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.

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!

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/news-events/udis-sandwich/ http://celiachandbook.com/news-events/udis-sandwich/#comments Thu, 04 Nov 2010 14:29:10 +0000 Chris James http://celiachandbook.com/?p=1206 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?]]>

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 »

I’ve been writing about celiac disease and the gluten-free diet in various ways since 2004. Mostly through the Celiac Handbook Website and more recently, this blog. I was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1999 and have seen a revolution in the amount of gluten-free products available, both online and in the supermarket. This is what I’ve spent the bulk of my time writing about.

It’s rather funny, every time I write about a new product (especially a mainstream company offering a gluten-free version of their already popular gluten-filled food), I get a flood of emails and comments lambasting me for promoting junk food. While I can appreciate people’s intentions and their belief in the power of food — I personally don’t like to stand on a soapbox and tell people what they should be eating. I like to present both naturally gluten-free items as well as the countless new gluten-free products that seem to come out on a near daily basis. I want to let people make up their own minds about what they are going to eat. Learning to eat in any particular fashion is a journey that every person makes (willing or unwilling) and it is something they must do on their own. As we all know, when someone is “telling us” what to do — we will quickly ignore them as just another bag of hot air.

I have personally tried many different ways of life; vegan, vegetarian, aquatarian, paleo and of course, gluten-free. My weight has been all over the map — as low as 145 lbs. (I’m 6’ 2”) at the height of my undiagnosed celiac disease and as high as 260 lbs. a couple of years ago (way too much eating and sitting at a desk). I now weigh in at a very comfortable 190 lbs. and do my best to eat a diet rich in whole food — my overall health is proof that this is working. Trust me, I do still eat the occasional gluten-free cupcake or brownie, but I try to think of it as a treat and not an everyday “must have”. I do get my fair share of samples to try and there are times when I find myself indulging just a little too much — but, that comes with the territory of what I do. Call it an occupational hazard. This is what I do — and it works for me. I’m not implying in any way that it should be what you do. It’s up to you and you alone to find your path to wellness. You will hear many different opinions from people (both solicited and not) and hopefully armed with good information,  you will go down the path that is right for you.

In the mean time, I’m going to keep on reporting what I find — some of it will be healthy (in my opinion) and some of it will no doubt be junk food — but the good news is that it will all be gluten-free.

One final thought: Always, always remember that just because something is gluten-free doesn’t mean it’s healthy.  This is a mistake that is all too common.

Overall, I consider myself pretty easy to please — I’m not the type to complain about something unless it’s really bad, and I lead a fairly simple life. It’s the small things in life that truly make me happy — sight, sounds, smells — all of which for me are synonymous with good food, and in my case gluten-free food. These are just a few things for me that will put a smile on my face and a spring in my step.

1. Properly labeled gluten-free packaged food (and it’s really gluten-free)
   It’ so nice to walk into a store and find something labeled gluten-free and it actually is gluten-free. So many gluten-free products include too much fine print with lines like, made on shared equipment with…, made in a facility…, made with non-gluten ingredients…, etc. There are a few brands that have this fine print that I trust and do well with, but all in all, I’d much rather not have to deal with it. These days, every company wants to jump in on the gluten-free bandwagon — that’s all well and good as long as they are willing to do more then just say they are gluten-free. It’s a matter of people’s lives and health, and it should be treated that way.
2. Nutritious gluten-free packaged food
   I’ll be the first to admit that I love my gluten-free snack food and desserts — there are so many amazing gluten-free products available. But after a while, especially when it comes to sugar, enough is enough. While I love seeing recipes from the likes of Elana’s Pantry who really focus on using healthy ingredients (but still come up with some great recipes that can be considered treats), I still find myself needing the occasional packaged gluten-free food to get me through a meeting at work or even just as a quick and lazy snack. So when I find something that focuses on nutrition and isn’t loaded with sugar and unnecessary calories, I get excited.
3. Dedicated gluten-free menus with real choices
   With the gluten-free menu being such a hot trend, so many restaurants are offering them. When I walk into a restaurant and I get a dedicated gluten-free menu that is more than a piece of paper with a plain salad, a plain chicken breast, or plain veggies, I get discouraged. Yes, it’s nice that they are pointing these items out, but how wonderful to walk into a restaurant like Risotteria in NYC, Picazzo’s in Portland, OR and Arizona or even Hugo’s in L.A, who have well thought out detailed gluten-free menus with more choices than anyone could know what to do with. Talk to any of these restaurants about how many people ask for gluten-free menus and everyone of them will surely let you know that it has made good business sense for them to offer these menus — I really don’t understand why more restaurants don’t do it.
4. A grocery with more than a few shelves dedicated to gluten-free food
   My local grocery has about a 5’ section of an aisle with a handful of gluten-free products on three shelves — it’s simply not enough. When you walk into a Whole Foods, Wegmans, or New Seasons (and many others), you know that you are going to have choices. Some of them have entire aisles dedicated to gluten-free products and some even have it scattered throughout the store in every section and every aisle. I am like a kid in a candy store when I come across a store like this.
5. A family doctor who doesn’t discount celiac disease as a non-issue
   Too many times I’ve been to the doctor and just had them glaze over when I mention that I have celiac disease. I’ve even had doctors who didn’t know enough about it to understand that it involves much more than just cutting out wheat — they’ve been surprised when I tell them the long list of ingredients that I do have to avoid — and to think they are doctors :(   You would think that something like celiac disease that effects up to 1 in 100 people, would be known by every doctor on the face of the planet and welcomed as it is relatively easy to successfully treat.
6. Gluten-free school lunches
   My daughter is also on a gluten-free diet and it has been so hard getting the various schools that she’s attended to get on board with getting her a gluten-free meal that consisted of more than a salad and a carton of milk. We’ve almost always had to resort to her bringing her lunch (which at the end of the day is a healthier option). There are days when time runs out and having the option for the school lunch would be nice. People like Amy Leger of The Savvy Celiac blog have done a lot of work in this area — I just hope that gluten-free lunches will spread and be more available to us all. One really entertaining thing that I do see is how many kids want my daughter’s gluten-free cookies that she sometimes packs in her lunch box.
7. Media coverage that doesn’t refer to the gluten-free diet as the latest fad
   Too many times now, I’ve seen reports on mainstream news outlets about the latest fad, the gluten-free diet. I’d much rather it be reported as a public health crisis that effects 1 in 100 people and how it is so commonly misdiagnosed for so many different illnesses. Having the gluten-free diet in the spotlight is probably a good thing, but having it associated with every other fad diet runs the risk of decreased public awareness or worse yet, public apathy when people hear about a gluten-free diet.  I much prefer to hear about the dire side of celiac disease and how it almost killed somebody or it was misdiagnosed as something else — and then wrapping it up with the fact that a relatively simple change in their diet (not drugs) has changed their life in a positive way. This is the sort of coverage that will open people’s eyes to what the gluten-free diet is all about — improved health*. *It doesn’t mean you can go out and eat every gluten-free pastry, cookie or cereal loaded with sugar and expect to achieve good health because you’re following a gluten-free diet. A naturally gluten-free diet will improve your health. A gluten-free diet based in sugar, fat and processed food will still lead to poor health.
   
8. Boutique, artisan bakeries creating exceptional gluten-free baked goods
   There are some great store-bought gluten-free baked goods out there (this is where I’ll get the flood of comments on Udi’s — yes, I agree they are great), but I am so in awe of the artistry of the many small, dedicated gluten-free bakeries across the country and around the world. Thanks to these, I’ve been able to enjoy gluten-free baguettes, croissants and some of the best birthday cake I’ve ever had (better than most traditionally baked cakes). Because of these wonderful bakeries, gluten-free isn’t as hard as I originally thought it would be. They may be more expensive, but you really are getting a unique, hand-crafted work of art by a person who cares about what they are selling.
9. Gluten-free events
   Whether it be a tasting event at a local grocery, a meetup event at a restaurant or even a happy hour, gluten-free events are a great way to meet like-minded people, enjoy great food, and learn more about the food you are eating. Gluten-free events spread awareness, help local businesses and as with every other small business — help the economy.
10. The awesome gluten-free community
    The sheer volume of information coming from the gluten-free / celiac community is overwhelming. RSS feeds, email alerts, Facebook notifications and every other imaginable message fill my inbox day after day informing me of all the latest happenings. Bloggers, chefs, dietitians and even home chefs all contribute so much and keep me amazed at how lucky we are to have this much support. Thank you to every last one of you.

Image IS NOT from the bakery in question

I’m a little frustrated at the moment. This morning, I walked into a local bakery that had a sign in their window that said, “gluten-free pastries now available”. Once inside, I saw that they indeed had a nice selection of gluten-free pastries (they were even sourced from a reputable dedicated gluten-free bakery) — one huge problem though. They were in the same case with every other gluten filled croissant, eclair and gallete (touching in some places) — and worse yet, on the bottom shelf. I promptly questioned the manager as to why these were being displayed this way and his response was baffling. He said, “these pastries were not intended to be sold to people as sensitive as yourself, they were merely an option for people on a gluten-free diet”. My jaw dropped in disbelief.

OK, I’m the first person to advocate being overly nice, never condescending, and always going out of my way to act as some sort of goodwill ambassador when talking to people about the gluten-free diet. It never does any good to treat people with disrespect or try to belittle them for their lack of knowledge on the subject — before being diagnosed with celiac disease, I knew nothing about what gluten-free meant. But (and this is a big BUT), if you are managing a restaurant or bakery or any other place that is serving “gluten-free food”, you need to educate yourself on exactly what that means and why it is so important to get it right.

Some good news: After a 30-minute discussion with the manager, he seemed grateful that I was so interested in the fact that they were serving gluten-free items and he did ask how they could make things better. The first obvious task would be to not keep these items in the case with everything else. They had a few items covered on glass cake plates on top of the counter — so I suggested that those be dedicated to gluten-free items and that they keep separate utensils for those items. I explained that since they had gone to the trouble of sourcing these items out from a reputable gluten-free bakery, they need to continue this and keep everything as safe as possible right through to the end consumer — otherwise there is no point in offering gluten-free options. Since our conversation, I’ve emailed him numerous links to sites talking about cross-contamination and how to minimize the risk

This bakery (which shall remain unnamed for now) informed me that they were convinced to sell gluten-free food by one of their distributors who said it was one of the hottest trends at the moment. There was never a mention made of celiac disease or the necessity of a gluten-free diet for those with CD.

This particular story might end up in a good way, but to think how many places out there are selling food labeled as gluten-free and have no clue as to what that really means and are actually hurting people in the process. I’m going to be checking back in a few weeks to see if things have changed here and I really hope they do — it would be nice to have a bakery so close to home that I could get some safe GF pastries. I will hopefully be doing a positive review of this place at some point in the near future.

I look at dozens, if not hundreds of posts on “gluten-free this” and “gluten-free that” every week (and deeply enjoy doing so). I look at recipes, travel tips, celiac research and every other imaginable topic that could possibly be related to the gluten-free universe. It truly amazes me how much information (both good and bad) is out there and how many people are talking about the gluten-free diet (this can only be a good thing).

There are some blogs that seem to have been around forever. Gluten-Free Girl, Celiac Chicks are two that immediately come to mind. They both are iconic, ever-present and full of great information — I would almost put these in the class of celebrity blogs. In fact, if all goes well, the Gluten-Free Girl is going to get her own cooking show sometime soon.

Beyond that, there are thousands of blogs devoted to gluten-free recipes, some of them come and go without notice and then others stick around and stand the test of time — showcasing new and innovative recipes week after week.

Without question, one of my all-time favorites is Elana’s Pantry. More often than not, she uses ingredients like almond flour and agave syrup and has an overall focus on healthy gluten-free options — I have NEVER been disappointed with anything from Elana.

Another favorite is Karina Allrich’s, Gluten-Free Goddess — simply amazing vegetarian and gluten-free recipes and an awesome level of presentation that makes it all look as good as it tastes.

For travel tips, you’d be hard pressed to find a more informative blog then Hilary Davidson’s Gluten-Free Guidebook. Hilary is an accomplished writer who has written travel guides for Frommer’s, as well as articles featured in Discover, American Archaeology, Fitness, Reader’s Digest, and Martha Stewart Weddings. In terms of gluten-free travel tips, Hilary has travelled the globe and has found some great gluten-free options in so many locations, that you’re sure to find something relevant to your next trip. Anytime I travel, I look here to see if she’s been there and what she recommends.

Anyhow, I’ll be posting more recommendations in the months to come, but these for me represent the best of the best and my current “go-to” list of online gluten-free resources. There are obviously many more great choices, but these are all a great place to start for anyone exploring the gluten-free lifestyle and diet.

Anybody who knows me knows that I’m a huge fan of networking through channels like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. I’m also a huge fan of more traditional in-person methods, such as social get togethers, happy hours, and business events. The online methods have their advantage for sure — a much wider reach to far more people, but they still lack that personal contact that a smile and a handshake will get you. These in-person meetings will be remembered far longer than any online method possibly could.  That being said, the perfect follow up to such a meeting would be to connect in the online world (if of course this is a person you would want to connect with).

Managing Celiac Handbook, I come across a lot of events and needless to say, I’ve attended quite a few. I’ve met a lot of great people and discovered a lot of amazing gluten-free resources. One group that I am a member of (but I’m sorry to say that I haven’t actually attended one of their events) is the New York City Celiac Disease Meetup Group. With well over 1,000 members, over 100 events already held, and at least seven already planned in the coming months, they have been a consistently strong player in the NYC celiac community.  Everything from happy hours to charity fundraisers to wine and cheese events — I think I even saw a yoga event in there somewhere. My point being that their meetups are as diverse as one would expect in NYC. While I would rarely recommend something that I haven’t personally tried — I feel very comfortable in recommending this meetup group as a group that “gets it”.

I do a lot of traveling, but unfortunately, New York City has not been one of my destinations — but it will happen — hopefully sooner rather than later. There are just too many great celiac friendly restaurants, bakeries, and businesses — I really have no reason to stay away much longer. Once that trip happens, you will undoubtedly be hearing from me talking about what is quite possibly the gluten-free capital of the world.

Before arriving in France for the summer, we spent a hellish week in London — while I love London (I spent a few years there back in the early ’90′s), this visit was especially bad as there were five of us (myself, the wife and three kids) dealing with jet lag and not being close enough to an Underground station. It was just way too much walking.  Oh well, live and learn.

In my usual tradition of seeking out a supermarket, I decided to revisit an old favorite, Sainsbury’s. Back in 1993 when I was in London last, I hadn’t been diagnosed with celiac disease and I had no idea what a gluten-free diet was and I’m pretty sure that Sainsbury’s didn’t either. Now, Sainsbury’s offers a wonderful gluten-free line, freefrom. Literally, hundreds of products ranging from frozen dinners to desserts to cereals to loaf bread. They also carry a decent selection of third party brands as well. Looking for a good breakfast item, I decided to try their freefrom Granola Style Cereal. The first thing I noticed about this granola is that it wasn’t loaded with corn like so many gluten-free granolas that I’ve tried in the past but it did have a bit more sugar than I usually like in my cereal. All in all, the granola was tasty and had some great ingredients not commonly found in store bought granola — buckwheat flakes, sunflower seeds, hazelnut nibs and flaked almonds.

The next thing that I had to try from Sainsbury’s was Genius gluten-free bread. I’ve been hearing about this for months on the Celiac Handbook Facebook page and I was really anxious to try it. With some sliced turkey and sharp cheddar cheese, I made myself and my kids some sandwiches and I have to tell you, it was one of the best store-bought gluten-free sandwich breads that I’ve tasted. A light and fluffy texture, it didn’t crumble and best of all, it didn’t require being frozen.

We’ll be back in London in August for two weeks and this time we’ll be staying somewhere that makes the city a little bit more accessible and require a lot less walking. This next time around, we’ll be focusing on restaurants with gluten-free menus as well as sampling more of what the local supermarkets have to offer. If there’s something or some place that you think I have to try, leave a comment and let me know — I’m always open to suggestion for good food.

I want to start off by saying that I’m very lucky to be sitting in a beautiful little bed and breakfast in the village of Monts in the Loire Valley. It’s not all fun and games, it’s a working holiday — it’s something that my family and I are attempting to make a yearly tradition (this is year two). With the power of the Internet, a laptop and a good wifi connection, I can do my work from just about anywhere. The trick is making sure I sit down and actually get some of that work done and with so much to see and do while on holiday, that can be tough sometimes.

le moulin de Monts — Home for the Summer

As with any trip I take, one of the first places I like to visit is a local supermarket — in this case, it’s the Super U in Monts. While my French language skills are not all that great, I do have a good grasp on which items on a packages list of ingredients to avoid and when traveling I try to stick with as much fresh food as possible. The selection of packaged food hasn’t been that great and I am indeed sticking to the fruits, vegetables, beans, meat, dairy, etc. It’s really not a bad way to eat, but I do miss the convenience of an occasional gluten-free packaged snack.

Watching my wife enjoy a baguette (or my kids with a pain au chocolat) from the local boulangerie can be a little envy-inducing, but I’m happy that they’re able to enjoy some of France’s most beloved staples. I’ve yet to find a gluten-free boulangerie or even a gluten-free baguette for that matter. I know they exist, but I just haven’t found them yet. There are a couple of local restaurants here in the village and most have been very friendly and accommodating and I have had positive experiences all the way through. I’ll be doing some individual reviews of these after another visit or two.

We’ll be heading to Paris in July and I know there are some great choices there with stores like Naturalia and La Vie Claire. There’s also a 100% gluten-free restaurant that I can’t wait to try, Des si & Des mets.  We’ll be moving north toward Brittany and Normandy from there and will stop at numerous places along the way. I’m hoping by the end of this trip to have some very positive things to say about living sans gluten in France — I’m keeping my fingers crossed.