NEWSFLASH!

My article was posted today --> READ NOW!

From Tests to Testimony

About five and a half years ago Matt was in the middle of blood tests and preparing for an upper endoscopy. The doctors were looking into celiac disease and all the tests proved our assumptions to be true.

We were faced with Matt living gluten free. For life. The first couple years were life altering as we tested some great products and, let's face it, some major stinkers. With each year our family began to flow more in gluten free eating and now it is only natural to cook this way -- and quite healthy I may add!

The son who I though would live so differently from his peers is playing sports, excelling in school and enjoys many parties/gatherings with his friends. Why was I so worried about his future? It's just living without wheat products for heaven's sake!

Our local paper circulates a parenting magazine and I was asked to share Matt's journey from his diagnosis to the gluten free diet. I gladly accepted the task and took it as a way to raise awareness about celiac disease. Here is what the latest research is saying:

*It effects more than 3 million Americans

*A child will visit on average eight pediatricians before being diagnosed

*It presents with as many as 300 different symptoms

*97% with celiac disease have not been diagnosed

*If undiagnosed, patients are at greater risk of other serious illnesses

When the paper posts the article online, I will link you to it. I pray this causes more food and drug companies to wake up and realize that millions of Americans have this disease. It's not a rare condition, but becoming more common among those with gastrointestinal/weight issues. And I am willing to spread the word!

Freezing Our Eggs Off

What happened to our 60+ degree weather? Today it will reach 40 and the forecast is saying that dreaded word again: SNOW

Today we are having my family over for a be-lated Easter celebration since we were taking off a couple weeks ago. I planned to grill out, but in this kind of weather? I think not! And what about our annual egg hunt? Again, not happening. It's all about being flexible, right? So I got a ham instead.

And on our menu for dessert: FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE I tried it out this week and, oh boy, soooooo decadent and yummy! Top it off with ice cream, chocolate syrup and whipped cream and you got yourself one delicious tower of chocolate gluten-free goodness. I had to share:

12 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate; chopped

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon fine salt

6 large eggs, room temperature

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar Confectioners' sugar and/or cocoa powder, for dusting

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter and flour a 9 by 2-inch spring form pan. Put the chocolate, butter, and salt in a large microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted.

Beat the eggs and sugar with a standing or handheld mixer until light and thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Fold the melted chocolate into the whipped eggs until evenly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out wet but not gooey, about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Remove cake from the oven and cool on a rack.

When ready to serve remove ring from spring form mold. Dust cake with confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder.

Living Without

I can't tell you how much I love this magazine. The president is from the Chicagoland area and contributes to University of Chicago's Celiac Disease Center --> Where Matt goes for his screenings and Dr. Guandalini is at the forefront of celiac research. That's where I want my son be for sure! (CLICK HERE to read about our son's story.)

But this magazine doesn't only focus on celiac disease/gluten free living, but also on other allergens that affect over 12 million Americans (soy, dairy, peanuts, even bee stings). --> Check out back issues now!

And see what Disney is doing to help those with special dietary needs. This will make our future family vacation there a good one. Enjoying a huge buffet with Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck is possible!!

Happy Hearts Day

Steve and I are not big "card holiday" celebrators. I can't remember a Valentine's Day when we made plans for a date and Sweetest Day usually passes with both of us forgetting about it. Our expectations are pretty low, huh? Tonight we may do Outback's curbside take-out. (Matt loves their ribs and if my boys are happy, we are happy.) Besides, I am a firm believer in every day should be Valentine's Day......or Mother's Day or Sweetest Day or Father's Day......

Yesterday I slaved over making treats for Matt's class party: gluten free sugar cookies (Pictured here) Pamela's mix never fails!

And if anyone has advice on how I can keep Mark from stripping down to his bare bottom before he goes to sleep, please fill me in. Finding him in a pool of urine these past few mornings isn't pleasant -- for him or me! Last night I checked him before Steve and I hit the hay. Again, he was naked as a jaybird (bed dry, thank God) and half asleep while I put his PJ's back on. He apologized, "Sorry, mommy, pants stay on." I tell you, this kid......

So I hope your Valentine's Day is a good one. HUGS!

We Must Be Dreaming

On Saturday we decided to take a trip around the Chicago suburbs to check out a local Trader Joes and a restaurant known for their gluten free menu: WILDFIRE RESTAURANT

We absolutely love Trader Joes' brown rice pastas. They are so firm and hearty; no different than any wheat pasta. Then we browsed around and Matt found a flourless chocolate cake. He is ready to dive into that after dinner with a scoop of ice cream. And the prices....holy cow!

Off to Wildfire. All I can say is this: They serve a hamburger on a gluten free bun. Matt was really anxious to order that. Think about it; since turning two he has ordered a "burger with no bun" at every McD's and Culvers. He had every right to be busting out the seams! We all took a bite and thought the bun was delicious. I asked the waitress what buns they use and before we know it the executive chef walks to our table and welcomes us. He opened up about all his gluten free culinary education and know-hows. He gave us tips and we chatted on for at least 10 minutes more. As you know Matt is a fan of the Food Network, so he was a little star-struck talking to the "big man of the kitchen" wearing his white coat and all. It was like Bobby Flay himself.

Then the dessert tray comes. Matt replies back in a nice, quiet voice (I don’t think so), “FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH ICE CREAM! Oh, I am totally getting that guys!”

Unless your family knows what it’s like to live around a special needs diet, you can’t fully understand what this felt like. We were beaming!

Ok, this day can’t possibly go any better, right? Wrong!

On our way home we stopped by Wild Oats (a first time trip for us) and Matt was like a kid in a candy store. Choosing between chocolate chip cookies or butter crackers – a gluten free dieters dream! We stocked up on more than we thought and headed home.

I will conclude this post with words from Matt on our way back home: “Happy Gluten Free Day!”

Alton Brown Heard Me!!

All of you Food Network junkies out there, I don't know about you, but my all-time favorite culinary program is "Good Eats" with Alton Brown. He has taught me everything from portioning out a full beef tenderloin to making a perfect bowl of oatmeal (steel cut please) to using Kosher salt in all my dishes. I Tivo his programs and caught a new episode this week: "Sub Standards"

Imagine my delight when he shared this recipe. I raised my hands and thanked Mr. Brown over and over again. The word is getting out, folks. Gluten intolerance/celiac disease is on the rise! Now I must grab a bowl with a wooden spoon and try his chewy cookie recipe out. Thanks a million, Alton!

Leggo My Eggo? Ok, you can have it!

Recently I decided to try Pamela's Amazing Wheat Free Bread Mix hoping for a good find. Let me just tell you, it's the best gluten free bread thus far!! I make it in our Zojirushi bread machine and it turns out totally delicious every time. Those of you who eat gluten free bread understand how difficult it is keeping it moist and plyable. It also tends to crumble quickly and the shelf life is short. But this one is moist, very gluten-like and keeps well! Pamela's also makes a kick-butt pancake and brownie mix which also come with alternative recipes for chocolate cake and muffins. How awesome is that???

That said, this morning Matt requested French toast for breakfast. I popped in an Eggo waffle for Mark and started working on the French toast. As I started plating it Mark wanted a try. I gave him a bite. Immediately the Eggo waffle was pushed aside (thrown off his plate actually) and he asked for "Matt's toast". So I had to put another slice on the griddle for little Marky too and both plates were cleaned off. Goes to show you Matt doesn't miss out on much sticking to a gluten free diet. (Plus, mom throwing in her spice of love helps!)

Good Eats

MorningSong tagged me to reveal 5 favorite local restaurants. And let me also add that we lean towards places that cater to a gluten free diet since our oldest son, Matthew, was diagnosed with Celiac Disease at age 2. Let me begin:

1. Chipotle (my latest find and favorite) Not only do they cater to a gluten free diet, but their food is so fresh and yummy. Get the "burrito bol" and fill 'er up!

2. Culvers Their burgers are juicy and hot-of-the-grill fresh. They also cater to a gluten free diet (dedicated fryer for French fries) and with every kid's meal comes a free scoop of frozen custard with sprinkles -- a child's must have. Beats any fast food!

3. OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE They have a separate gluten free menu. What more could Matt ask for? He never turns down their "ribs on the barbie" or baked sweet potato with brown suger.

4. chilis I am not a huge Chilis fan, but recently they also jumped on the celiac friendly bandwagon and created a gluten free menu. Hi-5 to Chilis!!!

5. Potbelly This place may not have a lot when it comes to gluten free items, but I sure love their vegetarian sub with hearty mushrooms. Usually I am a meat eater with subs, but this one rocks.

And while we are on the subject of good eats, O Mama Mia's Cucina is having a spectacular coffee giveaway -- right up my alley! My fingers are crossed!!

Tables are Turning.........

As most of you know Matthew is on a strict gluten free diet because he has celiac disease. During trips to the grocery he loves to eyeball all the decorated cakes and told me one day, “Mom, I wish I could eat those cakes. Too bad they have gluten.”

My heart dropped. I felt horrible for him. It must be hard to be a kid with a diet restriction. I used to think it was hard on mommy, but as Matthew grows up he is realizing there is a difference between what he is allowed to eat and what his friends can eat. Looks like the tables are turning and it is Matthew that has to deal with being gluten free day in and day out. Feeling like he is missing out. Thankfully I have taught him responsibility in keeping to his diet and I make sure he knows nothing can hold him back from having a fun, active childhood.

My mom offered to make a fully decorated gluten free Spongebob cake like Matthew would find in any grocery store for his birthday -- I lack talent in frosting a cake!! When they arrived Friday we were in awe at how it turned out. What do you think?

Weekend Round Up

Nothing beats a nice weekend! Saturday morning the baking fairy tapped me on the shoulder and all of the sudden I had this motivation to make gluten free yummies for Matthew...and Mark too! It is easy to make several and keep them frozen for future use.

Gluten Free Pantry makes a fantastic brownie and pancake mix. For those with sensitivities to dairy, there is a dairy free option too. All I can say is YUM-O!!! Matthew has several birthday parties to attend these next couple months and he always chooses GF brownies over the mainstream birthday cake offered.

I keep the pancakes frozen in a ziplock bag and microwave for a minute like you would any Aunt Jemima pancake. Breakfast is served – usually with sausage on the side. My boys love sausage!!!

Another gluten free mix that is praised here is Breads From Anna. They make a delicious banana bread mix and offer a variety of recipes online that work with her mixes (muffins, pancakes, and dinner rolls). I think Matthew devoured three muffins that morning!! Enough product plug ins...let's read on....

So my little munchkins enjoyed their treats as well as the bowl’s batter!!!

I must also add that my feet didn’t suffer any damage thanks to my new Crocs. *ALL HAIL CROCS* Like Stephanie from Adventures in Babywearing is addicted to her variety of slings, so am I addicted to this footwear. Matthew is already begging for a pair!

Sunday we all attended church for a change. It has been four weeks since we've gone together! Either Matt or Mark were sick with a cold. When I dropped Mark off at the church’s nursery he needed to get used to the environment all over again! In other words, my little Marky was not a happy boy, but did fine and most important: I enjoyed service.

To end our "nice weekend" we joined the administration staff from Steve's school town for some yummy Italian eats at Buca Di Beppo. Time with my hubby, adult conversation, good laughs...enough said!

This morning Matthew told me, "Mom, I had a nightmare that I fell into water and a squid was trying to get me. I prayed and God took it away." Sweet words to a mother's soul!

KUDOS TO RACHAEL RAY!!!

This afternoon I happened to turn on Rachael Ray’s new talk show. I was floored when I heard her topic of the day was cooking for a child with food allergies. Being a mom to a son with celiac disease, I was so happy to see Rachael Ray share about those that cannot eat all foods. Sometimes I feel children with special dietary needs are left behind.

To my dear friend, Stephanie, from Adventures in Babywearing: the recipe she shared is dairy and peanut free!!!

A Little History

It was Labor Day 2002 when my husband and I took a mini vacation and my parents watched Matthew. We returned and Matthew started having diarrhea. We chalked it up to an intestinal virus and moved on. Days turned into weeks and Matthew was still having episodes of diarrhea. Mind you, this isn’t just plain old diarrhea. This is the worst diapers you could imagine – worse than rotavirus!! We were changing him several times a day and sometimes in the middle of the night. His mood was altered and every day was a battle.

I was calling the doctor’s office time and time again. They would prescribe a non-dairy diet and after a week of no change I would call again. Yes, the overacting mother trying to figure out what is wrong with her son.

Call after call........

“Are you sticking with a non-dairy diet?”

“Yes.”

“Just keep it up.”

After weeks of this I finally requested.....no.....demanded to be seen. Yes, throughout this whole ordeal we were never seen just dealing with phone conversations over and over again. Our doctor gave us a referral to Chicago’s Childrens Memorial Hospital with an I’m-sure-they-won’t-find-anything-wrong attitude. I knew Matthew was not right, but my thoughts would contradict:

“Golly, what if I am overreacting? What if this isn’t as serious as I am making it out to be?”

Until we were seen in Chicago, Matthew got progressively worse. He was losing a substantial amount of weight. You could see his collarbone and more!!! His belly was sticking out like a malnourished child and I grieved over his health daily. I had a sense of what parents go through when dealing with a sick child. It’s tortures the family and soul.

After seeing the gastroenterologist at Children’s, we were told to have Matthew’s antibody count screened, allergy tested, and then see what came of that.

His antibody levels were through the roof!!! His body was fighting something, but what? His allergen tests came back negative down the board. What next?

An intestinal biopsy. Ugh, what a hard day that was! I choose to forget that day.

Those results came back positive for CELIAC DISEASE – a lifelong autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive system of the small intestine. When Matthew consumes gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, his body responds by attacking the small intestine and inhibiting the absorption of nutrients into the body.

Finally...an answer!!! However, it was not accepted with joy. Knowing our son will never eat regular cake with his friends or enjoy restaurant pizza parties forced us to experience a new kind of grief. We left angry and hopeless.

The next day we started Matthew on a gluten free diet. Talk about trial and error!! It took many different products and baked goods to find out what worked with Matthew’s taste buds. Each day got easier and before we knew it, Matthew was gaining weight and acting like any other kid would – bowels and all!!! (sorry) We learned the gluten free diet isn’t as bad as we thought. We felt teaching Matthew to be responsible for his diet was important and to this day he is very good at knowing what not to eat. Takes a load off Steve and I!!!

The Lord helped tremendously. What would I do without the love and guidance of Jesus? There were days when I was down looking at all the foods Matthew could not have, but I look at how healthy Matthew is and I am more thankful that a simple diet change is all it took. He wasn’t battling cancer, paralysis, or a heart defect. He just cannot eat gluten. What’s the big deal??? I haven’t complained since!

Matthew has been gluten free for over five years now. He enjoys many pizza parties with his own pizza provided by me. He attends many birthday parties eating a gluten free cupcake I keep in the freezer. I never make him feel different and I am grateful his friends’ parents do the same. He is involved in normal kids things. Why was I so worried?

Symptoms of celiac disease:

• Recurring abdominal bloating and pain
• Chronic diarrhea/constipation
• Weight loss
• Pale, foul-smelling stool
• Iron-deficiency anemia that does not respond to iron therapy
• Fatigue
• Failure to thrive or short stature
• Pain in the joints
• Tingling numbness in the legs
• Pale sores inside the mouth
• A skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis (DH)
• Tooth discoloration or loss of enamel
• Unexplained infertility, recurrent miscarriage
• Osteopenia (mild) or osteoporosis (more serious bone density problem)

Obviously I am not saying if you have any of the above symptoms you have celiac disease, but if you do it doesn’t hurt to have an blood screening. Celiac disease affects 1 in 133 Americans and often goes undiagnosed because it is masks itself as another disorder.

Since then we have changed Matthew’s pediatrician and thank God for that since his present doctors will screen Mark every year. It is good to know my doctor is on top of things and on MY side. Is there anything better?

Lesson: Be a proactive parent! Listen to your instincts! If you sense something is wrong, go with your gut no matter what!