Comfort Food

Ok, so I know a lot of blogs recently have been adding yummy Thanksgiving Day recipes and suggestions for a gluten free holiday. But, while I enjoy gathering with friends and family, turkey is just not my favorite. Oh, I'll be roasting it up just like everyone else on T-Day, but its not what I look forward to as the weather changes from crisp to cold. I'm all about the comfort food.

So what am I looking forward to as winter creeps on in? Stew! Yummy-Scrummy stick to your ribs Beef Stew. I'll even eat it for breakfast. Don't tell my doctor, but its so good, I must indulge. Also, I like a little kick to my stews, so spice is a must for me, but you can adjust to your taste.

JENS FAVORITE GF STEW
1 lb stew meat cut into bite size pieces
All Purpose GF flour blend to coat meat (I recommend Gluten Free Mama Almond blend)
1 T Paprika
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 32 oz container of Beef Stock (Kitchen Basics brand) to cover all
1 T + GF Soy Sauce
1/2 Onion chopped
3 Carrots Chopped
1 Stalk Celery Chopped
4 White potatoes cubed
Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning to taste (McCormicks is GF!)
Cream to drizzle over each serving

1) Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat with a bit of olive oil. Coat the beef cubes with the flour and brown in batches. Place brown beef cubes into a slow cooker as you go.

2) In same skillet add the Onions, Carrots, Celery and potatoes, cook over medium low heat until onions begin to soften.

3) Season with salt, pepper and Spicy Montreal Steak Seasoning.

4) Add 1 cup of the stock and scrape up any brown bits then pour entire contents over the beef in the slow cooker.

5) Add the remaining stock, paprika and soy sauce. Stir to combine. Cover.

6) Cook on high for 4-5 hours or low 7-8 hours (gives you the tenderest beef).

7) Serve with cream on the side to drizzle over stew. (Sounds weird, but it's really scrummy!)

Well, off to the kitchens you go! I know I'm hunkering for a bowl of stew right now. Hope you enjoy it. For a more "adult" flavor, you could add a cup or two of red wine to the mix also. Just increase the amount of flour. Scrummy!

Welcome!

Hey there! Thanks for stopping by. Obviously this is my first post. One of many I hope. This blog is for those with gluten sensitivities, Celiac Disease, and all others interested in the frustrations and triumphs that go along with it. I hope to post recipes, snarky comments and thoughts, wishful thinkings and suggestions, and totally off topic subjects.

I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease back in 2004 just after the birth of my second child. Strangely and frustratingly enough my symptoms weren't the usual suspects involved with Celiac. It started with dramatic weight loss, which the doctors blamed on my hormones needing to balance out after pregnancy. Well, once I was down to 107 lbs, (and on a 5'6" frame, previously weighing in at 130lbs only a couple months before) the doctors thought they should look at other causes. Brilliant! Then the chest pains and exhaustion started in and FINALLY after 3 more months of eroneous tests, they discovered that I was no longer producing healthy red blood cells. So after a blood transfusion, and a terrible allergic reaction to Iron Dextran (an iron infusion) they decided to check my antibodies for celiac. It was inconclusive, so I went in for a colonoscopy and endoscopy. Finally!!!! I had a doctor that said "It looks like it could be Celiac Disease. But its inconclusive."

Wow, I'm so glad that I have you guys looking out for me.

So, I started a gluten-free diet, and gained my weight back and the chest pains have at least become infrequent. So there is my Celiac story in a nut shell. At least from this I've learned that most doctors don't have a clue when it comes to Celiac Disease and that I pretty much have to teach them what to do.

My big beef about my "diagnosis" is that I can eat small amounts of wheat on accident with sometimes no reaction, i.e. stomach problems and other times I can eat a gluten free meal and be sick in bed for days. So, my body is a pain in the patootie, but its all I got.

One thing positive though is that it has really inspired me to be creative in the kitchen and I've discovered I really do like cooking. I liked it before, but now its a challenge and a triumph when I create something that my non-celiac family likes and requests it over glutenized foods.


In future posts I'll include recipe winners and failures and gripes and hoorays. So stay tuned, perhaps you'll find something that will inspire you to embrace and cheer our gluten free foodiness.