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.

FDA reopens comment period on Gluten Free Labeling

I listened to a very informative conference call from FDA discussing the current status of Gluten Free Labeling and the reopening of the comment period on the Gluten Free Labeling of foods today. The comment period is set to reopen August 3, 2011 and remain open for 60 days. The federal registry notice is available to the public, those with Celiac Disease, gluten sensitvity, care givers and health care professionals to comment on the proposed definition of Gluten Free. The current proposal is to identify gluten free as foods that measure less than 20ppm (parts per million)and supported by most health care professionals as safe for those with Celiac Disease. This is the lowest level of detectable gluten that is measurable at this time. Be mindful that all gluten free labeling is voluntary and currently is not regulated at this time. If you would like to read more about this update and gluten free labeling see the FDA News Release.
Questions and Answers Regarding Gluten Free Labeling of Foods.
If you would like to make a comment on gluten free labeling click here
What to comment on?? Your thoughts on uniform labeling, scientific information, food shopping experience, concerns about cross contamination of products, etc.

Final ruling is now expected to be by the third quarter of 2012.

Zen Cat Bakery back in Durham

I was contacted by Angie, owner of Zen Cat Bakery and asked to let readers know she will be back in Durham on Sunday July 31 12-5 at the Motorco's Marketplace in Durham (MotorCo Music Hall, 723 Rigsbee Ave, Durham).Directions to the market are on the MotorCo website. She features gluten free and vegan baked goods. See my earlier June post about this Greensboro bakery,here.

MEZ Contemporary Mexican, Restaurant Review

MEZ Contemporary Mexican Restaurant offers a gluten free lunch and dinner menu! This a favorite spot for busy lunch time traffic and a fun place to meet for dinner. Mez is located on Page Road in Durham, so very convenient from various RTP sites. A creature of habit, I have enjoyed the chicken soft tacos for lunch several times. Their food is very fresh tasting, not your typical fast food Mexican fare. They make their own guacamole on site and my server offered to bring me toasted corn tortillas to use for dipping. Their corn chips are not listed on the gluten free menu. I have been told by two different wait staff that the chips are gluten free but they are fried with gluten containing items, so if one is really sensitive to gluten they should be avoided. If you are thinking of trying MEZ out for lunch, I recommend you call ahead for reservations,919-941-IMEZ (1630) as they get really crowded during typical lunch hours. You can also go to their website and make a reservation through the Open Table link. Each visit my server has been very accommodating and quickly brought our meals and check so that we were able to head back to work in a timely fashion.

MEZ
5410 Page Road
Durham, NC 27703

Lunch M-F: 11-4
Dinner M-F: 4-9:30/10:00; Sat/Sun: 5-10:00/9:30

Gluten Free Rice Krispies Arrive

SNAP! CRACKLE! POP! I had read about Kellog's releasing their GF Rice Krispies a few months ago. Yesterday I found them at the Kroger on Hillsborough Road in Durham. Beware, regular Rice Krispies are still on the market and still contain malt, so be sure to look for the Gluten Free option. The ingredients include: whole grain brown rice, sugar, salt, and BHT for freshness. Fortified with the following vitamins and minerals: iron, Vitamins C, E, A, D, B6, B2, B1, B12, and folic acid. A low sugar cereal choice, there is less than 1 gram of sugar per 1 cup serving. According to their website: kellog's Rice Krispies are produced in a gluten free facility and each batch is tested to ensure it's gluten free status.

Of course I had to grab some marshmallows too so we could make Rice Krispie treats for the Fourth of July. See picture of my red and blue treats. This made my family happy.

The box of cereal cost around $4.39, not cheap. The good thing is Kellogs offers lots of coupons for cereal, so this can bring the cost per box down to a more affordable price. I checked the price for bulk ordering on Amazon grocery which listed the cereal at 4 boxes for $15.90, so not that much of a savings there.

So whether you like your Rice Krispies in a bowl with milk or made into a bar, it is nice to have a gluten free option readily available.

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.

Zen Cat Bakery visits Durham

I was contacted by Angie Kenny,owner of Zen Cat Bakery, who asked me to share some news with Durham readers. Zen Cat Bakery is a gluten-free and vegan bakery in Greensboro, NC that opened in early 2010 as a wholesale bakery. They send GF and vegan goodies to local markets, cafes and coffee shops. The bakery also completes special orders, and just opened an Etsy online/mail order storefront. Shelby, over at Gluten Free Greensboro wrote about this bakery in a post dated August 8, 2010.

Zen Cat Bakery will make its debut in Durham Sunday, June 12, at Motorco's Marketplace in Durham (MotorCo Music Hall, 723 Rigsbee Ave, Durham). They will have a booth from 12 - 5pm. This "handmade market" just started a few weeks ago.

I asked Angie about the ingredients and preparation of her products and this is her response:

Zen Cat Bakery produces only gluten-free and vegan products, and its noted on my website that I currently bake in a facility (catering kitchen) that is not gluten-free. However, I do not work at the same time with this other business, and Zen Cat bakery has its own mixing/ baking equipment. This year I am planning to move into a dedicated kitchen that is completely gluten-free.

To read more about the bakery you can visit the Zen Cat website.

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.

Durham Man who sold "gluten free bread" goes to prison!

Because Zach over at GF Raleigh has done such an awesome job covering this story I want to point readers over to the GF Raleigh page for all the details of this amazing story. This is a huge verdict for those of us suffering with Celiac disease and trying to navigate a gluten free diet safely. Hajo's blog at Custom Choice Cereal has also done a nice job of writing up the events in this story. To see the News and Observer's article from April 12, 2011 click here.

Gluten Free Food Labeling Summit

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It is estimated that 21 million Americans suffer from Celiac disease or gluten intolerance. Yet, the FDA has continued to drag it's feet in implementing the standards for gluten free labeling. This labeling is part of the 2004 Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA).

FALCPA requires FDA to issue a proposed rule that will define and permit the voluntary use of the term "gluten free" on the labeling of foods by August 2006 and a final rule no later than August 2008.

Some leaders in the gluten free community are teaming up to create a news worthy event in Washington DC during May which is Celiac Awareness Month. On May 4th baking guru Jules Shepard,and others will present a 12 foot gluten free, dairy free cake at a reception for federal law makers, gluten free food manufacturers, members of the gluten free community and the media.

So how can you get involved? Sign a petition, donate money, write a letter to the FDA,or travel to Washington DC. For more information and details you can access the
"1 in 133 site".