Gluten Free DFW

American Airlines stops gluten-free meals on domestic flights

2010-07-12T13:46:00.000-05:00

I just got back from a trip to Alaska, which was fabulous! There was one blemish on my flawless experience; American Airlines does not serve any special dietary meals on domestic flights to save costs. I was fine since I had called ahead and travelled with my customary bag-o-food on the the 6-hour-long flight, but it would have been a nasty surprise if I hadn't been expecting it.

When I called American, they were sympathetic, as were the flight attendants on the aircraft, but they said this was a purely financial decision. They no longer provide kosher, diabetic or vegetarian meals either. If you think this is unacceptable, I encourage you to email or call the airline. Either way, be prepared with your own snackage!

Miraculously delicious Mrs. Crimble's Cheese Bites

2010-04-23T14:56:00.003-05:00

I saw these Mrs. Crimble's sour cream and onion cheese bites at Central Market today and thought I'd give them a try. They are flaky, delicate and quite tasty. Sort of filo dough meets Cheez-Its. Also, they are baked and not incredibly terrible for you!

Rocky Mountain Popcorn - Gluten free and delicious

2010-04-01T10:39:00.002-05:00

On a recent late-night drive from Austin I stopped at a truck stop to find some snackage to help me stay awake. To my surprise, I came across Jalapeno flavored Rocky Mountain Popcorn. It sounded too good to resist. I bought it and ate it at lunch the next day.

Clearly, I thought it was good enough to write home about! If you see it in stores near you, give it a try.

Gluten Free at the Food Shark in Marfa, TX

2010-03-24T17:00:00.004-05:00

On a recent road trip, I was bemoaning the fact that I never got to eat at "cool" restaurants like a normal person. Well, I'm not sure how "normal" it was, but I was definitely accommodated at the Food Shark in Marfa. Since they operate out of a truck, they only fry one thing in their oil, gluten-free falafel. They hooked me up with three falafel on a bed of lettuce with some GF dressing and hummus. Quite a feast and worth a stop!

Baatar in Bedford

2010-03-23T15:03:00.004-05:00

Baatar - 1925 Airport Freeway, Bedford, TX

Last night I ate at Baatar for the third time and felt no gluten symptoms, so I feel confident in recommending it even though a shared grill is a risky situation. Baatar calls itself a Mongolian BBQ, but it's one of those places where you put whatever you want in a bowl and they stir fry it on a huge griddle for you. I was able to go on their website and figure out which sauces are gluten free.

I've eaten their Sweet and Sour sauce and Peanut Sauce. Whenever I go there, I tell the cook that I have a serious food allergy and that the grill needs to be cleaned before my food gets put on there. For simplicity sake, I tell them my problem is soy sauce.

Then, I watch while they clean it. They are always very nice about it. They also have some vegetarian options, which is nice.

The buffet, which costs about $8 also includes a salad bar, fresh fruit and Blue Bunny ice cream for dessert. On the Blue Bunny website it says all Blue Bunny products are GF unless they contain an obvious wheat-containing ingredient like cookie dough or cookies and cream.

BJ's Restaurants

2010-03-17T12:36:00.002-05:00

BJ's Restaurant Brewhouse offers good food in a fun atmosphere and, most importantly, has an easy-to-read allergy menu that will quickly point you in the right direction to a satisfying meal even if you have multiple allergies.

I had a stuffed baked potato with grilled chicken and it was quite tasty. There are BJ's in the DFW area and they are popping up across the country!

Starbucks - the new Gluten-Free plan

2010-03-02T12:57:00.005-06:00

After a fairly unsuccessful attempt at launching a gluten-free line of baked goods mainly consisting of a packaged piece of sponge cake soaked in orange flavoring, Starbucks has made what I think is a brilliant decision to carry a wider array of prepackaged gluten-free snacks including 150 calorie packs of Lucy's cookies.

I've written about Lucy's before and I think they are one of the best bang-for-your-calorie-buck, gluten-free cookies on the market. I am very pleased that Starbucks is now carrying them.

Eating Gluten-Free in Thailand, Part 3

2010-03-01T17:46:00.002-06:00

If things go awry...

Hopefully, this will not happen to you. I did not "get glutened" except by my own fault one time when I ordered an american-style hamburger in Thailand without double-checking the ingredients and on my way home when I ate a questionable dessert at the Tokyo airport and then on the plane, I ate some cornflakes.

However, here are some things that are helpful to know about bathrooms.

Always bring your own toilet paper and hand sanitizer if those items are important to you.
Do not throw toilet paper away in the toilet, most facilities will have a trash can for that purpose.
If you are using a more rural toilet that has to be flushed manually make sure you scoop a good amount of water from the barrell next to the toilet for that purpose into the bowl or porcelain hole in the ground as the case may be several times.
If you are on a train, do not go to the bathroom when the train is stopped. All of the waste is voided right onto the tracks. You'll get yelled at if you go at a station.
Train toilets are some times flushed with a foot pedal.

Eating Gluten-Free in Thailand, Part 2

2010-03-01T17:30:00.002-06:00

Eating in restaurants is different in Thailand in a few, notable ways.

Learn to say hello - sounds like So-wa-dee-ka if you're a woman or So-wa-dee-ha if you're a man. Thank you is Ka-poon-ka if you're a woman or Ka-poon-ha if you're a man.
Most parties share food so splitting the check is unusual. You can avoid a lot of headaches by figuring the money out amongst yourselves.
Often service is very slow by American standards. Imagine the worst service (time-wise) you've ever had and then multiply it by 3. The food is often worth the wait, but eating out is a leisurely affair. Don't wait until you're starving to sit down and order.
Bring your patience. You are probably making some special requests. Be polite to the waiter even if there is some initial miscommunciation. Your future gastrointestinal happiness is in his or her hands.
Tipping is expected in Thailand. Tip generously, especially if they have checked ingredients for you.
Don't expect everyone's food to be served at the same time. They usually just bring it out when it's ready.
Although most places will automatically give you less-spicey food, you can ask for mild by saying "Mai Ped Ka" if you're a woman or change the Ka to "Ha" if you're a man or ask for it to be even spicier by saying Ped or "Ped, Ped."

Eating Gluten-Free in Thailand, Part 1

2010-03-01T16:59:00.007-06:00

I was intimidated to try travelling to SE Asia for the first time on my own, so I signed up with GAP Adventures because they promise to cater to special culinary needs. I had travelled with them to Peru and hiked the Inca trail and been blown away when they made me quinoa pancakes from scratch on the trail.

I was similarly accomodated in Thailand, even on a 3-day hike into the hill tribe region when our guides packed in all of our food. Although at first, my tour leader tried to talk me out of it.

"Are you sure you can't have soy sauce? Maybe just a little?"

I was pretty firm that I was not willing to try that. Frowning, she asked me, "What do you eat at home?"

Flabbergasted I answered, "Thai food!"

I ended up eating copious amounts of green curry on the trip because that and sweet and sour chicken wer often the only things we knew for sure were gluten free.

Here are some tips I learned about eating safely in Thailand while still getting to experience the local flavor.

At restaurants you can almost always have green curry, yellow curry, masaman curry or sweet and sour. Also, coconut lemon grass soup with chicken (Thom khao gai.)
Fruit shakes with or without yogurt are a delight and are offered on many street corners and also at restaurants.
Fresh fruit is readily available almost everywhere and quite tasty.
Rice porridge is a traditional SE Asian breakfast dish that is normally gluten free. You can get this with or without chicken.
You can make a good breakfast out of two fried eggs over white rice with butter and jam. It's better than it sounds.
If it's hard to tell at a street market what you can eat, look for fried eggs, white rice and fruit.
Mango sticky rice is often available on the street or at a restaurant and is a wondeful GF dessert.
Grilled bananas on their own or swimming in sweetened coconut milk make a great snack and are sold on the street.
If you are going to take an overnight train, your best bet is to get food ahead of time to take with you. The only thing I could find that was gluten free was the green curry and it was lackluster and expensive.
Convenience stores routinely carry a variety of gluten-free snacks including pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, nuts, the Original Lays Potato Chips, Fritos, dried fruit, etc.
7-11s in Thailand are a treasure trove of gluten-free eating. They almost all carry ready to eat boiled eggs in two or four packs. Just don't eat the soy sauce included in a small packet. Also, there is the most wonderful yogurt in the world. It has small cubes of young coconut in it and is incredibly rich. When you get to the checkout, they'll give you a small plastic spoon to eat it with.

I had cards from Select Wisely printed in Thai and they worked fairly well, but lots of people aren't familiar with hidden sources of gluten. For instance, one cook didn't know soy sauce was an ingredient in plum sauce.
Bring any protein bars you want to have, I never found any the whole time I was travelling.
I always poke my head into any food store just to see what they have and one day in Ao Nang - in the southern tip of Thailand - I found a tourist specialty store that sold gluten-free cereal and peanut butter. What luxuries! So, keep your eyes open.

Eating Gluten-Free in Siem Reap, Cambodia

2010-01-15T17:45:00.004-06:00

I admit I was somewhat terrified to travel alone to Siem Reap, Cambodia because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to figure out what I could eat that is gluten free. I special ordered some cards explaining what I could and couldn't eat in Khmer from Select Wisely and kept one copy in my pocket and one copy in my money belt.

I had done some research ahead of time by looking through some regional cookbooks. It appeared that I would be safe in general, but that some dishes might have soy sauce in them. Khmer cuisine seems to be similar to Thai and Indian food in the best ways. It features lots of fruits and veggies and many of the dishes have simple sauces.

I hired a driver for my first couple of days and asked him to help me find food in addition to his other duties. This turned out to be important because he could read the card and some of the food vendors didn't seem to be able to do so. My card was written in Khmer and English. I picked out items on the menu that sounded likely to be gluten-free and then he'd double check. I was only going to be in Cambodia for a few days, so I decided I'd just memorize my order and if I liked it, I'd eat that for the rest of the trip!

This didn't turn out to be necessary, but it would have worked. In Siem Reap, there were several Indian restaurants with familiar gluten-free staples that I could eat and then a fellow-traveler told me about the Cambodian specialty Amok, a coconut-based dish. Bad for the diet, but great gluten-free eating!

Also, a friend from Laos had told me breakfast should be no problem. One traditional Southeast Asian breakfast staple is rice soup with or without fish or chicken. Rather bland, but gluten free and widely available. Also, it was likely that I'd be able to find fried eggs, fruit, yogurt and steamed rice. This was all true. Also, the coffee was fantastic.

As far as eating on the street, there was plenty of fruit and I'd brought a pocket knife so I could slice up dragon fruit and eat it. There were some packaged foods available, but I was glad I'd brought some bars and single-servings of peanut butter which I ate on apples.

In general, I had much more success eating tasty, flavorful food on a regular basis in Cambodia than I do in the states!

Flying Gluten Free to Thailand

2010-01-15T16:02:00.006-06:00

Recently I flew from the Dallas/Fort Worth area to Bangkok. I flew to Tokyo on American Airlines and then connected on Thai Airways to Bangkok. The first flight was 13 hours long and the second was about 6 hours.

Whenever I fly anywhere I bring extra food. Just in case there is an unscheduled stop, bad weather or the plane gets stuck on the runway for some other reason. Since airlines have responded to the peanut allergy folks, they no longer have peanuts on board which means there is a scarcity of gluten-free food on board. Certainly any gluten-free food with even a modicum of nutritional value.

So, when embarking on basically 24-hours of travel, you can imagine the type of food I had with me. Single serving containers of Jiff peanut butter (which were allowed on the flight out but confiscated as a liquid on the ride home), protein bars, Glutino's breakfast bars, Quaker snack cakes, etc. I was more likely to eat myself to death than starve.

I had called American Airlines months in advance and booked my flight with frequent flyer miles. I dimly remember the agent telling me to call and confirm my gluten-free meal, which I guess I forgot to do. Ack.

I realized there was a problem when the first meal was served and no "special" meal was brought out to me. The flight attendants were horrified. "It's not like we can turn back and there is no gluten-free meal on board at all!"

OK, really? On big giant plane flying to another continent they don't load up with a couple of extra "special" meals just in case? No vegetarian, Kosher or other specialty meals? Maybe this should be S.O.P.

However, that doesn't change the fact that I should have remembered to double check and I didn't. Lucky for me, my seatmate was sympathetic and he and I traded food from our meals, he gave me his cheese, I gave him my bread, etc. Also, two awesome flight attendants scrounged food for me from business class and first class and I was probably on calorie overload for much of the flight. As my seatmate said "You have to survive."

My protests that I was unlikely to starve to death in 13 hours with 3,000 calories in my carry on were ignored.

When I got to Tokyo, I was excited to find a cafe that served edamame, yogurt, milk and some snack food with the ingredients in English including Peanut M&Ms. There were also so kelp-covered rice balls that I probably could have eaten.

Then came the best surprise of my life. I boarded my Thai Airways flight after making sure my gluten-free food would be on board at the check-in counter. "Of course" they said in a way that made me doubt my sanity in asking the question.

Thai Airways served two wonderful meals including rice-based rolls that if I could get them in the states I would eat every day. OK, maybe not really, but they were very good. The food was excellent and way better than I ever would have hoped for.

On the way home, Thai Airways succeeded again, but due to the timing of my flight, I only got breakfast (which included gluten-free toast) and a snack - a mandarin orange. Still, not bad considering the only snack available on American Airlines was a packet of asian-style chex mix that seemed to hit every major food allergy group except for dairy. It warned of crab, shrimp, peanut, wheat and soy contamination. Interesting.

Feeling tired from traveling and wanting to get to my flight, I went straight to the Tokyo Airport concourse my flight on American would be departing from. This was a bad call. I needed to do lunch in the Tokyo airport and the only place that sold food within a few blocks of my gate mainly specialized in hamburgers, hot dogs and what looked like a variety of Ramen Noodles. Some of it might have been gluten-free, but I couldn't be sure. I had been hoarding my protein bars, a bag of chips and an apple, so I bought some water and another gluten-free looking snack and had a picnic at the gate.

There were several vending machines at the gate, but they didn't accept credit cards and only took yen.

I got onto the American Airlines flight and relaxed, looking forward to my gluten-free dinner in a few hours. The dinner did come and it was gluten free, but it was fish, which I don't like. I KNOW, beggars can't be choosers, but I did have another protein bar with me, so it was all good.

Around 2 AM I was brought a snack, which I thought was kind of odd, but it was very tasty. I think there were some kind of potato pancakes involved, it's all kind of a blur now.

But by the time breakfast rolled around, I was definitely hungry. There, on my tray was a box of Kellog's corn flakes. Now, I know, in the states that these are not gluten free. However, I thought, maybe the Japanese version is. Also, I couldn't read the ingredients because they were in Japanese, so I ate them.

They were not gluten-free. Happily, there was not that much of the flight left. Although there was not a huge amount of wheat in them, I dealt with a cranky stomach for the next 48 hours. I'm sure the matter was not helped by all of the random food I had been eating in general and adjusting to the new time zone.

I sent all of this - the helpful flight attendants and the unfortunate cereal - in a note to American Airlines. They were very nice about it all and said they would talk to their caterers immediately. Also, they generously credited my frequent flyer account 10,000 miles.

I guess the lesson is always have back up food, confirm your gluten-free meals on airlines and always be responsible for making decisions on whether to eat what people bring you.

I intend to write more posts in the following days about eating Gluten-Free while traveling in Cambodia and Thailand.

How to make your own gluten-free yogurt

2009-12-09T15:46:00.004-06:00

Recently, a friend pointed out an old episode of Good Eats on youtube with Alton Brown that shows step by step how to make your own yogurt, yogurt cheese and finally frozen yogurt.

I had to try it! The idea of controlling all of the ingredients and knowing where it all came from was fabulous. I used my normal low fat plain Stonyfield yogurt for the starter cultures.

After 3 days of fun, I managed to produce the yogurt cheese and the lemon, ginger frozen yogurt. All of it was as delicious as promised and gluten free. However, I found out that the plain yogurt has twice the calories of my normal yogurt. So, I will have to eat it sparingly.

Still it was a fun experiment and I may repeat it with 1% or skim milk and see how it all tastes then. To keep my yogurt at a stable temperature, I got a large cooler, lined it with electric blankets and then had lids for both the yogurt container and the cooler. This way, I could fine tune the temperature of the yogurt.

This was a highly entertaining process with a tasty result. People with kids who eat gluten-free might want to try this as well.

Fresh yogurt:

Ingredients

1 quart 2-percent milk
1/2 cup powdered milk
1 to 2 tablepoons honey
1/2 cup plain yogurt, room temperature

Directions

Pour milk into small saucepan and whisk in powdered milk and honey. Place over medium heat and bring to 120 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. Once milk has reached 120 degrees F, pour into a cylindrical plastic container, reserving 1/2 cup. Whisk in the reserved 1/2 cup into the yogurt and add back to the milk mixture.

Place container into a narrow wine bucket, lined with a heating pad. Set the heating pad to medium. Let the mixture ferment for 3 to 12 hours making sure the temperature stays as close to 115 degrees F as possible.

After fermentation is complete place into the refrigerator overnight.

Yogurt Cheese

Ingredients

2 quarts plain yogurt

Directions

Place 4 layers of cheesecloth in colander set over a bowl. Add the yogurt and let drain overnight in the refrigerator. The desired consistency is that of soft cream cheese.

Lemon-Ginger Frozen Yogurt

Ingredients

8 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1/4 cup sliced crystallized ginger

Directions

Place yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined colander set over a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 12 hours. At end of 12 hours, discard the liquid and cheesecloth.

In a bowl combine the drained yogurt, corn syrup, sugar, lemon juice, lemon peel, and fresh ginger. Transfer mixture to ice cream maker and process per manufacturer's instructions, about 25 minutes. Transfer frozen yogurt to an airtight container, fold in crystallized ginger and freeze for 2 hours.

Celiac for the holidays

2009-12-01T16:21:00.002-06:00

Here are some survival tips for the holidays:

Carry food with you in case you get trapped at the mall or elsewhere. Everyone else can eat at the food court, but you might be stuck.
If you are going to a friend's for a party, call ahead and ask if there will be food there you can eat. Either way, offer to bring a dish or two to share with everyone that is safe for you. Make sure you get your portion early so there's no danger of cross-contamination. I once watched someone dip crackers into my gluten-free pumpkin risotto.
Keep gluten-free crackers in the car to be whipped out at cocktail parties. I don't know how many times I've gotten overly tipsy from having wine on an empty stomach while everyone else is munching on canapes perfectly sober and not saying ridiculous things loudly.
Try to think ahead to the holiday favorites you're really going to miss this year and make your own gluten-free version. Even if the "normal" people don't think it's that great it might make you feel not so left out.
Watch out for turkeys! They often have modified food starch in them. Get a fresh turkey if possible.
It's not about the food. Even though food is often a focus at the holidays what really matters are the friends and the family. Plan to bring your own food to gatherings and then it will be a pleasant surprise if you can join in on some of the offered grub.

Tastings - Gluten-Free Friendly

2009-11-20T17:04:00.002-06:00

I went to the Grapevine, Texas location of Tastings on Main Street this past week and had a phenomenal time. Of course, all wine is gluten free and they had several gluten-free items on the menu. They have a range of cheeses, salads and aged meats. Also, they were very accommodating and made sure that my salad was safe from croutons or crusts of bread.

I would suggest brining your own crackers if you would like some to go with your cheese.

Tandoor Chef - Tikka Masala

2009-11-03T14:56:00.002-06:00

I came across this tasty frozen dinner at Whole Foods - a Chicken Tikka Masala by Tandoor Chef. While it doesn't have any ingredients listed as containing gluten it is made in a facility where wheat is processed. This was delicious, but it doesn't have any rice in it to soak up the sauce.

So, after you eat the chicken chunks out you basically have tomato yogurt soup. Which was good, but could've used something to sop it up like some tasty brown rice. They recommend eating it with Naan, which, of course, is not an option for us.

Martha Stewart pumpkin tart - de-glutened

2009-10-27T16:57:00.003-05:00

Recently, I made the pumpkin tart on a chocolate crust from Martha Stewart's Oct. 2009 magazine. I simply subbed the cup of all purpose flour for a cup of Bob's Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose flour and everything else stayed the same. It came out beautifully!

I didn't take my own pics, but this blog entry has the recipe and pics that look very similar to what I made.

The tart was a big hit with my guests and there were several surprised remarks of "This is gluten free?"

Genral Mills Fruit Snacks are gluten-free

2009-10-09T11:35:00.002-05:00

I recently received a very generous package of Genral Mills Fruit Snacks to try. They were just as I remembered as a kid, quite sweet and tangy. While my tastes have changed, it's good to know these kid-friendly, grab-and-go treats are still available to the gluten intolerant.

Easy, delicious gluten-free biscuit mix

2009-10-07T16:36:00.003-05:00

This past weekend I whipped up a batch of these 1 2 3 Southern Glory Biscuits. They are delicious. At first, I was concerned because the dough was really wet, but I rolled it out carefully one biscuit at a time and used corn starch to keep the dough from sticking. They looked like little hockey pucks after I chilled them, but in the oven they baked up light and flaky. Well, as light and flaky as possible considering they are gluten-free.

Still, two gluten-eating friends sampled them and also found them quite yummy. I froze most of them and have eaten one thawed biscuit and it was good as well! This is a very exciting resource to have in the pantry. I got mine at the Bedford Kroger.

Wild Grape Bistro in Salt Lake City

2009-10-01T10:28:00.003-05:00

This past weekend I feasted at the Wild Grape Bistro in Salt Lake City. I had found it listed as gluten-free friendly on Urbanspoon.com so I went to check it out. The food was fantastic and my server really worked with me to make sure everything was safe.

They have a good variety of dishes, all of them very flavorful. The gluten-eaters at the table enjoyed their food as well.

Aunt Gussie's Gluten-Free Cookies

2009-09-16T16:31:00.003-05:00

These cookies are good enough to write home about, hence the post. I picked up a box of the chocolate spritz cookies in a local market in Durango, CO. I shared them with some gluten eaters and they agreed they were quite tasty. In addition to being gluten free, they are all natural with no trans fat. You get a whopping 3 cookies for 140 calories and they were very satisfying.

Perhaps that whole "made in a facility that also processes wheat" should be taken more seriously

2009-09-09T10:47:00.003-05:00

I saw this video by Kinnikinnick foods mentioned on about.com - it shows what it takes to properly de-gluten-ize a piece of equipment that has been used to process wheat-based products. Take a look!

The miracle at the AMC Grapevine Mills

2009-08-25T14:50:00.005-05:00

Due to yet another overscheduled weekend, I showed up starving to a movie - never a good idea. I had a bag of Crackerjacks with me, but that wasn't going to cut it.

Hungrily, I eyed the slowly cooking hotdogs on the counter at the AMC theater at Grapevine Mills.

I asked the girl at the checkout if I could see the ingredients for the hot dogs.

"Nope." she said without batting an eye.

I explained that I had serious food allergies and asked why I couldn't see them.

"Don't have them." she replied.

"Someone must have them somewhere." I said.

"Sorry, no." she said and looked behind me at the line.

I paid for my drink, slunk around the corner and asked a girl stocking candy to get me a manager. When she told him what I wanted, he immediately grabbed the box the hot dogs came in and let me read the ingredients himself.

I was then able to get a fresh hotdog - not one that had been on a bun - in a plastic container to eat. It was just as good as it smelled and I didn't get sick.

I guess there are a couple things to be learned from this - for me, persistence paid off and I didn't have to sit through a movie with a grumbling stomach.

For them, help a Celiac sistah out! I was willing to pay an exorbitant $4 for a single hotdog minus the bun. I just needed a little information.

P.S. Don't tell my mom I ate a hot dog and crackerjacks for dinner.

Lucy's miracle cookies

2009-08-24T12:18:00.003-05:00

OK, seriously, these cookies should come with a warning label - open the box of Dr. Lucy's cookies and expect to want to eat all of them. Except, it's not such a crisis if you do because the serving size is 4 cookies for 120 calories!

I tried the sugar cookies - seriously excellent. I didn't even realize they are also made without butter or eggs. I found them in an endcap display at the Kroger in Bedford. These are worth hunting down.

USA Today article about Gluten-Free beer

2009-08-19T17:56:00.001-05:00

My friend sent me this interesting article about GF beer being able to be labelled as beer even if it doesn't contain the traditional beer ingredients. It also has some links to other intriguing GF and Celiac info.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-08-17-beer-gluten_N.htm?csp=34

NYT article highlights the difficulties of eating cheap and gluten-free

2009-08-14T15:43:00.002-05:00

Most of this won't be new information to a lot of you, but it includes some links to some good resources and the newly diagnosed can learn a lot!

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/15/health/15patient.html?_r=1

Recently, I have been cutting back on costs and calories effectively by not buying much gluten-free-specific food. Except for the occasional treat, I have just been eating naturally gluten-free foods and primarily sticking to the outer-ring of the supermarket.

I have almost returned to my pre-diagnosis weight! A lot of people gain weight after being diagnosed with Celiac disease because of the following (some of this I've read, some are my own observations):

Your body no longer has to fight off a constant inflammation in your small intestine so you don't burn as many calories on a daily basis.
You can now get more calories as well as vitamins and nutrients from your food.
You don't have constant stomach pains so it's more tempting to eat. I remember starting on snacky foods like pizza and beer and stopping after a slice or a glass because of stomach aches.
Many of the low-calorie snack foods or lite varieties of high-calorie foods contain modified food starch. Many of the tasty safe foods are high in calories like ice cream, cheese, chocolate, etc.
I found it hard mentally to further restrict my diet. I kept thinking, "There's so much I can't eat, surely I deserve brie." In retrospect, I deserve to be healthy and happy - which, for me, means maintaining a healthy weight.
Most low-calorie, gluten-free food at restaurants is not very tasty. There are some great dishes out there that are relatively safe, but a lot of them have a lot of fat or sugar. I have restricted my eating out to about once a week.
Many grab-and-go gluten-free bars are very high in calories because they are packed with fruit and nuts instead of wheat filler. This sounds great because fruit and nuts are good for you, right? However, I find they don't fill me up very well and I end up eating more. Also, dried fruit and nuts contain large amounts of sugar and fat. I now eat half of a protein bar before my workouts.

We have a winner!

2009-08-07T15:07:00.001-05:00

One of my co-workers drew a name for me and he chose Becky Revell of Frisco, Texas. Thanks to all of you who entered!

Becky, if you don't hear from the Betty Crocker people soon, let me know.

Top 10 gluten-free eating at restaurant mistakes

2009-08-07T14:19:00.003-05:00

I've made most of these, it's how I know about them. Remember, you are the one who is responsible for not getting sick, not the restaurant.

Assuming sushi is safe - ask about malt vinegar in the rice and any and all soy sauce involved.
Assuming a normally-safe food like french fries never shared oil with fried chicken or other breaded items.
Not asking if there restaurant uses margarine - which could be on anything (like grilled chicken) and may not be gluten free.
Eating any salad dressing or marinade or spice rub and not asking for an ingredient list. Soy sauce and modified food starch like to sneak in to the darndest places.
If you send a salad back because it had croutons on it, look through the lettuce when it comes back and make sure they didn't just take off the croutons and send it back - this totally happened to me.
Not being nice to your waiter - they hold your fate (or your fate for the next few hours) in their hands.
Not asking about everything - I even found a place that put flour in their mashed potatoes.
Not thanking a manager and your waiter for going out of their way for you. You always want a wait staff to have a good impression of you. You never know when you or another Celiac will eat there in the future.
Not having a back-up plan. Whenever I go out to eat, I pick two or three things on the menu I would be happy enough to eat and then ask the waiter to ask the chef to recommend the safest item. I don't always get my first choice, but I don't get sick, either.
Eating at restaurants too frequently. I was still feeling somewhat ill and cut back to eating out to about once a week. Unless they only serve gluten free food, even the most well-meaning restaurant staff can't avoid cross-contamination 100% of the time.

Five Guys Burgers and Fries

2009-08-05T15:44:00.003-05:00

I am going out tomorrow to the Five Guys in Southlake for an assignment for the paper, so I thought I'd check their gluten-freeness. On their website, it says they are completely gluten-free except for the buns. So, that should be good news to area Celiacs. Unfortunately, I don't think the calories involved will allow me to eat a burger anyway.

Still, a good option to have around. Let me know if any of you guys go there if it's good!

Betty Crocker gluten-free prize pack

2009-08-03T15:26:00.003-05:00

The Betty Crocker folks told me I could have a drawing and they would send the winner a prize pack with all the items in the above photo!

Email me at jfriedberg@star-telegram.com if you would like to be entered. Please, include your name and mailing address! I'll collect names until Friday at 10 AM and then I'll find someone at the Star-Telegram to draw one for me.

Visual Confirmation- Betty Crocker Gluten-Free mixes at the Bedford Kroger

2009-07-29T17:36:00.002-05:00

Out of curiosity, I went and looked at my neighborhood Kroger at Central and Harwood in Bedford and they did, indeed, carry the Betty Crocker Gluten-Free mixes. They were in with the rest of the Betty Crocker products on the baking aisle, not in the special natural foods area.

Product locator for Gluten-Free Betty Crocker mixes

2009-07-28T17:01:00.001-05:00

If you're wondering if there is a store near you that carries the Gluten-Free Betty Crocker mixes, look at their product locator.

Tested two more of the Betty Crocker mixes

2009-07-28T16:52:00.003-05:00

This weekend, I tried out the Betty Crocker gluten-free chocolate chip cookie mix and the chocolate cake mix. They were both delicious and I fed them to people who can eat gluten for a true test. I brought them to a party and was hard-pressed to rescue a couple of the cookies to take with me.

Everyone there said they would eat them again!

Lemur Peanut Choco Drizzle Crispy Rice Bars are awesome!

2009-07-22T17:33:00.005-05:00

Nature's Path generously sent me a sample pack of several cereals and treats to review. I have to say the Lemur bars rock my world. They're delicious and 120 calories each, so they fit the afternoon snack spot perfectly.

Nature's Path has a lot of on-the-go products and they make my favorite cereal in the world - Mesa Sunrise, which I know I've talked about before.

Plain yogurt is tasty?

2009-07-21T17:14:00.002-05:00

Well, it can be good with a few add-ins. In my ever widening search for a before-bed snack that's GF, not too high calorie, somewhat healthy, satisfying and tasty, I've been eating plain Stonyfield Organic Low-Fat Yogurt and putting stuff in it.

I eat about a cup of it and I've been mixing in about a tablespoon of raw honey, which is supposed to have all kinds of happy things in it for your digestive system. I figure after the years of gluten-abuse, my digestive system needs all the help it can get. Between the cultures in the yogurt and the benefits of whatever is in the honey - I'm still not clear on how it's helpful, but it's delicious, I figure this is a good treat!

KVIL has gift certificates for half-off at Laura's Bistro

2009-07-17T12:13:00.004-05:00

Click here to buy gift certificates.

There are only 6 left, so click fast! The gift certificates sell for $25, but you get $50 worth of food. Quite a deal.

Laura's Bistro is at 2301 N. Central Expressway #155, Plano, Texas 75075, 972-599-1018

LSD does not contain gluten!

2009-07-17T11:51:00.002-05:00

Um, OK, not that I do LSD, but I was surprised when a friend told me yesterday that he thought LSD was grown on rye bread mold. Turns out modern-day LSD is completely synthetic, but the chemical compound was discovered when a scientist was researching ergot.

Ergot was a mold that used to poison people famously in the middle ages when they would eat grain that had been stored too long. Some people think that ergot was responsible for egging on mob violence and other types of civil unrest.

So, just say no to ergot!

Betty Crocker gluten-free yellow cake mix is a hit

2009-07-14T16:22:00.006-05:00

I received sample boxes of Betty Crocker's four new gluten-free mixes and I've decided to cook them one by one when I can serve them to Celiacs and gluten-eaters alike. Today, a going-away party was the perfect testing ground.

I cooked them last night and iced them this morning. They were a big hit all around. I found them comparable to my favorite - Pamela's yellow cake mix. Although the gluten-eaters were told they were eating gluten-free cupcakes, I asked them to be honest for the purposes of reviewing.

Some of them said they did notice a slightly different texture and flavor, but they found them quite tasty all the same.

New Gluten-Free cooking classes

2009-07-13T16:37:00.002-05:00

These are from NTGIG's Betty Barfield:

Gluten-Free Cooking at Central Market in Southlake

When:Tuesday, July 14, 6:30 - 8:30 PM

Where: Central Market Southlake 1425 E. Southlake Blvd, Southlake, TX 76092

Claudia Pillow, Chef, Ph.D.,Speaker on Gluten Intolerance

Join us for this gluten-free cooking and baking class that includes a discussion and demonstration of gluten-free flour mixes and gluten-free flour, low carbohydrate alternatives (for diabetics). The class will conclude with smart tips for healthy gluten-free eating. Menu includes: Teff Rustic Pizza with Pesto & Brie Cheese; Flour Tortillas; Macaroni & Cheese; and Summer Roasted Vegetable Medley.

Cost $50

To enroll: (817) 310-5665

Hands-On Semi Private Gluten-Free Baking Classes

NEW!! Healthy Summer Vegetables

When: Thursday July16th 6-8pm.

Menu: Four different cooking techniques to fill up your summer plate with low-calorie, nutritious, fresh, seasonal produce: salad, roast, grill, and sauté. We will prepare Arugula, Avocado and Shaved Parmesan Salad with Walnut Oil, Roasted Ratatouille, Grilled Greens with Sesame Oil, and a Farm Market Fresh Sauté.

Semi Private Classes of 4 adults in the chef’s home in Southlake. Everyone participates in making the vegetable dishes, which will be packaged to take home. Bring your apron and have some fun.

Cost: $50 per person per class

Contact: Claudia Pillow at foodphilosopher@verizon.net or www.foodphilosopher.com

Claudia Pillow Bio:

Dr. Claudia Pillow has been studying and working with food for her entire life. A classically trained chef, her food philosophy is grounded by the life sciences, nutrition, and health. She believes a gluten-free diet is best for immune defense. In 2007, Claudia received her PhD in Health Studies from Texas Women's University. As part of her dissertation, she developed and tested a celiac disease school screening tool and is currently in the process of making the program available nationally. Prior to earning her doctorate, Claudia was a 1982 graduate of the New York Restaurant School and worked as a chef for Elizabeth Arden Inc., and a caterer in Princeton, New Jersey. A science degree and MBA from Rutgers University offered her the opportunity to jump to the corporate side of the food industry, where she was a product manager for Dorman Roth Foods (now Sargento Cheese), and the new product development manager at the 1990’s new age beverage trend setter, Soho Natural Beverages. Earlier in her business career, Dr. Pillow marketed first aid kits for Johnson & Johnson, a Fortune 100 Company.

Currently, Claudia has just completed The Immune Defense Diet Cookbook: The Gluten-Free Way to Eat Smart, Neutralize Inflammation, and Balance Your Health, (Agate Publishing) which she co-wrote with Annalise Roberts, and is set for release in January 2010. Her first book was The Food Philosopher’s® Guide to Epicurean Delights, (also co-written with Annalise Roberts), which led to the creation of their website, www.foodphilosopher.com. She lectures about gluten intolerance and teaches gluten-free cooking and baking classes in the Dallas and Fort Worth area. Dr. Pillow lives in Texas with her husband and two daughters, and serves on the Board of the Gluten Intolerant Group of North America, in Auburn, Washington.

Nature's Path - Organic Pumpkin Flax Granola - NOT Gluten Free

2009-07-10T17:37:00.006-05:00

***Update***

I was contacted today by a very concerned account executive from Nature's Path who says NONE of their granola is gluten-free. They do have many fabulous cereals which I've talked about in the past, the granola is neither wheat nor gluten free. I apologize to anyone I might have misdirected with this.

I have been delighted to be sent samples of new gluten-free products, but yesterday I had already shoveled several handfuls of Nature's Path Organic Pumpkin Flax Granola into my mouth before I thought to myself those fatal words "This is so good, I can't believe it's gluten-free."

While none of the ingredients contain wheat, one of the main ingredients is rolled oats and under the section where they say "This product may contain..." wheat was listed as an ingredient.

Gluten-Free dessert at Bonefish Grill

2009-07-07T14:51:00.003-05:00

I have eaten at Bonefish Grill a handful of times and have never been disappointed. This trend continued last week when I ate there with my family and tried their warm brownie with ice cream and whipped cream on top. Yes, it was gluten-free. It tasted sort of like a chocolate souffle. I would definitely have it again!

Eating Gluten-Free in Sperryville, Virginia

2009-07-03T20:56:00.008-05:00

Every middle of nowhere is somebody's somewhere I always remind myself. I found out how NOT the middle of nowhere Sperryville is at least as far as gluten-free food goes.

I had been tipped off about the Thornton River Grille by the lovely owner of Apple Cottage Gourmet Health Foods in Luray, Virginia. I was in Luray to see the caverns. The town is on the outskirts of Shenandoah National Park - where I was staying.

The lodges in the park can definitely fix you up with a gluten-free meal that far surpasses my expectations, but I knew we'd be spending the afternoon outside of the park.

So, I found Apple Cottage and a restaurant that I thought would work. Just to be sure, I asked the owner of Apple Cottage who said that many of the restaurants in town were just too crowded on the 4th of July weekend to cater to special needs, so she suggested Thornton River Grille, which does require a reservation.

When we got there, we decided we wanted to sit on the deck, which has a more limited menu but a fabulous view. They had no problem adapting the salad I was interested in to a GF version. It was delicious - freshly-grilled chicken breast on top of mixed-greens with pecans, dried cranberries and goat cheese crumbles.

It was so flavorful, I only used a smidgeon of the delicious salad dressing that came with it. These guys didn't even bat an eye when I asked about gluten-free food. They just said, tell us what you want and we'll figure out a way to make it work. I wish I heard that everywhere!

Eating gluten-free in Shenandoah National Forest

2009-07-02T21:26:00.003-05:00

I set off this morning with a cooler full of lunch fixin's, but tonight I braved the restaurant at Skyland Lodge. It was sooo fabulous. I asked our waiter if he knew what gluten was and he scoffed, "Of course, I do!" I was so excited I think I clapped my hands.

Next thing you know, he was checking with the chef and modifying my menu choice - Pan seared chicken with a Riesling cream sauce, green beans, a baked potato and a side salad with blackberry vinaigrette. For dessert, my dad and I split one scoop of blackberry ice cream after swearing we wouldn't do dessert every night.

It was so delectable that I didn't even put anything on the baked potato, I just sopped up the rest of the sauce from the chicken. So, there you have it, national parks rocking the gluten-free world! Tomorrow night, I think I'll try the turkey plate!

Organic Prairie chicken hot dogs are soooo good

2009-06-30T15:33:00.002-05:00

A few months ago, I was going camping and a friend suggested we roast hot dogs over the fire. I scoffed. Hot dogs?! Not only are they generally not gluten free, but they are completely unhealthy and disgusting.

Au contraire... I went shopping to prove my point and discovered these Organic Prairie Uncured chicken hotdogs. They are ridiculously tasty and from what I can tell, gluten free and not that bad for you.

I actually bought them for another camping trip and then, last week, just for fun to have at home!

Schlitterbahn-ing Gluten-Free

2009-06-29T12:07:00.004-05:00

I went to Schlitterbahn for the first time this weekend in New Braunfels. Since I knew it would be an all-day affair, I looked up food options on their website. The bad news is that almost everything they sell at the park has gluten in it (except for ices, slushees, ice cream and cotton candy.) The good news is you can bring one of those giant wheeled coolers.

So, I talked with my friends ahead of time and that's what we did. We brought our own drinks, snacks and lunch and picnicked. Afterwards, however, I had to throw myself on the mercy of Omas Haus Restaurant a couple of miles away. I did have some backup sliced turkey and cheese, but I was hoping for a real meal.

Despite the waiter's trepidation - he had never heard of gluten - he checked for me and I was able to eat the lemon, dill grilled chicken, corn and German potato salad. Just about everything else on the menu was glutinous, though. They even had used flour in their coconut haystacks and fudge on sale in the lobby (which probably saved me from an unwanted 1,000 calories.)

Still, I didn't get sick and the food was very tasty. I was able to feel like part of the group instead of eating my turkey and cheese while they sampled local specialties.

Since I couldn't get dessert there, we all went for ice cream afterwards at Austin-favorite Amy's Ice Cream. When I asked if their ice cream had gluten in it, the server said, "Well, it has eggs, milk and sugar, I would think so."

Normally, I would expect something like this, but not in Austin, which is usually such a well-informed place. I asked to see an ingredients list, made sure it was OK and then just ordered Mexican Vanilla to be safe. It was fine, but this makes me so angry. I'm sure the Amy's owners would be appalled, too. They could be missing out on lots of potential sales.

Sprouts has Gluten-Free sale

2009-06-25T14:51:00.004-05:00

Sprouts, which has several locations in the DFW area is having a Gluten-Free Jubilee 25% off tagged Gluten-Free products June 24 - July 1. I'm passing this on from NTGIG President Betty Barfield.

This is awesome because GF specific foods are quite pricey and sales like this don't come along every day!

Quaker Quakes Rice Snacks are quite tasty

2009-06-24T17:33:00.002-05:00

A friend just shared his chocolate Quaker Quakes Rice Snacks. They are incredibly snackable! I'm not sure if the whole product line is safe or not, so always read the labels.

Dietary Specials has gluten-free recipe videos

2009-06-23T17:27:00.002-05:00

This charming website from the UK offers a variety of info including recipe videos - starting tomorrow (June 24, 2009.) Go on now to see a trailer for the vids.

Boston's Gourmet Pizza - Gluten-free crust

2009-06-22T16:39:00.004-05:00

I finally got around to trying Boston's version of the gluten-free pizza. As compared to Uno's it's got its plusses and minuses.

Boston's is in Grapevine and possibly may be closer or more convenient to you.
Boston's does deliver - I'm not sure how far.
Boston's will put any toppings you ask for on the GF crust, but I didn't ask what precautions they take to make sure they are gluten-free. I ordered the hawaiian pizza and the pinapple appeared canned.
Uno's cheese and sauce were far more flavorful and their pineapple was fresh. (I'm a pineapple fiend.)
Boston's crust was much thinner and crisper, which was quite nice.
Uno's was tastier overall, but the toppings were more limited.
Both restaurants only offer the pizza in one size for about the same price.

NPR story about Celiac Disease

2009-06-19T14:24:00.002-05:00

This was sent to me by my ever-thoughtful co-worker and fellow Celiac, Karla.

Celiac Disease Radio Segment featuring Dr. Peter Green

There was a live celiac disease radio segment on The People’s Pharmacy on Saturday, June 13.

Live Interview:
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2009/06/12/727-celiac-dise/

Extended Interview:
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2009/06/15/extended-interv-31/

Also, this will be aired on many NPR stations over the next few weeks.

Pepper Corer

2009-06-18T17:25:00.004-05:00

I just bought what looks to be an amazing pepper corer from Williams-Sonoma. A few posts back I wrote about the joy of grilled jalapenos. Anyway, I'm very excited to try this guy out. Looks vicious and efficient!

Most delicious black seedless grapes from Central Market

2009-06-16T17:25:00.001-05:00

Recently I was in Central Market in Fort Worth and I bought some black, seedless grapes. They were very, well, grapey. They had much more of a taste than the standard red and green seedless grapes I get at most stores. If you get a chance, grab a bunch before they're gone!

Haagen-Dazs Sorbets - mainly gluten-free

2009-06-12T11:32:00.002-05:00

Check every flavor, but the majority of Haagen-Dazs' sorbets are gluten free, delicious and slightly less evil than ice cream. Definitely a worthwhile summer treat!

Recently, I was starving at a food court at a mall and hit upon Haagen-Dazs' lemon sorbet. I know, I know, it's not the perfect food, but it totally hit the spot. Something to keep in mind for sure.

Gluten-Free lentil soup recipe

2009-06-10T15:22:00.001-05:00

My friend recommended this as tasty, healthy, possibly vegetarian, high in protein and gluten free. I plan to try it ASAP! Let me know if any of you guys try this.

Combine ingredients into a slow cooker on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours:

* 2 stalks celery, chopped
* 3 carrots, chopped
* 1 onion, diced
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 3 bay leaves
* 8 cups water or GF vegetable broth or GF chicken broth
* 1 3/4 cups green lentils
* 2 potatoes, chopped
* 1 bunch spinach, chopped

I didn't but you can add these after the soup finishes cooking (I thought it was tasty enough without them):

* 1 tsp salt
* 3 tbsp red wine vinegar

Dogs are gluten-free - not that we eat them

2009-06-09T17:59:00.005-05:00

Forgive this non-food-related post, but I wanted to highlight a cool organization called Smiling Dog Farms. They provide sanctuary for dogs that are considered un-adoptable.

Gluten-Free beer good enough to drink?

2009-06-08T15:13:00.003-05:00

Here's an article touting some new gluten-free beers that hopefully will be drink-worthy. I have tasted several of these in the past and the only one I would vouch for is theGreen's Quest Tripel Ale. I'm looking forward to trying the new versions of some of the others.

Gluten-Free Girl reviews the G-Free Diet and Babycakes

2009-06-04T11:42:00.002-05:00

Check out this well-thought-out review of the current best sellers the G-Free Diet and Babycakes by trusted Gluten-Free Girl Shauna James Ahern.

Reduced sugar Ketchup by Heinz - still tasty

2009-06-02T16:48:00.003-05:00

In my deepening search for cutting calories while preserving taste and staying gluten free, I have come across Heinz's reduced sugar ketchup. It is 5 calories per tbsp. vs. 25 calories for the regular stuff. I didn't notice a significant difference in taste. It does contain sucralose for anyone avoiding that. Otherwise, seems like a great condiment to add to the fridge!

Gluten-Free swim party for kids through NTGIG

2009-06-01T11:07:00.002-05:00

NTGIG Kid's Swimming Party

When: Sunday, June 28th from 3:30-5:15pm

Where: AquaKids-Keller, 4212 Heritage Trace Parkway, Keller, TX 76248

Who: Kids ages 2-11

Trained lifeguards will be on duty

Gluten-free snacks will be provided

RSVP to Holly Kline at blondeshopper1@juno.com asap

or call 817-596-8491

Sprouts has Gluten-Free guide

2009-05-29T10:26:00.003-05:00

A friend brought me a cop of Sprouts Farmers Market's Gluten-Free & Wheat-Free Guide today. This cool pamphlet has a quick primer for first-time GFers in the front and then goes on to list what is GF in the store by category. What a cool idea and a great resource!

I like going to Sprouts because they have a different variety of GF products than I find at my other usual haunts. Also, it seems that their prices are more reasonable on many items. Also, they carry a wide variety of Lucky Layla yogurt, a great GF drinkable yogurt.

Grilled gluten-free peppers

2009-05-27T13:16:00.002-05:00

This weekend, I experimented with a new pepper griller I got from Amazon.com . It did not come with its corer as promised, however. Be warned!

I had a bunch of cored, seeded jalapeno peppers and also some sweet italian peppers that fit in the holes as well. I chopped up equal parts cilantro, parsley and dill and used a pastry cutter to mash it all into some mild plain goat cheese. Then, I stuffed the herbed cheese into the peppers and put them in the rack to roast.

This was the first time I'd done it myself - they were quite delicious and even the gluten-eaters were eager to divvy up the last of them.

Gluten-Free cupcakes at Central Market

2009-05-20T23:31:00.004-05:00

After everyone had reported back on the cupcakes at Central Market, I had to see and taste for myself! Indeed, there are vanilla and chocolate cupcakes by French Meadow Bakery for sale in the frozen dessert section of Central Market in Fort Worth - and probably in the other stores as well. I haven't checked.

They also have single slices of cake as well as an entire cake for sale. You might want to call ahead, they had sold out of the whole cake tonight.

The cupcakes come in a package of four and sell for $5.99. The taste was above average and the convenience factor beyond compare. I have to confess that I ate two tonight. One frozen and one defrosted. The other two are in my freezer. The defrosting is definitely worth the wait.

Emergency gluten-free rations - Valley Fresh chicken

2009-05-19T17:03:00.003-05:00

I have been looking for gluten-free chicken in a pouch. I have a friend who always has tuna or salmon in a pouch, but I just don't like eating anything that ever lived under water. I recognized that that is very odd, but it is also true.

Anyway, I have been wishing for something similarly portable, gluten-free and versatile. Valley Fresh's chicken actually says gluten free on it. Several other brands contain modified food starch.

So, I plan to take this on road trips where I might have to dine at unexpected places. I can always throw half a pouch on a salad with oil and vinegar and call it dinner. If I have a cooler, I can save the rest for later. Or do what my friend does and eat it along with fresh veggies and fruit that I bring with me.

Pamela's new cornbread mix is a hit!

2009-05-18T09:56:00.005-05:00

Pamela's, which has long been one of my favorite companies because of their consistently good products, has done it again with a brilliant cornbread mix. At first, I was worried because the mix looked very soupy, but it baked up into a marvelous cake-like cornbread. I used their basic recipe and substituted agave syrup for sugar.

I served it to gluten-eaters and they liked it too. In fact, we ended up using it as cake under some panna cotta that my friend had made with a strawberry syrup. If you want a more savory version, there are suggestions on the package for adding jalapenos or cheese.

This is another must-have for the pantry. I can't wait until it's available in stores.

Don't forget - Moving feet without wheat this weekend

2009-05-15T15:12:00.002-05:00

COME JOIN NTGIG’S FAMILY FUN DAY!!

“Moving Feet Without Wheat”

Celiac Disease Awareness Walk

Saturday, May 16, 2009, 10:00AM

Our awareness walk is in TWO DAYS! Please join us at Legacy Park in Arlington to celebrate May as Celiac Awareness Month and to attend our walk. Here’s your chance to raise some money for a great cause, have a fun-filled day at a great park, and eat as much gluten free food as you want! Bring your friends and relatives for this family-friendly day at the park. Registration will start at 10AM. Volunteers will be there around 8AM so come early and beat the crowd. If you would like to come early and help set up, we won’t turn you away!

River Legacy Park is located at 701 NW Green Oaks Blvd., Arlington, TX 76006. http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Arlington&state=TX&address=701+Nw+Green+Oaks+Blvd. Directions from north, east, south and west are attached also, so no matter where you live, you have specific directions.

We have put together 156 baskets full of Gluten Free food, coupons, kitchen utensils and more for the auction which will be held at the park. We also have other items for the auction besides the baskets of food such as two American Airlines tickets, a free night's stay at two different B&B’s in Texas who cater to the GF diet, free dinners at various restaurants, free admission to places like tickets to the Fort Worth and Dallas Zoos, Ranger Baseball tickets, NRH20, two professional portrait sessions, spa treatments and Avon gift baskets for you ladies, gift cards to area grocery stores, and much, much more! You will also have a chance to bid on a diet/nutrition session with one of two of the very best dieticians in the DFW area.

We’ll have a picnic lunch at the park after the walk. NTGIG is providing the meat for the sandwiches and will be providing the bread also. We need YOU to bring side dishes and desserts for your family and to share with others, buffet style. Make sure everything is gluten free. NTGIG is providing the condiments, paper goods, water and ice. Bring your own soft drinks if you want something other than water. We will have water. PLEASE email Shelly Carpenter at shellymcarpenter@msn.com and let her know what your side dishes will be. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Shelly needs to know as soon as possible what you’re bringing. I’ve cc’d Shelly, who is coordinating the picnic foods, in this email so you can save her email address. We want to make sure we don’t have 200 potato salads and nothing else! Besides potato salad, some suggestions might be baked beans (we will have electrical outlets but bring an extension cord), fruit salad, pasta salads, veggie tray, deviled eggs, cheese tray w/GF crackers or pretzels, chips/dips, vegetable dish (either hot or cold), etc. And don’t forget a dessert if you’re comfortable baking GF.

Bring the kids and their friends! We’ll have a calk walk, pillow-case races, spoon/egg races, face painting and LOTS OF PRIZES for all the kids. Load up the car and bring the whole neighborhood!

Betty Barfield

President, North Texas Gluten Intolerance Group

Www.northtexasgig.com

817-929-9227

Cupcake Confirmation - and a good GF outing

2009-05-14T09:40:00.003-05:00

This is from the comments on the last cupcake post:

Lauren Melissari said...
French Meadow GF Yellow and Chocolate Cupcakes are sold at Central Market for $5.99!

I'll have to try one!

Also, I got this awesome post from blog reader Diane Shaw about a Gluten-Free Mother's day that went well. I'm really impressed by their resourcefulness of calling ahead and warning the pizza place that they were bringing their own food. I have shown up at restaurants with part or all of a meal, ordered a soda and a salad and tipped as if I have eaten a full meal and no one has ever been rude, but this sounds really nice.

My husband wanted to take us all out for Mother's Day, but we have the challenges of me being
a Celiac, 2 gluten intolerant daughters, one gluten intolerant grandchild and the rest can eat whatever they want.

The other problem was everyone wanted to go to Grimaldis' Pizza at Watter's Creek in Allen for the atmosphere and the delectable pizza.

We did the unthinkable and called and asked if our party of 10 came for dinner could we bring our homemade GF pizza for those who cannot eat their pizza. After a few minutes on hold
they said "Sure."

We arrived 30 minutes later, they had our table ready and they were so gracious and kind to us. I think it is rare for a restaurant to allow you to bring food in and to be so kind about it. We will visit there again for sure.

Also, Cru wine bar at Watter's Creek was very aware of gluten issues as was PF Chang's.

Unconfirmed rumor of Gluten-Free Cupcakes

2009-05-12T11:32:00.002-05:00

There is a rumor that Central Market has been carrying fresh gluten-free cupcakes in their bakery section. If anyone finds out if this is the case, let me know!

California GF girls are lucky - awesome GF/Vegan Cake decorator

2009-05-08T10:29:00.004-05:00

A friend just sent me this link about Bewitching Elegance Wedding Cakes by a woman in Burlingame, California. They specialize in gluten-free and vegan cakes. Dy's cakes look like unique works of art.

Raw food pie crust is gluten free

2009-05-07T17:49:00.003-05:00

Most raw food recipes end up being gluten free. I asked a friend for a reliable pie crust recipe and he sent me the following:

1 1/2 cups Raw Almonds
2 cups pitted dates

- Blend almonds until powder.
- Blend dates until buttery consistency.
- Combine dates and almonds in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Press evenly in to a parchment-paper lined pie plate.

*It helps after preparing the recipe and whatever filling you are going to use if you refrigerate the pie for a few hours or freezer for about 45 minutes.*

I haven't tried it yet, but it sounds really good. I'll update when I've given it a go! Let me know if any of you guys try it and tell me how it goes.

Last Restaurant Standing used Gluten-Free as a challenge

2009-05-06T13:30:00.002-05:00

A friend told me that BBC America's Last Restaurant Standing used gluten-free customers to challenge their chefs in episode #13. This is very exciting to me because it raises awareness and gets it into the public eye. Similarly, there was a House episode, with a tricky diagnosis that turned out to be Celiac disease - my mom reports.

This is definitely the way we will slowly infiltrate the subconscious mind of everyday America! It can only lead to more options and better information for all of us.

Starbucks has Gluten-Free Valencia Orange Cake

2009-05-05T12:02:00.006-05:00

A wonderful co-worker brought me one of Starbucks' new gluten-free Valencia Orange Cakes to sample today. It is a light-tasting spongy cake with a definite citrus taste and slivered almonds sprinkled across the top.

At 290 calories for a treat the diameter of a tennis ball, I won't be getting it all the time. But it's a fabulous option to have. I had half of it today and will save the rest for later in the week. Now we can feel like "normal" people and have *breakfast at Starbucks with our friends.

*A side note - I routinely bring gluten-free cereal to Starbucks when I meet my friends there for a meal and they have no problem selling me a cup of milk and a banana to eat with it.

TGI Fridays in downtown Austin - very accommodating for gluten-free eating

2009-05-04T16:11:00.003-05:00

Saturday night I was eating with friends at the TGI Fridays in downtown Austin. I tried to pick something off of the menu and told the waiter I had Celiac disease. Minutes later, a manager appeared and let me know that if I wanted to be really careful, I probably shouldn't eat there since they use the same oil for breaded and non-breaded items and have no segregation of grilling surfaces, etc.

I told her I would risk eating something off of the grill and she suggested a plain burger with a side of steamed broccoli and fruit. I thought that sounded fabulous and was amazed and pleased that she had immediately warned me about possible contamination issues. Also, she admitted that they had no idea what ingredients were in their salad dressing.

Of course, it wasn't my favorite meal ever, but I was full and felt fine for the rest of the night. The fact that the manager was so well-informed made me feel comfortable enough to eat there.

More scrumptiousness at Wildwood Art Cafe in Austin

2009-05-01T23:07:00.004-05:00

Wildwood Art Cafe in Austin lived up to its reputation again this afternoon. I brought a gluten-eating friend with me and she loved it, too. I had one of their ding-dongs, which was quite tasty and I plan to eat a cream puff tomorrow. I had my fav, the turkey and provolone sandwich and it was just as good as I remembered. I sampled my friend's order of herbed focaccia and it was worth the nibble. I'll order it next time!

The Tweeterverse goes Gluten Free

2009-04-30T14:23:00.004-05:00

I'm not sure how many of you Twitter, but there is a new Twitter-based phenomenon out there called Twibes. Like Tribes, but Twitterfied. Anyway, there is a gluten-free lifestyle Twibe. I'm intrigued. It's not regional, so it looks like the posts are all over the map, literally. Still, worth a look!

Tell Washington to take Gluten-Free concerns seriously

2009-04-29T14:50:00.002-05:00

I got this email from NTGIG President Betty Barfield, who got it from the Amercian Celiac Disease Alliance

The American Celiac Disease Alliance, our partner in Washington, is asking your help in contacting your State government officials to cosponsor the National Celiac Awareness Bill! You can use the form letter in the website below (or you can compose your own using the same website) to address your Congressman/woman asking them to cosponsor and support the National Celiac Awareness Bill, HConRes 110. All you have to do is click on the Take Action! link and follow the directions. It literally takes no more than 60 seconds to complete this. Join celiacs across the U.S. in getting this Bill sponsorship. We need you to do your part!!

News from the American Celiac Disease Alliance

It's Awareness Month

Take Action!

To meet the needs of patients with celiac disease Congress needs to know how many Americans have the condition. What else? They need to know the symptoms and treatment and the concerns or problems affecting those with the condition.

In just 60 seconds, you can give this important information to your Representative.

North Texas Gluten Intolerance Group meeting coming up May 2

2009-04-28T14:08:00.002-05:00

The next NTGIG meeting will be this Saturday. They'll have cookbook author and celiac Annalise Roberts in person as well as much, much more!

Also, a reminder that the NTGIG's Celiac Awareness event Moving Feet Without Wheat will be held Sat. May, 16 at River Legacy Park in Arlington. I'm sure they'll have lots of info and sign-up opportunities for that at the meeting.

Could it be the gluten-free pretzel recipe of my dreams?

2009-04-23T16:51:00.003-05:00

NTGIG President Betty Barfield just sent this Rebecca Reilly recipe out with her latest news letter. It sounds very promising. I have been craving big, soft pretzels for quite some time. I'll try this out and report back!

INGREDIENTS
3 -2/3 cups GF flour blend or high protein
blend**
1/3 cup potato flour
2 tablespoons rapid yeast
2 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons melted butter
1 ½-2 cups warm water
Cooking water
2/3 cups baking soda
10 cups water
Glaze
1 yolk mixed with 2 tablespoons water

DIRECTIONS
Making the dough
1. Mix the high protein blend, potato flour, yeast, xanthan gum,
and salt together.
2. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium speed, adding
the melted butter and 1-1/4 cup of the warm water.
3. Add enough water to make a soft but not wet dough. Beat for
5 minutes.
4. Cover and let sit for 5 minutes.
5. Beat for 4 minutes.
6. Oil lightly, cover with plastic wrap and place the bowl in a
warm place for 30 minutes.

Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and

sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes or until

browned. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving. **High protein blend: 1 1/4 cup

chickpea (garbanzo) or other bean flour, 1 cup potato starch, corn starch or arrow root, 1 cup tapioca starch,

1 cup fine brown rice flour or sorghum

Chef to Plate at Rio Mambo

2009-04-22T13:58:00.004-05:00

I just found out about this cool event from the NTGIG. Check it out.

Rio Mamb0
May 3rd at 12:30 PM.

6125 SW Loop 820

Fort Worth

RSVP to the Klines (817) 596-8491

Starbucks to offer gluten-free cake

2009-04-20T15:49:00.002-05:00

I saw a link to this on Gluten-Free Living's blog. Starbucks will begin offering a Gluten-free Orange Valencia Cake with Almonds May 5 nation wide. They will have a sample cake unwrapped in the pastry case, but the rest will be served individually packaged to avoid cross-contamination.

What to eat at the Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival?

2009-04-16T16:23:00.004-05:00

I was at the Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival today and saw some of my gluten-free favorites. Nothing that I would eat as a main course, but definitely some snacktackular items including kettle corn, grilled ears of corn and fresh lemonade. I'm sure there were more gluten-free goodies, but those were the ones I spotted while shooting the above video for work.

There were probably turkey legs hiding somewhere, but I didn't see them.

Chadra Mezza & Grill - Fun with good gluten-free options

2009-04-15T13:27:00.002-05:00

Chadra Mezza and Grill

1622 Park Place Ave.

Fort Worth, 76110

(817) 924-2372

I had a fabulous greek salad at Chadra for lunch this afternoon. Although they said their falafel contains wheat flour, I'm sure they have some other great options - like fresh hummus and veggies. I'll have to go back at an off-peak time and find out the complete gluten-free scoop. Also, they have a patio where you can sit and dine with your dog!

I'll definitely be going back.

Even small gestures make Celiacs feel welcome

2009-04-14T16:18:00.003-05:00

My aunt outdid herself as always this Passover - providing me with gluten-free versions of some foods and making sure there was at least one gluten-free dessert on hand. One of my friends, while not a Celiac, has some eating restrictions of her own. She recently went to an Easter celebration where no one had made any effort to cater to her needs.

I certainly don't expect people to have a complete gluten-free meal waiting for me, but when they make the effort, I definitely feel cared for and loved. What I'm saying is, if you're not a Celiac and you invite someone over who is gluten free, even if you just have some fresh fruit on hand, the gesture will be appreciated.

The Cadbury egg debate continues

2009-04-13T13:42:00.003-05:00

After my last post, I received this email from the devoted husband of a Celiac friend.

I just thought I let you know (after seeing your blog item about Cadbury eggs). Megan has checked on these several times, and we don’t believe they are gluten free. She’s very disappointed. This is another posting from another blog.

http://glutenfreewikaduke.blogspot.com/2009/03/hershey-is-not-gf-friendly-company.html

Evidently there is much to debate about this topic here on Celiac.com. I leave it up to you guys to make your own decisions on this issue.

Cadbury creme eggs are gluten-free!

2009-04-07T23:00:00.002-05:00

Someone more GF savvy than I, Elizabeth Barbone, noticed that I had the facts wrong in one of my posts. I said that Cadbury creme eggs are not gluten free because they had glucose syrup from wheat in them. According to Gluten-Free Living, even if the glucose syrup comes from wheat, by the time it is processed it doesn't contain gluten any more. Hello, tasty morsels!

Jen,
Hello! I stumbled across your blog. I just wanted you to know that glucose syrup *is* gluten-free, even if it comes from wheat.

Shelley Case has a section about this in her book, Gluten-Free Diet. And here is a link from "Gluten-Free Living": http://www.glutenfreeliving.com/ingredient.php#glucosesyrup

Gluten-Free Cafe - Asian Noodles

2009-04-07T14:23:00.002-05:00

I'm always excited to try a new frozen gluten-free meal, but I'm not sure this one by Gluten-Free Cafe will be added to my regular rotation. It had a lot going for it in theory - gluten-free and vegetarian, but at 340 calories, there were 10 g of fat and only 8 g of protein and lets not even talk about the carbs. It tasted OK, about the same as other similar dishes I've had from Amy's or Ethnic Gourmet, but not spectacular.

Still, I'm excited that this company has made the commitment to verify for themselves that their product truly is gluten free and I'm hopeful that I'll enjoy other dishes of theirs in the future.

Survey for Celiacs

2009-04-06T19:38:00.001-05:00

Click Here to take survey

If you have a few minutes - I think it took me 5 actual minutes - to take a survey to contribute to research about Celiac disease, click above. You'd be helping out Vimi Shukkoor of the University of Colorado.

FritoLay ID's gluten-free products

2009-04-03T10:29:00.002-05:00

This may not be a surprise to all of you guys, but Frito-Lay identifies their gluten-free products on their website. They even have two lines of products made in dedicated GF areas. I recently purchased some of their mini bags of Smartfood popcorn products which I will be trying out soon.

Upcoming NTGIG meeting this Saturday

2009-04-02T17:35:00.002-05:00

Time: Saturday, April 4, 9AM-12PM Celiac 101 Class; 10AM-12PM Regular Support Group Meeting

Place: Richland Hills Church of Christ, 6300 NE Loop 820, N. Richland Hills, TX 76180 (directions/map on the website www.northtexasgig.com)

They'll be discussing a very cool upcoming Celiac Awareness Event - Moving Feet Without Wheat

Come join us on Saturday May 16, 2009 at River Legacy Park in Arlington for the North Texas GIG's Moving Feet Without Wheat. This event is a fundraising event for the Gluten Intolerance Group of N.A. (our parent organization), North Texas GIG and The Center for Celiac Research in Baltimore, MD promoting celiac education, awareness and research. This will be a family friendly fun day complete with a gluten free picnic, a kid's carnival including a bounce house and plenty of GF tastes, raffle baskets of GF food and silent auction items.

Gluten-free Passover recipes

2009-04-01T17:51:00.002-05:00

I received these from Karen Beleck - you can get on her listserv by emailing her at oatmatza@gmail.com

Remember that potato starch recipes, common at Pesach, are gluten free, and the chocolate cake recipe here is a compilation of several that were sent in. I am also including some references for those of you who are new to this diet.

Have a wonderful, healthy holiday, and a terrific year! And please continue to share the information with others who need the matza to celebrate Passover. Thanks for being an Ambassador for health.

The recipes and extra's in this letter are in order of the following:
- Gluten-Free Matza Balls
- Hope Levy Kotts' Spinach Kugel
- Flourless Chocolate Cake (2 Different Recipes)
- Macademia Torte
- Chocolate Dipped Macaroons
- Poached Pears
- Gluten-Free Recipe References

Sincerely,

Karen Beleck
Your Oat Matza Lady

Gluten-Free Matza Balls:

Ingredients:
2 Eggs
2 Tablespoons Canola Oil
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Club Soda
1/2 Cup Gluten-Free Oat Matza Meal

Directions:
Beat eggs with a whisk until lemon colored. Add oil, salt, and club soda. Beat well. Mix in Matza Meal (do not over mix). Let stand at room temperature for a few minutes (some people put in the freezer for a few minutes, some people put in the refrigerator for a few minutes. This person found that leaving the mix stand at room temperature worked best. You can experiment for yourself and see what works best for you).
Roll dough into small 1/2 inch balls.
Fill pot halfway with water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and drop balls into the water. Cover and let simmer for 45 to 60 minutes. Matza Balls are finished when they are white and fluffy in the center. If yellow, cook 10 minutes more. (Some people freeze matza balls until time to heat).
Heat soup or broth. Add cooked Matza Balls.

Enjoy!!

Hope Levy Kott's Spinach Kugel (Dairy):

Ingredients:
2 16oz. Bags Chopped Spinach, defrosted with all the excess water squeezed out
1 lb. Ricotta Cheese
4 Eggs, beaten
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
Ground Pepper to Taste
Juice of 1 Lemon
1/2 Cup EACH of Parmesan Cheese and Ground Almond Meal, mixed together
Oil, for the pan
Paprika

Directions:
Preheat Oven to 375 F, grease 9x13 baking pan.
Mix all ingredients together, EXCEPT paprika and 1/4 cup of parmesan/nut meal mix.
Spread spinach in baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese/nut mix over the top.
Sprinkle with Paprika.
Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes MORE until top begins to brown.
Can be served Hot or Cold.

Flourless Chocolate Cake - 1:

Ingredients:
4 oz. Gluten-Free Bitersweet Chocolate
1/2 Cup Gluten-Free butter or margarine
3/4 Cup Sugar
3 Eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa

Directions:
Grease a 7 or 8 inch Spring Form Pan or Round Pan. Line bottom with a circle of wax or parchment paper and grease the paper.
Break enough chocolate into pieces and put with butter/margarine into a microwave safe bowl that will be big enough to eventually hold all the ingredients.
Cover bowl with plastic wrap and microwave until chocolate and butter are melted, being careful not to melt them. (Depending on the strength of the microwave, it could take anywhere from 1.5 to 4 minutes).
Remove from microwave. Stir until chocolate and butter are well mixed. Add sugar and mix well. Add eggs and keep mixing well. Sift cocoa onto mix and stir until just mixed.
Put batter into greased pan. Bake at 375 F for 25 minutes or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake for 5 minutes then invert onto a plate.

Topping Suggestion:
Sift unsweetened cocoa or sweet ground chocolate onto cake, then sprinkle with cinnamon.

Flourless Chocolate Cake - 2:

Ingredients:
4 oz. Fine-Quality Bitersweet Chocolate (not unsweetened)
1 Stick (1/2 cup) Butter/Margarine
3/4 Cup Sugar
3 Large Eggs
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

Directions:
Preheat over to 375 F and grease an 8 inch round baking pan. Line bottown with a round piece of waxing paper and grease the paper.
Chope chocolate into small pieces. In a double boiler, melt chocolate with butter over barely simmering water until smooth. Remove top of double boiler and whisk in sugar. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.
Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven for 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust.
Cool in cake pan on rack for 5 minutes. When cooled, invert onto a serving plate.

Cake keeps, after being cooled completely, in an airtight container for 1 week.

Macademia Torte:

Ingredients:
5 oz. Unsalted Macademia Nuts
8 oz. Bitersweet Parve Chocolate Bars
2 Tablespoons instant coffee, dissolved in 1/3 cup water
4 Eggs, seperated
12 Tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) parve margarine, cut in pieces and softened
1/2 Cup Potato Starch
1/2 Cup Sugar, divided
Pinch of Salt
6 oz. Bitersweet Parve Chocolate Bar (for the glaze)
2 Tablespoons Instant Coffee, dissolved in 1/3 cup water (for the glaze)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 inch round cake pan, cover botton with a circle of wax paper that is cut to fit. Grease the paper.
Toast macademia nuts on a baking sheet in oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden brown, DO NOT LET BURN. Cool. Raise oven temperature to 375.
Melt chocolate and coffee in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in egg yolks, one at a time. Return pan to medium heat and stir gently until mixture is slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in margarine, mixing until blended.
Using a blender or food processor, grind nuts until fine but NOT oily. Add potato starch and 1/4 cup sugar to nuts. Add to chocolate mixture. Beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form.
Add remaining sugar, a little at a time, still beating until soft peaks form. Fold whites into chocolate mixture.
Pour into cake pan. Bake 24 minutes, until cake is puffed and knife inserted in center comes out with slightly creamy coating. Cool on rack 45 minutes before removing from pan. Cake may sink and surface crack.
Meanwhile, melt chocolate and coffee for topping in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Cool slightly. When cake is cool, invert onto a serving dish. Remove paper and spreak glaze over top and sides. Refrigerate (preferrably overnight), or freeze. Remove from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.

Chocolate Dipped Macaroons:

Ingredients:
1/4 Cup Matza Meal
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
4 Large Egg Whites
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
4 Cups Unsweetened, Shredded Coconut

Directions:
Preheat over to 350 F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Sift together matza meal, sugar, and salt. Whip egg whites until stiff peaks form, then fold in the matza meal mixture. Fold in vanilla extract and coconut. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. Let cool on wire rack.
These freeze very well.

Chocolate Dipping:
Melt chocolate in microwave for 1 minutes (time may vary according to microwave strength). Stir well to see how much more melting time is needed. (You can also melt the chocolate in a double-boiler until smooth). Dip macaroons into chocolate to coat top half or one side. Put onto wax paper covered plate or cookie sheet and harden in the refrigerator.

Poached Pears:

Ingredients:
2/3 Cup Dry Red Wine
2/3 Cup Water
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Strip Lemon Rind (more can be used)
1 Cinnamon Stick
4 Ripe Bartless Pears (just cook longer if not ripe)
Slivered Almonds for Garnish (optional)

Directions:
Cook wine, water, sugar, lemon rind, and cinnamon stick over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil for 3 minutes.
Peel pears, leaving stems ON.
Plave pears in liquid and poach (covered) until soft - at least 30 minutes. Turn pears gently during poaching time.
Remove pears from liquid, continuing to have the liquid boil until thick and syrupy. Pour syrup over pears.
Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.
Garnish with slightly toasted almond slivers if desired.

Gluten-Free Recipe References:

**Many people sent in "Recipe References," recipes that they have tried that can be found in different cookbooks. Here are some of those Recipe names and the cookbooks they come from.**

1. Unbelievable Brownies from Passover by Design

2. Flourless Chocolate Torte from Kosher by Design

3. Flourless Cakes from Tyler Florence on www.foodnetwork.com

4. Flourless Cakes from Scott Adams on www.celiac.com

5. Some people suggest just trading out regular Matza Meal and using the Oat Matza Meal.

Make your own Gluten-Free Paneer

2009-03-31T11:34:00.004-05:00

I usually consider Indian food to be gluten-free-friendly, but several times I've gone to buy pre-packaged paneer and found that it had modified food starch in it. I don't know why this simple fresh cheese would need it, but there it is, rearing it's ugly head.

I found this easy recipe online at www.majulaskitchen.com and tried it out last night. I confess after I started pressing it, I fell asleep and so mine pressed all night instead of the recommended one or two hours.

This morning, I unwrapped it and found a perfect hunk of paneer. It was firm and tasty.

Here is the recipe from Majula's Kitchen. Go to their site for more ideas and variations.

Ingredients:

8 cups (half gallon) milk
1/4 cup lemon Juice

Method:

Mix lemon juice in half cup of hot water and put aside.
Boil the milk in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, making sure not to burn milk.
As the milk comes to a boil, add the lemon juice gradually and stir the milk gently. The curd will start separating from the whey, turn off the heat.
Once the milk fat has separated from the whey, drain the whey using a strainer line with cheesecloth, or muslin cloth.
Wrap the curds in a muslin cloth, rinse under cold water, and squeeze well. This process takes out the sourness from the lemon.
To take out the excess water, press the wrapped paneer under a heavy pan for about 1 hour.

Get a rheumatologist

2009-03-30T16:55:00.002-05:00

You guys may be ahead of me on this one, but I had no idea until recently what a rheumatologist was. They are doctors who specialize in autoimmune diseases - which is what Celiac disease is. If you're in the DFW area, I recommend my doctor - Dr. Stern at Rheumatology Associates. Many people with Celiac disease have some other autoimmune diseases.

If you go to a rheumatologist, they can evaluate you for those other issues. Also, they will give you a full panel of gluten antibody tests and you can see if your body is reacting to getting gluten. This can help you figure out if your diet is really as gluten-free as you think. Even if you already see a gastroenterologist, adding one more doc is worth it!

Market Street Cooking Class sounds heavenly

2009-03-27T14:28:00.002-05:00

I just got this reminder from NTGIG President Betty Barfield. It sounds absolutely scrumptious!

Sat. Mar. 28th, 11a.m.-1:00p.m. Market Street Cooking School, 5605 Colleyville Blvd, Colleyville - Gluten-Free Vegetarian Favorites: Classically trained chef, Claudia Pillow, will demonstrate gluten-free vegetarian dishes that are not only simple, but delicious enough to please the meat eater in all of us: Pesto Brie Pizza, Spinach Goat Cheese Pie, Roasted Ratatouille with White Bean Salad, Multigrain Sandwich Bread, and Angel Food Cake. Call reservations at 817 577-5047. $29.00 per person.

Betty Crocker gluten-free mixes

2009-03-23T17:05:00.002-05:00

This sounds so fabulous! Check out this blog entry from kill.the.gluten. Betty Crocker has several new gluten-free mixes out including one for brownies and one for chocolate chip cookies. They all sound heavenly!

Oat Matzo - Gluten-Free and Kosher for Passover

2009-03-20T15:16:00.002-05:00

Passover is nearly upon us! For those of you looking for gluten-free matzo or matzo meal, this is the site for you http://www.glutenfreeoatmatzos.com. I had some of their sheet matzo last year and it tasted very similar to what I remember "traditional" matzo tasted like. The only difference was it was a little more fragile.

I ordered mine delivered to my aunt's house and it was there within a matter of days, but I suspect that as we get closer to the holiday it might take longer so order soon.

Cadbury creme eggs are gluten-free!

2009-03-18T12:09:00.003-05:00

Turns out the Cadbury Creme eggs are safe. Even if Glucose syrup comes from wheat it as been processed to the point where there is not gluten left in it.

Rice Chex and Corn Chex go Gluten Free!

2009-03-17T14:42:00.002-05:00

What a blessing this would have been last week when I was traveling and realized I'd forgotten my cereal. I saw this in an email from NTGIG President Betty Barfield:

http://glutenfreepost.com/?p=909 Good news from General Mills! Not only have they made their Rice Chex cereal gluten free, they have also made their Corn Chex cereal gluten free. Click to contact General Mills or call 800-248-7310 and thank them for this move to serve a large consumer group who desperately needs more main-stream grocery store products to eat that are also cost effective. Check the boxes closely to make sure the Corn Chex you pick up says “gluten free” on the box. Some older boxes may still be on the shelf. Betty

Honey Stinger 20g Protein Bar

2009-03-16T11:15:00.003-05:00

Be still my beating heart, but I think I've found the meal-replacement bar of my dreams for an active day. At 390 calories, this is not a snack, but the Honey Stinger 20g Protein Bar is delicious and kept me going on it and water for about 8 hours of climbing and hiking yesterday. It's so filling, that I only ate 1/3 at a time a couple of hours apart.

They are normally $2.39 but are on sale now at REI for .99! I stumbled upon them the other day. They are coated in chocolate, so that may melt in hot weather. But they are made with whey protein and honey, so they don't have that awful aftertaste so many high-protein bars have.

They come in several flavors, but my favorite so far is Dark Chocolate Cherry Almond Pro.

If you used to depend on Cliff Bars for a meal, this could be a viable Gluten-Free alternative for you!

Eating gluten-free at Outback Steakhouse

2009-03-11T11:21:00.003-05:00

I had heard there was a decent gluten-free menu at Outback Steakhouse. I had a very satisfying dinner there just this past weekend and was very impressed with their service and attention to gluten-free detail. They remembered not to put the seasonings on my veggies, etc.

The menu is very detailed and includes mixed-drinks and miraculously some fabulous desserts including their infamous Chocolate Thunder from Down Under. Unfortunately, due to trying to be calorie conscious, I didn't sample it this time. If you're looking to splurge on your diet while staying gluten free, though, this is the place to go!

How gluten-free is gluten free?

2009-03-09T15:46:00.002-05:00

I've been asking myself this a lot lately. As an experiment, I've been bringing my lunches from home the past few weeks and limiting my eating out to once a week. This is good for the waistline and the wallet as well. I've been having a lot more energy and feeling more upbeat despite layoffs at work and a garden variety of personal problems. My new diet is also higher in fiber and protein and has a lot more whole fruit in it, so I'm sure all that plays into it, but I have my suspicions about the gluten.

On a recent road trip, I stopped by a Wal-mart and to my surprise saw they had several gluten-free salads to go in their refrigerated section including what looked like a lovely mozzarella and tomato salad. So, I think it's possible to sustain this new diet even if it will take some advanced planning even on the go.

I'd love to know what you guys have found out - how gluten-free are you?

PureFit Bars could be the answer

2009-03-05T15:09:00.005-06:00

PureFit bars are high in protein, gluten-free and still edible. They also have enough carbs to keep you going. Pure protein bars can actually make you feel more tired. I've been searching for a decent meal-replacement bar for hiking, traveling etc. I had one of these and some strawberries a few days ago for lunch and it hit the spot.