Sure Foods Living – gluten-free and allergen-free living

TRAVELING GLUTEN FREE

Just in time for summer traveling, GIG of Marin’s next meeting on Tuesday, June 11th will feature Laura Emmerson, creator of the blog Gluten Free Traveller.

Originally from Scotland, Laura now lives in San Francisco.  Bit by the travel bug early in life, she refused to let her celiac diagnosis in 2009 curtail her love of exploring the world.  Laura will be joining us in June after having spent the month of May in New Zealand.

Also featured at the meeting will be free samples related to travel so you can take them on your next trip!

Plus, CONTINUE READING »

Beyond Gluten: Identifying and Living With Multiple Food Reactions

Our next meeting of the Gluten Intolerance Group of Marin will take place on Monday, March 4th at 7:00.

Has being gluten-free solved all your problems? If not, you may be experiencing cross-reactivity with other foods or you may have multiple food sensitivities or both! Did you know that foods other than gluten can create antibodies against gluten even though you are gluten free? This could be one reason why you still don’t feel well even though you are vigilant about your gluten free diet.

Come and learn about how foods in addition to gluten may be affecting you or your kids and how to live more easily with multiple food intolerance. Our presenters are our Co-Leaders Sheila Wagner PT, CN and Alison St. Sure who welcome your questions and input!

Also joining us at this meeting will be Natalia Barr from Barr Necessities, offering a variety of organic and seasonal products that are entirely gluten-free, some of which are grain-free and sugar-free as well. Barr Necessities sources high quality ingredients to serve those with food allergies with products that not only meet their dietary guidelines- but satisfy their taste buds in a delicious and guilt-free manner. This product line stands out with its use of bold flavors, wholesome ingredients, and a very apparent artisanal quality.  By using low glycemic sweeteners such as raw coconut nectar and high quality oils such as olive and grape seed, Barr Necessities strikes an uncommon, but sought after, balance: healthful decadence.

Please welcome Natalia Barr to our meeting and enjoy sampling and purchasing from some of her most popular items:

• Italian Herb Almond Flatbread (grain free)
• Cherry Chocolate Vegan It’sa Meal (grain & sugar free)
• Raisin Walnut Vegan It’sa Meal (grain & sugar free)
• Turkish Coffee Biscotti
• Triple Ginger Lemon Pear Muffins

We will also be providing gluten-free samples from several other manufacturers as well.

Whether you have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or are learning more about gluten free living for yourself, family or friends, we welcome you to the GIG of Marin. New members, friends, and loved ones are always welcome.

The Gluten Intolerance Group of Marin will meet:

• Monday, March 4
  
• 7:00 to 9:00pm
  
• Community Room at Corte Madera Town Center (upstairs at PF Chang’s end) 770 Tamalpais Dr. Suite 201, Corte Madera, CA, 94925

We look forward to seeing you!

The Gluten & Allergen-Free Expo, which originated in Chicago and will have five locations in 2013, makes its first stop of the year in San Francisco on February 9th and 10th.

According to the event’s website:

The Expo is the premier gluten and allergen free event in the US. Whether you are looking for specialty products that taste great or trying to learn how to cook and bake to meet your dietary needs, the Expo is the place to be!

The best gluten & allergen-free deal in town!

What do you get with your Expo Ticket?

• Sampling and purchasing from over 100 specialty vendors
• Membership in the GFAF EXPO CLUB – with exclusive online offers and news emailed to you every month
• Free lectures about gluten & allergen-free living and cooking
• The best cookbooks and the ability to meet the authors and get a signed copy of your book
• A free gift bag to carry all of your loot
• All products are labeled by allergen
• Coupons for future purchases
• Take home samples of of your favorite and new products
• Purchase hard-to-find products
• Shop at the new Expo Store – featuring gift products that can only be found at the Expo
• Kids area

I will be attending this event on behalf of the Gluten Intolerance Group of Marin, so I hope you’ll stop by to say hi and learn more about our group if you aren’t already in the know! (I won’t be there the whole time, but my GIG of Marin colleagues will also be attendance.)

Here are some important links if you are planning on attending the Expo:

General Info for San Francisco Expo

Buy tickets and see which vendors will be there

Schedule of speakers and classes

Mark your calendars and get out your recipe books: our Holiday Potluck is slated for Tuesday, Dec. 4. With a start time of 6:30 pm, this annual tradition offers more time for socializing among members and enjoying delicious gluten free foods together.

We are delighted to announce that this year our special guest will be Elaine Taylor, president of the Taylor Family Foundation and founder of Camp Celiac. In the spirit of the season, GIG of Marin will be giving the donations we collect at the door to The Taylor Family Foundation to support their goal of preserving the wellness and enhancing the quality of life for Northern California children with life-threatening or chronic illness, including celiac disease.

We will also hold a special raffle to raise money for the Taylor Foundation so bring extra cash or your check book!

Elaine Taylor has celiac disease herself, and is an advocate for education about gluten.  Her daughter, Katie Alin, is the owner of Miglet’s Gluten Free Bakery in Danville.  Read an interview with Elaine here.

Elaine Taylor and daughter Katie Alin at Miglet’s.

GIG of Marin invites you to their first special event featuring internationally renown gluten sensitivity expert, Tom O’Bryan, DC, CCN, DACBN, on September 27th, 2012. Tickets must be purchased in advance and are limited, so buy yours today!

O’Bryan is a board-certified nutritionist with a passion for educating people about the many manifestations of gluten sensitivity, both in the digestive system and beyond.

If you have been successfully managing a gluten free life due to celiac disease or gluten intolerance, O’Bryan’s presentation will provide you with the latest medical research about your condition. And since O’Bryan is well-regarded for his ability to clarify the confusion around conditions relating to gluten sensitivity, this is an excellent event to bring your friends and family who are curious about whether gluten may be impacting their health or even those people who are skeptical about “the whole gluten thing.”

Identifying and Conquering Gluten Sensitivity
Thursday, September 27
6 pm   Food samples offered by a selection of local restaurants
7 to 9 pm  Lecture by Tom O’Bryan

At The Mill Valley Hotel (previously known as The Larkspur Hotel)
160 Shoreline Highway, just off 101

$10, advance registration

A sought-after speaker, O’Bryan lectures around the world including to The Royal Society of Medicine, London and the American College for the Advancement of Medicine. He was selected as one of 5 nationally recognized presenters on endocrinology by the International Symposium on Functional Medicine.

Trained as a nutritionist and chiropractor, O’Bryan is also a graduate of the Institute For Functional Medicine’s hallmark program Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice. In his clinical practice he is known as a “Sherlock Holmes” for finding the root cause of chronic disease and metabolic disorders. He is an independent clinical consultant to Cyrex Laboratories, which recently debuted testing for gluten sensitivity.

Generously serving samples from their gluten free menus at the special event will be

Lydia’s Sunflower Center
Lotus Cuisine of India
PF Chang’s
Sans Gluten Free Grocery
Amici’s East Coast Pizzeria

Plus Flour Craft Bakery, owned by Heather Hardcastle who recently presented at a GIG of Marin meeting, will be offering samples of their confections which will be available at her new bakery in San Anselmo, opening this fall.

Buy your tickets now and invite your friends to this special opportunity to hear internationally-known gluten sensitivity expert Tom O’Bryan on September 27th.

Gluten Free Resource Exchange

Our next meeting of the Gluten Intolerance Group of Marin will take place on Tuesday, August 7th at 7:00.

What is your the “go to” resource that supports your gluten free life?

 Perhaps it is a book you read when you first were diagnosed.  Or maybe it is the doctor or other health professional who has stuck by you through a difficult diagnostic  and recovery process.  You might read –or even write– a blog that connects you with scores of other people living gluten free.  Or maybe you have a favorite appliance that makes cooking gluten free easier.  Is there a product on your grocery store shelf that you buy and use regularly?  Or a restaurant you know of that “gets it”?  Perhaps your resource is a friend–who eats gluten free, or not–someone who listens well, understands the challenges you face and makes you feel welcome at the table despite your diet restrictions.

At our next meeting on Tuesday, August 7, we invite you to share the resources you’ve discovered and depend on to make living gluten free work for you.  We will open up the discussion to exchange our experiences so that each person will leave this meeting with new ideas to enhance their gluten free lives.  Bring along your resource or come and be inspired.

People who are new to the gluten free diet are especially encouraged to attend.

Please let your gluten free friends and family know about this fun event. The meeting is free; however, we appreciate a donation of $5 or more to cover the costs of renting the meeting room, printing the handouts, etc.

Whether you have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or are learning more about gluten free living for yourself, family or friends, we welcome you to the GIG of Marin. New members, friends, and loved ones are always welcome.

The Gluten Intolerance Group of Marin will meet:

• Tuesday, August 7
  
• 7:00 to 9:00pm
  
• Community Room at Corte Madera Town Center (upstairs at PF Chang’s end) 770 Tamalpais Dr. Suite 201, Corte Madera, CA, 94925

We look forward to seeing you!

Tips and Techniques from Gluten Free Chefs

Our next meeting of the Gluten Intolerance Group of Marin will take place on Tuesday, June 5th at 7:00.

If you are new to gluten free cooking and want to know where to start or if you’re already cooking gluten free and looking for fresh inspiration, please come to our next meeting to hear from three local chefs, all of whom discovered their own gluten intolerance when they were well into their food-related careers.

Our panel of chefs has a broad range of experience from cooking in restaurants, to directing a cooking school, to food styling.  Uniting them all is the journey each has made to adapt their professional cooking careers to meet the needs of gluten free eaters, including themselves.

Amy Fothergill trained at Cornell University and enjoyed a varied career as a restaurateur, caterer, and food service manager.  Her daughter was put on a gluten free diet in 2007. Applying her cooking experience to this new gluten-free cuisine, Amy created recipes that satisfied not only her daughter but everyone who tried them.

Please let your gluten free friends and family know about this fun event. The meeting is free; however, we appreciate a donation of $5 or more to cover the costs of renting the meeting room, printing the handouts, etc.

Whether you have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or are learning more about gluten free living for yourself, family or friends, we welcome you to the GIG of Marin. New members, friends, and loved ones are always welcome.

The Gluten Intolerance Group of Marin will meet:

• Tuesday, June 5
  
• 7:00 to 9:00pm
  
• Community Room at Corte Madera Town Center (upstairs at PF Chang’s end) 770 Tamalpais Dr. Suite 201, Corte Madera, CA, 94925

We look forward to seeing you!

Cold Sores, Grooves on Your Teeth or Gum Recession? Gluten Intolerance Can Manifest in the Mouth

Our next meeting of the Gluten Intolerance Group of Marin will take place on Monday, April 16th at 7:00.

Many people, including dentists, are surprised to learn that gluten intolerance can manifest with symptoms in the mouth such as:

• Enamel defects, including pitting, yellowing, calcification, grooves
• Ulcers or cold sores
• Pointy or crooked teeth
• Cavities
• Gum recession
• Infections

Come learn more about how problems in the teeth and mouths of children and adults can be indications of gluten intolerance. Our speaker will be Micheal Lipelt, DDS. In addition to a degree in dentistry from UCLA, Dr. Lipelt is trained as a naturopath and dental acupuncturist. Dr. Lipelt is the founder of Stillpoint Family Health Service in Sebastopol. Dr. Lipelt will discuss how gluten intolerance can affect the mouth and teeth, and explore common dental procedures, their impact on gut and overall health, and lab tests which use the oral cavity as a specimen source, one of which is testing for gliadin antibodies.

Also joining us will be Heather Hardcastle owner of Flour Craft Bakery. Heather has been gluten free herself since 2000. Her products are sold at gourmet markets throughout the bay area including Whole Foods and the Marin Farmer’s Market.

Please let your gluten free friends and family know about this fun event. The meeting is free; however, we appreciate a donation of $5 or more to cover the costs of renting the meeting room, printing the handouts, etc.

Whether you have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or are learning more about gluten free living for yourself, family or friends, we welcome you to the GIG of Marin. New members, friends, and loved ones are always welcome.

As always, we request that you RSVP to this event by emailing us at: glutenfreemarin@yahoo.com.

The Gluten Intolerance Group of Marin will meet:

• Monday, April 16th
  
• 7:00 to 9:00pm
  
• Community Room at Corte Madera Town Center (upstairs at PF Chang’s end) 770 Tamalpais Dr. Suite 201, Corte Madera, CA, 94925

We look forward to seeing you!

Our next meeting of the Gluten Intolerance Group of Marin will take place on Monday, February 6th at 7:00.

What Does a “Gluten Free” Label Really Mean?

Products labeled “gluten free” fill supermarket shelves in ever increasing numbers, but the lack of standardized labeling laws means that shoppers cannot be sure of what exactly the label “gluten free” means.

At our next meeting on Monday, February 6, I will discuss the current issues surrounding labeling and then we will learn from the manufacturers themselves what it takes to produce a gluten-free product.

One of the hottest gluten free products showing up in bay area stores are gluten free potstickers from Feel Good Foods. We are delighted that Feel Good Foods will be with us to share samples of their delicious product, as well as other manufacturers such as Kind Bars, The Inspired Cookie, Attune Foods, and Mary’s Gone Crackers. Other vendors will be represented with samples.

Please come, find out more about the foods you buy and show your support for manufacturers’ efforts to meet the needs of gluten free shoppers. This meeting is sure to be informative and delicious!

Please let your gluten free friends and family know about this fun event. The meeting is free; however, we appreciate a donation of $5 or more to cover the costs of renting the meeting room, printing the handouts, etc.

Whether you have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or are learning more about gluten free living for yourself, family or friends, we welcome you to the GIG of Marin. New members, friends, and loved ones are always welcome.

As always, we request that you RSVP to this event by emailing us at: glutenfreemarin@yahoo.com.

The Gluten Intolerance Group of Marin will meet:

• Monday, February 6th
  
• 7:00 to 9:00pm
  
• Community Room at Corte Madera Town Center (upstairs at PF Chang’s end) 770 Tamalpais Dr. Suite 201, Corte Madera, CA, 94925

We look forward to seeing you!

Our next meeting of the Gluten Intolerance Group of Marin will take place on Tuesday, December 6th at 6:30.

Like our past holiday meetings, we will have a special guest and a potluck. This year we will welcome New York Times best selling author and award-winning blogger, Stephanie O’Dea.

Stephanie O’Dea’s websites and books have reached more than 12 million people from all over the world. Her award-winning blog, A Year of Slow Cooking, spawned two cookbooks: Make it Fast, Cook it Slow and More Make it Fast, Cook it Slow. Because one of her three daughters has celiac disease, all the recipes in both cookbooks are completely gluten free and her family lives gluten-free.

In her appearances on Good Morning America, The Rachael Ray Show, and in Real Simple Magazine, Woman’s World, and Oprah.com, Stephanie is known and loved for her down-to-earth, and often hilarious, style.

Come get some crock-pot tips from Stephanie and enjoy our gluten-free potluck celebration! Bring your favorite savory or sweet dish to share, and please include a card with all of the ingredients, as we have members with multiple food sensitivities. OH – and did I mention that Stephanie will be raffling off books… and a crock-pot?! Now I got your attention!

Please let your gluten free friends and family know about this fun event. The meeting is free; however, we appreciate a donation of $5 or more to cover the costs of renting the meeting room, printing the handouts, etc.

Whether you have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or are learning more about gluten free living for yourself, family or friends, we welcome you to the GIG of Marin. New members, friends, and loved ones are always welcome.

As always, we request that you RSVP to this event by emailing us at: glutenfreemarin@yahoo.com.

The Gluten Intolerance Group of Marin will meet:

• Tuesday, December 6th
  
• 6:30 to 9:00pm
  
• Community Room at Corte Madera Town Center (upstairs at PF Chang’s end) 770 Tamalpais Dr. Suite 201, Corte Madera, CA, 94925

We look forward to seeing you!