Places to go! Things to do! But… Where?

           Many stores are adjusting their aisle organization and product selection to meet the growing demand from gluten free consumers. Be they regular foodies trying out the gluten free diet, or people with true gluten intolerance or celiac disease, now is the best time to be gluten free, if only because there are finally so many gluten free products out there! Who doesn’t like to experiment with their food, right foodies? Big name companies are finally producing gluten free products, flours and mixes that are being sold at every day grocery stores, not just specialty shops.

                 

            But now there’s a problem foodies; where do you go? Which store will carry all your go to products and serve your needs? Which place has the best selection?

My answer is Whole Foods.

               

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            It’s true, Whole Foods is still generally considered a specialty shop; with their organic selection, extensive supplement aisle, vegan and raw diet deli selections they aren’t usually considered as a go-to everyday market. Especially not since many of these holistically grown veggies carry a hefty price tag to match their wholesome goodness. For gluten-free goodies however, Whole Foods is the best one stop shop around.

                  

Although grocery stores like Nugget (in Northern California mainly), Safeway, and even Costco are beginning to expand their gluten free offerings to include breads, pancake and cake mixes, snacks, granola bars, and sweets, there are many things which they can’t provide. Gluten intolerance can often be linked to many other intolerances and symptoms, which may lead to an even more specialized diet for some gluten free foodies. Whole Foods offers many types of gluten free foods, including foods which do not contain many of the main allergens and even vegan gluten free foods.

Though these stores are beginning to adapt to the growing gluten free market, they haven’t quite expanded their offerings enough to supplement many more specialized diets. Adding on to that the fact that many of the people that are developing gluten intolerances are now children as well as adults and adolescents; the growing kid-friendly gluten free demand is hard to meet. Many foods that are gluten free don’t have quite the same appeal, taste, texture, or color as more popular and widely accessible gluten containing versions. Cookies are often harder or crunchier in texture, brand-name gluten free Oreos don’t exist yet, and gluten-free graham crackers, while delicious and often spot on for flavor, are far thicker and denser than their counterparts by necessity.

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When it comes to gluten free foods—snacks, mixes, and most especially kid-friendly gluten free foods—Whole Foods has the most extensive and comprehensive range of products to choose from. The pricing for gluten free products at Whole Foods is about equitable to the pricing at other stores; however, where Safeway for example has one flavor of gluten free mac and cheese, Whole Foods has four or more, and gluten free kid sized breaded chicken nuggets and corn dogs besides.

I applaud and, don’t get me wrong foodies, am very grateful that gluten free foods and products are now becoming widely available. I often stop by Safeway or drop into Trader Joe’s to get gluten free waffles and cereal (all forms of Rice Chex are currently gluten free! Chocolate and Cinnamon are my favorite! ) and the occasional dairy free ice cream treat besides, but I am still of the opinion that out of all the gluten free food providers and grocery stores out there Whole Foods has the best selection, and is the best one stop shop for the foodie with a gluten free lifestyle.

I decided to share some random cooking tips with every blog post form here on out, so I hope you’ll try some of them out!

NaOmi’s random gluten free cooking/baking tip:

Gluten free baked goods tend to be rather dry, so consider adding extra moisture into your batter or dough. Sour cream and mayonnaise actually make delicious additives to savory dishes, and for something sweet; sour cream again (a vegan sour cream like Tofutti works just fine), or a small lunch container (or about 1/3 cup) of applesauce are great ways to add some much needed moisture. Try substituting half of the oil called for in a recipe with apple sauce as well to make a healthier tastier treat! To help keep your treats moister for longer, try wrapping them in a lint-free cloth or covering them with plastic wrap! If you’re giving them as gifts, small printed bags, or cellophane wrapping help keep in moisture, and add a nice touch! (Plastic zip-lock bags will also do just fine)

Try this recipe for flaky gluten free sour cream and scallion biscuits, be warned it’s a bit involved, but quite yummy! Worth the effort in my opinion, but then again, I love scallions.

Keep a lookout for gluten free versions of your favorite snacks! Is there a food that you wouldn’t mind trying gluten free? Have you ever eaten an alternative food (like dairy-free milk or ice-cream, or an alternative snack)? If you have, how was it? Would you try something else? If not, why not? Would you be willing to?

Doughnutty Goodness Galore!

Hello Foodies!

I wanted to start off today with something that I’m sure is very, very close to our hearts (more literally than we may be comfortable with)… Doughnuts!

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That’s right folks! Those deep fried, multicolored, frosting dipped, chocolate smothered, sprinkle covered, glaze dripping confections that we all love and adore! We all love them (or at least most of us do), whether they are served warm and fluffy or delectably chewy, doughnuts are a universal treat! I mean seriously universal, with different local recipes for doughnuts popping up everywhere from sweet empanadas to Okinawan fried sweet dough (recipe here)!

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Now foodies I’m sure you’re wondering, “Why is she talking about doughnuts? Isn’t this a gluten free blog?” And indeed you are right! This is a 100% gluten-free, doughnut loving blog! Who said you can’t have gluten free doughnuts? 

Now it’s true, you can’t have Krispy Kreme or Hostess, but honestly there are so many alternatives you won’t even miss them! If you want a perfectly chewy, delicious, and healthy cake doughnut, then try making a gluten-free sweet potato doughnut. With its smooth yet chewy texture it’s sure to be a hit, and when you add in the fact that it’s higher in fiber, homemade, scrumptious, and (since it’s baked not fried) lower in fat, you’ve got a sure winner on your hands!

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Foodies, you don’t have to worry about losing your morning dose of sticky-sweet goodness if you have to change your diet! Just grab a doughnut pan (for baking), or a small fryer, grab your favorite gluten free cake mix –I honestly recommend Betty Crocker (yes! They have gluten free products! So does Bisquick, a Betty Crocker product!)—or your best DIY doughnut recipe, and away you go! Go Gluten Free Magazine has a delightful baked doughnut recipe, with either vanilla or chocolate glazes (if you want to make your doughnuts from scratch). Icings are simple and easy to make, and most types of frosting sold at grocery markets are already gluten free anyway, so your toppings won’t be a problem, and choosing your favorite cake mix adds an extra special amount of deliciousness!

For those foodies who don’t want to wait and bake, there are frozen doughnut, brownie, cake, cookie, and other sweet options available at many grocery stores. Safeway, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Nugget Markets, and even Costco now carry a variety of gluten-free snacks and foods!

If you feel anxiety about switching from a ‘normal’ gluten filled diet, and feel that you have to give up some of your favorite foods and sweets, never fear! There are so many alternatives, you’ll be too busy trying out all the new and delicious goodies you can make to worry or reminisce! 

Do you have any fun sweet recipes that you adore? Have you ever tried baked doughnuts? What is the strangest doughnut flavor you’ve ever had? 

Until next time foodies! Explore this food filled world, eat well, and Enjoy!

A Taste From Another Tongue

Hello foodies! All you chefs, cooks, or pure consumers; food lovers one and all!  Join me in remembering the best meal you’ve ever had in your life; how it tastes, what it looks like, how it smells. Do you taste the salty-sweet seasoning? Can you see the gooey cheese melting and stretching? Can you smell that mouth-watering aroma? Feel the crunch in your mouth? 

Mmmmm… delicious!

Food is one of the most amazing things in the world; so versatile, universal, and universally loved. All of us have that one dish, that one flavor that we can’t get out of our minds. Fluffy doughnuts, sweet cakes, flaky pastries and pies, chewy warm cookies and bread, sauce-smothered pasta, gooey pizza, hearty potpie, classic sandwiches, steamy pancakes, fresh sushi… the list goes on and on!

I have memories of cooking and helping (or hindering) my parents in the kitchen from as far back as I can remember; whether I was simply grabbing ingredients, stealing tastes from the pot, setting the table, or doing prep work. I’ve loved cooking ever since I was small, and that won’t be changing any time soon! I mean, who doesn’t enjoy a wonderful, hot, mouth-wateringly delicious home-cooked meal?

Now foodies, remember that dish from before? I want you to imagine that you’ve just discovered that you have a food intolerance, or an allergy, to something in that dish; how do you feel? What will you do? How will you ever eat it again? Do you feel like your life is over? 
Is the light at the end of the tunnel a train?

Six years ago, my mother discovered that she was gluten intolerant. She had been living with terrible headaches and stomach pain for a long time before she decided to try an elimination diet; no medications or home remedies were helping her symptoms, and she was almost resigned. Finally, after months of slowly eliminating and reintroducing foods into her (and consequently our) diets we discovered that she had many food allergies and intolerances, chief among them gluten and corn. Ever since we made the discovery, we’ve been slowly adapting our diets and habits to incorporate gluten-free foods in place of glutinous products.

Five months ago, in early November, my good friend discovered after a month of sharp stomach pain, that she is gluten intolerant as well. Unfortunately for her, she had no idea what that really entailed. Before her discovery of her own intolerance she had no exposure to gluten free foods or lifestyles, yet all of a sudden she had to learn to live without all of the comfort foods and staples of college living. Ramen? Nope. Bread? No. Pasta? Nein. Chicken nuggets? Oh no no no. And flour tortillas? Forget it. Suddenly McDonalds became a death trap and everything became more complicated. Luckily, I was able to help her transition into her new lifestyle, and impromptu cooking classes became the norm.

I decided to write this blog to share some of what I’ve learned in my 5 year gluten free lifestyle, and to spread awareness of Gluten sensitivity. This blog isn’t meant to be another recipe filled blog like so many others, but rather a place for discovery, a new perspective, or a way to add another yummy dimension to your life. Sadly food intolerances are becoming more common, but I don’t think they should be allowed to detract from our everyday lives, right foodies? My contribution to the world of food blogs will hopefully bring you joy, awareness, and (just maybe) a full tummy. 

Have fun and eat well!