A couple months ago, B traveled to the West Coast to attend a food industry trade show to learn about new gluten-free and allergy-friendly products. Suffice it to say, I was a little jealous, but very glad he was willing to share his experience and insights so graciously here. His report follows. (My apologies for the delay in my getting it posted, which occurred on my end, not his.) You may already have seen some of the items discussed below, and if not, keep a look out for what will be appearing on store shelves soon.
Gluten-free Finds at Expo West 2011
We now interrupt the regularly scheduled programming for a report from the floors of the 2011 Natural Products Expo West at Anaheim Convention Center: Hi, it’s B. I’m guest-writing for L today to provide a glimpse at some of the new gluten-free products on display this year at Expo West, a trade show for natural products retailers and one of the best opportunities to see the newest gluten-free foods heading to the market.
On the positive side for gluten-free consumers, a number of new products were introduced at the show held over the March 11-13 weekend, but unfortunately, due to some of the convention center’s fairly peculiar sampling rules, I wasn’t able to taste all of these and tucked in to only a few. Perhaps the most-positive news came during a seminar with Dr. Lucy Gibney, founder of Dr. Lucy’s, probably best-known for its line of cookies found at a number of Starbucks around the country (a relationship which, sadly, will likely soon be coming to an end, Lucy informed me). During the seminar, Lucy stated, “The question is no longer if a store will get in on gluten-free; it’s how they will.”
The products those stores will be offering continue to grow in diversity and improve in quality. Gluten-free remains among the food industry’s fastest growing trends, as sales of gluten-free foods have doubled in the past two years (to $2.64 billion in 2010) and are projected to hit $5.5 billion by 2015, according to a report from Packaged Facts, a market research firm. Among the products at Expo West this year hoping to get their piece of the gluten-free pie (again, I can’t vouch for the taste of most of these and, as always, advise everyone to inspect ingredient labels of all products, as these have been known to change between show debut and product launch):
Glutenfreeda Foods Inc. – A frozen, single-serve Gluten-free Shredded Beef Burrito joins the company’s line. It’s described as an “anytime meal” with no trans fats, and basically, it’s Hot Pockets meet gluten-free. As for other major allergens, the ingredient list mentions cheese.
Glutenfreeda also featured a line of gluten-free cheesecake hand crafted and made with ingredients from local dairies and farms (“local” to where, the company doesn’t explain). The three-item line includes Strawberry Swirl, Chocolate Truffle and New York Style, all noting the presence of eggs and milk. They come frozen and, considering they’re promised to be all- natural, my guess would be the “local” is to the company’s Washington headquarters. www.glutenfreedafoods.com
Sam Mills USA – This European company featured Pasta d’oro 100% corn pasta, a gluten-free version of such pasta favorites as penne, rigati, fusilli and fettucine, to name only a few in this extensive line that is free from gluten, wheat, dairy, eggs, sugar, cholesterol, yeast, soy, sodium and nuts. Sam Mills also had its line of gluten-free sauces on display, with recipes including Olive Zingara Style, Tomato & Basil, Tuna and Olives, Tomato & Vegetable, and Rocotta Cheese & Vodka.
Andrew & Everett – This favorite around the L household for its range of gluten-free cheeses with no casein added announced a couple of introductions set to come to gluten-free refrigerated cases: a butter free of gluten, antibiotics and preservatives (no word on its casein content; it’s still in development), and a revamped version of its popular Mozzarella String Cheese, which will now be individually wrapped, 8-count packages. Oh, and I again put in a request for a gluten free/casein-free cream cheese.
Shabtai Gourmet Gluten Free Bakery – While this company has gluten-free in its name, its baked goods are also free of casein, peanuts, soy, corn, dairy and lactose. Its dedicated facility has now introduced its take on the iconic Hostess Ho Ho, as well as brownie bites. The products are handmade in the company’s New York bakery, and can be found in select freezer cases around the country.
These were quite good, and while they may be hard to find, they’re well worth bugging local retailers to stock in their frozen or in-store bakery cases. www.Shabtai-Gourmet.com
Enjoy Life Foods – The new Crunchy Vanilla Honey Graham Cookie joined Enjoy Life’s cookie range, which includes sugar cookies, a chocolate chip cookie and double-chocolate chip cookies.
Granola made its way into Enjoy Life’s portfolio, with Double Chocolate Crunch, Cinnamon Crunch, Very Berry Crunch and Cranapple Crunch, each of which may be eaten with rice milk or straight out of the bag. The company also introduced reformulated versions of its soft-baked cookies (in Snickerdoodle, Double Chocolate Brownie, Lively Lemon and Happy Apple varieties, to name only a few). Also retooled has been Enjoy Life’s Chewy On-the-Go Bars, with flavors such as Cocoa Loco, Caramel Apple and Sunbutter Crunch.
For bakers, Enjoy Life added Semi-sweet Chocolate Mega Chunks, and all of the company’s products are free of wheat, peanuts, eggs, fish, dairy, tree nuts, soy, shellfish, casein, potatoes, sesame and sulfites. Enjoy Life’s products are produced in a dedicated nut-free and dedicated and/or certified gluten-free facility, and so far, they have not disappointed in terms of quality or
allergen issues. www.enjoylifefoods.com
Annie’s Inc. – Annie’s Homegrown added two new varieties to its gluten-free Bunny Cookies, with SnickerDoodle and Ginger Snap joining the original Cocoa & Vanilla option.
Coffaro’s Baking Co. – A biscotti is now available without wheat or dairy. Coffaro’s Biscotti can be found in such flavors as Cranberry Almond, Chocolate Chip and Lemon Vanilla. www.Coffaros.com
Green Rabbit LLC – This company, probably best known for its MimicCreme non-dairy cream substitute, has now introduced Healthy Top Whipping Cream. Made from almonds and cashews, it’s free of lactose, gluten and caseinates, but as is fairly obvious, it does contain tree nuts. www.mimiccreme.com
Oat Solutions LLC – Ahhh, oats. I know oats are controversial, to say the least, in gluten-free circles; numerous studies have found oats contain gluten, but oat proponents contend those studies examined oats which had been contaminated with gluten during sorting and delivery. I leave it to each of you to opt for yourself whether to consume oats, but Oat Solutions LLC will be promoting its Simpli Oatmeal and Whole Oat Flour as gluten-free.
The same company also announced a “low-gluten alternative to sugary sodas, juice boxes and chocolate milk.” Each Oat Shake has no dairy or lactose, but there was no indication of exactly how much constitutes “low-gluten” in Oat Solutions’ eyes. www.livesimpli.com
XO Baking Co. – The tales of people discovering their Celiac Disease and having to adjust their entire dining life is easily relatable; the founder of this company was a baker and had to change her entire career direction. Lindsey Deitsch’s company now has an entire range of baking mixes, all promising to be gluten-free and made from a blend of whole-grain brown rice flour and coconut flours. Its mixes include Fudge Brownie, Gingerbread Cookie, Double Chocolate Chip Cookie, Banana Bread and Corn Bread, all free of wheat and dairy. www.xobaking.com
Daiya Foods – While Daiya’s range of shredded-cheese-like products are free of dairy, lactose, casein, gluten, peanuts and soy, the products still haven’t quite overcome the issues of melting and off-taste which have plagued them since last year’s launch. It doesn’t taste and perform exactly like cheese for a simple reason: it’s not cheese. It’s a vegan product made from tapioca and arrowroot flours, oils, pea protein and other ingredients. New to the range this year will be Pepperjack-style Shreds. Is it an ideal cheese replacer? No, but it’s a suitable substitute for the time being. www.daiyafoods.com
Verve Inc. – Better known by the name of its chewing gum, Glee Gum, Verve added a pair of sugar-free options. Lemon-Lime and Refresh-Mint Glee are free of corn, soy and gluten and, in place of sugar, are sweetened with xylitol. www.gleegum.com
Prima Provisions Co. – Otherwise known as Chebe and featuring a range of gluten-free baking mixes (including rolls, focaccia, pizza crust and cinnamon rolls) and frozen dough (ciabatta, breadsticks and cheese rolls, among others), the company was proudest of its planned brand overhaul in 2011, which will see it adopt a new brand identity -- Chebe: Delicious by Nature. www.chebe.com
Peanut Butter & Co. – Obviously not for nut-free consumers, Peanut Butter & Co.’s product launches this year included one product with an ingredient I haven’t seen. Its new Squeeze Packs are available in three flavors – Smooth Operator (a natural peanut butter), The Bee’s Knees (peanut butter blended with honey) and Dark Chocolate Dreams (peanut butter blended with dark chocolate). It’s the latter with the new-to-me ingredient. With soy off of L’s menu, I frequently find myself cursing chocolate products with lecithin, because it is usually derived from soy. The ingredients in Peanut Butter & Co.’s Dark Chocolate Dreams, however, list “lecithin (from sunflowers).” I’ll have to do some more research into this and may report later, if L has me back.
Oh, back to Peanut Butter & Co.’s launches. It also added Snack in the Box, a decidedly allergen-unfriendly product. Its ingredients include flour, wheat gluten, soy flour and soy lecithin in its crackers. My advice would be to check the package carefully and make sure even the Squeeze Boxes indicate they are manufactured in a dedicated gluten-free facility. www.ilovepeanutbutter.com
Morini Brands – There’s no escaping Natural Products Expo’s past; exhibitors and attendees alike proudly boast of its origins with what they affectionately refer to as “Birkenstock attendees” looking solely for the latest vegetarian products. As such, the show traditionally has any number of meat alternatives, and this year was no exception, with Morini Brands launching Bahama Rice Burger, Rice Sausage and Rice Meatballs, all free of soy, wheat and gluten. For those of you worried about adding Omega-3 fatty acids to your diet but with no desire to eat more fish or the seed-based options, these products claim to have between 1,000 milligrams and 2,000 milligrams of ALA Omega-3s per serving. www.BahamaRiceBurger.com
Ian’s Natural Foods – The company promises a “new great tasting recipe” for its Chicken Nuggets, Chicken Patties and Chicken Nuggets Kids Meal, all free of wheat, gluten, milk, casein, eggs, nuts and soy.
Maplegrove Gluten Free Foods Inc. – While Ian’s coined probably my favorite product name I saw on the show floor this year (that would be Ian’s Mac & No Cheese), Maplegrove Gluten Free added a convenient take on macaroni and cheese. Its Rice Mac & Cheese Meal is free of gluten and microwaveable in its package. It also promises to be free of soy, eggs and nuts.
Maplegrove also introduced a White Rice Macaroni & Yellow Cheddar Cheese. The all-natural pasta in Maplegrove’s line of macaroni and cheese (not the microwaveable bowl mentioned above) is made with only rice or potato flours and are produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility. Plus, the company assures the products are free of soy, eggs and nuts. www.maplegrovefoods.com
Turtle Mountain LLC – First, a caveat: Turtle Mountain’s Coconut Milk Non-dairy Frozen Desserts are essentially ice cream-like products free of dairy and gluten, with many of their products also free of soy. Probably. Its products don’t have gluten, dairy or soy, and they’re manufactured in a facility free of those allergens, according to their website. However, likely due to the complete lack of a gluten-free standard in the U.S., they don’t actually claim to be gluten-free.
So, with that out of the way, let me note the company has added So Delicious Greek Style Cultured Coconut Milk, a soy-free and dairy-free product in Blueberry, Chocolate, Plain, Raspberry, Strawberry and Vanilla flavors. No word on the gluten content, so again, my advice would be to check the package and the Turtle Mountain website – www.SoDeliciousDairyFree.com.
Turtle Mountain has also added a line of coconut milk beverages. These promise to be soy-free and dairy-free, but as for the gluten content, it’s almost anyone’s guess. The label has a “Certified Gluten-Free” tag (a damned unique sight on any Turtle Mountain product), but a company rep explained it’s produced by a co-packer: essentially, this company is producing the product, and Turtle Mountain puts its label on it. With no knowledge of the co-packer’s identity, it’s tough to confirm the product’s lack of gluten, but again, I’ll repeat the mantra: “Check the package labels carefully.” The tentative ingredient label does indicate “natural flavors,” which can contain gluten and/or soy. For what it’s worth, the chocolate version has an excellent flavor, and an Egg Nog variety was drawing raves.
Udi’s Gluten Free Foods – Udi’s burst on to the gluten-free scene last year with an excellent range of muffins, breads and pizza crust, with bagels arriving in select freezer cases later in the year. This year, Udi’s embraced buns, introducing Hot Dog and Hamburger Buns. I had the chance to sample the hamburger buns in a pulled pork sandwich, and while the texture was spot-on, it was a little chewy. Still, this was as close to a regular hamburger bun as I’ve had in a gluten-free product, and Udi’s entire range claims to be free of gluten, dairy and soy. www.udisglutenfree.com
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Good Article on Going Gluten-free
Check it out here.
One thing I like is that the article makes it quite clear that a gluten-free diet is a commitment, and clarifies that even trace amounts of gluten can trigger a response in someone with celiac disease. Moreover, it discusses that triggering that autoimmune response, particularly repeatedly, also can have adverse health effects, even if someone generally follows a gf diet.
It's important, and I'm glad accurate information is being disseminated. Many people seem to believe that a few crumbs from a product with gluten in it aren't a problem; not so. Mad props to the article's author for being thorough.
One thing I like is that the article makes it quite clear that a gluten-free diet is a commitment, and clarifies that even trace amounts of gluten can trigger a response in someone with celiac disease. Moreover, it discusses that triggering that autoimmune response, particularly repeatedly, also can have adverse health effects, even if someone generally follows a gf diet.
It's important, and I'm glad accurate information is being disseminated. Many people seem to believe that a few crumbs from a product with gluten in it aren't a problem; not so. Mad props to the article's author for being thorough.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Subway Tests Gluten-free
This week, Subway in a trial run began offering gluten-free bread and brownies in a couple of its Texas locations. Read more about its efforts. While, on one hand, I'm so excited that a major chain is actively looking for ways to accommodate its gluten-free customers, on the other, I'm not only skeptical but leery.
Subway is making some effort to counter cross-contamination by managing the knives that are used for gluten-free orders. That said, the preparation space and all the other ingredients will be contaminated with gluten unless the prep area is meticulously maintained and the ingredients used for the gluten-free customers are kept separate. Switching gloves won't help if the meats, cheeses and other sandwich components already have been handled with gloves that first came in contact with wheat bread. Then there's the issue of deli meats like ham and turkey that may or may not be gluten-free themselves either.
Again, it's great that Subway is taking the initiative. I'm sure there are some gf folks for whom just having the gluten-free bread available will be enough to encourage them to try it. However, under these conditions, I for one still wouldn't be able to eat there safely.
Subway is making some effort to counter cross-contamination by managing the knives that are used for gluten-free orders. That said, the preparation space and all the other ingredients will be contaminated with gluten unless the prep area is meticulously maintained and the ingredients used for the gluten-free customers are kept separate. Switching gloves won't help if the meats, cheeses and other sandwich components already have been handled with gloves that first came in contact with wheat bread. Then there's the issue of deli meats like ham and turkey that may or may not be gluten-free themselves either.
Again, it's great that Subway is taking the initiative. I'm sure there are some gf folks for whom just having the gluten-free bread available will be enough to encourage them to try it. However, under these conditions, I for one still wouldn't be able to eat there safely.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Article on Dining GF at Luxury Hotel
The Fairmont Hotel chain now will be catering to its gluten-free guests. As most of us who are gluten-free know, traveling with a restricted diet can be difficult. What great news. I can only assume other hotels will follow suit. Click this link to read more.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
A New Resolution
Happy New Year! While I still haven't wrapped my head around the fact that it is indeed 2011 -- I keep writing 2010 -- I'm excited about the new year. It's always such an optimistic time for me -- I love all the possibilities the next 12 months hold; what new experiences I'll have, personal discoveries I'll make, new places I'll see, things I'll learn. It's also very much a time of assessment and renewal -- did I do what I set out to do in the past year; what do I want to accomplish over the course of the next year; where do I need to make progress?
I know a lot of people scoff at the notion of resolutions. I love them. I suppose it's because I approach them differently. If it were just a matter of saying "I want to lose weight," then going to the gym for six weeks and no more, the resolution quickly forgotten, I would think them pointless too. But I love the word "resolve" -- it's such a good, strong verb that connotes a staunch determination in action. Rather than delude myself that I'll do something starting Jan. 1 and will continue to do so for the next 364 days, instead I make a wide list of quantifiable things I plan to do over the next year -- a goal sheet really -- and I give myself all year to do them.
There's something to be said for the increased self-awareness that comes from thinking about how you want to improve your life and then writing down what you need to do to make it happen. Last year, for example, one of my resolutions was to read more. I had looked back over what I had read in 2009, and horrified at how few books I actually had read, I planned to read at least two new books a month in 2010 (rereading old favorites didn't count). I figured it was a manageable goal; well, as it turns out, I actually read 40 new books last year, including devouring the Twilight Saga five times (although of course each book only counted once). So this year, I plan to read at least 48 new books. Roughly a book a week -- or four per month -- is a reasonable goal for me, and yes, I do read fast.
How does all this apply to a gluten-free lifestyle? Well, in a couple ways. Another resolution for me is to do a better job of meal-planning, while, at the same time, saving more money.
I'm trying to get into using coupons when I go grocery shopping. I'm a pro on getting discounts at bookstores and craft stores and when buying almost anything else, my groceries though, not so much. I have gotten to the point where I wasn't considering the cost of things; I had just accepted that allergen-free food was more expensive, and it is -- my wanting to spend less isn't going to make it any less expensive. But I can be smarter in how I shop for my groceries.
I already do a decent job in this regard. As I mentioned a couple years ago, I try to shop where I can get a discount. (I'm a regular patron at Fruitful Yield, which sells gluten-free products at lower prices, and has a free frequent shopper program. Sign up and just make sure they swipe your card every time you shop. After you spend $200, you get a $5 coupon in the in the mail.)
But, there's still definitely room for improvement, as my grocery receipts would attest.
This fall, I came across a seminar at my local library on how to use coupons effectively. When I called to register, the librarian told me the seminar was full, but that there was a DVD I could check out -- Super-Couponing, by Jill Cataldo. I watched the program and learned a lot. It has made a difference in how I shop, particularly for household products. Truthfully, my diet is so restricted that many of the grocery coupons often available aren't suitable for me. That said, I'm much more aware of all the resources out there and how to get good buys on groceries I do buy.
Thanks to her seminar, I now actually go through the circulars that come in the mail, and look for the weekly deals. My goal this year is to combine couponing with better meal-planning -- with an emphasis on balancing nutrition, because it can be very easy to get into a rut going gluten-free. Once I find comfort foods, that's all I want to eat, on a limited rotating basis because it's easy and satisfying, but not exactly healthy. I may not be eating foods saturated with additives, but still I'm not eating the best balanced diet. Adding more variety to my meals and saving money to boot, now that's a win-win.
After watching the couponing DVD, I got curious and started looking around for deals more pertinent for my grocery-shopping. One thing I discovered is that Whole Foods offers in-store coupons, and frequently on brands I buy. Ka-ching. Visit the coupon section on the store's website to check out the current offers.
Eating out gluten-free also can add up. I just learned about a cool program at P.F. Chang's, which, if you didn't know, is a great restaurant for gf folks -- there's a sizable gluten-free menu; the staff generally is well informed; the gf dishes come out on round plates to distinguish them from non-gf counterparts. Called the Warrior Card program, it's free to sign up, and you'll receive a card in the mail that you present with your bill to get discounts -- currently 10% off your meal (not including tax and gratuity, of course).
Back to the coupons and meal-planning, it will take discipline to follow this resolution, and I'm still puzzling over the best way to quantify it so I know I've made measurable progress. I'll let you know how it goes.
I know a lot of people scoff at the notion of resolutions. I love them. I suppose it's because I approach them differently. If it were just a matter of saying "I want to lose weight," then going to the gym for six weeks and no more, the resolution quickly forgotten, I would think them pointless too. But I love the word "resolve" -- it's such a good, strong verb that connotes a staunch determination in action. Rather than delude myself that I'll do something starting Jan. 1 and will continue to do so for the next 364 days, instead I make a wide list of quantifiable things I plan to do over the next year -- a goal sheet really -- and I give myself all year to do them.
There's something to be said for the increased self-awareness that comes from thinking about how you want to improve your life and then writing down what you need to do to make it happen. Last year, for example, one of my resolutions was to read more. I had looked back over what I had read in 2009, and horrified at how few books I actually had read, I planned to read at least two new books a month in 2010 (rereading old favorites didn't count). I figured it was a manageable goal; well, as it turns out, I actually read 40 new books last year, including devouring the Twilight Saga five times (although of course each book only counted once). So this year, I plan to read at least 48 new books. Roughly a book a week -- or four per month -- is a reasonable goal for me, and yes, I do read fast.
How does all this apply to a gluten-free lifestyle? Well, in a couple ways. Another resolution for me is to do a better job of meal-planning, while, at the same time, saving more money.
I'm trying to get into using coupons when I go grocery shopping. I'm a pro on getting discounts at bookstores and craft stores and when buying almost anything else, my groceries though, not so much. I have gotten to the point where I wasn't considering the cost of things; I had just accepted that allergen-free food was more expensive, and it is -- my wanting to spend less isn't going to make it any less expensive. But I can be smarter in how I shop for my groceries.
I already do a decent job in this regard. As I mentioned a couple years ago, I try to shop where I can get a discount. (I'm a regular patron at Fruitful Yield, which sells gluten-free products at lower prices, and has a free frequent shopper program. Sign up and just make sure they swipe your card every time you shop. After you spend $200, you get a $5 coupon in the in the mail.)
But, there's still definitely room for improvement, as my grocery receipts would attest.
This fall, I came across a seminar at my local library on how to use coupons effectively. When I called to register, the librarian told me the seminar was full, but that there was a DVD I could check out -- Super-Couponing, by Jill Cataldo. I watched the program and learned a lot. It has made a difference in how I shop, particularly for household products. Truthfully, my diet is so restricted that many of the grocery coupons often available aren't suitable for me. That said, I'm much more aware of all the resources out there and how to get good buys on groceries I do buy.
Thanks to her seminar, I now actually go through the circulars that come in the mail, and look for the weekly deals. My goal this year is to combine couponing with better meal-planning -- with an emphasis on balancing nutrition, because it can be very easy to get into a rut going gluten-free. Once I find comfort foods, that's all I want to eat, on a limited rotating basis because it's easy and satisfying, but not exactly healthy. I may not be eating foods saturated with additives, but still I'm not eating the best balanced diet. Adding more variety to my meals and saving money to boot, now that's a win-win.
After watching the couponing DVD, I got curious and started looking around for deals more pertinent for my grocery-shopping. One thing I discovered is that Whole Foods offers in-store coupons, and frequently on brands I buy. Ka-ching. Visit the coupon section on the store's website to check out the current offers.
Eating out gluten-free also can add up. I just learned about a cool program at P.F. Chang's, which, if you didn't know, is a great restaurant for gf folks -- there's a sizable gluten-free menu; the staff generally is well informed; the gf dishes come out on round plates to distinguish them from non-gf counterparts. Called the Warrior Card program, it's free to sign up, and you'll receive a card in the mail that you present with your bill to get discounts -- currently 10% off your meal (not including tax and gratuity, of course).
Back to the coupons and meal-planning, it will take discipline to follow this resolution, and I'm still puzzling over the best way to quantify it so I know I've made measurable progress. I'll let you know how it goes.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Oh, (Pea)nuts
Wow, it's been a long time since I've written. This summer saw additional health issues crop up for me -- heart troubles this time, an erratically irregular heartbeat. Fortunately, it's being managed, and in the scheme of things, not that bad. I could have done without all the testing: truly, after the last two years, I feel like a human pincushion -- I've gotten to the point where I inform the phlebotomist which arm and which vein to use -- and let me tell you, an echo stress test minus a bra when you're well endowed really is not fun. That said, I learned something new from my cardiologist -- people with celiac disease are at a higher risk for heart disease; it can just crop up. Good to know. Luckily for me, I don't have heart disease, high cholesterol or anything like that. It's just that my heart decided it didn't want to do the routine anymore. With having more than 10,000 irregular beats in a 24-hour period, I'm now on a medicine that regulates my heart activity. It's something I do have to manage, but it could be worse.
More recently, I had a couple health episodes that have me frankly freaked. Just about two years ago, I was diagnosed with idiopathic angioedema. I discussed it a little more in-depth in "Add One More Thing" in early 2009. The deal basically is that I'm allergic to something I touch that will cause me to swell all over and have difficulty breathing; the cause is unknown (how's that for a specific diagnosis?). I always carry Benadryl and an Epi-Pen. I also know that certain chemicals can cause that reaction, so for example with many household cleaners and gardening products, I wear gloves. Not convenient, perhaps, but manageable. I just have to be careful.
Well, Thanksgiving weekend, I had an angioedema attack. It was Friday, and I was cooking a big evening meal. Late afternoon, in the middle of making my sweet potato casserole, my right forefinger started swelling. Now I have a rule: If I'm allergic to it, I don't touch it; if I can't eat it, I don't make it. And the sweet potato casserole is a recipe of my own design, modified from B's grandmother's version (she's the sort who leaves out ingredients when giving you a recipe, but that's another story), so there's nothing in it that should be a problem for me. I racked my mind for what the problem might be. I wasn't entirely certain it was angioedema; I even wondered if I had burned or bruised my finger somehow without realizing it.
Not knowing what was going on, I didn't want to take Benadryl before bed for fear of a reaction with my heart medicine. My blood pressure is low already, lower still with the beta blocker, and Benadryl knocks me out. So I crashed, hoping I'd wake up feeling better. Bad decision.
The next morning, my right hand was completely swollen (I could barely bend my fingers), as was to a lesser extent my left, along with my eyelids, lips, tongue and groin. Crap. Yes, it was angioedema. I downed the antihistamine and crashed. There went the rest of the weekend.
I figured that perhaps, before I started cooking, when I had been taking care of my Christmas plants -- I have pots of amaryllis and paperwhites for the holidays -- I touched something that triggered a reaction. It wasn't a completely typical angioedema attack for me, so I wasn't sure what exactly was going on. I haven't had a reaction for at least a year and half or longer so I couldn't be sure.
But Sunday was more of the same. By this time, lymph nodes all over my body were inflamed and tender, and I ached all over, in addition to still being swollen. More Benadryl and rest. And so it went until Tuesday when I finally started feeling better.
Then the following Saturday afternoon, the same thing happened. My hand started swelling again. But I had touched nothing atypical.
When I have an angioedema episode, I replay events in my mind and analyze what possibly could be the cause. It's an absolutely miserable experience, not to mention potentially very dangerous, so I do my best to determine what triggered a reaction so as not to inadvertently invite it again.
Last Saturday afternoon, I'm laying down, Benadryl on-board, watching old movie reruns, napping off and on, trying to figure out what possibly was going on with me. I'm thinking about common threads, what was new or different, what had I touched or eaten. Then it struck me.
The one thing I had eaten on all those days when the reaction was so bad was peanut butter. I was hungry for a snack that Friday after Thanksgiving, and I needed something with protein. So I opted for half of a toasted English muffin with gf peanut butter and a lovely raspberry jelly. It tasted so great, I had the same thing for a snack the next day, and then the following weekend.
I haven't had peanut butter in almost a year. I'm trying to take off extra weight, and I'm avoiding unnecessary fats. The last time I had peanut butter was last Christmas, when I made peanut butter truffles for the holiday. I didn't have any problems then.
Peanuts! I don't know why it didn't occur to me sooner. I'm frustrated with myself for not making the connection sooner. Really, losing precious weekend time during the holidays is irritating and stressful, not to mention I really don't like feeling like crap for days. And I've never had problems with peanut butter in the past; when I was much younger, there was a time I had peanut butter every day! But I also think it may have taken me so long to figure it out because my mind shies away from the notion that I am developing new allergies.
Much like the heart problems, for me, a peanut allergy is manageable. Ideal? Certainly not. But I can live with it, if that's truly what's going on, primarily because I have alternatives, like almonds, pecans, walnuts. What is intolerable to me is continuing to develop new allergies. What if I do? Last year, sesame went off the list -- I can't breathe if I eat it. Now this year, peanuts? I did some research, and angioedema is a very common allergic reaction to peanuts. Great. What's next?
When I meet new people and they find out I'm gluten-free, frequently they still ask, what do you eat? It takes me a minute to remember that it is a challenge. Gluten-free has become so normal, so routine for me, I don't really think about it anymore. It isn't that it's necessarily easy, because it isn't, as my cousin who's learning to go gluten-free right now can attest, and it certainly wasn't for me. Now, casein-free was harder, because oh, how I loved my milk and butter and everything made with them. Soy was the hardest, not because I can't do without edamame, but primarily because so many gfcf things contain soy. (For those who say that soy lecithin has no effect on people with a soy allergy, I call bullshit. Trust me, I've tried it.) Avocado, salmon, sesame, even peanuts, really all of these I can live without. So I can't have guacamole, proper hummus or peanut butter; I'll survive. But I am concerned that at the rate I'm going, I'll run out of decent things to eat.
If you ask me, absolutely the hardest thing about having celiac disease is being one of those people for whom eliminating gluten isn't enough. That my system is so comprised by the disease I continue to develop auto-immune problems is far, far worse than having to go without whole-wheat bakery products or barley-based beer.
Two of my cousins have been diagnosed with extensive food allergies within the past six months or so. On the list for both of them: gluten, eggs, peanuts. Then their respective lists vary in length and type, but include common and uncommon allergens that range from tree nuts, soy and corn to blueberries and pumpkin.
I'm scared shitless that my list of allergies has grown longer, too. But I guess it's time to call my immunologist and make an appointment.
More recently, I had a couple health episodes that have me frankly freaked. Just about two years ago, I was diagnosed with idiopathic angioedema. I discussed it a little more in-depth in "Add One More Thing" in early 2009. The deal basically is that I'm allergic to something I touch that will cause me to swell all over and have difficulty breathing; the cause is unknown (how's that for a specific diagnosis?). I always carry Benadryl and an Epi-Pen. I also know that certain chemicals can cause that reaction, so for example with many household cleaners and gardening products, I wear gloves. Not convenient, perhaps, but manageable. I just have to be careful.
Well, Thanksgiving weekend, I had an angioedema attack. It was Friday, and I was cooking a big evening meal. Late afternoon, in the middle of making my sweet potato casserole, my right forefinger started swelling. Now I have a rule: If I'm allergic to it, I don't touch it; if I can't eat it, I don't make it. And the sweet potato casserole is a recipe of my own design, modified from B's grandmother's version (she's the sort who leaves out ingredients when giving you a recipe, but that's another story), so there's nothing in it that should be a problem for me. I racked my mind for what the problem might be. I wasn't entirely certain it was angioedema; I even wondered if I had burned or bruised my finger somehow without realizing it.
Not knowing what was going on, I didn't want to take Benadryl before bed for fear of a reaction with my heart medicine. My blood pressure is low already, lower still with the beta blocker, and Benadryl knocks me out. So I crashed, hoping I'd wake up feeling better. Bad decision.
The next morning, my right hand was completely swollen (I could barely bend my fingers), as was to a lesser extent my left, along with my eyelids, lips, tongue and groin. Crap. Yes, it was angioedema. I downed the antihistamine and crashed. There went the rest of the weekend.
I figured that perhaps, before I started cooking, when I had been taking care of my Christmas plants -- I have pots of amaryllis and paperwhites for the holidays -- I touched something that triggered a reaction. It wasn't a completely typical angioedema attack for me, so I wasn't sure what exactly was going on. I haven't had a reaction for at least a year and half or longer so I couldn't be sure.
But Sunday was more of the same. By this time, lymph nodes all over my body were inflamed and tender, and I ached all over, in addition to still being swollen. More Benadryl and rest. And so it went until Tuesday when I finally started feeling better.
Then the following Saturday afternoon, the same thing happened. My hand started swelling again. But I had touched nothing atypical.
When I have an angioedema episode, I replay events in my mind and analyze what possibly could be the cause. It's an absolutely miserable experience, not to mention potentially very dangerous, so I do my best to determine what triggered a reaction so as not to inadvertently invite it again.
Last Saturday afternoon, I'm laying down, Benadryl on-board, watching old movie reruns, napping off and on, trying to figure out what possibly was going on with me. I'm thinking about common threads, what was new or different, what had I touched or eaten. Then it struck me.
The one thing I had eaten on all those days when the reaction was so bad was peanut butter. I was hungry for a snack that Friday after Thanksgiving, and I needed something with protein. So I opted for half of a toasted English muffin with gf peanut butter and a lovely raspberry jelly. It tasted so great, I had the same thing for a snack the next day, and then the following weekend.
I haven't had peanut butter in almost a year. I'm trying to take off extra weight, and I'm avoiding unnecessary fats. The last time I had peanut butter was last Christmas, when I made peanut butter truffles for the holiday. I didn't have any problems then.
Peanuts! I don't know why it didn't occur to me sooner. I'm frustrated with myself for not making the connection sooner. Really, losing precious weekend time during the holidays is irritating and stressful, not to mention I really don't like feeling like crap for days. And I've never had problems with peanut butter in the past; when I was much younger, there was a time I had peanut butter every day! But I also think it may have taken me so long to figure it out because my mind shies away from the notion that I am developing new allergies.
Much like the heart problems, for me, a peanut allergy is manageable. Ideal? Certainly not. But I can live with it, if that's truly what's going on, primarily because I have alternatives, like almonds, pecans, walnuts. What is intolerable to me is continuing to develop new allergies. What if I do? Last year, sesame went off the list -- I can't breathe if I eat it. Now this year, peanuts? I did some research, and angioedema is a very common allergic reaction to peanuts. Great. What's next?
When I meet new people and they find out I'm gluten-free, frequently they still ask, what do you eat? It takes me a minute to remember that it is a challenge. Gluten-free has become so normal, so routine for me, I don't really think about it anymore. It isn't that it's necessarily easy, because it isn't, as my cousin who's learning to go gluten-free right now can attest, and it certainly wasn't for me. Now, casein-free was harder, because oh, how I loved my milk and butter and everything made with them. Soy was the hardest, not because I can't do without edamame, but primarily because so many gfcf things contain soy. (For those who say that soy lecithin has no effect on people with a soy allergy, I call bullshit. Trust me, I've tried it.) Avocado, salmon, sesame, even peanuts, really all of these I can live without. So I can't have guacamole, proper hummus or peanut butter; I'll survive. But I am concerned that at the rate I'm going, I'll run out of decent things to eat.
If you ask me, absolutely the hardest thing about having celiac disease is being one of those people for whom eliminating gluten isn't enough. That my system is so comprised by the disease I continue to develop auto-immune problems is far, far worse than having to go without whole-wheat bakery products or barley-based beer.
Two of my cousins have been diagnosed with extensive food allergies within the past six months or so. On the list for both of them: gluten, eggs, peanuts. Then their respective lists vary in length and type, but include common and uncommon allergens that range from tree nuts, soy and corn to blueberries and pumpkin.
I'm scared shitless that my list of allergies has grown longer, too. But I guess it's time to call my immunologist and make an appointment.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
New Gluten-free Mexican Food on the Jersey Shore
Starting this summer, visitors to the Ocean City, N.J., Boardwalk will have a new gluten-free option for meals. Pure Tacos is a new Mexican-fusion fast-casual restaurant – and one that provides diverse menu options for gluten-restricted diets.
Located at 1138 Boardwalk in Ocean City, Pure Tacos' menu features premium tacos and nachos, and offers more authentic Mexican options, as well as new takes on classic favorites. Achiote grilled steak and tomato-chipotle salsa are just a couple of the authentic ingredients incorporated into Pure Tacos’ dishes.
As someone with celiac disease, owner Ted Schroeder understands very well the challenges those on a restricted diet face when they travel: "Pure Tacos in Ocean City was born partly from the fact that I had very little I could eat on the Boardwalk. I follow a gluten-free diet, and pizza doesn't work for me. Our whole menu is geared to provide Ocean City with flavors and foods that are not currently offered, and as an added bonus, everything on the menu is naturally gluten-free."
Pure Tacos offers a Mexican-inspired menu that uses fresh, simple ingredients in fusion fashion. The menu's foundation is authentic Mexican cuisine and street food flavors. From homemade chorizo tacos to fusion-inspired cheeseburger tacos and chicken, bacon and ranch nachos, Pure Tacos’ menu should be accessible to anyone gluten-free since nothing on the menu is off-limits. Schroeder notes, "Our gluten-free customers can rest assured that their needs will be met, and their expectations surpassed.”
Something else that's sure to appeal to the gluten-free customer: Pure Tacos also aims to be economically accessible; its founders believe that quality doesn't need to be cost-prohibitive. Schroeder explains, "Because of the economy, people don't want to pay $25 for a great meal anymore. Pure Tacos gives the flavors and textures of that type of meal, but at a much more approachable cost."
The restaurant offers a breakfast menu, including a bacon and egg taco or a sausage and egg taco, until 11:00 a.m.; the full menu is available for the rest of the day. Nachos run from $6 for a regular plate to $9 for a large order, while tacos are priced at $6 for two to $9 for three. Freshly made tortilla chips accompany all taco orders.
Pure Tacos opens May 15, and will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. until Labor Day. For more information, including the full menu, visit www.puretacos.com.
Located at 1138 Boardwalk in Ocean City, Pure Tacos' menu features premium tacos and nachos, and offers more authentic Mexican options, as well as new takes on classic favorites. Achiote grilled steak and tomato-chipotle salsa are just a couple of the authentic ingredients incorporated into Pure Tacos’ dishes.
As someone with celiac disease, owner Ted Schroeder understands very well the challenges those on a restricted diet face when they travel: "Pure Tacos in Ocean City was born partly from the fact that I had very little I could eat on the Boardwalk. I follow a gluten-free diet, and pizza doesn't work for me. Our whole menu is geared to provide Ocean City with flavors and foods that are not currently offered, and as an added bonus, everything on the menu is naturally gluten-free."
Pure Tacos offers a Mexican-inspired menu that uses fresh, simple ingredients in fusion fashion. The menu's foundation is authentic Mexican cuisine and street food flavors. From homemade chorizo tacos to fusion-inspired cheeseburger tacos and chicken, bacon and ranch nachos, Pure Tacos’ menu should be accessible to anyone gluten-free since nothing on the menu is off-limits. Schroeder notes, "Our gluten-free customers can rest assured that their needs will be met, and their expectations surpassed.”
Something else that's sure to appeal to the gluten-free customer: Pure Tacos also aims to be economically accessible; its founders believe that quality doesn't need to be cost-prohibitive. Schroeder explains, "Because of the economy, people don't want to pay $25 for a great meal anymore. Pure Tacos gives the flavors and textures of that type of meal, but at a much more approachable cost."
The restaurant offers a breakfast menu, including a bacon and egg taco or a sausage and egg taco, until 11:00 a.m.; the full menu is available for the rest of the day. Nachos run from $6 for a regular plate to $9 for a large order, while tacos are priced at $6 for two to $9 for three. Freshly made tortilla chips accompany all taco orders.
Pure Tacos opens May 15, and will be open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. until Labor Day. For more information, including the full menu, visit www.puretacos.com.
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