I gave betty a try

I am a fan of cooking from scratch, and the perfectionist in me cringes to think my first post is about a pre-packaged product. However, three factors influenced the decision: I had always been curious about Betty Crocker’s GF products, I was in a crunch, and my kids were in the mood to bake with me. So, I tried out Betty.

Cupcakes was the choice. Great for little fingers at parties. I have to say, I was pleased. It was quick to make and cook, remained fluffy for at least two days, and tasty. I kept a few “cakes” without icing for GreenBean. I have not been able to make an icing that her tummy likes. I am looking for a good GF, Dairy free, nut free, egg free icing that will stay on a cupcake and not slide off {wink} or harden upon application….Please share if you have any icing recipes that fits the bill.

Unfortunately, Greenbean did have a tummy ache after she ate her “cake”.  Could have been a number of things: cross contamination, the xantham gum ingedient (I have a hunch she may have a sensitivity), or anothe ingredient in the “ingedient list” we have not tested for.

Overall, if you are gluten intolerant or sensitive, you may have luck. For now, my little celiac will refrain until further “testing” on her allergy trail.

Have you tried this product? If so, share with me what you thought when you tried it. If not, will you share other products that have been a hit!

***This email is not a promotion or recommendation of the above product. These are only opinions through experience of the dietitian and her daughter. You must make your own decision via your discernment and recommendations by your primary care givers.

 

 

welcome to holland

It was like I was thrown off the tracks upon diagnosis of Celiac for my 7 year old daughter, Greenbean. Mixed emotions raced through my veins. Happy one second, sad the next, mad another, and then relief.  A friend recently shared a poem with me that defines that moment and the rest our our life since. I look forward to sharing recipes, information, and moments with you as we blog our way through Celiac Living. I hope you find comfort and encouragement as you read this poem Welcome To Holland by  Emily Perl Kingsley.

she writes…”I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability – to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel.  It’s like this……

When you’re going to have a baby, it’s like planning a fabulous vacation trip – to Italy.  You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum.  The Michelangelo David.  The gondolas in Venice.  You may learn some handy phrases in Italian.  It’s all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives.  You pack your bags and off you go.  Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, “Welcome to Holland.”

“Holland?!?” you say. “What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy!  I’m supposed to be in Italy.  All my life I’ve dreamed of going to Italy.”

But there’s been a change in the flight plan.  They’ve landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven’t taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease.  It’s just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language.  And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It’s just a different place.  It’s slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy.  But after you’ve been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around…. and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills….and Holland has tulips.  Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy… and they’re all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there.  And for the rest of your life, you will say “Yes, that’s where I was supposed to go. That’s what I had planned.”

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever  go away… because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But… if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn’t get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things … about Holland.”

©1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved.  Reprinted by permission of the author.

Share your thoughts. Has this been an encouragement? What has encouraged you as you navigate gluten intolerance or Celiacs Disease?