Posts Tagged gluten

Sweet Freedom: Philadelphia’s Gluten Free & Vegan Bakery Review

Mar 16

Posted by Maureen in GF Product Reviews, Let's Eat Out | 2 Comments

At the 2009 NFCA Appetite for Awareness event, I had the pleasure of meeting Allison Lubert & Heather Esposito also known as the dynamos behind Sweet Freedom Bakery.  After a wondrous sample of their gluten free cupcakes, I anxiously counted the days till their mid-January 2010 opening in Philadelphia, PA.  Sweet Freedom’s baked goods are not only gluten-free (score!), but vegan (dairy-free, casein-free, egg-free) and without corn, peanuts, and soy.  It was overwhelmingly amazing to walk into a bakery and be able to eat every single item on the menu!  Note to self: restraint is key when visiting Sweet Freedom.

Our venture into Philly started off as any typical day in early 2010…with snow.   Undaunted by the forecast of (sigh, yet another) two feet, we loaded Thing 1 and Thing 2 into the car and headed towards the City of  Brotherly Love.  Once on South Street, we easily found metered parking right in front of the bakery (probably due to the impending blizzard barreling our way).  Having obsessively studied the bakery menu, I was prepared to order.  That was until I stood witness to the rows of muffins, cupcakes, and cobblers calling my name.  Our first selection was a Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich.  I’m not sure what excited the children more, the fact that they were eating a “sandwich” that was actually a cookie or the fact that their Mommy Dearest was (willingly) sharing her gluten free goodies with them.  Yes, I admit, I have a tad bit of difficulty sharing.  Keep in mind that my hubby and kiddos can eat gluten, so I feel totally justified in threatening to administer a karate chop if they venture near my gluten free stash.  But I digress…The Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich ($3.50 single/$38.50 dozen) was utterly fabulous!    

We then moved on to the Magic Bars ($2.75 single/$30.75 dozen).  Oooh, these were good. We barely left room for one chocolate and one vanilla cupcake ($3.50 single/$38.50 dozen) iced to perfection.  Unfortunately, Thing 1 and Thing 2 gobbled the cupcakes up in record time, so the photo opportunity was missed.

Pros

  • Delectable vegan baked goods free from gluten, corn, peanuts, and soy.
  • Dedicated gluten-free facility.
  • Fresh baked daily.

Cons

  • Pricing.  While I completely understand that the price point for gluten free baking is higher, I felt that $38.50 for a dozen cupcakes seemed excessive.
  • Unless you are lucky enough to find a metered spot, parking in the adjacent lot was pricey ($10.00).

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Gluten Free Blarney Stone Creamy Potato Soup Review

Feb 10

Posted by Maureen in GF Product Reviews | 1 Comment

Over this past weekend Snowmageddon occurred.  Here in New Jersey, it snowed a whopping 28.5 inches.  That kind of winter weather calls for three things:  hot chocolate, comfy p.j.’s and a big pot of soup simmering on the stove.  After my diagnosis with celiac disease, I found it hard to find soup mixes or premade varieties without wheat.  No longer could I take a quick trip down the soup aisle in my grocery store and pick up a few cans of Campbell’s soup.  About a year ago, I discovered Fantastic World Foods Simmer Soups.  Their Blarney Stone Creamy Potato soup is “a creamy blend of diced potatoes seasoned with onions and leeks.”  Simply add in milk to their mix and simmer on the stove for 10 minutes.  Inspired by their Baked Potato soup suggestion on the back of the package, we added a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon.

Pros:

  • Overall a tasty and hearty gluten-free soup!
  • Reasonably priced at $3.65 for a 7.5 package of soup mix (approximately 6 servings).

Cons:

  • Do your pricing research!  In doing a search on-line for Simmer Soups, I found that the price point varied greatly by retailer.  For example, if you ordered a 6-pack of Simmer Soups directly from Fantastic World Foods the price is $30.72.  In comparison, if you order the same quantity via Amazon.com, the price is $21.94.

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(Naturally) Gluten Free Hummus with Balsamic Vinegar

Apr 30

Posted by Maureen in GF Recipe Compilation, Recipes: Appetizers & Dips | 2 Comments

gluten-free-hummus

We have very cool friends for neighbors.  Sherry and Ray live down the street from us.  Too far to stick your arm out the window for a cup of sugar, but close enough to wander down for one of their fabulous get togethers.  Sherry and Ray recently hosted a Snuggie Party at their abode.  Yes, a Snuggie Party.  For those of you who do not obsessively watch infomercials, the Snuggie is infamously known as “a blanket with sleeves”.  According to my son (an infomercial junkie), I also need a Hoveround electric chair, several Sham Wows, and Urine Be Gone.

We excitedly donned our Snuggies (the kids put on their pjs) and headed over to Sherry and Ray’s house for a snugtastic time (yes, I went there!).  When I realized Sherry’s delicious hummus was naturally gluten free, I quickly gobbled up most of it myself.  After a few glasses of wine and a secret Snuggie handshake, Sherry  kindly shared her hummus recipe.

snuggie-party

White Bean Hummus with Balsamic Vinegar

1 19-ounce can of White Cannelini Kidney Beans
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic (I used roasted garlic)
Sea salt & pepper to taste

Using a colander, drain and rinse beans. Add all ingredients to a food processor. Blend until hummus is smooth and creamy. Serve with veggies, corn chips, or use in place of mayo on a sandwich!

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Avoiding Cross Contamination

Oct 16

Posted by Maureen in Hold The Gluten Podcast | 1 Comment

The latest episode of my Hold The Gluten Podcast is now live!

Episode 10 “Avoiding Cross Contamination” Features:

  • Listener Sally (newly diagnosed) asks about avoiding cross contamination in the home.
  • Toaster vs. Toaster Oven (purchase extra rack & tray for GF foods).
  • Separate container of spreads, condiments (i.e. butter, mayo, cream cheese, jelly, peanut butter).
  • Non-food items such as sifters, baking sheets, & wooden utensils.
  • Did you know?  Flour dust can stay airborne for hours after use.
  • Storage containers for gluten free food.
  • Label, label, label!
  • Bread makers and deep fryers.

Read the blog. Listen to the podcast. Educate yourself.

Rock on Celiacs!

Click the player below to listen to the show! Subscribe to the podcast using iTunes (or whatever media player you use) at http://feeds.feedburner.com/htgpodcast

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Not A Dry Eye in the Room (Except Mine!)

Jun 6

Posted by Maureen in Related Disorders | 5 Comments

No, I’m not hungover. Yes, I have slept recently.

One of the funny things about Celiac Disease is that a person can develop other disorders, intolerances, etc.

Ok, that’s not really funny, but I’m trying to find some humor in this :)

Since I’ve been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I have had the worst dry eyes in my life. I am optically challenged, so I must wear contacts or glasses. If I wear contacts for more than 15 minutes, I feel as though there are shards of glass embedded in my eyes. Needless to say, I don’t wear contacts very often (well, for more than 15 minutes). I’ve been to the ophthalmologist several times and was prescribed Restasis for severe dry eye. What surprised me was that the doctor told me that many patients with Celiac Disease also suffer from various “eye issues” (my sad attempt at medical terminology).

I have noticed a common denominator while reading about and researching Celiac Disease… An auto-immune disorder such as ours commonly results in related issues such as depression, migraines, infertility, and bone density problems. The good news is that some of the symptoms are relieved once a person goes gluten free. Not so much with some of the other issues.

I’m one of those people who have developed other issues along with Celiac Disease.

In addition to my poor, parched eyes, let’s talk about MSG for a moment. MSG (or mono-sodium glutamate) is a flavor enhancer that makes the tasty food we eat even tastier. Yes, there is a huge controversy as to whether MSG is safe, but MSG-laden chips and onion dip every so often can’t be that bad, right? When I was first diagnosed with celiac disease, I immediately began eating gluten free. Buh-bye loathsome wheat, barley, oats, and rye. I’m proud to say that I have never, ever once cheated — I just can’t. So, I researched, read labels, and called manufacturers to find out what the heck I could safely eat. One glorious day, while doing my food inquest, I realized that Doritos and Cheetos were gluten free!! (I am not a junk food junkie, but I do like fluorescent orange fake cheese as much as the next person.) I remember that day like it was yesterday. Scene 1 – I realized Doritos were gluten free. Scene 2 – I was so excited I ate about half a bag of Cool Ranch Doritos. Scenes 3, 4, and 5 – I pooped like nobody’s business for days afterwards. Not to mention the night sweats and lower back ache which were typical clues I’d “glutened” myself. But these foods are gluten free, why am I having a reaction? In addition to Celiac, I now had an intolerance to MSG. Even if the food was gluten free, it needed to be MSG-free as well to be safe. Blast. Double Blast.

So, the message I’m sending here is listen to your body. Your body may have been sick for a few months or for several years. Your body will let you know what it can tolerate (and what it can’t). Sometimes we have to dig deeper to find the root of the problem. It’s not always a black or white answer we may find (which drives me batty because there is no gray in my world). Celiac Disease forces us to slow down and become educated in the dietary decisions we make each day.

In the grand scheme of things, fluorescent orange fake cheese stains your fingers anyway.

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Hello World!

May 31

Posted by Maureen in Hold the Gluten Blog | No Comments

Ok, maybe I’m being uncreative, but I kept the automatic title the Blog People provided for me. “Hello World!” just seems appropriate. This is actually very exciting (and a little stressful). My first blog entry MUST be a cleverly written piece filled with wit, spunk, and meaningful text. No pressure, you can do it Maureen. Ok, now I’m typing to myself. Not a good sign…

Let’s just summarize things with Hello World! The Hold The Gluten blog (and future podcast) has been launched!

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