More Gluten Free Options at the Rice Diet Store

I first wrote about the gluten free products available at the Rice Diet Store in March of 2010.  I was recently contacted by one of their dietitians, Anna, who asked me to update readers to new products and information regarding the Rice Diet Store.  The store has a new manager:  Jeanette Gulledge. Updated store hours are M-W-F  9:00-2:00. 

Anna listed some of the gluten free-favorites:

Brown rice crackers


Quinoa and rice pastas (Notta Pasta)

7 Mr. Spice Organic, No Salt Added Sauces—from Thai Peanut to Honey BBQ

Curry powder mix and mango chutney from Kerala Curry, a local company in Pittsboro, NC

Several varieties of Eden Organic no salt added canned beans

Desert Pepper White Bean Dip

A number of salsas—from traditional to Mango Gingersnap, Pineapple Mojito and Southwest Sunset

The Ginger People’s Sweet Ginger Chili Sauce—a favorite and bestseller among Ricers. It’s great on spring rolls, drizzled over a stir-fry or as a glaze on fish or meat. We have the spring roll wrappers too!

The 2010 dietary guidelines encourage individuals to watch their sodium levels.  Recommended ranges are from 1500mg-2300mg daily.  The Rice Diet Program focuses on a low sodium diet, so the above products will be gluten free and low in sodium!

The Rice Diet Store
1644 Cole Mill Road
Durham,NC 27705
http://www.ricedietstore.com/
919-383-7276 ext 2

NFCA SPONSORED WEBINAR FOR PARENTS OF GLUTEN FREE KIDS:

Thursday, August 25th is back to school for most Durham Public School students. For those parents that might be sending their gluten free child off to school, it can feel a little scary . Does your school nurse or administration need more information on the gluten free diet? Consider the following resource. As a parent you may want to participate in the live webinar on Thursday and then send a note to school personnel about listening to the recorded webinar at a later time. Be a postive influence in the school and an advocate for your child.

Importance of School Nurse Education &

How-To Strategies for Parents of Gluten-Free Kids

Thursday, August 25th, 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT

Topics included in Thursday's Webinar include:

Explain the 504 Plan and its impact on the child's rights in the school environment.
• Advise why school nurses should be educated on celiac disease and the gluten-free diet, including a review of their role in the classroom setting.
• Provide a list of school support staff and their appropriate roles in accommodating a celiac child's needs.
• Share strategies on how parents can maneuver the school year with their gluten-free child.
• Offer tips and suggestions on how parents can create a safe and healthy gluten-free school environment, including recipes and common challenges in the classroom's social setting, such as lunch and snack time, birthday parties and field trips.

Registration information is available at NFCA' site.

Harris Teeter Provides Gluten Free list

Harris Teeter continues to increase gluten free items in their store. The Harris Teeter website provides an 11 page handout of gluten free items shoppers can find in the store. Note the following disclaimer:

Product ingredients are subject to change, so always read the label and/or check with the manufacturer. We will update this list quarterly as our products continue to grow and change.

Recently I have noticed an expanded offering of the Crunch Master brand gluten free cracker. The Sea Salt flavor is My daughter's new favorite cracker. You will find these located in the deli area of the store. Get your $1.00 off coupon here.

The Cake Mix Doctor bakes Gluten Free

I wanted to share with my readers a recent find I have added to my book shelf:
The Cake mix Doctor Bakes gluten-Free by Anne Byrn This author has published various baking books in the past to help busy individuals speed up their cooking and baking time with yummy results. This is her first cookbook dedicated to gluten free baking. All recipes are based on the 15 oz size gluten free cake mixes, now readily available in most grocery stores. She "doctors up" these basic cake mixes in various ways to provide a variety of results. Chapter topics include:
How to Bake a Cake and Eat it, Too
Gluten Free Layers
Make Your Own Wedding Cake
Gluten-Free Bundts
Straight From the Pan
Gluten-Free Cupcakes and Muffins
Brownies, Bars and Cookies
Gluten-Free Frostings
The pictures on this post are examples of the "Darn Good Chocolate Cake" recipe. The cake tasted very good and had an excellent rise and texture. I have also made the "toasted coconut cake" with equally good results. I look forward to trying many other recipes. I purchased my book from Barnes and Nobel, I have also seen it available at Sam's Club locally.

Celiac Disease in Mature Adults

Did you know that according to the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America that 30% of those diagnosed with Celiac Disease are over the age of 60? Imagine living 60+ years and suddenly being told you need to follow a gluten free diet. It can be quite overwhelming. Be encouraged; it can also increase one's quality of life by improving health! There is a free publication geared toward the mature adult made available through the joint efforts of the Gluten Intolerance Group of North American and The National Foundation For Celiac Awareness. You can access this 4 page guide here.

Holiday Gift Ideas for the Gluten Free Person on your List

Looking for some gift ideas for a gluten free friend or something to add to your own holiday wish list, well I have a few suggestions of things you might enjoy:

-Gift certificate to Rosie's Plate or Twin Cakes Bakery for gluten free goodies
-Toast It, Toaster bags to toast your gluten free bread in any toaster
-Gift subscription to a magazine that offers lots of gluten free ideas such as: Living Without, Delight, Gluten Free Living
-Elisa EZ Gluten testing kits for testing foods
-Gift certificate to a restaurant that offers a gluten free menu see restaurant reviews
-Personalized gluten free cereal from Custom Choice Cereal
-Registration Fee for "gluten free week" at Camp Kanata
-Attendance at a national support groups annual conference
-Soy-Yer gluten free "play-dough"
-Great book released in 2010: Real Life with Celiac Disease
-Gift certificate to a gluten free cooking class
-Gift certificate for gluten free specialty products at local grocers or on line shopping sites

These are just a few of my ideas, if you have a great resource or product that others would enjoy leave a comment on Gluten Free Durham. We all learn from each other. Happy Holidays!

Note: I do not receive any compensation from the above companies mentioned.

Halloween Resources

With Halloween nearly a week away I wanted to point you towards a few resources that may help you find some nice treats:

1. Rosie's Plate in Raleigh will be hosting a Benefit Tasting for Celiac Research on Friday, October 29 from 6:00-8:00 pm. The website states that 25% of donations plus 10% of all store sales will go to the University of Illinois Celiac Research Center. For further information see Rosie's website.

2. As you think about candy for Halloween there are a few sites that have published updated lists of gluten free candy: The Celiac Family has a nice list published on their site, as does The National Foundation For Celiac Awareness(NFCA).
The NFCA credits Sure Foods Living with the Candy List.

Note the candy lists should only be used as a guide. Product ingredients should be double checked to verify the gluten free status before eating.

Free Learning Opportunity at The Rice Diet Program July 27, 2010

The Rice Diet Program in Durham is hosting an interesting panel discussion: "Food Allergies From Fact to Fiction: Exploring the Many Misconceptions" for the nutrition professionals and opening this learning opportunity up to the community. The events objectives include:

Review contributing factors for developing and acquiring food allergies, from
genetic propensity to dietary consumption and environmental exposure.

Summarize the incidence of food allergies and percentage of those
“outgrowing” them.

Define and describe the diagnosis of celiac disease (CD) versus gluten
sensitivity or intolerance.

Describe other diseases’ incidences and correlations with CD, such as autism
and the autistic spectrum, diabetes, Downs Syndrome, etc.

Discuss whether we are over or under diagnosing CD and other food allergies.

Describe the dietitian’s role, as part of a team and in individual patient counseling,
in addressing food allergies and CD.

Respected Panelists include: Brian Vickery, MD, Lesley Stanford,MS,RD,LDN, Colm O’Loughlin, MB, BCh, BAO and moderator: Daniel Wild, MD

While the seminar is free, space is limited so preregistration is required by contacting:
Anna LaBarre at:
anna@ricediet.com or
(919) 383-7276 ext 237

Event Details:
Place: The Rice Diet Program
1644 Cole Mill Road in Durham
Date: Tuesday, July 27
Time: 7pm – 8:30pm

Check out these other Gluten Free Blogs

The May 2010 issue of Today's Dietitan included a feature article: "Gluten-Free Blogs Are Hot". Author, Sharon Palmer, RD reviewed 13 gluten free blogs, some include mostly recipes, and cooking, while others offer reliable, science based information on Celiac Disease. Possible additional interesting summer reading for the followers of this Gluten Free Durham Blog!

Celiac Chicks: http://celiacchicks.typepad.com/
Celiac Teen: http://www.celiacteen.com/
The Crispy Cook: http://wheat-free-meat-free.blogspot.com
Delightfully Gluten Free: http://delightfullyglutenfree.com
Gluten-Free Diet: http://glutenfreediet.ca/blog
Gluten-Free Dietitian: http://glutenfreedietitian.com
Gluten-Free Girl: http://glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com
Gluten-Free Goddess: http://glutenfreegoddess.blogspot.com
Gluten Free Blog: http://gluten-free-blog.blogspot.com
Gluten Free Gobsmacked: http://glutenfree.wordpress.com
Gluten Free Steve: http://glutenfreesteve.wordpress.com
Hold the Gluten: http://holdthegluten.net
Straight into Bed Cake-Free and Dried: http://milkforthemorningcake.blogspot.com

Twin Cakes Comes to The Durham Farmers Market

This Saturday Twin Cakes Bakery will debut at the Durham Farmers Market. I can attest to the quality of their gluten free products! They will be at the market from 8:00-12:00 and the following items will be available:

Markets menu:
Carrot cake mini bundt cakes
Lemon Poppy seed bundt cakes
Lemon Blueberry scone
Strawberry Banana coffee cake
Baked chocolate glazed donuts
Mint Chocolate cupcakes
Pizza Crust
*new item - Pizza Rolls
*Frozen Pretzels

** Easter Special: If you spend over $25 you will receive a bag full of Easter Sugar cookies (only while supplies last)

Dry Mixes that will be available this week:
Pancakes
Brownie
Raw Cheez Cracker
Raw Pumpkin Kale Cracker

The weather forcast is great for the weekend! I am headed to the Farmers Market to welcome Twin Cakes Bakery and to stock up on some Easter goodies.

Passover and Gluten Free Products

Passover began at sunset Tuesday March 29 and extends through Monday April 5th. Dietary restrictions include refraining from "Chametz" all edible fermented grain products to include leavened grains. While not all "Passover foods" are gluten free many are and can be easily found in the grocery store. The Gluten Intolerance Group features a very good article by Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD, LD entitled:"Passover Great GF selection". You can also go to the Manishewitz site for a complete listing of their gluten free products.
Tip: Many of these items may go on sale after Passover and this would be a good way to stock your gluten free pantry!

Low Sodium Options for a Gluten Free Diet

Do you know how much sodium is in your gluten free diet? I have found that we sometimes focus so hard on the "gluten free" aspect of our diet that we can forget the other components that contribute to healthy eating. March is National Nutrition Month and I hope to have several posts this month focused on nutrition as it relates to the gluten free diet. The current dietary guidelines recommend individuals consume less than 2300mg of sodium per day. These guidelines are revised every 5 years, so 2010 will offer some updated guidelines. The American Heart Association is now recommending that individuals consume no more that 1500 mg of sodium per day. Note one teaspoon of salt contains 2400mg of sodium! Just 14 tortilla corn chips provide 150 mg of sodium to one's diet. Sodium is added to many processed foods, soups, frozen meals, and deli meats. One of the most significant sources of sodium is the salt shaker.The Chicago Tribune published a timely article on what some food companies are doing to limit excess sodium in foods. Read the article here. Reducing sodium intake can lead to improved blood pressure, decrease fluid retention and decrease risk for heart disease.

Durham offers a valuable resource to those looking to buy low sodium foods. The Rice Diet Program, the famous weight loss center located on Cole Mill Road includes the Rice Diet Store. This store is open to the public weekdays from 8-12. Ira Green is the gentleman that manages the store and is very helpful in answering questions. I recently attended a panel discussion on obesity at the Rice House and was able to take a peek in the store. I was surprised to see many gluten free offerings at a reasonable price. The store's website is very well designed and it lets one click on the food item and review the ingredient list. A few of the gluten free items available include: Quinoa pasta shells for $3.25, and Notta Pasta Linguine for $4.25. To go to the Rice Store and review products click here.Do realize that the store's main focus is low sodium and not all products will be gluten free.


The Rice Diet Store
1644 Cole Mill Road
Durham,NC 27705
www.ricedietstore.com
919-383-7276 ext 2

Gluten Free Week at Camp Kanata

No TV, Video Games or worries about what to eat......Camp Kanata is gearing up for GLUTEN FREE WEEK! Camp Kanata is a residential camp for campers ages 6-15 located near Wake Forest, NC. During the week of June 27-July 3, 2010 the camp along with the Gluten Intolerance Group offers a gluten free menu option for campers. What does that mean? Well, a parent can send their child to camp without sending extra food or worrying about explaining special dietary restrictions. It also means that your child can take non-GF friends along because this camp is not limited to just kids with "special food needs". It means that gluten free foods are kid friendly and taste great. Volunteers duplicate the camp's cycle menu and prepare the GF option in a separate cooking area. The campers all eat together, the gluten free kids just go through a different serving line. An example menu from a day at camp includes:

Breakfast: French Toast Sticks, Bacon, Baked Apples,Fresh Fruit,Juice and Milk
Lunch: Beef Patty w/Cheese on Bun, Crinkle Fries and Watermelon
Dinner: BBQ Chicken,Hush Puppies,Green Beans, Parsley Potatoes, Applesauce and Banana Pudding

Afternoon snacks are handed out at the Snack Shack where kids have enjoyed gluten free ice cream cones! Camp Kanata Ia a popular YMCA camp and registration generally fills quickly. We are unable to save designated gluten free spots so if you are considering going to camp we advise registering by the end of February. Note need based scholarships are available through the Gluten Intolerance Group. In addition Camp Kanata is also offering a special with registration before March 1:

We want to make sure your child has an opportunity to enjoy Camp Kanata this summer. We’re accepting applications now, and we’re holding a drawing for a $200 Visa gift card on March 1. Everyone who has registered for Summer 2010 overnight camp at Kanata will be eligible for the drawing.

If you have not already registered, this is a great time to mail, fax or drop off your application. Please write “Registration Giveaway” at the top of the first page. We’re looking forward to camp, and we hope to see you here!

This will be my fourth year with the camp as the volunteer Registered Dietitian. I am happy to answer any questions you may have about the camp experience. Think all this sounds like fun? If you like to cook and see smiling faces consider volunteering with us. You can contact me at debbie.jongkind@gmail.com. You may also contact our amazing camp coordinator Alanna Conder at Conderaac@yahoo.com. See my previous posts on Camp Kanata here.

FYI: Resource for Gluten Free Toddlers

A Durham resident and follower of the GFD blog asked me to share the information pertaining to her blog. Jessie is a mom with a GF toddler, who was diagnosed with Celiac Disease around the age of one. She is sharing helpful tips for toddlers on her blog entitled Gluten Free Toddler. The following descibes the posts from her blog:

Ramblings from a full time working mom struggling to find easy to make and ready made food that is gluten free and healthy for her toddler with Celiac Disease

Jessie, thanks for taking your time to share tips with others!

More Gluten Free Learning Opportunities

January has started off with multiple learning opportunities for those desiring information about the gluten free lifestyle.

1. Celiac Disease: New Diet Options 1/19/2010 presented by Registered Dietitian, Leslie Stanford at the Teer House in Durham. Read details from my earlier post.

2. Gluten Free 101 at Rosie's Plate on 1/23/2010 presented by Zach at Gluten Free Raleigh. Class Description from Rosie's Website includes:

Gluten Free 101 Class
Saturday, January 23, 1 - 3:30 $35
If you've just been diagnosed with celiac or wheat allergies this class is for you. Learn firsthand from someone who's been there. Taught by Zach Becker from the Gluten Free Raleigh Blog, you'll learn how to easily segue into a gluten free lifestyle.
We'll cover practical topics including:

* How to transition your kitchen into a safe gluten free kitchen
* What every gluten free person needs in their pantry
* How to read labels & find hidden ingredients
* Tips on how to eat away from home
* What to watch for with personal care products & medications

We'll also discuss the many resources available including

* GF friendly grocery stores & restaurants
* GF knowledgeable Dieticians
* GF Support Groups
* GF Cookbooks & Magazines

This is a wonderful introduction to living successfully, and happily, without gluten!

3. Gluten Free Cooking Seminar 1/25/2010 presented by Lee Tobin at UNC Wellness Center. A description of the Supper in a Snap Series includes:

Chef and baker Lee Tobin will be presenting Gluten Free Italiano! Lee Tobin has worked as a chef and baker for several hotels and restaurants in Pennsylvania, California, and Canada. Lee moved to Chapel Hill, NC in 1993 where he worked for Whole Foods Market in the bakery and prepared foods departments. After a diagnosis with celiac disease in 1996, Lee began an in store gluten-free baking program to serve the growing number of customers on a gluten-free diet. In 2004 he founded the Whole Foods Market Gluten Free Bakehouse in Morrisville, NC, which provides over 30 products to Whole Foods Market stores across the US and Canada. Lee has spoken and given cooking and baking demonstrations at several regional and national gluten free conferences and events sponsored by the Gluten Intolerance Group, Celiac Sprue association, Gluten Free Expo, Gluten Free Culinary Summit, and Whole Foods Market stores across US.



Lee’s Menu

Grilled polenta appetizer

Herb Focaccia

Caesar salad

Hand made ravioli

Chicken and eggplant parmesan

Tiramisu

10 New Year's Resolutions to Improve Your Gluten Free Lifestyle

1.EAT BREAKFAST: It's still considered the most important meal of the day. There are plenty of gluten free options for breakfast including: eggs, gluten free oats, gluten free cereal,Greek yogurt and fruit, or gluten free meal replacement bars. You can even try a peanut butter and jelly on gluten free waffles.
2.CHOOSE AT LEAST 5 SERVINGS OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES A DAY: These are naturally gluten free and provide,fiber,vitamins and minerals to your diet.
3 EVALUATE THE FIBER CONTENT OF YOUR DIET: The goal for most adults is 25g/day. Make sure to increase your fluids as you increase your fiber!
4.CHOOSE WHOLE GRAINS: At least half of your grain sources should be whole grains. Gluten Free Whole Grains include: popcorn, quinoa, buckwheat,amaranth, millet, montina, brown rice, wild rice, sorghum, and teff.
5.EVALUATE THE FAT CONTENT OF YOUR DIET: Current recommendations suggests avoiding Trans Fats, and limiting total fat intake to 25-30% of your total caloric intake. Saturated fats should be limited to 7-10% of total calories. Translated for someone who consumes around 2000 calories per day that would give them a total fat goal of 56-67 g total fat per day and 16 to 22 g of saturated fat per day.
6.EVALUATE DIET FOR ADEQUATE CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D: The RDI for most adults is 1000mg of Calcium per day. 8 0z. of low fat milk provides 290mg of Calcium. If you follow a dairy free diet, include the following to boost your calcium intake: sesame seeds, spinach, broccoli,kale, collard greens and sardines. You may also like to include calcium fortified orange juice. If your diet is lacking, it is important to consider supplementation.
7.MANAGE YOUR WEIGHT, KNOW YOUR BMI (body mass index)Normal Weight Range is 18.5-24.9. Go to the NIH BMI Calculator to figure your BMI.
8.LIMIT EXCESS REFINED SUGARS: The American Heart Association issued a statement in August 2009 recommending women limit their extra sugars to 6 teaspoons/per day and men to 9 teaspoons/per day. Note a regular 12 oz soda contains about 10 teaspoons!
9. CHOOSE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY DAILY: Invest in a pedometer which will track your steps, aim for 10,000 steps per day which is 5 miles.
10.SMILE: A positive attitude and outlook contributes to a healthy lifestyle!

Rosie's Plate Holiday Tasting and January Classes

If you are out looking at Christmas lights or holiday shopping tomorrow night you may want to stop by Rosie's Plate in Raleigh for their free Holiday Tasting Party:

Rosie's December
Holiday Tasting !
Tomorrow, December 18th
5~7 p.m.
Serving Lots Of Sensational Seasonal Samples...
Hope you can make it!

Rosie's is also offering several January classes that sound helpful and interesting to those following a gluten free diet:

Rosie's Classes...
Begin The New Year With
Health and Wellness!
_______________________________________________

Rosie's GF, Egg and Dairy Free Baking Class
Presented by Emily Ellis, Rosie's Executive Chef
A 2-Part Series $70
Part I: Informational Class
Meet in our studio to learn the basics
of baking gluten, egg and dairy free.
Sat., Jan. 9th 2~3:30 p.m.

Part II: In The Kitchen
Join Emily in our kitchen
to get the hands-on experience you've been waiting for!
Sat., Jan. 23rd 2 ~ 3:30 p.m.
We'll start by discussing how alternative flours work and how to make substitutions. You'll also learn about important stabilizers and natural sugars used in GF baking. Get an up-close demonstration of how to make
your own tasty GF, egg and dairy free baked goods.
And, of course there will be lots of samples to take home!
Only 6 people per class so everyone gets a front row seat!
_________________________________________________________________________

"Healthy Eating and Supplementation For The New Year" Workshop
Presented by Dr. Jennifer Kaumeyer, Naturopathic Physician
Saturday, Jan. 16th 10~12:30 p.m. $35
You don't have to settle for a decreased quality of life. Come learn how to change your habits so that you feel great in the new year!
You'll come away with helpful dietary advice, the low down on food additives,
the ins and outs of supplementation.
Plus... an introduction to Dr. Kaumeyer's
individualized 12 week weight loss program.

And...learn how Rosie's can help!
__________________________________________

Gluten Free 101 Class
Presented by Zach Becker
Saturday, January 23rd 1~3:30 pm, $35
Learn how to easily segue into a GF lifestyle from someone who's been there. Zach Becker of the Gluten Free Raleigh Blog will cover a myriad of topics from how to transition your kitchen and pantry to what resources are out there. This is a wonderful introduction to living successfully, and happily, without gluten!

Sign Up Today! ...Limited seating.
919.833.0505
Rosie's Plate
701 N Person Street
Raleigh, N C 27604
919.833.0505
www.RosiesPlate.com

Does Blue Cheese Have a Place in The Gluten Free Diet. .

During a recent episode of Dr. Oz, Elisabeth Hasselbeck included blue cheese as a source of gluten containing foods. There is conflicting information circulating around on this subject and I wanted to gather the most up to date information I could find to help you decide if you should include blue cheese in your gluten free diet. A search on the web finds variable food lists where blue cheese is listed as safe on some lists and prohibited on others. I contacted Tricia Thompson, MS,RD author of three gluten free books: The Gluten Free Nutrition Guide, Celiac Disease Nutrition Guide and The Complete Idiot's Guide Gluten Free Eating, for her recommendations. Tricia replied:

Hi Debbie,

This is the statement on blue cheese that Melinda Dennis (Nutrition Coordinator of the Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess) and I contributed to and reviewed for Zeer.com (Read my earlier post on Zeer.com here):

Description: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) defines blue cheese as, "characterized by the presence of bluish-green mold, penicillium roquefortii, throughout the cheese." The requirements of the CFR also describe the process by which blue cheese is made. This process begins by placing curds into forms and adding the mold spores of penicillium roquefortii. As the cheese ages the forms are turned and drained. When the draining is complete, the shaped curd is removed and treated with either a dry salt or brine. At this point holes are made in the surface of the curds, and it is kept at a damp and cool temperature until the characteristic blue-green mold has developed. Blue cheese must be aged for at least 60 days.

Blue cheeses include Roquefort, Stilton, Gorgonzola, and Danish Blue and are made from cow's milk, sheep's milk, or goat's milk cheeses that have been injected with mold. The resulting blue veining gives them their distinct flavor. At one time, most blue cheeses were made in caves by injecting the curds with bread mold. Some European blue cheese still may be injected with mold spores grown on bread made with rye flour or a wheat/rye flour mix. Blue cheeses are typically aged in a temperature-controlled environment including most blue cheeses produced in the U.S. today. Most blue cheeses in the U.S. are not started with a bread mold because it is not efficient or economical.

Gluten-Free Information: If blue cheese is produced through mold grown on bread it is still highly unlikely that it would contain significant amounts of gluten (20 ppm or more gluten). Penicillium roqueforti spores should be purified before being injected into cheese. Furthermore, blue cheese is an FDA-regulated food, and under the agency's Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) if a food includes an ingredient (in this case, penicillium roqueforti) that contains wheat protein, wheat must be declared on the label, either in the ingredients list or in the "Contains" statement. If the spores contained protein from rye this would not have to be declared.


Info Last Confirmed: May 8, 2009

Canadian dietitian, Shelley Case, RD, author of Gluten-Free Diet a Comprehensive Resource Guide. Includes a very detailed article on Blue Cheese with current research on her website. This article was written by Alex Anca, MHSc, RD and published in the March, 2009 issue of the Candian Celiac Association Celiac New. As with all information on the gluten free diet I encourage everyone to make sure you are making your decisions on up to date scientific evidence not out dated information.

Teer House Community Education Presents: Celiac Disease: New Diet Options

I had lunch last week with a colleague of mine: Lesley Stanford. Lesley has worked at Duke University as a dietitian for the last 21 years and has staffed the pediatric G.I. clinic for the last 12 years. In fact she was the dietitian that spoke with me while my daughter was undergoing her endoscopy procedure and later diagnosis of Celiac Disease. As part of Duke's community education series, Lesley will be speaking at the Teer House located in Durham. Her talk is entitled Celiac Disease: New Diet Options. Lesley explained that she hopes to make this a practical talk with an exchange of ideas. While Lesley does not have Celiac Disease herself, she has much experience talking to families and children with Celiac Disease and other medical conditions. She has tried several gluten free products and gathers wonderful tips from her patients. This class is FREE and open to the public. The Class will be held Tuesday, January 19, 2010, 6:30-8:00 pm. Registration is required. I know January seems like a long time off but if you want to assure your spot in this class you can register now. For further information, directions and to register click here.

Gluten Free Cooking Videos from Kitchen Therapy

As a member of a group of dietitians specializing in gluten intolerance, I was given the opportunity to trial some cooking videos from Kitchen Therapy. Kitchen Therapy is run by Linda Simon, RD. She is a registered dietitian and a certified personal chef. Her Website, Kitchen Therapy, provides recipes, blogs and cooking videos. I previewed the After School Snacks Video and thought the content and instructions were easy to follow and simple to produce in my own kitchen. Linda's videos do not have a lot of "bells and whistles" but remind me more of my mom trying to teach me how to cook or maybe a class in Home Economics. In addition to cooking instructions, Linda offers sound nutritional information. If you are wondering how to navigate around your kitchen for Thanksgiving, you may be interested in checking out her "My First Thanksgiving and I Made it Myself" video series, which includes 6 gluten free videos. You actually purchase a subscription to the video series for $14.95 which is active for 4 months. For information on purchasing the cooking series click here. Linda is interested in meeting the needs of her clients and has a place for feedback and cooking video request on The Kitchen Therapy website.