The Challenge of Gluten and Corn Free Pasta

One the foods that I miss most from my pre-food allergy pre-gluten free life is pasta.   Especially during the cold winter months, I find myself wanting just a big comforting bowl of that gluten filled deliciousness. I have not had gluten at least knowingly since November of 2011.  That was when I had my last bowl of pasta.  It was delicious…and I was sick all night.

My craving for pasta didn’t disappear, but I knew I would have to find a different way to eat it.  I know there are many gluten free pastas available, but for me it’s not that simple; I also run into trouble with my corn allergy.  As far as I can tell corn seems to be a most common ingredient in GF foods.

Many people recommend rice pasta to me.  I do fine reaction-wise with plain rice ones, like Tinkayada, but they come out a little too mushy for me.  They don't compare to "real" pasta. I use them as noodles in soups, however I find myself disappointed when I try to build a meal around them. Eating it makes me miss my gluten eating days more.

It was hard to contain my excitement when I recently discovered my true GF, CF pasta substitute.  I saw a product at the market that I had never tried--Andean Dream Quinoa Pasta.  It really is a bit of a dream.  When I tried it, I knew this was a whole new level of GF pasta.  Its ingredients are simple quinoa and rice and no corn.  (They actually advertise that their products are both gluten and corn free.) The main difference between the Andean Dream and the rice pastas is that the texture is much more similar to how I remember regular pasta.  It actually tastes like al-dente pasta and it doesn't become gooey a few minutes after cooking.   The texture is just right and the taste is subtle so it doesn't over power whatever other ingredients you decide to add.  I've been making it with butter or olive oil and sautéed vegetables.

The true test is that this is the only GF pasta that my husband will eat.  Oh and I forgot to mention, it can be used for a mean macaroni and cheese.  

So I can now officially report that my two-year pasta problem has ended. For those of you with Celiac Disease or Gluten Sensitivity, what's your favorite GF pasta?

**Please note: I have no relationship with any companies whose products are mentioned in this or any other post.**

My Summer Discovery: The Lemon Cucumber

I find one of the best things about summer at least in the Northeast is the availability and wide assortment of locally grown fruits and vegetables.  This season I've recently discovered a new favorite at the farmer's market, the lemon cucumber.  It actually tastes nothing like a lemon, but it does resemble one in size and color, as you can see below.   They do taste like cucumbers, but have a thinner skin than other varieties.  This means no peeling, which also means less work to do with my hands, which at times are painful from autoimmune disease.

The lemon cucumber also has a high water content making them quite refreshing, especially on hot summer days.  And because of their wider shape than other cucumbers, they serve a dual purpose beyond just salads.  I have been using them to make sandwiches--not as a vegetable inside the bread, but as a substitute for bread. Being allergic to corn and sensitive to gluten, makes it hard for me to find a bread that is actually allergy friendly. While I have tried, my bread making attempts have not turned out well so far.   The  lemon cucumber has given me another choice.  I've found that they go particularly well with turkey, hummus, or even smoked fish.  All healthy food options for those with autoimmune or inflammatory diseases.

As a person with multiple food allergies, it's always a nice treat to add something new to my diet. Have you made a new fruit or vegetable discovery this summer?

Sometimes You Need (Gluten & Corn Free) Pancakes

This past weekend I was madly craving pancakes.  This sort of thing usually happens when I am taking post infusion steroids and my desire for carbohydrates goes up exponentially.  All I could think about  eating are those delicious butter and maple syrup topped treats.  Healthy, maybe not, but splurging is allowed sometimes.

While I certainly wouldn't mind heading out to a local diner and enjoying pancakes without any cooking involved, this is not feasible with my corn allergy and gluten sensitivity.  If I want pancakes, I have to make them myself and find, or at least adapt, a recipe that fits my allergy specifications.  Luckily, I found a simple recipe on allrecipes.com for rice based pancakes that calls for few ingredients all of which were in my pantry.   For me, less ingredients is my motto.  Less ingredients = less likely to have an allergic reaction and less room to make a catastrophic cooking mistake.   

The pancakes were super easy to make and tasted good too.  My father, who was in town visiting and also cannot have gluten, joined me in eating them.  He hadn't had pancakes for quite some time and definitely enjoyed this rare treat.  My husband who is lucky not to have any allergy restrictions also had some.  I figure it is always a good sign when someone who eats gluten has two helpings of a dish that is gluten-free.  It means it must pass the wheat-eaters taste test.

I topped my pancakes with plenty of butter and maple syrup to satisfy my increased appetite from steroids.  Maybe next time I'll have to add my corn-free and gluten-free chocolate chips to the recipe!

Rice Flour Pancakes. 

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup rice flour
• 1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda * (Added for additional fluffiness)

Directions

1. Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl with a whisk or hand mixer.  Add the milk, vegetable oil, and salt into the same bowl. Add and stir in the rice flour until no lumps remain.

2. Cover the bowl and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour or in the refrigerator overnight.

3. Heat a lightly-oiled/buttered griddle or fry-pan over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle.  Add fruit or chocolate chips to pancake batter if desired.  Cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry. Flip and cook until browned on the other side.

  

An Almost Everything Free Recipe: Chickpea and Arugula Salad

As many of you know along with being an Autoimmune Gal, I am an Allergy Gal as well.  I have had to drastically change my eating habits over the last five years when I was diagnosed with adult on-set food allergies. The number of foods that I am allergic to has increased steadily so just as I think that I have mastered how to eat, it seems a new food allergy diagnosis comes my way

I have started to cook all of my own meals from whole foods and wanted to share some simple recipes. I published the basics since for someone like me minimizing ingredients helps reduce the likelihood of an allergic reaction. For those less constrained you might want to spice them up a bit.  My recipes are corn, tomato, tropical fruit and onion family free.  And I almost forgot to add gluten free, which is a sensitivity not a true food allergy.

This chickpea and arugula salad recipe came about because I had been looking for additional sources of healthy protein to add to my diet. I came across chickpeas (also called garbonzo beans), which are high in fiber, folate, and zinc and taste mighty good.  I found some zesty fresh arugula at the local farmer's market and thought voila -- why not make an arugula and chickpea salad

Arugula and Chickpea Salad

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups dried chickpeas (canned chickpeas can be substituted)
3 1/2 cups arugula
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)

Directions

Rinse dried chickpeas in cold water. Cover generously with cold water and soak overnight or for at least 6 to 8 hours. Rinse soaked chickpeas again.

Simmer chickpeas in approximately 6 cups of water for between 45 minutes to 1 1/4 hours.  Stir occasionally and cook until tender. Chickpeas should no longer be white in the center

Let chickpeas cool. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste.

Wash and thoroughly dry arugula (a salad spinner works perfectly).   Place chickpeas on top of arugula as shown or toss the two ingredients together if preferred.  Add other seasonings or dressing as desired.

If your food allergies allow, some ingredients that might be fun to include are tomatoes, basil, fresh lemon juice, or feta cheese.  There are so many possibilities.  I would love to hear your variation on this healthy recipe.

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Strategies for Coping with a Corn Allergy

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Since finding out that I was allergic to corn over the summer, my diet has changed significantly. Corn and its many derivatives are hidden ingredients in so many food items and packagings that finding things that I can eat has been a daily challenge. (For me the difficulty is compounded by the fact that corn is just one of my many allergies as I have blogged about in the past.) It is also a serious allergy in my case; my corn allergy is considered by my doctors as a trigger of my developing angioedema. But that's for another post. In short, food and my body are not on the best of terms and I LOVE food and eating.

Those of us with corn allergies know it is a particular challenge  Corn is not considered a top eight food allergen so food items that often come from corn, such as citric acid and dextrose, are not listed as such on labels.  Fruits in the supermarket? Can have a waxy coating derived from corn.  Medicines?  Often contain corn starch as a binder.  Eco-friendly plastic cups?  Made of corn derivatives. I could go on and on but that hopefully gives a sense of what it means when I describe corn as pervasive in our lives. 

I have come up with a few discoveries and lifestyle changes which have helped me significantly reduce my corn reactions. I do admit that I wish that I did not have to spend so much time procuring the foods I can eat and then making them because it is pretty time and energy consuming! I thought I would share them and would love to hear any solutions others have come up with. 

Farmer's Market Shopping. By shopping at the farmer's market, I can talk to directly to farmers about how they grow their fruits and vegetables and make sure they are pesticide and corn free. I have learned that organic does not mean corn free so it is not as simple as just looking for organic labels. For example, corn gluten meal is sometimes used as a natural herbicide.  Who would have thought?!! I also find the produce there more delicious, but that's a side benefit.

Eating Whole Foods. Eating whole foods is pretty straight forward.  I don't buy things that are processed.  If I want to eat cherries, I buy whole cherries without any sort of sauce or sugar already added.  This is probably a healthier way to eat anyway, but also more time consuming.  

Washing and Peeling. And washing again.  When I do buy fruits and vegetables, I try to stick to ones that can be peeled like apples, oranges, and carrots. (This is especially important for me during the winter when I have to do more shopping at the grocery store.) Getting rid of the peel and washing everything thoroughly has really helped decrease my allergic reactions.  I also avoid pre-washed vegetables and salads because the wash used for these can include citric acid. 

Along similar lines, I wash meat before I cook it.  While it might seem a little strange, the FDA allows citric acid and lactic acid to be used in the processing of meat and poultry. Places that don't use citric acid sometimes use vinegar for the same purpose which can be made from corn alcohol.

Packaging Matters. While I am a big proponent of reducing waste, many eco friendly and biodegradable cups and wrappings are made from corn.   My general rule is when anything is labeled as coming from plant materials, I don't use it to be safe. If a coffee shop has biodegradable cups, I bring my own mug. If a butcher counter wraps meats in plant based packaging, I bring my own such as a simple ziplock bag. 

Home Cooking. Cooking my own foods greatly decreases the risk that I have an allergic reaction. Now, cooking and particularly the clean up afterward are not in my top five favorite activities and I am not a chef by any means.  I have, however, found and invented some fairly simple allergy friendly recipes that I wanted to start sharing. I'll include these in another post. 

Well, that's where I've started. It's made a difference but I still have a long way to go to stop my reactions.  It would be so helpful if corn was labeled the way dairy and gluten are, but I am not sure this will change soon.  I'd be really curious if any non-US readers with a corn allergy have an easier time and if they find it less pervasive in their foods.

New Food Allergy Reveal - King Corn Causes Concerns

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Wow, just when a girl thinks she has her health problems heading in the right direction, something new always seems to come up.

I wrote a few weeks back about being tested for new food allergies. I was having pretty frequent swelling  of my lips, throat, and cheeks when I ate and I couldn't pin point what was causing these frequent and acute reactions. The test came back and (drum roll please) I am highly allergic to corn.  I had never been before, but now my allergic level was off the charts.  At first when my allergist told me, it didn't seem like anything that would be too hard to manage.  I thought corn on the cob and high fructose corn syrup.  But then as I began to understand the ingredients that I would have to stay away from it became a whole new ordeal. I haven't written about the allergy until now because it has been so difficult to manage and is taking up so much of my time.  It is much harder than my other food allergies and I am overwhelmed.

One of the main challenges with having a corn allergy is that corn is not considered a top eight allergen so it is not required to be listed on the allergy warnng label for a product or even identified as corn in ingredient lists.  This means that ingredients such as food starch, vanilla, vegetable oil, carmel and carmel color, maltodextrin, cellulose, vegtable glycerin, xanthum gum, and baking powder are often derived from corn, but corn is nowhere to be found on the label.  The list of ingredients that can contain corn is much more extensive and can be found here if you want to take a look.

Ok, so you would think once I have a list of ingredients, I'd be all set....not so fast.  I have found out this is only part of my problem.  Who would of thought that eggs are often washed in corn starch and that the coating for paper plates are often derived from corn?  A lot of the plant based environmentally friendly packaging for foods is often corn based as well and so is the wax coating on fruits and vegetables. These are being used more and more frequently and are hard to identify.  I'm now in a place where I have allergic reactions to foods that I am not allergic to because of how it is packaged or if corn is somehow used in its processing.  I had an allergic reaction to rice cakes and later learned that the rice cakes are made on the same exact equipment as corn cakes.  Cynics would say the strength of the corn lobby has something to do with it not being a recognized allergy by the FDA, but all I know is that the world I inhabit is not designed for people with corn allergies.

On to medicines: They are a whole other area of difficulty since they also contain corn as binders and fillers.  I had an allergic reaction to plaquenil (a medicine that I take for autoimmune diesease) and after looking at the indredients found it contained corn starch.  The NIH Pill Box Site has been a great resource so I can look up all the drug manufacturors that make a particular drug and their ingredients.  But then I still have to call each one individually to see if there is hidden corn in the ingredients because it is often listed as food startch and cellulose but does not identify it is dervived from corn or another source.  Luckily, there is one brand of plaquenil made without any corn derivatives.  For medicines that are not manufactured without corn like many antibiotics, I have had to go to a compounding pharmacy to have the drugs made. The suspension syrup used to make most drugs also contains corn so the pharmacist has been making some of my other medications with the chemical form of the medication and then distilled water.

I also forgot to mention everyday beauty products like lip balm and shampoo often contain corn listed as some other chemical compound too.  I have been more focused right now on finding foods that I can eat and making sure that I can take my medicines.  I am spending lots of time on the phone calling manufacturers to find out if there is corn in specific foods and medications.  I am making use of my local farmer's market and hope that by talking to the individual farmer's I can find out directly if corn is used in making their food.  I have been cooking all my own meals, though they are rather unexciting, and using websites created by other's with a corn allergies as a resources.  But figuring out this whole corn allergy is extremely time consuming and I have not yet had a straight week since being diagnosed, where I have not had an allergic reaction to something.

I keep joking with my husband that we might have to move to another country where the corn industry and the use of corn products is less pervasive.  If only, corn was listed as a top allergen, it would be a bit easier. I would love to hear any advice from others who also have a corn allergy.