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Celiac/Coeliac Disease
Celiac disease is a condition in which the body cannot digest gluten properly. What ends up happening is the gluten in foods will actually cause the body to attack itself and in turn, harm it for good. My girlfriend has celiac disease and it is something that she’s had to live with for quite some time now. For her, things can be hard day to day. At some points, it feels like we accommodate people for their ignorance instead of people accommodating her for her disease.
For most, celiac/coeliac disease comes later in life. This gives them the experiences to remember what it was like to eat things that contained gluten. Their intolerance to gluten developed after they understood what the rest of food tasted like. Can you imagine? And for special cases, like Isabelle’s, celiac/coeliac disease turns into more allergies on top of gluten. She has a corn allergy, a soy allergy, a dairy allergy, a chocolate allergy, and a shellfish allergy as well. Needless to say, we’ve learned a lot about food.
Dealing with Celiac/Coeliac Disease
As Isabelle has done countless times, I’m going to reiterate, only from my side. Dealing with celiac/coeliac disease is tough. And I’m just somebody on the outside. I don’t have the same needs or issues as Isabelle and yet I still feel responsible for making an allergy-friendly zone. Still somehow, we manage to make some incredible food.
Trust me, there’s a lot of research that goes into making new dishes. Most substitutes for gluten have soy or corn in them which make them untouchable for us. Truly, it can feel impossible at times. Yet through something that must be sheer determination, we find a way to make something she hasn’t had since before she got celiac/coeliac disease. Hell, I like them more than most regular recipes. Just check some of these recipes out!
Gluten Free Alternatives and Gluten Substitutes
When dealing with Celiac disease, it all comes down to substitutions. There are a variety of Gluten Free alternatives to popular items. These items are:
- Wheat Flour Alternatives: Rice flour, sorghum flour, gluten free flour mixes (available at most grocery stores), coconut flour, and almond flour
- Bread Alternatives: Canyon Bakehouse has some excellent items with their own gluten free brand as well as Udi’s Gluten Free brand (though this one has corn in it usually so we have to pass by it other than a few select types); of course, you could always go our route and bypass store bought bread altogether by making your own at home!
- Cookie Alternatives: A favorite of ours are coconut macaroons, or if you don’t have to worry about dairy, French macaroons are made of almond flour with some interesting fillings. We also make our own cookies, check out our recent molasses cookies! Of course, Fresh Market has some tasty treats that are gluten free as well.
When it comes to alternatives for Isabelle’s other allergies, there are plenty of other choices as well. Though that list would be a lot longer. For now, we will just cover those few basics.
Cooking for Someone with Celiac/Coeliac Disease
Cooking for someone with celiac/coeliac disease can be a tough one, but really it all comes down to research and cleanliness. The thing with celiacs is that they can have no cross contamination. Their food must be absolutely untouched by gluten.
Here are some things I’ve picked up on when cooking for a celiac:
- Clean everything: This means the counters, tables, glasses, plates, cookware, pots, pans, and whatever else you think has the most microscopic chance of having touched gluten. This is non-negotiable. If you second guess it, clean it.
- Do your Research: Before buying anything or using anything in your dish when cooking for a celiac, make sure that it has been certified gluten free. I can’t tell you how many times Isabelle has had a reaction because the food we bought shouldn’t have had gluten in it but it did, nonetheless. If it doesn’t say gluten free on the packaging, then at the very least look it up online to make sure the company expresses it elsewhere. Otherwise, avoid things like natural flavors. This is key to making sure you have a successful night cooking for a celiac.
- Keep Everything Separate: If you have some gluten items on the menu for the night, make sure they stay clear of anything that a celiac would be eating. This means cook things separately. You have two things that need to be in the oven? Well, make them one at a time or use something like a convection oven for the smaller item.
All in all, it always comes down to having a watchful eye and remaining aware. If these things frighten you by fearing cross-contamination, then I suggest making a full gluten-free meal for the celiac that everybody else eats, too! This is what Isabelle and I do.
Then it comes to substitutions as I mentioned previously. Finding the right substitutions are what makes any gluten-free meal work.
Celiac Management
Really, it comes down to celiac management. Making sure that the strict diet of the celiac is followed and understanding that sacrifices will have to be made in order to make food that a celiac can eat. Isabelle and I have spent so much time researching and creating our own recipes through trial and error, always making sure Isabelle comes out on top with no pains or gluten reactions.
Make sure to keep gluten separate from any celiac foods, clean up wherever gluten was, and just doing researching to follow along with what ingredients your celiac can eat. If you follow these steps, you’re bound to have a successful time cooking for a celiac. Dealing with celiac/coeliac disease doesn’t have to be hard. All it takes is some love and patience.
Soon you could be making some of the best dishes around. All gluten free and ready to go. Just check out some of our recipes to see what you can be capable of with just a little bit of effort!