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. 

Traveling Gluten Free: BYOF and What to Pack Travel List

This is what I brought for a 4 day trip to Florida---Taking the grub out of the boxes/packaging obviously reduces the bulk, and I pack some in my suitcase for during the visit and some in my carry-on bag for en route, especially if there are delays. (Remember I got sick at the airport once by eating yogurt I bought in a shop there.)

Traveling gluten free: BYOF (Bring Your Own Food)!

Toasterbags:  If you want to toast your own gluten free bread in a public toaster, you can re-use the toaster bags up to 50 times.  It's extra fun when you're at Best Western in the self-serve free continental breakfast area with other hotel guests pouring cereal and cooking waffles, and as soon as you put the bag in the toaster, some type-A do-gooder with a savior complex swoops over and shouts that you're going to start a fire by putting plastic in the toaster.  I always say, ask! Don't assume.  Assuming makes an ass out of u and me -->ass-u-me.
For BREAKFAST I often boil water in the hotel coffeepot (unwrap a sanitized cup they provide and use my own spoon) to make Instant Grits. Or I'll have fruit. Or I'll have a bar: Glutino breakfast bar, Glutino Granola Bar, LaraBar, or EnviroKids Chocolate Crispy Rice bar.
Out for breakfast: I'll quiz the server: What surface are the eggs cooked on? Can my eggs be cooked in a clean pan? Do you place the bacon on bread to soak up the grease? Be sure to tell them if they use the same spatula on my food as they do to flip pancakes, I'll get sick. Clean gloves, clean pans, clean utensils. So, I order eggs, fruit, sometimes bacon, and bring my own bread. If I have toaster bags available, I'll ask the server to use those on MY bread.

LUNCH: Udi Bread or Glutino Crackers, Justin's Peanut/Almond butter packets OR StarKist Tuna pouch, jelly packets, fruit, chips, etc.

DINNER: I bring uncooked brown rice pasta, in case I can talk some restaurant into using a clean pot, strainer, etc. to make it for me with a little olive oil and garlic on it. Or I search on my cell phone internet-finder-doohickies to find a place to eat. In Miami we ate at Texas de Brazil (used a coupon), pricey seafood at The Place on Ocean, and twice at Pizza Fusion.

ANYTIME: I bring my own hot cocoa packets, fruit, individual puddings, jell-o, and fruit cups, Glutino pretzels, Smoreables gluten free, Chips, Fruit snacks, Crunch N Munch, frozen baked goods that I made previously (or that my mother sends me home with), etc.

Other Gluten Free Travel Tips:
**Generally, I like to stay in cushy hotels, to avoid grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning like people do when they rent condos, timeshares, etc. Not only is it more of a "vacation feel" than it would be to cook and clean, but we are often pretty spontaneous on vacay and it would likely be wasteful to buy food because we wouldn't be sure we'd have time to go back to eat during or after an adventure. I also enjoy seafood and steak on vacay and don't want my place to stink like fish or whatnot during the trip.

**I try to stockpile the food I lug along- preferring to eat out when I happen upon "old reliable" food out-and-about, such as Wendy's chili and TGIFridays in the airports. On the way home, if I'm out of fruit- I'll ante up the big bucks to buy fruit at the airport.

**On boat trips/camping/all-day excursions I bring along my own insulated lunch bag with plasticware in the pocket and fill it with lunch stuff pictured above. If I'm staying a week or longer and my hotel room has a fridge, I might stop by a Trader Joe's or Costco and pick up some chilled cooked shrimp, tortilla chips, avocado, and salsa that I pack in baggies and bring on the trip. While everyone else is gnawing on the cheapo, dried out sandwiches provided on the trip, they eyeball and maddog my delectable entree. The tables are turned, for once.
**Research restaurants prior to the trip- especially if you are going out to eat with a group for an occasion. Try to be knowledgeable enough to offer up your own choices in where to eat.

**Ask restaurants to accommodate you- especially in nice hotels, they are accustomed to accommodating special requests from weary travel warriors every day.

**Bread- I carry Udi's green or Against the Grain baguette in my purse everywhere. It makes a small meal more satisfying. Plus, it lowers the mental anguish watching your comrades devour the warm bread basket offerings at restaurants.  Sometimes I run out after the first couple days, and that's ok.

In case you didn't get the planning gene, or if you're curious by nature--here is the list I've used for years to pack- I keep it in a clear page protector folded in my travel toiletry bag, which I keep stocked. It has helped me pack in record time for last-minute trips. I only pack pertinent items, but it helps to see the list no matter what type of trip it is. You can use a wipe-off marker to check it off through the plastic, or you could put it on your iphone:
LIST of WHAT TO PACK:
Gifts for those I'm Visiting
Extra suitcase folded up to fill with stuff I acquire on the trip to bring back
Beach Bag/sunscreen/hat/coverup/swimsuit/flipflops/towels
beach toys
rash guard for in the ocean
carry-around bag for water/map/sweater/magazine, snacks,etc
games, leisure activ.
binoculars
copy of passport/credit card cancel #, health card
money belt
stamps/addresses for postcards
camera with batteries/charger/uploader cord or card
computer/charger/bag/cords
cell phone/charger
zip loc bags
sports accessories: snorkel gear, camping gear, ski gear, etc.
romantic stuff
dental floss/toothbrush/paste
safety pins/sewing kit
emergency kit/band aids/etc
travel pillow
batteries
flashlight (or iphone app)
ipod/earphones
antibacterial gel
toilet paper (esp for camping)
water bottle w filter
important phone #s of people you stay with/pick you up, etc.
confirmation #s for hotel, itinerary
tickets for shows, travel, etc.
passport, dr.license
guide books, bus schedules
money/ATM/cc/change for tolls
GPS for car, if not using phone app
personal hygiene feminine products
pajamas
day outfits/night outfits
umbrella
jacket/sweater/wrap,coat?
maps/tourist info/travel coupons
book/reading material/travel book light
tea/hot choc and snacks for plane
purse: day and night
iron/hairdryer if there is none at destination
belts
socks, nylons, tights, slips
Shoes: walking, going out, flips flops, matching to outfits
earrings, jewelry coordinated with outfits
hair ornaments, clips, bands
undergarments- bras: strapless? Sports?
nail polish, file
kleenex, deoderant (keep on carryon)
makeup, tweezer, powder
lotion/moisturizer
shower soap, face soap
shampoo, cond
Eyeglasses/Sunglasses
Earplugs and Eye cover (for plane)
Medications: allergies, Lactaid, pepto, Tylenol, cold, eyedrops
Dramamine, airborne tablets
Razor
Hairbrush/comb/sprays/curling iron
pen, paper
snacks, gluten free foods (separate list)

On short trips, I only carry a small carryon with my purse (phone, money, allergy pills, etc), reading material, cell phone AND charger (they have free charging stations at airports and I've also plugged in inside the restrooms), snacks, eyeglasses, chapstick, sunglasses, sweater, ear plugs, antibacterial gel, airborne tablets, eyecover, and ear phones. Usually valuables: jewelry, camera
On longer trips/overseas, I carry on MORE in case my bags get lost: deoderant, toothbrush&paste, hair brush, concealer, powder, spare outfit, camera.
If I'm traveling with someone, I split the packable necessities with my companion. My mother once agreed to carry on the toothpaste and mini shampoo on a trip to France when her luggage was lost and we were on a tight tour schedule. The next morning, the found luggage still hadn't been dropped off, and I remember racing to find a store to buy toothpaste "dentifrice" and having a hard time even locating it WITHIN the store. I looked at my mother and said, I thought you agreed to carry it on? She said she changed her mind at the last minute and shoved it in her checked bag. Ugh.

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.

Celiebo's interview with Elias, the gluten sniffing dog

I stumbled upon Celiebo's website yesterday in my search for info on the gluten-sniffing dog.  Celiebo, a relatively new celiac who sells her own dining out cards, had an informative interview with the dog's owners on a videoblog.  Training, costs, and method of finding gluten were all covered.  She said she wished she could have a dog like him, and I totally agree!  My mind even pictured how cool it would be if restaurants had the dogs sniff out gluten before serving gluten free customers...imagine that!

Here's the link to the video interview:

Gluten-sniffing dog