# No More Bear claws



## senior chef (Mar 31, 2022)

During the last few years I have developed a bowel disease called IBS-D.  There is no specific cause and it's often extremely difficult to diagnose. After several colonoscopies, camera into the stomach and swallowing a "Horse Pill" that takes photos of the entire system , the specialist could still not give a specific diagnosis.

Finally he gave me a new med called Viberzi and it has been a big help , BUT I am often still confined to the bathroom.  It now looks like I have a gluten insensitivity AND a dairy insensitivity.

So, what does that mean ?  It means that I lose a lifetime of cooking anything I enjoy, I will now have to give up all gluten and dairy. So, no more bread, cookies, pies, cakes, pastries, pancakes, cereals, French toast or even breaded foods like cutlets, or deep fried shrimp and most gravies. Also, no dairy of any kind : butter, milk, cream, sour cream, chip dips, flan and of course ice cream and any chocolate, etc etc.

How does this affect me ? Well, it's a lot like a pianist losing one hand. Yes, he/she could still play a few easy tunes but no more complex pieces. 

It's quite upsetting. I truly don't know how to cope.


----------



## win231 (Mar 31, 2022)

My sister also had to stop eating dairy and gluten.  There are some gluten-free foods that are pretty good.  I actually prefer some of them, even though I have no gluten or dairy issues.  I found some gluten-free cookies & crackers made with almond flour that are better than regular cookies.


----------



## Tish (Apr 1, 2022)

What @win231 said.


----------



## Devi (Apr 1, 2022)

Fear not, my friend. There are noodles made of beans (instead of wheat flour) that, to be honest, taste _just like_ wheat noodles (the white kind). Really. And, as @win231 said, there are also other flours.

Try these: Organic Chickpea Fusilli - Easy-to-Make Pasta - High in Plant-Based Protein - Non-GMO, Gluten Free, Vegan, Kosher

Luckily for you, as a chef, you can find ways to use these, and others like them, that will taste delicious.


----------



## JonSR77 (Apr 1, 2022)

I would consider getting assessed by an alternative health care professional.

You can try a Holistic MD. They are regular MDs, but with some focus on natural healing techniques.

You can also try an Integrative Medicine MD...same as above.

Or, an Osteopath.

I have enormous digestive problems.

There are tons of natural therapies. Some will definitely get you some symptom reduction. How much? I don't know.

There is rarely some kind of magic pill. It usually means a range of things that will help you and a range of things to avoid.


the idea that "there is no specific cause" --- that is just something doctors say, when they just don't know more.


but if you take the kind of healing herbs and foods that aid digestive health? Whatever the doctors say, you are going to find a way to less problems.


What I take may not work for you...and I don't advise you doing any of this...unless approved first, by a medical professional. But listing it here to give you an idea of the kinds of things that might help.

So, I do digestive enzymes, sometimes apple cider vinegar (poor protein digestion is sometimes caused by not producing enough acid), you might want to get assessed for food allergies, generally...and not just the gluten issue.

I do ginger, sometimes turmeric (same family of plants), ground whole flax seed. I do some bran..wheat or oat. I take an anti-inflammatory protein powder, I do take prunes and/or prune juice. I take Senna, but not Ex-lax...I take a natural form.

The idea here, is that, over time, you might try 5 or 10 or 15 different things, until your digestive problems come under control.

In my experience, the people who get into those kinds of details with the issue, very very rarely do not get symptom reduction and a good level of it.

And very very simple things...that optimal hydration (which very few of us really do), and optimal sleep (which very few of us also do)...can go a very very very long way towards healing.

On the contrary, if we don't hydrate well, or sleep well, or get a lot of nutrients in our food...then some chronic problem can linger in a way that it would not linger, if we really hit all those basic keys to health, and hit them hard.

And, of course, the proper amount of exercise. And that does not mean, just exercising enough. It also means, not exercising too much. A lot of the Western ideas around exercise are all based on being gung-ho. And that can drain us and make our medical problems worse.

sorry about the problems

Best of luck

take care


----------



## JonSR77 (Apr 1, 2022)

as far as losing what you love?

My friend is a French jazz guitarist. Got very bad carpal tunnel and had to stop performing. He could still play, but not enough to support a professional performance career. He was devastated.

But that is an emotional reaction. And emotional reactions tend to cloud the response that a deeper, subtle and more profound wisdom can bring to a situation.

I am confident that every single thing you enjoy can have a solution. The field of "digestive friendly" foods is still new and folks are still learning many things.

There is rice flour...and how it is used in Asia. Corn flour and how it is used in Central and South America. Different spice profiles to accompany these other ingredients.

You know, it is like you are an artist, who is being asked to paint with a different color scheme. And the varieties of colors still available to you, are actually quite broad.

My ex was a pastry chef at the Union Square Cafe in NYC. I have some familiarity with the field.

I would not lose hope...just get ready for a new adventure. 

take care...


----------



## Alligatorob (Apr 1, 2022)

Sorry to hear it @senior chef , it has to be frustrating.  However as you know health has to be your first priority, good that you are doing that.

This doesn't mean giving up cooking things, just eating them.  If that helps... 

My favorite chef, Paul Prudhomme, gave up many of the rich and calorie laden foods he loved to help him lose weight.  He was morbidly obese.  He took advantage of that to develop new more healthy recipes, even wrote a healthy recipe book, a _Fork in the Road_ https://www.amazon.com/Chef-Paul-Prudhommes-Fork-Road/dp/0688121659

Paul's story does not end well, he was not able to maintain the diet he needed, gained much of the weight back, and probably died as a result.  You can do better than Paul!

FYI, I also love bear claws but cannot eat them anymore, for the same reason Paul shouldn't have.


----------



## Devi (Apr 1, 2022)

Oh heck, I love glazed donuts. But I'm diabetic, and I control my blood sugar with what I eat because I do NOT want to take drugs or insulin or whatever. (My doctor referred to it as "diet-controlled diabetes".)

I can only occasionally eat something like chocolate, and it would have to be organic at that, as we eat only organic/natural food. But I do treat myself on occasion.


----------



## Devi (Apr 1, 2022)

My husband reminded me that conventionally-grown GMO foods can really upset the intestinal tract. It's something to know.

I think that as we grow <cough> older, we can no longer go hog-wild with some of the foods we were able to eat/tolerate when we were younger.


----------



## Michael Z (Apr 1, 2022)

If you have an Aldi foods near you, check out their gluten free baking mixes for pancakes and other items - they are inexpensive and very good. Almond milk is a good substitute for milk.


----------



## caroln (Apr 1, 2022)

I'm sorry this is happening...it has to be so upsetting for you.  Like losing part of who you are.  But as human beings, we are nothing if not adaptable.  Perhaps you can use your chef skills in creating wonderful gluten/dairy free recipes for all of the people with those dietary problems.

I agree with Alligatorob who said "_This doesn't mean giving up cooking things, just eating them.  If that helps..._".  For as long as I can remember, my mom never once tasted anything she cooked, even when cooking for company!


----------



## Liberty (Apr 1, 2022)

senior chef said:


> During the last few years I have developed a bowel disease called IBS-D.  There is no specific cause and it's often extremely difficult to diagnose. After several colonoscopies, camera into the stomach and swallowing a "Horse Pill" that takes photos of the entire system , the specialist could still not give a specific diagnosis.
> 
> Finally he gave me a new med called Viberzi and it has been a big help , BUT I am often still confined to the bathroom.  It now looks like I have a gluten insensitivity AND a dairy insensitivity.
> 
> ...


We used to manufacture vegan and Atkin's diet - low carb foods.  I'd check out the new recipes you can learn to make using almond flours and gluten free flours combined with gums and vegan egg and butter substitutes.  They are surprisingly 
good tasting.  I learned a lot and still do enjoy some of the foods.

 A favorite daily treat  I make is unbaked  chocolate clusters using Baker's unsweetened chocolate, extra virgin olive oil, dried cranberries, coconut almond meal and Erythritol ( an all natural sugar replacer).

Found that extra virgin olive oil can often replace butter in baking.  Who would have thought of making cookies with olive oil...lol.  

Enjoy your new "excellent baking adventure"...lol.


----------



## officerripley (Apr 1, 2022)

After hearing (and being told face-to-face by at least one medical professional) for years that gluten sensitivity is very uncommon, I finally tried a gluten-free diet and am feeling better than I've felt in my _entire life._ At least a couple of the stores around here carry a good amount of gluten-free products, including flours made out of things other than wheat, such as rice flour, corn flour, almond flour even (which would even work for those with celiac disease whose sufferers can't eat anything kind of grain). If there are no stores near you which carry such products, I bet they can be obtained online. I'm planning to try tortillas made out of cassava flour next. (Even though since I'm on the new diet, I seem to be able to digest a little bit of corn products, it's still a little bit of an issue so the cassava might work even better.) Good luck.


----------



## Remy (Apr 1, 2022)

Senior Chef. I'm sorry. This has to be very hard. It sounds like you love to cook. Don't give up. As other's have mentioned there are gluten free and dairy free alternatives. It may take some reading, researching and experimenting but you may find you can still make some of the things you like. You will have to start reading labels like crazy.

But there are many more alternatives out there than even a few years ago. 

I've been plant based over 15 years. I still think about pastries, custard eclairs and milk chocolate sometimes.


----------



## Remy (Apr 1, 2022)

Devi said:


> My husband reminded me that conventionally-grown GMO foods can really upset the intestinal tract. It's something to know.
> 
> I think that as we grow <cough> older, we can no longer go hog-wild with some of the foods we were able to eat/tolerate when we were younger.


I used to like the WINCO Foods bakery french bread years ago. Then I tried it and it upset my stomach and the second time, same thing. So I knew something was wrong there. I don't buy anything from their bakery or brand name anymore.

I'm not all into organic but I buy organic bread and corn products.


----------



## Jules (Apr 1, 2022)

As a chef whose life revolves around being creative in the kitchen, this will be extra hard for you.  Thankfully you have the skills to modify with different ingredients.


----------



## Michael Z (Apr 1, 2022)

There is something strange with breads these days. Bread can sit in your pantry for a month without molding! Used to be after 3 or 4 days it was starting to mold. Carageenan is added to most breads and perhaps that is one culprit. Effects of genetic modification that allow use of herbicides may be another. See https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/carrageenan


----------



## Liberty (Apr 1, 2022)

Michael Z said:


> There is something strange with breads these days. Bread can sit in your pantry for a month without molding! Used to be after 3 or 4 days it was starting to mold. Carageenan is added to most breads and perhaps that is one culprit. Effects of genetic modification that allow use of herbicides may be another. See https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/carrageenan


If you seek out online the Italian breads and you may find you can enjoy them.
Here's an article pointing out the differences between the American bread flours and 
the European:

https://blog.publicgoods.com/why-european-bread-might-be-better-for-your-stomach/


----------



## senior chef (Apr 1, 2022)

This is very hard for me to deal with. The one great love of my life has been cooking/baking and  that has been lost to me. I just feel numb and I've been doing little except sleeping.


----------



## Geezer Garage (Apr 1, 2022)

On the other hand, you may live longer because of it, and you can still have the joy of cooking/baking for others.


----------



## senior chef (Apr 1, 2022)

Geezer Garage said:


> On the other hand, you may live longer because of it, and you can still have the joy of cooking/baking for others.


Why do you think I'll live longer because of gluten/dairy insensitivity ?  It seems to me that without breads, pasta etc I'll be eating much more meats/fats/eggs and we all know that is not the best for arteries/heart.


----------



## AnnieA (Apr 1, 2022)

senior chef said:


> This is very hard for me to deal with. The one great love of my life has been cooking/baking and  that has been lost to me. I just feel numb and I've been doing little except sleeping.



When you've gotten over the shock, I'll help if you like.   I'm a dietitian, have celiac disease and love to cook.  Is your dairy intolerance casein, lactose or other?   Asking because once my gut healed with zero gluten (and for celiac, it does have to be zero), I was able to start eating casein again.  That's fairly common for celiac patients.


----------



## AnnieA (Apr 1, 2022)

Devi said:


> My husband reminded me that conventionally-grown GMO foods can really upset the intestinal tract. It's something to know.
> 
> I think that as we grow <cough> older, we can no longer go hog-wild with some of the foods we were able to eat/tolerate when we were younger.





Michael Z said:


> There is something strange with breads these days. Bread can sit in your pantry for a month without molding! Used to be after 3 or 4 days it was starting to mold. Carageenan is added to most breads and perhaps that is one culprit. Effects of genetic modification that allow use of herbicides may be another. See https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/carrageenan



Wheat has been hybridized for higher gluten, longer shelf-life flour.  That's the culprit for a lot of people that don't have celiac disease but are gluten intolerant.


----------



## Gaer (Apr 1, 2022)

No BUTTER?  No CHOCOLATE?  Oh, I'm SO SORRY!!!!  You can do this!  You can develop a taste for lean, healthy foods.  
Just think of how much better you will feel!
But it issad because your recipes will all have to change!  So sorry Senior Chef!


----------



## senior chef (Apr 1, 2022)

Gaer said:


> No BUTTER?  No CHOCOLATE?  Oh, I'm SO SORRY!!!!  You can do this!  You can develop a taste for lean, healthy foods.
> Just think of how much better you will feel!
> But it issad because your recipes will all have to change!  So sorry Senior Chef!


Yes !  I have been creating and collecting my recipes since I was 17 years old, 58 years ago.
I'll lose perhaps 80% of them.  Goodness knows how many i may have. Perhaps 450 recipes. It just breaks my heart.


----------



## senior chef (Apr 1, 2022)

AnnieA said:


> When you've gotten over the shock, I'll help if you like.   I'm a dietitian, have celiac disease and love to cook.  Is your dairy intolerance casein, lactose or other?   Asking because once my gut healed with zero gluten (and for celiac, it does have to be zero), I was able to start eating casein again.  That's fairly common for celiac patients.


I don't know if I'm casein or lactose intolerant. how do I tell ?


----------



## Liberty (Apr 1, 2022)

Ok, senior chef...we formulated so many foods when we owned the food mfg biz...just tell me a couple of your favorite bakery recipes and I'll give you recipes to make - you won't have to give up baking your favorite foods.  That is a fact.  If you just try them, you'll see what I mean.


----------



## senior chef (Apr 1, 2022)

Liberty said:


> Ok, senior chef...we formulated so many foods when we owned the food mfg biz...just tell me a couple of your favorite bakery recipes and I'll give you recipes to make - you won't have to give up baking your favorite foods.  That is a fact.  If you just try them, you'll see what I mean.


I have been baking Italian loaves for many decades.  The formula is perfect and I always use a biga. The thought that i may never have it again is really upsetting.
PS: I use King Arthur unbleached BREAD FLOUR and Semolina flour.


----------



## AnnieA (Apr 2, 2022)

senior chef said:


> I don't know if I'm casein or lactose intolerant. how do I tell ?



Check with your doctor.   Since it's not an anaphylactic allergic reaction, after you've been off both for several months and your gut has healed, it's okay to reintroduce dairy to see of you tolerate it.

This was our family Thanksgiving several years ago.    The Southern celery and onion dressing, the pecan streusel topped sweet potatoes ..all gluten free.  Only the gluten free gravy and rolls hadn't made it to the table yet and the three types of pies with yummy homemade gf crusts were on the dessert table.


----------



## Liberty (Apr 2, 2022)

senior chef said:


> I have been baking Italian loaves for many decades.  The formula is perfect and I always use a biga. The thought that i may never have it again is really upsetting.
> PS: I use King Arthur unbleached BREAD FLOUR and Semolina flour.


Just put your chef's cap on and enjoy your new baking adventures.  Trust me, you will find some very delicious gluten free bread and bakery options if you just try!


----------



## AnnieA (Apr 2, 2022)

senior chef said:


> I have been baking Italian loaves for many decades.  The formula is perfect and I always use a biga. The thought that i may never have it again is really upsetting.
> PS: I use King Arthur unbleached BREAD FLOUR and Semolina flour.



You have to grieve.  I was so happy to quickly go from 6-8 episodes of diarrhea a day to normal bowel function that the challenges were worth it. 

I'm not a strict recipe person (like to look at several of a dish and experiment) so did have to adjust to measuring very specifically for baked goods.  King Arthur makes a good gluten free flour but it and other brands are expensive.  I make my own flour in bulk and like the results better than anything I've tried premixed.


----------



## senior chef (Apr 2, 2022)

AnnieA said:


> You have to grieve.  I was so happy to quickly go from 6-8 episodes of diarrhea a day to normal bowel function that the challenges were worth it.
> 
> I'm not a strict recipe person (like to look at several of a dish and experiment) so did have to adjust to measuring very specifically for baked goods.  King Arthur makes a good gluten free flour but it and other brands are expensive.  I make my own flour in bulk and like the results better than anything I've tried premixed.


You make your own flour ? That's great. I'd like to hear how you do that.


----------



## AnnieA (Apr 2, 2022)

Will post the recipe when I get home.


----------



## AnnieA (Apr 2, 2022)

senior chef said:


> You make your own flour ? That's great. I'd like to hear how you do that.



10 pound recipe.  I store mine in 1/2 gallon mason jars.   I order all ingredients except cornstarch from https://www.vitacost.com/ Get big containers of cornstarch from Costco or Sams.

48 ounces white rice flour
6 ounces sweet rice flour
43 ounces tapioca flour or starch ...same properties
4 ounces potato flour or starch
45 ounces cornstarch

A lot of premixed blends contain xanthum gum but I don't always use it so just add if a recipe calls for it or if the purchased flour blend called for in a recipe contains it.

GF Bisquick for some reason does better than flour mixes for fried chicken tenders.  Corn flour is amazing! for fried seafood. Casamento's Restaurant in New Orleans has used since 1919.   It's not in the French Quarter, but lots of famous people (and me lol) make the trip across town.

Here's an excellent resource:  Gluten Free Girl She's married to a professional chef so explains well the adaptations to cooking with gluten free flours. It takes some study and experimentation since gluten is integral to how wheat flour performs. GF flour recipes have to make up for the lack of structure that the gluten protein provides.


----------



## senior chef (Apr 2, 2022)

AnnieA said:


> 10 pound recipe.  I store mine in 1/2 gallon mason jars.   I order all ingredients except cornstarch from https://www.vitacost.com/ Get big containers of cornstarch from Costco or Sams.
> 
> 48 ounces white rice flour
> 6 ounces sweet rice flour
> ...


Thank you AnnieA,
I have load my Amazon cart with the above items.  total cost, including shipping = $79 USD
Question: with your 10 lb. recipe, aprox how many loaves could I expect to make ?


----------



## AnnieA (Apr 2, 2022)

senior chef said:


> Thank you AnnieA,
> I have load my Amazon cart with the above items.  total cost, including shipping = $79 USD
> Question: with your 10 lb. recipe, aprox how many loaves could I expect to make ?



Wow.  I'm used to spending $50 for 1.5 makings. Guess that's inflation.  Did you compare prices with Vitacost?  Not sure how many loaves you'll get.  I use it for various things, sometimes in combo with other flours such as almond, oat flour (rolled oats ground in a food processor).


----------



## senior chef (Apr 2, 2022)

AnnieA said:


> Wow.  I'm used to spending $50 for 1.5 makings. Guess that's inflation.  Did you compare prices with Vitacost?  Not sure how many loaves you'll get.  I use it for various things, sometimes in combo with other flours such as almond, oat flour (rolled oats ground in a food processor).


Yeah. Price is about the same.  As a 1st test, I ordered a 3 lb bag of gluten free flour from King Arthur. If that comes out ok, I'll buy all of your flours and try that.
However, it's looking like making a gluten free bread is going to be incredibly expensive.


----------



## Murrmurr (Apr 2, 2022)

senior chef said:


> This is very hard for me to deal with. The one great love of my life has been cooking/baking and  that has been lost to me. I just feel numb and I've been doing little except sleeping.


There are diet-restriction cookbooks made for you! You can order them online. Meanwhile you can google recipes specific to your restrictions.


----------



## AnnieA (Apr 3, 2022)

senior chef said:


> However, it's looking like making a gluten free bread is going to be incredibly expensive.


 
It'll definitely be expensive at first due to learning how to bake without the missing structure that gluten provides.   Study a lot of recipes and know that you'll never attain the taste and texture of wheat bread.


----------



## AnnieA (Apr 3, 2022)

senior chef said:


> Thank you AnnieA,
> I have load my Amazon cart with the above items.  total cost, including shipping = $79 USD
> Question: with your 10 lb. recipe, aprox how many loaves could I expect to make ?



I'm getting $38.74 from vitacost.com except for the cornstarch which you can get at Sam's or Costco for less than $5.00.   Excess can be frozen for the next batch except for the potato flour/starch which doesn't keep as well. 

Shipping is free over $49.00 so if you add in some Simple Mills almond flour crackers, some gf oats (important to get gf since oats processed in a facility with other grains are easily contaminated with similar size barley), some absolutely delish Pamela's pecan shortbread ...lots of other gluten free foods available on the site.


----------



## Nathan (Apr 3, 2022)

senior chef said:


> During the last few years I have developed a bowel disease called IBS-D.  There is no specific cause and it's often extremely difficult to diagnose.


Sorry to hear, our DIL has been struggling with IBS for some time, she's somehow coping with it and raising 2 children.   For her, gluten plays a big part, she's eating dishes using cauliflower which grants her some respite.


----------



## Bella (Apr 25, 2022)

senior chef said:


> During the last few years I have developed a bowel disease called IBS-D.  There is no specific cause and it's often extremely difficult to diagnose. After several colonoscopies, camera into the stomach and swallowing a "Horse Pill" that takes photos of the entire system , the specialist could still not give a specific diagnosis.
> 
> Finally he gave me a new med called Viberzi and it has been a big help , BUT I am often still confined to the bathroom.  It now looks like I have a gluten insensitivity AND a dairy insensitivity.
> 
> ...



Oh, Chef, I feel your pain. I've been gluten free for twelve years. It's not by choice, it's a medical necessity. I'm an Italian girl and, believe me, I'd never give up semolina by choice! I know you're devastated and heartbroken. Ya just gotta get over the shock of it all. Not to mention you'll feel_ much_ better. Trust me, it's infinitely doable. You've gotta open yourself up not shut down. The thing you've got goin' for you is tremendous knowledge of food and superb cooking skills. Yes, there's definitely a learning curve but I have no doubt you're up to the challenge. If I can do it, surely you can do it!

I've always loved to cook/bake and am pretty good at it. I researched the b*lls off this gluten free thing until I got it down. You don't have to give up bread, cookies, pies, cakes, pastries, pancakes, cereals, french toast or even breaded foods like cutlets, or deep fried shrimp and most gravies. You just have to learn to make them with different ingredients. We know that wheat is out *BUT* there are a plethora of interesting gluten free flours to bake with that give more than satisfactory results. I use sorghum, brown, white, and sweet rice flours, teff, oat, buckwheat, almond, cashew, masa harina, coconut flour, arrowroot and other starches to make delicious baked goods. I'm not fond of bean flours and don't use them, but that's subjective. You might like them. I make my own flour mixes because ready-made ones are expen$ive. I use several different ones depending on what I'm baking. As far as how baked goods taste? You'd never know they're gluten free. The reaction I get is, "*This* is gluten free??" Yep, if you see me eating it, you betcha it's gluten free! Wheat has been so genetically modified and inundated with pesticides over the years it's become a pathogen for a lot of people.

There are a lot of dairy substitutes. Whole canned coconut milk is my favorite and good for baking, creamy desserts, like puddings/ice cream, and adding to coffee. It's the thickest of the available milk substitutes. The thicker "cream" at the top of the can be used for a whipped cream substitute. It's not the same as whipped cream but it's serviceable. Other dairy free "milks"  are almond, macadamia, oat, hemp, cashew and more. They're all a thinner consistency than coconut milk but still good in cooking/baking depending on what you're making. I don't like nor do I use soy milk for a few reasons ... besides not liking the taste, soy is one of the most genetically modified and pesticide ridden plants on the planet. No thank you. You'll need to taste test a few different ones to see what you like best.

As AnnieA said, once you clean up your gut, you might be able to slowly reintroduce some dairy, like Greek yogurt which you'd be able to use as a substitute for sour cream.

Then there's xanthan gum and guar gum. I know these sound weird but they're often added to baking recipes to mimic the elasticity of gluten. That said, warning Will Robinson ... if you have gut issues, you might be sensitive to them. Especially guar gum. If that's the case you'll have to search for recipes that work without them and you'll find them. As MichaelZ said, *AVOID* carrageenan, it's definitely no bueno for anyone with intestinal issues. In fact, it's no good for anyone.

My favorite pasta brand is Jovial. It's made in Italy strictly from rice flour. These people know what they're doing. It ain't semolina but it's very good compared to others I've tried that have an off taste or the ones made with corn that fall apart. Ick. I also like buckwheat noodles. Ready made breads I like are Canyon Bakehouse (they also make decent bagels), 3 Bakers Ancient Grain and their other breads, Glutino English Muffins (Glutino also makes a good water cracker similar to Carr's). You can find them at supermarkets or natural food stores on the shelf or in the freezer section. You'll have to try various ones to see what you like. It's the only way.

Expeller pressed coconut oil is neutral tasting and has a high smoke point so it's good for frying and using as a substitute for butter in baked goods. Regular coconut oil has a slight coconut taste. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Sauteing shrimp in it is pretty tasty and using it in baking can be fine. There's olive oil, of course, and avocado oil that you can also use. Then there's Nutiva Palm Oil Shortening. It can be used for frying and baking. It* is* high in saturated fat but it's a damn sight better than using Crisco! It has *NO hexane*, soy or canola, Non-BPA, Vegan, Non-Hydrogenated, Zero Trans Fats and is Kosher. >> https://www.motherearthnews.com/sus...table-oil-extraction-processing-zmaz71ndzgoe/

Red Palm Oil  >>  https://howtocure.com/red-palm-oil-benefits/

The Differences Between Lactose Free And Dairy Free  >>  https://www.thespruceeats.com/difference-between-lactose-and-dairy-free-1000937

The Difference Between Non-Dairy And Dairy Free  >>  https://www.thespruceeats.com/non-dairy-and-dairy-free-differences-1000936

The Best Butter Substitutes >>  https://www.thespruceeats.com/best-butter-substitutes-1001575

Besides Amazon, like AnnieA , I shop at Vitacost. Sign up for their emails and you'll get a discount code when they run a 12% to 15% off sale on food about once a month. >> https://www.vitacost.com/gluten-free-shopping/?ss=1

The internet is your friendly resource and abounds with all sorts of gluten free recipes. I know you're in shock, Chef, but hang in there, you're gonna be OK.

Pinterest is a great place to search for gluten free recipes. Go there and join. I have some gluten free boards, one dedicated to flour blends. I'm Pestle Packin' Mama over there.  >> https://www.pinterest.com/BellaBellaBambina/_saved/ ... and there are tons of other gluten free boards! Pour a cuppa something, you're gonna be there for a while.

To get you started, here are some terrific gluten free websites. Have a look.

https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/

https://www.glutenfreepalate.com/

https://bojongourmet.com/

https://www.glutenfreegoddessrecipes.com/p/blog-page_10.html

https://www.whattheforkfoodblog.com/

https://www.agirldefloured.com/recipes-by-a-girl-defloured/

https://www.faithfullyglutenfree.com/recipe-index/

https://www.snixykitchen.com/

That's all I can think of right now. I'm sure I've forgotten a few things but hopefully this will help to get ya goin'. You've just gotta get in the kitchen and have a go at it. You still have to eat, right? _I know you can do it!_ You're not the Senior Chef for nothin'! I'm here for you, Chef, and will gladly help you in any way I can.

Ruby


----------



## Devi (Apr 25, 2022)

Wow, @Ruby. That's a heck of a post with good information. Thanks — and welcome to the forums!


----------



## Bella (Apr 25, 2022)

Devi said:


> Wow, @Ruby. That's a heck of a post with good information. Thanks — and welcome to the forums!



Hi, Devi!  Thank you, I'm glad if you found it helpful and thanks for the welcome!


----------



## senior chef (Apr 28, 2022)

Jules said:


> As a chef whose life revolves around being creative in the kitchen, this will be extra hard for you.  Thankfully you have the skills to modify with different ingredients.


This IBS-D stuff is really getting to me. (No gluten OR any dairy) My entire life has revolved around cooking/baking.
Since I was a starving child, I swore an oath that I'd never be hungry again. Which was the driving force that took me into a life of cooking/baking. Well, without breads, pastas, pies, cakes, chocolate, even something as simple as a chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes and cream gravy and sandwiches, I'm hungry 24/7.  Jeez, how I miss making a nice crusty Italian loaf with home made soup.
I truly don't know how to survive like this. If I'm not cooking every single day, I'm completely miserable.
I feel like a pianist who lost one of his hands.


----------



## WheatenLover (Apr 29, 2022)

senior chef said:


> This IBS-D stuff is really getting to me. (No gluten OR any dairy)


This is really difficult to deal with. I know, because my gluten-free vegan son lives with me. He has this diet by choice, go figure.

In my travels around the internet, I noticed that King Arthur Flour carries gluten-free flour. You can order it at their website. Bob's Red Mill also carries gluten-free flour. So that's done and dusted. Gluten free bread is very expensive, so you may want to consider getting a cookbook. Try to at least read the table of contents online, along with the reviews.  Do a search for gluten and dairy free cookbooks. Do not bother looking at ones that claim to be for people who have a variety of dietary restrictions, unless you want to bang your head on a brick wall.

Barilla makes gluten-free pasta. It is cheaper at Walmart, bought in single packs. Otherwise, a lot of vendors try to take your life savings for multiple boxes of pasta. I didn't do the math, I just knew I didn't want a lifetime supply of pasta stored at my house. There isn't room and there definitely isn't a desire to be pasta-centric in our diets. 

Everything gluten-free costs a lot more, so it might actually be a good idea to make things homemade instead.

Often you can substitute things like coconut milk (high in fat if that's a concern) or one of the other non-dairy milks, for regular milk.  I am assuming that you are not merely lactose intolerant, mostly because you would have noticed that long ago.

On the bright side, at least you can still eat eggs. Being on an egg-free diet complicates things even more.

It is possible, as your despair lessens to the point that you can do it, that you will be able to take some of your recipes and change them into gluten and dairy free ones. That would be quite a project, and I would not be surprised if you could write a cookbook once that was done.

Also, a lot of tortilla chips are gluten and dairy free and so are a lot of corn tortillas. Of course, you can make your own. So are Kind bars -- I buy them for my son to eat a quick breakfast before he goes to work. He'll need them, because he will also have to take the dog out and feed him. Kind bars are expensive, too, and I know you can figure out a recipe for something similar, if you like.

My vegan  kids sons the vegan cheese. But hey, you might find it palatable as a lot of people do.


----------

