Author Julianne Karow’s husband was diagnosed with celiac disease, opening their eyes to a world unknown to them before the shocking day of the diagnosis. Walking out of the doctor’s office without guidance, living in a small town with no active celiac groups, Julianne was at a loss. She was the cook and grocery shopper in the family.

Her sleeves rolled up, she gained determination to satisfy her husband’s palate. Her awareness of the the world of gluten-free increased measurably. Along her journey to becoming educated about gluten-free, she realized the need for a resourceful book for the celiac community at large.

Julianne has done an incredibly good and thorough job of organizing all manner of gluten-free needs any celiac or gluten-intolerant individual will need. Some topics covered are: physicians, medications, online discussions forums, cookbooks, online grocery stores, and so much more.

Her details are well-researched and appear under item clearly listed. She leaves out nothing! One chapter I found most interesting was travel. She covers hotels and specific chefs, as well as yachts and celiac travel clubs. I was left with so many options and a desire to travel now, rather than the common travel regrets so many of us celiacs are left with.
Her chapter on food company links makes it extremely easy to do time-saving shop online. Not only did Julianne list out the company, address, link, phone number, and e-mail address, she concisely describes the company’s main products, saving a lot of Internet research.

Julianne went onto start a celiac support group and has co-hosted celiac and food allergy food expos. She has perfected the art of GF cooking, refers to many of her resources in her own book, and you can bet she’s satisfying her husband’s palate these days.

Julianne’s book, Celiac Resource Guide, is a wonderful addition to any celiac’s GF book resources, which we all seem to accumulate.    This resource book is HIGHLY recommended.
Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

I loved knowing that Starbucks was going to carry gluten-free treats for those on a gluten-free diet, gluten intolerant or who have celiac disease. I am celiac.

I also love how they will accommodate you by allowing you to read ingredients as well as substitute soy milk for milk in case you are dairy, lactose or casein sensitive or have an allergy. When I hear of a large company taking notice of the statistics of those in need of gluten-free foods and then catering to those needs- well thank you Starbucks! ….PAUSE…. DUMBFOUNDED…What did you say?…Excuuuuuse me, this can’t be. There must be a mistake. This is unbelievable.

OK, read it for yourself. Melissa Alison reveals the latest changes to the light Frappuccino- they ADDED gluten! Now are you thinking what I am thinking? Even my daughter asked me the obvious “Why, why would they ADD it with all they know!” That’s what I want to know- why?

Read for yourself that the new base mix for light Frappuccinos now includes gluten yet the regular Frappuccino base mix doesn’t have gluten listed in the ingredients, but is not designated gluten-free because of the risk of cross-contamination- read the full details:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/coffeecity/2011829401_new_frappuccino_recipe_deletes.html

Read, get informed and be very aware that things can change overnight- ingredients can change. Be aware, read your labels and stay in tune with changes of ingredients always for your safety and health.

Tina Turbin

Just released news: UCLA (University of California Los Angeles) is now offering a CELIAC CLINIC to service anyone in need of help.

Gastroenterologists, Eric Esrailian MD and Shannon Lewis MD, will be seeing patients on Tuesday mornings at 100 UCLA Medical Plaza, Suite 700, Los Angeles CA.

The UCLA Celiac Clinic will service anyone who requires testing, is seeking a diagnosis or who is already diagnosed and needs follow-up care or even a referral to another specialist. This is wonderful news folks!

You may call 310-208-5400 to make an appointment and ask further questions.

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Gluten-Free Recipes for the Conscious Cook:

A Seasonal, Vegetarian Cookbook

Author Leslie Cerier

Friend Leslie Cerier has just published another fabulous cookbook, proudly released by Harbinger, Inc. to the world at large, for which I had the fabulous opportunity to do a gluten-free review and write a testimony on.

As many people discover intolerance or sensitivities to wheat, an interest in delicious and gluten-free foods and recipes increases. Cerier truly shows that a diet lacking gluten does not mean a diet without flavor. People with wheat allergies can now enjoy a broad range of “interesting” grain foods. She creates flavorful appetizers, breakfasts, lunches, dinners, and desserts.

The key point that I want to share about this book is her unique approach to introducing grains not found on the ordinary table. She freely offers resources to locate any and all which are needed throughout her recipes if they are not readily available in your local stores.

Leslie emphasizes the importance of using seasonal and organic ingredients in her cooking with attention to detail for preserving the integrity of our planet.

Read many testimonies inside the book including mine:

“With our health and the health of our planet in mind, Cerier has successfully created exquisite culinary sensations using grains, exotic rices, fruits and vegetables.”  Tina Turbin

The book is available through Harbinger Press (1-800-748-6273), Amazon.com, and her website, or for your autographed copy go to http://LeslieCerier.com/cookbooks.html.

I was happy to see the book proudly displayed in this months Living Without magazine for everyone to see.

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

I read an interesting blog entry posted some months ago by Verona Raymond for Ezine Articles, entitled “Restaurants and Food Allergies – A Problem?” Verona, who is allergic to dairy products, relates the difficulties she has in determining which restaurant dishes contain milk products. With little or no information on the menu, she almost always has to ask her servers, who then usually have to consult the kitchen.

“They usually come back to the table and explain that the chef doesn’t know what is in some of the sauces or ingredients because they are sent to them pre-packaged or bottled,” Verona writes. “So I sometimes take a chance and order an entree thinking that it is okay.”

Verona’s solution is for restaurant menus to be treated like consumer products.

“I really appreciate the fact that it is now mandatory that the allergen ingredients are listed on most all types of products in the grocery stores! Especially when the label plainly states that the product contains milk, instead of having to read through the long list of ingredients that often list milk as ‘whey’ or ‘casein.’”

A lot of thoughts came to my mind when I read that article. Here are a few. I’d like to hear yours as well (just click on the Comment link at the end of this entry).

• Thankfully, I find fewer and fewer restaurants have servers or chefs who are not knowledgeable about food allergies, even if this means they know that they don’t know!
• Verona writes that when the chefs don’t know what is in some of the sauces or ingredients, “I sometimes take a chance.” Wow. I doubt this needs saying, but I would strongly advocate NEVER taking this chance.
• Similarly, Verona writes that if allergen ingredients were listed next to each item, “How extremely nice it would be to not have to bother the food server.” Again, I would caution that a food allergic diner would still need to inform their server in order to avoid cross-contamination, whether in the kitchen (shared utensils, oils, etc.) or on the tray.

But let’s get to the heart of the article. Verona believes that restaurants should have to list the major allergens included in their menu items just as consumer products now do. As I’ve added specific restaurant information to AllergyEats, I’ve been able to include this information for the few restaurants that list it publicly, but certainly just a small minority. In my opinion (biased due to my own children’s food allergies), I agree with Verona. How difficult would it be? However, I’m sure some restaurateurs would disagree, possibly referencing the fact that their menu items frequently change, they can’t always audit changes their suppliers make, they sometimes have to make subtle substitutions of items on the fly, and they’re afraid that listing these items will make them more liable if a patron does suffer an allergic reaction. I’m not justifying these answers or even sure if they’re the correct ones; I’m trying to guess what the restaurateurs would say based on what I’ve heard in the past.

Any restaurateurs out there reading this? Any servers? I’d love to hear your opinion. It would be very informative and valuable to the food allergy community to understand the issues that you would face. Of course, I’d also like to hear the opinions of those of you with food allergies or intolerances as well. Please click on “Comments” at the end of this post to share your thoughts.

Finally, I hope you all will consider using the main AllergyEats site (www.allergyeats.com) to not only find those restaurants that list allergen ingredients, gluten-free menus, etc., but also to rate restaurants based on your own experiences. If you’ve found yourself in situations such as Verona’s, it would be very valuable for the rest of us to know that. Just as helpful would be hearing about your positive experiences.

The more people that use AllergyEats and rate restaurants, the better this tool will be for our entire food allergy and intolerance community!

Paul Antico

Helpful Hints for Homemade Ice Cream Alternatives

1. Use coconut milk. It gives a mild, delicious taste that blends in so well with most flavors that you can’t even perceive it. I find it’s most noticeable in vanilla-flavored ice cream alternatives.

2. Add alcohol. By adding 2 to 3 tbsp of alcohol—such as Kahlua, rum, etc.—you can soften your ice cream alternative, making it more scoopable.

3. Store in multiple small containers. This is better than storing in one large container because constantly taking the ice cream out of the freezer and putting it back in can change the ice cream alternative’s texture.

4. A tight seal is a must. This reduces freezer burn. I recommend covering the ice cream with parchment or wax paper then sealing the container with a tightly-fitted lid.

5. Add more flavor. To add some tasty crunch as well as nutrition, add extras into your ice cream alternative, such as cacao nibs, unsweetened coconut, or toasted seeds or nuts.

Use your new homemade ice cream to make some fun “ice cream-sicles” with your kids.

Ross Cohen is the President of Triumph Dining, a website, blog, and newsletter for the celiac and gluten-free world.  Family-owned and run by five happy gluten-free dieters, it has released its third edition of The Essential Gluten-Free Grocery Guide with the latest research of 30,000 products including 1,100 brand names.

The book uses 5 symbols for our ease in determining which products satisfies one’s individual needs in purchasing grocery items in a store or online. I have not come upon such an extensive list of items in any book I’ve had in my hands or researched online.

The availability of items in this 3rd edition far outweighs the availability in the previous edition, and the shopping tips and overview of new food labeling laws are invaluable in themselves. The addition of their honest in “limitations of the Guide itself” only shows Triumph Dining’s dedication to providing a service with nothing but one’s health and service in mind.

The grocery guide is updated yearly and according to Ross they are currently the largest independent gluten-free publisher in North America.

This resource book is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by me.
Please visit Triumph Dining – www.triumphdining.com

Tina Turbin

www.glutenfreehelp.info

Kendall Conrad has done a lovely job of recreating her gourmet recipes and customizing them to suit the principles which healed her child’s body- More Than 150 Delicious Specific Carbohydrate Diet(TM)-Compliant Recipes.

Author Kendall Conrad was faced with the fact that her youngest child’s gut and immune system had been severely compromised after her first ten months of life after being on many antibiotics to address severe ear infections. Her daughter finally needed surgery to drain her ears at only ten months old, which did resolve the ear troubles, but she was left with digestive troubles, wasn’t thriving, and wasn’t absorbing nutrients. Conrad spent a year visiting many doctors to no avail.

Conrad was introduced to a nutritionist who introduced her to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which eliminated virtually all starch and complex sugars. The result was that her daughter began to grow and feel much better. She is now a thriving healthy child.

This cookbook and its detailed introduction shares many aspects of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet’s effects on many people with Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, ulcerative colitis,  IBS, diverticulitis, and other digestive conditions—to incredible results.

The recipes in Kendall’s book are gourmet in every sense of the word, and your family and guests will have no clue that each one of them is a strict adherent to the SCD.

This cookbook is given a thumbs up and is HIGHLY recommended by me.
Tina Turbin
www.glutenfreehelp.info

Sandi Star  founder of  http://www.karmic-health.com shares some insight which everyone should read:

Agave has been in the “media” recently published by Mercola (check out story) stating that agave is extremely dangerous and is worse than high fructose corn syrup. Although I have the highest respect for Dr. Mercola I can only speculate he does not have enough research to back this up and has not taken the time to get each manufacturers side of the story. As you know….. http://www.karmic-health.com/pb/wp_0f68724a/wp_0f68724a.html Be sure and read this all the way to the bottom and 5 articles offered at the bottom, with evidence and data for everyone to have.

and Kath Patalsky of http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com shares this:

I get a lot of questions about my use of Agave Syrup as a sweetener in my vegan recipes. So here is my Agave Syrup 101 post. It is a must read for anyone who is health-conscious or simply curious about what they put in their bodies. I encourage all professional or amateur chefs to read this post as well. There is a wide world beyond white sugar. Click ahead for Agave Syrup 101, it includes health benefits, directions of use, sweetener comparisons and the history of this healthy sugar substitute…

Sugar Confusion. I’m never surprised by the presence of confusion when it comes to sugar and sweeteners. With so many natural and artificial sweeteners…http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2009/07/agave-syrup-101-why-its-healthy-sugar.html

Please do your homework and be aware of AND READ the many articles on Agave.

Tina Turbin