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.

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 get recommendations for restaurants that have either a gluten-free menu or are celiac friendly nearly every hour of every day. As much as I would like to, I can’t try every one of them myself. I have had the opportunity to try quite a few of them up and down the west coast as well as some in London. I will also be traveling to Boston in a few weeks and will inevitably be trying some recommended restaurants there — and of course writing something about them.

For my latest “Gluten-Free Pick of the Week”, I’m doing something that I normally don’t do — I’m showcasing a restaurant that I’ve never actually been to, Posana Cafe in Asheville, North Carolina. The reason for this is quite simple — I’ve had more recommendations for this restaurant in the past year than any other restaurant. The astonishing thing about this is that it’s an independent restaurant in a relatively small town.

A little background information on Posana Cafe:

Posana Cafe is owned and operated by Peter and Martha Pollay. Peter is the Executive Chef and a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America. He’s worked under such great chefs and restauranteurs as Wolfgang Puck, Lary Levy, Waldy Malouf and David Burke.

After Martha was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2005, Peter set out to create an entirely gluten-free restaurant that would appeal to everyone — not just those following a gluten-free diet. In fact, the vast majority of their customers do not suffer from celiac disease, food allergies, or intolerances.

They have an in-house pastry department that prepares all of their plated desserts, pastries, breads and mixes on a daily basis. This makes a huge difference in quality, consistency and the level of creativity that is in their menu.

To think that there is a restaurant out there that I can not only enjoy a great gluten-free menu, but every last thing on that menu is gluten-free — what a huge treat. I know there are actually quite a few great restaurants out there that are entirely gluten-free, but Posana Cafe exemplifies the spirit that I love to see, they don’t want to make it a “great gluten-free restaurant”, they want to simply make it a “great restaurant for all to enjoy” — gluten-free or not. Afterall, gluten-free can be (and often times is) more tasty than their gluten-filled counterparts. I know it has been the topic of a lot of debate in the press recently, but I very much believe that a gluten-free diet is better for everyone — nobody needs gluten in their diet.

The very first opportunity to get to Asheville that I get, you know Posana Cafe will be one of my first stops. Asheville has been a destination that I’ve wanted to visit for a long time, now I have one more reason to make that happen.

Thank you to both Peter and Martha Pollay for what I am almost certain is a great restaurant — I can’t wait to try it.

I recently had the opportunity to try the new gluten-free burritos from Amy’s Kitchen. While I love to cook and be experimental in the kitchen and I try to make as much as I can from scratch, like most working adults, there are times that I need something quick and easy to get me through the afternoon or a simple and healthy snack that my kids can enjoy after school. Amy’s Gluten-Free Burritos fit that bill perfectly.

I tried both the Bean & Cheddar Cheese and the Bean & Rice — cooked one in the oven and the other in the microwave and both were very tasty, had a great texture and consistency, and were very filling. For obvious reasons, the one cooked in the oven turned out better with a crunchier tortilla, but the longer cooking time made it much less convenient than the microwave version.

Amy’s has been offering gluten-free packaged food for quite some time now, everything from pizza to mac & cheese to enchilada’s (and so much more). They do have a disclaimer on their package that states the following:

Individuals with Food Allergies: This product is manufactured in a facility that processes foods containing wheat, milk, soy, tree nuts and seeds. Amy’s Kitchen does not use any peanuts, fish, shellfish or eggs.

While a statement like this would usually bother me and make me avoid a product all together, I’ve had good luck with Amy’s and have never had an adverse reaction. I contacted Amy’s and asked a lot of questions about their manufacturing process and kindly received this response.

Through the Celiac Handbook Facebook page and other online forums, I’ve heard some people bashing Amy’s (as well as many other gluten-free food retailers). One mistake that I see made so often with the gluten-free diet is that they automatically assume that the ill feelings they have after eating are always associated with consuming gluten. Truth is, people with celiac disease tend to develop allergies to things like dairy, soy, corn and just about every other known allergen which can cause some adverse reactions as well as discomfort — they will then immediately attribute this to gluten contamination and then go on the rampage against a particular product.

My mantra has always been that if something works for you, use it — if not, don’t use it. You can use this philosophy in just about every part of your life and expect a great deal of success because of it.

I’d love to hear your feedback and see what you’re experiences with Amy’s Kitchen gluten-free products have been like. Additionally, if you’d like a FREE PRODUCT COUPON from Amy’s, be the first, third, and fifth comment on this post (one comment per person please and please no frivolous comments like, “first” — please comment with something meaningful :) and Amy’s will send you the coupon directly. If you’d like a FREE AMY’S TOTE BAG, be the 10th comment on this blog post and Amy’s will be sure to get one out to you.

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”.

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.

While I usually focus my Product of the Week posts on an individual product, this time I wanted to devote it to a company, Crave, A San Francisco Bakery.

I’ve been a fan of Crave for at least the last four years and I have tried nearly every one of their products at some point. Whether it’s their soft and chewy gluten-free brownie, their amazing cheesecake, or even one of their delicious vanilla cupcakes, I’ve never EVER been disappointed. The biggest problem anyone would have would be to know when to stop. If I could live on desserts alone, this would be one that I could do it with.

To think that Crave’s products are not only gluten-free, but many are also vegan, soy-free, nut-free, egg-free, sugar-free and/or dairy-free is absolutely mind blowing. If you’re lucky enough to have Crave products in a store near you, do yourself a favor and give them a try — if not, check out their Website and order directly from them.

Cameo Edwards started Crave, a wholesale San Francisco bakery, in 2003. She was determined to create delicious alternative desserts that were Wheat-Free, Gluten-Free and Casein-Free (or Milk-Free) to satisfy her Cravings for foods she could no longer eat. Crave’s philosophy is based on choosing simple, high-quality and organic ingredients without trans fats or preservatives.

Crave Bakery also provides custom Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Wedding/Special Occasion cakes & cupcakes, catering to any food intolerance: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, Egg-Free, Sugar-free and/or Dairy-Free. Crave’s Gluten-Free brownies, cookies, tarts, cupcakes and cakes can be purchased in high end markets such as Whole Foods Markets throughout the western US; check our website for a location near you.