Being gluten-free is about me.  I’m the one with the special diet and I’m in charge of taking care of my body.  Having a young child with gluten-free needs raises a whole new set of issues and concerns.  I can give advice about raising children gluten-free and kid-friendly GF snacks, but I’m not living it.

My friend, Kelly Blanchard, has two daughters, one is gluten-free and the other is not.  Kelly is gluten-free, but her husband is not.  That’s a lot of needs to balance at the dinner table, right?  Check out her article in RVANews, Gluten-Free Kids, with great advice and insight on raising a child gluten-free.

Kelly Blanchard’s Gluten Free Kids

I often get a lot of my gluten-free news from my friend, Jennifer Harris, who writes  the Gwinnett Gluten-Free Examiner.  Today in the Examiner Jennifer informed us that Living Without magazine now has a website for its readers.  This is a great resource for individuals and families who are coping with food allergies and/or celiac.  The website provides recipes, forums to discuss topics, and my personal favorite, “Ask Your Doctor.”  Living Without offers advice and guidance for those with a variety of food allergies, but their website has a component that’s designated specifically for gluten-free readers.

I’ve enjoyed reading the articles Living Without has already posted on this brand new website, including Must-Dos for Newly Diagnosed Celiacs, and of course with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, I loved thinking of good baking ideas while perusing Romantic Gluten-Free Chocolate Desserts.

Check out Living Without and let me know what you like about this new celiac resource.

Many of you are familiar with Shauna who writes the wonderful and beautiful blog,  Gluten Free Girl & the Chef.  Her website inspires me often and includes wonderful images and stories about her food, family, and friends.  Shauna creates amazing gluten-free food with her husband, the chef, and writes about her experience with food.  She, too, has an incredible story of  years of sickness and a new outlook on life after her celiacdiagnosis.

In today’s Gluten-Free Girl post, Eating on $18 a day, Shauna writes about trying to feed her family for a week, spending only $18 a day on food.  Why is she doing this?  This week is King County’s United Way Hunger Action Week and people can pledge to only spend the maximum food stamp allotment for the size of their family to see how many people live. Individuals are allotted $7 a day, couples $12 a day, and a family of three (like Shauna’s) gets $18.

Reading Gluten-Free Girl’s post today brought out a lot of emotions in me.  It enrages me that families go hungry and many people in this country are denied the opportunity to eat healthy, nutritious food.  Sadly, it is much cheaper and quicker to eat a Big Mac Extra Value Meal than to make a healthy, colorful meal for your family.  Also, our country ends up spending much more money on health care because of the cheap, and void of nutrition, food that people put in their bodies.  It seems if more money was spent on healthy food, we could prevent many other diseases, health problems and costs.

We try to eat economically in our home but we definitely spend money on good, nutrient packed food, with the occasional splurge on a nice steak to share.  Unfortunately the gluten-free diet can be expensive, especially finding products like breads and baking mixes.  I try not to complain about the expenses too much because I love my gluten-free life and the excuse to try new recipes and concoctions in the kitchen.  While it would be difficult to live gluten-free on only $7 a day, I think it can be accomplished.

Here are some of the things I do regularly in a conscious attempt to cut my food costs:

Be Flexible at the Store: When going grocery shopping, bring a couple of meal ideas with you and then make your final decision based on what’s on sale that week.

Buy in bulk online: Ordering gluten-free flours, Lara Bars and cereal in bulk on Amazon.com can save lots of money.  Just make sure you have a place to store all of it!  (You get free shipping on Amazon if you spend more than $25!)

Soups & stews: They make great, filling, and nutritious meals.  Soups and stews make a ton of food and you can freeze leftovers.  Stews are a great way to use meat sparingly but still get a hearty meal.  Cornbread goes well with this and you can make a batch of cornbread and freeze it in individual pieces.

Bake from scratch: I will make a big batch of muffins on a Saturday morning and freeze the extras.  Then I have a stash when I’m craving a yummy muffin for breakfast and don’t feel the impulse to buy more expensive gluten-free muffins at Whole Foods.

Buying seasonally and locally.  CSAs are a great way to get fresh produce more economically and forces you to be more creative in the kitchen.

Go Vegetarian Occasionally: David and I are eating more and more vegetarian dinners and I find that we’re spending less money and eating much better food.  I just don’t miss the meat.

Add Beans to your Plate: Lentils and beans offer fiber, nutrients, and protein to your meal and fill you up.  Check out the beautiful bean dish I made last night with fresh swiss chard from The Local Farmstand.  I’ll be using the extra beans to make white chicken chili later this week.

What meals do you make that are healthy nutritious, and economical?  What shopping guidance do you have that helps you limit your grocery spending?

In the last couple of weeks, two of my former students have been diagnosed with celiac or gluten intolerances.  As the number of celiac diagnoses continues to increase in the United States, more and more teenagers and adults in their early 20s will be turning to a gluten-free diet.  Going gluten-free creates many challenges for people of all ages, but young adults have their own set of hurdles they must face as they adjust to their new dietary guidelines.

In emailing recently with a student who was just diagnosed with celiac, it reminded me just how difficult it is for teenagers and college-aged people with celiac to cope with their gluten-free diet.  When you’re living on a dorm or in an apartment with others, you have less control over the food that surrounds you and even what goes in your mouth.  You’re more likely to go out or be eating in a cafeteria, which means you’re not the one preparing your food.  I get a little anxious anytime I eat out or even go to a friend’s house for a meal, but for those at boarding school, in college, or even recently out of college, eating outside of your home is a constant reality.

Even though I wasn’t diagnosed with celiac until post-college, I can understand some of the issues young celiacs face in their daily lives, after living at a boarding school for the last three years and still being a “20-something” myself. I’ve provided some tips to help alleviate the stress that can come with celiac and putting your dietary needs in the hands of others.  Even if you’re not a teenager or in your early 20s, you might still find these tips helpful for you.

-       “Be prepared.” Yes, I know this is the Boy Scout’s motto, but it is key to living the gluten-free life.  I never travel anywhere without a small stash of food in my bag.  A Lara Bar, a bag of peanuts, and M&Ms are always on hand for me, no matter where I’m going or how certain I am that I’ll be able to consume a gluten-free meal.  You never want to be caught hungry and empty handed.  Believe me, it’s not a good feeling (and it becomes more tempting to eat gluten when you’re hungry).

-       Create your own late night snacks.  In college, there’s a lot of late night eating, for a variety of reasons.  People are up later studying or hanging out on dorm so there’s a need for more sustenance at unusual hours.  Also, alcohol consumption translates into thinking late night pizza is a good idea.  Well, it’s really not a good idea for you now that you’re gluten-free.  Make sure that you stock up on things that you can eat late night, if you enjoy this aspect of college life.  I met a girl with celiac who loves late-night pasta, so she always makes sure that she has some gluten-free pasta in her apartment to whip up when she feels the need.  Frozen GF pizzas might do the job as well.  I know it’s not the same as greasy, freshly delivered pizza, but we all have to make life adjustments.  (Good news!  5 Guys burgers are GF without the bun and their fries are gluten-free as well so this could be a good late night food stop for you if you’re feeling the post-bars food craving.)

-       Ask Questions.  It can feel awkward and even obnoxious to constantly ask questions about the food you’re eating, but it’s a must.  Especially since you can’t control how things are being prepared and what ingredients are going into them, you must be informed.

-       Make friends with the people who make your food.  If you are on a meal plan at college, introduce yourself to the managerial staff and the people who make and serve your food.  If they know you and understand your needs, they’ll be more able to accommodate your needs.  If you go to a certain restaurant a lot, ask to meet the owner or the manager.  I’ve found that people in the food service industry want to get it right and are well intentioned.  Don’t hesitate to try to connect with those people.  When they can connect a face to the ‘disease’ they’re more likely to want to help you out and go the extra mile.

-       Find gluten-free places you trust: When friends ask where a good place is for you to eat, have answers.  Your whole outlook on your city or college town will change once you’ve been diagnosed with celiac.  It’s worth investigating your options so that you can go to restaurants with friends and feel confident in your meal.  I attended UVA and now when I go back to Charlottesville, my entire trip is different because I’ve discovered places that make great gluten-free accommodations for me.  Charlottesville is a town that’s known for its sandwiches and great bagel places, but I’ve found delicious food for me too.

-       Go with your instinct & just say, “No.”: If it doesn’t feel right, skip it.  This piece of advice comes from someone who has not always gone with her instinct and regretted it later.  I tend to worry about hurting people’s feelings but my health is more important than feelings.  I now ask to look at jars and labels at friends’ houses, even though it can be uncomfortable.  I politely turn things down if I think it’s going to make me sick later.  In restaurants, the same principle applies.

-       Beware Tailgating: Tailgating is a favorite pastime for college students.  I, too, love a good tailgate, but sadly, I have yet to find any gluten-free friendly tailgates.  Issues of contamination are almost unavoidable when people are grabbing sandwiches and chips with one hand while holding their glutenous beer in the other.  While it might feel a bit awkward to have to say “no” to every ham biscuit or piece of Bojangle’s fried chicken that’s offered to you, it’s worth it.  Even if someone has nicely made a gluten-free artichoke dip, make sure that gluten-filled food products have not been dipped into the same dip.  If I’m going to be at a football game, I make sure to have plenty of food with me and eat a big breakfast earlier in the day.

-       Limit the variables: I often describe my body as a science experiment, so it’s only fitting that I discuss ‘controlling variables.’  When I am planning a weekend away, I make sure that at least a few of the meals will be in my control.  I like to bring my own breakfast food and snacks so that at least some meals I won’t have to worry about potential contamination or food issues.  I find that bringing some of my own food cuts down on the variables (potential for getting sick) and makes me feel more comfortable at my other meals.  The nice thing about breakfast is that you can always get coffee with your friends and still feel like you’re sharing in the meal and the social time.  Limiting the variables definitely applies for college students as well because there are so many times that your eating is left in the hands of others.  Give yourself some meals where you create what you ingest.

-       Find activities that are non-food related: It seems that most of the social events we do with others involve food in some way.  There are many fun things to do with friends that don’t revolve around a meal so think about what some of those might be in your town.  For me, I enjoy hiking, running, going to an athletic event and even wine tasting.  (Cheers to wine being gluten-free!)

Staying healthy on a gluten-free diet is about monitoring what goes into your body.  When you don’t create your meals, this becomes more difficult.  Try to stay positive, especially if you’re still adjusting to your new gluten-free life.  I promise, it’s worth it.  There will be ups and downs, but over time it will get easier.

While it can seem overwhelming to cook gluten-free, it really can be done and done simply, with lots of good flavor.  I have to give a shout out to my friends Maury, Mary Stuart and Jen for showing just how easy gluten-free can be.  I invited the three of them over for dinner a few weeks ago and we shared a delicious gluten-free meal together.  Two years ago, if I invited friends over for dinner, I would have denied any requests made by my guests to “bring something.”  I feel safest in my home because I make the food myself and in the past I didn’t want to bring any variables into my one controlled eating space.

Over time I’ve become much more comfortable explaining to friends my dietary restrictions, and I’ve allowed myself to trust others to make gluten-free food.  My friends (and yours too!) want to accommodate our gluten-free needs.  Of course this thoughtful group of women each wanted to bring something and since I’ve eaten with them many times (I lived in Mary Stuart’s house while moving this summer and she and her husband, Joel made many delicious GF meals for me), I trust each of them and they serve as reminders to me, just how easy and simple gluten-free dining can be.

Each of us provided a component of the meal that we shared.  The food was delicious and they all made gluten-free seem so “normal” (because it can be!).  It is the best feeling when friends and family members accommodate my gluten-free needs and I’m so appreciative of the many people in my life who have been thoughtful and gone to great lengths to ask questions, educate themselves and prepare gluten-free food for me.

There are probably many meals you make that are naturally gluten-free.  Check out our dinner menu to see how simple it can be.

Here’s what we ate:

Mary Stuart brought a creative, yet simple appetizer.  She made delicious crackers, using Glutinos, topped with Gruyere cheese and fig jam.  Great flavor combinations and very easy to assemble.  The fig jam added nice color and I loved the texture as well.

I made Red Wine Braised Chicken with Onions & Thyme for our entrée that tasted delicious on a cold winter night.

Maury made her famous roasted sweet potatoes that have become one of my favorite dishes.  All she does is roast sweet potatoes tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper at 375 for about 40 minutes and then she adds parmesan cheese to them.  So good!  (A sprinkle of parmesan cheese is a great addition to roasted veggies.)

Jen, who recently went gluten-free, brought a spinach salad with walnuts, craisins, feta and red onions.  A great winter salad and the red onions and craisins added festive colors.  Jen’s homemade salad dressing was composed of olive oil, basil, brown sugar, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar.  Very flavorful and not too heavy.  It complimented the salad perfectly.

I’m one of those people that likes to mix everything on my plate and this meal was perfect for that, even though we didn’t even plan our components of the meal together.  It just seemed to fit.  I only wish I had more photos to document the evening’s cuisine.  We’ll just have to do it again!

Who knew gluten free could be so easy?

When I was first diagnosed with celiac, I never imagined that I would feel so safe eating food made by others.  It takes time, but you too can enjoy sharing meals with others.  When your friends ask questions, give them clear answers.  They want to get it right, I promise.  And they will.

When people first learn about the restrictive diet I must follow due to my celiac diagnosis, they often give one of the following responses: “That’s awful!” or “I can’t think of anything worse!” Even though the diet can be tricky, there are many worse diagnoses than celiac disease and I feel blessed to have my health back (most of the time) and a disease that I can control simply by my diet.

Instead of spending time thinking about the foods that I can no longer eat, I try to embrace the delicious items that I can enjoy that make me feel good!

My diagnosis has made me appreciate food more than I ever did, particularly now that I don’t live in fear of being sick every time I eat. David and I love being in the kitchen and we definitely keep a stocked pantry of naturally gluten free foods. I’m now a firm believer in getting quality foods and ingredients that will provide the most flavor.

Here are some of my favorite foods to have in the house:

Blanchard’s Coffee: There’s nothing I enjoy more than a lazy morning with a good cup(s) of coffee. I’ve definitely become a coffee snob and I love freshly roasted coffee. My favorite coffee brand is Blanchard’s Coffee. They’re located in Richmond, VA and they freshly roast all of their coffee. You can order their very reasonably priced coffee online or if you’re lucky enough to live in Richmond, they sell it in Ukrop’s. The flavor and aroma of Blanchard’s coffee puts Starbuck’s to shame! The Ethiopian Yergacheffe is my personal favorite.

Check out the Blanchard’s Coffee website: Blanchard’s Coffee

Blueberries: In the final stretch of winter, I long for the summer farmer’s markets and the fresh fruits and vegetables to be purchased! In the cold winter months, I’m still happy to splurge on a container of blueberries at the grocery store. While the flavor is not quite the same as local produce, I love any snack or meal with blueberries. Yogurt (I use Stonyfield Farms brand) and blueberries topped with granola is a favorite snack, but my all time favorite food with blueberries are pancakes.

I’m inspired to write today because of the blueberry pancakes David made this morning using Pamela’s Baking Mix. The pancakes are delicious and a perfect way to spend a morning on spring break! David has mastered the art of gluten free pancake making and today he made waffles for the first time as well. Of course we enjoyed Blanchard’s Coffee with the pancakes! (If we don’t have blueberries in the house when making pancakes, David adds bananas and chocolate chips to the mix.)

Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts: I love peanuts and I don’t know what I would do if peanuts weren’t gluten free! Aunt Ruby’s peanuts are crunchy, salty and very flavorful. This North Carolina company sells peanuts that are packed with yumminess! Their prices are very reasonable and you can freeze them so they last for a long time if you buy in bulk for the best prices. The Country Style peanuts are a staple cocktail hour snack for us.

Aunt Ruby’s: Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts

Feel free to share some of the many foods you enjoy! Remember, it’s not about what we can’t have; it’s about embracing all of the delicious food we can eat.

Check out this link about potential pills to help celiacs. Definitely interesting to think about. I think I’m in agreement with Glutenfree Chicago…I don’t mind not having the wheat but it would be nice to take a pill before going to restaurants just in case there’s contamination.

gluten-free chicago: pills fix everything!!

I’ve had a request to go through what exactly I say to restaurants when trying to explain my gluten-free needs. It can be scary, awkward and intimidating, but this is for our health, comfort and it will ultimately make the next celiac’s visit to that restaurant a little easier so it’s worth it…I promise!  The hope is that you’ll find places that you really feel comfortable and they can become places you frequent.  They’ll appreciate your business and work hard to meet your needs.  Remember, your requests are not silly.  This is not a fad diet or even a chosen lifestyle…it’s your health.

1: Always be polite and appreciative, BUT never apologetic. Not apologizing is tough, and I have trouble following my own rule here, but you should never apologize for a disease over which you have no control.

2: I ask, “Have you heard of gluten?” I can immediately gauge whether I’m going to attempt to eat anything here based on the confident “yes, we train all of our employees in food allergies” or the puzzled expression on the manager’s face.

3. If they know about gluten, but don’t have a special menu, I remind them where gluten can be found (wheat, rye and barley) and that I have a disease that requires me to abide by a strictly gluten free diet.

4. If they assure me that I can eat here, I then select a few dishes in my mind that I would be interested in eating and that possibly don’t contain gluten. I ask the manager about these specific dishes. (It can be overwhelming to both the manager and the celiac customer to ask about the entire menu).

5. If the waiter tells me those dishes are fine, I proceed to ask them about the less well known things gluten is found in: soy sauce, marinades, salad dressings, fryers that could be contaminated.

6. I also ask about how they prepare their food and what their kitchen is like. If they prepare everything on the same griddle, it’s likely to be contaminated. I’ve found that people are very honest about this. I’ve had waiters tell me that I probably shouldn’t eat at the restaurant because of the way they cook their food and that it’s a busy day for them in the kitchen so they don’t have the time to clean as well as the should. (This is why I tend to avoid Sunday brunch at restaurants and diners.)

7. Continue thanking them throughout the meal. A little bit of gratitude goes a long way. If the meal went particularly well.  I’ll even contact the restaurant the next day to thank them for accommodating me.  Tell your celiac friends about the restaurant as well.  We want to give these thoughtful establishments business and encourage them to continue being conscious chefs.

8. A word of warning: this can be a lengthy process, but it’s so worth it! None of us want to be a burden to the restaurant or the people we’re with, but the pain and damage it will do to our bodies if we don’t, is more important.

A final note: Never feel like you HAVE to eat something. Go with your gut…literally and figuratively. You can politely leave the restaurant at any time. If the meal arrives and you don’t feel comfortable, double check with them and if you still don’t feel safe, don’t eat it! I was at a restaurant in Portland, Oregon this summer and I had a bad feeling about the meal when it arrived, but I ate it anyways, and I regretted my decision to not double check for the next 3 days (including a cross country flight)!

So don’t avoid restaurants and dining experiences because you’re scared! There’s so much yummy food out there and just because you have celiacs, doesn’t mean you should miss out!