Just in case I have any loyal fans out there (anyone? anyone?) who are wondering why I haven’t been writing as many posts as usual, it’s because I am extra busy at the moment.

I am doing a consulting job with a food distributor who is going to launch a gluten-free product catalog (and possibly dairy-free on my suggestion) for the restaurants who buy from them. Why are they doing this? Because restaurants are asking them for gluten-free products. Why are restaurants asking for them? Because customers are asking for them! So keep going to restaurants and asking for a gluten-free menu — even if you know that the restaurant doesn’t have one. Your voices are being heard!

And, if you are a manufacturer and think that your products would be good in the foodservice industry, please let me know via email: alison@surefoodsliving.com

Filed under: Sure Foods Living News, Celiac Disease, Gluten Intolerance, Tips | 5 Comments »

I am in charge of making the gluten-free stuffing on Thanksgiving. Some of my extended family are gluten-free, some are gluten-free and casein-free, and the rest eat gluten. So, whatever we gluten-free people make has to satisfy the gluten-eaters, who turned up their noses the first couple of years that we had to alter the menu. Now we have gotten so good at making gluten-free stuffing and desserts, even the gluten-lovers say “yum!” (Added bonus: no one passes out in the back bedroom from gluten-overload!)

Here is the gluten-free (and can be made casein-free and egg-free) stuffing recipe that I made last year and will make again this year (sorry no picture!) It is delicious — a good combination of savory and sweet. It is called Harvest Stuffing and I found it on my favorite general recipe site, Epicurious. This recipe makes a lot of stuffing, so you may want to cut it in half. I like to assemble it in a casserole dish (or 2) the day before and refrigerate it. Then, on Thanksgiving morning, drizzle the chicken broth on (more if you like it moist) and bake for 40-45 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Or it can be cooked the day before, then heated in the oven the day of.

Ingredients:

2 pounds well-spiced bulk turkey sausage (I use Shelton’s which is in the frozen section)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 cups each chopped red onions and celery
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried sage leaves, crumbled
12 cups cubed bread, toasted* (about 1 loaf)
2 Granny Smith apples, diced
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup each dried apricots and pitted prunes, quartered
2 cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper, to taste (which means add it little by little and taste as you go!)

*For gluten-free bread, I have used Pamela’s Amazing Wheat-Free Bread Mix and Breads from Anna mixes in the stuffing. Both were great. I have also made both breads dairy-free and egg-free with success.

Preparation:

Brown the sausage in a pan, breaking up clumps; remove to a large bowl. Add the oil to the pan; stir in the onions, celery, garlic, thyme and sage and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Add to the sausage along with the bread, apples and dried fruits. Toss well. Drizzle the broth over the mixture to moisten as desired and season with salt and pepper. Cool before stuffing the turkey. (I just make it on the side in casserole dishes — as I mentioned above.)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Filed under: Food Ideas, Recipes and Cooking Tips, Holidays/Special Events | No Comments »

Q. Hi. I wonder if you could help me. I had a endoscopy done about four years ago and because I had flattened villi, I was diagnosed with gluten intolerance. As a result I went on a gluten free diet for a few months but still didn’t feel well, although my digestion improved. I had a barium x ray and found everything quite slow to move through my body. I also had another endoscopy which showed the villi back to normal again. I am concerned as I have read that flattened villi can cause colon cancer, which my Mum died of. I have not been on a gluten free diet because the consultant didn’t think I needed to be. However at 43, my digestion is poor and my stomach is quite bloated. I am very confused by the flattened villi matter and wonder if anything else can be the cause of the villi being damaged, such as a bout of food poisoning I had a few years ago. Please could you give me some advice.

A. Your question is very timely, as a recent article in the British journal Gut showed that patients who initially had an abnormal biopsy but continued to ingest gluten had the biopsy return to normal. However, the clinical manifestations of the disease continued, bringing into question our so-called “gold standard” for diagnosing celiac disease: an abnormal biopsy that returns to normal after gluten restriction. The point is that one does not necessarily need to have abnormal villi to have symptoms of celiac disease. There are other points to consider: did your doctor obtain at least 8 biopsies of your duodenum on the repeat study? The disease is very patchy and can be missed with one biopsy. Even on a single villus, there may be an uneven distribution of inflammatory cells. Was the initial biopsy well-oriented? Tangentially-cut sections of the biopsy can look like villus flattening, when there really wasn’t any. If everything was done correctly, then you must have imaging studies of the rest of your small intestine, and a colonoscopy, because, given your family history, and current symptoms, you may be at increased risk for bowel cancer. Best wishes to you.
Health and happiness,
Dr. Aron

Have a question?

Filed under: Ask the Doc | No Comments »

If you are not familiar with Shauna James Ahern, aka “gluten-free girl”, then you haven’t been gluten-free for long… or maybe you’ve been gluten-free for too long! Either way, it’s time you checked her out.

In her gluten-free food blog, Shauna not only shares her love of food, but also her passion for life. Devoted fans got to ride (or read) along as Shauna found and married the man of her dreams — a chef! The blog has become so popular that she published a book called Gluten-Free Girl: How I Found the Food That Loves Me Back…And How You Can Too.

If you are a devoted fan, and would like to meet Shauna (and the Chef!), have her sign your book, or just mingle with gluten-free groupies, she will be making a stop in the Bay Area as part of the book tour.

Here is the Bay Area book tour schedule according to her website:

Thursday, Nov 8, 7:30pm - 9:30pm
Crave Bakery Party — Wine, Dessert and Book Reading - RSVP only (call or email Crave Bakery)
417 Central Street #2
“Crave makes amazing desserts! Cameo and her team will be making treats for everyone. Have a glass of wine. It’s a party!”

Friday, Nov 9, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
Book Passage in the Ferry Terminal — book signing
San Francisco
“The Chef and I will be hanging out in the cafe, ready to talk and laugh, and sign some books. (Formal signings/readings were booked months before Book Passage started this process, but they have been gracious enough to let us use the space.) Come on by for a meet and greet. Or a cup of coffee!”

Saturday, Nov 10, 1pm - 4pm
Mariposa Bakery — reading and signing
5427 Telegraph Ave, Unit D3 Oakland, Ca 94609
“Have you had a Mariposa biscotti? If not? Oh my goodness, you are in for a treat. We’ll be there, dipping biscotti in coffee and signing books. Come on by.”

Sunday, Nov 11
a cooking class - to be announced (I will update this post when I have the information)

Monday, Nov 12, 7pm - 9pm
CAV Wine Bar – book launch party
1666 Market Street (between Franklin and Gough)
“When I told our friend Tea that we were having a party at Cav, she was impressed. “That place is swanky!” she said. We can’t wait to have a fabulous, sophisticated cocktail party. Did you ever imagine a gluten-free life like this? Come on out and party. It will be our last night in San Francisco. We’d love to see you!”

I haven’t decided which event to attend, but I plan to go to at least one of them. So, if any of you are going, look for me!

Filed under: Events | 2 Comments »