Mix 1 package of Pamela's Pecan Shortbread cookies, crushed, with 1/4 C margarine or butter, melted. Press into a 9" pie pan. Preheat oven to 350 and bake this crust only for about 5 minutes if using a pumpkin pie filling. Cool. Pour in the filling, cover the edge of the crust with foil, and bake according to your pie filling instructions.

I had extremely poor success previously, both with a conventional gluten-free pie crust, and even a purchased frozen gluten-free pie crust. Both were so tough they could not be cut with a knife! So this Thanksgiving, I tried two pies, one with the above crust of my invention, and the second on with crust made from almond meal from a recipe found online. The almond meal crust was okay, but the crumb crust made with Pamela's pecan shortbread cookies was "to die for." My son is 22 and he was very disappointed when this pie got gobbled up so fast. He said that it was the first pie crust he'd ever liked enough to eat it all of the crust. This was absolutely wonderful for pumpkin pie!

I'm a public relations professional and have worked in this industry for many years, enduring more than my share of work luncheons, social gatherings and banquet dinners, like the one I'm attending tonight with a client. When I do attend these events I'm always apprehensive beforehand, worried that my meal could somehow be contaminated, in spite of my best efforts to be as proactive and prepared as can be before walking in the door.
 
Normally, I contact the catering manager of the event I'm attending beforehand just to clarify that they know exactly what gluten-free eating and food preparation is all about, because there have been instances, like the experience I had last week at a luncheon, when the dish was supposedly gluten-free but was not. For example, last week I was at PR luncheon for a group that I belong to and I'm also the front person who interacts with the caterers of this particular hotel. They have served me many gluten-free meals throughout the year, and have always been correct, so last week as I sat down to my plate of Tri-tip and steamed veggies, I thought I was in the clear. As I looked around the table at the other plates that has a nice looking sauce over the meat, I felt safe that they had omitted that from my plate and all was well - not so. I took one small bite off the most cooked end of the meat and thought, "wow, this is pretty good"...then it hit me..."this is way too tasty to be gluten-free and non-marinated." So there I sat at the table with nine other colleagues, as I politely chewed and tried to decide how on earth I could dispose of this contaminated bite without totally embarrassing myself. I quickly summoned over the waiter and explained my suspicion, asking her to check with the chef. Sure enough, they had marinated my gluten-free Tri-tip in soy sauce and seasonings. A very close call.

It is tough enough to try and be super conscious and prepared in these situations; without having to worry that the chef won't get it right, but you know what...there are NO guarantees. Which is why I highly recommend to any and all of you to always, always make every effort to combat this situation before you arrive at an event or party. I'm sure we can all swap stories about what it's like to be sitting at a large table and when the waiter gets to us we have to go through our gluten-free spiel about exactly what we can and cannot eat, only to become the sole focus of conversation hence-forth, with questions like, "so you can eat meat?? or was that wheat? Now what do you have?"....sigh, right?!

I love a fun party or even work event from time to time, but I have learned the hard way and continue to learn, that we Celiacs can never, ever be too careful or too prepared in these types of situations because behind kitchen doors, so many things can go wrong via miscommunication and when we are relying on someone else to pass along our important message, there are risks.

I would love to hear from any and all of you about some of your stories or anecdotes regarding similar situations and what you do to prepare.

Wish me luck tonight!

Cheers

Just one milligram. That is truly all it takes. As mentioned by Dr. Thomas O’Bryan in Unlocking the Mystery of Wheat and Gluten Intolerance, that is just one sixteenth of the size of a fingernail.

During the lecture caught on camera, Dr. O’Bryan talks about a woman whose intestines were badly damaged by her continued ingestion of gluten and refused to heal, because she was ingesting just one milligram of gluten per day.

And considering the range of symptoms that celiac disease is capable of, ranging from neurological to intestinal, it seems entirely possible that gluten absorbed through the skin may even manifest in ways that are unfamiliar.Ways that to you and I may be harder to pinpoint, harder to associate with gluten. So why then do we risk it?

Consider the number of personal care products you use in a day. If you sit down to list each one from toothpaste to mascara, you will likely find as many as 20, as few as 10. And if most of those products contain gluten, isn’t is entirely likely that the skin, our largest organ, which is capable of absorbing up to 60% of what is applied to it topically (according to Good Housekeeping Institute) can absorb one milligram?

All of us with gluten sensitivities are held accountable for something of utter importance: our health. And it is the realization of the vast improvement of our health and well being when adhering to a gluten free lifestyle that motivates us. We prepare our own foods, we call restaurants ahead of time, we eat before a party, we share with others our wealth of gluten free knowledge. And manufacturers are responding. That is one of the most exciting things—to see our efforts being realized!

They are even formulating cosmetic products with us in mind, replacing wheat germ derived Vitamin E with that from corn.  Leaving out hydrolyzed wheat proteins—a major ingredient in shampoos and hair products. In a sense, slowly but surely, they too are going gluten free. And perhaps this will help more than just those who are already diagnosed. Perhaps some of the 97% undiagnosed gluten sensitive will notice the influx of gluten free labeling and question their own health and diet. Maybe just by looking out for our own health and families, we truly can help spread the word!

My husband and I had been in “survival mode” for about 3 months; back in October of 2000, our then-18-month-old daughter was getting strong and healthy on the gluten-free diet.  But I needed more for my sanity.  I couldn’t keep feeding my daughter only hamburger, eggs and French toast until she was 18.  I needed to find people battling the same issues as me.  I tracked down the only celiac support group in my area, but it catered to adults.  But that is where I met the women who were about to change my whole perspective on managing a gluten-free childhood.

With just three families, the women started a local support group for parents back in 1998.  “[We] knew that we could all help each other if we banded together”, co-founder Julie Jones says of those days now 10 years ago. Lynda Benkofske is the other co-founder of the Twin Cities Raising Our Celiac Kids chapter in Minnesota.  “I wanted to network with other families that were dealing with ‘kid stuff’ [like preschool and fast food restaurants]“, Lynda recently told me.  My family became one of those families Lynda was talking about.  We went to our first meeting in October of 2000. It was great!  I felt so empowered; like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.  “We could comfort parents who were frustrated that no one else understood the difficulty of what they (and their child) were going through.  I still feel that rewarding feeling every time I leave a meeting today”, Jones says.  Clearly the group struck a chord.  In ten years, the Twin Cities ROCK chapter went from 3 families to 180+ families.

The meetings also enlightened me about everything from gluten-free donuts to McDonalds French Fries; food information that was priceless to me and helped me persevere through the tough times.  A 2007 study supports what I and many others have felt.  Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts found: “…support groups may be a productive way to improve…adherence to gluten-free diets.”   The findings were no surprise to Jones, who said the study “…matches what we have seen at meetings over the years.”

The research looked at what issues might affect a celiac’s adherence to the gluten-free diet including anxiety, depression, difficulty in finding gluten-free foods, and the avoidance of gluten to avoid symptoms.  The findings showed the cost of gluten-free food and “…changes in mood and stress levels affected the ability to…follow the gluten-free diet.”  It said the solution was to provide patients with education and support group connections; patients who followed through were more likely to stick with the diet.

Shelley Gannon, wife of retired NFL quarterback Rich Gannon told me she agrees. “The information [members of the parents’ support group] shared was invaluable”.  She believes “…everyone should be a part of a group in some way.  There is no way one person could learn all the information [by] themselves.”  The Gannon family was a very early supporter of this group and groups like it after their daughter Danielle was diagnosed at a young age.

So what can you do right now if you are struggling to find a support group?

• Find an online support group to get you started.  You can find one almost instantly using any search engine.  In an online support group, you will always find someone available to help you with questions until you find a traditional support group. 
• Get into a traditional support group. If you attend a support group in person, you will likely find it to be a more personal and rewarding experience.  Building a personal network can strengthen your confidence in conquering this diet.
• Be an Innovator!  If you still can’t find a group that is a good fit, Benkofske recommends starting your own, “…if you have the passion to help others while at the same time helping your own family, go for it!” 
  

So here’s to you being savvy, getting inspired and saving your sanity!  Become a gluten-free groupie!

Even just a few years ago, gluten-free shoppers were going to grocery stores with papers in hand, making sure they were reading ingredient lists correctly. In fact, in that first year after my daughter’s diagnosis, my average time at the grocery store doubled–and so did my bill.

But now, technology is making it a lot easier for us to navigate the aisles with more confidence and a lot less paper. I recently received a notification online that talked about an application for the iPhone that helps you access gluten-free ingredient lists.The software developer, Clan Thompson, also makes the software for Smartphones and pocket PCs. It is great for companies to seize on the need for easy access to gluten-free information and create software like this.

But dare I utter the words…Is the application worth it? You may be saying “how could it not be worth it? ”Well I’m personally not quite there yet. It’s not that I’m afraid of technology–although my husband might say I am. And it’s also not because I don’t have an iPhone or a Smartphone. It’s because I don’t understand why you need an application for something you can just find online using your cell phone with internet access.

I set out to get some answers. I checked in with my iPhone connections: my sister-in-law and my celiac brother. I asked them to check out the “app” –as the tech-savvy cal it– but I also gave one a link to a gluten-free ingredient list and another link to a forum that has an ongoing product list. How do they rate?

First thing they both said: “the application costs $24.99” and my sister-in-law Dani Kassner added “…which is a little spendy”. Clan Thompson developed the software, and says on its website it “…will provide new versions quarterly, but you must purchase them individually. ”From what I gather, you could be paying as much as $99.96/year for updated gluten-free lists on the iPhone.

Software for a SmartPhone is $29.95, but at least double that for a year subscription which includes updated information. No matter which one you buy, the application for the “Celiac Food Smartlist” says it “…makes it easy to find gluten information on over 18,669 products.” It is a good start. My brother, Dave Cook, who has celiac didn’t buy the application, but says in general he finds iPhone “apps” user-friendly.“If this app can put the gluten-free database at your finger tips, and make it easy to search, [we’ll probably] be buying it”, he said.

In comparison, what did my “guinea pigs” find when they checked out the regular web links I sent them? “The [ingredient] link…worked great for me…” my sister-in-law reported. My brother said the forum site with the product listings was “tedious” to get to, but it worked and he could read it.

Thankfully we live in a time when we can make the choice: pay extra for the “app”, or just stick with the good ol’ World Wide Web. What do you do? I would love to hear about your innovative ways of using technology to help you handle the gluten-free diet. As for me, I’m pretty old fashioned. I either look it up online before I leave the house or at a last resort, I print up a list and bring it with me to the store. I know…someone just get me a cane.

Over the past few weeks I have made two trips to Denver, CO—one to visit family—and the other for work.  During both trips to the Mile High City, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the knowledge of celiac disease and eating gluten-free is fairly prevalent. I always worry a bit before heading to a new location, or different part of the country/world, not knowing what the level of celiac awareness will be, but on these two particular ventures to Colorado I was very happy and excited with what I found!

In my opinion and from my experiences, I have found that eating out at perhaps more "up-scale" restaurants seems to be a safer bet vs. faster food or even take out. I don't mean this to sound "snobby" in any way, shape, or form, but it seems that higher-end restaurants want to get it right and take more care with their meal preparation—now, I realize that this is by no means a 100% guarantee for eating safely just because you are paying more for your food, but from my experiences I have found that wait staff and chefs seem to be much more educated when it comes to eating gluten-free, under these circumstances.

With that said, the two Italian restaurants that I visited in Denver, one for a lovely dinner with my brother and the other for a late lunch/dinner, were both terrific.  Truly, one of the highlights of this week's business trip to Denver was discovering the restaurant Panzano, in downtown Denver on 17th Street. At first I was a bit alarmed with the limited "bar menu" we had to choose from given the time of day, but I quickly learned that our server was very educated on eating gluten-free.  He guided me through the menu and went out of his way to create a gluten-free Caesar salad, and wonderful antipasti plate that was fabulous, but the best part of the experience was when our server asked if I would like my own basket of gluten-free focaccia bread! Uhhh, "what did you say?" I replied...I continued, "Are you SURE it's gluten-free and safe"...he responded "Yes, it is" and they do all the fresh gluten-free baking every day in their bakery that's designated for celiacs and not contaminated.  In that case I said, "PLEASE bring me some bread! And wow, was it delicious—I ordered two plates!

The other restaurant that I visited was in the downtown Theatre District, called Prima Ristorante. It was also very enjoyable, sans the focaccia bread! The restaurant is tucked inside the lovely Hotel Teatro on 14th Street and is well worth the visit, especially if you are looking for a safe and enjoyable dining experience. I had ordered a wonderful asparagus appetizer and a salmon entree that they specially prepared for me in a separate, gluten-free pan. Our European waitress was very aware and double-checked everything I put in my mouth, including reviewing every ingredient in the homemade sorbets that they serve. I felt very well taken care of, and therefore was able to fully enjoy a rare dinner with just my brother and me.

The next time any of you are in Denver, I encourage you to visit either or both of these great restaurants and enjoy all the delicious choices offered and care given to you during your meal.

Enjoy and safe travels!

With the holidays looming on the horizon, invitations to highly-anticipated dinner gatherings are arranged. I usually dreaded any environment involving food because, much to my dismay, the buffet tables arrayed with decadent dishes and gluttonous enticements are all gluten laden, and I realize I cannot even consume a morsel, and I’m ravenous! So, how do I avoid the drama of starvation or anti-socially concealing myself in a corner sipping water? I follow two guidelines to assure a pleasant social experience.

First:
Call the host in advance. Explain in simple terms your dietary restrictions. And when I mean simple, don’t verbally vomit medical terms and intimate, symptomatic details, but specifically list foods that you can and cannot eat. Even if the host appears to comprehend your situation, don’t expect them to accommodate or fully understand you. So then...

Second:
BYOD (Bring Your Own Dish): After my explanation, I always offer to bring my own food to relieve the cook from added labor (and to guarantee that my food isn’t cross-contaminated in spite of the cook’s good intentions). Yes, as I consume my "special dish" while others inhale turkey with stuffing, I may receive inquisitive stares and be bombarded with personal questions, but, as my husband says, it is what it is. At least I’m not dealing with a low-blood sugar episode!

After explaining to a friend the prescribed action for celiac disease or severe gluten intolerance—a lifetime avoidance of gluten from wheat, barley and rye—I am often met with the sympathetic reply, “that must be really difficult.”

 

As someone living with severe gluten sensitivity, I know that most days it’s not so bad, and only occasionally do I rush starving into a convenience store voracious, in search of any allowable snack.  Though ultimately, I, like most would still argue that living without gluten is much easier than living with it and all of its awful effects.

 

IBS, constipation, gas, bloating, brain-fog, acne, rosacea, dermatitis herpetiformis are all symptoms of celiac disease and gluten intolerance.  So is it easier to treat, accept and mask any one, or even all of these afflictions or to shop specifically for gluten free foods, cook more meals at home, order off the menu and read food and cosmetic labels?

 

Of course, I do occasionally long for the days when a lazy Friday evening dinner required no more than dialing up a pizza company.  But when I recall my life before going gluten free, the days during which I was 10 pounds heavier, fighting off unexplained acne breakouts, brain-fog and other digestive troubles, all of which required multiple medications and treatments, I can easily reply, “It’s really not so bad.”

Hello all you Celiacs,

I posted the article, "When Mistakes Happen, Focus on Comfort", with the best of intentions, but the feedback has been pretty controversial, taking me completely by surprise.  Obviously these recommendations are not going to help everyone.  Anyone who knows anything about Celiac Disease knows that the array of possible symptoms varies tremendously.  I am also unhappy that people seem to be trying to one-up each other on the misery scale, and that needs to stop, please.  We should all be trying to help and support each other, and part of that is to validate each person's suffering.  There are ways to decrease one's extreme sensitivity to things that offend our immune system.  Integrated Manual Therapy (IMT) is one that I hope people with severe gluten intolerance will try to explore, as I personally have received tremendous benefit from this therapy.

I was born and raised a Catholic, yet, upon my diagnosis with Celiac Disease, I began to question the theory of Karma, and whether or not it does in fact exist. In Eastern Religions, through the laws of Karma, the effects of all deeds actively create past, present, and future experiences, thus making one responsible for one’s own life, and the pain and joy it brings to them and others.  I have wondered many times - why me? Why do I have Celiac Disease? Then the answer smacks me directly in the face…why not you?

I was always the person at a restaurant who ordered with what I like to call "flair." I realize the server dreaded people like me; those who never order what is on the menu, but rather a variation of it. I was never the kid who longed for the burger with the special sauce, or the pickles, or the onions, or even ketchup with my French fries. I was the one who asked for no mayonnaise, sauces on the side, and hold any condiments that are runny or fragrant in any way.

Yes, I was a child who adults would refer to as "picky." I was the daughter who refused to eat meatloaf because of the way my Mom mashed it together with her hands. The dinner date that chose to pass on the salad because mayonnaise-based dressings were as unappetizing as the venison my Dad hunted in the mountains. Over the years I became adept at specifying how I wanted my meals cooked at restaurants, and sending it back when it was wrong. This is why I’ve thought that Karma has come back to haunt me. Many times, I even resorted to telling restaurant employees that I was allergic to mayonnaise, so that they would give me a new bun rather than just scraping off the original. I am not proud of my fib, yet it did prepare me for life with Celiac Disease. Anyone with gluten intolerance who has eaten at a restaurant, either by themselves or with a child or a spouse, has received a blank stare when they alert servers that they are allergic to gluten. I call it, “the deer in the headlights look”—it is that confused wide-eyed gaze that is occasionally followed by, “What?”

My immediate response is to inform them that I am unable to eat wheat, and cannot have anything with it touch my plate, or be cross-contaminated by it, on any cooking surface. I have sent salads back when a stray crouton has been found next to my sliced tomatoes. I’ve been chuckled at by teenagers who are unaware of how serious my condition is, and whose immediate response to something they don’t know is confused giggling. I have left a dinner party starving because the only item that was gluten-free was the carrot sticks. Like I said, it just might be Karma, coming back to haunt me.

Who would have thought that one day I would be wishing for just one of those hamburger buns that made my stomach churn upon seeing it slathered with ketchup? I never dreamed the day would arrive when I would be a difficult diner out of necessity, rather than motivated by sheer dislikes. I am now the woman who has to ensure that her French fries are not cooked in the same oil as breaded products, a traveler who carries along her own toaster so that her frozen waffles can be toasted without intestine-sacrificing bread crumbs...a mom who tells her children that they should try each thing on their plate, just because they are able to.

What have I learned since being diagnosed with Celiac Disease? Primarily, that eating is just plain difficult, and there is absolutely no way to get around the added worry, cost, and inconvenience of gluten intolerance. Yes, it is easier and more reassuring to eat at home where I can control exactly what foods I am consuming, but is that always feasible? With children in after-school activities, there are nights when we are forced to eat on the run. When we travel there are times that we must eat at restaurants. Then there are the evenings when my husband and I are lucky enough to hire a babysitter and go out for a nice dinner and have our meal prepared and our dishes cleaned for us.

Before eating out, I go online and do research, to ensure that I am only eating gluten-free foods. We choose restaurants where there is a specified gluten-free menu, which oftentimes is limited to a very few number of selections. When cooking at home, I attempt to stick to the basics; consuming primarily meat, dairy, fruits and vegetables. I praise whole food markets and grocery chains who have embraced a greater understanding of food intolerance and allergies, and offer alternative ingredients for cooking. Likewise, I have also found that by shopping gluten-free, I can easily double our family’s grocery bill for the month.

Do I really believe that Karma has come back to haunt me? No, not really. With the number of young children diagnosed with Celiac Disease, combined with all of the non-picky eaters out there, I suppose it is just a case of genetics, along with bad luck. I do look forward to the day when there will be more stores carrying gluten-free choices. As awareness increases, so do the chances of eating at a restaurant, and having an unlimited amount of dishes to choose from, as well as staff trained on food intolerance issues. I long for a day when a bag of gluten-free flour does not cost four times that of its wheat counterpart. When that day arrives, I know, Karma or not, that we have made it.