A Celiac Life in the 'Burbs

Carmine's is Gluten Free

2011-11-21T20:37:00.000-05:00

Now, a place to get Italian food in DC!

Check out this video with the chef of Carmines.

Celiac Disease on the Rise in U.S.

2011-08-24T11:12:00.001-05:00

Celiac Disease on the Rise in U.S.
Speculation on increase in digestive disorder centers on improvements in sanitation and hygiene

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 19 (HealthDay News) -- Complaints of celiac disease are on the rise in the United States, with more and more people growing ill from exposure to products containing gluten.

Nearly five times as many people have celiac disease today than did during the 1950s, according to one recent study. Another report found that the rate of celiac disease has doubled every 15 years since 1974 and is now believed to affect one in every 133 U.S. residents.

"It's quite widespread," said Dr. Alessio Fasano, director of the Center for Celiac Research and the Mucosal Biology Research Center at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. "We thought there were regional differences in the past, but now we know it's everywhere."

That increased incidence rate has left researchers scrambling to figure out why more people are developing the chronic digestive disorder. Doctors still can't explain the trend, but they are making some headway testing a number of hypotheses.

"There are many theories out there, not all independent of each other and not all of them true," Fasano said.

Celiac disease is an inherited autoimmune disorder that causes the body's immune system to attack the small intestine, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health and the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center. The attack is prompted by exposure to gluten, a protein found in such grains as wheat, rye and barley.

The disease interferes with proper digestion and, in children, prompts symptoms that include bloating, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation. Adults with celiac disease are less likely to show digestive symptoms but will develop problems such as anemia, fatigue, osteoporosis or arthritis as the disorder robs their bodies of vital nutrients.

Awareness of celiac disease has grown in recent years, evidenced by the growing number of gluten-free foods on the market. However, medical experts don't believe that the increase in celiac disease incidence can be chalked up simply to folks becoming more aware of the chronic digestive disorder or to improvements in diagnostic techniques.

Rather, the most popular potential explanations for the increase in celiac disease rates involve improvements in sanitation and hygiene in civilization overall, said Fasano and Carol McCarthy Shilson, executive director of the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center.

According to the "hygiene hypothesis," Shilson said, people in industrialized countries are more at risk for celiac disease because their bodies have not had to fight off as many diseases.

"We're just too clean a society, so our immune systems aren't as developed as they should be," she said.

Another version of the hypothesis holds that the cleanliness of industrialized society has caused a fundamental change in the composition of the digestive bacteria contained within the gut, Fasano said.

"It's because this increase occurs primarily in industrialized countries, where things are cleaner," Fasano said. "We abuse antibiotics, we wash our hands too often, we are vaccinated more often."

Other potential explanations for the rise in celiac disease rates, according to Fasano, include:

An increase in the amount of gluten found in grains. "We eat grains that are much more rich in glutens than they were 70 or 80 years ago," he said.
Children being exposed to gluten from an early age. "We know for sure if we introduce grains too early, people at risk for developing celiac disease are more likely to contract it," he said.
Too few women breast-feeding their children. "There are theories out there that say breast-feeding will protect you, or prevent celiac disease," Fasano said.

It's possible, experts say, that each of these theories is correct to a degree and that a combination of factors will ultimately be found to contribute to celiac disease. "It may well be in one person, one plays a stronger role than another," Fasano said.

But while experts try to find a cause -- and then, they hope, a cure -- advocates urge people who are at risk for developing celiac disease to undergo screening for the disorder.

Researchers have shown a genetic predisposition for celiac disease, with about 30 percent of the population carrying genes that make them vulnerable, Shilson said.

But because adults with celiac disease often don't suffer the digestive symptoms associated with gluten intolerance, many people are unaware they have it or could pass it on. "About two-thirds of people with the active disease have no symptoms at all," Shilson said.

Studies also have found that the earlier people find out they have celiac disease, the better able they are to head off the disorder's more debilitating effects.

"There's not much you can do to prevent it, but you can be aware of it and catch it," Shilson said. "Early intervention is key."

However, people who suspect they have celiac disease should not go gluten-free before being tested. Doing that can interfere with the accuracy of the screening.

"It's very important that you don't change your diet before you are screened for celiac disease," Shilson said.

More information

To learn more about celiac disease, visit the Celiac Sprue Association.

SOURCES: Alessio Fasano, m.d., director of the Center for Celiac Research and the Mucosal Biology Research Center at the University of Maryland School of Medicine; Carol McCarthy Shilson, executive director, University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center

Home made cake

2011-05-11T18:19:00.001-05:00

Birthday cake - luscious lemon with lemon curd filling . Delicious !

What not to make with the Gluten-Free Matzo

2011-04-22T12:57:00.001-05:00

Matzo Lasagna turns the matzah into mush - do not attempt. You would be better off substituting the matzo layers with eggplant or squash, it's a total waste to use the delicious Yehuda Gluten-Free Matzah-style crackers. You're better off just shmearing them with some cream cheese or butter and popping that uncooked variety into your mouth.

Happy Passover!

Gluten Free Gnocchi di Patate

2011-04-11T16:04:00.001-05:00

My sister brought back some potato gnocchi for me from Italy made by Rustichella D'abruzzo.

We finally cooked it up last night with a side of rappi. The gnocci were tossed with butter and parmesean. The rappi: braised with olive oil and garlic.

Right now, it seems like the only place you can buy this brand in the states is from Market Hall Foods - they're sold as Gnocchi di patate.

Maybe next time I'll try hand-making some. Has anyone tried it? It seems pretty labor intensive...

Gluten Free is not a fad...

2011-03-13T17:54:00.001-05:00

but sadly, it is being perceived as one...

From: Toothpaste for Dinner

Gluten Free throughout the day

2011-01-28T08:48:00.000-05:00

I'm watching the morning news over a cup of coffee, when this commercial came on.

It's so nice to have "gluten-free" becoming mainstream...

The worst kind of mistake.

2011-01-23T14:19:00.001-05:00

Went grocery shopping yesterday - you know, the usual stocking up on miscellaneous items for the week.
Out last stop on the coupon-saving, buying extravaganza was the grocery store.

Our local Safeway store has a Gluten-Free section - big signs that say Gluten-Free and many GF products all placed on those shelves. It's in the health section, right next to the toothpaste and cough syrup.

Now, being the marketers dream customer that i am, I saw Mi-Del had a new product sitting right there on the shelf. Graham Crackers! My excitement was further amplified when I picked up the box and felt how heavy it was . If you are a glutard like me, then you are used to boxes of goodies being light, containing maybe 50% product than a comparable gluten-filled box.

This is where most people would think: "if it's too good to be true, then it probably is, so i should double-check it." But i was blurry-eyed and desperately wanting to get home. Into the cart it went, and off the hubbie and I went.

Fast forward to today, Sunday.

I was craving a snack. Something sweet, but not too sweet. Oh! The Mi-Del graham crackers. Opened up the box and immediately started chomping away. Though, much to my chagrin, these graham crackers were less than sweet, they were ... 100% whole wheat.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Why, for someone who is so careful to ALWAYS read the box labels did I make that kind of HUGE mistake? It all comes down to trust, and I fell right smack into the trap of trying to fit into society. I trusted that grocery store personnel would not shelve a whole-wheat product on a shelf marked gluten-free.

This was not a product of misplacement.
Oh yes, I enjoy that little fun joke that people enjoy placing the bag of wheat gluten on the shelf with the gluten-free products. [sarcasm]

No, this was purposely stocked on this shelf. I also failed to remember that Mi-Del Cookies makes both gluten-filled and gluten-free products. When I see Mi-Del, I think of their yummy gf animal crackers...

Grrr. 8 years of being a celiac, and I still make mistakes.

Dinner Disaster

2011-01-05T21:19:00.001-05:00

Was going to make Vegetarian Fried Rice tonight and put the frozen spinach in a glass bowl to defrost in the microwave.

This is what happened:

I've put these glass bowls in the microwave before. What went wrong?!?

Trying to figure out plan B for dinner.

Curry delicious

2011-01-05T19:19:00.000-05:00

Homemade vegetarian curry with a side of red quinoa

Pitiful Paris

2010-11-13T18:20:00.000-05:00

Just returned from a glorious trip to Brussels, Paris and London.
As a celiac my least favorite place was Paris because it's just bread everywhere. Without much variation. Luckily across from my hotel was an organic (in french: "bio") food store with a minuscule gluten free (french: "sans gluten") section. A couple loaves of bread, flour, muesli, and sweets. Of course, we didnt' discover this until the 2nd to last day. Really, I survived on rice cakes and cheese - there could be worse things. But, my mouth just drooled over the bakeries with their baguettes, patisseries, sandwiches -- constantly seeing this everywhere I looked, nothing could satisfy me unless it involved a croissant or a crusty baguette.

Maybe if I had planned a little better, I would have done a little more research into gluten free establishments in Paris. To be honest, the american celiac travel websites that I looked at before leaving were less than helpful. If you know a little bit of french, I would highly recommend looking at France based websites (.fr) using "sans gluten" as the keyword. Here is a discussion about gluten free Paris restaurants with some suggestions.

Since we had limited time in paris, we chose to spend our time visiting the sights instead of traipsing around town looking for gluten free food. It's just unfortunate that there aren't very many "naturally" gluten free foods around Paris.

Up next: my report on eating in London.. and pictures!

Spanish Rice with a Kick

2010-09-05T14:14:00.001-05:00

Spanish Rice, originally uploaded by lesserones.

Lunch today was from the Joy Of Cooking (my go-to cookbook).

Instead of bacon, we used hot dogs to keep it kosher.
Added a kick by using jalepenos plucked from the garden instead of a bell pepper
Saute onions, garlic, pepper and onions in a pot until the onions are golden.

Add 1 cup rice and mix to coat.
Add 1 3/4 cup chicken stock, canned tomatoes, 1/2 tsp paprika and bring to a boil. Once boiling, give it a stir, cover and stick it in the 350 degree oven. Bake for 25 min, then let sit uncovered for 5 min.

We had some extra sauerkraut left over from another hot dog dish, and used that for an extra flavor complex.

PIZZA

2010-08-17T20:20:00.001-05:00

Cold Cucumber Soup

2010-08-16T15:50:00.001-05:00

Dill-y deliciousness.

Cheddar Cornbread with Roasted Jalapenos

2010-08-15T11:04:00.000-05:00

I am obsessed with the Joy of Cooking.

If you do not have this cookbook in your kitchen, well, you are missing out.

Whatever you can dream of making, more than likely it's in there. And no it's not a "celiac" designated cookbook, and it doesn't need to be.

This morning, I picked 12+ jalapenos from the plant growing on our deck. What on earth can you do with this many uber-spicy peppers? I like spicy, but even that is a bit extreme.

After googling around, I debate making jalapeno jelly or relish. Jelly requires liquid pectic and Relish called for mustard seed - both would require a trip to the store.

But, oh! What's that I see in my Joy ? A recipe for Southern Cornbread - which is strictly corn meal, no other flours necessary. And the suggestions for additions? Roasted Jalapenos!

My oven is emanating this beautiful spicy smell of cornbread. I am now pleasantly full.

Pickled Green

2010-07-11T10:06:00.001-05:00

DSC_1955
Originally uploaded by beckstrr

We've making pickles! Fresh cucumbers from the garden were smushed into a quart jar with brine and some various spices. Now we just have to wait... and wait....

We're growing!

2010-05-01T15:19:00.000-05:00

Vegetables ...that is!

We've got the seedlings for cucumbers, yellow squash, green beans and jalepenos. Also growing is a tomato and strawberry plant.

I love fresh veggies and could just sit there all day smelling the tomato plant.

Basil, lavender, rosemary and cilantro are also returning for the 2nd season...

Can't wait for the crop!

Great mid-morning snack sandwich

2010-01-27T09:45:00.001-05:00

Cream Cheese, with hummus between two Rice cakes

Dining experience - Nebo

2010-01-25T21:58:00.001-05:00

Had a fantastic 3-course meal at Nebo Pizzeria, an Italian restaurant in Boston's North End.

And best of all - gluten free!

My hubby and I shared these dishes and our thoughts
sale e pepe • sea salt and white peppercorn marinated chicken wings
a hearty portion of crispy wings with a tangy dipping sauce

caprese • fresh mozzarella, vine ripened tomatoes, evoo, basil
a traditional dish with large slabs of mozzarella mingled between tomatoes and drizzled with olive oil and basil. nothing dainty about this

carciofi • fresh ricotta, artichoke hearts, caramelized onions, mozzarella
i'm picky about my pizzas, but the crust was buttery with a crispy soft taste. i wish the toppings had a little more flavor and did miss a tomato pizza sauce on there.

We were surprised that for a Friday evening, the place was pretty quiet. And the dessert menu was pretty disappointing - in fact, they didn't even have a gf specific menu. The waiter was willing to point out what was and wasn't gluten free.

Our meal plus two bottles of wine cost roughly $70 per couple

All in all, we would go back.

The gluten free menu. [pdf]

90 north washington st
boston, ma 02114
617.723.nebo (6326)

Chocolate Challah

2010-01-18T21:13:00.000-05:00

This was another delicious homemade loaf of bread - I made it for shabbat dinner on Friday. I bet you could make it sans cocoa for a regular challah that would be just as yummy. As you can see, this large loaf has not lasted long....

I added raisins and pecans to this one.

Today's Lunch

2010-01-15T12:54:00.001-05:00

Inspired by the London lunch staple of jacket potatoes, I had a baked potato topped with smart balance, parsley flakes, spinach & artichoke hummus and feta cheese.

So yummy. The hummus really gives it the creamy texture and is a healthier substitute to sour cream.

Lunch at work hints:
Pack the potato with the butter and parsley in one container
In a smaller container, combine the hummus and feta cheese.

When you are ready to eat your lunch, put the potato container in the microwave for 2ish minutes and once heated throw the hummus & feta cheese on.

Voila, a deliciously healthy lunch to go!

Pasta e Fagioli

2010-01-10T21:00:00.000-05:00

I found this recipe in one of my cookbooks and the only modification to prepare it is substituting in gluten free pasta.

It's an easy dish to prepare and doesn't require any random ingredients. After the first few steps during which you need to be nearby to add items, it simmers and little supervision is needed at that point.

We like ours hearty. This is quickly becoming a staple dinner in our kitchen.

Sauteeing the onion, carrot, celery and parsley

And 30ish minutes later, ready to eat:

A New Year, A New Adventure

2010-01-07T20:18:00.000-05:00

Hi all!

I've been having some technical difficulties that has severely limited my amount of posting and pictures... but its a new year and lots of new recipes to experiment with!

Tonight, hubby made steak fajitas with soft tacos aka corn tortillas. Naturally gluten free to boot!

Goal for this weekend is to make fudge.

Stay tuned for a renewed blog with recipes, pictures and adventures!

Easy Hearty Soup with lots of fiber

2009-09-27T11:59:00.000-05:00

When the weather turns cold and you are looking for something warm to eat, a great fall soup is an apricot lentil soup. Years ago a friend and I decided to have a soup making night. We found a bunch of different recipes and made several soups and it is the one I return to most often. This is so easy to make and its a hearty soup.

Lentils cooking:

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 cup dried apricots

1 1/2 cups red lentils

5 cups chicken stock

3 roma (plum) tomatoes - peeled, seeded and chopped (optional)

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

salt to taste

ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS

Saute onion, garlic, and apricots in olive oil. Add lentils and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes (optional), and season with cumin, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Stir in lemon juice. Puree 1/2 of the soup in a blender, then return to the pot. Serve

The finished product:

*Recipe submitted by Karena on allrecipes.com

Gluten-Free Raisin Challah for Rosh Hashanah

2009-09-21T18:02:00.000-05:00

The Mix

One big loaf and two little tasting loafs (raisin & plain)

Deliciousness:

In the Crockpot...

2009-09-21T13:49:00.001-05:00

For dinner tonight, I put...

3 chicken leg quarters (defrosted)
2 onions sliced
2 cups chicken stock
1 apple sliced & diced
fresh sprigs of rosemary

...into the crockpot. Set it on low for 8 hours.

Easy to make. I expect it to be moist and flavorful. Plan to serve it with a side of rice.

Hawaiian Bread

2009-09-15T18:06:00.000-05:00

Last night I made a delicious gluten-free Hawaiian bread. Now it doesn't taste like the orange juice that was in there, but it is nice and soft on the inside with a crusty crust on the outside. Almost like a french bread.

I scream, you scream, we all scream for....

2009-09-06T19:43:00.001-05:00

Every night we have a dessert of frozen yogurt. Our favorite being Edy's Slow Churned Frozen Yogurt

On our most recent grocery trip to Wegmans, we came home with an addition to our evening treat.

Cones!!!

From the Lets Do... brand line

Tasted just like I remembered...

Apple Peanut Butter Muffins

2009-09-06T19:35:00.000-05:00

On Saturday we had plans for dinner with a friend. I wanted to bring a little treat for the friend to sample since he always asks me what I'm baking or cooking.

I whipped up something from one of my recipe books that seemed easy enough to throw together without using up too much of my day.

They are interesting, definitely a strong peanut butter flavor throughout. Probably will be a good high-fiber treat and another way for me to add some fruit into my diet.

Finger Food: Wings

2009-09-06T19:28:00.000-05:00

Football season starts this week and with it comes all those finger foods. For a recent Redskins pre-season game watching experience, the hubby made gluten free wings! They were a little bit like fried chicken with enough spice to scare off the mild palate. Served with a side of cucumbers (in place of celery) and bbq sauce for dipping.

And voila!

GF French Toast

2009-09-06T12:25:00.001-05:00

This morning my hubby treated me to some homemade gluten free french toast using the bread I made the other day. MMM. Seriously, i would like to find one person that could taste the difference between this and the full-of-gluten kind.

Celiac Disease in the News

2009-09-01T09:48:00.001-05:00

An article in today's Washington Post about Celiac Disease helps raise awareness. And it is followed up with a post in their Health in the News blog.

I Can't Believe It's Gluten Free Pizza

2009-08-20T06:59:00.002-05:00

I've made this pizza from scratch several times now, and it is SO good. I even made it for a bunch of friends (who aren't gluten free) and they loved it. Quote: "It doesn't even taste gluten free!"

Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-08-20T06:34:00.003-05:00

Gooey...thin...deliciousness

Gluten Free in the News!

2009-08-19T20:59:00.000-05:00

View more news videos at: http://www.nbcwashington.com/video.

Israel and celiac disease

2009-05-17T14:45:00.002-05:00

From ynet:

Gluten Free

Beware the pasta! Photo: Dana Kopel

Raising awareness to Celiac disease in Israel

Celiac disease is a digestive disorder that is gaining global attention as new research shows that it was previously under-diagnosed. On Celiac disease awareness month Tel Aviv restaurants will offer special discounted, gluten-free menus
Stacey Maltin

Celiac disease is an autoimmune digestive disease that destroys the villi of the small intestine when a sufferer ingests any form of gluten, which includes wheat, barley, and rye.

It may not be swine flu, but the symptoms of Celiac disease can be varied and intense, and often take many months to correctly diagnose in suffering patients. Symptoms can include bloating, gas, severe diarrhea, headaches, skin rash, and poor weight gain, and can also lead to unexplained depression, infertility and attention deficit disorder.

In a recent study conducted at the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition at the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, doctors found that previous statistics which suggested only 1:786 Israelis were Celiac sufferers was grossly incorrect and more realistically about 1:157 Israelis are affected by the disorder. This means that about 45,000 Israelis have celiac and may or may not know it.

2007: Celiac patients protest Osem's sweeping labeling of foods as potentially containing gluten (Photo: Eran Feldman)

Celiac disease is often confused with irritable bowel syndrome, iron deficiency anemia, or intestinal infections. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearing House, it can take years to correctly diagnose celiac disease as the culprit of a person's symptoms. To check for gluten intolerance, doctors can either perform a blood test for high levels of anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies or they can perform a biopsy of the small intestine.

Keeping a 100% gluten free diet is the only way to treat Celiac disease. After going on the diet many people see their symptoms clear up immediately.

Celiac in the IDF

Beginning this year, celiac sufferers may be drafted into the IDF for mandatory service. Previously, Israelis who have celiac disease were not required to serve because of the difficulty of separating gluten free food from regular food. Some people with celiac disease are sensitive enough to gluten that if they eat French fries that were fried in the same pot as breaded chicken they can have an allergic reaction.

A defense official from the IDF promised that celiac sufferers who serve on closed bases, will receive gluten free catering. Those who serve on open bases will receive a food allowance to buy gluten free food.

Common foods that cannot be eaten include bread, pasta, cookies, most cakes, soy sauce, and beer. Gluten can also be found in many canned soups, pre-packaged rice mixes, and medicines, so it is always a good idea to check labels before eating.

Gluten free in Israel

May is celiac awareness month in Israel, making this a great month to be an Israeli celiac sufferer or a traveler with celiac disease. To raise awareness about celiac disease, many restaurants in Tel Aviv and across Israel will be offering gluten free menu options in addition to their regular menu.

To find more information about eating out gluten free or buying gluten free products in Israel, www.celiac.org.il is very helpful. They have a list of restaurants that offer gluten free menus year round (though there are only a few) as well as the locations of health food stores called Beit Teva which sell gluten free items.

The largest store in Israel for gluten free products is GlutenFree.co.il, an internet-based site in which every item is gluten free and kosher and can be shipped anywhere in Israel and abroad within days of ordering. The store itself is located in Petah Tikva and people can go and taste a variety of the items that they have on site and are also available for immediate purchase.

Do you know anyone with celiac disease?

2009-04-06T20:44:00.001-05:00

The annual Celiac 5k Run/Walk is coming up!

1 in 133 Americans suffer from this autoimmune disorder (including yours truly).
But there are many more people who are unaware that they suffer from it because it is multi-symptomatic. To make matters worse, it is commonly misdiagnosed.

No, it is not an allergy. If you have celiac, you must be on a gluten-free diet. This means eliminating all forms of wheat, barley, or rye from your diet. This is no fad diet here. Quick Start to a GF Diet [pdf] And it ain't cheap either!

Currently there is no cure for celiac. The race is to support research for Celiac Disease.

A few of the locations for the run/walk:
Baltimore, MD
Buffalo, NY
Dallas, TX
Minneapolis, MI
Rochester, NY
Sarasota, FL
Syracuse, NY
Tri-county Michigan

Think you might have celiac? [pdf]
Hint: Keep eating a regular diet, but talk to your GI about getting tested ASAP.

Gluten Free in the News!

2007-10-09T21:08:00.001-05:00

Bumble Bars

2007-05-24T13:28:00.001-05:00

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

2007-05-09T21:24:00.000-05:00

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

2007-05-09T21:10:00.001-05:00

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

2007-04-14T06:46:00.000-05:00

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

2007-04-08T22:03:00.000-05:00

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

2007-04-08T21:24:00.000-05:00

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

2007-04-02T17:10:00.000-05:00

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

2007-03-15T08:27:00.001-05:00

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

Getting ready for Pesach

2007-02-17T14:28:00.000-05:00

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

2007-02-17T14:15:00.000-05:00

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

2007-02-15T09:38:00.000-05:00

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

2007-02-12T12:08:00.001-05:00

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

2007-02-11T21:48:00.000-05:00

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?

2007-02-11T09:28:00.000-05:00

Check your symptoms here

Questionable Ingredients

2007-02-11T08:22:00.000-05:00

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

2007-02-10T10:51:00.000-05:00

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

2007-02-10T10:37:00.000-05:00

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

2007-02-10T09:53:00.000-05:00

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

2007-02-08T09:12:00.001-05:00

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

2007-02-07T21:01:00.000-05:00

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

2007-02-07T20:54:00.000-05:00

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.