Have you recently started a gluten-free diet and now wonder how to make that work with plant-based eating? What are some key things you need to watch out for so you can handle both aspects with confidence…and actually enjoy this combined new lifestyle?
Well, I’ve got you covered. Today on the podcast, I have invited Guest Expert Jennifer Marcks to join us so she can share some top tips to help you navigate a gluten-free diet with enjoyment and safety. Jennifer is a Gluten-Free Health Coach helping women create a sustainable and delicious gluten-free lifestyle that becomes routine in their everyday lives. In this episode, we chat about terms and plant-based foods to be cautious about when grocery shopping because of they may contain or be contaminated with gluten. You’ll also learn great baking tips and walk away with a key takeaway tip for enjoying a delicious gluten-free diet. Ready? Let’s dive in!
How to Connect More with Jennifer:
Website: https://glutenfreemarcksthespot.com/
Saying Goodbye to Gluten Podcast:
Facebook Group: Empowering GF Women - https://www.facebook.com/groups/healthyglutenfreemoms
Contact -> healthnow@plantnourished.com
Learn -> www.plantnourished.com
Join -> Plant-Powered Life Transformation Course: www.plantnourished.com/ppltcourse
Connect with Community -> www.facebook.com/groups/beginnerplantbaseddietsuccess
Get Free 15-Minute Strategy Call -> www.plantnourished.com/strategycall
Free Resource -> Quick Start Grocery Guide for Plant-Based Essentials: www.plantnourished.com/groceryguide
Have a question about plant-based diets that you would like answered on the Plant Based Eating Made Easy Podcast? Send it by email (healthnow@plantnourished.com) or submit it by a voice message here: www.speakpipe.com/plantnourished
[Gluten Free Diet, Gluten-Free, Celiac, Gluten, Transition Tips, Plant Based Eating, Plantbased Diet, Baking Tips, Smart Shopper, Eat for Health, Grocery Tips]
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:01):
If you are buying anything that's stillpackaged, that's not a whole food, but
it's still plant-based, you reallystill need to pay attention to labels
because people get very confused.
Organic' does not mean gluten-free,and often people think that it does.
' All natural' does not mean gluten-free.
' Wheat-free' does not mean gluten-free,and that's a huge misconception
(00:24):
because gluten is wheat, barley, andrye that we have to really watch.
Welcome to the Plant BasedEating Made Easy Podcast.
I'm your host, Anna Tseng, plant-basedRegistered Dietitian and Transition Coach.
Hi Friend, do you want to regain yourhealth with plant-based eating but feel
(00:45):
overwhelmed and lost about how to do it?
Do you feel it'll be hard to changeyour meat-heavy diet and impossible
with working, running the home,or chasing after the grandkids?
If so, you're in the right place.
Here you'll find simple strategies,clear nutrition guidance and
practical tips to help you thriveplant-powered with more energy.
(01:07):
So, if you're ready to ditchthe guesswork and transform
your health the stress-free way.
Cozy up now with a hot cup of tea orlisten while you walk and let me show
you how doable plant-based eating can be.
Let's do this!
Hi Friend, welcome to this episode.
I'm excited today to welcomeJennifer Marcks to the Plant
(01:30):
Based Eating Made Easy podcast.
Jennifer is a gluten-free health coachhelping women create a sustainable and
delicious gluten -free lifestyle thatbecomes routine in their everyday lives.
As the creator of Gluten-Free Marcksthe Spot, Jennifer helps you fall
in love with your gluten-free life.
Along with a gluten-free growthmembership with monthly support and
(01:53):
accountability, Jennifer also has afree Facebook group community called
Empowering Gluten-Free Women, ChangeYour Plate to Change Your Life.
So it's my pleasure to welcome Jenniferto join us here on this podcast.
Hello, Jennifer, thankyou for being here today.
Hi, Anna.
Thanks so much for having me on.
(02:13):
Great.
Let's begin by having you tell usabout your background and story.
How did you get intogluten-free eating and coaching?
Yeah, absolutely.
Thank you.
So I am now, as of today, I amgluten-free for 15 years, and it was
a very long road to even get here.
Gluten really derailed my health foryears, giving me all kinds of symptoms
(02:39):
and reactions that I could not figureout why I was having these reactions.
And no doctor couldfigure that out either.
I mean, 15 years ago when I startedmy gluten-free journey, People
were not talking about gluten-freeliving like they do today.
It was not part of your mainstreamconversation, and the food was
not so great back then either.
(03:00):
But I had a myriad of different thingshappening, such as daily headaches
and canker sores and neuropathyin my hands and feet, daily belly
aches so debilitating that I'd bebent over in pain, but yet still
be told, Oh, you're totally healthy.
And I'd always say to the doctors, Ithink it's something I'm eating, but I
really could not pinpoint what that was.
(03:22):
Like I said, you know, gluten was notin the conversation like it is today.
So once I was told to go and finallyfigured out one doctor said, I do
think it's what you're eating andhe sent me to a dietitian and she
said gluten and dairy for sure.
And I didn't know that dairyhad bothered me already.
So that was a given, butgluten, I had no idea what that
(03:45):
meant or what I needed to do.
And I was told to eat quinoaand buy some gluten-free bread.
That was my beginning to goinggluten which is not much.
So I dove in and as I was researchingand really trying to understand and
create a gluten-free lifestyle thatwas going to work for myself and my
family, because at the time I had twochildren, and now I have three children.
(04:08):
But as I was researching and learningabout living gluten-free and learning
all about celiac disease, I found outthat my two children had celiac disease.
They had some issues going onthat nobody was putting together.
But when you take the whole puzzle andyou put it together it equaled celiac
disease and they were tested and theywere off the charts for celiac disease.
(04:31):
So I like to say that finding outthat gluten had impacted my health
was a blessing in disguise becauseI don't know that even until today
that we would have known thatgluten was an issue for my children.
So, my third child was pretty muchborn into it, and we had to feed
him gluten when he was 18 monthsold, and that was a disaster.
He turned into this very opposite babythat he had been, with sleeping well,
(04:56):
and eating well, and pooping well.
You know, that all changedcompletely and totally.
The doctor's like, yes,get him off of gluten now.
So, but four out of five of us aregluten-free at our household and we
learned so much and you and I had talkedabout your journey in the past and,
and it was not an easy thing to startand do on our own because 15 years ago
(05:17):
there was not much out there to help us.
And I didn't want other peopleto struggle and have to put
that into place on their own.
So that kind of led me into teachingothers what we had learned and to live
a healthier gluten-free lifestyle andto show them that yes, gluten-free
can be easier and delicious.
Wow.
(05:37):
What a journey for you and yourfamily to figure all of this out.
I'm so glad that after all those years,you were able to pinpoint and figure
out that gluten was the main culprit,causing your health issues and for your
children especially, what a differenceit made in their lives to be gluten-free.
This definitely makes eating gluten-freea necessity for survival for your family.
(06:02):
So I can understand how that thengrew your passion for helping
others navigate this tricky path ofstarting and staying gluten-free.
Yes, absolutely.
I think one of the most challengingaspects of maintaining a gluten-free
lifestyle, though, is keeping a dietthat is 100 percent gluten-free,
which is crucial if you have celiacdisease, right, and you need to keep
(06:26):
your health in the best shape possible,for total gut healing and restoration.
I know some people feel like a littlebit of gluten won't hurt But I think
unfortunately, that's not true.
Is that right?
That is not true.
That is not true if you have celiacdisease, you need to be 100 percent
(06:46):
gluten-free and I even say because Idon't test for celiac disease, but my
doctor noted me as textbook celiac,so and if I have a crumb, if I have
any kind of cross contamination, Iam absolutely so incredibly sick.
So it is, I say it is reallyimperative to do your absolute
(07:08):
best to be 100 percent gluten-free.
So there is a lot to put into place,which is, which is what I teach
my clients and my students to do.
Yes, so important then tostay 100 percent gluten-free.
I think the benefit is that when you'resticking to natural whole plant-based
foods like fruits and vegetables,beans and nuts and seeds on a whole
(07:29):
food plant-based diet, you're lesslikely needing to worry about getting
gluten accidentally in your meals sincethese foods are naturally gluten-free.
But I know there are still areas weneed to be careful of when navigating
the supermarket or buying thoseminimally processed or certain
packaged plant-based food items.
So I would love to get yourtips for our listeners to use
(07:51):
on their next grocery shop.
What do you think are some importantareas to watch out for that
gluten-free eaters need to be awareof when buying plant-based foods?
Yeah, absolutely.
First of all, if you are buying anythingthat's still packaged, that's not a whole
food, but it's still plant-based, youreally still need to pay attention to
(08:12):
labels because people get very confused.
Labels are confusing, first and foremost.
' Organic' does not mean gluten-free,and often people think that it does.
' All natural' does not mean gluten-free.
'Wheat-free' does not mean gluten-free,and that's a huge misconception
because gluten is wheat, barley, andrye that we have to really watch.
(08:35):
So if a product is just wheat-free,it might still have rye or barley
in it or another gluten grain thatwould cross-contaminate that product.
So a wheat-free product wouldnot be a safe gluten-free option.
And 'non-GMO' also does notequate to being gluten-free.
Now all of those labels, 'organic', ' allnatural', ' wheat-free', ' non-GMO',
(09:00):
they're all a great addition tobuying a gluten-free product, but
they do not equal gluten-free.
So you still want to make sure thatthe product is certified gluten-free.
I've had so many well intentionalfriends who have cooked me a meal
and said, here, it's all organic,it's safe for you, and yet it breaks
my heart to say, well, actuallyorganic does not mean gluten-free.
(09:22):
So, you do have to pay attention to that.
Another area to look out for our oats.
Oats are very controversial in thegluten-free field because oats are
naturally gluten-free, yet how oats aregrown and processed, there's lots of
cross-contamination that can happen,therefore making oats not safe for
(09:44):
celiac or if you're gluten intolerant.
Because often farmers will grow afield of wheat and the next year,
they might grow oats on that samefield or they might grow side by side.
So the winds will push the wheat intothe oats, and then how they're processed
there's lots of cross-contaminationhappening in that as well.
(10:07):
So we want to always purchasecertified gluten-free oats.
Bob's Red Mill and Thrive market are twogreat brands that I trust that we use
that are certified gluten-free and oatsgenerally also bother people's intestines.
So if you are just starting yourgluten-free diet, you might want
(10:28):
to not have some oats right away.
They're harder to digest andthey may be irritating to you
as you're trying to improve yourdigestion by taking that gluten out.
But that's just something to think about.
And another thing to reallywatch out for are condiments.
We love to add things to our foodsand add more spice and add more
(10:48):
flavor and certain condiments willhave lots of hidden gluten in them.
So we really have to payattention to reading labels.
Like soy sauce.
Soy sauce is always one thatpeople are so shocked about.
They're like, well it's made from soy.
But often soy sauce has wheat added to it.
It's made with wheat.
So we have to really pay attention.
(11:11):
You can purchase tamari or a certifiedgluten-free soy sauce or even use
coconut liquid aminos as a soy sauce.
Of course, that's a bit sweeter.
So we want to watch that, butyeah, so those are some top tips.
One other thing I would add though too is,we are a society that wants to make things
easy and wants to make things quick.
(11:32):
So when you're at the grocerystore and you are in that.
vegetable aisle.
And you see all those pre cut vegetables,you know, packaged up for you.
You don't have to cut the squashwhen you get home or the watermelon.
Well, for those of us livinggluten-free, one, if we don't know
where that has been cut, you canhave cross-contamination right there.
(11:54):
So in that pre-cut package, if they cutthat on a surface where they cut bread,
or bread was in the area, or they use thesame knife as cutting bread or something
that contained gluten, that couldcross-contaminate that product for you.
So it's just something to be aware of.
(12:15):
Those are great tips, Jennifer.
Thank you so much.
And I'm glad you touched on theissue of cross-contamination.
I'm sure that is a big issue forsomeone who is on a gluten-free
diet, because there's so muchpotential for cross-contamination.
Not just in products, like you'resaying, but also sometimes just
the surfaces where foods have beenpackaged, and cut for convenience.
(12:38):
So that's a great suggestion interms of staying away from some
of those pre-cut vegetables andproduce and buying the whole versions
instead and cutting it yourself.
What about things like pre-choppedfrozen items, those broccoli
florets or butternut squash thatyou have in the freezer section.
What would you say to that?
(12:58):
For that, I would say that if youare just beginning your gluten-free
journey, when you're purchasing thingslike the frozen vegetables, I would
look for that gluten-free label becausethat's going to tell you that that
company has taken the steps to makesure that's a safe product for you.
So look for gluten-free.
Typically we do okay if it's just broccolichopped in the bag and nothing else.
(13:24):
But at the beginning, numberone, you want to look for the
gluten-free certification on the bag.
And number two, you want to purchasefrom companies that you trust.
So as you learn more about the companiesthat you're purchasing food from,
especially those frozen products, you'regonna learn who has good practices
in place and which companies don't.
(13:44):
Okay, but back to your point abouthow wheat free doesn't mean gluten-free,
that's such an important point becauseit's true that product could still
use other ingredients that containgluten, like the rye or the barley, and
plant-based foods, especially those veganmeat alternatives and other plant-based
(14:04):
commercial products could still containwheat, definitely, like those cookies
and pastries products, but also even themeat alternatives could contain wheat.
I remember the other day at thestore I was looking at some meat
alternative products, and there'sa Yves veggie, turkey slices.
And I just looked at the ingredients,and the first three ingredients
(14:26):
were water, wheat gluten, and tofu,and wheat starch, natural flavors.
So just the gluten was in the secondand fourth ingredient, just there.
So you really have to look at the labels,like you said, and the ingredients list.
on that product to make sure it doesn'tcontain gluten before you buy it.
But for someone who just grabs thatproduct and goes and thinks, oh,
(14:48):
plant-based means it should be okay.
That is not going to be helpful forsomeone who's on a gluten-free diet.
Exactly.
Yes.
Great.
So thank you for sharingthese valuable tips.
I'm sure this will be very helpfulfor someone, especially who is
new to a plant-based diet andrelatively new to being gluten-free.
I know you have so much experience, 15years of eating and staying gluten-free,
(15:12):
so I want to pick your brain a littlebit in terms of the baking realm.
Do you have one or two tips whenbaking gluten-free treats and using
gluten-free flours that would be helpfulto know so we can minimize those baking
flops and have more tasty successes?
Absolutely.
Yes.
Gluten-free baking is a science inand of itself, let me tell you that.
(15:34):
I grew up baking with my mom and bakingwith my children before going gluten-free.
So when I started baking gluten-freeand making hockey pucks and things that
crumbled in my hands, I thought, ohmy gosh, how can I not bake anymore?
Because I thought mybaking days were over.
And then I just dove inand started learning.
But you grow up and you think,oh, we bake with wheat flour.
(15:56):
There's one flour thatwe bake with, right?
Maybe there is cake flour and wheatflour and that's all you ever used.
But when you start looking at theflours that are available when you're
baking gluten-free, it is, it's a bitoverwhelming at the beginning because
there are so many to choose from.
There are brown rice, you know, thedifferent rice flours, different
(16:17):
starches like tapioca starch orarrowroot starch or even corn starch.
Then we have cassava flour,coconut flour, almond flour.
I mean, there are so many out there.
But the biggest takeaway in gluten-freebaking, and this was just absolutely
my pet peeve, is that when you read arecipe that, for gluten-free baking,
(16:38):
and it says two cups of gluten-freeflour, and they have this beautiful
picture of the cupcake or brownie orwhatever they've just baked, and you
make it at home with your gluten-freeflour, your recipe is not going to be
their recipe, because every flour youuse will give you a different result.
So I find that it isbest to mix a few flours.
(17:03):
I love mixing organic brown riceflour and millet flour, sometimes
adding in a little bit of tapiocastarch to give it more body.
But that can give you a reallygreat cupcake or muffin.
But experimenting, really gettingin the kitchen and trying them out
because like I said, every flour isgoing to give you a different result.
(17:25):
And if you don't want to buythe flours individually, they
do sell many that are mixes.
But again, with the mixes, they'reall different flours in these mixes.
And then some of the mixes have gumsin them, like xanthan gum or guar gum,
which are very irritating to the gut.
So we have to be careful and mindful ofthat, but are needed in order to pull
(17:48):
together your gluten-free baked good.
If you're going to make a pancake withouta gum or without a binder, you're going
to end up with a crepe over a pancake.
So learning those little tricks.
And this is something I teach in, I havea gluten-free baking for beginners course
that I teach that I absolutely love, butit gives you all these tips and tricks.
(18:10):
One other thing are eggs.
Right now, the cost of eggshas just skyrocketed, right?
And a lot of people in youraudience probably don't eat eggs.
So, I had a client come to me andshe said, well, I'm egg-free, so
I guess I'm not baking anymore.
I said, no, no, no, no, no, no.
That's not true.
We have so many things we can try.
Just like we're substituting outflour in your gluten-free baking.
(18:35):
You can also have manysubstitutes for the eggs.
So ground flax seed worksgreat to replace an egg.
You would take one tablespoon ofground flax seed and add that to three
tablespoons of water, mix it up andlet it sit for about five minutes.
And that comes together like in a gel.
(18:55):
And once that forms that bit ofgelatin, then you use that for one egg.
And I've used that in many of myrecipes for cakes or muffins, and
the recipe comes out really greatusing that as a substitute for eggs.
You can also use banana, apureed banana, or pureed fruit.
I've even bought jars of baby foodthat's, you know, organic, like peaches
(19:20):
or carrots and things like that to useas a puree and in replace of an egg.
And you can also use applesauceor even a nut butter to
replace an egg in your recipes.
So on my website, I have like a zucchinimuffin and in a pumpkin muffin, they work
wonderfully using egg substitutes like theflaxseed method, and it works quite well.
(19:44):
So the biggest trick is getting inthe kitchen and trying, because your
baking days are not over because you'regluten-free or because you're plant-based.
You just need to try newalternatives, which is the fun part
of being in the kitchen, right?
Yes, I absolutely agree with you.
I think part of moving into plant-basedeating and perhaps on your gluten-free
(20:05):
journey is that it's a journey, so youwill be learning, you'll be exploring.
There may be some fails -that's okay-but the more you try the more you're
willing to try and to explore in thekitchen, you are going to learn what
works, what doesn't work, what workswith the gluten-free flour that you have,
and your family and yourself, you'll berewarded in the end by, some delicious
(20:28):
alternatives that you can still enjoy.
So I absolutely agree withyou on that, Jennifer.
And I love that about the flax egg becauseI use that a lot in my own baking as well.
And also chia eggs too.
You can make a chia egg with onetablespoon of chia seeds with about three
tablespoons of water or plant-based milk.
(20:49):
That can work quite well too.
Awesome.
That's great.
I love these baking tips and it just showsthat you really can't just assume there
will be just one kind of a gluten-freeflour that will work for all recipes.
You really have to kind oftest it out and explore that.
So do you have an additional takeawaytip for how to enjoy a delicious
(21:11):
gluten-free plant-powered diet.
Absolutely.
And this is exactly whatI do with my clients.
You know, we start where they are,and if they've eaten all processed
foods, or they're partly plant based,or they're moving in that direction,
we just add onto the plate, right?
What vegetable can you add at yourmeal each week, each day this week?
(21:34):
Or what can you add in with a smoothie,or for breakfast, you know, add some
greens onto your plate with yourscrambled eggs, or make an omelette
with some spinach or kale, butjust really expanding your plate.
And I think that is like you justsaid, you know, it is a journey
and it is something that we'relearning and I think 15 years in,
(21:55):
we're still learning new things.
We're still finding new products.
We're still finding new vegetables, right?
You go to the farmer's market.
Well, what is that?
You know, ask the farmer, what isthis vegetable I've never seen before?
How do you cook it?
How do you use it?
Expand your plate because that is goingto expand your health as well, because
our microbiome in our intestines, wewant to just keep feeding that, all
(22:19):
the good bacteria and by adding in moreplant-based foods and expanding that,
trying something new each week, thatis just really going to push you to
a healthier mode as you move forward.
I love that tip.
I think that makes it all seem more doableand achievable to be able to just take
(22:40):
steps forward to build onto your plateand build your health and to expand it.
So thank you for thesewonderful tips and advice.
How can those listening today bestconnect with you if they would
like to know more about what youdo and what you can help with?
Yeah, absolutely.
Well, I'd love them to hop on overand join us on the Empowering Your
(23:00):
gluten-free Growth podcast, where Ishare tips and strategies on creating
a sustainable and delicious gluten-freelifestyle, just like you do here on your
amazing podcast for plant-based eating.
And we just have so much over there.
I have some amazing guests that aresharing great tips and strategies as well.
So just a lot to take in andto implement into your life.
(23:22):
And if you hop over to my websiteat glutenfreemarcksthespot.com.
Marcks is my last name.
M A R C K S. Soglutenfreemarcksthespot.com, we have
lots of amazing recipes and all kindsof great gluten-free information,
as well as some resources thatyou can grab while you're there.
(23:45):
That's wonderful.
And I will be sure to include thelinks to connect with Jennifer in
the show notes for this episode.
So I've enjoyed our conversationtoday, Jennifer, and the great
insights and tips you've shared.
I know these will definitelyhelp many of those listening.
So thank you, Jennifer, for taking thetime to come onto this podcast today.
(24:06):
Thanks so much for having me, Anna.
Great conversation.
Thank you so much for listening.
If this podcast has inspired,encouraged, or helped you in some
way to transform your health,I would love to hear about it.
Please take 30 seconds to rateand leave a written review on
Apple Podcasts to let me know.
(24:28):
It will encourage me so much tohear how this podcast has positively
impacted and made a differencein your journey towards wellness.
And share about this podcast witha friend or loved one so we can
all thrive in the best health.
Remember, plant-based eatingcan be easy and doable.
See you in the next episode, my Friend.
If you are buying anything that's stillpackaged, that's not a whole food, but
it's still plant-based, you reallystill need to pay attention to labels
because people get very confused.
Organic' does not mean gluten-free,and often people think that it does.
' All natural' does not mean gluten-free.
' Wheat-free' does not mean gluten-free,and that's a huge misconception
(00:24):
because gluten is wheat, barley, andrye that we have to really watch.
Welcome to the Plant BasedEating Made Easy Podcast.
I'm your host, Anna Tseng, plant-basedRegistered Dietitian and Transition Coach.
Hi Friend, do you want to regain yourhealth with plant-based eating but feel
(00:45):
overwhelmed and lost about how to do it?
Do you feel it'll be hard to changeyour meat-heavy diet and impossible
with working, running the home,or chasing after the grandkids?
If so, you're in the right place.
Here you'll find simple strategies,clear nutrition guidance and
practical tips to help you thriveplant-powered with more energy.
(01:07):
So, if you're ready to ditchthe guesswork and transform
your health the stress-free way.
Cozy up now with a hot cup of tea orlisten while you walk and let me show
you how doable plant-based eating can be.
Let's do this!
Hi Friend, welcome to this episode.
I'm excited today to welcomeJennifer Marcks to the Plant
(01:30):
Based Eating Made Easy podcast.
Jennifer is a gluten-free health coachhelping women create a sustainable and
delicious gluten -free lifestyle thatbecomes routine in their everyday lives.
As the creator of Gluten-Free Marcksthe Spot, Jennifer helps you fall
in love with your gluten-free life.
Along with a gluten-free growthmembership with monthly support and
(01:53):
accountability, Jennifer also has afree Facebook group community called
Empowering Gluten-Free Women, ChangeYour Plate to Change Your Life.
So it's my pleasure to welcome Jenniferto join us here on this podcast.
Hello, Jennifer, thankyou for being here today.
Hi, Anna.
Thanks so much for having me on.
(02:13):
Great.
Let's begin by having you tell usabout your background and story.
How did you get intogluten-free eating and coaching?
Yeah, absolutely.
Thank you.
So I am now, as of today, I amgluten-free for 15 years, and it was
a very long road to even get here.
Gluten really derailed my health foryears, giving me all kinds of symptoms
(02:39):
and reactions that I could not figureout why I was having these reactions.
And no doctor couldfigure that out either.
I mean, 15 years ago when I startedmy gluten-free journey, People
were not talking about gluten-freeliving like they do today.
It was not part of your mainstreamconversation, and the food was
not so great back then either.
(03:00):
But I had a myriad of different thingshappening, such as daily headaches
and canker sores and neuropathyin my hands and feet, daily belly
aches so debilitating that I'd bebent over in pain, but yet still
be told, Oh, you're totally healthy.
And I'd always say to the doctors, Ithink it's something I'm eating, but I
really could not pinpoint what that was.
(03:22):
Like I said, you know, gluten was notin the conversation like it is today.
So once I was told to go and finallyfigured out one doctor said, I do
think it's what you're eating andhe sent me to a dietitian and she
said gluten and dairy for sure.
And I didn't know that dairyhad bothered me already.
So that was a given, butgluten, I had no idea what that
(03:45):
meant or what I needed to do.
And I was told to eat quinoaand buy some gluten-free bread.
That was my beginning to goinggluten which is not much.
So I dove in and as I was researchingand really trying to understand and
create a gluten-free lifestyle thatwas going to work for myself and my
family, because at the time I had twochildren, and now I have three children.
(04:08):
But as I was researching and learningabout living gluten-free and learning
all about celiac disease, I found outthat my two children had celiac disease.
They had some issues going onthat nobody was putting together.
But when you take the whole puzzle andyou put it together it equaled celiac
disease and they were tested and theywere off the charts for celiac disease.
(04:31):
So I like to say that finding outthat gluten had impacted my health
was a blessing in disguise becauseI don't know that even until today
that we would have known thatgluten was an issue for my children.
So, my third child was pretty muchborn into it, and we had to feed
him gluten when he was 18 monthsold, and that was a disaster.
He turned into this very opposite babythat he had been, with sleeping well,
(04:56):
and eating well, and pooping well.
You know, that all changedcompletely and totally.
The doctor's like, yes,get him off of gluten now.
So, but four out of five of us aregluten-free at our household and we
learned so much and you and I had talkedabout your journey in the past and,
and it was not an easy thing to startand do on our own because 15 years ago
(05:17):
there was not much out there to help us.
And I didn't want other peopleto struggle and have to put
that into place on their own.
So that kind of led me into teachingothers what we had learned and to live
a healthier gluten-free lifestyle andto show them that yes, gluten-free
can be easier and delicious.
Wow.
(05:37):
What a journey for you and yourfamily to figure all of this out.
I'm so glad that after all those years,you were able to pinpoint and figure
out that gluten was the main culprit,causing your health issues and for your
children especially, what a differenceit made in their lives to be gluten-free.
This definitely makes eating gluten-freea necessity for survival for your family.
(06:02):
So I can understand how that thengrew your passion for helping
others navigate this tricky path ofstarting and staying gluten-free.
Yes, absolutely.
I think one of the most challengingaspects of maintaining a gluten-free
lifestyle, though, is keeping a dietthat is 100 percent gluten-free,
which is crucial if you have celiacdisease, right, and you need to keep
(06:26):
your health in the best shape possible,for total gut healing and restoration.
I know some people feel like a littlebit of gluten won't hurt But I think
unfortunately, that's not true.
Is that right?
That is not true.
That is not true if you have celiacdisease, you need to be 100 percent
(06:46):
gluten-free and I even say because Idon't test for celiac disease, but my
doctor noted me as textbook celiac,so and if I have a crumb, if I have
any kind of cross contamination, Iam absolutely so incredibly sick.
So it is, I say it is reallyimperative to do your absolute
(07:08):
best to be 100 percent gluten-free.
So there is a lot to put into place,which is, which is what I teach
my clients and my students to do.
Yes, so important then tostay 100 percent gluten-free.
I think the benefit is that when you'resticking to natural whole plant-based
foods like fruits and vegetables,beans and nuts and seeds on a whole
(07:29):
food plant-based diet, you're lesslikely needing to worry about getting
gluten accidentally in your meals sincethese foods are naturally gluten-free.
But I know there are still areas weneed to be careful of when navigating
the supermarket or buying thoseminimally processed or certain
packaged plant-based food items.
So I would love to get yourtips for our listeners to use
(07:51):
on their next grocery shop.
What do you think are some importantareas to watch out for that
gluten-free eaters need to be awareof when buying plant-based foods?
Yeah, absolutely.
First of all, if you are buying anythingthat's still packaged, that's not a whole
food, but it's still plant-based, youreally still need to pay attention to
(08:12):
labels because people get very confused.
Labels are confusing, first and foremost.
' Organic' does not mean gluten-free,and often people think that it does.
' All natural' does not mean gluten-free.
'Wheat-free' does not mean gluten-free,and that's a huge misconception
because gluten is wheat, barley, andrye that we have to really watch.
(08:35):
So if a product is just wheat-free,it might still have rye or barley
in it or another gluten grain thatwould cross-contaminate that product.
So a wheat-free product wouldnot be a safe gluten-free option.
And 'non-GMO' also does notequate to being gluten-free.
Now all of those labels, 'organic', ' allnatural', ' wheat-free', ' non-GMO',
(09:00):
they're all a great addition tobuying a gluten-free product, but
they do not equal gluten-free.
So you still want to make sure thatthe product is certified gluten-free.
I've had so many well intentionalfriends who have cooked me a meal
and said, here, it's all organic,it's safe for you, and yet it breaks
my heart to say, well, actuallyorganic does not mean gluten-free.
(09:22):
So, you do have to pay attention to that.
Another area to look out for our oats.
Oats are very controversial in thegluten-free field because oats are
naturally gluten-free, yet how oats aregrown and processed, there's lots of
cross-contamination that can happen,therefore making oats not safe for
(09:44):
celiac or if you're gluten intolerant.
Because often farmers will grow afield of wheat and the next year,
they might grow oats on that samefield or they might grow side by side.
So the winds will push the wheat intothe oats, and then how they're processed
there's lots of cross-contaminationhappening in that as well.
(10:07):
So we want to always purchasecertified gluten-free oats.
Bob's Red Mill and Thrive market are twogreat brands that I trust that we use
that are certified gluten-free and oatsgenerally also bother people's intestines.
So if you are just starting yourgluten-free diet, you might want
(10:28):
to not have some oats right away.
They're harder to digest andthey may be irritating to you
as you're trying to improve yourdigestion by taking that gluten out.
But that's just something to think about.
And another thing to reallywatch out for are condiments.
We love to add things to our foodsand add more spice and add more
(10:48):
flavor and certain condiments willhave lots of hidden gluten in them.
So we really have to payattention to reading labels.
Like soy sauce.
Soy sauce is always one thatpeople are so shocked about.
They're like, well it's made from soy.
But often soy sauce has wheat added to it.
It's made with wheat.
So we have to really pay attention.
(11:11):
You can purchase tamari or a certifiedgluten-free soy sauce or even use
coconut liquid aminos as a soy sauce.
Of course, that's a bit sweeter.
So we want to watch that, butyeah, so those are some top tips.
One other thing I would add though too is,we are a society that wants to make things
easy and wants to make things quick.
(11:32):
So when you're at the grocerystore and you are in that.
vegetable aisle.
And you see all those pre cut vegetables,you know, packaged up for you.
You don't have to cut the squashwhen you get home or the watermelon.
Well, for those of us livinggluten-free, one, if we don't know
where that has been cut, you canhave cross-contamination right there.
(11:54):
So in that pre-cut package, if they cutthat on a surface where they cut bread,
or bread was in the area, or they use thesame knife as cutting bread or something
that contained gluten, that couldcross-contaminate that product for you.
So it's just something to be aware of.
(12:15):
Those are great tips, Jennifer.
Thank you so much.
And I'm glad you touched on theissue of cross-contamination.
I'm sure that is a big issue forsomeone who is on a gluten-free
diet, because there's so muchpotential for cross-contamination.
Not just in products, like you'resaying, but also sometimes just
the surfaces where foods have beenpackaged, and cut for convenience.
(12:38):
So that's a great suggestion interms of staying away from some
of those pre-cut vegetables andproduce and buying the whole versions
instead and cutting it yourself.
What about things like pre-choppedfrozen items, those broccoli
florets or butternut squash thatyou have in the freezer section.
What would you say to that?
(12:58):
For that, I would say that if youare just beginning your gluten-free
journey, when you're purchasing thingslike the frozen vegetables, I would
look for that gluten-free label becausethat's going to tell you that that
company has taken the steps to makesure that's a safe product for you.
So look for gluten-free.
Typically we do okay if it's just broccolichopped in the bag and nothing else.
(13:24):
But at the beginning, numberone, you want to look for the
gluten-free certification on the bag.
And number two, you want to purchasefrom companies that you trust.
So as you learn more about the companiesthat you're purchasing food from,
especially those frozen products, you'regonna learn who has good practices
in place and which companies don't.
(13:44):
Okay, but back to your point abouthow wheat free doesn't mean gluten-free,
that's such an important point becauseit's true that product could still
use other ingredients that containgluten, like the rye or the barley, and
plant-based foods, especially those veganmeat alternatives and other plant-based
(14:04):
commercial products could still containwheat, definitely, like those cookies
and pastries products, but also even themeat alternatives could contain wheat.
I remember the other day at thestore I was looking at some meat
alternative products, and there'sa Yves veggie, turkey slices.
And I just looked at the ingredients,and the first three ingredients
(14:26):
were water, wheat gluten, and tofu,and wheat starch, natural flavors.
So just the gluten was in the secondand fourth ingredient, just there.
So you really have to look at the labels,like you said, and the ingredients list.
on that product to make sure it doesn'tcontain gluten before you buy it.
But for someone who just grabs thatproduct and goes and thinks, oh,
(14:48):
plant-based means it should be okay.
That is not going to be helpful forsomeone who's on a gluten-free diet.
Exactly.
Yes.
Great.
So thank you for sharingthese valuable tips.
I'm sure this will be very helpfulfor someone, especially who is
new to a plant-based diet andrelatively new to being gluten-free.
I know you have so much experience, 15years of eating and staying gluten-free,
(15:12):
so I want to pick your brain a littlebit in terms of the baking realm.
Do you have one or two tips whenbaking gluten-free treats and using
gluten-free flours that would be helpfulto know so we can minimize those baking
flops and have more tasty successes?
Absolutely.
Yes.
Gluten-free baking is a science inand of itself, let me tell you that.
(15:34):
I grew up baking with my mom and bakingwith my children before going gluten-free.
So when I started baking gluten-freeand making hockey pucks and things that
crumbled in my hands, I thought, ohmy gosh, how can I not bake anymore?
Because I thought mybaking days were over.
And then I just dove inand started learning.
But you grow up and you think,oh, we bake with wheat flour.
(15:56):
There's one flour thatwe bake with, right?
Maybe there is cake flour and wheatflour and that's all you ever used.
But when you start looking at theflours that are available when you're
baking gluten-free, it is, it's a bitoverwhelming at the beginning because
there are so many to choose from.
There are brown rice, you know, thedifferent rice flours, different
(16:17):
starches like tapioca starch orarrowroot starch or even corn starch.
Then we have cassava flour,coconut flour, almond flour.
I mean, there are so many out there.
But the biggest takeaway in gluten-freebaking, and this was just absolutely
my pet peeve, is that when you read arecipe that, for gluten-free baking,
(16:38):
and it says two cups of gluten-freeflour, and they have this beautiful
picture of the cupcake or brownie orwhatever they've just baked, and you
make it at home with your gluten-freeflour, your recipe is not going to be
their recipe, because every flour youuse will give you a different result.
So I find that it isbest to mix a few flours.
(17:03):
I love mixing organic brown riceflour and millet flour, sometimes
adding in a little bit of tapiocastarch to give it more body.
But that can give you a reallygreat cupcake or muffin.
But experimenting, really gettingin the kitchen and trying them out
because like I said, every flour isgoing to give you a different result.
(17:25):
And if you don't want to buythe flours individually, they
do sell many that are mixes.
But again, with the mixes, they'reall different flours in these mixes.
And then some of the mixes have gumsin them, like xanthan gum or guar gum,
which are very irritating to the gut.
So we have to be careful and mindful ofthat, but are needed in order to pull
(17:48):
together your gluten-free baked good.
If you're going to make a pancake withouta gum or without a binder, you're going
to end up with a crepe over a pancake.
So learning those little tricks.
And this is something I teach in, I havea gluten-free baking for beginners course
that I teach that I absolutely love, butit gives you all these tips and tricks.
(18:10):
One other thing are eggs.
Right now, the cost of eggshas just skyrocketed, right?
And a lot of people in youraudience probably don't eat eggs.
So, I had a client come to me andshe said, well, I'm egg-free, so
I guess I'm not baking anymore.
I said, no, no, no, no, no, no.
That's not true.
We have so many things we can try.
Just like we're substituting outflour in your gluten-free baking.
(18:35):
You can also have manysubstitutes for the eggs.
So ground flax seed worksgreat to replace an egg.
You would take one tablespoon ofground flax seed and add that to three
tablespoons of water, mix it up andlet it sit for about five minutes.
And that comes together like in a gel.
(18:55):
And once that forms that bit ofgelatin, then you use that for one egg.
And I've used that in many of myrecipes for cakes or muffins, and
the recipe comes out really greatusing that as a substitute for eggs.
You can also use banana, apureed banana, or pureed fruit.
I've even bought jars of baby foodthat's, you know, organic, like peaches
(19:20):
or carrots and things like that to useas a puree and in replace of an egg.
And you can also use applesauceor even a nut butter to
replace an egg in your recipes.
So on my website, I have like a zucchinimuffin and in a pumpkin muffin, they work
wonderfully using egg substitutes like theflaxseed method, and it works quite well.
(19:44):
So the biggest trick is getting inthe kitchen and trying, because your
baking days are not over because you'regluten-free or because you're plant-based.
You just need to try newalternatives, which is the fun part
of being in the kitchen, right?
Yes, I absolutely agree with you.
I think part of moving into plant-basedeating and perhaps on your gluten-free
(20:05):
journey is that it's a journey, so youwill be learning, you'll be exploring.
There may be some fails -that's okay-but the more you try the more you're
willing to try and to explore in thekitchen, you are going to learn what
works, what doesn't work, what workswith the gluten-free flour that you have,
and your family and yourself, you'll berewarded in the end by, some delicious
(20:28):
alternatives that you can still enjoy.
So I absolutely agree withyou on that, Jennifer.
And I love that about the flax egg becauseI use that a lot in my own baking as well.
And also chia eggs too.
You can make a chia egg with onetablespoon of chia seeds with about three
tablespoons of water or plant-based milk.
(20:49):
That can work quite well too.
Awesome.
That's great.
I love these baking tips and it just showsthat you really can't just assume there
will be just one kind of a gluten-freeflour that will work for all recipes.
You really have to kind oftest it out and explore that.
So do you have an additional takeawaytip for how to enjoy a delicious
(21:11):
gluten-free plant-powered diet.
Absolutely.
And this is exactly whatI do with my clients.
You know, we start where they are,and if they've eaten all processed
foods, or they're partly plant based,or they're moving in that direction,
we just add onto the plate, right?
What vegetable can you add at yourmeal each week, each day this week?
(21:34):
Or what can you add in with a smoothie,or for breakfast, you know, add some
greens onto your plate with yourscrambled eggs, or make an omelette
with some spinach or kale, butjust really expanding your plate.
And I think that is like you justsaid, you know, it is a journey
and it is something that we'relearning and I think 15 years in,
(21:55):
we're still learning new things.
We're still finding new products.
We're still finding new vegetables, right?
You go to the farmer's market.
Well, what is that?
You know, ask the farmer, what isthis vegetable I've never seen before?
How do you cook it?
How do you use it?
Expand your plate because that is goingto expand your health as well, because
our microbiome in our intestines, wewant to just keep feeding that, all
(22:19):
the good bacteria and by adding in moreplant-based foods and expanding that,
trying something new each week, thatis just really going to push you to
a healthier mode as you move forward.
I love that tip.
I think that makes it all seem more doableand achievable to be able to just take
(22:40):
steps forward to build onto your plateand build your health and to expand it.
So thank you for thesewonderful tips and advice.
How can those listening today bestconnect with you if they would
like to know more about what youdo and what you can help with?
Yeah, absolutely.
Well, I'd love them to hop on overand join us on the Empowering Your
(23:00):
gluten-free Growth podcast, where Ishare tips and strategies on creating
a sustainable and delicious gluten-freelifestyle, just like you do here on your
amazing podcast for plant-based eating.
And we just have so much over there.
I have some amazing guests that aresharing great tips and strategies as well.
So just a lot to take in andto implement into your life.
(23:22):
And if you hop over to my websiteat glutenfreemarcksthespot.com.
Marcks is my last name.
M A R C K S. Soglutenfreemarcksthespot.com, we have
lots of amazing recipes and all kindsof great gluten-free information,
as well as some resources thatyou can grab while you're there.
(23:45):
That's wonderful.
And I will be sure to include thelinks to connect with Jennifer in
the show notes for this episode.
So I've enjoyed our conversationtoday, Jennifer, and the great
insights and tips you've shared.
I know these will definitelyhelp many of those listening.
So thank you, Jennifer, for taking thetime to come onto this podcast today.
(24:06):
Thanks so much for having me, Anna.
Great conversation.
Thank you so much for listening.
If this podcast has inspired,encouraged, or helped you in some
way to transform your health,I would love to hear about it.
Please take 30 seconds to rateand leave a written review on
Apple Podcasts to let me know.
(24:28):
It will encourage me so much tohear how this podcast has positively
impacted and made a differencein your journey towards wellness.
And share about this podcast witha friend or loved one so we can
all thrive in the best health.
Remember, plant-based eatingcan be easy and doable.
See you in the next episode, my Friend.
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