I had an interesting conversation with John Day resident Sandy Bupp the other day. She is teaching a Gluten-Free Workshop at 6:30 p.m. Thursday Jan. 28, 2010, at the Blue Mountain Hospital conference room.
She'll cover the basics of wheat allergies and celiac disease and hopes to form a support group after the initial meeting.
Nine years ago Sandy was diagnosed with celiac disease.
Proteins found in wheat, rye and barley become toxic to a person with celiac disease and can cause damage to the intestine. The damage can eventually lead to a decreased absorption of nutrients and cause problems such as iron deficiency, anemia, decreased bone density unintentional weight loss folate and vitamin B12 deficiency.
The disease can strike people of any age.
Sandy said that in her early fifties she had a gagging cough and felt a narrowing in her throat at times.
A doctor performed an exam to see if there was an obstruction and to rule out cancer. The biopsy taken also tested for celiac disease which came back positive.
She said those with CD may also have stomach cramps, diarrhea or constipation. They also may “feel lousy and achy with flu-like symptoms,” she said. “You don’t feel like yourself.”
People with wheat allergies may experience watery eyes, hives, flushed cheeks and/or a swollen throat, she said.
She recalls getting the diagnosis:
“I didn’t feel like it was the end of the world. I said, ‘give me a cookbook and I’ll figure it out.’”
Since that time she’s discovered that the proteins she has to avoid are found in a wide variety of food and non-food products, including: some cheese colorings - not Tillamook she says - pork and beans, sauces, flavorings, even medicines, vitamins and lipsticks may have gluten in them.
Sandy says she’s eager to share the information she’s learned with others to enable them to find gluten-free or wheat-free products locally and at other stores, and to share recipes that she and her family and friends have come to enjoy over the years.
“It can be very inconvenient, but it’s doable,” she said.
For more information about the support group call Sandy at 541-575-0332.
Sandy shared the following recipes that she and her family enjoy. I tried one of the dinner rolls at her home - delicious! If you have a recipe to share or a comment to make I'd love to hear from you!
Dinner Rolls (Gluten-free)
These rolls are fashioned after traditional white dinner rolls. Because they are baked in a muffin tin, they look a lot like popovers. They are mild, very light and will probably surprise you because they are so good. Let them cool a minute or two after taking them from the oven.
Ingredients:
4 Tbsp. shortening
3 Tbsp. honey
2 eggs
1 packet yeast (about 1 Tbsp.)
1 C. sour cream
½ C. potato starch
1 C. cornstarch
½ tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. xanthan
¾ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. vinegar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Combine all ingredients. Mix well to remove all lumps. The dough will be quite wet. Wet hands to handle dough. Take about ¼ C. of dough and shape into a ball. Drop into greased baking tin. Repeat until all dough is used. Bake 18-20 minutes, until brown and toothpick inserted in the middle tests clean.
Calories 222
From “The Gluten-Free Kitchen” by Roben Ryberg
Raspberry Chocolate Pancakes
These pancakes are no ordinary pancakes, they are a feast fit for a King!
Ingredients:
1/2 C. rice flour
1/2 C. corn flour
1/2 C. tapioca flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg beaten
3/4 C. milk
1 Tbsp. oil
1 C. raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1/2 C. chocolate chips
Directions:
Thoroughly mix rice flour, corn flour, tapioca flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
In a separate bowl mix egg with milk and oil. Pour this wet mix into flour mixture and beat only until blended.
Add the raspberries and chocolate chips to the mix and combine. Use 2 tablespoons of batter for each pancake.
Spoon onto lightly greased griddle, flipping only once. Goes great with maple syrup.
Contributed by Angie Halten
Found at http://www.glutenfreeclub.com
Peanut-Butter Cookies
Here is an easy, tasty peanut butter cookie recipe. I personally like to toss in a few semisweet chocolate chips when I make these cookies, but they’re quite tasty with no chips.
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. shortening
1/3 C. peanut butter
¼ C. sugar
½ C. brown sugar
¼ C. oil
1 egg
¾ C. potato starch
1 C. cornstarch
1 tsp. xanthan gum
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. water
(There is no baking powder or baking soda in this recipe)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well.
Shape a slightly rounded teaspoonful of dough into a small ball. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Press tops of each cookie with tines of a fork to create traditional grid pattern.
Bake approximately 9 minutes, until tops of cookies are no longer shiny and bottoms are lightly browned. Calories 76
This recipe is from “The Gluten-Free Kitchen” by Roben Ryberg
English Muffins (Gluten Free)
Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. shortening
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ C. water
1 packet yeast (about 1 Tbsp.)
½ C. milk
3/4 C. potato starch
1 1/4 C. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. oil
½ tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. xanthan gum
1/4 tsp. vinegar
For tops and bottoms:
2 Tbsp. cornmeal (optional, but very helpful)
Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine shortening and sugar. Mix well. To sugar mixture, add water and yeast. Stir well to dissolve yeast. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well to remove all lumps.
Preheat griddle or large frying pan to low/medium heat. Grease muffin rings* and pan. Place rings on pan. Sprinkle a bit of cornmeal where the base of the ring meets the pan. Pour about 1/3 C. better into each ring. Sprinnkle a bit of cornmeal on top of each muffin. When lightly browned, only a few minutes, turn muffin over. Once browned on both sides, lift ring to see that sides of muffin are cooked. If not, allow to cook a few minutes more. Remove muffin from pan and allow to cool completely.
If you like nooks and crannies, it is good to pull muffins apart with two forks back to back. Otherwise, just store in refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. Makes 6-8 muffins. Serves 6.
* If you cannot find muffin rings, cut the top and bottom off a pineapple or water chestnut can.
Calories 274
Protein 1 g
Fat 9 g
Fiber 2 g
Sodium 387 mg
Cholesterol 2 mg
Carbohydrate 47 g
