Buffalo chicken Crepe Revolution in Smyrna, GA

Lip-tinglingly picante, tastes like buffalo wings without the messy bones and stuff.  The gluten free crepe looked lighter in color and had more air bubbles than my companion's gluteny version.  Tasted light with a rice flavor.

Be My Gluten Free Valentine

First things first:  Here is the link to a good list of gluten free Valentine Candy.  This site also has a blog with weekly gluten free menu planning with recipe links!  They eat way too much chicken for me, but if you like chicken, you'll love it!  If you want to try your hand at gluten free Valentine treat recipes, look here.

Now, it is time to reminisce on how being gluten free has affected Valentine's Days in the past:

A guy I was dating returned from a bowling tournament in Las Vegas (it was only a 3 hour drive from my CA house, so not a big-deal trip) and brought me a tank top and Godiva chocolate-covered strawberries for an early Valentine's Day prelude to romance.  Well, Godiva has is not gluten free (see link here for explanation), so you should've seen this poor guy's face fall when I hemmed and hawed and finally revealed that I could not eat them.

A former boyfriend (the code writer) took me on a double date to a fancy steak house and, much to my chagrin, my steak was served to me teetering atop a giant SLAB of bread!  The waiter informed us it was a CROUTON.  The waiter told us if we sent it back, the $40 steak would come out of his paycheck, and since I was starving, embarrassed, and only a few months "in" to the celiac lifestyle, I ate the steak and got extreeeeemely sick.  My boyfriend was very nurturing to me that night, but I think romance was NIXED.

Before I was gluten free, a unique, funny guy I was dating in the late '90s owned his own online candy warehouse and sent me a big box full of Chupa Chups (lollypops), champagne gummy candies, and other unique items.  The funny part (which has nothing to do with being gluten free) was that he included a photo of ONLY his arm--in the "muscle" pose--with a giant patch of long, grizzly hair sticking out from his armpit, that he probably didn't realize was the focal point.  My girlfriends and I laughed and laughed!  I kept that pic for years, but once when I was away visiting my family, my "wasband" and evil ex-sister-in-law went in my filing cabinet (this is before we were even married) and threw away all of my old photos and love letters.

Last year, when we lived in the D.C. area, my boyfriend took me to a majority-gluten free restaurant, Lilit Cafe, where I devoured fantastic gluten free crab cakes, a savory Italian sub sandwich with Boar's Head cheese, and peanut butter cupcake-- so much that I got sick.  (Probably all those parts per million add up, or all the dairy, or whatnot).

This Valentine's Day I bought my boyfriend a camouflage heart filled with chocolates, Twix Valentine heart, and Spam (just for the surprise factor).  I will also give him a card and maybe a sweatshirt he has been eyeing but too cheap to purchase for himself.

What I hope to receive (he doesn't read my blog, as far as I know, and if he does- BONUS!)are:

• See's chocolates--(second place would be Ghirardelli, or Russel Stover) .  
• Flowers- preferably my favorite- but since he's never asked what my favorites are, he usually gets me roses or tulips, which is still nice and I appreciate them.  
• Plane tickets or jewelry, although I won't hold my breath on these items.  Remember, this is the guy who mailed me toothpicks when he was gone overseas (he's active-duty military), bath balls when I didn't have a bathtub, a costume jewelry type necklace set that was so cheap the stone had fallen out, so imagine what it looked like when I opened the box!- and this year for Xmas he got me the SAME BOOK his mother got me last year for Xmas that I had told him I didn't like and didn't finish.

Click here to read a LIST of the HORRIBLE and HILARIOUS gifts I received as an elementary school teacher in the ghetto and in general.

To The Major's credit, he gives me lots of stuff in general (no pun intended) that are not for gifts or holidays, but my fave gifts have been leggings and shopping sprees...where I pick it out and he pays. 

Festering gluten-Freely at the Fall Festivals

So, let's start with Oktoberfest. Helen, Georgia, embodies the German influence in its half-timbered buildings, sausage-laden menus, and alpine attitude year-round, so it's the perfect place to celebrate Oktoberfest. And, oh, do they celebrate! People were carrying steins and sporting Bavarian style green fedora hats, lederhosen, Saint Paulie Girl outfits, and suspenders, and noshing on streudel, sauerkraut, hot Bavarian pretzels, and various -wursts. But, really, when one is gluten-freestyling one's way through most "fests", food (and beer, in this case) is to be circumvented, rather than encircled. It's not easy Living Without (love that magazine!), especially when funnel cake is in fruition. Beer was abundant, but I never found a stein or boot-shaped mug, or table tapper offering Green's, New Grist, or Redbridge. Yes, it was disappointing watching everyone devour their delectable delights. For once, I was wishing I was with a weight-conscious, fattening food-avoiding, fork dipping in the salad dressing (on the side), diet-obsessed girlfriend. At least I indulged in a scrumptious caramel apple and a chocolate turtle, alongside my Glutino granola bars and fruit.

Next, was the Tuskeegee/Morehouse football tailgate fete. Holy wow, do these Southerners know how to tailgate. Giant turkey legs, fried fish, barbecue, you name it! And, what was I able to indulge in? A mango smoothie and a bad ear of corn (hard to please a Midwesterner when it comes to corn). Be still my heart. We were there all day and a Lara Bar wasn't cutting it, so I had Seth stop and pick me up some fast food fries when I came home. Thank goodness for Five Guys. The best part of the lackluster football game was the Tuskeegee Band- dancing tuba players and Beyonce-inspired dresses on the drill teams were jaw-dropping. This ain't no Midwest band attire. (We attended because a USMC General was doing the coin toss- Seth had brunch with him,
but I skipped that, for gluten free and sanity reasons. Since Seth is Commanding Officer, we have many weekend functions to attend like this.)

Kilted Men

Giant Potato Ribbon

Scotch Egg

 Finally, there was the Scottish Highland Festival. My Major is Scottish, (but his ginger hair comes from his mom's Italian side).he Carolinas have a huge population of Scots, who come down to the woods of GA to compete in Highland Games including the Caber toss (where they toss a giant log, end-over-end---this began as a bridge building skill in Scotland!), the sheep toss (they use hay bags to simulate sheep, since the PETA probably wouldn't be happy about them chucking the real woolies multiple stories thirty feet in the air), Highland dancing , falcons flying, and sheepdogs herding by whistle command. Kilted men, redheads, and bagpipes abound! Way fun, but I couldn't even partake in ice cream because when I asked if they could scoop mine from a clean container, they opened a new package of cups and scooped it from the container contaminated with waffle cone crumbs, etc. This is why I heart Baskin Robbins. They always get the clean container of mint chip or gold medal ribbon for me. I only wish they still had Martian Mint, my all-time fave. Although, I wonder if that flavor is gluten free? So, I noshed on Glutino crackers and Justin's almond butter and Lara bars which tasted all the worse when watching people devour mile-high ribboned potatoes, Scotch eggs, Bridies, essentially a sausage turnover (which I forced The Major to sample- and he wouldn't put it down, he loved it! It really irks me when he won't try new foods, because I have always enthused in this when I travel or go to cultural events and now I am unable to partake in ethnically eclectic edibles.

Gluten Free Apple Cranberry Crisp

  Halloween and Fall- Yes, there are gluten-free recipes in abundance, but it really irritates the heck out of me when people SUBTRACT the BEST PART of dishes to make them gluten free. CRUSTLESS pie? Are you freaking kidding me? Isn't that called pudding? Or porridge? Or mush? Or gunk? What's so difficult about concocting a nut crust, gf graham cracker crust, or a gf flour crust? Here's a clue: we already live WITHOUT enough stuff. And nobody eats the pie for the filling. I don't recommend pumpkin pancakes- Seth's banana ones are far superior. Pumpkin cookies, chili, Vitamix pumpkin bread, Sylvan Farms pumpernickel bread, apple-cranberry crisp (without sand-like gf flour--this omission is an improvement on the crunch factor), caramel apples and that dip, and those ginger spice cookies with the Sun on the package, Laffy Taffy, mini-Snickers, and Charleston Chew are probably my gluten free fall favorites.

Glutenized Fall foods and candies I yearn for: bread bowls of soups and dips, licorice Nibs, Milky Way, Ralph's grocery store soft sugar cookies, Kit Kat, Twix, and all the festival foods!

 RANDOM TIDBITS:

Frozen Gluten Free Mozzarella Sticks

NEW GLUTEN FREE FOODS ON MY HORIZON: I can't wait to try: Frozen GF Mozzerella Sticks, Trader Joe's mac n cheese, and Good Grub Subs. What I've been eating (since I have to drop a few extra pounds-our USMC Birthday Ball is in Nov.- and Seth is in CA all week): I'm trying not to mess up the kitchen and be low-maintenance for my own satisfaction: Breakfasts: Grits, Greek Yogurt, or Udi Raisin Toast Lunches: Lara Bars, Kettle frozen chili (only b/c it was on sale), or egg salad on Udi bread Dinners: Bell & Evans chicken tenders with bbq or with mozz cheese and spaghetti sauce, or GF Brisket Tamales from the tiny Farmer's Market on Johnson's Ferry Road, and sweet potato, and veg Snacks: Individual packet of French Meadow Bakery brownie or cookie, pears, and celery (plain)

Serendipity! Gluten free tamales under my nose!

What I'm afraid to try: @Joy_bauer 's idea to add canned pumpkin to yogurt for a fall treat. sounds ick What I've tried recently: red quinoa- very nutty flavor. I don't think Seth loved it. I can see why they recommended half red and half plain in the recipe I found online. Gluten free frozen bavarian pretzels- pretty fantastic! Fall foods I'm happy I never cared for: pumpkin pie, cheesecake of any kind, butternut squash soup, casseroles of most kinds. Baby hats my aunt sells that I buy from her to use as gifts:

Turner Field Gluten Free

Turner Field Gluten Free Food stand in section 106-112.

**2014 update food & pics @turnerfield (scroll to Monday section of this post  here).

Originally from the Chicago area, I'm a Cubs fan. However, living the migratory military life with The Major, I bandwagon fan whatever teams are nearby (except when they play Chicago teams)!  I have collected caps, tank tops or shirts for the Angels, Lakers, Dodgers, Cubs, Bears, Redskins, Wizards, and soon will add Braves and Falcons!

Gluten Free hot dog, gluten free beer, and bun at Turner Field in Atlanta, GA. June 30, 2012.

Update July 2012:  The gluten free food booth at Turner Field is still in the area between section  112.  The sign is a tomahawk slashing diagonally through a stalk of wheat in a circle as pictured.  

Gluten free hamburger at Turner Field Summer 2011.  

My boyfriend's gluten dog, that  dwarfs the gluten free one.

The first time I had forced down a substandard hot dog.  I dunno what brand it was, but it didn't taste like Hebrew National, I tell ya.  Better the second time, but too much bun for a puny dog.  The second trip offered gluten free buns with chicken sandwiches, hamburgers, and hot dogs.  Previously, they had chili dogs, but this time, no chili.  Sides consisted of Lara Bars, Brownies, chips, cookies, and Cupcakes from American Gra-frutti.  They were temporarily out of hamburgers, so I had to wait (you know I'm not a big chicken eater, and if it's cheap, processed chick chick....iiiick!)

 A jarring moment occurred when an unobservant, preoccupied fan lugged his giant, foot-long, gluten-laden dog protruding on either end of a standard glutenous bun from a regular food stand, slopped it on the gluten free counter, and proceeded to dig in the basket of packaged ketchup and condiments with his gluteny paws to dress his dawg.   I sure wish the server, who was not busy, would've been more aware of cc and shooed him away.  Who wants crumbs of glutey bun in the basket of gf condiments?

My gf burger was fair (equivalent to any fast-food burger), and the tapioca bun sort of held together enough for me to eat it, but it did crumble at the end and I did have ultra-messy hands after.   I plan to get it again next time.

I also got a chocolate chip cupcake at the stand, it's American Gra-frutti brand and, in my opinion, it was not a cupcake.  It was scrumptious, but it was a muffin.  It was dense and oily, like a muffin, not light, soft,  and airy like a cupcake.    

Finally, there are other "regular" foods that can be ok for gluten free people- cotton candy, Dippin' Dots, Ice cream, chips, smoothies, peanuts, etc.  And they DO allow you to bring your own food and water into the stadium.

Braves Game Cupcake by American Grafrutti:
Deeelicious, but it's a MUFFIN
and thumbs-down on the frosting-cake ratio!

 

       

How to cook gluten free meals

Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what's for lunch. 

Orson Welles

You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces - just good food from fresh ingredients. 

Julia Child

I like rice. Rice is great if you're hungry and want 2000 of something. 

Mitch Hedberg

More food quotes can be found on this website.

I should have this printed on business cards and hand them out when necessary:

Preach not to others what they should eat, but eat as becomes you, and be silent. 

Epictetus  

Like Julia Child says, keep it simple.  I'm no fancy cook.  I don't keep a gadget-filled kitchen.  I don't make up my own recipes.  My honey likes a duality of protein-rich grilled/baked/steamed dinners and unhealthy diner/American food.  (What is American food, you ask?  I believe it's the American versions of foods immigrants brought over, along with foods from the farm.  For example, there ain't no burritos in the real Mexico, and pizza in the U.S. ain't nothin resembling what you find in Italy, if you get my drift.)

So here are some pictures of foods we prepare at our house.  

Rachael Ray's Honey Chicken w/Spicy Lemon Rice: Tasty, but labor-intensive- I elaborate here

Stuffed cabbage from allrecipes website- tastes way better than it looks!

My Marine made dinner- Johnsonville Sweet Italian Sausage gluten free on Rudi's bun (so-so), veg and fruit.   He also selects the dishes, lol.

When I plan meals for the week I consider:

• protein variation (one fish, two poultry, one beef or pork or buffalo(buffalo has a pleasantly soft texture, and not a strong gamey flavor you might expect), one tofu/beans/vegetarian); I hate lamb, venison, etc.
• prep time/ease of preparation (with just 2 of us, we try to cook at home at least four dinners a week, and a fifth leftover or frozen night.  I eat out 0-2 dinners and 1 breakfast  or lunch a week.)
• price (having lived in CA where avocados are sold on the side of the road 4 for a dollar, I won't pay $2 for one; shop coupons/sales; we buy organic when it's affordable.)
• freshness of available ingredients (I like to buy unfrozen fish and fresh cilantro and garlic, for example.)
• flavor variation (if one meal has soy sauce, we won't pick another one with it that week) 
• food pyramid/plate guideline (my mother taught me to shop for the 4 food groups, and I've adjusted it to be sure a plate is half vegetables, a quarter protein and a quarter brown rice/quinoa/starch/bread.  We mostly eat yogurt, broccoli, and drink orange juice for calcium.  I also try to limit processed foods.)

Dr. Rudert's Insight and Gluten Free Whole Foods Atlanta: Gluten free pizza, Daniel Bousquet, gf beer, and The Vitamix

After attending the fabulous Dr. Rudert's question and answer session about celiac disease Saturday, I learned:
*Gluten Free for Dummies is the best selling Dummies book ever!
*She has treated over 600 celiacs and noticed a trigger seems to be ear tubes (like my brother and I had!)
*A lot of people dx with MS don't have MS, they have gluten ataxia
*40% of U.S. population has celiac gene, but only 1% trigger celiac disease
*once celiacs go gluten free, their fertility returns to normal,
*10% of celiacs may have negative bloodwork,
*sibo (Small intestine bacterial overgrowth)is hard to diagnose, but causes many gastro-intestinal issues and she recommends probiotics
*Fat malabsorption in the stool is ALWAYS abnormal (one sign is an orange ring around the toilet)

*she recommends celiacs be followed up annually with doc, testing B12, Vit.D, Thyroid, and MMA
*and she reaffirmed that tingling, neurological issues, and NIGHT BLINDNESS are from malabsorption that celiacs get...I wish she'd email my eye doctor in Virginia who told me "no way".

After the presentation, I sampled a new brand of baked goods: Dr. Sweet's spicy cookie (hot and inedible) and brownie (fair, decent texture, doughy in the mouth, flavor is ok- nothing to write home about), and then I pointed my baby benz in the direction of Whole Foods Sandy Springs for the Gluten Free Food Expo.

I spent 1.5 hours sampling and talking with gluten free lifestyle livers and sample vendors.
Gluten Free Foods I did not like:
Chef Ricardo's Mucho Macho Tomato Sauce- It lacked body and there were herb needles in my mouth
Sweet Oven Cheese Rolls- tasted similar to Chebe. Tasted raw-ish. I'd never eat them.

Chef Daniel Bousquet- himself- he was MIA or talking at the Vitamix table so I never got to try his eggplant lasagna, and just because we're gluten free doesn't mean we want to eat a pile of veggies with cheese as a main course. What on earth do you eat for a side with that? The amount of water in that dish makes my stomach feel swimmy already! I need a cracker!
Lucy's oatmeal cookies- super crunchy and tasteless. I prefer the chocolate chip, but I don't ever buy those. If I do buy cookies, I buy K-Toos or Pamela's.
American Gra-Frutti: crackers-ok taste, but overly crunchy texture; bread- ok flavor, but sticky texture and not fluffy like Udi's (yum) or buttery like Against the Grain (2die4); I did like American Gra-Frutti's pimento spread, but frankly I don't use spreads. If anything, I use peanut butter or real slices of cheese on my crackers.
Namaste pizza dough- too doughy, I like a crisp crust on the edge and soft inside.
Gluten Free Foods I DID like:
Everything the demonstrator made with the Vitamix: Soup, frozen fruit ice cream substitute, smoothies, green tea drink, and even the mocha drink (and I don't like coffee).
American Gra-Frutti muffins, good flavor and oily texture like muffins always have
Beanitos chips made with beans for protein and fiber- Chipotle flavor was my favorite, but if I were using guac, salsa, etc. I might get the pinto bean kind that tasted too plain alone
1Mix protein shake-mango flavor- I liked it because it tasted less chalky, more creamy and drinkable than other protein shakes
What I bought: Beanitos and 1Mix mango shakes, along with Against the Grain Gluten Free Pizza,

Against the Grain Gluten Free Baguettes, Udi Multigrain bread, and Rudi Hot Dog Buns (nice texture- soft! and flavor-I ended up eating the leftover bun after the meat was gone, although it did get soggy and split in half from the condiments I slopped on there), and ChipIns white cheddar flavor. I also wrote a comment card requesting Jules Gluten Free Ice Cream Sandwiches.
What I WISH I had bought: VITAMIX. I asked for one for Xmas last year, but I guess I was naughty. The Vitamix demonstrator told me that I asked the wrong Santa and I need to get on Craigslist and meet a new santa! haha. My yearning for the uber chopping, blending, mixing machine began when a retired lady at my gluten free support group in CA brought a delicious

gluten free cake that she had made from a Vitamix recipe with her Vitamix that she'd had for over 20 years. These super-frugal women in the group who wouldn't buy gf bread for the cost, all had Vitamixes! Then the best homemade food I've ever had, made by a wife of my Marine's buddy in Hawaii (whom we stayed with last year on our vacay)- she swore by her Vitamix. And how much does a Vitamix cost? Over $400. And I saw a lady walking out with one in front of me.

Innard Bliss: Gluten Free Atlanta

New Digs! Southern hospitality is alive and well in Atlanta: neighborhood barbeques, strangers who chat and wave, and amazing food everywhere! We've been officially "peached". The peach jam, peach salsa, and peaches are all fabulous, but here's what else I've been dining on (while maintaining the ten pound weight loss I just achieved):
Gluten Free Shopping List: The Super Target here has several gluten free products like my favorite Glutino chocolate peanut granola bars that are super chewy and only 110 calories, as well as some frozen Amy's Indian meals, Annie's organic fruit snacks, hummus with pine nuts labeled gf, lots of salad dressings labeled gf, Smoreables gluten free graham crackers, and -making a judgement call per the ingredient list-SkinnyCow mini fudge pops at 50 calories. (I also saw other crackers there, but not my preferred Glutino.)

Sally's Bakery is like all gluten free, all the time. And I like it. They have samples of treats out for you to try before you buy. The CRAW bread is with cinnamon, raisins, almond milk, and walnuts. It's their specialty and the other two people in the shop with me also bought some. The hamburger buns were mediocre. They aren't pre-cut. The texture is thick, not airy enough, and kind of dry. Mine were in the same bag as the CRAW bread, so they tasted cinnamon-y, which isn't what you want with a burger.
The Outback here has a gluten free bloomin onion, french fries, etc. and I have to say I felt sick afterward, but it may have been from all the grease. The onion was good, the fries ok, they were out of ribs, and I took home my hamburger (on a gf bun) because I was full-but, since I had been sick I had my Bucket o' Luv devour it the next day, rather than risk it myself.

We have enjoyed many meals out, so reviews of Jason's Deli, Yeah! Burger, Sugo, Braves' Stadium (yuk), and a brunch place are on the horizon.
Random Menu for a day
(actually yesterday):
Breakfast: nectarine and Glutino Granola bar
Lunch: Hormel Natural gf honey ham sandwich on Sally's Gf bun with lettuce, tomato,etc.
Snack: Strawberries, peaches, SkinnyCow fudge pop
Dinner: Amy's frozen Indian meal with tomato and veggies with hummus

Katz Gluten Free

Katz Gluten Free has a promotion where if you pay for the shipping ($8 for me), they'll send you a free sampler box of gluten free baked goods.

All of their stuff is dairy and nut free, for those who need that. For me, I like nuts- the people and the food- because they add flavor and texture to life. So, I sweetly asked my Marine to get out his credit card and voila! I received the package in a few days. Since I'm watching my weight, each day I try one small item.

So far I have tried the chocolate chip cookie (heavy on the brown sugar, didn't enjoy it), marble cake (dry, lacking in flavor), chocolate cupcake (superior texture, mild in flavor-I wouldn't buy it since I like to taste the chocolate if I'm eating the calories), and honey muffin (excellent texture, excellent flavor-I'd buy them).
I've yet to try the dinner roll, rugelech (pinwheel pastry?), and slices of bread (challah, wholesome, whole grains and white).

It's not surprise I saved bread for last, because I'm a bit of a bread snob, methinks, and I offer no apology for it. Frankly, in 2005 when I started out, I hated all the breads available to me. I only ate homemade offerings from the retired ladies at my celiac support group in California. So now I pretty much indulge myself- meaning, you will not find me chiseling frozen bread. I only eat the bread that you thaw the whole loaf on the counter, not chiseling a slice and putting the rest back in the freezer. Rudi, Udi, and Against the Grain are my staples.
Occasionally, if there is a brand I've used favorably in the past, and it's on sale for super cheap, I will buy it- Kinnickinnick or Whole Foods (got a loaf on sale last week). My Marine (who is not picky and eats many of the gf pastas, pancakes, and Bell&Evans gf breaded chicken), does not like any gluten free bread at all. He chooses to go without bread and buns at home, waiting to inhale the real deal out in restaurants. He eats a sandwich and soup every day at a deli or lunch cart.
I have baked some good stuff myself, but then I have to freeze most of it (defeating the point of making it fresh-as well as hogging freezer space), or eat it (which is how I gained weight last winter). So, I've pretty much resorted to buying a 4pack of Udi Chocolate cupcakes or muffins, a single cupcake from Red Velvet Cupcakery (divine!), or a peanut butter bomb or brownie from Buzz Cafe down the street from me. If I can find French Meadow Bakery goodies, I'll get those. Other than that, I eat mainstream indulgences that don't contain gluten (I have never liked cheesecake, creme brulee, meringue cookies, or tapioca, all of which are usually recommended for us and doled out on cruises and in restaurants-I didn't like the food accommodated for me on my cruise). I will try to link to my list of sinful foods later.

Dear Newly Diagnosed Celiac, Gluten Free Living is a Journey...

Try to remember-it's the rainy days that help us appreciate the sunny ones. Maybe reading gluten free books, blogs, or message boards could help validate your feelings and give you eating ideas. Sometimes, your mind will jump to plenty of excuses of why you can't or why the ideas seem unrealistic, but try to focus on the "can" and the "I'll try" attitude.


Yes, I had a hard time eating the gluten free baked goods and stuff with the flour blends and guar gum (which is a natural laxative!) and xantham gum and all that stuff. Celiacs often suffer from lactose intolerance for a variety of reasons, so maybe avoid dairy at first?


Some quick food ideas that come to mind-that have pure ingredients with minimal processing, or have always been gluten free without substituted ingredients:

Smoothies (I even eat Jamba Juice) If you don't want dairy, use a gluten-free soymilk or rice milk or almond milk
apple with peanut butter and Udi granola
popsicles
Craisins, make your own gluten-free trail mix
potato chips or tortilla chips (just corn, oil, salt-even baked ones)-make nachos with soy cheese or just salsa
soup-some Progresso soups are labeled gluten free and they just have vegetables and gluten free broth
eggs, egg salad, deviled eggs, omelettes
tuna, tuna salad
jell-o, M&Ms (lots of flavors)
cereal- Rice Chex, gluten free health cereals- I like Nature's Path Organic Corn Flakes gluten free...alone or with milk substitutes above
quinoa- it's a seed, so it shouldn't be that hard on you, especially if you tolerate rice- I cook in Swanson Chic Broth and add peas
brown rice pasta- the ones I use only have brown rice and water as ingredients, so if you can eat rice...

Try a variety of fruit- blackberries, kiwi, starfruit, pineapple, guava, mango, etc. Put on skewers like a fruit kabob

Norpro 5-Piece Garnishing Tool Set
Corn tortillas- buy the fresh kind with just corn masa flour and water and salt- top with black beans, soy cheese, salsa, etc.
Hummus, salsa, pico de gallo, and other gluten free toppings

There's also a list online called 50 gluten-free Things You Can Eat Right Now
This has been described as the toughest diet there is, and I've read it takes 3 years to get a good handle on it, so be patient with yourself. It's a journey. You will buy expensive things that you end up throwing away, spend lots of time making things and shopping for things that you won't like. Lots of gluten free stuff doesn't have preservatives, so it goes bad quickly, too. You may even "poison" yourself unwittingly. It's a long road, so educate yourself and be patient.
SPOIL YOURSELF in ways that you can. Buy fancy bath stuff, go to the cooking store and buy a garnishing tool set (mine was $7) to make the foods you can eat (like fruit) look special and appetizing, buy yourself some flowers, start an herb garden to use on your salads, buy new dishes, toaster, utensils, so you know it's "safe". Call yourself and your diet "special" and others "regular" (not normal) or mundane or plain or run-of-the-mill or white bread. Change your language and change your thinking. Attend a support group (ask at your doctor or search online). I learned so much going to a cdf celiac convention and found so many products and resources. Do a celiac 5k or run and raise money and awareness for your new cause! Be glad you don't need shots or medicines or dialysis, just a diet! Dump your shampoo with hydrolized wheat protein and questionable makeup and buy new, gluten free ones! Express your feelings, coin fun terms for your new circumstances (my friends call me silly-as$, a play on the word celiac), write a poem or journal about it. And on and on!
Best wishes to you on your path...

Devil Dog and Celiac Move to Atlanta! (Home search and gluten free diet and dining research in full swing!)

That's right! As you know, after 13 years of living la vida del sol, teaching in Southern California, and purchasing my home there, I met a dashing and debonair Marine Corps Officer who promptly got transferred to the East Coast. Surprising all my friends and family, after dating this ginger-haired gent less than a year, I took a leave of absence from my established career, rented out mi casa, and set out for the D.C./Virginia area with him to see how we'd get along once reality set in.
After ten months, reality didn't bite, but the love bugs did and now we've put each other in the "For Keeps" bucket. There aren't many Marines in Atlanta, and I'm not sure how many celiacs, but we're excited about the move. In Feb., we enjoyed a romantic house-hunting mission with a realtor who'd been a military wife and a teacher (she spoke BOTH of our languages, and gave us a book on how to speak Southern!). We didn't match with a home, but the sun was out, we rendez-vous'd with our old middle/high school pals, and got a feel for the area.

The inevitable gluten free diet issue came up as his friends insisted on taking us to their favorite rib joint, D.B.A. Barbeque, but it turned out to be serendipity! We had less luck getting gluten free pizza at Mellow Mushroom, but better luck at Buckhead Pizza Co. And mes amis picked us up for lunch and I handled/dodged my celiac issue by texting her that I need a gluten free diet nowadays, and she just did a search on her phone and chose Jason's Deli, which turned out delightfully well for all.
Since then, I have been researching gluten free dining in Atlanta and have some places I'm dying to try on my next house-hunting expedition: Fresh2Order, Saba, Urban Pl8, Yeah Burger, Ecco, The Brickery, and Metro Fresh.

Udi's Gluten Free Bagel

What to eat for a gluten free breakfast?
bageL a photo by Gluten Free Breeze on Flickr.

Udi's Gluten Free Cinnamon Raisin Bagel with Philly Strawberry Cream Cheese and sliced berries on top- Mmmm, mmmm, great!
The bagels come pre-sliced. They toast or microwave to a great texture- not crumbly at all, and chewier than regular bread. I've also had the plain version, which is also great! Lovin' these!

Eating Grasshoppers at Gluten Free Restaurants and Organic Food Goodness (scroll down to see what I've been eating on the homefront)

Since moving to the DC/Virginia area, Oyamel is a chow champion of mine, since it's near the museums (I left my car in California-no snowy driving 4 me). Not only do I volunteer at one of the Smithsonian Museums, but I set a goal to see as many of the museums/sights in this area as possible during our year here.
Let's tangent to a museum/tourist list:
So far, I've toured : Pentagon, Gettysburg, Newseum, Library of Congress, Spy Museum, G.Washington Masonic Memorial, Freer Gallery, Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Castle, Nat'l Building Museum, Nat'l Geographic, Gadsby's Tavern, Torpedo Factory, Mount Vernon, Amer. History, Hirshhorn, Christ Church (G.Washington's), Nat'l Harbor, Baltimore Harbor, Nat'l Mus. of the Marine Corps, Carlyle House, Ramsay House, Arlington Nat'l Cemetery, Dulles Air and Space (not on mall), Postal Museum, Natural History, Air & Space (on mall), American Indian, Portrait Gallery, Kennedy Center, Fredericksburg, and that's all I remember so far.

My faves are: Library of Congress, Dale Collection at Museum of Art, Mount Vernon, and the giant Washington statue at the Masonic Memorial, and Iwo Jima. Newseum, FDR Memorial, and Gettysburg surpassed my expectations. I had already been on the city tour in '05 with the Capitol, embassy row, and white house.

I have several museums yet to see: Black History in Alexandria, African American Smithsonian, Basilica, Nat'l Cathedral, inside White House, inside Wash. Monument, Colonial Williamsburg, Lee-Fendall, Ft. Ward, Anacostia, Nat'l Botanical Garden, Nat'l Zoo, Renwick, Arts & Industries, Nat'l Design, Women's, Cherry Blossom Festival, Dumbarton Oaks, and I'm sure there are more.

Back to FOOD:
Call it serendipity, but Oyamel is almost next door to Red Velvet Cupcakery, which without fail has gluten free cupcakes (usually the delectable, crispy-topped, "black velvet" flavor, which is fudgy but with a dark depth to its taste, with a perfect texture, not crumbly or dense) and the cupcake elves are aware enough to put on a clean glove to grab it with.

I dig Oyamel because they have a separate and lengthy gluten-free menu. Plus, you can get single plates (similar to Spanish tapas) of $4 items to build your own meal. I get the various tacos, soup, or tamale, all freshly made on daily homemade corn tortillas and guacamole. Today I had 2 fish tacos which were deceptively filling, and felt adventurous enough to go for the chopped grasshopper taco. It was spicy and crunchy and orange-colored. I liked it. Next time I'll try the cow tongue and maybe a dessert (chocolate flan with pomogranate gel on top). Mexican food is hard to please me with, after living in SoCal. Their salsa is the real deal and everything is fresh and back-to-basics. I only wish we could have the chips!!
It is no fun to watch other people chomp on chips when I can't! Even if I brought my own, they wouldn't be warm. Boo hoo.
Rosa Mexicano and Legal Seafoods are a matter of blocks from there, so I'm lucky to be able to eat out! There are lots of places all over here, but I've had many times where I've eaten successfully at an establishment, only to return and get sick. I guess it just depends on who is working and how tidy they are back there in the prep/cookin zone.


At HOME here is what I've been grubbing on:
Morning Mealdom:
Udi's Cinnamon Raisin Bagels with Philly strawberry cr. cheese and fresh sliced strawberries on top and they come pre-sliced!
Homemade Quaker Grits- My Marine went to Tulane, so he enjoys Southern stuff and he's capable of whipping it up himself
Chobani yogurt (cheaper, giant tub of plain) I add flax seed, fresh blueberries
Egg Sammich: Udi multigrain bread (toasted), with egg and rhubarb/straw jam
Jimmy Dean turkey sausage
Bisquick pancakes with bananas or Ghirardelli milk choc chips and syrup
canteloupe
apple with peanut butter
(not all at the same time)

Lunchy-love:
Progresso Split Pea & Ham Soup
Sargento Provolone Grilled Cheese (on Udi)
GlutenFreeda's microwaveable burrito- chicken n cheese or bean n veg
Lara Bar- peanut butter cookie, apple, or pbj, or cashew cookie (these bars were an acquired taste, I hated them at first and still detest the chocolate flavors)
Veggies and Hummus

No GLut-in din-din:
Bisquick Recipes: Amazing Chicken Fingers and Chicken Pot Pie-My Marine Marvels!
Allrecipes: Coconut Curry with Tofu (I added chicken, water chestnuts, & baby corn cob)
This was my first time cooking and eating BOK CHOY! Thumbs way up! My Marine did all the veggy chopping, since I have carpal tunnel, so it was a fun, team project! Served it over a boxed Taste of Thai yellow curry rice marked gluten-free
Allrecipes Lasagna with Pepperoni and ground beef- amazing, but expensive--(we splurged on the fancy $11.99 Romano Cheese last time, but this week we got the Kraft kind so we'll see if it measures up)
Pad Thai- From box Taste of Thai (cheap) and not enuff sauce rendered it bland
Edamame
Schar Dinner Rolls- nice, smooth exterior, with nice texture inside. No need to freeze. Yum!

Super Snack-a-licious
EnviroKids Krispy Rice bars- Peanut butter choco drizzle- pretty good, crunchy and chewy at the same time, not too dry, decent flavor, hint of a strange aftertaste like fakey chocolate items sometimes produce
Schar crackers- a bit on the dry side, but crisp and desirably doughy in the mouth, and nice with toppings-not overly crumbly
Schar breadsticks- crunchy and hard, with a buttery flavor, as they are intended











Andes mint chocolate wafers
Snickers almond
GummiSavers Bursts- we stealthily sneak em to the movies
Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate with Kraft mini mallows-I never knew if SM was gluten-free, but I had been drinkin it as a newbie (before I knew it could be questionable) and never reacted
Blackberries and blueberries (fresh) when they're on sale
veg n hummus
Lara bar-acquired taste, tread carefully
fruit salad with cool whip
Fritos- took em on a day trip
Peanuts
Craisins


Shopped and ready to try: Shepherd's Pie with Manwich (Manwich was on sale cheap and I saw a recipe on a blog, and my Scottish Marine LOVES Shep pie--wish me luck)

Keep your gluten free focus, live lovely and lovingly, and may the gluten free breeze blow gently your way! Besos!

Addendum to Celiebo's Sushi Restaurant Gluten Free Dining Rules

Sadly, I've ceased my sushi expeditions after getting glutened 3 times at various restaurants in a few months a couple years ago.
Whenever I see advice about eating sushi out, I dive on it, hoping I might feel confident enough to try it again.  As often as we move, I'm just waiting until we have settled down in one place to really establish a relationship with a special sushi spot.
Celiebo's sushi rules (see link to video below) are good, but I believe they lack some key insights.  Celiebo's only been living gluten free for a year or two, so maybe she hasn't been faced with the following:
Miso Soup- this is a questionable item at sushi shops- I found out the hard way.
Roe (little eggs on top of sushi)- from my online research, not gluten free- I found out "after the fact" :(
Sushi Rice- some of the forums say there is questionable rice vinegar (malted?) in it at some places
Cross-contamination-perhaps this is covered on her dining card (?) or maybe she assumes we will explain it to the server.
 I find that sushi places use bamboo mats to roll the rolls, so they would have to put clean saran wrap on there to avoid cc.  I avoid rolls.
And, aside from using clean utensils, knives, and gloves, the counter is full of residue from the ubiquitous soy sauce and tempura "crunchies" abound in these places.
Gluten free food would need to be prepared on a clean surface. After explaining this to a waiter, who translated it to the Japanese chef as I sat in front of the counter one evening,  I watched in horror as he took a used dishtowel (likely full of crunchies and soy and faux crab residue from previous swipes) out of his apron and wiped off the counter and began making my food.
I gave the food to my friend.  I have had much luck at many types of restaurants with steamed edamame : ) (soybeans, usually served in their pods).
Anyway, if you are lucky enough to have established a relationship with a great sushi place, I offer you a bow!  Someday I will try again....
Celiebo's sushi advice

5-15-10 Celiac Conference Gems&Phlegms(From my blog with over 30,000 hits at celiac.com)

(For the first 4 years and 109 entries of my blog, go to this link Brendygirl's Blog Gluten Free Product and Food Reviews)

In the elevator to our hotel room (the cdf conference in L.A.), a woman commented on the Udi bread she spied sticking out from my bag on the bellman's luggage cart.  This was my marine's first clue that "people like ME" were swarming the hotel.

 My beau and I learned SO much from the speakers (Dr. Peter Green, Dr. Sheila Crowe, Dietician, Shelley Case, and Cook Extraordinaire Frank Baldassare)!

My Marine had a more pressing need to step up his know-how pertaining to Gluten Freedom since.. *drumroll*:

The Marine Corps is sending him to Command & Staff School for a year and so I'm going to rent my CA house out, sell my convertible, put my teaching job (I've been there 13 yrs) on hold, adopt a carefree attitude, a warm scarf, and a metro card...and shack up with him on the East Coast for a year!

Funny enough, the hardest part has been thinking about glutenous tenants contaminating my virgin, high-end fridge and stove!

Back to the conference:

After dining on gluten-free Bisquick Pancakes (perfect texture, yummy, can't wait for them to hit stores this fall),and savory Jones Dairy Farms All Natural Sausage Links(thumbs way up!)we alternated between raiding the chillbump-inducing superfluous vendor sample hallways and watching the presentations.  I preferred last year's lunch with pasta and chocolate souffle, this year was chicken (snore), but the Betty Crocker cupcakes were tasty. It's always such a special occasion to eat out without needing to tame & train a server-just relax and enjoy with lots of "special" people, who are "against the grain", like me!  I was pleased to see lots of nutritionists at a seminar learning about gluten-free!

Now for the GOODS on the GRUB:

GEMS:  Foods/Products I liked and recommend:

Udi Bread (Awesome & loaf can be thawed!)

Rudi's Bread (similar to Udi's)

Glutino Chocolate covered pretzels- 2 die 4!

Asian Chicken Helper (Hamburger Helper)- pretty tasty.  A good replacement for the "normal" kind

Gluten Free Bisquick Pancakes- Yum with a capital Y--it came with 9 other gluten-free recipe cards to use bisquick Update:  I have since tried the chicken n dumplings recipe and chicken fingers, both of which are easy enough (few ingredients) for my bf to cook himself, and are FABULOUS faves now!

Jones Dairy Farms All Natural Sausage Savory and Delicious

Kettle Cuisine Soups- I like them, but I'm too thrifty to purchase them

Soy Delicious (fake ice cream): It's rich and flavorful- cookie dough is a nice gluten-free flavor!

Zojirushi Breadmaker- the bread was good

Simply Gluten Free desserts- oatmeal cookies were delicious and only a tad overchewy

PureFit Nutrition bars- fair as nutr.bars go, but too pricey, I'll stick with Lara (half the price)-although you may recall that Lara bars were an acquired taste for me...now I have fave flavors:  apple pie, pecan pie, peanut butter and jelly, and peanut butter cookie or something like that

Bard's Tale Beer- great

French Meadow Bakery Brownies- Vey Good, texture&taste.  I prefer Rudi's Raisin bread to theirs

Smooze Mango and Coconut Fruit Ice- tasty, but I use cheapie popsicles

Green's Beer- Great

The Pure Pantry Baked Goods- Delicious

Sof-ella cake mix- Good, I get it cheap at FreshNEasy

Boar's Head deli meats and cheeses and condiments are tasty and ALL gluten free

Annie's Bunny Crackers Cocoa & Vanilla- yum, but very sugary tasting, not very savory

Schar breadsticks and Wafer cookies- crunchy and tasty

Boulangerie Brownies and Baked Goods- Excellent- My favorite find at the conference!!!

Phlegms:  Things I did NOT like 

Simply Boulder Culinary Sauces- not creamy enough and too tart

Earth Cafe Desserts- taste like mush

Mary's Gone Crackers- taste like birdseed, CrunchMaster are better

Nature's Agave sweeteners- yuck.  Better to go with real sugar

various pastas- I prefer to stick with Mrs. Leepers and Tinkyada and De Boles