Book Review: Against the Grain (cookbook)

Revolutionary all-natural recipes for gluten-free cooking--from the owner of Against the Grain Gourmet.

Nancy Cain came to gluten-free cooking simply enough: Her teenage son was diagnosed with celiac disease. After trying ready-made baking mixes and finding the results rubbery and tasteless, she pioneered gluten-free foods made entirely from natural ingredients--no xanthan or guar gums or other mystery chemical additives allowed. That led her to adapt many of her family's favorite recipes, including their beloved pizzas, pastas, and more, to this real food technique. In Against the Grain,Nancy finally shares 200 groundbreaking recipes for achieving airy, crisp breads, delicious baked goods, and gluten-free main dishes.
     For any of these cookies, cakes, pies, sandwiches, and casseroles, you use only natural ingredients such as buckwheat flour, brown rice flour, and ripe fruits and vegetables. Whether you're making Potato Rosemary Bread, iced Red Velvet Cupcakes, Lemon-Thyme-Summer Squash Ravioli, or Rainbow Chard and Kalamata Olive Pizza, you'll be able to use ingredients already in your pantry or easily found at your local supermarket.
     With ample information for gluten-free beginners and 100 colorful photographs, this book is a game changer for gluten-free households everywhere.

My Review:

I have a gluten intolerance so when I saw this book as one to choose to review I jumped on it.  Although my family seems to handle gluten just fine, it is easier to make everything similar and it is also an opportunity to take out unnecessary gluten (and usually unhealthy) filled foods at the same time.  This book is beautiful, which I really appreciate in a cookbook.  The recipes have been about 70% able to be duplicated.  Cooking or really more baking gluten free is not the easiest thing to transition to.  Overall, I am very happy having this resource in my home and love the ideas I get from it.  

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.  

90Day Gluten Free Announcement

Here is where it started and why. 

 

This was check-in #1 and this is check-in #2. 

 

I was supposed to check-in every week.  Yes, I'm not so good at that.

 

So here is an update.

 

Going gluten-free changed my life.  Dramatic?  Yes, but deserving of the drama?  ABSOLUTELY! 

 

I went solidly good at going g-free for 3 weeks when I got my period.  I also lost about 10 pounds at this point and my enormously bloated stomach was gone!

 

29 days later, with a couple cheating times, I got my period again.  Now, not so shocking for you normal cycled women, but this hasn't happened to me (naturally) in at least 3-4 years.  Years. 

 

26 days later, I got my period again. 

 

Now, from the time I got my first period at 11 I had a completely perfect schedule every 28 days almost to the hour.  But, I was thrilled at taking this 26-29 day cycle.  Completely thrilled.

 

Except... I tried really hard to get pregnant every time I thought I was ovulating.  And after 3 months of my period I was a little disappointed with not being pregnant. 

 

Until, I did pretty badly at being g-free for the last month and when my period did not come I thought, "Great.  I was doing so good and this totally proves that I need to buckle down and stay g-free.  Here's to another month of no period which means no ovulating."

 

But then I took another test a few days later and....

 

I'm pregnant! 

 

When you fight with God about babies and when your heart is stomped into dust constantly over infertility, you feel completely undeserving of a pregnancy when it comes along.  At least I do. 

 

So, g-free, is right for me!!  And maybe it is right for you also although I am not a doctor!!  I'll do a baby update soon!!

 

 

Do you or anyone you know eat g-free?  For what reasons?

90Day Gluten Free Check-In #1

Here is where I explain why I am doing this challenge. 

Sunday night I went through some things in our pantry that were not gluten free and that would not be eaten (any time soon) by my husband or daughter. It included mostly canned soups. I printed off lists of what you can't eat and I can't find my great site for what you can eat, but might not be quite sure of... I'll try to find it. 



Before :o
SOOO bloated (&fat)!
 

 

Much less bloated!  Can you see a difference?
 







Before

After 1 week

I've got to mention that posting those pics sure takes alot!  Haha!  Those are not the most flattering clothes by any means but in a few weeks hopefully they will be much better.  I am pretty serious about true before and after photos!!  ;)
 

Monday: Pretty simple.  I only missed my green Doritos, which my husband ate to get rid of them. ;)

-Dinner was: stuffed smashed potatoes, chicken breasts, green beans 

Tuesday: Another great day.  I'm kind of starting to miss bread, although losing 3.6 pounds in one day is pretty exciting.  I expect it is a fluke, since I can usually vary 1-3 pounds every day.  The real test will be the end of the week.  I got a few coupons for some gluten free bread and tortillas.  I'll let you know how they taste once I try them!

-My spinach, acai berry and strawberry smoothie is growing on me.  I think the acai berry is just not my favorite taste and so far no help on the staying fuller longer, but we will see!

-Chicken and brown rice crockpot style but no cream soup because that is not gluten-free.  The rice was pretty gross in my opinion, but it was my daughter's favorite.  Funny how that works!?!?

Wednesday: Woke up to another 3 pounds lost!!  Quite exciting!  I used to drink just cold from my fridge water with no ice, but did you know that drinking ice water actually burns calories... not a significant amount per glass but it adds up!

 

Thursday: Seriously disappointing trip to the grocery store.  I was so excited since I had printed out several coupons for gluten free bread and tortillas.  I got to the store and with the coupons bread was still $5.00+ for a small loaf.  Seriously?!?!  I could not get myself to spend 3 times as much as I do for a regular loaf that is twice the size!  So no bread.  And no tortillas for the same reason.  Big, huge BUMMER!!  I bought roast beef from the deli, after I tried a super thin slice, and realized that the only ingrediant I couldn't read on the list before I bought it was the one that was on the "maybe" list.  I'm sure it's fine, but I haven't eaten any more :( 

 

Friday: We went to Boston's since I had a free pizza coupon.  I got the gluten free pizza but was seriously worried I would hate it since I have major new food and weird taste issues, haha!  But it was great... just like thin crust and definitely helped my bread/pizza cravings!!

 

Saturday, Sunday: slight up and downs on the scale.  I am seriously exhausted this week, which isn't helping my pro-gluten-free cause. 

  

 

Pros: Total loss of 6 pounds this week and I feel much less bloated.  I am getting the hang and idea of gluten free stuff.  Not crazy hard, except for when things are on the "maybe" list.  This has made me quite a bit more conscious of what I am eating in a great way!

 

Cons: I miss my bread and pancakes and pizza.  Andddd... I was really, really tired all week.   

PCOS, Gluten-Free, 90 Day Challenge!

I have PCOS and in case you don't know that stands for PolyCystic Ovarian Syndrome.  It is a metabolic/hormonal disorder that basically means I (and 5-10% of all women) have trouble metabolizing insulin. 

My grandma called me a week or so ago and just left a message saying that I should check out Celiac disease.  I knew what Celiac was since I took care of an elderly woman who had it and because years ago we thought my husband might have it; instead, he has a form of Chron's. 

I did not think that I had Celiac and still do not, but for some reason I felt like I should look it up last night so I did.  I do now think, though, that I have a gluten allergy. There are many symptoms I have that seem to go along with it. I self-diagnosed myself with PCOS years before I could go to a dr to get "diagnosed and treated" due to insurance issues. I read alot and educate myself and I've gotten better at knowing my body.

Celiac is at the farthest end of the gluten allergy/intolerance spectrum.  It is not a good thing.  Having an allergy to gluten and not doing anything about it is also not a good thing as ingoring it can cause: inability to lose weight, chronic sinus problems, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, cancer, depression, skin disorders, osteoporosis, diabetes or hypothyroidism, autoimmune diseases, infertility, tingling numbness in the legs, sores inside the mouth, hives, joint/muscle pains and aches.  Those are the pretty serious things.  I didn't even bother with the little issues. 

"When you have gluten intolerance your body does not absorb fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin A and E and K as efficiently as well as the essential fatty acids. EFA's are critical for women with PCOS because we use these to make all our reproductive hormones and adrenal hormones including estrogen, testosterone, progesterone, cortisol and DHEA. Other nutritional deficiencies include a calcium, folic acid, iron and vitamin B12 (which may already be low due to taking Metformin."
 -http://bridgetobaby.com/profiles/blogs/go-gluten-free-for-pcos

These are some of the symptoms caused by having a gluten allergy:

Weight loss or weight gain

Nutritional deficiencies due to malabsorbtion e.g. low iron levels

Gastro-intestinal problems (bloating, pain, gas, constipation, diarrhea)

Fat in the stools (due to poor digestion)

Aching joints

Depression

Eczema

Head aches

Exhaustion

Irritability and behavioural changes

Infertility, irregular menstrual cycle and miscarriage

Cramps, tingling and numbness

Slow infant and child growth

Decline in dental health

-http://glutenfreenetwork.com/faqs/symptoms-treatments/gluten-intolerance-symptoms-how-do-you-know-if-gluten-is-making-you-sick/

Now, obviously, many issues can be the cause of those above problems, but I had never known that there was a correlation between PCOS and a gluten allergy.  But, "Dr. Jeffrey Aron who has been practicing gastroenterology for 35 years and is Head of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine at California Pacific Medical Center, is quoted as saying that, 'PCOS and celiac are related.'   Melissa Diane Smith who’s a nutritionist, health educator and author of Going Against the Grain says that '…85% of her PCOS clients test positive for a sensitivity to gluten. When these women remove gluten from their diets they often see a marked improvement in their PCOS symptoms.'"  http://bridgetobaby.com/profiles/blogs/go-gluten-free-for-pcos

So I have decided to be gluten free for the next 90 days (actually 88 days because I am late posting this!).  Completely, utterly, 100% gluten-free.  And boy, do I love my bread!  I read websites that said you should definitely see a difference in your energy levels and your overall health in just a little more than a week of being gluten free, but others suggested 4 weeks and some even 3-4 months before truly knowing if you have an intolerance. 

What can it hurt?  Nothing.  I am also going to start walking/running and maybe some other working out, which should also improve things.  Although, I don't think it will really alter my "results" because I will workout at night and that's not going to really help my hating the morning energy level.  Hopefully, my new diet (not lose weight diet... just food diet) will! 

I'm going to share the ups and downs each week and maybe you will get some ideas or encouragement from my posts, but I also really, really need the accountability! 

I read many, many "testimonials" from women who said that within just a couple months their cycles were normal and they were feeling great with a huge reduction in almost all if not all PCOS symptoms! 

My goals for this week are:
1) to workout or be aerobically active for 2 hours
2) to lose 3 pounds

On Monday, when I recap the week I will post my before picture!  DUN, DUN, DUNNNN!!