why tomatoes are a fruit...

I just had to post about the most satisfying and delicious gluten free meal I am currently consuming (and not missing the bread one bit!).

Thank goodness for the farmers market in downtown Minneapolis, because today I picked up some stunning organically grown tomatoes from a Wisconsin farm during my lunch break. This particular stand had many gorgeous varieties of tomatoes to choose from, so I picked out a flavorful Brandywine red tomato as well as a yellow tomato for a caprese salad.

I chopped up the tomatoes when I got home and cubed some fresh mozzarella and mixed them in a bowl. I then drizzled on some balsamic vinegar and topped with a sprinkle of sea salt & pepper as well as some dried basil (i didn't have any fresh) and it is AMAZING! The tomatoes are actually some of the sweetest and most delicious things I have ever consumed. Their texture is perfect and, when paired with the fresh mozzarella and salty/tangy balsamic, create a t0-die-for gluten-free meal.

With fresh food like this, going gluten free will be (better than) a piece of cake! So my new strategy will be to focus on the quality of my food and spend the extra money on fresh ingredients that will make the difference. If I can stick to this plan, hopefully I won't miss out on the easy gluten-filled foods I am so used to!

gluten free flour?

I'm looking for suggestions for good gluten free flour... I thought I remembered hearing that the family had a flour that was particularly good (maybe for baking?). If anyone remembers or has suggestions, I'm interested!

Thanks!

gluten-free restaurant guide - Minnesota/Wisconsin

Here are some restaurants up north that offer a gluten-free menu.

http://northlandceliacs.fastmail.fm/dining.html

yummy and quick! amy's black bean soup w/ avocado

I needed a quick meal this evening and happened to have a can of Amy's Black Bean and Vegetable Soup in my cupboard. I had an avocado that I also needed to use, so within minutes I had a delicious bowl of black bean soup that I topped with fresh avocado, some Mexican 4 cheese blend, and a few of my new FAVORITE chips from Target, Archer Farms Blue Corn with Flax Seed tortilla chips.

This quick meal was filling and totally gluten-free. I must say I was very proud of my creation!!

Your Auntie Karen recommends using the following baking mixes - said they taste "almost normal."


http://www.chebe.com/

Very Tasty Indeed!

This is great waffle mix! If you are having trouble reading the label the brand is Pamela's.

The Berger Family: Gluten-Free!

I have finally succumbed to the fact that I am very likely gluten-intolerant. I've been rationalizing with myself for over a year, hoping that my heartburn, stomach irritability, anxiety, and eczema are all "normal" and completely unrelated to wheat.

But then within the last year I started getting horrible migraines. Despite all my attempts at curbing my headaches I've been having a difficult time and, for the first time, have a symptom of gluten-intollerance that is unbearable for me. SO I gave in to my family's concerns that I am probably gluten-intollerant and got a genetic test that looks for the presence of HLA-DQ2, a gene that carries a very high probability of developing celiac disease or gluten-intollerance. This test came back positive and, when combined with the strong Berger family history of gluten-intollerance and my personal symptoms, was enough to make me think that I am likely gluten-intollerent.

Starting on Monday (Monday so that I can have one last weekend enjoying my favorite gluten-filled foods) I will be going gluten-free for a period of time as a test to see if my symptoms and general health improve.

This blog is intended to help document gluten-free foods and recipes (both good and bad) to aid in my learning process. I've also opened this blog up to the rest of the Berger Family in hopes that we can all learn from each other, since this is a genetic condition that has clearly been passed through the family...

Hopefully this blog will help us all improve the quality of our food and our lives!