My biggest news this week is that I just adopted a new dog. My new boy's name is Zeke and he came from Best Friends Animal Society in Utah. He is a hound mix, not a golden retriever like Luke is. When I volunteered at Best Friends earlier in the month, Zeke was one of our sleepover dogs. He is 12 years old, a senior boy, and the sweetest friendliest old guy. His former owners had left him at Animal Control in Los Angeles (which is fortunately a no-kill shelter). Zeke had a number of health issues, including being quite overweight, needing to visit the doggie dentist, and having arthritis in his hips and knees, and Best Friends made sure he got the care he needed. After I came home from Utah, I kept thinking (and worrying about Zeke), so I contacted Best Friends about him, and the short version of the story is that he traveled via United Airlines to Chicago last Friday. He has been with us for a week and is settling in. He is still learning the household routine and establishing boundaries with Luke and Teddy (like letting them know when they are getting too close when Zeke is eating).
I often need chicken stock or broth for recipes and was quite surprised to learn that not all commercially available stocks and broths are gluten free. You need to read the label, and unless it specifically states that the stock or broth is gluten-free, assume that it has gluten in it or was made in a factory that also processes wheat. Even some of the organic brands contain gluten. Aldi, Trader Joe and Costco's Kirkland brand of stock or broth all state on the label that they are gluten-free.
Of course, the best chicken stock is the homemade kind. Not only do you know for sure that it's gluten free, it's delicious! You can also control the amount of salt in the recipe. The recipe for slow cooker chicken stock is based on my grandmother's chicken stock recipe, except she used to simmer the stock on the stovetop. When she would roast a chicken on Sundays, she would pick as much meat as she could off the bones and save the carcass, the neck, the back, and the drippings from the roasting pan for chicken stock. She would scrape everything into a big kettle, add vegetables and water, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and let it all simmer for hours. Making the stock in the slow cooker means I can turn the slow cooker on when I leave for work and come home to at least a half gallon of hot chicken stock and a house that smells like heaven. Since you're working from cooked bones, there is no foam to have to skim off the top like there is when you make broth from raw chicken. This method works well with turkey bones, too, so don't throw out that Thanksgiving turkey carcass (note that turkey stock is usually fattier than chicken stock). The dogs absolutely LOVE a ladle of warm stock over their kibble. Enjoy as is with vegetables and/or cooked rice, or in recipes.
Slow Cooker Chicken Stock:
1 chicken carcass or the bones from 4 chicken breasts or leg quarters, with cooked skin and roasting pan drippings
1 large onion, peeled and cut into eighths
2 carrots, washed or peeled and cut into four pieces
2 celery ribs, washed and cut into four pieces
1 t. salt
5 peppercorns
1 T. dried parsley
water
Place all ingredients except water into the crock of your slow cooker. Add enough water to cover everything and stir to mix ingredients. Water should be about 1/2 inch from the top of the crock. Cover, plug in, and turn on low setting. Allow to cook for 8-10 hours - don't lift the lid while the stock is cooking, as this will just add to the cooking time. You can let the stock cook for up to 14 hours, since the slow cooker heat is so low and even.
When the stock is finished, allow it to cool slightly. If you have the lift-out kind of crock on your slow cooker, remove the crock and place it on a cooling rack for about an hour. Strain the stock into a large storage container or a 3-quart stockpot. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove and discard any fat that has hardened on top. If the stock has jelled, it will liquify as soon as you heat it. Makes 2-3 quarts of chicken stock.
Showing posts with label gluten-free diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gluten-free diet. Show all posts
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Wheat Belly Wednesday - Week #3
It was a good second week – I lost another 2 lbs. and felt great. On Sunday morning, I tried a recipe for almond flour pancakes, and they were wonderful, very much like regular wheat flour pancakes (the recipe is toward the bottom of this post).
But after two weeks of wheat-free eating, like everyone else, I wondered if eliminating wheat was really the reason I was feeling so well, or was it just that I was eating almost entirely whole or real food? Secretly, I thought all those people who said they got sick when they ate a sandwich after eating wheat-free for a while were just a bunch of wusses, and that it was all in their heads. So I ate a couple of big slices of thick crust pizza with a glass of wine, a normal dinner for me before Wheat Belly. (And it was delicious.)
I can’t believe how SICK I was.
It started with an almost instantaneous headache right after I finished eating, followed by mild heartburn. I thought, “not so bad,” took some aspirin and went to bed. I woke up at 3:30 a.m. with killer acid reflux and severe gastro-intestinal distress and barely made it to the bathroom. Not to be too graphic, I think my colon was as clean as it was when I went for my colonoscopy. I took a couple of Immodiums, went to work, and made it through the day, but all I could focus on was going home. When I finally did make it home, I took care of my dogs, put on my pajamas, and went to bed – I think it was around 7 p.m. Not going to do that again for a long while.
On to the wheat-free pancake recipe: I found this on Amazon.com. A nice man named Robert Burton Robinson included it as part of his 5-star review of Wheat Belly. The pancakes are made with almond flour, and they have both the taste and texture of regular wheat flour pancakes. Almond flour isn’t cheap, so I’m not going to be making these more than once a week. Red Mill Almond Flour was $11.99 at my local grocery store. I found it cheaper online at nuts.com, just $6.99/pound, but since they use 2nd day shipping, it was almost as expensive as buying it locally (which makes sense, since it's a food product and you don’t want those boxes sitting around for days and days for some little critter to get at). Since I was also ordering coconut flour and gluten-free cornstarch, I decided to order from nuts.com anyway. The almond flour IS cheaper if purchased in larger quantities – the price drops to $6.59/pound if you buy the 5 lb. size and the shipping is the same, so including the shipping, it comes out to about $8.40/pound. I think they sell even larger quantities. Since it is pure ground almonds, I am storing the almond flour in the freezer so it doesn’t get rancid. I bought the bleached almond flour but may try the natural almond flour next time I order. (Re the gluten-free cornstarch – yes, I know it raises your blood sugar as much as wheat, but I need something to thicken gravy a little. I used two tablespoons mixed with water to thicken a huge pot of stew – I figured out it added 2 grams of carbs per serving to what was otherwise an almost no-carb meal.)
Almond flour pancakes:
1 c. almond flour
2 eggs
¼ c. + 2 T. water
2 T. oil (I used coconut oil – warm in microwave until it liquifies)
1 t. baking powder
Place all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and stir until combined into a batter. If the batter is too thick to pour, stir in a little more water. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat; grease lightly with butter or coconut oil if desired. When the skillet is hot, pour 1/3 of the batter (about 1/3 cup) into the hot skillet; cook about 2-3 minutes until the top is bubbly, the edges appear dry, and the bottom is golden brown. Turn and repeat with the other side. Remove from pan to a serving plate to keep warm while you cook the remaining batter. Makes three 6” pancakes (2 servings).
To serve, I cut the pancakes in half and arranged three halves on a sandwich plate and topped them with a little butter. I have not been able to find a sugar-free pancake syrup that I like, so I warmed a couple of tablespoons of sugar-free apricot preserves in the microwave until it liquefied and spooned 1 tablespoon of preserves over each serving. I cooked a couple of breakfast sausages to go with each plate – yes, I know they’re bad for you but it was Sunday morning. Enjoy!
But after two weeks of wheat-free eating, like everyone else, I wondered if eliminating wheat was really the reason I was feeling so well, or was it just that I was eating almost entirely whole or real food? Secretly, I thought all those people who said they got sick when they ate a sandwich after eating wheat-free for a while were just a bunch of wusses, and that it was all in their heads. So I ate a couple of big slices of thick crust pizza with a glass of wine, a normal dinner for me before Wheat Belly. (And it was delicious.)
I can’t believe how SICK I was.
It started with an almost instantaneous headache right after I finished eating, followed by mild heartburn. I thought, “not so bad,” took some aspirin and went to bed. I woke up at 3:30 a.m. with killer acid reflux and severe gastro-intestinal distress and barely made it to the bathroom. Not to be too graphic, I think my colon was as clean as it was when I went for my colonoscopy. I took a couple of Immodiums, went to work, and made it through the day, but all I could focus on was going home. When I finally did make it home, I took care of my dogs, put on my pajamas, and went to bed – I think it was around 7 p.m. Not going to do that again for a long while.
On to the wheat-free pancake recipe: I found this on Amazon.com. A nice man named Robert Burton Robinson included it as part of his 5-star review of Wheat Belly. The pancakes are made with almond flour, and they have both the taste and texture of regular wheat flour pancakes. Almond flour isn’t cheap, so I’m not going to be making these more than once a week. Red Mill Almond Flour was $11.99 at my local grocery store. I found it cheaper online at nuts.com, just $6.99/pound, but since they use 2nd day shipping, it was almost as expensive as buying it locally (which makes sense, since it's a food product and you don’t want those boxes sitting around for days and days for some little critter to get at). Since I was also ordering coconut flour and gluten-free cornstarch, I decided to order from nuts.com anyway. The almond flour IS cheaper if purchased in larger quantities – the price drops to $6.59/pound if you buy the 5 lb. size and the shipping is the same, so including the shipping, it comes out to about $8.40/pound. I think they sell even larger quantities. Since it is pure ground almonds, I am storing the almond flour in the freezer so it doesn’t get rancid. I bought the bleached almond flour but may try the natural almond flour next time I order. (Re the gluten-free cornstarch – yes, I know it raises your blood sugar as much as wheat, but I need something to thicken gravy a little. I used two tablespoons mixed with water to thicken a huge pot of stew – I figured out it added 2 grams of carbs per serving to what was otherwise an almost no-carb meal.)
Almond flour pancakes:
1 c. almond flour
2 eggs
¼ c. + 2 T. water
2 T. oil (I used coconut oil – warm in microwave until it liquifies)
1 t. baking powder
Place all ingredients in a medium sized bowl and stir until combined into a batter. If the batter is too thick to pour, stir in a little more water. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat; grease lightly with butter or coconut oil if desired. When the skillet is hot, pour 1/3 of the batter (about 1/3 cup) into the hot skillet; cook about 2-3 minutes until the top is bubbly, the edges appear dry, and the bottom is golden brown. Turn and repeat with the other side. Remove from pan to a serving plate to keep warm while you cook the remaining batter. Makes three 6” pancakes (2 servings).
To serve, I cut the pancakes in half and arranged three halves on a sandwich plate and topped them with a little butter. I have not been able to find a sugar-free pancake syrup that I like, so I warmed a couple of tablespoons of sugar-free apricot preserves in the microwave until it liquefied and spooned 1 tablespoon of preserves over each serving. I cooked a couple of breakfast sausages to go with each plate – yes, I know they’re bad for you but it was Sunday morning. Enjoy!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Wheat Belly Wednesday - Week #2
This posting is certified to be gluten-free.
I successfully completed a whole week without gluten. I didn't even cheat on the weekend. In the past, on whatever diet plan I was on, the weekends were always sort of a "free" zone, where the diet didn't really count and I could eat outside of the plan. But since this is a different kind of plan, cutting out gluten instead of cutting calories to lose weight, I find I'm in a different mindset.
The positives:
- during my first week of gluten-free eating, I lost 6.5 lbs!
- I usually wasn't hungry between meals.
- the cravings for carbs and wheat products went away after the first few days.
- I was able to do about 95% of my grocery shopping at Aldi, so buying gluten-free whole food wasn't any more expensive than shopping for the processed foods that I used to buy. Aldi even carries 85% dark chocolate.
- I met friends for dinner at a Polish restaurant buffet and was able to eat gluten free. At first, when they suggested going there, I thought there was no way I would be able to go with them. But after I thought about it, I realized it was a good choice. There's a salad bar, plus there is always some kind of clear vegetable soup or broth. The buffet always has steamed vegetables, boiled and mashed potatoes, roast chicken and pork, and a carving station. The only foods I had to avoid were the dumplings, sauces, and gravy. The dessert section is very limited and nothing is very tempting. It was a delicious meal and a very successful evening.
- Wine spritzers are low in carbs, so I was able to enjoy a spritzer with dinner a few evenings (2 oz. white or red wine with about 12 oz. of sparkling water).
- there is no post-lunch slump in the middle of the afternoon - I have a ton of energy at work.
- best of all, I am sleeping wonderfully at night! For the past several months, I would fall asleep at my regular bedtime, then wake up about four hours later and often would not be able to get back to sleep. For the past ten days, I fall asleep and either stay asleep all night, or if I do wake up (to let the dog out, for example), I go right back to sleep until morning.
The negatives:
- I did wake up with a mild headache for the first few days.
- almost all processed foods contain wheat, so you have to read labels and shop mostly from the fresh food sections of the grocery store.
- more planning is required to stay on the plan, like figuring out what you will be eating the next day, and having gluten-free snacks available (things like cheese sticks, celery and natural peanut butter or spreadable cheese, gluten-free chicken broth, almonds).
- the first few days can be hard, between cravings and habit. I came home from work on the second day ready to eat a box of crackers, wrappers and cardboard box included. Having done really well during the day, I managed to stop and ask myself what I had in the house that I could snack on that was gluten-free since dinner wouldn't be ready for about 45 minutes. I made myself a wine spritzer, got a cheese stick (string cheese) and some almonds, and went and sat on the patio and took some deep breaths for about ten minutes. After my snack, I was able to go back in the house and cut up vegetables for a salad.
- eating out also requires planning - you have to think about the restaurant menu and what you can order (online menus are GREAT).
- it helps if you like to cook, since gluten-free eating is definitely easier at home. I have always done some cooking on weekends for evening meals during the coming week, so this is not a problem for me.
- I am sleeping great, but I had absolutely whacko dreams for a couple of nights, which I blame on wheat withdrawal.
I realize that it's not possible to sustain that level of weight loss and that I'm not going to lose another 6 lbs this week. But I am hoping to see continued weight loss over the coming weeks and months. I am also hoping that I will be able to get off the acid reflux pills permanently, although it may take 8-12 weeks. I have been looking at gluten-free recipes online and at the library, so maybe I will share some successful recipes in my postings.
I successfully completed a whole week without gluten. I didn't even cheat on the weekend. In the past, on whatever diet plan I was on, the weekends were always sort of a "free" zone, where the diet didn't really count and I could eat outside of the plan. But since this is a different kind of plan, cutting out gluten instead of cutting calories to lose weight, I find I'm in a different mindset.
The positives:
- during my first week of gluten-free eating, I lost 6.5 lbs!
- I usually wasn't hungry between meals.
- the cravings for carbs and wheat products went away after the first few days.
- I was able to do about 95% of my grocery shopping at Aldi, so buying gluten-free whole food wasn't any more expensive than shopping for the processed foods that I used to buy. Aldi even carries 85% dark chocolate.
- I met friends for dinner at a Polish restaurant buffet and was able to eat gluten free. At first, when they suggested going there, I thought there was no way I would be able to go with them. But after I thought about it, I realized it was a good choice. There's a salad bar, plus there is always some kind of clear vegetable soup or broth. The buffet always has steamed vegetables, boiled and mashed potatoes, roast chicken and pork, and a carving station. The only foods I had to avoid were the dumplings, sauces, and gravy. The dessert section is very limited and nothing is very tempting. It was a delicious meal and a very successful evening.
- Wine spritzers are low in carbs, so I was able to enjoy a spritzer with dinner a few evenings (2 oz. white or red wine with about 12 oz. of sparkling water).
- there is no post-lunch slump in the middle of the afternoon - I have a ton of energy at work.
- best of all, I am sleeping wonderfully at night! For the past several months, I would fall asleep at my regular bedtime, then wake up about four hours later and often would not be able to get back to sleep. For the past ten days, I fall asleep and either stay asleep all night, or if I do wake up (to let the dog out, for example), I go right back to sleep until morning.
The negatives:
- I did wake up with a mild headache for the first few days.
- almost all processed foods contain wheat, so you have to read labels and shop mostly from the fresh food sections of the grocery store.
- more planning is required to stay on the plan, like figuring out what you will be eating the next day, and having gluten-free snacks available (things like cheese sticks, celery and natural peanut butter or spreadable cheese, gluten-free chicken broth, almonds).
- the first few days can be hard, between cravings and habit. I came home from work on the second day ready to eat a box of crackers, wrappers and cardboard box included. Having done really well during the day, I managed to stop and ask myself what I had in the house that I could snack on that was gluten-free since dinner wouldn't be ready for about 45 minutes. I made myself a wine spritzer, got a cheese stick (string cheese) and some almonds, and went and sat on the patio and took some deep breaths for about ten minutes. After my snack, I was able to go back in the house and cut up vegetables for a salad.
- eating out also requires planning - you have to think about the restaurant menu and what you can order (online menus are GREAT).
- it helps if you like to cook, since gluten-free eating is definitely easier at home. I have always done some cooking on weekends for evening meals during the coming week, so this is not a problem for me.
- I am sleeping great, but I had absolutely whacko dreams for a couple of nights, which I blame on wheat withdrawal.
I realize that it's not possible to sustain that level of weight loss and that I'm not going to lose another 6 lbs this week. But I am hoping to see continued weight loss over the coming weeks and months. I am also hoping that I will be able to get off the acid reflux pills permanently, although it may take 8-12 weeks. I have been looking at gluten-free recipes online and at the library, so maybe I will share some successful recipes in my postings.
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