Gluten Free Oats

There is continuing debate about oats and whether or not they should be included in the definition of gluten. As of now, there is no consensus amongst the leading health agencies and institutions on whether oats should be excluded from a gluten-intolerant person’s diet. Much research suggests that up to 50 grams of oats per day can be tolerated by people with Celiac or gluten intolerance. So, one argument is that including oats in the gluten definition would deprive people of products that contain oats and no other source of gluten. The flip side is that if oats are not included in the definition, people who cannot tolerate 50 grams of oats per day risk contamination by ingesting a product that is “gluten free”.

Oats themselves do not contain gluten, but the manufacturing process normally exposes them to it as they usually share manufacturing facilities with other grains such as wheat and rye. Thankfully, several companies have now started to successfully produce gluten free oats. Gluten Free Oats (www.glutenfreeoats.com) and Bob’s Red Mill (Bobsredmill.com) are two of those companies.

Here is a delicious gluten free recipe for Oatmeal Chip Cookies:
• Heat oven to 450.
• In food processor, mix 1 egg, 4 T melted butter or oil (Peanut oil, Almond oil or Walnut oil work well,) 3/4 c brown sugar, 1 T. GF vanilla, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp allspice
• Add and mix 1 ½ c GF oats, ½ c rice flour, 1 full tsp baking powder
• Add and mix to your taste ½ c (or more) chocolate chips, ½ c raisins, ½ c chopped walnuts
• Place heaping teaspoons of cookie dough on greased cookie sheet. You will have about 24 cookies
• Bake 350 degrees for 11 – 15 minutes. Check cookie color and smell after 11 minutes, and increase time as needed.

Enjoy from GFDelights.com!

FALCPA and Gluten: How Labeling Laws Effect You

FALCPA, the Food Allergy Labeling Consumer Protection Act was passed in 2004 and went into effect on January 1, 2006. It requires that companies list any and all of the eight top food allergens present in each of its products in clear language in the ingredients section of the product’s label. The eight allergens are milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and soy. Wheat makes up a large portion of the gluten in gluten-containing foods, but unfortunately, under FALCPA, rye and barley (and sometimes oats), which are the other gluten-containing grains, do not have to be disclosed. So, while FALCPA certainly helps those with Celiac disease and gluten allergies in determining which products to avoid based on the presence of wheat, there is still no such assistance for products that contain barley or rye or ingredients derived from these two grains.

In response to FALCPA, the FDA has been working on a definition of “gluten” and regulations that will dictate a company’s right to voluntarily label their products “gluten free.” A summary of the key points of the current proposal can be read here. The full proposal can be read here and a final ruling is required this coming August; so stay tuned. The ongoing discussion is very detailed and would be impossible to layout in a concise blog posting, so I just want to discuss a few concerns I have after reading through the very dense proposal.

First, according to the current proposal, the FDA is considering allowing companies to voluntarily label any product that contains fewer than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten “gluten free.” This will certainly help gluten intolerant shoppers in determining which products have little to no gluten, but what about those people who cannot tolerate even 19 ppm of gluten? Another concern is that someone consuming several products in the course of a day, week, or month containing fewer than 20 ppm of gluten could inadvertently accumulate a substantial (and harmful) amount of ingested gluten and therefore experience adverse effects. By the way, 20 ppm has been chosen because that is the minimum level at which the FDA believes gluten can be consistently and accurately detected by current analytic processes.

Second, the FDA is debating whether or not to allow companies to label naturally gluten free foods such as rice “gluten free” by including a label that says “All rice is gluten free” (so as not to mislead consumers to believe that rice Brand X is gluten free while rice Brand Y is not, simply because Brand X chose to include the “gluten free” labeling, while Brand Y did not). But, with this labeling, what if rice Brand Z’s processing plant is a not a gluten free dedicated facility? This labeling seems dangerous because a consumer may now incorrectly assume, based on the FDA’s labeling laws, that all rice is gluten free, while in reality the production process of each brand may not uphold the gluten free integrity of the product.

For a continuing discussion on gluten labeling laws, check GFDelights.com frequently. We will update you with any new regulations as they are enacted.

I Scream, You Scream, We all Scream for Gluten Free Ice Cream!

I don’t know about you, but once it gets warm out (to be honest, I should say, once it’s above freezing) I have a hard time getting through a week without some ice cream. Ice cream is one of my favorites and with Spring only a couple weeks away, I’m already looking forward to lots of ice cream eating, right through till it gets cold again next fall (who am I kidding, I eat ice cream year round). Alright, you caught me. I’m trying to use the arrival of Spring to justify writing about ice cream, but I’m actually eating a bowl right now and the temperature outside is in the low 30s. I just want to write about ice cream because it tastes SO GOOD!

The good news about ice cream is that many brands, such as Ben and Jerry’s, say their flavors are wheat and gluten free, except for those containing obvious gluten sources. So, Chocolate Fudge Brownie is not ok, but plain Chocolate, Vanilla, Strawberry and Coffee are! Most of the companies I contacted were very helpful in providing me with the names of their gluten free flavors, so calling one up to inquire about a new flavor in your market’s freezer should prove fruitful for you too. There are lots of gluten free ice cream flavors out there—too many, in fact, to list here (isn’t that great news?).

Here are some flavors in which you can safely indulge: Haagen Dazs’ Vanilla, Coffee, Strawberry, Extraas™ Rocky Road and their Banana Strawberry Frozen Yogourt Bar are gluten free. Edy’s Grand Fruit Bars, Butter Pecan, Cherry Vanilla, Chocolate, French Vanilla and Neopolitan and Edy’s Slow Churned Butter Pecan, Caramel Delight, Fudge Tracks, Mocha Almond Fudge and Vanilla Bean are all gluten free. Turkey Hill’s Banana Split, Butter Pecan, Chocolate Marshmallow, Rum Raisin and a host of others are gluten free. Starbucks’ Coffee flavor is gluten free, as are Java Chip Low Fat Latte and White Chocolate. Dove Ice Cream, with the exception of Chocolate Chip Brownie Affair is ok!



So what about toppings for your frozen delight? Fruit and nuts are always safe and Ghiradelli dark chocolate chips are ok, but their white chocolate chips are not. Delicious Organics makes gluten free caramel and raspberry syrups as well as gluten free chocolate and rainbow sprinkles. You can order some here. Barkat also makes a delicious gluten free cone that passed a taste test by the pickiest of ice cream connoisseurs—kids (meaning they didn’t pause for a second while devouring their cones to question whether they were anything but standard ice cream cones)! So stock up online for those spring and summer birthday parties and barbeques! Happy ice cream eating from GFDelights.com!

Gluten Free Valentines

Valentine’s Day is one of the sweetest of the year and thankfully there are plenty of gluten and wheat free goodies and recipes so that those of us stricken by Cupid and Celiac can enjoy the day. Classics like Hershey’s Kisses, Necco’s Conversation Hearts and M&Ms are confirmed gluten free. Check out this list of gluten free candies and be sure to double-check with the manufacturer before indulging your sweet tooth or giving a gift to your valentine. In addition to lots of sweets, there are some cute non-edible gluten free gifts here.

The recipe below is from a Celiac listserve. Look how beautiful the cookies turn out; what a romantic and delicious gift! Visit GFDelights.com to find a restaurant where you and your sweetheart can enjoy a stress-free gluten free Valentine’s dinner! From all of us at GFDelights.com, Happy Valentine’s Day!



In an electric mixer, beat 1/3 cup unsalted, softened butter, softened and 4-oz. Philadelphia cream cheese together until fluffy.
Whisk together 2 cups Beth’s All-Purpose Flour (Gluten Free Pantry), 1 cup sugar, ½ teaspoon Rumford baking powder, and ½ teaspoon grated lemon peel. Beat 1 cup of flour mixture into butter mixture.
Add 1 egg, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Beat in remaining 1 cup of flour mixture.
Cover and chill dough for 2 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375° degrees.
Divide dough in half. On a well-floured (rice flour) surface, roll half the dough at a time to ¼ inch thick – or thinner (keep remaining dough refrigerated).
Using a 2 ½ inch cookie cutter, cut dough into circles. Using a small heart-shaped cutter, cut out centers from half of the cookies. Place on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
Bake 10 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are lightly browned. Do not overbake. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Sprinkle powdered sugar on cutout cookies. Spread 1 teaspoon raspberry jam on each of the solid cookies; top each one with a cutout cookie.

A Gluten Free Super Bowl

Super Bowl Sunday 2008: New York Giants v New England Patriots, obscenely overpriced commercials, pizza and beer! It’s not a holy day, but it sure is a fun one if gathering with friends on the couch and watching football all afternoon is your thing. If you’re throwing a Super Bowl party, attending one or just watching the game with friends or family, chances are there will be pizza, beer and snacks on the menu. Throwing the party gives you complete control over what is served, but if you’re going to a party, offer to bring along some gluten free options so that you’re not left out of the festivities. Here are some simple ideas and easy recipes for enjoying the day gluten free.

If the party’s at your place, consider making your own pizza instead of ordering it from the local pizzeria. Not only will your pizzas be delicious, healthy and wheat-free, but you’ll also be avoiding pizzerias on their busiest day of the year. No ordering days in advance, no lost or incorrect orders and no late deliveries of cold pizza whose cheese is stuck to the box instead of the pizza.

If you’ve never made pizza before, don’t worry...it’s really quite easy! Pick up some frozen gluten free pizza dough from the supermarket. Whole Foods carries several brands, including Amy’s Kitchen (which is delicious) and Ener-G-Foods. Amy’s Kitchen also makes some great gluten free tomato sauces and Simply Natural’s Organic Tomato and Basil Sauce is fantastic and gluten free. You can also make a simple marinara sauce at home:

• Add a couple tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and 1-2 cloves of minced garlic to a saucepan over medium heat
• Once the garlic turns golden brown, add a 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• Once heated, add about 10 fresh, torn basil leaves, a couple stems-worth of fresh, chopped oregano leaves and, a handful of fresh, chopped parsley and freshly ground black pepper
• Adjust heat to low and simmer

Stick the rolled out dough in the oven for a few minutes to allow it to crisp and remove it just as it starts to brown. Spoon your sauce onto the rolled out dough, add some gluten free cheese like Sargento’s Mozzarella and Provolone blend, top with your favorite toppings and follow the frozen dough’s instructions for cooking time and temperature.

If you’re attending a party, a more portable option is to make mini pizzas on gluten free pita bread. Cut a slit in the pitas to prevent them from puffing up, toast them lightly, cover with sauce, cheese and toppings and bake at about 200 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Make several with different toppings, cut them up and bring as an appetizer (if you don’t think there will be other food options available to you, bring another pita pizza for yourself as a meal).

Once the pizza’s been enjoyed, bring out some baked, not fried, buffalo wings. Try this delicious recipe:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake 20 chicken wings for 45 minutes, or until fully cooked and crispy.
• Mix 1/3 c melted butter, 1 (12 oz) bottle of Franks Red Hot, 1 (8 oz) can of crushed tomatoes, 1 ½ tablespoons chili powder and 4 dashes of cayenne pepper in a pot and boil over medium temperature for 5 minutes.
• Dip cooked wings in sauce and coat well. Place coated wings on broiler pan and bake 10 minutes, then dip again in sauce and bake another 10 minutes.

After the pizza and wings, set out bowls of gluten free snacks to munch on during the game. I just tried Riceworks’ Gourmet Brown Rice Crisps which are very tasty, come in several flavors including Wasabi and Sweet Chili and are wheat free, gluten free and Celiac friendly. Your go-to gluten free corn chips, salsa and guacamole will be crowd-pleasers as well. Making your own guacamole is a simple and beautiful dish to bring to a party:

• Chop up 4 avocados, 2 plum tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic, 1 shallot and ½ a jalapeno (increase or decrease according to your guests spice tolerance) in a bowl
• Add salt and pepper to taste and the juice of about half a lime and stir
• Refrigerate for a couple of hours so the flavors blend

Lastly, throw together a trail mix of nuts, raisins, a crunchy gluten free cereal and a little brown sugar. Put out this sweet munchy mix as a healthier dessert after the pizza and chips have been devoured.

As for alcoholic beverages, gluten free beer is pricey so hopefully there are only a few beer drinkers with a gluten intolerance at your party. If you’re attending a party, bring a 6-pack for yourself so you can indulge like a true football fan. Below are some gluten free beers. The links I’ve included list retailers where you can purchase the products. You can order online at some sites, although not in time for the Super Bowl.

Ramapo Valley Brewery: Passover Honey Beer
http://www.ramapovalleybrewery.com/outlets.htm

Lake Front: New Grist
http://www.lakefrontbrewery.com/national_locations.html

This last one is not yet available in the US, but for you Canadian Super Bowl viewers, I’ve tried Fort Garry Brewing’s Nubru, a new gluten-free beer that is pretty good. It’s available in Winnipeg liquor stores and is slowly widening in distribution. A six-pack costs $17.60 CAD (I told you it was pricey!)

4 Ingredients for an Easy Gluten Free Super Bowl Party

• Homemade pizza
• Baked, not fried, buffalo wings
• GF chips and salsa and homemade guacamole
• Sweet dessert munchy mix
• GF beer

GFDelights.com hopes these ideas make your Super Bowl Sunday a fun one! And keep them in mind for any future parties you throw or attend...it’s really quite easy to entertain gluten free!

Planes, Trains and Automobiles

The long lines, endless delays and occasional cancellations travelers face at airports are enough to cause mild anxiety in even the most seasoned traveler. When you throw gluten intolerance or Celiac disease into the equation, that anxiety level only increases. It’s fairly challenging for any health-conscious traveler to eat nutritiously during a long day of flying with Pizza Hut, McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts as the staple airport dining establishments. So what is someone whose diet is severely limited by gluten intolerance to do? Be prepared.

According to the US Department of Transportation, only about 75% of flights departed on time in 2006, so if you’re planning to fly in the near future, there is a good chance you’ll experience some sort of delay. Be prepared by bringing lots of gluten free food with you (but don’t forget that liquids in containers over 3 fl oz are not allowed through security!). While Peanut M&Ms from the terminal vending machine may satisfy your gluten free requirement, they are not good for your waistline or your blood sugar. Moreover, delays are not limited to the terminal, where at least there are vending machines and restaurants. Delays once you’re on the plane—at the departure gate, on the taxiway and at your arrival gate—are all too common and the supply of gluten free snacks you’ve brought might be your only food source for hours.

As for the meal that some airlines provide for you on long-haul flights, the good news is that most carriers can prepare a gluten free meal for you if given enough notice (inquire immediately after purchasing your ticket). The bad news is that there is a high risk of cross-contamination because large catering companies without dedicated gluten free kitchens prepare airline food. The other bad news is that come mealtime, your gluten free meal may simply be unavailable. I’ve witnessed many disputes between hungry passengers and helpless flight attendants when a pre-ordered special meal goes MIA. If you’re willing to risk cross-contamination, order the gluten free meal but pack a back up in case your meal doesn’t make it on your flight. Don’t trust the airline snacks unless it’s a brand you’ve had before and verified as gluten free. What appear to be plain cashews may not be wheat free, as there is often wheat in nut coatings. Also, don’t forget to pack enough food for the first day and night at your destination so you can get settled and enjoy yourself without rushing to go gluten free food shopping.

After reading about the hassles of gluten free airline travel, you may have just sworn off flying forever! I hope that’s not the case, but if it is, trains and automobiles are your other options and each comes with its own set of surmountable challenges. There is a chef aboard each overnight Amtrak journey and speaking with the chef well ahead of time (check with Amtrak for this information) is an option. How much, if anything, the chef will be willing and able to do for you may vary by trip because the chefs, their pre-planned menus and, consequently, the available ingredients differ. One Amtrak passenger said they managed on an overnight trip by having the chef prepare steamed fish and a vegetable for dinner, eggs and fruit for breakfast and a salad for lunch (with dressing brought from home). If you’d rather not deal with the onboard food, it is important to know that Amtrak is forbidden by federal health regulations to refrigerate, handle or heat your food, so be sure whatever meals you prepare and bring are non-perishable, ready-to-eat, and taste good at room temperature.

Driving to your destination, although not always possible, obviously provides the most flexibility. You’re free to bring as much gluten free food as you can fit in your vehicle and with time to prepare, you can plan your route with gluten free friendly stops. Doing a quick search online, I was able to find out what restaurants and shops are at each service stop along the Massachusetts and Florida Turnpikes. Getting this information ahead of time enables you to research what gluten free options are available along your route. If you have more time and can make detours from the highway, searching for gluten free friendly restaurants in towns along the way is another option. Check out GFDelights.com’s list of gluten free accommodating restaurants to help plan your trip. Another important tip is to always keep a stash of non-perishable food and water in the trunk in case of a breakdown in a remote area or a serious traffic jam.

4 Tips for an Easy Gluten Free Travel Experience

• Prepare for the worst: pack enough food for hours of delays and cancellations
• If you’ve ordered a GF airline meal, bring a back up just in case
• Pack enough food for the first day and night at your destination
• Research your driving route and plan GF friendly stops

We at GFDelights.com hope that these suggestions make your next trip successful and relaxing so that you’re Living Easy Gluten Free!