I have no relationship with the companies I review, nor do I receive any compensation for my reviews.
Celiac.com
is a resource that has been covering gluten-free since 1995. They have
forums, recipes, articles and a newsletter covering both personal
gluten-free living and gluten-free awareness in the broader world.
They're a great first stop for the newly gluten-free, because they offer
starter information, like lists of safe foods and ingredients that may
pose a risk, information on diagnosis, testing and treatment, and
information to help understand what's going on with your body when
you're gluten-intolerant.
You can visit them at http://www.celiac.com/.
Showing posts with label Resources. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Resources. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Featured Gluten-Free Resource: NFCA
The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) is a
comprehensive website that is a great ongoing resource for Celiac and
gluten-intolerant individuals. They cover recent news and research,
offer fantastic tips and resources, recipes, and community resources
such as gluten-free events and webinars. They also offer training for
health professionals to increase awareness and up-to-date treatment for
Celiac.
You can visit the NFCA at http://www.celiaccentral.org/
You can visit the NFCA at http://www.celiaccentral.org/
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Gluten-Free Featured Resource: GiG Restaurant Finder
The Gluten Intolerance Group operates The Gluten Free Restaurant Awareness Program, a restaurant certification program for gluten-free dining. Their website has a finder for their participating restaurants that lists
participating restaurants by state or within a radius from a zip code.
http://www.glutenfreerestaurants.org/
The participating restaurants are guided through the process of setting up a gluten-free facility by GiG, including how to set up the kitchen and train staff to avoid cross-contamination. The GiG also does spot audits of participating restaurants to ensure compliance. Of course, nothing is an absolute guarantee when you're at the mercy of someone else's kitchen in a non-dedicated facility, but these should be at least a safer bet than the "gluten-free friendly" tag on Urban Spoon.
You can learn more about their program and what they require from the restaurant by clicking on their FAQ under Site Resources near the bottom of the screen.
*I have no economic relationship with the resources I review and receive no compensation
http://www.glutenfreerestaurants.org/
The participating restaurants are guided through the process of setting up a gluten-free facility by GiG, including how to set up the kitchen and train staff to avoid cross-contamination. The GiG also does spot audits of participating restaurants to ensure compliance. Of course, nothing is an absolute guarantee when you're at the mercy of someone else's kitchen in a non-dedicated facility, but these should be at least a safer bet than the "gluten-free friendly" tag on Urban Spoon.
You can learn more about their program and what they require from the restaurant by clicking on their FAQ under Site Resources near the bottom of the screen.
*I have no economic relationship with the resources I review and receive no compensation
Saturday, January 19, 2013
Featured Gluten-Free Resource: Travel Info Cards
I have no relationship with the companies or organizations I review, nor do I receive any compensation for my reviews.
The Gluten-Free Travel Restaurant Cards
The cards can be found in 54 languages here: http://www.celiactravel.com/cards/
Because gluten-free can be difficult enough to navigate in restaurants in my native language, I can't even imagine trying to explain it with a translation dictionary. These free printable cards (although you are encouraged to donate to the website if you find them helpful) translates basic information about gluten sensitivity in 54 different languages.
Now because the cards can't possibly be an easy reference AND all-inclusive, they're more a solution for the mildly gluten-sensitive. Having a protracted conversation about cross-contamination and safe food handling in another language seems awfully ambitious. If you're so sensitive that even slight traces can make you sick, these cards won't be enough of a safeguard. But they're a great way to start the conversation with your travel host, guide, or hotel wherever you're staying.
The Gluten-Free Travel Restaurant Cards
The cards can be found in 54 languages here: http://www.celiactravel.com/cards/
Because gluten-free can be difficult enough to navigate in restaurants in my native language, I can't even imagine trying to explain it with a translation dictionary. These free printable cards (although you are encouraged to donate to the website if you find them helpful) translates basic information about gluten sensitivity in 54 different languages.
Now because the cards can't possibly be an easy reference AND all-inclusive, they're more a solution for the mildly gluten-sensitive. Having a protracted conversation about cross-contamination and safe food handling in another language seems awfully ambitious. If you're so sensitive that even slight traces can make you sick, these cards won't be enough of a safeguard. But they're a great way to start the conversation with your travel host, guide, or hotel wherever you're staying.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Gluten Free Featured Resource: Simply Gluten-Free
I have no affiliation with the companies or organizations I review, nor do I receive any compensation for my reviews.
Simply Gluten-Free
This recipe and informational website is the source of my all-time favorite gluten-free recipe. The author has actually found a way to successfully bake gluten-free french bread! It is crusty and chewy and everything I've always loved in wheat-based french bread. It is our go-to bread at home, when we have bread at all. It makes a perfect toasted french dip sandwich, and this past Thanksgiving I actually managed gluten-free stuffing that only needed a little extra liquid to be perfect (add another 1/2 cup of broth when using GF bread for baked stuffing).
My other favorite on this site is the gluten-free pie crust. We used it for pumpkin pie this Christmas, and it was as flaky and tasty as the pie crust I grew up with. It is rather delicate and hard to handle. I recommend rolling it between layers of wax paper or parchment. Peel off the top layer, flip the crust into the pie pan, shape it, then peel off the other layer. This will help keep it somewhat intact (but be prepared to have to pinch and mend a little).
Simply Gluten-Free
This recipe and informational website is the source of my all-time favorite gluten-free recipe. The author has actually found a way to successfully bake gluten-free french bread! It is crusty and chewy and everything I've always loved in wheat-based french bread. It is our go-to bread at home, when we have bread at all. It makes a perfect toasted french dip sandwich, and this past Thanksgiving I actually managed gluten-free stuffing that only needed a little extra liquid to be perfect (add another 1/2 cup of broth when using GF bread for baked stuffing).
My other favorite on this site is the gluten-free pie crust. We used it for pumpkin pie this Christmas, and it was as flaky and tasty as the pie crust I grew up with. It is rather delicate and hard to handle. I recommend rolling it between layers of wax paper or parchment. Peel off the top layer, flip the crust into the pie pan, shape it, then peel off the other layer. This will help keep it somewhat intact (but be prepared to have to pinch and mend a little).
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Featured Gluten Free Resource: GF Registry
I have no relationship with the companies or organizations I review, nor do I receive any compensation for my reviews.
The Gluten Free Registry Restaurant Finder
This web resource (including an android app option) offers a geographical search for restaurants that claim to offer gluten-free dining options. The most useful part, however, is the user reviews. While Urban Spoon reviews are handy for finding good food, this registry focuses on SAFE food for the gluten-sensitive.
In order to make it a better resource, please add reviews of both your favorite gluten-free restaurants and those that made you sick so that others can make good decisions. It is generally also helpful to include your sensitivity level in your review (i.e. whether you just need to avoid bread and breading, or if even trace exposure to gluten makes you horribly ill). If you are only mildly sensitive, you may be able to eat safely at a place that would make someone with a severe sensitivity very sick.
The primary limitation of the Registry is that it depends on diner reviews, which depend on the diner's gluten sensitivity level and the kitchen/waitstaff that happened to be working that night. We visited one restaurant (PF Changs) in Atlanta and had a fabulous experience the first time. I wrote a glowing review on the registry. Unfortunately the next two visits involved bad gluten exposures and I had to add a new, negative review. If a restaurant only has a few reviews based on single visits, you take the chance that the diner was lucky that night.
Please use your own judgement and never hesitate to:
a) ask to talk to the manager and/or chef to make a more informed decision, and
b) walk out or stick to drinks if you see things that make you nervous (unclean plates or tables, uninformed wait staff, etc.)
The Gluten Free Registry Restaurant Finder
This web resource (including an android app option) offers a geographical search for restaurants that claim to offer gluten-free dining options. The most useful part, however, is the user reviews. While Urban Spoon reviews are handy for finding good food, this registry focuses on SAFE food for the gluten-sensitive.
In order to make it a better resource, please add reviews of both your favorite gluten-free restaurants and those that made you sick so that others can make good decisions. It is generally also helpful to include your sensitivity level in your review (i.e. whether you just need to avoid bread and breading, or if even trace exposure to gluten makes you horribly ill). If you are only mildly sensitive, you may be able to eat safely at a place that would make someone with a severe sensitivity very sick.
The primary limitation of the Registry is that it depends on diner reviews, which depend on the diner's gluten sensitivity level and the kitchen/waitstaff that happened to be working that night. We visited one restaurant (PF Changs) in Atlanta and had a fabulous experience the first time. I wrote a glowing review on the registry. Unfortunately the next two visits involved bad gluten exposures and I had to add a new, negative review. If a restaurant only has a few reviews based on single visits, you take the chance that the diner was lucky that night.
Please use your own judgement and never hesitate to:
a) ask to talk to the manager and/or chef to make a more informed decision, and
b) walk out or stick to drinks if you see things that make you nervous (unclean plates or tables, uninformed wait staff, etc.)
Thursday, January 10, 2013
Gluten Free Resources: Cecelia's Marketplace Guide
This is the mother and father of all gluten-free resources! I don't even know how I managed to feed us before we found this book. It is an annual publications (with updates posted on the website as information changes) that simply lists every gluten-free store shelf item they could get information on. It tags items that are manufactured on shared equipment, in "also processes" facilities. Getting this book means no more long Google sessions trying to track down gluten information on products, or hours on hold waiting for customer service to say "what's gluten?". The guide includes pet foods, toiletries (shampoos, soap, shaving cream, toothpaste, etc.), and over the counter medications and supplements as well as thousands of food products. It is compact and fits in a purse or glove compartment for accessibility.
The down side is that the guide is produced in and aimed at U.S. products. Some companies have different gluten guidelines and manufacturing processes based on location, so the information for the U.S. may not be reliable outside it.
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