Gluten Issues and Sourdough

I finally took the plunge a few weeks ago and activated the sourdough starter that I had ordered months ago.  I heard about a book on Facebook called, Vintage Remedies Guide to Bread, by Jessie Hawkins.  I was able to download it onto my computer and began reading it with much interest.  The author has done extensive research on bread and how it used to be made compared to how it is made today.  She also goes into detail about gluten and how the sourdough process almost completely breaks the gluten in the bread down to a nearly gluten free loaf by the time it is baked.  I won't be able to go into all of the details here, but it is truly fascinating.  My oldest son has struggled with loose bowels anytime he eats gluten since he was very little, (probably from the time he started eating solids; I just didn't realize it right away.)  He's been gluten free for the last 3.5 to 4 years.  Whenever he has gluten he will complain that his tummy hurts and will have diarrhea for a few days.  While I don't mind cooking gluten free, and have gotten pretty good at it, if I do say so myself, I just can't seem to figure out a good bread/pizza crust, etc.  More than that, the cost is pretty steep for us.
I remember talking with someone once about the Paleo diet, and he made the comment, that bread wasn't even in the Bible.  I know that is not true, and so I began my quest to find out how bread was made in the olden days, and to try and make it myself.  The book mentioned above was incredibly helpful to me.

I tried giving Sammy some of the sourdough pancakes I made a week ago, and he got diarrhea.  I got really discouraged, but then remembered that he'd eaten some samples at Costco with gluten and he'd had a cookie which also contained gluten the day before.  So, I decided to let his body clear all of that out, and then try the two-day bread.  I gave him his first slice on Sunday, and another on Monday and another today.  He still has not gotten any diarrhea!!  This bread is half barley flour and half unbleached white wheat flour.  He has not complained of a tummy ache either!  I am going to give a full week to see if this continues, but if it does, I am really excited.  I just don't have the time to go into more detail (wild boys live here) about all of this, but, if this continues to work well for him I am thrilled.  The bread tastes really yummy, and there are many other baked goods you can make with it.  I've got pita's rising as I type!

Here's my trusty starter.  This is San Francisco sourdough.  One of these days I will try to catch my own.  

Here is my third attempt at the two-day loaf.  It's getting better each time; still not where I want it to be, but yummy all the same!

I've also started making home made kefir.  We love to buy it, but it is pretty expensive, too.  A friend gave me some grains to get started, and now we have a quart of yummy kefir ready in a day or so.  We like it best with banana and strawberries in it.  I've really been enjoying all I have been learning, and hopefully I'll continue to share.

Kefir in the making!