Day 4- What’s wrong with gluten?

And what is gluten, anyways?

Gluten is found in grains, pastas, and in most bread.  It gives baked goods a fluffy bounce.  It contains protein, as well as starch or carbohydrates.  Of course, this explains why we love it so much.  You can even find gluten in just about every processed food.

Many people don’t tolerate gluten well, but have no idea.  According to Freston, “At the least harmful end of the spectrum, gluten in the diet is suspected to cause headaches, asthma, skin rashes and hives, weight gain and/or loss, bloating, fatigue, and behavioral problems such as depression.  At the most harmful end of the spectrum is celiac disease,” which affects the small intestine and causes chronic inflammation in the body.  About one in 133 people have celiac disease and many don’t even know it.

The reason we are cutting gluten out completely for this cleanse is to see if gluten is fine for us or not.  See how you feel without it and after the cleanse, see how your body responds when you add it back slowly.

I’m actually a little alarmed to realize that ongoing headaches I was having are gone since beginning the cleanse.  I have more energy and the last time I did this cleanse, I lost weight easily.  I’m beginning to wonder if I need to continue eliminating gluten after our 21st day.  Like it’s not complicated enough eating a mainly vegan diet!

Some studies have shown that gluten can contribute to autism in children.  Groups of parents have removed gluten and dairy from their children’s diets for at least three months.  The results are very interesting:  “Children who made the dietary switch began making eye contact with their parents for the first time and attending regular classes at school.”

Since gluten seems to be in everything, pay closer attention to breads and pastries, rather than worrying about the small amounts in things like dressing and sauces.  You will still notice a difference.

See below for charts listing foods with gluten and without.

Now enjoy a guilt-free, gluten-free, stress-free dinner!

*Note about the picture: I laid the tortillas flat , filled them, then made a top layer to make more of a casserole because I didn't feel like rolling them up.  I also added chopped zucchini.
The goo that looks like cheese is Daiya (non-dairy cheese) and helped it stick, but many people don't love it, so I didn't list it as an ingredient.  

I also made an avocado/tomato salsa topping that was delightful: Dice 1 avocado and 1/2 tomato, mix with cilantro, garlic powder, salt, and a spritz of lime juice.

Black Bean Enchiladas
Makes 4 servings

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cans (15 oz) lack beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (4 oz) chopped mild green chilies, drained
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 to tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 (6 inch) corn tortillas (or other gluten free)
Quick Enchilada Sauce (below)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 C).  Lightly oil an 11 x7 inch baking dish and set aside.

2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. 

3. Add the garlic and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.

4. Add the beans, chilies, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper, stir until thoroughly combined and remove from the heat.

5. Meanwhile, arrange the tortillas on a large ungreased baking sheet (some overlap is okay) and place in the oven until just warmed and softened, about 5 minutes.

6. Spread about 1/3 cup of Quick Enchilada Sauce along the bottom of the prepared baking dish.  Spoon equal portions of the black bean mixture (about ½ cup) along the center of each tortilla and roll up; snugly arrange tortillas, seams side down, in the baking dish.

7. Pour the remaining Quick Enchilada Sauce evenly over the tortillas. 

8. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the enchiladas are heated through.

Quick Enchilada Sauce
*For slightly less spicy, use ½ tablespoon less of chili powder

2 cups vegetable broth
3 tablespoons chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch, dissolved in 3 tablespoons water

In a small saucepan, bring all the ingredients, except the cornstarch mixture, to a boil over medium heat.  Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and boil for 1 minute, whisking constantly.  Remove from the heat and serve warm.
*Recipes From the Gluten-Free Vegetarian Kitchen  (I am loving this book!)

Foods with Gluten
Bagels                         Muffins
Beer                           Noodles
Bread & rolls               Pancakes
Cake                          Pasta
Cookies                      Pizza
Couscous                    Sauces (usually thickened with flour)
Crackers                     Baking powder
Deli meats                  Margarine and butter spreads
Flour (wheat, spelt, semolina, and rye)    Flavored tortilla and potato chips
French fries, frozen     Soy sauce
Seasoning mixtures     Cereals

There are now many Gluten-free products available to replace these.  With just about anything packaged, make sure it says “gluten-free.”

Gluten-Free Foods – safe!
Corn and cornmeal                Rice noodles
Dairy products and eggs        Soy & Tofu
Fruits and vegetables             Quinoa
Herbs                                    Millet
Beans and lentils                    Nuts and seeds (plain)
Buckwheat                            Rice – brown and wild is best
Jams, jellies, preserves           Sugar, honey, maple syrup
Vinegars                                Yeast, fresh and dried
Tamari (replaces soy sauce)   Popcorn (yay!)

Alternatives to foods with gluten
Arrowroot (for thickening in place of flour)
Cornstarch
Cornmeal, polenta (great to replace pasta!)
Tapioca flour
Rice flour
Quinoa flour
Chickpea flour
Potato flour