How to eat healthy with Celiac Disease
Recently, I was asked by the owner of Menus To Venues, Joan Haberman, to write something about Celiac Disease. She is the
President of a boutique event planning and catering company. Why write about
Celiac Disease for a woman who owns this type of company? Well, more recently,
she has begun working with clients who have specific dietary needs. She wants to
spread the word that while people may have specific dietary needs, it is
possible to have healthy choices that are tasty and fun for any type of event!
Celiac Disease is defined as “a disease in which
chronic failure to digest food is triggered by hypersensitivity of the small
intestine to gluten.” Gluten is a protein found in wheat and related grains.
Experts don’t quite know why people get celiac disease- it may be genetic. It
is estimated that 1 in 133 people in the US has the condition, and many don’t
even know it. Some common symptoms are diarrhea, abdominal pain and bloating,
and weight loss. Someone might not even show any symptoms until going through
an emotionally or physically stressful event. It’s easy to confuse its symptoms
with other intestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome or lactose
intolerance. There are medical tests to properly diagnose the illness and once
diagnosed, it can be managed successfully by following a gluten-free diet.
Because gluten can be found in everything from
breakfast cereals to prepared luncheon meats, the person with celiac needs to
be aware of what’s in the foods they eat.
Here is a list of foods that are OK :
Foods made with the flours of corn, rice,
buckwheat, sorghum, arrowroot, chickpeas, quinoa, tapioca, and potato. You can
also eat all plain meat, fish, chicken, legumes, nuts, seeds, oils, milk,
cheese, eggs, fruits and vegetables.
Here is a list of foods that are OFF LIMITS:
Beer and other grain-based alcohol products,
breading (especially the coating on breaded cutlets), brown rice syrup
(frequently made from barley), couscous, dry roasted nuts (because the
processing agents may contain wheat
flour or flavorings), fried foods, gravies and sauces, luncheon and processed
meats, modified food starch (modified cornstarch is ok), nondairy creamer,
pastas, salad dressings, seasoning mixes, soy sauce (they may be fermented with
wheat), udon noodles, wheat-free products (wheat-free does not mean gluten
free; many wheat-free cookies and breads contain barley or rye flour, which
contains gluten and other gluten-containing ingredients).
You can go to www.celiac.com
for a more complete list of foods.
It is so important to READ the ingredients! Most
grocery stores carry gluten-free products, such as gluten-free bread, cereal,
baking mixes, cookies and crackers.
Eating a gluten-free diet is a lifelong
commitment. But, if you have celiac disease, you are not alone. There are many
support groups, cookbooks, and websites that are dedicated to living a
gluten-free life.
Joan gave me a delicious recipe that she has
given to her clients. I looked at it and thought how could I revise this to
make it “healthier”. Taking a look at it, I would cut down on the cheeses.
I would use smaller amounts of feta,
ricotta, and parmigiano. I don’t think I would “measure” the cheese, I would
just eyeball about a palm full. I would use the 3 eggs and 4 egg whites. I
think it sounds delicious!
SARA'S SPINACH PIE
6 - 8 servings
Ingredients
•
3 tablespoons olive oil, more as needed
•
2 large yellow onions, finely chopped
•
Sea salt
•
2 pounds fresh spinach, washed and thoroughly
dried
•
Vegetable oil or nonstick spray, for oiling
pan
•
1 pound feta cheese, rinsed in cool water,
then crumbled
•
12 ounces ricotta cheese, drained
•
5 ounces (about 2 cups) finely grated
Parmigiano-Reggiano
•
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
•
Fresh ground black pepper
•
1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill,
or to taste (optional)
Directions
1. In a large skillet over low heat, heat olive oil. Add
onions and pinch of salt, and sauté until soft and beginning to turn golden, 30
to 40 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
2. Return pan to medium eat. Working in batches and adding
oil 1 tablespoon at a time as needed, sauté spinach until wilted, then transfer
to a bowl. Coarsely chop cooked spinach, then squeeze hard to remove as
much excess liquid as possible.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly oil a shallow
9-by-13 inch baking dish and set aside. In a large bowl, combine feta,
ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, eggs and a generous amount of pepper. Mix
well. Add spinach and onion and mix thoroughly. Add dill, and toss
to blend. Spoon into baking dish, pat down evenly and drizzle lightly
with olive oil.
4. Bake pie for 30 minutes. Raise heat to 350 degrees and
bake until lightly firm in center and golden on top, about 20 more minutes.
If top begins to brown too much, cover lightly with foil. To serve,
allow pie to cool slightly before cutting into squares. It may also be
served cold.
Helpful Notes:
•
Wash, wash, wash those spinach leaves -
crunchy dirt particles don't go well with the cheese.
•
Leftovers can be frozen in individual slices
to eat at a later date.
