Great Gluten Free Selections at Trader Joe's

Every Sunday after church, we head over to Trader Joe's to do our food shopping. A gluten free diet can become very expensive. Thankfully, Trader Joe's has some great products that are reasonably priced.

Gluten Free French Rolls
Gluten Free English Muffins
Gluten Free Waffles
Gluten Free Bagels
Gluten Free Ginger Snaps

Each of this is priced between $2-$3. I suggest that you buy a few of each item since they sell out fast!

Against the Grain Gourmet Baguettes

I visited my sister for dinner last week and she was wondering what to cook me for dinner. I said I'd be happy with the appetizers and a salad because I wasn't in the mood for anything special. When I arrived at her house, my sister then showed me a gluten free bread that she picked up at a store called Fairway in Bergen County, NJ. I was excited because it was a baguette bread that you heat up in the oven. I had not had baguettes in 5 years.

I was about to butter the bread when it came of the oven. I looked over the table and saw a mozzarella, tomato and basil appetizer. I decided to make myself a sandwich! I layered the mozzarella, etc. and topped it with the salad my sister had prepared. It was pure heaven to enjoy a real sandwich that wasn't on cardboard tasting bread. I usually avoid yeast but I felt that I deserved to reward myself!

My sister showed up for Sunday dinner with more of the bread. My daughter and I buttered it and dunked it in our "Sunday gravy". There is life after going gluten free after all.

check out http://www.againstthegraingourmet.com/ for more details

Nizza Restaurant in NYC

On my way to church last week, I had the sudden urge to hop on a bus into NYC and go to my favorite restaurant. I looked in the rear view mirror and said "How about if we skip church today and go for a gluten free lunch". My son responded "no thanks, I'd rather go to church or stay home". My daughter quickly responded , "Let's go!". I said a quick prayer and asked God to forgive me for my impulsiveness. I figured that God would be okay with me skipping church since I had just attended on Christmas Eve a few days earlier. Once I cleared my conscience, I made a U turn in the middle of the road, headed home and called the bus company. "What time is your next bus?" I asked the NJ Transit Operator. "The next bus leaves at 11:42!". she replied. I looked at my Blackberry and the time was 11:40. The bus stop was about a mile away. I screamed for my daughter to hurry. We jumped into the car and parked on a side street. We ran to the bus stop and there was a man standing there already. He saw the look of anticipation in my eyes and said "the bus is late, you are okay". "Yippee!" I replied.

The bus took about 45 minutes to get into the city. Once we arrived in the city, we walked around Times Square for a bit and then headed over to 44th and 9th to visit Nizza Restaurant. The entrance to Nizza feels like a glass fun house maize. Once we figured out which door actually opened, we entered the restaurant. We were brought to a cozy booth along the back wall. With great pride, I stated "We'll both need to see the gluten free menus!". Instead of looking at me as though I were a martian, the host said "of course".

We felt indescribable joy to hold gluten free menus in our hands. My daughter and I analyzed every item as we tried to choose what to order. As we pondered, the waiter brought over a bread basket. My instinct was to waive my hand and tell him that we could not eat bread. The waiter realized what I was doing and said "Oh, these fresh bread sticks are gluten free". "Are you serious?" I asked. "Yes..... enjoy!" he replied. We devoured the breadsticks in about 3 minutes. The entire time I kept telling myself "these can't be gluten free but I'll worry about that later". They were warm, toasty and irresistable.

We finally decided what to order after we finished stuffing our faces with breadsticks. I chose the arugula salad and fettucini with pesto. My daughter chose the Margherita pizza. The arugula salad was a generous portion with fresh grated parmigiano cheese. It was delicious and satisfying. I was full but I didn't travel to NYC to eat a salad. My pesto dish was superb. The pesto sauce was very fresh and it was a delight to eat gluten free fettucini. The Margherita pizza was made with cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil. Although my daughter was full from the breadsticks, she was thrilled to enjoy pizza without any worries.

The entire dining experience was simply wonderful. No embarrassment, no anxiety and no fear of having the chef reject your special food requests. At Nizza, gluten free dining happens every day and they actually go out of their way to make you feel special! After a delicious sorbet dessert, we headed back to Port Authority. We had to wait in line 45 minutes for the bus and then the ride home took over an hour due to traffic. You may wonder, was the commute worth it? Absolutely.

Nizza also has a regular menu. For more info, please visit www.nizzanyc.com/

Lundberg Brown Rice Crisps

Try Lundberg Brown Rice Crisps. They are very crispy and taste great alone or with a variety of toppings (hummus, salsa, guacamole, goat cheese, etc.) They come in many different flavors. I like Sea Salt, Wasabi and Pico de Gallo.

Choco Perfection European Dark Chocolate Bars

The Choco Perfect dark chocolate bars are delicious. I have a couple of squares every day. Dark chocolate is a good source for anti-oxidants and this bar contains 60% Cocoa. What I like the most about these bars is that they are sugar free and loaded with fiber (14 grams per bar).

I would not recommend devouring a bar right away but rather start with one square a day. The reason is that this bar is sweetend with Erythitol. It is a natural sweetener that can cause some bloating/gas if taken in excess. I personally did not have any problems with the Erythitol.

Also, I did not like the Raspberry Chocolate. These bars can be found at Nature's Pavillion in Pompton Plains. I also found then on a website called www.netrition.com. This site charged me twice but then reversed it 2 days later. I don't recommend using a debit card for orders through that site!

Glutino Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is a good gluten free chocolate chip cookie made with semi-sweet chips. They can be found @ www.glutenfreemall.com. Make sure you buy a bag that has not been crushed as the cookies do crumble too much.

Baby Cakes Bakery

You have to visit Baby Cakes Bakery located @ 248 Broom Street in NYC. They have a large selection of gluten free baked goods that taste like "the real thing". We tried a few products and our favorites were the cookies and banana bread. I had to keep asking if the banana bread truly was gluten free because it tasted THAT good. The banana bread was moist and tasty with a fresh banana flavor. What I like most about Baby Cakes is that they primary use agave nectar in their baked goods instead of sugar. Baby Cakes also ships baked goods! You can call them at 212-677-5047. Please tell them you found them on Gluten Free Mary!

Amy's Gluten Free Pizzas

Amy's Gluten free pizzas actually taste very good. As an Italian girl, I like to give my a little extra seasoning by drizzling with some olive oil, adding some more fresh basil and other toppings such as olives.

Amy's introduced a personal size gluten free and dairy free pizza which is perfect for my asthmatic daughter. She has eaten 3 in 10 days!

Be careful when you select our pizza's at the grocer's freezer as Amy's also makes regular pizzas. Make sure it says "gluten free". Enjoy and don't forget to come back on the blog and tell me how you liked the pizza!

Amuy

Ian's Chicken Nuggets

My kids love the Ian's Chicken Nuggets. They are free of just about everything including gluten, soy, dairy, peanuts and many other allergens. It is hard for a child to go gluten free and it's great that Ian's offers this alternative to breaded chicken nuggets. Ian's has a full line of gluten and other allergy friendly products. I found the Ian's Chicken Nuggets at Nature's Pavillion in Pompton Plains.

Living Without Magazine

Check out the Oct/Nov 2009 Living Without Magazine for more articles on the link between Autism and Celiac disease! Incredible information that you will want to share with anyone that has a child with autism.

Tax Deductions for Gluten Free Purchases

Did you know that Gluten Free food may be a tax deduction! Yippee is all I have to say!

-Any food that costs in excess (which is everything gluten free) of the food you are replacing can be used a deduction. The deduction is the difference between the regular cost and the GF replacement item. I haven't even ventured into figuring this out and plan to dedicate a day of my life to this task.

-The full cost of certain GF items are deductible if they are special items needed for a GF diet.

- Special trips to the store (I take them all the time) may result in a deduction for the cost of your trip. California, here I come!

-I suggest you get a doctor's letter stating that you have Celiac disease or gluten intolerance in case you are audited.
-I am not a tax expert by any means and this is not meant as tax advice. With that being said, please read my disclaimer below.

Disclaimer:
CONTACT YOUR ACCOUNTING PROFESSIONAL FOR FULL DETAILS ON THESE AND OTHER TAX DEDUCTIONS. THIS BLOG IS NOT MEANT TO ADVISE ON TAX DEDUCTIONS BUT TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT ONE MAY EXIST.

ADD,ADHD and Autism Symptoms and Gluten

ADD/ADHD
If your child is having difficult concentrating or with hyperactivity and you suspect ADD/ADHD, then you may want to try a gluten free diet. You do not have to suffer from Celiac disease to have a sensitivity to gluten! Many with gluten sensitivity suffer with loss of focus, disorganization, mood swings, depression, anxiety, hyperactivity and even asthma. As one with Celiac disease, I can tell you that I was an emotional mess prior to going gluten free. I truly believe I suffered from undiagnosed ADD as a child.

Why not try a gluten free diet? There are so many delicious alternative foods made without gluten and I promise to keep you informed of my favorites. Of course, see your doctor for consultation before starting any dietary program.

Please visit the following link for more information. The Gluten Free Mall has an outstanding selection of gluten free products as well. I also recommend subcribing to 'Living Without" magazine for more articles on the link betwee ADD/ADHD and diet.

http://www.glutenfreemall.com/catalog/attentiondeficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd-food-allergy-a-19.html

Here is a blog from a mom with a child that had ADD.

http://adhdcured.com/blog/?p=4

AUTISM
Autism has also been linked to gluten intolerance. I read in "Living Without" magazine that children on a gluten free and casein free diet show improvement.!! You can learn more about this from visiting http://www.autismndi.com/ (Autism Network for Dietary Intervention).

Check out the following site for more detailed info on diet and autism. This is also a great on line store for gluten free food! See your doctor before starting a new dietary program.

http://www.glutensolutions.com/autism.htm

Jenny McCarthy wrote a book called "Louder Than Words" about her personal struggle with her son's autism and how dietary intervention made a difference.
http://www.amazon.com/Louder-Than-Words-Mothers-Journey/dp/0525950117

Pamela's Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pamela's Chunky Chocolate Chip Cookies are gluten free and non-dairy. The cookies are a good size and they have large chocolate chunks. These are one of the better gluten free cookies you will ever eat. My kids love them. They are about $4.50-$5.00 a box and the cookies will be eaten within 24 hours!

Organicville Gluten Free Ketchup

Organicville has a great gluten free ketchup that my entire family enjoys. I am "sugar free" and I like this ketchup because it is made with Agave Nector. The ketchup is natural and tastes so much better than the toxic kind that I won't mention!

Trader Joe's Gluten Free Brownies

Wow, these are delicious and they are a great value. About $2.00 for a bag that makes a full batch of brownies. We like to add semi sweet chocolate chips to our brownies. These are also dairy free as well.

Amy's Gluten Free and Dairy Free Pizza

Amy's introduced a personal size gluten free and dairy free pizza. My 13 year old daughter was my taste tester for this product. She loved it and ate the entire pizza! You can spruce it up by adding a little more olive oil and soy cheese but otherwise it is a good alternative for Celiacs. Amy's products are available at most Whole Foods Stores. I found Amy's at Nature's Pavillion on Route 23 in Pompton Plains.

Roasted Rosemary Garlic Potatoes Recipe

I make this recipe with either the baby potatoes from Trader Joes or baby redskin potatoes from any supermarket.

2 pounds of potatoes
4-5 cloves of garlic
4 sprigs for Rosemary
1 tablespoon (or more) of soy garden (or butter if you prefer)
olive oil

Wash the potatoes and put them in a roasting pan.
Crush 4-5 cloves of garlic and put the garlic over the potatoes
Add the soy garden or butter
Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper and sea salt
Add Rosemary
Cover the potatoes with about 1/3 cup of olive oil (enough to cover potatoes)
Mix everything together so the potatoes are all covered with the seasoning

Heat oven to 400 and cook uncovered for about 45 minutes or until potatoes are soft
Turn the potatoes every 15 minutes

I serve this with Pork Loin and string beans for my carnivorous family. I usually make myself a salad or soup when I make these potatoes.

Gluten Free Mall Discount Code

Try discount code dab7fc at www.glutenfreemall.com for a 10% discount in October!

Think Thin Bars Gluten Free and Sugar Free

I have been enjoying Think Thin high protein, gluten/sugar free bars for about two years. They have a good flavor and make a satisfying snack or meal replacement. I usually carry them in my purse for when my blood sugar drops. As one with Celiac disease and hypoglycemia, I can't count on being able to find a safe food when I need to eat. The bars come in several flavors (Chocolate Fudge, White Chocolate Chip, Brownie Crunch, Creamy Peanut Butter). My favorite is Chocolate Fudge. Think thin has several other lines of bars and some are made with fruit and nuts. Check the label if you are concerned about sugar. I order my bars online at Amazon.com but these bars can also be found at Trader Joes, Nature's Pavillion in Pompton Plains, Natural Foods in Toms River and Whole Foods. Sometimes Amazon.com runs specials with free shipping when you purchase the bars in bulk.