Did you see this episode of Nightline last week? It’s questioning if the gluten-free diet is really good for people that DO NOT have celiac disease. It brings up the fact that many of the gluten-free foods that are available often lack nutrients and that the gluten-free diet may be harmful to people without celiac disease.

Over and over again, these reports keep surfacing and spreading misinformation about the gluten-free diet. I’ve written about it numerous times and I’ll continue to write about it. If you’re a non-celiac and you’re buying gluten-free desserts and packaged food because you think they are a healthier option, then you are definitely wrong. But, if you are trying to eat a well-balanced diet with naturally gluten-free food, then you will benefit greatly. All of the hype (in terms of it being healthy), all of the celebrities, and all of the non-stop talk about the gluten-free diet in the blogosphere isn’t talking about getting healthy by eating gluten-free donuts, it’s talking about eating a diet rich in naturally gluten-free foods. A diet with meats, vegetables, some fruit and devoid of gluten will not hurt anyone and my bets are on that it will make them feel better. Packaged gluten-free food is there simply to replace “gluten-filled” packaged food. For a person with celiac disease, that means being able to enjoy the same guilty pleasures as everyone else. For a non-celiac following a gluten-free diet, that gluten-free donut is also just a guilty pleasure while they’re attempting to follow the lifestyle.

The fact is that most food that is considered good for you is naturally gluten-free. We don’t need wheat, rye, barley or oats in our diet to be healthy. There are plenty of other sources of fiber (and the many other nutrients that skeptics say we are missing) in naturally gluten-free foods.

If you are thinking of trying the gluten-free diet for the dozens of health benefits that you’ve been hearing about, do yourself a favor and do some research on the subject and then decide for yourself whether or not it is right for you. Better yet, give the diet a try and see how you feel. Also, remember that all of the gluten-free items that you’re bombarded with at your local supermarket are not necessarily healthy — in fact most of them are not.

I’d love to hear from some non-celiacs who have adopted the gluten-free diet as well as those who have not had success with it. I have a feeling that this is going to be a hot topic for some time to come.

Some great news from Wildfire in Chicago via The Chicago Tribune.

Chicago and suburban locations of Wildfire restaurant are teaming with the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center to present a series of gluten-free wine dinners this week.

Every evening from Nov. 8 through 12, Wildfire restaurants will feature a four-course, four-wine dinner composed of gluten-free ingredients.

Read full article »

Below is a fantastic article that is being re-posted in its entirety with permission from Amy Leger of The Savvy Celiac. It’s a very timely list of questions and tips for non-celiacs to think about before attempting to prepare a gluten-free meal for their guests or family members with celiac disease. Thank you for a great post Amy!

Well whether we like it or not, the holidays really are upon us. Many of us are already thinking about Thanksgiving dinner — some may be contently planning knowing they’ll be cooking their own gluten-free dinner, while others may be “white knuckling” it until Thanksgiving, worried they’ll get glutened by a well-meaning friend, family member or co-worker. I, myself do not have celiac disease, although my daughter and brother do, and my dad eats gluten -free, and when I attended the General Mills blogger summit this week, I was really struck by a common word people were using: fear. Fearful to get glutened, fearful (in some cases) to allow others to cook for them, fearful (in some cases) about being impolite and speaking up if they can’t eat something. It’s one thing to avoid a food because you’re on a diet for weight loss, it’s another thing to be scared of eating anything from a spread that could have a hidden “landmine” of gluten.

This post is for the people who want to cook for celiacs and the celiacs who want to drop them a casual hint :)

I have complied a list of things for these well-meaning family and friends to consider when offering to cook gluten-free for a person who has celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

1. If you don’t understand it, please don’t do it. We are okay with it!
   It took many of us months and years to understand the gluten-free diet, cooking strategies and ways to prevent cross contamination before we really felt comfortable with it. We don’t expect anyone to be an expert in a day. And as a result that makes us fearful that any gluten-free food you make will actually contain gluten. This is something some folks will never say to you for fear of being impolite.

   Gluten-free means no wheat, barley, rye, oats (that aren’t guaranteed gluten free –hint if the ingredient label only says “oats” or “oat flour’ — it’s not guaranteed gluten free), spelt, durum, brown flour, malt, and more as reported by the Celiac Sprue Association. Corn, potatoes and rice are okay (unless the person is particularly sensitive to that as well).

2. If it’s baked and found in a mainstream grocery store, it’s probably not gluten-free
   Yes, our grocery stores have come a long way when it comes to carrying gluten-free products. But the only actual grocery store chain that is baking its own gluten-free bread is Whole Foods. Any other grocery store is bringing in gluten-free bread or baked goods.

   IF they have gluten-free bread, you usually will find it in the health food section freezer –not the bakery and not the bread section. Pita bread, English Muffins, pizza crust, Italian bread, baguettes, bagels, cakes, pies (crusts have gluten), cupcakes all have gluten. Bottom line: unless you’re going to a specialty gluten-free bakery, you will likely not find any fresh-baked gluten-free goods at a mainstream grocery store. And if you ask bakery people about it you’ll likely get a confused look or a quick no that they don’t have that available.

3. How do you know your ingredients and utensils in your home aren’t already cross-contaminated with gluten?
   Please honestly think about your cooking practices when I pose these questions: Do you regularly double dip when cooking or baking? In other words, do you use the measuring cup in your all-purpose flour and then just dip it into the sugar? If you’re double dipping, the sugar is contaminated and no longer gluten free. You can say the same for Crisco, butter, peanut butter, mayonnaise and anything you’re reaching in and scooping out. You may want to make divinity (which is inherently gluten free — eggs, sugar and corn syrup are the main ingredients I believe), but if your sugar is cross contaminated — a gluten-free person will get sick (or have damage in their gut) if they eat it.

   What about while you’re cooking? Do you use one utensil to stir up the gluteny turkey stuffing and then use the same spoon to scoop the sweet potatoes?

   Your wooden or plastic cutting boards and your colanders are also off limits to people who eat gluten free– they harbor gluten in the nooks and crannies, that even when cleaned in the dishwasher, they aren’t “clean” for us.

4. I just won’t make stuffing and I’ll get an ice cream cake!
   Whoa, you’re still going to have to look at your ingredients for cross contamination. Plus you’re going to have to check to make sure you turkey or ham is gluten free (they can be injected with broths that contain gluten), and gravy is an issue. Most premade gravy has gluten and anyone who makes it from home usually uses their flour as a thickener. Corn starch is a viable option to make gluten-free gravy with turkey drippings, but just a forewarning — it’s clear and gelatinous– basically tastes fine, looks funky.

   And if you’re doing an ice cream cake, you better make sure it’s gluten free. Dairy Queen’s ice cream cake has crumbles in the middle which contain gluten. Have those removed and double check the other fudgy stuff in the center to make sure it’s gluten free and you’re set. Other places may have cookies or something inside their ice cream cakes too.

5. Let’s barbecue some ribs!
   Again you must check the gluten contamination factor of your grill. Do you put gluten on there? In other words, do you put hamburger on there that has bread crumbs in it or grill your hamburger buns, or put steak on with a gluteny marinade? If you don’t know– the only way to use the grill in this case is to put the gluten-free item on aluminum foil. But also look for a gluten-free barbecue sauce. We use Sweet Baby Ray’s. Please keep in mind not all BBQ sauces are gluten-free.
   

6. Don’t assume
   Read labels. Example: Tostitos are gluten free— the label mostly talks about corn, oil and salt, but if you grab the one kind of Tostitos made form flour tortillas– that’s a problem. Double check the label. That one will say wheat in it.Potatoes aren’t always just potatoes. You’d think they should be, but if you’re getting something out of the frozen section, check ingredients! Wheat will be listed if it’s in there — but gluten is NOT required to be put on a label if it is in a product. Some frozen potatoes are just that, potatoes, go for the simple ones and stay away from the fancy flavored stuff.

   Rice Krispies cereal seems simple enough, but in actuality it has malt. Gluten-free folks cannot eat this.

So what can you have around the house for a gathering?
Wine, coffee, Blue Diamond Nut Thins, cheese, or veggies with Wishbone Ranch dressing as the dip. Check out Trader Joe’s for some goodies: They have a great list here which includes some sweets too!

None of us actually wants to think that our cooking would make someone sick. But it is possible in this case — even to the cooks with the best of intentions. Please be open to talking with your gluten-free family member or friend to see what they can do to help you make this as great experience as possible.

If you have some other quick suggestions on food or other tips — feel free to post them below!

Frozen chicken products are another convenience food that parents of celiac children (and many adults) often miss. It’s one of those quick meals that millions of American parents prepare for their children or even get at restaurants (when is the last time you saw a kids menu at a restaurant that didn’t include either chicken nuggets or chicken tenders?).

There are a number of gluten-free chicken products on the market, but the Bell & Evans gluten-free products are outstanding and actually have a breading that tastes like the real thing, light, flaky and a slight crunch. In fact, my three children (none of them are diagnosed celiacs — I’m the only diagnosed celiac in the family) all prefer the gluten-free version over the gluten-full version — it’s quite entertaining to see them devour it and ask for seconds whenever we serve any of the Bell & Evans products. Some of the things we’ve made in the last year have been, simple chicken nuggets with a dipping sauce, chicken parmesan and chicken sandwiches. All of these were outstanding and never a disappointment. I’d love to hear more about how you have used any of the Bell & Evans gluten-free products.

It would be easy for restaurants with kids menus to add a product like this to their menu as a gluten-free option. The fact that they are baked and not fried would make the prevention of cross-contamination less of a risk.*

According to the Bell & Evans Website, their gluten-free products are not produced in a dedicated gluten-free facility, below is an excerpt from the Bell & Evans Website on how they go about assuring their products remain gluten-free:

The facility that produces our Gluten Free (“Black Box”) nuggets and tenders also produces our world famous “Blue Box” items that contain gluten.  However, great care is given to protect against gluten containing products from coming in contact with Gluten Free products.

The process begins with training.  All new hires are trained in the handling of allergenic materials used in that facility – Milk, Eggs, Soy Beans, Wheat and Gluten.

Whenever ingredients are delivered, all allergen containing ingredients are identified, tagged and segregated from other ingredients and packaging materials.  If a spill were to occur, only specifically identified cleaning materials may be used to clean up the allergen.

All Bell & Evans Gluten Free products are produced at the beginning of a shift and only after all processing equipment has been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized.  In addition to our sanitation and segregation protocols, we begin each new shift of Gluten Free production with Fresh, Non-Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil.

* All restaurants wanting to adopt a gluten-free menu should go through an organization like the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program. Along with offering a gluten-free menu comes the responsibility to understand the risks that people with celiac disease face when eating at a restaurant. Their can be great rewards for restaurants that do it right as well as dire consequences for restaurants who fail to take it seriously.

A traditional fish taco should be gluten-free from the start, but there are so many restaurant variations — some with fried fish, some with flour tortillas, and a whole host of other ingredients that can render them inedible to a celiac.

Here’s your chance to show Border Grill Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger what you know about making an awesome Fish Taco and better yet doing something that is gluten-free. It’s the 1st Ever Wild Alaska Fish Taco Recipe Contest. Their rules are simple: taste, creativity, and ease.

The Grand Prize is a 3-day/2-night trip to sunny Santa Monica, California with hotel accommodations and the luxurious Oceanfront Loews Hotel. You’ll then get to ride along and serve the winning taco recipe from the Border Grill Taco Truck with Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. There’s even more to the grand prize as well as a first prize of an Apple iPad. Check out the rest here.

Enter the contest »

]]> http://celiachandbook.com/news-events/enter-the-1st-ever-wild-alaska-fish-taco-recipe-contest-deadline-is-jan-31-2011/feed/ 0 http://celiachandbook.com/blog-showcase/gluten-free-blog-showcase-wasabimon/ http://celiachandbook.com/blog-showcase/gluten-free-blog-showcase-wasabimon/#comments Sat, 06 Nov 2010 03:19:27 +0000 Chris James http://celiachandbook.com/blog-showcase/gluten-free-blog-showcase-wasabimon/ I’m somewhat new to following Wasabimon!, but from what I’ve seen so far, it has the potential to be a great gluten-free resource. Wasabimon! is written by Stephanie Stiavetti, a food writer living in San Francisco. Her mission is to take everyday foods and make them edible by anyone, regardless of dietary restrictions. Stephanie’s recipes [...]]]>

I’m somewhat new to following Wasabimon!, but from what I’ve seen so far, it has the potential to be a great gluten-free resource. Wasabimon! is written by Stephanie Stiavetti, a food writer living in San Francisco. Her mission is to take everyday foods and make them edible by anyone, regardless of dietary restrictions.

Stephanie’s recipes are diverse and not for the faint of heart — vibrant dishes like Uber-Hearty Oxtail Soup or Vegan Fried Squash Blossoms with Potato Pumpkin Seed Filling are plentiful throughout this blog. Whichever recipe you try, you’re bound to get something delicious, nutritious as well as something that was made with gluten-free ingredients in mind. What more could one ask for?

Since following Wasabimon!, I’ve been amazed at the diversity of Stephanie’s recipes as well as the diversity of her posts. It’s a little bit of the everyday food that she mentions as well as a little bit of the exotic — a great combination to keep things interesting.

Wasabimon! »

Fantastic news from gluten-free favorite Tu-lu’s Gluten-Free Bakery in New York City, they’re offering Thanksgiving pies. Both pumpkin and apple are planned as well as the possibility of more. For more information, get in touch with Tu-lu’s directly.

Revised November 9, 2010:

A quote directly from Tu-lu’s Facebook page:

Now taking orders for Thanksgiving pies! We will have pumpkin, apple, and plain pie crust so you can make your own traditional pies. Sign up soon, because we might reach our limit!

Yet another great recipe from Cybele Pascal Allergen-Free Cuisine. It’s really nice to see the numerous suggestions for substitutions for items like the xanthan gum, agave, and corn. This is an easy to follow recipe that will satisfy your craving for pancakes.

Gluten-free favorite Udi’s has a new contest titled, We’re Bringing Sandwich Back. Just share your favorite sandwich featuring Udi’s gluten-free bread and you could win Udi’s bread for a year. How simple could it be?

In a great article from Nation’s Restaurant News, the benefits to a restaurant for offering a well thought-out gluten-free menu or outlined. The steps to understanding the commitment of a gluten-free menu are also outlined. Thanks to author, Anita Jones-Mueller for such an informative “how to” guide.

Understand the commitment
It’s not as easy as a burger without the bun. Even a speck of gluten, as small as the size of a grain of sand, can contaminate a gluten-free item and cause havoc to someone with celiac disease. Therefore, if your restaurant commits to offering and promoting a gluten-free menu, you must commit to all the way.

Identify and/or develop gluten-free options
Beyond the obvious bread and pasta, gluten is found in a wide variety of products. Gluten can be hidden in seasonings, sauces, flavorings and other ingredients. Restaurateurs will need a gluten-free expert to help develop or identify potential items for a gluten-free menu. A thorough analysis of all ingredients, including all sub-recipes and purchased and prepared items, is need to assess whether there are any traces of gluten present.

Read Full Article »

Dr. Alessio Fasano of The University of Maryland announced  a record $45 million donation to the university. The money was donated by the family of a grateful patient.

Fasano said the money will be used to create a first-of-its-kind institute that could eventually employ up to 200 doctors and researchers. They will not only study the often-misdiagnosed celiac disease but use it as a model to study other related diseases, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Read Full Article (The Baltimore Sun) »

Photo credit: Fit Bomb

IN-N-OUT Burger has long been a favorite of the gluten-free community for its no-nonsense menu and the limited potential for cross-contamination in the preparation of their food. While eating a Double Double “protein style” is a wonderful, healthy (or healthier) and rare option to have at a fast food restaurant, we’d be so overwhelmingly happy to see the additional option of a delicious gluten-free bun. With so many great dedicated gluten-free bakeries to choose from, outsourcing a great tasting gluten-free bun would be easy.

If you happen to be an IN-N-OUT fan, please leave a comment here and let them know that you would be interested in having a gluten-free bun. If we can get up to 5,000 people requesting the gluten-free bun, I’ll pass this on to IN-N-OUT management. Share this with all of your gluten-free friends and let’s hope for the best.

Note: The petition software we were using previously wasn’t functioning properly — please use the comment form below instead.

Since being diagnosed with celiac disease, I have for the most part tried to eliminate most grains (even those considered to be gluten-free) from my day-to-day routine. There are a few items, like pizza, baguette, and tortillas that I find myself having to have occasionally. I just can’t deny the urge for a slice or two of pizza with the kids on a Friday night, a crusty baguette dipped in a good olive oil or a big tortilla (sorry, corn tortillas are just too small and I just happen to not like corn that much) to use as a crunchy tostada, a simple wrap (in place of a sandwich), or if I’m really feeling hungry, a burrito.

Thankfully, there are a few good tortillas available and one of my favorites is the Food for Life Brown Rice Tortilla. In terms of trying to fold a burrito, it’s not perfect, but the flavor is outstanding — a slight nutty flavor) and the texture is decent. I found that it does really well cooking it in the oven to make a crispy flat tostada and it is great for rolling up (at room temperature) any sort of lunch condiment as a replacement for sandwiches. If you are heating them up from frozen, be very careful as they don’t need much time to thaw out and if overcooked, you can forget about trying to roll it around anything as it will just break. I usually heat if for just about 2 minutes in a hot oven and that will usually do the trick.

All in all, it’s a versatile snack item that is a great solution for snacks, quick lunches and even eating by itself. The fact that it’s made from brown rice just makes it that much better of an option than the masses of gluten-free items based on white rice and corn.

Ingredients: Whole Grain Brown Rice Flour, Filtered Water, Tapioca Flour, Safflower Oil, Rice Bran, Vegetable Gum (xanthan, cellulouse), Sea Salt.

I’m always searching for new gluten-free blogs. I’m always impressed when I come across one that is updated frequently and is full of great photos of great looking gluten-free food. I’ve showcased a few here so far that I love and that continually publish content that is not only relevant, but that really furthers the knowledge base of the gluten-free community.

One blog in particular that has recently caught my attention has been Celiac Teen from Lauren, a teenage blogger who has a vast collection of gluten-free recipes and random musings. This would be impressive coming from anyone, but the fact that Lauren is 17 is truly mind blowing. I haven’t come across many 17 year olds with this level of focus and commitment. A tip of the hat to Lauren for managing to create such a great celiac resource while managing the rigors of high school and all of its overly-dramatic daily issues.

Her recipes are one mouth-watering dish after another. You could easily go through these recipes and have enough to try for a long, long time and know that you will have an exciting personal menu to eat safely from. The recipes that I have tried of hers have all turned out perfectly and have been exactly as described.

I’m really excited to see where this blog might go in the years to come. I will definitely be following it and anxiously awaiting each new post.

Celiac Teen »

I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1999 after a few years of a hellish experience — I watched my body waste away with a whole host of problems due to malnutrition. With all of this happening, I had no clue as to what was wrong with me and let my imagination run wild as to what could be wrong. Thankfully, after a visit to a great gastroenterologist and a few tests, celiac disease was the diagnosis. I was grateful to hear what the treatment for celiac disease was and that it didn’t involve any hideous daily regimens of medication and that I could possibly start feeling better again.

I still remember my first trip to the store after my diagnosis and realizing that what seemed to be every single thing that I was used to buying was off-limits now. I don’t know what drew me to it, but while in the dairy section, I spotted the Kozy Shack Tapioca pudding. I looked at the ingredients and it seemed to be OK (this is long before they started labeling their packaging “gluten-free”. I didn’t initially buy it, but I went home and immediately looked for Kozy Shack online and then sent them a message inquiring about their ingredients and the risk of cross-contamination. They got back to me very quickly and assured me that it was indeed gluten-free. After buying the pudding the next time at the market, I eagerly tried it. I can’t even begin to tell you how good I thought it was — so good, I ate the entire tub. Unfortunately, that is a whole lot of sugar and calories :( After going several years where food always nauseated me and left me feeling lethargic, eating became fun again, a little too fun. I found myself eating Kozy Shack’s Tapioca (and sometimes the rice pudding) a few times a week and continually eating the entire tub. The tapioca pudding soothed my stomach and made me look forward to eating. Now it was time to learn self-control again as I wasn’t used to this new found sensation of enjoyable eating.

Thankfully, 11 years later, I’m conscious of my caloric intake and I don’t indulge in the desserts nearly as often. But, every once in a while I remember back to my post CD diagnosis days and sneak in some Kozy Shack Tapioca pudding — I just now split the tub with my kids.

What was your favorite food that nursed you back to health both physically and emotionally?

One of the most common types of questions that I get from people newly diagnosed with celiac disease is about what types of gluten-free pasta are my favorites. Between the dozens of companies offering gluten-free pasta in its varying shapes and sizes and then the range of ingredients that are available, white rice, brown rice, corn, and even quinoa — there are so many options (depending on the store you’re shopping in), it can make your head spin.

For now, let’s focus on spaghetti as it’s arguably the most cooked pasta in the world. While I believe I’ve tried the vast majority of the gluten-free pasta products on the market, both here in the U.S. and in Europe, my favorite by far has to be the Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta. It’s texture is perfect and the taste is nearly indistinguishable from its durum wheat or semolina cousins. The only noticeable difference would be its slight difference in color — it’s a little more on the brown side than the yellowish color of traditional pasta.

I’ve used it in a traditional spaghetti and meatballs dinner, I’ve used it with a thai inspired peanut sauce and we’ve even gone as far as using it in one of my daughter’s favorite dishes, Spaghetti and Cheese (she’s always liked spaghetti more than elbow macaroni — it has something to do with the ability to slurp it up :) It always turns out perfect and it is even loved by our non-GF guests. It’s also great for people with food allergies as it is corn, egg, dairy, casein, meat, soy, and nut free.

Tinkyada is a Canadian company based in Scarborough, Ontario, but their products are widely available throughout the U.S. and Canada. I’ve even found it at my local Ralph’s market (Kroeger). If you can’t find it in your local market, you will definitely find it at supermarkets like Whole Foods.

So all of this being said, my advice is to buy it, try it, and be happy knowing that you’ve found a gluten-free product that is as good (or better) than the real thing and a heck of a lot better for you.

I’d love to hear about your experiences with Tinkyada and how you’ve used it in new and interesting ways.

In a recent study (via medpage Today) by Christopher Hammerle, MD, and Sheila Crowe, MD, of the University of Virginia, it is believed that more patients with celiac disease may have refractory celiac disease, which means their bodies stop responding to the gluten-free diet.  It is thought that refractory celiac disease is on the rise and is caused by celiac patients not strictly following the gluten-free diet.

Two of the treatments of choice for refractory celiac disease are corticosteroids and thiopurine. The corticosteroids run the risk of a steroid dependence while the thiorpurine has a better record.

Non-compliance is really the same thing as being untreated — and untreated celiac disease can not only be the cause of severe discomfort, it can lead to serious illness and even death. Keep this in mind the next time you think about cheating on your diet. Those thoughts alone are enough to keep me away from temptation.

Show off your culinary skills and celebrate the fall season with National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) and Thai Kitchen. Submit an original gluten-free recipe using your favorite Thai Kitchen products, and be eligible to win one of 5 fabulous prizes!

Grand Prize (one winner – $250 value):

* Electric Rice Cooker

* Thai Kitchen Gluten-Free Products

* Thai Kitchen Polo Shirt

* Thai Kitchen Apron

* Thai Kitchen Wooden Rice Paddle

* Thai Kitchen Refrigerator Magnet

PLUS: The Grand Prize winner’s recipe will be featured on Thai Kitchen’s website!

Runner-Up Prizes (four winners – $75 value):

* Thai Kitchen Gluten-Free Products

* Thai Kitchen Polo ShirtPad Thai

* Thai Kitchen Apron

* Thai Kitchen Refrigerator Magnet

Recipes will be judged on:

Flavor

Visual Appeal

Ease of Preparation

Creativity

More information and the rules and regulations can be found on the NFCA’s Website.

Event Website »

Chipotle has long been a favorite of many newly diagnosed celiacs for their seemingly celiac friendly menu. According to Chipotle, everything on the menu with the exception of the flour tortillas is naturally gluten-free. They do recommend skipping the lettuce and the cheese as it is handled by gloved hand along with the flour tortillas increasing the risk of contamination. They also recommend being cautious of the red tomatillo salsa as it contains distilled vinegar. Lastly, they warned that it’s possible that their corn may have a small amount of gluten from potentially co-mingling with gluten-containing grains in the field.

So with no lettuce, no cheese, no red tomatillo salsa, no corn, and no flour tortillas, what is a celiac to eat at Chipotle? The answer is that there are still quite a few ingredients that are available to make up a reasonably satisfying meal. You can still eat any of the meats, pinto beans, black beans, rice, fresh cut tomatoes, Tomatillo Green-Chili Salsa, fajita vegetables, and of course the guacamole. This sounds like the makings of a pretty good meal if you ask me.

Also, in an effort to clear up some misinformation out there, none of their meats are marinated in soy sauce (soy sauce contains wheat), this has been a rumor that has been floating around on more than a few Websites and is not true according to Chipotle.

For a restaurant that does not offer a gluten-free menu, Chipotle does have a menu that can be adapted to the needs of a celiac quite easily. Options abound and the risks for cross contamination are relatively minimal (but still possible). On top of that, their commitment to sustainably raised food and locally sourced produce makes them a far better option than most other fast food restaurants. While a lot of the sustainability talk is most likely marketing language used in their advertising — if it’s happening at all — it’s definitely better than what most of their competitors are doing.

Have you had a good (or bad) experience at Chipotle? I’d love to hear more from celiacs who have been successful (or not) with Chipotle.

Statement from New Seasons Market Nutritionist, Karen Seibert, MS

Our store Nutritionists, Karen Seibert, MS and Leah Kriewall, MS, RD have a variety of ways to share their knowledge of food and nutrition.

Along with other health educators in our community, Leah and Karen teach an assortment of free nutrition classes at our stores. Check out our Health and Wellness Class Schedule available on-line at www.newseasonsmarket.com or pick one up from any of our Wellness Departments. Just call the appropriate store to sign up as class space can be limited.

In our class schedule, you will also find the times and locations for our Gluten-free Products Store Tours — these too are free. We just ask that you call to let us know that you would like to attend one of our store tours. You can imagine that we can only get so many folks down a grocery aisle without causing a traffic jam. Call the store where the tour is taking place and ask for the Wellness Department and they will get your name on the list.

In addition to our free classes and store tours, we have provided nutrition information on our website. If you have specific questions, you can click on “Ask The Nutritionist” and we will get back to you as soon as we are able. We look forward to hearing from you!

New Seasons Market »