Oregon Subway Chain Offers GF Sandwiches

Leave it to those progressive Oregonians. The Subway chain of sub shops is leading the pack. Let's hope this trend continues and others follow suit. Not sure I really need a GF Big Mac, but I suppose it would be a nice option in a pinch.

A great excuse to take a trip to Italy

From the Huffington Post - Italy, The Land Of Pasta, Now Does Gluten-Free Cuisine

The Dr. Oz Show

Before I get into Dr. Oz, I want to make a little change to the blog. As I'm developing this site, I'm getting as weary and tired from the repetition of writing "people with gluten issues" "people living gluten free" or "people with Celiac Disease or Gluten Intolerance" as I used to from actually eating gluten. So, to solve this issue I will try using a couple of new acronyms, GFP "gluten free people"and GSDs "Gluten Spectrum Disorders." These aren't commonly used acronyms, but I haven't been able to find any that are. Though GSD can be used as an acronym for some other diseases/disorders I think in this context there shouldn't be any confusion. We'll see how it works.

Non-food Gluten Exposure

As much as I've been reading about gluten and gluten exposure, I learned through watching the gluten episode of the Dr. OZ show with Elisabeth Hasselbeck that gluten is used in some health and beauty products and they can also be a possible method of exposure. 

As if I didn't have to read enough labels already! But ok, so off to the medicine cabinet I went to see if anything I use had hidden gluten.

Looking at health and beauty product labels was even more confusing that food labels. I had to go back to the Internet to see if I could find what I should be looking for to determine if my products were safe. I found some great info on a site called Gluten Free & Fibro a resource for people living GF who have Fibromyalgia. There, in response to an inquiry, Nivea brand listed ingredients found in some health and beauty products that are wheat, rye, barely or oat derived that may contain gluten.

TRITICUM VULGARE (wheat bran)

SECALE CEREALE (rye seed extract)

HORDEUM VULGARE (barley)

AVENA SATIVA (oat bran)

And, back to the medicine cabinet I went.  Sure enough the Aveeno lotions I have are made with, as the name implies, Avena Sativa. 

According to Celiac.com, oats (the source of Avena Sativa) contain gluten through cross contamination and aren't a problem for most people with GSDs if they are certified GF. However, they also state that there may be a small percentage of people with Celiac that may have a sensitivity to Avenin which is naturally occurring in oats.  More confusion... So, what to do with my Aveeno products that have oat products that may or may not have gluten?!

I never thought I would be quoting Elisabeth Hasselbeck but she gave good advice on the Dr. Oz show; contact the manufacturer.  As with the Nivea example above often someone already has so a simple web search will save you the trouble of emailing or calling and waiting for a reply.  Sure enough on Celiacforums.com there is a list of Aveno products that are gluten free. And guess what? The Aveeno lotion I use is not on that list and therefore most likely contains some amount of gluten.

I am a little dubious of the notion of gluten exposure through a topical lotion. I can see being concerned if the gluten is in a lip balm or toothpaste where there is a likelihood of ingestion, but even so, why risk it? So, bye bye Aveeno Daily Mosturizing Lotion.

The moral of this story is that living GF does take work.  You have to read a lot of labels, do a lot of research, and be very proactive to avoid hidden sources of gluten exposure. Food labels are getting much better about listing ingredients, hopefully health and beauty products will improve on that front.  Be diligent and do your homework.

Dr. Oz and Diagnosis

Though I thought this episode was informative about gluten particularly for those who have little or no experience with GSDs I do have a critique for the Dr. First I have to make clear that I am not a health professional. That said, I was surprised that Dr. Oz recommended going on a gluten free diet without first consulting your primary care provider.  

The main reason a person should consult with their PCP first is to get an accurate diagnosis. Celiac Disease specifically can be diagnosed through a simple blood test. The test looks for specific antigens produced by the body that demonstrate an autoimmune response to attempting to digest gluten. If a person goes gluten-free for a period of time before getting the blood test they may not get an accurate result. Having the most accurate information about your diagnosis and specific health issues can only help you to live better.

Dr. Oz Show Today About Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance

I've set my DVR to record the Dr. OZ show today. Based on the preview clip from the Chicago Fox affiliate below, the show should be a good source of information for those who might be suffering from gluten issues who haven't been diagnosed yet or who haven't yet identified the problem for themselves. It  also looks like it will answer some questions for families and friends of gluten free people about Gluten Intolerance and Celiac Disease as to what the range of symptoms are and how serious the risks of exposure are.

Dr. Oz: You Could Have Gluten Intolerance or Celiac Disease: MyFoxCHICAGO.com

Restaurant Update

The Franklin Restaurant Group
Great news from the Franklin. I contacted Executive Chef/Owner Brian Reyelt of the Franklin Cafe (South End), The Franklin (Southie), Tasty Burger (Fenway), and Citizens Public House (Fenway). He assures me that all of his restaurants are very sensitive to the needs of their GF diners. Here is the breakdown:

The Franklin (Southie)
Yes printed GF menu available on request
Yes dedicated GF fryolator.

Franklin Cafe (South End)
Yes printed GF menu available on request
No separate fryolator at this location
(This location has very limited kitchen space so they are not able to accommodate a dedicated unit)

Citizens Public House & Oyster Bar (Fenway)
Yes printed GF menu available on request
Yes dedicated GF fryolator

Tasty Burger (Fenway)
No printed GF menu.
Yes dedicated GF fryolator.
(And even better news, they are developing a GF burger bun! I've asked them to let me know when it becomes available. I personally can't wait to get back there for a late night burger run or a morning after hangover cure with a hot juicy burger and steaming crisp french fries.)

Waffles - Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix

Happy New Year! I started 2012 off with an indulgent breakfast of syrup and butter drenched waffles.  Waffles are one GF substitution that I feel almost work better than waffles made with wheat flour.  Obviously GF baking requires substituting alternative flours for wheat flour and there are an almost endless variety of non-wheat flours and starches that can be used.  The most common for waffle recipes seems to be rice flour.

Rice flour is the main ingredient in Pamela's Baking and Pancake mix which uses a combination of brown rice, white rice and sweet rice flour along with smaller amounts of tapioca and potato starch.  It also uses almond meal which appears in the mix and waffles as small brown flecks giving the waffles a whole grain appearance and some added depth of flavor and "mouth feel." This combination of flours seems to give the waffles an extra crispness and lightness while still having a satisfying density to them.  It also avoids the slightly bitter flavor that sorghum flour (another commonly used substitution) often gives to baked goods.

The end result are fluffy, crisp, nicely browned, firm but not chewy.  They absorb syrup nicely and have a depth of flavor.  Overall I recommend this mix for waffles and think you could serve these to non-gf people as whole-wheat flour waffles and get away with it.  Next up, I'll try this mix for the pancake recipe.  


Pamela's Products

Elephant Walk Offers a Gluten Free Cooking Class 1/28/12

I'm excited to see that there are classes out there in GF cooking. It's no surprise to me that Elephant Walk offers one as they are so good with their GF menu's in their restaurants.  I'm hoping to take this class and will report back if I can fit it in. Elephant Walk GF Cooking Class Jan. 28