Category: Gluten-Free Living

Surviving Holiday Gifts and Treats

Sitting on the island in my kitchen is a box filled with homemade traditional cookies. By traditional, I mean wheat flour-based. I can’t eat them. Next to the box of cookies is a bag of store-bought cookies my in-laws picked up and brought to Thanksgiving dinner. I can’t eat them…though I think, I hope!, I’ve finally made progress in helping the in-laws understand what it means to be gluten-free.

I got the first cookies via a fundraiser at the office. When I was hit up for the donation, my co-worker frowned as she scanned the list, noting, “You can’t eat any of this stuff.” True, but my book club can, so I cheerfully made the donation, knowing I’d be serving those cookies at our upcoming meeting. The store-bought cookies will probably suffer the same fate. Sitting safely in their containers, those cookies won’t hurt me at all. Continue reading “Surviving Holiday Gifts and Treats”

Sushi, the Gluten-Free Way

I could have sushi multiple times a week (and, confession!, sometimes I do). It’s flavorful, creative, and satisfying without being heavy. Sushi is also a great meal for sharing — the small, bite-sized items, ordered in small portions, allow you get a variety of items. And, thankfully, sushi is great option for gluten-free dining. Continue reading “Sushi, the Gluten-Free Way”

Specialized Gluten-Free Foods: Expensive or Important

I’ve just spent about an hour reading comments from people about the price and quality of specialized gluten-free foods. Oh yes, they are indeed far more expensive than their non-GF brethren! And, especially when you first go gluten-free, nowhere as tasty as the foods they are mimicking.

Yet, we, the gluten-free community, keep trying to make GF foods that taste just as good as “real” foods. I am of two minds on this point. One, of course, is that sometimes I really do want a grilled cheese sandwich. This means reaching into my frozen stash of Udi’s Whole Grain GF bread.

But mostly, I don’t think too much about what I can’t have — as it turns out, during the years before I went gluten-free, I gravitated almost instinctively toward “safe” foods. Not always successfully, but I found my cravings were for those foods that left me feeling good after a meal.

Continue reading “Specialized Gluten-Free Foods: Expensive or Important”

Gluten-Free Travel: Catalina Island

Our first trip to Catalina Island after I went gluten-free was not the stuff of legend. What with this, that, and the other, I basically lived on nachos for three days. My stomach was not amused. Neither was my waistline.

This past weekend, we went back for our usual long walks, zip lining (I’m an addict), and reading on the beach. Oh, and eating. This trip, I was determined to eat well. And while I didn’t rule out nachos, I’m proud to say I managed the four-day trip with nary a cheesy chip passing my lips.

Sigh. Now. Craving. Nachos.

I digress. Avalon, Catalina’s main town, is known for tourist food. By boat, it’s about an hour from Los Angeles (and the boat ride is free on your birthday!), so it’s popular with families who want to get away for a short period of time and tourists to the region. This mix of people means a lot of the food tends toward, well, gluten-filled. Pancakes are very popular.

However, if you put a bit of effort into your dining choices, you’ll discover lots of great gluten-free meals in Avalon. None of the restaurants mentioned is dedicated to gluten-free cooking, so there is a chance of cross-contamination. I am happy to say I had zero problems with anything I ate, and didn’t need to dip into the food stash I brought on the trip. With one exception that I’ll mention in a moment. Continue reading “Gluten-Free Travel: Catalina Island”

Accommodating Gluten-Free Guests at Parties and Gatherings

As a gluten-free guest, I always try to be considerate of the challenges faced by a party host. I host a lot of barbecues, impromptu feeds, and parties. Feeding a group of people isn’t easy, especially if you’re doing cooking, tending bar, and mingling at the same time. I never go to someone else’s house expecting the menu to cater to my dietary restrictions…and I’m always thrilled when the host makes an effort for me.

One thing I do at my parties is create a diverse menu to accommodate the various diets of my friends. I doubt most people realize that everything they eat at my house is completely gluten-free. In addition to gluten-free friends, we know vegetarians, vegans, people with lactose intolerance, people who only eat meat, diabetics, and chocoholics (man, talk about a tough group to please!). I like to make sure there is something for everybody on the table. It’s a challenge sometimes, but it’s also fun for me. Especially since I often accommodate several dietary restrictions in a single dish.

For those who are hosting gluten-free guests, there are many easy ways to feed your gluten-free without investing a lot of time and money into special foods. Yes, being gluten-free on a full-time basis requires a lot of effort, but trust me when I say your efforts, big or small, will be greatly appreciated. Continue reading “Accommodating Gluten-Free Guests at Parties and Gatherings”

Welcome to Glutenfreeliac

Hi, I’m Kassia, and I want to thank you for subscribing to the Glutenfreeliac.com mailing list. Every week, I explore topics related to living a healthy and fulfilling gluten-free life, including gluten-free ingredient crushes that I hope you’ll love too, and I always welcome your thoughts and ideas about what I have to say (or things you’d like me to dig into…especially if it’s something super-tasty!). Continue reading “Welcome to Glutenfreeliac”

Gluten-Free Travel: Milan, Italy

Like every gluten-free person, I think a lot about food. And when it comes to travel, food looms large in my planning — both during the trip and when I arrive at my destination. And when that travel involved a business trip to Milan, Italy, well, my “What am I going to to eat?” radar went wild.

It wasn’t hard to worry; Italy is the land of pizza, panini, and pasta. Plus, well, my Italian is less-than-fluent.

Initial research suggested I was worrying for nothing. Apparently, Italy, as a whole, is very aware of issues for people with celiac disease and/or gluten intolerance. Children are tested for celiac at a young age, and GF foods are widely available. Continue reading “Gluten-Free Travel: Milan, Italy”