Showing posts with label gluten-free. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gluten-free. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Potluck Tonight


I was invited to a gluten free potluck this evening and I’m bringing dessert. At least I’ll know there’s one thing I can eat. Behold, Namaste Blondies with Enjoy Life chocolate chips cooling near my window sill right now.

TIP: I’m bringing the empty Namaste/EL packaging with me for anyone who wants to know ingredients.

Monday, June 29, 2009

Diet, Celiac Disease

At the Thought Leader’s Program, June 14, 2009 at the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, the center's preeminent leaders on celiac disease discussed the following topics (the event will be up on Youtube.com shortly, will repost when it's up):

10:00 am, Peter Green, MD: Introduction to the Center and recent new information on celiac disease

10:30 am, Phil Kazlow, MD: Update in pediatric celiac disease

11:00 am, Suzanne Lewis, MD: Evaluation of poorly responsive patients

11:30 pm, Suzanne Simpson, RD: Why see an expert nutritionist for evaluation of celiac disease

12:00 Buffet Lunch Served (gluten-free, of course!)

12:30 pm, Christina Tennyson, MD: Nutrient and vitamin replacement

What I found of particular interest was the discussion of both "Evaluation of poorly responsive patients" by Dr. Lewis and Ms. Simpson's discussion about “Why you should see an expert nutritionist for evaluation of celiac disease.”

Sound familiar? Folks at the FAAN conference also talked about the vital importance of diet for the food allergic community.

According to Dr. Suzanne Lewis of Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University, thirty percent of people on a gluten-free diet fail to see improvement. Why? It’s mainly due to noncompliance.

Why do gluten-free folks not follow the diet? Because it’s difficult and they don’t know what to eat exactly.

As Dr. Peter Green stated: the gluten-free diet is what to avoid as well as what to eat. Many become educated on what to avoid but how many know what to add back in?

For those with diagnosed celiac disease, I urge you to make an appointment with a registered dietitian who understands celiac disease.

Some helpful sites.
www.celiacdiseasecenter.org
www.mypyramid.gov
www.eatright.org
www.eatrightny.org (NY ADA Chapter)

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Cocoa Crispy Brown Rice Cereal



When was the last time you had cocoa crispies that make the milk (or dairy-free alternative) turn chocolaty? I know for me it’s been decades. As a child, my mother didn’t allow sugary cereals and then as an adult many of these morning treats became off limits because of my food intolerances (dairy and wheat).

Well, welcome back morning deliciousness.

Erewhon, who I’ve discussed in the past, has both organic and gluten-free cereals. What could be better?

This morning they had a cereal media tasting in Midtown where they displayed what they think could be better.


Erewhon is rolling out two new gluten-free cereals.

Cocoa Crispy Brown Rice whose product development included ensuring that the cereal would make the milk chocolaty (which it does, as you can see in the picture below).


And Strawberry Crisp, Erewhon’s version of Special K, with a light “frosting” and freeze dried strawberries.


I tried them both. (Erewhon/US Mills arranged for some Lactaid milk to be available so I could try the cereal in their correct state--Thank you, Amy!)

The Cocoa Cripsies tasted just right, a deep cocoa flavor but not overly sweet. The Strawberry Crisps flakes had a satisfying corn crunch; the frosting was light enough to suit an adult's palate (who has a low sugar diet, that would be me) and I think a child would still be thrilled with the product.

Overall: I think these new GF cereals are winners.

Thank you Erewhon for the breakfast and for the new products.

Monday, June 8, 2009

Worry-Free Dinners & B.R.Guest

I’m thrilled to announce a new Worry-Free Dinners partnership with a renowned NYC restaurant group: B.R.GUEST.

I've had many happy and allergen-friendly meals at various B.R.Guest restos over the years and have talked about several of them on Please Don't pass the Nuts. Remember my great date at Blue Water Grill? Or the business lunch at Dos Caminos Third Avenue?

Now you can experience some of the allergen-friendly love yourself. We will have our inaugural Worry-Free Dinners event for adult members on July 12th.

The excellent Mexican menu will be gluten free, peanut free, tree nut free, fish/shellfish free and still full of delicious flavor! Chef Young will be on hand to chat and walk us through how she specially prepared each dish just for us. Our table discussion theme will be: safe summer travel with food allergies/dietary restrictions. And as always I'll be there, chatting, coaching and eating with you!

Visit the WFD website for more details.

(Remember: Worry-Free Dinners® is a membership group and you MUST be a member to eat with us. It's super easy to join. Just send an email to worryfreedinners@gmail.com to request an application. )