Invisible Illness Week

Today starts the beginning of Invisible Illness Week for 2008.

"HOPE CAN GROW FROM THE SOIL OF ILLNESS!"
This is the theme of 2008's National Invisible
Chronic Illness Awareness Week in September.
Drop by and find out ways to encourage a
friend, be encouraged yourself, and spread the word.
http://www.InvisibleIllness.com and our blog
http://www.InvisibleIllness.Wordpress.com
Celiac Story

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Anna's Bread

Mmm...A loaf of hot bread just came out of my oven. It's delicious aroma has followed me up the stairs to my office. Mmm...I hope you can imagine it, because it is delightful. At our house, we make Anna's Gluten, Yeast, Corn, Dairy, Soy, Nut and Rice Free Bread at least twice a week. The soft texture with hot melting butter makes this a special treat.

There is no doubt that Anna's Bread Mix is the one mix that I would not want to be without. When my oldest son was diagnosed with Celiac Disease, he had been taking his lunch, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, to school every day. That was all he wanted to eat. That didn't change, but it became a very stressful event making lunch in the mornings not knowing if the new store bought gluten-free bread would crumble on the cutting board, never make it in one piece to lunch, or worse to be spit out because it tasted like foam. This is the reality of Celiac Disease; to realize that my child and I would never eat gluten again. We wondered how we would keep our life "normal". Life was strangely not normal anymore. How could not being allowed to eat gluten and dairy change your life so much? How could we adjust to this new normal?

Well, in came Anna's Bread and I still am overwhelmed with thanks for her bread. She made our new normal even better than we could have imagined. Homemade bread every day, how could it get better than that? I'm getting teary-eyed just remembering those difficult first days and I'm thankful that God supplied all of our needs, especially the simple things. Giving thanks for our daily bread has new meaning.

(Because my youngest son is allergic to rice, we make this bread with "lite" coconut milk. It tastes great and makes great toast, too.)

Gluten-free Apple "Pie"

Apple pie has been a favorite for my family. Mostly because it was the only dessert that I could eat on a rare occasion. We felt like we weren't missing out when there was pie around. I couldn't eat sugar, but Granny Smith apples were okay for a special occasion. In the early days, I used vegetable glycerin in my pies. This is the first one I have made with agave nectar and it was like a normal apple pie with that gel-like stuff that sugary pies have. This will be great to serve family and friends that might not be used to the no-sugar diet that we eat.

Gluten-Free Apple "Pie"

Topping:
1 cup Hazelnut meal (Bob's Red Mill)
3/4 cup arrowroot flour
3/8 cup Earth Balance Buttery Sticks
1/8 cup agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Using a food processor, mix all ingredients together and set aside.


Pie Filling:
3 very large Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and cut into chunks
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
sprinkle allspice

In a bowl mix hazelnut meal, arrowroot, agave nectar, and lemon juice with the apples. Place apple mixture in the pie pan. Sprinkle with allspice. Crumble topping over the apples. Bake at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until the apples are soft and the topping is brown. During baking watch the topping for uneven browning and turn if necessary.