Barilla started making a gluten free pasta available at you regular grocery store! This is a great development for us eating gluten free. Many probably know that Barilla is a big company that is well known for making quality pasta products for many years. Now, they have started making a rice and corn blend of pasta that is gluten free. I recently saw it as a new item in the Safeway grocery store. It was on promo for 2 for $4. This is amazingly inexpensive for quality gluten free pasta. I saw straight spaghetti, penne, and rotini but there may be other shapes available.
I tried the straight spaghetti and the penne. Both were excellent and had a great texture when cooked al dente, according to the package. My husband tried it and said that it was the closest thing to real pasta he's tried of the gluten free options. This is a huge win and it's very exciting!
Check your local store and try it today. I've even seen coupons!
Saturday, November 9, 2013
Saturday, August 31, 2013
New Pizza Option at Trader Joe's
I have recently discovered my joy of shopping at Trader Joe's. The selection is fairly small at our Spokane, WA location, but it's a nice change from the variety at the other grocery stores. I was a big customer when I lived in California and preferred it to any other store around.
Since I've recently begun shopping there again, I have found a gluten free flatbread in the prepared foods section. It is a small 2 pack of par baked flatbreads that you add toppings to and bake around 8 min and then enjoy. They have a great flavor and texture and make for a very easy and fast lunch, dinner, or snack. Great find! I'm very excited!
Since I've recently begun shopping there again, I have found a gluten free flatbread in the prepared foods section. It is a small 2 pack of par baked flatbreads that you add toppings to and bake around 8 min and then enjoy. They have a great flavor and texture and make for a very easy and fast lunch, dinner, or snack. Great find! I'm very excited!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
Gluten Free on the Oregon Coast
Recently, my family and I took a road trip to the beautiful Oregon Coast. I did a little research before the trip, as I always do to see what options come up in our various destinations that will have gluten free menus or gluten free options. I found some great places!
Most people have had the luxury of walking into a bagel shop or coffee shop, ordering a bagel and a delicious coffee. I have never done that, but always been jealous about. When I was diagnosed, I was really much younger than most people probably start going to coffee shops with their buddies. Plus, at that time, a gluten free bagel, was a joke. I don't think anyone had even considered it at the time. So, I thought it would be something I would never experience. Not the case!!! A bakery located in Portland, Oregon is a dedicated gluten free bakery and delicious gluten free bagels and amazing coffee! It was such a treat! If you live in Portland or a visiting soon, treat yourself to some goodies at New Cascadia Bakery. I had a poppyseed bagel with cream cheese and a vanilla latte that I now daydream about.
They don't ship yet, but they are considering it and I really hope it happens soon!!
Another favorite find on our trip was in Newport, Oregon. Its a delicious little place called Nye Beach Market. They had amazing breakfast and I even ended up going back for lunch! The best part? They have absolutely delicious gluten free clam chowder! It's incredible and truly a wonderful find! Plus, they are incredibly friendly and helpful!
Most people have had the luxury of walking into a bagel shop or coffee shop, ordering a bagel and a delicious coffee. I have never done that, but always been jealous about. When I was diagnosed, I was really much younger than most people probably start going to coffee shops with their buddies. Plus, at that time, a gluten free bagel, was a joke. I don't think anyone had even considered it at the time. So, I thought it would be something I would never experience. Not the case!!! A bakery located in Portland, Oregon is a dedicated gluten free bakery and delicious gluten free bagels and amazing coffee! It was such a treat! If you live in Portland or a visiting soon, treat yourself to some goodies at New Cascadia Bakery. I had a poppyseed bagel with cream cheese and a vanilla latte that I now daydream about.
They don't ship yet, but they are considering it and I really hope it happens soon!!
Another favorite find on our trip was in Newport, Oregon. Its a delicious little place called Nye Beach Market. They had amazing breakfast and I even ended up going back for lunch! The best part? They have absolutely delicious gluten free clam chowder! It's incredible and truly a wonderful find! Plus, they are incredibly friendly and helpful!
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Gluten Free Cookbooks and Resources
Sometimes, one of the most difficult things about following a new diet is finding good recipes. I know that when I was diagnosed in 1991, the options were extremely limited and baking was pretty much out of the question. Cooking was tricky, because it required first finding a recipe that appealed and then tweaking it to suit a gluten free diet. The options for ingredients for breading, pasta, breads, flours to thicken sauces...well, the list goes on and on....was extremely difficult.
Now, we have so many great options! How lucky we are! Trying new recipes and especially finding great cookbooks is a joy!
Here are some of my favorite cookbooks and resources:
Gluten Free on a Shoestring Quick and Easy by Nicole Hunn she also has a great blog http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/ and she is on Facebook as well. I follow her on both
and I enjoy reading new recipes often.
and I enjoy reading new recipes often.
The famous New York City bakery Babycakes has also come out with a couple of great cookbooks!
They are MOSTLY gluten free and they specialize in vegan goodies as well. If you are lucky enough to
have one of their locations, then you are probably familiar with their goods. They have locations in
NYC, LA, and Vegas as well as some Disney locations, I believe. I have 2 cookbooks by the owner, Erin
McKenna.
Babycakes (original book)
Babycakes Covers The Classics
I love the Living Without magazine. It covers several allergies and even has occasional coupons. It's a
great resource for beginners
A wonderful book that I highly recommend for newly diagnosed Celiacs is called Celiac Disease A Hidden
Epidemic by Peter Green, M.D. and Rory Jones. I believe this book is a MUST HAVE for Celiacs
because it dispels many myths associated with gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease and clarifies a lot
of information.
Sunday, February 3, 2013
The Basics
Some of you might be thinking: What IS gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and most oats. Essentially, gluten helps give products their body and makes them soft and stretchy. An example is pizza dough: when you toss pizza dough in the air or stretch it out, you develop the gluten more.
Gluten free diets are most often followed by people suffering from gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease, a condition that results in inflammation and damage to the intestines with the ingestion of gluten. This damage to the intestines makes it difficult for the body to absorb necessary nutrients and vitamins from foods.
You will find gluten hidden in a variety of foods and even body products. Sometimes it is fairly "obvious": like a sandwich roll, pizza, pasta, beer, or a donut. Other times, it can be in surprising products, like yogurt, ice cream, salad dressing, soy sauce, and even beverages. Whether you are on a gluten free diet due to Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance, or simply by choice, you will have to do some research and become a very diligent label reader. You will have to learn to read the label of absolutely everything you choose to ingest.
Some people are sensitive to gluten in very small amounts and even topically, so they abstain from using lipsticks, shampoos, and lotions that contain gluten. I myself, do not use lipsticks, facial products, or body and hand lotions with gluten in them. It's a personal preference usually, but I figure that an average woman consumes a rather large amount of lip products each year from licking her lips and such, that I'd rather be safe and avoid that possibility. Also, some with sensitivities have a condition called Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH). This is a skin condition that can occur in Celiac patients who make still get trace amounts of gluten in their diets. Basically, it is intensely itchy skin and small red bumps forming a rash that usually appears on the knees, elbows, neck, scalp, and buttocks.
The is a lot of misinformation out there, especially here on the internet. I cannot recall the number of times I've read something that seems to be completely wrong and possibly made up posted on a website. It's frustrating that someone new to the GF diet would be confused and overwhelmed. I often meet people who have lived by what they thought were a very strict set of rules on the diet and found out years later that they were staying away from foods that are actually considered to be safe.
In more recent years, gluten-free diets have become part of the world of fad diets. Eating a gluten-free diet is considered by many to be a great way to lose weight, however eating gluten-free often leads to weight gain. It is not necessarily a healthier diet because many gluten free products are more processed and contain more sugar, salt, and fat. Often times, extra vitamins are needed because gluten free foods can cause vitamin deficiencies in Iron, folic acid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, fiber, and magnesium.
About 1% of people in the United States have Celiac Disease, with as many as about 10% who may have a sensitivity to gluten. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and if left untreated, deterioration of the intestinal lining and possibly severe malnourishment and extreme weight loss. However, once gluten is removed from the diet, symptoms usually subside and damage is healed, although this can sometimes take several months.
I do not believe the gluten-free diet is good for everyone. Not only can it be difficult to follow, but there are many nutritional drawbacks and it can be very costly. It is an absolute MUST for those with Celiac Disease and/or gluten sensitivity to follow a completely gluten-free diet, but I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for the rest of the population. If you choose to eat a gluten-free diet, you should consult your doctor to ensure you are getting the necessary vitamins and nutrients.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and most oats. Essentially, gluten helps give products their body and makes them soft and stretchy. An example is pizza dough: when you toss pizza dough in the air or stretch it out, you develop the gluten more.
Gluten free diets are most often followed by people suffering from gluten sensitivity or Celiac Disease, a condition that results in inflammation and damage to the intestines with the ingestion of gluten. This damage to the intestines makes it difficult for the body to absorb necessary nutrients and vitamins from foods.
You will find gluten hidden in a variety of foods and even body products. Sometimes it is fairly "obvious": like a sandwich roll, pizza, pasta, beer, or a donut. Other times, it can be in surprising products, like yogurt, ice cream, salad dressing, soy sauce, and even beverages. Whether you are on a gluten free diet due to Celiac Disease, gluten intolerance, or simply by choice, you will have to do some research and become a very diligent label reader. You will have to learn to read the label of absolutely everything you choose to ingest.
Some people are sensitive to gluten in very small amounts and even topically, so they abstain from using lipsticks, shampoos, and lotions that contain gluten. I myself, do not use lipsticks, facial products, or body and hand lotions with gluten in them. It's a personal preference usually, but I figure that an average woman consumes a rather large amount of lip products each year from licking her lips and such, that I'd rather be safe and avoid that possibility. Also, some with sensitivities have a condition called Dermatitis Herpetiformis (DH). This is a skin condition that can occur in Celiac patients who make still get trace amounts of gluten in their diets. Basically, it is intensely itchy skin and small red bumps forming a rash that usually appears on the knees, elbows, neck, scalp, and buttocks.
The is a lot of misinformation out there, especially here on the internet. I cannot recall the number of times I've read something that seems to be completely wrong and possibly made up posted on a website. It's frustrating that someone new to the GF diet would be confused and overwhelmed. I often meet people who have lived by what they thought were a very strict set of rules on the diet and found out years later that they were staying away from foods that are actually considered to be safe.
In more recent years, gluten-free diets have become part of the world of fad diets. Eating a gluten-free diet is considered by many to be a great way to lose weight, however eating gluten-free often leads to weight gain. It is not necessarily a healthier diet because many gluten free products are more processed and contain more sugar, salt, and fat. Often times, extra vitamins are needed because gluten free foods can cause vitamin deficiencies in Iron, folic acid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, fiber, and magnesium.
About 1% of people in the United States have Celiac Disease, with as many as about 10% who may have a sensitivity to gluten. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, and if left untreated, deterioration of the intestinal lining and possibly severe malnourishment and extreme weight loss. However, once gluten is removed from the diet, symptoms usually subside and damage is healed, although this can sometimes take several months.
I do not believe the gluten-free diet is good for everyone. Not only can it be difficult to follow, but there are many nutritional drawbacks and it can be very costly. It is an absolute MUST for those with Celiac Disease and/or gluten sensitivity to follow a completely gluten-free diet, but I'm not sure the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for the rest of the population. If you choose to eat a gluten-free diet, you should consult your doctor to ensure you are getting the necessary vitamins and nutrients.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Harvester Beer
A wonderful reader read my page on gluten free beers and suggested a new one called Harvester. I was planning on asking my local health food store if they could try to get it in, since I've never heard of it before. My husband ran up to the store, and what a surprise: a big display of the new gluten free beer in stock: Harvester! Wonderful!
They have 4 selections and are brewed in Portland, OR in a dedicated gluten free brewery.
I was so excited to try these and I must say, they didn't disappoint!
The selections are:
IPA
Red Ale
Dark
Pale Ale
I think these are probably the closest gluten free beers have come to tasting like a traditional beer. They are a bit expensive, but the bottles are large and they satisfy the want of a "real" beer, so I think it makes them worth it.
The Pale Ale was very light and refreshing. Probably excellent for people like me who like a lighter option or for a hot summer day. The taste was so light that I almost couldn't taste anything when I had something a bit heavier first. I won't make that mistake again.
The IPA was slightly heavier and tasted great.
The Red Ale was much heavier and had more depth as well as a chocolatey taste. I enjoyed this beer, but couldn't have had more than one since it was a bit much for me in terms of taste.
The Dark Ale is a surprising favorite! It's much lighter than you might think with how dark the color is, but they brew with roasted chestnuts to create an amazing flavor that I love.
The also started doing seasonal brews, which you should keep an eye out for. I loved the Experiment Ale that was out most recently. It's a Dubbel dark style, I believe.
I highly recommend trying these beers! Thank you to the reader who suggested them! Much appreciated. I plan to go to the tasting room on my next trip to Portland, OR.
Cheers!
They have 4 selections and are brewed in Portland, OR in a dedicated gluten free brewery.
I was so excited to try these and I must say, they didn't disappoint!
The selections are:
IPA
Red Ale
Dark
Pale Ale
I think these are probably the closest gluten free beers have come to tasting like a traditional beer. They are a bit expensive, but the bottles are large and they satisfy the want of a "real" beer, so I think it makes them worth it.
The Pale Ale was very light and refreshing. Probably excellent for people like me who like a lighter option or for a hot summer day. The taste was so light that I almost couldn't taste anything when I had something a bit heavier first. I won't make that mistake again.
The IPA was slightly heavier and tasted great.
The Red Ale was much heavier and had more depth as well as a chocolatey taste. I enjoyed this beer, but couldn't have had more than one since it was a bit much for me in terms of taste.
The Dark Ale is a surprising favorite! It's much lighter than you might think with how dark the color is, but they brew with roasted chestnuts to create an amazing flavor that I love.
The also started doing seasonal brews, which you should keep an eye out for. I loved the Experiment Ale that was out most recently. It's a Dubbel dark style, I believe.
I highly recommend trying these beers! Thank you to the reader who suggested them! Much appreciated. I plan to go to the tasting room on my next trip to Portland, OR.
Cheers!
Monday, November 26, 2012
Pizza Reviews
I absolutely adore pizza. I crave pizza. All the time. I'm always willing to go out to the few places here in Spokane that have GF crust. And I will always drive over to Coeur D'Alene, ID to go to the Northwest Pizza Company (formerly Garlic Jim's).
The pizza at Northwest Pizza is great! They have kept all of the same standards as far as ensuring there is no cross contamination from the gluten containing pizza. There is also GF beer and Coca-Cola products, so I'm in heaven. The owner, Jeff, had to change a few things when becoming his own pizza joint and breaking free of the Garlic Jim's Franchise. Most of those were good changes, like improving products used so that he could use items he feels are superior in taste and ingredients. One thing I wish he would improve on, is the pizza sauce, it's a little bland. The overall pizza is great, the sauce just seems to be lacking in flavor a little.
Another place that we go to on occasion is Bennidito's here in Spokane. They are hit or miss. Sometimes, they are completely sold out of GF crust, so I'm just out of luck, which is super annoying. It happens pretty frequently. Other times, I almost wonder if they just gave me regular crust because I get sick. I feel like I can't depend on them to have my crust and I'm risking getting sick whenever I go there, so it's low on my list of places to go.
South Perry Pizza is another option in Spokane. My husband says the regular pizza is mediocre and I think the GF pizza is ok, it's just kind of a sweet tasting crust.
The Flying Goat is hands down my favorite pizza place in Spokane! They have gluten free beer choices as well. (currently New Planet and Dogfish Head) My husband loves the regular pizza and the extensive regular beer list. Our 2 year old loves it too and requests going there often.
Another newer option here is Five Mile Heights Pizza. Very good gluten free pizza and GF beer. Regular pizza is pretty good too. It's a very family friendly place, reminding me of a lower scale "Chucky Cheese" type of place, with video games and lots of long tables for large groups. I do think it's a bit expensive though.
I always check the freezer case for new frozen pizzas. It's not my favorite solution, and most of the options aren't great and are very expensive, but it will do in a pinch.
A favorite, if I have time, is to make my dough from the pizza crust mix by Gluten Free Mama. It's pretty easy and good.
I just tried a new frozen pizza. Its called Bella Monica Flatbread company's Gluten Free All-Natural Pizza. It is a 10" personal pizza with pepperoni and was about $9. It's not good. Way overpriced and tasted like a glorified cracker. If there hadn't been cheese and sauce to give it flavor, it would have been a dry, flavorless crispy cracker. I'm not impressed.
The pizza at Northwest Pizza is great! They have kept all of the same standards as far as ensuring there is no cross contamination from the gluten containing pizza. There is also GF beer and Coca-Cola products, so I'm in heaven. The owner, Jeff, had to change a few things when becoming his own pizza joint and breaking free of the Garlic Jim's Franchise. Most of those were good changes, like improving products used so that he could use items he feels are superior in taste and ingredients. One thing I wish he would improve on, is the pizza sauce, it's a little bland. The overall pizza is great, the sauce just seems to be lacking in flavor a little.
Another place that we go to on occasion is Bennidito's here in Spokane. They are hit or miss. Sometimes, they are completely sold out of GF crust, so I'm just out of luck, which is super annoying. It happens pretty frequently. Other times, I almost wonder if they just gave me regular crust because I get sick. I feel like I can't depend on them to have my crust and I'm risking getting sick whenever I go there, so it's low on my list of places to go.
South Perry Pizza is another option in Spokane. My husband says the regular pizza is mediocre and I think the GF pizza is ok, it's just kind of a sweet tasting crust.
The Flying Goat is hands down my favorite pizza place in Spokane! They have gluten free beer choices as well. (currently New Planet and Dogfish Head) My husband loves the regular pizza and the extensive regular beer list. Our 2 year old loves it too and requests going there often.
Another newer option here is Five Mile Heights Pizza. Very good gluten free pizza and GF beer. Regular pizza is pretty good too. It's a very family friendly place, reminding me of a lower scale "Chucky Cheese" type of place, with video games and lots of long tables for large groups. I do think it's a bit expensive though.
I always check the freezer case for new frozen pizzas. It's not my favorite solution, and most of the options aren't great and are very expensive, but it will do in a pinch.
A favorite, if I have time, is to make my dough from the pizza crust mix by Gluten Free Mama. It's pretty easy and good.
I just tried a new frozen pizza. Its called Bella Monica Flatbread company's Gluten Free All-Natural Pizza. It is a 10" personal pizza with pepperoni and was about $9. It's not good. Way overpriced and tasted like a glorified cracker. If there hadn't been cheese and sauce to give it flavor, it would have been a dry, flavorless crispy cracker. I'm not impressed.
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