1) I've always dealt with just a touch of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)...never officially diagnosed...but since I decreased how much pasta and bread I've been eating when I went on my diet last year - I've have a MARKED decrease in my symptoms. Is this a gluten sensitivity??? Don't know for sure...but I wouldn't be surprised...
2) Kendall... She was tested for celiac disease and was negative - but I don't know if they tested her for a gluten sensitivity. My hope - is that doing a gluten-free or gluten-light diet for her will not only help with her symptoms of encopresis, but also help with her ADHD (which was officially diagnosed with and started treatment for about 4 months ago). Unfortunately - it appears that Kendall's ADHD symptoms are getting worse...not better (we meet with her psychiatrist Tuesday to consult on this). I really don't want to continue bumping up her medicine IF the simple (well...not really simple) act of changing her diet will help her.
I do not know that changing our diet will help...it may not do a darn thing except deplete our bank account (GF foods are way more expensive). BUT it is worth a try - especially if it means our daughter will be helped.
So...back to a month ago - I decided I would start trying the transition. I have a good friend that has had her whole family on a GF diet for the last 4 years, and she herself has been GF for 4 months. I started there...she gave me a BUNCH of recipes that they have tried and also some advice (i.e. order some of the flours, etc. online - much cheaper). She will continue to be my sounding board I'm sure. Well...my thinking of starting the transition also came at a time of a LOT of travel for myself and the family. We have finally been back home with no travels for a few weeks...so Jeff reminded me that we needed to get started (especially with the kids lunches). Last night we sat down and looked at our calendar over the next week and actually planned our meals for every night this week. This way we can be as good as possible with the GF (and not make something last minute or order/eat out and risk the GF). I also have a list going of GF lunch ideas for the kids...think "bento boxes". Not typical sandwich and chips lunches anymore... Here is my list for school lunch ideas (keep in mind I have VERY picky eaters):
1/2 Grilled Cheese (made with GF bread)
Waffle Sandwich (using GF frozen Vans Waffles)
Lunch meat roll ups (my plan is to roll them up, cut them, and put on a bamboo skewer)
Boiled Egg (???)
Deviled Egg (??? - not sure if my kids will eat them...)
Hot dog (heated up in the morning, wrapped in tin-foil or a corn tortilla maybe? and put in a thermos to keep warm)
Spinach salad with sliced strawberries and a balsamic dressing (Kendall will eat this...probably not Carson)
Fruit Kabobs (cut up fruit and tread on a bamboo skewer)
Fruit Roll-ups or Fruit gushers
Popcorn
Chex Mix
GF Rice Krispy Treat
Ants on a log (w/ Sunbutter - their school is peanut free)
Pickles
Stick/string/cubed cheese
Go-gurts, yogurts
Rice cakes (plain/flavored, or spread with Sunbutter or cream cheese)
Applesauce
Carrots (alone or grated and mixed with cream cheese for spread and dip...IF my kids will eat it)
Cucumber slices (??? - will they eat it??)
Apple sandwiches (core and peel the apple, slice into 4 circles, and spread two of them with peanut butter and raisins (maybe...), and make them sandwiches)
Breakfasts seem challenging to at first thought...but here is a list of ideas we have for breakfasts:
Scrambled Eggs
Bacon
Fruit smoothie
GF blueberry muffins (recipe below)
GF Pancakes (using GF Bisquick mix - make ahead on weekend, freeze, and heat up as needed during the week)
GF Cereal (Chex has a HUGE variety that my kids seem to like, Rice Krispy's has a GF brand now)
Fruit, fruit, fruit
So after church today - I cleaned out a lot of our pantry. If it wasn't open and would save - it was put into a big box in the garage (so that if we find out a GF diet doesn't help at all - we don't have to go spend a bunch of money replenishing our pantry. If the GF diet DOES work for us - then I can donate the items to a local food pantry). If it was open and was something that was rarely eaten, then I just threw it out (was probably stale anyway...). If it was open and was something that we would go through within the next few weeks (i.e. cereals) then I kept it in the pantry. Then I went to the grocery store...
The biggest thing I'm taking away from this is reading the back of all foods. Wow. I'm amazed at what all has wheat/gluten in them! It is in just about EVERYTHING! Especially the processed foods that we tend to feed our kids... This is why I'm starting their lunches GF from day one...and trying to make it fun (like the kabobs, etc.) - hopefully they will never notice a difference.
Anyway - as promised - here is link to a recipe I found online for GF Blueberry Muffins (and the substitutions I used).
Erin McKenna's Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins
In the recipe she calls for agave nectar - I used honey. She also calls for coconut oil - I used vegetable oil (may not have been correct...but seemed to have worked). Here is a picture of the final product:
Now - I will say flat out that I am not a Blueberry Muffin fan - but my husband and kids are. I let them try one today (if they weren't good...then I wouldn't be counting on them for breakfast in the morning). Jeff and Kendall said they were really good (Jeff said his favorite part is that it wasn't coated in sugar on the top like most are). Carson (my typical disagreeable child) said that he didn't like them...but then again...he was forced to even try a bite... ah well. I did try a bite of one - and although the texture is a little different than a standard muffin - the flavor was okay.
I will continue to try to post pictures of my lunches, food I make, etc. and our GF journey. (Thank you Amanda for the idea of doing this blog). If anyone has ideas, recipes, etc. (especially GF Crock Pot recipes!!!) PLEASE let me know.
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