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!

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.

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

Product Review: Mi & Stu

I recently had the opportunity to sample some gluten-free treats from Mi & Stu. If you reside outside of Quebec, you may not be familiar with this cool little bakery. I think it's time for that to change, don't you? Mi & Stu is located in LaSalle, Quebec and run by the lovely Mimi and Stephanie. You can find their products in select grocery stores, restaurants and on major International Airlines such as Air France, Lufthansa, KLM, Qatar. It's comforting to know that safe gluten-free food is available when traveling by air.

Mi & Stu is more than just gluten-free. They also avoid using nuts, casein, and whey in their products. This allows those with one or more dietary restrictions to enjoy the products.

Quick Guide To Canada's Gluten-Free Tax Credit

Did you know that in Canada, there is a slight tax break available for those who need to consume gluten-free food? The Canadian Revenue Agency allows a tax deduction for the purchase of gluten-free goods. This is really helpful as we all know how ridiculously expensive the gluten-free diet can be.

Who Qualifies

• You must be diagnosed with Celiac disease and requiring a gluten-free diet by an authorized medical practitioner 
• You need to have a note from your physician on his or her letterhead, confirming diagnosis 
• Total medical expense must exceed 3% of net income

How It Works

There is a fair bit of effort involved

• Keep receipts for gluten-free items purchased throughout the year
• You will need to calculate the incremental difference between GF and non-GF items on an item by item basis
• This is done by subtracting the cost of a non-GF item from a GF item

Example per Canada Revenue Agency website

1. Item: bread
2. Number of items purchased: 52
3. Average cost of non-GF product: $3.49
4. Average cost of GF product: $6.99
5. Incremental cost (line 4 minus line 3): $6.99 - $3.49 = $3.50
6. Amount to claim (line 5 multiplied by line 2): $3.50 x 52 = $182.00

 

Tips

•  Highlight the gluten-free items on your receipts or keep gluten-free purchase separate from non-GF purchases
• Keep your receipts organized in a folder and away from the sun
• Use a spreadsheet to itemize and calculate
• If you add to your spreadsheet with every gluten-free grocery shop, you will save time and avoid a headache
• Save a copy of the spreadsheet for your records
• Be patient

Product Review & Contest: Inspired by Happiness Gluten Free Cakes

Cake is almost always part of an important, celebration - birthdays, weddings, graduations, holidays and the like, cake is there. Sometimes even just because. 

For someone with Celiac, this can be synonymous with being left out.That doesn't have to be the case thanks to Inspired by Happiness and their gluten-free line of cakes! These cakes are certified gluten-free by the Canadian Celiac Association's Gluten-Free Certification Program. That extra level of trust makes my heart happy.

Inspired by Happiness uses only the highest quality ingredients

Natural flavours

No artificial colours

No artificial trans fat

Kosher

I sampled the two cakes below

Cravin' for Cookies & Cream Layered Cake

This cake is for those who want to indulge in an old-time favourite. It's covered with a dark chocolate ganache and swirls of white chocolate. The layers of melt-in-your-mouth light shortcake, cookies and a silky vanilla cream mousse will leave you wanting more.

Dreamin' of Chocolate Dark & White Chocolate Layer Cake

This cake was designed with those who love chocolate in mind. Belgian white chocolate mousse is layered between dark chocolate sponge cake and topped off with a chocolate ganache. 

As someone who has indulged in her fair share of gluten-free cakes, I can happily say that Inspired by Happiness knows how to make great gluten-free cakes! You will be pleasntly impressed with how light and moist the cakes are. With just the right amount of sweetness, they avoid being overly rich. Even the gluten eaters in my family were left wanting more. 

You can connect with Inspired by Happiness on social media through 

Facebook, Twitter and Google+

*I received complimentary product for review purposes. All opinions are my own*

You can find Inspired by Happiness cakes at select locations below:

Want to try these cakes? Inspired by Happiness was kind enough to send me some coupons to give away!

One Winner will receive FIVE free product coupons for one package of  Inspired by Happiness gluten-free cake.

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