Yesterday an article came out in the New York Times called “For the Gluten-Averse, a Menu That Works.” The article talks about all the New York City eateries that are creating gluten-free menus. Not only have these restaurants made people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance very happy people (what city couldn’t use some more smiling faces?), but they have all seen a spike in business since offering gluten-free menu choices.

Here in San Francisco, we are supposedly cutting edge when it comes to food, yet there are no restaurants that I know of in San Francisco that cater to the gluten-free crowd. The national chain restaurants P.F. Chang’s, Outback Steakhouse and Carraba’s Italian Grill all have gluten-free menus but no locations in SF, only outside. The only independent restaurant I know of in or near the Bay Area that has an extensive (and intentional) gluten-free menu is Mangiamo in Windsor, located about 60 miles north of SF. In Berkeley, there is Pizza Rustica that has gluten-free pizza crusts made by the “I Can Eat That” Bakery. While they will cook it on a separate surface if requested, they cannot guarantee that there will be no cross-contamination from airborne flour in the kitchen. Mariposa Baking Company, known for their delectable gluten-free brownies and biscotti, has opened Cafe Mariposa and Bakeshop in Oakland. Initially they are serving gluten-free (and some dairy-free) baked goods along with beverages, and plan to add more items to the menu.

Is that it? If anyone knows of any other restaurants in the Bay Area that intentionally cater to the gluten-free crowd, please post your comments here. (For those of you planning to visit SF and must dine GF, don’t worry - there are many great restaurants here that can accommodate your needs if you communicate with the waiter and chef.)

Lucky New Yorkers!

Filed under: Restaurants/Bakeries/Stores | 7 Comments »

Growing up in the Bay Area, I was accustomed to eating San Francisco-style burritos - soft flour tortillas, filled with meat, beans, rice, salsa, cheese, sour cream and guacamole, made to order at the counter and then wrapped in tin foil. I watched them put the tortilla in a big steamer and then watched it emerge warm and pliable. Aside from the bloated feeling that I had after eating those burritos (due to undiagnosed celiac disease), I have missed the satisfaction of peeling back that foil and taking a big juicy bite of burrito goodness.

Well, guess what?? I have finally done it! After years of trying, I have finally created a gluten-free burrito like the ones I used to know.

A while ago I wrote a review of La Tortilla Factory’s Gluten-Free Wraps and mentioned that perhaps I needed to work on some new ways to prepare the wrap. Remembering the way that the burrito shop workers put the tortilla into the steamer, I decided to try steaming it. The result? A soft, pliable tortilla that does not fall apart, allowing you to form a burrito. The best part is that when you steam it, it stays soft.

So how to steam a tortilla? There are steamers on the market for hundreds of dollars, but all you really need is some way to elevate the tortilla above boiling water for about 30 seconds. I’ll show you what I did just to give you ideas.

I took some - I don’t even know what they are called - pastry tin things and put them into a big saute pan. I boiled the water, placed the tortilla on top of the pastry tins (so that it didn’t touch the water) and covered the pan. 30 seconds or so later, I used tongs to remove the tortilla to a plate. You could probably just use a steamer pan, but I don’t have one big enough.

Now the fun part: fill the burrito and then wrap in foil. But wait - follow these instructions on how to wrap a burrito first! You want to have a tightly wrapped burrito and then to roll it tightly in foil so that it doesn’t fall apart as you eat it. And some more tips: don’t overfill the tortilla, and it might be a good idea to fill the tortilla while it is already on the foil, rather than trying to transfer the full burrito.

Here is a picture of my burrito! Not quite as big as those other burritos (does anyone really need them that big?), but mmmm (sorry, my mouth is full).

Filed under: Food Ideas, Products, Recipes and Cooking Tips, Tips | No Comments »

A new study in the European medical journal Allergy found that children with cashew nut allergy had more severe reactions than children with peanut allergy. Wheezing and cardiovascular symptoms were reported more frequently in the cashew-allergic children.

I think this study is important, not to downplay peanut allergy, but to bring awareness to other nut allergies as well. When I say that my daughter is allergic to cashews, people are surprised. I still see peanut butter on the playground every time I go there, and wonder how we are going to ever solve the problem of the rise in nut allergies and the presence of nuts in our society. The best solution is to get rid of food allergies of course, and researchers are working on that (if you want to help, consider donating to food allergy research).

But until that happens, I just hope that society will become more aware and compassionate about food allergies - yes, they exist and no, we aren’t making it up, and yes, it’s really really hard and no, we don’t want to impose on you, but *sigh*, please try to understand!

Filed under: News & Research, Peanuts/Nuts Allergy | 1 Comment »

I was at the zoo yesterday with a friend, who mentioned that she had been having light-headedness and almost-fainting episodes. It sparked a memory - hey, I used to have that too. I remember that if I stood up quickly, I felt dizzy, I couldn’t see and I would almost fall over. I usually had to sit right back down or hold on to furniture and wait it out.

I also remember being at the top of a ski run and going blind for a few minutes, white spots drowning out my vision. When my sight returned, I was ready to barrel down the mountain and go back up again, that is as long as I wasn’t having excruciating leg cramps inside my ski boots.

For some reason, at the time, I didn’t think anything was wrong with me. Now I know that my body was suffering the effects of undiagnosed celiac disease/gluten intolerance. Once I changed my diet, these problems went away. These were just a couple of my symptoms - I invite you to read them all (oh, fun!). In fact, make a game out of it - see how many symptoms from the list you or someone you know has now! If anything looks familiar, it may be time to stop monkeying around with your health, and go see about this gluten thing.

Incidentally, all the animals at the zoo were quite lethargic - maybe it was the fog (ah, San Franciso in the summer), or maybe they need to change their diets!

Filed under: Symptoms | No Comments »

Rating:

Product description:

Amazing Wheat-Free Bread Mix by Pamela’s Products:

• 19 oz. package of gluten-free bread mix includes yeast packet
• Makes a 2 lb. loaf
• Can be used with a bread machine or mixer
• Includes recipes for bread variations, pizza crust and pie crust
• Includes recipe for egg-free version
• Ingredients: Sorghum flour, tapioca flour, sweet rice flour, brown rice flour, organic natural evaporated cane sugar, chicory root, white rice flour, millet flour, honey and molasses, rice bran, sea salt, xanthan gum, yeast packet (active dry yeast).

Review:

Pamela’s has been in the wheat-free/gluten-free business a long time and it shows. With this bread mix, all one has to do is put all the ingredients together in a mixer, let the dough rise and then bake. This bread mix is a staple in my house for 3 reasons: 1) it is the easiest bread mix to make (it literally takes me a total of 7 minutes from opening of package to putting in pan), 2) there is an egg-free version recipe on the bag (turns out great!), and 3) the bread is soft and has flavor (unlike some other gluten-free breads), if a little bit on the sweet side.

Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned chef, this bread mix will reward you with a delicious freshly-baked loaf that can be used for sandwiches, toast, french toast, croutons or stuffing. If you want to get creative, follow one of the recipes on the package for cheese bread, herb bread, cinnamon bread, pizza crust or pie crust, or try one of the recipes on Pamela’s website.

What I like:

• Easy to make
• Tastes great
• Lasts without putting in the frig - I leave mine on the counter in a plastic ziplock (after it has cooled completely) for a week or more
• It is free (or can be made free of) most allergens, including dairy, soy, eggs and corn

What I don’t like:

• Nothing.

Where to buy:

If you can’t find it in your area, I suggest buying a Pack of 6 from Amazon. It works out to be from $3.83 to $5.00 per package, depending on the current sale price. Or you can buy a single bag if you just want to try it out.

Learn more about making bread.

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Q. A baby 5 weeks old while only on breastmilk developed diarrhea and blood in the stool. A celiac center claimed they had just returned from a conference in Maryland that said it is impossible to have celiac at that age because the body can’t produce antigens at that age. However a different center said the opposite. When I asked the first if a baby could be gluten intolerant through the breastmilk and cause a similar celiac symptoms they said yes but not the classic immune disease disorder. Can you clarify the facts? Other common allergen foods such as nuts, shellfish, milk, eggs and soy have already been eliminated from the diet.

A. Your question is not easy to answer as we lack data on gliadin (gluten protein) levels in breast milk of mothers who have proven celiac disease. One study (Chirdo FG et al Scand J Gastroenterol 1998;33:1186), demonstrated high levels of gliadin and antibodies to it in breast milk of non-celiac mothers. Three days of a gluten-free diet did not lower the levels of gliadin in the milk of 6 mothers. One mother with proven celiac disease on a gluten free diet had no measurable levels of gliadin in her milk. Many other studies have demonstrated that breast feeding actually protects babies from celiac disease, so in this case, another, more common cause of bloody diarrhea in the baby in question needs to be found. I suggest that you take the baby to a pediatric gastroenterologist to disclose the cause and arrive at specific treatment. What we do know is that the baby has only a 10% chance of getting the disease if either parent has it, and that the introduction of gluten in the diet before four months will lead to an increase in tissue transglutaminase, but that usually does not translate into major disease until development becomes more obvious, and will present as behavioral abnormalities such as learning disorders, neurological problems such as seizures, and decreased weight for height. Again, bloody diarrhea at five weeks is not celiac disease.
Health and happiness,
Dr. Aron

Have a question?

Filed under: Ask the Doc, Celiac Disease | No Comments »

I have heard of many kids with recurrent ear infections who are repeatedly given antibiotics to cure them. Again, a case of giving medicine to fix the symptom, but not finding the cause of the problem. Don’t get me wrong - I am not against medicine! Drugs are a wonderful thing when needed to ease pain or to prevent greater health problems from occurring. But, in conjunction with fixing the what, shouldn’t we as a society (doctors, you, me) investigate the why??

So, back to ear infections. According to pediatrician Dr. Greene, “Of the kids who are prone to ear infections (about 1/3 of kids), allergies are the underlying cause about 1/3 of the time. Cow’s milk is the most likely non-airborne culprit. Presumably, it causes inflammation of the Eustachian tubes — the tubes that normally keep the ears clean and drained. It can also change the nature of the secretions.”

Also, a study done in Finland concluded that children with cow’s milk allergy in infancy, even when properly treated, had experienced significantly more recurrent ear infections.

So, if a child has a lot of ear infections, investigate milk as the cause. This could mean doing allergy testing and/or eliminating milk from the diet (consult your doctor).

Read more about Milk Allergy and the Milk-Free Diet.

Filed under: Dairy Allergy, Symptoms | No Comments »

New to my website is a collection of Your Stories, experiences of diagnosis and recovery told first-hand by you!

I have heard a lot of amazing stories about people who were able to turn their health around with a change in diet. I think that these testimonials can be the most convincing evidence of how food can be the culprit in a host of health problems. Most of the stories I hear are about cutting out gluten, probably because that is what I talk and write about, but also because I think it results in the most dramatic changes.

A diagnosis of celiac disease, gluten intolerance or food sensitivities can occur at any age and in a variety of ways. I hope that you will consider sharing your story to help others in their diagnosis and recovery. If so, please email me at alison@surefoodsliving.com. Let me know whether or not to use your real name. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Filed under: Sure Foods Living News, Celiac Disease, Gluten Intolerance, Symptoms, Emotions | No Comments »

I do not claim to be a fabulous cook, but I’m pretty okay, thanks to tips from my mother and sister who are great cooks. I haven’t put many recipes on this site, as there are already good cooking sites for people with food sensitivities. But today I am posting a recipe for an event called Cooking for Karina, a challenge to bloggers to come up with a recipe for the Gluten Free Goddess, Karina, who recently found out that she has many food allergies. Her recipe site has helped many people and the allergy-free community is giving back.

So, in honor of Karina and her wonderful recipes, and for other people with multiple food allergies, I present a special Peach Crisp. This dessert is special because it is gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free, and egg-free, qualities especially hard to find in a dessert. It is also special because you would never know that it is free of all those things!

It is cooking in the oven right now as I write. I hope it turns out, or I won’t be able to post this! See the end for the results.

Peach Crisp

Topping:

I always wish there was more topping on crisps, so this makes a lot! Use as much as you want and then you can freeze the extra for use on anything (it even tastes good just to eat - kind of like cookie dough!)

• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/3 cups gluten-free flour mix - I like Authentic Foods Multi-Blend Gluten-Free Flour Mix, but any general purpose gf flour will do
• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free oats - see my post What’s the deal with oats?, or use crushed gluten-free corn flakes instead
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3/4 cup canola oil

Combine dry ingredients first, then drizzle in the oil while mixing until evenly moist. It will be a little crumbly.

Peach mixture:

• 3 lbs fresh ripe peaches (6 large peaches), peeled and sliced in thin wedges
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons gluten-free flour (use same as for topping)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stirring gently.

Put the peach mixture into an oiled baking dish and cover with the topping. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 50 minutes. The top should be browned and the peaches bubbly. Serve warm or cool, plain or with non-dairy ice cream.

Well, I’m sure you figured out that since I did post this recipe, it must have turned out okay. It did! In fact, it was better than I expected. I called my very-honest neighbor to come try it and she agreed that it was delicious.

Thanks to Gluten Free by the Bay and the Gluten Free Goddess for the inspiration to create something new that everyone can enjoy (unless you’re allergic to peaches… then use a different fruit!)

Filed under: Food Ideas, Recipes and Cooking Tips | 3 Comments »

Before I begin raving about Kinesys sunscreen, I must disclose that my husband works for the company. BUT, I will also tell you that he sought out the job after we became huge fans. In fact, he didn’t tell me he was even thinking of working for Kinesys until after he brought a bunch of it on one of our vacations to see what I thought of it. I liked it. No, I loved it. And I won’t be using another sunscreen on myself or my kids.

Why is Kinesys sunscreen so great? Since this is a website about allergies, I will first mention that I am someone who is very sensitive to fragrance. The fragrance-free version does not offend my nose or make me feel itchy. As a parent of skin-sensitive children, I am happy to report that neither child has ever had a rash from it, even after using it for 8 days straight.

Aside from the allergy-free experience I have had with this sunscreen, I simply have to say that the feeling of the sunscreen is like no other. It sprays like a mist on your skin, with no alcohol smell or overpowering coconut aroma. You know how at the end of the day of lathering sunblock on your body, you just want to take a shower to get it all off? Not with Kinesys - you don’t even feel like there is anything on. But yet, we have never had a sunburn while using it. The key is to re-apply.

What more can I say? A lot actually, but if you really want to know more, just go to the Kinesys website and see for yourself! You can also look there to see where Kinesys is sold. Oh, one more thing - readers of this website get a special discount at the Kinesys online store! Enter surefoods20 for a 20% discount. Enjoy the sun!

Updated 7/18/07: In response to a reader’s question in the comments below, Kinesys states that their products are free of peanuts, nuts, sunflower and gluten. The production facility does on occasion make one product that uses traces of
macadamia nut oil. This production is infrequent and the cross contamination protocols are such that there is virtually zero chance of any kind of contamination.

Filed under: Babies & Kids, Products, Food Allergies | 6 Comments »