Joy of Celiac

JOY OF CELIAC

The Doctor’s voice was quiet

He gave a little shrug

“You have Celiac Sprue.”

I asked, “Is that some kind of bug?”

“Oh no, just be careful.”

He was kind of cheery now.

He handed me a list of food,

I could not eat, oh wow!

There’s pizza on this list

And birthday cake here too!

And as I read it to the end

I never felt so blue.

To the Internet I ran

Fear clutching at my heart.

To discover if there was a chance

That pasta and I would not part!

Then there on the net

A wondrous thing appeared

A whole Celiac community

It wasn’t as bad as I feared.

They taught me many things

How to shop and bake with care

This Celiac thing got easier

Just because these folks were there.

So now I read the label

Of each can or jar or bottle

It’s not really so bad

My tummy just needs to be coddled

But at least I have an answer

Though recovery may not be fast

All those years of suffering

Will soon be in the past!

http://www.cafepress.com/crazypainterts.618281172

Gluten Free Veggie Patty for BBQ's

I found these Veggie Patties at Costco and I love them! What a score!

Easy to put on the grill, organic and down right  yummy with just the right amount of seasoning.

Made by Don Lee Farms, their website is here.  I do wish they had a better website. I saw meatballs there and I'd like to know if they're gluten free? They don't have photos of their packaging - which would make it easier to spot in the store- or ingredient lists. I shot them an email so I'll update as soon as I get a reply.

These Veggie Patties are good when grilling but I also put them in the toaster oven and use them on top of salads or in place of the meat in tacos (just crumble them up.)

Udi's at Uno's ...Restaurant Review

I was at a writer's conference this past weekend and, although they promised a gluten free lunch, I packed food. Diagnosed with Celiac Disease over 10 years ago, I learned early on not to trust people to know what "Gluten Free" really means. However, I was happy to find a plate of grilled chicken and veggies served at lunch. One meal safe and done!
For dinner we were on our own. I was ready to sit in my car and munch what I packed for lunch. When my conference buddy suggested Uno's and said it had a Gluten Free menu, I figured I'd try.

At Uno's, I was happy to find the Gluten Free Menu was in the regular menu and not just some xeroxed page from the Internet. It made me feel more normal. A small thing, but I appreciated it. I ordered the burger with mushrooms, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions that came on a toasted Udi's hamburger roll. Uno's also offers cheese, peppers, and avocado for the burger. I wanted the skinless baked potato to go with it, but they didn't have butter so I opted for a side of broccoli. I was impressed when the manager delivered the plate and asked if there was anything else I needed. For a Celiac eating out is always a risk, but the fact that Uno's manager went this extra mile made me feel they took extra care with my food.
Overall, I'm gonna give my experience at Uno's 5 Stars! Excellent meal, delivered in a timely manner, exactly as ordered. Good job Uno's!

Gluten Free Special K Review

I was excited to see Gluten Free Special K. Although I'd been Gluten Free for years, Special K was one of my favorite cereals back in the day. I couldn't wait to try it. The front of the box said it had a "touch of brown sugar" but I didn't think it would be an issue. I don't like sugary cereals, but what's a "touch?"

Well, it was a touch too much. This cereal was too sweet for me. It was very brown sugary.  I don't remember regular Special K being that sweet. So I checked the labels. Regular Special K has 4 grams of sugar, Gluten free has 9 grams. Double the sugar. This pushes the carb count from 23 in regular Special K to 42 carbs for the gluten free version.

If you like sweet cereals, you may like the new Gluten Free Special K.
But for me? No thanks, Kellogg's. I'll be back when you bring down the sugar count.

There was a nice surprise on the Special K site some Special K Protein Shakes   will soon be labeled Gluten Free!

For the too sweet Gluten Free Special K I'm giving 3 stars. It's good but not like the Special K I loved. I'll be reviewing the Special K Protein Shakes in the future.