Posts

Aldies Has Gluten Free Food!

Image
I am soo excited to find Gluten-Free foods at Aldi is carrying Gluten Free!!  I bought the Double Chocolate Brownie Cookie and the brownie mix. I haven't made the brownies yet, but I ate all the Double Chocolate Brownie Cookies. It wasn't bad at all. It has a little grainy taste, but doesn't have an aftertaste like most soft gluten-free cookies that have a grainy taste to it.  The only thing that bothers me is, like usually, there isn't that many cookies in the box. There is only 12 cookies and they aren't really big at all. Can't complain too much because they only cost about $2.99 compared to the Gluten-Free cookies Meijer, Target, and Health Food Stores. Usually in these stores you have to spend close to $6.00 for 12 cookies, so I am not complaining.  These prices I put down are from the Grand Rapids MI stores. So prices may vary.  Go out to your Alidi and buy these items and send them a thank you message. Maybe with more tha

It's Been A While

Dear Readers, Sorry about not posting in a long time. After being diagnosed with Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy and dealing with a lot of pain I got overwhelmed and had to stop for a while. But not anymore. I got to thinking about what I should do. Should I put all my blogs together or should I separate them. I decided to separate them because some of you might not want to read stuff about Celiac Disease or RSD, etc.. I will do my best to post frequently. It all depends on my schedule and information I want to share with you. I'm giving out a big hug to my readers and followers. If you haven't subscribed to my blogs you should.  Thanks everyone!

Different Kinds Of Gluten Free Flours:

Different Kinds Of Gluten Free Flours: 1. Brown Rice Flour 2. White Rice Flour 3. Sweet Rice Flour 4. Almond Flour- high in protein and a small amount can be included in gluten free flour mixes. They can also be used in place of dried milk powder in some recipes if you are also on a dairy-free diet. Almond flour has been used since medieval times as a thickener. 5. Amaranth Flour- is the ground seed of the Amaranth plant. A strong tasting flour it is normally used in combination with other gluten free flours . 6. Arrowroot-  an all purpose GF flour that can be used in baking and for thickening. Mild flavored and low in calories is easily digested.   7. Buckwheat-  despite the name it is GF. The plant is related to rhubarb. The ground seed produce a grey/brown flour which is nutritious, being a source of easily digested protein. It is high in fiber and is also said to reduce cholesterol and lower blood pressure. It is used in pancakes, bread, normally mixes with other flours as it has a

When You Cook

Make sure you watch out for this: Keep preparation surfaces clean and free of clumbs Do not shar utensils with non-gluten foods Use squeeze bottles in avoid contamination of condiments Good dish washing will remove gluten from untensils, pans, and dishes Store GF foods above gluten-containing foods in the pantry

Naturally Gluten-Free

Here is a list of natural gluten-free foods: Corn Corn meal Brown Rice White Rice Honey Baking Powder Baking Soda Fruits Vegetables Meats (be careful of fillers) Fish (not breaded or seasoned) Shrimp (not breaded or seasoned) Potato Potato Flour Corn Starch Swanson Chicken Broth Sugar Powder Sugar Jello Organic Milk **PLEASE READ LEBALS ALL THE TIME** companies could change ingrediants at any time!!

When You Shop for Groceries

When You Shop for Groceries follow these steps: 1. Always read labels ingredients may change. 2. Wheat Free is not Gluten Free 3. An Allergy statement on some foods always starts with contains: 4. Barley and rye, malt are not included in the top 8 allergens. Watch for them.
50+ Things Easy to Find 1. Tuna, water or oil packed 2. Ketchup, Mustard 3. Mayonnaise, Miracle Whip 4. Pickles, Olives, all vingers EXCEPT FOR MALT VINIGAR. 5. San J Wheat Free Tamari Sauce. Lay Choy Soy Sauce 6. Butter, Margarine 7. I Can't Believe its Not Butter (Margarine) 8. Eggs & Eggs Beaters 9. Black Label Bacon 10. Grits, Cornmeal, Cream of Rice Cereal 11. Fresh Fish, Meats and Poultry.  12. Tyson frozen breast, wings, thighs 13. Butterball or Albertson's brand turkeys (no sauce packet!!) 14. Thumman's Deli Meats. Oscar Meyer Deli Meat. 15. Oscar Meyer Hot Dogs.  16.Ball Park Hot Dogs 17. Hormel Chili WITH BEANS 18. Dinty Moore Beef Stew 19. Amy Gluten Free Frozen Macoronni and Cheese. Amys Gluten Free Frozen Enchilada Dinners 20. Hormel Pepperoni-- regular & turkey 21. Carl Budding sandwich meats 22. 100% pure ground beef or turkey 23. Fresh or Frozen Plain Vegetables 24. Velveeta 25. Sargento Deli Cheese Slices 26. Sargento Shredded Cheese. Kraft Shredded

Martha Stewarts Allergen-Free Brownies

Image
Allergen-Free Brownies http://www.marthastewart.com/316354/allergen-free-brownies?xsc=eml_cod_2012_07_30&om_rid=Nsj5d-&om_mid=_BQFnf3B8jHKNR6 Babycakes NYC is a bakery in New York City that specializes in allergen-free treats. Cofounder Erin McKenna shows Marth how to make brownies that are wheat-, gluten-, dairy-, casein-, and egg-free. (THe Martha Stewart Show, January Winter 2007) Yield: Makes about 5 Dozen mini brownies Ingredients: ½ cup canola oil, plus more for pans. ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons garbanzo and fava bean flour ¼ cup potato starch 2 tablespoons arrowroot 1 cup unrefined sugar or 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons agave nectar 2 ¼ teaspoons baking powder ¼ teaspoon baking soda ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum 1 teaspoon salt ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder ½ cup store-bought unsweetened applesauce 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract ½ cup brewed coffee or hot water 2 cups vegan gluten-free chocolate chips, such as tropical source.

2012 Novi, MI's Celiac Awareness Tour

“Celiac Awareness Tour” is coming to Novi, MI on Saturday, September 11, 2012. This is promoting celiac awareness and will have many cooking demos, lectures, Gluten-Free samples. The cost for the day is $10.00 (12 & under are free). Check their website at http://www.celiacawarenesstour.com/ . Today (7/27/2012 their website is under construction, but keep checking it)

Olmesartan causes Celiac Symptoms

Just a heads up. The Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University has shown a possibleassociation between medication called Olmesartan and small bowel disease. They have found that the side effect is similar to Celiac symptoms. They stated if you are taking Olmesartan you should thick about talking to your physician. Olmesartan is used to treat high blood pressure in adults and children 6 years of age or older. This medication blocks the action of certain natural substances that tighten the blood vessels, allowing the blood to flow more smoothly and the heart to pump more efficiently. Olmesartan is also be used to treat congestive heart failure and diabetic nephropathy. (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000215/) Other names are Benicar, Benicar HCT, Azor, Olmete. For more information their website is www.celiacdiseasecenter.org.

It is Hamburger & Hot Dog Season!

Image
It can not be summer without hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. Being gluten-free shouldn’t stop you from enjoying them. If you are invited to a party that is doing some grilling you can bring your own hot dogs or hamburgers and wrap them in foil. By wrapping them in foil you can prevent cross contamination and enjoy the grill taste. What hot dog brands are Gluten-Free? Applegate Farm has many different types of hotdogs. According to the company their organic beef, chicken, turkey and pork are considered GF to at least 20ppm, and no gluten is used in the faculty where they are produced. Contact Applegate Farms at 866-587-5858 for any questions. Ball Park’s hot dogs are gluten free. The company stated that their hot dogs’ labels will reflect the ingredients in the products. You can contact Ball Park with further questions at 800-925-3326 Dietz & Watson products are GF (avoid the scrapple and the bockwurst) The company is certified GF by the Celiac Sprue Associatio

It’s Time for Grand Rapids Gluten-Free Food Fair (May 19th 10:00am-4:00pm)

Mark your calendars!! The Sixth Annual Gluten-Free Food Fair is on Saturday May 19th from 10:00 am- 4:00pm at the Grand Rapids Delta Plex on West River Road. Do you find yourself wasting a lot of money on new Gluten-Free products because it looks good, but then ends up tasting yucky? This happens to me a lot. I love the Gluten-Free Food Fair because I am able to sample tons of Gluten-Free products which helps saves me money, because I now know which products I like and which products I don’t. Most importantly it is free! There will be a cooking demonstration and conferences you can sign up for. You can also purchase Gluten-Free products at the fair too. I will post more information when it closer to the time. I just wanted you to mark it on your calendar. Website: www.glutenfreegr.com/foodfair To keep this event free they need volunteers. So if you are passionate on getting the word out about Celiac Disease and eating a GF diet you can donate 2 or more hours of your time to help se

The WHITECAPS Now Have GF Hot Dogs w/ GF Bun!

Image
The Grand Rapids Press had an article about the new WHITECAPS Baseball’s new menu for summer 2012. This year winner menu was designed by Westside Po’ Boy! Their loaded Kielbasa sandwich (NOT GLUTEN-FREE) won the big prize. The article listed the menu which sadly had a lot of NOT Gluten-Free food, but then I noticed at the end of the article it stated it had a Gluten-Free Hot Dog & Gluten-Free Hot Dog Bun. Here is the menu items listed in the article: - Movie Theatre Candy o Sour Patch Kids (GLUTEN-FREE) o Skittles (GLUTEN-FREE) o Starburst (GLUTEN-FREE) o Airheads (GLUTEN-FREE) o M&Ms (GLUTEN-FREE) o Peanut M&Ms (GLUTEN-FREE) o Mike and Ikes (GLUTEN-FREE) o Milk Duds (GLUTEN-FREE) o Reese’s Pieces (GLUTEN-FREE), o Butterfinger Pieces (GLUTEN-FREE), o Whoppers (NOT GLUTEN FREE), o Airhead Extremes (GLUTEN-FREE) o Sour Gummy Worms (GLUTEN-FREE) - Chicken Sluggers (BBQ Marinated grilled chicken drumsticks NOT GLUTEN-FREE) - Pierogies (deep

Kellogs Rice Krispies is Gluten Free

Image
Kellogs Krispies is Gluten Free now!!

The Butterfly Bakery Has Gluten-Free Products and are Yummy in the Tummy!

Image
http://www.thebutterflybakery.com/ A couple of days ago I received a package from Butterfly Bakery in the mail. I opened it up to find some Gluten -Free Mini Wild Blueberry Muffins and Gluten-Free Chocolate Chips. It was dinner time, but I just couldn’t wait till after dinner to eat one. I quickly opened the package and ate one of the Wild Blueberry Muffins and then I tried the Chocolate Chip Cookie. They were both delicious. Then my mom saw them, she isn’t Gluten-Free, and she had some. She didn’t believe me that they were Gluten-Free. By the end of the night there was only three cookies left and five muffins left. The blue berry muffin tasted sweet and smooth. It didn’t taste grainy or dry like most Gluten-Free muffins taste like. The chocolate chip cookie reminded of the Chip-Ahoy Cookies , which I greatly miss. This cookie made me so happy. Actually this cookie tasted better then a Chip Ahoy Cookie. Butterfly Bakery has many other products that are Gluten-Free. Here is a li

Medical Health Advice.com

Dr. Nancy Roberts sent me an email about a new Health Portal she has created.  She graduated from NY University Hospital 2001. She freelance to many well known magazines such as Health , Self , and Shape . The site contains a  medical dictionary, Drugs & Supplement resources, Diseases and Conditions resources, Health and so much more. Check it out:   http://www.medicalhealthadvice.org/

Saffron's Gluten Free Store on Plainfield MI

Saturday Aug 28th is their sample day. It starts at 11:00am-2:00pm. The theme is snacks and lunch items. Gluten Free items are expensive. It is heart breaking spending money on a GF food and end up not liking it. That is why I love the Sample events. I think that all stores should have these type of events. In October they will have be having Sample Saturdays for Celiac Disease Month. Address: 4196 Plainfield, MI

List of Gluten Free Restaurants

1- Uccello's has a gluten-free menu. You will need to request at gluten-free menu. Also you will need to talk to he waiter and manager. 2- Chipotle's. Again make sure to ask for a gluten-free menu and make sure that waiter knows that you are gluten-free. 3- Olive Garden has many different meals that are gluten-free. Ask the greeter for a gluten-free menu. Also mention that you are gluten-free. 4- Ruby Tuesday 5- ABC Pizza offers gluten-free pizza 6- Boston's the one by Celebration Cinema North on the Beltline. 7- Noodles, also near Celebration Cinema North. I believe that all Noodles have gluten free items. 8- Red Robins- Ask the waiter not to but Red Robin's Seasoning. 9- Wendys. You can even eat the Chili. Just remember where every eat always ask to speak with the manager. Ask the manager about using clean gloves, utensils, pans, etc. Don't be afraid to question your meal. If the meal isn't how you order it tell the manager and don't eat

Harvest Health Foods' Gluten Free Fair

Harvest Health Foods is throwing their annual Mini Gluten Free Fair at the Hudsonville location on Saturday Aug 21,2010. It starts at 10:00am- 3:00pm. The address is: 4150 32nd Avenue in Hudsonville, MI

Family Estate Sale Business

My mom's dream has always been starting an estate sale services. Now, that my health is getting back on track and things are starting to look good she has started her buisness- Legacy Estate Sale Services. We have watched other Estate Sale companies ruin items and are only there for money.  My mom has done estate sale for friends and enjoys helping people.  It is nice to watch my mom do what she wants to do and not have to worry about taking care of me. Her website is http://www.legacyestatesaleservices.com/ We do travel, but fees will apply. I love my mom so much and enjoy watching her do what she enjoys.

Celiac Disease Linked to Modestly Increased Mortality

by Laurie Barclay, MD September 15, 2009 — Mortality risk is modestly increased in patients with celiac disease, inflammation, or latent celiac disease, according to the results of a retrospective cohort study reported in the September 16 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. "Studies of mortality in celiac disease have not taken small-intestinal pathology into account," write Jonas F. Ludvigsson, MD, PhD, from Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden, and colleagues. "We used nationwide histopathology data to examine the overall risk of death in individuals with celiac disease and inflammation. Through regional data linkage, we were also able to examine mortality in latent celiac disease." The investigators studied duodenal/jejunal biopsies performed at all 28 pathology departments in Sweden between July 1969 and February 2008 on celiac disease (Marsh stage III: villous atrophy; n = 29,096 individuals) and inflammation (Marsh stage I

Experts Identify Three Culprits for Gluten Allergy

HONG KONG (Reuters) Jul 21 - Researchers have identified three fragments in gluten that appear to trigger the autoimmune response in people with celiac disease. The findings, published online July 21st in Science Translational Medicine, may lead to a more targeted cure for the disease instead of what patients do now - abstain completely from food containing wheat, barley and rye and their by-products. "If you can (narrow down) the toxicity of an allergen to a few components, that enables you to make a highly targeted therapy in a way that you no longer need to target the whole immune system," said researcher Dr. Robert Anderson of The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Victoria, Australia. In the case of celiac disease, which is not an allergy but an autoimmune disorder, autoantibodies produced in response to gluten damage the lining of the small intestine. In order to identify the antigenic peptides recognized by the T cells that cause th

New and Improved Products!

Image
I have been crazy busy with Graduation, Picnics, Family Reunions, and summer parties coming it is hard to spend hours of baking from scratch. These products have made my life simple for all these busy days. I use Pancakes for a sandwich wrap and hook it together with a tooth pick. Using pancake for bread reminds me of Oga’s Restaurant Sandwiches. I have always loved a fast spaghetti pasta salad that has noodles that taste good. The best pasta in the world is: 1) De Boles Gluten-Free Multi-Grain Spaghetti Style Pasta- I love this pasta because it taste fantastic and doesn’t get mushy after a couple of days. The key is to make sure you don’t over boil the noodles. It is the only pasta out there that has great nutrition. It is made with Brown Rice Flour, Quinoa & Amaranth. Only has 1.5 grams of total fat, 12% Fiber, 30% Folic Acid, 15% Iron, 40% Thiamin, 30% Niacin, 15% Riboflavin. A quick pasta salad is putting together Olive Oil, Tomatoes, Black Olives (canned sliced), chop a sm

Grand Rapid's Michigan Whitecaps Gluten Free Menu!

I have gone to Whitecaps games and watch my friends and family eat baseball game foods. I always felt left out. I won't be feeling left out any more because the Whitecaps has a gluten free menu!! All you have to do is ask to see the gluten free selections. Now you can cheer and eat just like your family and friends.

Starbucks Has GF Cookies!!

I always go with friends to our local Starbucks and talk. I have always loved going to Starbucks and getting warm milk with french vanilla. My friends always order a cookie or a bagel. They always ask me why I don't like cookies. I have to remind them about me being gluten-free. I wish I could eat Starbucks cookies. I always feel like they think I am weird. But now some locations of Starbucks carry gluten-free cookies. According to the spokesperson, Starbucks will have gluten-free cookies at all corporation locations (freestanding locations). Any Starbucks in malls or stores may or may not carry GF cookies.

Suggestions on Baking Cookies

Gluten-Free cookies can be a pain to make. I had a hard time with regular cookies.  I don't know about you, but my GF cookies come on flat and hard. It spreads all over the pan even when I lessen the butter. I love switching out the butter and putting applesauce in the place. Applesauce is a work of art. You have to play around with it. Here are some suggestions that other gluten- freeers have told me:  -Bake on a Silpat mat placed onto your cookie sheet – this helps keep the dough from spreading too much. - For cookies that are rolled out and cut out, place the dough between two Silpat mats, or between two sheets of plastic wrap. The plastic wrap can also be moistened to help it from slipping around on the counter and also water can help spread out the cookie dough. - Use a small ice-cream scoop with a lever to help release the dough onto your cookie sheet. - Use an offset spatula, moistened, to help smooth the batter after dropping it onto the cookie sheet. - Refrig

Ian's Foods Now Has Animal Cookies

Image
Animal cookies have come in handy for children on the go, lunches, snacks, picnics, car rides. It has been very hard to find great tasting gluten free animal cookies that kids and parents like. Ian's Animal Cookies taste great. They taste a lot like the non-gluten free animal cookies.  They are sweet and addicting. These animal cookies are not only good for kid, they are great for young adults and adults. They are handy not only for children, but also for adults on the run too.  Ian's Animal Cookies are my favorite. It also has a sealable bag to keep them fresh. This is a must in your pantry!

New Gluten Free Products!

Gluten Free Pantry has a new look and the same wonderful taste. I have always loved their All Purpose Flour and used it in every recipes I make. Gluten Free Pantry’s  has some more wonderful mixes: the Chocolate Chip Cookie mix is simple and tasty. I love this mix. I am a college student and always busy, so this mix comes in handy for quick cookies. The cookie has no grittiness or weird tastes like some gluten free cookies have. I like them because my non-gluten free friends can’t tell the difference. This product is very nice for anyone who has a busy schedule or that doesn’t like to bake. Another product that is simply and very tasty is the Gluten Free Pantry Brownie Mix. I have never been a brownie fan until I tried this mix. I like my brownies soft. I put them in a smaller pan then the box said because I like it soft. If I wanted it hard I would stick it into a larger pan. I also added some chocolate chunk chips because I love the melting chocolate. I liked this product because it