A tale of 2 pizzas

Wow, I think it has been about 3 weeks since I have posted on my blog!  I will admit it is hard to keep up, especially with how busy our lives can get.  But nevertheless that is no excuse!  I have so many things to talk about since my last blog! I have new ideas, new revelations, and new recipes for living gluten-free that I can't wait to mention!

Since going gluten-free, my husband and I have experimented with a few recipes and ideas.  But sometimes, as you know, there comes a time when you just are not prepared.  Sometimes, no matter how much you plan and prepare for food, you get home from a wrestling tournament at 10:00 with nothing to really eat.  Are we the only ones that happens to?  Normally, in our non-gluten-free days we would resort to our all-time favorite stuffed crust pizza from Pizza Hut (I know yuck).  But instead of giving in to temptation, we decided to experiment with the gluten-free options in our wonderful capital city of Springfield.  Who says you can't order pizza on a gluten-free diet!  We actually have 2 restaurants in Springfield that offer gluten-free pizza: Monicals and Godfather's.  Because we are on a journey to determine ways to eat gluten-free in our community, we made the ever so tough decision to try both pizza places and compare the two.  So we tried both pizzas, not in the same evening obviously, but over the course of a few days and we discovered a few advantages and disadvantages. 

First, I will take a moment to discuss Monicals gluten-free pizza. When calling in our order, we were offered only 1 size option, which was 10 inches.  Now this might be enough for 2 people, but not when you have a very hungry wrestling coach who needs mucho calories to maintain his weight. Not fair.  Anyway 10 inches simply is not enough pizza for the two of us, but that was only size option as the crust came pre-made.  We decided to order sausage, but as far as toppings go there is really no limit to what you can order! After about 20 minutes we ventured out to pick up our gluten-free pizza, restaurant style.

 Overall, this pizza was okay.  It was somewhat of an acquired taste, but one could definitely tell the difference between the gluten-free crust and the regular pizza crust.  We were not completely impressed with this option, and the cost for the 10 inch pie was around $12.00.  Next up was Godfathers!

Godfather's gluten-free pizza was similar to Monicals in that the only size option you could order was 10 inches.  The cost was close to $11, but with tax almost exactly the same price as the Monical's option.  However, when we picked up the pizza we found something very interesting on the pizza box!

Do not cross contaminate!! I loved this sticker!! I thought that was a nice way to show gluten-free eaters that they are paying close attention to special diets.  This meant many points for the Dietitian observer.  We chose pepperoni as our topping, but again all toppings were unlimited as they were all gluten-free options.  This pizza actually scored better than the Monical's option.

Doesn't it look more appetizing? This pizza tasted better, and the crust seemed more like "real" pizza crust.  Therefore, when comparing the two gluten-free pizza joints in town Godfather's pizza came out ahead.  As with many gluten-free cheat foods, they just don't taste the same.  Yet sometimes you need the option to have pizza, or brownies, or a cookie and when the time strikes it is nice to know that those options exist in Springfield. 

Carbohydrate Metabolism from a Dietitian's perspective

Glycolysis, gluconeogenesis, glycogenesis, glycogenolysis are all processes that which carbohydrates are metabolized into the body.  You eat something containing carbohydrate, it is digested, absorbed and they used for energy, right? Well it's sort of like that, but WAY more complicated which is why I spent a whole semester of my undergraduate degree learning about the biochemical pathways in which food is metabolized.  One of the reasons I love being a Dietitian is that I have been taught the intricate ways in which our body uses food.  When I look at a piece of bread, I don't just think about making a sandwich with it. I think about how my body is going to break it down, digest it, absorb it, and then use it for energy during my workout later.  Food is fuel! I am about to embark on a chemistry lesson, so if you aren't interested in learning about how our bodies metabolize carbohydrates, an excellent source of energy, navigate away from my blog because you might become bored very soon. 

Carbohydrate metabolism begins with digestion in the small intestine where monosaccharides are absorbed into the blood stream.  Blood sugar concentrations are controlled by three hormones: insulin, glucagon, and  epinephrine.  If the concentration of glucose in the blood is too high, insulin is secreted by the pancreas. Insulin stimulates the transfer of glucose into the cells, especially in the liver and muscles, although other organs are also able to metabolize glucose. In the liver and muscles, most of the glucose is changed into glycogen by the process of glycolysis (anabolism). Glycogen is stored in the liver and muscles until needed at some later time when glucose levels are low. If blood glucose levels are low, then epinephrine and glucogon hormones are secreted to stimulate the conversion of glycogen to glucose. This process is called glycogenolysis (catabolism). 

If glucose is needed immediately upon entering the cells to supply energy, it begins the metabolic process called glycolysis (catabolism). The end products of glycolysis are pyruvic acid and ATP.  Since glycolysis releases relatively little ATP, further reactions continue to convert pyruvic acid to acetyl CoA and then citric acid in the citric acid cycle. The majority of the ATP is made from oxidations in the citric acid cycle in connection with the electron transport chain. During strenuous muscular activity, pyruvic acid is converted into lactic acid rather that acetyl CoA. During the resting period, the lactic acid is converted back to pyruvic acid. The pyruvic acid in turn is converted back to glucose by the process called gluconeogenesis (anabolism). If the glucose is not needed at that moment, it is converted into glycogen by glycogenesis. 

This, in a nutshell, is carbohydrate metabolism.  Do you see why we need carbohydrates for energy? Do me a favor, and do not go on a carbohydrate restricted diet.  Instead, focus on the types of carbohydrates you consume.  

Entering into a new realm of gluten-free cooking

I apologize for the delay in posts, but the stomach flu bug hit our house and my gluten-free cooking was put on hold for a few days.  But as of yesterday we are back in business! I have to say I missed my everyday cooking experiments...I look forward to trying out new recipes, especially when I am not confident that they will taste exceptionally good. It's not fun if you know what the outcome is going to be! Just like Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make, the better."  Maybe that is why I enjoyed chemistry so much in college? 

The recipe I made Sunday night was most definitely an experiment.  I tried a household favorite, which is not an exaggeration by any stretch of the word.  I attempted gluten-free pizza.  Many nights Tommy and I have enjoyed our stuffed crust pizza from Pizza Hut.  I cannot lie...even though I am a Registered Dietitian I still cheat on my diet.  I am not the food police.  I am just like everybody else! Anyway when I ventured out to do the grocery shopping Sunday afternoon, I made a pit stop at Food Fantasies, the ONLY "grocery" store in Springfield that carries a variety of allergy-specific food items.  I wasn't really searching for anything, just mainly browsing, and I stumbled upon gluten-free pizza crust mix. I had a few brands to choose from, but I decided to pick a mix by Chebe mostly because it was the cheapest at $2.99 a bag.  When you squeezed the contents of the bag it felt...interesting to say the least.  Gluten-free pizza here we come!

We first preheated the oven to 375 degrees F. The back of the gluten free pizza crust bag displayed a list of ingredients to add to the mix, which included eggs, olive oil, milk and a few random spices. Once everything was mixed together, I kneaded the dough for about 5 minutes, gave Tommy the rolling pin, and delegated the task of rolling the dough out on the pizza stone. To be honest, this recipe was fairly easy.  I was concerned the most about the taste, only because it was up against a few pretty tough critics.  The toppings we decided to add included pizza sauce (which is an obvious ingredient but I had to state it), low fat mozzarella cheese, diced tomatoes, and grilled chicken pieces.  



I have to admit, it looked like it would taste pretty good! Our pizza only needed to bake for about 20 minutes, most likely because we have a Crosley stove which is the oldest brand of stove I know.  They don't even sell them anymore...yet ours is still working! How does that happen?? Our oven is a beast and it only takes half the prescribed time to bake anything.  So after 20 minutes this is what was produced:

Final verdict was it tasted pretty good!  It's definitely not Pizza Hut stuffed crust, but I will admit I preferred the taste of the gluten-free counterpart.   I don't miss the way I felt after eating a greasy pizza slice, and I definitely don't miss the havoc it wreaks on my stomach.  Overall, this gluten-free substitution was a hit!!

Allergy vs. Intolerance

Dietitians are detective by nature.  We examine health problems in the context of food and we determine appropriate dietary changes.  Sometimes, individuals don't react to medical interventions but respond to dietary changes, which is why our job can be so exciting.  Wasn't it Hippocrates that said "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food?"  But it can't always be that clear, which is why determining if a gluten-free diet is right for you might be difficult.  You might be gluten-sensitive, which means your body reacts to gluten in a negative way, but you are not allergic to gluten.  So what is the difference between an allergy and an intolerance?

A food allergy is an exaggerated response by your body's immune system to a food you have consumed. Normally, when your body detects a foreign invader, such as a virus, bacteria, and even an specific type of food, it signals your immune system (white blood cells, chemicals, proteins, and enzymes) to defend against the invader.  Your white blood cells produce what are called antibodies, which attach to the invaders (referred to as antigens) so that they can be destroyed.  But when you have a food allergy this does not happen.  When you consume the dangerous food item, you experience an immediate-onset allergy.  First, your body produces IgE, when is a food-specific antibody called immunoglobulin E.  This is a type of protein.  One side of the IgE antibody senses the food invader and binds to it in an attempt to destroy the particle.  The other side of the IgE antibody attaches to what is called a mast cell, which is an immune cell loaded with histamine.  Mast cells are present in all body tissues, but most are found in your nose, throat, lungs, skin and GI tract.  Therefore, the next time you eat the dangerous food, the IgE antibodies instantly attach themselves to that food, which causes a histamine reaction and other allergy-related chemicals to be released from the mast cell.  Examples of histamine reactions include hives, diarrhea, gastric symptoms, etc.  Sometimes reactions may be severe, such as anaphylaxis in which an individuals breathing can completely obstructed and they can die.  

You might think you have a food allergy when in fact you have food immune reactivity (FIR).  FIR is food intolerance, which is a delayed reaction to eating a certain food.  Examples of FIR include wheat, barley, rye, dairy products, tomato, potato, eggplant, peppers and soy products. The symptoms of FIR are at times similar to those you might experience with an allergic reaction, but the cause is not always immediately identified. Reactions are typically delayed by sometimes hours to days.  FIR does not involve IgE reactions, so histamines are not released and therefore prescribing an antihistamine would not be effective. In FIR, specifically gluten-sensitivity, the body may produce antibodies called antigliadin IgA antibody, anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody, and anti-endomysial antibody.  These antibodies do not trigger histamines, but they can cause chronic inflammation and can eventually lead to the complete flattening of the intestinal villi, which are finger-like projections in the intestines that absorb nutrients.  This then becomes Celiac Disease.  Long-term effects of FIR can include permanent organ damage, tissue damage, and a hyper-activated immune system which can result in inflammation.  

The only treatment for both FIR and a food allergy is complete elimination of the "food invader" from your diet.  If you have not been diagnosed with having a food allergy you might still be sensitive to a certain food.  When eliminating that food from your diet, you might experience an improvement in the way you feel.  Sometimes it's not always black and white, but let your food be your medicine and experiment! 

Spaghetti Gluten-free Style

I was pretty excited about making this meal, mainly because spaghetti is one of my most favorite dishes to have.  But if you are like me, you hate the way you feel after eating all of that pasta and feeling carbohydrate overloaded.  Lucky us because we have found a solution to the problem!  With a little bit of modification to the recipe, you can have your spaghetti without feeling bloated afterwards.  The key ingredient...spaghetti squash! Use it in place of noodles and it makes for a wonderful treat.  Top it off with gluten-free spaghetti sauce (most premade sauces are gluten-free, but don't forget to check the label) and homemade turkey meatballs and you have a great substitution for an all-time favorite comfort food.

You first want to make your meatballs because they will need time to bake in the oven for around 30 minutes.  Here is the recipe for my homemade turkey meatballs. 

Turkey meatballs
1 lb ground turkey (I used 85/15)
3 slices of crumbled gluten-free bread
2 eggs
1 teaspoon Oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 cup parmesan schredded cheese
1 small onion chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray a shallow-pain to prevent the meatballs from sticking.  Mix all ingredients together and roll into golf-ball size balls.  Place them into a baking dish side by side. Cover with foil and bake for around 30 minutes.

While the meatballs were baking, I started preparing the spaguetti squash.  Here is what spaghetti squash looks like if you have never purchased it before.

To prepare squash, first pierce sides with a fork.  Cut the squash in half and scoop out all of the seeds.



Place the sqaush in a microwave safe dish and microwave on high for about 6 minutes.  Then, let cool it for around 5 minutes.  Next, to produce your "noodles", separate strands of the inside of the squash by running a fork through in the "from stem to stern" direction. This is what you will have when finished!

Finally the last step is to heat up the sauce (microwave or stove), assemble spaghetti and voila!! We have made a delicious gluten-free comfort food!!



A note about the men in my life

Today I want to post about something not food-related.  I want to give thanks for some very important men in my life, God, my dad, my husband, my father-in-law, and my brothers-in-law.  Where would I be without them?  They help me when I need it the most, change my tire when it's flat, rescue me when my car dies, pick me up when I am down in the dumps, and spend countless hours of their free time helping us make home improvements on our house.  I thank God every day for what I have been blessed with.  Not a moment goes by where I don't appreciate the strong men He has provided for me.  Philippians 4:6 "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."

Up for dinner tonight, spaghetti made with spaghetti squash and homemade turkey meatballs.  Yumm!!!

Tilapia Time

Something smells fishy, and I think it's coming from my kitchen.  We bought some tilapia fillets this week at Aldi, so I thought what better time than now to give them a try!  I am a first-timer at cooking Tilapia, and I know I made a few mistakes that I will mention and hopefully you can learn from them too.  Here is the recipe:

Lemon Garlic Tilapia

4 tilapia fillets

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

pepper to taste

The original recipe called for baking the fillets at 375 degrees F in a glass dish.  Pour lemon juice over fillets, drizzle butter on top, and sprinkle with garlic, parsley, and pepper.  I chose to grill the fillets on our fancy grill pan we received as a wedding gift.  Mistake number one.  Since I have never grilled fish before, I wasn't sure what it should look like, and upon constant flipping of the fillets (which apparently you are not supposed to do), the fish came apart and 2 fillets ended up as tilapia mash.  Mistake number 2.  I grilled the other 2 fillets for around 10 minutes, which seemed to be enough time.  For side dishes I steamed brown rice, which is gluten free, and broccoli.  Overall it was pretty good!