Progress

When you suddenly find out you are allergic to just about everything you ever eat it's quite an adjustment!  I've known many people of the years who are gluten free and they all complain that wheat is in everything.  Well I can now tell you it's not but what doesn't have wheat (gluten) has milk or eggs!  Even most gluten free products have milk and or eggs in them.  I suddenly realized I will have to learn how to make everything I want or need on my own.  I started with bread.  My first attempt was suitable for a door stop, just a real brick!  The second batch had me all excited as it raised higher and was light as a feather and so very soft.  When it had cooled down I cut it open and the whole inside was like pudding.  I know what the problem is.  Eggs.  All the gluten free recipes calls for eggs which I of course have lots of but can't eat.  I have a preparedness book from long ago that said you could substitute plain gelatin for eggs. 1 TBSP gelatin to 3 TBSP cold water and 2 TBSP hot water.  It isn't working.  I know chia seeds work very well as a substitute but I can't find any in my area.  I've ordered some but so far they haven't arrived.  A friend told me I could use ground flax seeds the same way.  So I tried that and it kind of gelled but not as much as chia seeds.  Anyway my 3rd batch is useable.  I've sliced it up and put in baggies and frozen them.  Now I can have toast with my fruit for breakfast.  It was still on the sticky side so will wait and try it again when my chia seeds come in next week. 

Anyway here is the recipe I used:

Cristina B.'s Gluten Free Bread with my adaptions:

Mix - 1 Tablespoon yeast,

1 -2 Tablespoon honey,

1 1/2 cups water - set aside.

Mix- 2 cups Gluten Free Flour mix ( 1 part white rice flour, 1 part brown rice flour, 1 part cornstarch),

1/4 cup buckwheat & flax flour,

1/2 cup ground flax seed,

1 Tablespoon Guar gum,

1 tsp salt - mix.

Add 3 egg substitute,( I ran flax seed through the blender and use 1 Tablespoon flax powder to 3 Tablespoon water per egg.  I made up a large batch and use 2 Tablespoon of this per egg.  Chia seeds use the same measures 1 TBSP chia to 3 TBSP water, stir and it's ready in 15 minutes.)  There is also a product called Ener-G which is a egg replacement you can buy if you can find it.

2 Tablespoon coconut oil,

1 Tablespoon vinegar to the yeast mixture- mix.

Then add wet mix to dry mix with handheld mixer. Into greased pan, spread dough/batter. Smooth top with wet fingers. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or flax (just pretty). Let rise on warm oven to the top of the pan. Bake at 400 for 40-45 minutes. remove from pan place on cooling rack. Allow to cool before slicing. viola. simple.

I let mine raise to the top of the pan and it fell a little so I would let it raise within an inch of the top to allow for the sudden rise when it goes into the hot oven.   I'm going to still experiment and hope to find the perfect recipe.  I'm going to start working with flat breads now for awhile and I want to learn to make crackers also.  

If any of you have recipes to share please do!  This experience has lead me to believe that you should be storing items you might need in a crisis in case someone suddenly finds they can't handle gluten, milk or eggs.  

I should also share with you warning signs that might show you have a food allergy.  Most have problems with their bowels.  They have runny stinky bowel movements and then get constipated and go back and forth.  Others get severe stomach pain.  And some like me break out in hives and have their throat close down.  

If You think you might have a problem, keep a food journal listing every single food or drink that you consume and write down every time you have a problem.  My sister did this years ago and discovered certain foods were causing her migraines.  Once she stopped getting those foods her migraines stopped.  Food journals can be very valuable with many health problems to take with you to your doctor.  

Now after I figure all of this out I will be able to get all we want into our food storage so we all can have what we need in a crisis.

Cherlynn

brchbell@yahoo.com