Chelsea's Gluten Free Cookbook

Table of Contents Preface Introduction Appetizers & Breads Breakfast Desserts Fish & Shellfish Meats: Beef & Pork Poultry: Chicken & Turkey Rice & Pasta Salads, Salad Dressings, & Sauces Stews & Soups Vegetables & Fruits   Preface When someone receives the diagnosis of Celiac Disease, life changes forever. Everything that person consumes must now be completely gluten free. That doesn’t mean sometimes or when one feels like it; it means from now on. There are no cheat days and no exceptions. They now must create a new normal that involves never consuming foods containing gluten, in any form, again. The simple task of stopping to pick-up a couple of burgers on the way home is no longer possible. Just running out to grab a bite is now a chore that includes great planning and a lot more time! Your meals out become a lesson in logistics and availability and then you must trust that there is no cross contamination with your gluten free choice as well. What a nightmare! This is why I wrote “Chelsea’s Gluten Free Cookbook”. I am the wife of a Celiac and when my husband was first diagnosed, our life turned upside down. Now, after studying, researching, and testing lots of foods and recipes, we are surviving and happy in our new normal and I hope this cookbook helps you create your new normal too. I met my husband, Brian, in 2003. We met through mutual friends, and hit it off right away. We dated for a year and everything was great, but I started to notice that as soon as we would eat, Brian would have to rush off to the restroom. His condition continued to worsen and it started affecting our everyday lives. Brian was starting to complain of severe stomach pains, and was not eating much. My mentality was to give him saltine crackers (big mistake), and sandwiches on wheat bread (even bigger mistake). A couple of months before our wedding, Brian was losing weight at a rapid pace. After much complaining on my part, I convinced him to see a doctor. After seeing a gastroenterologist, a colonoscopy was scheduled. The results came back and they told us his problems were gone forever. However, Brian’s symptoms were not gone and he continued to lose weight. Our wedding was quickly approaching and, no offense to my sweet husband, but he was starting to look really sick. His eyes were starting to get dark rings, his cheeks were sinking in and his skin tone looked different. So, again, I insisted he see another doctor. This doctor told us that Brian’s problem was either IBS or cancer. Unfortunately, misdiagnosis for the celiac is a common occurrence. Obviously, we decided to get a third opinion. This is probably starting to sound familiar isn’t it? We finally found a doctor who was willing to really research Brian’s problem. Tests were run, biopsies were performed, and the doctor actually interviewed Brian to better understand his problems. What a concept! One week later, Brian was told he has Celiac Disease and would have to start living a completely Gluten Free diet. I had never even heard of gluten, and had no idea where it came from or what it did. I feared my sweet brand new husband Brian would never eat again! Luckily that didn’t happen! We studied the disease, its etiology and what we could do to eliminate the symptoms Brian was experiencing. We researched how to cook gluten free and how to start living a gluten free lifestyle. I then realized that I would have to learn how to cook! I used to burn an entire loaf of bread trying to make one grilled cheese sandwich and gourmet cooking, in our house came from a microwave, probably like most young couples. But, I loved Brian and I was going to do everything in my power to make sure he would eat gluten free. I wanted him to be able to eat his favorite dishes, have deserts, and live a normal life. This is where we discovered our new normal! I work constantly to stay up-to-date on research and aware of innovations in gluten free foods. I have also started, as I am sure you will too, educating friends and family about eating gluten free. I am by no means an expert; I am however, the wife of a celiac with lots of experience preparing gluten-free meals and I like them too. Chelsea Wink *All ingredients used in this book are Gluten Free. Please check all your labels and make sure your ingredients are Gluten Free. If you are not sure about any ingredients, it is better to stay away. All gluten intolerant people are different; some ingredients may affect others differently.