A Gluten Free Guide

Why Do I Need A Celiac Diagnosis?

Celiac Disease is a tricky condition. It is grossly under-diagnosed in the United States. The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness has a list of symptoms and facts about the disease that will hopefully drive more people to request the tests from their doctors. But why is it important to have a medical diagnosis?

Many people suffer for years and are mis-diagnosed with various other conditions including Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Lactose Intolerance, Fibromyalgia, IBS, or even Cancer. When no relief comes from the various symptoms, many people look to the Internet and “self-diagnose” by cutting gluten out of their diets. Suddenly they feel fantastic and regain the health that seemed so elusive.

If they feel healthy, then what’s the problem? Perhaps nothing, but there are a few issues at work. First of all if you don’t have a medical diagnosis and there ever is a “cure” for Celiac Disease (other than eliminating gluten from the diet) your insurance won’t pay for it. Schools might not accommodate your child’s dietary needs without a medical diagnosis. Your flexible spending account won’t cover the difference in cost between gluten free and non-gluten free food items without a diagnosis. It also may become difficult at some point down the road to be truly vigilant with your diet if you aren’t 100% sure that you have the condition.

Not only is it important to have a blood test confirming if you have the antibodies, but it needs to be followed up with an endoscopy and biopsy to confirm that the intestinal villi are damaged. The key here is to keep eating gluten until the day you have the endoscopy. If you cut gluten out of your diet too soon and your intestines heal before you have the endoscopy, then you can’t be sure of your diagnosis. As someone desperate to feel better and start healing as soon as possible I too started cutting gluten out of my diet. Luckily my gastroenterologist was well-educated on Celiac disease (surprisingly many are not) and told me to keep eating gluten until the last day. My last gluten filled pizza was from an airport Sbarro (my Italian friends would be ashamed J ) then later I indulged in a big waffle cone filled with ice cream and a piece of cheesecake the night before. I figured why not go out with a bang!

The endoscopy in the morning was not nearly as uncomfortable as I had feared. It was performed in the doctor’s office under light-anesthesia. The doctor uses a scope with a small camera to look at your stomach and intestines and take the biopsy. I had my results right away; I was about to embark on a gluten free roller coaster ride. [on the plus side, the diagnosis meant I didn’t have to follow up with a colonoscopy which I understand is much more uncomfortable] I was lucky my diagnosis happened quickly by Celiac standards, only 3.5 weeks of painful unbearable symptoms. I have heard that most people suffer for an average of 4 years. Hopefully as awareness grows, that number will decrease and we can all start feeling and living well.

(Because I am not a doctor, the content on this blog is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be considered medical advice – although my father is a lawyer )

Dessert to rock your world – Indonesian-Style Bananas and Coconut Milk

I recently received a preview copy of Donna Klein’s new cookbook, “The Gluten Free Vegetarian Kitchen.” I love cookbooks but didn’t have high hopes about this particular one. Donna Klein is a well-known cookbook author but what did she know about being gluten-free?

Well, I must say I am truly impressed. The book does a good job of outlining the “Celiac Diet” and places where the perfidious gluten can hide. Ms. Klein makes great use of the alternative flours and gluten free ingredients, highlighting the natural flavors of gluten free food. For a meat-eater like me, it was useful to have all of the recipes categorized by Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Vegan etc. (Now I can have a dinner party for my vegan friends without “contaminating” their food with hidden animal products.) As a diabetic, it was great to see which recipes were labeled as “low-carb” AND have the nutrition facts for each recipe.

OK, that’s all well and good, but would the food actually taste good? My trips to vegetarian restaurants with gluten free menus confirmed that elminating meat doesn’t have to hamper you. I had a great time pouring through the cookbook selecting which ones to make first. I decided to have a dinner party with a few friends (Celiac and not) to give the recipes a test run. It was a bit risky to make all new recipes for a dinner party, but everyone was warned and seemed up for the adventure. Well, the risk paid off and everyone loved the food. Meat-eaters, gluten-eaters and the vegetarian-Celiac all gave the recipes rave reviews. (My only comment is that many of the recipes need more salt than is called for, but that is easily remedied.)

I will be highlighting items from the dinner party over the next few weeks – Toasted Tex-Mex Almonds, Spicy Jicama Chips with Guacamole, Black and Green Olive Tapenade, Parmesan Cheese Crisps, Wasabi Cream Cheese Spread, “Creamy” Cauliflower Soup, Sante Fe Style Quinoa Salad, and Pizza made with a Zucchini Crust. The taste memories are flooding back as I type….

Today, let’s start with dessert. I don’t remember enjoying a dessert this thoroughly in a long time. I took Donna’s recipe for Indonesian-Style Warm Bananas in Cinnamon-Coconut Milk and paired it with Gluten Free Gingerbread and low-fat frozen yogurt. The combination of flavors, textures, hot and cold leaves my mouth watering just from the memory. Give it a try and I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Indonesian-Style Warm Bananas in Cinnamon-Coconut Milk (from Donna Klein’s “The Gluten-Free Vegetarian Kitchen”)

4 large ripe yet firm bananas
1 ½ cups light coconut milk
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Peel the bananas and slice into bite-sized pieces. In a medium saucepan, bring the coconut milk, sugar and cinnamon to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the ingredients are incorporated. Add the bananas and let mixture return to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the bananas are tender but not mushy, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot, with an additional sprinkling of cinnamon, if desired.

Gluten-Free Family Style – Sambuca Serves Up Italian on the Upper West Side

If you are living gluten free then I am sure you have experienced the same look of horror and sympathy when people realize you can’t eat “normal” bread, pasta or beer. At least those are the first three things most people mourn for me. Well, Sambuca, a warm and friendly restaurant on Manhattan’s Upper West Side will satisfy all of your carb loving cravings. From appetizer to dessert, Sambuca has something to feed every aspect of your gluten free appetite.Because the restaurant serves big family-style portions, you will get the most pleasure for your palate if your entire group opts to order from the gluten free menu. But don’t worry, even if you are the only gluten free diner in your group, Sambuca offers smaller portions of the gluten free dishes if needs be.

Even with a group of four eating gluten free I didn’t have enough room (or funds) to order all of my favorites. We started with the Sambuca Salad served with mixed greens, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, red onions, carrots, celery and olives with a balsamic vinaigrette. If you are with a bigger group, be sure to try their grilled portabella mushrooms.

The group decided on the Shrimp pasta with broccoli rabe, garlic and olive oil. This plate looked so good, the table next to us asked the waiter what it was, when the waiter responded “That’s the shrimp with a special gluten free pasta” and then proceeded to tell him about the ‘regular’ pastas. The gentleman responded “Well, whatever they are having looks great, bring me some of that!” What a wise man.

While the rest of my friends were served gluten filled bread, I received a gluten free roll. It’s not the best gluten free bread I’ve ever had, but the joy one feels when eating a warm, freshly-baked gluten free roll with a great Italian meal is beyond compare.

For our main course, I insisted on the Chicken Paillard. A light dish which packs a full-flavored punch, the grilled chicken breasts are topped with chopped tomatoes, arugula, fresh basil and red onion.

And a Southern Italian meal wouldn’t be complete without a big serving of sautéed peppers and onions.

If you haven’t completely over-indulged in the gluten free largess, your waiter will gladly bring you a homemade gluten free brownie sundae for dessert.

Sambuca 20 W 72nd St, New York 10023 Btwn CPW & Columbus Ave Phone: 212-787-5656

Gluten-Free Pizza Party

Calling all gluten free food bloggers. You are invited to a gluten free blogging event to be held right here at Gluten Free Guide on Friday, April 13th with the theme “Pizza Party.” In Italy the number thirteen is considered lucky, so what better day for a new twist on an Italian favorite. According to wikipedia the “True Neapolitan Pizza Association” has set very specific rules that must be followed for an authentic Neapolitan pizza. Well as gluten free bloggers we must throw tradition to the wind and get creative with our gluten free creations.

The event is open to all bloggers who write about food or eating gluten free. Just make your favorite pizza with all gluten free ingredients and post it to your blog on Friday, April 13th. Send me an email at glutenguide{at}gmail.com to let me know who you are, where you live and a link to your post. Then I will post a recap with a link to all of the delicious creations.

PS – any gluten free bloggers that aren’t already on my blogroll, please send me an email and I will add you ASAP

You Can Help Create Celiac Awareness

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness is working with the celiac community (that means us!) to get the word out there. They are asking for our help in contacting local TV Stations to ask that they air thePSA.

Join the 50 Station Challenge!!

If you’re ready to join our 50 Station Challenge, here’s what you need to do:

1. Contact the stations you’d like to air the PSA. You can find their contact information in your local telephone book or online at their website. Ask to speak to the person in charge of handling public service announcements.

2. Ask this person if the station is airing PSAs and if they might be interested in celiac disease. If you have celiac disease, tell them your personal story. Telling your personal story will show why it is so important for the station to air the PSA.

3. Ask them to view the PSA at http://www.celiaccentral.org/Other/PSA/358/ or to contact Vanessa Maltin 215-692-2639 or Vanessa@celiaccentral.org. Some stations may request a DVD or BETA copy. In this case, please ask for the address of the station and the name of the person whose attention the package should be sent to. Send this information to Vanessa Maltin and she will send the DVD or BETA version to the station.

4. About one week after you’ve emailed them the link or NFCA has sent them the DVD or BETA copy, it is very important for you to follow up to see that the person received your email or our package and to find out whether they’d like to air it.

5. If they say yes, FANTASTIC!! If they say no, don’t be discouraged. Pick another station and try again!! .

To join the 50 Station Challenge, please contact:
Vanessa Maltin
National Foundation for Celiac Awareness
215-692-2639
Vanessa@celiaccentral.org

Gluten-Free Bread That’s Too Good To Be True

The box full of “Gluten Free Goodness” I received last week was from a little bakery in upstate New York called Le Garden Gourmet Gluten-Free Bakery. I first discovered them at the Gluten Free Cooking Spree, when their Melba Toasts were my favorite part of the goodie bag. I had high hopes after enjoying the melba toasts so thoroughly, but I had been down that road before and was also prepared for disappointment.After looking at their Web site I decided to try a couple loafs of bread, the sugar cookies, the flour mix and breadcrumbs in addition to ordering more of the magical gluten free melba toasts. It is a small family-run bakery that just launched last year. They have an entirely gluten and nut free facility. The woman I spoke to was kind and informative.

I was a little worried when I found out that they use guar gum instead of xanthan gum as a stabilizer. My stomach doesn’t handle guar gum particularly well, so I decided to forgo the flour mix until I had a better sense of the rest of their products. (My Mom and I both had a bad experience with guar gum when we over-indulged on gluten free bread during our trip to Scotland.)

I chose the Whole Grain and Country Seed gluten free loaves. They have a sampler pack but I wasn’t ready for that level of commitment.

I placed my order on a Thursday. Because they do all of their shipping on Wednesdays, I didn’t receive my box until the following Thursday. For my entire order, the overnight shipping was a mere $7.

My gluten-eating friend Emily helped me taste the bread and cookies. (She was brave after experiencing some less than tasty gluten free granola.)

Her reaction was just as emphatic as mine. We were both blown away by the taste and texture of the breads and cookies. All I can say is WOW and THANK YOU Ina Garden. The bread did not disappoint. (As with all gluten free breads, it must be warmed in the microwave or toasted before eating. I did have a small hope that it would taste fresh and soft without the microwave, but hey I’ll take it.)The loaves are heavy, artisan style breads; they are wonderful sliced thick and spread with butter or preserves. Emily preferred the Country Seed, though I keep going back and forth. I have been eating them both all weekend. This is the first time I have actually craved a gluten free bread that wasn’t homemade.

After savoring every bite of the bread, we opened up the Jumbo Sugar Cookie package. Again, they were astonishingly good. It is absolutely the best gluten free cookie I have had that wasn’t homemade. And they are better than any attempt I’ve made with sugar cookies. The edges are crispy but the center is soft and chewy. It will please your taste buds beyond measure.

I can’t wait for my next Ina Garden order. I still need to try all of their other breads, cookies and flour mixes. My only worry is about my waistline…

Dancing For Celiac Research

Last night I had the pleasure of attending a benefit organized by the wonderful CeliacChicks. The Paul Taylor Dance Company donated a portion of the ticket sales for last night’s performance to the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University. The CeliacChicks do things in style, hosting a pre-performance reception sponsored by Foods by George.

The tables were covered with gluten free appetizers and desserts. Walking into a room filled with Pecan Tarts, Lemon Bars, Brownies, Pretzels, and Crackers, the bartender had to keep assuring the amazed guests that “Yes, it’s ALL gluten free!”

The Glutano Crackers are one of my favorites, more dense than a ritz but a nice buttery taste.

The nut and seed biscotti were my favorite sweet gluten free treat of the night. Luckily they sell them at my Whole Foods.

It was amazing to have Pecan Tarts and Lemon Bars that I could eat. (Though I would call the bars more of a “lemon cake” since it’s light and fluffy without the pastry crust I usually associate with a “bar.”) Delish!

Just like the Gluten Free Cooking Spree, the best part of the evening was not the gluten free indulgences, but getting to meet others who celebrate living gluten free. I met the beautiful Juliana from Westchester who was just diagnosed 6 months ago and already has things well under control. (Juliana, let me know what you think of the cupcakes and any great gluten free restaurants you find in Italy!) The famous Dr. Peter Green was there as well. You may have seen him recently on The View. (If you missed it, check out David’s summary and analysis here. ) Then of course, there were Kelly and Alan who put the event together.

I was so energized and excited from the reception it was hard to believe that there was an extraordinary dance performance to follow. Thanks to everyone for their time and efforts.

To top off my evening, I came home to this box full of gluten free goodness. Stay tuned for more.

Ted’s Montana Grill Goes Gluten-Free

Well, almost. Ted’s Montana Grill offers a limited gluten free menu. They are not part of the Gluten Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP), but they give diners a few options and they have locations across the country. They advise those with food allergies or Celiac to request that their dishes be prepared on a clean surface with new utensils etc. On my first trip to Ted’s I had mixed success.

I started with a simple garden salad with honey mustard dressing on the side. I confirmed with the waitress that it would be mixed in a clean bowl. The bacon was crispy and I enjoyed the dressing. A solid choice for a simple green starter.

While I was tempted by the bison burger without a bun, I had been eating out with such a frequency that I needed something a little lighter. I selected the Cedar Plank Salmon with asparagus and sliced tomatoes – double checking that it would be prepared on clean surfaces.

YIKES!

What is that on my plate??

It’s a big roll of gluten!!!!

Well, normally I would forgo any further food from such an establishment. In this case, the manager came up to me, apologized profusely and assured me that they would prepare a whole new plate (and all gluten would be banished from its vicinity).

Lucky me, since I was photographing my adventures, I was able to compare the plates and confirm that the new dish was indeed fresh.

I felt comfortable with the reparations and truly enjoyed my lunch. The asparagus was a touch too oily and the tomatoes were pretty plain, but the salmon had a wonderful smoky flavor. Salmon is not one of my favorites (except in sashimi), but I have actually found myself craving this since.

With one location in Manhattan and many in Atlanta, I will probably give them another chance soon.

(And they offer souvenirs! Though I’m not sure I want a mini-stuffed bison to remind me of how cute they were before they arrive on my plate. )

Set Your VCR!

Or your Tivo, DVR or recording device of your choosing. Tomorrow, Wednesday March 14th, THE VIEW on ABC will be doing a special on Celiac Disease. I’m so happy Rosie has made The View a ratings juggernaut – more attention for gluten free living!

PS – I loved Elisabeth when she was on Survivor Australia (yes I am a reality TV junkie)! Apparently going on Survivor was how she figured out she had Celiac. Surviving on fish and rice made everyone else weak, but suddenly she had tons of energy because she was no longer consuming gluten.

Here is the official announcement from the NFCA:

NFCA’s Alice Bast to be guest on The View
On Wednesday March 14th, “The View,” a national daytime talk show on ABC-TV with hosts Rosie O’Donnell, Barbara Walters, Joy Behar and Elisabeth Hasselbeck, will air a segment on celiac disease. Dr. Peter Green of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University and Alice Bast, executive director of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness will be guests for the segment. “The View,” recipient of the 2003 Daytime Emmy® Award for “Outstanding Talk Show,” is ABC Daytime’s morning chatfest, featuring a team of dynamic women of different ages, experiences and backgrounds discussing the most exciting events of the day. The program has received critical acclaim since premiering August 11, 1997. It’s broadcast live Monday through Friday from NYC (11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, ET; CLOSED-CAPTIONED; broadcast in stereo; TV-14). Check your local listing for times.

Gluten-Free Take Out!

It’s all about the simple pleasures in life.

Many New Yorkers take pride in the fact that they have empty fridges, surviving on the panoply of take out choices available at the touch of a dial.

I had a full fridge even before Celiac, but “ordering in” from a library of menus ranging from Italian to Vietnamese suddenly become off limits when adhering to a gluten free diet. I mourned the loss of convenience but relished the new foods and recipes that entered my culinary repertoire. Sometimes though, you are just too tired to cook.

After enjoying a lovely gluten free meal at Gobo, I was pleased to learn that their Upper East Side location delivers to my apartment! Imagine my delight when a friend visited from out of town, being able to offer her a menu, order dinner and have it delivered right to my door. While the fresh foods in my fridge won’t be replaced with take-out containers any time soon, it’s always nice to have a variety of options.