Celiac Disease

Official Website of Celiac-Disease.com

You are here: Home / 2008 / Archives for December 2008

Archives for December 2008

Wrigley’s and Orbit’s Gluten-Free Gum

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 26 Comments

Gum is one of those foods that most people really don’t think about whether it is gluten-free or not, because most of them are naturally gluten-free. Recently Erin of gluten-free Fun took the time to contact Wrigley gum and confirm which of their gums are considered gluten-free, so I wanted to pass this information along to our readers.

Here is Wrigley’s official response:

The following is a list of U.S. Wrigley products that remain free of any wheat, oat, rye or barley gluten:

  • Wrigley’s Spearmint® gum
  • Freedent® gum
  • Doublemint® gum
  • Extra® gum
  • Big Red® gum
  • Eclipse® gum
  • Juicy Fruit® gum
  • Winterfresh® gum
  • Orbit® gum
  • Orbit® White gum
  • Lifesavers®
  • Altoids®
  • 5® products

Please note that Altoids Chocolate Dipped mints carry a warning that the product is made on equipment that also processes milk and wheat.

If your sensitivity extends to other types of gluten, several of our brands contain corn syrup, which may have trace amounts of corn gluten in it. The amount of gluten in one stick is less than 0.2 milligrams, but if you are extremely sensitive, you may want to consult with your physician before chewing our brands.

Additionally, no packaging material directly next to our product contains gluten sources. There may be instances when starches are used on the label around each individual stick of gum, but these starches are produced from corn or potatoes, not from wheat, rye, barley, oats, millet or buckwheat.

Great information Erin!

Update:  Please see this comment for an updated response from Wrigley’s regarding their gluten-free products!

Recipe: Gluten-Free Yellow Cupcakes

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Interested in making homemade gluten-free cupcakes? Here is a nice cupcake recipe I discovered awhile ago that I have since tried and really enjoyed. Give it a try and let us know how you like it in the comments.

If you’d like to check out other recipe ideas, check out our gluten-free recipes page!

Gluten-Free Yellow Cupcakes with Frosting

Cupcake Ingredients:

  • 1 package gluten-free Pantry Old Fashioned cake mix
  • 1 package Jello vanilla instant pudding
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 extra large eggs room temperature
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 3/4 C orange juice
  • 1 Tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons good vanilla extract

Note: Do not use the instructions on the side of the box.

Baking Instructions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix the wet ingredients in a large bowl.
  3. Add the dry ingredients and beat on high speed for two minutes.
  4. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners. Fill liners 2/3 to ¾ of the way full.
  5. Bake for about 25 minutes, until the cupcakes are golden and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. If making a cake, grease the pan first, pour in the mix and bake for 40-45 minutes.

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting Ingredients:

  • 1 pound confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 stick (8T) of good unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons good vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup of milk

Instructions:

  1. Combine half of the sugar with the butter and beat on low speed.
  2. Add the wet ingredients and beat.
  3. Slowly add the rest of the sugar while mixing until combined.
  4. Beat on medium-high speed for at least two minutes until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
  5. If you want the frosting to be a little bit stiffer (better for decorating) add powdered sugar a couple of tablespoons at a time.
  6. Frost cupcakes with icing at room temperature.

McDonald’s Gluten-Free Menu

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Have you noticed a McDonald’s on every street corner in your area? Most people seem to take Mcdonald’s for granted, but for someone with celiac disease, if you are traveling or stuck out in public for whatever reason, having McDonald’s gluten-free menu nearby can be very beneficial and reassuring.

Official Website Menu Information: McDonald’s Gluten-Free Menu
Location Finder: Find a Mcdonald’s Location Near You

Although this is subject to change, here is the most current list of McDonald’s gluten-free items for your reference:

Update: Due to a large number of questions regarding McDonald’s french fries and hashbrowns, we removed them from our list and addressed these questions in this post: Are french fries gluten-free? For McDonald’s specifically, make sure to read the comments for answers to your questions!

McDonald’s Gluten-Free Menu

Meats:

  • Beef Patty (without bun)
  • Breakfast Beef Steak
  • Canadian Bacon
  • Sausage
  • Scrambled Egg

Sides:

  • Apple Dippers and Low-Fat Caramel Dip
  • Fruit ‘n Yogurt Parfait (without granola)

Salads:

  • Caesar Salad (without chicken)
  • Premium Bacon Ranch Salad
  • Premium Southwest Salad (without tortilla strips)
  • Side Salad

Dressings:

  • Newman’s Own Creamy Caesar Dressing
  • Newman’s Own Cobb Dressing
  • Newman’s Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette
  • Newman’s Own Ranch Dressing
  • Newman’s Own Salsa

Drinks and Beverages:

  • Apple Juice
  • Coffee
  • Ice Coffee
  • Hot Chocolate
  • 1% Low Fat Milk, White or Chocolate
  • Orange Juice
  • Soft Drinks
  • Sweet Tea
  • Frappe Caramel
  • Frappe Mocha
  • Frappe Chocolate Chip
  • Blueberry Pomegranate Smoothie
  • Strawberry Banana Smoothie
  • Mango Pineapple Smoothie
  • Vanilla McCafe Shake
  • Chocolate McCafe Shake
  • Strawberry McCafe Shake

Desserts:

  • Ice Cream Sundaes including nuts
  • McFlurry with M&M’S Candies

Condiments:

  • American Cheese
  • Butter
  • Chicken McNugget Honey
  • Chicken McNugget Hot Mustard Sauce
  • Hotcake Syrup
  • Jam
  • Ketchup
  • Lettuce
  • Margarine
  • Mayonnaise
  • Mustard
  • Onions
  • Pickles
  • Tartar Sauce
  • Tomato

In summary, side salads, fries, condiments, and many of the drinks are safe to eat; however, you’ll always want to remember to check McDonald’s official website for changes in ingredients before dining out.

As always, when dining out gluten-free, do your due diligence and make sure the staff understands your needs. There are very few restaurants that are 100% gluten-free, so cross-contamination is always a risk. If you don’t feel comfortable with what you are hearing from the staff, perhaps it is best to dine elsewhere.

For information about other gluten-free restaurants menus, check out our gluten-free restaurants page.

Recipe: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Lasagna

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff

Here is a gluten-free recipe for lasagna that is pretty good and also happens to be dairy free. After getting taste test approval from my family, I decided to pass this recipe along to our readers in case anyone is interested in trying this out at home.

If you’d like to check out other recipe ideas, check out our gluten-free recipes page!

Gluten-Free and Dairy-Free Lasagna Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 (14-ounce) package soft tofu (not silken), drained (omit for soy-free)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion, finely chopped
  • 1 pound ground turkey or chicken (I used grass-fed ground beef)
  • 3/4 pound button mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 bunch spinach, stemmed, cleaned and coarsely chopped
  • 1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed and coarsely chopped
  • 4 cups gluten-free tomato or marinara sauce
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 2 tablespoons garbanzo or fava bean flour (any gluten-free flour will work here)
  • 1 (16-ounce) package gluten-free lasagna noodles

Baking Instructions:

  1. To prepare the filling, coarsely crumble tofu onto two layers of a lint-free dish towel.
  2. Wrap tofu in the towel and lightly press out excess moisture; set aside.
  3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté onion until tender, about 4 minutes.
  4. Add turkey and cook, stirring frequently, until just brown, about 8 minutes.
  5. Add mushrooms, garlic, oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
  6. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes.
  7. In two batches, add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes each.
  8. Stir in basil and tomato sauce.
  9. Decrease the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes.
  10. Taste and adjust seasoning.
  11. Whisk eggs and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl.
  12. Add flour and whisk until well blended and slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
  13. Unwrap tofu, crumble it into small pieces and add it to egg mixture.
  14. Stir to fully coat. Set aside.
  15. Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions in salted boiling water, but reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes. The noodles should be slightly firm, as they will continue cooking in the oven.
  16. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.
  17. To assemble the lasagna, preheat oven to 350° F.
  18. Ladle 1/4 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 13×9×2-inch baking dish and spread it out evenly.
  19. Place 3 lasagna sheets on top of the sauce.
  20. Place 1/3 of the tofu mixture on the lasagna sheets along with about a 1/4 of the sauce, distributing it evenly.
  21. Repeat layering two more times with 3 lasagna sheets, 1/3 of the tofu mixture and 1/4 of the sauce. (If going soy-free, pour a little of the beaten eggs over each layer as well)
  22. Finish with a final layer of noodles and remaining sauce, taking care to spread the sauce evenly all the way to the corners.
  23. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
  24. Remove the lasagna from the oven and let stand 15 minutes before slicing.