LA 1/2 Marathon

Is eating all the GF cookies and cakes going to your waist??? Join us for LA's first Rock in Roll 1/2 marathon, October 24!  You can walk or run just come out and have fun!  We -- Team Gluten Free LA -- are aiming to raise $1,000.  If you are not interested in racing but are feeling generous that is appreciated too!  The link to the donation site is: http://www.active.com/donate/gfla  Any donation is helpful!

Start Roughing It...eat more FIBER!

We all know fiber is important but are you eating enough? If you are eating the Standard American Diet, (appropriately the acronym is SAD) then the answer is probably not. If you are eating a gluten-free diet which you have substituted gluten-free specialty foods for their glutenous counterparts you may also be consuming less fiber than recommended.

The problem with many (not all) gluten-free specialty foods is they have little to no fiber compared to glutenous foods. Take pretzels for example: 100 grams of “regular” hard pretzels (plane & unsalted) gives you 2.90g of fiber; 100g of “regular” hard pretzels (made from whole-wheat) gives you 7.70g fiber. By comparison, gluten-free pretzels give you ZERO grams of fiber (I could not find a GF pretzel that had any fiber on their nutritional panel). This does not mean you have to stop eating your favorite GF foods, just recognize you are getting zero fiber.

Instead of starting a quest to find GF specialty foods that have fiber, make sure you are eating lots of naturally gluten-free foods that are high in fiber. Some of the best sources of “roughage” are: Brussels sprouts (1 cup – 6.4 grams of fiber), artichokes (medium – 10 grams of fiber), lentils (approximately 6 grams per serving) & broccoli (1 cup – 2.3 grams of fiber). Fruits can be another great source: Raspberries (1 cup – 8 grams of fiber), blackberries (1 cup – 7.6 grams), pears ( large – 6.5 grams of fiber), orange (large – 4.4 grams of fiber) & guava (1 cup – 8.9 grams of fiber). Gluten-free grains can be another great source of fiber: quinoa (¼ cup – 5 grams fiber) and GF Oats (½ cup, 5 grams fiber) are two of my favorites!


To find out how much fiber you should be eating daily, visit: Harvard School of Public Medicine, The Nutrition Source, Daily Fiber Requirements.



Check back soon for more recipes incorporating these high fiber foods!

Cutting the Costs of Eating Gluten-Free

The cost of eating gluten-free is a concern for many people.  Gluten-free items can be twice as expensive as their glutenous counterparts.  There are many ways, however, to cut the cost of eating gluten-free.  Here are my top 3 recommendations:

1. Eat a naturally gluten-free diet: Processed foods that are GF have to be made in special facilities and with greater care than "regular" foods to avoid cross-contamination.  This cost is often reflected in the price of GF breads, mixes, cookies, etc.  If you focus on fruits, veggies, and other naturally gluten-free foods you will not have this problem.  Remember - when you are shopping the grocery store start along the outside of the store (where the fruits and veggies are and then work your way to the middle).

2. Make your own gluten-free snacks and meals: This takes a bit more planning but it is well worth it!  Pick out your favorite nuts and dried fruit and mix your own trail mix.  You can make your own GF granola too if you add GF oats and bake in the oven. 

3. Shop for gluten-free foods in bulk or at discount stores: If you are going to buy specialty gluten-free foods shop for them at places like Costco, Sam's Club or even Big Lots! Costco and Sam's Club both are carrying more gluten-free bulk items like Bob's Redmill Quinoa and more (see Costco post for more of my favorites).   And finally, yes, Big Lots! has a surprising amount of gluten-free items -- including Perky's Nutty Flax Cereal which was about 1/2 the price as the supermarket!

If you have any other suggestions please share them!!!

GF at the Veggie Grill

Another good gluten-free restaurant.  The Veggie Grill has 4 locations in SoCal -- El Segundo, LA and two in Irvine, CA.  They have lots of great gluten-free options and they cater to many other allergies as well.  Check their Menu to see all the options.  The salad pictured to the right is the Baja Fiesta (no tortilla strips).  It was very fresh and quite good! 

Gluten Free Diet -- A Fad Diet? I don't think so!

As more gluten-free products become available many people have started to speculate about whether gluten-free diets are just a fad.  While there may be some people who are "jumping on the gluten-free" wagon, for most people eating gluten free is a lifestyle.  For people who have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease, the only treatment is eating gluten-free.  For Celiacs, "Let your food be medicine and your medicine be food" - Hippocrates, takes on a very literal meaning.   

Giving up gluten and eating a naturally gluten-free diet can be great.  You will probably find yourself eating more fresh fruits and veggies and less processed foods.  However, if you simply replace glutenous foods with gluten-free specality foods, going gluten-free may backfire -- many GF foods have less fiber and more fat and sugar than their glutenous counterparts. 

Also, remember that if you think you have a sensitivity to gluten make sure you get tested before you start a GF diet.  If you don't this may skew the results of your test.

PF Changs Gluten Free Plates

Most gluten-free eaters have been to PF Chang's China Bistro at least once...for a long time they were one of the only restaurants offering a gluten free menu (thankfully that has changed).  They were one of the first to make it easy to eat out and now they are making it easy to make certain your meal is GF--they're now using special "GF" plates (see picture).  If your meal comes and it is not in a white plate with black trim, double check with your server they grabbed the correct plate.  Of course, it cannot hurt to ask twice but this is another great way PF Chang's is making gluten-free diners happy! Thanks PF Chang's!  Oh, and if you have not been since the beginning of the year, they have added more GF options like the GF MONGOLIAN BEEF ...delicious!

GF Pizza

Here is a quick, easy GF dinner.  One gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free Mariposa pizza crust (one of my favorite) and the toppers: pesto(see below), spinach, onions and fresh tomatoes straight out of my mom's garden.  Sprinkle with fresh grated pepper and a dash of salt & pop it into the oven. 20 mins later...dinner is ready!

Home-made pesto:

Ingredients:

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup pine nuts (I used almonds because I had them!)

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup freshly grated Pecorino cheese (which I decided to leave out...and it was still great)

Directions:

Combine the basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add oil and process until fully incorporated and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.  Transfer the pesto to a large serving bowl and mix in the cheese.

Gluten Free Tamales

This weekend I got a text from my friend, Keli, who often sends me texts of all things gluten-free...so this GF find you have her to thank!  Gluten Free at Torrance Farmers Market Saturday mornings.  If you have not been to the Torrance farmers market then you are missing out.  There is a large selection of booths and lots of great veggies! This is a great way to try new veggies -- if you don't know how to cook it, ask! All of the vendors are very friendly and they are happy to share their recipes.  There are also a few booths that have specifically gluten free fare...gluten free tamales and the gluten free baker to name a few.  Enjoy!