Archive for the ‘gluten-free’ tag
Celiac disease: gluten-free existence
Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that affects 1 out of every 133 people. The trigger for Celiac sufferers is gluten. Eating gluten “creates an immune-mediated toxic reaction that causes damage to the small intestine and does not allow food to be properly absorbed.”
Celiac disease forces a gluten-free existence upon those who are diagnosed with it. Celiac disease is enormously different from gluten intolerance as gluten causes a celiac sufferers own body to attack itself. It’s not about intolerance to gluten, it’s about survival.
Symptoms of Celiac Disease May Include One or More of the Following:
via Celiac Disease Foundation
- Recurring bloating, gas, or abdominal pain
- Chronic diarrhea or constipation or both
- Unexplained weight loss or weight gain
- Pale, foul-smelling stool
- Unexplained anemia
- Bone or joint pain
- Behavior changes/depression/irritability
- Vitamin K Deficiency
- Fatigue, weakness or lack of energy
- Delayed growth or onset of puberty
- Failure to thrive (in infants)
- Missed menstrual periods
- Infertility male & female
- Spontaneous miscarriages
- Canker sores inside the mouth
- Tooth discoloration or loss of enamel
What’s interesting to me is that most of the recipes that I make on a consistent basis are gluten-free: Polenta chili, Ground nut stew, Tomato soup, Sweet potato bisque and Chickpea and spinach soup.
Resources for people with Celiac Disease:
- “How Celiac Disease Works“
- Gluten-Free Girl
- The Expense of Eating With Celiac Disease
- Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University Medical Center
- Celiac Chicks
- Celiac Disease Foundation
- Center for Celiac Disease Research: University of Maryland School of Medicine
- Celiac Disease Insights: Clues to Solving Autoimmunity
Delayed onset and the future of Celiac Disease:
People with celiac disease are born with a genetic susceptibility to it. So why do some individuals show no evidence of the disorder until late in life? In the past, I would have said that the disease process was probably occurring in early life, just too mildly to cause symptoms. But now it seems that a different answer, having to do with the bacteria that live in the digestive tract, may be more apt.
These microbes, collectively known as the microbiome, may differ from person to person and from one population to another, even varying in the same individual as life progresses. Apparently they can also influence which genes in their hosts are active at any given time. Hence, a person whose immune system has managed to tolerate gluten for many years might suddenly lose tolerance if the microbiome changes in a way that causes formerly quiet susceptibility genes to become active. If this idea is correct, celiac disease might one day be prevented or treated by ingestion of selected helpful microbes, or “probiotics.”
Bonus: Recently on an episode of Top Chef Masters, the chefs were tasked with creating a gluten-free entree. Michael Chiarello’s quinoa spaghetti with salsa verde and pine nut gremolata was the winning gluten-free dish:
Update: Gluten-free and Celiac Disease resources in Corvallis, Oregon
Recipe – Polenta chili
Polenta Chili:
makes 4 servings
Polenta Chili Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
2 to 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 to 4 teaspoons fresh oregano, minced
2 cups vegetable broth
1 (16 ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, juices included
3 to 5 tablespoons canned diced mild green chilies, drained
1/2 tablespoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup polenta or coarse-ground yellow cornmeal
Shredded cheddar cheese (optional topping)
Recipe – Chickpea and Spinach Soup
Chickpea and Spinach Soup serves 4:
Ingredients:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)
1/4 cup smooth natural peanut butter
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 14-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 oz. spinach, chopped (about 2 cups)
Recipe – Tomato Soup
Here’s a slightly modified recipe for tomato soup…
2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 medium red onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
6 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 Tbs.)
1 14-oz. can organic diced tomatoes with sweet onion
1 14-oz. can organic plain tomato sauce
4 oz. silken tofu, mashed (about 2/3 cup)
1 low-sodium vegetable bouillon cube
1/2 cup couscous
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbs. chopped fresh oregano
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil
2 chopped tomatoes
Recipe – Sweet Potato Bisque
Via the Vegetarian Times…
Sweet Potato Bisque with Shiitake Mushrooms
Serves 6 –The earthy flavors of wild mushrooms add depth and richness to this creamy soup.
6 Tbs. unsalted butter
3 medium-sized carrots, peeled and diced
1 large yellow onion, peeled and chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable stock
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 herb bundle (about 30 stems fresh parsley and 6 to 10 stems fresh thyme)
5 oz. shiitake mushrooms, wiped clean, stems and caps separated
1 cup tomato purée
6 scallions, trimmed and finely minced
1/2 cup heavy cream, or more to taste
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne, or to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Recipe – Ground Nut Stew
It’s open source recipe time…one of my favorite stews is this recipe for ground nut stew. The ingredients combine to make a tasty dish. I would recommend serving it over couscous.
Ground Nut Stew
- 2c chopped onion
- 2T peanut or vegetable oil
- ½ tsp cayenne
- 1tsp minced garlic
- 2c chopped cabbage
- 3c cubed sweet potatoes (1 in cubes)
- 3c tomato juice
- 1c apple or apricot juice
- 1tsp salt
- 1tsp minced ginger root
- 3T cilantro
- 2 chopped tomatoes
- 1½ -2c chopped okra
- ½ c peanut butter
