Gluten-Free Living

Gluten-Free Pigs in a Blanket

2012-02-01T10:51:00.003-05:00

Is there anything better? I try to limit my hot dog intake to the summer months, but come this Superbowl Sunday, I will be dunking my gluten-free pigs in a blanket into lots of hot mustard while I cheer loudly for the NY Giants.

I have asked a few gluten-free moms that I know how each would make gluten-free piggy’s, most said they make a corn bread batter so that their pigs come out more like corn dogs. I cheat. I really like them better with a pie crust blanket.

I use the frozen gluten-free pie crusts from Whole Foods Gluten-Free Bakehouse and re-purpose the crusts! It is so easy and those pie crusts are terrific for quiche, pies and now pigs in a blanket! I dump the thawed crust onto a piece of wax paper and flatten out the edges. Then, I cover the crust with another piece of wax paper and gently roll the crust back together again.

With a pizza cutter, I make triangles for my mini hot dogs. Then I just roll up the mini hot dogs and wait for game time. They aren’t pretty, sometimes you have to patch the crust together.

Bake at 350 degrees until crust is golden. My oven is on the fritz, I have to preheat it at 425 for twenty minutes to get it up to 350 degrees…so it is difficult for me to give an estimate on how long they should bake.

I plan to make mine on Saturday! My celiac is going to a Superbowl party, so I intend to send him with a cookie sheet of these so the mom can throw them in the oven for everyone…no one will ever know they are gluten-free.

Kendall Egan

Gluten-Free Soup's On, Part 2

2012-01-17T11:02:00.002-05:00

We have a big Giants fan in our house, too, so Sunday was also a happy day for him! Kendall wrote about her family's Giants celebration in the previous blog entry.

But I was mostly inspired by Kendall's soup description to share my own version of homemade soup here. It's a favorite meal for our whole family.

I cooked up a pot while my children were home from college and graduate school for the holidays. (Alas, they have gone back now and the house seems emptier).

I start with a chicken (yes, a whole chicken) put in it pot covered with water and simmer it for a long time - several hours during which the house has a homey smell not reproducible by Glade or Yankee Candle.

When it's done I remove the meat, strain the soup through a very fine strainer, return it to the pot, throw in carrots, a whole onion, and celery and let it simmer again until the veggies are tender. I also add some seasoning and a little salt.

To serve, in individual soup bowls I add the chicken (which I clean and cut up), cooked pasta (gluten free or not depending on choice) or cooked rice (brown or white). I make everything in big batches so there is plenty for seconds or for lunch and/or dinner the next day.

There is really not a lot of work because simmering on the stove is the bulk of the cooking. The rice and pasta are easy to make and set aside. They don't even have to be hot as the hot soup in each bowl warms them really fast. (I never put the pasta or rice in the soup pot. If I am using rice or pasta that has been refrigerated, I warm it a bit in the microwave before putting it in the bowl and let the hot soup do the rest of the work.)

It's a great time of year for soup. For readers who don't have the time or inclination to make soup from scratch, our next issue will have a story with details on the ready-made gluten-free soups and soup mixes that are increasingly available.

No matter how you prepare it, from scratch, partially from scratch or from a carton or can, this is the perfect time of year to say, "Soup's on."

Amy Ratner

Cozy Sunday Supper

2012-01-16T15:15:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was a great day in our household! The Giant’s won an amazing football game and the house smelled delicious as dinner simmered on the burner.

I had made a huge pot of chicken noodle soup and the aroma added to the cozy feeling of sitting around the TV watching a game on a cold afternoon. My chicken soup is a semi-homemade, cheater’s special. It’s really all about shopping for the high quality, prepared, gluten-free ingredients and throwing them all together in a pot.

Many stores do all the vegetable chopping for the consumer and sell a ready to go “mirepoix.” A mirepoix is the combination of carrot, onion and celery that form the base of the stock. I got a nice carmelization going as I softened them with a little olive oil and then added gluten-free chicken broth. Two of my kids tend to pick out the vegetables if I leave them in chunks. I scooped the vegetables out, put them in my blender with a little stock, hit puree, and then add it right back in to my soup.

I also added some organic thyme that I had dried from my summer CSA share, a little salt and a lot of pepper. I cheated again and chopped up the breast meat from a rotisserie chicken that I picked up and simmered the soup on low for hours.

I had found a box of Schar pasta shaped like little O’s and I added those just a few minutes before serving to cook and plump up. They were the perfect addition to my soup and the noodle held up well as it sat there before we had seconds.

I had purchased rolls and cold cuts for sandwiches to accompany the soup, so our Sunday supper was complete.

What I love is that I no longer have to make two batches of everything anymore. I used to do a noodle soup and a rice soup because 15 years ago, I did not have a gluten-free pasta option that held up in a soup. Now, there are more product options than ever before and there is always a gluten-free solution to a dish.

The Giants play the late game again next week, so I am thinking about a crock pot of meatballs and sausage that can simmer away and make the house smell good! Another cozy supper and hopefully another win to take them to the Superbowl!

Kendall Egan

GF Holiday Food Traditions

2011-12-27T13:31:00.005-05:00

Today, I am on a self-imposed fast!

Fifteen years ago when the Christmas celebrating had ended, I would not have gained an extra pound due to my new gluten-free diet. That is not the case today. This year all of my holiday traditions were made with gluten-free ingredients, not just for me but for my extended family and friends.

One week ago at the annual cookie swap, I made cake pops with a festive red and green candy coating. For this recipe, I used a gluten-free chocolate cake mix, Betty Crocker, and store bough chocolate frosting. The Wilton Candy Melts are vanilla flavored and pretty much all sugar! Not only did they look adorable on their lollipop sticks, they were really tasty and everyone wanted to know how I made them.

Then we have my immediate family's Christmas Eve fondue tradition. My husband makes this dinner which, for me, is the best part of tradition! Our fondue is a gooey pot of sharp cheddar, cream, dried mustard, garlic and a bit of flour. Over the years, my husband has been able to adjust the recipe using gluten-free flour. The first year it was a congealed mess that we had to dilute with milk, but he has figured out how to reduce the amount of flour in his recipe so we get a really thick but not cement-like structure to the cheese.

The baguettes go on separate trays for warming, but it’s pretty tough to tell the difference between the Schar’s gluten free baguettes and the one’s from the bakery. I used to just toast up the bread I had made in my bread machine, but today I have options such as Everybody Eats or Against the Grain or Schar’s baguettes. I have two separate fondue pots so we can all eat without worry!

We had a mix up for the extended family celebration desserts so I brought two, both gluten free! One was my traditional apple crisp with Bob’s Red Mill GF Oats and Mi-Del ginger snaps. The other dessert I brought was gluten-free chocolate cupcakes from a King Arthur mix with a candy cane butter cream frosting and a sprinkling of peppermint sugar on top! We did not have much in the way of leftovers.

I received three Christmas cards where a friend wrote me a little note saying that he or she had just been diagnosed with either a gluten intolerance or celiac disease. My new year’s wish is that everyone who finds out he or she needs to eat a gluten free diet realizes just how far GF food has come in the past fifteen years and they learn that this diagnosis does not mean that they will have to give up holiday traditional foods like I thought I had to fifteen years ago!

However, there is one unintended consequence of all these GF food choices, I am embracing a different type of new year’s resolution this year…”lose five pounds.”

Kendall Egan

Have a happy GF holiday

2011-12-24T11:09:00.001-05:00

I just went to the By the Way Bakery here in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY to pick up my gluten-free holiday order. All products at this tiny, charming bakery are gluten free. The piece de resistance is a red velvet cake beautifully decorated in white and red for the holiday. It will be served to everyone and I expect everyone to love it.

To me, the gluten-free life has always been a gift. When I was diagnosed, I was thrilled I didn’t have any of the ominous things I was tested for and actually thought I had. To learn that all I had to do was avoid gluten was a huge relief. Not being much of a cook, baker or foodie, I simply adjusted and moved on. I firmly believe the gluten-free life has made me a better, certainly healthier person

Then I was also given the opportunity to turn my profession into a gluten-free business that is helpful to others. Like the diet and the life itself, the business has also been a pleasure.

Frankly I can’t say enough good things about being gluten free. So rather than gush on, I will simply extend my best wishes and those of my staff to all the gluten-free people out there who rely on us and thank us for what we do. I hope your holiday is as happy and well fed as I expect mine to be,

Treasured Gluten-Free Holiday Cookies

2011-12-19T09:19:00.000-05:00

I have pushed back my sleeves and started my annual Christmas cookie baking.

The first thing I do is gather up all my recipes. I'd like to say I have them neatly sorted and stored, but I actually keep everything randomly together in one recipe box.

Most are worn and tattered from use. A few are spotted with the remnant of some ingredient that splashed on and never completely wiped off.

But what I noticed this year was all the gluten-free recipes I have from about 20 years ago when my daughter was first diagnosed with celiac disease. Many are handwritten, thankfully by others with penmanship much neater than mine.

Two decades ago, gluten-free recipes were traded directly from one person to another. A mom who had come up with a recipe for cut-out cookies that actually didn't crumble generously wrote it out for me on a index card. I still use that recipe today.

Another woman, a stranger who I never met, penned about dozen recipes after someone at a support group meeting mentioned to her that I had a young daughter and needed some help. She somehow got my address, put the recipes in an envelope and mailed them to me without my ever asking.

A close look at recipes from those years shows how much work went into gluten-free baking. Pre-made flour mixes were nearly non-existent so every recipe ticked off combinations of three or four flours. Eggs were used in abundance to make up for the absence of gluten. We knew little about the use of whole grains and their nutritional value, so potato starch, rice flour and tapioca flour were the mainstays of most everything we made.

And we made everything. There were few gluten-free products even on health food store shelves, never mind the supermarket. I just wrote about gluten-free cookie mixes and packaged cookies for Gluten-Free Living. And I still had a sense of wonder that they exist and that you can pick them up on your regular shopping trip.

But over the holidays I am back in my kitchen, as are 84 percent of home cooks recently asked in an All-recipes survey if they bake Christmas cookies.

My mother and grandmother always baked a wide and wondrous assortment of cookies when I was growing up. I continue the tradition, though everything I make now is gluten free. My daughter dons her own apron and helps me every year, which is one of the best parts of holiday baking.

Today, you don't have to rely on a new gluten-free friend or a complete stranger who pulls out a pen and paper to share a treasured recipe with you. You can get so many gluten-free cookies recipes online. Inventive and inspired gluten-free bloggers have come up with wonderful recipes that are yours with the click of mouse. You'll also find collections of recipes submitted by bakers all around the country. You can even read these recipes on a computer or iPad right in your kitchen.

But whether it's paper recipe gone soft from years of use or a pristine image on a screen, it all comes back to the spirit of sharing among those who follow the gluten-free diet.

This generosity is a true holiday gift.

Wishing you and yours a healthy, happy gluten-free holiday and new year.

Amy Ratner

Update: Are Burger King's new fries gluten free?

2011-12-06T09:10:00.002-05:00

If you have started to see the Burger King Television ads promoting their new French fries, you might be wondering if they now contain gluten.

The fries are still on the company's "gluten sensitive" list, which includes menu items that do not contain wheat, barley, rye or oats. Kristen Hauser, a Burger King spokeswoman, sent me the most updated version of the list yesterday. It indicated the fries continue to be made without gluten-containing ingredients.

Hauser also provided this ingredients list for the fries:
Potatoes, Soybean Oil, Modified Potato Starch, Rice Flour, Salt, Leavening (Disodium Dihydrogen Pyrophosphate, Sodium Bicarbonate), Dextrose, Xanthan Gum, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate to Preserve Natural Color

All of the ingredients are clearly gluten free.

But none of this might matter to you because of cross contamination issues.

Burger King continues to note that the fries may be fried with gluten-containing foods. This could include breaded onion rings. Foods fried in oil shared with gluten-containg items are generally considered to be cross-contaminated and unsafe on the gluten-free diet.

Burger King says the new fries are thicker and have less sodium. "A thicker cut of potato gives each bite more fluffy, potato flavor on the inside and crispy, golden-brown deliciousness on the outside," the company said in a press release anouncing the change in their fries, the first since 1998.

Amy Ratner

Gluten Free and new Burger King Fries

2011-12-05T11:24:00.014-05:00

If you have started to see the Burger King television ads promoting their new French fries, you might be wondering if they now contain gluten.

The fries are still on the company's "gluten sensitive" list, which includes menu items that do not contain wheat, barley, rye or oats. Kristen Hauser, a Burger King spokeswoman, sent me the most updated version of the list this morning. It indicated the fries continue to be made without gluten-containing ingredients.
Hauser did not immediately provide details on specific ingredients. But if she does supply that information I will update this blog. Of most concern to gluten-free consumers is a new coating reportedly on the fries to keep them crispier and hotter longer.

Burger King continues to note that the fries may be fried with gluten-containing foods. This could include breaded onion rings. Foods fried in oil shared with gluten-containg items are generally considered to be cross-contaminated and unsafe on the gluten-free diet.

Burger King says the new fries are thicker and have less sodium. "A thicker cut of potato gives each bite more fluffy, potato flavor on the inside and crispy, golden-brown deliciousness on the outside," the company said in a press release anouncing the change in their fries, the first since 1998.

First scientific research into gluten in drugs

2011-11-30T16:19:00.000-05:00

Do you spend a lot of time worrying about gluten in your prescription and over-the-counter medicine?

It's a topic I've researched and written about many times. The general conclusion is that gluten does not turn up in drugs that often. But because it sometimes does and is not clearly labeled, we are left looking through everything from common pain relievers to prescriptions used for rare ailments to find that oddball medicine that might contain some form of gluten.

Now there is word that the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness has received a grant to conduct the first scientific research into the use of gluten in drugs. This is good news for everyone who is gluten free.

The $50,000 grant from the Food and Drug Administration will fund preliminary research that the NFCA says "aims to validate or nullify" anecdotal reports of gluten reactions to drugs from those who have celiac disease or gluten intolerance.

The research project goes by the rather cumbersome title, "Gluten in Medication: Qualifying the extent of exposure to people with celiac disease and identifying a hidden and preventable cause of an adverse drug event." The NFCA says the project will "characterize the problem of unlabeled gluten in medication and raise awareness of the potential harm that can occur to patients who ingest medications that they do not recognize as containing gluten."

My hope is that the research will mainly concentrate on objectively determining the extent to which gluten is found in the vast array of drugs available and in what amounts. We need to have that information to determine what kind of risk actually exists and how to proceed with steps for better labeling.

The NFCA is the leading advocate for better labeling of gluten in drugs, something that would surely be helpful to those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance. The group says the research will a first step in providing a foundation for further investigation within the FDA and scientific communities.

"To date, there has been no scientific research conducted to determine if the amount of gluten that is in medication results in harm to people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, although there are reports of significant patient reactions to gluten in medication," the NFCA says in a press release announcing the study.

Since we know that reactions to gluten are not a reliable way to determine the gluten-free status of a food or, in this case, a drug, scientific evidence is very important.

A drug's active ingredients, which actually treat an illness or condition, are gluten free. But inactive ingredients, which make up the bulk of most medications, occasionally contain gluten, mainly in the form of wheat starch.

Everyone, including the NFCA, agrees that relatively few medications contain gluten, but poor labeling requirements make it difficult to identify them. As a result every drug becomes suspect.

Further complicating matters is the fact that prescription drugs don't have to list inactive ingredients on the label. The only way to find out what's in them is to ask the pharmacist or call the drug company.

While over-the-counter medications do detail inactive ingredients, unlike food, the FDA does not require that the use of wheat be clearly spelled out on a label.

Loretta Jay, an NFCA consultant, and Dr. Robert Mangione, dean and professor of pharmacy at St. John's University, are leading the research team doing the NFCA study. A survey of celiac disease patients will help the researchers select types of drugs reported to have caused reactions. The drugs will tested to determine how many parts per million and milligrams per dose of gluten they might contain.

Currently, the best source of information about gluten in drugs can be found on a website run by Steven Plogsted, a pharmacist at Columbia Children's Hospital who regularly researches gluten in specific medications. Also, some over-the-counter products are now labeled gluten free.

Otherwise, determining a drug's gluten-free status can be an arduous and frustrating process for gluten-free consumers. Drug companies can be reluctant to give out information and often simply say none of their drugs have been tested to be gluten free. Other times they give conflicting and confusing answers to questions about ingredients and gluten content.

The valuable research being done by the NFCA could eventually lead to clear labeling of gluten in prescription and over-the-counter drugs. And that would make any pill easier to swallow for everyone who is gluten free.

Amy Ratner

Thankful for Mainstream Media November Love Fest on All Things Gluten Free

2011-11-22T12:05:00.002-05:00

We are only 22 days into the month, but every time I open a mainstream publication I find another article on something gluten free.

Let’s start with the free publication, Natural Awakenings. The November 2011 Westchester/Putnam NY issue includes an article on Gluten-Free Baking, written by Claire O’Neil. It has a review of different types of flours and some lovely sounding recipes.

The second article I found was in the November 2011 issue of Health magazine. This was a really good article entitled, “Is going gluten-free the secret to weight loss?” by Kate Lowenstein. Spoiler alert…they got the answer right, if you just swap out one type of carb for another type of carb, you are not going to lose weight. There is still a lot of gluten free “junk food,” that has calories in it! You can lose weight if you cut out the pasta, pizza and breads altogether but that is not “going gluten-free,” that is just cutting back on carbohydrates. Thanks so much for getting it right.

The third article was in Sports Illustrated, November 7, 2011, entitled “The New Training Table” by Alexander Wolff. This article was fascinating and it really was more about diet and “performance, wellness and recovery.” Athletes are “eating to win.” This really talks about reducing inflammation to speed recovery, which is another facet of a gluten-free diet. Some of the athletes in the article actually eat gluten-free food because they have to due to a diagnosis, but others are not. We have a major article on athletes & CD in Gluten-Free Living Vol 11, #4…shipping November 28th!

The New York Times has taken a particular interest in a gluten-free diet. The New York Times Magazine that centered on food back in October, had three mentions of a gluten-free diet or gluten-free food in that issue…including a coast to coast GF quote! But, the one that really caught my eye was the New York Times Magazine on November 13, 2011 in the Diagnosis article. The minute I read the symptoms, I knew what the mystery ailment was…celiac disease. What was really great about this presentation of symptoms is that the patient experienced muscle or joint pain for 10 years, anemia, depression, IBS, fibromyalgia, endometriosis, had periods of terrible weakness and had been through many different doctors. That is the reality with diagnosing CD, it doesn’t always present with straight gastrological symptoms!

Then last Sunday, the Wall Street Journal weekend edition, November 19-20, 2011, featured an article about Alice Medrich, an award winning cookbook author, and her latest dessert project. She is developing gluten-free baked good recipes. Right now she is experimenting with all types of gluten-free flour and I’m sure this will be very interesting when it is finished!

Fifteen years ago when I was diagnosed, I was told celiac disease was a “very rare” condition. From the coverage I’m seeing about a gluten-free diet, I hope that original doctor is now telling his patients about a “very common” condition that strikes 1 in 133 Americans. Thanks to everyone this year who has helped grow the awareness for celiac disease and gluten intolerance.

Kendall Egan

My CSA Experience

2011-11-09T15:07:00.001-05:00

Last spring I joined an organic CSA (community supported agriculture) by purchasing a full vegetable share. Vegetables are gluten-free, and these were organic and local so what could have been better?

The farm delivered a bountiful selection of greens, herbs, cucumbers and zucchini in June and July. I learned what a garlic scape was and discovered that they were excellent grilled or sautéed and thrown into a pasta sauce. Part of the fun was chatting with other people at vege pick up to find out how they were going to use some of the more esoteric greens, or the four pounds of cucumbers.

I was eagerly anticipating the deliveries slated from late August through November. I knew I would be receiving lots of tomatoes, kale and a huge selection of root vegetables.

My last delivery in August included these sweet little yellow tomatoes and some baby kale. I grilled up the tomatoes that were left, but most of them were eaten straight from the basket. I made kale chips and they were a huge hit. Have you ever tried kale chips? Honestly, they are addicting. Plus,they are so easy to prepare...a little toss with some olive oil, salt and your choice of spices and bake them on a cookie sheet until crispy.

I was getting ready to receive potatoes, turnips, parsnips, butternut and acorn squash. I think these make the best side dishes for weekday dinners and I had been clipping recipes using purple potatoes, red potatoes and butternut squash!

Tropical Storm Irene changed all of that in a week of disastrous flooding in upstate New York. Almost every sleepy, winding, pokey, little brook became a raging river full of class three rapids! My organic farm in New York was totally flooded and destroyed by the storm. Once the waters subsided, the rivers left behind a sludgy layer of “yuck.” The FDA said this produce could not be harvested and sold, it must be destroyed.

For the farmers of this CSA, that news was devastating in more ways than one. The investment of a share in a CSA is plowed into that year’s harvest, so the money was spent. It’s also fairly complex to get organic certification, and I do not know what that layer of muck does to the future of that farm.

I certainly did not expect a refund for any unfulfilled portion of my share, nor did anyone in my community. Weather and bugs and all sorts of risk are part of farming and I knowingly took on that risk when I purchased a share. Who would have thought a costal event, like a hurricane, would wreak havoc all the way up through Vermont as it waned to a tropical storm? Who could have predicted a huge snow storm two days before Halloween? Wacky stuff.

I am sorry not to receive this produce, I had a lot of gluten-free side dishes planned! For now I shop the farmer’s market and enjoy their fall produce. I feel so sad for the owners of that farm, but I look forward to trying a share in a CSA again next year. I have to hope the weather won’t be so weird.

Kendall Egan

The Brioche

2011-11-02T09:26:00.003-04:00

It is true the food evokes memories from meals and events, family celebrations, weddings, break ups and travels around the world. Recently, I have had brioche swirl up into my consciousness.

When I was a junior at Boston College, I spent a semester in Strasbourg, France. I lived with a family and the “mom” was a classically trained chef who taught French cuisine at the university. How does a kid get so lucky to stay with a family like that? I had fresh pastries for breakfast every single day…the real blessing is that I had to walk 45 minutes to school and I was still healthy, but not yet diagnosed with celiac disease. I took a particular liking to the brioche.

Recently, I traveled to Las Vegas and stayed where Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro was a quick elevator ride away from my hotel room. I had brunch there before flying back to New York. The “Breakfast Americaine” comes with pastry and brioche, but I asked the server to hold those. I did not explain why, I just said to hold those items.

I had been in touch with the communications team from TKRG about their new gluten free flour, C4C (cup for cup) gluten free flour, after I read about it in the New York Times. I followed up with my contact after I ate at Bouchon and received an invitation to the launch of the flour at Per Se in New York City.

I met Thomas Keller and Lena Kwak, the research and development chef, and told her my story about my love of brioche and how sad I was not to eat the gorgeous looking pastry at my breakfast at Bouchon. She pointed me in the direction of a gluten-free platter of brioche and Danish.

They were so delicious! The fact that I was nibbling a gluten-free brioche, to me, was just astounding. The last time I had a good brioche was in Strasbourg, France, a waaaaaay long ago…1988. Maybe I have eaten a brioche since 1988, I have only been diagnosed a celiac for fifteen years.

No other brioche eating experience evokes the memory of sitting in that tiny kitchen in Strasbourg with a warm “bowl” of café au lait and a perfect brioche on my plate, eating that brioche at Per Se really brought back a lovely memory of France through my taste buds. Thank you!

Kendall Egan

Happy Gluten-Free Halloween

2011-10-31T14:16:00.001-04:00

I have a special attachment to Halloween.

Nearly 20 years ago, we celebrated this crazy day of costumes and candy with tremendous relief. My then 2-year-old daughter had just been diagnosed with celiac disease after a scary -- much scarier than any dressed-up ghoul -- rapid decline from a healthy toddler to one who couldn't walk and could barely hold up her head.

But by Halloween she was on a gluten-free diet, nearly back to herself and so excited to wear her unicorn costume and go out collecting candy. I think of that every year when pumpkins and ghosts start appearing.

Certainly we were a little afraid of what to do about Halloween candy given that we were so new to the diet and there was so little gluten-free information available then. But my daughter was so happy about the holiday we were determined to find a way to keep her safe while not ruining it for her.

In the pictures we have from that year, she looks a little gaunt because of all the weight she had lost while sick, but there's huge smile on her face as she sits surrounded by all her candy spread on the floor.

From that first year until the last she trick-or-treated we used a trading system -- for every piece of candy she had to give up because it contained cookies or wafers or rice crispy pieces or any kind of gluten, she could choose one from our stash of gluten-free Halloween treats.

So she grew up loving Halloween and had more gusto for it, from picking and planning a costume to hiking the length and breadth of our neighborhood, than our other two children. The year she was Cinderella, it poured. But she was not deterred and came home soaking wet but happily clutching a pillow case loaded with candy.

This year I found the perfect card to send her at college. It had a drawing of many streets and homes with a little ghost making its way through them. "So little time, so many houses," it said, capturing her Halloween philosophy.

So I hope all the children who follow a gluten-free diet have a happy and memorable Halloween. For their parents, I would advise using the trade system, as well as emphasizing all the fun of carving a pumpkin, making pumpkin seeds, decorating the porch, dressing in costume and then combing the streets when it's dark. The candy is important too, I know that. But don't let worry about it cast a pall on Halloween

Here's a candy list to help you out. (Make sure you always read package labels as these are the most up-to-date sources of information. For example, Nestle now includes a label statement on several Wonka brand products that says they are made in a facility that also processes wheat. This includes Bottle Caps, Gobstoppers, Nerds, Runts, Spree and Sweet Tarts.)

Happy Halloween and Best Witches,

Amy Ratner

What I am working on for the next issue...

2011-10-10T15:21:00.001-04:00

Last Thursday I attended a taping of The View in preparation for an interview of Elizabeth Hasselbeck for our next issue. I have to say watching a taping of a live show is an amazing experience, the production crew is flying all over the place making sure things work out perfectly.

I woke up in the middle of the night because it occurred to me that the ABC Studios were just about as far west as they could possibly be on the island of Manhattan. My plan of a train to Grand Central station and walking up was not going to work.

Plan B of taking train to subways and walking west was not going to work either. Plan C of driving in is always fraught with the “what if” there is an accident, or construction on the bridge, or a dead dog slowing traffic to one lane on the West Side Highway (it happened once).

Plan D was train to taxi from 42nd street to West 66th. I knew I had plenty of time even with the morning rush.

New Yorkers have a habit of telling their taxi drivers the route to go, but this time I bit my tongue and just sat back after I said “320 West 66th.” He started off in a boneheaded direction, but I didn’t say anything.

Somehow my taxi driver heard me say “50th and 6th” and that is where he was taking me. He started to turn east on 50th street and I yelled out, and I admit I did holler, “No, No, No…I’m going to 66th and West End, way, way west of here.”

Sadly, he did not stop his turn in time and we were heading east. I was due at the studio in ten minutes. Instead of freaking out, I just said, “I’m going to put my head down and you are going to get me there as fast as you can please.”

It is just too terrifying to look up when your taxi driver is trying to get from point A to point B in a ridiculous hurry. We lurched and screeched our way to 66th and West End.

He dropped me at a corner and there was a huge throng of people, which looked like kids. I actually wondered if it was an American Idol tryout…but remembered that I was looking for ABC, not Fox.

Actually, I was just looking for someone with a clip board, interns always have clipboards. I found a kid with a clip board, who started laughing at my question of where the lineup was for ABC’s The View. She told me I was in the middle of a New York City public school fire drill!

I jogged the block and found another young person with a clipboard, and this time she really was an intern and I found my way in.

At this point in time, I was sorry that I hadn’t taken a piece of advice from Elizabeth’s first book to carry a snack in my purse…I think the adrenaline kicked my stomach into high gear!

As I said it was very interesting and fun to watch the show happen. Look for the interview in Vol 11, #4!
Kendall Egan

Gluten-Free Favorites

2011-10-03T22:03:00.008-04:00

If you follow the gluten-free diet, the Natural Products Expo East was pay back for all the times you went somewhere and there was nothing gluten-free to eat.

So many of the 1,400 exhibitors whose booths packed the Baltimore Convention Center had gluten-free foods to sample it was easy get to the point where you could not take one more bite.

In the interest of spreading the word about good, new gluten-free products I did my best to taste as many products as possible. Here's info on some of my personal favorites.

Star Fish Panko breaded shrimp. The breading on the shrimp is made by Aleia's and both it and the finished shrimp are certified by the Celiac Sprue Association. The sample I tasted had a terrific crispy crust on a plump tasty shrimp.This product is not yet available on the Starfish website but it is offered at the Gluten-Free Mall, where it is currently on sale.

"home free" crunch mini vanilla cookies were selected as a finalist in the Expo best foods category, which included all products, not just those that were gluten free. They combine a nice light taste with healthy ingredients, including 13 grams or more of whole grains per 6 cookie serving. Certified gluten-free oats are the main ingredient in the cookies. They are made on equipment that is also used to make products with barley flour, but Jill Robbins, company president, said gluten-free ingredients are segregated, gluten-free baking is done on separate days and thorough cleaning procedures are used. In addition, the company tests for gluten in the finished cookies, which are certified gluten-free by the Gluten Intolerance Group.

Udi's frozen pizza, in three cheese, margherita and pepperoni flavors, had a nice thin crust. The pizza is made in a dedicated gluten-free plant and is certified by GIG. Udi's also introduced Chocolate Chia and Blueberry Nutri- tops, which are like muffin tops. Blueberry has 8 grams of whole grains and 5 grams of fiber. Both are fortified and should be available soon.

feel good foods will be selling its new gluten-free egg rolls in stores by the end of the year. They come in chicken, vegetable and shrimp flavors and were flying off the plate as quickly as company reps could cook them up at Expo. Most importantly the wrapper was nice and crispy. In fact it was so good I did not pay much attention to the filling. I think that means I need another sample! I also tasted the company's Asian style dumplings which I had trouble making when I tried them at home. I honestly thought this was one of those good ideas that just did not work. But they were being prepared at the show and turned out fine, so maybe it was just me. Feel good foods products are made in a facility that also processes wheat, but the company says strict safety measured are followed to prevent cross-contamination.

Canyon Bakehouse Rosemary and Thyme Focaccia might not be new to everyone, especially those lucky folks in the company's home state of Colorado, but this was the first time I had a chance to taste it. Both it and the 7-grain bread had great texture. The company, which uses a dedicated gluten-free bakery, is transitioning to use of all whole grains in all of its products. The hamburger buns already 100 percent whole grain, and brown rice is the main ingredient in the focaccia.

Kinnikinnick frozen, ready to fill pie crusts. My grandmother was a master of the flaky pie crust, a skill I did not inherit even in the wheat-flour form. So I've always been intimidated by gluten-free pies that were not of the crushed-cookie crust variety. For anyone who has longed for gluten-free pie but has similar crust insecurity, these might be the easiest answer. The pie crusts are available in stores now and come two in a package. They are made in dedicated gluten-free facility.

Eco Planet Gluten-Free Toaster Pastries. For kids of all ages who miss the indulgence of Pop Tart-like treat, these will be a welcome addition to the gluten-free line up. They contain seven whole grains, but the first two ingredients are rice flour and tapioca flour, which means these less nutritious flours are used in greater quantity than the healthier whole grain mix. Still, it's a toaster pastry so the stab at a healthier mix is a good start. They are certified by GIG, made in a dedicated facility and expected to be in stores soon.

Medora Snacks Popcorner. These triangle chips are made from air-popped popcorn and come in five flavors. The most exciting news about this product is that it is handed out as a snack on Jet Blue flights. When I fly, the snack is usually pretzels or honey peanuts that contain wheat starch. I love the idea that gluten-free travelers don't have to refuse the snack. The main ingredient is yellow corn enriched with iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and folate.

Jovial brown rice pasta. This rivals some of the best gluten-free pasta already on the market. It cooks evenly and does not have that tale tell mushy gluten-free consistency. The pasta comes in five shapes and is made in a dedicated gluten-free facility. I also liked the Jovial cookies, which come in fig, and vanilla and chocolate cream filled. I love figs so these cookies, which Jovial says are the first fig-filled gluten-free cookies, really appealed to me. They are made in small patches and mixed by hand in a family-owned bakery in Italy. The bakery is not totally gluten-free but dedicated equipment is used and production is done on separate days. Each batch is tested to less than 10 ppm of gluten. Both the pasta and cookies are certified by GIG.

Snikiddy "eat your vegetables" chips. There's been explosion of gluten-free chips, but what I like about these is they contain one full serving of vegetables in a one-ounce one- serving bag. They also provide 35 percent of your daily requirement of Vitamin A. Snikiddy usually targets its products for children, but these are being pushed for adults. The chips are made in a facility that also processes wheat, but the company says good manufacturing practices are used to segregate ingredients.

Selina Naturally Celtic Sea Salt Toasted Sesame with Garlic. This simple blend of sesame seeds, garlic and sea salt perks up any plain dish easily. It comes in its own grinder. At Expo it was sprinkled over grape tomatoes, which were delicious. When I brought some home I ground a little over penna pasta mixed with olive oil for a really tasty and easy side dish. Some seasonings contain gluten so it's nice to find a brand that is gluten free. It also comes in toasted sesame and toasted sesame with flax.

Solterra Bake in Bag Pizza caused a buzz at Expo. The concept of baking a gluten-free pizza right in the bag to eliminate cross contamination has a lot of appeal to those who take their own pizza to their local pizza shop and have it heated in the oven there. It also makes things easier if you take your pizza over to a friend's house. After the pizza is baked you tear open the bag and serve. The pizza comes in margherita and vegan cheese flavors.

Pamela's, a leader in the gluten-free market, introduced Whenever bars in four flavors. The Whenever name alludes to the fact that the bars make a good on-the-go snack. They are made on dedicated gluten-free machinery with nine grams of whole grains, including gluten-free oats. I tried and liked the Oat Blueberry Lemon bar.

Simply Sprouted Way Better Snacks have such interesting ingredients lists I had to try them. The six flavors are made with things like flax, chia, radish and broccoli seeds, quinoa, and black beans. Eleven chips equals one serving of vegetables. They are made on dedicated gluten-free machinery and certified gluten free by GIG.

Namaste Foods featured its easy to make pasta meals. I liked the idea of a convenience pasta that comes with seasoning. The Say Cheese meal comes with pasta and a shake-on cheese pack, while the Pasta Pisavera includes veggie brown rice pasta and an Italian seasoning packet. Taco Pasta has the seasoning blended right into the pasta shells. Namaste products are made in a dedicated gluten-free facility.

Roland Quinoa. I love quinoa as much as I love figs so the five easy-to-make flavors appealed to me. All you have to do is add water and heat them for 15 minutes. Each serving of the toasted sesame ginger, Mediterranean, Black Bean, Garden Vegetable and Roasted Garlic quinoa provides at least 40 grams of whole grains.

Mini Pops Air Popped Sorghum. Sorghum is a tiny grain so it pops up in what looks like miniature popcorn. In fact popped sorghum has no hulls, is corn free and has less saturated fat and calories than popcorn. It also requires 50 percent less water to grow. But what caught my attention was the novelty of this pre-popped snack. You just can resist trying those little tiny pops. Made in a gluten-free facility and certified by GIG, the pops come in eight flavors.

As you can see there was an abundance of gluten-free options at Expo. While reading about them is a nibble of information, the only way to know which ones you'll really like is to give them a try. If you do, let me know what you think.

Amy Ratner

Our Comments to FDA on Gluten-Free Labels

2011-09-30T12:30:00.000-04:00

Following is the letter Gluten-Free Living sent to the Food and Drug Administration regarding proposed rules for gluten-free labeling.

The deadline for comments is this coming Monday.You can send your comments to the FDA here. Click on "submit a comment" and type FDA-2005-N-0404 into the search bar. On the next page that comes up, about halfway down, click "submit a comment" next to the gluten-free labeling notation

However, if you want to sign onto the 1in133 and American Celiac Disease Alliance letter, you only have until noon Sunday. The groups need some time to get all the signatures into a form they can then submit to the FDA.

Meanwhile, we thought you might be interested in what Gluten-Free Living had to say about some key points regarding gluten-free labeling:

As publishers of the first magazine exclusively for those who follow the gluten-free diet, Gluten-Free Living has long been a witness to the confusion gluten-free labeling causes. The lack of any definition for what is gluten free leads to many questions from our readers.

Our experience with the diet and our knowledge of the medical research related to celiac disease, leads us to support 20 parts per million as a valid standard for use of the gluten free-label. The best research to date shows that the vast majority of those who have celiac disease can safely consume products with less than 20 ppm of gluten.(1)

A standard stricter than 20 ppm of gluten has not been proven to be medically necessary for most people with celiac disease. The 20 ppm standard has been accepted internationally after a long review by the World Health Organization’s Codex Alimentarius. (2)

We are familiar with the point of view that gluten-free should mean “zero” gluten, but we know zero gluten is impossible to achieve or test for in the real world. So setting zero as a standard has little meaning.

A standard set lower than is medically necessary for the vast majority of those who have celiac disease and gluten intolerance could have the effect of decreasing the availability of gluten-free food. This would unnecessarily make it more difficult to comply with the gluten-free diet. In Australia, where the amount of allowable gluten is lowered each time tests get more stringent, this is already happening. (3)

If the standard for gluten free labeling is set at less than 20 ppm consumers can then assume that food labeled gluten free might have trace amounts of gluten (between a theoretical zero and 20 ppm). The addition of statements spelling out that minute levels of gluten might be present in gluten-free food would be redundant and add to consumer confusion without any real benefit.

The use of a two-tier system, with” gluten free” and “ low gluten” labels tied to different levels of allowed gluten, was debated and rejected when the gluten- free definition was first proposed. The idea was originally rejected because it is confusing to gluten-free consumers and that is still the case. We continue to oppose use of a low-gluten label.

The question of whether naturally gluten-free foods should be allowed to use the gluten-free label without saying all food of the same type is also gluten free is a little harder to answer.

For inherently gluten-free one-ingredient foods like milk, eggs, canned fruit and vegetables, the risk of gluten contamination is generally so slight, we can realistically assume all foods of this type would be gluten free. So a statement saying all foods of this type are gluten free would generally be accurate. It would also prevent companies from trying to falsely imply that their naturally gluten-free item has some advantage over other brands. Gluten-free consumers have complained about food makers trying to take advantage of the gluten-free fad by putting the gluten free label on all types of naturally gluten-free products.

Naturally gluten-free grains might be in a slightly different category. Grains have a higher risk of being cross-contaminated because of shared fields, transport vehicles and processing machinery. A recent small study showed that some inherently gluten-free grains were highly cross contaminated by gluten-containing grains. (4)

However, the study was based on a small number of samples and even the authors state that general conclusions about gluten-free grains cannot be drawn from it. So it is not yet clear that there is enough evidence to differentiate between naturally gluten-free grains and other inherently gluten free foods when it comes to gluten-free labeling. A larger study into cross-contamination of gluten-free grains is needed. If such a study showed wide-spread cross-contamination, the FDA should allow food makers who take steps to prevent cross-contamination to label their products gluten free without saying all other grains of the same type are also gluten free.

Overall, a medically justified gluten-free threshold that can consistently be verified through testing is what’s needed most by those who have celiac disease.

This threshold should not unnecessarily decrease the availability of gluten-free products and make it harder to comply with the gluten-free diet. We believe the 20 ppm standard satisfies these requirements and we urge the FDA to quickly approve it. Until then, those who rely on the gluten-free diet as the only way to treat celiac disease are left on their own to figure out what is safe. This is an untenable situation that has existed for far too long.

1.Catassi C, Fabiani E, Iacono G, et al. A prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to establish a safe gluten threshold for patients with celiac disease. Am J Clin Nutr 2007;85:160–6.

2.http://www.codexalimentarius.net/web/more_info.jsp?id_sta=291

3. Price G, Maintiaining Our Food Choices, The Australian Coeliac, 2010, December, 31-33

4. Grace T, Lee A, Thompson T, Gluten Contamination of grains, seeds and flours in the United States, a pilot study, Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2010, June, 814 -976

Latest gluten-free news from Starbucks

2011-09-28T16:08:00.004-04:00

Here is the latest from Starbucks on gluten in Light Frappuccinos:

"Starbucks has removed the gluten ingredient from its Light Frappuccino® Blended Beverages.

As you may know, in the summer of 2010 Starbucks began offering customers the opportunity to customize their favorite Frappuccino ... This new offering caused initial changes to the recipes of the Light Frappuccino beverages and resulted in a gluten-containing ingredient being used in the Light base.

Starbucks has heard feedback from many customers who are living a gluten-free lifestyle and has worked diligently to change the recipe to remove the presence of the gluten ingredient.

The Light Frappuccino beverage ingredient list will no longer state "contains gluten." However, due to other restrictions in declaring a product "gluten-free," Starbucks statement regarding all beverages must remain the same, as follows:

We do not claim that any of our beverages are gluten free because we use shared equipment and handle gluten and allergens throughout the store. Customers that have questions should ask to review the ingredient statements with their barista or can call 1-800-23-LATTE for ingredient information."

While I find Starbucks' position on gluten-free drinks baffling, I see this as good news. The Light Frappuccino was a drink that clearly containing gluten in the form of barley in the base mix and had to be avoided. Now that's not the case.

Whether you drink any beverage at Starbucks is a personal decision. Some gluten-free consumers work out arrangements with their local Starbucks baristas to lessen the exposure to cross contamination and feel safe having coffee and other drinks there. Before Starbucks started saying that it could not claim any of its drinks were gluten free, the company advised consumers to ask that containers used to mix drinks be washed before a gluten-free order was prepared.

Amy Ratner

How should gluten-free grains be labeled?

2011-09-28T15:39:00.000-04:00

The Food and Drug Administration is taking a second look at naturally gluten-free grains as part of its effort to finally pass rules for gluten-free labeling.

When the FDA announced in August that it was re-opening public comment on a proposed gluten-free definition, the agency said it was reconsidering how inherently gluten-free grains should be labeled.

Under the proposal, all naturally gluten-free food can only be labeled gluten free if the label also says any other food of that type is also gluten free. For example, sorghum flour labeled gluten free has to say all other sorghum flour is gluten free.

Now the FDA is considering whether gluten-free grains should be labeled differently than other naturally gluten-free food. That’s because of the risk that grains may be cross-contaminated by wheat, barley or rye.

Cross-contamination of grains can occur in the field or through shared equipment during transport, processing or packaging. A recent small study showed that some gluten-free grains actually contained fairly high levels of cross contamination.

The FDA is considering whether grain and flour companies that take steps to prevent cross-contamination should be allowed to use the gluten-free label without implying that products made by less diligent companies are just as safe.

The bottom line is whether the gluten-free label on naturally gluten-free grains would help gluten-free consumers select products that are safer.

The labeling rule for all naturally gluten-free one-ingredient foods was proposed to prevent food companies from using the gluten-free label to give the false impression that their products are somehow better than identical products. For example, a gluten-free label on naturally gluten-free water is meaningless since all water is gluten free.

Grains are the only naturally gluten-free food the FDA has specifically said it is interested in reviewing in regards to the labeling provision. Other naturally gluten-free, one-ingredient foods like canned fruit and vegetables, milk, butter and eggs have minimal, if any, risk of being cross contaminated. But changes to overall rules for labeling of inherently gluten-free foods could be made based on public comments sent to the agency.

Most important, you only have until Monday to comment on the gluten-free definition. You can send your comments to the FDA here. Click on "submit a comment" and type FDA-2005-N-0404 into the search bar. On the next page that comes up, down about halfway down, click "submit a comment" next to the gluten-free labeling notation

And if you want to sign onto the letter available from 1in133, a grass roots group that formed to push for gluten-free rules, you have to do so by noon Sunday. That will give the group time to get the information into a form that can be sent to the FDA. The FDA estimates it will take about a year to go through all the steps before gluten-free rules are finalized.

Rules for gluten-free labeling are already long overdue. The FDA was supposed to finish them three years ago as part of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act. Under the proposed rules, food labeled gluten free must contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten. This cut off would include trace amounts for gluten from cross contamination and would be verified through testing.

Amy Ratner

Gluten-free musings on Expo East

2011-09-27T15:34:00.004-04:00

Expo East, which was held at the Baltimore Convention Center last weekend, is the food industry's showcase of natural products. But it could easily have been dubbed a fashion show for gluten-free items. They were everywhere you looked.

In a "New Products Showcase," where new items that have caught the eye of Expo organizers were set up, I thought I might find a few that were gluten free. It turns out so many were labeled gluten free my hand was getting tired from writing them down.

When these were whittled down to the winners, three products labeled gluten-free were still standing: Little Duck Organic's Tiny Fruits, best packaging, Brad's Raw Leafy Kale, most innovative, and Nibor Chocolate's Daily Dose, best of press. Luna Pops' Hibiscus Lemon pop, which won the best new food prize, contains only gluten-free ingredients. It is made on the same machinery used to make flavors that contain wheat, but Dina Mills, a company representative, said the equipment is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized between flavors.

One of my personal favorites from the show - "home free" crunchy vanilla cookies came close, making it into the finalist category for best food.

On the main exhibit floor, I spent two days sampling new gluten-free items and talking with gluten-free company representatives. I ran into George and Ceil Chookasian, owners of Foods by George, who have been making gluten-free products as long as Gluten-Free Living has been publishing. We marveled at all the changes in the gluten-free market place -- so many of them positive. (Watch for my upcoming blog on what I thought were the most interesting new products at Expo East.)

But I did run into one remnant of the "old" gluten-free days when a representative of one company insisted to me that vinegar contains gluten. She said she had done her research, and she was sure that vinegar was not gluten free. When asked I for details on the research, she said when she accidentally eats something with vinegar her tongue swells and her head gets foggy for three days.

I told her that at Gluten-Free Living we respect anyone's right to make their own diet decisions based on whatever information they choose. But I do not think a company representative has a right to give incorrect information in a forum where people who represent gluten-free companies should know what they are talking about.

On vinegar the facts are simple and indisputable - the gluten peptide in vinegar is too large to carry over in the distillation process. This is true even when vinegar is made from wheat. And according to the Vinegar Institute, vinegar is usually made from naturally gluten-free apples, grapes, corn and rice. Malt vinegar, which is fermented and not distilled, is usually made from barley and is not gluten free.

Although Gluten-Free Living did the ground-breaking work on vinegar and distillation, most reputable celiac disease support groups and medical centers now agree distilled vinegar is gluten-free.

This includes the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center, the Celiac Center at Beth Deaconess Medical Center, the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research, the Celiac Disease Foundation, the Gluten Intolerance Group, the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, the Canadian Celiac Society, the American Dietetic Association, the Vinegar Institute, the Children's Digestive Health and Nutrition Center, the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition.

Any research on the topic from reputable sources would quickly reveal these facts.

So while I applaud and appreciate all the new gluten-free products being made by a wide variety of companies, I do expect all of them to make sure they know what they are talking about. Knowledgeable company representatives can make good decisions about the steps they have to take to make sure their products are truly gluten free. And they know to dismiss misinformation that needlessly limits options and causes gluten-free consumers to worry about ingredients that are known to be safe.

I am glad most of those I talked to at Expo were in that category.

Amy Ratner

Celiac Awareness

2011-09-15T16:32:00.002-04:00

Tuesday was Celiac Awareness Day, but the good news is that “awareness” of a gluten-free diet and lifestyle has exploded with growth since I was diagnosed with celiac disease almost 15 years ago.

We asked the question on Facebook, how has increased awareness improved your gluten-free life. For me, I am so excited by the depth and breadth of products in the freezer section and on the store shelves. With two members of my household on a gluten-free diet, it is fantastic that I don’t have to order everything online anymore.

I love the fact that more and more colleges are aware of a gluten-free diet and have food to accommodate this diet in the dining hall. I think by the time my son goes off to college, it should be pretty easy for him to navigate the dining halls.

Restaurants are also more aware than ever before about dietary restrictions. I wish every restaurant indicated which items on their menus were gluten-free, but I think the restaurants that offer gluten free menus, or indicate which items are gluten-free ingredients, are awesome.

I think it makes my life so much easier that celiac disease is no longer thought of as this “rare and unfortunate” disease. These days almost everyone knows someone on a gluten-free diet! I definitely used to feel like a freak when I asked for a burger without a bun. Now, I might get asked if I have a gluten issue or if I want a lettuce wrapped burger.

Other people on our Facebook page had great posts about how awareness has improved their gluten-free life. A few people said that increased labeling and increased products made it easier for family and friends to shop for them or feed them. Others said that awareness of celiac disease got them healthy again after years of baffling symptoms or feeling unwell. Mostly, people said that increased awareness has reduced the “blank stare” effect after explaining that they can’t eat gluten.

One person pointed out that a gluten-free diet was pretty good to Novak Djokovic this year. Three grand slam wins, three different trophies to kiss and while I don’t know his reason for a gluten-free diet, he sure has brought positive attention to a gluten-free diet!

Kendall Egan

Remembering 9/11

2011-09-09T17:29:00.000-04:00

Here in New York, we never forget 9-11. In certain spots, all we have to do is look up to see the void where the towers used to be. And that makes looking back from a 10-year vantage point all the more involving. With memory in mind, I’d like to reprise an editorial I wrote for Gluten-Free Living just after the attack. I hope it helps you look forward with hope for all our futures.

A Word from New York

As many of you know, I’m a New Yorker. I grew up in the Throgs Neck section of the Bronx where, when the weather is clear, you can see the Manhattan skyline from several vantage points.

We New Yorkers are a tough breed. Nothing deters us… or at least nothing did until September 11, 2001. It was the first time in my life that I actually banged my head on the wall.

My fear and frustration were magnified because my brother works (now worked) in a building across the street from the towers and we had no word from him… until late afternoon when he turned up with a horrific story I won’t detail here. And he is one of the lucky ones.

Which would mean I have less reason than others to be angry. I got my brother back. Thousands of people did not get their relatives back. Thousands and thousands.

But I am angry. The towers were still standing when a commentator said, “This is the end of life as we know it.” Like you, I want my life back. I want all those people back.

I want my brother to sleep in peace. I want to drive up the New Jersey turnpike, glimpse the towers over my right shoulder, and know “I’m home.” It was such a comforting feeling that I didn’t appreciate enough when I had it.

This is what we’ve all been doing over and over…talk and talk and talk, as if talking would change the reality. But I write here because there is a gluten-free lesson in this tragedy, a very simple lesson…only three words: It doesn’t matter!

It doesn’t matter that you have to live a gluten-free life. Not in the sense that life is short, but in the sense of priorities. Food is fuel. Even if you live to eat rather than eat to live, food is still fuel.

It doesn’t matter that you have to change your lifestyle. You can, much more easily than you think.
It doesn’t matter that you see danger lurking in all the food around you… hidden toxins that will do you no good. You can work your way around them…in fact, you have to!

It really doesn’t matter that others don’t understand. We need to take care of ourselves. It doesn’t matter that doctor after doctor misdiagnosed you. That’s water under the bridge. It doesn’t matter that food processors seem to have your needs at the bottom of their priority list. The ones at the top benefit everyone, celiacs included.

And, you’ll have to trust me on this, when disaster strikes, it doesn’t matter that you have to follow a gluten-free diet. Everyone suffers in a catastrophe. Everyone has to figure out unique ways to cope. You can… and you will.

It does matter that you keep on trucking. That you stare adversity in the eye, give it your best Bronx cheer, and surmount it. That you help others cope! Boy do I mean that last one. New York is surviving on our American ability to work together. There’s a real lesson here for everyone.

I am writing this a few days after the tragedy and have no idea what might happen between now and when you read this issue. I can only hope it is not worse than what has happened already.

I would not believe that such a thing could happen and that it would hurt so much. That hurt for me will be symbolized by the erasure of the towers from the New York skyline, the elimination of their promise of home and comfort. Without their presence, home will seem much, much farther away.

Ann Whelan

The 3PM Snack Attack

2011-09-08T11:02:00.002-04:00

What's going on all day in school that has my kids arriving home ready to chew nails they are so hungry? Does thinking and learning really drive the metabolism of the elementary and secondary school set into overdrive? Gluten-free or gluten ingesting, my kids are super hungry at 3pm.

All I know is that my kids walk in the door and right into the kitchen. Pantry doors are flung open, the refrigerator and freezer get looked over. Without careful planning, kids go right for the stuff that I probably shouldn’t be buying in the first place.

This year I am planning ahead! Trail mix, peanuts in the shell, spicy pecans and candied walnuts are all in my pantry shelves right now. There is a bit of sugar because the trail mix has chocolate and the candied walnuts are, well “candied.” However, this is a high energy, filling option that is just plain better than potato chips.

I kept this summer circular from Stop & Shop grocery stores because they had some fun “stuffed packet” recipes, there was one with a split banana with chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and mini marshmallows all wrapped in a parchment and foil packet to throw on the grill. One could probably put the packet in the oven with a banana, peanut butter and a little honey and have a gooey, warm after school snack! I could probably do a fun packet with apples, cinnamon and brown sugar too.

Bagel pizzas are a great post football or soccer practice treat. I keep gluten-free bagels in the house at all times and toppings such as marinara sauce and mozzarella cheese are easy to have on hand.

These days, there is a nice variety of gluten-free crackers so cheese and crackers or peanut butter with crackers is always available.

Pre-made guacamole and salsa are some of the best things to have in the refrigerator because that is a great serving of vegetables with some corn tortilla chips. Kids could easily make nachos for an after school fiesta.

Popcorn kernels, the good old fashioned kind that you pop with a little oil in a pan, is now a pantry staple in my household. Everyone knows how to make a really good bowl of popcorn. There are no chemicals and no microwave fires this way!

Frozen gluten-free waffles and cream cheese with jelly are delicious. We always visit a farm on the North Fork of Long Island and pick up multiple bottles of fruit syrups such as strawberry, blueberry, beach plum and raspberry for our waffles. They are really amazing.

Hummus and dips with chopped up vegetables are a great option too, they just have to be handy and prepared and right in the front of the refrigerator! Apple slices and nutella or peanut butter is a better option than cookies. I also find that if there is a container of cut up fruit salad right at eye level in the fridge, it will get devoured.

I want my kids to feel refueled for homework and sports practices, but I am subtly trying to enforce good eating by providing options. I find that all of these snacks are easily gluten free which makes it very easy to have kids converge on the kitchen as their school day ends.

Kendall Egan

Comments on Gluten-Free Labeling rules

2011-09-02T10:04:00.002-04:00

Comments on gluten-free labeling have been trickling in to the Food and Drug Administration, with new ones being made public nearly every day.

As of this morning, the agency has posted 90 comments on the regulations website. So far, those in favor of allowing less than 20 parts per million of gluten in gluten-free products are running evenly with those who want a stricter cut off. Not everyone who commented specifically addressed the 20 ppm standard, but of those who did, 14 say they support it. Meanwhile 13 pushed for a lower level with about half saying gluten-free should mean zero gluten.

At this point, while the numbers are interesting, they are rather meaningless. The FDA usually takes a while to get comments posted. There is still about a month to go before the comment period closes and the FDA will not begin to pay attention to comments until then.

So far, individuals have made the most comments with 64. Businesses have sent 10 comments, as have those who identify themselves as members of celiac support groups . There are also six comments from those who identify themselves as part of the medical community.

But the FDA has not yet posted any comments from those who used the labeling letter on the website of 1in133, the grass roots groups pushing for final approval of gluten-free labeling. There also aren't any comments from celiac disease experts or from the national celiac disease support groups.

That does not mean there is any problem. It just means they have not been posted yet.

We know these are all coming. The 1in 133 group's efforts are widely publicized and the group has been very successful in drumming up support. The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness has written to its members urging them to join the 1in133 letter writing campaign. You can sign the 1in133 letter here.

We have also seen letters from Alessio Fasano, MD, of the University of Maryland's Center for Celiac Research, and Stefano Guandalini, MD, of the Celiac Disease Center at the University of Chicago supporting 20 ppm. You can sign onto Fasano's letter here.

You can also send your own comments to the FDA here. Click on "submit a comment" and type FDA-2005-N-0404 into the search bar. On the next page that comes up, down about halfway down, click "submit a comment" next to the gluten-free labeling notation.

I have been covering labeling for Gluten-Free Living from the beginning, when the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act first directed the FDA to come up with rules for what can be labeled gluten free. So I have been through FDA public comment periods a few times already.

When the FDA first asked for public input in 2005 as it was working on the proposed definition, 500 individuals, companies and organizations responded. In 2007, after the proposal was released, the FDA again sought comments. At that time you could not read them online so I went to the FDA's cramped reading room, where letters and printed emails filled four heavy binders.

The comments came from people with celiac disease, gluten-free food companies, mainstream food makers, large grocery chains, celiac disease support groups, consumer advocates and the medical community. All are likely to comment again this time around. And we all know the gluten-free community has grown wildly even since 2007. That should result in even more commentary from all sides.

The comments posted in this latest round do reveal some interesting points, including some gluten-free consumers' continued desire for zero gluten in gluten-free food.

"I would prefer that the gluten-free label only be allowed on food and beverages that contain zero gluten," John Lewis wrote. "If it contains less than 20 ppm I would like that to be stated. Otherwise, I find the labeling misleading."

Fifteen-year-old Kenny Peyton Nathe got right to his point. "What I think you should do is pretty simple actually. If it is not 100 percent gluten free, don't put "gluten free on it."

On the other side of the debate about gluten levels, Jane Alcantara wrote, "As a person recently diagnosed with celiac, it is thrilling to think that gluten-free labeling may become a standard...I highly encourage the FDA to pass the labeling proposal."

Elizabeth Kordeck wrote that she fears too narrow of definition of gluten-free "will turn off food producers as they will not be able to meet overly stringent guidelines." "If 20 ppm has been widely tested and accepted as a safe level...that is a huge leap forward," she told the FDA.

Some companies have also commented, with Juliette Parker of the Marvelous Food Company writing that her company already meets a 5 ppm standard with two products. She wrote that it is not a problem to make products with 5 ppm or less of gluten. A representative of Genius Bread, a British product being introduced in the US and Canada, wrote in support of the 20 ppm standard, which is recognized internationally.

Some writers urged the FDA to require "gluten" to be labeled whenever it's in a food or medication though both of those moves are beyond the reach of this labeling regulation.

And cross-contamination from shared equipment and facilities was on the mind of others. They said it should be prohibited in the production of foods labeled gluten-free. One writer said she did not think naturally gluten-free foods like milk and eggs should "be allowed to be labeled gluten free just to capitalize on trend."

Whatever your personal opinion on the gluten-free definition, the comments are a reminder that the clock is ticking on sending yours to the FDA. The deadline is Oct. 3. It's something that's easy to put off, as we are aware at Gluten-Free Living given that we are still working on our own letter.

So get to it. We promise we will too!

Amy Ratner

Hope all is well

2011-08-29T13:27:00.002-04:00

Gluten-Free Living survived Hurricane Irene…all of us…variously located on the east coast and, in the case of Vicki, our graphic artist, on an island reachable only by ferry. She evacuated. The rest of us stayed put.

Speaking for my gluten-free self, I was ready even before Irene became a preliminary news item. The proliferation of gluten-free food items means I always have a freezer full of food. (The preparation advice was to crank up the temperature of the refrigerator so if the power went out, warming would take longer. Also, we were advised to fill plastic containers with water and freeze them to fill any empty freezer spaces and lower the temperature further. PS: We didn’t lose power.) Amy’s daughter, her gluten-free family member, was safely back at college. As you’ve read, Kendall’s whole family was well prepared with GF food, whether they follow the diet or not! Vicki can eat anything.

Happenings like Irene might give us at least momentary pause as to what we will eat in the event of a disaster – with emphasis on momentary. As long as we are even minimally stocked, and as long as naturally gluten-free fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, beans, etc, are around, we can assume we won’t starve. Plus, now that we can depend on local supermarkets and other locations to stock gluten-free food items, chances are good we’ll find something on even the barest of shelves.

Perhaps. The reality here was that the shelves of most stores in this area were bare even early Friday. I stopped at the local A & P for a quart of milk at roughly 2 pm Friday and found nothing but goat or soy milk. And as you may know, the bottom line for the gluten-free diet is that even in an absolutely worst-case scenario, if we are starving to death and the only food available contains gluten, we should eat it! That’s advice from expert Peter Green, MD, in an article on disaster planning that we ran a few years ago. He said: “…If one had to eat food with questionable gluten content, I would bite the bullet and eat it. If gluten-containing foods are the only option, the damage created would eventually repair itself.” In other words, our intestines will heal; death is final.

As you probably know, the east coast shut down on Saturday: there was no public transportation, airports were closed, and low-lying areas had mandatory evacuations. This previously untested tactic of shutting down in advance of a storm has already been criticized and my guess is that the criticism will grow. I have no feelings on this one way or the other. But I did get pretty impatient with the media. For close to three days, it was the same on every channel, with reporters seeming to vie for the deepest flood water to stand in or the heaviest wind to withstand, with the goal of telling us not to do what they were doing! I am all for employing the media for things it can do that others can’t. Heck, we are the media! But I do think media overkill does not always influence events in a positive way. Enough said on that score because it’s a bit like biting the hand that feeds us.

With temperance in mind, our message is be prepared to deal with whatever comes, but don’t be overly concerned about whatever worst-case scenario you can conjure up. Yes, that’s the story that might make the media coverage, but it’s not what happens to most of us.

I hope all the gluten-free people on the east coast survived Irene as well as Gluten-Free Living did. But with serious flooding in many locations, the story isn’t over yet.

Ann Whelan

Gluten-Free Food in the “To Go” Bag

2011-08-29T10:51:00.003-04:00

Prepping for Hurricane Irene was important because I live in a coastal town with a brook that cuts through the town and empties into the Long Island Sound. I’ve been told that the brook was forced to wind and bend through the down town, past the Middle School/High School campus and eventually find its way to the Marina and out.

What I have learned over the years is that this pretty little brook becomes a raging class-three rapid that runs straight through streets, buildings, football fields, basements and neighborhoods. It happened again with Hurricane Irene.

I have also learned that big, old Maples do not “bend and snap” the way palm trees do, thus leaving us with downed power lines galore. That happened again with Hurricane Irene as well.

This time, I was unbelievably prepared, even as my children mocked me for having “to go” groceries and three cases of water right by the front door…there was even dog food ready to go. I had written down last minute “tasks” for each kid on post-in notes so in the scramble to go, if we had to, then everyone would scramble in a productive manor…I did not let them know about these, how much eye rolling can a mom take?

I checked my supplies, and we still had plenty of LED candles and batteries from the December 26th snow storm! Everything was placed on the kitchen table and everyone went to bed Saturday night with a flashlight.

In all reality, if we had to leave, we all would have been eating Glutino pretzels, ThinkThin and Pure Fit bars, Trader Joe’s fruit crushers, Sesmark crackers, Tasty Bite Madras Lentils, tuna and peanut butter. I decided to pack mostly gluten-free food in the bags because it seemed easier in the long run.

We would have also been eating a lot of homemade baked goods too. Out of sheer boredom on Saturday, my kids made enough baked goods to open a bakery. Now I need to re-stock my gluten-free mixes and go for a jog to work off the calories from the brownies and pumpkin muffins and cookies that have been tempting me for two days.

We were very lucky and kept our power and had little water damage, so now one case of water goes with one daughter to her dorm room on Thursday, another goes with a daughter to a soccer tournament and the third will be used over the next few weeks for various tennis outings, soccer and football practices . The sun has returned to the sky and my “to go” food has been unpacked and returned to the pantry.

To those who are dealing with major damage, I hope help is on the way and that things return to normal as soon as possible. To those like me, who were prepared, but dodged one this time, I feel that I learned something new and will be even more prepared when the next storm comes around.

Kendall Egan

Gluten-Free French Toast in Cape Cod

2011-08-22T16:15:00.003-04:00

We have traveled to Cape Cod and stayed in Dennis for so many years that I never do research or prepare for a week’s stay on the Cape. I know the Stop and Shop will have gluten-free food on the store shelves and in the freezer and that lobster with butter is gluten-free, so what else could I want?

On the one rainy day of our vacation, I went into a Rite Aid and indulged my love of magazines, picking up several for some cozy reading. I purchased Cape Cod Magazine due to the great cover article called “Where to Live, Our Guide to the Best Neighborhoods of the Cape.” It has been a lifelong dream of mine to own a place on the Cape…just eleven years of college tuition first!

As I read it, I saw a special box in the restaurant section with the header, “Hold the Gluten.” In the town next door, Yarmouth, there was an entirely gluten-free restaurant called Idgy’s! You should see the photo of the praline French toast.

We had been planning to go out for a big breakfast one morning. There is a great place in the Harbor and I never mind eating an omlete. But, my husband suggested that we just get up a little earlier and have breakfast at Idgy’s. He would drop us off, take the dog for a run on the beach and then pick us up. His guess was that the teenagers would still be asleep when we returned home.

I had a quiche with tomatoes, onions and linguica sausage and my celiac had the praline French toast. We had both wanted a cinnamon roll to go, but they were in the mixer as a work in progress. We also bought lots of treats for later.

I was watching other orders come out from the kitchen, a huge Belgium style waffle, crispy bacon and toast. I wish I had more room in my stomach. Our breakfasts were really good and we were trying to figure out how we could come back for “Pan’Idgy’s,” a GF version of a Panini’s.

I learned something as a “seasoned” celiac, it’s still important to do a little research and look around for those gluten-free gems, even in places that are very familiar.

Next year, I am going to have some pizza’s built by Idgy’s and pick them up on the way to Dennis. The one thing we have always wanted to do was have pizzas on Mayflower beach for the sunset and so far the local pizza places do not have gluten-free options. So, I will pop back to our rental and bake them up and then pick up all the pizzas, with sodas and beers and celebrate the day’s end with all the other families on the beach.

I can’t believe I have to wait an entire year for sunset pizzas on the beach and a whole year for cinnamon rolls!

Kendall Egan

Update on Gluten-Free Labeling

2011-08-03T08:10:00.000-04:00

It will be at least another year before gluten-free consumers can expect to get clearly defined gluten-free labels on food.

That news came out of a teleconference the FDA held Tuesday to announce that a long-awaited assessment of safe levels of gluten for those who have celiac disease is finally finished and open for public comment.

But after all the years the safety assessment has been cited for delaying a final gluten-free definition, it got little attention during the FDA teleconference with members of the gluten-free community.

In part that's because the FDA coupled release of the safety assessment with an announcement that the agency will open the entire gluten-free labeling proposal to a renewed round of public comment. Details on how to comment are available on the Federal Register.

Callers representing celiac support groups, the medical community, food makers, gluten-free media and consumers wanted to know when the FDA now expects to finalize a definition, how that definition will be enforced and whether it will still be based on a standard of 20 parts per million.

The FDA said it expects to have a final definition by the third quarter of next year. Once its in place, the FDA will develop rules for compliance and could enforce them through warning letters to food makers that violate gluten-free rules, seizures of product improperly labeled gluten free, injunctions and mandatory recalls.

Mike Taylor, FDA's deputy commissioner for foods, said the agency believes the 20 ppm threshold in the proposed definition strikes a balance between providing safe food for those who have celiac disease and enabling food makers to produce a wide range of products at reasonable prices. But he noted that the FDA wants to hear all points of view and to get comments based on information contained in the safety assessment.

While the teleconference included little mention of the safety assessment, the federal register notice outlines the assessment's conclusion that very low levels of gluten, far less than 20 ppm, "would be protective of the vast majority of those who have celiac disease, including the most sensitive."

The 93-page assessment, called the Gluten Report, concludes that less than 1 ppm of gluten in foods protects the most sensitive people with celiac disease and, as a result, protects the largest number of people from harmful health effects related to long-term exposure to gluten.

The FDA in the federal register said decreasing the gluten cut off to much less than 20 ppm could "have an adverse impact on the health of Americans with celiac disease." The agency said it should set a threshold for gluten-free labeling that helps those with celiac disease adhere to a life-long gluten-free diet while also protecting them from harmful levels of gluten.

Labeling rules that lead to less gluten-free products at higher prices could reduce compliance with the gluten-free diet and result in serious health complications related to celiac disease, according to the agency.

The FDA said the findings indicate that a safety-assessment approach to defining gluten free could lead to a "conservative, highly uncertain estimation of the risk to individuals with celiac disease associated with very low levels of gluten exposure."

Michael Landa, acting director of the FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, said during the teleconference that the safety assessment was expected to come up with low numbers for safe levels of gluten tolerance. In part, that's because of the kind of studies it includes and excludes for evaluation. In addition it bases conclusions on the most sensitive people who have celiac disease, not the majority that celiac disease experts say can safely eat foods with less than 20 ppm of gluten.

Instead of using the safety-assessment approach, the FDA said the analytical, test-based approach originally proposed for defining gluten free should be used for the final definition. The analytical approach takes into account the reliability of available testing, the FDA noted. Currently there are no reliable tests for less than 1 ppm of gluten.

But even if the analytical approach is used, the safety assessment could have consequences for gluten-free labeling. The FDA asks whether, in light of the safety assessment, gluten-free foods that contain a trace level of gluten less than 20 ppm need a qualifying statement. For example, the label might also say "does not contain more than 20 ppm of gluten."

During the teleconference the FDA emphasized how important comments on all aspects of gluten-free labeling are and noted that they will have influence on the final definition. Landa compared the value to real estate, where it's location, location, location. "In rule making, it's comments, comments, comments," he said.

Look for more details on the FDA's plans for gluten-free labeling in our upcoming issue of Gluten-Free Living.

Amy Ratner

New gluten-free bread from UK landing in US this week

2011-07-29T11:11:00.001-04:00

Genius bread available in Canada (left) and
soon available in the US (right)

We are really busy right now working on our next news-filled issue. But I had to take a minute - just a minute - to tell you that Genius Bread is supposed to start showing up on stores shelves in the US this week.

What's the big, hold the presses for a minute, deal?

If you've ever had the pleasure of enjoying this bread in the UK, you'll be as excited about this development as you were about the royal wedding.

I only know this because my daughter spent last semester studying abroad in London and could not stop raving about this bread. On top of that, she was able to get it in Starbucks there, where it's used to make a gluten-free sandwich.

The bread, which comes in white and multi-grain, is being distributed by Glutino, a well-known gluten-free brand with a wide distribution system. On its Facebook page, the company says the bread will soon be available in the gluten-free frozen foods sections of Food Lion stores in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic. In some places it may take a few weeks for the bread to be available. Other supermarket chains will also begin carrying it soon, Glutino says.

Lucky Canadians are already reporting being able to find it. And some are saying the bread is so good you don't have to toast it, usually a must for gluten-free bread.

Glutino will be selling it online at glutenfree.com once it arrives in the warehouse for those who can't find it locally.

The ready-made gluten-free bread scene has improved dramatically in the past year or so as tasty bread from Udi's and Rudi's hit supermarket and health food shelves. And the addition of Genius bread only makes things better.

Amy Ratner

The Ants Go Marching…

2011-07-20T14:54:00.008-04:00

Two things have been constant since the end of June. The first is that my sons have had a baseball game almost every single night since June 18th. The second is that we have been under siege this summer by little black ants.

How do these two things go together and how do they relate to a gluten-free diet? Those are both excellent questions and there is an explanation!

Because I have been traveling all over Westchester County to watch baseball, I have been grocery shopping all over Westchester County. I am popping into stores for essentials that are not my normal shopping places. My youngest had a game at a field in Ardsley, so I made a pit stop at DeCicco’s Food Market on the way home to pick up food for the weekend. They also have an impressive section of gluten-free items so I am always happy to have a game in Ardsley.

I picked up a package of regular store baked cupcakes and a frozen package of The Grainless Baker’s gluten-free cupcakes for dessert treats that evening.

When I got home, we ate a light supper and I left three cupcakes defrosting on the counter for later. I’m not sure they were fully defrosted before my celiac wolfed down two. I wanted to enjoy my cupcake at room temperature so I left it there.

Here is where the ants come in…I walked back into the kitchen about an hour later and there was my cupcake in a full swarm of little black ants. They had never been up on the counter like that, ever. The dog food bowl, yes. The garbage container, yes. But, never, ever, ever swarming all over something left on the counter.

I don’t know if I was more grossed out or dismayed. I really was looking forward to that cupcake with its pretty white frosting and sprinkles. The ants had shimmied their way into the wrapper, they were doing the backstroke in the frosting and they seemed to be calling to all the ants in the neighborhood to come join in the gluten-free feast.

It’s not like I could pick off an ant and pretend it didn’t really eat much, there was no way I could eat this cupcake without chewing on some ants. I threw it out and put a glop of poison ant gel down for a more deadly snack for these stupid pests.

The next day I was at a meeting in the office in Hastings-on-Hudson and I stopped in at By The Way Bakery and bought two cupcakes, a lemon cupcake and a carrot cake cupcake. The owner put them in a pretty box and I took them out to my car, opened up the box and ate them right there. I don’t know if ants have a preference for gluten-free food, but I wasn’t taking any more chances on losing my gluten-free cupcakes to little black ants!

Kendall Egan

Our new addition

2011-07-07T20:46:00.002-04:00

We have some exciting news to report. We've just launched our new ezine, glutenfreeliving express.

This newest Gluten-Free Living product is available free just by subscribing at the bottom of our homepage. It will be delivered directly to your email in-box and is designed to keep us in touch with the gluten-free community between issues of our print magazine, Gluten-Free Living.

Each issue will feature a gluten-free news story unique to glutenfreeliving express. The ezine will be interactive, seeking your input on our hot topic question. Plus it will link you to our information-packed blog and our popular ingredients question and answer page, called On Your Plate.

The inaugural issue of glutenfreeliving express features a story on the first completely gluten-free in-supermarket deli, with details on future plans if the concept is successful. And we ask you an important question about your dealings at the deli counter. Almost as soon as the ezine was sent to early subscribers, we started receiving answers to our question. We'll include some responses in the next issue.

Gluten-Free Living was the first publication devoted to gluten-free issues when Ann Whelan, editor and publisher, started it as an eight-page black-and-white newsletter 15 years ago. Since then we've made many changes to keep up with the changing gluten-free lives of our readers. The magazine has grown substantially, to 60 pages full of original reporting and writing, and our cover and photos are all in color.

We've had a website for many years that includes reliable information for those new to the gluten-free diet as well as veterans. Several years ago, we added this blog with posts that share our personal experience and insight on the gluten-free diet and lifestyle. And recently we made back issues available as digital downloads. We're also very active on Twitter, as gfliving, where we share and comment on gluten-free developments, 140 characters at time. You will also find us on Facebook, where we communicate with our fans regularly. All of which says we are always looking for new, exciting ways to actively engage with everyone in the gluten-free community.

Our new ezine is another step in that direction. Our goal is to give you useful news, ask thought-provoking questions with answers that will be helpful to everyone who is gluten free and make it quick and easy for you access our blog posts and ingredient information.

So subscribe. Take a look and let us know what you think. We hope you end up as excited about glutenfree express as we are.

Amy Ratner

What Pairs Nicely with Sand?

2011-07-05T11:01:00.003-04:00

Over the years I have probably packed hundreds of beach picnics. During that time, I have discovered what pairs nicely with sand.

Our meals have evolved as the kids were less likely to drop whatever I handed them right into the sand or come charging up to the picnic basket spraying everything with sand. It used to be just a stack of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which were easy to tear apart and refresh if the seam of PB & J hit the sand.

Watermelon was always a popular choice, but if a piece of melon was dropped…it was toast. Grapes, on the other hand, could be cleaned off with a water bottle! Potato chips always tasted good, even if they had a little extra crunch.

As the kids have grown up, we have changed the way we go to the beach. The big girls don’t necessarily like to come with us anymore since their peers are a lot more appealing than their parents. On a typical Saturday in the summer, at least one of my boys will have a morning baseball practice and that just ruins the early start to the day in terms of beating the crowds. Plus, that puts us at the beach all day in the heat of the day.

We now leave around 2pm for the beach and stay through dinner and that has changed my picnic basket considerably as well.

On Saturday evening, we had some chipotle hummus with carrots and celery as a starter, followed by a pineapple salsa with tortilla chips. We had a selection of ham & cheese or turkey & cheese on rolls (Udi’s Hamburger buns for the GFree crowd). We had a tub of pub cheese and rice crackers, which is everyone’s favorite cracker for spreadable cheese. We had olives and almonds for little nibbles. I also brought potato salad, which was overkill because as we worked our way through most of the appetizers over the course of the afternoon into evening, no one was really hungry for potato salad.

The kids had lemonade or soda and we had a nice, light, summery rose. The only thing that got sand in it was my Solo cup with the wine in it! I was the klutz who dropped it in the sand, not any of my kids!

No matter what, a beach meal always has just a little extra crunch. No worries, a common sense judgment would say that sand is gluten free.

Kendall Egan

Are charcoal briquettes gluten free?

2011-07-01T16:24:00.000-04:00

I just got an email from a reader who wondered about gluten in charcoal after attending a conference where it was mentioned as a possible source of cross contamination.

As I was replying it hit me that she was asking such a timely question that the answer might be interesting to many more gluten-free folks with the 4th of July holiday weekend beginning.

Charcoal briquettes are almost always made with corn starch. Kingsford, the largest manufacturer of briquettes in the US only uses corn starch. Even if wheat starch is used, which is rare, we could not find any evidence that it would contaminate foods with gluten. Charcoal is made with 90 percent hardwood and coal. The other 10 percent is made from minor ingredients – binders, an accelerant and an ash-whitening lime to let you know the briquettes are hot enough. The starch binder is only a very small part of the charcoal and in the rare case where wheat starch is used, gluten protein would only be a tiny portion of the starch.

Mark Kantor, PhD, an associate professor of food sciences and nutrition at the University of Maryland said since the briquettes should not come in contact with the food it is very unlikely that food would be contaminated with trace amounts of gluten in the starch. He said when the briquettes are burned it is unlikely that the smoke would contain any significant amount of intact gluten because the protein would be denatured or incinerated.

We also asked Steve Taylor, PhD, co-director of the Food Allergy Research and Resource Program at the University of Nebraska and he said that although he is not familiar with any studies on gluten in charcoal briquettes, he doubts that the smoke would contain any detectable gluten.

So the evidence really stacks up against worrying about gluten in charcoal.

You could face some risk of cross contamination at your holiday barbecue from gluten-containing foods prepared on the same grill. If, for example, buns were toasted on the grill before your burger was placed on it some crumbs might remain. You should ask that your food be prepared before anything that might contain gluten. (Although many marinades are gluten free, some could contain soy sauce or malt vinegar, and could also contaminate a grill. Remember distilled vinegar is gluten free and the only kind you have to worry about is malt vinegar, which is usually made from barley.)

Everyone at Gluten-Free Living hopes this information takes some of the worry out of your weekend. And we wish a happy and safe 4th to everyone!

Amy Ratner

What's your gluten-free space like?

2011-06-27T15:07:00.002-04:00

I’m leaving New York on Wednesday to attend the Gluten Intolerance Group’s annual Education Conference, being held at the Gaylord Palms Hotel and Convention Center in Orlando, Fla. It will be my first trip to Orlando, Disney World notwithstanding, and I’m looking forward to meeting old friends and learning new things about the gluten-free life. Some of what I learn will wind up in Gluten-Free Living, our national magazine, or on our various communication channels including Facebook, Twitter and our upcoming e zine, debuting shortly.

Cynthia Kupper, GIG Executive Director, and I go way back. We remember the way it was back then – but I’m sure we will both keep our reminiscences to a minimum. Hearing the “old folk” talk about the old days does little to help the “new folk” cope with the challenges of gluten-free living.

Except for this aspect: The various modern communication channels of today make it so much easier to spread the word quickly. But some of the questions we receive remain the same. Over our several modern channels, we still get asked about vinegar (was always safe…should never have been questioned). Just this morning, I received an inquiry about the safety of vanilla (also safe). And certain other common ingredients never go away. That’s why we recently posted a white paper, still available on our website, called “Top 10 ingredients you really don’t need to worry about.”

One of the first things I will do at the GIG meeting is give a “demo” at 9 am Friday morning in the demo area of the conference. I'll give a (very) brief history of Gluten-Free Living, go over a few of the “quandaries” that never seem to get resolved, and look toward the future and where I think we are headed in terms of food, testing, labeling and research. Suffice it to say that this “new” gluten-free world we live in is generations ahead of the “old” gluten-free world we old folk talk about. That’s probably all I’ll say about the old world – and all you need to know!

That said, I do realize that we all inhabit our own little gluten-free space. My contentment with gluten-free living was achieved after years (now pushing 20 years) of trial and error. So I’m thrilled that I can find gluten-free pizza, or eat out more easily, or pick up gluten-free items at my local supermarket. But not everyone just getting started is as sanguine as I am.

Just this weekend, I met with a relatively newly diagnosed celiac on an aspect of our magazine unrelated to following the diet. Let’s just say he is not the happiest GF camper on the planet. He is frustrated by the challenges involved in living gluten free. He would much prefer to go back to his old life and not have to worry about his digestive system or the items he drops in his shopping cart. Mostly he wants a slice of pizza that tastes just like the one he, a native New Yorker, remembers getting from his local pizzeria. I’m with him there. I miss gooey NY style pizza-by-the-slice. But I have learned to be as happy with what I can get now as I was with what I used to get in my gluten-eating days. It takes time to reach this level of gluten-free contentment – but by golly I got there and everyone can!

So I hope those of you attending the conference will come to the demo and to our booth and introduce yourselves. Much of the demo will be given over to a question-and-answer period where we can talk about whatever you’d like. At the booth, I’ll be able to also chat about whatever you’d like. I might even ask you a few questions about the gluten-free space you inhabit and how comfortable you are in it. The more I learn about you, the better I can make Gluten-Free Living.

I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible.

You ordered a what?

2011-06-15T22:55:00.001-04:00

Last night my celiac sent me a text message while I attended a meeting to ask if he could go to lunch in town after his final. I texted back, “Sure, get $$ from Dad.”

My celiac did not get money from Dad, so I handed him some cash and asked him to check in and just let me know where they eventually landed after lunch.

I picked him up after a full day of basketball, Nerf dart-gun battles, wiffle ball and general hanging out with a group of boys that haven’t known my celiac since the pre-K days. That is the thing about moving up and moving on, all sorts of new people have to be introduced to exactly what gluten intolerance entails.

“Where did you go to lunch” I asked.

“Cosi” he replied. Now I cringed a little bit because they have great salads but the bulk of their menu is focused around their delicious looking flat bread.

“What did you eat,” I gingerly questioned.

“A Caesar salad with grilled chicken, no croutons,” said the celiac.

Say what? I mean this is a kid who has NEVER had a green, leafy ANYTHING come remotely close to his mouth.

“It was good, I couldn’t even finish it I was so full.”

I started looking out the car window for the alien spaceship and was wondering what they did to my son. I mean, these are shocking words from a vegetable hater. I thought he would choose skipping a meal over eating a salad any day of the week.

Really, this is big news for the mother of a celiac. Sometimes a salad is the only option. The important thing is sitting around a table, shooting the breeze and sharing a meal with a bunch of friends. These aren’t buddies who have known him since he was three and know all about what he can and can’t eat.

Today I took a little victory lap that my celiac was resilient and worked with the menu selections that were available, prior to that moment he would never have ordered a salad.

Now I just have to hope that some of these middle schoolers like sushi….

Kendall Egan

Gluten-free Mini Cream Cheese Pastry Cups

2011-06-10T18:24:00.001-04:00

When we mentioned the story about pies and tarts in our new issue of the magazine on our Facebook page, Tammy Burnham asked if we could post a recipe.

So here is one of the many recipes Food Editor Jacqueline Mallorca includes in her article "Roll Out a Tasty Summer Treat." In the magazine, you'll also find recipes for four basic pie crusts that Jackie says are easier to make than a traditional wheat-flour crust. Who knew!

Jackie does not limit herself to fruit pies in the story. She also includes chicken pie, sweet and savory tarts, and a plum galette. You can subscribe to Gluten-Free Living on our website or look for a copy in stores nationwide shortly.

Mini Cream Cheese Pastry Cups
Makes 24

3/4 cup (3 1/2 ounces) brown rice flour
1/4 cup (1 1/2 ounces) cornstarch, plus extra for forming
1 tablespoon sugar (omit for savory cups)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
3/4 stick (3 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into cubes, plus extra for pan
3 ounces cream cheese, cut into cubes
1 large egg yolk

• Grease two 12-cup mini-muffin pans with butter. Combine the brown rice flour, cornstarch, sugar if using, salt, and xanthan gum and set aside. Place the butter in a food processor and pulse until smooth, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the cream cheese, and process until well blended. Add the egg yolk and mix well. Add the flour mixture and pulse to form a soft dough. Divide the dough in half and refrigerate one portion, wrapped in plastic, while working with the other.
• Using a 1-inch spring-release ice-cream? scoop, drop 12 little half-spheres of dough into one of the prepared pans. Tamp down with the bottom of a glass spice jar (or something similar) dipped in cornstarch. Spread the dough evenly up the sides of each cup with your thumb and refrigerate the pan for 20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining dough.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Bake the shells for about 20 minutes, until golden. (Check half way through, and if any of the interiors have puffed up, quickly deflate with the tip of a long knife.) Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes. To unmold, lay a wire rack over one of the pans, feet facing upwards,reverse both together, and the pastry cups will drop out onto the rack. Repeat with the second pan. Let cool before filling. (The cups freeze well in rigid containers, stacked 2 or 3 deep.)

A Gluten-Free Aha moment

2011-06-07T04:43:00.001-04:00

You've probably seen the television commercial in which people describe "Aha" moments in their lives. Usually they reveal a turning point discovery.

I had an "aha" moment of my own recently, though it was not exactly of the life-changing variety.

Instead, it was just one of those pleasant, exciting instances when you find something gluten-free that you never expected to find. In this case, it was completely accidental, which only added to the thrill.

My daughter and I were shopping to restock the pantry at home with gluten-free items now that she is back from a semester studying abroad in London. She is the only one in our house who is gluten free and had finished off everything before she left.

We were just about to check out of the grocery with a basket full of items we regularly buy -- gluten-free cereal, baking mixes, bagels, and bread -- when we turned a corner and ran smack into gluten-free Tastykake cookies prominently displayed on an end-of-the-aisle shelf. That's a spot usually reserved for items a supermarket is really pushing and not one where you would expect to find a gluten-free product.

Even though I regularly get press releases about new products and follow a number of blogs that are very good at getting the word out when something new hits the market, I had no idea Tastykake had any interest in gluten free. The thought that we were one of the first to find the new cookies only added to the rush we felt as we plopped a carton of Chocolate Chip and another of Chocolate Chocolate Chip into our cart. The $5.99 price tag for eight cookies was a little deflating, but not enough to dampen our enthusiasm or slow down my intentions to blog about the find as soon as I got home.

But when I sat down to write I did a little research first and found that Gluten-Free Philly, a blog that details gluten-free developments in the Philadelphia area had beaten me to the punch. Turns out the cookies were mentioned there in March on the same day I left for a nearly two-week trip to visit my daughter in London and I had simply missed it. Tastykake is based in Philly and so it makes sense the cookies were first available there. Not to mention that Michael Savett, the lawyer and father of a child with celiac disease who writes the blog, is always up-to-the minute on gluten-free products and restaurants.

Still, I bring you news of this new item, just in case you missed it like me. And because it falls into the category of "I never thought I'd see that" gluten-free products, which hold a particular fascination for me. It's one thing for a specialty company to work out a cookie recipe using gluten-free flours. It's another for a company that made its fortune with wheat flour to take the initiative to do so.

On the subject of wheat flour and possible cross-contamination of the gluten-free Tastykake cookies, I contacted the company to see what steps they take to prevent it. No one ever got back to me despite several tries and the passage of several weeks (I wasn't in as much of a rush to write the blog once I realized the word was out). But Gluten-Free Philly reports that a company representative said they are made in a dedicated gluten-free facility.

So if you live in an area where Tastykake is sold, keep an eye out for this new entry in the gluten-free market to show up on your grocery shelf. It might give you a little "aha" moment.

Amy Ratner

GFree? Who cares, it tastes good!

2011-06-03T12:51:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was one of those days where one son had a baseball game at 6, one son had an away lacrosse game at 6:30, one daughter and her coach (my husband) had basketball practice at 7:30, one daughter was working and then staying on to work out and I had a dinner where I was giving a little speech across town at 6:30. So when my youngest walked out of the kitchen with a stack of chocolate chip cookies in his hand at 5:30, I didn’t bat an eyelid because that was the sort of dinner we were facing.

“Those are my cookies,” said the celiac. “Those are gluten-free.”

“Who cares,” said the gluten eating kid, “they taste good and I’m hungry.”

And what happened next was fairly typical of two boys ages 10 and 12, the 12 year old took off and started chasing the 10 year old for the cookies. The 10 year old took off laughing, squeezing the cookies so tightly that the chocolate chips immediately start melting all over his hands.

I was annoyed and hollered over the din of thundering footsteps, laughter and the dog barking, “just let him eat the cookies, there are plenty more in the cupboard, get your own, blah, blah blah.”

The point being, the gluten-free cookies taste good enough that the “gluten-free” part of them is not even a big deal anymore.

The New York Times featured an article on the front page of their Wednesday Dining section entitled, “Gluten-Free: Flavor Free No More” and isn’t that the truth! Food options these days are delicious and, even more wonderful, they are nutritious. I am spotting the whole grain seal on more and more gluten-free products every time I shop!

Interesting grains are replacing the nutritionally void and flavorless rice flours and starches of my gluten-free diet ten years ago. I have made everything from Molten Lava cakes to Lemon Cake with a Berry Compote for guests who have no dietary restrictions and have wowed them with my gluten-free desserts.

While chocolate chip cookies are not the pre-game meal most nutritionists would recommend, I was amused that the kid who could eat any cookie in the cupboard chose the gluten-free variety because they taste good.

Kendall Egan

Gluten Free Give and Take

2011-05-16T15:22:00.002-04:00

Mainstream food companies both giveth and taketh away gluten-free products.

General Mills has announced that it will no longer be making a gluten-free claim on three varieties of its Hamburger Helper type meals.

Ironically for a company that has made a big splash with it's attention to gluten- free products, the announcement comes in the middle of Celiac Disease Awareness month.

Frito Lay, on the other hand, saw celiac awareness month as the perfect time to announce that the company will begin labeling its some of its chips "gluten free." The snacks have long been made with gluten-free ingredients, but the addition of the label will make it easier for gluten-free consumers to identify them.

Even more important the gluten-free claim will be backed up with testing to 20 parts per million, the standard the Food and Drug Administration has proposed for gluten-free labeling. Lay’s Classic potato chips, Fritos Original corn chips, Tostitos Scoops! tortilla chips and Baked! Lay’s Original potato crisps will soon roll out with a gluten-free label. A full list of products that the company is already testing to 20 ppm is on the Frito Lay website.

Meanwhile, General Mills said it's Cheesy Hashbrown, Asian Chicken Fried Rice and Asian Beef Fried Rice Helper meals will no longer be made in a dedicated gluten-free facility. Although the ingredients will not change, the company says the meal mixes could be cross-contaminated with gluten.

To add insult to injury, the helper meals will now have a warning statement that they "May contain wheat."

Gluten-free versions of the meals may still be on store shelves - so stock up while you can. But be careful. Newer product not considered gluten-free could soon be on the shelf right next to the older boxes.

General Mills, which touts it's gluten-free commitment through a website devoted to gluten-free recipes and products, says this move is not a sign of reduced interest in gluten-free consumers. The company still has 300 products labeled gluten free.

But to me commitment means making choices that preserve the gluten-free nature of a product. How difficult would it have been to keep making the helper meals in dedicated plant? I suspect it's often easier to make a product in a way that does not put gluten free as a first priority. But doesn't commitment mean you do it even when it's harder?

I don't want to be overly harsh with General Mills. It was quick to get the word out about the change in production. And even without the helper meals General Mills remains a leader among mainstream companies making gluten-free foods. Their Chex brand cereals set an industry standard for how to easily and affordably convert an existing product to gluten free. The cereals are a staple in our house and I would be much more upset if Chex was the product getting its gluten-free label yanked.

It could be that the meals just weren't selling well, although the company did not make any mention of decreased sales in the announcement.
Instead, the company emphasized that its dedication to gluten-free goes all the way to the top, meaning the chief operating officer's wife, who has celiac disease.

If you have been following the gluten-free diet long enough, you know its not uncommon for a product that was gluten free to suddenly change or disappear entirely. Sometimes it's a change in how the product is made, others in the ingredients used to make it.

In the early 1990's Kellogg's made a cereal called Kenmei Rice Bran that was labeled gluten free and snapped up by gluten-free cereal lovers. Then it was gone.

The fear that gluten-free items won't last hovers in the back of the gluten-free consciousness. It's why we all get nervous when stories appear that say gluten free is just a fad. We worry that when the fad passes, companies will pack up their gluten-free labels and go home. While that wouldn't matter to people who've tried the gluten-free diet and moved on, it would make things much harder for those who have celiac disease and gluten intolerance and will be gluten free for life.

Perhaps these fears are unfounded. Yes, Hamburger Helper meals are off our gluten-free list, but Frito Lay products are more assuredly on it.

It's just the give and take of the gluten-free world.

Amy Ratner

Cake Mishaps

2011-05-10T12:00:00.002-04:00

We’ve seen the tallest gluten-free cake, we have the Cake Boss, Last Cake Standing and my Facebook page has all sorts of gorgeous gluten–free cake creations, but in my house it is all about cake mishaps. This is the time of year where my husband feels particularly “slammed.” My birthday, Mother’s Day and our anniversary fall within three weeks of each other. Luckily, the kids have been inspired by Food TV and help out in the dessert category for these events, but it is not without a pitfall or two.

The first cake mishap was an egg explosion. Cracking the eggs is a big treat because if all four kids are participating, there aren’t any cakes that call for four eggs! My youngest won the honor of cracking the egg and to this day no one can figure out how he did it, but he managed to get egg all over the kitchen. He says he was trying to crack it. The others swear he somehow squeezed it and egg went flying on the floor, the cupboards and the counter. Cleaning up raw egg is gross, so he is banned from egg cracking now.

The second cake mishap was flying chocolate cake. Typically on my birthday, I will suggest ice cream or something easy that doesn’t require baking. This year, I got specific. I wanted a double layer chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.

I shook the dust out of my very professional cake pans and laid them out with the specific gluten-free mix I was requesting. My husband was in the kitchen prepping the fish for the BBQ, a couple of kids were helping out and I left for a few hours.

When I returned, there was one beautifully frosted chocolate layer. I didn’t want to seem ungrateful or diminish the finished product, but I know that the mix I picked specifically makes two layers. I must have been looking at it funny because I got the full story without asking.

My husband explained that he had flipped the two layers out onto plates to cool. He was frosting one and my daughter was frosting the other. He said he had never seen anything like this before, but somehow she managed to flip the plate with the frosted cake off the table and up in the air. It came splatting to the ground, frosting side down while shattering the plate. Ok then, down one cake platter and down one layer of cake.

The last cake mishap was Mother’s Day. The kids were in baking mode and all the ingredients for a gluten-free vanilla cake were in process…except for the vegetable oil. Apparently, I was out of canola or vegetable oil. I was really hoping they did not use olive oil; it’s great for some things, but not cake. I then noticed the open laptops on the kitchen table so I asked if they googled to find a substitute. My oldest daughter said that three of four recipe websites said to use applesauce. The fourth had said to use butter or applesauce, but since I was such a “freak” these days about nutrition they chose applesauce.

When we sat down for dessert, I started eating the vanilla cake with chocolate frosting and I mentioned out loud that I tasted a little cinnamon too. Gales of laughter ensued because we didn’t have plain applesauce and they had to choose between cinnamon or berry applesauce. Berry would have turned the cake an unpleasing shade of “tanish purple” they chose cinnamon. It was a little funky with the chocolate frosting, but it was a lovely way to finish up a Mother’s Day BBQ.

While all of these pros create towering gorgeous creations, my kids create some good memories. Each time we sit down for cake, each mishap is rehashed and exaggerated. My youngest will never live down the egg explosion.

Kendall Egan

A piece of gluten-free cake

2011-05-05T10:53:00.005-04:00

Jules Shepard & John Forberger building the cake

In the end it was piece of cake that drew Food and Drug Administration attention to the critical need for specific rules for using a gluten-free label on foods.

Make that an 11 foot 2 inch cake assembled before a grass roots crowd of gluten-free enthusiasts in a downtown Washington, D.C. hotel.

Mike Taylor, FDA's deputy commissioner for foods, told the celiac disease and gluten intolerant audience at the 1in133 cake-building event that he has heard "loud and clear" that they want a definition for gluten free. "We absolutely understand why you are here and why it is important," he said. "We will get it done."

The FDA was supposed to approve a definition by 2008, but it's proposed 20 parts per million gluten-free standard has been in limbo for years. That leaves it up to individuals companies to decide what it means when they use a gluten-free label, from those that use rigorous testing to assure no gluten from cross contamination is in a food or get outside certification that includes testing to others that don't test at all.

Taylor said the delay in an FDA definition comes from a thorough scientific safety evaluation and peer review that has caused the FDA to take a hard look at the proposed 20 ppm cut off for foods labeled gluten free. While 20 ppm is still "on the table," Taylor said the FDA has been investigating whether lower levels should be considered.

When 20 ppm was proposed, the FDA said it was the lowest level for which there were scientifically validated tests that could consistently detect gluten in a wide range of foods. But testing has improved in the past few years, leading the FDA to examine whether it should look at lower levels.

"We want to get it right and we want it to be grounded in science," Taylor said. "This will be the basis for what it safe."

He predicted the FDA in a few weeks will finally release the long-awaited safety evaluation and open it to public comment.

While it's nothing new that release of the safety assessment is the next step in the long, arduous process of getting a definition for gluten free, Taylor said the clamor for approval now has his attention. "Hopefully this will expedite it," he said.

Credit for the clamor goes to the organizers of the 1in133 cake event, which swelled from email and Internet conversations between two people with celiac disease who had never met to a movement that has so far generated nearly 9,000 signatures on a petition to the FDA asking for action.

Couldn't resist taking pic with cake

It was all built around the publicity magnet idea of building the tallest gluten-free cake ever. And it was pulled off with spot-on planning and execution by Jules Shepard, owner of a gluten-free flour company in Maryland, and John Forberger, a gluten-free activist from New Jersey, with a little help from a lot of friends. Both could be found straddling icing-spotted eight-foot ladders as they worked feverishly to assemble and ice the tower of a cake right up to the last minute.

There had been a lot of guessing about how tall the cake would turn out to be. In the end it measured 11 feet 2 inches. Since "1in 133" had become such a rallying point for the gluten-free community, cake workers added another inch or so before they took the cake apart to donate it to a Washington, D.C. soup kitchen.

Final height, appropriately, approximately 11'3.3"

Amy Ratner

GFL Celebrates in May!

2011-04-26T13:28:00.004-04:00

We are so excited about Celiac Disease Awareness Month 2011 and we plan to celebrate for the entire month. We are launching our new E-Newsletter, glutenfreeliving express, mid way through May, so we would like you to sign up today! The sign up is on the home page.

We are also hosting a fun giveaway in celebration of National Celiac Disease Awareness Month! Gluten-Free Living is excited to announce TGIGF Fridays (Thanks Goodness It’s Gluten-Free).

Each Friday in May (May 6, May 13, May 20 and May 27) we’ll be giving away one amazing TGIGF Friday Fun Basket brimming with a huge selection of gluten-free products AND a one year subscription to Gluten-Free Living magazine!

Bob's Red Mill, Bakery on Main, Ener-G, Enjoy Life Foods, Gerbs Pumpkin Seeds, Mary's Gone Crackers, Pamela's Products, PureFit, Schar, Spangler Candy, and Surf Sweets are among the many great gluten-free brands that will be filling our TGIGF Friday Fun Baskets.

There are two ways to win:

§ “Like” us on Facebook and complete this sentence: “I love Gluten-Free Living because…”
§ Follow us on Twitter and retweet our post (make sure to include the #TGIGFFriday hashtag)

Each Monday, we'll randomly select a winner and message you on Facebook or Twitter for your snail mail address so we can start your subscription to Gluten-Free Living and send you your TGIGF Friday Fun Basket.

One last thing, we will be posting a new article to our website each week during the month of May. These will be common sense guides for anyone to download and use. Hopefully you will find them informative, practical and helpful in living a gluten-free life.

Thanks for participating with GFL as we help build awareness for celiac disease and celebrate the month of May!

Kendall Egan

Taking the gluten-free cake

2011-04-22T11:43:00.003-04:00

Gluten-Free Living has been covering news about proposed rules for using the gluten-free label on food for almost 10 years.

We've had at least one story on the subject in almost every issue we've published since Congress first started looking at changes to allergen labeling laws in 2001. I feel confident saying there is no other publication that has devoted as much space to this critical gluten-free topic.

We've had some exciting moments in the process -- finally announcing passage of the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act, attending Food and Drug Administration hearings to help shape the proposed gluten-free definition mandated by the act and writing about the details of the gluten-free proposal when it came out.

But gluten-free labeling is a complex issue as anyone who starts to look into it will quickly find. And the task of trying to explain all the ins and outs of the label, as well as the detailed tests and studies involved, sometimes strained our writing and reporting skills.

And all the delays by the FDA have certainly strained our editorial patience. We have probably been rebuffed by FDA spokespeople more than any other media outlet on this topic.

But we have stuck with it, propelled by the belief that good labels empower gluten-free consumers. Since the gluten-free diet is the only the treatment if you have celiac disease or gluten intolerance, the ability to figure out what's in your food is the gear turning the wheels of your healthy gluten-free life.

So with this background you can imagine our excitement over the 1in133 event literally being baked up on May 4 in Washington, DC. The plan is to make the biggest gluten-free cake ever to draw attention to the FDA's delinquency in finalizing gluten-free rules.

Finally something that's fun for us to cover, easy to understand, with great photo opportunities to boot.

We love the creative juices flowing when Jules Shepard and John Forberger cooked up this public relations confection to get the attention of the FDA, consumers, food makers, members of Congress and anyone else who can't resist the spectacle of a 14-foot-tall gluten-free cake.

Shepard, owner of the company that makes Jules Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour, says a spectacle is exactly what she and Forberger, a gluten-free triathlete active on Twitter, thought was needed to draw attention to the foundering gluten-free label. Right now the only US law that governs gluten-free labeling is a general requirement that a label has to be truthful and not misleading.

"We thought we needed to do something," Shepard says. "We thought we could build a cake that would be a spectacle, but we wanted to do it with a purpose."

With the help of Lee Tobin, who launched Whole Foods Gluten-Free Bakehouse and chef Aaron Flores, Shepherd and Forberger plan to bake the cake, then assemble and frost it at the Embassy Suites Convention Center in Washington, DC. When it's all finished, it will be served to those who have come to hear a plea that the FDA get a precise definition for gluten free on the books.

The FDA came up with a proposed definition in 2008 that spells out what a food company would have to do before it could use a gluten-free label, including proving that the food has less than 20 parts per million of gluten. But the definition has been stuck in limbo ever since.

Meanwhile, work on the cake is already underway. Tobin has been baking about 100 full sheet cakes -- that's literally a ton of cake made with 180 pounds of Jules flour Shepard says -- at the bakehouse in North Carolina. The cakes will be frozen and shipped to Washington, where plans for a support system are being worked out. A scaffold of ply-wood tiers and PVC pipes will underpin the cake, which has to be perfectly level to stay up. Massive pastry bags will be used to ice the cake with 700 pounds of frosting, though fancy decorations will be kept to a minimum since there is not a lot of time to put the cake together. Work will begin at 11 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. so the cake can be served at a 5 p.m. reception.

The enormity of that challenge really hit Shepard when she saw an episode of Food Network's "Last Cake Standing" where bakers had to build a seven-foot cake in 12 hours. The gluten-free cake will be twice as high and has to be put together in about half the time.

"A lot of drama will surround the building of the cake," she says.

But the real drama behind the event is the need for better labeling for the ever-growing number of people who follow the gluten-free diet. The cake is the draw, but action on the gluten-free label is the point, Shepard says.

There has been some early success in that regard. The FDA contacted 1in133 organizers to say a representative will attend the event. Alessio Fasano, MD, director of the University of Maryland's Center for Celiac Research will speak. More than 2,500 people signed an online petition soon after the event was announced and more names are being added every day. In addition, at last count about 1,500 letters have been sent to the FDA and about 1,000 to the secretary of Health and Human Services.

Plans are being made to lobby members of Congress for improvements to allergen and gluten-free labeling during the day while the cake is being assembled. And funds are being raised to cover the cost of the event, which Shepard estimates will be about $10,000. Any additional money will be donated to the American Celiac Disease Alliance, an advocacy group. You can still donate, sign the petition or send a letter on the 1in133 website.

Gluten-Free Living and a number of other gluten-free businesses and individuals are actively supporting 1in133. We are hoping this event will really take the cake when it comes to improving gluten-free labeling.

Amy Ratner

Gluten-Free Pancakes

2011-04-19T11:12:00.001-04:00

This morning I nearly missed an important meeting because I was making pancakes! It is spring break so our mornings have been nice and lazy. Luckily, I checked my blackberry fifteen minutes before the meeting was supposed to start and quickly responded that I was available.

I did have to wash the maple syrup off my hands and waddle upstairs to my office after stuffing my face with a stack of delicious gluten-free pancakes before settling in to discuss some upcoming features here at Gluten-Free Living (stay tuned…exciting stuff on the horizon).

During busy school mornings I tend to forget things like pancakes as a breakfast option, my kids leave the house by 7:30 am. Often during the school week, pancakes become a quick dinner option if we have an evening filled with practices or events. There is a huge selection of gluten-free pancake mixes and all of them are quick and easy to make. The good news is that most of them are so delicious that everyone eats the gluten-free variety so I don’t have to dirty two bowls with a GF and a non GF batter.

I like my pancakes with blueberries and real maple syrup. One son likes chocolate chips and no maple syrup. My celiac drowns his pancakes in maple syrup. One daughter likes bananas in her pancakes and the last daughter will go with the flow on whatever is being served. That customization is a very nice feature of pancakes.

What I should do during the school year is make the batter the night before and just have the add-ins ready to go. In the morning I could put the batter on the counter, fire up the burners and get the double burner griddle pan hot and ready. I can get eight pancakes going and then each kid could personalize with fruit or chocolate chips before the pancakes get flipped.

If I could just fix the pancake to maple syrup ratio for my celiac, I would consider this a viable and healthy breakfast option on a weekly basis!

Kendall Egan

False gluten-free claims – Go straight to jail

2011-04-13T13:10:00.004-04:00

I don't know what in the cosmos conspired to bring an obviously unbalanced and seemingly evil guy and the gluten-free world onto the same path, but I think it's a really unusual situation. I’m talking about the story out of Durham, North Carolina in which a vendor re-packaged and sold wheat bread as gluten-free. Witnesses also said Paul Evan Seelig, 48, owner of Great Specialty Bread Co.,told customers he himself had celiac disease. The judge sentenced him to 9-11 years in jail and also ordered a mental evaluation as well as testing to see if he really has celiac disease.

This is a story that easily strikes fear in any gluten-free heart, but I think we need to take it for what it is - something really, really weird that is unlikely to happen again.

The one good thing that could come out of this would be if it helps move the FDA to legally define what gluten-free means on a food label. Right now the only thing the FDA says is that processors can't knowingly label foods as not containing something they do contain (or vice versa). Granted that legality is indirectly what caused Seelig to be convicted, but it is thin protection for the growing and needy gluten-free population.

If the FDA would just do what they were supposed to do in 2008 and define gluten free, we would all be better off. The definition would mean that if a product is labeled gluten-free, it must contain less than 20 ppm of gluten (the amount currently under consideration). Then a gluten-free label would mean the processor has tested the item and found it to contain less than 20 ppm of gluten.

Those of you who are new to labeling matters may wonder why a gluten-free label would be fine on items that might contain up to 20 ppm of gluten. That's because we live in a real world where it is impossible to make an item that contains zero gluten. Don't let anyone tell you differently and above all, don't despair. This has been true from the beginning of time and results in the ability to live healthy gluten-free lives.

Another aspect to remember is that a product that tests to less than 20 ppm of gluten actually contains somewhere between zero and 19 ppm of gluten. Four years ago when the FDA proposed 20 ppm as the cut-off amount, testing at lower levels was not considereed accurate.

These days, tests can go lower than 20 ppm of gluten and it seems many processors who are currently testing use one designed to test for 10 ppm of gluten not only because they can, but also to make sure they are well below the 20 ppm cutoff. Doctors assure us that when we eat foods with this potential amount of gluten, we stay healthy. And since scientific research has not identified a medical reason to go lower, the FDA seems to believe that defining gluten free at a lesser number would put an unnecessary burden on food makers.

With these thoughts in mind, let’s forget Seelig, hope his time in prison benefits everyone, including Seelig himself, and get behind the effort to encourage the FDA to get off the dime and define what gluten free should mean on a food label. Go to
1in133.org for information on that effort.

Ann

Is it spring yet?

2011-03-29T15:02:00.004-04:00

My birthday is in early April. The weather is nearly always, at the very least, spring like. It’s the beginning of the baseball season. Kids happily run around playing outside after a winter of cabin fever. And flowers start blooming and brightening up the landscape with their beauty. I always think it’s a wonderful time to celebrate a birthday.

But this year may be different. I may be in for my first winter birthday! Regardless of what the calendar says, it is as cold as winter here on the east coast and has been for some time. In fact, yesterday the temperature was below freezing. This adds insult to the injury of a long cold winter, and more of the same is forecast.

Still, I plan to think spring and on that positive note, here are a few news items.

According to a recent press release, “Enjoy Life Foods will provide gluten-free, allergy-friendly alternatives as the recently announced “Official Gluten-Free, Allergy-Friendly Food Supplier” at Wrigley Field.” Wrigley Field is not the first ballpark to offer gluten-free foods. I don’t think we can yet say they are the rule in ballparks not the exception. But we’re getting there. Citi Field, home of my beloved Mets, offers gluten-free food. You’ll also find gluten-free food at Camden Yards, home of the Orioles, and several other ballparks around the country.

In a totally different arena, and according to another press release, noted celiac researchers, gluten-free community leaders and food corporations will host the first Gluten-Free Food Labeling Summit in Washington DC on May 4th, 2011. “The event will feature the world’s largest gluten-free cake, which will symbolize the big deal that clear, accurate, reliable labeling plays in the lives of people dependent on labeling for their health,” according to the release. You can get more information on their website.

The growth in diagnoses and in the number of products and services devoted to the gluten-free world has put some interesting spin on the reality of an official definition of things gluten free. As you know, the definition was due from the FDA nearly three years ago. But for whatever reasons, it has been stalled. I can only hope that friendly pressure from those with the most to gain from the ruling will help speed up the process. So take a look at the details and attend the event, or support it in whatever way you can.

Finally, and this note has nothing to do with spring, Amy’s blog on Dr. Oz has traveled far and wide and I am grateful for her eloquence. Part of her concern was misinformation about the gluten-free diet. I have long thought that physicians in general can be ill informed about the specifics of the diet and nothing has happened to dissuade me from this notion. When physicians mindlessly give advice on the gluten-free diet without questioning their source, they give the air of legitimacy to misinformation and, perhaps more importantly, make the diet a lot harder than it needs to be. I can’t tell you how often I’ve wished a misinformation-quoting physician had read our magazine. I’d give them all a free subscription if I thought they might read the issues!

But this long-standing gripe of mine is hardly spring like so I’ll get off my soapbox and hope for the warm weather that normally accompanies spring. May the Mets have an uncharacteristically good season (well, we can hope, can’t we?); may the FDA finally “own up” to the ruling they promised nearly three years ago (more hope!); and may spring finally arrive with all the promise it usually brings. Now this I know will happen!

Ann Whelan

Dr Oz mixed up on gluten-free myths

2011-03-24T13:16:00.000-04:00

Dr. Oz is doing a series on myths about gluten on his network television show. I watched the three parts online yesterday after being alerted to them by Sandra Robins, who blogs as the Gluten-Free Optimist.

At one point, Mehmet Oz, MD, says it makes him angry, infuriates him, that people are being encouraged to eat gluten-free products as a way to lose weight when they cost twice as much as regular food and are really just junk.

While I whole heartily agree that the gluten-free diet is not and has never been a sensible weight-loss plan, I was equally infuriated by some of the insinuations and outright misinformation spread on the show.

First, Oz gave the impression that gluten-free food companies exist mainly for the purpose of trolling for people who mistakenly believe that they can lose weight by filling up on gluten-free cookies, pretzels, waffles and other goodies. I think that is an inaccurate portrayal. In my experience, many gluten-free companies were created - often by people who have celiac disease themselves or who have a family member who does - to provide options for those who medically need a gluten-free diet.

It's true those options have grown ten fold as a result of increased awareness of celiac disease. The consequent jump in diagnosis has created a customer base large enough that these companies can now realistically expect to survive. And new research shows the real need for gluten-free alternatives is only going to expand as gluten sensitivity gets recognition from the medical community and many more are accurately diagnosed with this condition.

Legitimate celiac research centers, doctors, dietitians and other experts have never advocated the gluten-free diet as a weight loss plan, though there are some television personalities who have.

I could only shake my head when Oz said we are being bombarded in the supermarket by gluten-free products, as though those who need these foods don't have a right to shop for them easily and conveniently. I know how much simpler life is for my daughter, who has had celiac disease since she was two, now that she does not have to make a trip to across town to the health food store just to buy a loaf of bread.

And I clearly remember when even the health food stores had few choices, and we sent away to Canada on a regular schedule to get bread that was palatable. So while it's easy to say most people don't really need these products, it would be a little more generous and understanding to realize that a growing number of people really do. And it's not for weight loss. Gluten-free breads, flours, soups, and pasta are the very medicine that keeps those who have celiac disease alive.

I don't think the fact that General Mills replaced the gluten-containing malt flavoring in some Chex cereals with gluten-free molasses poses any health threat to the general public. But it does make it possible for someone on the gluten-free diet to eat a bowl for breakfast.

It's true that someone following the gluten-free diet can over indulge in gluten-free products that are not really that good for you. But I see aisle after aisle of junk food that does contain gluten, some of it labeled reduced fat or low in sugar. And I would venture to guess that many more people are getting fat on those products than by buying gluten-free brands.

The show also ignored the fact that gluten-free food makers are now trying to produce healthier products for the benefit of people who have no alternative but to eat them. Some are using whole grains and relying less on nutritionally devoid rice flour.

And I did agree with the statement by Dr. Oz guest Mark Hyman, MD, medical director of the Ultra Wellness Center, that a gluten-free diet built on healthy whole foods is best. That's also true in the gluten-containing world. Still an occasional treat should be allowed in both cases.

Hyman did disappoint me in other ways though. The two-week gluten elimination plan he advocated on the show would not make sense for someone trying to find out if they have celiac disease. In fact, if diagnostic blood tests were to be run during or too soon after, the results could be skewed. Accepted medical advice for diagnosis cautions against starting the gluten-free diet before tests are run. And I think someone who thinks they have a problem with gluten should rule out celiac disease first.

The other problem is that once someone starts a gluten-free diet it's hard to go back to eating gluten if they do feel better. If you are not eating gluten, a celiac diagnosis is nearly impossible.

I also take issue with some of the things Hyman offhandedly said about products that contain gluten. When describing a lunch option, he said the turkey in a wrap, not the flour tortilla, can be the real problem. We just did a story on deli meats in the last issue of Gluten-Free Living in which we found that many, if not most, brands of turkey are gluten free. I know you can run across a brand that contains gluten, but its easy to come away from a show like this with the mistaken impression that all turkey cold cuts are a problem on the gluten-free diet. That's not true.

I found it odd that potato chips, a product that can pretty easily be found in a gluten-free version, would be given as an example of a gluten-containing snack food. And I was confused by Oz's statement that most people think popcorn contains gluten because it is a junk food.

Lipstick was cited as product with "hidden" gluten. Again, Gluten-Free Living recently did a story that showed it is difficult to find any significant amount of gluten in lipstick. In fact even in the highly unlikely worst case scenario, the most gluten you could put on your lips daily is less than 5 parts per million. That's one fourth the amount proposed by the Food and Drug administration to be allowed in foods labeled gluten free. Based on our analysis of the ingredients in lipstick, it's much more likely the amount would be closer to 1.4 ppm.

And I was really infuriated to hear that envelopes and stamps have gluten in them to make them stick. All of our research over many years has found that these are two real myths about gluten.

Envelope glue does not contain gluten, according to the association that represents envelope makers. In fact there are only a few envelope glue makers in the US and the largest one makes its adhesive from corn. More than 98 percent of all stamps sold by the US Postal Service are self adhesive and do not require licking. The other 2 percent do not contain gluten in the glue.

You can find more information about these and other topics on our website.

Aside from the factual departures, I found the bottom line message in these shows confusing and contradictory. On the one hand, the two doctors told viewers not to get swept up in the gluten-free frenzy while on the other they kept saying that 99 percent of those who have problems with gluten don't know it. They encouraged a two-week elimination plan that runs counter to sound medical advice for those who have celiac disease. If I was somone wondering if gluten was a problem, I am not sure what I would conclude.

Oz said he was infuriated by gluten-free food being so readily available in the supermarket but then advised people to stay away from products that they can safely include in a gluten-free diet. And he passed on misinformation about products that either do not contain gluten or have miniscule amounts that are not the problem for those legitimately trying to get gluten out of their diets.

Which caused me to make this sad comment to Sandra. It made me wish, just for a moment, for the days when we couldn't get anyone on national television to mention the gluten-free diet. At least then we didn't have to worry that bad information would be spread so widely.

That moment passed quickly though. I applaud the gluten-free community's efforts to spread awareness and to increase the availability and quality of safe foods. Even if it makes Dr. Oz angry.

Amy Ratner

Polenta to the Rescue

2011-03-24T10:34:00.002-04:00

The other night I felt like a contestant on the Food Network’s chef game show, “Chopped.” I wasn’t really prepared to cook dinner and was trying to cobble something together from my basket of mystery ingredients. Plus, it was 6:15 pm and everyone had to be finished eating by 7:10 pm to get to their various practices and evening classes.

I had thin sliced chicken breast, plum tomatoes and a sweet onion along with a pantry stocked with gluten-free side dishes such as quinoa, rice, cooked polenta and frozen sweet potato waffle fries. I had jars of salsa, tapenade, marinara and this Trader Joe’s red pepper spread with eggplant and garlic.

I got out every fry pan I had in my cupboards and just fired up the stove top. Into one went the thin sliced chicken breasts with a little salt and pepper. Into another went a little butter with sliced rounds of polenta. Into a third pan went a little olive oil with rough chopped sweet onion and tomatoes. Once the chicken was done, I threw it on top of the onions and tomatoes and then added half the jar of the red pepper spread and some chicken stock and let it all come together. I think I had the entire dinner prepared in seventeen minutes.

Rice is my steady standby as a side dish, but even I get sick of it after a while. I happen to love polenta fried up this way. I am not as crazy about polenta when it looks like porridge. Plus, I think it only tastes good this way if it is loaded with cream and cheese, which would not sit well in a kid’s stomach before a basketball practice. Pan frying the sliced polenta gives it a nice brown crust and I thought it would be tasty with the chicken and the sauce layered on top.

After twenty minutes, I tried to artfully plate the polenta rounds with the chicken and this beautiful red sauce with chunks of tomato and onion. I was prepared for lots of groaning and a few refusals to eat, but to my surprise I only had one kid moan and groan.

I thought for sure one would scrape all the sauce into a corner of the plate and just eat the chicken; however she just picked out the onions and ate everything else! Two ate the entire dish and the complainer had a peanut butter and jelly.

I need to restock those pantry shelves again and I am definitely going to figure out more ways to use polenta!

Kendall Egan

Should I do an Organic CSA?

2011-03-18T11:23:00.005-04:00

I have been trying to figure out whether or not to participate in a share of an organic vegetable CSA (community supported agriculture). My fear was that in the early months I would receive an unending supply of radishes. I did a little research and looked at the photos of the deliveries over the twenty four week cycle and there wasn’t a radish in sight.

In fact, the assortment of vegetables was really varied and user friendly to a normal, nightly dinner challenged cook. The one vegetable that stumped me was fennel…what would I do with the fennel? Ironically, as I was trying to figure this out I received an email from Chef Daniel Bortnick, the Executive Chef and General Manager of Firefly. I had a wonderful meal this past February at Firefly, which is located in Washington DC.

I typically do not write emails to restaurants, but I had a quinoa dish that was extraordinary. True confessions, I thought that I did not like quinoa but I kept trying to make it because it is gluten free and a “super food.” Every time I made it, it had an edge or a bitter taste to it. Amy Ratner gave me the good advice that I am supposed to rinse the quinoa before cooking, which vastly improved the taste.

This was a quinoa dish with a green onion and spinach puree and braised fennel. Receiving the response from Chef Bortnick on St. Patrick’s Day was a lucky omen for me because I was literally deciding that day on whether or not to take a share in the CSA. It was the tipping point because I now know what I am going to do with the fennel!

This recipe has multiple components, but is not difficult and I think between the spinach and the quinoa, it must pack a powerful nutritious punch.

It is also ironic that the recipe arrived in my inbox on St. Patrick’s Day because the dish is a glorious shade of green on the plate. Next year I may aim for a green dinner versus the typical corned beef.

Thanks to Chef Danny and enjoy this recipe!
More information on Firefly, check out Facebook.

Kendall Egan

QUINOA WITH GREEN ONION PUREE AND BRAISED FENNEL
YIELD: 2 QTS

2 CUPS QUINOA
3 CUPS VEG STOCK
½ CUP SPRING GARLIC, BOTTOMS, SLICED THIN
½ CUP YELLOW ONION
To Taste SALT & PEPPER
2 CUPS GREEN ONION PUREE
2 CUPS BRAISED FENNEL, DICED
2 T BUTTER

IN A 4 QT SAUCE POT, SWEAT GREEN GARLIC AND ONIONS. ADD QUINOA AND VEG STOCK AND SIMMER UNTIL LIQUID IS COOKED OUT. STIR IN GREEN ONION PUREE, BUTTER AND BRAISED FENNEL. COOK UNTIL THE GREEN ONION PUREE IS ABSORBED.

GREEN ONION PUREE
YIELD: 1 QT

2 CUP SPINACH, BLANCHED AND CHOPPED
2 CUP GREEN ONION TOPS, BLANCH AND CHOPPED
½ CUP VEG STOCK
To Taste SALT

COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS IN BLENDER AND PUREE UNTIL SMOOTH. USE AS LITTLE STOCK AS POSSIBLE TO GET IT SPINNING, SEASON AND TASTE.

BRAISED FENNEL
YIELD: 2 EACH

2 HEADS FENNEL, HALVED & CORES REMOVED
1 CUP WHITE WINE
1 QT VEG STOCK
¼ CUP ONION, CHOPPED
¼ CUP CARROT, CHOPPED
¼ CUP CELERY, CHOPPED
1 EA HERB SACHET (PARSLEY STEMS, THYME, BAY, GARLIC)
To Taste SALT & PEPPER

PLACE ALL INGREDIENTS IN A SAUCE POT AND BRING TO A BOIL. REDUCE TO A SIMMER, COVERED, UNTIL THE FENNEL IS TENDER (APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES). REMOVE TO COOL

Fasano on celiac disease and gluten sensitivity

2011-03-17T08:43:00.000-04:00

All the news about the University of Maryland study that distinguishes gluten sensitivity from celiac disease has prompted us to share our recent Gluten-Free Living interview with lead researcher Alessio Fasano, MD.

Fasano, director of the Center for Celiac Research, sat down with me for an extended interview for our last issue published in 2010. He covered a wide range of topics. One was gluten sensitivity and the particular challenges it present to those who have it and the doctors they visit looking for answers.

You can read the full interview on our website.

Amy Ratner

Tastings from Natural Food Products Expo West, 2011

2011-03-15T12:56:00.004-04:00

The Anaheim Convention Center was home to thousands of natural food products March 11-13, 2011. No matter how tired my feet were at the end of two days racing around to different booths, I left with a renewed sense of optimism on the direction of the food industry and a real sense of commitment to make smart food choices for me and my family.

One overall movement at this year’s show was the awareness and growth of non-GMO foods. “GMO’s (or genetically modified organisms) are organisms that have been created through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE).” New species, that do not naturally occur, are created by science using merged DNA. They are bred to withstand disease or herbicide application but there is a growing concern that GMO’s are linked to health problems and environmental damage. Please visit the Non GMO Project for more information. I summed up their brochure very quickly here!

The other major food theme, which is no surprise at a natural product expo, is organic foods. There is so much emphasis on “clean food” and food that isn’t over processed. I find the innovation and the tastes to be really something special.

Of course, gluten-free food was one of the hottest buzz words on the floor. Two years ago, gluten free was called “trend.” Now, every break out session I attended said that gluten free was here to stay and growing. Panelists did not think gluten free would ever be as large a category as organic, but there is major growth supported by an ever growing number of consumers.

What I noticed about the new gluten-free products introduced at expo were the rich variety of gluten-free flours and the presence of whole grains! More producers were choosing millet, amaranth and quinoa flours than ever before. Mixes had coconut and almond flours and there were products that had the whole grain seal on them! This is a big change from the tapioca and potato starches and rice flour blends from the past. New mixes and products have really upped the nutrition.

So what did I enjoy tasting? Some of these products were new to me, but might not be new on store shelves.

In no particular order, here goes—
Feel Good Foods offered tastings of their GF Handmade Asian Style Dumplings with GF dipping sauce. OMG, they were just like the dumplings that I have missed so much. There are chicken, pork, vegetable and shrimp dumplings.

Starfish introduced frozen, oven ready GF Italian breaded sole and GF crispy battered cod, haddock and halibut. I have wanted this for a very long time, a quick frozen fish dish that works so well on an evening fill with baseball and lacrosse practices!

Kim & Scott’s Gourmet GF Pretzel bakes up hot and chewy with a salt packet on the side for garnishing to taste. They actually have 5g of whole grains per pretzel.

Riega Foods introduced a whole line of cheese sauces, white cheddar, yellow cheddar cheese, pepper jack and alfredo cheese sauces. These are going to be a busy mom lifesaver.

Solterra Foods has a huge gluten free line that includes gnocchi, pasta and baking mixes but their pizza with "bake in bag" technology is pretty exciting. The bag helps avoid cross contamination in ovens and margharita pizza was delish!

Usually, I am not a big fan of vegetarian burgers but I tasted Sol Cuisine Spicy Black Bean Burger and Original Burger and I liked both very much. I am definitely going to keep these in my freezer.

Barney Butter is my new sandwich spread! Their creamy almond butter was smooth and rich in nutty flavor and they are introducing a packet size, 90 calorie, portion that is supremely portable!

A GF fig newton? I tasted it and I loved it! Jovial Foods has a fig cookie that had me returning for a third and fourth cookie. They are imported from Italy and WOW!

There was a lot going on in the GF Bread category. First and foremost, Udi’s and Rudi’s have created hot dog and hamburger buns…amen! Glutino introduced Genius Gluten Free Bread which I predict will be a big success for them because the texture and flavor is very good.

Canyon Bakehouse is the one to watch. They have a large product line that includes hamburger buns, white bread, 7-grain bread, cinnamon raisin and rosemary-thyme foccaccia. They have included some interesting GF grains in their blend-millet, amaranth and sorghum to name a few. I am really excited about the taste and the whole grain seal!

Two mix companies caught my eye, The Pure Pantry’s dark chocolate cake mix was so good and the flour blend included quinoa flour! It was very rich and moist. Her entire product line was organic and three of her mixes were wholegrain (chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal spice cookie and the dark chocolate cake).

The XO Baking Co. launched a huge selection of GF baking mixes using coconut flour in her blend! Her sell sheet said that coconut flour is full of dietary fiber and is known to improve digestion and support thyroid function. I tried the banana bread mix and it was full of great banana flavor with a moist texture to the bread.

I tasted some great new biscotti from Ener-G and from Coffaro's Baking Co!

It gave me great pleasure to see two cookie vendors that I have known since their start up days showing their goodies for the first time at Expo West, Caveman Cookies and Glow Gluten Free. I hope they both had a great show!

Lastly, some of the well known GF brands were showing off their new packaging. Chebe Foods and Nature’s Path Organic Foods both look sharp in their new boxes!

This is really only the tip of the iceberg…the take away message for me is that gluten-free food is more delicious than ever and that just about any type of food can be made gluten free.

Kendall Egan

Gluten Sensitivity Gets Legitimate

2011-03-14T08:00:00.004-04:00

Alessio Fasano

Not that long ago, many people who had celiac disease could not find a doctor who knew what was what was wrong with them.

Their symptoms might have been lumped into a catch-all category of irritable bowel syndrome, or they might even have been told it was all in their head. Then came growing awareness and a consequent increased interest in research and better testing methods. Ever so slowly but surely it became easier to get diagnosed and return to good health through a gluten-free diet.

Now, it seems, the same process is beginning for those who are gluten sensitive.

Like celiac disease patients before them, people who have gluten sensitivity have long been frustrated by the fact that doctors can not pinpoint what is wrong. Their tests for celiac disease are usually negative, and they are often advised not to follow the gluten-free diet even though it relieves their celiac-like symptoms.

New research from the University of Maryland may mark the beginning of the end of that scenario.

In a study published online at BMC Medicine, scientists from the Center for Celiac Research found that gluten sensitivity is a bona fide condition, distinct from celiac disease, with its own intestinal response to gluten.

"The research provides the first scientific evidence of a different mechanism leading to gluten sensitivity," the celiac center said in a press release. "It also demonstrates that gluten sensitivity and celiac disease are part of a spectrum of gluten-related disorders."

Alessio Fasano, MD, the lead investigator of the study and the director of the celiac center said one end of the spectrum is made up of people with celiac disease who can't tolerate even a crumb of gluten, while at the other end gluten causes no problems.

"In the middle, there is this murky area of gluten reactions," he said. "This is where we are looking for answers about how to diagnose and treat this recently identified group of gluten-sensitive individuals."

The study included 26 gluten sensitive and 42 celiac disease patients, plus 39 control subjects. Although gluten sensitive patients have the diarrhea, abdominal pain and other symptoms suffered by those with celiac disease, they do not have the damage to the absorbing lining of the small intestine that characterizes the auto-immune disorder.

After a four month gluten-challenge followed by a return to the gluten-free diet, symptoms in all the gluten sensitive participants resolved in a few days and did not return for a follow-up period of four years.

Researchers found differences between celiac disease and gluten sensitivity in intestinal permeability and genes regulating the immune response in the gut.(Intestinal permeability is the ability of the mucosal layer of the digestive tract to prevent bacteria, antigens, and undigested food proteins from seeping through the gastro-intestinal barrier. Those who have celiac disease often have a high degree of permeability, sometimes called a leaky gut, but the study found that was not the case in those who are gluten sensitive.)

The study documents, for the first time, the genes and sequence of reactions in the small intestine possibly associated with gluten sensitivity, Fasano said. Results of the study could lead to all-important tests that could diagnose gluten sensitivity.

About six percent of the US population, or about 18 million people, have gluten sensitivity, according to the celiac center, compared to 1 percent who have celiac disease.

While results of the study are new, Fasano's conviction that gluten sensitivity is a legitimate condition has come up before. In an interview in Gluten-Free Living late last year (Number 4/2010), he said gluten sensitivity had always been disregarded by the medical and scientific communities. And he noted the desperation of those who suffered from its very real symptoms. "There is definitely a group..who are really and truly sensitive to gluten and when you remove gluten they don't have symptoms," Fasano said.

He alluded to the new study when he said the celiac center had some papers coming out that would start to give clues to some possible markers that could be looked at to make a diagnosis of gluten sensitivity.

Now one of those papers is here. In the gluten-sensitive community you could feel the satisfaction that came with acknowledgement that the conditions is, in fact, real. (No one could blame them for wanting to say "I told you so.")

Now let's hope the diagnostic tests aren't too far behind.

Amy Ratner

Devil's Food Cupcakes

2011-03-08T15:35:00.003-05:00

The new issue of Gluten-Free Living arrived in my mailbox yesterday. The cover is gorgeous, cupcakes with pink frosting and sprinkles. I typically do not write articles, but every now and I then I enjoy doing interviews or expanding a blog post a little bit. I happened to do the interviews of our cupcake panelists that correspond with our delicious looking cover.

At the end of an article there is typically a little “blurb” about the author and my blurb says “Kendall Egan is advertising manager for Gluten-Free Living. She and her son follow a gluten-free diet. So, she has made countless gluten-free cupcakes. Her favorite is terribly unoriginal Devil’s Food chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.”

Last night, I was participating in an interview committee for my school district and a text message plinks into my phone. I ignored it until a break and then I checked to make sure one of my kids wasn’t stranded somewhere without a ride.

My celiac sent me the following text message, in full text-speak, “I cant w8 4 those chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting, I cant w8 4 U to make some of those.”

My first reaction was laughter, what a smarty pants because he knows that I am just a terrible baker. But, my second reaction was a nice feeling of pride. If he saw the little blurb at the end, that means he read the magazine and he read my article. That made me very happy.

Of course, the wise guy just texted me forty-five minutes ago and asked, “did u finally make some of those devils food chocolate cupcakes with chocolate frosting?” I did not, but I quickly ran downstairs and threw some frozen cookie dough in the oven so warm chocolate chip cookies will have to do!

Kendall Egan

More from Kellogg's On Gluten-Free Rice Krispies

2011-02-28T12:17:00.000-05:00

In my last post on gluten-free Rice Krispies, I wrote that Kellogg's was not quite ready to make an introduction official. That seemed a little strange given that Ashley at Gluten Free Appetite had a photo of the box.

Then on Friday those who had contacted customer service (including Sandra Robins at Gluten Free Optimist who alerted me) started to get emails saying, yes, it was true that the company was going to introduce a gluten-free version of the cereal.

So I went back to Mike Morrissey, manager of brand public relations, this morning and here's what he said:

"Given all the buzz -- and the photos on line -- we can confirm that we will introduce gluten-free Rice Krispies. They should arrive in grocery stores in late-May. We are still working through many of the specific details (price, distribution, final nutrition information, etc.) and will be happy to share them with you in the coming weeks and months."

So it does seem Kellogg's has been listening to gluten-free consumers for some time as they developed the new gluten-free cereal and then again in recent days as everyone was clamoring for news about them.

I'll write about the details as they become available. Right now the only things we know come from the photo of the box. From the ingredients label Ashley posted on her blog, it looks like Kellogg's is going to roll out a version of the cereal made with brown rice instead of white rice. And no malt flavoring. Unlike General Mills, which took the malt flavoring out of several varieties of Chex cereal to make them gluten free, it looks like Kellogg's is going to make a separate gluten-free product while continuing to make the original Rice Krispies.

Amy Ratner

Gluten-Free Shelf Tags at Safeway

2011-02-25T10:13:00.044-05:00

When a 16-year-old boy who is not impressed by anything gives a shout after seeing "gluten free" on a television commercial, I figure it's time to pay attention.

That's what happened in our house the other night when the Safeway ad came on and suddenly the words "Gluten Free" were larger than life on the 46-inch screen in our family room. I usually only hear that kind of yelling from my son when the Giants, Mets, Penn State or Virginia Tech teams are playing.

This time the excitement was caused by Safeway supermarket's Simple Nutrition program, a highly promoted system of prominently tagging items based on nutritional information.

"Gluten Free" is one of 22 tags showing up on shelves in Safeways nationwide. Others include organic, calorie smart, sugar smart, sodium smart, made with whole grains, good source of fiber, fat free, good source of calcium and 100 percent juice.

Products that get the brown "Gluten Free" tag have to be labeled gluten-free by the manufacturer. That is the only criteria Safeway requires. "Gluten Free" is included in a group of foods Safeway calls lifestyle/dietary needs. The group also includes organic, natural and calorie smart (100 calories or less per serving.)

The other tags are for foods that meet specific nutrition or ingredient criteria. For example the whole grain tag is restricted to foods that list a whole grain as the first ingredient or the second only if the first is water. Those tagged as a good source of fiber have to meet or exceed the 10% Daily Value of Fiber and have 3 grams or less of total fat per serving.

You might wonder how valuable the gluten-free tag is if it can only be used on products already identified as gluten free. But the high profile placement and larger type of the tags does make it quicker and easier to find gluten-free products.

While I can see how this would be very helpful especially to someone new to the gluten-free diet, I do have a little concern that it might give the impression that only processed foods identified by the tag are gluten free.

Plain fruits, vegetables, corn, rice, milk, meat, seafood, beans and eggs are among the many naturally gluten-free foods that are not always identified as gluten free by food companies. Just because they don't have a "Gluten Free" tag would not mean they are not gluten free.

You might also have to look out for the product or tag that is mistakenly in the wrong place, which would mean double checking for the gluten-free label on the package.

Still, this is largely a positive step for gluten-free consumers who are pretty well informed about naturally gluten-free foods and know you always have to read labels.

And you may find tagged gluten-free foods that also fit into other healthy categories, Gluten Free and Whole Grain for example. Safeway says a food can get up to two tags.

For me personally I can see one great benefit. Even if I leave my reading glasses at home, I could still find "Gluten Free" products in a Safeway.

Amy Ratner

Gluten-Free Rice Krispies?

2011-02-22T16:48:00.000-05:00

Since there are a lot of questions about the possibility of gluten-free Rice Krispies in the future, I thought I'd post a quick note here about what Kellogg's has to say about it.

As you may already now, Ashley at Gluten Free Appetite somehow got a photo of a box for Rice Krispies that clearly shows a gluten-free label. On her blog she says Kellogg's plans to debut a new line of gluten-free products within the next six months.

When I got in touch Kellogg's for more information, Mike Morrissey, manager of brand public relations, said only that the company has not announced any new expansion to the Rice Krispies line-up.

"Our next batch of product news is expected to be released in May, and if we have any gluten-related news at that time, I will let you know," he wrote in an email.

Morrissey did not deny that the company has plans to make Rice Krispies, other cereals and other products gluten free. So we'll have to see what happens when the product news comes out in about three months.

I won't be surprised if Ashley is correct and Kellogg's is moving into the gluten-free market. It's always seemed a natural to make Rice Krispies, in particular, gluten free. The only ingredient that stands in the way is barley malt flavoring.

When General Mills made several of its Chex cereals gluten free, the company removed barley malt and replaced it with molasses. The general public has not seemed to notice the change and most gluten-free consumers have been happy to be able to eat the cereals. We can't say for sure if that kind of change would be part of any move Kellogg's makes to produce gluten-free products.

On its website, Kellogg's says at this time it does not make "any cereal, waffle, cookie, cracker, or vegetarian products suitable for consumers on a gluten-free diet."

The company also says its Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, Frosted Flakes, Crispix, and Cocoa Krispies have a small amount of malt flavoring, made from barley. Corn Pops have a very small amount of wheat starch added. Products with barley malt flavoring and wheat starch are not considered to be gluten free.

Kellogg's products that do not have any gluten-containing ingredients are Eggo syrup, Kellogg's fruit flavored snacks, Yogos, Special K20 Protein Water Mixes and Special K Protein Shakes.

Reaction to Ashley's news that Rice Krispies might finally be gluten-free has been overwhelming positive. Let's hope Kellogg's is listening.

Amy Ratner

Celiac Disease Research - What it means to you

2011-02-21T20:41:00.002-05:00

Keeping up with news about research into celiac disease, gluten-intolerance, the gluten-free diet and related topics can keep you very busy.

And sometimes when you read about new studies it can still be difficult to figure out exactly what they will mean in your gluten-free life. Is a promising treatment likely to move from the lab to real life in five years or ten? Can a new way of diagnosing celiac disease or gluten intolerance get you a definitive answer after years of uncertainty? What about studies into safe levels of gluten in your food? Are there links between celiac disease and other medical conditions?

In upcoming issues of Gluten-Free Living we'll give you important information about research and how to interpret it. More about that in a minute.

First we wanted to let you know about a new study from the University of Chicago, where researchers have been able to create and then cure celiac disease in mice by manipulating an inflammatory protein commonly found in the gut of humans who have the disease.

In a study published in the journal Nature, mice who were genetically susceptible to celiac disease were given an increased amount of interleukin 15 causing them to develop symptoms of the disease. But when the IL-15 was blocked, the mice reverted to normal and could tolerate gluten again.

Interestingly, when the mice were given retinoic acid, a derivative of
Vitamin A thought to reduce inflammation in the intestine, they got worse instead of better.

So what does all this mean to those who have celiac disease?

The hope is that results will eventually help treat and possibly prevent development of celiac disease in those who are most at risk. The study identifies IL-15 as one, perhaps critical, way people lose tolerance to gluten and could lead to ways to block it, said Bana Jabri, MD, PhD, one of the study's authors and an associate professor who works with the University of Chicago's Celiac Disease Center.

In fact, clinical trials of medications that block IL-15 are already under way for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, another inflammatory disorder. Early results have been encouraging.

The study also raises questions about the use of retinoic acid, which is found in acne treatments such as Retin-A and Accutane, by those who have celiac disease. The retinoids seem to act with the IL-15 to promote inflammation in the intestine.

This study is just one of many related to celiac disease currently underway. To help readers of Gluten-Free Living understand what some of these studies mean, we are launching a new research column in our upcoming issue. The column is written by Jason Clevenger, PhD, a scientist with the consulting firm Exponent, Inc. He is the former editor of the Healthy Villi Newsletter published by the Boston celiac disease support group. Jason became interested in celiac disease when he met his wife Charmaine, who had been diagnosed while she was in college. His column will include a summary of each study in language you can understand even if you don't have a medical degree. And it will tell you why it's important to you.

Nearly seven years ago, when the National Institutes of Health held the first consensus conference on celiac disease and helped usher it into a new era of understanding, the point was made that not enough scientists were interested in studying the disease. That, like many other things related to the gluten-free lifestyle, has changed.

We've designed our new research column to help you make sense out of the growing scientific interest in celiac disease, gluten intolerance and the gluten-free diet. Look for it in our new issue, due out in early March.

Amy Ratner

Sweet potatoes and the gluten-free life

2011-02-18T11:42:00.003-05:00

When I was a child, I hated sweet potatoes. My grandmother, an Irish immigrant who lived with us, loved them. So she was zealous in her efforts to get her five grandchildren to eat them. We were steadfast in our efforts to resist them – into adulthood in my case.

Then I was diagnosed with celiac disease and things gluten free took on a new cast, including sweet potatoes. Now I eat them from time to time and have become more and more aware of how nutritious they really are.

With this background in mind, I was interested to receive a PR email entitled “5 things to know about sweet potatoes.” I get many more messages each day than I could possibly read. So I suppose I stopped for this one because it reminded me of my grandmother.

The five things didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know about sweet potatoes. But it’s good to be reminded that they exist since sweet potatoes really are a nutritional powerhouse and, in addition, are easy to cook or to sneak into a variety of dishes. And, of course, they are gluten free.

My poor grandmother would probably have done well to eat even more sweet potatoes than she did. Plagued with gastrointestinal upsets much of her life, she spent a lot of time going to doctors, and subsequently complaining about how she felt. Naturally I suspect that she had celiac disease. But had I been savvy enough to suggest that when she was alive, I am sure the suggestion would have been met with disdain in my family. Frankly, that disdain would have existed even after one of my sisters nearly died in infancy. She was saved at the eleventh hour by a diagnosis of celiac disease, which no one had ever heard of.

One thing that may not get mentioned enough in the new gluten-free world is the number of marginal lives that are improved by a CD diagnosis. My grandmother escaped from poverty in Ireland, immigrated to the US, worked as a maid in various homes of the rich and famous, married, raised a family and then helped raise her grandchildren.

But somewhere along the way, she sort of retreated from life. The spunk and energy that drove her out of Ireland to a better life, left her at some point in middle age. She was constantly tired, constantly not feeling well, and always reluctant to do much of anything. In fact, she spent her senior years lying on the couch watching an endless schedule of game shows and soap operas, which were her favorites.

We loved her and thought that’s what grandmothers did. But in hindsight I wonder what she could have done had she felt better. And I wonder if she really did have celiac disease. But even today, the suggestion on my part is always met with disdain.

Our next issue, currently on press, contains an article called “All in the Family: Tension Free Ways to Encourage CD Testing.” It is designed to help you surmount the disdain you may get if you suggest that someone in your family be tested for celiac disease. This is a dicey issue in most families and that’s unfortunate. But I don’t think we should give up trying. And this article might provide some tips you haven’t thought about.

Finally, don’t forget to eat your sweet potatoes. My grandmother was right in this case. Sweet potatoes are great for everyone. And they are made in heaven for the gluten-free diet.

Ann Whelan

Popcorn as a Snowy Day Snack!

2011-01-18T14:04:00.004-05:00

I am surveying the wreckage of this morning. Another snow day here in the north east and it was the right call with all the ice and the slippery roads. The problem is that my house takes a huge hit in terms of cleanliness and my productivity as a working mother takes a huge hit as well.

It becomes the non-stop day of mini-meals prepared by the kids—fried eggs for one, pancakes for another, cereal and then later lunches and snacks and cups of hot chocolate and sopping wet clothes and middle of the day requests ‘can you drive me here or there.” This is the second snow day in the past two weeks so the routine is getting a little old.

My eleven year old dog just wants her uninterrupted naps and I would like to make a few uninterrupted phone calls. (All you gluten-free advertisers out there, today is an email day!)

One of the snacks we made is good, old, gluten-free popcorn. There are lots of fun things one can do with popcorn. In Ina Garten’s new cook book, How Easy is That, she makes popcorn with truffle butter! That sounds delicious, but truffle butter is not a refrigerator staple in my house.

I like the combination of butter, a little salt and a little sugar…I believe that is called Kettle Corn. We devoured a batch of that earlier. Another variation is ranch seasonings or a barbeque blend of seasonings.

I have stopped buying the microwave bags of popcorn because the popping popcorn with a touch of oil in a covered sauce pan is really easy, doesn’t start fire in the microwave and is a pretty natural and wholesome snack.

If anyone has any other popcorn ideas, I would love to hear them!
Kendall Egan

How gluten-free children grow up

2011-01-11T14:53:00.001-05:00

When I post a blog, I always ask myself what makes it valuable to gluten-free readers. So I usually don't write a lot of personal stories. I know some blog followers really love personal writing and some gluten-free bloggers are great at it, but this is really a blog for Gluten-Free Living magazine and not me personally.

But today I think my personal story - really the story of my 20-year-old daughter who has had celiac disease since she was two - will be very helpful for any parent worrying about a child who has to follow the gluten-free diet.

Yesterday morning I held back tears as I watched my daughter wind through airport check-in on the first leg of her flight to London. She's studying abroad in the city of castles and queens and royal weddings for four months.

She stood out in the crowd in her bright green coat, with her long blond hair and deep dimples that attract admiring attention she is always oblivious to. To me she looked so small and so strong at the same time.

From the moment she was diagnosed with celiac disease, my husband and I made a commitment to never let her special diet roadblock anything she wanted to do.

She went to pre-school and ate special snacks stored in the cabinet there. She was a Girl Scout who sold the most cookies in her troop one year even though she has never tasted one. She played soccer, ice skated and danced. She traveled to Spain with a friend in eighth grade, went to New York with her marketing class in high school, and attends a college further away from home than any of the other fifteen students and graduates on our street.

There were small things to cope with too -- birthday and pizza parties to which she always brought her own food, classroom treats substituted from a bag of gluten-free goodies provided either by me or an understanding teacher, dinners out that required interrogating the server, college parties that could never include beer.

We hit some bumps along the way including one Oreo cookie she couldn't resist trying, some bigger girls in elementary school who wanted to take her un-tradeable food at lunch and a grumpy middle school cooking teacher who couldn't keep gluten-free arrangements straight. There are probably challenges and temptations she faced that I know nothing about.

But through it all we stuck to the simple motto that while the diet dictates what she can eat, it should never limit what she can do. When she was picking a college, one school was willing to buy special products and keep a designated area in the dining hall for her. But other factors lead her to choose a school where she would be more on her own to deal with being gluten free. We had encouraged her to make a choice that acknowledged her diet but was not controlled by it. We taught her that there are always ways she could find something to eat.

She surely took this lesson to heart.

She decided to study abroad this semester and worked through a labyrinth of arrangements to enroll, choose classes, cover costs and get to London. She is the only person from her large university in the program and headed across the ocean without knowing a soul. When I asked her about eating, she said she was sure she could find enough safe and varied options and never really worried about it.

OK, maybe she learned the lesson a little too well for my liking. We subsequently got in touch with the university in London to double check meal plans, dining hall options and other alternatives.

But deep inside, my heart bursts with how proud I am of her for wanting this adventure and making it happen.

The gluten-free world has changed so much in the 18 years since my daughter was diagnosed. Gluten-free food in those days consisted of a couple of dusty boxes on some back shelf in a health food store. The other choice was to fill out a paper order form and send it (in an actual envelope, with a real stamp, through a real mailbox) to the handful of gluten-free companies that existed. Or you could make the food yourself. We tried and failed many times to make edible gluten-free pretzels so I still get a little giddy when I see the bags of them in my regular supermarket.

Despite the changes, I suspect parents of children diagnosed with celiac disease or who have gluten intolerance have the same worries about the path and the future for their children as I did for my daughter.

Would she be able to grow up normally? Would she be able to eat safely? Would she have friends? Would she be teased because of her dietary differences? What about kindergarten, middle school, high school, college? Would she be able to handle the diet on her own?

So the point of my personal story is to say your children will be just fine. One day you might watch them walk away from you in airport. They will be nearly grown up, gluten free, yet very strong, confident, smart and fearless.

And while it might be a little painful to watch them go, it's what you've really hoped for all along.

Amy Ratner

Show me the Gluten-Free Money

2011-01-06T14:17:00.000-05:00

Anyone on the gluten-free diet has a sense that it only makes sense for restaurants to make gluten and allergen free choices available. Not because they are just trying to be nice (although that's a good reason, too!) but because they can make money.
No business that does not make money can last very long.
Now, Paul Antico, a former stock fund manager at Fidelity Investments, has the numbers to back up the theory. His analysis shows that a casual dining chain like Chili's could increase its sales by 9 percent, or $270,000, resulting in a $50,000 annual increase in profit.
“From a purely business perspective, it’s in restaurants’ best interests to accommodate the food allergy population, as it can lead to significantly higher profits,” Antico said.
He calculates 9 million restaurant customers concerned about gluten and allergens could be won over by restaurants willing to take the steps to truly meet their needs. (It would be nice if the meals they serve are also tasty, varied, healthy and reasonably priced!)
Antico based his figures on the fact that about 5 percent of the population has allergies, celiac disease or gluten intolerance. That translates into millions of Americans, he said.
In addition, these restaurant customers usually play a key role in deciding where an entire group of friends or family will go when they eat out. If there is little or nothing gluten-free to eat, the restaurant loses not one, but several diners.
"Savvy restaurateurs understand the financial benefits of providing an allergy-friendly environment," Antico said. "Many restaurant owners are wisely taking extra precautions to accommodate food allergic and intolerant guests, having their employees trained in allergy safety, creating gluten-free menu options, providing ingredient lists, and seeking industry certifications."
Through his website, AllergyEats, Antico is trying to spread the word about restaurants that are allergen- and gluten-free friendly.
The site provides free consumer feedback on how well specific restaurants accommodate those with special dietary needs. He created the site after dining out with his two food-allergic children and becoming frustrated by the inconsistencies in restaurants – some were willing and able to accommodate food-allergic diners and some were not.
Dining out on the gluten-free diet has certainly gotten easier as awareness of celiac disease has grown.
The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness fills a whole convention hall once a year with Philadelphia area restaurants that provide great gluten-free options. And the group offers training programs to teach restaurants the ins and outs of gluten free dining.
The Gluten Intolerance Group has worked for years to help restaurants come up with gluten-free menus.
But it's still common to run into problems with cross contamination, uninformed and uninterested wait staff, and bland gluten-free menus.
Like Antico, I think that could change really fast if the gluten-free community applies a simple principle made famous in a Tom Cruise movie.
"Show me the money."

Amy Ratner

Tiny Typo Topples GF Treat

2010-12-30T13:02:00.002-05:00

Subscribers to Gluten-Free Living know I’m not happy in the kitchen. But, like a 95-pound weakling giving advice on tackling in football, I ventured into the baking field in our last issue by including a recipe for my mother-in-law’s cheesecake. It’s delicious and really easy to make.

But like anything else, you need a little experience and careful attention to details. In this case, the attention to tiny details should have extended to the production portion of the last issue. The recipe, as printed in the magazine, says, “Beat the egg yolks until stiff.” Frankly, I know enough to be dangerous in the kitchen, but I have a feeling you could beat those yolks until New Years Eve 2011 and they still might not be stiff.

The recipe in the magazine directs you to first separate the eggs and then beat the yolks until thick. So far so good. But then comes the mention of beating the yolks until stiff. The copy should have read, “Beat the egg whites until stiff.” That tiny typo got by me, our entire editorial staff, our graphic designer and our proofreader. I’m really sorry.

So, in the event you are looking for something to serve New Year’s Eve 2010, here’s the corrected version of Lily’s Cheesecake:

Preheat oven to 325o

Crust: Actually the cake is fine without a crust. But if you want one, try Kinnikinnick’s Graham Style Crumbs, see if there is a recipe in one of your GF cookbooks, or simply crush some GF cookies with a rolling pin and mix them with melted butter (1-2/3 cup cookie crumbs to 1/3 cup melted butter). Press the crumbs into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan.

Filling:

6 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 pinch salt
1 tspn. vanilla
1 tspn, lemon juice
1 lb. cream cheese (2 8-oz. pkgs.)
1 pint sour cream

Beat the yolks until thick. Then add sugar, salt, vanilla and lemon juice. Add cream cheese and beat, and then add sour cream. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff (but not dry) and fold into the egg yolk mixture. Pour into crust.
Bake at 325o for one hour. Turn the oven off and leave cake in the oven for one hour more without opening the door.
Serve plain or with whatever topping you’d like. This makes a very big cake.

Whether or not you serve Lily’s Cheesecake for your New Year’s celebration, I join Amy and Kendall in wishing everyone a Happy New Year and the best of everything in 2011. For my part, I promise to aim for no typos in our issues and no more terrible headlines!

Are You Prepared for a Blizzard?

2010-12-28T17:26:00.002-05:00

What a storm! It put a damper on our travel plans, but I was so grateful to be safe and sound at home. Over the years I have tried to make sure my household had a level of preparedness for anything, but I have to admit that I was woefully unprepared this time around.

My refrigerator had the leftovers of Christmas and all the goodies I was supposed to take to our extended family celebration. I had our favorite sweet potato dish to feed twenty people. I also had salad fixings for that same number. I always make an apple crisp, so I have apples coming out the wazoo.

Milk, bread and other staples were still there but I had no bottled water and very few canned goods.

I can tell the kids are getting older because I did not have any AA or D batteries. Typically, Christmas time is the one time when I am loaded with batteries for toys or games! As a quirky twist of fate, I had picked up keychain LED flashlights at Home Depot as a stocking stuffer. Other than those, I only had one working flashlight. I had four pillar candles, two tapers and precisely three tea lights left. I had two logs for the fireplace after Christmas Eve and Christmas Day fires.

As the snow swirled and the inches piled up, I became increasingly concerned as I saw these pops of light from a transformer up on a power pole.

The next day, after the snow had stopped and we had finished digging out, we did lose power. As the house started to get cold and there were no Con Ed trucks in sight, I went out to gather some things to get us through the night. I picked up a jumbo pack of hand warmers, a jumbo pack of LED candles, lots of unscented candles, firewood and something to heat on the stove for dinner.

I illuminated the house with candles and everything glowed. Even though the wind was whipping, the house had not dropped below 60 degrees so it was fine.

I whipped up a huge pasta dinner that, according to my husband, managed to involve every pot in the kitchen. The celiacs had Tinkyada shells and the regulars had sausage and cheese raviolis that I had picked up in my shopping adventure. We grabbed some of the lettuce from the fridge and placed the milk and some juice into a snow bank right outside the back door so that we could keep the refrigerator closed.

All in all, it was a pretty cozy few hours. My blackberry was dead, my daughter’s iTouch was dead, the wireless was down, the celiac’s cell phone went dead…so we just hung out. As we were about to fire up an Uno game, we heard the big Con Ed cherry picker rumble down the street. Power was restored and we were back in business!

To me, this was a wake-up call. We are so wired and in constant communication that it’s easy to forget that when the power goes down, those little devices aren’t going to get you through an emergency. You have to actually take time to prepare. It’s time to stock up on canned goods, long shelf life GF food, batteries, bottled water and grab some of those LED candles too!

Something tells me it’s going to be a very long winter.
Kendall Egan

Gluten-Free Cookie Keepers

2010-12-27T10:39:00.002-05:00

In my last blog I wrote about trying some new cookie recipes from General Mills "live gluten freely" website.
I'm happy to report that not only did they look very appealing, they tasted great too.
The Russian tea cakes had the traditional short-bread texture, softened a bit by the powdery confectioner's sugar. No one suspected they were made without wheat flour. And surely no one would have guessed the key ingredient was gluten-free Bisquick.
The grasshopper bars are made with a base of Betty Crocker gluten-free devil's food cake mix, topped with creamy icing tinted green and flavored with mint. They were easy to cut and the bottom held together unlike some gluten-free bar cookies that crumble. They tasted moist and had that terrific combination of chocolate and mint.
Since these two recipes turned out so well, I was encouraged to try at third from the website, holiday layer bars. I had originally put the recipe aside because it uses the Betty Crocker chocolate chip cookie mix. I don't like the mix because it results in cookies that have that tale-tell gritty gluten-free taste and so many other chocolate chip recipes make much better cookies for less money. And the recipe called for candied cherries, which look and taste like plastic to me.
But I decided to just skip the cherries and see if this recipe, too, was a keeper.
The cookie mix forms the base of the bar, which is then topped by a mix of white baking chips, coconut, cashews and sweetened condensed milk. You end up with a rich, chewy bar. I think the rich topping helps cut the grittiness of the cookie bottom.
So I will file all three in my recipe box. You can find the recipes here.

Last minute gluten-free Christmas tips

2010-12-22T14:46:00.002-05:00

I am at that point in the holidays when I don't ever want to be in a grocery store, department store, discount store or mall ever again.
At this point what I need most, I think, is the liquor store!
I jest.
Instead I am spending a lot of time in my kitchen making the holiday cookies that matter to me even though my family is scratching their heads over why we need so many different kinds.
A few years ago I started making almost exclusively gluten-free cookies. It saves me from having to keep my gluten-free daughter's cookies meticulously separated from cookies made with wheat flour.
In the early years, I made two versions of everything. My recipe cards still have notations on how to divide out a portion of the wet ingredients to mix with gluten-free flours.
But gluten-free flour mixes and recipes have improved so dramatically that I find the gluten-free cookies I make are fine for everyone.
I thought I would share some of the things I am doing this year, in case you are searching about for some ideas as the minutes count down to Christmas.

Birds' Nests

My family likes these treats made with a simple combination of one cup of melted chocolate chips, one cup of melted peanut butter chips, one cup of potato sticks and one cup of peanuts mixed all together and dropped by a teaspoon onto wax paper laid on cookies sheets. Then just leave them to harden. The original recipe called for butterscotch chips, but I had trouble finding a brand that did not contain gluten from barley malt so I just switched to peanut butter chips.

This recipe couldn't be easier.

Peppermint Sticks

I found this recipe in an old magazine and thought it looked very pretty. Essentially, you dip the tips of old fashioned Peppermint Sticks in a chocolate mix made by combining four squares (1 oz) of bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate with 1 tablespoon of shortening in a saucepan and heating until melted. Dip one end of the stick into the chocolate, then dip that into chopped nuts or sprinkles. Lay on wax paper until the chocolate hardens.

Peanut Blossoms

Aside from cut-out sugar cookies, these have to be one of the most popular holiday favorites. I always made two versions of this recipe until I realized that if you use a basic cookie recipe that calls for one cup of peanut butter, one cup of sugar and two eggs you will have a cookie that pleases everyone. After I mix the above ingredients I put the mixture in the refrigerator so it hardens up a little. Then I roll 1 inch balls, quickly roll them in granulated sugar and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. While the cookies are still warm and on the cookie sheets, I press one unwrapped Hershey Kiss onto each cookie. Unwrapping the kisses is a great job for a child, teenager or spouse who is otherwise not much into holiday baking.

This year I also added some cookies from General Mills "live gluten freely" website. I tried the grasshopper bars and the Russian tea cakes, which are interestingly made with the gluten-free Bisquick mix. Both were easy to make and handled well. (One reviewer who made the tea cakes said they fell apart when she tried to roll them in powdered sugar. I did not have this problem, but I waited until the cookies were just slightly warm before picking them up. I also handled them very gingerly). I still don't know if these cookies pass the taste test since I quickly packaged them up and put them away for the holidays. I will let you know if they get raves or boos from my family. You will also find a Peanut Blossom recipe on this site, but I am happy with my easy and relatively inexpensive version.

I hope these suggestions come in handy as you try to get everything done by Christmas Day.

Happy Holidays!

Amy Ratner

Bagels are the Bah-Hum-Bug Cure

2010-12-21T14:35:00.003-05:00

It’s four days to Christmas and in looking over my list and checking it twice, I realize that I find shopping for girls a whole lot easier! I just texted my husband to inform him that I have “screwed” the boys and could he help think of a couple of stocking stuffers to inexpensively ease the inequity!

I also just realized that I have a niece and nephew that I haven’t shopped for yet.

Twenty minutes ago, I had to tack on extra, extra FedEx fees to make sure that the 75th birthday present for my Dad arrived on the 24th.

I sat through a two and a half hour elementary school holiday concert this morning, nothing like a fourth grade orchestra performance!

Today is the last day of school and then the kids are off, so it was a “wrapping day” but one son left for school and then walked back in the door fifteen minutes later and announced that his breakfast was upchucked in the woods…so I’ve had the pleasure of his company as I did some paperwork and phone calls this afternoon.

So, there is it. At this moment I am as bah-hug as it gets four days before Christmas. But, then what to my wondering eyes should appear but an email saying that gluten-free goodies are on their way to me!

Joan Popkin, of Joan’s Bagels, is sending me a gluten-free care package. That news turned a frown upside down….I am so excited! For those of you who have not had the pleasure of Joan’s Bagels or Bialys, you need to do yourself a favor and try them.

The bagels arrive frozen and you bake them up yourself. There is an Everything Bagel that is one of my absolute favorite gluten-free products on the market! A Sunday morning with the New York Times, a bagel hot from the oven with a little cream cheese, a slice of tomato and some slivers of red onion are just to die for. A week-day lunch of a hot bagel, cream cheese, smoked salmon and a few capers sprinkled on top with a bowl of tomato soup…it just doesn’t get any better!

So thank you Joan Popkin for making my day merry and bright! Check out their website for a terrific story on a grandmother's love and an extensive line of really great products.

Kendall Egan

Gluten-Free Holiday gifts in Gluten-Free Living

2010-12-08T11:39:00.001-05:00

Our new issue includes great holiday gift suggestions from a wide selection of people in the gluten-free community.

Everyone really put on their thinking caps when we asked what they were wishing for this year. And some could not resist sharing ideas based on wonderful gifts they had received in the past. Here's a sample:

From Shauna James Ahern, who just got the exciting news that her new cookbook, Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef, was picked as a top cookbook by the New York Times, smoked paprika, which she says is a special spice everyone should own.

From Danny Ahern, the chef, good stone ground polenta, which you can use to make great gluten-free pasta.

From Carol Fenster, author of 10 gluten-free cookbooks, a cushioned floor mat to stand on while working in the kitchen.

From Alice Bast, founder and president of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, a rice cooker for making delicious grains like quinoa.

From Stephen, author of the the gluten-free blog, GlutenFreeways, gift cards from PF Changs, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods.

And that's just the beginning. We have lots more from these contributors and others to help you find that perfect gift for the special gluten-free someone on your list.

Our new magazine also includes an in-depth interview with Alessio Fasano, director of the University of Maryland's Center for Celiac Research, on the future of celiac disease. You will find out what he think about changes in the need for the biopsy to diagnose celiac disease, a pill to treat it, the impact the economy is having on research and much more.

We also have a recipe for a cheesecake that once won Gluten-Free Living Editor and Publisher Ann Whelan a prize in a baking contest, no small feat! It might be just the holiday dessert you are looking for.

If you are wondering whether you have to worry about gluten when you take medicine to treat your winter cold or flu, you'll find the answer on our pages.

We also have details on why lack of Vitamin D is a particular concern if you are gluten free, what a gluten-free seal means on a package label, and advice on how to stay positive and gluten free. Food Editor Jackie Mallorca offers recipes using nuts, seeds and grains and we have more on cross-contamination of gluten-free grains.

Gluten-Free Living is available in more stores than ever with this issue, including select Target and Publix locations, and should begin to show up on shelves very soon. You can also subscribe on our website.

We hope the gift ideas help make your shopping a little easier this holiday season and that our magazine makes your gluten-free life healthier and happier all through the year.

Amy Ratner

Semi Home Made Gluten-Free Holiday Pies

2010-12-08T08:39:00.002-05:00

Kendall wrote about this easy short-cut for making pies two holidays ago, but we thought it might come in handy again this season.

I think short cuts in cooking are critical for survival as a working mom. True confessions are in order here, I despise baking. I'd rather have a tooth filled than whip up a batch of cookies, bake a cake or make a pie. Birthdays, and celiac disease, present a major challenge in this area for me.

My daughter asked for an apple pie for her birthday dessert. I had a few options. Making pie dough from scratch--a long process with cold unsalted butter, flour and a Cuisinart was the most unpalatable option. Mixing the dough to perfect "pea sized" consistency and letting it rest is soooo time consuming. Then, to add insult to injury, it still needs to be rolled out!

I thought about using Pillsbury ready made pie crust and just doing two baked apples for the celiacs. This was also not a great option because I really do try to be inclusive of every family member.

But, then I remembered that I had two Whole Foods Gluten Free Bakery pie crusts in the freezer and figured I could use them to make a double-crust pie. The crusts thawed at room temperature and I prepped a bunch of apples with lemon juice, cinnamon, sugar and gluten-free flour.

It worked! I piled the apples into one crust and put the other crust on top. After five minutes in the oven, I stretched the top crust and pinched the top and bottom crusts together.

It was absolutely gorgeous when it came out of the oven. The crust was a light golden brown and the aroma was tantalizing. Everyone eagerly came to the table to celebrate.

Since it was semi-home made, it was a snap. My celiac has put in his request for pumpkin and apple pie for Thanksgiving! I can do that EASILY. Frozen, ready made gluten-free pie crust is now my favorite thing in the freezer case.
Kendall Egan

Better food safety benefits gluten-free community

2010-12-03T11:35:00.000-05:00

I follow food news pretty closely, mainly because I am interested in writing about anything related to the gluten-free diet for readers of Gluten-Free Living magazine and this blog.

Over the years, I've come to trust a number of others with a specialized interest and expertise in the foods we eat and the laws that regulate them. Michael Pollan, author of Food Rules, an Eater's Manual, is often a voice of reason when it comes to food. And the Center for Science in the Public Interest has pit bull jaws when it comes to exposing false food claims and pushing for healthier eating.

So I paid attention to what both had to say about food safety reform legislation passed by the Senate earlier this week. (Meanwhile, I tuned out the rants of Glenn Beck and the humor of Jon Stewart on the subject.)

Pollan, writing an op-ed piece for the New York Times, called the bill the "best opportunity in a generation to improve the safety of the American food supply." Michael F. Jacobson, executive director of CSPI, said "everyone who eats will benefit from this historic legislation."

In what is being called a sweeping overhaul of food safety regulation, the Senate version of the bill would result in more inspections of large-scale, high-risk food processing facilities. Now, a plant might get a visit from an inspector only every five to ten years as an unsuspecting public found out in August when 1,500 people were sickened by salmonella-contaminated eggs.

Another important change would give the FDA the authority to order a recall when a food is tainted. Now the FDA can only ask a food company to voluntarily recall foods and, amazingly, some companies drag their feet even when it's clear a food poses a health risk to consumers.

"The agency would finally have the resources and authority to prevent food safety problems, rather than respond only after people have become ill," Pollan wrote in the New York Times.
Another provision would require every food processing facility to have a safety plan and to run tests to show the plan is working. The bill also set standards for the safety of produce and imported foods.

While these improvements are not specific to gluten-free foods, the gluten-free community would benefit in a few ways. Quick and forceful removal of tainted products from the food supply is good for everyone. Three contaminated foods that made people sick in the past year - eggs, spinach and pistachios - could all be eaten by someone who is gluten free.

And I would assume gluten-free processors would have to have safety plans just like any other company. (The bill does propose exempting food makers with less than $500,000 in sales who sell most of their food locally and some gluten-free companies would be in that category.)

Another possible, though still theoretical, benefit to gluten-free consumers could come when the FDA finalizes rules for foods labeled gluten free. The FDA has proposed requiring all gluten-free foods to test to less than 20 parts per million of gluten. Some who have been watching the tortuous path of the definition through numerous FDA studies and reviews have wondered all along exactly how the agency will enforce the 20 ppm standard when and if it is approved.

The food safety legislation could create a model for how to meaningfully and regularly inspect food plants. This model could be used to make sure companies that use the labels are held to the gluten-free rules.

Of course the food safety legislation has a few hurdles of its own to clear before it becomes law. The House passed its own bill last year. Now the two bodies have to hash out a final version and it looks like a procedural error in the Senate bill may slow things down.

Still, let's hope they move quickly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates 5,000 people die from food borne illnesses every year.
While food safety for those who are gluten-free has additional layers, we are just as vulnerable as anyone else when it comes to the kind of dangers tainted foods present.

Amy Ratner

Gluten-Free Chanukah - Hurry it's almost here!

2010-11-30T14:01:00.003-05:00

Even though you probably still have Thanksgiving leftovers in the fridge, your thoughts are turning to latkes, applesauce and beef brisket if you celebrate Chanukah. The eight-day Jewish holiday begins at sundown tomorrow, less than a week after the table was laden with turkey and all the trimmings.

With the two holidays snug against each other, you might not be ready for another big, filling meal. And, if your house if anything like ours, gathering everyone together again so quickly might not be possible. Students have returned to college, relatives who visited from far away may not yet have recovered from holiday traffic and the first night is right in the middle of the week.

Perhaps more than other years, this Chanukah seems to call for a relatively simple, easy to prepare dinner with traditional latkes as the center piece. I am thinking roasted chicken, a wonderful salad full of dark greens studded with some leftover dried cranberries and nuts, latkes and sufganiyot (donuts).

The latkes and sufganiyot will serve as reminders of the drop of oil that Chanukah legend says miraculously burned for eight days in the temple in Jerusalem following the Macabees' victorious fight for religious freedom.

Traditional latke recipes call for some flour, but I have found all you really need are shredded potatoes, eggs, salt, a little onion and oil for frying. If you want the consistency flour creates, almost any gluten-free flour or starch will work. I have used corn starch, potato starch and some ready-made flour mixes over the years. I would just stay away from any that have a strong flavor, plain bean flour or sorghum for example, unless you want to add that flavor to the latkes.

The food processor makes shredding easy, just be sure to squeeze out the excess liquid before you put the shredded potato in a bowl. Mix in the eggs, salt and onion and any gluten-free flour if you are using it. (The amount of each will depend on how many latkes you want to make. Three to four large potatoes, 2 eggs and about 1 tablespoon of flour if using will make about 24 latkes.)

Drop the potato mix into oil that has been heated in a skillet. When the latkes are brown around the edges, you know it's time to flip them. Fry until the second side is crispy. Drain on paper towels. (You can keep the latkes warm in the oven but they will lose a little crispiness compared to latkes that come right from the frying pan.) Serve with applesauce, sour cream or if you have a real sweet tooth like my family, sprinkle them with sugar.

There is a great recipe for simple donut holes in The Gluten-Free Gourmet, the late Bette Hagman's first and still fabulous cookbook. I have used if for many years. If you are more ambitious and, even with little time, want jelly-filled doughnuts, there is a whole website to devoted to sufganiyot. I am not kidding - it's sufganiyot.com, that includes a gluten-free recipe.

The blog elana's pantry is another good gluten-free resource this Chanukah. Elana has a full dinner menu featuring luscious roasted chicken with olives and prunes that's Chanukah-worthy without being too hard to make. The dinner takes an interesting twist with butternut squash latkes. The menu meets all my requirements for simplicity and exceptional flavor.

If you have other allergies in addition to celiac disease, check out the Chanukah recipes at hipp kitchen.

I have to admit I feel a little badly that Chanukah will not get a lot of attention this year due to its spot on the calendar. But if you have a nice dinner and light the candles in your menorah ( a total of 44 over eight nights), the holiday will serve as the light that warms and cheers us during the time of year when daylight is shortest.

Happy Chanukah!

Amy Ratner

Swirling Mutant Ninja Glutens

2010-11-30T12:47:00.003-05:00

I am not a person who sweats every crumb. I do the best I can in a household that contains 2 celiacs and 4 regulars. Put another way, I do not own two colanders for pasta. I use it first for gluten-free noodles and then for wheat pasta and then I trust that my dishwasher will take care of any sticky gluten particles.

I try not to be paranoid about my kitchen, except for two weeks ago when I had regular flour everywhere. Then I had the freaked out vision of little mutant ninja glutens with fangs settling on every appliance, cutting board, knife and gluten-free product in my house.

My 4th grader, one of my “regulars,” had this incredible Life Skills Bread Baking Program by King Arthur Flour come to his school to teach the kids how to make bread. Baking is incredibly scientific. Bubbling yeast is a chemical reaction that will not work effectively without the right temperature water and the sugar. Kneading the dough creates the “stretchiness,” measurements and temperatures must be precise in order for the gas to form air pockets in the dough. Baking bread is a tactile, and delicious, science lesson!

Part of the Life Skills Bread Baking Program included a home project. King Arthur Flour gave each child flour and yeast in order to make a recipe to showcase the skills learned at school. Their recipe made two loaves, one loaf for the family to enjoy and one loaf to bring back and give as part of an outreach project for people in need.

My son enthusiastically, and sloppily, dove right in. We had spills. We had plumes of flour dust rising from the bowl with his vigorous stirring. We had spoons and bowls and splatters everywhere. All of that was on the kitchen counter, which we decided was too high so we moved the process to the kitchen table. More spills, more plumes and more flour everywhere.

Normally, as I said, I am not paranoid about a crumb or two but this was a stage 4 gluten contamination of my kitchen, a “red” alert on the discarded color-coded terror chart. I scrubbed, I swept, I spritzed, I swabbed and I continued to find lightly flour-coated things in my kitchen.

The bread was beautiful and my son felt a huge sense of accomplishment from his baking project. He proudly brought in his second loaf for a local shelter with several cans of tuna and a jar of peanut butter.

I sent my marketing contact at King Arthur Flour an email telling him how much most of my family enjoyed the program. He informed me that they include gluten-free bread mix if it’s requested for the kids who need it.

Ugh, if only I had known that before…..
Kendall Egan

GFL Gratitude Blog

2010-11-24T11:50:00.001-05:00

Since the front page of any newspaper these days is a section of political and financial doom and gloom, I take the Pollyanna approach and skip right to the special sections of the newspaper. As an aside, there were two separate mentions of celiac disease in yesterday’s New York Times “Science Times” section, but my favorite special section these days is the “Personal Journal” of the Wall Street Journal.

Yesterday’s Personal Journal had a front page article about gratitude and the many health benefits of practicing gratitude. It is so easy to ruminate on the slights and unpleasantness of daily life, or the aches and pains of growing older but people who practice showing gratitude and who focus on things they are thankful for lead happier, healthier lives.

So as I sit in my home office with the smell of roasting sweet potatoes wafting up the stairs, I am going to focus on what I’m thankful for in celiac-land this year.

I’m grateful for the latitude to have a home office so that I can juggle career and kids in a fairly chaotic, yet seamless fashion.

I’m grateful that our print order has doubled since our March, Vol 10, #1, issue.

I’m grateful that the editors and the graphic artist are still speaking to me after harping on them about the importance of deadlines for the past four issues.

I’m grateful to our partners in advertising, distribution, fulfillment, web hosting and printing who have helped us grow.

I’m grateful for every single inventor—large or small—who created a new gluten-free food this year.

I’m grateful to our readers who subscribe and purchase GFL from newsstands nationwide.

I’m grateful to the fabulous women I work with—Ann, Amy, Vicki, Carolyn and Unkyung. You all have enriched my life.

I’m grateful to my wonderful husband who searched the internet for a sausage and cornbread stuffing recipe and who is making it gluten-free, all by himself!

I’m grateful to my four kids who bust my chops every time I inappropriately get lost in my blackberry with a smarty-pants quip---“whatcha doing mom, blogging again?”

Maybe there is something to be said about this exercise in gratitude! I feel happier and healthier already. To everyone, a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Kendall Egan

Sandwich Screw Up

2010-11-17T11:11:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I was in a big meeting at Gluten-Free Living HQ and I received the familiar “ba-dink” from my Blackberry alerting me that I had a new text message. The only person who texts me in the middle of the day is my high school senior from whatever class she’s in and that’s a different problem altogether. Kids these days don’t ever pay attention to one thing at a time.

But, it was the lunch hour and since she has nine scheduled periods, she eats lunch in chorus so I apologized to Ann Whelan and looked at the text.

“I think you gave me the wrong sandwich.”

“Oh crap…” I texted back. Hardly a politically correct or maternal tone, but what she really was saying is that she got the turkey sandwich with the gluten-free bread and my celiac got the turkey sandwich on the loaded-with-gluten bread.

Two minutes later and there is another “ba-dink.” My other daughter happens to be in chorus as well and since both are Altos, they sit next to each other.

“Rach thinks its GF bread too.”

Now at this point, I’m wondering if I packed my celiac the Wheat Thins or the Pirate Booty and gluten-free chocolate chip cookies. Did I switch up the entire lunch or just the sandwiches? I confirmed that my daughter had the Wheat Thins so at least my celiac had something to eat in his lunch.

I assumed he was smart enough to look at the sandwich and deduce that he had whole wheat bread there. But, when you are hungry, you tend to make rationalizations. I was really ticked off at myself because that’s just a really dumb error.

When my daughter walked in, I asked her if she ate the sandwich and she did. She said that it tasted pretty good and that it took her a while to decide if it was GF or not. I typically buy whole wheat bread for the rest of them, so the fact that it looked more like white bread tipped her off.

When my celiac walked in from school he was grouchy, not because he felt sick but because he was hungry! He did not eat the sandwich, took it out of his back pack and asked me what to do with it. He didn’t even eat the turkey from the bread.

I said chuck the sandwich and I’ll fix you a nice big, GF bagel with cream cheese. What a relief, I’ll take a grouchy, hungry celiac over a kid who made the wrong decision any day. And to Ann Whelan, who puts up with these interruptions during meetings…thank you.

Kendall Egan

Fixed by Facebook?

2010-11-09T16:24:00.002-05:00

I was scrolling through my celiac Facebook page recently. There was a posting asking a medical question, if you realize you’ve accidentally eaten gluten is there anything you can do to blunt the side effects before they hit?

There were 57 responses! It was crazy, some of the stuff folks had you popping into your already distressed gut were things I'd never even heard of as "treatments" to an accidental gluten ingestion…aloe vera juice, digestive enzymes, Tylenol, antacids, huge volumes of water and probiotics. There was some practical advice…hot water bottle on yucky tummy and taking a “wait and see” attitude. But who is to say which advice is a conflict of interest from a person representing a product or advice from a complete wack-a-doo or true physician’s advice?

Most of the people on my celiac Facebook page are complete strangers with a common thread of celiac disease. There are some great recipes and good baking tips shared by all sorts of home and professional cooks, which I really appreciate. There are some postings about things going in the medical community or celiac news. But, seeking “medical” advice from just anyone seems weird, even risky. Or maybe not...maybe I am the only one who thinks this is strange.

Would you take medical advice from your Facebook wall?
Kendall Egan

Justifying an Impulse Purchase

2010-11-02T16:18:00.001-04:00

The temperature plummeted in the northeast this weekend reminding me that winter is just around the corner. I think it was the fact that I was chilled to the bone while out and about on a rare Sunday to myself up in Providence, RI that prompted a purchase of a set of totally useless hot chocolate spoons.

They are adorable, don’t get me wrong, but why does anyone need a special spoon for chocolate milk or hot chocolate? In a moment of weakness, I thought they perfectly matched the mugs I purchased for my kids on Valentine’s Day several years ago.

I also bought a Halloween themed silicon spatula that was marked down, but that was a useful and necessary item in my kitchen even with the orange and black, witchy and spidery theme going on. I just keep shaking my head when I look at these hot chocolate spoons.

Every afternoon I have a big mug of green tea. I guess I could shake it up every once and a while and have a hot cocoa…both are gluten-free. My kids make hot cocoa all the time, but they don’t shove all the other mugs out of the way to get to their Valentine’s Day mugs and I certainly can’t see them freaking out if they can’t find the hot chocolate spoons!

I have the green tea for the little bit of caffeine around 2:30 to preempt the late afternoon sinker. Green tea is also in that “good for you” category since it is full of anti-oxidants, unlike a caffeinated soda.

However, as a celiac who is slightly vitamin D deficient, I am thinking that one or two mugs of hot cocoa per week may be an idea to ponder. If I make hot cocoa using skim milk and a high quality dark cocoa, I will get a little bit of caffeine, a little bit of anti-oxidants, calcium and vitamin D. Plus, it has a certain level of decadence even if I use skim milk!

I am going to do it! Who has a fantastic gluten-free cocoa powder to recommend? I am trying really hard to justify my very silly purchase of hot chocolate spoons.

Kendall Egan

In the blink of a celiac click

2010-10-28T10:56:00.001-04:00

Add $45 million to the lengthening list of big numbers associated with celiac disease. That’s the amount the family of a grateful patient from Indiana is donating to the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research for the study of celiac disease and other autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis and Type 1 diabetes. Alessio Fasano, MD, professor and director of the Center for Celiac Research, will be the first director of the new research enterprise.

I am astounded by the amount of the donation but not that this family has chosen Dr. Fasano to be the recipient of their generosity. He certainly deserves it.

I met Dr. Fasano nearly 20 years ago at a medical meeting shortly after I had been diagnosed with celiac disease. He was new to this country and not as fluent in English as he wanted or needed to be. His language frustration was palpable, but it didn’t last for long. While plenty of funny constructions still seep into his heavily accented English, language is absolutely no barrier in his life.

I like to say that Dr. Fasano landed on US soil, held up a celiac disease flag, and has not put it down since them. There has been success after success and we have him to thank for many of them. But it seems he’s just getting started. He is indefatigable, brilliant and an awful lot of fun to be around. My favorite Alessio slip was this comment referring to the speed with which one gets answers on the web: “It happened in the blink of a click,”

It’s easy to get lost in the challenges of leading a gluten-free life and to forget the damage autoimmune disease brings to the human race. Dr. Fasano once said, “If I had to have to have an autoimmune disease, I would want it to be celiac disease.” I couldn’t agree more. Diabetes, for example, is one of the leading causes of illness and death not only in this country but around the world. It is a constant hassle and those who cope with diabetes cannot let their guard down for one minute. I actually take some pride in thinking that study of “my” disease might bring some help to those who are challenged with diabetes.

Multiple sclerosis patients deal with many physical challenges and often with a shortened life. This simple explanation from the Mayo Clinic says it all:

“Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially debilitating disease in which your body’s immune system eats away at the protective sheath that covers your nerves. This interferes with the communication between your brain and the rest of your body. Ultimately, this may result in deterioration of the nerves themselves, a process that’s not reversible.”

I grew up in the 50s and was one of the original ardent fans of the Mickey Mouse Club. Annette Funicello was perhaps the most outstanding of the Mousekateers on the show and went on to star in several teen-oriented flicks. She was the one who usually got the guy, who was usually played by Frankie Avalon, one of my teen heartthrobs. To say I was jealous would be an understatement.

Funicello was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in her forties. One of the sadder aspects of MS is that it tends to strike when people are relatively young. I’ve seen her on television where she sometimes appears as MS spokesperson and, like Michael J. Fox does with Parkinson’s Disease, she does not hide her symptoms. That takes courage.

My point is that other autoimmune disease, like diabetes and MS, seem to have a much more profound effect on our ability to live a happy, healthy life than does celiac disease. It might even be safe to say that CD might not receive the research attention it does now were it not for these connections.

But all this is not meant to debate which is the worst autoimmune disease on the planet. It would be great to get rid of all of them. The $45 million that the Center for Celiac Research will receive will be put to good, targeted use and those of us with celiac disease will likely be prime beneficiaries. Please join me in congratulating Dr. Fasano and in hoping this money gives him to opportunity to do great things for this planet. And, of course, it wouldn’t hurt if your congratulations come attached to a monetary donation to the CFCR Here is a link to the website In the blink of a click, you can contribute to what is certainly a noble effort.

Ann

You’re (over) Due

2010-10-19T08:41:00.001-04:00

I have had two people recently tell me that I am over due for a blog post. I was shocked, and secretly stoked. Someone actually wanted to read more gluten-free musings from me, that was a thoroughly exciting “yeah me” moment.

I thought about what was getting in the way of my weekly post. There is a high school senior in my house who is pulling her hair out over college applications and providing me ample “I told you so” moments since I had been suggesting since July to write this essay. I’ve bit my tongue so many times, because only a jerk tells a stressed out 17 year old “I told you so,” that I’ve “rendered myself practically mute.”(Those are Obama’s words to describe Rahm Emmanuel’s middle finger injury.)

I have the high school freshman who is a whirl wind of disorganization. Every morning there is a flurry of panicked action requiring her to run around the house and shove things into bags. As the resident smarty pants in the house, I can’t help but wonder out loud why the fact that she has to bring in her homework or pack a bag for soccer is such a daily surprise for her. So far we have had some calamitous things left behind, like yesterday when she left two sets of cleats behind but packed up the uniform for a game, but the ball always seems to bounce her way. The game was canceled and she grabbed her sneakers from her gym locker and practiced in those.

Then there is the celiac. He went off to middle school, no problem there. I have just decided that even though he is a very talented football player, I have no stomach to watch him play. After watching two bigger guys sandwich him and “ring his bell,” I prefer to watch the game film later. I missed a long run, a touchdown catch and a game saving tackle by sitting home last week…but I think I prefer watching other people’s children play football to my own.

My baby is busy doing 4th grade stuff. This weekend is my last Circus Arts performance. I am celebrating all those “last time” milestones. I relish attending his soccer games because he is just so good, all of that time spent trying to keep up with the older kids channels beautifully into aggressive, strong play “on the pitch.” Starting today, he will go to school two days a week an hour early for extra-curricular activities…newly “found” time for me.

What I’m not thinking about, at all, is gluten. I don’t even have to go to two grocery stores anymore because every store in my area has gluten-free foods. My pizzeria has gluten-free pizza. I have bread mix but I also have a couple of good loaves of readymade bread in the freezer. I have cookies in a box, frozen dough in the freezer and mixes in my pantry. I have a cupboard with a variety of rice (including purple rice) and different types of corn or brown rice pasta. In that sense, I can’t believe how easy a gluten-free diet has become.

One less worry and one less errand is a good thing because life is hectic, but it’s also good. Thanks for reading!

Kendall Egan

Join the effort to get the gluten-free label defined

2010-10-04T13:15:00.001-04:00

We are a few days into October, which is Celiac Disease Awareness month. But both Congress and the Food and Drug Administration do not seem to be aware that we're now more than two years past a deadline for important legislation that would benefit everyone with celiac disease.
Congress directed the FDA to define exactly what "gluten free" on a label means by August 2008 when it passed the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act. The FDA has come up with a proposal, but the proposal has been in limbo for far too long.
I attended a Celiac conference in Delaware last weekend where many people, both those who just found out they have celiac disease and those who have been on the gluten-free diet for a long time, had questions about confusing labels. Their lives would be much simpler if the gluten-free label clearly meant one thing.
That's not the case now.
Currently the only law that governs use of the "gluten free" on a package is a general requirement that a label be truthful and not misleading.
The proposed definition is much more specific, spelling out that: wheat, barley and rye can not be used outright in a food labeled gluten; ingredients made from those three grains can only be used if they are processed to remove the gluten protein; all gluten-free food must test to less than 20 parts per million of gluten; and only specially grown gluten-free oats can be used.
When I contacted the FDA recently to find out if there is anything new to report on the gluten-free definition, I got a very short answer. No updates.
So it seems like nothing is going to happen on this for a very long time unless the gluten-free community organizes a push to make something happen.
The American Celiac Disease Alliance, an advocacy group made up of celiac disease support groups, gluten-free businesses, medical centers and professionals, seems the logical leader of an organized effort to get the attention of both the FDA and Congress.
You can join the effort by going to the ACDA website and sending emails to your US Senators and House Representative. Then send another directly to the FDA. Forms on the site make this very easy to do.
I know there are enough gluten-free consumers out there to make their voices heard. On facebook and twitter, some gluten-free sites have 10,000 to nearly 30,000 followers. Just think how loud a group this large and with so much at stake could be. I can't think of a better, more productive way to mark Celiac Awareness month.
With a unified effort, we can make Congress and the FDA aware of how important a defined gluten-free label is.

Amy Ratner

Transitioning to Middle School

2010-10-01T17:50:00.002-04:00

For my celiac, the start of this school year brought a new building, new kids, new schedule and different teachers for each subject as he transitioned from elementary to middle school.

That’s a whole lot of explaining to do about what he can’t eat and why. Celiac Disease just screams “different” when “sameness” is so desirable. But, after the first month, it has been okay.

In language arts, one of the first writing assignments was to compare paragraph structure to an Oreo. The teacher passed out Oreo’s to drive the lesson home and then asked my celiac why he didn’t eat his.

I was unaware of this lesson until my celiac came home and asked, “Mom, where do you buy gluten-free Oreo’s?” Instead of giving him the answer, I asked “Why?” He explained the lesson, and the good news here is that the sentence structure component of the paragraph lesson stuck, but added that his teacher wanted to get him some Oreo’s that he could eat since they would be reinforcing the Oreo concept in Social Studies.

I emailed the teacher and told her where to get them, but offered to drop off an unopened package at the school for her. She found the GF Oreo’s, the Glutino version, in her local Stop n Shop and all was fine…my celiac even got to bring home the rest of the package!

Our first little roadblock and we skirted around it with zero problem. I know there are many pizza parties, dinners out and Oreo type lessons in the near future and a lot more explaining to do, but the good news is that it’s like water off a duck’s back for this kid.

There will be lots of those moments when my celiac will be called upon to explain why he isn’t eating or drinking something that looks delicious, but contains gluten. I hope it continues to be no big deal for him to stay gluten-free.

Kendall Egan

You are never too old to get celiac disease, study shows

2010-09-27T08:13:00.000-04:00

The number of people in the US who have celiac disease has been doubling every 15 years, with most of the increase found among the elderly, according to a new study released today.

Researchers at the University of Maryland's Center for Celiac Research looked at blood tests of 3,511 people and found that one in 501 were positive for celiac disease in 1974, increasing to one in 219 in 1989. As people in the study aged, the incidence of celiac disease rose, according to results published in the online version of The Annals of Medicine. The CFCR's landmark study into the prevelance of celiac disease in 2003 put the number at one in 133.

Carlo Catassi, MD, lead author and co-director of the CFCR, said you are not necessarily born with celiac disease and urged physicians to screen their elderly patients. The new research echoes the results of a 2008 Finnish study that found the prevalence of celiac disease in the elderly is nearly two and a half times higher than in the general population.

"You are never too old to develop celiac disease," said Alessio Fasano, MD, director of the CFCR.

Fasano said the study shows that environmental factors cause a person to stop being able to tolerate gluten at some point in their lifetime. If individuals can tolerate gluten for many decades before developing celiac disease, something other than gluten must be in play, Fasano said.

If those factors could be identified and manipulated, new treatments and prevention of celiac disease would be possible, he said. Researchers have already identified specific genetic markers for the development of celiac disease, but these markers do not guarantee that an individual will eventually get it. How and why someone loses tolerance to gluten remains a mystery.

The increase in celiac diagnosis in the elderly also calls into question the assumption that celiac disease usually develops in childhood.

The study was based on blood samples from more than 3,500 adults who were followed over time. The Universita Politecnica delle Marche in Ancona, Italy, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, the Women & Children's Hospital of Buffalo and Quest Diagnostics also participated.

Are Lipton soup mixes still gluten free?

2010-09-23T14:50:00.004-04:00

The oven-roasted potatoes recipe on the Lipton Onion Soup mix box has been a favorite side dish in our house for years.

So when an observant celiac support group leader from Philadelphia called Gluten-Free Living to ask if we knew if it was still gluten-free despite a change in the ingredients, I ran to my pantry. I had just bought a six pack of the mix at a warehouse club.

I am sorry to admit I did not look at the multi-pack in the store, especially since Gluten-Free Living always says you have to read the ingredients list every time you buy a food!

Both Lipton's Recipe Secrets Onion and Vegetable soup mixes now list autolyzed yeast extract made from barley. A consumer representative said this is a change in the formulation.

Lipton has a policy of always listing any potentially gluten-containing ingredient on its labels. Allergen labeling laws require wheat to be noted, but Lipton, a Unilever brand, voluntarily also lists any barley or rye. Consumers are advised to use the labels to determine if products are gluten free.

But the consumer representative said the onion soup is estimated to contain only 0.09 parts per million of gluten and the vegetable only 0.04 ppm. These levels are far below the 20 ppm of gluten the Food And Drug Administration has proposed as the cut-off for foods that can be considered gluten free.

I contacted Unilever's press office for more information about the tests used to get these amounts. Barley can sometimes present specific problems when it comes to testing. But so far I have not heard back. I'll follow up when I do.

Meanwhile, I had already researched autolyzed yeast extract made from barley for an On Your Plate column in an issue of Gluten-Free Living published earlier this year.

It turns out that autolyzed yeast made from barley is fairly rare. But I did find one company, Bio Springer, that produces some. Jean-Marc Pernet, head of market development for Bio Springer, said soup is one place that you might expect to find it.

Pernet said only a small amount of barley malt extract is used and only minimal traces of gluten remain in the final autolyzed yeast extract -- far below 20 ppm. In fact, Bio Springer certifies its product as gluten free.

Also keep in mind that yeast extract is typically used in very small amounts in a finished food. Pernet said there is little, if any, risk of finding gluten from yeast extract in a soup.

I don't know if the Lipton soup mixes use the Bio Springer yeast extract. But it would still seem the mixes poses little risk of containing any significant gluten.

I should also note the soup mix label says they are made in a facility that also processes wheat. It is very hard to know exactly what advisory statements like this mean because they are not regulated or required. A shared facility does not mean a product is automatically cross contaminated by other foods made there, but allows for the potential to exist.

Like all things gluten free, you have to weigh the facts that are available in deciding whether to keep using the Lipton soup mixes.

And remember to always read the label!

Amy Ratner

Gluten-free news from Gluten-Free Living magazine

2010-09-21T08:53:00.008-04:00

A study getting some recent online attention reports that when people are newly diagnosed the first place they go for information is the Internet. This doesn't surprise us at Gluten-Free Living.

We have been active online for a number of years, offering information on our website, blog, Twitter and Face book page, especially with the newly diagnosed in mind. It's not unusual for someone seeking information of any kind to do their initial searching on the Internet.

But we do think it's a little premature to use the study to declare that those who follow the gluten-free diet rely only on online information. And when we read the study for ourselves, we did not find evidence to support one blogger's declaration that "people are no longer subscribing to magazines because they can get pertinent information more quickly on Twitter."

In fact our own growing circulation and distribution -- up 130 percent -- would refute that claim, which was based on only one comment in the study.

The study was done by Mitch McKenney, an assistant professor of journalism and mass communications at Kent State University-Stark, for the Civic and Civilian Journalism Interest Group. He interviewed 24 people who maintain gluten-free websites or blogs to find out about their "civilian journalism" activities. One blogger posted his questions on her site, which generated another four responses. McKenney says that "to round out the reporting," the contents of sites mentioned by others in the reporting process were examined and included. Personally, I question the real value of a study that relies on a group with a vested interest in a particular outcome.

Since Gluten-Free Living is in the fairly rare position of both producing a gluten-free magazine and being active in the online gluten-free community, we can see the strengths of each.

Online you have speed.

You can ask a question and get an answer almost as fast as you can type it. (This is true about everything, not just the gluten-free diet.) But even the Internet writers in the study said they have some reservations about the accuracy of some information shared online. We know about this uncertainty because we regularly get letters and emails that start something like, "I just read on the Internet ....Can you tell me if this is true?"

In addition to speed, we love being in constant contact with our Twitter followers and Face book fans. We thoroughly enjoy being able to "talk" regularly on our blog and share ideas and experiences that might not make it into the magazine. And we hold all of our Internet sites to the same standard of accuracy as the magazine.

But in print, you have both accuracy and depth.

In each issue, Gluten-Free Living offers 62 pages, cover to cover, of well-researched information and advertisements completely about the gluten-free diet and lifestyle. We have nearly 20 years of experience looking into gluten-free topics and our reputation is well established. We have always advocated a common sense approach to the diet based on fact and not unfounded fear.

Our readers tell us they save issues of the magazine and go back to refer to them again and again. And they pull them out when someone else has a question about ingredients, labeling, nutrition, dining out, going to school - well you get the drift.

One part of the study in particular caught our attention and has some valuable lessons to teach, even if unwittingly. A support group blogger recalls how accurate information was hard to come by when she was first diagnosed 10 years ago, saying that there were rules that don’t apply today. “We were told to avoid all items that had vinegar,” she said, while it’s known today that most items with distilled vinegar are fine.

The study's author, who did not include specialty gluten-free magazines in his research or any of his questions, probably did not realize that Gluten-Free Living is responsible for the information on vinegar. Most newer bloggers also probably don't.

But we looked into this question a number of years ago when all the dietetic, support, and medical groups said distilled vinegar was not safe. Slowly all of them came to accept our reporting and research on the fact that distilled vinegar is gluten free.

Without the kind of work a gluten-free magazine can do -- and not simply "retweeting" -- we would all still be worrying about distilled vinegar in salad dressing and marinades, not to mention distilled alcohol which is gluten free for the same reason as distilled vinegar.

And in the magazine we continue to use our expertise to follow other gluten-free developments. We have extensively covered labeling, from the very first mention of new laws governing it through work on a definition of "gluten free." We were among the first to look into the controversy over McDonald's french fries and gluten. The topics we cover are often complex and some answers might not come as quickly as a blog that just repeats what is found in a study. But we are hard at work looking for the facts that can have a big impact on your gluten-free life.

We see Gluten-Free Living and the world of blogs, Twitter and Face book existing all at once. Each one can provide those in the gluten-free community with different kinds of important information.

Although we have recipes in each issue, we enjoy many of the cooking, baking, you-name-it sites that provide readers with information, instruction and inspiration in the kitchen.

We know that reading a personal story of diagnosis and return to good health can be comforting for someone who is newly struggling with the gluten-free diet. Many of these stories are available online. Although we advocate learning how to read a label yourself, when you are new to the gluten-free diet, you might want lists of specific brands of products that are safe and these can be found on the Internet. Other sites chronicle every study related to celiac disease or give details about gluten-free dining and shopping opportunities in individual cities. And some provide very specific advice for those who have other allergies or intolerances in addition to celiac disease. Many give their opinion on products sent to them by gluten-free companies.

We read numerous online sites as part of the process of keeping tabs on gluten-free concerns. We like many of them. And we count ourselves as part of the online community that can help anyone with celiac disease, gluten intolerance or gluten sensitivity live a happy, healthy gluten-free life.

But we know there is still a lot of room, and more important, a real need for Gluten-Free Living, the magazine.

Amy Ratner

Food Rules

2010-09-15T09:52:00.003-04:00

I recently read Michael Pollan's pocket sized novelette, Food Rules, which is a collection of mostly common sense rules about healthy eating. We have all heard about smaller portions, the importance of fruits and vegetables and the gospel of local, organic foods as better for the environment and for our health. It never hurts to read these rules if only to reinforce what you already know. It never makes the “right” decisions about eating any easier in tempting situations though!

The funny thing from my perspective is that he opens the book with two mentions of “gluten-free,” but then never mentions gluten-free again in any of his food rules. I was really hoping he would set everyone straight in one of his rules that a gluten-free diet is a fabulous diet for people with celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, and that includes a lot of people in the US, but that folks should look to other rules to lose weight…like portion control and decreasing sugary and fatty foods.

There was one little tip that I thought was particularly brilliant, which I will share. The tip was to save the water from steaming vegetables to re-use in sauces or soups because flavor and nutrients are in that water!

I have visions of putting spinach water into pasta sauce or steaming carrots in chicken broth and then using the broth later for a soup. Imagine the color if you put steamed beet water into a muffin mix?

Since the farmer’s markets are bursting with end of summer produce, now is the time to steam vegetables and then freeze the water for winter stews!

Maybe I didn’t glean any gluten-free wisdom from Food Rules, but I am definitely going to make flamboyantly pink gluten-free blueberry muffins after my next batch of steamed beets!

Kendall Egan

Our take on Celiac Awareness Day

2010-09-13T10:35:00.006-04:00

Today is Celiac Awareness Day, by resolution of the US Senate.

With news of celiac disease and the gluten-free diet everywhere, I couldn't help but think of how far we have come in raising awareness of a disease hardly ever heard of when my own daughter was diagnosed almost exactly 18 years ago.

It has come with some very hard work by every day people spreading the word, as well as through organized efforts by foundations, support groups, businesses and the medical community.

At Gluten-Free Living we have tried to do our part with a commitment to wipe out incorrect information about the gluten-free diet, while searching for the most reliable information we can find. We think this is the best way to ensure that you have a happy, healthy gluten-free life.

But every once in awhile I am reminded that there is still a lot of work to do.

I spent several hours on the phone last week with someone recently diagnosed who is struggling to eat gluten-free meals that are safe, varied, nutritious and tasty. In our conversation, I was transported to the early days after my daughter was diagnosed and I stood in the bread aisle of my local supermarket barely able to breath. All I could think was that if we were trapped among the shelves stacked high with food, she would still have nothing to eat.

It's been a long time since I recalled that feeling.But the person I was talking to had just had a very similar experience. She was nearly in tears as she roamed her grocery looking to fill her shopping cart.
One of the things making her job so difficult was bad information she had been given about what was and was not safe to eat. For example, she was desperately searching for gluten-free vanilla extract, having given away the perfectly fine bottle she had had at home. She thought tomato soup was the only one safe on the gluten-free diet. And anything with vinegar, she had read, was out.

It doesn't take long to figure out how someone with celiac disease can get bad information, when only two weeks ago the Wall Street Journal ran a story that incorrectly said ketchup and ice cream have gluten-containing fillers, that vinegar is fermented with gluten and that lipstick and envelope glue contain gluten. In a letter to the editor we wrote in response to the story we said, "The gluten-free diet is the only cure available to those who have celiac disease and results in improved health for those who are gluten sensitive or intolerant. But it is a challenging diet and misinformation only makes it needlessly more difficult."

Although the Wall Street Journal ran a correction, I saw its information about ketchup repeated in a Washington Post blog about barbecue sauce.
To stop the spread of bad information, we don't promote stories that contain inaccuracies on this blog or on our Twitter or Facebook sites. We know how hard it is to pull back bad information once its blasts across the Internet.

The first step in improving celiac disease awareness is to make it so well know that doctors test for it in every case where it is a possibility. The second is to make sure that once a person is diagnosed they are given accurate information about how to follow the diet. From there, we can do amazing things like getting food makers to produce better gluten-free products, restaurants to prepare truly gluten-free meals, schools and colleges to provide options for gluten-free students, and ball parks to offer gluten-free hot dogs, buns and beer.

When I started the gluten-free journey with my then two-year-old daughter, only the most optimistic in the gluten-free community dared to dream about these things--which are now becoming realities. The rest of us were just trying to figure out how to prepare a gluten-free breakfast, lunch and dinner every day.

We can't forget that the challenge of eating gluten-free is still very real, especially for the newly diagnosed. We have come a very long way, but we still have ground to cover.

Amy

A Bad Turn in “Fad Diet”

2010-09-08T09:10:00.002-04:00

Yesterday’s Wall Street Journal’s sports page had a “What You Need to Know” Q & A about football that mentioned a gluten-free diet.

In my opinion, this mention of a gluten-free diet wasn’t really a good thing. They were talking about the Jets (an offensive subject at any level to a diehard Giant’s fan, but I digress). The reporter was answering the question “are the Jet’s for real,” as in are they worth all the media hype they have received thus far in the season.

I quote, “Potty-mouthed head coach Rex Ryan, a/k/a Magic Khakis, is more popular here than gluten-free diets, and the Super Bowl talk flows freely, and alarmingly.”

First off, I highly doubt the Jet’s will make it to the Super Bowl. But, more alarmingly the “popularity” of a gluten-free diet, as it is stated here, is not something I think is entirely positive. Even though medical professionals have stated that a “g-free” diet is not really a weight loss tool, people are still hopping on the trend bandwagon of going gluten-free to lose weight.

I have to say I just get so…ticked off, trying to keep it “G” rated…when a person extols the virtues of a gluten-free diet when it’s just a temporary diversion for them. “I feel so fabulous.” “I have so much energy.” Blah, Blah, Blah…

I know that within weeks a slice of pizza or a loaf of French bread or a plate of pasta will sneak back in and then the door will open to a regular intake of foods containing gluten again. It’s annoying and I regularly point out the big difference between the trendster and a celiac, I am on a gluten-free diet forever and for far different reasons. I’m trying to avoid a plethora of scary diseases, plus I would be sick as a dog if I were to eat a plate of regular pasta.

What I really feel like saying, is take your trendy enthusiasm for the gluten-free diet and…well, channeling the “G” rating again, you get the idea.

Kendall Egan

Blood types and celiac disease

2010-09-07T16:10:00.003-04:00

Many years ago, when I was wandering around from doctor to doctor trying to figure out what was wrong with me, I happened to visit one of the Dr. D’Adamos (there is more than one Dr. D’Adamo pushing the blood type theories) at the suggestion of my then yoga instructor, who I liked a lot. That’s probably why I followed up on her suggestion. She seemed to know a lot about health and a lot of doctors didn’t seem to know anything at all about my health in general and my many physical complaints in particular. Plus, his office was not very far from my home.

The Dr. D’Adamo I saw said I had Type O blood and therefore I should eat meat. I was getting desperate, so I did begin to eat a lot of meat. At that point, I was avoiding a lot of food items thinking they made me ill, so the meat I ate was probably plain and therefore gluten free.

But I didn’t get any better because what I really had was celiac disease. Dr. D’Adamo did not advance my health one bit. In fact, he set me back while I experimented with the idea that eating meat would make me better.

The blood type theory arises every few years or so but to be honest, I don’t think it ever pans out in any helpful way. I vaguely remember a quote we had in one issue when a reader wrote in asking about the Blood Type theories. The doctor said (and I am paraphrasing from memory), if that were true, meaning blood type can guide treatment, then wouldn’t we all be much healthier than we are today?

I have been diagnosed with celiac disease for 20 years. I will agree that there are still, in 2010, medical doctors who don’t know squat about celiac disease. But I do know that theories I might term “outré” can delay a celiac disease diagnosis.

Certainly Dr. D’Adamo did me no good and some harm while I toyed with his theories. So I take issue with the idea that knowing your blood type will help you manage your gluten-free life. Frankly I don’t think it will do you any good at all.

Ann

Gluten-Free Success in the Kitchen

2010-09-02T16:18:00.002-04:00

For my second try at real cooking, I decided to stay away from meat altogether and found a perfect sandwich recipe.
As I’ve mentioned before, my sandwiches are usually pretty simple - peanut butter on toasted gluten-free bread. I never put a lot of thought into lunch so I figured this sandwich could help change that.
The recipe for Arugla-Pear Focaccia Panini comes from Carol Fenster’s “1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes.” I think you can find a recipe for almost anything in this book – it has 700 pages!
I did adapt the recipe a little, something that I learned can be important from the last time I cooked. First, I used bread that I already had instead of making the Focaccia. I wanted something that I could make quickly so preparing a special bread wouldn’t have fit my goal.
Second, the recipe calls for a Panini press. I definitely don’t own one of those so I made the sandwich more like a grilled cheese with a little bit of cooking oil on a frying pan. Then I pressed the spatula down hard onto the bread to flatten it out.
Carol Fenster also suggests flattening the sandwich out by putting a heavy skillet on top if you do not own a Panini press.
But before all that I put the sandwich together. The recipe called for a little bit of spinach, Swiss cheese, very thin pear slices, red onion and a special spread (the recipe for the spread is in the cookbook) all layered between two slices of bread. After the sandwich was assembled, I put it in the pan on the stove for a few minutes, flipped it and cooked it for another minute or two. Overall it was a very simple recipe that did not require much more time than it does to toast bread and then put some peanut butter on it.
I did have to go out to get a few of the items because they were not all things that I had at home.
The sandwich tasted great and was not like anything that I have previously tried. I would never have thought of using pears with onions and cheese on a sandwich.
I would definitely make this sandwich again! Another lesson I learned is that I can create interesting and different meals that aren’t much harder than very basic things I’m used to. The key is just to get a little creative and think outside the box.
I know I have said I want to make healthy meals, but once I opened the cookbook I used for this recipe, I couldn’t resist some of the desserts. So that’s what’s up next!

Amanda

Vitamin D Deficient

2010-08-28T12:19:00.000-04:00

This summer I have read article after article on the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiencies in American woman. We all know that calcium is important for strong bones and teeth, but vitamin D is important for calcium absorption. You don’t want your daily calcium coming from your bones so having the daily dose of calcium is so important to preventing osteoporosis. As a celiac, I have been very careful the past ten years to make sure I was getting plenty of calcium daily and doing weight bearing exercise for bone health.

I have never even worried about vitamin D because I am an outdoorsy person—tennis, swimming, walking—and I assumed I received plenty of vitamin D through sunlight. I am not a milk drinker, but I take a calcium supplement that has vitamin D in it.

I went in for some standard blood work for an upcoming physical and all was well, except my doctor said that I was vitamin D deficient! I guess the sunscreen I wear 365 days a year was really working. The funny thing is that I still have my “SPF 50” tan and the dermatologist still looks at me cross eyed when I walk in to her office with skin in a golden honey hue.

So to prevent one problem, I have created another. I guess that is the way it goes with health and prevention. Now I need to take even more vitamin D in supplement form and I’m trying to choke down a little more milk (yuck) every day. I don’t want to forgo my sunscreen though, having freckles removed is low on my list of fun things to do.

Kendall Egan