Sunday

The Gluten-Free Sunscreen List

Using a gluten-free sunscreen is a personal choice. Not everyone is going to want to and that's okay. I prefer to ensure gluten is nowhere to be found when it comes to skin, hair, and lip products. Call me old fashioned but, better safe than sorry is a term I happily roll with.


If It's On Your Face Or Hands, It's In Your Mouth



Think about those hot and sticky days where sweat is constant and unavoidable. That sunscreen is going to be sliding everywhere. How many times will your sunscreen coated hands wind up near your mouth without you noticing? Likely more than you think, meaning accidental ingestion is pretty darn probable. Not something that sounds appealing to me. 

This is why I prefer to stick with gluten-free protection. Some of the brands below are easily found in stores and others can be purchased online. I'm happy to see not only a decent choice in variety but, varying price points as well.






Thursday

The Gluten-Free Move

We all know that traveling takes some research and preparation when you have Celiac. Did you know that selling your home requires the very same detail? I sure didn't!

I listed my home for sale, sold it and bought a new place all in two short months. Talk about stressful! I wasn't prepared for was the amount of time I would have to be out of my home. Or the lack of safe on the fly, gluten-free options available to me. I was one hungry and grumpy lady for  a little while there.

In retrospect, there is quite a bit I could have done in advance to make things easier on myself. I've created the list below to help you avoid having a hungry meltdown.




Make a list of safe places to eat


This is super important. Otherwise, you will end up hangry and not one wants that. More than a few times, I watched as my family ate a lovely meal somewhere that could not accommodate me. You should also research what menu options are available for you. I cannot tell you how tired I am of french fries, baked potato, & hash browns. 

Prepare picnic lunches


Bento-style containers, like the ones below, make for an easy on the go meal. I suggest preparing a few days worth of meals ahead of time. You will thank yourself for this in the long run. Trust me.

Lunchbox friendly ideas include: 
bagels, sandwiches, fruit, vegetables with dip, yogurt, and muffins. Just make sure you have a cold icepack ready to go.

Have prepackaged, shelf-stable food on hand


Some great example include :
  • Justin's Hazelnut Butter & Pretzels snack packs
  • Popcorn and M&M mixture
  • Dehydrated fruit such as raisins, cranberries, and apples
  • Plain cereal, like Cinnamon Chex, makes a great snack
  • Rice Cereal treats
  • Jerky
Check out my post-Easy Eats For A Gluten Free Trip for more great snacks to have on hand.


Kitchen's are the heart of the home


We looked at several houses before we found "the one". The winning home had everything we wanted, especially a fantastic kitchen, which is bright, big and has a lot of counter space. This was a big deal for me as my current kitchen is tiny and poorly laid out. Having a larger kitchen=safety. There's room to store my gluten-free food (on its own) and a separate area in which I can prepare it.

Whether you're entertaining friends or playing board games with the kiddos, kitchens have become more than just a spot to cook and eat. They are the social heart of the home, a family space where everyone ends up. If you are looking for a new home, make sure you love the kitchen!





Monday

Interview With Gluten Free Garage's Ronnilyn Pustil & Contest

May 1st marks the beginning of Celiac Awareness Month. If you live in the greater Toronto area or are up for a drive, you need to check out Gluten Free Garage.

Although 2016 marks the event's fifth year, it will be my first time attending and I am super excited!


This event is sort of like a farmers market meets a pop-up shop. It brings together the gluten-free community for a great cause. Plus, you will have the opportunity to discover local vendors, sample goodies and listen to some amazing guest speakers.





I had the pleasure of interviewing the founder of Gluten Free Garage, RonniLyn Pustil. See below to find out how the event got its start, what you can expect to find, and more!




Interview




1. How did Gluten Free Garage get its start?

I started Gluten Free Garage in 2012, about three years after my daughter was diagnosed with celiac disease. By then we had gone through a lot of trial and error with different gluten-free products. What was out there was disappointing—think sawdust crackers, crumbly muffins, cardboard pizza, mushy pasta. If the only treatment for celiac disease is a strict gluten-free diet for life, why should people with celiac have to sacrifice taste or quality? I wanted my daughter to find the joy in food, rather than feeling deprived and sad about what she couldn’t eat. So I made it my mission to find gluten-free products that tasted good and were good for you. I scoured the city and its outskirts for fresh, delicious gluten-free food. I found quite a few small local businesses making yummy and healthier gluten-free food; many were vendors at farmers’ markets or food events. Whenever I brought something new home to try—whether it was a fresh loaf of gluten-free sourdough bread or savoury falafel balls or a new granola bar—there was excitement. I wanted to share them with other people who also had to eat gluten free. At first I thought about opening a retail store. But then, one sunny fall day I was at my neighbourhood farmers’ market at Wychwood Barns and the big garage-like doors were open; it was so bustling and lively and there was such a sense of community in that room. And that’s when the idea came to me to create a farmers’ market with a gluten-free twist, and to host it at the Barns. Hence the name, Gluten Free Garage.

2.      What can a first -time visitor to the event expect to encounter?
A lively food event with an astounding array of gluten-free products—from pasta to pastry to pierogies to popsicles! A first-timer might find it hard to believe that all the food at Gluten Free Garage are indeed gluten free! But it is, and everything is safe for people with celiac and gluten intolerance. Vendors will be sampling and selling their food, many will be preparing and cooking fresh food on site. There will be beer and cider tasting in the outdoor covered courtyard. And we have 5 dynamic guest speakers who will present on a variety of topics related to gluten-free living and eating.

2.      There will be several guest speakers, sharing their knowledge. Can you tell me a little about them?
We’ve got a group of four well-known and respected local nutritionists—Joy McCarthy, Meghan Telpher and Josh Gitalis, and Marni Wasserman—who will each give their take on gluten-free living and eating. They’re all vendors at GFG as well, so if you miss their talk you’ll still have a chance to interact with them. Ashley Wittig, co-owner of vegan and gluten-free Bunner’s Bakeshop (also a GFG vendor), will take a walk on the savoury side. And celiac advocate Jordan Middlebrook, aka King Gluten Free, will tell you why celiac disease doesn’t have to be a buzzkill.

3.      What makes Gluten Free Garage unique?
All the smiling faces! Many people are so excited and grateful for the delicious gluten-free finds at Gluten Free Garage. And just to be at a food event and be able to eat everything there. It’s a marketplace with a real community feel. 

4.      Which vendors are you most excited about?
How can I choose?! Of course, all the baked goods, because we have the best gluten-free bakeries participating. This will be the first time we have pierogies (Joe’s Gluten-Free Foods) and dumplings (Steambox Dumplings) at GFG. And the beer and cider tasting, which we introduced at our last event, will be bigger this year, with three beers, three apple ciders and one pear cider. 
5.      What do you want people to know about Celiac disease?
That it’s real and the only treatment for it is a strict gluten-free diet for life. 
 6.      Celiac awareness has come a long way thanks to wonderful people like you. What do you hope to see happen in terms of education and awareness?
 I hope that as more education and awareness is out there, more people with symptoms of celiac disease will get tested. About 350,000 people in Canada have celiac disease but don’t know it. And as long as they are still eating gluten, they are causing damage to their bodies in myriad ways.          
7.      Sometimes our day to day can get a little hectic and we need a meal in a hurry. What is your favourite gluten-free recipe to prepare when you’re in a time crunch?
 Pasta with whatever vegetables and protein I have in the fridge and a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan. I always have a few boxes of Italpasta in the pantry. Salads are easy to whip up and are always fresh. We love a good Nicoise salad and we usually have all the ingredients on hand.

8.      Do you have any favourite gluten-free products?
Yes, we all have our own favourites from different places. Many of them will be at Gluten Free Garage. 

9.      Finally, what advice can you share for someone who is just starting out on the gluten-free diet?
Learn to cook if you don’t already. Know what to look for on ingredient labels. Ask questions. When in doubt, don’t eat it. And don’t settle for anything less than delicious. 

When

Sunday, May 1, 2016  (10 am to 4 pm)


Where

Artscape Wychwood Barns (in the Covered Street Barn)

601 Christie Street (just south of St. Clair), Toronto


Ticket info

$10 / free for kids 12 and under

Free GFG tote bags for the first 1,000 people!


Giveaway Time!!!

Enter below to score a free pair of tickets to attend Gluten Free Garage.






You can connect with Gluten Free Garage on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook




Disclosure

This policy is valid from 23 February 2013

This is a personal blog written and edited by me. All opinions are that of my own. I am not a healthcare professional or an expert. All information presented in this blog is purely that of my own experience and or opinion. Please consult a medical professional before making any changes to your diet.

I write this blog as a hobby that I am passionate about. From time to time, I may receive monetary compensation for a sponsored post. I only work with brands that I trust and would use in my own home.

This blog accepts complimentary products for review. The opinions I have of a product will never be swayed by a company sending me an item(s) for free. I take into consideration the opinion of family members who are gluten-free due to Celiac Disease and I also value the opinions of non-gluten free family members. Taste is a matter of personal opinion so please use your own discretion and don't take my opinion as a gold standard.

Any ingredient or gluten-free claims should be verified with the restaurant/manufacturer as things can and do change.

For questions about this blog, please contact: sandra@glutenfreedoll.com

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