Gluten Intolerant, Casein Intolerant, and . . .

With summer just around the bend I've been phasing back in my morning workouts, of course with an energetic 18 month old German Wirehaired Pointer on my hands, I also get a lot of natural exercise.

But lately some unusual bloating has been plaguing me, and with bathing suit season and beautiful Carolina beaches in my very near future, I've decided to seek help in determining whether I am suffering from another, undiagnosed food intolerance.

Drs. Rick and Vikki Petersen, founders of HealthNOW Medical Center in Sunnyvale, CA have been making great strides to help the gluten sensitive for over 15 years, and their recent book The Gluten Effect is making their knowledge and research of this condition readily available to the public.

Dr. Vikki has posted some brilliant articles to my site GlutenFreeFox.com and The Gluten Effect is one of the very best books I have read regarding gluten intolerance and celiac disease. So while I am still in California, I decided to pay a visit to their offices.

Thus far Drs. Rick and Vikki have discovered that I am suffering from adrenal fatigue and low thyroid function due to a deficiency of iodine, which I've now been supplementing for a few weeks. My energy levels are already up, but today I'm scheduled for a follow-up consultation during which Dr. Rick and I will discuss putting me on a modified Food Allergy Elimination Diet in order to figure out what is causing the inflammation.

I've been keeping a food journal in anticipation and am excited to have Dr. Rick's guidance through this round of the Elimination Diet. This was after all the first step that lead to my diagnoses of severe gluten intolerance and casein intolerance.

Gluten Free Bourbon and Coke

A few months ago (my boyfriend) Taylor and I discovered Garden & Gun Magazine. For those unfamiliar with this unusually named bimonthly, it's a: Southern lifestyle magazine, all about the magic of the new South – the sporting culture, the food, the music, the art, the literature, the people, and the ideas. (-GardenAndGun.com)


So when we came across a mouthwatering, summer cocktail recipe centered around a specialty bourbon, we took notice. And when we read about the soaring popularity of Coca-Cola imported from Mexico, favorite amongst chefs, supper clubs and connoisseurs alike, we were simply inspired.

Could we round up some Old Rip Van Winkle Bourbon and some Mexican Coke? And would I even be able to partake--would they both prove gluten free and casein free?

Well, I did a bit of research on the matter, and yes, both are safe bets for those who are gluten sensitive, and of legal drinking age!

According to Truman Cox, the Old Rip Van Winkle chemist: Our products are distilled and aged with no additives after the distillation process. To the best of our knowledge, the distillation does remove or denature the proteins and gluten associated with the starting grains.

And according to the Coca-Cola site, yes, their regular coke is gluten-free.

My first bourbon or Mexican coke in nearly a year. Mignon Faget glasses stuffed with ice, bourbon and coke sizzling with carbonated fizz, condensation running down the glass sides letting us know it was time to drink up. This was one gluten-free night that stays warmly with the taste buds.

Kinnikinnick's Gluten-Free Donuts

While we're now just weeks away from our return to the south. To a quiet life in the Carolina mountains and extended stays on the beautiful beachy shores. We've been reminiscing about home, about life in the south.

For me those memories also conjure up thoughts of warm, Sunday morning donuts in New Orleans. Memories of baby donuts.

There was a small grocery-deli just blocks away from where we lived, and though they did not have bulk pricing or discounts, they did have delectable little treats like the packages of cinnamon and sugar sprinkled donuts that my mom would sometimes buy us for a weekend treat.

These small donuts--baby donuts, we called them--were not greasy or too terribly unhealthy, just small little indulgences, perfectly warmed in our toaster oven.

It was much to my surprise when I found some very familiar looking little cinnamon and sugar donuts in the freezer section (next to the g/f waffles) of my local Whole Foods Market, there was not one, but two different donut flavors, but nostalgia made my decision for me.

These little Kinnikinnick donuts are a delightful little treat--just like mom used to make, only gluten and casein free!

Review:
-slightly more sugary than I'd prefer, but if you have a big sweet tooth they're perfect, otherwise just wipe a bit off and they're fabulous!
-they did require about twice the suggested time to heat, but that still only took 30 secs. I do however wonder how they'd been if I had a toaster oven?
-they are not at all greasy, plus w/ only 4.5 g of fat, they're not too unhealthy either.
-great tasting and great texture!

Perfect for an occasional weekend treat!

New Guest Wilmington Blogger - Kristen Campbell

Allow me to introduce Kristen Campbell who will become a guest blogger for Gluten Free Wilmington.

See my post over at Gluten Free Raleigh about Kristen.

More to come from Kristen and her Wilmington experiences very soon!

Stay tuned.