Gluten Free in the News!

Bumble Bars

Just got finished eating the Bumble Bar in Original Flavor and mm mmm is it delicious.  The strongest tastes were flax seeds, sesame seeds and almost a cinnamon honey sweet flavor.  It's a chewy consistency with a tendency to fall apart (maybe because it was warm).  If you are a fan of sesame, this is the bar for you.  The nice part is its not heavy as some of the other gluten-free bars can be.  Just noticed on their website that along with many other flavors, it comes in a chai flavor!

 

No affiliation! Just a free bar that I got either at the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness Gluten Free Cooking Spree or the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research Celiac 5k!

Gluten Free Pretzels

Glutino's Gluten Free Pretzels are just so delicious that i HAD to mention them. Pick up a bag for yourself, you won't be able to resist!! Personally, i take hadfuls and handfuls of pretzles at a time, and gobble them down.

FYI. they are smaller than they appear on the bag, but they are just so delicious!

Gluten Free Melba Toast

I've been munching on these melba toasts that i picked up from the NFCA Gluten Free Cooking Spree.

And boy are they yummy!!

They taste just like how i remember ordinary melba toasts to taste like, and these are wheat/gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, oat-free.

Get them now! They are on sale for $4.50 per 5oz package.

I am not associated with them.. they just taste damn good.

UPDATE (9/5/10) - I fixed the link for these melba toasts and discovered the other yummy looking foods that this Finger Lakes gluten free bakery has to offer.  Check out "Le Garden Bakery"!

Gluten Free Cooking Spree

As someone who is learning the nuances and intricacies of the gluten free diet from my girlfriend, I am always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to make gluten free foods and incorporate them into our daily routine. Not only is this event going to have some of the best chefs in the area competing to make delicious foods, but they are all gluten free and we get to taste them and see them in action!

I usually pass on going to the Taste of "Choose your city" events, simply because it is a lot to pay in order to sample some of the typical restaurants in the area. However, the Gluten Free Cooking Spree is completely unique. Its difficult to go out to restaurants, not knowing what is in the sauces, etc of everything on the menu. Well, it will be nice to sample fine dining and not have to think twice to determine if there is any gluten in there. Stay tuned for the review...

Portobello, Arugala and Sundried Tomatoes Pizza

Using the Whole Foods frozen pizza dough ball, i flattened it out and spread tomato paste. Then I added shredded mozarella cheese, then topped with portobella mushrooms, arugula, and sundried tomatoes and this is what I got:

What I would change is not buying the already dried sundried tomatoes, or at least cook them under the cheese. They got a little hard to chew after baking in the oven for 15 minutes.

The most delicious sandwich

I had written this post a couple weeks ago and forgot to post it. So here it is, the most delicious sandwich!

Toasted Glutino Corn Bread
Lettuce
Avocado
Smoked Turkey Slices
Mayo
Mustard

Tastes like a REAL sandwich. The Glutino Corn Bread is my new favorite thing. Possibly one of the best gluten-free sandwich breads that I have ever tasted.

Not too dense and just enough chew. I love it.

Elizabeth explains Celiac Disease

I can't figure out how to embed the video in my blog, so view this and this.

Elizabeth from The View has celiac disease and explains it on these clips.

FREE GF Soft Pretzels

OMG I have been missing gf soft pretzels.. check THIS out!  Haven't tried them yet.. but i plan too!

Getting ready for Pesach

As I was looking up information on gluten-free oats, I came across a website for gluten-free shemura matzah. This reminds me that Pesach is just around the corner and if I'm headed up to new york, I best be bringing my matzah.

Answer to Oats Question

From what I understand, the issue with oats is from cross-contamination. Natuarally they are gluten-free but most fields are used planting wheat as well and therefore run the risk of contaminating the oats. There are some companies that do produce oats on wheat-less fields. Read this for more info on eating oats on a gluten-free diet.

GF Beer in the News

The Washington Post has an article about gluten-free beers available in the DC area.  Personally, I tried the new Anheuser-Busch Redbridge beer and thought it had too much hops in it.  My favorite remains New Grist.  I've found both at the local Whole Foods store.  I have not seen nor tried Toleration Ale or Dragon's Gold

Q&A

How do you know if you are one of those that can't eat oats? I've heard mixed reviews about how some people can and some can't.  I just love oatmeal and stopped eating it, but have thought about eating it again.

Double Negative

Despite a wonderful night out, I definately didn't make the best choices tonight.

First at Clyde's most of the things that I wanted to get either had bacon or noodels that weren't gf. So I saw GRILLED FILET cheddar potato croquettes and creamed spinach and decided that croquettes is usually like latkes so that wouldn't be too bad, maybe the creamed spinach might have some sort of thickener in it but I don't know. Plus I love steak, so mmmm filet. Man it was yummy. But the croquettes looked like mozzarella sticks but tasted MUCH better. Only problem?? Clearly the breading on it.

Second error: Well since tomorrow is the boyfriend's birthday, his parent's had ice cream cake from Carvel. YUMMY. And his mom even got a double ice cream layer instead of cake on the bottom. Where did I go wrong? Eating the chocolate crunchies and the sprinkles on top. But if you click on that link you will see that they can make the ice cream cake without both of those. Good to know for the next time i get a cake!

Think you might have a Gluten Intolerance?

Check your symptoms here

Questionable Ingredients

The following ingredients are questionable and should not be consumed unless you can verify they do not contain or are derived from prohibited grains:

Brown rice syrup (frequently made with barley)
Caramel color
Dextrin (usually corn, but may be derived from wheat)
Flour or cereal products
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), vegetable protein, hydrolyzed plant protein (HPP), or textured vegetable protein (TVP)
Malt or malt flavoring (usually made from barley. Okay if made from corn)
Modified food starch or modified starch
Mono- & di-glycerides (in dry products only)
Natural and artificial flavors
Soy sauce or soy sauce solids (many soy sauces contain wheat)


Additional components frequently overlooked that often contain gluten:
Breading
Broth
Coating mixes
Communion Wafers
Croutons
Imitation bacon
Imitation seafood
Marinades
Pastas
Processed Meats
Roux
Sauces
Self-basting poultry
Soup base
Stuffing
Thickeners

Excerpted from DCCeliacs@yahoogroups.com posting by R. Paul

Changing names

Just an FYI:
I've changed the way I sign these posts (i hope), so as not to confuse with my triathalon training blog.

Restaurants with menus

A guilty pleasure I have is looking at restaurant menus online before I go there. It gives me plenty of time to analyze every item to see what will be the safest for me to order. You see, I don't like making a fuss when I'm out to eat. Even before I was diagnosed I hated being picky, you know those people - i want this, but not that and can I have this instead of that.
Of course, I still make mistakes and get something I realize that I shouldn't have.
I'm supposed to go to Clyde's tomorrow for the boyfriend's birthday, but as you can see they don't have much of a detailed menu, so it will be an order-on-the-fly type deal.

Teaching the Family

The latest in my quest to infom the most people about celiac disease is getting my parents tested for it. Currently I am the only person in my family, both immediate and known extended family, that has the gluten-intolerance. All I ask from my parents is that they get tested so I at least have an idea what side of the family it is on, and possible inform as many of those family members to get the test. However, since they choose not to, I am stuck guessing by certain symptoms that my parents exhibit. My immediate guess was my dad had it, but now I have more reason to believe my mother does. She says that she's going to tell her GI the next time she goes in for an appointment, hopefully sooner than later. Her excuse for not getting it? "I like bread." It's more of a 'what I don't know won't hurt me' philosophy; a philosophy that I know is so completely wrong. Anyone have any experience with this? I need tips on what I can say to persuade them.

I will say this, my mom has been starting to buy more gluten-free products when I am around the house. For example last night at Shabbat dinner she had not only bought gluten-free bread for me to use as challah but TWO out of the three dessert pies were gluten free. Where did mom buy these wonderful products? M.O.M's!!

Gluten Free Deli

The DC Celiacs e-mail listing recently posted something about a gluten-free deli in Bethesda, MD right near Imagination Stage! Lilit Cafe is supposed to carry gluten-free sandwichs and baked goods. I have yet to go there myself, but I can't wait to try it out. Now if only it was kosher too....

Imbibing a discovery

I have tasted the forbidden! After years of consuming the college students drink of choice, aka beer, and suffering the consequences of drinking something that is not gluten-free; I have discovered a gluten-free beer. Lakefront Brewery produces New Grist which is made with Sorghum. You can buy it at Whole Foods, just make sure to get it when you see it. They stock maybe two six packs at a time. My boyfriend's coworker is a celiac and brought the beer to a party recently and shared it with me. It was nice to be drinking out of a bottle again. I never was much of a liquor drinker so drinking beer was a nice feeling.

Creating a celiac life

I have decided to create a blog about being gluten-intolerant. I am going to try and write about what situations I encounter, the recipes that I discover and how I keep a gluten-free life.