Feeling lost or having trouble following the gluten free diet? Check out this website -

http://www.todaysdietandnutrition.com/exc_061509_20glutenfree.shtml

- for twenty tips on how to live without gluten. These tips include advice on baking, cooking, shopping, and reading labels. I have found this website to be informative yet also quick and to the point - a handy resource.

Miss Rice Krispies?

Do you miss the actual Rice Krispies? I know I did. You may have seen gluten free Crisped Rice or Koala Crisp which are both good, but neither are actually crispy. I wanted a cereal that would actually "Snap, Crackle, and Pop." Well if you have not yet heard of it, there is a gluten free product available. Although there are others out there, I prefer any of the Erewhon products. They make plain, chocolate, and fruit flavored rice crispy cereals which are all great.

Paperback Cafe

This weekend the SGFA hosted a completely gluten free buffet dinner at the Paperback Cafe, a delicious restaurant offering gluten free food in Old Saybrook, CT. We were served pesto pasta, a tasty garden salad, and scrumptious Chicken Parmesan, all of which was gluten free. They also served prosciutto like appetizers which were great. The Paperback Cafe is an excellent restaurant that all Celiacs should try. On their normal menu they serve an array of gluten free foods including pan pizza and apple French Toast for breakfast.

Bread!!??

Having trouble finding a good gluten free bread?
Most Glutino bread products are great, whether they are bagels, English muffins, bread, or pizza crusts. However, as many of us know, these can certainly rack up a huge bill. It's much cheaper to bake your own bread. I use the Pamela's bread mix. It's easy to bake and it's flavorful, nutritious, fluffy, and delicious. After baking, I cut it into slices and freeze it. When I want a slice, I take one out of the freezer and throw it in the toaster. (All gluten free bread should be kept frozen until eaten and toasted before eating, or it crumbles horribly.)

I tend to stay away from the rice breads because they are very dense.

Gluten Free Pizza

Many pizza places are starting to offer gluten-free pizza. There are a few places on the CT shoreline that now have a GF option. These include:

• Grand Apizza in Clinton (GF beer too) (860) 669-1204

• Illiano's in East Lyme (also available at other locations) (860) 739-7017

• Pizzetta in Mystic (the best in my opinion) (860) 536-4443
  

I have found that almost all GF pizzas need to be cooked longer than normal or else they turn out somewhat mushy.

Betty Crocker Cake and Brownie Mix

Hi all,

Sorry I haven't updated the blog in a while but I will now be adding posts much more frequently.

Betty Crocker recently came out with gluten free cake, brownie, and cookie mixes. I have tried the cake and brownie mixes and they are both fantastic. I ordered the two in bulk from Amazon.com to save money. You can order six packs of the delicacies at:

http://www.amazon.com/Betty-Crocker-Gluten-Brownie-16-Ounce/dp/B002AQP5MK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=grocery&qid=1251472690&sr=8-2

Hi everyone. The group that I'm part of just had a great Celiac Conference. On Saturday April 25 gluten sensitive people from all over the shoreline gathered at the Saybrook pavilion to enjoy a conference put on by the SGFA (Shoreline Gluten Free Association). The meeting hosted two guest speakers, one of whom was the head of the GIG. We enjoyed a gluten free lunch along with goodie bags that included gluten freee foods and info. I found out that all bleu cheeses are gluten free. Apparently the wheat that they are sometimes grown on have no significant effect on them. Who knew? I was very pleased with the amount of people who showed up - I hope to see more and more at every event. Stay posted...

Eating at Italian Restaurants

Has anyone ever had the problem of going for dinner at an Italian restaurant and having nothing to eat? Well so have I, and I came up with an idea. If you know that you're going to an Italian restaurant, whip up a batch of GF pasta noodles (I like the quinoa) beforehand and put them in a Tupperware container. Then, when the waiter asks for your order, ask him to bring out just a dish of sauce. I usually ask for them to put in peppers, onions, sausage, and what ever else I'm in the mood for. Make sure that you tell the waiter of your situation so they can tell the chef not to add flour or anything like that. Then, ask them to bring out a plate so you can pour the sauce right on top of your pasta, and heat it up if necessary. This has worked out great for me, but I suggest you only do it at a place you're familiar with. Good Luck!!!!!

Almondy

Hi everyone. I just found a delicious new GF cake that is made with almond flour. It has a chocolate coating and Daim candies (a danish toffee) in the inside, and I thought it was excellent. Its called "Almondy: Authentic Swedish Almond Tarta." I think my mom found it in the frozen section at IKEA. Good luck finding it!!

Check out my group's blog called Gluten Free on the Shoreline.

Well, this is my first time ever blogging, so bear with me. I am excited to start sharing some of my ideas and thoughts with everyone. I created this blog as part of the Shoreline Gluten Free Association of CT in an attempt to get more kids and teens involved. We have an upcoming chili fest on Saturday March 21 with many different GF chilies and cornbreads, so I hope to see many people there.