12 Things You Should Never Say To A Celiac

When Someone Suggests That A Crumb Won't Hurt

If that was the case, do you really think I would be so cautious? To put things in perspective for you, one crumb can and will make me ill. One crumb makes me a difficult person to be around and shortens my lifespan. Chew on that.

When Someone Asks If Gluten-free Helped You Lose Weight

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No! I actually gained weight. It's called being healthy. Any carb overindulging person will see a drop in weight if they instantly cut it out of their diet. That being said, there are actually carbs in Gluten Free food. Yep. Bet ya didn't know that, like ya didn't know that some people have no choice but to eat Gluten Free.

Every Time Someone Asks Me What I Can Eat

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 I can eat a lot of the same things you eat. Not everything is off limits. I just have to be cautious of ingredients and make changes to adapt recipes. Time-consuming yes, but extra time and effort trumps being sick.

When Someone Says They Tried Gluten-free for a while

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You "tried" it? Must be nice to have that option! I do it because I have to. Unlike you, there is no choice for me. Being Gluten Free is what allows me to live. I don't understand why anyone would want to be GF by choice! Not only is it a difficult road to navigate but it is expensive. I would not buy it if I didn't have to, even if it was on sale kind of expensive.

When Someone Mentions The Increased Food Cost

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Yes, gluten-free can be expensive. A lot of companies take advantage and price gouge. It blows my mind that people will choose to pay inflated prices for food they are not restricted to. 

 I prepare chef quality meals without said expensive flour

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 Not everyone lives in an area with massive Gluten Free variety. Nor does everyone have the luxury of being an exceptional chef. Most of us are average folk, given the task of creating satisfying Gluten Free meals. 

When The Server Says The Oven Will Kill Off Any Gluten

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Am I being punked? Seriously, who started this rumor?

When People Call Me Picky

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I am NOT a picky eater. Unfortunately, when one has a dietary restriction, eating can become mundane. Like anyone else, I enjoy variety in my diet as well as flavor. I can't always afford to purchase  different and exciting gf food. Nor do I always have the time or energy to make something from scratch. I have a right to become irritated with my food options from time to time.

When Someone Tells Me Gluten-free Is A Fad For Money

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This actually has a little bit of truth to it. Sometimes it feels like a Gluten Free label is just an easy excuse to charge more money.For those of us who NEED a gf diet, the high cost is an unfortunate side effect of this mandatory lifestyle.

The Suggestion That VeryFew People Have Celiac Disease

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That is a very archaic thought. 1 in 133 people have Celiac Disease. More people suffer from Celiac than Alzheimer's Disease. 

When Someone Complains About The Cost Of Vegan/Vegetarian/Organic Food

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Being Vegetarian is a choice. A choice you are allowed and able to make. I don't have any choice when it comes to eating Gluten free. My wallet sure wishes I had a choice, though.

When People Admire My Apparent Willpower

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No, it's not willpower at all. Gluten is toxic to my health, therefore, I avoid it. Period.

Where To Find Gluten-Free Groceries Online

Finding gluten free variety in a traditional grocery store can be challenging at the best of times. Below I have compiled a list of online grocers which ship within or to Canada.

Amazon Canada

•  A simple search brings up lots of gluten free items. Some, still not widely available in Canada. 
• Keep an eye out for bulk purchase which can be costly up front, but save you money in the long run. 
• Many items qualify for free shipping, and those which don't are shipped at a fair rate.

Astoria Mills

• Many different types of Gluten Free flour are available to order. You can even purchase the mixes as a set. I would love to try these mixes in the future! Shipping varies depending on weight. 

El Peto

• Located in Cambridge, Ontario
• Pies, muffins, cookies and cereal to baking mixes and even gingerbread kits 

Kinnikinnick

• This is one of my favourite Canadian companies. 
• Product offerings range from soft bread and buns to baking mixes and pizza crust. 

Marcelle's Kitchen

• Located in Port Perry 
• sells their own brand of Gluten Free products

Meyers Whole Foods

• Based out of Winnipeg, Manitoba and they ship Canada wide!!! 
• The variety of Gluten Free choices is very impressive. They also sell miscellaneous items such as Gluten-Free Pocket Dictionaries and Toaster Bags. Unfortunately, they cannot provide a shipping estimate online. 
• They will call you for payment information and to let you know the approximate shipping cost.

Patsy Pie

• Biscotti, old fashioned crumbled pie crust and a variety of other baked products are available for order.

Specialty Food Shop

• Proceeds from purchases go to support research and patient care at Sick Kids Hospital! 
• Unique products
• Frozen items can be shipped seasonally

Walmart Canada

• Wide selection of Gluten Free food and books. 
• Many items qualify for free shipping 
• Pick up from store option

Well.ca

• FREE (restrictions apply) shipping in Canada. 
• Variety of Gluten-Free products and offer some really fantastic sales. 
• You can purchase everything from baby products to general wellness, cleaning products and toys.

My Dream "Mini" Kitchen

Here you have it folks. My dream kitchen! It's actually designed as a kosher kitchen but would work perfect as a Celiac friendly one. These  Armoire Kitchen's have mini versions of everything one would need to cook.

• Two burner cook top
• Exhaust hood
• Dishwasher 
• Fridge 
• Sink
• Microwave

As you can see, there is lots and lots of storage for all of your Gluten Free food and dedicated cookware / utensils.

I love that when you are done in the kitchen, you can just close up shop so to speak. Fear not as there is a built in safety feature that prevents the cook top from working while the panel doors are closed.

Yesterday Was Not So Good

Got Glutened yesterday. 

We went to Lonestar for lunch with the little one. It's usually a great dining experience for us there. The waitress brought Lincoln out a dough ball to play with. A nice gesture that keeps the little ones occupied until food has arrived. Being only 3, my little guy get's a bit antsy sometimes. He fooled around with the ball for a few minutes and had enough. Hubby took the ball away and I could see a gooey mess on his hands. I suggested he take our little guy to the men's room so that they could both clean up. Unfortunately, hubby thought a napkin was sufficient. Not wanting to create an issue, I didn't push.

Our waitress brought us out another nacho/salsa as our meal was not yet ready. This is where the problem arose, I believe. Hubby grabbed some nacho chips to eat instead of asking me to put some on a spare plate for him. I suspect that some left over dough crumbs from his hand got into the nacho platter.

I realized my error in not reminding hubby about the little things that can make me ill. About 30 minutes after leaving the restaurant we hit the mall and I hit rock bottom. It went like this.....

• A thousand knives piercing my lower stomach
• Hot flashes
• Exhaustion
• Nausea
• Multiple washroom visits

The reaction that goes along with it is never something I can get used to or prepare for.

Pretty sure the woman cleaning the washroom thought I had an eating disorder due to 4 visits in less than an hour. Uggh!

I was so tired after this. Hungry too as my stomach was now clearly empty. Relieved though,to finally not be in serious pain. Today the sleepiness and tender tummy linger. But at least I am able to function.

I know my husband was not entirely to blame. I should have stood my ground. Really wish this learning experience did not come with health consequences.

Latest lesson learned : Say no thank you to the dough balls and make sure EVERYONE washes their hands well when we are sharing something. Better safe than sorry.

Dearest Domino's

 Dearest Domino's Pizza,

You have probably noticed by now that the Celiac community is less then enthused with your offering of Gluten Free Pizza. Really, why call it Gluten Free  when it actually  ends up not being so. I understand that the crust itself is indeed Gluten Free, but once your employees handle it all that Gluten Free safeness is out the window. "Appropriate for those with mild gluten sensitivity" Not recommend it for those with Celiac Disease".

 Seriously? What are you trying to accomplish?

In my personal opinion, if you are going to offer a Gluten Free pizza, shouldn't it remain just that? I get that it's not only Celiac's who eat Gluten Free. The difference between us and  bandwagon yuppies   Kim Kardashian, Gwyenth Paltrow, and the rest of the posse is that Celiac's MEDICALLY REQUIRE 100% GLUTEN FREE FOOD! Did you catch that? The fact that you are even marketing it as  Gluten Free  blows my mind. Would you market something Peanut  Free but only suggest it to only those who have a "minimal intolerance"? Probably not. Just like you would not sell a Vegetarian Pizza that is dripped in meat sauce.

Please understand that I am not out to get you. You are just going about it the money making  wrong way. I mean sheesh, why not just label the darn thing "low carb" for crying out loud. Your twitter feed the other day sort of made me laugh. I had to or my eyes would have exploded at the shear ignorance of what you are doing. Sure, go ahead and tweet well known celebs who credit being  Gluten Free  for their amazing bodies, about your new Gluten Free pizza. Not a sham at all! You do realize that these people have personal chefs, fitness trainers and their photos get a healthy dose of that neato thing called Photoshop.

What was the point in partnering with the NFCA? Credentials perhaps? Neither of you recommend this pizza to those with Celiac.So what it is then? Are you secretly hoping that Gluten Free will be the next big thing and then when you are overflowing with money, you will actually offer pizza that stays Gluten Free? Or is it that you are hoping Celiac's in desperate need of something new and quick to eat will see GLUTEN FREE and order without questioning? Sure they can't sue or anything because you disclaimed the hell out of it on your website. Just know that not everyone reads fine print, things such as language barriers exist and a lot of people assume the words Gluten Free mean just that. You probably think that's silly though.

Celiac Disease is an Immune Disorder and Gluten Free is NOT a trend. It is my life. It keeps me from being so ill that I can't function. Have you seen someone with Celiac Disease have a reaction? Did you know that even if we all react differently (hence the trouble with diagnosis) we have the same detrimental outcome. Untreated, or continuous accidental ingestion can and does result in MANY other serious ailments. Please allow me to list a few for you - Osteoporosis, Cancer, Neurological Disorders, Infertility. Oh, and it can be fatal too.

Here's something else I bet you didn't know, Malnutrition is a symptom of Celiac Disease. 

In the end, you are attaching yourself to a trend that is not actually a trend. You are doing so at the expense of myself and others with Celiac Disease. Shame on you.

Celiac Disease: What kids have to say

When The Gluten Free Section Isn't

I went to HomeSense yesterday . This was my first trip to the store and I went thanks to the suggestion of a friend. When  I approached the food section, I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of Gluten Free items. They were in a section labelled as such too. I was so happy at the site of this that I took a picture with my phone.

Now for the not so cool part. Today I was going through yesterday's GF purchase of almost $40.00 to decide what product I would be enjoying first. Upon reading the ingredients/directions I discovered that  I had made a silly mistake. A novice mistake. In my shear joy of seeing a section full of Gluten Free goodies, I neglected to read EVERY label of every item I was placing in the shopping basket. I bet you can guess what is next! I ended up purchasing 2 NON Gluten Free products. Total bummer! I have labelled the 2 items in my photo in hopes of preventing the same mistake from being repeated by anyone else. At first I thought, okay I must have grabbed these items from a different section. Nope. So there seems to be a mishmash of Celiac friendly and pain inducing (non gf) product in the so called Gluten Free area. Not sure if this is a mistake or if this is just how that section is taken care of. Unfortunate I know.My mistake completely for not verifying and triple checking like I normally do. But still, you would think that a Gluten Free Section would be just that wouldn't you.

Metro's GF Freezer Bin

Metro has a freezer bin almost full of amazing Gluten Free items. I say almost as a few items in the right of the bin (not in the photo) are only nut free. Interesting how prominent the Gf sign is and how there is NO sign advertising the nut free part of the bin. A sign is needed not only to help promote the nut free product, but to prevent confusion. Oh, and the cookies on the top of the bin are NOT GF. Im not even sure they are nut free.

 The Real Canadian Superstore , like many grocery stores has Gluten Free mixed in with Organic and Natural items. This is where I do my groceries so I am well aware of the regular stock of GF items. Anything new, I triple check.

I guess I would just like to see a Gluten Free section that is just that. Gluten Free.

Sleep, Where Are You?

Lately I have been feeling tired. Really tired. There have been days where all I wanted to do was sleep.  With a 3 year old and work, that is not an option. Those are the days Im like a zombie. I can barely think, my appetite is nowhere to be found and I have trouble sleeping...getting that good sleep. 

I wish I could be more like my husband - close my eyes & be immersed in dreamland instantly. But Im not.It's always taken me a while to fall asleep.Lately though, there is not much of that whole deep sleep going on for me.

At times I wonder if I have accidentally ingested the dreaded gluten. It's not a far off possibility. We have a small kitchen with minimal counter space. Sometimes my little guy with stick his hands in a bowl of a gluten free snack for a bite before I can wash his hands. Often before I even notice. There are also times where hubby, as vigilant as he is, assumes safety of food without reading ingredients. I get it though, it kind of makes me shake my head to see gluten in certain food.

Months ago, my family Doctor diagnosed me with Chronic Fatigue. I didn't know what to think and I still don't. There are many different theories on this issue. I forgot about it until recently when I became so tired again. 

I hope it's something minor like stress affecting my sleep. Hopefully with Spring well on it's way, the fresh air and sunshine will help me get back to my usual self.

Enjoy Life Plentils Review

I won a contest care of Enjoy Life ! Talk about exciting! The prize I have been eagerly awaiting has arrived. Can you guess what it is? I received a box containing the NEW  and soon to be released in stores Plentils. My gift pack contained 4 bags of Plentils. One of each flavour -

Margherita Pizza 

Light Sea Salt

Garlic & Parmesean

Dill &Sour Cream

The overall design of the individual packages made me smile right away. As you can see from the pictures, it was like opening a box of Summer. I kid you not. The colours are bold, yet warm and inviting.

On to the most important thing....TASTE. It took a few Plentils to get used to the texture. They have the crisp snap of a potato chip when bitten into. Once in your mouth, the Plentil is almost like a rice-cake in airiness. At the end, it melts away like a shrimp chip. It's a rather interesting experience. Before I knew it, I had downed an entire bowl and was starting a second. Good thing they are healthy. ;)

After sampling the Plentils I have decided the following

1) They are a welcome treat

2) Great snack choice for school / work lunches

3) Would be great for entertaining

4) I can't eat just one

5) Flavour filled without being overloaded

The little note that was on top of my Plentils states that the packaging I received will be used in America only. I'm guessing that the Canadian version  will be only slightly different with the obvious addition of French labelling. 

If you cannot wait for Plentils to hit store shelves, they are currently available online through the Enjoy Life  web store.

Dean McDermott Said WHAT ?

Yesterday morning I read the NFCA Celiac Central Newsletter for February 2012. Nothing unusual there. I love to keep up to date with the valuable information they provide. Then I scrolled down to the Q&A with Tori's Dean...

Where to begin?!  Surprised, frustrated, disappointed and alarmed should just about cover my feelings here.

Dean McDermott, husband of Tori Spelling, spoke about how he was diagnosed with Celiac Disease about a year and a half ago.

There are three very troubling parts of this interview for me: 

• He is in culinary school and regularly samples his non gluten free dishes.

Even the gluten in the air is affecting him and he has no clue to it. Although he may not feel the affects as boldly as some, he is still reacting the same internally. I would like to see him attend a 100% GF cooking class. Not only will this prevent him from having to sample gluten containing food, but it will educate him on how to create safe dishes for himself.

• Dean states that he is on the lower end of the spectrum of Celiac Disease therefore his physician is not terribly concerned if he consumes gluten here and there.

First of all, WHAT ?!?

Such a dangerous comment to make. Especially dangerous as it is coming from someone with a fan base. A fan base that will take what he says seriously.

This is why education is needed. As for his Doctor? Time for a new one Mr. McDermott! My goodness, the Hollywood is crazy stigma is alive and well.

I emailed the Canadian Celiac Association in regards to this article and below is a response from Jim McCarthy, Executive Director.

Hi Sandra,

The celebrity’s doctor is wrong – there is no ‘spectrum’.  No one, not even celebrities, who have been properly diagnosed can eat food containing gluten.

Jim McCarthy

Executive Director

Canadian Celiac Association

www.celiac.ca

Ph: 905-507-6208 x224

Toll-free: 1-800-363-7296

Fax: 905-507-4673

E: ed@celiac.ca

• He is planning on opening a Gluten Free  restaurant

Would YOU eat a a restaurant run by someone diagnosed with Celiac Disease that does not strictly adhere to a Gluten Free diet? I know I wouldn't!

At the end of the day people either have Celiac Disease or they don't. There is no in between and there is no wacky way to dodge the effects of gluten consumption. It's unfortunate that there are clearly many Doctor's who are not properly educated about Celiac Disease

I want to point out that the wonderful people at Allergic Living made a special note for readers, advising that they stick to a 100% Gluten Free Diet.

Butterbeer And The Great Debate

There has been a lot of online banter about whether or not Butterbeer is Gluten Free. If you don't know what I am referring to, let me explain...

Butterbeer is a non-alcoholic, sweet tasting beverage from the Harry Potter novels. It was created as a real drink for the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Islands of Adventure. This top secret recipe was approved by J.K. Rowling herself. Apparently it tastes like a mix of shortbread and butterscotch. This unique drink is sold either cold or frozen (similar to a Slurpee) at a few locations within the Wizarding part of the theme park.

Back to the banter.... I have been trying to find out if Butterbeer is gluten free or not for a litle while now. Some online forums say the drink itself is safe, but the whipped topping  is not. Others, say it is completely safe. Somone even mentioned that the beverage is not allowed to be served without its frothy topping.

Too much confusion for me! I e-mailed Universal Studios yesterday in regards this matter. To my supprise, I received a phone call from Jimmy of Universal Studios Guest Services this afternoon! Unfortunately, I missed the call as I was tending to my sick little one. He was kind enough to leave me a detailed voicemail. In his message he advised that while Butterbeer by itself is gluten free, there have been issues with cross contamination because it's made and developed in an area where gluten items are made.

If you would like to contact Universal Studios yourself, please call 407-224-4233 option 2

As we cannot safely consume Butterbeer without risk, why not make our own version(s) ? I went to one of my FAVOURITE Harry Potter fan sites (yes, I am a huge HP nerd ) www.mugglenet.com to check out some HP related recipes.  Below are two Butterbeer recipes that are Gluten Free, provided all ingredients are checked beforehand.

Update

Thank you for contacting Universal Orlando® Guest Services.



I am delighted to inform you that Butterbeer™ and Pumpkin Juice™ are gluten-free. At this time, all of the desserts sold at Honeydukes™ are flour-based. The packaged candies sold at Honeydukes™ have nutritional labels, including the ingredients, as these products are made outside of our resort. I also recommend that you speak with a Foods Services Manager at each location to help you select the appropriate items.



I have taken the liberty of forwarding your email to our Food Services Department for additional assistance. Please be assured that a representative from this department will respond to your inquiry within the next 48 hours.

Wordless Wednesday - Comfort On A Cold Day

hot chocolate, marshmallows and whipped cream 

The Wait Is Over...

I received a special package via UPS this afternoon. It contained quite a few things (A BIG thank-you to Kellogg's), including a full size box of Gluten Free Rice Krispies! According to the coupon pamphlet, the cereal will be available in Canada beginning this January! Im curious what distribution will be like as the Betty Crocker cake mixes took longer than expected to show up in most retailers. Some stores like RCSS in Oshawa have yet to see the mix hit it's shelves.

Hopefully Kellogg's can pull this off and provide Gluten Free Rice Krispies across Canada quickly and efficiently.

This has been a long time coming. Not only am I thankful to Kelloggs's for the heads up, I am grateful that this product will soon be available to Gluten Free Canadians.

Kick Off The New Year With Kellogg's Gluten Free Rice Krispies

**** Update January 13, 2012 ****
Still no response from Kellogg's regarding my inquiring email BUT....My good friend Jax over at Gluten Free Ontario reports on her Facebook page that these have been spotted in Sudbury Ontario! Complete with French/English labelling you can expect Gluten Free Rice Krispies to cost around $5.29.

A Tenenberry Let Down

Talk about mouth watering! I was so excited when I saw this Gluten Free Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake by Tenenberry  at Sobeys. I Called my mom, who is also Gluten Free due to Celiac Disease and told her about my yummy discovery. 

We decided that this would be OUR Christmas day dessert. We also decided that we were not going to share it with the Gluten Eaters, no matter how much they drooled.

Christmas day came and went right along with my high hopes for this Gluten Free Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake. I wanted to brag to the world how amazing it was. I really did.

As you can see from the side view picture, there was a touch of frost on the side of the cheesecake when I had purchased it. No big deal, I thought. Should have thought again. 

I tried so hard to enjoy a slice of this cake, but I could't. There was an overwhelming gritty / grainy texture. To me, it seemed as though the cake had been frozen and defrosted  multiple times. The Graham Cracker crust bottom was complete mush! Even the taste of the cheesecake wasn't right. Something was very off. WAY OFF.

My mom and I  decided it was best to toss the remaining cheesecake in the trash. Good thing too as we both ended up with some mild tummy troubles. No doubt (presumably) due to the way the cake was repeatedly frozen/unfrozen.

This was a waste of $24.99, but also a learning experience. Perhaps it was just frozen and thawed too many times. I don't  know. What I do know is that I won't be spending that kind of money on a Gluten Free product that I have never tried before, ever again.

All I really wanted was a special treat that my mom and I could share on Christmas day. Something delicious for us, while everyone else at the gathering enjoyed their gluten filled snacks. Next year I'm going to bake an apple pie for our family Christmas. Nothing more heart-warming and comfort filled than apple pie and ice cream.

A Gluten Free Oat Alternative

Have you tried Certified Gluten Free Oats?

I have and unfortunately I cannot tolerate them. I was surprised by how fast I reacted. It really hit me like a ton of bricks.....3 days of lethargy and un-wellness.

If you can't tolerate GF Oats or do not want to take the risk, I have an alternative. A safe and satisfying one. When I bake cookies, I add Quinoa Flakes (Ancient Harvest Quinoa to be exact) to the recipe. Add as much or as little as you like and you will be awed with the texture. Just like a real oatmeal cookie, minus the unruly side effects.

There is a whole world of recipes that you can add these neat little flakes to. All it takes is creativity and  a little a lot of patience. 


Here is some inspiration for adding Quinoa Flakes to recipes:

• Cookies
• Muffins
• Yogurt
• Apple Pie
• Fruit and Nut Bars
• Crusting Meat
• Crab Cakes
• Burgers
• Stuffing

Alek's Controllable Christmas Decorations for Celiac Research

Do you enjoy looking at Christmas Lights?
There's a website on the Internet that uses several webcams to provide a live view of thousands of 'em.
You can also CONTROL them - yes, turn them on & off with a click of a mouse from your home PC ...
plus you can even inflate (or deflate) the giant Elmo, Frosty, Santa, SpongeBob, and Homer Simpson - D'OH!
So surf over to the Christmas Lights Webcam
to check out all the fun action at the totally free site which also raises awareness about Celiac Disease Research at the University of Maryland.

Wordless Wednesday - I am "That Girl"

The Gluten Free Diet Plate

Ever wonder how much of each food group you should be consuming? Check out this GF diet plate care of ChooseMyPlate.Gov . I'm quite happy the food pyramid is no longer. The plate and drinking cup make for easier visualization.