7/2/2005

Keep Your Cool to Survive Summer without Wheat

DENVER, CO: The lazy, hazy days of summer can still include all your favorite warm weather dishes––even when you can’t eat wheat. Keep your cool by following these tips for dining without this all-American grain at home whether you’re on vacation, in restaurants, or at picnics, backyard barbecues, and tail-gate parties.

 

But first, a little background. About 10-15% of us react to wheat, one of the top food allergens in the U.S. These reactions can dampen summer activities with symptoms ranging from mild flu-like symptoms to potentially fatal anaphylaxis.

Some people are intolerant to wheat, while others are seriously allergic to it. Nearly 3 million others have an increasingly common, yet little known autoimmune condition called celiac disease where the gluten protein in wheat damages the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food. There is no pill, vaccine, or surgery; the only treatment is to avoid wheat––and its relatives of barley, rye, spelt, and kamut––for life. This requires a new lifestyle that increasing numbers of people have adopted.

What should you do to avoid a melt-down this summer?

• Stay positive.

It’s important to approach every meal with a positive attitude, focusing on what you can eat––rather than on what’s forbidden. Foods can be made with many other grains besides wheat, so remain open to expanding your palate with new flavors.

• Call ahead.

When dining out, call ahead to see if the restaurant has any wheat-free dishes. Many restaurants offer at least one wheat-free dish and chefs appreciate knowing your needs beforehand. Sometimes they have to order the necessary ingredients beforehand, so call a few days ahead to allow them time to assure delivery from their suppliers.

• Stay flexible.

If the restaurant cannot assure a wheat-free entrée yet you still want to accompany your family or friends, remain flexible by eating beforehand and choose a big, safe salad or vegetable plate at the restaurant. That way, you can join in the fun and not sabotage your diet.

• Stash a kit.

If you’re traveling, be sure to take some safe snack foods. This might include dried fruit, nuts, crackers, energy bars, cheese, and cut-up fruits and veggies. Some people carry a favorite spice blend shaker so they can sprinkle some flavor on plain grilled or baked entrees or side dishes.

• Take a dish.

If you’re invited to a backyard barbecue at someone’s home, offer to bring a dish––such as bread or a side dish––so you have something to eat. If the party is a buffet, eat beforehand and just ‘graze’ the vegetable or fruit platters.

• Declare your dining needs.

In today’s politically correct environment, it is socially acceptable for hosts to ask about their guests’ dietary needs when issuing invitations. Don’t hesitate to offer suggestions to your host about what foods are safe for you. Or, if your host doesn’t ask about your dietary needs, you should state your enthusiasm about the upcoming event and casually mention that you will enjoy everything she or he serves that isn’t made with wheat. If you don’t feel comfortable with your host’s ability to provide safe foods, then eat beforehand and focus on the social aspects of the get-together rather than the food. Your comfort level over how much information to divulge will vary depending on who issues the invitation and their willingness to accommodate you. Some folks don’t want to talk about their food afflictions. My personal belief is that we should be open but not demanding about our needs and, in this way, we educate others about the seriousness of food sensitivities. Go with your intuition on this one, but don’t compromise your dining safety.

• Take a hostess gift.

To encourage repeat invitations to those picnics and backyard barbecues, consider bringing a hostess gift of a wheat-free food item that can be used in the future such as tamari soy sauce, rice crackers, or hotdogs. This way, you’re helping to educate your friends about what’s safe for you and, at the same time, provide something useful that can be enjoyed by everyone.

• Get a cookbook.

Summertime baking at home is easy if you have a wheat-free cookbook. Or, use “tried and true” recipes from wheat-free friends to assure early success and build confidence. All too often, wheat-free newbies try to convert their own recipes without knowing how and the result is a disaster and a waste of ingredients. Learn from the experts. You can convert your own recipes to wheat-free later when you’re a “pro.”

• Experiment with other flours.

To replace the wheat flour in summer goodies like cookies, pies, or brownies, check the baking aisle of your local health store for wheat-free flours made of rice, corn, potato, bean, or sorghum. For high protein and important fiber, try some of the lesser known but extremely nutritious flours of amaranth, quinoa, teff, and Montina (Indian ricegrass) which can be found at health food stores or online. Don’t forget to use xanthan gum, which prevents wheat-free baked goods from falling apart.”

• Mix it up.

If you’re determined to bake at home––but not from scratch––try the wide variety of mixes for bread, cakes, pancakes, muffins, cookies, and brownies in the baking aisle at your local health food store. These mixes include easy-to-follow directions and save you time, yet will cost significantly more than baking these foods at home from scratch.

• Beware hidden wheat.

Don’t let hidden wheat spoil the festivities. It lurks in store-bought foods such as sauces, frostings, energy bars, granola, frozen confections, licorice candy, and those cute little candies that you stir into ice cream. And, don’t let cross-contamination ruin the fun. Keep separate cutting boards and utensils for wheat-free food. Choose ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise in squeeze-bottles to keep contaminated knives out. Keep barbecue grills clean to avoid transferring wheat-laden residue to your food.

• If you follow these tips, you’ll keep your cool while enjoying summer’s bounty.

********************************************************************************

Carol Fenster, Ph.D., author of Gluten-Free 101 (Savory Palate Press, 2004), is a gluten-free chef who learned to cook all over again when she discovered that wheat caused her recurring sinus infections. For a catalog of cookbooks, visit www.savorypalate.com or call 800.741.5418.

###