Product Review: Zema’s Madhouse Foods
A few weeks ago (OK, maybe more than a few, I was moving slow there for a while!), I got a box in the mail from Zema’s Madhouse Foods. Inside, a box of Gluten-Free Cinnamon-Oatmeal Apple Muffin Mix, which is of course what I want to talk to you about today.
The general premise of Zema’s mixes is that they are gluten-free, ancient grain, high fiber and protein, low glycemic index. In addition to the muffin mix, they offer two different pancake and waffle mixes (a cocoa teff variety, and a seeded multigrain) and a pizza/focaccia mix made with rosemary and millet (you can see them all here). Click to continue reading »
As with most people diagnosed with a gluten sensitivity, my doctor ordered a much larger test to see what other foods my body didn’t process so easily. Turned out that coffee was another sensitive food. After doing a little research, I found that I may not be the only person sensitive to coffee or tea.
When I was first diagnosed with a gluten intolerance, I was so relieved to find a solution to my digestive problems and exhaustion that the exchange for a radical diet upheaval seemed okay. I didn’t really miss gluten if all the forgetfulness, irritability, and fatigue went away. The new diet I was on seemed like a fun challenge, and not an insurmountable obstacle. While the relief certainly remains, this “honeymoon” period of my gluten-intolerance has certainly subsided. There are times I just want to pack a sandwich for lunch or grab a bagel on the way to work. Sometimes I just don’t want to preface my restaurant order with “I have a couple of dietary restrictions…”
Contrary to popular assumption, gluten-free doesn’t have to mean grain-free. Granted, there are many grains out there such as spelt that are harsh to celiacs’ digestive track and for people with gluten sensitivity in general. Be that as it may, celiacs and gluten-sensitive people can still enjoy the hearty textures of grains and quench their carb-cravings with these six basic grains (although some are technically seeds) that are gluten-free. Hopefully you can learn something new about them and implement some of them into your culinary circle!
There are many scary manifestations of celiac disease / gluten intolerance that I’m thankful not to have personal experience with. 
Dealing with a serious health condition is complex, as people with celiac disease know, but there’s usually some kind of compromise or solution. Diabetes is definitely one of America’s most urgent and wide spread of these issues. Though the politics of diabetes are controversial, there’s hardly any room for debate about the direct correlation between unhealthy diets and diabetes. Certainly heredity plays a significant factor, but it’s not an end-all-be-all fate.
When my doctor first told me to cut wheat out of my diet, I couldn’t even remember the word “gluten,” let alone know exactly what it meant. Months were spent in the trial and error period, searching for resources both at the library and online. My local library had about 3 books with anything to do with gluten, one of which was a recipe book, calling for ingredient substitutes like arrowroot and xanthan gum. Not exactly something I already had in my pantry.
When has CLIF Bar ever let anyone down or led them astray with an unfulfilled craving or unsatisfied energy boost? Well, I’m sure there are a select few who consumed one and the high grams of sugar either upset their sensitive teeth or someone was involved in a competitive sports game and didn’t have enough energy to make that winning point, but for the most part CLIF Bars are an active man’s (and woman’s) best friend.
