend Wendy and I made this in early October (or was it late September?) At any rate, it was incredibly popular with my gluten eating friends, to the point that one of them says it’s the best pound cake he’s ever had.
It’s very dense and moist, and goes beautifully with whipped cream and berries or ice cream or chocolate sauce. It doesn’t taste like the Sara Lee frozen pound cakes that I grew up on, so don’t expect that. But it does have a great pound cake crust. I snagged the recipe from The Happy Tummy.
This is awesome. It’s a visual representation of which supplements have been proven to work, and which have no substantiation whatsoever.
There’s an interactive version you can mouse over and click on to see specific conditions and links to the research. If I weren’t already in love with my bf, I’d say I was in love with this guy. In a purely intellectual way, of course. (What? Aren’t you in love with your SO’s intellect?)
I am totally increasing my cinnamon intake. And buying some creatine…
Stubborness pays off. As does patience, although I have a much shorter supply of that.
After all the run around and nonsense I went through with Blue Shield (BS) over the last several months, I finally have my authorization to see a nutritionist. Mind you, this would have been more useful when I was re-embarking on the gluten free lifestyle back in July. Better late than never.
Long story short-ish: BS only covers nutrition services for diabetics. Anyone else is SOL.
Three months after my biopsy, my celiac blood test results are almost normal; which means I’ve been successful at avoiding gluten.
Three months after going gluten free (again).
Only that first result is problematic, and even then, it’s in the equivocal range. Not outright bad.
I did, however, have a magnesium deficiency. And a chloride deficiency (I didn’t even know that was possible). I’m also skirting the edge of having a sodium deficiency, which seems utterly insane considering how much salt I pour onto my food.
The magnesium deficiency may explain the frequent muscle spasms and cramps I’ve been getting in my legs lately, the massive increase in migraines, and my recent chocolate cravings. The low sodium, no doubt, explains the light headedness when I stand.
I’m definitely not fully recovered. That could take up to a year. But I am making progress.
These are easy, open and serve kinds of foods. The kind that can show up at a potluck and no one will think – Oh, celiac! Also, the kinds that non-celiac friends can provide without driving themselves bonkers.
This is by no means a comprehensive list; I’m sure there are tons of things I don’t know about yet. But it’s a start. I’ve named specific brands when that sort of thing matters (not all tortilla chips are made equal). And, you know, it’s a good idea to check ingredients.
Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownies – Awesome. These were dense and gooey, which is what I like in a brownie. Strong chocolate flavor. As good as regular gluten-full brownies.
Gluten Free Pantry Chocolate Truffle Brownies – Also awesome. As good as the Betty Crockers, certainly. These reminded me a lot of the Ghirardelli brownie mix that used to be my favorite. They’re slightly richer than the Betty Crockers. Gooey and dense. Very chocolatey. My gluten eating friends seem to really like them, too.
Enjoy Life: Perky’s Crunchy Flax Cereal — Honestly, I’m kinda neutral on this one. It’s all right. It is crunchy, and stays crunchy in milk for a surprisingly long time. The flavor is pretty bland. Not much sweetness, which is a good thing. And hey – flax. I added sliced up strawberries to it, and that worked out quite well. I don’t know that I’d really want to eat it without some sort of fruit.
I’ve taken to using Yelp to find local gluten free restaurants, and then Google Maps to mark them and make notes. So far I’ve got San Francisco:
Wooden cookware can retain gluten, even after thorough washing.
First, a thank you. To everyone who has fed me and dealt with my dietary limitations. In particular mom and wshaffer. You are heroes of the revolution.
Now, an apology to anyone I’ve driven crazy by minutely examining their kitchen, or not eating the food they prepared, or whose trash can I’ve sifted through to find food wrappers. It’s not personal.
Feeding a celiac guest is hard. There are a lot of things that aren’t initially obvious. I made lots of mistakes in the early days. I’m probably still making some.
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