Tag Archives: Gluten-free

Gluten free good things

Posted on October 11, 2012 | 3 comments

A few gluten free finds and things that made me happy lately.

1. This sign at Vic’s Bagel Bar in NYC. Their gluten free bagels are seriously drool-worthy, and they are serious about preventing cross contamination for those of us with Celiac disease. Props to them!

2. These cocoa pebbles treats are gluten free! They’re awful for you, but who doesn’t love a little Fred Flinstone-endorsed sugar high?

3. I was quoted in a CNBC article on the food allergy business based off of my blog post about the cost of eating gluten free where I estimated that I spend over a grand more on food than the average single woman my age. So exciting!

As always, sometimes it’s hard to find the bright spots in the world of Celiac disease, but you can always find a way 🙂

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How to tell your co-workers you have Celiac Disease

Posted on September 27, 2012 | 1 comment

Having to eat gluten free in the workplace can be tricky. I’ve been fortunate to have some very supportive coworkers over the years who have brought in gluten free snacks to meetings and made sure that I’ve had something I can eat at events. Recently I transitioned to a new team, however, and I was trying to think of a tactful way to let my new team members know that I have to follow a gluten free diet.

So I used National Celiac Awareness day as an “in” to broach the topic. I think that you could do this at other times too though (like as a nice gesture on a casual Friday, for example).

I sent out this email to my team:

Hi folks!

Some of you may know that I have Celiac Disease and have to eat a gluten free diet, but you probably didn’t know that today is National Celiac Awareness Day! For the occasion I got some apples from the farmer’s market, which are on the 2nd floor front desk (and are naturally gluten free, of course).

And in the spirit of spreading awareness, check out this checklist of symptoms to see if you or someone you know may have it (1 out of 133 people do, actually)! http://www.celiaccentral.org/disease-symptoms-checklist/

Best,

Anna

I had a few people tell me how much they appreciated the email (and the snack) – and one person even told me a story about her sister, who she thinks may have Celiacs as well.

Any other ideas for how you can tell your coworkers? 

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Nitally’s Thai-Mex Fusion: St. Pete, FL

Posted on September 24, 2012 | 1 comment

I was visiting a friend in Florida recently, and had one of the more unique meals I’ve ever eaten: Thai-Mexican fusion from Nitally’s in St. Pete. They mix Thai curry with Mexican mole, use chipotle in stir fried rice, and put cilantro on everything.

They have a dedicated gluten free menu, which was great since I’m always wary of lurking soy sauce or fillers in curries and Asian food.

We started with the tofu appetizer, which came with peanut and sweet and sour sauce for dipping and fresh cilantro.

For an entree I had red curry tofu tacos, which seemed odd, but were crazy good. There was a ton of fresh cilantro on top, which I love. The corn tortilla/rice/curry sauce combination was unexpectedly addictive, and I ended up eating way more of the huge portion than I anticipated.

I think next time I get Thai food take out I’m going to just dump it on a bunch of tortillas. It’s a whole new way to eat it with no chopsticks required!

Nitally’s 
2462 Central – St. Pete (25th St & Central Ave)

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The next generation of gluten free beers

Posted on September 21, 2012 | 1 comment

Have you ever seen something so beautiful? A gluten free beer and the NYC skyline.

When I was in the city a couple of weeks ago I was really lucky to try a few new gluten free beers that really are in a class of their own.

First was Prairie Path Golden Ale from Two Brothers Brewing Co.

Prairie Path is crafted to remove gluten and has less than 5 ppm, according to their lab report (awesome they provide that!)

It has a “complex malt character” and is a “crisp, drinkable, savory ale that is light in color, but not flavor.” Check out that color!

Then I progressed to something a bit heavier – Harvester Brewing Dark Ale.

This beer “uses a very dark, near espresso-like roast” of chestnuts. Which “lend a roasty flavor and aroma with notes of chocolate and dark fruits.” You can really taste the chestnuts in this one! It’s a beer with some complex flavors, and is very sip-able (unlike Redbridge, which I can basically chug it’s so light).

While these beers may not be the easiest to find – it makes me giddy as a school girl at a carnival that there are some bold new brews coming to the market.

Cheers to beers!

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What it’s like to have Celiac Disease

Posted on August 26, 2012 | 4 comments

Having Celiac Disease is like:

1. Having The Incredible Hulk sleeping in your stomach and when you eat gluten he wakes up and gets very angry.

2. Feeling chill, youthful and athletic and then all of a sudden you feel like a confused old lady.

3. Drinking a full bottle of Nyquil and then being forced to get through the work day.

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Celiac confessions

Posted on August 24, 2012 | 3 comments

Last night I went to Free Taco Thursdays at The Front Page in Dupont. The set up is a buffet-style taco bar with pulled pork, flour tortillas, and a variety of toppings (black beans, salsa, sour cream, cheese, etc.). At first I figured I’d just avoid the whole thing, but then I thought, “Well, I could just get black beans and lettuce and toppings and make my own taco salad-type dish.” Plus I figured I should eat something before starting on $2.75 whiskey drinks.

So, I stood in line for about 10 minutes – but when I got up to the table I realized that people were taking the spoons for the toppings and kind of mashing them into their flour tortillas. (I know, how rude). So, I knew there was cross-contamination going on.

And this is what went down. I considered leaving the line and abandoning my plate…but I didn’t. I ate the toppings anyway. 

Today I feel like Denver the guilty dog.

It was one of only a few times when I just said “to hell with it” and put myself at risk. Other similar situations are with something like a cheese platter where there are crackers on it and I just eat the cheese that’s farthest away from them, for example.

I felt like I needed to confess to someone about my indiscretion. And it’s also a reminder to myself and all of us celiacs that we make mistakes. We’re human. Next time I go I’ll eat before or bring something to munch on at the bar so I can avoid the tacastrophies (heehee).

Have you ever knowingly put yourself at risk for cross-contamination? What’s your celiac confession? 

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Gluten free at the gay bar

Posted on August 22, 2012 | Leave a comment

Nellie’s Sports Bar is best known around DC for their weekly drag brunch. They also happen to have great happy hour specials and (most importantly) gluten free arepas!

They offer a bunch of things that you can fill the arepa with, I chose scrambled eggs and avocado, with sour cream, pico de gallo, and black beans on the side.

A gay bar may not be the most likely place to find a delicious and affordable gluten free meal, but I will definitely be back to try some other fillings and take advantage of their cheap drinks!

Have you found gluten free food in any unlikely locations?

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DC Gluten Free News Round-Up

Posted on August 20, 2012 | 1 comment

It seems like when it rains, it pours when it comes to new gluten free finds in this city. Here are a few things to check out!

1. Churchkey and Birch and Barley are getting gluten free flatbreads

They already have the best gluten free (and general) beer selection in DC, and now they’re going to be introducing gluten free flatbreads to their menu.They already had gluten free chickpea crackers, but this is taking it to a whole new level. I always salivated over the regular flatbread options on their menu and now I actually get to try one!

Chefs prepping the gfree dough, via the Churchkey Facebook page:

Just picture this thing becoming gluten free:

Heirloom Tomato Flatbread

2. The Protein Bar will be opening on Wednesday at 7th and D

This place serves healthy, high protein meals, many of which are gluten free! The amount of quinoa on their menu makes my heart do a happy dance. They also have a full allergen guide to refer to.

The Almond Berry Bowl, Black Bean Fiest Bowl, Vegan Quinoa Chili, and Superfood Vegan Salad are on my to-eat list. All of their blended protein drinks are also gluten free, and will make a nice substitute when I get one of those intense frappuccino cravings.

3. Pete’s Apizza makes a solid gluten free pizza. Broccolini continues to be gross.

I don’t know why I keep ordering broccolini – it’s bitter and ruins everything it comes in contact with. I ended up picking it off of my pizza, but loved the rest of it! Pete’s also has delicious gluten free pasta that I sampled at the DC Gluten Free Food Expo.

Anything else going on in the district that I should know about?

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Michigan gluten free finds: Biga Pizza and Commonwealth

Posted on August 19, 2012 | 1 comment

I wouldn’t have expected this in a million years, but I had possibly the best gluten free pizza I’ve tried in Michigan a couple weeks ago. In an unassuming restaurant called Biga Pizza I ordered a wood-grilled pizza. I had pretty low expectations, considering some of my other experiences with gluten free pizza in Michigan, but I was truly blown away.

I got the farmer’s egg pizza with zucchini and ricotta. The thin crust and wood-grilled crispness made this pizza something special. My friend tried a slice and said that she really couldn’t tell the difference between the gluten free crust and the regular one. Next time I’ll make sure to stay for the Lemon-Raspberry Parfait– (gluten free sponge cake, layered with lemon curd, raspberries and rum marscapone mousse). Mmm.

Another find in Michigan was Commonwealth in Birmingham. I got a ratatouille omelet and sweet potato hash for breakfast. I have to figure out how to make that hash at home – it has roasted peppers, green onions, and red onions, all caramelized and a great savory/sweet mixture.

Commonwealth also has a quinoa tabouli, which you don’t see every day. The hunt for good gluten free food in Michigan continues, but this trip really impressed me!

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Celiacs unite! My take on the gluten free community

Posted on July 11, 2012 | 3 comments

I love the gluten free community – in person and online.

When I meet someone in person who has Celiac Disease we have an instant friendship and endless topics to discuss. It’s so refreshing to talk to someone who understands exactly what you’re talking about – someone to gripe with, to share tips with, ask for advice, and to try new gluten free foods with. As much as non-celiacs can try to empathize – really, they just can’t fully understand.

The online celiac community is such a great group of people. Some are experts in the kitchen, some are advocates for research, some review gluten free companies and products, and some just wax poetic about the trials of living gluten free. Every day I learn something new from the celiac community, and can’t imagine navigating this disease without the help of my fellow bloggers and tweeters.

I’ve got love for celiacs – but our community has also come under attack from many people. Those who think that we’re faking it – that Celiac Disease doesn’t need to be taken seriously. Companies that exploit the gluten free label to increase profits (I’m lookin’ at you – California Pizza Kitchen and Dominos!). Or celebrities who don’t realize that they are harming people with a legitimate disease when they casually adopt a gluten free diet in an attempt to lose weight.

So what can we do about it?

  1. Focus on Celiac Disease, not gluten-free eating.

While it’s much easier to talk in terms of “gluten free” foods – I think it’s really important for us to move toward a “Safe for Celiacs” mentality. If we can get greater recognition/understanding of Celiac Disease, and the difference between gluten intolerance and Celiac disease, I think that we will all be better off. While I believe there definitely is a spectrum of levels of gluten intolerance – if we can work toward making foods and restaurants safe for celiacs, then they will be safe for everyone eating gluten free!

  1. Don’t shut up.

I love seeing the celiac community united in fighting something that we feel is hurting us. I loved the flurry of tweets at Domino’s or the barrage of WTF blog posts on our latest celebrity “spokespeople”.  By making our voices heard, we can make sure that we’re letting them know that it’s not okay, and that we will not support them as a community. (While I’m on the topic – go sign the petition on the NFCA Amber Designation).

  1. Bring on the men!

While Celiac Disease is more present in women than men, I’d love to see some more celiac studs join our forces! I think in some ways “gluten free” has become too closely associated with girly bakeries (not that I’m not hopelessly devoted to Babycakes), complicated recipes, or general healthy-living/dieting. I think having a few more good men on our side would help diversify opinions and bring new perspectives. So – if you have a gluten dude of your own in your life – tell him to start a blog or join the Twittersphere!

What do you think the celiac community could benefit from? Where do we go from here?

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