Everything on a Corn Tortilla

When I first realized I needed to avoid gluten, I was pretty poor and there weren't many gluten free alternatives in the grocery stores.  Baking was pretty much impossible in my tiny studio kitchen and the cookbooks and recipes that were around were intimidating and called for a dozen obscure flours before you could even get started.  I was a carb junkie and had to have something besides white and brown rice!

I discovered that corn tortillas were naturally gluten free and found a local Chicago company that sold a dozen for 35 cents.  I ate corn tortillas constantly.  I spread them with Miracle Whip (which was not technically gluten free at the time) and rolled lunch meat and cheese up in them.  I made cheese quesadillas to dip in salsa.  I made tacos, fajitas, and even enchiladas when I got more adventurous.  For a snack when I'd get home late, I'd toast tortillas right on the burner, slather them with hummus and add some cucumber slices.  I've even eaten a corn tortilla burger and used a corn tortilla to wrap around a hot dog.

I quickly tired of corn tortillas and craved the soft consistency of wheat flour ones.  At about this time, grocery stores expanded their selections and I became a lot better at reading labels.  A good kitchen was a priority for me now and I started baking, but mostly from mixes.  With added variety in my diet, I enjoyed the occasional corn tortilla but no longer felt that I was torturing myself with them.

I just recently moved to Denver, forcing me to look into different brands of tortillas.  Oh, and I'm really poor again so I can't afford to buy fancy pre-made breads.  While shopping with a friend, we decided to split a huge pack of tortillas.  She insisted on white corn which I had never heard of before.  I have been hooked ever since!  They have a smoother texture and toast up more like the forbidden wheat flour kind.  Or at least what I think I remember they were like...

I have been slowly eating my way through a bag of 50 corn tortillas and loving every bite!  I made chicken fajitas using only the spices I had on hand from this recipe.  But my favorite new use is for Avotacos.  Simply put, I toast two or three tortillas, smear on cream cheese, add slices of avocados, and a dash of salt and pepper.  It makes a fantastic breakfast or snack and I am thoroughly addicted.  I was going to take a picture of this mornings Avotacos but I over cooked the tortillas and they broke when I folded them in half.  It wouldn't have made a pretty picture but I will try again tomorrow to get a nice shot.

Any corn tortilla suggestions?  I still have 27 to go!

oh, the days when life was simpler!

i used to eat out a lot, like many people that have busy lives.  i could just grab something on my way home from work, or order delivery (which was a recent accomplishment in the face of social anxiety).  all that changed four years ago when i realized that gluten was causing me a slew of nasty symptoms.  i tried to say goodbye to some of my favorite places and gluten filled foods.  that, of course, only helped to affirm that pizza made me run to the bathroom, while a nice apple or some rice kept me from looking three months pregnant.

i remember my last chicago dog...  it makes my mouth water to think about that soft bun, the vienna beef dog, charred of course, covered in grilled onions, slices of pickles and tomatoes, celery salt and of course some mustard.  those were the days.  the days of agonizing migraines, dangerously fluctuating weight, dizzy spells, anemia, exhaustion...

in the last two years my symptoms have gotten more acute and my ability to eat at restaurants has diminished while increasing my fear for social functions containing food (which is a whole post in itself).  i've also learned of a few more hidden ingredients and can scan a label for gluten in a matter of seconds.

my current list of chicago restaurants and what i can eat there

tank noodle i can eat spring rolls, beef pho, chicken pho minus the dried onions, and curry chicken; there are probably more options but our language barrier keeps me from being adventurous
chipotle any kind of burrito bowl; gloves are changed and my meal is made by one person
jimmy john's any kind of unwich except for the roast beef; gloves are changed and paper is put down on the cutting board
osaka express and shiroi hana i avoid unagi, teriyaki and soy sauce, tempura, and imitation crab meat; i've had bad luck at a few other sushi places; i prefer to stick to one place so that i know what i can eat
gino's east and aurelio's both have gluten free pizzas and salads and prevent cross contamination
falafill only gluten items are the pita and two noodle salad bar choices; i wish they'd just make it completely gluten free!
flat top grill they cook food for people with allergies in a wok and had decent gf dressing and seasoning options; i've only been there once
wendy's baked potato, side salad and frosty
george's they have a list of allergens and everyone is ready to pull it out and make sure the flavor i want is safe, now only if they were to get gluten free cones, that would make me cry tears of joy...
da luciano is a one of a kind place!  members of their extended italian family have celiac disease so they have an extensive gf menu.  i got to go here for my birthday last year on our way to rockford to see journey.  when i saw the menu i wanted to cry.  when my ravioli arrived i wanted to hug everyone that worked there.  we got frozen cannoli to eat after dinner, there are no words for that.
joe's i've only been here once; our server was knowledgeable and made sure that what i ordered was safe; there was an appetizer of scallops that was fantastic and i had king crab legs
cy's crab house i get crab legs with a side of mashed potatoes or broccoli, i've also had oysters but didn't care for them; i make them take the basket of pita bread off the table, it is too tempting; they carry strongbow cider which is gluten free

two nights ago we went to cy's for ash's 31st birthday, along with two friends, one of whom is gluten intolerant.  it's a fantastic meal, and is decently priced, though it is currently difficult for me because of my wrist injury.

i've been told that i can eat at demera, as long as i call ahead, but i haven't yet gone.  i went to p. f. chang's in denver, co and was fine.  i went to the chicago location for my birthday last year and got very sick, but it didn't ruin my day!  i am willing to give them another shot to see if it was just a miscommunication on the part of the waiter because they have identical menu items that do contain gluten.  i was reading another gf blog and heard mention of roy's having a gf menu.  that might be a good one to try for a special occasion.

just because a restaurant has a gluten free menu, or items marked as gluten free, doesn't mean that they have safe practices to keep those items gluten free.  there are so many ways that cross contamination can make a simple gluten free item no longer safe.  utensils, pots/pans, grills, cutting boards, hands, sauces, and friers can all cause cross contamination.  for example, gino's east has taken great care to keep me safe.  they make their gluten free pizzas at a separate facility and freeze them to send to their restaurants.  then, they are cooked in a separate oven and cut with separate knives.  this means i only have the choice of cheese, sausage or pepperoni, but it also means that i will not get sick!

i used to be a very adventurous eater.  i would try anything at least once and loved eating at different ethnic restaurants.  i definitely miss chinese, indian, thai, korean, italian...  i would like to be able to travel one day, but am scared of getting sick, especially away from home in a place i have paid money to be.  i have heard of a few different kinds of dining cards, which are used to explain to waiters and chefs what you can and cannot have.  the free ones don't have a lot of information, but come in many languages.  the ones you can buy online, have less language options but include a list of common gluten ingredients for that cuisine.  i haven't committed to buying or printing any of these yet, though i think they would help prevent miscommunication.  i often get flustered trying to explain things to people, especially when eating out.

anyways, this post had been brewing for a while.  thank you for reading.  i go through a lot to be able to eat out and when it goes wrong it can be bad very bad.  i want to be able to eat at more places but it scares me.  tips, restaurant suggestions and invitations to try new places are welcome.  a special thanks to my core pho phriends jill, tim, alex, joe and ash, as well as those who have joined us carolyn, jim, bill, andrea, glenda (and her mom!), jet, jera, jeff, debbie, amy and dan for making so many tuesday nights a special occasion.

yum!

right now i am sitting with a giant plate of gluten free beef with broccoli on my lap!  it is a really good feeling.  beef with broccoli was one of my favorite things to order from the golden dragon as a kid.  my mom also had a version and i had been craving it for a few weeks now.

since going gluten free i've missed the ease in which i had been able to eat.  i could eat anywhere at anytime.  i was adventurous in regards to trying to new foods and ethnic restaurants.  i've recently discovered the joy of vietnamese pho and go to tank noodle every tuesday.  i've never gotten sick from pho and it is super filling!  in turn, i'm becoming more adventurous with my cooking and baking.

so, one of the things i miss is chinese food.  my simple stir fries just don't cut it.  this morning i searched for a recipe and found one on a fellow bloggers page.  it is great!  i just finished my mountain of rice smothered in rich beef, broccoli and yummy brown sauce.

a few days ago i made gluten free chicken noodle soup based off of this recipe here.  i'm pretty proud of how it turned out and i made enough to eat for leftovers for the next week.  now that i have my microwave back, leftovers make more sense.

thanks for reading!  maybe i'll be able to post some pictures soon.  i had fun learning how to do hyperlinks and i hope they all work.

the basics

anyone who knows me knows i have celiac disease.  what many of you don't know is how this affects my life.  it is a constant challenge and juggling act to maintain a state of health.  i go through great lengths to eat the right foods and when i mess up it can set me back a few days and sometimes a week.  celiac disease is a very serious condition and the gluten free diet that is prescribed for it is a challenge and socially isolating.

what is celiac disease?  the statistics state that 1 out of every 133 people have celiac disease and the majority of them are undiagnosed.  gluten is the protein found in wheat, barely and rye.  people with celiac disease have an immunological reaction to gluten.  it is different than an allergy because it does not cause a histaminic reaction.

what happens when i ingest gluten?  on the technical side, the villi in the small intestine flatten.  the villi are little hair-like projections that increase the surface area of the small intestine and allow for the absorption of nutrients.  so, when the villi flatten they no longer absorb the necessary nutrients and the body is affected in many ways.  sometimes people have no noticeably connected symptoms but could still have large amounts of damage to their villi.

what can happen if i continually ingest gluten?  i could have anemia's of many major vitamins and minerals.  i could have early onset of osteoporosis/osteopenia.  i can suffer from gall bladder malfunction, neurological manifestations and nervous system disorders.  i could manifest other autoimmune diseases such as lupus or diabetes.  and, it would put me at great risk for various cancers of my g.i. tract.

what are my symptoms when i eat gluten?  my list of symptoms varies from month to month and there are over 300 symptoms of celiac disease (i haven't found a complete listing yet).  celiac disease affects the whole body and not just the intestines.  here is the run down for me: canker sores, swollen glands, dizziness, low blood pressure, gurgling and movement in my abdomen, intense pain in my abdomen, sever bloating, gas, diarrhea and constipation, abrupt weight loss, fatigue and weakness, anemia, joint and bone pain, migraines, anxiety, nightmares, little bump like rashes on my upper arms and thighs, dehydration, lack of desire to eat, cravings for gluten, inability to concentrate, emotional instability, and what i like to call a gluten fog where i can't think correctly and have a hard time doing normal activities.

how did i get celiac disease?  people have to have certain genes to develop celiac disease and if they are present then something has to happen in their life that puts great stress on the immune system.  it can be anything from an emotional upset like a divorce or a death to a physical upset like mono or a hospital stay.  i have my theories about how it was triggered in me but nothing can really be proven.  i could have had it for a very long time and didn't have symptoms for periods of time or it could have only been triggered a few years ago.

what do i do to stay healthy and gluten free?  i cook mostly at home and rarely go out to eat.  i read the label of every product that i put in or on my body.  i avoid kissing my girlfriend after she has consumed anything that contains gluten.  i try to eat fresh foods over processed foods to avoid factory cross-contamination.  i bring snacks with me so that i can have something to eat no matter where i am.  i wash my hands a lot so that i can protect my immune system.  if i'm not sure, then i shouldn't eat it!

thanks for reading and i hope that you've learned something about me and celiac disease.

the beginning

i've decided to start a blog. it will help me to get out in the open how celiac disease affects my life and my day to day living. ideally, it will help me to live healthier and make better food choices for myself.

many of you know that i have celiac disease and that i don't eat gluten. what you don't know is how this makes me feel and the lengths i go through to stay healthy.

your questions are welcome and will inspire me to write more. no question is wrong but please try to stay positive.

this isn't all negative. there are lots of good things that have happened since i figured out that i have celiac disease. i am healthier! i am smarter! i have my exorbitant amount of energy back!

thank you all for the support and encouragement. sometimes all i need is an ear and an understanding nod.