Julie and I had a wonderful time yesterday at the Portland Food Fair, we met some really special people and would like to thank everyone that stopped by to have some Appleicous Spice pancakes or Pumpkiny Spice pancakes. The reviews were terrific, with no sugar added in any form that was a hit to the guests. Even the kids loved them and came back for seconds.
So if you love apples and pumpkins try out some of these wonderfully spicy treats for the whole family. You can order your own dry mixes from out website or give us a call we will ship them right out.

Did you know that May is national Gluten Awareness month, and we will be posting little tidbits of helpful information throughout the month.

http://www.gluten.net/local-branches/oregon/mcminnville/2012%20Food%20Fair%20Mini-Ad.jpg

Check out this flyer and come see us there. Learn new things, hear great speakers, and taste new foods.

Very Good Mustard Sauce
1 cup mustard and 1 cup strawberry jam,
Simmer on low, cook Veinna Sausage in sauce and serve. Or you can dip your fried vegetables or meat in this sauce for a nice change.

Another Dill Dip for Fresh or Fried Vegetables
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dill weed or 2 tsp fresh dill weed
1 tbsp. minced green onion
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes

Mix well and chill overnight or at least 4 hours so the flavors can blend.

Guacamole Dip

2 ripe avacados
1 tbsp. lemon or lime juice
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tbsp. onion, chopped fine
1/4 tsp. chili powder
Dash of garlic powder

Blend all ingredients together with a mixer , Top with chopped tomatoes and Parmesan cheese.

Onion Dip

Blend: One 8 oz cream cheese
3/4 container 16 oz sour cream
Cut 4-5 green onions, fine
Season to taste with salt and pepper refrigerate over night.

I hope these time tested dips will bring a smile your family at your next gathering, or family dinner.

Take the time to have a fun dinner with your family once a week. Listening and talking while enjoying an evening meal will bring the family closer. Share thoughts and ideas, lift and support each other and above all else HAVE FUN! You’ll not regret it.

Blessings to all.

Fresh Chive Vegetable Dip

½ cup sour cream
8 oz. Cottage Cream, Low fat
4 tsp. Garlic powder
4 tsp. Onion powder
3 tbls. Minced fresh chives

Mix by hand until smooth, served with your fried or fresh vegetables.

Great News! you can now purchase local Giggles Gluten-free and Custom bakery products using your EBT/SNAP Cards. Just pre-order and I will get it delivered to the food hub for purchase.

ShopTheNorthwest.com/The NW Regional Food Hub

Starting tomorrow (Friday, April 6th) we will be able to accept EBT/SNAP benefits at the Hub for food purchases. Initially this will be a manual process (so a bit slower) and then, starting April 18th, we will be able to swipe cards making checkout much faster. We’re excited about being able to connect even more of our community to our local farmers and small producers!

What do nuts, olives, raspberries, yeast and beans have in common? They are high in Tyramine and can cause migraines in sensitive individuals. That is the same headache trigger that is found in red wine, blue cheese and chocolate.

20 years ago today, I was diagnosed with Gluten Intolerance. What a great day that was for me. My doctor took the time to listen to me and not just tell me my feelings were just in my head. After two seperate sets of tests sent to different labs, the results came back. I finally had an answer to the health issues that were plaguing me for years. Have very grateful I am and will always be to my doctor, he gave me my life back!
Most folks don’t understand the many different issues that come from GI/Celiac which mine became. My family was helpless in helping me, but stand behind me now that we know. I have been able to help others everyday with the knowledge and skills I have developed over the years. What a blessing Celiac is for me and my family. I have learned to enjoy lots of different grains that I most likely would not of tried, learned to bake and cook healthier, and read labels like a mad person. I have learned that most processed foods are not only full of wheat/soy/corn and barley products they are full sugars and salts that are harmful to the body.
I have also learned to trust my body and listen to it, when I eat something that has hidden gluten in it, I take steps to minimize the effects.
I also take the time to be active, my llamas need me to walk them, groom them, and play with them. I am able to enjoy my grandkids and take them camping with the these wonderful peaceful animals, and spend time with my friends. These animals take my special meals with us and allow me to eat well in the wilderness where only before freeze dried foods were available which can not be eaten on a gluten free diet.
So come on board! Enjoy the lifestyle, it is a blessing and a gift. There is hope and new strength given when you are beginning a GF lifestyle.
May the Lord bless each of you and give you the strength to change your eating habits, the courage to your families to support and encourage the changes needed.

“Check out my Community Education classes! http://communityed.ksd.org !”

I will be teaching two classes this time. Sign up and come and enjoy some great tasting food!

When I was diagnosed just 20 years ago on April 1, my dear doctor tested for these deficiencies and found such low levels that he had to test them twice. I was dying and there was proof of this. After, I was diagnosed he put me on several high strength vitamins and minerals supplements to boost those levels up, and I still take them now. I feel so much better now then then and know when I am low on the scale, I just don’t feel right.

My advise is get these things checked on a regular basis, and stay on top of the situations so that you can stay as healthy as possible.

This article was recently posted On the Gluten Free Society front page.
One of the biggest delays in healing that patients with gluten sensitivity face has to do with the deficiency of vitamins, minerals, and other dietary nutrients. Many doctors check their patients for iron deficiency, but fail to check other essential nutrients like vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, selenium, zinc, chromium, B-vitamins, etc. Failure to address nutritional deficiencies can lead to delayed healing and delayed response to a gluten free diet. The study below was conducted over a 10 year period and found that patients with a prior diagnosis of celiac disease had worse nutritional status even after following a strict gluten free diet.

Results: Coeliac patients showed a higher total plasma homocysteine level than the general population, indicative of a poor vitamin status. In accordance, the plasma levels of folate and pyridoxal 5″-phosphate (active form of vitamin B-6) were low in 37% and 20%, respectively, and accounted for 33% of the variation of the total plasma homocysteine level (P < 0.008). The mean daily intakes of folate and vitamin B-12, but not of vitamin B-6, were significantly lower in coeliac patients than in controls.
Conclusions: Half of the adult coeliac patients carefully treated with a gluten-free diet for several years showed signs of a poor vitamin status. This may have clinical implications considering the linkage between vitamin deficiency, elevated total plasma homocysteine levels and cardiovascular disease. The results may suggest that, when following up adults with coeliac disease, the vitamin status should be reviewed.

Research Resource:

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2002; 16: 1333–1339.

Well, I am about to launch two new products. I do hope you enjoy them as much as much as my testers do.
Introducing Xerox’s Batter Mix with a fruity blend of spices and Kira’s Spicy Batter Mix. These are great with vegetables or your favorite proteins. Now you can have onion rings, battered cheese curds or chicken fingers at your home!

These new products have a special ingredient that makes them right at home from the WA state Wine Country.

If you would like to have the spice blends as an addition to your spice cabinet let us know and we will have it available for sale.

Today was the half marathon in Richland, WA, it was wonderful to meet so many people. 12 states were represented and many were GI. I baked oatmeal cookies and brownies and every last one was taken. The next half marathons are in Yakima, WA and Forest Grove, OR, there maybe one in Edmonds, WA this fall, the organizers are working on that one.

Since, preparing for disasters is something that the community should do according to FEMA every household should have a two weeks worth of food stored. The ARC states that it takes about 72-96 hours to get things set up and truly running during a large disaster it is prudent and wise to have supplies for the GI person/s. The ARC doesn’t have a current plan to work with GI./diabetes or heart healthy meals, so it is best to have foods with you and your family that is suited for your health needs.
Celiac Disease: The Gluten-Free Prepping Challenge, by Geoff in Kentucky

In mid-2010 I began to suffer from some relatively severe digestive problems. After several months of discomfort, and many rounds of expensive medical tests, I finally received a confirmed diagnosis. I had Celiac Disease.

Celiac Disease is a digestive disorder that is greatly misunderstood. It is not a food allergy. It is an autoimmune disease in which the body’s immune system produces antibodies to a specific protein, gluten, that is found in the ordinary grains of wheat, rye, and barley. This protein adheres to the microscopic villi (fingerlike projections) in the small intestine. As the body’s immune system attacks the protein the intestinal wall is also attacked. This results in severe tissue damage, vitamin and iron deficiencies, and several forms of severe gastric distress.

Celiac Disease primarily affects people of northern European ancestry. It can present at any age. Young children with the disease often present with malnutrition and wasting. Later onset of the disease (as in my case) does not follow any particular pattern. Individuals may be under or overweight and demonstrate a vast array of possible symptoms. One receives a confirmed diagnosis only through a positive blood test (anti-TTG antibody) and a positive intestinal biopsy. Left untreated, this disease can lead to certain cancers and even complete destruction of the small intestine.

There is no drug to treat this disease, but the damage and symptoms are reversible. The simple treatment for the disease is to avoid all foods containing gluten. This eliminates every product containing any form of wheat, rye, or barley from the diet. Obviously, the gluten-free diet requires a radical change from the normal North American diet. It eliminates all ordinary bread and bakery products, as well as many other products that contain “hidden” sources of gluten. It also eliminates any foods that have come into contact with gluten products. Since only a microscopic amount of gluten can trigger an immune reaction, contamination can be a significant problem. [JWR Adds: Be careful! Even the small amount of gluten left over in a grain grinder when you switch to grinding a gluten-free grain can trigger a celiac response.]

If you suspect that you or one of your family members may suffer from Celiac Disease or gluten sensitivity or enteropathy, I highly recommend that you seek a good gastroenterologist and eliminate or confirm a diagnosis. Statistics vary from one study to another, and there is much debate in scientific circles, but many estimate that at least two million people in the United States suffer from some form of gluten intolerance. Some even suggest that as much as 15-20% of the population lack [full] tolerance for gluten.

I have been prepping and storing food for approximately three years. My initial reaction to the diagnosis was, “Great! So much for all of those wheat berries and pasta that I have in storage!” But after the initial shock I realized that the gluten free lifestyle and my intestinal health would not only affect my regular, daily diet. It would also have a dramatic impact upon my preps and survival food supply. Indeed, my wife and I had to make several careful, specific changes to our food storage approach.

Reflecting upon our changes over the past year, I recommend these steps for anyone who might choose to live a gluten free lifestyle.

1. Decide whether your home and preps will be partially or completely gluten free.
Some people with Celiac Disease convert their kitchens to completely gluten free facilities, and, thereby, include their families in the gluten free lifestyle.

I did not think that such an approach would be fair to my family, so ours is a partially/modified gluten free home. My wife and daughters (who have all been tested and are negative for the disease) continue to enjoy a relatively normal diet. I am the lone gluten free family member. Personally, I have no problem with that. It does, however, pose some difficulties. For instance, I must have my own tub of butter in the refrigerator (I cannot risk bread crumb contamination.) I also have my own toaster for gluten-free bread. On pasta nights we have gluten free for me and regular for everyone else. My family understands that utensils must be kept separate at meal times to avoid contaminating my food.

My wife has taken steps to make our daily meals (with the exception of breads/sandwiches) gluten free. For instance, she substitutes gluten free bread in various recipes that require bread crumbs. She makes batters and gravies with corn starch instead of flour. She avoids all “cream of” soups (all contain wheat flour) in any recipes. My daughters now spend extra time online locating adventurous gluten free recipes for the family. They’ve been terrific supporters throughout my dietary adjustments.

Gluten-free cooking is a “pain” sometimes, but it works for us.

My wife and I have discussed how we will approach our diet in the event that we come to depend upon our food preps. We agree that we will continue our modified/partial gluten free household. Difficult times are not times for fundamental cooking and diet changes. Indeed, we believe this fits well within the wisdom of “prep what you eat, eat what you prep.”
However, every household with a Celiac must make this fundamental decision … completely gluten free, or just partially gluten free?

2. Pay careful attention to all labels and ingredients.
Gluten is everywhere. You will be shocked to discover how many items contain gluten additives or contamination. Many times the culprit is wheat or wheat flour, but more and more I am finding that barley malt is a significant gluten additive.

Upon receiving my diagnosis, my first step was to go through all of my food stores and mark any items that contained gluten. These will still be useful food supplies for my family members, but strictly “hands-off” for me.

Again, you will be shocked at what you discover. Obviously, your wheat stores and pasta are gluten sources. Virtually all soups or dry soup mixes contain gluten additives, particularly the common “cream of” soups, which are typically thickened with wheat flour. Gluten is found in many, if not most, dry cereals. It is in some baked bean products. Most soy sauce is made from wheat, and is a major contaminant in many food items (i.e. sauces). Candy products are often contaminated. Gluten is even in some brands of chicken bullion!

The only way that you can avoid it is by reading and re-reading all labels. Obviously, careful examination of labels should become a focus of all of your future preps purchases. If you are in doubt about any product, check the company’s web site or contact the manufacturer. Most are happy to answer your questions about ingredients.

If you choose, as we did, to have a partially gluten free home, I recommend that you store the common gluten staples for your family (wheat, flour, pasta, etc…), but attempt to insure that all other side dishes and mixes are gluten free. This will cut down dramatically on cross-contamination and complications in preparation during difficult times.

3. Store copious amounts of gluten free staples.
Thank goodness that rice is still on the menu! Store it in great quantities. I have shifted my storage focus away from wheat and placed more emphasis upon rice, popcorn, oats, and gluten free pasta (made from corn).

Rice is already a key staple in our normal diet, and will continue to be so if and when we rely upon our food stores for survival. Popcorn is wonderful for grinding and making deep south, country corn bread. (More about that in a moment).

There has been much debate about oats in the literature and among “experts” on Celiac disease. Some claim that oats are usually contaminated with gluten at processing plants, and they recommend that Celiacs avoid it. Personally, I have never had a negative reaction to any oat products … even the cheap store brands. I usually eat oatmeal every other day or so. They are also excellent fillers and a great replacement for bread crumbs in meat recipes that call for crumbs (i.e. meat balls or meat loaf).

I purchase my gluten free pasta at a nearby mega-store. Thus far, I have only found it at one location. I typically clean out their shelves each time I visit the store (they tend to carry a limited amount). I simply store the pasta in five-gallon buckets with Gamma-Seal lids, and help myself whenever I need some. Like all gluten-free products, the cost is more than double typical wheat pasta. However, the taste and texture are great, and it is well worth the investment. Indeed, this is one area of your preps that you could, potentially, convert to fully gluten free. Everyone in your family will be satisfied with a gluten free pasta dish.

4. Grow your own gluten free food and preserve it.
There is no better way to insure the safety of your food supply than to grow your own products and preserve them. My family now has a small orchard right in our yard. We grow and can all of our own fruit products, including cherries, apples, pears, and blackberries. Our latest additions to the orchard are peach trees, plum trees, and blueberry bushes. We are still waiting for them to begin producing. In addition, we have a garden that gets a little bigger each year.

We can copious amounts of fresh fruits and jams/jellies/preserves every year. We also can our own fresh, organic juices. This year alone we preserved about fifty quarts of pear and apple cider (from one pear tree and one apple tree!). We also preserve many types of relishes, salsas, and ketchups. These home-canned goods are awesome food storage items, and make wonderful gifts for family members and friends.

5. Purchase a good grain grinder, and use it!
This past year I found a reconditioned and fully restored table mount grain grinder from the mid-1800’s on CraigsList and made a great deal. I’ve been using it faithfully ever since.
Since ordinary bread is officially off of my menu, I am forced to seek alternatives. One of my primary breads is good, old-fashioned southern corn bread. However, once again, you must be very careful about how you make corn bread. All corn meal mixes contain flour (that’s the “mix” part). You must have pure, gluten free corn meal. I have had much difficulty locating pure corn meal that I can trust. So now I just grind my own.

I have found that popping corn makes the sweetest, tastiest corn bread. I simply grind it and sift out the hulls. If I want a finer blend, I run the coarse ground through a smaller grinder. The finished product is perfect corn meal. I have discovered that plain yellow dent corn works just as well. I have a close friend who is an organic farmer. He has a corn crib full of yellow dent and gives me all I want. It’s not as tasty as the popcorn, but it works just as well.

The grinder is also useful in making home-mixed hot cereals. My organic farmer friend grows sorghum cane and cooks sorghum molasses every year. He gives me all of the sorghum seed that I want. Sorghum seed makes a fine flour replacement. It also makes a tasty whole grain addition to my home ground breakfast cereal mix. I make a mixture of one part ground sorghum, one part ground corn (or grits) and two parts ground rice to make an awesome gluten free breakfast mix. I just cook it up on the stovetop and mix whatever I want with it: brown sugar, maple syrup, fresh fruit, nuts, raisins, etc… It’s yummy!

If you do have wheat in storage and plan to use it for your other family members, you need to make sure you have a second grinder to use exclusively for wheat. You must not use your gluten free grinder to process wheat. I picked up an extra one while I was traveling in South America last year for a mere twenty dollars. It’s a good, heavy duty, daily use grinder. I just have it boxed up and stored for future wheat flour grinding.

Wrapping Up
If you’re like me, you will eventually grow tired of people asking you, “Can you eat this?” … or … “Can you eat that?” Especially when the item in question is obviously a non-gluten product. Most people have some difficulty understanding the etymology of the disease and the common sources of gluten. But with a little patience and education, the gluten free lifestyle eventually becomes “normal,” both for you and the loved ones who share your home.

Fresh, frozen, and canned vegetables are always gluten free and definitely on the menu! Also, fresh, frozen, and canned meats are still in play. The area where you must be careful is grain-based carbohydrates, baked goods, and food additives.

Obviously, I have only brushed the surface of what is involved in the gluten free lifestyle and gluten free prepping. It is a significant challenge. However, with a little planning and careful attention, anyone with gluten sensitivity can still prepare and store critical food supplies for an uncertain future.

Giggles will be attending this event, bringing in great tasting oatmeal cookies. Come and enjoy this wonderful event.
Open this pdf for more information. So far 600 people have registered to run or walk.

Tri-Cities Half Marathon .pdf

I hope you enjoy this wonderful soup anytime you feel like warming up!
In a large soup pot:

sauté 4 tablespoons of olive oil or coconut oil
1 medium organic onion
3 cloves of minced garlic
2 stalks of organic celery, sliced in ¼ inch pieces
3 medium organic carrots, sliced the same as the celery
2 small organic sweet potatoes (not yams)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
½ tsp. curry powder
½ tsp. dried mustard
8 cups water, organic chicken stock or vegetable stock
2 cans of plum tomatoes cut to bite size pieces
4 cups of white navy beans, if using canned beans drain and rinse the beans *
Salt and white pepper to taste

Bring to a boil for about 1 minute and let simmer for about 2 hours to finish cooking the veggies and allow flavors to blend. Serve with your favorite bread and salad.

The term “Natural” foods according to the FDA are “a product containing no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed. Minimal processing means that the product was processed in a manner that does not fundamentally alter the product.” This sounds very healthy to me.

www.homecookedhealthy.com
Home Cooked Healthy is a blog site with some really neat recipes and fun information. I hope you enjoy browsing as much as I have. You may even find a nice surprise within it’s pages.

For information on the Interpretive Center please see our website at www.visitthereach.org is have at Mardi Gras party and auction on Fat Tuesday, Feb 21st. Two cakes have been donated to help raise funds. One a light and delicious Lemon Chiffon Cake and the other a Chocolate Orange Truffle Cake.

This was sent to me after a follow up with a new client. This wonderful family ordered a half sheet cake to celebrate!

It was WONDERFUL! We all, especially the kids, enjoyed every bite! More than enough for all and no, I wouldn’t change a bit!
Thanks for everything!
Tera