Hard to be Gluten (or any food) Free

In a world where convenience is the shiny object to be desired, diet restrictions can be really tough.  I know of many people who need to cut out gluten for one reason or another and gluten is in just about every inexpensive processed food.  Gluten is a protein found in wheat, oats, and rye.  For people with celiac disease or a gluten allergy, gluten is a toxin instead of a nutrient and cannot be consumed.  Other groups also benefit from a gluten free diet including those with diabetes, down's syndrome, Parkinson's, anemia, and rheumatoid arthritis.

There are some drawbacks to eating a gluten free diet.  People who go completely gluten free are often deficient in folate, fiber, and iron.  This occurs mostly when people eating a gluten free diet make substitutions rather than cutting the grain out altogether.  Eating a diet that consists mainly of lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and safe grains such as rice will greatly benefit any person.  However, marketed items such as gluten free flour, pastas, and breads are so processed that they have a very low nutritional value.  Reliance on these items in the needed absence of whole grains can lead to nutrient deficiencies that cause weight gain and fatigue.

Worry not, my gluten free friends.  You are not alone.  Everyone should try to cut processed foods to improve their health.  The longer a food takes to get from its growth source to the dinner table, the less healthy it is.  We can all do better in eating whole foods, fresh foods, and local foods.  Marketing professionals are smart.  They follow trends.  They talk us into following the same trends.  Remember that tag lines like "gluten free"  "fat free"  "sugar free"  "low sodium" "no high fructose corn syrup" and "all natural" are not equal to the word HEALTHY.  These statements tell us what is not in a product.  They do not tell us what is in a product.  Quite often, the chemical they substitute for these items is a lot less healthy for us.

Since most gardens in the Midwest are turning out produce left and right at present, here is a recipe for a delicious rice dish that uses all fresh and mostly locally available ingredients, covers all of the food groups, and contains NO GLUTEN! 

Nicoise-style Brown Rice Salad with Fresh Herbs (From Market Vegetarian by Ross Dobson)

ingredients:

• 4 eggs
• 7oz baby green beans
• 12 oz short grain brown rice
• 1/4 c olive oil
• 1 garlic clove (crushed)
• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 7 oz cherry tomatoes (halved)
• 3 oz black olives (pitted and halved)
• 1 small bunch of fresh chives (finely snipped)
• 1 large handful of chopped fresh parsley
• 1 large handful of fresh basil leaves
• 1 large handful of fresh mint leaves
• 1 small handful of fresh tarragon leaves
• salt and black pepper

Put the eggs in a small saucepan and cover with cold water.  Set over high heat and bring to a boil.  Cook for 3 minutes, then rinse under cold water.  When cool enough to handle, peel and halve them, then set aside.

Cook the beans in boiling water for 1 minute.  Drain and place in a bowl of cold water.  Put the rice in a strainer and rinse well under cold running water.  Transfer the rice to a large saucepan and add sufficient just-boiled water. Set the pan over high heat, return the water to a boil and cook the rice for 10 to 12 minutes until it is tender but retains some "bite".  Tip the rice into a strainer, rinse under cold running water and drain well.  Put the rice and drained beans in a large bowl and add the oil, garlic, and lemon juice.  Stir until the rice is coated in the oil.  Add the tomatoes, olives, and herbs, toss to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Arrange the egg halves on top and serve.