Going Against the Grain - Italian Style by Nuccia Ardagna

Book Description:

This two-part book is a vital adjunct to any home attempting to be gluten-free. The first part guides you through early diagnosis and is an essential guide for any beginner diagnosed with celiac disease or some form of gluten sensitivity. You will learn how to identify symptoms of the disease, how celiac disease is diagnosed, and the consequences if left untreated. It will help you to understand how to read labels and how to manage your gluten-free home in a shared environment. It outlines practical advice for parents of children with celiac disease as well as tips for eating out and dealing with social settings such as special occasions or when traveling. Honorary foreword provided by renowned Dr. Peter HR Green, MD - Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University. 

Growing up authentically Sicilian, Nuccia Ardagna thought that getting rid of gluten meant giving up her favorite traditional foods, but that could not be further from the truth! Nuccia combines her passion for eating amazingly Italian with her new dietary needs to bring you scrumptious, traditional Italian (and Sicilian) recipes. From simple, classic appetizers to decadent desserts you thought you could never enjoy, every recipe is easy-to-follow and offers beautiful full-color pictures throughout. You can feel confident about entertaining guests and family with these mouth-watering recipes. You can eat healthier, feel better, and truly enjoy living gluten-free while never having to sacrifice great taste! In this book, Nuccia not only shares her personal story with celiac disease but also the recipes she grew up with at home and uses to entertain guests. Look for the bonus section at the end of the book along with a section dedicated to her favorite links and resources. 

We hope you enjoy the book and find it helpful in your journey.

Author's Bio:

Nuccia Ardagna loves to travel to the place of her roots: SICILIA! Being Sicilian, she grew up with mamma, nonna and all her zie learning all the tricks of the trade and creating DELICIOUS Italian food from scratch. When diagnosed with celiac disease she was forced to learn new habits and, now, after trial and error and experimenting, wants to share her exquisite culinary creations with you.

She IS a true Italian to the core.
Connect with Nuccia: Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook

Where to buy the book:

Amazon

My Thoughts

"Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine.  It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide.  Two and one-half million Americans are undiagnosed and are at risk for long-term health complications.

When people with celiac disease eat gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and barley), their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine. These attacks lead to damage on the villi, small fingerlike projections that line the small intestine, that promote nutrient absorption. When the villi get damaged, nutrients cannot be absorbed properly into the body.

Celiac disease is hereditary, meaning that it runs in families. People with a first-degree relative with celiac disease (parent, child, sibling) have a 1 in 10 risk of developing celiac disease."

Wow! I can not imagine life with Celiac Disease, but I guess it is like with any other illness, you cope and adapt. I do not have the disease but I do know a few people that do suffer from gluten issues. I love to cook and bake so if I had someone in the family with this disease, I would be all over the internet and cookbooks to find recipes to make. That said, Going Against the Grain - Italian Style by Nuccia Ardagna is one of the cookbooks I would refer to. Not only is the author knowledgable about Celiac Disease, but she suffers from it. 

This book is interesting in the fact that not only does the author know what she is talking about, but she has done extensive research into the why's and wherefore's of the disease, but also experimenting and coming up with delicious recipes and she shares them with the reader.  Celiac Disease is not an allergic reaction to a particular food but an actual illness. In the first few pages of the book the reader learns about the symptoms, which are extensive, other diseases that can be triggered by this disease. I learned that the disease can be hereditary and it is difficult to diagnose.

Did you know that there is gluten in non food items?? I did not know that either, cosmetics, hair care products, medications, vitamins and some supplements have gluten in them. A person who is gluten intolerant has to be very careful, in their own home, eating out and what groceries to purchase. Cross contamination can cause problems also, bakeware, utensils, cutting boards, plates and even rolling pins can cause issues for the sufferer.  So sticking to recipes and foods that are gluten free is a must, lots of fruits and vegetables along with lean meats, fish, dairy and gluten free grains should be in the sufferers diet. 

On to the recipe section. Like I said before, I do not suffer from gluten intolerance but I did bookmark some of the recipes in this cookbook. I love to make soups so I spotted the Hearty Sicilian Broccoli Soup in Tomato Broth and it will be made in my kitchen soon. Fresh Tomatos and Pesto Rotini and Risotto with Mixed Mushrooms look delicious also. There are fish recipes, vegetable recipes and even a section on sweets all looking really really good!

Important in any cookbook are the pages of resources. Nuccia has listed, in the back of the book, websites to go to about Celiac Disease, medication website, travel resources, books to read, what food and snacks you can eat and even restaurant and bakery websites. I really liked this book and even though none of us suffer from this illness, I will be making some recipes as I try to make our meals as healthy as I can. I am on a diet and it is important to eat the right things. Going Against the Grain - Italian Style is an invaluable resource for the cook to have in the kitchen. I highly recommend it!

I was provided a copy of the cookbook for review and was not monetarily compensated for said review.

@bloggerforwomen  and @NouveauWriter

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