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Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Survival Tips

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One of my absolute favorite things to eat is cornbread dressing. I’ve been making my Grandmother’s recipe for many years and I make a double batch so there is plenty left over to enjoy the week after Thanksgiving. It was with great excitement that I found out that the cornbread made with the Southern Cornbread recipe on the Pamela’s Products website was absolutely divine! In fact, it’s probably some of the best cornbread I’ve ever had. The main ingredient in cornbread dressing is cornbread so as long as you have that, you can make a phenomenal cornbread dressing – ‘nuff said!

Most sweet potato casserole recipes don’t call for flour, but the crumble topping might. We leave the flour out now but you can use a gluten-free flour mix if you really want to use flour in the topping mixture. Some people like candied yams and I’ve never heard of a recipe that calls for any gluten but doesn’t assume something is gluten-free on the buffet table. As always, it’s best to check before scarfing down something seemingly safe and paying the consequences later if the dish contains gluten.

My second favorite Thanksgiving dish is green bean casserole. Obviously, I’m super excited to be able to use the new condensed soup from Pacific Natural Foods for the first time this year. In previous years I had to thicken non-condensed soups down and while it’s easy to do, it’s just one more thing to do in the kitchen and one more pan to clean. Who needs that? The new condensed soups are not quite as thick as Campbell’s so no milk will be needed in the casserole recipe. The good news is that the Pacific Natural Foods cream of mushroom soup tastes much better than the one made by Campbell’s.

If you like fried onions and in your green bean casserole, it’s easy to fry up your own with gluten-free flour. I’ve used the gluten-free Pantry and Jules Gluten-Free flour mixes for the onions and they both work perfectly. I make the onions the weekend before Thanksgiving and store them in an airtight container like the ones from Snapware. They are really good though, so make extra or you won’t have enough for the casserole when you go to make it.

By far, the pie crust for my pecan (pronounced pacon in our neck of the woods, not pee-can as in Paula Deen country) pie was my biggest challenge to reproduce gluten-free. I tried every ready-made gluten-free crust and none of them floated our boat, so to speak. Finally, I tried the mix from Breads from Anna which contains no rice flour. It was wonderful and I’ve used it many times for many pies. Eventually, I settled on the basic crust recipe on the Pamela’s Products website. The almond flour in the mix seems to offer the best overall pie crust in terms of taste and texture (to me) and it’s very easy to work with. To say the crust is better than the frozen Pet Ritz gluten crust I used in the past is an understatement, to say the least.

Basic dinner rolls for Thanksgiving are something we’ve not found a perfect replacement for. When I was growing up, we used those airly white rolls with lines on top. If you want some ready-made dinner rolls, there are a few brands I can recommend highly. Challah rolls from Katz gluten-free are wonderful as are basic dinner rolls from The Grainless Baker. If you want something with a twist, try a Brazilian cheese roll from Sweet Oven and Company, a Georgia-based company.

Though you might read over and over a tip about saving bread that you don’t like to use in your dressing (or stuffing) recipe during the holidays, I agree with the advice in the article from Gluten-Free Living that spoke to that exact tip. If you don’t like a certain gluten-free bread in the first place, there is no reason to think it will taste better in any recipe you use it in. Don’t ruin your dressing by using that trick – just don’t do it.

In the end, remember to enjoy yourself, make sure you have plenty of great food to eat (even if you have to make it all yourself), and have fun with your loved ones. After all, you never know how many of them will be gluten-free next year.

Seeking Thanksgiving recipes? Check out our Gluten-Free Thanksgiving recipes.

Review: Gluten-Free Dining at Disney World

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Walt Disney World has always been one of my most favorite places to go on vacation, even as an adult. Soon after our daughter was born in 1998, we moved to south Florida, and began to enjoy many yearly treks to the “most magical place on earth”. There’s little else that warms my heart more than a few days of throwing cares to the wind and just having fun with the family – especially when it involves Disney, and especially when it’s around the holidays.

One of the only stresses of visiting Walt Disney World for me, however, has been figuring out what to eat while I’m there. Our tradition became scheduling meals “around the world” for lunch and/or dinner each day in the World Showcase at Epcot. I became accustomed to just eating in spite of my issues (who can’t at a place like Disney?) and suffering the consequences, having not the slightest clue that gluten was the culprit.

Our last trip occurred before I had a firm diagnosis from my doctor. I had gone gluten-free to test the waters, so as we planned, I called Disney to inquire about my gluten-free options. They were extremely helpful, explaining that they would make a note of it on each of our reservations, but that I would obviously need to remind them at each location. I was skeptical, having encountered obstacles every single time I’d eaten out since going without gluten.

We arrived, checked into our favorite resort, and soon made our way to our first meal reservation at the Nine Dragons Restaurant at Epcot (China, in the World Showcase). As we were seated, I reminded the hostess that I needed to see a gluten-free menu, and she told me the chef would be with me shortly. I laughed. “The chef? Surely she’s mistaken!” She wasn’t, and so began a wonderful few days at Disney. In each location, the chef would eagerly visit our table, talk to me about what my needs were, and assure me that he would be preparing my food separately.  I was never once disappointed, nor did I get sick.

We ate not only in China but also in Japan, at Teppan Edo. We ate in Canada, at Le Cellier Steakhouse, and in France at Le Chef’s De France, and I even ordered a gluten-free pizza at one of the fast food locations (I did have to order that a little ahead of time). When we visited Magic Kingdom, I was able to get a gluten-free meal at Tony’s Town Square, and our last morning may have been the most glorious when we ate breakfast at Boma. (located in Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge) I figured this would prove to be much more difficult since Boma is a huge buffet – an incredible, very large one. I was assured, however, that I should not worry and that I would be well taken care of. Soon after arriving, the chef – as I’d come to expect – came to visit our table. She explained to me what areas of the buffet I would need to steer clear of, and what areas would be safe, then asked me to take a look and let her know what else I’d like. I told her I’d make do with what was on the buffet, and she wouldn’t hear of it. She offered to make pancakes, I agreed, and she brought me the biggest stack of pancakes I’d ever seen. They were fabulous.

In every single instance during our visit to Disney’s restaurants, the food prepared especially for me by the chef was delicious and gluten-free. I cannot begin to tell you what a difference it made for us to be able to go on vacation and not have to worry about my eating and subsequent illness.

If you’ve been considering a trip to Disney, but have been hesitant because you or your child have celiac, I highly recommend you give them a chance. You may have to eat a few more meals sitting down, but I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised – and maybe, just maybe, you’ll feel a little bit of that magic again like I did.

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**Visit Disney’s FAQ dining page for more details and contact information.

This article was contributed by Tami Nantz, who loves all things food. After finally being diagnosed with Celiac Disease in August 2010, she is having to learn to navigate the food world in a completely new way. She’s attempting to embrace the gluten-free lifestyle and all of its challenges and seeks to help educate others along the way.

Diligence Required when Reading Food Labels

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Those of us that live in the U.S. know how important it is to carefully read food labels. There is no law requiring companies to list when products contain gluten. There is a law covering the eight major allergens, including wheat, but wheat-free does not always equal gluten-free. Some people seem to think that disclaimers such as “Contains Wheat and Soy” are mandatory on product labels, but in fact, they are not.

Wheat and other allergens do have to be listed in the ingredients, but they do not have to be called out in any type of disclaimer. Calling the FDA can confirm that fact. Many people are getting sick because they don’t know how to properly read labels and some of them specifically look for a disclaimer about wheat even though wheat is not the only form of gluten that a product can contain in the first place. Part of the confusion is caused by misinformation about U.S. labeling laws being posted online.

An instructor at a Whole Foods gluten-free cooking class I attended in 2008 stated that all forms of gluten must be listed on labels in the U.S. The law has not changed since then so no, gluten does not have to legally be listed on U.S. products, period. As careful as I try to be, I’ve gotten home with a marinade or dressing that I had to return because wheat was buried in the tiny ingredient text and there was no disclaimer on the label about wheat. It was my own mistake for being guilty of looking for the disclaimer about wheat which doesn’t cover all forms of gluten anyway.

When shopping at Fresh Market recently, I threw a box of Nueva Cocina Mexican Rice Mix into the cart. There are very few such mixes that are gluten and MSG free and I’ve been enjoying that mix for a couple of years now. Imagine my surprise when I went to put up the groceries and noticed the “wheat free” on the front of the box. The lighting at our Fresh Market is a joke and it’s nearly impossible to read the labels even with reading glasses on.  However, I didn’t bother to try and read the label on the box of rice since I’ve bought it so many times before and it’s always been labeled gluten-free.

After checking the Nueva Cocina website and seeing that the rice mix was listed as gluten-free there, I had to call the company to find out if the product had actually changed or if only the packaging had. The ingredients are clear and there do not seem to be any gluten ingredients listed, but the package states that the item is made in a facility that processes wheat and that the product is made with “non-wheat” ingredients. The disclaimer has always been there, but it said “non-gluten ingredients” instead of “non-wheat ingredients” up until recently.

Speaking to a representative from Nueva Cocina made me feel comfortable about eating the Mexican Rice Mix with the text change on the box. The company moved into a different facility and wanted to get everything checked out for safety regarding allergens. The change to the packaging was a temporary measure due to the move. Future packages of items that are gluten-free, including the Mexican Rice Mix, will soon have the gluten-free listing on the box again.

Whew – what a relief! It is almost impossible to find a Mexican rice mix that is free of both gluten and MSG. This mix is not made with animal products, is made with all-natural ingredients, and doesn’t contain any preservatives. The Rice Mix for Chicken is also an exceptional product. I look forward to trying more gluten-free products from this line in the future!

Can Beer Made with Barley be Gluten-Free?

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 11 Comments

Recently, gluten-free Philly posted something very interesting about a new so-called gluten-free beer that is just hitting the U.S. market. There seems to be evidence that some items made with barley can be rendered gluten-free, and therefore might be acceptable for people with celiac to consume. Interesting news in my opinion. gluten-free Philly’s blog post can be found here. This new beer is made from various grains including barley. Due to how the product is processed, it is rendered gluten-free – and tested to be proven so – according to the manufacturer. Some research about this item seems to confirm that many people with celiac or gluten intolerance routinely enjoy this beer made in Spain without issue.

My first thought was that if all the other “normal” beers made with barley contain gluten, how could this one from Spain be rendered gluten-free? Apparently, it’s all related to a process that could be compared to the distillation of grain alcohols. Those are also gluten-free, regardless of what grains were used to create them. Though this fact has been proven time and again, the myth about people with celiac having to drink vodkas made from potatoes or soy simply won’t die. Drink what you will, but according to every celiac expert and dietitian I’ve consulted with, pure distilled alcohols are gluten-free. The only way they can contain gluten is if gluten flavors are added back in after the distillation process.

After reading rave reviews about this new beer from Spain, I sure hope to be able to try it myself eventually. If I’m able to find it, I’ll be sure and review it here. I’ll also be able to confirm if it’s gluten-free or not, based on how I feel after I drink it. It is actually great to be able to know if you’ve mistakenly ingested gluten. There are no ifs, and, or buts about it. My body lets me know without question when gluten has gotten into my system. I can’t imagine not knowing by consuming something if it contains gluten or not. It’s a very nice perk to have that assurance.

One might wonder if it’s possible for companies to make gluten-free beer with barley, and why the major U.S. breweries aren’t doing it here. My guess is that they would have no way of knowing how to since the first thing anyone reads about what contains gluten includes the word barley. Right off the bat, most companies would assume that anything they plan to make for the gluten-free market should not contain wheat, rye, barley, or non-gluten-free oats.  Keep in mind that the U.S. is 5-10 years behind many other countries regarding the gluten-free market.

Redbridge is the top-selling gluten-free beer in the U.S. and the sales were so low in Publix stores that the company pulled the beer from its beer schematic back in January of this year. The store near me brings it in on customer request, but it’s stocked in the gluten-free food section and not in the beer cooler. The real estate in the beer cooler is way to valuable to put a product that doesn’t move well. Redbridge was reformulated this spring and tastes better to me, but many people don’t like the fact that the alcohol content was reduced quite a bit with the new formula. At least, that is the situation at Publix stores.

Now that I know that apparently barley can be used to make gluten-free beer, I’d really like to see companies that make wine coolers with barley malt try to render their wares gluten-free. Now that would be something to get excited about!

Gluten-Free Products for Everyday Use

Last Updated on by the Celiac-Disease.com Staff 4 Comments

When someone first starts the gluten-free diet, they are often overwhelmed and inundated with incorrect information about what is and is not gluten-free. Recently, I’ve seen several outdated statements online about several items that are staples of our gluten-free kitchen. With gluten being in so many products that you would never suspect it, it’s really best to try and not avoid perfectly safe products.

The below list of items are things that some people mistakenly think contain gluten. In some cases, mainstream brands of the items might contain gluten, but gluten-free versions are available (and have been for a while). As always, ingredients can and do change – so a label reading is needed to confirm the items are gluten-free when you are considering purchasing them. Unfortunately, unless an item is labeled gluten-free, you need to read the label every time you buy it, to make sure it’s still gluten-free. Please note this list and the brands listed are not comprehensive.

  • Soy Sauce – Most brands of soy sauce sold in the U.S. contain gluten. San-J makes a wheat-free labeled soy sauce that is also gluten-free. They also make soy sauces that contain gluten so always check the label. La Choy soy sauce is gluten-free (so says the company that makes it), but it is not labeled that way. La Choy Teriyaki sauce is also gluten-free. This is a good brand to use in sauces in marinades, but most people won’t use it for something like sushi.
  • Barbecue Sauce – It is almost more common to find gluten in barbecue sauces served in restaurants than in those sold in grocery stores. Bone Suckin’ brand makes several gluten-free barbecue sauces and they are labeled gluten-free. Many barbecue sauces are gluten-free and are not labeled that way. Sweet Baby Ray’s makes some gluten-free barbecue sauces, as does Kraft.
  • Worcestershire Sauce – The Lea & Perrins brand is gluten-free and so is the French brand. I paid only $.97 for a bottle of the French sauce which was less than half the price of the Lea & Perrins version.
  • Blue Cheese* – Some blue cheese manufacturers will not state that their products are gluten-free, but that doesn’t mean they contain gluten. It could mean, however, that the manufacturer doesn’t care about our business. GIG recently worked with The Melting Pot and the blue cheese the company uses is gluten-free. Rosenberg is our preferred brand because the company states their blue cheese is gluten-free. However, celiac experts and nutritionists agree that blue cheese is considered gluten-free, even in the rare cases that the mold used to make it is started with bread. The first tests that proved this date back to 1991, with updates done in the last couple of years by the Canadian Celiac Association.
  • Salad Dressings – Many mainstream dressings are gluten-free even though they are not labeled as such. Kraft has many gluten-free versions and so does Newman’s Own – to name a couple. We like Drew’s brand dressings at our house and their single-serve packets are great for travel. Not all the dressings from this line are gluten-free, but the types that have “gluten-free” on the label.

There are many other items that people new to the gluten-free diet are often confused by, but the ones listed above are the ones people contact me about the most often. They are often shocked to find out there is such a thing as gluten-free blue cheese, beer, and soy sauce. It’s no wonder then, that some people think it’s so hard to follow a gluten-free diet. They might be missing out on enjoying some perfectly safe foods that make a gluten-free living not only easier – but tastier as well!

*Reference – The Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide by Shelley Case.