Celiac Disease & Gluten-Free Diet Resources

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May 24 2013

Review: Simply Allergy-Free

A little over a year ago I reviewed Elizabeth Gordon’s cookbook, “The Complete Allergy-Free Comfort Foods Cookbook” and have continued to make my favorites from the cookbook ever since.  Just recently I received the newest cookbook from Gordon, “Simply-Allergy Free Quick and Tasty Recipes for Every Night of the Week” and couldn’t wait to dive right in. 

IMG 6180 thumb Review: Simply Allergy Free

The cookbook is chock full of gorgeous photos and simple recipes that are also dairy, soy, nut and egg free in addition to being gluten-free.  The recipes in this book truly are simple and can be made without too much fuss, even on a busy weeknight with proper planning ahead.  This is where weekly menu planning can really pay off.  Planning out weeknight meals in advance allows for preparation of some of the ingredients that may require being cut up so they can quickly be added to a recipe when time is of the essence.

The cookbook has a list of ingredients, substitutions and measurement conversions in the front for those that may be new to the gluten-free lifestyle or may need some help.  The recipes are then divided into four different sections:

Main Courses – Bang Bang Chicken, Beef Tostadas, Chicken Tikka Burgers, Creamy Thai Coconut Chicken

Sides – Black Bean Salsa, Chickpea French Fries, Corn Quinoa Salad, Curried Cauliflower, Herbed Biscuits

Dressings and Dippers – Chimichurri, Green Curry Paste, Asian Dressing and Dipping Sauce

Desserts – Apple Crumble, Blondies, Apple Streusel Cake, Cherry Cobbler, Chocolate Pretzel Pie

The cookbook concludes with a section on where to shop for some of the specific ingredients called for in the recipes.  I found this section to be extremely helpful, not only for finding locations to purchase the ingredient, but for a little more explanation into why Gordon uses a specific brand or version.

Simply Allergy-Free is a great resource for the newly diagnosed or for those looking to simplify and get back to basics.  The cookbook can be purchased on Amazon or $16.96 or $9.99 for the Kindle version.  For more on Elizabeth Gordon, her books or to read her blog, visit her website, My Allergy-Free Lifestyle.

*The cookbook reviewed in this blog post was sent to me free of charge for review purposes.  The thoughts and opinions shared here are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything.

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May 23 2013

Review: Lauren’s Kitchen Biscotti

I recently had the opportunity to sample some biscotti made by Lauren’s Kitchen.  Lauren’s Kitchen was created by Pastry Chef Lauren-Hoover West who is allergic to gluten, dairy, sugar and more. 

IMG 6447 thumb Review: Lauren’s Kitchen Biscotti

More about Lauren’s Kitchen:

She believes in enjoying healthy and delicious food. She was tired of going out to Coffee houses with friends and not being able to find a cookie or dessert to go with her hot beverage-usually tea. She also noticed that she was not the only person with this frustrating dilemma. Her friends would “cheat” and eat gluten and suffer later and she was so concerned knowing the health ramifications both short and long-term.

So, she created Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Low Glycemic Index Biscotti( Double Chocolate Chip, Cinnamon Raisin, Cardamom) to dunk in your favorite beverage. These Biscotti are great for lunches or popping in your purse to eat at a restaurant for dessert. She chose very healthy, yet not weird,  ingredients and here is what & why:

Gluten-free Oat Flour: High Protein & Fiber, Lowers cholesterol, Heart Healthy and has a great taste and texture! Most other flours are very high in carbohydrates which make you gain weight and spike blood sugar.

Coconut Palm Sugar: Low Glycemic Index(25) & Load(18-28) means that is will not spike your blood sugar or give you sugar blues like refined sugar. So, it can be suitable for Type 2 Diabetics in moderation. Consult your doctor about them.It is the sap from the blossoms of the Coconut Palm Tree and are sustainable harvested. Then, it is heated to crystallize it without any chemicals. All other ingredients are fair trade, Non-GMO,  mostly organic, local when possible, sustainable and healthy.

There are four varieties of biscotti:

  • Cardamom Skinny Dunkers – Gluten-free organic Oat Flour, organic coconut palm sugar(low glycemic), organic free-range eggs, baking soda, aluminum free baking powder, real Tahitian Vanilla Extract, organic cardamom.
  • Double Chocolate Chip Skinny Dunkers – Gluten-free organic Oat Flour, organic coconut palm sugar(low glycemic), organic free-range eggs, baking soda, aluminum free baking powder, real Tahitian Vanilla Extract, Alkalized dark cocoa powder, dairy-free dark chocolate chips, espresso.
  • Zesty Lemon Skinny Dunkers – Gluten-free organic Oat Flour, organic coconut palm sugar(low glycemic), organic free-range eggs, baking soda, aluminum free baking powder, real Tahitian Vanilla Extract, organic lemon zest, real lemon extract(gluten-free).
  • Cinnamon Raisin Skinny Dunkers – Gluten-free organic Oat Flour, organic coconut palm sugar(low glycemic), organic free-range eggs, baking soda, aluminum free baking powder, real Tahitian Vanilla Extract, organic cinnamon, organic raisins.

IMG 6461 thumb Review: Lauren’s Kitchen Biscotti

IMG 6457 thumb Review: Lauren’s Kitchen Biscotti

Don’t they look delicious?  They are!  Every single one of them tastes fantastic!  I love the different flavor combinations, though my heart belongs to the Double Chocolate Chip Skinny Dunkers!  The biscotti are perfect for dunking in cold milk on a hot day or hot tea or coffee on a cold, rainy afternoon.

Lauren’s Biscotti can be purchased directly from her website for $7.99/package or in select locations in California.  These make a great gift for a house warming, birthday or a get well soon gift basket. 

*These items were sent to me free of charge for review purposes.  The opinions shared here are mine and have not been influenced by anyone or anything.

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May 22 2013

Updated Wendy’s Gluten-Free Information

Dining out with Celiac Disease can be risky.  It is rare to find an establishment that is 100% gluten-free, so the next best thing is education and preparation.  Knowledge is power, right?  Take some time to check out restaurants that you like or are close to your home, place of employment or are located along your route.

Today I am going to focus on Wendy’s.  There are Wendy’s restaurants located across the US, making it a good option for a gluten-free meal.  Wendy’s maintains a frequently updated gluten-free menu on their website.  Additionally, they have a redesigned site that includes a page dedicated to “Living Without Gluten” that includes a short video from Mike, an RD with Wendy’s.

There are plenty of choices on the gluten-free menu to make a meal or enjoy a quick snack.  Some of our favorites include:

  • Chili
  • Baked Potato
  • Baja Chili Salad
  • Chicken BLT Cobb Salad
  • Frosty (many varieties)

The French fries are not on the gluten-free menu because they may be fried with gluten containing items like breaded chicken or fish.  There may be individual locations that have dedicated fryers for the French fries and in that case, the fries may be safe to eat.  It is my recommendation to only consume the fries after checking with staff at each location, every time.  Procedures may change from time to time due to equipment failure that may include combining the fries with breaded chicken or fish.

Do you eat at Wendy’s?  What is your favorite gluten-free menu item?  I am going with the Chocolate Frosty.  In fact, with the recent heat and humidity we have been having, this sounds like the perfect way to cool off.

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May 21 2013

Review: Trader Joe’s Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

If I am anywhere within a 2-mile radius to Trader Joe’s, I make it a point to swing in to pick up my favorites.  I build this time into my errands and bring along coolers if I am picking up refrigerated or frozen items.  Recently when I was on one such trip, I found these gems waiting for me.

IMG 6444 thumb Review: Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting

Oh yeah!

Ingredients: Powdered sugar (cane sugar, cornstarch), cane sugar, unsalted butter, buttermilk (cultured low fat milk, nonfat milk solids, sodium citrate, salt, vitamin A palmitate, vitamin D3), water, cream (cream, carraggnan), expeller pressed canola oil, rice flour, eggs, potato starch, cocoa powder, tapioca starch, vanilla extract (water, ethyl alcohol, vanilla bean extractives), salt, sodium bicarbonate, xanthan gum, baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, cornstarch, monocalcium phosphate), coffee.

I knew my time with these cupcakes would be limited, so I made sure to stake my claim loudly and clearly to the 17 year old boy who inhales all things gluten-free in my house.  The cupcakes are moist and rich with a decadent, creamy frosting.  Darn near perfect and had these been served to me on a plate, I wouldn’t have known that they weren’t homemade.  Jon concurred and asked me to make sure to buy these each and every time I go to Trader Joe’s from here on out.

Trader Joe’s maintains a list of their gluten-free products making it easy to shop in their store.  I was disappointed to find that there weren’t any Udi’s Gluten-Free items in stock when I was there this time, but was told there had been a delivery issue and they hoped to have them back on the shelves as soon as possible.  It makes me happy to see the gluten-free baked goods line consistently growing at Trader Joe’s.

Have you tried the new Trader Joe’s gluten-free cupcakes?

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May 20 2013

Review: Perfectly Simple Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bar

A little over a year ago ZonePefect debuted a new, gluten-free bar on the market.  The protein bar, certified gluten-free, comes in three different varieties and has a simple ingredient list.  A couple of weeks back I found out some great news…a new bar as been added to the line-up: Oatmeal Chocolate Chip.

IMG 6281 thumb Review: Perfectly Simple Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bar

I found the new Perfectly Simple bars right on the shelf of my local Meijer grocery store, but was lucky enough to get a sample from a running friend.  I love this new flavor!  I think it may be my favorite of all four varieties! 

Ingredients: Dates, Soy Protein Isolate, Invert Evaporated Cane Syrup, Rolled Oats, Chocolate Chips (Evaporated Cane Syrup, Unsweetened Chocolate, Cocoa Butter), High Oleic Safflower Oil, Whey Protein Isolate, and Natural Flavor.

The bars come 5 to a box and were priced at $4.59/box.  Each bar contains 10g protein, 170 calories, 5 grams of fat and 2 grams of fiber. 

IMG 6360 thumb Review: Perfectly Simple Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bar

This is the perfect way to refuel after a run.  I love the real chocolate chips and rolled oats in the bar.

More about the gluten-free products from ZonePerfect:

Q: Are there any ZonePerfect Nutrition Bars that are gluten-free?

Yes, our Perfectly Simple Nutrition Bars are certified gluten-free.
Several other bars do not have gluten containing ingredients (wheat, rye, barley, malt) but they are not tested and certified gluten free.
Chocolate Almond Raisin
Chocolate Caramel Cluster
Chocolate Coconut Crunch
Chocolate Peanut Butter
Fudge Graham
Double Dark Chocolate
Dark Chocolate Caramel Pecan
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

To see where to find the Perfectly Simple products close to you, visit the locator page on the ZonePerfect website. 

Have you tried the Perfectly Simple bars? 

Which bar is your favorite?

Will you try the new Oatmeal Chocolate Chip?

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May 18 2013

Review: Larabar ALT Protein Bars

It was only a couple of months ago that I discovered that Larabar had introduced ALT protein bars.  The new bars each contain 10 grams of protein, an increase from the 3-6 grams that typical Larabars contain.

IMG 6397 thumb Review: Larabar ALT Protein Bars

Cinnamon Apple Crisp – Dates, pea protein, peanuts, brown rice syrup, brown rice flour, dried apples, sunflower oil, cinnamon, natural flavor

Lemon Pound Cake – Dates, almonds, pea protein, brown rice syrup, brown rice flour, sunflower oil, lemon juice concentrate, vanilla extract, natural flavor

Peanut Butter Cookie – Dates, peanuts, pea protein, brown rice syrup, brown rice flour, sunflower oil

Pumpkin Pie – Dates, pea protein, peanuts, brown rice syrup, brown rice flour, dried pumpkin, sunflower oil, spice

I was a little concerned about the added ingredients taking away the simple, yet delicious flavor of the Larabars, but it turns out I had nothing to worry about.  I loved all of the varieties, but if you made me choose a favorite, I would have to choose the Lemon Pound Cake.  I am thrilled with the release of the ALT bars and hope that I begin to see them on shelves of my local grocery stores soon.  I have been looking since I wrote the first post about the bars in March and have yet to find them.  I can see these becoming part of my regular rotation of post-workout snacks.

More about Larabar:

It started out as just a hike, no different than countless others I’ve taken into the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Little did I know I was about to come up with a mountain of an idea: Combine wholesome ingredients such as fruits and nuts to create a food product that’s tasty, healthy and convenient.

In that instant, in May 2000, LÄRABAR® was born. After scouring the aisles of grocery stores and noting popular flavors of ice cream and cookies, I delved into my own product development. Natural foods, I believed, should be fun and enjoyable as well as good for you. With friends and family serving as focus groups, I tinkered with recipes until a consensus on yummi-ness was reached.

The next step was to launch a company to market what would initially be five delicious LÄRABAR flavors: Cherry Pie, Apple Pie, Cashew Cookie, Banana Cookie, and Chocolate Coconut Chew. I also assembled a sophisticated manufacturing arm… what amounted to be a Cuisinart™ and a rolling pin. The first batch of bars I produced for retail had to be sealed by hand — all 500 of them!

Thank goodness we have machines for that job today. After all, we’re producing millions of LÄRABAR bars every year! They are a wholesome indulgence you can feel good about eating.

Larabars have been a staple in my house and diet for the past 7+ years.  I love that the company is continually evolving to keep the product line fresh and exciting.

Have you tried the new Larabar ALT protein bars?

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