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ML's avatar
ML
Explorer
Feb 24, 2014

Wheat Free?

Is anyone here traveling "Wheat Free"?

I have read individuals have successfully reduced their blood pressure just by eliminating wheat from their diet. Some have substituted with corn products which is also a GMO (genetically modified product) others have used rice or bean products.

What are some of your wheat free recipes or substitutes?
RV Lifestyle
  • ML's avatar
    ML
    Explorer
    Mar 01, 2014
    I have made these pancakes (waffles) a couple of times.


    Oat Pancakes (Wheat Free)
    I like it because I always have oatmeal on hand and just have to put it in the food processor to make fresh flour. I add a small banana and some chopped walnuts to the batter.

    It makes enough batter for 2 waffles. I only eat one but put the batter in the frig and it makes up beautifully the next day.

    I have also used the oat flour as breading for fish and DH can't tell the difference.
  • Emptypockets's avatar
    Emptypockets
    Explorer
    Mar 01, 2014
    bigdogger wrote:
    Gluten free is basically a scam if you do not have an allergy to gluten. Do a little research and you will find that many gluten free products substitute higher calorie ingredients for wheat, hence becoming gluten free and yet higher in calories. Other products trumpet "gluten free" when they never would have had gluten in the first place. Jelly beans, ice cream and chocolate bars are all gluten free, yet don't constitute a healthy diet. For the majority of people, you can get all the benefits of a gluten free diet by simply cutting way down on the amount of bread you eat. Bread is a major source of empty calories in the average American's diet. It is also very tasty, so I personally prefer the have my occasional burger and pizza and exercise it off.


    Gluten intolerance may seem like a scam to you however, if you suffer from the disease you won't think it is a scam. The sad thing is a lot of the things that one would think was gluten free aren't - if the label says modified wheat starch we have two daughters that has to stay away from it. Boy have we ever had to learn how to read label's.
  • ML's avatar
    ML
    Explorer
    Mar 01, 2014
    Scottiemom wrote:
    We full time and I'm gluten free. Not really a big problem because I was never a big bread eater. I miss my favorite breakfast cereals. . . get tired of eating rice and corn chex. Found some cream of rice, yeah! Eat eggs in the morning. . . miss my morning toast. . . really don't care for the GF breads on the market. Make my own breads. . . still experimenting with those. I don't eat a lot of pasta, but have found corn spaghetti to be a great substitute that my DH enjoys as well. Down here in Texas, the H.E.B. grocery store chain has it's own label of corn pasta. . . other styles besides spaghetti. It is delicious and my favorite.

    Van's makes GF cheese crackers. . . close to Cheezits. REally good. Pamela's makes good baking mixes. . . the pancake mixes you cannot tell from wheat. Pamela's also makes great cookies. Glutino makes a table cracker similar to a saltine that's decent. Sam's Club has a flaxseed cracker that is great. Comes two packs to a box called "Multigrain" I think. They are great with dips, etc. Crunchy.

    My DH has severe heart problems and has to eat salt free. That is by far a bigger challenge because it's almost impossible to eat out and stay under his 500 mg requirement for meals. We do most of our eating right in our own place. . . pitchins are the WORST for salt. After our Thanksgiving meal in our park, DH gained 4 lbs. . . same at Christmas. Probably won't do those again, it takes him too long to get the fluid off.

    GF is getting easier to find. We are in northern Indiana a lot in the summer and even the Amish stores are starting to stock GF flours. And their Xantham Gum is a fraction of the cost of other places. That is an ingredient you use in GF baking to take the place of gluten. The Rise and Shine Bakery near Shipshewana has some GF baked items.

    I enjoyed reading the responses because I got a lot of good ideas.

    No different adjusting to the GF diet as there is with a diabetic diet or salt free. Just change your thinking and embrace it. I was diagnosed by a doctor with a "questionable new testing procedure," but decided it might help me lose some weight. Surprisingly, it was my digestive tract that has reaped the biggest benefit with few of the problems I had before.

    Dale


    Thank you for the suggestions, much appreciated.
  • Scottiemom's avatar
    Scottiemom
    Nomad
    Mar 01, 2014
    We full time and I'm gluten free. Not really a big problem because I was never a big bread eater. I miss my favorite breakfast cereals. . . get tired of eating rice and corn chex. Found some cream of rice, yeah! Eat eggs in the morning. . . miss my morning toast. . . really don't care for the GF breads on the market. Make my own breads. . . still experimenting with those. I don't eat a lot of pasta, but have found corn spaghetti to be a great substitute that my DH enjoys as well. Down here in Texas, the H.E.B. grocery store chain has it's own label of corn pasta. . . other styles besides spaghetti. It is delicious and my favorite.

    Van's makes GF cheese crackers. . . close to Cheezits. REally good. Pamela's makes good baking mixes. . . the pancake mixes you cannot tell from wheat. Pamela's also makes great cookies. Glutino makes a table cracker similar to a saltine that's decent. Sam's Club has a flaxseed cracker that is great. Comes two packs to a box called "Multigrain" I think. They are great with dips, etc. Crunchy.

    My DH has severe heart problems and has to eat salt free. That is by far a bigger challenge because it's almost impossible to eat out and stay under his 500 mg requirement for meals. We do most of our eating right in our own place. . . pitchins are the WORST for salt. After our Thanksgiving meal in our park, DH gained 4 lbs. . . same at Christmas. Probably won't do those again, it takes him too long to get the fluid off.

    GF is getting easier to find. We are in northern Indiana a lot in the summer and even the Amish stores are starting to stock GF flours. And their Xantham Gum is a fraction of the cost of other places. That is an ingredient you use in GF baking to take the place of gluten. The Rise and Shine Bakery near Shipshewana has some GF baked items.

    I enjoyed reading the responses because I got a lot of good ideas.

    No different adjusting to the GF diet as there is with a diabetic diet or salt free. Just change your thinking and embrace it. I was diagnosed by a doctor with a "questionable new testing procedure," but decided it might help me lose some weight. Surprisingly, it was my digestive tract that has reaped the biggest benefit with few of the problems I had before.

    Dale
  • oldmattb's avatar
    oldmattb
    Explorer
    Feb 25, 2014
    Mike S, The wording of your post suggest that you changed you body chemistry to the point that you eliminated your need for the cholesterol, BP and diabetic meds. I am on none, but I have not been to a doctor in a, well... a while.

    If the above is true, I salute you! Figure your cost over your life expectancy, and you have saved for a new bike, amigo!

    Matt B
  • GoldwingCapeCod's avatar
    GoldwingCapeCod
    Explorer
    Feb 24, 2014
    wildtoad wrote:
    There are plenty of contradicting studies on the affect of grain products on BP, and other health risks such as heart disease and diabetes. My opinion based on going to cardiac rehab and listening to several diabetes seminars with my wife is to avoid all grains, especially if they are white, eliminate sugar based items which includes corn. Beans for the most part are good. Avoidance may be very difficult for many. All things in moderation.


    Yes I am wheat free, sugar free ( as much as possible ) and lowest carbs possible.

    That and a consistent exersice routine and I am no longer on cholesterol, BP or diabetic medication.

    YMMV

    Mike S
  • oldmattb's avatar
    oldmattb
    Explorer
    Feb 24, 2014
    I have had good results with low-carb as well. I do eat complex carbs, like beans. I dropped about 25 pounds, but have gained most of it back. But I think it is MUSCLE! I am 54 and actually building body mass. I eat sugar only one day a week (twice last week - I was in a weakened state!) One day for fruit, ice cream, rice, honey, pancakes, french fries, sweetened coffee, buttered bread (gluten-free), all the bad stuff. It leaves me a bit queasy, and not wanting it for another week.

    Matt B

    Gonzo42 wrote:
    Just about a year ago I saw my doctor for my annual exam and he yelled at me. My weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar were all up.

    He said I needed to go on a low-carb diet. After research, I started on the Atkins regimen. After 3 months I had lost 30 pounds (down to ~ 170) and everything else is in normal range now.

    I cut way back on several of the things I really like, like breads, pasta, potatoes, etc. So I eat those in moderation and I'm keeping my weight down.

    I don't have any allergies so gluten-free is not my focus, but I buy low-carb foods. I have to scour the market for those, but they are getting a little more plentiful. I get low-carb tortillas, breads, crackers, etc now. Its important to note that wheat is an ingredient in hundreds if not thousands of foods, and so is corn syrup (a big hidden sugar). CHECK TO INGREDIENT LABELS!
  • oldmattb's avatar
    oldmattb
    Explorer
    Feb 24, 2014
    Most big grocery stores have gluten-free bread, pasta, etc. For non-celiac, try Ezekiel Bread. It tastes like tree bark at first because it has no sugar or other stuff in it. After a while you will enjoy the texture and flavor. Makes a righteous grilled cheese sandwich.

    Olive Garden has a gluten-free menu which includes pasta. Red Robin has gluten-free buns for their burgers. Many but not all of Campbell's Go Soups are gluten-free. They come in a pouch. I have taken these on road trips, placed them on the dashboard for an hour or so to warm up, pulled the strip, and dispensed directly into my hungry mouth.

    Matt B
  • ML's avatar
    ML
    Explorer
    Feb 24, 2014
    Thank you all for the suggestions. Keep um coming.
  • oldmattb's avatar
    oldmattb
    Explorer
    Feb 24, 2014
    I have been gluten-free for about 15 years, and the change was dramatic. Within 10 days, life-long sinus problems disappeared (except for pollen season,) digestion improved, complexion improved. Strangely enough, visual color discrimination improved.

    There are many non-celiac people with gluten allergies. I have read figures as high as 30 percent show some sensitivity.

    When traveling, I typically don't use substitutes, I just don't eat the gluten foods. I will have a hamburger on a salad rather than bun. I will order Mexican food with corn tortillas. I will scrape the toppings of a slice of pizza. For a quick breakfast, I will order McDonald's sausage-egg biscuits without the biscuits - A nice scrambled egg and a sausage patty! Order nearly any salad without croutons and you are good.

    Many of the substitutes are high sugar which carries its own hazard.

    My good friend Beckey is not gluten-free, but loves cooking for me - like an artist with a new palette! We have found that fried foods with rice flour coating are really better. Meatloaf is less fatty and tastier without bread crumbs. The stereotypical green bean and mushroom casserole is better with home made mushroom soup (thickened with corn starch and not wheat flour.) She is working on a deep-dish pizza recipe.

    My opinion of wheat is far from the staff-of-life thing we were taught. I think it is a cheap unhealthy filler, not far from eating grass seed. I think even if you have no gluten sensitivity, wheat products may be squeezing out healthier foods.

    Matt B

    PS Domino's has gluten-free pizza, though they rarely advertise it.

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