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! »

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 »

Gluten Free Gobsmacked follows the adventures of Kate, a woman diagnosed with celiac disease back in 2000. She’s been sharing her gluten-free recipes with the world since at least 2005 and comes up with some amazing treats. Seasonal goodies like a recent post on Gluten-Free Pumpkin Fries, desserts like Chocolate Chip and Tahini Cookies, and savory dishes like Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Carrots and Fennel Bulbs are all things that will make your mouth water. Gluten Free Gobsmacked is a “go to” blog for celiacs everywhere and should be for you too.

Also, take a look at her About page to learn what “Gobsmacked” means. Whenever I have heard the term, I usually associate it with the British and their love of such over the top words. I always imagine hearing a word like this in an accent similar to Margaret Thatcher.  It’s nice to see (and so appropriate) in this context.

Gluten Free Gobsmacked »

Hey, that tastes good! is a blog by Jill Elise, a gluten-free food blogger living in Connecticut. It’s an amazing resource for anyone seeking recipes and insight into gluten-free comfort food. Everything from Pecan Pie to Salisbury Steak to Coconut Rice Pudding (and everything in between) — she’s got it all covered. There’s also some great insight into traveling gluten-free as well as recommendations for places that she’s visited while on vacation.

With a recent redesign of her blog and amazing photography, you will find yourself spending hours digging through her archives in search of that perfect recipe for whatever you might be craving — needless to say, you’ll undoubtedly find something that you’ll love.

In her own words, “…how I learned that gluten-free doesn’t mean taste-free”.

Hey, that tastes good! »

Gluten-Free Goddess is written by the delightfully poetic Karina Allrich, an L.A. script writer, photographer, mother, and of course a gluten-free genius.

Her recipes are out of this world, her photography is beautiful, and her taste is second to none. The blog has been around since at least 2005 and it has been an important source of wonderful gluten-free recipe ideas as well as Karina’s musings on life and family.

Somehow, every time I read any of her posts, I finish with a smile and usually an idea or two for something to prepare for my family in the following days. So, if you haven’t visited the Gluten-Free Goddess yet, do yourself a favor and do it now — just make sure you give yourself enough time to read through the volumes of Karina’s work.  It’s well worth the time.

Gluten-Free Goddess »

What can I say about Elana’s Pantry? Elana Amsterdam is a prolific writer who never ceases to amaze me with her endless stream of great ideas. All of her recipes, whether it be desserts, entrées, snacks, or drinks all have a focus on all natural and healthy ingredients. She an advocate of using almond flour and has written two books on the subject, Gluten-Free Cupcakes: 50 Irresistible Recipes Made with Almond and Coconut Flour and The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook.

I’ve tried dozens of Elana’s recipes and every one of them has been exactly what I expected them to be (and more). I will never miss the so called “real thing” when eating like this. And to know that what I’m eating is so much healthier than the “real thing” is an added bonus.

Elana is definitely one of the gluten-free communities superstars. She is destined to be a huge success. I will continue to anxiously await her new posts and will definitely continue using her recipes.

Visit Elana’s Pantry »

Hilary Davidson’s Gluten-Free Guidebook is the home of the Reader Report. Along with Hilary’s own great travel focused posts, she shares her viewers travel tips from around the world.

It’s no wonder that Hilary does a travel based blog as she has written both Frommer’s New York City Day by Day and Frommer’s Toronto. After one of Hilary’s posts, you will get a great feel for a particular city and what it has to offer in terms of gluten-free dining options.

Beyond the travel related posts, she’s posted some great content like, “Would you pop a pill to eat gluten again?” and “More about that celiac pill“. She poses some wonderful questions and opinions that need to be read by every celiac.

Hilary Davidson’s Gluten-Free Guidebook is yet another great example of a great gluten-free blog with an incredible amount of valuable information that will help you make great travel decisions as well as furthering your insight into the gluten-free diet.

Gluten-Free Guidebook »

Uber-networkers Kim and Kelly started the Celiac Chicks blog back in 2003 and have produced one of the largest collections of relevant gluten-free information on the Internet. Restaurant visits, event reviews, celiac awareness, giveaways, gluten-free travel, product reviews, and so much more — there is so much to read here, that you will walk away “in the know” about what’s happening in the world of both celiac disease and the gluten-free diet.

I can never guess what they will write about next as their is so much variety in their posts. Their knowledge is enviable and their access to important figures in the celiac community continue to make their work both important and a great resource for anyone wanting to learn more about the gluten-free diet.

Celiac Chicks »

Gluten-free loaf bread (followed closely by gluten-free pizza) seems to be the gold standard on which a dedicated GF bakery is judged. It’s one of the first gluten-free products most newly diagnosed celiacs will purchase and surely is one of the first gluten-free products that most newly diagnosed celiacs will turn their nose up at and then wallow in self-pity about how they will never enjoy food again. No more convenience, no more soft Wonder bread, just a life of eating a dry, crumbly, and flavorless piece of styrofoam. This by itself could answer the question about depression being associated with celiac disease (I wish it were that easy).

When I was diagnosed in 1999, there were only one or two brands of gluten-free rice bread available — and that was only at a health food store. They tasted like a loaf of sand and had absolutely zero flavor. Trying to make a sandwich with it was a test in patience as it would all immediately crumble into hundreds of little pieces when trying to pick it up — leaving you with a handful of whatever was on the inside of the sandwich. Guess what? I gave up on sandwiches.

A few years later, I was craving bread again and started looking online to see what was available. I came across several GF bakeries offering everything from gluten-free loaf bread to gluten-free baguettes to gluten-free ding dongs — my eyes opened up and my jaw dropped. Until just a year ago (or two), I had completely given up on store bought gluten-free bread — until I came across Udi’s. I had heard mention of it over and over again on various blogs and on Facebook, but hadn’t seen it at any of my local stores. Finally, when I found it at my local Whole Foods Market, I grabbed it and rushed home to finally make a sandwich again. I started simple and just made an almond butter sandwich — I was almost in tears knowing that I had found something (available at my local store) that tasted as good as the sandwich bread I had given up years before. I’ve since tried many of Udi’s products and have been very pleased with it all.

The cult like following: All of this being said, I have since found a few different store bought brands that I like and occasionally buy. Every time I post something about some of the other brands, the comments come pouring in — things like, “I love Udi’s”, or “Udi’s is the best”, and even a simple “Udi’s!!!” They have a devoted and passionate following that love to spread the Udi’s word. It almost reminds me of Mac users — which as you may or may not know, is an incredibly loyal bunch. Udi’s, you should be proud that you have created a product that instills this kind of loyalty.

I guess with this post, I am now part of the Udi’s cult. There must be something in the water or the air in Colorado that makes them so good. I can think of a few gluten-free products and blogs coming out of Colorado that are what I consider, “Best in Class”.

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.

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.

Shauna James Ahern’s Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef is arguably one of the most widely read gluten-free blogs in the world. Do a Google search for “gluten-free” and it’s the first blog that comes up (behind just a few of the top celiac websites). I’m sure her traffic stats are out of this world. I don’t think I’ve ever come across a gluten-free blog that didn’t mention this blog in their blogroll or links section. I even read a post from a restaurant owners blog recently that said something like, “OMG, the Gluten-Free Girl just came in…” — that just shows you the kind of following that she has.

Both her and her husband, “The Chef” continually write about what they know best, amazing gluten-free food — both naturally gluten-free as well as food that’s adapted to be gluten-free. Great writing and great photography make this blog a treat to read (and look at).

Shauna has an infectious appreciation for life that will surely give any post diagnosis celiac hope that their life can truly be fulfilling. If by some remote chance you haven’t been there already, join the club and see what all the fuss is about.

Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef »