South Sound's G.F. Joe's is Closing

Sad news for the South Puget Sound gluten-free community - G.F. Joe's Gluten Free Market is closing both it's Olympia and Tacoma locations.  Last day is Saturday, June 14 including a "garage sale" of store fixtures from 10-6.

Hurry in to stock up on those hard to find and specialty gluten-free products.

Thanks, Joe & crew, for offering the gf community a safe haven and for being such a phenomenal resource over the years.  You all will be missed!

May 2014: Celiac Awareness Month

May is Celiac Awareness Month in the United States and is a great time to get lots of information, recipes, coupons, and deals on gluten-free products. 

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness is sponsoring their Heroes within Us campaign during May to highlight "ordinary people doing extraordinary things" in the Celiac and gluten-free communities.  Also keep an eye out for deals being run on Amazon, gluten-free retailers and in your local grocer.  I'll try to highlight especially good deals and information as the month progresses.

Here's to being gluten-free!

Bloggers of Note (Review from GiG Health and Wellness Experience)

The interwebs is of course overrun with blogs, and thankfully, the gluten-free community has a robust presence with recipe blogs, review blogs, regional gluten-free blogs, informational blogs, etc etc etc.   We met a couple of gluten-free bloggers at the GiG Health and Wellness Experience, and I wanted to take a moment to highlight their blogs. 

CC Gluten Freed
I admire CC of CC Gluten Freed.  She's a young person who has taken her Celiac diagnosis by the horns and actively promotes awareness of the gltuen-free lifestyle.  I especially appreciate her information for young people and parents, especially her encouragement to stand up and live proud.  She states, "My goal is ease the paths of my fellow Celiacs and gluten free people by finding ways to safely and gracefully navigate our gluten-filled world."  Amen, sister! Her blog is filled with helpful information, calls to activism, and reviews.

Angela's Kitchen
Angela of Angela's Kitchen was at the GiG Experience running the Attune Foods booth.  After sampling some of their excellent Erewhorn cereal samples we chatted with her about her blog.  Her blog is one of the longest running gf, dairy free blogs on the net and is filled with wonderful recipes.  In addition, she has scads of weekly menu plans.  Seriously, her menu plans are amazing and so helpful!  Here's her plan for the week after the GiG Experience to give you a sample:  Menu Monday:  Nov. 11, 2013.  Yummo!

Oatmeal (Review from the GiG Health and Wellness Experience)

Our family went to our local GiG chapter's Health and Wellness Experience at the beginning of November.  I will be attempting to do a series of reviews and informational posts about what we saw (and tasted!) there.  These are all unsolicited reviews, and we're receiving no compensation for them (beyond some excellent samples from the GiG Experience).  As always, be sure to read the ingredients before trying any product.

Technically, oatmeal is a gluten-free food in that oats do not contain any gluten protein.  The problem with oatmeal is it's often cross-contaminated with wheat, barley and rye at the field or processing level.  Because of this, for many people with gluten issues, it's imperative to find a gf source of oatmeal.  And in our fast paced lives, it's nice to have a variety of oatmeal that won't take ages of slaving over the stove to prepare. We had the opportunity to try to quality, just-add-hot-water oatmeal products from Gluten Free Oats and Glutenfreeda.

Canyon Oats comes from Gluten Free Oats, a family owned company in Wyoming.  This is the only gf oatmeal company that controls their oat production from seed to finished product to ensure quality and the highest levels of gluten-free.  They generously sent our family home with several different varieties of their oatmeal to-go cups.  They were all amazing and so quick and easy to make.  What we liked best about their product was the quality of the oats.  So often with instant brands, the oatmeal is shredded to help it cook faster which can give the oatmeal sort of a funny texture.  Canyon Oats uses whole pieces of thick oatmeal which gives it a perfect oatmeal texture.  In addition the flavor of each variety was delicious with just the right level of sweetness.  My favorite was the cherry cranberry and walnut, youngest liked the maple, and oldest liked the sweet honey cinnamon.  The husband liked them all.


Glutenfreeda is another fantastic Northwest company making stellar gluten-free products.  We've been big fans of their instant oatmeal for years but were really excited to find they've introduced oatmeal in a to-go cup.  Glutenfreeda really puts the effort into making quality products which includes extensive testing and using the best ingredients.  We brought home several samples and found the flavors for their oatmeal cups to be delicious.  About the only strike against them would be the fact they use more of the shredded oats instead of the full oat which makes the texture not quite as good as the Canyon Oats brand.  But beyond that, a yummy product that's easy to make and handy to take with you when you're on the go. 

Bakeries! (Review from the GiG Health & Wellness Experience)

Our family went to our local GiG chapter's Health and Wellness Experience at the beginning of November.  I will be attempting to do a series of reviews and informational posts about what we saw (and tasted!) there.  These are all unsolicited reviews, and we're receiving no compensation for them (beyond some excellent samples at the GiG Experience).  As always, be sure to read the ingredients before trying any product.

Bakeries!  Ah, the smell of fresh baked bread or pastries and the melt-in-your-mouth taste of a really stellar chocolate cake.  I'm especially a sucker for pies or creamy desserts - oh, bliss!  Unfortunately, going gluten-free can seem to spell an end to all that glorious goodness.  Thankfully, with the rise of gluten-free knowledge, there has also been a rise in dedicated gluten-free bakeries.  National sources for gluten-free baked goods include Udi's, Rudi's, Schar and others.  But here in the Pacific Northwest we're especially fortunate to have some beyond amazing local bakeries.  There were several bakeries represented at the GiG Wellness Experience but  I'm going to talk about the three at which we tasted samples.

Flying Apron Bakery

Counter at Fremont Location

We were first introduced to the Flying Apron Bakery in the funky Fremont neighborhood of Seattle many, many, many years ago when we were training for an overseas teaching assignment.  Now they have two locations - Fremont and Redmond.  Flying Apron is a dedicated gluten-free and vegan bakery cranking out some of the most delectable treats, breads and baked goods around.  Seriously, even if you don't eat gluten-free or vegan, Flying Apron is worth frequenting because they are that good.  At the Experience we sampled brownies, chocolate chip cookies and an amazing pumpkin pie - all were fantastic!  The brownie was ultra-moist, chocolatey and perfectly sweet.  Youngest tried the chocolate chip cookie (it's the only thing he tried at each bakery booth) and reported that he loved it (which is high praise from my son of few words).  The oldest, husband and I all tried the pumpkin pie and found it fab.  I'm wishing I'd bought one to take home with me.  In addition to their two Seattle-area locations, Flying Apron products can be found at several other establishments around the North Sound/Seattle area.

Example of a Julie's Cake

Julie's Gluten-Free Bakery
Located in Puyallup Meridan neighborhood, Julie's Gluten-Free Bakery offers a wide range of wonderful baked products including breads, cupcakes, cakes, cookies and seasonal baked goods as well as a menu that changes daily.  They were offering samples of their amazing pink champagne cake with a luscious butter cream frosting at the Experience, as well as displaying some sample cakes which were artistically amazing (think Cake Boss).  The pink champagne cake samples were light and delicious and the frosting was perfect (this coming from a non-frosting fan). 






Chuckanut Bay Foods

GF Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake

Chuckanut Bay Foods, located in Ferndale, WA, offers amazing cheesecakes including some lovely gluten-free versions.  I sampled the pumpkin version and ended up buying one to bring home (sorry, no pictures, it was eaten before I took any snaps).  While not a dedicated gluten-free facility, they offer several versions of their traditional cheesecakes in gluten-free versions including the aforementioned pumpkin, plus New York, chocolate truffle, strawberry and tuxedo.   There wonderful cheesecakes can be found at many retailers in the US and Canada and are especially prevalent in the Northwest.

Recap of the GiG Health and Wellness Experience

Gluten Intolerance Group (GiG) put on an excellent and well-attended Health and Wellness Experience this past weekend.  Our family took part and loved it!  Highlights included 60ish exhibitors handing out samples and coupons galore, GF food prep classes, informational sessions and a bounce house for the kids.  On entering the room we were presented with a goodie bag sponsored by PCC Natural Markets containing some fun samples and when we left our bags were bulging with a variety of tasty treats.  We loved how family oriented the experience was and how friendly the exhibitors were.  Each of us had our favorites and I'll give a quick list here and then over the next few weeks try to review a few of the products we tried since many were new to us.

The Husband:
Gorge Delights Just Fruit Bars
Erewhon Cereal
Fosse Farms Dressings & Marinades

The Oldest:
Stark Raving Pizza
Brazi Bites
Rudi's Gluten-Free Bakery

The Youngest:
Dough Buddies
Glutino
La Fortaleza Chips

Me:
Flying Apron Bakery
Chuckanut Bay (cheese cake)
Harverster Brewery

There were many, many, many more excellent gf food choices and gf products, many of which we'll try to mention in the next few weeks.  One of the most exciting aspects of the Experience was the number of locally made products standing shoulder to shoulder with the national companies.  Seriously cool to see how many quality gf products are coming out of the Pacific NW.  In addition, I'd like to give a shout out to GF Joe's Gluten Free Market since they carry many of the products exhibited at the Experience in addition to being just an all around exceptional place to get GF products in the Tacoma & Olympia areas.

Gluten-Free Halloween

Halloween is creeping up on us and as we approach the time of ghouls, ghosts and gobs of candy, it's good for parents to be aware of what treats are and are not gluten-free.  One surprising fact to keep in mind is what you think you know about gf candy may not apply during Halloween.  Many sweets manufacturers change ingredients during the major candy-related holidays to make accommodations for color or design, and as a result, this can change the ingredients and/or the plant where the candy is produced.  Which can change a usually gluten-free candy to not so gluten-free. You're best bet is to ALWAYS read the ingredients and to watch for anything wheat-derived.  Specifically look out for barley malt, caramel coloring (depending on where it's made this can be an issue) and wheat-derived glucose syrup.  And of course, check the allergens list on the wrappers for wheat.

Here are a few helpful lists for Halloween 2013:
Celiac Disease Foundation 2013 Candy List (pdf)
Celiac.com Candy List - includes both a list of safe and unsafe treats
Sure Foods Living Quick List of GF Candy (more detailed list here)
About.com Celiac 2013 Halloween List

Happy, safe and gluten-free trick-or-treating!

Gluten-Free Health & Wellness Experience (WA)

The Gluten-Free Intolerance Group (GIG) is sponsoring the Gluten-Free Health & Wellness Experience at the Tacoma, WA Convention Center.  It will be held on Saturday, November 9 from 10:00 - 5:30.  This looks to be a really good local GF event jam packed with exhibitors (think yummy free samples and TONS of useful information) and some informational presentations and food demos.  Shauna James Ahern, the Gluten-Free Girl and local GF celebrity, will be demoing sandwich bread for Thanksgiving stuffing as well as demos from the Flying Apron Bakery and Haley's Corner Bakery.  Cost is $5 for adults, $3 for teens and free for children 12 and under.

Interesting opinion article on gluten-free living

Mark's Daily Apple posted a fantastic piece today titled "Is Gluten-Free a Fad Diet?"  All I can say is amen, brother. 

Environmental Working Group's 2013 Dirty Dozen-Clean Fifteen List

OK, it's Tuesday which means I'm totally swamped with carting kids hither and yon.  But I wanted to get this out to you all since in my humble opinion, EWG's Dirty Dozen-Clean Fifteen list for fruits and vegetables is an invaluable tool in the quest for clean eating (and the pdf is free).  You can find the summary of it here, as well as donate to their worthy cause and sign up for their emails.

The Ultimate Gluten-Free Fast Food Guide (FREE!)

With all my talk of chickens and whole foods lately, today's post marks a definite departure from what has become the norm around here.  Not that I'm meaning to shirk discussion of gluten-free eating, but we've really been all about the chicken at our house.  So when I got this email from Gluten-free Saver about this FREE (free is good!) offering of The Ultimate Gluten-Free Fast Food Guide, I felt I needed to pass it along.

Let's face it, real life happens and sometimes your choices for gluten-free sustenance in a hurry may be limited to fast food.  Now granted, we prefer to find the healthier options but when hunger has taken the driver's seat and Scary Clowns hawking golden french fries and double tall burgers are your only option, you want to be sure you're making the best choice for yourself in an effort to avoid minefield of potential gluten exposure.  So CeliAct (nutritional supplement company specializing in vitamins and such for people with Celiac Disease) put together The Ultimate Gluten-Free Fast Food Guide which profiles the 50 most popular fast food chains in America in terms of their gluten-free offerings and safety.  I've downloaded a copy and after a quick perusal was impressed with the information.  You will need to provide your email address to claim your pdf download.




*This is an unsolicited recommendation.  I am receiving no compensation for the opinions expressed here. 

DEAL ALERT: Bountiful Pantry Gluten-free Soup Mixes

Today's Gluten Free Saver deal looks interesting so I thought I'd pass it along.  GFS is offering a 5-Pack of Bountiful Pantry Soup mixes:  black bean, hearty lentil and vegetable, split pea, Italian veggie pasta, and farmhouse chowder.  Cost is $35 and free shipping is included with your order.  We've never tried Bountiful Pantry but if the pictures are any indication, their product looks delicious plus it's gluten free, dairy free and vegan.  If you've tried their soup mixes, leave a comment and let us know what you think.

Not sure what Gluten Free Saver is?  It's basically like Groupon or Living Social for gluten-free products.  Joining is simple, just give them your email and you'll start receiving emails with the deals they are offering - I typically receive one or two a week and as near as I can tell, they don't spam or share your information.




As usual, I'm receiving no compensation of any kind for this post, and I am not affiliated with gluten free saver or Bountiful Pantry.

What CAN I eat? Bread edition

Some gluten-free bread made from Pamela's Bread Mix in our bread machine

When talking to someone first embarking on the gluten-free lifestyle, one of the first questions is invariably, "What about bread???!?" Usually the tone of this question contains a certain amount of trepidation and even out-right fear.  Understandably.  Bread is the basis of so much our cultural eating - regardless of where you are in the world.  We "break bread," talk about our livings as our "bread and butter," and refer to cool inventions as the "greatest thing since sliced bread."  Bread seems to be at the very core of our existence, so taking bread out of the diet equation can seem daunting.

When we discovered youngest's gluten sensitivity, bread and other baked goods became one of our primary concerns.  We ate a lot of sandwiches.  And toast.  And bread or homemade biscuits with dinner.  Youngest LOVED all things bread so just eliminating it completely from his diet was asking for some serious mealtime struggles.  At the time we started our gluten free quest, gf baking options, while available, were a little more limited than they are now.  And most of the gluten free breads on the market were small, expensive loaves that made a pretty fair imitation of cardboard.  Seriously, most were Bad with a capital B.  For the first few years, I mostly made bread from scratch and then would dole it out in paper thin slices to make it last longer.  But in the past few years as gluten free foods have taken off as marketable commodities, more and more GOOD options have come available on the market.  Here are our favorites:

Pamela's Amazing Bread Mix:  this is our hands-down favorite in terms of ease, taste and close proximity to "real" bread.  Both flavor and mouth feel is superior to just about any other gf bread or mix out there.  Plus this mix is super easy to make if you have a bread machine (or even if you don't) - just add eggs, oil and water.  I usually buy this by the case using Amazon's Subscribe and Save program.   We also use it for making pizza crusts, rolls, and hamburger buns.

Bob's Red Mill Wonderful Bread Mix:  this mix comes in as a close second to Pamela's.

Udi's Sandwich Bread:  for a premade, sliced bread, Udi's makes a pretty good product (no cardboard here).  For me personally, I'm not as big a fan for straight up sandwiches, but youngest and oldest like it just fine (and since I don't eat bread my vote doesn't really count).  It makes great toast and also works well in French toast.

There are several other purveyors of gluten free bread products such as Namaste, King Arthur, and Gluten Free Pantry but before trying a case of any product, I would recommend getting just one package and giving it a test run.  In the world of gluten free bread, there are definitely champs vs. a whole bunch of pretenders.

If you would like to make your own gluten free bread from scratch my favorite recipes come from Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day.  They have several gluten free recipes (all of which are good) as well as recipes for other gf baked goods such as cinnamon rolls.  You can also see some of their recipes on their website.




*We received no compensation for the unsolicited recommendations in this blog post.  Some of the links are affiliate links.

And now a word from our sponsor...

Actually, I don't have any sponsors (at least not yet *hint, hint*).  I just thought that was a catchy little title to introduce a couple of products relating to the gluten-free or paleo/primal communities.  I am in no way affiliated with any of these companies nor do I receive any kind of compensation for making an "endorsement" on my lowly little blog.  I'm just a fan passing the news.

If you haven't seen Delight Gluten Free Magazine, it's worth a look.  In addition to a lovely print journal, they also offer an online copy you can access through your tablet or iPhone; the iPad edition is loaded with fabulous pictures & recipes, nice layout and easy to navigate copy.  If you'd like to give some of their recipes a trial run for free, I would recommend signing up for their free weekly e-newsletter.  I've been getting this for several months and have found the recipes to be appealing and fairly easy to recreate.  In edition, they don't spam your mailbox with lots of offers, just a tasteful (pun intended) once a week email.

Okay, a traditional bread company recommendation?  I know, I know, this one seems a little "out there" for a gluten free leaning blog especially since Panera has historically not identified themselves as gf.   Though happy to accomodate gf eaters, it's not been a driving goal of theirs (understandably - I mean come on, they're a BREAD bakery).  That said, it's recently come to my attention that Panera Bread has a secret, and if you eat paleo, primal or gluten-free, it's a very good secret.  Earlier this year, Panera rolled out their Hidden Menu full of whole food, low carb eats for both breakfast and lunch/dinner.  Honestly, Panera is one of my guilty pleasures, and when my mom & I are out and about I happily break my steadfast commitment to primal eating and chow down on a sandwich.  But this Hidden Menu, makes me so very, very happy as the food presented, in my humble opinion, outshines their regular options.  I mean who wouldn't want a Power Mediterranean Roasted Turkey Salad for lunch or a Power Breakfast Egg Bowl with Steak for breakfast?  Seriously nourishing eats!  Now you won't see these menu options posted in their bakery-cafes (thus why it's "hidden") but all you have to do is let them know you're ordering from the hidden menu and you're good to go.  For more information about Panera's Hidden Menu see this article or check out their pictorial display.

Glutened at the ER: A Cautionary Tale

Last Friday turned out to be a bit of a traumatic day in our household.  Youngest developed a killer headache mid-day and before the night was over, proceeded to throw-up twice and spike a 102.5F fever.  Our insurance's very helpful nurse help line advised us his symptoms warranted immediate medical attention and being as it was 8 p.m. on a Friday night this meant a trip to the ER.  This child takes us to the emergency room on a semi-regular basis, be it for swallowing coins as a toddler or for allowing his brother to smash his fingers with a 2x4 in some misguided experiment - all that to say, they have a file on him at our local hospital and are well aware of his gluten intolerance.  Even though his file says he has a gluten issue, I always make sure to over-emphasize this with the triage nurse when we're checking in and usually find I have to do a little educating on what this means for youngest.  After testing him for possible flu (negative) it was decided he might possibly be suffering from sinusitis, and we had some antibiotics, pain relievers and anti-nausea meds thrown at us.  This was our first mistake - personally, I am anti-antibiotic use unless they are truly warranted, but in our concern for our child we did not take a proactive enough stance and ask enough questions about whether he really needed them or not (we don't think he probably did).  Anyway, he was given antibiotics.  Here was our second mistake:  we assumed because his file clearly stated his gluten issues that any medications issued to us would be gluten-free.  Rookie-mistake, we really do know better. 

Over the weekend, youngest wasn't feeling his best and spent most of his time on the couch.  But by Monday he felt more like himself ... except for uncharacteristic tanturming, shrieking, crying and raging.  When the rages continued on Tuesday, we knew we were dealing with something other than just a sick kid (especially since he wasn't acting sick anymore) and started investigating possible causes.  The one variable consistent over the last several days was the antibiotic, so we looked at possible gluten-containing inactive ingredients.  Sure enough, pediatric azithromycin tablets contain pregelatinized starch, an additive that if not explicitly stated as being gluten-free is usually derived from gluten containing sources (see the list of ingredients here).  In addition to the gluten, these particular tablets are full of all kinds of lovely coloring agents such as red dye #40 lake, yellow dye #6 lake, and carmine (a reddish dye derived from insects using alum), dyes which may contribute to behavior issues in some children.  Upon further investigation, it's become scarily apparent to us how many prescription drugs are not gluten-free and additionally full of dyes, artificial sweeteners and long lists of chemical additives.

So the short of it is, we dropped the ball in monitoring youngest's gluten-free status and as a result, he reaped the consequences.  He's still working the gluten through his body, but we're hopeful that by the weekend he'll be back to his cheery self.  Poor kid.  This experience re-emphasized to us the need to advocate for yourself and your children in medical situations.  I don't blame the ER staff AT ALL for this - they have a lot going on at any one moment and to be that well versed in the various ingredients of any one medication is asking too much.  But as a consumer, it is my responsibility to ask questions and continue to ask until I'm satisfied with the answers. 

Next time, we would:

• question the need for any antibiotic or medication
• if medicine is required, ask if it's gluten-free
• ask again if it's gluten-free and ask to personally check the ingredient list before administering
• ask a third time if it's gluten-free and require someone to call the manufacturer to double-check before administering

The more we in the gluten-free community speak out and advocate for ourselves and our loved ones the more the word will get out to the medical and pharmaceutical communities that this issue needs addressing. 

Chuck E. Cheese GF Offerings Go Live!

As I mentioned in a previous blog post last spring, Chuck E. Cheese has been test marketing two gluten-free offerings in select midwest locations.  Well, it seems that the test is over and Chuck E. Cheese has announced their gluten-free cheese personal pizza and chocolate fudge cupcake will now be available nationwide.  See their information page for all the details.  Good news for those with kids wanting in on the whole Chuck E. Cheese experience.

High Value Enjoy Life Coupon

Mambo Sprouts currently has a $1.50 off any 2 Enjoy Life (gluten-free) products (click the coupon link at the top of the page).  We like Mambo Sprouts for their more natural and often gluten-free coupons and the wealth of information they provide.  They also preview new products and producers on a regular basis.

What CAN I eat? Rice... or maybe not

Consumer Reports Arsenic in Rice Investigation

When people make the move to gluten-free eating, the focus tends to be on what can't be eaten as opposed to what can.  Bread products are out.  Crackers are a no-no.  Wheat-based pastas go the way of the dinosaur.  And let's not even talk about desserts!  Thankfully, there are many quality substitute products in the gluten-free world that can take the place of those longed for foods or snacks we're missing.  If you're an avid ingredient reader like me (and if you're eating gluten-free you just about have to be), you probably have noticed that rice in one of it's many forms is often on the list.  Rice, rice flour, brown rice flour, sweet white rice flour, rice syrup, rice bran, etc. etc. etc.  Rice is a healthy alternative, right?  I mean, just think how many cultures in the world use rice as THE main staples of their diets... the majority of the world population can't be wrong!  For us personally, we're a big rice eating family and many of the gluten-free products we enjoy also contain mainly rice plus I bake heavily with rice flours.  We choose to use mostly brown rice and brown rice flour because all the bran is good for you and the bleaching process of white rices is supposedly a little suspect. 

So here I sat feeling smugly superior about our family's healthy diet... until early this month when Consumer Reports investigations released their findings about the levels of high arsenic in various kinds and brands of rice and in rice based products.  Take that smug superior feeling!  Little did we know in our push to eat as healthy a gluten-free diet as possible we might actually be slowly poisoning ourselves with arsenic.  Brilliant! 

So what's a health-conscious, gluten-free eating person to do?  Here are a few of our suggestions and things we're implementing in our family's diet to decrease arsenic exposure.

1.  This may seem obvious but eat rice varieties and brands with lower arsenic levels.  For us, this meant switching from brown rice to white basmati or jasmine rices.  Our first choice is to buy organic rice from California and at the very least, avoid rice from the southern United States.  We also limit the number of servings of rice we eat in a week and we rinse and soak our rice thoroughly before eating.

2.  Avoid highly processed rice based products such as cereals, crackers, and other snack foods.  Something about the processing seems to concentrate the arsenic.  Even though many of these products were below the "safe" level used by Consumer Reports, the accumulative effect of eating many of these products could lead to a higher level of arsenic exposure.  Plus anything processed is probably not that great for you anyway (high sugars, the chance of containing GMO, various evil additives, etc.) ~ better just to avoid or limit.

3.  Switch from rice pasta to another kind of gf pasta.  We've eaten Trader Joe's rice pasta for years because it cooks up nicely, holds a sauce well, tastes good and is one of the cheapest on the market.  Gotta like more bang for your buck especially when you're getting a quality product - except when it's higher in arsenic.  Unfortunately, rice noodles have some of the highest levels in CR's tests so we're choosing to use another kind of gf pasta.  We've switched to Trader Joe's corn noodles which are GMO free (made in Romania!), tasty and inexpensive.  If you do switch to another kind of noodle, do read the ingredients because many of the so-called quinoa or other kinds of pasta still have rice flour as a main ingredient.

4.  Use other sides instead of rice.  Potatoes.  Quinoa.  More veggies.  The possibilities are endless.

5.  If you use a dairy substitute for milk, choose something other than rice milk.  There are lots of other options if you're avoiding dairy including various nut, coconut and soy milks. 

6.  Use alternative gluten-free flours besides rice flours and limit rice based gf baking and bread mixes.   Since going "primal" in my eating style I've been experimenting with a lot more almond and coconut flours in my baking (sometimes to my family's chagrin).  Other options include tapioca flour, quinoa flour, various nut flours, potato flour, bean flours and many other choices ~ I'm looking at it as an opportunity to be adventuresome.  We still use Pamela's Bread Mix and Pamela's Baking Mix which both contain quite a bit of rice flour, but I limit how often we eat these things.

7.  We don't drink apple juice.  I know, what does that have to do with rice?  In case you missed it, here is Consumer Reports investigation on arsenic levels in apple juice.

8.  Just don't eat rice.  Go primal.  Or paleo.  Or just say no to rice.

For more suggestions and an excellent condensed explanation of the CR article see the Environmental Work Group's blog post on Getting Arsenic out of Your (and Your Kids') Diets.

A Couple of Ways to Save When Eating Gluten-Free

I got an interesting email in my in-box today and after looking it over, felt it was worthy of sharing. 

I subscribe to BeFreeForMe, a gluten-free and food allergy conscious website that shares coupons and deals with the food allergy community.  They also maintain a blog which discusses gluten-free foods and tips, post articles and maintain a recipe database; in addition, they don't clog your inbox with lots of email so when I get something from them, I know it's worth a look.  Anyway, today's email was about a gluten-free "groupon" style website called Gluten-Free Saver.  Being a big Groupon and Amazon Local fan, I admit I was all over this, and after an initial review of the site, I decided to sign up.  Many of the deals have potential, so if you're interested head on over and check them out. 



* We get no compensation or benefit from recommending these sites or the products they offer. As always, sign up and use at your own risk.

Free Gluten Free emagizine subscription!

I wanted  to pass along this excellent gluten freebie!  Easy Eats e-magazine is dedicated to fresh, interesting, and affordable gluten-free eating and recipes and is currently offering three subscription levels including the free bronze level.  More information on this offer can be found on the Easy Eats blog or to sign up right now go to the Easy Eats subscription page.  This is an e-magazine so there is no hard copy sent to your home every 2 months; you can view it on your computer or tablet.  I hooked it up through the iPad Newstand app (after subscribing, search Easy Eats on the app store; you will need to sign into your account on the Easy Eats webpage first) and have to say the pictures are vibrant and the information helpful. 

If you sign up, we'd love to hear your impressions.