Celiac Disease & Gluten Free Diet Resources
Feb 8 2010

Review: Gluten-free pizza Aurelio’s

It is always a treat when I discover gluten-free menu items at mainstream restaurants.  It is even more of a treat when it is pizza and I can order take out with everyone else.  Typically, when I order food-to-go, since being gluten-free, I only feel comfortable ordering in person.  I feel that I can’t clearly express myself, and my food needs over the phone, and I feel better when I can actually see the wheat-free soy sauce being used or point to the ingredients that won’t work for me and see that the server understands .  But when it comes to pizza, that is the one item, I do feel safe ordering on the phone and letting it arrive at my door.

This weekend we had dinner with friends, and decided to order pizza since we discovered Aurelio’s now carries gluten-free pizza. Since this was my first time ordering from Aurelio’s, I asked them a few questions when I called. I always ask a pizza place who serves gluten-free pizza, what the ingredients are in their pizza crust and who makes it. They informed me that they get their pizza crust from Kinnikinnick, which is made with sweet rice flour and tapioca starch, and they are individual square 7×7 pizzas. That gives you 4 good sized pieces.  They told me that the gluten-free pizzas are so popular they sell 100-150 of them per week and cook them separately from the gluten versions.  For those who want the equivalent of a large-size pizza, you can order 4 of these individual-sized pizzas and they will put them together.  Each pizza costs $6.99, which is about $2 above the price of the gluten-filled individual pizzas.

This was my first time having Aurelio’s pizza and I was extremely impressed with the crust and the toppings.  The crust wasn’t thin and crispy like the gluten-free crust at Ranalli’s, but it was equally as tasty.  This crust was thicker and fluffier with a nice flavor.  They use the same sauce as on the wheat pizza which had a nice tangy flavor.  I had my pizza with tomatoes and green olives and extremely enjoyed it.  The only negative is that the pizza is pretty small.  Other places where I have ordered gluten-free pizza, that are also individual sized, are usually 12-14″.  The 7″ pizza is definitely too small if it is for more than one person, or for someone with a large appetite.  You may want to order two, and then you know you can have any leftovers for breakfast the next day.  It can get a little pricey.

Hopefully someday when more pizza places carry gluten-free pizza the price will become closer to the price of regular pizza and it won’t have to feel like such a splurge.

There are Aurelio’s locations throughout the Chicagoland area as well as in several states, including Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada and Minnesota.

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Feb 8 2010

Valentine’s Day Candy – Reminder List

As I was shopping for Valentine’s Day gifts today, I was reminded that it is very important to diligently read labels on all candy, even candy that is gluten-free in it’s original form.  I picked up a bag of Reese’s Peanut Butter Hearts and flipped it over to read the ingredients and found wheat flour was on the list.  I am writing this because I know that it can be easy to become complacent & think that because you have checked something before, it is okay to eat or feed to your child who is gluten-free.

Before buying any candy, reference an updated gluten-free candy list.  Here is one that is maintained by Melonie Katz of The Silly Yaks Group on Yahoo. Remember that ingredients and/or suppliers may change, so always read the label.

There are plenty of candies that are made by gluten-free companies or are marked “gluten-free”:

If there is something in particular that you have in mind that you can find referenced, give the company a call.  Most of the companies have phone numbers or emails listed on their websites.

Another idea is to make your Valentine’s Day treats at home, in your own kitchen.  You can make your own candy.  You can make sugar cookie cut-outs or cupcakes.  There are so many great gluten-free cake & cookie mixes out there now.  If you are interested in fudge – here is a recipe that was my Grandmother’s. Valentine’s Day morning breakfast? Heart shaped pancakes (Pamela’s are a hit in our house)! Top with maple syrup & strawberries with a few dark chocolate chips.

Bottom line here is to always remember to double check your food. You can never be too safe when it comes to label reading. It is that one time that you don’t check that something will have changed.

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Feb 8 2010

Gluten-free French Fry Round Up

There are several chain restaurants and fast food joints that report that their fries are gluten-free since they are fried in dedicated fryers. Most, but not all, French fries start out gluten-free but when they’re dropped into a fryer that is used for gluten items as well, the fries are no longer considered gluten-free. The fast food places that are supposed to use dedicated fryers for French fries are Chick-Fil-A, Burger King and McDonald’s. Because the starting agent for McDonald’s fries contains wheat, the company no longer states that they are gluten-free Several independent tests for the McDonald’s oil that contains wheat showed no detectable levels of gluten, but these days they won’t state that the fries are gluten-free. The company will actually not state that anything they offer is gluten-free. Every location of Chick-Fil-A I’ve check with (four in three in three states) has confirmed that they use a dedicated fryer for fries.

Burger King’s new Gluten Sensitive List was impressive at first but when the corporate office said they don’t suggest that severely gluten intolerant customers should eat there, it became much less impressive. My Burger King has a dedicated fryer and I tried the fries recently. They were fine and gluten-free – at least on that day at a very non busy time. The apple fries are Burger King should be gluten-free at all times since they are not fried at all. Five Guys Burgers doesn’t put anything in their fryers except for fries. Therefore, the burger chain probably has the least risky fries and they are the best fries we’ve ever had. Please note the company uses 100% peanut oil so those with peanut allergies would want to avoid the fries at Five Guys.

Non fast food places that have gluten-free fries on their menus are Ted’s Montana Grill, Red Robin (not all locations) and Cheeseburger in Paradise. Some, but not all, locations of Margaritaville have gluten-free fries and even decent gluten-free buns. The gluten-free service varies at this chain so always inquire about their gluten-free offerings before showing up and expecting them to know what you can eat. In my own experience, I’ve found the Orlando location of Margaritaville to be the best for gluten-free options and staff knowledge.

Ted’s Montana Grill began rolling out their new gluten-free menu in 2009 and all locations might not have a gluten-free fryer for fries, even though fries are clearly listed on the website, which is the same menu at all locations here. It would be excellent if Ted’s picked up some gluten-free flour to make some gluten-free onion rings. Fried onion rings are what you smell when you walk into the place as they serve a large fried onion ring on most of their steaks. The best cheese fries around can be found at the Roswell, GA Outback Steakhouse. As far as I know, that is the only Outback location that has a dedicated fryer.

The above information is meant to inform our readers about what companies “might” have gluten-free French fries. We are not suggesting anyone eat fries – or avoid them – at any of the places listed. Personally, I’ve had safe fries at Cheeseburger in Paradise, Burger King, Chick-Fil-A, Ted’s Montana Grill, Margaritaville (only in Orlando), Five Guys and Outback (only in Roswell, GA). I don’t care for the fries at McDonald’s but I’ve had safe hash browns there on several occasions. In a French fry survey at The Savvy Celiac, McDonald’s won for favorite gluten-free fries. As always, everyone has to make the right choices about what they choose to eat and what they want to avoid.

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Feb 8 2010

Eating Gluten-Free in Germany, Part 2

This is part two of our series on gluten-free information for Berlin, Germany.  You can view the first installment here. 

Some of the restaurants in Berlin, Germany are quite expensive, but you can also find several more affordable options.  As always, don’t forget to ask for an English version of a restaurant’s gluten-free menu and tell them that you have celiac disease and can only eat gluten-free food.  If you do, they will usually understand and help you to choose.  Also a majority of all Berlin’s restaurant employees speak English.

Here are a few more restaurants in Germany that offer gluten-free menus:

Maxwell Restaurant, found in Bergstrasse 22, Berlin  Tel:30.2807121 - They have a full and quite extensive menu in English, with a good selection of dishes, many being gluten-free, just be careful with the gravy’s and sauces, which might contain flour. The restaurant itself has a tremendous history, it started life as a brewery in  the 19th Century, so if you enjoy character, with excellent cuisine and mirrored walls, then this is a place to visit, in Summer you may eat out in the ‘al fresco’ courtyard.

Sophieneck Bar/Restaurant, located in Grosse Hamburger Strasse 37, Berlin    Tel:30.2834065  - This is another restaurant with a great history. In the early 19th Century it was a laundry, but it changed quickly to  become part of a Coaching Company, housing coaches and horses. In 1924 Getrud and Ernst Batzer arrived from West Prussia, they bought the rear part of the Sophieneck and in 1926 opened as a bakery. The centre part of the Sophieneck was an undertakers. The staff at the restaurant today will tell you that the pub is only haunted by friendly ghosts, who like good beer. The restaurant/bar served homemade German food up until the 40’s, it then was used as a warehouse.  In 1984 the bakery moved to Sophienstrasse 30, where the bakery remains today. In the summer of 1984 the German State began the re-construction of the Sophienstrasse. In 1986 the restaurant re-opened. Today, the people who run the restaurant, took over in 1994.

The Balthazar Restaurant, in Kurfurstendamm 160, Berlin, Tel:30.80408477 - Is a splendid restaurant, found in Berlin’s equivalent, to the French Paris, Champs Elysees. The restaurant, under  the guidance of the owner and Head Chef, Holger Zurfbruggen, offers a sumptious selection of International dishes,with many gluten free, served on tables, covered by starched linen tablecloths, under beautitful chandeliers, quite an experience. One of it’s claims to fame is its stupendous, 12 course menu, with guests being served from the 12 litre Balthazar Bottle, make certain to go there with a good appetite.

HITIT, Turkish Restaurant, Danceklman Strasse/Knobelsdorf Strasse, Berlin   Tel:30.3224557 - This restaurant offers a great selection of Turkish Dishes, many are gluten-free, there is a choice, from approximately 150 dishes. Inside the building the restaurant has its own waterfall.

Lutter & Wegner Restaurant, Charlottenstrasse 56,  Berlin      Tel:30.2029540  -  There is a full English version of their menu and many items can be selected which are gluten-free. This is a famous, but very pricey restaurant.  However if you try the Bistro, you will find nearly all the items from the main restaurant menu, at a fraction of the main restaurant’s prices.

In Berlin there are hundreds more restaurants to try, too many for us to mention, just ask your Concierge at your hotel, and remember to mention, you only eat gluten-free dishes, good luck.

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Feb 6 2010

Trader Joe’s Women’s Once Daily Multivitamin & Mineral Supplement

The road to health after being diagnosed with Celiac Disease starts with a gluten-free diet, but does not end there. Just because something is gluten-free doesn’t mean it is healthy. There are plenty of gluten-free junk foods out there. In addition to removing gluten from my diet, I also needed to add in vitamins. I was deficient in Vitamin D and had low iron stores. I have always had problems with vitamins. They have always upset my stomach. It was a struggle for me even when I was pregnant both times to get my prenatal vitamins in. I finally resorted to Flinstones while pregnant, a suggestion made to me by my OB/GYN.

With the help of a friend last year, I started to add some vitamins into my diet. Instead of doing a multivitamin at the time, I opted for the most important ones for my body & the female body – calcium, vitamin D, magnesium. I quickly found out that my body is not crazy about the magnesium supplement even though it is indeed gluten-free. The calcium & vitamin D were okay. I was able to raise my vitamin D level to right below normal with the combination of the vitamin I took twice daily & some exposure to the sun.

Now that I am training for a marathon in May, it is even more important for my body to have all the vitamins & minerals that it needs. I browsed a lot of websites & stores for a multivitamin that would not make me feel sick and that wasn’t too expensive. I finally settled on Trader Joe’s (or Trader Darwin’s, as the bottle so cleverly states) Women’s Once Daily Multivitamin & Mineral Dietary Supplement. Aside from the label having the Trader Joe’s “No Gluten Ingredients Used” symbol, it also said “gentle on the stomach” right on the front. That sure caught my eye. Trader Joe’s also happens to have one of the best return policies out there – not happy – bring it back for your money back – no questions. As a side note, Trader Joe’s will also let you sample just about anything in the store before you buy it! I had a nice chocolate sampling last time I was there!

Some of the main features that stand out to me about these vitamins are:

  • Additional Women’s Nourishing Blend comprised of 300 mg of food & herbal powder (Dong Quai root, Spirulina, Red Clover blossoms)
  • Vegetable Juice Complex equivalent to 40 mg vegetable powder – Kale, Spinach, Dandelion Greens & Beet Juice.
  • Lactobacillus Sporogenes (a probiotic)

From the bottle:

Trader Darwin’s Once Daily Women’s Multivitamin provides complete nutrition for women, including bone supporting calcium and other nutrients plus iron, a high potency B complex, and a nourishing blend of botanicals & green foods.

I have been extremely pleased with these vitamins. I am glad that I finally found one that doesn’t make me feel sick! After taking this product now for over 2 weeks, I feel great & don’t have the “normal” queasiness I get from taking vitamins. I highly recommend this vitamin to all women, not just those with Celiac Disease.

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Feb 5 2010

Review of Gluten-free Probiotic Bars

Until the company that makes Attune bars contacted me, I’d never heard of their products. The chocolate bars are more than just a tasty sweet treat – the product contains five times more live probiotic cultures than found in yogurt. They also contain 30% of the RDA of calcium, something that’s very important to people like me who have premature osteopenia (due to having celiac). The bars have a lot of fiber (something not often present in chocolate bars and they have only 80 to 100 calories each, depending on the flavor. Products with probitics added to them are the hot new thing in nutrition these days, as evidenced by a zillion ads for them on TV. These “live foods” aid in helping to keep your digestive system on track.

Some things that are healthy and “good for us” don’t taste that great. I’m happy to report that in the case of Attune bars, the taste is quite wonderful! All three bars I tried were delicious but I’m a little partial to the Chocolate Crisp bar. As you might imagine, a chocolate bar with a crunch to it tastes quite similar to a Crunch candy bar. Both the Dark Chocolate and Chocolate Mint bars offered a lovely taste but the perfectly crunchy chocolaty goodness of the Chocolate Crisp bar took me back in time. I probably haven’t had a Crunch bar in twenty years since I wasn’t a big candy person when I ate gluten. Even so, I simply LOVE the Chocolate Crisp Attune bars!

As most of us know, people who avoid gluten often don’t have enough healthy bacteria to promote good digestive health. It’s for that reason that celiac knowledgeable doctors will prescribe an over the counter probiotic to celiac patients. People should consult with their doctors regarding taking such products, but the new food items with probiotics in them seem like a natural fit for people who can’t eat gluten. On the Attune package, it says that one “bar every day keeps your body happy”. I doubt I’d eat any chocolate bar every single day but these bars are one of the best tasting probiotic products I’ve come across.

Many of the items hitting the market are yogurt and unless it’s frozen, I typically don’t eat yogurt. I’ll use plain low fat yogurt instead of mayo in tuna fish salad at times, but that’s as far as I go with non frozen yogurt. Here is what is so great about the Attune bars, for me personally. They are literally good for me – are not yogurt – and taste great. That’s about all I can ask for in a probiotic product. Finally there is something that we can just take and go. Attune bars should be kept in the refrigerator until you want to pack them to enjoy during the day. They can be found in the yogurt aisle in stores. Please note that the granola bars from Attune are not gluten-free.

Gluten-free Attune bar flavors:

When I read the allergen statement on the Attune package, I actually had to contact the company to make sure the items they sent me were in fact, gluten-free. The bars are manufactured on equipment that also processes peanuts, tree nuts and wheat. The good news is that the bars are tested for gluten-free safety and are now going through a gluten-free certification process. There are processes in place at the factory to mitigate cross contamination issues. This is not always the case with all products manufactured on lines that process allergen ingredients. That’s why it’s a good idea to know the policies of companies you purchase food from before choosing to consume their products.

Some people believe that they can’t eat certain things based on non medical professionals telling them incorrect information regarding the gluten-free diet. Luckily, we’re all free to do what works for us personally. That means we can choose to consult with experts about what and is not safe for us to consume instead of blindly following others. Personally, I’m really glad to have Attune bars with healthy probiotics in them to enjoy instead of yogurt!

Special thanks to Attune Foods for my sample bars. I will be on the lookout for them in the yogurt aisle!

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