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Great News for Gluten-free Gin, Whiskey and Vodka Lovers
Jefferson Adams posted an article in Additional Concerns
Celiac.com 02/20/2015 - Most all gins and whiskeys, and many vodkas, are distilled from grain. While many people with celiac disease and gluten-intolerance can drink them with no adverse effects, many others cannot. These brands of gin, whiskey and vodka are made with gluten-free ingredients, and safe for people with celiac disease and wheat sensitivity. So anyone with celiac disease who has been missing their gin or whiskey can now happily indulge. Cheers! GLUTEN-FREE GIN Cold River Gin is distilled from potatoes. The company’s website says that, like their world-famous vodkas, their gluten-free gin is made with whole Maine potatoes and the pure water of Maine's Cold River. Cold River uses a recipe that “dates back to the early days of British gin,” and contains their own “secret blend of seven traditional botanicals that are steeped for the perfect amount of time to infuse the essential flavors.” GLUTEN-FREE WHISKEY Queen Jennie Whiskey, by Old Sugar Distillery is made entirely from sorghum. The idea of a whiskey made from gluten-free grains is sure to excite anyone with celiac disease who longs for a wee dram. The company’s web page says that Queen Jennie is made with 100% Wisconsin Sorghum, and is “Less sour than a bourbon and less harsh than a rye.” GLUTEN-FREE VODKA Corn Vodka—Deep Eddy, Nikolai, Rain, Tito’s, UV Potato Vodka—Boyd & Blair, Cirrus, Chase, Chopin, Cold River Vodka, Cracovia, Grand Teton, Karlsson’s, Luksusowa, Monopolowa, Schramm Organic, Zodiac Monopolowa is one of my favorites, and is usually available at Trader Joe’s. Cold River gluten-free vodka is triple-distilled in a copper pot still, from Maine potatoes and water from Maine's Cold River. Tito’s award winning vodka is six times distilled from corn in an old-fashioned pot still, just like fine single malt scotches and high-end French cognacs. Tito’s is certified Gluten-free. -
Celiac.com 11/22/2012 - Thanksgiving is upon us once again, and celiac.com is again offering gluten-free information, tips and recipes to help make your gluten-free Thanksgiving and holiday celebrations a smooth and delicious success! If you are planning a gluten-free turkey dinner at home, these helpful tips will make your work easier: First, always make sure you buy a 100% gluten-free turkey for your holiday dinner. Don't assume your turkey is gluten-free. Numerous brands use gluten when processing their turkeys, so be sure to read the label, and to make sure there is no hidden gluten in any of the ingredients. Check our extensive list of safe gluten-free foods and ingredients, along with gluten-free shopping guides to make gluten-free shopping easier. Brining is a great way to prepare your gluten-free turkey that will leave your guests quizzing you about your secrets to such a moist, savory bird. For those of you who plan a smaller Thanksgiving, consider this recipe for stuffed Cornish Game Hens. Remember, you can also brine the game hens for a extra-moist, flavorful birds. Next, make sure to prepare a gluten-free stuffing! Don't risk cross-contamination by putting gluten-based bread or stuffing ingredients in your turkey. Gluten-free stuffing is a holiday staple that keeps them coming back for more. Be sure to check out Celiac.com's recipe for our tried and true gluten-free holiday stuffing that will keep your guests happily coming back for seconds. You can find some alternative stuffing recipes on celiac.com's forum. Be sure to prepare gluten-free gravy. If you don't want to prepare your own, be sure to use a gluten-free gravy mix. Thicken homemade gravy with either corn starch, tapioca or arrowroot flour. Be careful: Bouillon cubes often contain wheat or gluten, so make sure to use only gluten-free bouillon cubes. Lastly, ordering gluten-free baking ingredients and other hard-to-find items, like prepared gluten-free pies, ahead of time will help you to spend less time cooking and more time with friends and family. Many excellent prepared gluten-free products can be ordered online and delivered directly to your door from places like the Gluten-Free Mall. Your purchases there will directly support the celiac awareness and support mission of Celiac.com. Here's a recipe for a delicious variation on traditional mashed potatoes: Roasted Garlic Chive Mashed Potatoes https://www.celiac.com/uploads/monthly_2012_11/chive-mashed-potatoes--cc--wonderyort.jpg.46f39e5186ef436855b2e9d6d1354f72.jpgIngredients: 5 large russet potatoes (about 4½ pounds), peeled and cut into chunks 1 head of garlic (8-10 cloves), roasted 1 cup fresh cream, warmed ¾ cup (1½ sticks) butter, room temperature 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives Salt and freshly ground black pepper Directions: Use a knife to cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top of cloves, exposing the individual cloves of garlic. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, and wrap in foil. Place in oven at 400 degrees F, and roast for about 30 minutes, until cloves are soft. While garlic is roasting, wash and peel potatoes and cut into 6 chunks each. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to a large pot of water, add potatoes and boil until the potatoes are soft (about 25-30 minutes). When garlic is soft, remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Once cool, place garlic on a plate and use a wooden spoon to squeeze roasted garlic out of the clove. When potatoes are done, strain them into a colander and let stand for 5 minutes to allow them to steam dry over the pot they were cooked in. Mash the potatoes. Stir in the cream, butter, roasted garlic, thyme and chives, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately. For a sure-fire dessert hit, serve up some Classic Gluten-free Holiday Pumpkin Pie. Round out your gluten-free dinner with gluten-free side dishes from Celiac.com's extensive listing of gluten-free recipes. Meanwhile, be sure to check out these other gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes that will help make your holiday dinner a success: Spiced Pumpkin Soup Red Pepper Pumpkin Seeds Cranberry Sauce with Ginger and Raisins (Gluten-Free) Roasted Acorn Squash (Gluten-Free) Butternut Squash Soup with Apples (Gluten-Free) Baked Apples (Gluten-Free) https://www.celiac.com/uploads/monthly_2012_11/gluten-free_pumpkin_pie--cc--liz_davis217.jpg.0c22516112227d64ee1dd8c2890bb9c3.jpgIn addition to our ever-popular recipe for Classic Gluten-free Pumpkin Pie, we offer this delicious recipe for gluten-free Ginger Crust Pumpkin Pie. Whether you plan on dining at home, dining out, or dining at a friend or relative's house, check these web sites for helpful gluten-free tips and information: Ali Demeritte's blog entry: The Dinner Party Drama—Two Guidelines to Assure a Pleasant Gluten-Free Experience. Danna Korn's article: Venturing Out of the House: Restaurant Realities. Aimee Eiguren's blog entry: Eating Out Gluten-Free and Without Fear. Chef Daniel Moran's article: Traveling and Eating Gluten-Free at Restaurants. Chef Daniel Moran's article: Traveling and Eating Gluten-Free Meals at Small or Moving Restaurants. HuffingtonPost Gluten-free Goddess Pinterest PNW Local News
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Nursing Home Care—The Great Challenge for the Celiac
Curtiss Ann Matlock posted an article in Winter 2016 Issue
Celiac.com 03/30/2016 - The woman's voice, polite but firm came over the line: "We cannot accommodate your mother." "You can't accommodate her?" I wondered if I'd heard wrong. "No. We just had a team meeting and it was decided we cannot accommodate your mother because of her diet." "Oh." The line hummed as I took in both the news and the woman's frosty tone. The previous week the woman, the admissions coordinator of the nursing home, had been all warm and inviting, even eager to have my mother. Finally I came out with, "Well…thank you for letting me know," and the line clicked dead as the woman hung up. I had not seen this coming. I hadn't realized that a nursing home would, or could, turn down a patient based on the need for a therapeutic diet. I thought the reason for a nursing home was to care for ill people. When I toured the nursing home, the woman proudly proclaimed the facility as being on Newsweek's top recommended list, and gave the appearance of understanding my mother's gluten-free diet, saying, "My niece has told me of it. She's convinced me to eat more gluten-free." The woman went so far as to take notes on my mother's preferences, her love of sleeping in and drinking coffee, and then plopped in my arms a thick packet of Medicare forms. In all ways she had been exceedingly pleasant. Indeed everyone I met at the facility had been pleasant. Purring cats roamed the facility's hallways, birds sang from cages, and they even had a pot-bellied pig in the shade of a tree that could be seen through a window, all for the comfort of the patients. It struck me that they could do these many things for their patients, but feeding one small woman with celiac disease a gluten-free diet was beyond them. My mother is eighty-eight years old, a pixie with a contagious smile and genteel Southern manner. She was diagnosed with celiac disease at the age of seventy-five. At that time she was on daily use of a nebulizer, sleeping half days and could not leave home and the bathroom unless she took Imodium. The diagnosis and strict adherence to the gluten-free diet returned her to an active life. She took up painting and driving her aging neighbors out to enjoy shopping. A year ago, in rapid succession, a mass was found in one of her lungs, glaucoma took her sight and a stroke impaired her right hand and memory. For months, she required caregivers around the clock. Today she is mobile with the aid of a walker and can manage nights on her own. She can do one thing for herself, and that is get herself to and from the bathroom. Everything else must be done for her—bathing and dressing and maintaining clothes, medications, food preparation, working the television and her bedside radio. On occasion she will get confused and afraid, so I try not to leave her alone for more than an hour. With the aid of private caregivers and hospice assistance, I have been able to keep her in my home, where she has lived for the past six years. However, her funds are depleting for private care, and there is no one to help me care for her. After the disappointing phone call from the nursing home admissions coordinator, I sat thinking over all the above facts and allowing myself a sizable hissy fit. Then I gathered myself together and took another look at the nursing home facilities in my area. For the next two weeks, I sought more information and made lists. My plan was to be better prepared in knowledge and approach. Running on the theory that it is lack of knowledge that causes the fear of a situation, I put together information on my mother: a list of her conditions, needs and food preferences. Because of no longer having teeth, nor wearing dentures, and her advanced age, she needs soft foods, her favorites being eggs and Vienna sausage, puddings, bananas. At the time she would eat mashed chicken and some vegetables, all simple things. I wanted to reassure the admissions director and staff of the nursing facilities that my mother was easily cared for, and that I was willing to help with her food. I also had two brochures from Gluten Intolerance Group: a single sheet on celiac disease itself, and a color glossy brochure, put together in cooperation with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, entitled Celiac Disease in the Older Adult. I hoped to engage the interest of people whose primary aim and business is providing healthcare to the elderly. What I discovered is a general lack of any interest in the welfare of the elderly. The young woman admissions coordinator of my second choice of facilities, a modern, airy facility, answered my question about their kitchen and possible meeting with the dietary manager, with, more or less, "I've shown you around the building. I don't know what else you want to know." Then she added, "And right now we don't have any female beds available." At another facility, the admissions coordinator brushed aside any idea of speaking with the dietician. She did not know what celiac disease was, but assured me they could, "probably handle it." The best facility that I found had a waiting list of at least forty names. They stayed so full that they did not provide temporary respite care. Even so, the admissions coordinator showed me around the building, which was very old, and the sight of an elderly blind woman slumped uncomfortably in a wheelchair in the hallway haunted me. Yet their menu posted on the bulletin board seemed promising. "We do home-cooking," the coordinator said proudly. Then she glossed over my request to see their kitchen and meet the dietician. She admitted to never having heard of celiac disease, but said, "We've had many people with uncommon conditions," and put my mother's name on the waiting list. My eye followed her fingers working the pen far down the yellow legal pad. When I offered to leave the brochures about celiac disease with her, she did not even glance at them, but dismissed them with a sweeping wave, saying, "Oh, there's no need." Weeks passed. My mother's hospice social worker joined in on the search. She found a facility willing to give the respite stay a chance. "They've had a previous celiac patient," she said. By now I was quite skeptical, but also curious with this news. The facility she suggested was the closest near my home, and I could easily visit each day. I agreed to meet with the admissions coordinator. The woman said that, yes, the facility had had a previous patient with celiac disease. It was the experience with this patient, who had been uncooperative and would steal food off other patients' trays, that caused the hesitation on their part. "But we're told your mother wouldn't do that," she said. Upon studying the fact that my mother was quite incapable of snatching food anywhere, the admissions coordinator said they were willing to offer respite care. I was impressed (surprised is the better word) when the coordinator called the dietary manager to meet me. He read the diet listing I had made up for my mother and said they would have no trouble in providing for her. I volunteered to bring her favorites of chocolate pudding and canned peaches and Vienna sausage for times they might have things she could not eat, and of course any homemade gluten-free cakes. We packed my mother up, and she went for her week respite at the facility. Her long-time caregivers went as well to provide support in the strange environment, help her learn her way to the bathroom, and to circumvent the inevitable glitches. The first day for lunch in the dining room, my mother was brought Vienna sausages (which I had provided), nothing else. My mother's caregiver went to the kitchen and inquired of the cooks, surveyed the kitchen and the menu of baked chicken and broccoli and how it was cooked and said, "She can have that." We began to wonder how the previous patient had been fed. I also began to wonder if anyone even glanced at the diet I had printed for my mother. However, the glitches that week were small. My mother ate well, enjoying their broccoli and branching out to embrace canned spinach. We learned the main reason the facility could and did for that week, succeed in feeding my mother quite well was that they had a full working kitchen and did not rely on food service, where all the meals come prepackaged. The respite week also worked because of my mother's private caregivers. They monitored the food and educated the kitchen staff. The dietary manager went so far as to voice his gratitude to one of the caregivers for helping them learn what my mother and could not eat. While it appeared no one read any of the dietary information, over all the stay went well enough that a month later, I decided to try it for long term care. The plan was to have her private caregivers ease my mother through the transition for approximately a month, and then gradually reduce their hours, as the nursing home staff learned my mother's needs. We believed it possible to educate the staff. The first week went fairly smooth, with a few expected glitches. After that, things went downhill. A semi-soft diet had been requested; this never materialized. My mother's food would be placed on her tray in her room, and left, covered. Either my mother's private caregivers or I had to come in and help my mother eat. Mom's private caregivers continued to mash any meat and large chunks of vegetables, such as sweet potato served still in the skin. They continued to intercept sandwiches on bread and dishes of cake and snack cookies left on her tray. Throughout all of this, my mother's caregivers or I consulted with the dietary manager and the kitchen staff. We thanked them for the good food when it came. We explained again what she could and could not have. We formed the habit of checking each day's menu and writing out foods from that menu that my mother could eat. The kitchen staff accepted these menus and taped them near the stoves. When there was nothing on the menu that my mother could or would eat, we suggested easy canned substitutions. Sometimes she got these substitutions, sometimes not. Then came the day when I was told that for the evening meal my mother had been served a hotdog and fries of some sort, both too hard for her, or anyone, to eat. (Keep in mind we are paying for this food.) My mother's caregiver took her back to the room and served my mother her snack cakes and pudding I had provided. Her roommate shared in the cakes, because she had come in too late from her dialysis treatment to get dinner. Why her tray had not been saved for her, I have no idea. I had never seen this woman provided any sort of special diet, and she was both diabetic and had kidney disease. The following morning I also I learned one of the kitchen staff responsible for following the therapeutic diet said to my mother's caregiver: "Oh, she doesn't need that diet. That's all made up." I faced the fact that providing for my mother was too much trouble for the staff, and they were simply unwilling. My mother was never going to get the food nor the care in eating that she would require at this facility. As of this writing, my mother is back home. Private caregiver hours have been drastically reduced. I am able to do this, for now. Here are some chilling facts: Studies indicate that today in our country not only are the incidents of celiac on the rise in all age groups, but the median age for celiac diagnosis is just under 50 years of age, with one-third of newly diagnosed patients being over the age of 65.* (Celiac Disease in the Elderly, Shadi Rashtak, MD and Joseph A. Murray, MD) This is the age group who are the primary caregivers for themselves and their parents. This is the age group who more often must undergo surgeries and stays in rehabilitation nursing facilities. Couple the above figures with the fact that we are an aging population. At the current rate, the number of people age 65 and older is projected to double between now and 2050. The baby boomers, responsible for the great population growth, now average over the age of 65.* (An Aging Nation: The Older Population in the United States, by Jennifer M. Ortman, Victoria A. Velkoff, and Howard Hogan, U.S. Department of Commerce, Economics and Statistics Administration, U.S. Census Bureau.) These simple facts paint a picture of a growing challenge. We must be able to provide short and long term nursing home care for the many celiac patients around us today—my mother, myself, the number of over-60 celiacs I've talked to—as well as the tidal wave looming on the horizon. In addition, we have other food intolerances on the rise, and we have the needs of those with diabetes and kidney disease and other conditions requiring dietary restrictions. At present, all of these people, not only those with celiac, are being overlooked and discounted. I have no solid answers to this immense problem. I do have suggestions on things that can be started. The celiac community must recognize and begin to talk seriously about the problem of dietary care in nursing homes. Printing up a glossy brochure with the advice to have the doctor write an order for a therapeutic diet is a start. We have to step out more aggressively with ways to educate and implement therapeutic diets in a real way. We have programs in place educating restaurants and the food industry. Let's get aggressive with the health industry. Of course, my experience is that these facilities do not want to be educated. This is where legislation is required. We need to lobby for legislation that requires compliance in the nursing facility industry, in the same way that food labeling compliance was attained. Further, we need to support the push for legislation for a required number of CNAs per patient in nursing home facilities. At present, there are laws only governing the minimum number of RNs required per patient in nursing facilities. * (Minimum Nurse Staffing Ratios for Nursing Homes, Ning Jackie Zhang; Lynn Unruh; Rong Liu; Thomas T.H. Wan, Nurs Econ. 2006;24(2):78-85, 93.) There are no mandatory minimums for the number of CNAs, the people who actually do the bulk of the patient care—those who would monitor a person's diet and help that person to eat. At present the nursing home facility is allowed to choose for themselves the number of CNAs they need. I remarked to a friend that there were a number of camps for children with celiac disease, places the child could get away and enjoy and eat safely. "Well, what about for the elderly?" my friend said. "It seems if they can do it for kids, they could do it for the elderly." What about the elderly? This is our new challenge—to make certain those elderly people with food sensitivity needs are well cared for.- 43 comments
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Celiac.com 04/12/2017 - Researchers at Hiroshima University say they have perfected the science behind a new bread-baking recipe. Developed by Japan's National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, NARO, the method uses rice-flour to produce gluten-free bread with a similar consistency and volume to traditional wheat-flour loaves. Now, rice-flour based gluten-free breads are old hat, but they've long had a reputation for being dry, crumbly, soulless creations that pale in comparison to even the cheapest traditional breads. The Japanese rice bread is 100% natural, and offers a consistency and texture similar to wheat breads. Breads made with wheat flour are soft, spongy and chewy in large part because of gluten's ability to form a flexible matrix. This matrix provides stability for the thin dough/bread walls, which are formed between CO2 bubbles produced by fermenting yeast. It also enables bread to "rise" in response to increasing CO2 levels during the baking process. Since standard rice flour contains no gluten, the researchers needed to develop a new method that would bring these vital bread characteristics to their gluten-free bread. NARO solved the problem by using a specific type of wet milling process to produce their rice flour. The wet-mill process to make flour for gluten-free bread permits the formation of a microstructure of the fermenting batter, and in the resulting loaf, creating tiny bubbles coated in uniform undamaged starch particles in suitably supportive matrix. The research team found that this process created properties previously unseen in rice-flour; properties arising from the undamaged starch particles created by the milling technique They dub this supportive matrix "stone walls,” and they apparently form due to the surface activity of the undamaged starch granules. It appears these granules are able to lower the surface tension of water, and reduce the likelihood of collapse in the formed bubble walls. The result is spongier, chewier bread. Some of the researchers suspect that the stability of the undamaged starch bubble is due to the uniform hydrophobicity of the similar sized granules, and that these cause an interface between damp gaseous air pockets and the liquid batter. Whatever the exact reason, this "stone wall" matrix allows bubbles to grow and expand as interior CO2 levels increase, which leads to superior bread loaves. This technique has the potential to revolutionize the gluten-free bread industry. Stay tuned to see how the story evolves. Source: Sciencedaily.com
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Celiac.com 11/10/2017 - Gluten-free foods are more popular than ever, and the range of choices and the availability of gluten-free products continues to expand. One of the more significant changes in the last few years has been the entry of major players in a market once dominated by small companies. General Mills has taken their ubiquitous Cheerios line gluten-free, and is now one of the largest manufacturers of gluten-free food in the U.S. Udi's has grown from a once small company into a gluten-free bread giant. Major retailers like Amazon have taken a bite out of numerous smaller businesses. The gluten-free graveyard is piled high with the bones of once great companies that gave up the ghost. Here are some gluten-free companies that used to be popular, but are now out of business, went bankrupt, or no longer selling gluten-free products: Bimbo's Goodbye Gluten Blue Ribbon Bakery Bready Bye Bye Gluti / Gluten Out Cookies for Me Dads Pizza Crust Del's Gluten-Free Eats El Peto gluten-free Meals / Your Dinner Secret Gia's Gluten-Free Bakery Gluten Free A2Z Gluten Intolerance Essentials Glutenfreeapp.com Gluten-Free Artisan Bakery Gluten-Free Trading Company, LLC / Gluten-Free Warehouse GlutenFreeVitamins.com / Point Natural Gluten Less Dining The Lean on Me Baking Company Meals in a Minute Nostalgic Cookies S'Better Farms Sofella The Lean on Me Baking Company Toovaloo Gluten Free Versameal Zeer.com Do you remember any of these once proud gluten-free companies? If so, share your recollections in our comments section. And definitely let us know about any we missed.
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Celiac.com 09/01/2009 - I recently passed a milestone, upon reaching the first anniversary,since my celiac disease diagnosis. There was no golden coin or awardceremony, but rather a sense of personal accomplishment. Although itis true that I feel better not eating gluten than I have in years—Istill miss my former diet every single day. I no longer crave glutenfilled meals, nor do I feel sorry for myself, as often as I did,immediately following my diagnosis. Yet, I still find it necessary tojustify my condition whenever I get confused looks at dinner parties orpotlucks. There are also the days when I will pass a pizza shop orhave a craving for a glazed donut with my morning coffee. It is inthose moments when familiar pangs will resurface and make me long forjust an instance that I could put on my gluten shield and indulge. Itwas at this time last year, that I celebrated my first summergluten-free. I ate at only restaurants with gluten-free selections, Ibegan dabbling in store bought wheat-free mixes, and jumped up and downin my kitchen the day my husband discovered a gluten-free bakery,several towns away. Last summer was also my first opportunity totravel gluten-free. It was during those normally carefree months thatI attended a Family Camp, at a retreat center, in the mountains. Although I meticulously planned for the trip; packing clothing, extratennis shoes, swimming essentials, and toiletries—I neglected toremember that I now had dietary limitations which would possibly have atremendous impact on the outcome of this family weekend. Yes, I packedgluten-free breakfast bars and fresh fruit, but that was it. I didn’tcall ahead and ask if they had menu options for celiac sufferers, nordid I plan for lunches and dinners. Walking into the retreatcenter dining hall among the smell of fresh baked bread, pasta salad,and breaded chicken made my mouth water like one of Pavlov’s dogs. Iglanced around the table to see salad drizzled with vinaigrette andrealized that was all I would be eating for the day. My head began toache and tears stung the back of my eyes. I inwardly cursed myself formy lack of preparation. I am the mother of three young children, thewife of a deployed soldier, a responsible and organized woman—yet Icompletely forgot to prepare for a weekend in the mountains, withceliac disease. I soon learned two of my fellow campers alsosuffered from gluten intolerance and was informed that there wasgluten-free bread and peanut butter, in the kitchen. I breathed a sighof relief as I walked up to the chef and asked him if I could possiblyhave a slice of gluten-free bread. He looked at me and responded,“sure, but this is the only loaf we have, so when it’s gone, it’sgone.” He was completely put off by my request and irritated thatthree celiacs would arrive at his retreat center, simultaneously,forcing him into a position to alter his meals for dietaryrestrictions. I grabbed the smallest slice of bread in the loaf,ensuring that the young boy with celiac would have food to eat, andwalked out of the kitchen, in tears. That was one year ago, andalthough the date on the calendar has changed, I am still coping withmy condition and learning to travel gluten-free. My husband recentlyreturned from his yearlong deployment to Iraq, and decided it was timeto treat the family to a couple days of fun-filled water adventure;with a trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Grand Mound, Washington. It wouldbe an understatement to say that my children were excited—rather, theywere beyond ecstatic at the prospect of water slides, swimming pools,and the giant bucket of water which spills and drenches everyone in itspath, every few moments. I packed my morning gluten-freebreakfast bars, alongside of my toddler’s swim diapers, and we hit theroad, ready for an adventure at Great Wolf Lodge. As I prepared formeals of bunless hamburgers and grilled chicken Caesar salads, minusthe croutons, my children began psyching themselves up for the thrillof a rushing waterslide. I wasn’t sure how food allergies would begreeted at this indoor water park, as was I nervous for a reoccurrenceof past experiences. My ultimate hope was that my Celiac Disease wouldbe understood and recognized for its seriousness. The Loose Moose Cottage Onthe first evening of our stay, my husband suggested eating at The LooseMoose Cottage, to partake of their dinner buffet. After being seatedin a comfortable booth, we ordered our drinks, before I perused ourselection of food for the evening. The buffet was quite organized witha variety of offerings assembled in different ethnic sections featuringMexican food, Italian food, and Chinese cuisine. There was a selectionof sautéed vegetables, potatoes, and sliced roast beef; a kid’s stationwith macaroni and cheese and mini corndogs, a salad bar, and a dessertstation. After preparing my children’s’ plates, I approached a chef,as she refilled the nacho tray, and asked if the enchiladas were madeusing corn or flour tortillas. She informed me that they were madewith flour before asking if there was something she could help me with.I told her that I have celiac disease, and expected to explain to herwhat that was; yet was surprised as she began walking down theselection of foods, informing me one-by-one which were safe for me toeat. As I kept up with her, amazed at her accommodating demeanor, sheworked all the way from the Mexican food to the salad bar. She thenwalked back to the kitchen and returned with two pieces of gluten-freegrilled chicken breast. As I was thanking her, she offered to make megluten-free pasta. When I declined, she told me that if I would likethem to make me pasta the following day, to let the kitchen know andthey would be more than happy to prepare it for me. My personalreview of The Loose Moose Cottage: The food was good, the service wasexceptional, and the atmosphere was accommodating for my family. Theonly thing which would have made dining easier would have been if eachdish’s ingredients were listed on a sign beside the dish itself. Poolside Grill During our afternoon of swimming, we ventured outside where staff wereoffering grilled hamburgers and hotdogs, along with potato chips anddrinks. The smell of the grill was invigorating—after several hours ofswimming, we were starving—so my husband and I decided it was time fora power lunch. I requested a hotdog, without a bun. The chef lookedat me and asked, “Do you have celiac disease?”I nodded my headand said, “Yes, I do.” Then I watched with astonishment as sheimmediately removed the plastic gloves she had been using, beforereplacing them with new gloves, and sticking my hotdog on a clean partof the grill. When I questioned her about her knowledge of foodallergies, and specifically celiac disease, she explained that GreatWolf Lodge has a lot of guests with food restrictions and the chefsmake every effort to be knowledgeable and helpful. My personal review of the Poolside Grill: The food was delicious and the staff was informed and respectful. Bear Paw Café The smell ofthe Bear Paw Café began wafting through the air the moment I exited theelevator. This small café is not to be taken lightly by the averagedieter, with the aroma of delicious desserts; fudge, ice cream, bakedgoods and popcorn. Typically, this is an area I would avoid; however,I decided that in order to fully assess the food selections of theGreat Wolf Lodge, it would only be fair to visit the bakery. Plus, Ireally wanted a piece of fudge. When I approached the personat the counter and explained that I was unable to eat anything withwheat in it and wondered if they had any gluten-free offerings, shesmiled and went to find a person more capable of assisting me. A bakercame out from the kitchen and greeted me with a smile, before tellingme that her mom has suffered from Celiac Disease for twenty-years. Shethen pointed out the assortment of gluten-free fudges and offered tomake me gluten-free cookies. Although I was tempted to take her up onthe cookies, I rather, chose a piece of fudge. I can say, without adoubt—it was delicious. My personal review of the Bear Paw Café:The fudge was delicious and the service was exceptional. I do wishthere was more of a variety of baked goods for those with foodallergies; such as wheat, peanut, and egg-free ingredients. Camp Critter Forour final meal at the Great Wolf Lodge, we ate at the Camp Critterrestaurant. After a day of swimming, we were all completely famishedand felt at home in the warm atmosphere of this sit down restaurant. The menu had a variety of kids’ meal offerings, as well as adultselections ranging from burgers, to salads, to steaks. I was onceagain met with a server who was knowledgeable and sympathetic to mydietary restrictions. I asked for a cheeseburger, without a bun, andwhen it was delivered, I was informed that my fries were made inseparate oil, to avoid cross contamination. What can I say; it wasAll-American dining, and my entire family enjoyed it. Mypersonal review of Camp Critter: Although the menu did not have avariety of gluten-free selections; the food I chose was preparedgluten-free, cooked well, and the staff was accommodating and helpful. After two fun-filled days of water bliss at the Great Wolf Lodge, wedeparted for home, exhausted, and with chlorine seeping out of ourswimming suits. I rate our trip 5 of 5 stars—it was a great get-away,and I didn’t feel hindered by my celiac disease. And on a side note…mykids thought the water park was amazing.
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Celiac.com 07/29/2016 - There's a great little story by Pete Brown about his visit to the Zatec brewery in the Czech Republic. Officially known as Zatecky Pivovar, but called Zatec, the brewery offers both an interesting war history, and a great dark beer that just happens to be gluten-free. Zatec makes both their main brand, the light 11° pilsner, and another brand called Celia Dark. The company used to make a dark beer called Xantho, but now sells only Celia Dark as their main dark beer because, says Martin Kec, managing director, "no one can tell the difference." Most gluten-free beers are made with non-barley grains, such as sorghum, which is naturally gluten-free. The problem is that many of these beverages cannot be considered beer under German law, and many don't taste all that great either. But Celia is brewed with barley, just like normal beer, then de-glutenised with the addition of a special enzyme that breaks down the gluten molecules, binds to them and sinks to the bottom of the fermentation tank, where it is then filtered out before bottling. Rather than thinking of it as a gluten-free beer, says Martin, it's more useful to describe it as a great beer that just happens to be gluten-free. Read more in the Morning Advertiser.co.uk.
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Celiac.com 11/27/2015 - The results of the 2015 Great American Beer Festival are in and the big winner in the gluten-free category is Ghostfish Brewing of Seattle, which brought home the gold and the bronze in that category. Washington Breweries did very well overall, raking in 13 medals across all categories. The Gluten-Free Beer category had 24 submissions, with Ghostfish Brewery taking home the gold for their Watchstander Stout, and the bronze for Ghostfish Grapefruit IPA, while Portland’s Ground Breaker Brewing took home the silver for their IPA No. 5. See the Ghostfish website for a full list of Ghostfish Brewing’s award-winning gluten-free beers. A complete list of all GABF medal winners can be found at SeattlePI.com.
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Good, spicy chicken wings are a heavy favorite in my world, and another tasty favorite that I've had to skip when dining out, due to the fact that they are nearly always dredged in flour before cooking. This recipe will help you recreate the taste of your favorite restaurant wings. They are sure to please your guests, and make a big hit at the next showing of Monday night football, or your weekend sporting events. Ingredients: 24 chicken wings 1 cup tapioca flour ½ teaspoon paprika ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon garlic powder ¼ teaspoon onion powder ½ cup Louisiana Hot Sauce (gluten-free) ½ cup butter 1 dash ground black pepper oil for deep frying Directions: In a small bowl mix together the tapioca flour, paprika, cayenne pepper and salt. In a large glass dish, toss chicken wings with flour mixture until evenly coated. Cover dish or bowl and chill in the refrigerator for an hour or so. In a deep frying pan, heat oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Use just enough oil to fully cover wings, about an inch or so. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine butter, hot sauce (Louisiana brand is gluten-free), pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Stir together and heat until butter is melted and mixture is well blended. Remove from heat and reserve for serving. Fry coated wings in hot oil for 10 to 15 minutes, or until parts of wings begin to turn brown. Pull finished wings from the pan and place on paper towel to dry. Once the wings are dry, place them in a serving bowl. Pour in the hot sauce mixture and mix well. Serve with your favorite gluten-free Ranch Dressing (I like Annie's Naturals Cowgirl Ranch Dressing).
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Crunchmaster Cheezy Crisps are Great Gluten-free Snacks
Scott Adams posted an article in Product Reviews
I recently tried Crunchmaster's Cheezy Crisps, which are little triangle-shaped gluten-free cheese-flavored rice crackers, and I must say that it was hard to put them down! This is the type of snack where one serving size may as well just be "one box" because it is that difficult to stop eating them. The first thing you notice when you put one in your mouth is the taste of real cheddar cheese, which always goes great with crackers. They taste almost like you are eating a piece of baked cheddar cheese, which reminds me of the fact that the crackers are baked and not fried, so they are healthier than some alternative cheese snacks that are on the market. I also like the fact that they use 100% whole grain corn and brown rice flour as the base of these crackers, and there is 22g of whole grain per serving (which means that I almost had 88g of fiber!). Overall I think these crackers would be a good addition to any party, or just to have around for your kids or yourself--just make sure you don't eat the whole box! For more information visit their website. Note: Articles that appear in the "Gluten-Free Food Reviews" section of this site are paid advertisements. For more information about this see our Advertising Page. -
Recipes for a Great Gluten-Free St. Patrick's Day
Jefferson Adams posted an article in American & British
Once again St. Patrick's Day is upon us, and that means it's time for everyone to get their Irish on. In addition to coloring your favorite gluten-free beer to a rich Irish green, eating tasty Irish dishes is a great way to celebrate.> This year, we've got a recipe for the easiest, tastiest Irish-style lamb stew ever. We have another recipe for Fried Irish Cabbage with Bacon, which makes a great side dish for the stew. And we've also got a recipe for sinful, decadent frosted gluten-free brownies made with Irish Cream liqueur. First, the stew. If you are looking for a departure from the standard corned beef and cabbage, this recipe for lamb stew will do the trick. This stew is tender, savory and delicious, and will set those Irish eyes to smiling every time. Irish-style Lamb Stew Ingredients: 2 cups gluten-free beef stock ½ cup dry white wine 1 pound cubed lamb meat 4-6 brown mushrooms, quartered 1 large onion, halved and sliced 1 pound baking potatoes, peeled and sliced 1 carrot, peeled and sliced 1 large stalk celery, sliced 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat parsley salt and pepper to taste Directions: Place layers of lamb meat, onion, potatoes, carrot, mushroom and celery in an oven-safe pot or casserole dish. As you build each layer, season with parsley, salt and pepper. Pour in the beef stock and the wine and cover tightly. Bake for 1½ to 2 hours in an oven preheated to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Bake until vegetables and meat are nice and tender. Divide into bowls and garnish with additional parsley. Serve. Corned Beef (Gluten-Free) For those who do plan to make corned beef, you should know that most commercial corned beef is gluten free. Some brands that are specifically labeled 'gluten free,' or which the manufacturers' websites claim to be gluten-free, include: Brookfield Farms Colorado Premium - all corned beef products Cook's Freirich - all corned beef Giant Eagle Grobbel's Gourmet corned beef briskets Hormel Libby's Canned Meats (Corned Beef and Corned Beef Hash) Market Day: Corned Beef Brisket Mosey's corned beef Nathan's corned beef Safeway, Butchers cut bulk-wrapped corned beef brisket, corn beef brisket, vac-packed cooked corn beef Thuman’s cooked corn beef brisket, first cut corned beef (cooked and raw), top round corned beef (cooked), cap and capless corned beef Wegmans corned beef brisket. There are other brands not listed that are also gluten free. Be sure to check the ingredients on the package, including any extra seasonings. Some labels may list natural flavorings, which rarely contain gluten. Still, if you're not sure, try to check the manufacturer's website, or maybe check with your butcher to find a brand you can be sure is gluten-free. Gluten-Free Corned Beef Recipe Ingredients: 6 pounds corned brisket of beef 6 peppercorns, or gluten-free packaged pickling spices 3 carrots, peeled and quartered 3 onions, peeled and quartered 1 medium-sized green cabbage, quartered or cut in wedges Melted butter (about 4 tablespoons) Directions: Place the corned beef in water to cover with the peppercorns or mixed pickling spices (in supermarkets, these often come packaged with the corned beef). Cover the pot or kettle, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 hours or until tender, skimming occasionally. During the last hour, add the carrots and onions and cover again. During the last 15 minutes, add the cabbage. Transfer meat and vegetables to a platter and brush the vegetables with the melted butter. Serve with boiled parsley potatoes, cooked separately. (The stock can be saved to add to a pot roast or stew instead of other liquid.) Serves 6, with meat left over for additional meals. Also, after a bit of tinkering, we've modified the recipe for our version of traditional Irish Soda bread. Irish Soda Bread Soda bread is one of those Irish staples that have a cherished place in the hearts on many, many people, both within and beyond Irish borders. This gluten-free version will get you about as close to authentic versions as you can get without including gluten. Please note that this version skips caraway seeds, because I hate them. However, if you are so inclined, you can add a tablespoon with the last dry ingredients before baking. Lastly, feel free to check out our earlier versions of Irish soda bread here, and in our last St. Patrick's Day article. Great Gluten-free Irish Soda Bread Ingredients: Vegetable shortening for pan White Rice Flour for pan 3½ cups white rice flour ½ cup sweet rice flour ¼ cup cornstarch ¼ cup potato starch (not potato flour) 5 teaspoons baking powder (Gluten Free) 1½ teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon xanthan gum ½ teaspoon nutmeg 1½ cups raisins or currants (soaked) 1 cup (2 sticks) butter softened 2 large eggs 1 cup granulated sugar 2 cups buttermilk Directions: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch springform pan, and dust with rice flour. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients In a large bowl, use a handheld mixer on high speed (or a standing mixer on medium-high speed to mix the butter, eggs, and sugar until light and fluffy--about 1 minute. Stir in half of the dry ingredients. Use low speed on either type mixer for this step. Stir in buttermilk until thoroughly combined. Add remaining dry ingredients and caraway seeds (if desired) and raisins. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly. Bake about 1½ hours or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Place pan on a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes. Remove Bread from pan and allow to cool completely on rack. Makes 1 loaf. -
This just in on the gluten-free beer front: Omission Beer took the top two slots to win the honors for best gluten free beer at the 2012 Great International Beer & Cider Competition in Providence, R.I. A total of four hundred seventy (470) beers and ciders from breweries from around the globe competed for top honors. Judges in the blind tasting competition presented first, second and third place awards in 44 categories of ales, lagers and ciders. The judges included eighty-three professional brew meisters, beer industry professionals, and beer journalists, who were given only the style and subcategory of each beer and cider they judged. Omission Lager received the gold medal, and Omission Pale Ale earned silver in the gluten free beer category. Third place went to St. Peters Brewery in Bungay, Suffolk, UK, for their St. Peter’s Dark Sorghum beer. Omission beers use traditional ingredients, including malted barley, that are specially crafted to remove gluten. Omission tests gluten levels in every batch both at the brewery, and at an independent lab, using the R5 Competitive ELISA gluten test to ensure that the beer measures well below the Codex gluten-free standard of 20 ppm or less. The R5 Competitive ELISA is currently the best test for measuring gluten levels in fermented beverages. Omission posts test results for each batch of beer on their website: www.omissiontests.com. In the cider competition, Crispin Cider's Browns Lane took top honors in the English Cider category. Meantime, if all this talk of tasty gluten-free beer and cider is making you hungry, then check out our recent article Gluten-Free Beers and Ciders For the Holiday Season and Beyond.
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In many Italian restaurants, sitting down to dinner means enjoying a appetizer of bruschetta: delicious toasted bread topped with chopped tomatoes, olive oil, basil, and a splash of lemon juice. Bruschetta is one of those simple, tasty Italian treats that can make sipping your wine while waiting for your food a true pleasure. When I was in Italy, bruschetta was often included as part of a prix fixe dinner combination. Being gluten-free, that meant that I had to gaze longingly (and hungrily) as others enjoyed the rich, crunchy bread and the fresh tomatoes. When I came home, one of the first things I did was to seek out a recipe for a delicious bruschetta that was gluten-free. Below is a recipe for a simple, delicious gluten-free bruschetta that includes avocado for a bit of a California twist. Ingredients: 8 slices of gluten-free bread 4 large heirloom tomatoes 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced 1 avocado 1 cup of fresh basil, chopped Juice of ½ lemon 2 tablespoons olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Directions: Heat oven to 375F. Place the 6-8 slices of Udi's Bread on a non-stick baking sheet. Brush with Olive Oil and place in the oven. Cook for approximately 3 - 5 minutes until golden brown, turning if necessary. Remove the toast from the oven and allow to cool on a plate. Meanwhile, using a large chopping surface, Dice the avocado and the tomatoes. Combine the diced avocado and tomatoes in a large mixing bowl. To the bowl, add chopped basil, the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper, and toss until well mixed. Spoon the mixture over each piece of bread and serve immediately. Note: For this recipe, I like to use Udi's White Sandwich Bread, but you are welcome to use whatever brand you prefer. The recipe also works well with multi-grain bread.
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Celiac.com 04/29/2008 - We were unloading our rafting gear at Lee’s Ferry, about to plunge into a 19 day private (self-guided) trip on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Very hungry after a long travel day, people were happily handing around the pizzas that they had picked up en route. I was walking back towards the pick-up truck, looking forward to the gluten-free supper of stuffed grape leaves, rice and salad that I’d stashed on the front seat. My anxieties had been crowding around me all day long, shoving each other like a bunch of rowdy teenagers. I was nervous about big water, scorpions, rattlesnakes, rock scrambling, new traveling companions and, of course, food. To my dismay, the truck was gone, off on a distant errand in town. Suddenly, one, lone sniveling child of an emotion stepped out in front of the others. “You’re going to starve,” she whimpered. Turning my back so my fellow travelers couldn’t see my distress, I felt tears run down my face. Rationally, I knew that the pick-up would be back in a few hours. I knew, too, that the boxes and boxes of food that I had helped to select would arrive later that evening. But at that hungry moment, desolation and self-pity threatened to overwhelm me. It can feel scary to venture away from the familiar settings in which you have a high degree of food control. But outdoor activities – and outdoor eating – are too much fun to pass up. With a positive attitude, smart planning, and a measure of trust, you can get out and enjoy camping, hiking, biking, boating and picnicking. That day on the banks of the Colorado, I gently prodded my hunger back into the crowd of emotions, scrounged around for some nuts, and, yes, survived until my dinner returned. Over the next 220 miles of rocks and rapids, I turned my mind to other thrills and chills. And I had plenty to eat. While not always in such remote surroundings, I regularly enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities and have, over the years, developed some strategies for going gluten-free from the mountains to the sea. Here are some suggestions that will variously serve from the local state park to the Grand Canyon and the Alaskan backcountry. First, preparing and eating gluten-free foods outdoors comes with a particular set of challenges. Here are some things to consider. Control over food selection – from choosing the menus to purchasing food and beverages – can be especially problematic if your trip takes you far from the road and the grocery store. Unless you plan to trap rabbits and eat wild greens, you’ll need to make sure that you have enough gluten-free food for the duration. Keeping cooking surfaces, eating surfaces, and utensils free of gluten contamination takes care when you have little or no hot running water. Fellow travelers need to be educated about your needs. That’s important whether they are sharing cooking duty or just helping you keep some ravenous 12-year old from eating up all of the gluten-free cookies (that inexplicably look more delicious than the Oreos packed for the rest of the group). Depending on the type of trip, more general food restrictions, such as concerns about perishability or weight, may compound your gluten restriction by narrowing the choice of what you can bring. Packing gluten-free baked items (bread, crackers, cookies) takes special care because of their comparative fragility. The ability to access your gluten-free food items requires logistical packing decisions; you need to be able to find your dinner for day one on day one, not buried at the bottom of the supplies with items that nobody plans to excavate until day six. Accidents and moments of disappointment are bound to occur. Imagine the “oh no” second when someone bumps your elbow just as you are about to tuck into the one and only gluten-free bowl of chili. You watch your lunch cascade, as if in slow motion, into the dirt. At some point, you can expect someone to absent-mindedly put a gluten-contaminated knife in the jam. You can figure on a meal where you belatedly discover gluten on an ingredient label although the cook assured you that you could eat “everything” he prepared. Don’t be daunted. I’ll give some suggestions for dealing with all of these challenges. But let’s start with overall approaches to food planning: Using a separatist approach, you can plan your own menu and essentially eat apart from others. Depending on the duration and complexity of the planned trip, this can be a simple alternative that guarantees you full control over what you eat. For example, I just did a cross-country ski day trip with friends and we each packed our own sandwiches. I brought some gluten-free chocolate cake and a thermos of tea to share, and my friends shared their carrot sticks and nuts. Bingo, everyone was happy and felt sociable. Separatism is generally not a good approach on a multi-day trip, though, where people plan to cook together. For one thing, separate planning and preparation mean duplication of effort. Worse, you’ll be left out of the social interaction of cooking in camp and you may feel like a leper when everyone else sits down to some delicious meal and you are trying to make the best out of a reconstituted cup of gluten-free dried soup mix. A second option is to make the outing gluten-free for everyone. This works well if you have the time and the skills to take the lead in arranging food. If you have good taste and are a competent trip/food planner, nobody will be the wiser and, in fact, they’ll generally appreciate having you do the work. Since other people don’t think about gluten one way or the other, they certainly won’t care that they are using mustard or ketchup or soy sauce that happens to be gluten-free. They’ll be perfectly happy with meals based on rice, potatoes, corn tortillas, gluten-free pancake mix, brownies and other gluten-free foods. Tasty and filling meals make most people happy, and unless they are unreasonable (in which case you shouldn’t invite them along next time) they won’t get bent out of shape if they can’t have their favorite brand of sausage in the morning. Bread is the obvious exception, since few gluten-free breads meet the criterion of “I can’t tell the difference.” So have someone else bring the bread, if that’s an issue. A third, often very practical, option falls somewhere between these two extremes. In this case, you participate in the menu planning and make sure that as many staples and other items as possible are gluten-free (e.g., peanut butter, condiments, canned goods). Where planned meals call for some gluten-containing items, you provide gluten-free equivalents for yourself. You label each item visibly (e.g., a masking tape label with black permanent marker reading “Gluten-free Bagel for Susie”) and pack it so that it will be accessible for the appropriate meal. So you make sure that the spaghetti sauce purchased for the entire group is gluten-free but you include a package of gluten-free pasta for your own meal. You bring your own bread, cookies, cereal and crackers for all meals and snacks. You also participate in cooking so that you can avoid cross-contamination and, where necessary, set portions aside before gluten-containing ingredients are added. For example, if everyone else wants their fresh trout dredged in flour, you just reserve your portion, dredge it in cornmeal, and fry it in a separate pan. You also request to serve yourself first before others accidentally contaminate a dish. The Grand Canyon trip that I mentioned at the start was one of two that I have taken where I had to trust strangers to provision the group. Although we guided our own trip, we hired professional outfitters to supply the rafts and food. In that situation, I consulted extensively on the menu choices and requested that processed foods be kept at a minimum; instead I asked that they supply mostly basic ingredients (fruits, vegetables, eggs, butter, cheese). I also asked if items would be in their original packages so that I could check labels for gluten. I brought a variety of gluten-free starches to supplement and substitute for items on the planned menu. I picked up gluten-free snacks at a Trader Joe’s – more than I needed, in the end. The kids with us were thrilled when, after having consistently shooed them away from my goodies, I was able to generously share them towards the end of our time together.The second trip provisioned by strangers turned out to be an unexpectedly relaxed and gourmet experience for me. In this case, it was not possible for me to participate directly in the food planning. But I was touched and surprised by the kindness and care of my traveling companions. I found out that the two men who had volunteered to take food responsibility were doctors (as well as fine cooks). A phone conversation and e-mail exchange during the planning period reassured me that they understood about celiac disease. They went out of their way to make meals that were safe and delicious. There was another unexpected benefit to that trip. A physician’s assistant who was also with us contacted me a few weeks after we all returned home. She told me that having just traveled with me made her pick up on some likely symptoms in a young patient. A celiac diagnosis was confirmed, and she had called to ask for some advice on contacts and reliable sources of information, which she passed on to the patient. Implicitly, I’ve brought up the need to educate your fellow travelers here. In general, it’s a good idea both to describe your gluten-free needs in advance and to participate in cooking and clean-up during the trip. Unless and until you can trust that other cooks and food-handlers “get it,” you’ll want to be in or near the food action most of the time. There, you can demonstrate what’s required, take care of cooking portions separately when necessary and serve your own food. While maintaining a scrupulously uncontaminated washing environment is tough while camping, I strongly suggest that you at least reserve one cooking pot for water only. That pot will never get pasta residue or other gluten scraps stuck to the bottom and you will always have a source of clean hot water for cooking (i.e., for hot beverages or adding to instant foods) and washing up. The others may appreciate this rule, too, since it will prevent their morning hot chocolate from having oatmeal or bits of last night’s curried lentils floating in it! If you are lucky enough to have a pre-educated friend along, or if your traveling companions are quick and considerate learners, at times you’ll be able to relax your vigilance. Whenever my husband is cooking or washing-up, for example, I can go help out with other chores – or sit down with a glass of wine and a book. Because your companions are likely to be gluten-oblivious, though, you can expect an occasional mishap. For those moments of disappointment, when your dinner has just been ruined or has driven off in the cab of the pick-up truck, you should keep an easy meal in reserve. Make it something that you like (how about that Annie’s gluten-free Mac and Cheese?) so that you don’t feel too deprived. Or set aside a favorite dessert so that if you have to make do with a minimal supper you can at least have a special sweet. Whether you are supplying your own food or relying primarily on others, a few tricks will help you keep your edibles edible. There are things that I always carry with me: at least one thin, flexible plastic cutting board; one or two plastic containers; and a set of utensils. The light plastic cutting board allows you to create an instant clean surface for food preparation or consumption anywhere you go. In fact, I keep one or two in my suitcase for ordinary travel and they are also essential in my home kitchen. If the mats you purchase are too large for convenience, cut them down to a size (6” x 8” or 8” x 11”) that fits easily into your backpack, bike pannier, or food box. They are so flat that they take up virtually no space and you’ll have solved the problem of gluten-y picnic tables (or airline trays or food court counters, for that matter). The mats are very easy to wash, rinse and dry and can be kept clean in a plastic bag for the next use; you might want to size yours to fit into a half-gallon Ziploc bag. Having your own set of utensils is useful for obvious reasons, but for camping and picnics a good pocketknife is essential. When someone else takes out his or her knife to cut food for everyone, volunteer yours for the purpose, since you can be sure it’s gluten-free. Plastic containers will help you keep your gluten-free baked goods intact, particularly if you try to pack them just tightly enough that the goods will not rattle around inside. I find a couple of sandwich-sized plastic containers very useful, as well as a few others of assorted sizes. Small containers that fit into a waist pack or day pack will protect your lunch much better than a plastic bag. Mark your containers “Gluten-free foods only” so that they do not become mixed up with containers for general food storage. There is one caution about keeping your foods separate that I can illustrate with a little story. On one overnight biking/camping trip, I forgot to remove my gluten-free snack bars from my bicycle pannier. When I saddled up the next morning, I discovered that small campground thieves (probably squirrels) had chewed right through the fabric to get at them. My bag was ruined, but at least we weren’t camping in bear country that night…a reminder that wild animals are just as happy to eat gluten-free as anything else. Camping foods usually need to be relatively compact even if you have the luxury of carrying a lot (in a car, RV, motorboat or raft). Weight is, of course, an additional issue if you are backpacking, bicycling, or kayaking. Depending on which activity you’re doing, you can pick and choose among some of these easy options: Trail mix: It’s a snap to make your own with gluten-free dried fruits, nuts, coconut, chocolate chips, and/or gluten-free cereal. Just use care in your selections. For example, while whole dates are usually gluten-free, chopped dates are often dusted in barley flour so that they will not stick together. Snack bars/energy bars: Take some of your favorites (check the nutrition/health food section of your grocery store as there are an increasing number of possibilities out there) or, if you are so inclined, you can even make your own granola bars based on gluten-free granola, such as Bakery on Main or Trader Joe’s brands, or by using gluten-free rolled oats. Boil-in-bag foods and pre-cooked foods: If weight is not an issue, these are convenient and non-perishable. Heat up a pan of water, slip in the pouch, cut it open and eat: if you are worried about keeping pans clean, this completely solves any cross-contamination problem. Tasty Bite makes a variety of gluten-free Indian and Thai foods packaged in “smart pouches.” They are commonly available in regular grocery stores. To save packing room, toss out the boxes at home and bring only the pouches, but be sure to label them with a permanent marker if the pouches do not have the contents printed on them, since they will all look alike. Pre-cooked polenta rolls are similarly convenient. Instant cereal: For gluten-loving campers, instant oatmeal in individual serving packs is a standard breakfast item. I don’t know of anyone marketing gluten-free oats this way, but an equivalent for gluten-free campers is quinoa instant hot cereal, similarly packaged (Altiplano Gold makes several flavors that can be ordered on-line). You can also pre-measure quick-cooking cereal, such as rice cereal, in Ziploc bags with a little salt and flavorings (cinnamon, sugar, etc.) of your choice. Pre-measure in the drinking cup that you plan to bring camping with you. Then you can use the same cup to measure water proportionately. I use the same method for measuring and packing other dried foods such as rice, quinoa, or polenta, often including herbs and spices: mark the contents, amount of water needed, and cooking time on the plastic bag. Cured or dried meats: Freybe makes salami-type sausages that are compact and keep well. Shelton makes gluten-free turkey jerky. Though quite expensive, it is very lightweight. S’mores: A facsimile of everybody’s camping favorite is easy to make. Marshmallows are typically gluten-free (find a brand that is labeled as such), as are plain Hershey’s chocolate bars. Substituting gluten-free cookies for graham crackers makes gluten-free s’mores even more decadent than the originals. Dried foods: A variety of dried foods, such as bean flakes, potato flakes, and vegetables are available in gluten-free versions and make packing light and camp cooking quick. As always, you need to read labels. Rice (including brown rice) that has been partially pre-cooked and dried does not take long to prepare. If you are using a small camp stove, quick-cooking items save on fuel weight, too. Dutch oven baked goods: If your trip is such that you can carry an aluminum (lighter than cast iron) Dutch oven and some charcoal, you can turn out cornbread, brownies, and cakes that will make you the hit of the crowd. Bring your favorite gluten-free mixes, or mix up your own dry ingredients from your favorite recipes. Don’t forget to bring the necessary wet ingredients, too, of course. Search for Dutch oven camping recipes on-line to learn the basic technique. It’s not hard. Okay, now you have no excuses not to get out there. Have a great gluten-free summer and remember that getting active and outdoors is as important as eating well.
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A good Gazpacho soup is a thing of joy that will put a smile on your face, and leave you begging for more warm days to relish this chilled delight. This particular Gazpacho recipe is easy to make, and delivers big flavor, along with a cool refreshing punch to the palate. Ingredients: 4 Roma tomatoes, quartered 2 cucumbers, peeled and halved 1 large sweet onion, peeled and halved 1½ cups green bell pepper, diced ⅓ cup chopped fresh chives 4 ounces (1 jar) diced pimentos, drained 4 cups tomato juice ⅓ cup olive oil ½ cup red wine vinegar ¼ teaspoon red pepper hot sauce 1½ teaspoons salt ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 cup gluten-free croutons (optional) Directions: In a blender combine two tomatoes, one cucumber, half an onion, one quarter green bell pepper, pimentos and ½ cup tomato juice. Pureé the vegetables for 30 seconds or so. In a large bowl mix vegetable pureé with remaining tomato juice, ⅓ cup olive oil, vinegar, hot pepper sauce, salt and ground black pepper. Cover mixture and refrigerate until it is well chilled. Place remaining chopped tomato, cucumber, onion and green bell pepper in separate bowls. Serve soup in chilled bowls. Garnish with chives and gluten-free croutons as desired. Top with additional vegetables as desired.
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Celiac.com 04/15/2011 - This year, Easter Sunday falls on April 24, 2011. With Easter peeking around the corner, it's time for some gluten-free Easter celebration tips. For many folks, in addition to its religious aspects, Easter means colored eggs, hot cross buns, candy, gift baskets and pancake breakfasts, among other celebrations. The good news is that many basic Easter foods, snacks, and ingredients are already gluten-free, so with minimal information and adjustment, you'll be able to create a great gluten-free celebration this Easter. Easter means eggs: coloring eggs and egg hunts and egg rolls, and making egg salad or potato salad, or macaroni salad, or deviled eggs from all those Easter Eggs that don't get eaten right away. I like to eat egg salad as a topping on my favorite gluten-free crackers, or served open-face on a piece of freshly toasted gluten-free bread. Egg salad is also great on crisp, fresh lettuce. Great Easter Egg Salad Recipe Ingredients: 8 hard boiled eggs 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 2 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard 1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed 1 teaspoon paprika salt and pepper to tastePreparation: If you don't already have plenty of hard boiled eggs from Easter, then place eight eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop. In a large bowl, combine the egg, mayonnaise, mustard, dill, paprika, and salt and pepper. Mash well with a fork or wooden spoon. Serve on gluten-free bread as a sandwich or over crisp, fresh lettuce as a salad. Deviled EggsDeviled-eggs are great because they're not only gluten-free, they are easy to make, and stand alone as great hors devours, or picnic snacks.Ingredients: 8 large eggs 3 tablespoons mayonnaise 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/8 teaspoon paprika Directions: Once again, if you don't already have plenty of hard boiled eggs from Easter, then place eight eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring water to a boil; cover, remove from heat, and let eggs stand in hot water for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from hot water, cool, peel and chop. Peel eggs and split in half lengthwise. Gently remove yolks and mash in a bowl with a fork. Add mayonnaise, mustard, and paprika. Stir with fork until smooth, then season with salt and pepper. Fill pastry bag or plastic bag with yolk mixture and squeeze into egg whites. Garnish with chopped fresh chives Gluten-free Macaroni SaladEaster brings back fond memories of eating macaroni salad off paper in the grass. I like Schar pasta a lot, so I substitute Schar Penne for macaroni in this recipe. For purists, Barkat makes a good gluten-free macaroni.Ingredients: 4 cups uncooked gluten-free penne or elbow macaroni 1 cup mayonnaise 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar 2/3 cup white sugar 2 1/2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 large onion, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped Directions: In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir in the onion, celery, and green pepper. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving, but preferably overnight. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain. When macaroni or penne is cool and well-drained, place into a large bowl and fold in the mayonnaise mixture. Serve cold. Baked Easter Ham Many people celebrate Easter with a traditional sit-down dinner of baked ham with all the trimmings.Ingredients: 15 lbs lean whole bone-in ham 1 lb brown sugar 1/2 cup gluten-free yellow or brown mustard aluminum foil Directions: Preheat oven to 350° In a medium size mixing bowl, combine yellow mustard and brown sugar into a thick paste. Trim away excess fat from ham. Grease a baking pan with cooking oil, and line with Aluminum foil. Place ham on foil and coat ham with brown sugar/mustard paste. Fold and seal foil. Place in oven and bake at 350° for 4 hours. Do not open foil until ham is done. Remove from oven, open foil, and allow ham to cool for one hour before carving. Great gluten-free bread options include: Gluten-free Sandwich Breads Gluten-free Baguettes and Specialty Breads Gluten-free buns and rolls For those who prefer to bake their own gluten-free bread, try a gluten-free bread mix: Easter also means sweets and treats, from marshmallow rabbits to Cadbury Eggs, to Peeps. As always, check labels carefully. Contact manufacturers as needed. You can find a pretty good list of gluten-free Easter candy at gfreefoodie.com.
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Great Gluten-free Bread from USDA Scientists?
Jefferson Adams posted an article in Additional Concerns
Celiac.com 01/13/2011 - It might be rocket science, after all. Well, sort of. It turns out that engineering a good loaf of gluten-free bread is the focus of some of the best scientific minds in the food business. It also turns out that scientists with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in Manhattan, Kansas, have developed a process that produces a high-quality, gluten-free bread. Such bread, if produced on a large scale, might benefit the millions of Americans with celiac disease who are unable to digest gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. Gluten-free grains include corn, sorghum, and rice, among others. The new bread-making process is the work of chemists Scott Bean and Tilman Schober at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Grain Quality and Structure Research Unit. They discovered that removing a certain amount of fat from a corn protein called zein, allowed them to craft a gluten-free dough that is more like wheat dough, and free-standing, bakery-type rolls are more like traditional wheat rolls. ARS is the chief intramural scientific research agency of USDA. Bean and Schober had some success crafting gluten-free pan bread using other grains, but they were unable to make free-standing rolls because the rolls expanded too much. According to Bean, the resulting bread was lower quality than comparable wheat bread. Bean and Schober had shown earlier that zein-a readily available byproduct from corn wet milling and fuel-ethanol production-could be used to make dough that was more similar to wheat dough. The dough still didn't meet their standards, though, because the rolls produced from it were crumbly and flat. Removing more of the fat from the zein protein's surface, Bean and Schober found, allowed the proteins to stick to each other much like wheat proteins do, giving the zein-based dough elastic properties similar to wheat dough. Bean and Schober's findings may also apply to sorghum, which, says Bean, may prove to be a better grain to use since it is a gluten-free grain. The team used corn as an intermediate step toward to achieve the ideal standard for gluten-free breads: a wheat-flour-like dough made with non-wheat proteins, resulting in products with a fluffy, light texture. This research may prove useful in creating commercial, gluten-free bread for the 2 to 3 million Americans who have celiac disease. For many of those folks, tasty, gluten-free breads and rolls from corn, rice and sorghum would be a welcome addition to their diet. Source: Journal of Cereal Science- 7 comments
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Celiac.com 02/04/2010 - Paul Seelig, the owner of the GreatSpecialty Products bread company in Durham, North Carolina, has beenarrested and is facing felony charges for intentionally deceivingconsumers by selling bread which he promoted as gluten free, whenevidence shows it was not. The North Carolina Department ofAgriculture and Consumer Services began investigating Seelig aftercomplaints flooded in regarding his breads that were sold at theNorth Carolina State Fair. An estimated 25 people have currentlyfiled complaints against Seelig. Customers complained of reactions tohis bread products ranging from rashes to vomiting & diarrhea. State agriculture officials sentsamples of Seelig's bread to a laboratory at the University ofNebraska (FDA facility), where test results confirmed the presence ofgluten in his products. Tests of Seelig's products showed that his“gluten free” breads actually contained more than 5,000 parts ofgluten per million; and for a product to be considered gluten free itmust be less than 20 parts per million. However, Seelig still refusesto cooperate with authorities and provide information about where hisbreads come from. Therefor, a Judge ruled that Seelig cannot sellanymore products until he cooperates with investigators. Seelig claims his breads have beenrigorously tested for gluten. According to his website-which was shutdown following a court order - it took two years of testing to makehis gluten free bread. He also claims that if there was really glutenin his products, hundreds of complaints would have been filed againsthim. Investigators say that Seelig is lyingabout his products, and at this point has not provided any evidenceto prove otherwise. In fact, the investigation revealed informationthat Seelig's company, was buying gluten containing bread productsfrom Tribecca Oven Company and repackaging the bread with gluten freelabels. Additionally, according to Brian Long of the agriculturedepartment, Seelig's company is run out of his house on Cardinal LakeDrive in Durham, North Carolina. Seelig is not new to the court system.In 2001, he spent 4 months in Nebraska prison for several counts offraud. For his current trial, Seelig has been using various stallingmethods in an attempt to delay his trial date, including, claimsthat he has H1N1, was quarantined due to staph infection, had cancertreatment and even a heart attack. Contrary to previous Judge rulings, recent reports indicate that thehearing has now been moved to 2/24/2010, and bail is set at $100,000due to his high flight risk. Sources: http://wake.mync.com/site/wake/news/story/47678/durham-bread-company-owner-arrested http://glutenfreeraleigh.blogspot.com/search/label/Great%20Speciality%20Products http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/story/295478.html
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It has been a while since I’ve tried Tasty Bite products, so when their samples arrived a few days ago I was reminded of just how simple their products are to prepare—most require only 90 seconds in the microwave and they are ready to eat. In addition to being very easy to prepare, most of their products are also gluten-free. This combination makes them an easy choice when you want great gluten-free Indian Cuisine. I picked out the gluten-free Jaipur Vegetables from their other samples because I love this dish, which consists of slow cooked vegetable stew with paneer cheese. In addition to being gluten-free their products also do not contain MSG or preservatives, and are a healthy choice because they contain a wide array of vegetables that are very nutritious. Modern food technology still amazes me—90 seconds after putting the gluten-free Jaipur Vegetables in the microwave it was ready to eat, and it tasted wonderful! The vegetables were remarkably fresh tasting, and were cooked to perfection—this dish really tasted like something that would be served at a high-end Indian restaurant (without the high cost!). I would definitely buy Tasty Bite Jaipur Vegetables on a regular basis, as well as their other outstanding gluten-free Indian meals and side dishes. For more info visit: rel="sponsored"www.tastybite.com. Note: Articles that appearin the "Gluten-Free Product Reviews" section ofthis site are paid advertisements. For more information about this seeour Advertising Page.
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This recipe comes to us from Jonathan Nichols. 1 ½ cup gluten-free chocolate chips 1 - 19 oz. can (pre-cooked) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 4 eggs or 1 cup egg substitute ½ teaspoon baking powder 1 cup sugar or less to taste 1 tablespoon powdered sugar for garnish In a small bowl, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave (or in a double broiler on the stove). Combine the beans and eggs in a blender or processor, then add sugar, baking powder and melted chocolate. Blend until smooth. Turn into a nonstick single-layer cake pan. Bake at 350 for 45 min. or until a knife in the center comes out clean. Dust with powdered sugar when ready to serve.
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