Celiac Awareness Month

May is National Celiac Disease Awareness Month. It is a great time to spread the word about celiac disease and gluten intolerance. 

What is Celiac Disease you might ask? Celiac Disease is an auto-immune disorder in which the consumption of foods containing gluten (a form of protein found in some grains e.g. wheat, barley, and rye…) triggers an autoimmune response which damages the small intestine. The damage to the intestine makes it hard for the body to absorb nutrients from food, especially fat, calcium, iron, and folic acid, leading to malnutrition and a variety of other problems such as diarrhea, weight loss, and weakness, that those with celiac disease are all to familiar with.

In the United States, the exact number of people who have Celiac Disease is unknown. Recent screening tests have shown that as many as 1 in every 133 people, or 3 million people in the U.S. alone, may have the disease. Suporting research shows that an additional 17 million Americans are "gluten sensitive." Many of those people are undiagnosed or misdiagnosed with other conditions that have similar symptoms. The only cure for celiac disease is to follow a gluten free diet. 

There are many websites with a wealth of information about celiac disease. Here are a few for you to check out if you would like more information on celiac disease. 

http://www.celiac.com/

http://csaceliacs.org/

http://www.celiaccentral.org/

http://celiac.org/

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/

Looking for a ideas for spreading the awareness about celiac disease? Here are a few for you to choose from:

• Try out a new restaurant where they have a special gluten free menu or where you have heard they are responsive to special dietary needs. A few of my favorites are; Outback Steakhouse - http://www.outback.com/menu/pdf/glutenfree.pdf, Chili's - http://www.brinker.com/gr/allergens/Chilis%20Allergen.PDF, Old Spaghetti Factory - http://www.osf.com/menu/gluten-free-menu.html, Olive Garden - http://www.olivegarden.com/menus/gluten_free/, and the Melting Pot - http://www.meltingpot.com/our-menu/gluten-free-menu.aspx. Be sure to check out their menus before you go and always talk to your server about any allergies and intolerances that you may have. 

• Bring your favorite gluten free treats to your work to share with co-workers. Share with others just how delicious gluten free can be! Here are a few of my favorite treats you can try: Super Yummy Cinnamon Rolls, Divinely Rich Mocha Chocolate Cake, and Yummy Chocolate Chip Cookies. Or if you don't have time to bake something from scratch, try out one of my favorite packaged mixes from The Cravings Place. Their delicious all natural baking mixes include; Ooey Gooey Chocolatey Chewy Brownie Mix, Chocolate Chunk Cookie Mix, Double Chocolate Chunk Cookie and Muffin Mix, Peanut Butter Cookie Mix (does NOT contain peanuts, tree nuts or nuts of any kind!), Raisin Spice Cookie and Cake Mix, Cinnamon Crumble Coffeecake Mix, and Dutch Chocolate Cake Mix. All of these baking mixes are gluten, wheat, nut, dairy, and egg free.

• Host a gluten free party with your friends and family and only serve gluten free foods and beverages. One idea is to have a gluten free beer taste testing party. Taste test different brands of gluten free beer served along with some of your favorite gluten free appetizers. Some gluten free beers to look for and try are; Redbridge Beer, Bard's Tale Beer, New Grist Beer, Spreecher Brewery- Mbege and Shakparo Beers, Schnitzerbrau Gluten-Free Beer, New Planet Beer, Green's Gluten-Free Beer, St. Peter's Gluten Free Beer, Estrella Damm Daura, and Ramapo Valley Honey Beer. Bon appetit! 

What are some of your ideas for spreading the awareness about celiac disease during celiac awareness month?

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 2:58 PM 0 comments

La Casa del Mojito

La Casa del Mojito in Seattle is pretty much a yellow triangle shaped “hole-in-the-wall”. But who can beat a place with bongo and conga drums tucked in the corner while waiting for their food?  Not to mention the food was fantastic!  If any of you have read about my arepa obsession in my previous blog posts, then you know how much I like my arepas! I found La Casa del Mojito online after searching for a good arepa place in the Seattle area. And although they didn’t have arepas after all (they may have them at a different time than we were there), I was happy we found our way there anyway! I’d classify La Casa as a Latin American (Cuban/Venezuelan) restaurant.

As soon as we walked in, Luam Werson, La Casa’s co-owner and at times cook, welcomed us. He was energetic, welcoming, and full of life. I ordered the Pabellon, a traditional Venezuelan dish with shredded beef, red peppers, and onions served with rice, black beans, and fried sweet plantains. What sounds better than that? It was delicious! And the best part, completely safe for me to eat, no gluten, dairy, eggs, nor soy!

If you are in the Seattle area, I highly recommend making your way over to La Casa del Mojito. It is worth the trip just for the food, plus the atmosphere is amazing! And if you are there around dinnertime, try a mojito; it’s got to be good!

7545 Lake City Way NE, Seattle WA 98115, (206)525-3162

www.lacasadelmojito.com

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 12:00 PM 0 comments

Old Wives' Tales

I was recently in Portland, Oregon and stopped by Old Wives’ Tales for lunch. Old Wives’ Tales is a popular restaurant in Portland that just happens to be 90-percent gluten free!  Not only are their items gluten free, but many are also dairy and soy-free as well... oh ya, and vegan friendly!  There are so many choices to choose from. The servers are very helpful at figuring out what is in everything to make sure it is safe for you!  I had the Greek Melt. It’s an open-faced sandwich with feta, fresh tomato, mushrooms, sweet peppers, onion, artichoke hearts, Greek olives, and Greek herbs. Instead of the feta cheese, I substituted Daiya cheese instead!  There is a delicious gluten-free bread option for all of their sandwiches. The bread is made by Kinnikinnick Foods.*    The sandwich was so yummy! I couldn’t resist getting one of their desserts while I was there. I got the gluten-free coconut, almond brownie with a scoop of Coconut Bliss-Chocolate Hazelnut ice cream! Delicious! If you are ever in the Portland, Oregon area, stop by Old Wives’ Tales; I promise you won’t be disappointed!

***  Disclaimer, I do believe, after looking into it, the bread by Kinnikinnick Foods does contain eggs. So if you are egg intolerant, it may not be an option for you. Check it out for yourself at http://consumer.kinnikinnick.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.home/productcategoryid/1#

Old Wives’ Tales

1300 East Burnside, Portland, OR 97214, 503-238-0470

http://oldwivestalesrestaurant.com/

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 8:42 PM 0 comments

My Arepas Obsession!

My fascination (my husband calls it obsession) with Venezuelan food started last winter in New York when my husband and I met a friend at El Cocotero. I had an Arepa and honestly, I have been craving one ever since! What is an Arepa?  Well, it was described to me kind of like an American hot pocket.  Made out of cooked cornmeal a pinch of salt and water then stuffed with any kind of yummy goodness you would like. Check out my homemade arepa recipe blog post to make your own homemade arepas!

Pica Pica Maize Kitchen in San Francisco

While in San Francisco, my husband and I stopped to eat at this little Venezuelan restaurant called Pica Pica Maize Kitchen. I had found it online before we left for our trip and decided I wanted to stop in. At Pica Pica Maize Kitchen the main ingredient in all their foods is corn. The entire menu and kitchen is 100% wheat and gluten free. To someone who is gluten sensitive, that has a wonderful ring to it!  You simply pick your maize bread and then choose a filling. For your bread you can choose from an Arepa, Maize’Wich or a Cachapa. Then you have 10 wonderful choices of yummy fillings. 

I had the Arepa with #6-Catira (sautéed chicken in their signature sofrito, with cheddar cheese) without the cheddar cheese of course. 

My husband had the Arepa with #7-Pernil (pulled pork, sliced tomatoes, avocado, aioli) and he added my cheese. Both were very delicious! If you are in the San Francisco area stop by and try Pica Pica Maize Kitchen, who can resist dinning at a place who has a 100% gluten free kitchen?

 

Pica Pica Maize Kitchen, 401 Valencia Street @ 15^th, San Francisco, CA 94103, 415-400-5453.

Pica Pica Maize Kitchen, Oxbow Public Market, 610 First Street, #5, Napa, CA 94559, 707-251-3757.

El Cocotero, 228 W. 18^th St. #1, New York, NY 10011

Mil Jugos in Santa Ana, California

Another Venezuelan restaurant I found online was Mil Jugos in Santa Ana, California. I didn’t have time to sit and eat in the actual restaurant itself and I didn’t get a chance to snap any pictures of the restaurant or the food and I really wish I did, because the arepas were to die for!  They really were fantastic and you can’t beat the price!  I ran in to order two arepas to go while my husband waited in the car. I got the pollo arepas, (shredded chicken breast cooked with garlic, tomatoes, onions, salt and pepper). They were literally done in a matter of seconds and were served hot with their green sauce* on the side, all for only $3.50 a piece!  They were delicious!  My only disappointment was I didn’t get to go back for more!  If you are in the Santa Ana area, I highly recommend stopping by Mil Jugos and trying some of their yummy arepas!

*A side note on their green sauce, I believe it does contain mayo so I did not try it but I hear it is fantastic and really adds to the taste of the arepa, so if you can handle mayo go for some green sauce, but if not make sure to avoid it! They did put mine on the side in its own container but I got my order to go. It’s always safer to ask for it on the side to give to a friend or not at all if you cannot have mayo!

Mil Jugos, 318 W. 5^th Street, Santa Ana, California 92725, 714-836-4601.

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 5:39 PM 0 comments

My trip to BabyCakes NYC™

Last December my husband and I had the wonderful chance to travel to New York City for the holidays.  It was my first trip to NYC and of course BabyCakes NYC ™was at the top of my list of must-go-to places.  BabyCakes NYC™ is a blissful bakery founded by Erin McKenna. Most baked goodies at BabyCakes NYC™ are wheat, gluten, dairy and casein, egg free as well as refined-sugar free!  The people there were wonderful and very helpful. I told them my allergies and they showed me all of the yummy options I could choose from. There were so many things that looked so good it was hard just to pick a few! I sampled a few goodies while there and packed the rest to go with me, a vanilla cupcake, chocolate chip with vanilla filling cookie sandwich, brownie bites and cinnamon and sugar toasties, and they all tasted so very YUMMY! 

If you live in the New York City area or are going to be visiting I highly recommend stopping by BabyCakes NYC™.  Everything there is so good and you wont have to worry if what you are getting is really allergen free. BabyCakes NYC™ also recently opened up a bakery in Los Angeles for everyone in the LA area!

If you are not in either the NYC or Los Angeles area like myself, there is also a BabyCakes NYC™ cookbook available. It has many of the recipes for the same yummy goodies you find at the bakeries with easy to follow directions.  It was one of the first allergen free dessert cookbooks that I bought and I have used it time after time.  My favorite recipe is the brownies but all of them are blissful!

BabyCakes NYC™ Locations

New York City, NY

248 Broome Street (between Orchard & Ludlow)
 New York City, NY 10002

Downtown Los Angeles, CA

130 East 6th Street (between S. Main Street and S. Los Angeles Street)

http://www.babycakesnyc.com/

posted by Allergy Free and Cheap Like Me! at 7:05 PM 1 comments