How To Survive Halloween Gluten Free

It's best to discuss any school Halloween activities with your child's teacher. Prepare a special snack (ie: a cupcake or decorated cookies) for your child to eat during the celebration. 
I would also suggest giving the teacher a loot bag containing  Gluten Free goodies. This prevents temptation and the feeling of being left out as there can be a lot of that darn gluten at school.

There are numerous Gluten Free "safe" candy lists published online.  Although I had thought about researching and creating an updated list, in the end I decided not to. My reasoning for this is to encourage the constant checking of ingredients and not to create a so called safety net of sorts, that may inadvertently give a false sense of security. Sounds over the top right? 

• Ingredients can and do change frequently
• There may be confusion between a full size product and it's miniature counterpart as they often have different ingredients
• American and Canadian versions of the same product tend to have different ingredients

It may be time consuming but reading the ingredients on the package is key to having a successful trick or treating experience. Keep in mind that some companies do post a Gluten Free label on their candy which can be helpful. I would still advise reading the label in it's entirety to be sure that there is no risk of cross contamination.  

Check ALL treats before they are consumed but have some fun with it. It's easy to make a game by grouping the candy into piles.

1. Safe Candy
2. Not Safe Candy - This group of treats can be donated to a sibling, perhaps as a trade or even designated as a treat pile for mom and dad.

If there is No Ingredient List-contact manufacturer or place in the Not Safe pile

If you feel that there may not be enough "safe" treats handed out, create a Gluten Free goodie bag. Remember, not every treat needs to be candy. Think temporary tatoos, stickers, hair accessories, bracelets, glow sticks, Halloween themed story books and movie's. The possibilities are endless.

Spelt, Kamut, Ezekiel and Confusion

Spelt, Kamut and Ezekiel bread.  There seems to be a mecca of people who just don't understand  grain. Although these grains may be easier for some people (who can maintain a normal diet) to digest, they are NOT and never have been safe for those with Celiac Disease.

It is important to note that although an item can be labelled "wheat free", that does not mean it is gluten free as well. In order to be safe for consumption, a product must be both wheat and gluten free.

Spelt and Kamut are a form of wheat.They are often referred to as “ancient grains,” which is just a fancy way of saying that they have not been modified.

Ezekiel Bread contains a combination of wheat, spelt, rye, barley, and millet along with  great northern beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans. The only difference with this type of bread is that it is made from sprouted grains. Still a giant no for Celiac's.

According to the Health Canada website - Gluten: any gluten protein or modified protein, including any protein fraction derived from the grains of the following cereals: barley, oats, rye, triticale, wheat, kamut or spelt.  The definition would also apply to the grains of hybridized strains of the cereals listed above.

The below chart from U.S Dept. of Health and Human Services breaks down the different species of grains. It does a good job of showing the many different and often confusing forms of grain that are not safe. It also shows which grains are indeed safe to eat.

Allowed Foods
amaranth arrowroot buckwheat cassava corn flax Indian rice grass Job's tears	legumes millet nuts potatoes quinoa rice sago	seeds sorghum soy tapioca teff wild rice yucca
Foods To Avoid
wheat including einkorn, emmer, spelt, kamut wheat starch, wheat bran, wheat germ, cracked wheat, hydrolyzed wheat protein		barley rye triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)
Other Wheat Products
bromated flour durum flour enriched flour farina	graham flour phosphated flour plain flour	self-rising flour semolina white flour
Processed Foods that May Contain Wheat, Barley, or Rye*
bouillon cubes brown rice syrup candy chips/potato chips cold cuts, hot dogs, salami, sausage communion wafers	French fries gravy imitation fish matzo rice mixes sauces	seasoned tortilla chips self-basting turkey soups soy sauce vegetables in sauce

Do not feel obligated to try something just because someone tells you that it is safe. Well intentioned people make errors from time to time. I have seen two Canadian talk shows to date that have had (cooking and fitness) guest's speak about food being gluten free when in reality said food is not GF. 


There are also those who don't have your best interest at heart and are just trying to make a quick buck. Unless you are 100% sure something is safe, don't risk it. In the end, your health is top priority.

Gluten Free at the Ball Game

Photo Credit: Geoff Baker; The Seattle Times

Sometimes going to a sporting event is like choosing entertainment over hunger. There is always the option to pack some small snacks, but this often turns into an " I wish I could eat something here" moment. If you are a Seattle Mariners fan, this IS your moment - Friday August 26th. There will be a select seating area, close to a Gluten Free Concession! 

The Gluten Intolerance Group (advocates in the GF  community) will be on hand during the festivities. This should help ensure it will be a Gluten Free Success!

For more detailed information please view this article Mariners Offer Benefit for Gluten-Free Fans

To find out more about ordering Gluten Free tickets please visit Gluten-Free Awareness Night

I really hope to see the Toronto Blue Jays offer this special event in the future. Perhap's an e-mail to them is in order ;)

Vegetable Garden

This is my second year growing a vegetable garden. I have learned a lot and still have many things to discover.

Currently, my garden consists of potatoes, strawberries, miniature lettuce, garlic, red onion, tomato, carrots and chives. I definitely plan to branch out and add more next year.

As you can see, many of my plants are in container's. I  actually started my garden while we still had a deck in our backyard. It has since been removed and we are left with a luscious grassy yard. 

Next year I hope to improve the garden by learning more about harvesting properly as well as pest prevention.

I love my garden. It really helps keep grocery costs down and it's quite relaxing to take care of.

Product Review: Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cookie Mix

This was my first time baking with Betty Crocker and she did not disappoint! The cookie mix is beyond simple. All you need to do is add butter, vanilla, an egg, and stir. Baking time is about 8-10 minutes depending on your oven.

 For me, this cookie mix brought back memories of regular home-made cookies. They are chewy with just the right amount of crumble! Betty Crocker has proved that Gluten Free does not have to be taste free. The cookies are so marvellous that you may have to hide them from any non Celiac's in your home. I guess that can be both a good thing and a bad thing.  It's great that I finally have cookie's worthy of sharing. Although,how much sharing I want to do is debatable

 The mix is made in a dedicated Gluten Free processing facility.Thumbs up! It  will be available across Canada by August of this year.

Awesome pros:

The mix has chocolate chips in it. Talk about value for your buck.
Easy to make and quick to bake
Minimal additional ingredients required