This post has been about a month in the making, and when I have news to share I don’t beat around the bush. Like the time I had this whole story ready for my former boss (whom I love and adore) when I was leaving my desk job to blog full time. I marched into her office ready to wax poetic about following my dreams and such, then immediately broke down crying and blabbed, I’m quitting! Nice.
Ok, ok – bush lightly beaten around. Here I go. As the title of this post implies, I am going gluten-free. (See 50+ Gluten-Free Recipes here! >>)
Specifically, I was recently diagnosed with Celiac Disease which means I cannot eat gluten found in wheat, barley, nor rye as it damages the lining of the small intestine, preventing it from absorbing vital nutrients. Simply put, celiac disease can cause malnutrition if left untreated. The disease was likely triggered by the birth of my son who was delivered via emergency c-section after a very long and very painful labor.
Many people have asked if I’m “going gluten free” over the past month after noticing me sharing gluten free recipes and products on Instagram and Facebook. I’ve prolonged posting about it here on IGE because it’s out of the norm for me to share health news on this site and also, I don’t want to turn people off from this food blog. So, hear me out (and sorry if this is kind of all over the place!)
I’m still learning about celiac disease but from what I’ve researched and my doctor has agreed to is that the disease can lay dormant in some people only to be triggered or “awakened” by traumatic events to your body – think a car crash or unplanned emergency c-section. After Lincoln’s birth I felt very sick for 6 months. I weighed less than I did pre-pregnancy (which was cool for like, a second,) felt like a zombie even after Lincoln started sleeping through the night, and basically just felt like hell. I had an inkling that gluten might be the culprit and after undergoing a few procedures to get the final diagnosis, and cutting gluten from my diet, I feel like a new woman.
Clear head, a healthy weight, and energy through the roof.
At first all I could do was laugh at the irony of a food blogger being diagnosed with celiac disease. I seriously wondered how I’d go on posting knowing I’d be limited to cooking foods that do not contain wheat (I don’t cook much with either barley or rye.) Then I started analyzing my diet and realized that 90% of the foods I already ate were naturally gluten free. As I scrolled through past posts here on IGE, I was tickled to find that many of them were centered around meat, beans, cheeses, rice, potatoes, fruits, nuts, seeds, and vegetables – all of which do not contain gluten. In short, eating gluten free at home has not been difficult.
I could go on and on – talking about what I’ve missed so far (pizza! BEER! Not loving GF beer so far…) my feelings about eating out at restaurants (apprehensive – contamination is a huge issue,) and how gluten is hiding in a bajillion products at the grocery store (bitter, though I’ve been finding some great GF products,) but I’ll wrap it up and talk to you real quick about what this means for IGE.
I will not be posting recipes with gluten. Ben and I eat the food I cook for the blog and it would be wasteful to cook foods that I cannot consume. Furthermore, how can I write about something I can’t taste? I will also not be posting notes alongside ingredients like worcestershire sauce or soy sauce, which sometimes contain gluten, that say make sure you check for gluten! because that would get redundant, and if you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance then you know to check for things like that.
What I can promise you is that the recipes posted here will remain easy, seasonal, family-friendly, and most importantly, delicious. If you’ve enjoyed the past month’s recipes (all of which are gluten free, with the exception of one – Creamy Chicken Pasta,) then you will continue to enjoy my recipes moving forward.
I’ve quickly learned that gluten free does NOT mean taste free, nor full of weird, hard to find ingredients. On the contrary, it means fresh and flavorful food! Like I said, my diet was already largely based around gluten free foods anyway, and I bet yours might be too.
So if you’ve made it this far, thank you! And I’ve also got a humdinger of a recipe for you today. I’m going absolutely bananas for Lemon Blackberry Breakfast Cookies which are egg free, dairy free and, yes, gluten free. With all those restrictions you might think these babies taste like cardboard, but I literally can. not. stop. eating them.
I mean, healthy, great-tasting cookies for breakfast! Who can’t get down with that?
Old fashioned oats are mixed with honey instead of refined sugar, applesauce instead of oil, banana instead of egg (though they do not taste banana-y) fresh blackberries, lemon zest, and lemon juice then baked. These breakfast cookies are chewy, perfectly sweet, dense and absolutely delicious. Good for the heart, taste buds and soul!
Bake these cookies then pair with a piece of fruit or yogurt for breakfast, or serve to the kids as an after-school snack. They’ll love ’em (and you’ll love serving them!) I can’t even confess to you how many I’ve eaten over the past week. I had to freeze the leftovers to stop myself! Which, by the way, is another awesome perk of this recipe. Freeze the extra cookies then microwave for just 20 seconds for an insta-delish breakfast.
Ooo, oo, it’s also made in just one bowl so clean up is nearly nil!
Start with 3-3/4 cups old fashioned oats. I know I said I wouldn’t do this, but it’s important to note that if you have celiac disease or a gluten intolerance you’ll want to buy certified gluten free oats. Oats are naturally gluten free but are usually processed in facilities that also process wheat which means they can be contaminated with gluten. Even GF oats might trigger a reaction in severe cases of celiac disease, but so far I’ve been fine with them.
Anyway, I’ve found these GF Bob’s Red Mill Old Fashioned Oats at every single grocery store in town!
Add 1-3/4 cups of the oats to a food processor then process until the oats have turned into flour, about 3-4 minutes.
Dump the flour into a large bowl then add the remaining 2 cups oats, 1 Tablespoons lemon zest (about 1 lemon worth,) 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 cup ground flaxseed and mix everything all up. That’s a wrap for the dry ingredients.
Time for the wet ingredients. That includes 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons honey, 1/2 cup mashed VERY RIPE banana (about 1 medium-sized banana,) 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon,) and 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (2 of those single serving cups.)
Finally, add 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon coconut oil that’s been zapped in the microwave for about 20 seconds to melt.
Mix the wet and dry ingredients together then fold in blackberries. Blackberries are selling for next to nothing right now at the grocery store so stock up for the freezer, and for these cookies of course! I’ve also used blueberries in here and they are awesome.
Let the batter sit and thicken for 10 minutes then scoop 1/4 cup of the batter (I used an ice cream scoop) onto a baking sheet lined with a silpat or parchment paper. Wet your fingers with water then press down slightly on the tops of the cookies, as they won’t spread much if at all in the oven.
Bake for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees or until the edges are golden brown and the top is set, then cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container on the counter for 2 days, in the fridge for up to 4 days, or pop into a freezer bag and freeze. Like I said, just 20 seconds or so to reheat in the microwave – whee!
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Lemon Blackberry Breakfast Cookies (Gluten, Egg, and Dairy-Free)
Description
Gluten, egg, and dairy-free Lemon Blackberry Breakfast Cookies are perfect for busy mornings!
Ingredients
- 3-3/4 cups gluten-free certified old fashioned oats, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 1 medium banana)
- 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons honey
- 1/4 cup + 1 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 pint blackberries or blueberries, rinsed then patted dry
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees then line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and set aside. Add 1-3/4 cups oats to a food processor then process for 3-4 minutes or until very fine to make oat flour.
- Add oat flour, remaining 2 cups oats, baking soda, salt, and ground flaxseed to a large bowl then mix to combine. Add applesauce, banana, honey, coconut oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice then mix until just combined. Carefully fold in blackberries then let batter sit for 10 minutes to thicken.
- Scoop 1/4 cup batter (I used an ice cream scoop) onto prepared baking sheet then wet hand with water and press down to flatten slightly (cookies will not spread.) Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are golden brown around the edges and set on top. Cool completely then store in an airtight container for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or wrap individually in plastic wrap then freeze in a freezer bag. Wrap in a paper towel then microwave for 20 seconds to thaw.
Notes
Adapted from Gluten Free on a Shoestring.
This recipe is courtesy of Iowa Girl Eats, http://iowagirleats.com.
I tell you what – the taste of fresh lemon with sweet blackberries is simply scrumptious. The flavors taste like a fancy dessert – you’ll just love them. Enjoy!
Oh, gluten-y recipes are still fair game for Friday Favorites. A girl can still dream!
Gues 03.17.2014
My college roommate found out she had celiac her sophmore year of college. Our lives revolved around eating out, so it was an adjustment to say the least. Thankfully, many restaurants offer a gluten free menu – Carlos O’Kellys, Biagis, Olive Garden, PF Changs are the chains that pop into my head first but there are several others as well. I think you’d be surprised! I remember right after she was diagnosed we went to Chipotle and one of the managers walked through the assembly line with her and told her what she could and could not have. Talk about service!
The beer will never taste as good, but there is hope for pizza! Godfathers has a delicious gluten free pizza and it sounds like their employees are educuated how to prepare this properly. Happy Joes just started offering a g free crust as well, but I have not tried that one yet.
Good luck!
Amanda 03.17.2014
Kristin, I have been a loyal blog reader since 2009 and nothing could turn me away! I have made oodles of your recipes over the years and have loved them all, and I can’t imagine feeling any different about gluten-free recipes!
Thank you for sharing so much of your life and yourself here; I think it is very courageous of you (and all bloggers) to do so! It makes me feel like I have a happy little internet community of friends to refer to and check in with (even if I’m just a commenter and not a blogger myself :). I wish you and your family all the health, happiness, and luck in the world – keep on keepin’ on and kicking butt, lady!
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Melissa 03.17.2014
I was diagnosed with Celiac 2 years ago and my pregnancy is generally thought to have been my trigger. I’ve been following your blog for most of that time and I have made quite a few of your recipes either as-is or with slight modifications. I think the transition to GF is easier if you already cook and understand food and don’t rely on packaged stuff. I do agree that the GF beer selection is lacking – although the hard ciders are pretty good :). Restaurant eating is definitely more difficult, but I have found some great places along the way and fortunately the GF community is great at sharing information about places to eat. Good luck on your GF journey (and it very much is a journey) and I look forward to seeing your future recipes!
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Ashley 03.17.2014
Firstly, I won’t be going anywhere from IGE! From having lived with a coeliac with a very severe case of the disease (she once had a coeliac attack from kissing her boyfriend after he’d been drinking beer!) we learnt lots of hints and tricks for cooking – keeping the flavour but without the nasties. All of your recipes are fab so I’m looking forward to seeing your GF recipes I can share them with her.
Melissa 03.17.2014
I don’t have a food proccesor…. Any suggestions??
Chrissy 03.16.2014
I also had the same conundrum. I don’t have Celiac’s, but I was diagnosed with food intolerances to wheat, yeast and dairy (among others, but those were the worst). I had a few breakdowns, wondered what this meant for my blog, but then realized it’d be just fine, and my food would be no less fabulous by making it GF/DF. We can do it!
Lele 03.16.2014
So I don’t think I’ve ever commented on your blog, but I just wanted to say how much I appreciate your perspective in the food blog world! I’m not gluten free, but I will continue to love the recipes on your site. I also love the tone you take with your posts- I can’t imagine the stresses of dealing with Celiac symptoms and then a diagnosis (I know people who’ve been through it) while simultaneously raising a newborn (though it helps that your son is the cutest baby in the entire world) and recovering what sounds like a pretty traumatic C section experience. Your positivity and great attitude have always made this blog a refreshing place to visit. Wishing you and the fam happiness and delicious gluten free food in the future!
Jen 03.16.2014
Hi Kristin,
I have been following your blog for a couple months and adapting many of your recipes to gluten free/dairy free. I too love to travel, eat and run, all three loves drew me to your blog. Just made the Almond crusted goat cheese spinach salad the other day!
I was diagnosed with Celiac’s in October 2010 after coming back from Peru with an intestinal infection. Despite missing cookies&cream ice cream and warm sourdough bread every once in awhile, I have come to love the journey it has taken me on in cooking, not to mention how much better I feel physically. (I did not cook before other than on my George Foreman grilling chicken:)
I’ve found much support and others to identify within the online food blogging community. Currently I am working on a blog called mais oui gluten free and hope to go live soon. Cheers to good health! Selfishly I am excited to see more yummy gf recepies on your blog:)
Megan 03.16.2014
I have enjoyed your blog for quite some time, and I echo the comments of others that I will continue to enjoy it with new GF recipes! To return the favor of so many awesome recipes of yours that have become staples in my repertoire, I thought I’d share a new GF one I’ve fallen for recently. Gotta have a go-to brownie recipe, right?
http://www.bloglovin.com/frame?post=1517755513&group=0&frame_type=a&blog=7206135&link=aHR0cDovL3d3dy55dW1teWhlYWx0aHllYXN5LmNvbS8yMDEzLzA4L2JsYWNrLWJlYW4tYnJvd25pZXMtZ2x1dGVuLWZyZWUuaHRtbA&frame=1&click=0&user=0
Anne Marie 03.16.2014
These cookies are fabulous! I used a frozen berry blend from Costco because I didn’t have any fresh and they turned out awesome. All my kiddos are gobbling them up. Thanks for the recipe and good luck on your GF adventures!
Joanna Gehrke 03.16.2014
First of all, I would NEVER quit following your blog, no matter how you changed your recipes! You are my very favorite, hands down! Next, I am so sorry you were sick but I must say for feeling so horrible those months you were still able to rock out awesome blogs, AND add the family channel! Wow, go girl. Thirdly, I do not “need” to be CGF but I have been wanting to cut back on it because I know it is a big trigger for inflammation. Looking very much forward to this new IGE journey!
Kevie 03.16.2014
Hi Kristin,
I commented earlier on this post that I, too, have gone gluten free because of health reasons. I was wondering if you might consider publishing a post in the near future talking about gluten-free staples (pantry, refridge, etc.), substitutes, products, brands, etc. that you now use frequently and help make adjusting to a gluten free lifestyle easier. Thanks for this consideration. I am glad you have been able to feel healthy again and have found the culprit! I know what it feels like to eliminate and gluten and feel like a whole new person!
Brittni 03.17.2014
I second this!
Kate Brennan Hall 03.16.2014
Welcome to the world of Gluten-Free food! As a fellow Iowan and GF person I thought I’d share an Iowa-based GF product that is delicious and handy to have in the pantry: Chebe
Here’s a recipe my family loves–converted from non-GF recipe with the help of Chebe.
See my blog posting at:
I look forward to following your beautiful blog! Best, Kate
Melody 03.16.2014
I made these and they turned out mushy. Still delish, but mushy. Not sure what I did wrong! Any help would be appreciated!! :)
Love your blog!!
Kristin 03.16.2014
Hmmm…the only things I can think of is if the batter didn’t sit for 10 minutes before scooping, or maybe just try baking for a few minutes longer. I hope that helps!! :)
Peggy Bouchard 03.16.2014
I was wondering if you can use different kind of berries in this recipe.
Kristin 03.16.2014
Totally! Pretty much any berry would work!
Emily @ Life on Food 03.16.2014
So glad you are back to feeling like yourself again. I eat GF some of the time because it is just good. I hope you continue trying new things that work for you.
Kristen 03.16.2014
I’m not sure if you are already aware of this but wanted to let you know, just in case. I know you are a Hy-Vee shopper so wanted to let you know about their fabulous resource for those who eat gluten-free. A product listing of the Hy-Vee brand items that are confirmed to be gluten-free. http://www.hy-vee.com/webres/File/Gluten-Free-Listing0313.pdf
It includes foods, home products, supplements and more. A great place to start so you don’t have to buy some of the basics at higher prices. Hy-Vee stores also have great gluten-free sections, but I’m sure you’ve already discovered that. Best of luck to you!
Rachel 03.16.2014
While I’m sorry that you can’t have gluten, I must say I’m selfishly very happy, ha ha! I too can’t tolerate gluten, and I’m really looking forward to your future posts! I loved your blog anyway because with all the fresh foods, your recipes were relatively simple to adapt to a gluten-free lifestyle.