crackers for lentil crackers - gluten free goodness!

The first time I tried Mediterranean Lentil Crackers was this summer at a work colleague's house. He had very kindly gone out of his way to find some gluten-free options to put out at the pot luck lunch are team was having. These were so good, I read the ingredients again after tasting. 

They are firmly crunchy vs flakey and the lentils lend a nutty flavour that I totally groove on. They are delightful on their own (read addictive) - small, and perfect for dips (as opposed to the type of cracker one might have with cheese). The ingredients list is short and healthy too. I'm hooked.

"may contain wheat" - where do you draw the line?

Whether you pick up a box of rice crackers, a bag of jujubes, or a package of raw almonds for that matter... what do you think when you see that little disclaimer at the end of the ingredients list? 

Ingredients: Almonds. May contain traces of dairy, wheat and nuts. Nope, I'm not making this up - actually seen on a bag of raw almonds. MAY contain nuts. 

I get that manufacturers are being cautious - I love it in fact. Their facilities likely make or package a large range of food items that may have made contact with said almonds. I would love it even more if I had a kid with a peanut allergy that went into anaphylactic shock from contact. 

Part of me wonders however if this is the new "dry clean only" label that is put on everything to ensure that no one is culpable. I've hand washed a lot of dry clean only items in my lifetime. In a few years every package containing items smaller than an egg may read "may be choking hazard". Am I taking this thought process too far?

Contamination for someone with celiac can mean a nasty reaction and internal damage (even without symptoms). I'm curious about where you  draw the line when you read this "may contain" statement on packaging.

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free gluten free greeting cards - win the give away!

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I'm more than just an opinionated celiac :) I'm also a printmaker - and I have a line of greeting cards under the banner "claudine's calling". This hand printed card was designed for people like us, and to thank people who take good care of us!

I am loving spending time in our beautiful studio... and hope to find to find time to do lots of new creative projects over the winter. If you are interested in seeing more - take a look at the cards & prints link at the side.

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A set of 5 peanut butter cookie cards posted above will be given away to two lucky winners drawn on Wednesday December 14th. 

Simply leave a comment below for your chance to win! 

invited for gluten-free dinner

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You've just been invited to dinner. If you are going to the home of someone else for the first time, you know there is a conversation ahead of you. If you are lucky, the host is already well versed in the language of gluten-free... and those two little words will suffice. 

Ideally it is you accepting the invite, giving you the opportunity to clear your throat and drop the bomb. But how about when you're partner comes home to tell you that the boss has invited you both over to dinner? 

The call will need to be made. Once the conversation has been had around ingredients, I will typically ask if I can bring something. I assure them that it needn't be complicated.  

Of course, at this point I find myself wondering if they are already wishing that they hadn't invited me. Then it occurs to me that if it's too much for them, I don't want a second invite anyway. 

Moving along... when I arrive I usually make for the kitchen and have a chat/review of what's cooking (more of a "how can I help" interaction). The goal being to assist both the host and myself and alleviating the stress that comes with wondering if they put worcestershire sauce (malt vinegar) in the dressing or bouillon cubes in the soup. Hanging in the kitchen also gives me the opportunity to show my appreciation for their special consideration of my particular needs.

Good news: future invites are a sign that all went well - and each visit becomes more natural and enjoyable for everyone.

When we invite others over, my first question is usually whether there is something our guest doesn't eat. I'm setting precedent for when they reciprocate :)

Thanks to our amazing friends for the many delicious dinners we enjoy in your homes - one of my greatest joys (if you'll pardon the expression) is breaking bread with others.

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easy gluten-free breakfast idea

I greet each new day in a zombie stance - each step of my routine is done with little thought - all process. Maximizing hours with my head on the pillow has inspired a diligent routine that begins with hitting the snooze button exactly twice. 

All this said to illustrate that I am not one to create a leisurely breakfast. It's about speed and nutrition. In the cold months I want something hot and comforting. Good local fruit is limited... so it's time to pull out the Bob's Red Mill hot cereal.

At first I balked at the effort required. It's now so simplified and automated that some mornings I do it in my sleep. The trick is having the ingredients and tools at the ready. My breakfast gear is all stored on one shelf in jars.There are microwave instructions on the bag... but I opt for stove top as it takes the same time and "effort".

1/4 cup brown rice or "GF Mighty Tasty Hot Cereal" mix

3/4 cup water

optional: 

handful walnuts & organic raisins

1/2 tsp brown sugar or maple syrup

cinnamon or ginger or garam masala

cook first two ingredients in a little pot. When thick pour over the other ingredients in a bowl. Stir. Eat while surfing the net or looking for your keys.

This stuff sticks to your ribs and will keep you fueled until lunch. Keep in mind that what makes it stick to your ribs, also makes it stick to the pot - so rinse out right away or pay later! 


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brunch - gluten free style

gluten-free bread served with eggs, bacon and home fries at little fish

The gluten-free stars really have aligned for me - a year ago a bakery called littlefish opened in my neighborhood directly across the street from my home on Dundas Street West. This is essentially an all day brunch establishment - that is NOT gluten free. However, when you order your gluten-free toast they actually offer you a selection of white or brown. My typical classic breakfast is pictured above. Delish.

Last December, a totally gluten-free (and vegan) bakery opened up less than a block from my home. Bunners makes a cupcake so rich that it should only be eaten in two sittings - and the red velvet birthday cake? Divine. 

The Beet (a mere 3 blocks away) has a number of healthy, tasty, local, organic & gluten-free entres clearly marked on the menu. I particularly like the bbq chicken rice wraps.

My neighborhood in Toronto is known as the Junction. Ten years ago there was literally nothing to draw people here - today, it has certainly made me feel very much at home. 

Finally on the topic of local baked goods... a shout out to my dear friend Angela, who showed up at my door with a gift of homemade gluten free carrot muffins last weekend. The universe is keeping the baked goods coming!
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blogging gluten-free

Saying I'm low tech is an understatement. I'm a troglodyte. Until yesterday I'd avoided facebook like the plague. It's a miracle that you've found me.

As of today, I have a gfg facebook page and a flickr page. Last night I figured out how to add code so that I could have a facebook "like" button on my posts.

Current research estimates that 1 in 133 North Americans have celiac disease and even more people are gluten intolerant. I know that my people are out there!

There are a already a number of really fantastic gluten-free bakers blogging. I've created this blog as I'm convinced that less than half of us want to spend our days learning how to make bread with tapioca flour. If you are reading this and know someone who is gluten intolerant and wanting to explore options that don't involve a mix master please share this blog!

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rice cake

When I was growing up in the 70's, rice cakes were the terrain of leftover hippies. I was the only kid who brought them to class as others snacked on Wagon Wheels and Twinkies. Today the rice cake has finally achieved status as food for the masses. You may have grown to resent them. I did for many years, but I suggest you take a second look at these Styrofoam discs, as they're a lot more than just emergency rations. 

First, let's take a look at the positive personality traits of our friend the rice cake:

• they're their own plate
• they're cheap
• they keep well, providing you seal the bag tight
• they don't require refrigeration
• they don't grow mold
• they have no flavour to compete with their toppings
• they're lightweight
• they protect your breakables when used for packing
• Always where you left them (no one steals rice cakes)

The first consideration when working with what are essentially edible plates is to consider whether or not you want to assemble them well in advance, or put them together just before eating them. If, for example, you were carrying them in your bag to take with you on a day of errands, I'd avoid anything wet, as they go mushy within an hour of topping. With this in mind, I've split up some topping options based on convenience:

Rice cake toppings to enjoy right away:

• tomato & pesto (you'll see a lot of that around here)
• avocado with salt & pepper
• baba ghannouj
• hummus
• sliced or mashed banana
• melted cheese (nuked or broiled carefully!)

Rice cake toppings to enjoy within a couple of hours:

• cream cheese (add herbs or spices for variety)
• jams, jellies, marmalade (great with the cream cheese)
• chocolate hazelnut spread (yes, this is junk;)
• peanut butter and bananas

The go all day rice cake:

• peanut butter
• nut butters - cashew, sunflower, almond....

I stack the ones in the last two lists. The stickiness holds them together and up to four will fit into one sandwich bag. Voila - you have lightweight snack to throw in your bag that weighs nothing (and is more durable than a banana).

gluten-free grocery shopping

At the risk of stereotyping... I think it's fair to say that most women like to shop. I'm one of them. Unlike most women, however, I don't like to shop for shoes...but I LOVE the grocery store.

Aisles and aisles of things to choose from, lots of interesting packaging to explore, lots of inspiration for new meal ideas. You probably think I'm full of it. Shopping for most things makes me feel guilty. Not food. Need it to survive.... can't be avoided.

Most of us have a favorite grocery store... it has the best butcher, the freshest vegetables, the easiest parking.... 

What if you could ensure that the same supermarket is also carrying the best line of gluten-free bread? Best assortment of crackers? Gluten-free sausages in the meat department?

It can be done. 

Start by connecting with the store manager. Ask at the customer service desk on your next visit. If they aren't in, leave a note or get their email address.

If they are already carrying a couple of items - THANK them for carrying these products and let them know that this is WHY you are shopping in their particular store. If you have to drive to two other places to get your gluten-free needs met... share this too. Let them know you'd prefer to give them all of your business.

In a highly competitive market, stores need to differentiate, and typically store managers of large chains have an option of what to stock so as to meet the tastes of the neighborhood where they operate. If they know that this is a draw, they will be open to giving more real estate on the shelves to gluten-free products.

I spoke to a store manager about two years ago who told me he had tried carrying gluten-free bread, but it didn't sell. I suggested that perhaps no one knew he had it after he admitted that they had been stocking it next to the frozen vegetables.This same store now has bread AND pretty much all of the other GF staples. This is not a big store... but they need to compete with some swankier ones in the neighborhood.

If you want gluten-free selection close to home - I suggest you get in touch with the people who can help make that happen. Never hurts to shoot an email to customer service at head office too.

The image above is for the tiny co-op near our place in rural Nova Scotia... admittedly, I haven't tried this tactic there...much of the current stock is pretty dusty. I recognize that not everyone lives in a metropolis - but if you live in a town large enough to have a couple of competing places to shop - that should provide enough incentive for shop owners and managers to please you (and the rest of the people like us that live in your town). 

Another gift - you probably never would have pulled a stunt like this before the diet eh? Add the word "advocate" to your resume.

gluten-free road trip

Bill & Utta

We flew down to Tulsa last summer to pick up this adorable orange 1973 Volkswagen camper van... and slowly chugged back up north to Toronto. Last month we said goodbye to our beautiful girl (we'd named her Utta). It was sad to say goodbye, but as sweet as Utta was, she just wasn't built for the long hauls.

 

Before saying our final goodbyes, we replaced her with a 95VW camper we've named Bernie. I whipped up some cute curtains to "soften" his edges (and give us some privacy). Then, we packed Bernie with supplies and departed on a 16 day road trip from Toronto to Montreal, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York and home.  8 of the 16 days were spent living in the van.

This is the kind of adventure that really tests ones gluten-free life skills.

On a trip of this nature, where you don't know where you'll be sleeping the next night, or what kind of amenities lay ahead... it's a good plan to have some "go to" items on hand. There are loads of ways to do this... but I'm going to use this one trip as a simple real life example of how we did it this time. 

Here are the "dry goods" that I packed in advance:

• Glutino Breakfast Bars
• Glutino Snack Bars
• Japanese Rice Crackers 
• Brown Rice Cakes 
• Mary's Organic Seed Crackers
• Rice vermicilli noodles (only need a soak in boiling water)
• Canned chickpeas (rinsed & used in salads)
• Small pull tab tins of tuna in olive oil
• Almond butter (healthier than peanut butter)
• Almonds & pistachios
• Trail mix
• Olive oil
• Herbs/Salt/Pepper
• Regular & Herbal Tea
• Espresso Coffee

 When we got on the road we hit grocery stores. We had to watch what we could bring over boarder crossings... but throughout the trip we loaded our excellent Yeti cooler with ice and the following items: 

• snack fruit (apples, bananas, grapes, pears... things that are easy to eat in a moving car!)
• variety of berries
• yogurt (individual serving)
• tomatoes (cherry/plum/beefsteak... all in season)
• baby carrots
• boxes of salad (pre-washed and ready to eat!)
• good cheeses (feta, sharp cheddar, blue, brie)
• humous (good source of easy protein)
• olives
• eggs (we could boil them soft or hard)
• wine :) 
• lots and lots of water 

We might have eaten other foods if it wasn't so hot out - most of these were refreshing foods that made great "stop and snack" meals (ie: cheese, crackers, apple slices, grapes). In some places where we camped out there was no running water - just what we had in the jug we brought. Travel wipes kept me sane. Did I mention that I am not in the least bit outdoorsy?

In the morning we'd make espresso and tea on the stove in our little van and then take the lid off of an individual yogurt cup and sprinkle berries on top. If I was really hungry I'd add one of the breakfast bars I'd packed... but I tried to save those for emergencies. You will note that there was no gluten-free bread packed. I have rules about the bread which I'll get into on a future post - as well as more to say about rice cakes!

 

Convenience is key. Take the lid off a box of salad, chop some tomatoes, olives, tuna and/or feta into it...pour on olive oil, close the lid, shake... serve with crackers and humous... and ta-da! You have a complete meal. You can even eat directly from the box with a fork. Adding a glass of wine  elevates any meal. 

Replace the salad box with a can of rinsed chickpeas or other beans for variety and a heavier feed. It's amazing the combos you can come up with in a bowl with just the ingredients listed above.

The goal was to avoid road food (yucky and rarely gluten-free) and eat as much fresh fruits and vegetables as possible. When we stayed in bigger cities (Portland, Boston, NYC) we treated ourselves to some lovely meals out and filled up on meat and fish. I am working on a list of amazing places to eat on the road... which I'll share it in a future post.

welcome to gluten-free gift!

gluten-free in Venice, Italy

"The fact that you will never stuff another cheese Danish into your mouth without suffering some nasty consequences is actually a gift. 

Perhaps I have my head half shaved and am sporting a toga as I mutter my mantra to the god of rice cakes, but I have chosen my reality. I'm not crazy. I simply think it's empowering to reclaim your health by ignoring English muffins."

And so, it is from this quote that I take a leap into the world of blogging. I have been speaking about living on a gluten-free diet at events since my book first went to print in 2002. Through this blog I intend to elaborate on the many ways this "diet" is a gift.  

There are some fantastic blogs out there for people living gluten-free... but not everyone wants to jump through culinary hula hoops. I'm interested in the everyday issues like what to pack for lunch or how to navigate an awkward situation.

The goal of gluten-free gift is to inspire fresh thinking, address feelings and investigate new approaches to food. I welcome you to join me on the adventure!

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