Gluten-Free Travel, by Graf!

It Worked!

2012-01-12T17:39:00.000-08:00

I have no idea why now -- today -- at least for this moment . . . I am finally able to access my Gluten-Free Travel blog via a temporary email addie Blogger set up for this account.

In the event that this is only temporary, and I get locked out again, I've started another blog on Wordpress. Hopefully, one or both of these gluten-free travel blogs will be functional.

Apologies to those who've commented on previous posts and heard nothing back. I'll start looking for those comments and begin updating soon. I just had hand surgery and am typing with one finger on my left hand for the next few weeks.

If I'm locked out again, please go to Gluten-Free Traveler at

http://glutenfreemg.wordpress.com/

Test message

2012-01-12T16:54:00.000-08:00

Fingers crossed -- haven't been able to sign in to this account since April.

IN-N-OUT Burgers

2011-04-04T20:51:00.000-07:00

IN-N-OUT Burgers ( http://www.in-n-out.com/ ) was the first place I felt safe eating out after my celiac diagnosis. My Gluten Guru, one of the founders of the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) back in the mid-1970's was staying at the same RV park we were. She taught me survival skills for that new world, showed me how to order, and enjoy my food again. Thank you, Sue, yet one more time!

Protein-style lettuce wrapped burgers were (and are) on the IN-N-OUT Burger (http://www.in-n-out.com/secretmenu.asp) not-so-secret menu on their web site. When you order, make sure to tell them you are gluten intolerant, or have a wheat allergy, and you need to make sure there's no cross-contact with the buns. I've eaten at several locations in the Palm Springs, Sacramento, and San Francisco Bay areas. People have understood what I needed, and have taken care of me properly.

This is also one of only two places I order french fries -- because they don't have onion rings or other deep fried items, the oil used for the fries is dedicated to that task. (The other is Red Robin, because most of their locations have a dedicated french fryer.) Soft drinks and milk shakes have been fine, too.

According to their website, they've now got 203 locations in California, 28 in Arizona, 8 in Utah, 16 in Nevada, and 3 in the Dallas TX area. It sure would be nice to have them in Oregon . . . maybe someday.

I know some of the other chains have gluten-free items available, but I'm not evolved enough to risk my gut to try them YET. If you have had GOOD experiences at other fast food chains, share them, please. We all have our horror stories -- I'm looking for places you can RECOMMEND, including where they are.

IN-N-OUT Burgers ( http://www.in-n-out.com/) -- lots of locations.

Triumph Dining Guide (http://www.triumphdining.com/) lists IN-N-OUT Burgers. Yet one more reason it makes a good read!

Sammy's Woodfired Gluten-Free Pizza

2011-04-03T15:11:00.000-07:00

One place we ventured while in the Palm Springs area was to Sammy's Woodfired Pizza (http://www.sammyspizza.com/) on a Sunday evening. There's a gluten-free menu available on-site, but not online. I ordered a pizza, since I'm still testing pizza whenever I can. This one was satisfactory, but not great. My friends, however, ordered other dishes that kept calling to me. Next time the opportunity hits, I'll try other GF items, like one of the huge, wonderful salads.

Give Sammy's a try. They've got locations in Southern California and the Las Vegas area. I found the details about Sammy's in the Triumph Gluten-Free Dining Out Guide. http://www.triumphdining.com/

Sammy's Woodfired Pizza
http://www.sammyspizza.com/
Palm Desert, CA 92260

760-836-0500

Palm Desert

73-595 El Paseo Rd.
Palm Desert, CA 92260
760-836-0500

Scott's Seafood in Folsom CA

2011-04-02T21:04:00.000-07:00

I made two trips to the Palm Spring area (with interesting results) in the past few months. Both times, my trusty Triumph Dining Guide (http://www.triumphdining.com/ ) came along. I'll be sharing my food finds and Triumph Dining Guide experience in the next few posts here. I was test-driving the Guide, with the objective of writing a review.

First trip, I drove down, with a stop in the Sacramento CA area to see a friend in El Dorado Hills.

Scott's Seafood (www.scottsseafood.net) in Folsom was expensive and great. Our server "spoke gluten" and took marvelous care of us as we savored each course and tried to catch each other up on what transpired in the three years since we'd last gotten together. I know spending time with my dear friend made the evening memorable, but the food held its own and more.

I'd love to have one nearby to treat myself occasionally. Definitely a place I'd go back to when I'm back in that area. The Triumph Dining Guide lists two other Scott's locations in Sacramento. The Guide didn't include other California Scott's Seafood restaurants, but a Google search came up with others around the State. Years ago, I ate at the original Scott's Seafood in San Francisco and loved it.

Triumph Dining Guide's site has much more than "just" the Guide -- a great blog (http://www.triumphdining.com/blog/ ), The Essential Gluten Free Grocery Guide, a Gluten-Free Sticker Kit, Dining Cards, and other resources.

Scott's Seafood
9611 Greenback Lane
Folsom, California
(in River Rock Plaza)
(916) 989-6711
(916) 989-8932 fax

Whooping Cough!

2011-04-01T18:08:00.000-07:00

So what does whooping cough have to do with Gluten-Free Travel?

Well, on my last trip out of town -- from Oregon to Palm Springs CA in February -- I was apparently tackled by the whooping cough bug, either on one of the two short plane rides or in the Eugene or San Francisco or Palm Springs airports. I was gone for five days total; two days after I got home, I came down with flu symptoms.

Three weeks later, after a few very scary coughing episodes, I was diagnosed with whooping cough and went on antibiotics. They helped, but it's been a long six weeks so far, and I'm just now starting to really feel better. Still exhausted and coughing some, but nowhere near what it was like when I literally couldn't catch my breath.

What I've learned lately:

-- I had DPT (diphtheria-pertussis (whooping cough)-tetanus) shots as a kid, but my immunity wore off. Most folks my age just assumed we were safe. Nope. As we age, our immunity lessens.

-- Many of us get tetanus boosters only when we've had an accident, unless we keep track and get them on schedule, or are nagged by our doctors. From what I gather, only rarely are all three serums included in shots these days. We need to ask for them.

-- Many parents (enough, anyway) are very concerned about information of possible side effects, autism, ADHD, etc., that are anecdotally floating around the universe, and have not had their children vaccinated for many of the childhood diseases that were routinely handled with shots.

I am not a parent, so I can only imagine how difficult it is to deal with the overwhelming amount of information -- accurate, semi-accurate, and not-so-accurate -- that confronts us daily. The impact of our choices is truly boggling, whether we choose to DO or NOT TO DO something.

-- As soon as I'm completely over this thing, I will get another booster. My fear of dealing with preventable communicable diseases is greater now than my fear of those possible side effects. I assume, for instance, that I don't have immunity from mumps, since I had it as a child and again when I was twenty.

-- Travel opens us up to wondrous opportunities, and exposes us to health problems, including new strains of old diseases. Ever vigilant must we be!

The bright side of this latest adventure is experiencing it from this side of the celiac fence, as it were. Because my immune system is not being bombarded with gluten, and my gut could tolerate the meds I needed to take, I wasn't fighting that battle on top of whooping cough.

I'm healing now. Hurray!

Happy New Year from Gluten-Free Travel by Graf

2011-01-01T16:05:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year, Dear Readers!

Yes, no posts for a long time, but life got in the way. My ill brother I wrote about earlier passed away in late September after a difficult struggle. A car accident in November kept me away from the computer for a while. 2010 was quite a year, and I'm happy we've moved on to the next one.

In the course of several trips last year, I found a few new restaurants and confirmed a few others were still wonderful places to eat gluten-free. In the next several posts, I'll talk about the 5th Edition of Triumph Dining's Restaurant Guide. I was delighted to be asked to review this latest edition and will share my experiences on the road.

This is a milestone for me, too: in January 2002, I finally found a GI doctor who diagnosed my celiac disease. I raised a glass of champagne to his brilliance last night and was grateful for all the positive changes in my life since then.

Happy July -- new email address for this blog

2010-07-11T17:53:00.000-07:00

Happy mid-July, everyone.

I've had email problems recently, and anything sent to this blog during July most likely is still circling somewhere in cyberspace. If you've emailed me and I didn't respond, please resend to this address:

gluten (DOT) free42 (AT) gmail (DOT) com.

Thanks!

Eugene GIG's New Web Site

2010-06-06T20:26:00.000-07:00

Check out the new Eugene GIG website: http://gig-eugene.org/

Monthly Program meetings are held the SECOND THURSDAY of each month. You'll find info about the programs, links to resources, a monthly newsletter, and much more.

Try it -- you'll like it, says the new Eugene GIG Newsletter Editor . . . me. Send comments through that site, plus questions and items for that newsletter.

Eugene GIG is part of the Gluten Intolerance Group® of North America ( http://gluten.net/)

Triumph Dining GF Guide and Blog

2010-06-05T23:24:00.000-07:00

I first discovered the Triumph Dining's Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide a few years ago, in Philadelphia. I'd seen the Liberty Bell -- now I needed brownies and bread, gluten-free.

At Mr. Ritt's Bakery, (which I just found out is closing) I bought all kinds of goodies and a copy of the Guide. Since we were on the road in our motorhome, we scouted GF foods everywhere we went. Shortly after that, I loaned my copy of the Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide to someone and never saw it again.

Then, in early 2008, I received a copy, and devoured it -- yes! Safe places I knew about were in it, and ones I knew were not safe for us, were not. I was delighted to see how far they'd come in that time.

In July 2008, I made a presentation to the Eugene Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) about Gluten-Free Traveling. The Triumph Dining Guide was a big resource I talked about. (Eugene GIG now has a website: http://gig-eugene.org/ -- and Gluten Intolerance Group® of North America is at: http://gluten.net/)

Now I'm on the Triumph Dining Blog list, and receive e-newsletters with terrific info in them. I love it. Even if you aren't a traveler yourself, the Blog has the latest info on new products, chains offering GF menu items, and much more. You can link to their other info, to see how they got started, how they've grown, sign up for this free newsletter and order your own Guide. Use this link:

http://www.triumphdining.com/blog/

I was thrilled to see they list over 50,000 GF restaurants, 80 GF lists from chains. They also have Dining Out Cards, and a GF Grocery Guide. Start with the Blog, and you'll definitely want to know more.

Congratulations, Ross and Kay!
Triumph Dining http://www.triumphdining.com/

ps -- if you want to read my review and words of wisdom, follow this link: http://glutenfree-travel.blogspot.com/2008/05/triumph-dining.html

COSTCO, one more time

2010-06-04T20:27:00.000-07:00

Following up on yesterday's post, I wish COSTCO could work with its suppliers to rethink some of the items they bundle together. I've been excited to see them carry a particular GF product, then was disappointed to find it was bundled with other flavors or varieties of "whatever" that were not GF. Big sigh and a pass on it.

Maybe if there is enough interest, they'd be willing to consider the issue.

Today, on a quick trip to COSTCO, these bundled GF and non-GF items grabbed my attention:

1. Amy's Organic Canned Soups -- the Lentil Soup appears to be GF, but the Minestrone definitely is not.

2. Healthy Choice Variety Pack Soups -- the Chicken with Rice appears to be GF, but the Chicken Noodle is not.

3. Fresh Gourmet Crunchy Toppings for Salads -- the Tortilla Strips appear to be GF, but the Crispy Onion not.

4. Combo pack of chips. There were 30 packages in this one --
the Doritos Nacho Cheese are not GF. All the rest -- Doritos Cool Ranch, Cheetos, Fritos Corn Chips, Lay's Potato Chips, and Lays BBQ Potato Chips -- appear to be GF.

I know there are more mixed packages in the store. I haven't talked to anyone at COSTCO about this, and am curious if I'm the only one who finds this disappointing. We rely on this terrific store for many items, and I'm grateful for what they do carry. (I've said it before, and I'll say it again -- Costco, we love you!)

I'd love to hear what other GF foodies out there think. If you add your wish list to mine, I'll pass it along. Thanks for reading!

COSTCO Connection to GF Folks

2010-06-03T17:40:00.000-07:00

The June Costco Connection magazine has an article about celiac disease, plus some information on the GF products they carry. Check it out, and let them know we appreciate their efforts to meet the needs of the GF community. (Plus, their high standards for Kirkland products, and their return policy -- I LOVE Costco!)

Now, if they’d only not mix GF and non-GF items in one bundle, I’d really be excited – like some of the variety packs of soups, noodle dishes, etc. We can eat most, but not all of the pack. So, we don't buy them -- just stare and sigh. Perhaps if we ask them . . . ?)

Next time you shop at COSTCO, make a note about the items you'd buy IF ONLY all of the boxes/cans/packages bundled together were GLUTEN FREE, instead of mixed.

I'm going to start my list tomorrow -- want to share yours? I'll put them together and see what happens.

Bob's Red Mill is now making GF quick-cooking Oats, and oat flour.

2010-06-02T20:35:00.000-07:00

Good news for those of us who are learning -- or returning -- to eat OATMEAL, ours GF, of course.

Bob's Red Mill is now making GF quick-cooking Oats, and oat flour.

As I posted several months ago, I started eating oatmeal as one of the ways to bring my cholesterol down. The combo of things I did reduced my LDL and overall number about 30 points in three months. And, I didn't do all ten steps diligently, but I did start the oatmeal, ate more beans, almonds, apples, flaxseed crackers, and a few other things. I'll post more info about that separately.

I've never been a cereal eater, so this was a big step. Now, with the quick-cooking option available, I'll lose one of my excuses for those days when I just don't feel like making it.

In response to my post about Bob's Red Mill GF Oatmeal, one of our readers sent this reply:

Barbara said...

I was fortunate to live about 1 mile from Bob's Red Mill for a couple of years. A great place, they also serve GF meals in the restaurant.I make my own granola from the GF oatmeal and eat it with milk or yogurt. I also make apple crisp with lots of oatmeal topping and have that for breakfast sometimes too.

Thank you, Barbara! Several folks I know have talked about a trip to Bob's Red Mill to try out that restaurant.

In the meantime, I'd love to find a recipe for GF oatmeal cookies or scotch-type bars, preferably with some chocolate, but NO EGGS, that I can make for the other days when I want oatmeal for something other than breakfast. I'll be happy to try them out and post the recipes.

For more info: Bob's Red Mills GF Products http://www.bobsredmill.com/gluten-free/

Betty Crocker adds Gluten-Free Products

2010-06-01T20:14:00.000-07:00

Yes, this isn't on the shelves yet, but soon you'll be able to buy GF Bisquick baking mix by Betty Crocker. Their GF cake mixes have had great reviews by the GF foodies I've talked to.

So, follow this link for more info and recipes, so you'll be prepared when it's in stores:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/bisquick/glutenfree.aspx

When I hear where it's available, I'll share that on my blog.
(So good to be back online with this -- lots to add soon.)

COSTCO HOTDOGS

2010-01-12T17:41:00.000-08:00

My post about COSTCO's new hotdogs generated some interesting discussion. Thank you to those who commented and raised the issues with our readers, and COSTCO itself.

Most recently, Brad Schmidt left this comment:

Just spoke with Michael at the Costco HQ and he confirmed a letter dated May 2009 from ConAgra (their supplier for the dogs in the Phx-Oak Street location) that while ConAgra cannot "certify" the products are gluten free, the letter does "affirm" that there are no gluten based products in the dogs, and that they do have manufacturing practices that segregate gluten vs. gluten free products. Sounded like a "cya" letter but was close enough for me to give the OK for my son to eat the hotdogs. Hope this helps.

Previously,
tacomamama checked with the source:

No wheat in Costco hot dogs, according to the Costco corporate office. I spoke with a rep who read off the ingredients list (which is pretty clean generally and free of gluten containing ingredients) and also said she is a member of a celiac forum, she seemed to really know her stuff.Hope that helps. Sorry the food court peeps lead you astray.

Another opinion came from an active GIG person:

The hot dog wouldn't be gluten-free even if it was the kosher ones - they use the same tongs to pick up the bun and then pick up the wiener. The water is FULL of gluten that the weiners are floating in. In the past I have tried to get them to use separate tongs. The answer was - don't eat them! If this helps any....

[I hadn't thought about that!]

And someone else dealt with it from a very different point of view:

No loss. The meat in hot dogs is essentially the dregs of the animal after all the "good" meat has been carved off. They recover it via a process of mechanical separation from the bones. In addition to sulfites, the high fat content, and other fillers. You are better off not eating them.

I've had the new COSTCO hotdogs at home, and had no problems. I was concerned about the tongs picking up hotdogs and putting them in the buns, once I watched the folks work when it was really busy.

Bottom line: Chocolate usually wins and I go for the chocolate swirl frozen yogurt.

So -- thank you very much for following up with COSTCO, and for sharing the info with this Blog. I'm glad the 'dogs are ok, that we have a choice, and diligence to watch for cross-contact is the only complication. Enjoy!

COSTCO's "GoPicnic" Ready-to-Eat GF Meals

2010-01-11T17:00:00.000-08:00

COSTCO.com lists something called GoPicnic Ready-to-Eat Gluten-Free Breakfasts, Ready-to-Eat Gluten-Free Meals, and Ready-to-Eat Gluten-Free Kids Meals.

All are supposed to be great traveling fare, require no refrigeration, have a shelf life of up to 45 days, and, per the comments, not only easy, but good. Sounds like something very useful for Road Trips, school lunches, college dorms, take-to-work, and more.

The link I used was COSTCO.COM GoPicnic Ready-to-Eat Meals
( http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?prodid=11472577&whse=BC&topnav=&cat=83006&hierPath=3605*83000*83006*&lang=en-US# )

Has anyone tried them?

FlyLady and Get rid of Body Clutter, the Gluten-Free Way

2010-01-10T20:00:00.000-08:00

This is an update of an earlier post.

FlyLady, Marla Cilley, is a most amazing woman. You must go to her website http://www.flylady.com/

"You can do anything for 15 minutes!" she says, and shows how to reclaim your life from cluttered home, finances, body and mind, one babystep at a time. Over 500,000 people are signed up on her Yahoo Group!

I discovered this site a couple of years ago, and it's made such a difference. I come from "all or nothing" thinking, perfectionism; this can be paralyzing when it comes to getting things done. I'm learning that "routines" and "structure" are not words of doom. Slowly, I'm learning. One of these days on my RoadWriter website, I'll share my experiences with the FlyLady team.

The connection to this blog is Leanne Ely, CNC aka The Dinner Diva. Her Saving Dinner site helps with meal planning, shopping, prep, and more. She's got several options of plans; the Low Carb and Body Clutter menus come with Gluten-Free instructions.

I ordered Leanne's Gluten Free menu mailer e-book (fairly new, I believe, as a stand-alone item). No nonsense, but lots of good advice about nutrition, some brand names of GF foods she uses in specific recipes, easy to follow portion control chart -- how much is a serving of meat, for instance? About the size of the palm of your hand.

Also included are Shape Up plans to help get rid of that body clutter. Worth checking out -- both FlyLady's site and Leanne's Menu Mailers and the rest of her ideas. (Note -- I linked to the GF ebooks via FlyLady's newsletter; sign up at her site below. Leanne's GF ebooks are a little hard to find on her site, but persevere -- I'll add the direct links shortly. It's a little more effort to tool around, but you'll find good info to jump-start your thinking about meal planning and eating sanely.)

Check it out: http://www.savingdinner.com/
and: http://www.flylady.com/

Let me know what you think, after you've followed it for a while.

Eating Oatmeal ... Gluten Free

2010-01-09T20:24:00.000-08:00

After a chat with my internist this week, I am now officially eating OATMEAL -- me, the person who hates cereal of all sorts -- and like it, in spite of myself.

I got Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oatmeal, added a bunch of raisins, some almond milk, and Agave as a sweetener. Perhaps the rest of the world understands this already, but oatmeal is quite filling, and kept my energy level up for most of the day.

I've experimented and made up enough for four servings, without the added goodies, so I can zap a meal's worth in the microwave, with the raisins, perhaps some almonds, maybe some soy milk, and have it ready to eat quickly. I cut the prep time, but it still takes me a long time to actually eat it.

I've got to get my LDL cholesterol down by 50 points soon, or listen to my doctor and try statin drugs, which I've resisted for several years. I've started a program that includes oatmeal, flax seeds, and several other items daily. As I incorporate this major change in my lifestyle, I'll report on how it's going. I retest in three months. Wish me luck!

Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oatmeal is available in most health food stores around the country, and on line, from a variety of GF sites, plus directly from Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free site http://www.bobsredmill.com/gluten-free/.

Papa's Pizza Goes Gluten-Free -- and GF Pizza and Beer update

2010-01-08T18:43:00.000-08:00

Followers of this Blog may recall how excited I was to find my first Gluten-Free Pizza and GLUTEN-FREE BEER at Risoterria Restaurant in May, 2006, in the NoHo area of Greenwich Village in Manhattan. We went back four of the last five nights we were in town, and I carried empty GF beer bottles with me on the subway, then all around the country: "Please, doesn't anyone know where I can get Bard's Tale, or New Grist, or the Kosher Honey Beer?"

Nope. No one did, with few exceptions in pockets where the microbreweries were located. Those guys were so overwhelmed with requests they couldn't keep up, and also lacked a good distribution system. My, my, how times have changed.*

My next Gluten Free pizza was in North Scottsdale in the Phoenix, AZ area, at Picazzo's. Ah! And when they opened a location in Portland, OR, it was worth a multi-hour drive.

After that, it was fussing with Amy's frozen GF pizzas, which were never as good as the real thing.

Now I can say that anyone in the Eugene to Portland Oregon area is in great luck -- Papa's Pizza is serving wonderful GF pizza at all their locations. They use Bavaria Mills Gluten-Free/Soy-Free crusts, and stock Redbridge GF Beer.

Plus -- charge the same price for gluten-free as for regular pizza! Based on our visit to a kitchen in one of the Eugene locations, and discussions with Mike Nesbitt, President of Papa's Pizza, they've taken great care to keep the prep area, ingredients, and baking location well protected from cross-contact.

If you'd asked me a couple of years ago if I thought I'd be able to decide on a whim to go out for pizza and beer, I'd have laughed and said, "Dream on!"

Guess what? I can have pizza any time I want now, just like the other kids. How cool is that?

Papa's Pizza http://www.papaspizza.net/
locations in Eugene, Springfield, Corvallis, Beaverton, Gresham OR

*factoids:
Bard's Tale GF Beer is now available in thirty-nine states and two Canadian provinces

New Grist GF Beer is located in Milwaukee and their website said it's in distribution nationwide.

Ramapo Valley Brewery is the only Kosher brewery in the United States and the only brewery certified Kosher for Passover, and is distributed nationwide.

Redbridge Beer's site identifies a market of (I love this!) "approximately 3.2 million consumers" (who would otherwise not be able to drink beer made with barley or wheat -- my paraphrase).

Bavaria Mills GF pizza crusts and many other GF items are available in the Northwest at natural food stores. I've written about Bavaria Mills a couple of times -- check the archives here for more details.

Maudie's Tex-Mex, Austin, Texas

2010-01-07T19:10:00.000-08:00

Great Mexican food and world-class ribs are what I want when I go to Austin -- everything else is gravy. We'll talk about the ribs separately...

New restaurant for me, but one that's got a reputation in Austin is Maudie's Tex-Mex -- and their Gluten-Free menu. I had all kinds of choices when I was there in November, and sampled a little bit of this, a little bit of that ...
and came away satisfied with the quality, quantity, and price, of the meal.

Maudie's is opening their sixth location in the spring, so it looks like finding one in your general area shouldn't be too difficult. I'll definitely go back to try more items on my next trip to Austin.

And, yes -- they do have marvelous Margaritas, too, as well as ice cold gluten-free beer.

Maudie's Tex-Mex
http://www.maudies.com/

NaBloPoMo - National Blog Posting Month

2010-01-06T19:20:00.000-08:00

I'm a sucker for Girl Scout Badge-equivalents and wonderful shiny things -- and sometimes impossible challenges.

NaBloPoMo is one of those marvelous entities that sprung up on the internet to gather people together to get things done. I heard about them through a link on the NaNoWriMo site (National Write a 50,000 word Novel in one Month (November of each year). Loved the impossibility of the project, so of course I had to try. I have two cathartic unfinished novels, plus one experimental animal to show for my efforts -- but I made it across the finish line each of the three years I tried. (Too much happened this past November to even attempt one, but I'll be back next time.)

I've started NaBlo a couple of times, as the umph I needed to catch up on posts I've meant to write, but hadn't. This month, I'm really trying. So far, I've posted something every day, and will hoist my participant's banner here.

Even if I don't post every day in January, I intend to keep at it regularly to get it on the Blog. As always, I'd love to hear from you, and, if you have related blogs and would like to consider cross-linking, let me know.

I truly believe that the more information -- real, true, useful information -- the better we all are to help ourselves and those who need it. I learned so much from finding forums, blogs, and following links. I also believe in paying it forward, to help others as I've been helped, so they, too, someday can do the same.

Hope everyone's new year is going great. We're blessed with CHOICES now we never had before. No more needing to just settle for "whatever" most of the time. And -- when powerhouses like Anheuser Busch brings out a GF Beer (Redbridge), and General Mills has good old Betty Crocker making GF cakes, and Campbell's has lines of soup, etc., it's clear that the biggies are recognizing the market for folks like us.

Celebrate! What are your favorite new food finds? Please share.

NaBloPoMo
http://www.nablopomo.com/

GF Minneapolis Area, Part 3 - update

2010-01-05T17:33:00.000-08:00

In a recent comment regarding my post:
GF Minneapolis Area, Part 3: Northland Celiac Support Group

Lisa said...

Every May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month. Organizations, such as yourself have been the catalyst for such high awareness, but as you know this can not be the only time we think of this disease. Disease.com is dedicated to spreading the awareness for the Celiac Disease, causes, preventions, symptoms, and of course treatments. Through our disease profiles we have been able to work with several elite non-profit organizations. Now we want to work with you. If you could, please list us as a resource or host our social book mark button, it would be much appreciated. Let's create a medical breakthrough, through established awareness.If you want more information on that please email me back with the subject line as your URL.

I replied...

Lisa -- If you are reading this, please get back in touch with me -- I need an email addie to reach you, since the system did not provide me with your address.

You can email me at:

gluten [DOT] free [AT] roadwriter [DOT] net. (Sorry -- you'll need to delete the spaces and change the words symbol and punctuation. Spammers got to us recently.)

I would love to talk about the issues and join forces!

Sooooo -- Lisa, if you see this, please get in touch. We have strength in numbers ... and I'd like updates about a couple of my favorite places in your area.
Thanks!

General Mills Has GF List

2010-01-04T20:00:00.000-08:00

Triumph Dining.com's "The Essential GLUTEN-FREE Newsletter" is a good one to sign up for -- lots of updates on products, restaurants, ideas, etc. A recent newsletter had an article and links about General Mills GF Products.

General Mills GF Products include some Betty Crocker Dessert Mixes, Betty Crocker Fruit Flavored Snacks, Chex Cereal, Larabars, Progresso Soup, and Yoplait Yogurt.

I eat Progresso Soups, and have heard good things about the new Betty Crocker cakes mixes, but haven't tried them myself yet.

Check out the site, and let us know what you think.

Here's my link to the "Live Gluten Freely.com" list:
http://www.liveglutenfreely.com/

or, use the link from Triumph Dining:
http://www.liveglutenfreely.com/products/default.aspx?utm_source=Triumph+Dining+List&utm_campaign=ff6d80b631-Dec_Newsletter_212_14_2009&utm_medium=email

Campbell's Gluten-Free Products

2010-01-03T20:55:00.000-08:00

It's soup and sandwich weather in much of the country, so I'm glad I found the link to Campbell's Gluten-Free Products site. (Thank you to whoever forwarded me the message -- sorry I misplaced that message.)

Campbell's list includes Swanson Broths, Prego Italian Sauces, Pace Salsas, and a line of V-8 Vegetable Juice drinks. Check out the list at http://www.campbellsoupcompany.com/pdf/FAQ_GlutenFreeProductList.pdf

There's a link to the FAQ page in the PDF:
http://www.campbellsoupcompany.com/faq.aspx?section=glutenfree

What I liked about the way the info was listed was the identification of variations on wheat in the definition of gluten -- things like emmer, einkorn, seitan, spelt, and more. Campbell's treats oats similar to other gluten-containing grains, because of potential for cross-contact. I applaud that approach. The language is straightforward, not legalese.

Check out the website and the products list. Some of your favorites may not be there because they contain gluten, but what is there should be fine. Hopefully, more products will be added.

Enjoy!

Tarte Desserts and Bakery, Eugene OR

2010-01-02T17:11:00.000-08:00

Imagine incredible Pumpernickel Bread -- then imagine it Gluten-Free -- then realize it doesn't have to be just in your imagination!

Tarte Desserts and Bakery has been providing delectible breads to a number of stores in Eugene and other Oregon locations for a few months now. (Gluten-Free Travel, by Graf is delighted to have been the one to introduce the product to Capella's Market, one of my favorite places to shot, and one of the first to carry the line.)

While the GF Multi-grain and GF Buttermilk breads are very good, the Pumpernickel is still my favorite.

Check out the Tarte site, and go find the products at Capella's, Market of Choice, Sundance Natural Foods, Red Barn, and other locations in Eugene, and her expanded area. You'll thank me for this lead!

Tarte provides the focaccia bread for Go Healthy Cafe's sandwiches -- see that post for scrumptious details.

Tarte Dessert and Bakery
http://www.tartedesserts.com/Tarte.html

Go Healthy Cafe, Eugene OR

2010-01-01T17:01:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Travis and Go Healthy Cafe -- first Eugene restaurant to be certified by GIG-GFRAP (the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America's Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program). Hard work and attention to detail, plus amazingly great food, make this one a real winner.

You MUST eat at Go Healthy Cafe if you are in Eugene, or anywhere near enough, for a great GF meal. I took a friend there for lunch this week, and we both had GF Chicken Pesto sandwiches that were delicious. As we savored them bite by bite, the dressing soaked into the focaccia bread, making each next bite even better.

Meals are made to order, and the Gluten Free Menu's broad enough to offer a quandry at decision time.

Go Healthy Cafe uses locally baked GF breads by Tarte Dessert, which will have its own post soon.

If you are in the mood for dessert, you'll have several options, too. I took home a slice of the homemade coffee cake, and only let my hubby take a tiny taste.

There's a drive up window for those in a hurry, and seating inside. Stop by soon!

Go Healthy Cafe / My Coffee
http://www.gohealthycafe.com/
3802 W. 11th, Eugene OR
541- 683-3164

Jules' Gluten-Free Thanksgiving 101

2009-11-02T14:12:00.000-08:00

This came to me through my gluten free support group. Between now and Nov. 6th, she has a wonderful offer on a 34 page e-Book, with holiday tips, a planning timeline, and more than 20 delicious, gluten-free recipes.

Check out JulesGlutenFree.com. If you weren't notified by your group about this offer, contact Jules and ask about it:
offers@julesglutenfree.com

This is a new-to-me site, but one I'll explore in more detail when I'm back from my travels.

According to her site info, all Jules Gluten Free™ products are certified allergy-free (free of the top 8 allergens including gluten, wheat, nuts, dairy, and soy), are GIG certified gluten free, and Kosher certified.

Gluten-Free Travel by Graf is on the road again

2009-11-01T23:17:00.000-08:00

Greetings, GF Blog followers!

After a long stretch, it's time to update with some amazing new resources.

During the next couple of weeks, I'll share details about these Oregon finds:

* New restaurant with great freshly made, mostly organic GLUTEN FREE sandwiches and other items so you can eat like everyone else does, only without the risk -- "Go Healthy Cafe" on W. 11th Street in Eugene.

* Gluten Free Bakery in Eugene -- "Tarte Desserts" -- pumpernickel bread to die for, plus multi-grain, and buttermilk -- again, all gluten-free. Right now, the breads are available at Capella's Market, several Markets of Choice, and ... at Go Healthy Cafe!

* Pizza! Poppa's Pizza in Eugene, Springfield, Corvallis, and one other location are serving 12-inch/medium size Gluten Free pizza at the same price as their other medium size pizzas. Well thought out process, and terrific pizza.

* My recent experience at the Portland Sheraton Airport Hotel -- a multi-day conference with almost 1,000 people, and a safe place for me and the other declared gluten intolerant folks to eat safely and happily.

* Hawthorne, the sister seafood restaurant to Corbett's Bait House. Almost everything on the menu is safe -- fish and chips(!), a variety of GF beer ...

Mid-November, there'll be more to add about Texas.

So, watch for the updates. I'll be back soon.

Family Illness -- Celiac Link?

2009-06-04T23:07:00.000-07:00

One of my brothers is very ill right now. For a variety of reasons, he has COPD, especially emphysema, and is on constant oxygen. He's had repeated bouts of pneumonia since Feb. '09, was hospitalized four times between mid-March through mid-May.

Now he's in a skilled nursing facility because he cannot take care of his medical needs. Last week, he was diagnosed for the 6th time with pneumonia. His lungs are so damaged, that they are unable to do what's necessary to empty fluids and the gases that build up in his system.

During his 2nd hospital stay, they were trying to figure out why he was eating a lot, but losing weight, and why the pneumonia came back a few days after he was discharged.

During an upper-GI test, barium flowed directly into BOTH of his lungs -- his epiglottis (the flap that's supposed to cover and protect the lungs from food and liquids when someone is eating) is neurologically damaged. He has no gag reflex, no sensation in it -- hadn't a clue that his body was not protecting him from danger.

He has aspiration pneumonia, a term that describes what happens when an inappropriate substance (anything except air, essentially) enters the lungs and causes infection. No longer able to eat or drink anything by mouth, all nourishment, water, medication must be administered using a gastric feeding tube.

The G-tube was inserted surgically into his stomach, with several inches of tubing dangling from the hole. A cap attached to the loose end is removed at feeding time, and cans of balanced liquid calories are poured into a funnel that is positioned in place. Gravity and time are required for the liquid to flow through the tube and into his system.

We do not know exactly why this happened to him -- why his body developed this problem. In part, the doctors believe it's related to damage he suffered in 2001, when he underwent heavy-duty chemo and radiation for inoperable nasopharyngeal cancer.

How did he get that cancer? It wasn't a typical smokers' cancer. In fact, he was told that it is very rare in someone his age, and living in the US. Apparently, this cancer is usually found in southeast Asia and in Africa. Infection, diet, and genetic factors may play a role in its development.

His ethnic makeup doesn't fit the profile. While he loved salty foods, the types identified as suspect weren't a major part of his eating habits. Barre-Epstein disease is suspected as a possible link to the type of cancer, but we aren't aware that he ever had it.

Here's where I jump into "What if ..." thinking:

What if there's some link between nasopharyngeal (and possibly other first-point-of-food-contact) cancer and some form of celiac disease?

I was diagnosed via endoscopy a couple of weeks before my mother died. I truly believe her esophageal scleroderma and malfunctioning stomach were related to celiac. The connective tissue in her esophagus was replaced by scar tissue. She had no peristaltic activity -- that undulating, flowing action that moves food. Most things just got stuck in her esophagus. Not her windpipe -- she rarely had food go down "the wrong tube," but she chronically had to vomit to get it unstuck. Her mother had similar, undiagnosed digestive problems.

My mother weighed 65 lbs. when she was hospitalized; literally, skin and bone. She had a J-tube inserted, a feeding tube connected directly to the intestine, since her stomach didn't work properly.

During her 15 month stay in a nursing facility, she gained over 15 lbs.! The concentrated liquid she was given through her feeding tube allowed her system to actually absorb and use nutrients for the first time in many years. That liquid did not contain wheat or fillers.

Perhaps I spend too much time looking for cause-and-effect, rational reasons for why things happen in life. My theory about my mother's illness, and my brother's cancer and subsequent deterioration, are just that -- my theory that somehow the dots connect with my celiac disease. Our other brother chose several months ago to go gluten-free. He lost 20 lbs. without trying, has noticed a definite improvement in his allergies and sleep.

I worry about my youngest brother, the life he has ahead of himself, and how he'll cope. Much of my energy in the past couple of months especially has been wrapped up in trying to help handle the maze of forms, applications, arrangements, and other issues with his intense illness.

It's heartbreaking to watch. I carry the Big Sister Burden -- I'm supposed to take care of things, make the bad stuff go away. . .

COSTCO HOTDOGS CONTAIN WHEAT!

2009-03-07T16:12:00.000-08:00

COSTCO's reformulated hotdogs served at their food court now contain WHEAT -- "just a little wheat, to help hold it together" we were told today when my husband ordered me one without the bun ...

After the thoughtful article in the last COSTCO magazine, which talked about why they had to change from the Kosher 'dogs they've served for years, all the effort that went in to finding a source to meet their specifications and provide a quality product -- I'm really saddened to think that they overlooked the growing segment of our population that cannot tolerate gluten in any form. That means WHEAT, barley, rye and most oats.

We were so impressed with the article that we planned our shopping trip today so we could try the new 'dogs for lunch. I must commend the people behind the counter, who've obviously been told to make sure customers know about the change. They were polite, asked the appropriate question, and did give us the information we needed to walk away.

The recent article in the magazine talked about how customers appreciate being able to eat out together, affordably, at COSTCO's food court. Sadly, any of us with celiac or otherwise gluten intolerant members will no longer be able to do this. Given our current economic situation, I think this is tragic.

The article said the new hotdogs would be served at all COSTCO locations, so this applies whether you are in Washington State, the District of Columbia area, Austin TX, or points inbetween. Outside the US, too?

I hope everyone reading this takes the opportunity to let COSTCO know what this change means. Fill out a "tell us how we're doing" form next time you go in. I was assured they go to the Corporate office and are read.

Please, COSTCO -- please reconsider what you've done, and find another way to hold the hotdogs together.

SOJO Mediterranean Shrimp Appetizers

2009-03-06T12:40:00.000-08:00

Another recent find at Market of Choice:

SOJO Mediterranean Wild Pacific Shrimp Appetizers with Garlic and Oregano. Very tasty, gluten-free, no batter, no breading, no eggs. Easy to fix – about 10 minutes from the freezer to the dinner plate.

I'll look for other SOJO products next time I'm out. What a treat to find some really good new (to me) GF food!

More info: http://www.sojofoods.com/

Chebe Bread Sticks

2009-03-02T12:29:00.000-08:00

I found these a few weeks ago in Market of Choice and stashed them in my freezer. I made a roast last night, and baked the frozen dough bread sticks – LOVED them! Crunchy on the outside, slightly chewy in the middle, good even when cold; I finished them off while cleaning the kitchen after dinner.

Since I don't bake, and don't have eggs in my house, the mixes weren't that tempting to me. This I can do and will do again. Also, I have some Chebe buns in the freezer; I'll let you know how those bake up soon.

More info: http://www.chebe.com/.

Trader Joe’s Sweet Sesame Rice Snacks

2009-02-26T12:47:00.001-08:00

I know the easiest GF items to find are snacks and junk food ... but I still eat them. Slowly evolving away from them, but not there yet.

TJ's carries Authentic Thai Sweet Sesame Rice Snacks – dried sticky rice, soaked in sweet melon juice, topped with sugar and sesame seeds. Light texture, good taste, and individually wrapped, so easy to carry along for those times when others are munching on goodies at meetings, and you are feeling left out.

Check your local Trader Joe's.

May as National Celiac Disease Awareness Month

2009-02-07T14:00:00.000-08:00

A question was raised in a comment to my Feb. 1 post Chef to Plate, Celebrating Restaurants Serving Up Gluten-Free Awareness.

Since I didn't know the answer, I asked Cynthia Kupper, RD, Executive Director of the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America (GIG) about May as Celiac Awareness Month. GIG is sponsoring the Chef to Plate event on May 3. Here's what Cynthia told me:

Almost all of the celiac organizations, the celiac research centers, and major medical organizations in the United States recognize May as National Celiac Disease Awareness Month.

The May observance was chosen to coincide with recognition of other medical conditions, related to celiac disease, that are observed in the same month. Celiac disease is still relatively unknown and being able to draw connections between these medical conditions and celiac disease helps to elevate its importance and enhance awareness.

Some of the other May health observances include:

Digestive Diseases Awareness Month
Digestive Diseases Week
Food Allergy Awareness Month
Food Allergy Week
National Arthritis Month
National Eosinophil Awareness Week
National Osteoporosis Awareness and Prevention Month
Women's Health Week and Women's Health Check-up day

Internationally, the Association of European Coeliac Societies recognizes Celiac Disease in May and celiac events are held throughout the world to raise awareness. (The association represents 26 countries of the EU - including Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and UK).

The Canadian Celiac Association (CCA) will begin its celebrations in May starting in 2009. Celebrating in conjunction with other nations is important since celiac disease is the most common genetic disorder in the world!"

Thanks, Cynthia. People can contact GIG directly at www.gluten.net to learn more about the event and other questions. You can also send me an email, or a comment, and I'll do my best to bring you the info.

And thanks, Stacey, for asking!

Resources:

Gluten Intolerance Group of North America (GIG)
http://www.gluten.net/

Association of European Coeliac Societies
http://www.aoecs.org/

Canadian Celiac Association (CCA)
http://www.celiac.ca/

Thank you for Comments

2009-02-06T13:17:00.000-08:00

One of the most invigorating reasons to have a blog is the feedback that tells me someone else is actually reading, and is moved enough to share questions or resources. In the almost-two-years of Gluten-Free Travel by Graf, I've received emails and comments from people all across the US, some from Canada, and a few from other countries.

I've had requests for help about specific trips people planned; they'd found me on the web, and used me -- in exactly the same way I used the blogs, forums, and groups I found online as I traveled. Much of the material about our experiences posted already (and some that paitiently waits to be posted), happened because other people were willing to share their favorite restaurants, products lists, and other resources. I'll always be grateful, and I do my best to pay it forward, by freely giving my time and knowledge on the blog or with private emails.

These are amazing times we live in, and I'm also grateful for how my gluten-free world has expanded over the past seven years. So, thank you to all who read this, and to those who keep me in their loops.

Northern California

2009-02-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

Follow these links for:

#Celiac Bay Area (San Francisco) Yahoo Grp

#CeliacSF.org (SanFrancisco)

#SF Bay Area Celiac Disease Dinner Group

Clan Thompson's Celiac Site

2009-02-04T20:00:00.000-08:00

This is the one of a series of randomly scheduled posts about websites, blogs, and resources I find especially useful.

Clan Thompson's Celiac Site publishes updated lists of gluten-free products, which they call SmartLists (TM), available as printed booklets or via software. They check with manufacturers of an amazing range of items. A shorter list of updates is included in their monthly newsletter.

"Our FREE newsletter is delivered on the 21st of every month via email. Our newsletter contains news, book reviews, interviews, recipes, a monthly list of gluten free products, our Ask the Cook column with cookbook author Connie Sarros, and Ask Clan Thompson, a column that addresses readers' ingredient and product concerns."*

I read this every month, and include it on my list of recommendations. Take a look at the site, browse the archives, resources, and more.

* quote from the website: http://www.clanthompson.com/news_about.php3#

GF Vancouver, BC, Canada

2009-02-02T23:00:00.000-08:00

A while back, I was asked for GF resources in Vancouver, one of our favorite places. We LOVE British Columbia, and that marvelous border with Alberta. And Jasper, AB! Oh, yes.

Here's some of the info from my email exchange with the traveler to Canada:

~ Canadian Celiac Association home page (there are regional chapters for the country)
http://www.celiac.ca/

~ Canadian Celiac Assoc., Vancouver Chapter.
http://www.vancouverceliac.ca/index.shtml
306-1212 West Broadway
Vancouver B.C.V6H 3V1
Phone -- (604) 736 2229
fax -- (604) 730 1015
info@vancouverceliac.ca

~ Forum:
CCA_Vancouver on Yahoo!Groups (like most Yahoo Groups- ask to join)

~ Celiac.com forum -- Restaurants in Vancouver BC (also do a search on the site for specific cities elsewhere)
http://www.glutenfreeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=19893
and this one:
http://www.glutenfreeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=22537
and
http://www.glutenfreeforum.com/lofiversion/index.php/t14803.html

~ Gluten-Free Travel - BC (You can back link to its home page, IDEAS - Intestinal Disease Education and Awareness Society. )
http://www.penny.ca/BC.htm#vancouver

~ Pan Rizo (wonderful products made at their little shop)http://www.pannerizo.com/index.htm

~ Food Vancouver - best kept secrets; just discovered this one
http://www.foodvancouver.com/restaurants.php?need=glut

This is a start! I'll post finds from Whistler later.

Chef to Plate, Celebrating Restaurants Serving Up Gluten-Free Awareness

2009-02-01T19:20:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, May 3, 2009, the Gluten Intolerance Group of NA (GIG) is sponsoring a national awareness event called Chef to Plate: Celebrating Restaurants Serving Up Gluten-Free Awareness. May is National Celiac Awareness Month.

"This program is not about getting new restaurants involved in serving gluten-free meals, but about working with those that already offer gluten-free meals and bringing awareness of gluten intolerances to the community through these restaurants." *

The beauty of this, to me, is that those of us who lead GF lives have a chance to easily spread the word and support those restaurants where we feel "safe" eating out.

GIG is reaching out to other celiac/gluten intolerance associations and organizations to make this a national campaign, so you should be hearing about it in other venues. Shout it out!

And, do two things right now:

1. Mark your calendar for Sunday, May 3 -- plan on eating at least one meal out that day, at one of your favorites. There are guidelines for restaurants that wish to participate (at no extra cost to them); you will, of course, be buying your meal(s). Invite your family and friends to hold the date and eat out with you, too!

2. Help by identifying places you go out to eat, whether for an occasional meal, or as your regular neighborhood hangouts. They may or may not be formally part of any GF program, but they pay attention to you and your needs. As more details are released, I'll post them here. You'll want to let "your" restaurants know what's going on, so they can decide if and how they'd like to participate.

If your restaurant isn't open on Sunday, don't worry! Other activities will be going on all during May in suppport of Celiac Awareness Month.

And, if you are a member of a gluten intolerance organization, have a blog, participate in online support groups or forums, we'd love to share this with them. Send me a comment or an email and I'll be happy to link them to the appropriate resources, or refer them directly to the GIG website. This includes autism or other health-related groups that follow GF eating.

Happy Eating Out, Everyone!

GIG has material posted on their website: www.gluten.net
*The logo and quote above are from GIG.

Noah's GF Pretzels Online!

2009-01-30T23:13:00.000-08:00

Pretzels are one of my four basic food groups. Chocolate is another. The other two change by whim and weather.

We discovered Noah's GF Pretzels via the internet before our trip to Washington DC in 2006. Took a full day to drive down to their location in Virginia (at that time), and left Happy Campers, with a stash for the freezer in the RV.

Last year, we found out Noah's GF pretzels were served at the Washington Nationals Baseball Stadium -- which added Redbridge GF beer to their stock. It was enough to make me want to take another trip back there and go to a ballgame. (Thank you blog readers who wrote me about this!)

Recently, I got a letter from Dwayne E. Herndon, The Pretzel Man (and a very nice man, too):

Dear Michele,
Just wanted to let you know you can now order the Noahs GF an GF/CF pretzel online. Our website information is: Noahspretzels.com. If you have any questions feel free to give me a call (301)318-7947.

Way good info! I'll be ordering very soon. Thanks, Dwayne.

Oregon Health Sciences University Celiac Disease Study

2008-11-13T14:37:00.000-08:00

This was posted on the CeliacChicks blog, a way-cool, eclectic, broad-reaching source of great info. You can sign up for their free email newsletter. (http://www.celiacchicks.com/)
****************
November 12, 2008
Oregon Health Sciences University Celiac Disease Study

Hey! Do you live in Oregon? Would you like to participate in a medical study related to celiac disease?

[Researchers at Oregon Health Science University in] ...Portland, Oregon are studying celiac disease genes. OHSU is a top notch medical university. ...

Here is the email [Celiac Chicks] received the other day with all of the details:

A review of scientific literature indicates that there is a high correlation between autoimmune disease and genetic predisposition of certain human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes.

For example, the review showed that 90% of celiac patients have the HLA-DQ2 gene; the number indicates a specific version of the gene from a possible 2 through 9.

In the past several years, we have developed a novel technology by engineering the specific HLA-gene with an immunodominant antigen to create a recombinant molecule that has had great success in treating experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model for MS. Now the molecule is being tested in a Phase-I human clinical trial. We would like to use a similar technique for studying Celiac Disease.

At the initial stage of the study, we would like to find potential ongoing blood donors from CD patients or potential CD patients. We need to screen all blood donors for their genetic HLA phenotype.

We are hoping to find a couple of donors whose genotype indicates that both the maternal and paternal copies of their HLA-DQ genes are DQ2. The potential donor should also be diagnosed with, or show significant symptoms of, Celiac Disease.

Should the initial genetic typing work show promise, we would then ask for ongoing blood donations from the donor. Those blood cells will be used to evaluate the potential drug.

Donors will be asked to give about an hour of their time for each blood draw that will occur on the Marquam Hill (Main) Campus of OHSU. Donors should be able to come in during weekday hours as our lab is typically not open on the weekend, although special arrangements may be possible.

Donors will be asked to sign a consent form and will receive $30 for each blood draw. After the initial genotyping work is done, the donor will receive a copy of their resulting genetic information.

To schedule a draw, please contact Jianya Huan, Ph.D. at (503) 494-9950 or by email: huanj@ohsu.edu
********************

Thank you, Celiac Chicks! Your blog has been at the top of my gotta-check list even before I started my own.

Angeline's Bakery

2008-11-12T14:00:00.000-08:00

I love scones, and Angeline's Bakery makes amazing Cheddar Chive scones, and Lemon Poppyseed scones. They come frozen, bake about 20 minutes and are sooooo good. She also has Chocolate Chip Cookie dough, ready to bake, that I can highly recommend. But the scones ... ah!

Check out her website for locations to buy them directly, and to get to the online store. Located in Sisters, OR, they are open for breakfast and lunch. We'll have to stop on our next trip across Oregon, to or from Bend.

Angeline's Bakery
http://www.angelinesbakery.com/

Gluten Free Montana -- Missoula and Glacier Park area

2008-11-11T14:22:00.000-08:00

Missoula's a great town -- beautiful, open, and great vibes. We ate at Fuddrucker's, Outback Restaurant, shopped locally and had fun with friends.

I just found a new blog that looks very interesting: Gluten free Mama http://www.glutenfreemama.com/index.htm started by a mother who had a very sick child. Congratulations, Rachel! Her site has lots of resources listed.

On a separate trip to Glacier National Park we found a nice selection of GF food in the Super 1 in Columbia Falls. Glacier can't be beat, and to have Redbridge Beer on a hot summer day after hiking was marvelous!

Gluten Free Cafe Fettuccini Alfredo

2008-11-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

GF Cafe Fettuccini Alfredo is a frozen entre from the Hain-Celestial Group's new (to me, anyway) line, and it is great! I've had it twice in the past week, and stocked up for the cold times ahead.

The package box says "Gluten Free Cafe is the only line of all-natural gluten free frozen foods, fortified with vitamins and minerals to supplement nutritional deficiencies and prebiotics to support digestion."

Terrific flavor and texture, right-size portion, very easy to fix, filling. And good for us, too. Wow! GF products are coming along very nicely these days.

http://www.myglutenfreecafe.com/ for more info. I bought mine at Market of Choice in Eugene, OR (http://www.marketofchoice.com/)

GF KS -- Shopping in Lawrence, Kansas

2008-11-09T15:15:00.000-08:00

Two stores we shopped while in Lawrence, KS:

1. The Merc (Community Mercantile), a co-op open to the public. Good selection of GF foods here.

The Merc is located at:
901 Iowa St.
Lawrence, Kansas 66044
Phone: (785) 843-8544
http://communitymercantile.com/

2. Dillons Grocery Store (part of the Kroger family of stores, including Fred Meyers).
I found "Mary's Gone Crackers" and other GF staples and fun stuff here

Dillons
We shopped at two locations: 1015 W. 23rd, and 3000 W. 6th, Lawrence KS
http://www.dillons.com/

A travel shopping tip: ask new-to-you stores if they are affiliated with others around the country. Safeway Stores member cards are good at Vons and Pavillions, and a few others. Kroger cards can be used at Fred Meyers and Dillons, and probably more.

GF KS -- Local Burger, Lawrence Kansas

2008-11-08T14:01:00.000-08:00

Local Burger combines the best of locally grown products (including beef, buffalo, elk, lamb) with attention to healthy choices. Hilary Brown opened her first Local Burger in 2005. Hilary had been in the food and restaurant world, and found she'd developed allergies and intolerances.

Her menu offers gluten-free buns for a variety of burgers (GF), and other celiac-friendly dishes.

I was pleased to see how many awards Local Burger's collected since I was there. Way to go! We researched the restaurant for our 2007 trip, and were quite pleased with the food.

Check our the website for more info.

Local Burger
714 Vermont Street
Lawrence KS 66044
785-856-7827

http://www.localburger.com/

GF Minneapolis Area, Part 3: Northland Celiac Support Group

2008-11-06T13:27:00.000-08:00

The Northland Celiac Support Group (NCSG) is Chapter One of the Celiac Sprue Association. Their website has Celiac FAQs, info on support groups, gluten-free shopping and dining in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and useful links.

A fellow celiac I met this year said NCSG is very active, has great resources, and made her transition to a gluten-free life about as painless as it could be. High praise from someone whose opinion I do trust.

If you're traveling through, or live in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, contact them. I used their website prior to my trip there, and found it quite helpful.

Northland Celiac Support Group
(http://northlandceliacs.fastmail.fm/index.html)

GF Minneapolis Area, Part 2: Madwoman Foods

2008-11-05T13:16:00.000-08:00

I love the name! And the food was definitely worth the stop while we were in the area. The Tea Cakes were terrific; I tried half a dozen different kinds. I bought pizzas, brownies, carrot cake, bread -- all the important items for an enjoyable (GF) life.

You can order Thanksgiving specials now -- quite an interesting list. They had cool bumper stickers when I was there, too.

http://madwomanfoods.com/
4747 Nicollet Ave S,
Minneapolis, MN 55419
(612) 825-6680
(northeast corner of 48th St and Nicollet Ave in South Minneapolis)

GF Minneapolis Area, Part 1: P.F. Chang's China Bistro

2008-11-04T12:52:00.000-08:00

One of THE best GF meals I ever had was at P.F. Chang's in Edina, MN, just outside Minneapolis. I know that having lunch with one of my best friends made it special, but the food was fabulous.

I spoke with David Richoz, Operating Partner, at the restaurant after our meal. I told him how much I enjoyed it, and that I'd been to many PF Chang's (and other restaurants!) as we've traveled around the country.

David, if you read this, I want you to know I'm still talking about that meal a year or so later!

P.F. Chang's China Bistro
2700 Southdale Center
Edina, MN 55435
952-926-1713
http://www.pfchangs.com/

Gluten-Free Menu: http://www.pfchangs.com/pdfs/gluten.pdf

allergygrocer.com has GF Pretzels and MORE

2008-11-03T12:33:00.000-08:00

G-F soft pretzels, "just like the mall"! Ah, memories of our Washington DC trip, and Noah's Pretzels.

Jay at Allergy Grocery allergygrocer.com emailed me a few weeks ago to tell me they now carry these marvelous pretzels. I got on line and started my Wish List of frozen products I'll order at some point soon:

-- Gluten-Free Fresh Frozen Soft Pretzels

-- Chebe Gluten-Free Cheese Bread Rolls - Frozen Dough

-- Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins: Foods By George

-- Challah Muffins: From Kosher Naturals

-- Chocolate Chip Muffins: From Kosher Naturals

-- Beef Gluten-Free Corn Dogs: From S'Better Farms

-- Gluten-Free Potato & Onion Pierogies: From Conte's

-- Gluten-Free Potato Gluten-Free Gnocchi: From Conte's

Because of the expense of air-shipping frozen foods, it's best to buy enough to fill a shipping case -- ten items, as I understand it.

Hmmm. I seem to be getting close ... and I didn't finish searching all the possibilities. I also found GF licorice (Molasses (Black) Licorice: From Orgran). Dangerous place, that website. I'll go back soon.

Thanks for the info, Jay!

Oh, No! Genisoy Broke My Gluten-Free Heart!

2008-11-02T16:35:00.000-08:00

Sad news today, my friends!

I love Genisoy's Southern Style Chunky Peanut Butter Fudge bars. A couple of weeks ago, I saw they had new labels and WHEAT in them!

I scurried around, bought all I could find of the old (no-wheat) bars, and sent email to the company. I haven't heard back from them, but hope my plea tugs at them enough to reconsider those of us who cannot tolerate any gluten.

Those Genisoy bars went all over the US and Canada with me, visited major landmarks, National Parks, Music Festivals, and more.

I'll keep you posted on what I hear back. They've been responsive in the past.

Sad, sad time.

NaBloPoMo!

2008-11-01T19:54:00.000-07:00

Does the name sound like some exotic hot pepper?

Guess again -- it's even hotter!

NaBloPoMo is the National Blog Posting Month -- a commitment to post to a blog every day during the month of November. Skip a day and you're toast (not even gluten-free!), and fed to the birds.

Because I'm crazy, I decided to take the challenge to get my blog updated with all the material I've been meaning to post. One post at a time. One State, or special treat, or sad news, and there is some -- two of my favorite foods have gone over to the dark side and added wheat. I'll post about them very soon ...

So, the post for November 1 is this: I'm officially joining NaBloPoMo. Tomorrow, I'll add some real news.

(I'm also doing my third NaNoWriMo -- National Novel Writing Month/ write a 50,000 word novel during November. Anyone who manages to write those 50 K words during November is a winner. I've won the past two years. NaNo #1 is still in the edit stage, but has possibilities. I'm "gypsyduck" on NaNo, if anyone else out there is participating. But don't tell my family -- they think I'm focusing only on those other projects that absolutely need to be finished already ...)

(AND -- I'm not sure of the details on this, but I was told there's also a NaPoWriMo going on now, too. National Poetry Writing Month. I may have the letters mangled, but I'm climbing on board for that one, too!)

So, We Who Are About To Post Salute You -- the great people out there who read our blogs and share our news. May we have a peaceful month.

Celiac Disease: Highlights of Diagnosis and Treatment Presentation in Palo Alto CA

2008-10-12T19:11:00.000-07:00

Join Claribel Taylor, M.D., PAMF Gastroenterology, for a presentation about celiac disease, its common symptoms, how it is diagnosed and tips on treating it by following a gluten-free diet.

Thursday, October 30 7 to 8:30 p.m. Palo Alto Center 795 El Camino Real Level 3, Hearst Center for Health Education Palo Alto, CA 94301 No cost For more information or to register, call 650-853-4873 or register online.

Palo Alto Medical Foundation, 795 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 94301

Gluten Free Dining Card Give Away for Celiac Disease Awareness

2008-08-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

Heard about Triumph Dining's $10k Challenge in August to raise money for Celiac Disease awareness?

Triumph Dining is giving away FREE American Dining Cards until the end of August. There's absolutely no purchase necessary. Visit http://www.triumphdining.com/freediningcard.aspx to participate and get a free dining card.

The purpose of this give-away is to raise money for Celiac Disease Awareness. If they get 15,000 people to sign up for free dining cards, Triumph Dining will make a $10,000 donation in support of a national celiac disease awareness campaign.

When they hit their goal, they'll ask the gluten free community to help them decide which non-profit(s) receives the donation, according to Kelly at Triumph Dining, who emailed me about this.

"We're trying to build awareness on two fronts: With 15,000 more dining cards on the street, we'll be educating more restaurants about the gluten free diet faster. And, with $10,000 funding behind a national campaign, we can diagnose and educate more Celiacs."

The free dining card offer is available at http://www.triumphdining.com/freediningcard.aspx and they'll be posting regular progress reports on their blog at http://blog.triumphdining.com.

As readers of this blog know, I think Triumph Dining's done a super job of gathering info about GF menus and options. Contact them TODAY about this, and tell your friends and neighbors.

At least once a week, I hear from people who either just found out they may be gluten intolerant, or want info for one of their friends. Even if you've already got the Restaurant Cards, order one to give to your favorite restaurant, or as a start for someone else who needs it.

We all win in this one!

Texas Restaurants

2008-06-28T10:00:00.000-07:00

When I'm in Texas, I want two things: Good Mexican food that reminds me of a long-departed place I used to frequent a million moons ago in Austin, and True Texas BBQ Ribs. I sampled the following last year:

Hill's Cafe

I emailed their Special Events Coordinator about their menu. She talked with one of their employees who is "allergic to gluten and has been working for us for many years, so I trust what he says!!

"Our ribs, brisket, pork loin, barbecue sauce, mashed potatoes, corn and broccoli rice casserole are all gluten free. Since we don't have a closed kitchen/prep area, though, we can't guarantee that there won't be trace amounts. Most people know what kind of risks they can and can't take, but those things should all be good."

After our night out at Hill's Café, I sent this:

"Please pass along our compliments for a great dinner Tuesday night, and a special note to your manager about Callie, who was our waitress.
She knew exactly what I needed when I showed her the note from your employee who is gluten intolerant, and told us that even though he wasn't working that night, she'd take care of everything -- and did. Callie was attentive to all of us in our party of four, and I was able to enjoy my food, knowing I was in good hands.

I would never have tried the broccoli-rice dish if it hadn't been identified as safe for me to eat. All in all, a very nice time. . . and we'll be back next time we roll into town."

Hill's Café is a great place for music, too.
4700 South Congress Avenue
Austin, Texas 78745
512-851-9300

~~~~~

Artz Rib House
Another one high on my list for music and ribs. Very Texas, very tasty beef ribs. A phone call before we went out assured me I could relax and enjoy myself – which I did! We walked out full and happy, and with a couple of CDs by Sarah Elizabeth Campbell & the Banned.

Artz Rib House
2330 South Lamar
Austin,TX 78704
512-442-8283

~~~~~

Dick's Last Resort

The motto at this place on the Riverwalk in San Antonio is along the lines of 'No Shirt, No Shoes, no Class – No Problem.' Garth Brooks and his "Friends in Low Places" are right at home. Silverware's optional, food's tossed to the tables. "This is the joint your mamma warned you about!"

We'd been there several times before my celiac was diagnosed, so I sent email and got this response:

"I got your note inquiring about some of our food items. Our Ribs, BBQ Sauce and Cole Slaw are all Gluten free.

These item are safe for you to eat and enjoy. At least as safe as the rest of our food is. . . . " Paul Freeman, Head Food Guy Dick's Last Resort Restaurants

And yeah! The food was fine. We'll be back next Texas trip. There are also Dicks in Dallas, Las Vegas, Myrtle Beach, Chicago, San Diego, and Boston. You know most of those cities really need . . . Dicks. The menu says Yuppies, Lawyers, Shriners, New Yorkers pay extra!

Dick's Last Resort

406 Navarro St
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 224-0026

~~~~~

Chopotle in Georgetown (Austin) -- great experience there.

One of the best GF Mexican meals I had was at the Chipotle Restaurant in Georgetown, TX. It was my first visit to any Chipotle, and the manager made it memorable for my friend and me, on our "Girls Day Out".

He took us in hand, explained everything on the menu, how the system worked. When we were ready to order, he spoke Spanish to the lady fixing our plates; she put on fresh gloves before touching anything. I will definitely go back to this place next time Sharon and I get together.

I loved the tacos, chips and guacamole, as well as the printed messages on the chips cups.

Besides the idea of great Mexican food, Chipotle's strange website had me believing that any company that put this much effort into internet intrigue could be as creative with food witchery. It still takes me several minutes to find the GF menu lurking near the Wizard of the Web.

Chipotle - Republic Square
900 N. Austin Avenue
Georgetown, TX 78628
512-868-0941 (phone)

Months later . . I was excited to learn there was a Chipotle in the San Francisco area, in Redwood City, CA. I took a couple of friends there, but no one in the restaurant had a clue what I was talking about. Down the street, I settled for a hot fudge sundae while they ate burgers and fries. So, always remember to ask questions before you order -- at any restaurant, however highly recommended.

(Rumor is Chipotle's coming to Eugene. . .)

Picazzo Gourmet Pizza in Portland

2008-06-26T10:00:00.001-07:00

GF Pizza at Picazzo's in the Sellwood Neighborhood of SE Portland was a terrific way to celebrate my Birthday in April. The restaurant was just a couple of weeks old, didn't have their GF beer in yet, but did have a set up crew from the Phoenix/Scottsdale area to get them going.

I had a quick tour of the kitchen, talked with the magicians making it happen, and loved my pizza.

Thank you, Cheri, for your message about the new Picazzo in Portland – she went back and tried a couple other kinds of GF pizzas. "They were wonderful!"

Cheri added: "There is also a bakery near Sellwood that is entirely gluten-free. The name is Keana's Candyland and the address is 5314 S.E. Milwaukie Avenue. It has great fresh baked bread and lots of desserts."

I'll definitely have to check that out when I go back to Portland. We had fun at Picazzo's, then went to dinner at Morton's Steakhouse (very, very nice; very expensive – but it was a milestone birthday).

We fully intended to have lunch the next day at Corbett's Fish House, but were too full. So that's still on the list. Soon!

Picazzos Portland
8000 SE 13th Avenue
(Sellwood) Portland, OR 97202
Telephone: 503-238-7255
Picazzo Home Page
Gluten-Free Menu

Garlic Jim’s Pizza on Bavaria Mills GF Crusts

2008-06-25T15:30:00.000-07:00

Mike Smith, Bavaria Mills GF Bakery, sent me terrific news:

Hi, Michele,
I thought I would give you an update on our success with the Garlic Jim's Pizza franchise, starting with Salmon Creek - Vancouver WA. They are using our pre-baked pizza crust that is Gluten/Corn/Soy and Dairy free.

Why it works: Garlic Jim's wheat dough is not made onsite, but prepared and delivered from a central bakery, reducing cross-contamination issues. All Franchise locations have the same equipment, so it was easy to predict methods that would be successful for all. In addition they are continually working with us to minimize other potential contamination sources.

Due to the success at the trial franchise in Salmon Creek -Vancouver, Garlic Jim's corporation started working with the GIG* Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP) to continue the spread of their GF pizza. They've embraced the GIG GFRAP, created GF menus, and have developed information/training documentation for their workers.

On May 27th they started the second (last) phase of the trial. All franchises from Vancouver to Salem are now serving/ delivering GF pizzas (12 stores total). If all goes well, the Seattle GJ's will also add the Gluten free fare in the next few weeks (another 20+).

Garlic Jim's is a nation-wide pizza chain with additional franchises in Florida, New York, Nevada and Texas. They expect to have over 100 franchises operational by 2009.

Mike and Maria
Bavaria Mills GF bakery
Always-Gluten, Soy, Corn free

bavariamills@earthlink.net
ps - Our favorite has been the pepperoni. :>)

*****

Garlic Goldie posted here a couple of months ago, to tell me about their products, and the response by the public. Check out her blog: Pizza Delivery Vancouver.

It's true – gluten-eaters will go out to eat with us GF folks far more often than we'll risk going with them. And we ALL love a good pizza!

Congratulations to Bavarian Mills, and Garlic Jim's!

*GIG - Gluten Intolerance Group

Z Tejas Grill, Austin Update

2008-06-22T22:30:00.000-07:00

Z Tejas Grill has a new GF menu site.

Thank you, Laura! She not only told me about my broken link, but found the correct one and let me know, so I could update my blog. Thank you also for the kind words for Gluten-Free Travel, by Graf. She found us while planning a trip to Austin.

Access to Gluten-Free Lunches at School -- SURVEY

2008-06-07T18:58:00.000-07:00

Through the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), I received the following email, about a survey from the American Celiac Disease Alliance. The survey will close on July 2, 2008 -- act now to reply and send it to everyone who needs to be counted!

From: info@americanceliac.org [mailto:info@americanceliac.org]
Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 12:54 PM
To: CELIAC@LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG

Subject: Access to Gluten-Free Lunches at School -- SURVEY

A major goal of the American Celiac Disease Alliance (ACDA) is to improve the availability and access to gluten-free meals in schools for students with celiac disease.

Recently, the ACDA was approached to work on a collaborative project which will help move us closer to achieving that goal. One of the first steps of the project is to determine the level of interest for gluten-free school lunches.

The ACDA has launched a brief online survey to find out who is providing lunch for student's with celiac disease - parents, school, or a combination.

If you have a child with celiac disease attending school, please complete the survey by going to:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=83OFWWSzHfAtSoh9vRH8Pg_3d_3d

Your input is vitally important to demonstrate that our children want and need gluten-free meals at school. The survey will close on July 2, 2008.

If you have any questions about the survey, or issues regarding the accessibility of gluten-free foods in school, please contact the ACDA at info@americanceliac.org .

Thank you for helping us help our kids!

Andrea

Andrea Levario
Executive Director
American Celiac Disease Alliance
http://www.americanceliac.org/

Noah's Fresh GF Pretzels -- update

2008-05-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

Gluten-Free Travel, by Graf!: Noah's Fresh GF Pretzels and RedBridge Beer now served at Wash. DC. Nationals Baseball Stadium

TRIUMPH DINING!

2008-05-11T16:50:00.000-07:00

The Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide

How many times in our gluten-free lives have we wished for a repository of choices, places we can feel reasonably safe eating out with friends and family? Not "settling for" what seems to be the least likely to cause problems, but an experience we anticipate joyfully?

A few years ago, wandering around Seattle with friends, we stopped at four different restaurants I'd found while internet sleuthing. Two were dinner only. I questioned the other two about what was in the food, how it was prepared, read the staff's responsiveness. Not safe, said my radar.

We ended up in a pub and I ALMOST had fresh crab – except I insisted on knowing EXACTLY how they magically changed it from alive to ready for the plate. Oops, beer in the water. I think I ended up with a bag of potato chips and a lot of red wine, while the others, famished from the ordeal, ate their meals.

One friend looked seriously at me and said, "Tell me you don't go through this every time you eat out!"

"Ok," I said, "I won't tell you."

"No wonder you barbeque almost every night. This is crazy."

The Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide (now in its 3^rd edition, completely revised and updated) would have been very helpful. We'd have had lunch at least an hour earlier, and with a lot less aggrevation.

Len and I have covered well over 100,000 miles of the US and Canada, at least half of that since my celiac disease diagnosis. When I received my copy of the Restaurant Guide, I started thumbing through the book, State by State.

Yup, this listing belongs here. Oh, here's one I didn't know about. Wow, I didn't realize this chain could . . .

I was also glad to see what WASN'T included – a couple of places that alleged themselves to serve gluten-free (lumping it in with "low carb") didn't make the book.

I appreciated inclusion (and exclusion) of specific locations within some of the chains. The Guide identified the only Cheesecake Factory in California (Corte Madera) that has a gluten-free menu; I've never tried that one, but I know many others have almost nothing GF available.

I learned something about a restaurant chain I've frequented: in the"Gluten-Free Lists and Menus" section, El Pollo Loco notes its "Flame Grilled Mexican Chicken" (which I love) "is cut on the same chopping board as other items that contain gluten."

Ah. I have to remember to ask that they cut a chicken on a clean board, with a clean knife next time I go in.

I find that kind of detail very helpful.

One of the best GF Mexican meals I had was at the Chipotle Restaurant in Georgetown, TX. It was my first visit to any Chipotle, and the manager made it memorable for my friend and me, on our "Girls Day Out". Months later, I was excited to learn there was a Chipotle in Redwood City, CA; I took a couple of friends there, and no one in the place had any idea what I was talking about. Down the street, I settled for a hot fudge sundae while they ate burgers and fries. Neither of these locations was mentioned specifically in the Guide, but Chipotle's menu is included in the back section. So, always remember to ask questions before you order -- any any restaurant, however highly recommended.

In these litigious times, all restaurants, and anyone who provides a service of any kind, must include disclaimers and qualifiers to protect themselves from frivolous lawsuits. I appreciate, and frequent, restaurants that try hard and don't hide behind all the legalese.

Mistakes ARE made, and every time I go out to eat, I know there's the possibility that I may be accidentally glutened. It's happened to me occasionally. (My husband got food poisoning once at one of THE ritziest restaurants in San Francisco -- it happens even under the best of circumstances.)

I also listen to my intuition when it tells me something just isn't quite right, and will walk away instead of ordering my standard baked potato and broiled salmon. This is never easy, often embarrassing, difficult to explain to others with me.

At a meeting of the Gluten Intolerance Group in Eugene, OR not long ago, I mentioned I had a copy of The Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide. A lady sitting next to me whipped out her much-loved, well-used Triumph Dining Cards. "I never leave home without them." She even used them in Europe last year, with good results. I've started carrying mine around, too.

The Essential Gluten-Free Restaurant Guide has just enough intro information to ease the hungry reader through the process of using the book, techniques to communicate what is needed, building short- and long-term relationships with restaurants.

The last part offers menus and guidance about many of the chain or multi-location eateries. Access to the internet is a very useful adjunct to the book, to find locations for some restaurants not listed individually in the guide.

Appropriately, sandwiched in the middle are the restaurants, state by state, with some of the larger cities broken out to make it easier. With the bright orange cover, and easy to carry size, this book can go many, many places on our journey to happy gluten-free eating.

And, if you discover a great place to share, pass it along to the nice folks at Triumph Dining. The more restaurants, products, and knowledge, the more we all benefit.

I haven't seen The Essential Gluten Free Grocery Guide yet, but the organization and design sound well thought out. This will be updated annually, according to the site. Now THAT'S a huge undertaking.

For more info, or to order these guides and cards, contact TRIUMPH DINING. Mention you read about it at Gluten-Free Travel, by Graf!

Let me know what you think, and any GF eateries I can share on this blog, too.

Washington DC Area

2008-04-12T21:23:00.001-07:00

Follow these links for Archived "~Articles" and "#Support/Local Resources":

~Noah's Fresh GF Pretzels

#DCCeliac ·Wash. DC Area Celiac Support Grp

Texas

2008-04-12T21:22:00.000-07:00

Follow these links for Archived "~Articles" and "#Support/Local Resources":

~Austin to San Antonio - Alamo Celiac (GIG)

~Wild Wood Cafe & Bakery, Austin

~Catching Up

Tennessee

2008-04-12T21:21:00.004-07:00

Follow these links for Archived "~Articles" and "#Support/Local Resources":

~Nashville - Country Music Fest
~Nashville Resources & Finds
#Nashville Celiac Support Group

Southern California

2008-04-12T21:14:00.000-07:00

Follow these links for Archived "~Articles" and "#Support/Local Resources":

~Palm Springs to Indio - UPDATES

ARIZONA

2008-04-12T21:11:00.000-07:00

Follow these links for Archived "~Articles" and "#Support/Local Resources":

~Picazzo's Gourmet Pizza

~Resources, Restaurants & More

Picazzo's Gourmet Pizza & Salad -- Phoenix AZ Area

2008-04-06T22:40:00.000-07:00

(I'm anxiously awaiting confirmation about a new Picazzo's Pizza in Portland, OR -- better believe I'll update this one!)

Good thing we don't live in the Scottsdale area, or I know I'd be hanging out at Picazzo far more often than I should.

We managed to eat pizza at two locations while in town, Alfredo Sauce at Tempe the first night, and Red Sauce the next at The Shops Gainey Village. Both pizzas had black olives, mushrooms, extra cheese, and terrific crusts, washed down with Red Bridge GF Beer.

Friends joined us at Gainey Village, which opened very shortly before our visit and is just down the street from their Health Club. They ordered off the regular menu (a Collazzo Grande --homemade pizza dough stuffed with toppings and baked into a moon shaped grande croissant).

We shared an appetizer I hadn't had in years -- HOT ARTICHOKE AND SPINACH DIP. Hot and creamy artichoke and spinach dip with melted cheese on top, served with carrots, celery and fresh homemade gluten-free flatbread. Loved it!

Andrew Hill, Managing Partner, took me on a quick tour of his kitchen at Gainey Village. Like the menu states, there's a GF prep area adjacent to the dedicated GF Baking Oven. Other (non-GF) food is prepared at the opposite end of the kitchen. Ingredients are kept separate, and the staff understood what was required.

The hostess, our waiter, and Andrew, were attentive and interested in how Picazzo's measured up to other GF Pizza we'd had. Risoterria in Greenwich Village is my Ultimate GF Pizza Place, and Picazzo
definitely holds its own with honors. Drool over their Gluten-Free Menu until you have the chance to actually eat there.

Thank goodness for the internet -- I'd never have known about it otherwise. The Celiac Support of Greater Phoenix and Gluten-Free Celiac Group, AZ are great resources. I also read about Picazzo on the Celiac.com forum.

Picazzo has plans to add more restaurants; check their website for full menus, specials, and info about the company. Current locations are:

The Shops Gainey Village
8787 N. Scottsdale Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85253
Telephone: 480-596-8800

Tempe
440 W. Warner Rd. Suite 101
(Northeast corner of Kyrene and Warner)
Tempe, AZ 85284
Telephone: 480-831-5823

North Scottsdale
The Promenade
7325 Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
Telephone: 480-990-2212

Sedona
1855 W Hwy 89A
Sedona, AZ 86336
Telephone: 928-282-4140

Flagstaff
1300 S. Milton Rd.
Flagstaff, AZ 86001
Telephone: 928-226-1000

GF TX: Austin to San Antonio

2008-04-06T22:26:00.001-07:00

Alamo Celiac (GIG)

A Branch of the Gluten Intolerance Group, Alamo Celiac (GIG) is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, with three support groups: Alamo Celiac Austin, Alamo Celiac San Antonio, and Alamo Celiac Corpus Christi. Their extensive website includes:

Info about Alamo Celiac
About GIG
About Celiac Disease
Articles on Celiac Disease
About Dermatitis Herpetiformis
Articles on Dermatitis Herpetiformis
Defensive Dining (Restaurant Recommendations)
Tips for Celiacs
Local Gluten-Free Shopping
Magazines and Newsletters
National Support and Research Organizations
Forums and Discussion Groups
Texas Support Group Web Sites
Free and Commercial Info Lists
Books About or For Celiac Kids
Celiac Travel and Lodging (Cruises, B&Bs, holiday packages, etc.)
and much more

Shopping

We've had very good luck hunting and gathering at:
Central Market
H-E-B
Whole Foods Market

Alamo Celiacs has many other options identified. (See links above.)
------------

GF: Arizona: Resources, Restaurants & More

2008-04-06T22:25:00.001-07:00

Celiac Support of Greater Phoenix

PhoenixCeliac is the official website for Celiac Support of Greater Phoenix, a non-profit Celiac Disease Foundation connection group. The site provides information about their support group, GF Phoenix resources, some general GF lifestyle information, and links, including:

GF Shopping Link
GF Restaurant Link
Medical Professionals Link
Other Celiac Groups Link

Excellent site -- informative, easy to follow links -- well worth browsing, even if you don't live in Phoenix
------------
Gluten-Free Celiac Group, AZ

GFCG-AZ is a support group that meets monthly in Phoenix (Chandler) Arizona and offers on-line support through internet mail list.

"The purpose of The Gluten-Free Celiac Group is to offer support to the gluten-free, wheat-free and celiac community. This includes people with celiac disease, gluten intolerance, dermatitis herpetiformis, children with autism, people with MS or rheumatoid arthritis, wheat allergies or anyone else on a gluten-free or wheat-free diet."

A resource for people living in or visiting Arizona, their excellent wesite includes a link to join on-line. They are part of the national Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG), which guided me to gluten-free living.

Some of their great links include:

Meetings
On Line Support
AZ resources
The GF Diet
Support Groups
Publications
------------

Other Notable:

Gluten-Free Cooking Club

LynnRae Ries, Founder and Executive Director, is a strong member of CDF, GIG, CSA, CCA and many local chapters and an active volunteer in the gluten-free and food allergy communities.

She's studied gluten free cooking and baking with experts such as Bette Hagman, Carol Fenster and GlutenFreeda; studied gourmet cooking in the Phoenix area and across the country with noted chefs and cookbook authors, and attended the School of Natural Cookery.

LynnRae is the author of a series of books including Delicious Gluten Free, Wheat Free Breads for the Bread Machine; What? No Wheat? and Waiter, Is there Wheat in my Soup?

LynnRae was key to developing Gluten Free Friendly Menus for many restaurants in the Phoenix area.

Note to my friends: I've evolved to the point where a kitchen is not the scary equivalent of monsters in the closet, and am ready to take one of her cooking classes in Phoenix. Someday . . .

Austin: Wild Wood Art Cafe and Bakery

2008-04-06T22:13:00.001-07:00

This place deserves a category of its own. The gallery has colorful, creative works of art on display and for sale. The Bakery makes delicious wheat free and gluten free (not the same, remember!) breads, desserts, and main dishes, including lasagne and pot pies.

Last visit, we stocked up on fresh baked goodies, including special pizza crusts sized to fit our little freezer. Well worth the trip; be sure to plan enough time to enjoy the gallery if you go to Wild Wood Art Cafe and Bakery.

GF: Palm Springs to Indio, CA -- UPDATES!

2008-04-06T22:01:00.001-07:00

Additions to Living Gluten-Free in the California Desert

Resource Person: Linda Borses

<cvconnections@earthlink.net>
COACHELLA VALLEY CELIAC CONNECTIONS
In Association with the Celiac Disease Foundation
Linda and I have been emailing for a couple of years now, and will finally meet in the fall when I get back to The Desert. She's quite knowledgable and available to help with Celiac/gluten info.

Another Restaurant I Love:
Chez Pierre, around the corner from Trader Joe's on Fred Waring Drive, in Palm Desert. A wonderful restaurant we love for special occasions, this tiny place is a joy to take friends when they come to visit. Chef Pierre fixes everything fresh and understands what I can eat -- such a treat to know I'm in good hands and enjoy my meal. I especially love his sauted sweetbreads, and there's always a good dessert to finish.
http://www.chezpierrebistro.com/
========
Markets

1. CLARK'S Nutrition – near COSTCO in Rancho Mirage.

They have a very good selection of Gluten-Free products, and have been quite responsive to following up on new items I ask about. Most are in a GF section, but others are with "like" items. Good breads are in a freezer.

2. LIFESTYLES HEALTH FOOD STORE – in the Jensen's Shopping Center on 111 in Palm Desert. Donna, the Manager, is gluten intolerant, and they stock a good selection.

3. Henry's Farmer Market -- in La Quinta. Part of the Wild Oats chain, with Wild Oats products, with a good selection of GF foods, in dedicated areas, plus nicely labeled when mingled with other shelved items.

4. Trader Joe's -- Palm Desert and La Quinta. TJ's has GF food lists for East Coast and West Coast stores. Several of their frozen Mexican products changed ingredients last year and were no longer GF. Always, Always, Always check for changes, unless the label states "Gluten Free".

5. COSTCO -- Rancho Mirage and La Quinta. COSTCO rotisserie chicken is gluten free, I discovered recently. They carry many GF items, but do not have a list. I was hoping their Kirkland label might, but via email last week I was told they don't.

Restaurants -- Fast Food:

1. El Pollo Loco chicken is GF, and the black beans and coleslaw are fine, with corn tortillas. Don't order any chicken bowl dishes, tho, according to their nice lady that I exchanged emails with last year. Other side dishes may be fine; these are the ones that I like.

2. IN'N'Out Burgers -- order the Protein Burger (it's wrapped in lettuce instead of a bun). Their french fries and shakes are safe, too.

3. Red Robin Restaurants. Order a Lettuce Wrapped Burger. Always double-check that they have a dedicated fryer for french fries, one for onion rings, and another for everything else. Watch out for places that deep fry potatoes and other items. Bits of breading can contaminate the oil, if it's used for a variety of foods, like breaded chicken, etc. as well as french fries.

Restaurants -- More Time, More Money:

4. PF Chang – this is the only Asian restaurant that I feel safe ordering at – they have a GF menu (ask for it when you are being seated). They use GF soy sauce and make a special sauce to replace their usual sauces that are not GF. I really like their chicken in lettuce wraps. The spicy eggplant is not listed on the GF menu, but I've eaten it, and was told that there's no gluten-containing seasoning in it.

WARNING: If your waiter doesn't understand about GF ordering (and some don't), ask for the manager to help at the start. Also, other people bring out the food, so ask again when something is delivered to the table. If they aren't sure, they'll go back and check; I've had to send things back occasionally when it turned out the dish wasn't GF after all.

THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH CHINESE FOOD is that most soy sauces contain wheat, as do some of the Chinese mustards. I've taken my own GF soy sauce with me a few restaurants. If they are not busy, and you feel you are being understood, this is a good alternative, especially if you have a nice neighborhood place you'd like to go. Impress upon them to use a clean pan for stir fries, so other seasonings or breading, etc, don't get mixed in.

5. Outback Steak House. I loved this place even before I knew it had a GF menu, and it's the only place I know I can indulge in dessert. Their Chocolate Thunder Down Under is a wheatless/ flourless brownie, with ice cream and decadent hot fudge. And safe.

I usually get the rack of lamb – ask for mint jelly instead of the Cabernet sauce. The ribs are safe. I order a Caesar salad with no croutons, baked potato with sour cream, steamed veggies. And dessert.

6. Mimi's Café. Last year exchanged emails with the local Café in Rancho Mirage. They had an extensive list of what I could eat or not eat, and were very nice.

Nashville – Country Music Fest – what a trip!

2008-03-14T17:50:00.000-07:00

If you love music – all kinds of music – consider the June 5 – 8, 2008 Country Music Association CMA Fest. Tickets are available online now. We went in 2007. Nonstop from 10 a.m. to almost midnight, four full days, and then some.

It was every Rock Concert we'd never attended. What a blast. But what a worry, after I ordered the tickets and we paid for our RV Campground reservation – how would I manage GF eating? Most of us with CD learn quickly to avoid crowded restaurants, especially at peak times, and to stay away from most fast food places. CMA sent us a long list of "Thou Shalt Nots" about bringing food into any of the venue sites.

Enter the internet. I found the Nashville Celiac Support Group, Chapter #76, affiliated with the Celiac Sprue Association (CSA/USA). and was impressed with "Grainwise", their newsletter. I decided to ask if the issue had come up previously, and what they would advise. I thought a letter from my doctor would be useful, but knew the question (and answer) would have more weight, coming from a recognized group instead of an individual's plaintive plea.

Grainwise editor Janet Lowery was an angel. She emailed me back quickly, then spoke with the Ticket Coordinator at CMA. Snacks and small lunch-sized soft side coolers should not an issue, but it would be helpful to bring a letter from our doctor stating our dietary needs.

Our doctor in Palm Springs, CA area, where we spent the winter, wrote a letter stating that we were under his care for medical conditions that require that we have available appropriate food during the day and evening, and had reviewed with us what we needed to do during our travels. The doctor and I agreed that the details about our specific medical conditions is confidential. The fact that we were under his care and were following a prescribed treatment plan should be sufficient.

"Please permit my patients to bring in their cooler so they will be able to follow my medical advice and consume the nutritional items on schedule for their health. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact my office. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter."

That letter (plus a spare copy) went EVERYWHERE with me that week. (Later, I carried it, in case we ran into similar situations where we needed to bring our own food.)

Here's what we did – successfully – during CMA Fest: First, I showed my letter at registration, to alert them in case of a challenge. I had it ready to whip out every time I entered one of the venues. We bought a parking pass for the full event, which allowed us to leave the car at LP Field (Titan Stadium) all day and evening.

Daytime events (from 10 a.m. to about 6 p.m.) were at the Riverfront Park, plus several other locations in town. Every morning, we walked about a mile from LP Field, across the Tennessee River, and over to the daytime shows. Len hiked with a backpack, and I carried a blanket, since no lawn chairs were permitted at Riverfront Park.

Inside the backpack was a soft-side insulated lunch bag with Genisoy GF bars, GF pretzels and crackers, small cartons of Silk chocolate soy milk for me. Len's diabetes is under control by proper food and exercise, so he had Glucerna bars and drinks in cans; we both ate a lot of cheese, almonds, and apples.

Several frozen 16 oz water bottles keep the food cold. In an outer pocket of the backpack, we had a liter-size bottle of water, in a lightly insulated case. We filled that one about halfway, froze it, then added more water just before we left the RV for the morning drive. The rest of the backpack had the usual layers of clothes, sunscreen, camera, etc.

The first time we entered the Riverfront Park, I had my letter in my hand. No problems. I think they were more concerned about alcohol and firearms.

We were discreet with how we brought our food in, and how we ate it. Once inside, there was so much going on, we were just part of the crowd. A couple of days, we left Riverfront Park, and wandered over to the Exhibition Hall and Convention Center. We tried to choose friendly guards; while questioned occasionally, I was never seriously challenged at any of the daytime locations.

Around 6 p.m., tired, really warm, and stiff from all the sitting on the ground – something we hardly ever do -- we walked back over to LP Field for our own tailgate party. In the back of our Jeep Cherokee, we had a large soft-side cooler, inside another one, for double insulation. It was like a four day extended picnic. We had more of the kinds of food we carried during the day, plus, once, I brought along a GF RedBridge Beer, for medicinal purposes. I don't know if it was permitted, and I didn't ask.

An alert gate guard refused to let us bring in a small water bottle sticking out of Len's back pocket as we entered the stadium for one of the night shows. I carried a Genisoy bar for myself, and a Glucerna bar for Len, in a front pocket of my shorts. As soon as we were inside, I transferred them to my purse so they wouldn't melt any further. Since we were going to be out till at least midnight, I needed to be prepared. I'm sure we would have ultimately been successful if I'd carried the bars more openly, but I chose to do what I could to avoid confrontation at the stadium entrance. We were discreet, again, when we ate our bars and drank our water.

The irony inside was that the people on duty did not care if the audience stood up during performances and blocked the view of folks behind them. However, they'd better stand all the way up and not lean on the top of their seat backs – that was not permitted. I was not used to events where it was ok to rudely stand during performances, and struggled with that the first couple of evenings. I just didn't get it. On the third night, I drank my RedBridge Beer with my dinner in the parking lot, so I could chill out before the show. It worked.

I would have loved to mingle with the crowds having fun in the bars and restaurants all over town. The risk was just too great.

We loved Nashville. Everyone – other than the enthusiasts sitting in front of us – helped us have a great time. I learned a lot about concert behavior, heard terrific music, and, thanks to Janet and her organization, didn't get glutened.

My advice for anyone coming in to town for the CMA Fest June 5 – 8, 2008 is to get your tickets soon, bring a doctor's note, very portable nibbles, and definitely get a parking pass. It was cheaper than taking the bus from the RV park, and made it possible to bring all the food we needed for dinner, too. Go with the flow. This isn't the San Francisco Symphony – it's far more participatory, as I found out, and a lot more fun.

Please stop at my RoadWriter site for more about free and/or low cost great music spots in Nashville. Even with two separate ten-day visits, we didn't see it all. I guess we'll just have to take another trip back one of these days.

Also see the Nashville Resources and Finds post.

Nashville Resources and Finds

2008-03-14T17:45:00.000-07:00

The Internet is a valuable resource. I've located support groups in Washington DC, Phoenix AZ, San Antonio TX, Eugene OR, and many other travel stops.

As Janet Lowery and I talked about GF food on my last day in town, I told her one thing I missed was corn dogs. "Well," she said, "we can remedy that easily." Wild Oats carried Wellshire Farms GF Uncured Beef Corn Dogs (and Chicken Corn Dogs) under their Wellshire Kids logo in the freezer section. I bought two six-dog boxes, plus some Wellshire Farms Original Style Sausage Patties. It was all I had room for in my RV freezer. (I will check on the status of this particular Wild Oats Market and report back later. However, you can find Wellshire Farms products in many other markets.)

Before we arrived, Janet sent me a GF-friendly restaurant list, developed by their members, with reviews and recommendations of places all over the area. I've shared it with others heading to Nashville. There are some delicious eating out options, which I'll post separately. (Tell me about your favorites, and I'll add them here.)

I highly recommend the fine folks in Nashville. I'm sure they'd be helpful if you have the opportunity to visit Music City.

Their web site states:

The Nashville – Middle Tennessee Celiac Support Group CSA Chapter #76 provides support and information for patients (and families) diagnosed with Celiac Disease, Dermatitis Herpetiformis and Gluten Intolerance — helping them adjust to a Gluten-Free Diet while providing a meeting forum in which to discuss dietary and medical topics and exchange information.

The Nashville - Middle Tennessee Celiac Support Group, CSA Chapter #76 is a chapter of the Celiac Sprue Association (CSA/USA) national organization. CSA is a member-based, 501(c)(3) non-profit support organization dedicated to helping individuals with celiac disease (CD) and dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) and their families worldwide through information, education and research.

Also check my RoadWriter web site for our favorite Nashville area music spots.

Long Live The Queen of the Kitchen at The Cravings Place

2008-03-14T15:51:00.001-07:00

I love The Cravings Place products, and said that in my earliest posts. I do best when I avoid eggs and dairy, as well as gluten, and am not known for my culinary skills.

I found the Ooey, Goey Chocolate Brownies at a Fred Meyer store along the coast, in Florence, OR. Yes, it was love at first bite. As we traveled, I couldn't find her line; the next trip to Oregon I stocked up. (Now, I'm delighted to say, you can find Cravings Place goodies in many places. And in Eugene, you'll find them at Fred Meyer and Market of Choice)

As her website says: "The Cravings Place was created by Juli Walton of Bend, Oregon, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America who like many found herself to be intolerant of products containing gluten, wheat, dairy and eggs. Relying on her culinary background, a passion for food and PURE DESPERATION, The Cravings Place was created."

I emailed Juli Walton, AKA "the Queen of the Kitchen @ The Cravings Place" late last spring, asking some pretty basic questions about how to use and store her products. She graciously responded, and gave me permission to share our correspondence:

Hello, Juli –

I LOVE your ooey gooey chocolate brownies, and make biscuits from your waffle mix. This is as close as I EVER come to baking.

Can I freeze the waffle mix, taking out only what I need to make a few at a time? I didn't know if freezing the mix would do anything to it.

Right now, I still have much of a bag left, and it expired yesterday; I hadn't been able to find it where we were in the Ca. Desert, nor other places we'd been since a trip thru Oregon last year. So I hoarded it, instead of just enjoying it. If I can freeze what I have and keep making little batches, I'll do that, till I get more.

Can I par-bake biscuits, freeze them, and then finish baking them with your mix? How much time would I need for the pre and post baking? If not, can I mix them up and freeze before baking?

I assume I can bake the brownies and other cakes/cookies and freeze them -- right? Can I also freeze the other mixes, still in their packages?

Sorry for so many questions, but your products are marvelous, and even a non-cook like me can make them turn out great. Thanks so much for developing your goodies, and for any info you have for me.

Michele

Here's Juli's advice:

Hi Michele

thanks for your email.

Yes you can refrigerate or freeze the mixes.

I have never par baked the biscuits and frozen them but I have baked them all the way and frozen them just fine. You would need to experiment with the par baking issue. My only concern would be getting them cooked all the way the second time; rice is so different than wheat when it comes to baking.

As for the other products, yes you can freeze the mixes if you choose and they should be just fine. You can baked the other products such as muffins, cookies, brownies etc and freeze them. I do that all the time. I pre cook the waffles a lot and then heat them back up in the oven.

We are working on getting into more stores so be on the watch. You are welcome to share any information I have provided.

Thank you for your support of our products.
Have a great trip.
Happy Cravings
Juli Walton

The Cravings Place
http://www.thecravingsplace.com/home.htm
queenofthekitchen@thecravingsplace.com
phone: 541-388-2253
fax: 541-388-7553

Check out her site -- Juli answers more questions, and new products are coming soon!

LOK YAUN RESTAURANT -- New GF Menu

2008-02-20T20:56:00.000-08:00

On Monday, Feb. 18, Eugene GIG had a great GF dinner event at Lok Yaun Restaurant. Diane Connell, Manager of Eugene GIG, spent months working with the owner and his staff to develop a GF Chinese Menu. All the effort paid off beautifully for our group of 18. I highly recommend a trip to Lok Yaun, 2360 W. 11th Ave in Eugene (at 11th and City View).

"Make sure you tell your server you are ordering from the GF Menu, and have her write it on your ticket." These words are printed at the top of the GF Menu, two columns of choices, including extra spicy dishes for brave. Since the GF Menu is quite new, it hasn't been listed on their web site yet -- but don't worry, you'll be well taken care of.

For more info about Eugene GIG, contact Diane: 343-0459
dianecon@comcast.net
http://www.gigbranches.org/eugene/

Happy Gluten-Free New Year! New report: Bavaria Mills Specialty Bakery

2008-01-11T18:36:00.000-08:00

Well, 2008 is starting off great gluten-free. More Eugene items: today I chatted with Mike Smith, Production Manager of Bavaria Mills Specialty Bakery. Hubby's radar caught him at Market of Choice on Willamette, ready to shelve some new GF goodies in the freezer section. Tonight I had one of the new dinner rolls, which had an easy texture to love.

I told Mike he'd be doing a great service to gobblers of his GF goods if he included instructions about how to heat the products. I discovered that putting the Faux Rye Rolls in the microwave oven for a minute, then splitting and sticking them in the regular oven (when I was baking chicken) gave them a better texture than other methods I've tried.

Bavaria Mills is totally GF, has some egg-free, soy-free, corn-free items. I'll make one of the pizza crusts soon, and share the story. Right now, they sell their line in Oregon (at Market of Choice and Capella's in Eugene) and Washington (they're located in Vancouver, WA).

Eating Out: Eugene & Springfield

2007-12-10T21:35:00.000-08:00

[ UPDATE - Also see posts about Lok Yuan Restaurant from Feb 20, 2008 and March 14, 2008 ]

I am very careful where I eat, and what I order. I know I’m taking a risk any time I eat something someone else has fixed, whether at a house or a restaurant. I chose to proceed with caution, ask a lot of questions, and then use my judgment.

I eat at places that can prepare food that is GF, whether or not they have a separate menu. I’ve communicated with home offices; some are wonderfully responsive.

Some aren’t permitted by their attorneys to say anything beyond “ . . . while we make every effort . . . our suppliers . . . your server will be happy to help you . . .”. Frustrating as that is, in our highly litigious society, no good deed goes unpunished. Remember some lawsuits from a couple of years past?

We can demand perfection, but stuff happens occasionally. I've never deliberately eaten a gluten-containing meal since my diagnosis six years ago. I'm willing to risk a few meals out, taking my precautions. Trusting my instincts, if my gluten radar is riled, I'll walk out.

Here’s a quick list of restaurants I’ve found so far in the Eugene area:

1. OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE in Springfield is one of the most accommodating in the country. Their staff understands their GF menu.

I usually end up ordering Rack of Lamb (hold the Cabernet sauce), or BBQ Ribs (sauce is GF, but skip the apple slices), a baked potato, and Caesar Salad (no croutons, fixed in a clean bowl), and Chocolate Thunder Down Under – totally safe dessert I loved even before I knew about my Celiac Disease.

(Don’t know if they have Redbridge GF beer – we’ll have to check that out soon. As I posted in April 2007, many of the Outbacks do serve it. Had my first GF beer with dinner at an Outback in May, in Anderson SC, near Clemson University. Yes!) http://www.outback.com/foodandmenus/pdf/glutenfree.pdf

2. RED ROBIN RESTAURANT, near Valley River, was the first Red Robin we went to several years ago. It’s still one of the best to go to for a burger, and one of the few places I trust for French fries . I always ask, and they’ve always had a dedicated fryer for their steak fries, separate from onion rings, etc.

I order a lettuce-wrapped burger (with some combo of guacamole, bacon, and cheese) and fries. Tell your server NO SEASONING SALT on the burger or fries.

Talk with the manager on duty if there are any concerns, or to ask for a copy of their GF info. They’ve really put forth the effort to take care of me. (We’ve told them to see about ordering Redbridge GF beer.) http://www.redrobin.com/

3. PF CHANG at Oakway Center has a GF menu. I haven’t been to the one in Eugene yet, but hear great things about it.

My very favorite PF Changs right now are in Edina MN (Minneapolis area) and Walnut Creek CA (San Francisco Bay Area). I’ve eaten at others from Rancho Mirage (Palm Springs area), to Austin TX to the East Coast. It’s the only place – in six years – I’ve felt safe to order Chinese food.

Always ask for the GF menu when you are being seated, and for the manager if your server doesn’t speak “fluent GF”. If the server doesn’t say “here’s your GF (whatever)” when it’s brought to the table, ALWAYS have them confirm you’ve indeed been brought GF food.

A couple of times at other PF Changs my food wasn’t fixed GF and had to be redone. I’ve heard this one uses different color plates to designate GF. http://www.pfchangs.com/cuisine/menu/GlutenIntolerantMenu.pdf

4. COZMIC PIZZA will make GF pizza, with a couple of hours notice. Perhaps not as safe as a couple other Pizza places I’ve discussed (Risoterria in NYC and Picazzo in the Phoenix area), but with a bit of effort, you can still indulge.

Their GF crust is made and wrapped off-site, then dressed and baked to order. I went there in person to talk with them, and stressed my serious "wheat reaction". Since that first trip, I’ve called in to order, and asked that it not be baked on the usual stones.

Last time I was there, the pizza baker asked me, when she brought it out, if I had a gluten problem. Progress! When in doubt, ask for the manager before ordering. Now, if they'd only get that beer . . . http://www.cozmicpizza.com/menu2.html

5. GLENWOOD RESTAURANT on Willamette has GF rice flour pancakes; I’ve had them a few times with no problems, and think a couple of times there was some cross-contact in the little kitchen. Breakfast is hubby’s favorite meal out, so I tried their “13th Street Scramble”, which I ordered with tofu instead of eggs.

We’re regulars there now. The staff takes good care of us, and makes sure to tell the folks behind the kitchen door to be careful with my order. Only one time was there a problem, and it was a busy day. (They may have a web site, but Google couldn’t find it for me.)

6. McGrath’s Fish House has strong support from the local GIG folks. I understand they’ve been working on a GF menu. Another “gotta try this soon” spot. http://www.mcgrathsfishhouse.com/

Shopping in Eugene (+ 1 in Corvallis)

2007-12-10T21:30:00.000-08:00

Places to hunt and gather:

1. MARKET OF CHOICE has a good selection of GF items, and my local store on Willamette has followed up on my suggestions for products. http://www.marketofchoice.com/

They now carry GLUTINO Sesame Bagels. (You’re welcome.) I’ve got them on the prowl for several others they hope to have soon.

CRAVINGS PLACE baking mixes are prominently displayed – LOVE them. These are GF, egg free (another big one for me), dairy free, and free of a lot of other nasties – and taste terrific.

Watch for info from Queen of the Kitchen Juli herself about storing and baking techniques. She’s a hoot. http://thecravingsplace.com/

They’ve got GF beer, too! Always a good thing to stock.

2. CAPELLA’S MARKET (down the block from ‘my” Market of Choice) has a very good reputation for their selection of GF items.

I recently met manager Rex Snellstrom at a local GIG event. He’s earnest and interested in expanding their ability to respond to the changing products and our GF needs.

* Dec. 15, noon - 4 pm, Capella's has a GF demo -- don't miss it.
http://www.capellamarket.com/

**Update: Very good selection of GF items at Capellas! Definitely one to shop often and smile. Checked it out 12/26/07**

3. TRADER JOE’S has a product list and a number of items under their house brands. Good place to look for some dairy case items, too.

I love TJ's -- but am disappointed about a couple of things – back east, some of their stores carry the best GF Ryeless Rye Bread. It’s impossible to get it west of the Mississippi it seems – except by the headwaters of the river, in Minneapolis. I stocked up there in June.

The bread is suspiciously, exactly, like EnJoy Life’s Ryeless Rye Bread – also impossible to get beyond the Midwest. If you ever have a chance to buy some, let me know and I’ll throw money at you to bring some back for me.

The second issue with TJ’s is that some of the formerly-GF frozen products they carry are no longer GF. Bummer, to quote a young friend.

4. SAFEWAY has a reasonably good variety of GF foods, including the Amy’s line. Hubby loves Pineapple Cottage Cheese, which Safeway carries, so that’s where we do a lot of our other shopping.

The October 2007 issue of “The Fresh Grocer”, Safeway’s multi-pager with coupons and info, had a short article “Living with Celiac Disease: A Lifelong Commitment” on page 6.

5. FRED MEYER seems to have a bit of everything, including an array of GF foods. I believe the store in Florence was where I first encountered The Cravings Place “Ooey Gooey Chocolatey Chewy Brownie Mix” a couple of years ago, and decided that truly, yes, there IS a good life eating GF.

6. SURLY GIRL WHEAT FREE BAKERY is very new in town. Owner/Baker Mary Tesch brought some of her GF goodies to the December GIG meeting (see Resources, below), and they were scarfed up quickly.

You can reach Mary at Surlygirlbakery@yahoo.com or call her at 541-342-6070

7. LIVING EARTH BAKERY in Corvallis sounds like a placed I’ll have to visit soon. Quoting their website, “our philosophy is that gluten-free baked goods should just taste good!”

Sounds like a good approach to baking bread, pizza crust, brownies and more. Their website lists places in Corvallis where products are available, special ordering, and more details. http://www.livingearthbakery.com/

Other Eugene-Area Resources

2007-12-10T21:14:00.000-08:00

1. GIG (The Gluten Intolerance Group) is a national organization dedicated to helping those of us with CD and the other forms this disease takes. Excellent written material, quarterly magazine, focused research, camps for children, and much more. Check out their website. http://www.gluten.net/

GIG has a local group in Eugene, which meets the second Thursday of the month. Check out their web site for details: Eugene GIG® http://www.gigbranches.org/eugene/

In November, Nadine Grzeskowiak, RN(see RN On Call, below) presented a program about a variety of health topics and handed out a terrific “GF Lifestyle Pyramid” – a modified version to help us eat GF and eat the right balance of foods.

At December’s program we met Capella’s manager Rex Snellstrom (Capella’s, above) and Mary Tesch (see Surly Girl Bakery, above).

Programs for 2008 include Cynthia Kupper, RD, Executive Director of GIG in April.

2. ROCK (Raising Our Celiac Kids) is a support group for children and their families and friends. The local Eugene/Springfield group meets every couple of months. Website lists their activities and info, including more local resources. http://gf-kids-rock.tripod.com/index.html

3. GLUTEN-FREE EUGENE website lists Lane County Resources, including support groups (including Autism Resources), what to eat, places to shop, health care practitioners, books and articles to recommend, and links to a variety of other resources. Definitely check this one. http://www.glutenfreeeugene.org/

4. RN ON CALL, Nadine Grzeskowiak’s health and wellness advocacy business in Corvallis, offers private consulting services, including assistance for Celiac Disease, and can be reached at 541-602-1065. (GIG speaker in Nov.) http://www.rnoncall.net/

Noah's Fresh GF Pretzels -- update

2007-11-30T19:13:00.000-08:00

March, 2007, I read about Noah's Pretzels in a a link posted by AllergyGrocery.com on the the DCCeliacs Yahoo Groups List.

In May we drove 100 miles to Virginia one day for these hot-from-the-oven heavenly treats, and chatted with owner Dwayne Herndon about celiac disease, autism, and food allergies. Got a dozen unbaked pretzels (with kosher salt and baking instructions) for the road. They didn't last long.

Noah's Pretzels recently relocated to north of DC:

701 Russell Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 20877
(Lower level near the Cafe in the Forest food court in Lakeforest Mall )
301-740-2723
Grand Opening October was 27th, 2007

Check Noah's Pretzel website for hours and interesting info about autism. DO stop if you are ever in that part of the country. You won't be disappointed!

Catching Up

2007-05-15T20:14:00.000-07:00

We're in the Washington DC area, a month into this trip, and enjoying all our discoveries.

We loved Picazzo's GF Gourmet Pizza in Scottsdale AZ!

In San Antonio, Dick's Last Resort was a bit tamer than earlier visits, but great GF Ribs.

In Austin, Hill's Cafe was terrific, as expected, as was Wild Wood Art Cafe & Bakery. My first visit to Chipotle in Georgetown was such quite special. I know I'll stop at more of them along the way.

Also in Austin we discovered GF bread and desserts from the Living Arts Bakery at the Saturday Farmer's Market. What a treat.

I had my first RedBridge GF Beer AT an Outback Steak House in Anderson SC, near Clemson, just beyond the Georgia border, while visiting my dear Cousin Druanne.

Lilit Cafe in Bethesda MD is everything I'd heard it would be.

As quickly as I can get my info posted, I'll add it here. Click on the highlighted restaurant names for a link to the articles. Many thanks to the Washington DC Area Celiac Support Group and their DCCELIACS Yahoo Group for their helpful information.

News! Outback and Red Robin Restaurants

2007-04-13T10:16:00.000-07:00

Gluten-Free Travel by Graf is absolutely ecstatic to report that 136 Outback Steak Houses now serve RedBridge gluten-free beer, and they're exploring some of the regionally distributed brands, like Bard's Tale! At this time the decision to carry the beer is up to the managing partner of each individual Outback, so check your local hangout. I'll ask in mid-June for an update and pass it along.

I feel like I've been part of history-in-the-making, since I raised the issue with the manager of the Palm Desert Outback, who told me to contact corporate -- and he's one of two in CA (Bakersfield's the other) as of this writing carrying RedBridge.

On the other hand, ALWAYS, ALWAYS CONFIRM that your local Red Robin Restaurant uses a dedicated fryer for their steak fries. Of 5 trips to the La Quinta (CA) Red Robin, twice I was told they did, twice that they put onion rings in with the fries when they were busy.

Last night they said they use one fryer for wings and poppers, and everything else goes into the other two. I appreciated the honesty about what they do, but I was disappointed and went elsewhere for dinner.

Red Robin in Rancho Mirage (CA) has always had the dedicated fryer on my visits.

I emailed Red Robin to see if La Quinta was an aberration, and get an updated Gluten-Free list. Today's response was that "Corn strips, Bacon and Fries may be cooked in a common fryer. Please check with your local Red Robin General Manager for clarification as to whether they are equipped with a dedicated fryer or not."

So, again, my Gluten-Free friends, ALWAYS CHECK -- never assume.

Celebrate Passover -- Gluten-Free!

2007-03-25T16:09:00.000-07:00

About three years ago, I started looking for GF Matzoh for Passover. What did exist came from England, in limited quantities, and was very expensive. A couple of recipes for mock matzoh were quite complicated. I've been matzoh-less for five years now.

This year I've found some wonderful resources on-line:

Gluten-Free By The Bay
"A gluten-free food blog featuring original recipes, meal ideas, product reviews and other deliciousness."

Great site, well organized, reaching beyond the San Francisco Bay Area. At last count, she had 24 Passover Recipes, plus dozens of other categories. Passionate about food and life, her links are quite interesting, too. Start here for ideas.

She also has a Yahoo Group, the Jewish Food Allergy Listserve & Recipe Swap (allergicjews:Jewish Cooking with Food Allergies)

Recipezaar: Where the World's Recipes Are
This site has over 450 search category possibilities, by course, ingredient, cuisine, diet, occasion, and preparation method. There are forums, help sections, recipes, menus, regional communities -- lots and lots and lots of cooking-related sharing and caring happens here.

Their Gluten-Free Passover Recipes had 66 choices:
“These recipes are all gluten-free and kosher l'pesach or can easily be made to be GF and kosher l'pesach. Some may contain things that some people consider kitniyot, so check out all the ingredients against your own Pesach standards. Enjoy! Chag sameach!”

AllergyGrocer.com

This on-line store's product list is a fairly good indicator of what exists in the GF world. I check the list when I can't remember the name of an item -- odds are they'll have it. I found six Passover Recipes on a quick search. Many products are certified Kosher.

You can spend hours following links on each of these sites. May they lead you back to the Seder Table.

Welcome to My Link in the GF Chain

2007-03-25T15:10:00.000-07:00

Passover and Easter are just a couple of weeks away as I write this. I'm working hard to officially publish Gluten-Free Travel, by Graf! so I can share some wonderful sites with you.

One of the best parts of finding a new site -- besides the content of that site -- is following links. Great discoveries abound for the adventurous. Our interests, passions, quirks, and politics are embedded in the links we include in our sites. Links provide a glimpse at the person behind the blog -- like a virtual bumper-sticker.

My list of links I'm exploring right now is huge. A folder on "My Favorites"/Bookmarked Sites called "Sites to Check Out" has close to 100 places where I want to spend more time -- new Gluten-Free Resources, restaurants, brand-name products, on-line multi-product shopping, on-line newsletters and forums, recipes, organizations, stores, medical information, medical referrals, and other web resources. Each time I find a good site, I follow its links, which inevitably lead me to yet more links.

As Celiac Disease (CD)and the various shades of gluten intolerance are better understood, the quality and quantity of information improves. Anecdotal observations disseminated through the Internet can open the door to new research ideas that ruffles feathers at times.

Until the past couple of years, CD was considered fairly rare; now, the medical community believes it occurs in 1:133 people, far more widely spread than imagined. Gluten intolerance as a factor in other medical conditions, including autism, certain mental health/chemical imbalance problems, and fibromyalgia is gaining supporters. In later posts, I'll add my own observations about the impact of CD.

I'll be including a wide variety of links as my site continues. Some may be on the controversial end of the medical spectrum. Many are mainstream. Fabulous chefs and people who've overcome kitchen challenges out of sheer desperation are blogging. Every type of ethnic food can be GF-adapted. Some of my favorite sites are just fun. Some jump-started me to try things I'd never done.

I hope you'll find food for thought in this eclectic assortment, as well as help to get through your day gluten-free and satisfied.

I'd love your comments, and favorite links.

I Miss Chinese Food

2007-03-24T21:58:00.000-07:00

I love Chinese food, and ate it several times a week for years, till we left San Francisco and hit the road. I had no clue how much it contributed to my "goofy gut".

THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH CHINESE FOOD is that most soy sauces contain wheat, as do some of the Chinese mustards.

Since 2002, I’ve taken my own GF soy sauce with me a few restaurants. If they are not busy, and you feel you're being understood, it's a good alternative, especially if you have a nice neighborhood place you’d like to frequent. Impress upon them to use a clean pan for stir fries, so other seasonings or breading, etc, don’t get mixed in.

PF Chang isn't my neighborhood hangout, but I trust it. It's the only Asian restaurant I go to these days. Even so, I always make sure the waiter understands that EVERYTHING must be gluten-free.

"Here's your gluten-free (fill in the blank)." If the waiter doesn't say these magic words when the food is delivered, I insist it be checked out with the kitchen before I eat it.

Spontaneity is not part of my dining out adventure these days. I've worked through feeling embarrassed, making a fuss; it's all part of the learning process -- learning what I can have, and learning to speak up for myself.

Spelt is NOT Gluten-Free!

2007-03-16T17:57:00.000-07:00

If you like pretzels, Ener-G makes a decent pretzel, as does Glutino. I like Ener-G’s "Wylde Pretzels" the best – crunchy, lower in sodium, but the sesame pretzels are a close second.

WATCH OUT FOR "WHEAT FREE" SPELT PRETZELS. Spelt is too close to the basic wheat grain to be acceptable, even if spelt producers say it can be ok. This is one of those bits of info that all the GF groups agree on.

So, Wheat Free, doesn't mean Gluten Free. Anything with rye or barley is also out. Oats are an equivocal issue. Oats, per se, are ok, according to recent research; how they are grown and whether there's cross contamination because of crop rotation or proximity to wheat growing is the issue.

Breads, Baked Goods, and Breakfast -- Update 11/10/08

2007-03-16T15:41:00.000-07:00

I forgot to add an Oh, No! note to the Genisoy bars, below. Very recent change added wheat to the mix -- I'm waiting for a response from them about it.

These are some of my favorites -- tell me about others you love!

KINNIKINNICK

Italian White Sandwich Bread -- thin-sliced, toasts nicely, holds up well for turkey, grilled cheese, or peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or simple buttered or cinnamon toast.

Sesame or Plain Bagels -- small and heavy, like traditional Jewish bagels. Slice into 3 layers instead of 2 for best toasting. (See "I Love Bagels!")

Chocolate Chip Muffins, Donuts, Pizza Crusts

Look for Kinnickinnik in freezer sections in many mid-size health and natural food stores. Some of the larger ones, like Whole Foods, don't usually carry these bakery items, but do stock breading mixes, cookies, and other shelf items. (Look for lots more Kinnickinnik products, including Crispy Chicken Coating Mix on the shelves.)

Glutino has about 60 products, including:

Sesame, Poppy Seed, and Plain Bagels – these have a different, lighter texture than Kinnickinnik's, toast best sliced into thirds, instead of half, and are good just toasted and buttered. I've been eating lox, cream cheese and bagels several times a week now -- I really missed that when I gave up gluten.

Premium Flax Seed Bread -- Hearty bread with stronger flavor and texture, best for sandwiches of substance. Quite similar to Whole Foods Prairie Bread, but less expensive.

Enjoy Life Ryeless Rye Bread -- YES, ryeless rye bread. One of the most wonderful breads, and as hard to find as snipe on a snipe-hunt (think back to Spin and Marty's adventures). I haven't tried Ryeless Bagels yet, but hope to soon.

If you live in the midwest, you MIGHT be lucky enough to find this bread, or one that looks and tastes exactly like it from Trader Joe's. I understand that some Wild Oats stores carry it; if you locate a store that stocks the ryeless ryes west of the Rocky Mountains, please, please let me know. You can find their cookies and cereals fairly easily.

Chebe bread and rolls are made with manaoic, a South American root, that gives the product a chewy, crunchy texture, similar to sour dough French bread.

Whole Foods Market

We made a 3 day/150 mile detour in July 2003 to be in Winston-Salem NC on a "GF Bakery Thursday". So successful was this experiment, that Whole Foods now has an 8,000-square-foot dedicated Gluten-Free Bakehouse near Raleigh, and ships freshly baked GF products to all its US stores. Usually you'll find them in the freezer section; they found that the shelf life was too limited by the time the products made their way cross-country.

I've had almost all of their line several times, and love their Prairie Bread, Almond Scones, Chocolate Chip Cookies and Molasses Ginger Cookies best.

The Cravings Place -- Gluten-Free, Wheat-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free products -- and absolutely delicious!

Ooey Gooey Chocolatey Chewy Brownie Mix -- you need water, oil, the mix, a bowl, a pan, an oven, and a timer.

I even made biscuits with the All Purpose Pancake and Waffle Mix.

Breakfast Bars

Genisoy Crunchy Peanut Butter Fudge bars. For a quick breakfast, or as a lunch on the go, these are satisfying and easy. Check the website for more GF items, including salty, crunchy snacks. Read the labels! New bars added wheat -- look for the older version, which may still be on the shelf.( Note added 11/10/08)

Think Thin Chocolate Fudge Bars and White Chocolate Chip Bars -- High protein, good chocolate taste, lots of staying energy. I'm always skeptical when I try new products; it took a few bites before I decided these joined the "keeper" list. I'm not as smitten with Their Think Organic and Think Green lines.

(You've noticed a distinct chocolate flavor to this Blog?)

Pizza & Beer -- Update!

2007-03-03T23:14:00.000-08:00

Gluten-Free PIZZA and BEER!

After over four pizza-less years, we found a slice of heaven in New York City in May, 2006.

Four of our five last days in town, we ate at Risotteria Restaurant on Bleeker Street, Greenwich Village. Several different toppings, to-die-for bread sticks, and TWO choices of Gluten-Free Beers -- New Grist Beer and Ramapo Valley Beer. I wrapped an empty bottle of each for the journey westward, hoping to find a store that stocked this treasure.

Word was spreading, but the beer wasn't. Seems the small breweries were overwhelmed with requests from all over the country. Besides their ability to produce enough GF beer, there were the problems of physical distribution and quirky state rules.

Enter more contenders:

RedBridge, by Anhauser Busch, is Gluten-Free and available all over the country, through health-food and similar stores.

Bard's Tale Beer has more limited distribution, but is worth finding.

The drought is over . . .

More GF PIZZA Places

Call ahead to Cozmic Pizza in Eugene OR, and they'll bake you a GF pizza. I must say this wasn't the sublime experience of Greenwich Village, but a tasty pizza that I appreciated. I gave them info about the GF beers I'd had back East. Hopefully, by the time we get back there in August, they'll have at least one of the beers in stock.

Update about Picazzo's Gourmet Pizza in the Phoenix AZ area. Check out their Gluten-Free Menu. We ate at two Picazzo locations -- great Pizza. Click here or go to Phoenix, Arizona link for the details.

Please contact me if you have other GF Pizza places to share!

TIP: Wax Paper Wonder

2007-03-03T19:55:00.000-08:00

WAX PAPER will save your sanity and expensive frozen GF products. When you bring home a loaf of bread, rewrap it using plastic wrap and wax paper:

1. Cut two strips of plastic wrap, each a bit over twice the length of the loaf of bread. Lay them out as a "+". This will make it easy to pull the loaf out of its wrapper when you finish.

2. Count the number of slices in the loaf.
3. Cut pieces of wax paper the size of the slice. I usually pull out a length of wax paper, then fold it both cross-wise and length-wise until I get squares generally the right size. My trusty kitchen shears or scissors do most of the work.

4. put a piece of wax paper on the plastic wrap, in the middle of the "+".
5. Unwrap the bread and place one slice on the wax paper.
6. Alternate a piece of wax paper and a slice of bread, until it's all stacked. End with wax paper.

7. Trickiest Part next -- Pull the plastic wrap up onall four sides of the bread stack, so all the bread is covered.
8. Slide the original wrapper over the plastic-wrapped loaf, then use a twist-tie to close it. This works much better than plastic tabs.
9. Stick the loaf back in your freezer.

When you want a slice or two of bread, simply slide the outer wrapper down enough to remove what you want, then slide it back up and close.

In earlier days, I carefully wrapped each slice in wax paper, then portioned them into zip bags. The sky didn't fall in when I streamlined the procedure. I think wax paper works better than plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn on bread.

You can also use wax paper or plastic wrap to separate cookies, repackage frozen muffins, and anything else that might stick together if it thawed and refrozen.

Bagels, Bagels, Bagels

2007-03-03T18:59:00.000-08:00

I love BAGELS! Here's how I keep and fix them:

When I open a new package of bagels, I put each one into a sandwich-size zip bag, then put all of the little bags into the outer wrapper. (Throw the inner packaging away.)

I take one bagel out as needed, and reclose the package. That bagel goes into my refrigerator the evening before I plan to eat it. That way, it's thawed and easy to slice.

I slice my bagel into THREE LONG PIECES, like layers of a cake, instead of two pieces. They toast much better this way.The two remaining slices go back into the zip bag, and, into the fridge.

I eat lox, bagels and tofu cream cheese almost every day, and the bagel slices stay fine for the couple of days. You can refreeze bread and bagels without a problem.

Pastas and Main Dishes

2007-02-23T20:28:00.000-08:00

Amy’s Gluten Free Product List has some excellent items. Use this list and read the labels, since not everything is GF. The Rice Crust Cheese Pizza, to which I add sliced Italian Salami and sometimes black olives, bakes up nicely, and my husband even likes it. It'll do till my next Real Pizza find.

I’ve had her Mexican Fiesta Bowl, Tamale bowl, Shepherd’s Pie, GF Lasagne, and a number of Asian bowls. At worst, her food is "ok", and usually much better than that.

My newest favorite Pasta line is Bionaturae, followed by Tinkyada. I’ve had several varieties, all cooked up nicely, held their shape, didn’t get gummy, AND are carried by most health food stores.

Trader Joe’s has some house-brand GF pastas that are quite nice and inexpensive.

Great Food Finds!

2007-02-23T16:36:00.000-08:00

Chocolate! Can it get any better than this? CocoaVia reduces bad cholesterol, promotes healthy circulation, AND tastes like a Dove Bar.
Note the caveat ("may contain wheat"); my conversation with a company rep makes me believe it's one of those "made in a facility/may use shared equipment" situations. I've been indulging for a couple of weeks; so far, my only reaction is a great big smile.

Pasta -- real pasta! Bionaturae cooks, looks, and tastes like the real thing -- best we've had, by far. Mr. Non-GF even eats it willingly.

Gluten-Free BEER!!! RedBridge, by Anhauser Busch, is Gluten-Free and available all over the country, through health-food and similar stores. Bard's Tale Beer and Ramapo Valley Beer have more limited distribution, but are worth finding.