Our guest today is Cathy from The Life and Adventures of Catiepoo.   She homeschools her children and teaches English As A Second Language.

Your name: Cathy

A short bio:  I am a homeschooling mom to a 13 year old son and 11 year old daughter as well as a wife of 21 years, an adult ESL teacher, a border collie momma, friend and so much more.  I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2004 and began working with a naturopath who opened my mind to the possibilities of how food can affect our body.  Being gluten free hasn’t removed rheumatoid arthritis from my life, but it has definitely made it easier.

1.How long have you been eating gluten free? Since November 2004

2. How did you discover that you were gluten intolerant? I removed it from my diet for an extended period of time and then tried it out again.  Each time I have tried gluten my joints and digestion are both soon inflamed.

3. What were your most prominent symptoms? Joint inflammation

4. Do you have an official diagnosis of Celiac Disease? No.

5. How long did it take for your major symptoms to disappear when you started on a gluten free diet? It took about a year for the symptoms to settle down.

6. Do you have allergies or intolerances to other foods? Sugar and dairy.

7. Are other members of your family gluten intolerant? My son and daughter went 100% gluten free for two years kind of as an experiment.  My daughter’s eczema that she has dealt with since she was six weeks old disappeared.  When she brought some gluten back into her diet, the eczema returned.  She is now gluten free and eczema free again.

8. What do you miss the most since starting to eat gluten free?

Pizza.  No, really it isn’t actually the food that I miss eating because I have found so many yummy gluten free foods (even homemade pizza crust) I can make myself, but what I miss is the convenience of not worrying about whether gluten is in the food I don’t prepare myself.   I miss just going to a restaurant and ordering whatever I want.

9. What is the hardest part for you about eating gluten free? Being prepared.  If I know I am going to be out of the house for any extended amount of time, I always pack a meal or bring snacks.

10. What is your favorite restaurant? The first time I went to Da Lucianos I got tears in my eyes when I saw the menu.  They offer a complete gluten free menu.  Just seeing the menu so full of gluten free foods was a treat.  I don’t go often since it is a 45 minute drive and the foods contain dairy, but for my birthday it is a wonderful gift.   This Italian restaurant is small and our first visit the owner came to our table to hear my gluten free story and had me sign in on her gluten free guest book.  One visit we were there late and they gave us free gluten free tiramisu to take home.  A lovely, lovely place that should be visited if ever in the Chicago area.

*How have family/friends/strangers reacted to being gluten free? My family has been extremely supportive, even if they don’t always understand the road I am traveling.  In fact, after my success on a gluten free diet, two family members also tried a gluten free diet with success!  When I visit my dad and stepmom, they lay out all the ingredients for me to check before they start cooking.  When family visits and we go out to eat, they make sure there is something on the menu for me or we don’t go.  We have experienced the same thing with friends.  We offer to bring our own food to their homes ,but they read and find out what we can eat and provide for us.  We have been very fortunate.  Having support makes this road so much easier.

Although we have never been harassed about being gluten free as I know some friends have experienced, we are always surprised that some acquaintances and strangers act as if we are depriving our children by not feeding them gluten.  Many people seem to believe it is a rite of passage for children to fill up on junk foods and they are being deprived without.  I disagree. There are many choices for healthier options for our children that will nourish them and provide them with healthy adulthoods.  I believe my family is worth the time, energy, and money that goes into providing snacks and meals that don’t include preservatives, artificial colorings, gluten and high amounts of sugar.

Advice for someone new to a gluten free diet: Realize that the more you learn about a gluten free diet the healthier your choices will become.  First it will be all about gluten and then you will find yourself learning so much more about the foods you eat and how they affect your body.

*Favorite gluten free recipe: Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Muffins.  This recipe has been adapted from the Basic Chocolate Cake recipe found in Special Diet Celebrations by Carol Fenster.  This is a recipe that is asked for at our home by gluten free and gluten eating friends.

Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Muffins

½ cup brown rice flour
½ cup potato starch (I use ½ cup quinoa flour)
¼ cup tapioca flour
½ cup cocoa powder (not dutch)
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
¾ teaspoon salt
1 cup brown sugar (I use 2/3 cup maple syrup and add ¼ tsp baking soda)
2 teaspoons gf vanilla extract
½ cup milk (I use coconut milk)
½ cup butter (sometimes I use coconut oil instead)
1 large egg
¾ cup hot water
Large handful of gf chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray or oil a muffin tin.  Place all ingredients except hot water in a large bowl and blend.   Add hot water and blend.  Add chocolate chips.  Pour into prepared muffin tin (12 muffins).
Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Who wants to be next?

Today I am introducing Mike from Gluten Free Mike. He was the first one to respond to my query of gluten free folks to participate in my new bloggy feature, Gluten Free and Loving It.

Your name: Gluten Free Mike

Gluten Free MIke

A short bio: I am a professional living in New York City.  I hold my Ph.D. (ABD) and am currently putting the finishing touches on my dissertation.  I have lived abroad for extended periods of time and have traveled the globe extensively.  I was diagnosed with Celiac disease in 2003 and soon thereafter suddenly became severely allergic to all shellfish (my Epi-Pen is never far away).  Needless to say, traveling and dining out always proves interesting and yes, in the beginning was downright overwhelming.  Yet, over time, and through trial and error, my dietary restrictions have become intertwined with who I am and do not hinder my enjoyment of food and new experiences.

1.How long have you been eating gluten free? Since 2003.

2. How did you discover that you were gluten intolerant? I had always had what everyone, myself included, referred to as a “funny tummy”. I remember my mother saying that she would have to make my baby food from scratch because off-the-shelf versions did not react well with my digestive system. My food allergies would continue through adolescence where I would be allergic to various food preservatives over time that seemed to cause reactions of varying types.

In my teenage years through college and graduate school I was always exceedingly thin. I remember being a consistent 28” waist with my weight hovering in the 150-155 range. I looked skeletal and could not understand how everyone else around me, particularly at college, was adding the freshman 10-15 pounds from all of the poor eating choices, late nights, and partying. I always had regular physicals with my family doctor and nothing ever showed up. I chalked it all up to having a speedy metabolism and thought it great that I could wear sample sizes off the rack, eat and drink whatever I wanted and not have to worry about gaining an ounce. In hindsight I remembered having intestinal reactions of varying severity after meals or hitting the bars.

I also lived abroad for extended periods and travelled the world extensively and my “funny tummy” always managed to come along for the ride. I tried everything to alleviate my symptoms but not knowing the exact cause made it a challenge.

While I enjoyed eating literally anything in any quantity, I did not realize that I was slowly destroying my digestive system and jeopardizing my permanent ability to properly absorb nutrients. Also, not knowing what would cause a reaction made going out annoying because I never knew when a reaction would strike. I have been everywhere from alleys in China to Egypt to the opera when the infamous “reaction” kicked in. Needless to say it was not fun.

3. What were your most prominent symptoms?

While the severity of my symptoms tended to vary, the one thing that remained constant was a horrible pain that lasted for hours.  The worst part was that I never really knew when an attack would strike.  I was also extremely thin and could not understand while I was eating constantly why I would never put on weight.  Thinking back, all of the typical Celiac symptoms were there but at the time it was really not something that people or physicians were as aware of as they are today.

4. Do you have an official diagnosis of Celiac Disease? Yes, but it was a long road getting there.  Celiac mimics so many other digestive disorders and that coupled with the lack of knowledge and education on the disease at the time made arriving at Celiac a long journey.

5. How long did it take for your major symptoms to disappear when you started on a gluten free diet? It probably sounds like a cliché but I noticed a difference immediately.  I would no longer get sick after almost every meal but it would take many months to a year before everything returned to normal.

6. Do you have allergies or intolerances to other foods? I do.  Actually, not long after my Celiac diagnosis, I suddenly became allergic to all shellfish – something that I have loved until I ended up in the Emergency Room one evening.  Not knowing exactly what caused the reaction I soon figured out the culprit.  A visit to an allergist and testing yielded an allergy to ALL types of shellfish, so severe that my allergist noted he had rarely seen such a severe reaction.  I cannot touch or even be near shellfish being prepared and even had a reaction from the steam coming of a neighboring diner’s steaming mussels while dining out.  Also, cross-contamination from prep or frying (remember many places use the same oil) caused reactions while I was still learning the nuances of this allergy.

7. Are other members of your family gluten intolerant? No.

8. What do you miss the most since starting to eat gluten free? You know, I honestly do not miss anything from a food standpoint.  We have come such a long way in a relatively short time that I have found replacements for all of my favorite items.  That being said, I do miss the convenience factor that non-Celiacs enjoy – being able to pretty much each whatever, whenever.  There have been times while traveling that I longed to be able to walk the streets and just pick up a crisp baguette loaded with fillings or just being able to pop into a restaurant or shop and not have to examine all the ingredients to find something safe to eat.

9. What is the hardest part for you about eating gluten free? It definitely is the convenience factor at times – particularly when far from home.  Being Celiac requires you to plan or think a bit more about snacks and meals.

10. What is your favorite restaurant? My favorite restaurant is The Four Seasons in my hometown of New York City.  You can read about my gluten-free experience on my Web site.  It is not a gluten-free locale but my how philosophy is that you can eat gluten-free pretty much anywhere you want and need not sacrifice quality.  My favorite gluten-free restaurant is Lili’s 57, also in N.Y.C. which has the most amazing gluten-free Chinese menu I have come across to date.

11. Do you have a favorite gluten free recipe to share? My favorite recipe is one that I developed after longing for a gluten-free chicken-fried option.  (You can check out other recipes from Mike at Gluten Free Mike )

Mike’s GF Chicken Fried Chicken

One of the things I missed most after being diagnosed with Celiac disease was texture.  That’s right, I thought my days of golden brown, crispy fried delicacies were long gone…boy was I wrong.  As you likely already know food is a side passion of mine.  My mother is a fantastic chef and has trained me well.  Now I love taking some of the classics that I grew-up with and loved and making them not only gluten-free, but making them taste like the originals.  Today I am going to share my delicious chicken cutlet “breading” with you.

Here is what you will need:
2lbs. thinly sliced chicken cutlets (nicely trimmed)
2 ½ - 3 cups corn starch
¼ cup garlic powder
1 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1 tsp. pepper
½ tsp. dry mustard
3-4 extra large eggs
Canola oil

Let’s get prepping:
Make sure that your cutlets are nicely trimmed and free of any fat.  I like to soak them for a bit in salt then rinse them thoroughly to remove any excess “gunk”.  Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat well.  A good trick is to add a splash of milk and cold water to help them better emulsify (it also helps stretch the eggs).

In a separate bowl mix the corn starch, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and dry mustard.  Mix the ingredients very well.

Take a cutlet and dip it into the egg, let the excess drip off and place it right into the corn starch mixture.  Coat it well.  Then return it to the egg mixture and once again to the corn starch mixture.  Again, coat it well and shake of the excess cornstarch.

Let’s get cooking:
On the stove have a large frying pan or pot filled ½ of the way with the canola oil.  This is deep frying at its finest so do not skimp on the oil.  I start it on High to get the oil up to temperature then after the first batch goes in move it down to just above Medium.

Place each breaded cutlet into the oil.  CAUTION: It will cause quite the sensation so be careful and add one cutlet at a time to avoid having the oil bubble over.  Tip: You should “bread as you go” because the cornstarch mixture, if left to set for any period, tends to get a bit goopey and that is never a good thing.

Fry the cutlets until they are a deep, rich brown – flipping often with a pair of tongs.  Remove the finished culets and place on a paper towel covered plate to drain.  Then transfer to a serving platter for service.  Continue the breading and frying process until you are finished.

These cutlets remind me of the wonderful chicken fried anything I used to love.  They are super crispy and flavorful.  I have served these to non-Celiac friends and family who rave about them and are amazed to find out there is no flour whatsoever.

These go so well with the old cutlets standbys of mashed potatoes and fresh corn with a nice side salad.  Paging Nostalgia!

12. What are your hobbies?

I love to travel and am also a private pilot so flying is a favorite pastime as well.  I love dining out, going to the theater, and opera.

13. Where did you go on your last gluten free vacation?

My last trip was to one of my all-time favorite places in the world – Montreux, Switzerland.  I never have a problem dining out while there and have never had a reaction.  I even manage to dine gluten-free on my international flights.  You can read about my experience on Continental Airlines on my recent trip to Switzerland on my blog.

14. How has eating gluten free changed your life for the better?

The major thing is that my digestive system is now functioning properly and I believe that any previous damage done has well resolved itself.  I also have had a new found freedom because I no longer have to worry that a reaction is going to occur at an inopportune moment.  There is a great sense of control that was not there prior to my diagnosis.  I know what I need to avoid to enjoy a full and fabulous life.

You can learn more about Mike and his gluten free life at  Gluten Free Mike
If you have been eating a gluten free diet for at least a year, and would like to be featured here, contact me for more information.