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Making your church activity dish a gluten-free success
My mom didn't know what was making her sick.
For years she searched for answers. She pored over medical books, went to doctors, underwent several examinations, was tested and re-tested. She even had surgery to try to fix the problem, all to no avail.
Then in 2001, after dealing with one bout of sickness after another and after more than 15 years of searching, she found her answer — celiac disease.
Celiac disease is not a food allergy. It is an autoimmune disorder that causes a destructive reaction to gluten which can be found in wheat, barley and rye. For celiac sufferers, gluten damages the villi in the small intestine, preventing the body from absorbing essential nutrients. Even the tiniest bit of gluten can make sufferers seriously ill.
And with an increasing number of diagnoses every year, this is something more and more church members should be aware of when it comes to food preparation.
Preparing food for someone with celiac is challenging because many foods contain gluten or are made in facilities that process foods with gluten in them.
If you’re looking to have the neighbors over, or are preparing a dish or treat for a ward activity, here are some tips to keep in mind if one of the participants has celiac disease:
Use caution: Take the time to scrutinize every ingredient in your recipe. Read the labels on the packages. You’ll be surprised when you see how many of the foods we eat every day have gluten in them. If a product is labeled gluten-free, then you’re in the clear. Most products these days will label information about gluten in bold near the ingredients. Also, there are many naturally occurring foods without gluten such as unprocessed meats, fruits, vegetables, nuts, fish, seeds, eggs and pure spices (spices without fillers). Grains without gluten include rice, corn, buckwheat, millet and quinoa. Wheat-free is not the same as gluten-free. And if you ever have any doubts about whether or not a product has gluten it, you can always call the customer service line printed on the box.
Be creative: Think about the foods that don’t have gluten in them, and create ways to utilize them in recipes. For example, if you’re baking cookies, use almond flour or another type of nut flour instead of regular flour. If you’re making a gravy or a sauce, use corn starch instead of flour. Creative substitutions will not only make the food safe for celiac sufferers but can also lead to new and exciting ways to prepare a dish.
Utilize resources: Some grocery stores have a health foods section which will often contain gluten-free foods. In many cases, there are pre-made mixes and meals that can be easily prepared. Of course, there’s always the Internet. Information on gluten-free foods is just a Google search away. With several sites and blogs dedicated to gluten-free dining, the Internet can be a fantastic resource for uneducated cooks. Some of the more helpful sites are www.celiac.org and www.livingwithout.com.
If you’re really serious about learning more about specific foods that are gluten-free, pick up the book “The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide,” by Elisabeth Hasselback. This book is a tremendous resource for those struggling with the disease and has served as a source for some information in this article.
Happy cooking!
Jarrod M. Hiatt lives in Davis County, Utah, with his wife and three kids. Jarrod graduated from Weber State University with a degree in journalism. He loves sports and loves to talk sports with anyone at anytime.
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