Types of Gluten Free Flours/Grains

I'm teaching a class tomorrow on how to make gluten free bread.
Here is a list of gluten free flours and grains. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. It's fun to experiment. Tomorrow I will use sweet rice flour, cornstarch and tapioca flour.

Different Types of Gluten Free Flours/Grains

Almond Amaranth Arrowroot Buckwheat Chickpea Coconut Corn Corn Starch Garbanzo Millet

Potato Potato Starch Quinoa Rice Sorghum Soy Sweet Rice Tapioca Teff

My thoughts on mothers day

Eleven years ago on Mothers Day was my due date with my son, Thor. As with all my kids he was born late on May 18th, 2002. During my pregnancy with him was when the vertigo started. On a Sunday afternoon in mid March we were at my parents house to celebrate my dad's birthday. I can remember vividly the moment it started. Where I was sitting, who I was talking to. It seemed like time moved so slowly. I got up and went to my parents room to lay down but the movement made me nauseous. And so I started throwing up, couldn't move on my own. Had to have someone lead my head to the toilet to throw up. I couldn't stop for like an hour. At this point, I was scared for the pregnancy and insisted on being taken to the hospital. 
Once we found out that Thor was fine the doctor concluded I probably had an inner ear infection. He said they were going around (like that happens, because it doesn't). So we waited for it to go away. I felt better the next day but for a couple of days I would feel pressure build up in my ear and then I would have a dizzy spell and then the pressure would release. And then it would start all over again.
If you've ever had vertigo, I don't need to describe it for you. But if you haven't give a shout because it's awful. It's like getting off the Merry go round except it never dissipates. Sometimes it's like an old tv that isn't getting good reception where it kind of moves up and out of the screen and keeps doing it over and over.  I've had that too. It's super not fun. It makes you barf and when you lay down you think you are continually falling. There's no way you can even focus until you get to just the rolling dizziness. The worst part for me is that I panic. I hyperventilate. I freak out. I've had it last hours.  One time to calm me down Trav put a grocery bag over my head (I was too out of it to breath into it myself) and laid on the floor next to me singing primary songs. 
And each time I got vertigo, my hearing went a little. Now I am profoundly deaf in my right ear. 
So, the reason I was thinking of that day 11 years ago was that I was so scared that on the day my little son was born I would be so sick with vertigo. The most joyous day for a momma I feared would be destroyed. I could feel the pressure in my ear building during the week. I knew I would have to be dizzy before I could be better. I went into the doctor the next Friday overdue. We did a stress test and an ultrasound and discovered we were running out of amniotic fluid. He needed to be born asap. 
So I stayed in the hospital by myself while Travis took care of Normandy. My labor started abruptly (I was being induced) and I worried that I would have my baby on my own. My labor with Normandy was about an hour. I couldn't sleep at all that night in the hospital by myself because I was so scared of being dizzy and sick. How awful would it be to have to do labor with vertigo? As if it could get any worse? Cash had hiccups while I was delivering him, so I know it can. 
But I made it. He was born and hour and a half after contractions started. Trav made it to the hospital for his birth. But then he went home to take care of Normandy.
I remember being in the hospital with him by myself. I didn't want to carry him around because I knew the vertigo was imminent and I didn't want to drop him. And sure enough, in the middle of the night it hit. I was nursing him in bed when I felt it come on. I called the nurse and told her my head was spinning and she said that that wasn't something I should have after a baby and left. I just laid there until it passed, bawling and holding my baby. 
Here is where the tender mercies come in. I didn't have another vertigo spell until September. I didn't want to be sick when I had a new baby. I have always been grateful for those 3 and a half months of being able to concentrate on my newborn and my 2 year old. I always wanted to be a mother and I'm always so grateful to be able to do it. I've had times when I was physically unable to mother my children. What could be more awful? I always want to be able to take care of them and be there for them. I always want them to know I am here for them.
My current doctor thinks that I have otosclerosis, which is hardening of the bone in the inner ear. Women do get it from the hormones of pregnancy. Why we didn't figure this out until too late I don't know. I knew after Thor that when I had a baby I would get very sick and I did. But it passed and it was so worth it. And I never had morning sickness and vertigo together. I got vertigo about 2 months after my baby was born and then I'd get it again when I weaned them at a year. It lasted for 2-3 months. I was sick to my stomach the whole time but not flat on my back.  Just once for a couple of hours every few days. And I haven't had any dizziness sick January of 2012. Yep. My balance center is completely burned up and it's great. I wish it hadn't taken 12 years to do it. My brain has compensated and I have overcome.
On this past Mothers Day, I was struck by how fast time flies. I wish I could have told myself on that Mothers Day eleven years ago about my life now. About how I would make it through. About how being deaf in one ear has some advantages. About how life goes on. About how we are not left alone, I know I've been carried. About how much comfort we can receive if we are open to it. About the great times and laughs. About the love we give and receive. About endurance and perseverance  About never giving up even when you can't see a reason not to, but just because.
I don't love Mothers Day. It seems a little disingenuous to me. But I love being a Mother. 
Here is the essay that Thor wrote for me for Mothers Day. I love it because he gets me. 

Why My Mother is the Best

by Thor Labrum

Would you mom help you with about anything? I certainly know mine would. Some moms give you anything you want. I think that would be boring. She helps me. My mom has me work for things.  She is always ready. My mom is the best mom.

Because I don't know as much as her, she helps me. When making cookies she does the measurements. When I don't know how to do a chore she tells me what to do. She helps me find stuff. She will always help me. 

Due to the fact she knows I'm somewhat deficient  she makes me work for things. It makes me feel self-efficient. It makes me feel comfortable getting what I wanted. I feel great because of it. Working for things helps me.

For that fact, she is always ready. She has a schedule for the family, which she memorizes. I am always busy and she helps me remember. When I'm hungry she know what I can have. She is absolutely ready.

My mom will help me with almost anything. She helps me. She makes me work for thinks. She is always ready. If you think your mom's great, mine is better. My mom is the best in the world.

I sure do love that boy! Thanks for hanging in there with me. 

Steel and his hiding ways

My son Steel is just a joy. He's so sweet and kind and so much fun. I love having him around. I just enjoy being with him so much.
Friday morning, I wondered if I would every get to see him again.
I was playing basketball at a church building. I have done this off and one for years. Steel has come with numerous times before and he knows the drill. He can't leave the gym unless he tells me. I am paranoid of losing sight of my kids. I had been playing for a while when Steel needed to go to the restroom. So we went and he had to wash his hands three times because he could do it by himself and I was trying to help him. And then he had to get the paper towels by himself, one for him and one for me.
I took him back in the gym and then got down to playing ball again. When there was a break, I went to the stage to check in on him. Lo and behold he wasn't there. So I figured he must have gone out and gotten a drink even though he knows he's not supposed to. Nope. Then one of the other moms noticed that I was looking, she asked if I lost a kid and then started looking too. I was okay. I figured he was somewhere in the halls or one of the classrooms. Maybe he went looking for the nursery. At one of the other churches I've played at the nursery was across the hall from the gym and the kids would play with toys there. But Steel in not adventurous. He really likes to be by me. He follows me from one room to the next when we are home. Soon all the moms are looking and we're not finding him. These other moms have been playing ball for over 10 years and have had little kids get lost before but they said they usually find them in a couple of minutes. When they started to get scared, that made me even more worried. This hasn't happened before?
I thought about our little trip to the bathroom and how independent he is and how much I love him and I wondered if that was the last time I would see him. I wondered if this was the moment when my life would change forever. I know there are moms that never get to see their kids again. Was I going to be one of them? Was there anything I could do?
I've heard horror stories of predators targeting LDS churches because there are so many kids and moms are distracted. So, even though I was trying to stay calm, I was wondering if I should assume the worst. I went to the Family History Center and enlisted their help. By now, I'm crying but still trying to hold it together. Every time I go into the gym and no one has found him, I get a little sicker and sicker. One of the moms is getting in her car to drive around and see if he escaped. But I know that doesn't sound like Steel at all. So after 15 minutes or so I decide to call the police. Steel is so articulate and fearless it never crossed my mind that he would be in the building, hearing me call him and not respond. I figured he couldn't get out of a room he went in or he had been taken. Never once did I think he would be HIDING from me.
The operator at 911 was super calm. She really annoyed me with not showing any urgency. But her calmness made a corner of my mind think, okay, she's seen this before, she's not worried. He's probably still here. So I gave her my location and Steel's description and she said stay put and an officer would be there soon. Brown hoodie, blue jeans, crocs, short dark blonde hair, scar under his left eye. I walked to the other side of the building and he drove up. I didn't even have time to call Travis and tell him I lost our son before he showed up. I was still on the phone with him and he said he'd be there asap.
The police officer was very calm. He said there were more police on their way to help search and we could get the fire department to come help too. He said they would search the building first and then expand. So I asked them to please hurry. He asked the other moms to set up post at each of the outside doors so that we would know who was coming and going. I figured I may as well look some more. I had been praying this whole time. Trav said I was freaking out but he has not idea to what extent I can go. That was me being calm! So, I said one more prayer, this time I asked Heavenly Father that if Steel was still in the building that I would be able to find him before this turned into a circus.
So the first hallway I came to was the one that had the stairs that led onto the stage. I took a left and looked in the classroom at the base of the stairs and then I looked in the classroom at the top of the stairs. Then I started onto the stage and I looked to my right and I saw a fat, little hand sticking out from under the curtains. There was a brown cuff on the wrists. But another little boy had a brown hoodie on too. So I figured it was that little boy because he was on the stage the last time I saw him. But I ripped the curtain off the kid and it was Steel. The turkey. I fell on the ground and grabbed him and hugged him and bawled and bawled and bawled. It probably took me over 5 minutes to even be able to talk to the police officer.  I know he was standing there watching me. I had to call Trav. HELLOOOOO? That's what he said. I told him I found him and that he was hiding. He said did you spank him? No, I'm too busy loving on him. Oh, okay! I guess I'll go back to work.
I had to apologize to the police officer. But he said never to feel bad. That's what he's there for. And there would have been 15 others there in 3-5 minutes to help look.
So, I can be cynical about law enforcement because I think that most traffic tickets are silly and that's most of the public's association with them. But I was so glad to have this guy on my side and to be able to use their expertise and manpower if I had needed it. I thanked all the moms and apologized. They were so nice.
I never could get Steel to explain to me what he was thinking. Why he was hiding in the curtains when we were all looking for him? Why didn't he answer when we called him? I never once thought he was hiding from me. Not once! Other peoples kids do that, not mine. He did say once that he was playing hide and seek and I told him it only works if the other person knows you're hiding.
So, now we've talked (about 100 times) about what we do when someone says, Steel where are you? "I will say right here." And we've talked (about 100 times) about how we never hide from Mama. That Mama gets sick and hurt when she can't find her kids.
So that was my morning Friday. Then I had 15 minutes to go meet my client that I peer parent. I was still shaky and my eyes were still red but I think it went well. We talked about reflective listening. Life goes on.

Gluten Free Baked Meatballs

We didn't realize that most meatballs have gluten in them until my son had a reaction to Ikea's Swedish Meatballs. I never thought to look. What would be gluten in them? It's what they use to hold the meat together, usually bread crumbs. So here is the recipe we use when we want meatballs.

Baked Meatballs

(I adapted this recipe from Alton Brown's.)

3 lbs ground meat

10 oz chopped spinach (I love to use fresh but you can use frozen)

1 C grated parmesan (can you the powdered stuff)

2 eggs

1 T dried basil (more is fine)

1 T dried parsely

2 t garlic powder

2 t salt

1 t red pepper flakes

1 c gluten free bread crumbs (more on these at the end of this post) or you can use gluten free oats

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl add 3 pounds of meat, (I use sausage, it adds such a great flavor. I buy the nitrate free kind from the New York Style Sausage Company. I also used hamburger that I obtained (it's not stealing if they know about it, right?) from my parents' frozen locker. It's organic. I'm typically not a fan of red meat but I do make exceptions for these.) spinach, parmesan, eggs, basil, parsley, garlic powder, salt red pepper flakes and gluten free bread crumbs. 

Mix all these ingredients until well combined. I just use my hands. Kinda gross but if Rachel Ray does it, it's okay, right?

Shape into walnut sized balls and place meatballs in individual spaces of mini muffin pan (Mine are from Pampered Chef and I cannot rave enough about them). Bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through.

The photo above is of the cooked meatballs. We ate them with mashed sweet potatoes. It's a tasty, easy dinner. To make a healthy alternative, use ground turkey and/or chicken.

These are my homemade gluten free breadcrumbs. I use this recipe adapted from Carl Fenster. I love corn bread crumbs. They have such a great, sweet flavor.

Gluten Free Corn Bread Crumbs

2 1/2 C cornmeal (try to use organic because corn as a grain is mainly gmo)

2 c gf flours (any combination of 3)

2/3 c sugar

4 t baking powder

3 t xanthan gum

2 t salt

4 eggs

2 c milk (I use either coconut or almond)

2/3 c canola oil

Optional: 1 c canned or frozen corn

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In your mixer bowl mix the dry ingredients together. Then add the wet all at once. Mix on low until just combined. It's okay to have small lumps. Pour into greased 10 X 13 cake pan. Bake for 35 minutes or until all the way done. You need to use a utensil to poke the middle to make sure it comes out clean. This bread seems to take forever to cook.

Once this bread is done if you can resist eating it, slice it and spread it out on a cookie sheet. You can bake it again at a very low heat or leave it out for a day or two (this is what I do). Once the bread is crispy you can break it into pieces and then place it in a large Ziploc. With a rolling pin or a skillet you can take all your frustrations out on this poor bread. As you can see from the picture, mine isn't uniform or all very small because I'm impatient. Then I put my breadcrumbs in a previously used #10 can with a good lid. I've had mine for a while now, I would say close to a year. But we live in Utah where it's really dry. Can't say how long they'll last for others. You can leave them in the Ziploc and freeze them to be sure.

My Dad

I have always been so proud to have my dad be my dad. When I was little he was like a superhero. He really could fix anything. He really was stronger than anyone else. He had a great jump shot. He could hit the ball out of the park. He had the deepest voice. He knew something about almost everything. He has been the greatest dad.

The picture below was from a daddy/daughter date. That day my dad had stabbed himself in the leg while butchering chickens. He had something like 29 stitches in his thigh and we still won the 3 legged race. I'm just saying....

He has had cancer for 5 years now. I was going to say battling. But he hasn't been battling, the stupid cancer has. He hasn't been sick or had any symptoms but the cancer just won't go away. Not until my dad got cancer did I ever have physical manifestations of grief or sorrow. When I think about something happening to my dad it literally becomes hard to swallow and my chest hurts. It's weird. Because I'm a grown up. I'm 37 and 1/2. I don't NEED a dad anymore. But I sure do WANT him.

Even as an adult, when my dad comes to visit, I feel like it's silly to lock my doors. I feel so safe. I just know nothing bad will happen to my little family with my dad around.

Since I started working for DCFS as a peer parent, I get to be around alot of malfunctioning adults. These adults have kids that are at risk which is why they need the services of a peer parent. Most of these folks were abused and/or neglected as children themselves and are carrying on the cycle. My dad's father was horribly abusive to his wife and his (I want to say 11?) kids. I had a wonderful childhood. I was raised on a farm in a small town. My dad handed out his share of spankings, but he was never abusive. We always knew we were loved. We always knew our parents had our back. When I spoke to my dad about how amazing it was that he broke the abuse cycle in one generation, basically with him, he tried to make it out to be no big deal. But it is a HUGE deal. It means the world to me and my family. We are so blessed to have had him go to bat for us and he knocked it out of the park. I truly believe that he came before us to make our way so very easy. If that's not a hero then I don't know what it.

I love this picture of us with the basketballs playing elimination. My favorite thing to do and still is is to play sports. You name it, I'll play it. I'm still not very coordinated but boy am I competitive. I was a pretty good basketball player when I was young and an even better softball player. I can still remember being in 3rd grade and my mom told me that I had basketball practice. They just signed me up. I was like, "what's basketball?" My mom said, "You'll find out tonight." I was hooked. And I got the best basketball coach ever, Bob Kadell.  If even half the coaches that I ref for were half the man that Mr Kadell was....(I need to blog about this later.)

My dad loved to watch his kids play sports. I could hear him yell all the way across the gym. He drove all over Oregon to watch me play. Even in college when I barely played he would drive hours one way to watch. I think about that often. I always wished I could shoot a jumper like he did but I never managed a very high jump ever, let alone to shoot while doing it. I still love to call and brag when I've had a good night. 

Whenever we can we get together as a family and play elimination. This is me trying to grad dad's ball and chuck it to the other end of the gym. Trying to get the ball out of those club hands is no easy feat. My dad's hands are almost as thick as they are long. I love to look at Steel's hands. He has mini clubs just like my dad. They are so big and thick if he plays baseball we won't need to buy him a mitt.

I love it when I get to see my dad's traits in my kids. Thor's ears, Cash's deep blue eyes (though not as deep as dad's), Steel's hands, etc. Probably best not too mention the faulty ear canals and the asthma. I wonder if we got the gluten intolerance from him too?:)

I pray everyday that my dad will finally beat this cancer. I pray everyday that he will have the strength he needs to stay positive and strong. I pray everyday to have peace and comfort. I pray everyday to bend my will to the Lord's. I pray everyday to live up to the privilege of being my dad's daughter. 

The Bridge Builder

An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.

The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side

And built a bridge to span the tide.

"Old man," said a fellow pilgrim near,

"You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide --
Why build you the bridge at the eventide?"

The builder lifted his old gray head:
"Good friend, in the path I have come," he said,
"There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pit-fall be,
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him."

Will Allen Dromgoole

Shepherd's Pie Recipe

People are always asking what they can make for our family when they have us over or bring meals in. One of my favorite foods as a kid was Shepherd's Pie and it's normally gluten free. I'm so glad we got reintroduced. If you are trying to go gluten free this is an easy, cheap and comforting meal that the whole family will love. I usually double the recipe and make an extra pan to have for breakfast and after school snacks.

Shepherd's Pie

Put a pot of water on the stove to boil. Scrub 6-9 potatoes and slice about an inch thick. Place these in the boiling water to cook. While you are doing this work on the hamburger mixture.

Brown a pound of hamburger (I raided my parent's organic beef) with a chopped onion. Add a handful of seasoning salt of your choice and 1 t of pepper. Once the hamburger is browned, add a can of corn, a can of green beans and a can of tomato sauce. Take off heat.  

Heat the oven to 375.

Your potatoes are done if they are soft when you stick a fork in them. Drain off the water and add about a cup of chicken broth. Mash up your potatoes with a large fork or you can use an electric mixer but I like my potatoes chunky.

Dump the hamburger mixture into the bottom of a 9 by 11 cake pan. Spread it out evenly. Then drop the mashed potatoes by spoonful onto the hamburger. 

Spread the potatoes out smoothly.

 Then top with your favorite kind of cheese. Note: Gluten intolerance and lactose intolerance go hand in hand. I try to keep dairy out of the house too but sometimes you just need cheese.

Cook the casserole until the cheese is all the way melted. 

 Serve while warm.

Gluten Free Snickerdoodles Recipe

Gluten Free Snickerdoodles

Preheat oven to 400. Combine 3/4 C sugar and 1/2 C softened butter. Add 1 1/3 C gluten free flours, (I used 1/2 C cornstarch, 1/2 C tapioca flour and 1/3 C potato starch.) 1 egg, 1 t cream of tartar, 1/2 t baking soda, 1/2 t vanilla, 1/4 t salt. 1 t xanthan gum. Mix well until dough is formed.

Roll into walnut sized balls. Roll these balls in cinnamon sugar mix (3 T sugar + 1 T cinnamon). Place these well spaced on your cookie sheet. Warning: these spread quite a bit.

Cook for 10 minutes or until tops are slightly browned. Let cool.