Blog - Beautifully Gluten Free

Paris!

Anne Moon — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 20:52:00 +0000

We ate very well in Paris, in both dedicated and shared establishments. Below is a list of some of the places that we went. Some are easier to get to than others, but Paris isn’t huge and transportation is very straightforward. Always let your server know about your dietary needs in the non-dedicated places.

In general, I found that places were clear about their ability to prepare and serve safe gluten free foods, either they could or could not, I just needed at ask.

Click here for my general restaurant tips.

For international travel, I have found using Google Translate very helpful. I can take a picture of a menu and have my phone translate it into english or type what I want to say to another person and translate. It has been a game changer in my efforts to personalize and specialize my communication in specific situations.

I would recommend finding a place to stay with a kitchen so that you can take advantage of the amazing markets and specialty food shops, like the rotisserie chicken and sausages from @Rotisserie Stevenot.

Restaurants & Cafes

@copains.paris – dedicated GF bakery

@Boulangerie Chambelland – dedicated GF bakery

@nogluparis – dedicated GF bakery

@helmutnewcake – Saturdays only, dedicated GF bakery

@la_manufacture_du_sans_gluten – dedicated GF bakery

@yummyandguiltfree – dedicated GF sweet and savory waffle spot.

@bentocococo – dedicated GF Japanese, small so book ahead

@loulou_restaurant – Great burger and brunch spot, my daughter said it was the best bun ever. Not dedicated, but they get it.

@gromgelato_fr – Ice cream with only GF cones.

@cafemareva – dedicated GF cafés with great sweet potato waffles.

@littlenonnaparis – Great pizza! Dedicated GF

@tasca_bio – Dedicated GF pizza, very good, but Little Nonna was our favorite for pizza. The pasta was a hit.

@brasserielesdeuxpalais – steak frites, not dedicated but they get it and it’s on the Île de la Cité.

@judy_paris – dedicated café

@kapunkacantine – Thai

@Le Pave Paris – not dedicated but they get it.

@bistrotvivienne -- not dedicated but they get it.

Chef’s Tasting Restaurants:

@Restaurant H

@frenchieruedunil

@pleine_terre

In Giverny, when we visited Monet’s house and garden, we ate at Le Temps Des Fleurs.

Enjoy your time in Paris!

Safe Travels

Find Me and more ideas about living Gluten Free On Instagram @beautifullyglutenfreephotos

Disclaimer:

While I have 15+ years’ experience of navigating the world as the parents of a child with celiac, have worked with multiple celiac disease related organizations, and has a Master’s of Science in Holistic Nutrition I am not a physician, or other licensed medical professional. The material and content contained on this website is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for consultation, diagnosis, or medical treatment by a licensed medical professional. Please consult your doctor for any medical or health-related questions. The information contained on this website should NOT replace medical or health-related advice from a physician or licensed medical professional.

Gluten Free Gift Ideas!

Anne Moon — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 19:36:00 +0000

Black Friday is just around the corner and it’s a great time to stock up on gifts for the holiday season. I don’t want you to struggle with gift ideas for the gluten free person/people in your life, or even yourself; so, here are a few ideas. Yes, there are many gifts that have nothing to do with food or cooking, but since you, or your gluten free person, has had to clean out their kitchen, maybe you’d like to help them re-fill it with fun, beautiful, and yummy gluten free things.

Also, if you know someone who has recently been diagnosed with celiac disease, this can be a very challenging time of year. This diagnosis has a ripple effect that touches every part of their life, which can be very overwhelming at times. The best gift that you can give is support for their new life and maybe a trip to your local GF bakery.

Happy shopping everyone!

Find Me and more ideas about living Gluten Free On Instagram @beautifullyglutenfreephotos

Disclaimer:

Kauai, Hawaii

Anne Moon — Sun, 17 Nov 2024 18:38:19 +0000

Visit Kauai!! 🌺🌺

The food on Kauai was so good and it was easy to find safe gluten free spots across the island.
Here is a list of the places that we ate at during our last visit. We ate out for lunch & dinner every day the whole week, which is not how we usually travel.

West side:
@islandtaco — amazing tacos, just let them know that you have celiac and they will let you know what is gluten free and safe. Once they know that you have celiac, they assign a single person to prepare the order on equipment that is only for celiac orders.

@coconut_corner_kauai — awesome smoothies, fresh fruits, and coconuts, across the street from Island Taco.

South side:
@holohologrill — great kid friendly all day spot with a large amount of clearly marked gluten free options, but no dedicated frier. It’s within the Koloa Landing Resort, which also has the USA Today’s ranked #1 pool in America!

@livingfoodshawaii — a very cool market and brunch/dinner restaurant that sells gluten free products and can accommodate in the restaurant, no gluten free claims on the menu, but very knowledgeable servers.

@breakandfeast — fabulous brunch/dinner spot! So good and well labeled menu.

@pacos_tacos_hawaii — yummy tacos and they have multiple locations. We ate at the Poipu location and they were very clear about which options were gluten free.

@tableatpoipu — meat and seafood dinner spot. No gluten free claims on the menu, just speak with your server about safe options.

North side:
@sushigirlkauai — dedicated and amazing gluten free sushi! They did have gluten-full soy sauce packets, but just ask for the gluten free packets.

@thebistrokilauea — such a great dinner spot and they have a dedicated frier! So good!

@baracudahanalei — amazing tapas and are very accommodating to our gluten free needs! Reservations are a must.

@chickeninabarrelbbq_hanalei — BBQ!!! All of their plate combos are gluten free and are so good, not the cornbread. They have multiple locations.

@kilaueabakery — great smoothies! They sell a couple of gluten free baked goods and pizza, but were told that they weren’t safe for someone with celiac.

We didn’t eat in Lihue, just drove through, but @rainbeaujos is a must stop for coffee and smoothies!

The places that we went to on Kauai understand what it takes to prepare and serve safe gluten free food.
The menus didn’t always carry gluten free claims, but don’t let that stop you. I found that sending a quick text or DM was quick and a direct way to ask all of my usual questions and make a reservation.

Overall, I found that restaurants knew if they could serve us or not, which was refreshing.

Thank you to all of these places for taking the time and care to offer such great and delicious GF foods. 🙏

Disclaimer:

Holiday Feast!

Anne Moon — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 19:01:00 +0000

There are so many celebratory foods during the winter holidays, some are linked with religious traditions, some are must haves because that’s what you had growing up, and some are new finds that are so good that everyone declares them essential for future celebrations.

We celebrate Christmas Eve, with my side of the family, with favorites that come from my childhood. But, because my family has grown from our original 5 to now include partners and a total of 9 grandkids, we’ve made a few little adjustments for safety and preferences.

Yes, you read that right, safety became an issue. Our traditional Christmas-Eve dinner used to include meat fondue in which oil was used to cook the meat. It became clear that having either fire on the table to keep the oil hot or extension cords extending from the table connected to multiple fondue pots filled with bubbling oil was probably not a great idea with young and quick grandkids running around. So we made a little adjustment. We started serving a slow roasted whole beef tenderloin (click here for the marinade).

We always include some sort of potato dish, Tater-Tots are a recent add that are a big hit, and some vegetables. A couple grandkids don’t eat meat so we included mac-n-cheese. We are Norwegian and always have lefsa, but I don’t have a gluten free recipe for that, not yet.

Keep reading if you’d like to learn more about what we make and serve for apps, dinner and dessert; including recipes and photos.

Appetizer:

While we have swapped the meat fondue for beef tenderloin, we still start the meal gathered around a pot of cheese fondue. Cheese fondue is naturally gluten free because it uses cornstarch as the thickener, but the bread used to dip into the cheese is not. Considering there are multiple gluten free and low carb people at our celebration, I will have two pots of cheese fondue and use our favorite gluten free bread as well as offer lightly steamed broccoli for dipping.

I like to use the simple Food & Wine recipe, click here for it.

Main:

Red Wine Marinated Beef Tenderloin click here for the marinade

Smashed Potatoes par boil small potatoes until tender, about 20 min, drain, and rest for 5 minutes. Place potatoes on parchment lined sheet pan and smash each potato with a measuring cup. Drizzle with olive oil, Herbs de Provence, S & P. Roast in a 450* oven until crispy, about 20 min.

Tater Tots & French Fries follow cooking instructions on bag.

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts trim off the stem, halve, and thinly slice the sprouts. Sauté in olive oil with red pepper flake, S & P until soft and begin to brown. Adding white wine or broth as needed if the sprouts begin to stick and burn. Bonus move, stir in crispy bacon or pancetta pieces just before serving.

Mac-n-Cheese my sister makes a gluten containing version and I make a gluten free version, click here for my mac-n-cheese recipe.

Simple Green Salad choose your favorite lettuce and toss with dressing: 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup favorite vinegar, 1 TBSP favorite mustard, 1 tsp Herbs de Provence, S&P.

Dessert:

Krumkake

Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cheese Fondue
Beef Tenderloin
Smashed Potatoes
Sautéed Brussels Sprouts
Tater Tots & Fries
Mac-n-Cheese
Krumkake
Ginger Chocolate Cookie

If you would like additional support navigating living gluten free…

Click here to schedule an informational call Find Me and more ideas about living Gluten Free On Instagram @beautifullyglutenfreephotos

Disclaimer:

While we have more than eleven years’ experience of navigating the world as the parents of a child with Celiacs, we are not physicians, nutritionists, or other licensed medical professionals. The material and content contained in the Services is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for consultation, diagnosis or medical treatment by a licensed medical professional. Please consult your doctor for any medical or health-related questions. The information contained in the Services should NOT be used to disregard medical or health-related advice from a physician or licensed medical professional.

Happy Halloween

Anne Moon — Tue, 19 Oct 2021 18:25:00 +0000

Yep, that’s me in the middle.

When I was little my mom had a garden and grew pumpkins. When the pumpkins were still small, my sisters’ and I would each choose one and my mom would scar our names on them. This was 1978, I was 1.5-years old, and mine was the biggest in the garden! I’ve done this a few times with my kids, it’s really fun.

~Tips for a gluten free halloween~

🎃💀🎃💀🎃💀🎃💀🎃💀🎃

For some, Halloween is the best holiday. It’s filled with decorations, costumes, scary movies, carving pumpkins, and trick or treating.

For some, it’s hard because not all Halloween treats are safe to eat, but with a few modifications everyone can have a great time and not let gluten steal and ruin all of the spooky fun.

Just a couple quick general reminders.

Some regular and costume make-up does contain gluten. While gluten cannot be absorbed through the skin, any make-up that comes into contact with the mouth should be gluten free.
Play-dough contains gluten, so avoid giving or taking the small mini tubs.
Some seasonal shapes of candy, including my favorite Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, are not gulten free. See my post about it.
Homemade roasted pumpkin seeds, either as a pumpkin carving party activity or just being served, could be tossed in a spice blend that is not gluten free and/or roasted on a baking sheet that is used for gluten full baking.

~Handing Out Candy~

Purchase a variety of candy so that trick or treaters have multiple options.
Click here for The Celiac Disease Foundation’s 2021 list of gluten free candy, remember that it is important to always check labels as ingredients and production practices can change.
Hand out non-candy options like glow sticks, bubble sticks, LED light up toys, masks, stamps, stickers, small halloween bead kits, or laser finger lights.
Make it clear to your trick or treaters that you have safe candy and non-candy options by participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project. Click here for more information about the #tealpumpkinproject.

~Receiving Candy~

Let your trick or treaters know which candy is gluten and/or other allergen free, so, if given a choice, they can pick the safest option.
Hold a "post trick or treating candy swap!” One of the best parts of trick or treating with friends and family is being able to swap out the candy that you don’t like with the candy that you do like when the night is wrapping up.
Some dentists will gladly exchange candy for money, search your area.

~School Parties~

For parents of younger kids, join the Halloween Party planning group and help coordinate. There are a lot of really fun non-food based activities:
- foam/paper pumpkin decorating.
- pumpkin painting.
- decorate paper bags for kids to collect their prizes.
- “Guess How Many” in a bowl with eyeballs or spiders.
- costume parade.
- scavenger hunts.
- pin the mouth on the ghost, teeth on Dracula, hat on the witch.
- Poke-a-Pumpkin: put halloween prizes in orange tissue paper covered plastic cups that are arranged on a board like a pumpkin and let kids poke through the paper for the prize.
- Halloween Bingo.
- Halloween themed ball/bean bag toss.
Not all caregivers can participate in either party planning or being in the classroom during the party, if that is you, reach out to the teacher and find out all that you can about the party. You can either send your student with alternatives, or find out if the party planners can include safe food and treats.
If you are a caregiver and want to help with food, it is pretty easy to either provide a few gluten free options or even make all the food gluten free. Find out if your school is ok with food being brought in from home or if it all needs to be store bought and pre-packaged.
- mummy wrap applesauce pouches.
- individually packaged GF snacks and juice boxes.
- gluten free cupcakes.
- kids can make mini grave yards with gluten free pudding cups, gluten free crushed chocolate cookies, ghost Peeps and gluten free gummies. You can also pre-write R.I.P. with frosting, on gluten free wafer cookies to be used as headstones.
- veggie and fruit options.
- string cheese.

~House Parties~

In a shared gluten free and gluten full party, clearly label what is what and keep them separated, either on separate tables or away from each other on the same table.
Invite gluten free people to serve themselves first or ask to be able to serve yourself first.
If you or you child is a guest, contact the host to see what food will be served and if there will be safe options. If there are no safe options:
- bring food from home.
- offer to bring something to share, making sure to serve yourself and/or your child first.
- Find out if and what types of prizes might be handed out from games.
Include non-food activities and prizes.
Follow trick or treating ideas above.

~General Halloween Fun~

Luckily, Halloween has a lot of amazing experiences and activities that are not food based. Also, the internet is full of amazing Halloween, gluten free, savory and sweet recipes and there are so many gluten free candy options out there, that it is easy to find a lot of options to give out, select from and trade.

The best and most important part is having fun with friends and family.

If you are looking for a good low sugar muffin, to balance out all the sugar, click here for my almond flour chocolate chip pumpkin muffin recipe.

Happy Gluten Free Halloween

🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃

If you would like additional support navigating living gluten free…

Click here to schedule an informational call Find Me and more ideas about living Gluten Free On Instagram @beautifullyglutenfreephotos

Disclaimer:

Naturally Gluten Free Cooking

Anne Moon — Thu, 02 Sep 2021 20:07:17 +0000

We have our favorite pastas and pizzas, but this post is about using naturally gluten free food. In general, gluten free food has a terrible reputation, and I would like to help change it.

So many foods and ingredients are naturally gluten free, why not cook and serve them? Sticking with whole, minimally processed, foods helps to decrease your grocery bill and increase control of flavor and nutrition.

Also, cooking doesn't need to be complicated or expensive to be amazing. All it takes to create yummy meals are a few key tools and ingredients.

While I love going to kitchen supply stores and checking out new products at the grocery store, I know that not everyone has the same love and interest in cooking. That being said, even if you don’t love cooking, I can share with you a few tips that will help make cooking easier and definitely tastier. Even something as seemingly boring as ground chicken breast can be really good.

~Here You Go!~

Spices are a great first step toward flavorful food, don’t be afraid to use them. I find that most recipes are conservative with their spices and I tend to add more. Also, once you start using them you will develop a few favorite, go-to, options that can be used all the time. Most single spices, not blends, tend to be naturally gluten free (always check if using a new brand).
Spice blends can have gluten based fillers or come into contact with gluten during processing. Some spice companies offer certified gluten free single spices and blends, but they can be more expensive, plus you can easily make your own blends. For example, I love using ground turmeric, cumin, basil, chili flakes and S&P on sautéed fresh/frozen veggies, sometimes adding chopped fresh cilantro or basil if I have it.
Don’t forget about fresh herbs and the citrus family! It is really fun to use a combination of fresh herbs with dried herbs, they taste different and add dimension and texture. Lemons and limes add great flavor to salad dressings and marinades.
Whole foods, that are minimally processed, are the best bang for your buck and most nutritious. Naturally gluten free whole foods are: non-marinated proteins, eggs, fruits, vegetables, milk, cheese (double check pre-grated cheese as some anti-caking agents contain gluten), nuts, and gluten free grains (rice, quinoa, amaranth & teff). Beans are also great naturally gluten free options, but I do stick with beans that are labeled gluten free and recommend being especially thoughtful with lentils. Lentils are small and are allowed to be packaged with other small objects from the field like wheat and barley gains.
I often suggest selecting larger cuts of meat or meat that requires slow cooking, like a whole chicken or pork shoulder, for a few different reasons. You save money, they are not hard to cook, you will be left with leftovers, cooking meat on the bone is amazingly flavorful and can be used in a variety of meals.
Tips for Whole Roasted Chicken
I include canned and frozen fruits and vegetables in the whole food category, as long as they do not come with a sauce, flavoring or syrup. Actually, canned and frozen fruits and vegetables can be higher in nutrients than fresh because they have been preserved just after being harvested. Whereas fresh options may have been harvested early and left to ripen on the way to the store. Also, canned and frozen can cost less.
If you have access to a farmer’s market take a look at what fruits and vegetables are in season and the various protein sellers. Not only will you be supporting a small business, the options may cost less, you might find something new and the flavors will be more intense. Make sure to speak with the person behind the table, they are a valuable resource. They can give you cooking suggestions when you find something new, which cut of meat is best and can help you figure out the right “ripeness.” If you don’t need an avocado for 3 days, you don’t want to pick one that is ripe today.
Other Flavor Boosters
Cooking grains in broth, not water.
Use full fat dairy.
Good quality olive oil or other oils like sesame and peanut.
Roasting vegetables
Toasting nuts and seeds
Fish Sauce & Tamari
Cooking sauces, soups and stews a day or two in advance
Marinate proteins for 24 hours
Also, no need for fancy tools. My two favorite tools in the kitchen happen to be the ordinary fork and the wooden spatula. Forks can: mix, stir, flip, juice a lime/lemon and taste test. Wooden spatulas are great for sautéing veggies and stirring soups, sauces, flipping an omelet or even getting your whole chicken out of the pan.
It is great to have at one good chef’s knife.
Some kitchen tools can make your life easier, but they can also take up valuable real estate. You don’t need a separate rice cooker, immersion blender or even a garlic press.
The Instant Pot, or other multi-functional pressure cooker, is something to consider, especially when you don't have a lot of time to cook and also like making extra for leftovers. Even though slow roasting a large bone-in piece of meat isn’t hard, pressure cooking it makes it even easier and you can leave it unattended.

~A Few Meal Ideas~

Roasted Chicken or Pan Seared Steaks with Broccoli and Potatoes
Stir Fried Vegetables and preferred Protein with Rice, Quinoa or Riced Cauliflower.
Salmon with Roasted Asparagus
Pork Shoulder Carnitas with Corn Tortillas, Guacamole and Salsa
Omelet Bar
Baked Potato or Sweet Potato Bar
100% Almond Flour Banana Bread

Enjoy the process and take some chances. If you make a mistake, you can always order out or make waffles.

If you would like additional support navigating living Gluten Free…

Click here to schedule an informational call Find Me and more ideas about living Gluten Free On Instagram @beautifullyglutenfreephotos

Disclaimer:

Back To School

Anne Moon — Thu, 19 Aug 2021 21:00:00 +0000

~Tips for going back to school~

Heading back to school comes with a lot of different feelings, including nervousness about being able to safely maintain a strict gluten free diet. There are opportunities for gluten exposure at school and school related activities, but there are also ways to be able to participate and stay safe. The following are a few ideas that can help to minimize exposure, increase feeling confident and be successful.

~Fill out a 504 plan!~

The US Dept. of Education states: “Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 covers qualified students with disabilities who attend schools receiving Federal financial assistance. To be protected under Section 504, a student must be determined to: (1) have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; or (2) have a record of such an impairment; or (3) be regarded as having such an impairment. Section 504 requires that school districts provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to qualified students in their jurisdictions who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.” With the proper documentation, celiac disease is covered by the Rehabilitation Act.

You may feel ok with creating an informal plan with your child’s school and teachers and not bother with a formal 504, but hear me out. Using the 504 plan creates legal protection and support for your child, especially for off-campus events and emergencies situations as well as day to day school experiences. A properly structured and implemented 504 will make sure that any and all people who are involved with your child, at school, will have an understanding about celiac disease, the gluten free diet and what do if gluten is ingested.

The goal of the plan is to increase a feeling of normalcy, inclusion and to decrease chances of gluten exposure. Some school districts and schools will be easier to work with than others, but it is your child’s right to have any and all accommodations and is worth the going through the process.

An additional bonus of the 504 plan is that it is an educational and awareness tool, especially in situations when celiac disease and the process of managing a gluten free diet is new to a school.

The first step is to make sure that you have all of your child’s official celiac disease medical records and signed Dr.s documentation.

The second step is to contact your school and find the person who you should communicate with. Public schools have 504 coordinators and independent schools will have a learning coordinator that can help navigate the process. Ultimately, the teachers, the school’s healthcare staff and food service team will be involved.

Find out if your child’s Dr. and/or dietitian can provide a celiac specific 504 template. If not, look at the following resources:

Celiac Disease Foundation Template

Celiac Disease Foundation Back to School Plan

Beyond Celiac’s School Toolkit

Seattle Children’s Hospital EatLiveCeliac.org 504 resources

Key information that will be included:

Name of child and month/year of diagnosis.
Child specific reactions when gluten is consumed, including reactions from both minimal cross-contact and more significant ingestion of gluten.
If the child is self-reliant in managing their needs or needs assistance.
A description about celiac disease, the need for strict adherence to the gluten free diet, the negative impacts on learning, and the possible feelings that can come from needing to follow the gluten free diet (feeling isolated and excluded for class activities for example).
Establish alternate plans for birthday parties, field trips, overnight retreats, art class, class projects, school lunches, when other families bring food to share, and stored food for an emergency.
Clear plan for when gluten is ingested.

It will need to be submitted annually, but once it has been created it can simply be re-submitted. Considering symptoms and ability to self-manage the disease changes as the child grow and develops, it is helpful to make adjusts to the 504 that reflect any changes or new information.

Depending on the age of the child, having them be part of the process is another way to help teach self-advocacy and increase agency over their own health and body. The sooner they can begin to feel confident in communicating with others about having celiac disease and their gluten free needs, the better. It would be great to have high school aged students own the process with caregivers providing support as needed.

~Field Trips & Retreats~

Even if a 504 is set-up, extra attention and work will need to happen, on the caregivers part, to help create a safe gluten free experience for off-campus field trips and overnight retreats.

The sooner details of the event are known the better. It will be expressed, in the 504, that the school needs to inform caregivers about upcoming events, but that doesn’t mean you need to wait for them to come to you. If there are any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to the teacher.

Shorter field trips may not even need any extra support, beyond a few questions, as the food situation may mimic what happens on campus. For example, the school may provide to-go meals from the cafeteria. If the student is already eating safe gluten free food from the cafeteria, the same protocol should happen with that person’s to-go meal. If the student usually brings their own food, they will also bring their own food to the field trip.

One consideration is if the field trip is a food focused field trip. In that situation more in-depth support will need to happen. For example, my daughter's Kindergarten class went on a tour and tasting of a local chocolate company. I could have gone on the field trip to help her navigate the experience, but I couldn’t attend. Instead, I figured out which chocolates were safe for her to taste and let the teacher know beforehand. The teacher felt confident about keeping my daughter safe and my daughter had a great time and enjoyed tasting chocolate.

In the case of overnight retreats, to ease possible stress and anxiety for everyone, it may help to communicate directly with the food and health staff where the retreat will be happening. The school or teacher should be able to provide the contact information to the necessary people. This will give you the chance to ask all the questions about food preparation and serving protocols as well as to decide if additional gluten free food should be sent, how it will be stored and served.

~Back-up Treats~

You can set up all the best plans in the world, but mistakes can happen. Someone may forget to let you know that a birthday will be celebrated in class or a teacher might surprise the class with brownies (both true stories) and your child will have to say “no, thank you.” Having a stash of shelf-stable or frozen treats on hand will come in very handy.

We’ve stored, very clearly labeled options in the classroom, if there is space, and also in the Teacher Lounge’s freezer.

~Find others~

While schools can’t tell you who else has celiac disease and who needs to follow a strict gluten free diet, most likely you are not alone. Ask around and let others know that your child is gluten free. It’s like having a gluten free team on your side.

I found a mom who's son had celiac disease and knew that she took his gluten free needs very seriously. He wasn’t in my daughter's class, but that mom and I looked out for and took care of each other and our kids. We both kept shelf stable gluten free food and treats at school for the kids, just in case, and if one of us happened to run out, the teachers and kids knew that they could take from the other’s stash.

There were also times when the whole school had fun events that called for families to volunteer to bring in food and treats, like celebrating Halloween and an annual Carnival. She and I would provide a variety of gluten free food options so that our kids didn’t feel so different and isolated from only being able to have the things from their own home. We also brought in enough to share with classmates, school staff or to be sold if there was a bake sale.

Also, if your school is challenging to work with, in terms of accommodations and events, it is helpful to be able to work with other caregivers of children with gluten free needs when dealing with the school.

The best part about finding others is that it helps to not feel alone. It feels great to have people around you who understand what the journey is like.

Here’s to a great year in school!

If you would like additional support navigating living gluten free…

Click here to schedule an informational call Find Me and more ideas about living Gluten Free On Instagram @beautifullyglutenfreephotos

Disclaimer:

Kohala coast on the Big Island of Hawaii

Anne Moon — Fri, 16 Jul 2021 16:19:33 +0000

The Big Island of Hawaii is BIG. Unless you are staying for an extended amount of time, it helps to target your visit to one or two parts of the island and hopefully come back another time. This post will focus in on the northwest and North Kohala Coast.

~General Tips For Visiting Hawaii Gluten Free~

~Stay in a place with a kitchen. Grocery stores have plenty of gluten free options and local farmer’s markets/fish mongers have amazing local and fresh options.

~Hawaii is a great place for picnics, especially if you’re up for exploring the smaller beaches that you can only access by trail.

~Higher-end resorts tend to be more successful preparing and serving gluten free meals. If you don’t stay at one, you can still make reservations at their restaurants and beach bars. Make sure to call ahead to find out what their gluten free options are.

~Beaches are open to the public, even the resorts’ beaches.

~A note about the Volcano. If your primary interest is seeing active lava, check on the volcanic activity before you go because it’s a long drive from the northwest area of the island, definitely a day trip, or even an overnight trip. Sometimes the lava is easy to get to, sometimes it’s a longer hot walk/hike over lava rock and sometimes there isn’t any visible activity. You can always check out the volcano by helicopter; take a look at Big Island Helicopter Tours.

~Two Local Fish Mongers~

1) Da Fish House

This is my favorite place to pick up fresh local fish. Sometimes you get lucky and the fish arrives when you do. If you can eat gluten, Da Fish House does sell Poke that you can take away and/or they can build you a bowl for lunch. That being said, you can buy your fish of choice and make your own Poke with gluten free ingredients in the kitchen at your place.

2) Ocean Fresh Fish

Ocean Fresh Fish is a new fish monger for me. You can sign up to receive a text about their daily offerings. They sell both local seafood as well as seafood from Alaska, Washington and Oregon. While not everything is local, sometimes it’s nice to pick up a favorite that you’d get at home, like salmon.

~Two trails~

1) Pololu Valley Lookout & Black Sand Beach

A bit east from the small town Hawi*, on the north side of the island, is Pololu Valley lookout and its black sand beach. If you’re an early bird, it’s a great place to watch the sunrise. It is also a great place for a picnic lunch. The hike is short, only a 1/2 mile, but very steep; you drop about 500 ft in that 1/2 mile. Kids can do it, but they might not love the walk back up; luckily there are plenty of places to stop, rest and check out the views.

*As for the little town of Hawi, it’s a fun place to stop and wander around. I can’t say anything about safe gluten free food options, other then picking up food from the store and grabbing a coffee or tea, but the town is full of great little shops that sell local art, crystals, clothes and other home decor.

Also, the road between Hawi and Waimea takes you up and over the Kohala Volcano, it’s a beautiful drive with amazing views.

2) The Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site & part of the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail

The Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail is a 200 mile trail that goes from the north end of the island, down along the west and south coasts, through the Volcano’s National Park and into Puna on the east side of the island. In the section of trail between the Mauna Kea Beach Resort, which has an amazing beach, and the Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site, there are a couple of beautiful and protected sandy beaches: Mau’umae Beach and Spencer Park Beach.

The Mau’umae Beach does not have any facilities and can be reached via a small service road within the Mauna Kea Resort, but the resort gate only hands out 10 passes per day. It can also be reached by walking south on the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail from Spencer Park Beach.

Spencer Park Beach has a parking lot, bathrooms and outdoor shower facilities as well as a couple old phone booths.

The Pu'ukohola Heiau National Historic Site is great to visit for local history and can be reached from the Kawaihae Road or by walking north on the Ala Kahakai National Historic Trail from Spencer Park Beach. Click here to learn more about Pu'ukohola Heiau.

Mau’umae Beach
Mau’umae Beach
Between Mau’umae Beach and Spencer Park
Spencer Park Phone Booths

~Fresh Produce & Flowers~

Near Da Fish House, Spencer Park Beach and the Pu'ukohola Heiau is a small covered fresh produce and flower stand that is tucked into a parking lot and is open daily. I would recommend going there before you go to a larger grocery store and stock up on very fresh and local produce.

Tip: let the woman know when you’d like your fruit to be ripe and she will pick out the perfect piece, and go there early in your vacation to buy flowers for your place.

~Mauna Kea Beach Resort Luau!~

You can find more detailed information about how we went to and safely ate at the Mauna Kea Luau by checking out this previous blog post.

While this is a small sample of what you can do on The Big Island of Hawaii, I hope it is helpful.

~Safe Travels~

If you would like additional support navigating living gluten free…

Click here to schedule an informational call Find Me and more ideas about living Gluten Free On Instagram @beautifullyglutenfreephotos

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Grilling and BBQ Tips

Anne Moon — Thu, 01 Jul 2021 21:57:58 +0000

Summertime is a great time to get together, be outside and enjoy an amazing barbecue. Whether you’re hosting or attending, whether you’re following a gluten free diet or supporting someone who is following a gluten free diet, food can be safely prepared and served for all who attend. Similar with the kitchen, you don’t need the event to be 100% gluten free, but some precautions do need to be taken if gluten containing ingredients and food are being cooked and served.

The following are a few tips and ideas that will help you enjoy a summer full of fun barbecues that are safe for you or the gluten free person/people in your life.

~Separation is Key~

Divide the Grill

Create a dedicated area on the grill or flat top for gluten free food so that seasonings and marinades that contain gluten don’t come in contact with gluten free food. Don’t forget about the upper rack, which is often used for keeping food warm and toasting buns. Crumbs or drips from gluten containing food can easily drop onto the gluten free food below, which causes the gluten free food to no longer be safe for those who are gluten free.

Use a separate, portable grill for either the gluten free or full foods.

Foil

When a grill or flat top is shared with gluten containing ingredients, foil can be used as a barrier to help protect gluten free food. Considering foil can rip, use heavy duty foil sheets and/or the stronger foil pans.

Cooking Tools

BBQ tools (tongs, spatulas, basting brushes, thermometers, hot pads/oven mits, cutting boards and serving plates) can NOT go between gluten containing and gluten free ingredients and food without being cleaned and sterilized first.

Some tools, like the basting brush and cutting boards can never be shared, even after being cleaned.

Serving

BBQ’s tend to be buffet style events. Since there are people who use the same serving utensil for multiple dishes, it is best to place the gluten free food at a separate and well labeled table, or at least on one side of the serving area away from gluten containing food.

When the food is served near the gluten containing options, it helps decrease anxiety and worry for the gluten free people to serve themselves first and to serve themselves enough to not have to go back for more.

~Read Ingredient Labels~

Spice Blends, Marinades, Sauces & Condiments

Many pre-made spice blends, marinades, sauces and condiments may contain gluten as an anti-caking agent, filler, thickener or added flavor ingredient, like soy sauce. Look for gluten free alternatives or make your own.

Condiments that require a knife to be dipped into the container and spread on food cannot be shared between gluten containing and gluten free foods; squeeze bottles or individual serving packets are a great solution.

Meat & Meat Alternatives

While meat and some meat alternatives (tofu and vegetables) are naturally gluten free, pre-marinated/seasoned cuts, patties, sausages and kebabs from the store, or someone else’s kitchen, may contain gluten. Don’t consume food when there isn’t an available ingredient list or there is any question about ingredients and preparation area. Avoid Seitan, which is straight wheat protein, gluten.

Non-Grilled Dishes

For every gluten containing dish that is popular at barbecues, a gluten free version can be made: pasta salads, casseroles, cornbread, buns and desserts.

There are also a lot of great, naturally gluten free options that everyone can enjoy: potato, green and fruit salads, cheese & charcuterie boards, corn and coleslaw.

There are also a lot of great, naturally gluten free options that everyone can enjoy: potato, green and fruit salads, cheese & charcuterie boards (with gluten free crackers), corn and coleslaw.

Store bought fruit and vegetable trays should be gluten free because the store must follow safe food handling rules which dictates that each type of food has their own cutting surface. Some of the trays do come with a dip that could contain gluten, check the ingredient list. If the dip container is sealed, let the gluten free people serve themselves before opening the container.

Bring your NIMA Partners Gluten Detecting Sensor and Capsules so that you can check and see if something is gluten free or not. This is helpful when the ingredient list isn’t clearly marked gluten free, or you want to try something that someone brought and is made with gluten free ingredients.

~Communication~

It all comes down to communication. A barbecue hosted by someone who is gluten free may not be ok with the addition of gluten containing options or a barbecue hosted by someone who consumes gluten may not have safe gluten free options. Talking before the event will help everyone to create an appropriate plan that will help maintain health and have a great time.

~recipes~

Hamburgers

Oven/Grill Roasted Potatoes

Brownies

If you would like additional support navigating living Gluten Free…

Click here to schedule an informational call Find Me and more ideas about living Gluten Free On Instagram @beautifullyglutenfreephotos

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Re-Entering The Gluten Filled World

Anne Moon — Wed, 09 Jun 2021 16:30:00 +0000

With people getting vaccinated and being able to re-enter the world, the stress that comes with eating outside the home is back.

While I desperately missed traveling, eating out and celebrating with friends/family, the break from the worry about getting glutened was ok. For us, getting glutened is a very traumatic experience and one that I work very hard to avoid.

Interestingly, the break from the worry and anxiety has given me a new perspective. With the stress gone for the past year, and now coming back as we slowly re-enter the world, I can see the stress, the high level of anxiety and how crazy I can feel on the inside when I don’t have as much control of the situation, and her safety, as I want.

We are not new to navigating life with celiac disease, we’ve been doing this for more than 11 years and have great systems in place, but with all my efforts to keep my daughter safe and healthy while also traveling, experiencing new things and figuring out how to navigate life with celiac, I was head down with a narrow perspective. I never really took a step back to see and understand how stressful it has been and is. While I can’t eliminate all the stress, living a strict gluten free life is hard, now that I can see and feel the anxiety in a new way, I can proactively minimize the effect on me, my daughter and the whole family.

Following, are a few thoughts and ideas that may help decrease the stress and anxiety that comes with leaving the safety and controllable space in your home. I don’t want stress or feeling overwhelmed to get in the way of your life.

~Anxiety & stress~

Acknowledge the anxiety and stress, it is very real! Even saying “I’m feeling worried and stressed out about (insert food situation)” out loud is powerful. Being able to name feelings is known to decrease and diffuse the negative emotional charge.

For example, me taking a deep breath and saying “I’m feeling stressed out and overwhelmed because my son can eat the pizza at this party and my daughter can’t” gives me a little space to diffuse the emotions, not get caught up in my own whirlwind of feelings and can better support my daughter.

While I do try to be prepared with gluten free food equivalents, unexpected food situation do happen and we need to roll with them. Trust me, when she can’t have what others are having, because of her having celiac, and she is feeling all of her feelings, I get triggered. I’m her mom and her strict gluten free needs makes her life harder, but me wishing that the reality was different, doesn’t help anyone, especially her.

~Invited to an event?~

One skill that has been strengthened, for me, during this pandemic is the ability to communicate health needs and being more thoughtful about establishing and maintaining boundaries. Speaking with the host or the person who knows what the menu will be, before the event, gives you the ability to decide what is best for you and how you want to proceed. Maybe you eat before/after, bring your own food, offer to bring a dish to share or politely decline.

No, you are not “needy” or “high maintenance” by expressing what you or your family needs to stay healthy!

The upside of no events and parties, this past year, is that we didn’t have to deal with “obligation” events. “Obligation” events are the situations that you are invited to or expected to attend, for whatever reason, but you may not have felt supported or you didn’t want to go and felt that you had to say “yes.” It is ok to not include these events back in your life; feeling obligated can be exhausting and stressful. If you are like me and feel more confident in setting health related boundaries, we can use that strength to say “no” to situations that we don’t really want to be part of. Not feeling that your health needs are being supported is a good reason to not participate. Others may have a hard time understanding, but it’s ok to say “no thank you” to an invitation.

~Restaurants~

The restaurant landscape may look different, some safe favorites may not have made it, but there are restaurants out there that can and want to prepare and serve safe food. Don’t wait for the last minute to figure out if a place can serve safe food, do a little research online and make a few calls. It is less stressful, you’ll feel more in control and be better prepared when you know what the situation is going to be like beforehand. Also, if you already know about a few places that can serve safe food you can suggest going to one of them.

Click here to read more about going out to restaurants and communicating your gluten free needs.

Some restaurants won’t be able to meet your dietary needs and will be honest about it. While it would be great if all restaurants were safe, I’m always happy when they tell me, up front, that they can’t do it. It saves time and energy, both physical and emotional.

When I see cautionary disclaimers on menus from bakeries and pizza places, like the examples above, I believe them and don’t even bother with more investigation. When I see similar disclaimers on a restaurant’s menu that has a lot of naturally gluten free options, I will call and get more information. Some shared kitchens can prepare and serve safe gluten free food.

For example, there is a French Bistro near my house. They have a couple menu options that contain gluten, but they aren’t baking bread and wheat flour isn’t airborne. They are honest and up-front about their kitchen not being dedicated gluten free, but have a dedicated fryer for french fries, offer a gluten free bun and understand how to prepare and serve safe food.

~Patience & Grace~

Ultimately, your needs are what come first and what you need may not be what others need and that is ok, even if they don’t understand. Maybe you aren’t ready to go to someone’s dinner party or to try out a new restaurant. It takes a certain amount of time and energy to figure out if a situation can meet your needs and maybe you don’t have enough of either, right now; give yourself a lot of patience and grace.

Hopefully these ideas can help decrease the stress and other overwhelming feelings that come with managing a strict gluten free life outside of the home.

If you would like additional support navigating living Gluten Free…

Click here to schedule an informational call Find Me and more ideas about living Gluten Free On Instagram @beautifullyglutenfreephotos

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The Power of a Chocolate Chip Cookie

Anne Moon — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 17:18:03 +0000

Who would have guessed, way back when I first learned how to make them, that these cookies would have such a huge impact on my life?

~The Early Years~

When I first started baking cookies, I used the recipe on the back of Nestle’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chip bag. At some point my sister, who was in high school, and I, in middle school, decided that they would be a perfect after school snack. When we would make them, we had to taste test the dough at 2 key points before eating the final cookie:

1) when the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and vanilla was mixed together

2) when all the ingredients were added (yes, we ate the raw egg but never got sick).

But, the final cookie was always the best!

Once the first pan of cookies had baked, we’d eat a slightly cooled cookie that was topped with a little extra raw cookie dough!

You really can’t beat a freshly baked chocolate chip cookie topped with melting cookie dough! I’m sure some of you are cringing or loving the idea, it probably depends on your relationship with cookie dough, but we loved it. She and I still talk about how silly it was that chocolate chip cookies were, one, an after school snack, and, two, that the baked cookie wasn’t enough, that it needed extra dough on top. How and why did we think of that? We also had a Honey-Nut Cheerio thing, but that’s another story.

~Developing the “Perfect” Cookie~

I don’t remember how or why, but soon after, I wanted to create my own chocolate chip cookie, better than the Nestle version. I started experimenting with different chip combinations: chocolate with butterscotch, dark chocolate or all of them together; never with white-chocolate chips, I’m not a fan. Ultimately I found that using a 50/50 split of Ghirardelli’s bittersweet chocolate chips and Reese’s peanut butter chips was the best.

I’m sure that landing on the darker chocolate and peanut butter chip combo was driven by my love of chocolate and peanut butter, the absolute best flavor combo, but there is something else, the peanut butter chips add moisture to the cookie that no other chip adds.

After the chips, the next important factor was texture; thin and crispy or thick and soft? Considering I prefer my cookies as close to dough-like as possible, you can guess that thin and crispy won’t due.

When I was in high school and working on this cookie project, my oldest sister’s boyfriend (I have 2 older sisters) at the time, had clear cookie baking rules. He mixed the dough by hand, always, and kept adding extra flour until the grittiness of the sugar went away; that was the signal that the dough was ready. The cookies were thicker and softer; that was it, I started adding more flour!

~Key Player in Major Life Moments~

Over the years I kept making my cookies for friends and family. I’ve sent them in care packages, especially when friends were far from home, and brought them to get togethers. I don’t remember the cookies playing any role with previous boyfriends (maybe that was a sign) but, after meeting my now husband, these cookies quickly took on a supporting role.

We met at my friend’s wedding in late September 2001 and I quickly knew that this was going to be something different. Since he was, and is, a chocolate chip cookie lover, I made him a batch for our first Valentine’s Day. I went so far as to bake them, bar like on a sheet pan, and used a cookie cutter to make them heart shaped. Maybe a little cheesy, but that’s ok, I’m a little cheesy and he loved them.

The same cookies that I gave him for our first Valentine’s Day, we gave away to our wedding guests. We had a weekend wedding on San Juan Island, which coincided with the annual San Juan County Fair. Since I was making 100’s of cookies for our guests, I decided to enter them into the County Fair’s baking competition; I won a blue ribbon!

In early 2010, I used these cookies to help keep my 20 month old daughter’s level of gluten consumption high enough for accurate celiac screening while we waited for her endoscopy procedure. Feeding her gluten became challenging because she started to avoid it on her own. I was desperate and figured she wouldn’t reject cookies. At first she loved having a cookie a day, but it didn’t take too long for her to start pushing them away; it was definitely a stressful time. Click here if you’d like to read more about our diagnostic process.

The emotional process of transitioning to a gluten free diet after a celiac diagnosis is hard, varied and real. At first, I was devastated that she’d never be able to have my cookies again. So, this was one of the most important recipes to be made gluten free after her diagnosis. These cookies had been part of so many amazing life events and memories and I wanted that to keep happening. Since gluten free baking can be challenging, it did take some time and experimenting, but I figured it out and I’m happy to say that they are really yummy.

They even won another blue ribbon at the San Juan County Fair in 2017.

~Cookie Power~

Yes, these cookies have played a significant role in my life, but the best part about them, now, is that the people in my daughter’s world love them as well. When she was younger, we left a supply in the school freezer for unexpected school celebrations and shared them with classmates for her in-class birthday parties. Once her friends tasted the cookies, they started asking for them and so we try to make sure to have some on hand in the freezer for when they come over or when she goes to their houses. One of her closest friends does have a peanut allergy so we make sure to bake some without the peanut butter chips.

Living with celiac disease, more often than not, causes her to be the “other” in food situations. I love that this little cookie can give her a break from feeling like the “other” and provides an easy opportunity to include others in her world.

It is a powerful cookie.

I hope you enjoy!

~Update~

In case you are wondering, I don’t let my kids eat raw cookie dough; on it's own or topped on a freshly baked cookie. The younger version of me thinks, “why not? I did it all the time and was fine.” While the mom part of me says, “I have no interest in inviting Salmonella into our lives. No way!”

I wish I could say that my “eating cookie dough” days ended when I got older, but, I may as well admit that eating cookie dough was a favorite postpartum snack. While I don’t eat cookie dough now, it’s not because it isn’t good for me, I would actually love to have some. Since I’ve gotten older, gone through three pregnancies and gestational diabetes, my relationship with sugar has changed; just another example of how food can either harm or heal.

Anne Barbo Moon

If you would like additional support navigating living Gluten Free…

Click here to schedule an informational call Find Me and more ideas about living Gluten Free On Instagram @beautifullyglutenfreephotos

Disclaimer:

While we have nearly ten years’ experience of navigating the world as the parent of a child with Celiac Disease, we are not physicians, nutritionists, or other licensed medical professionals. The material and content contained in the Services is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for consultation, diagnosis or medical treatment by a licensed medical professional. Please consult your doctor for any medical or health-related questions. The information contained in the Services should NOT be used to disregard medical or health-related advice from a physician or licensed medical professional.

Is your dog gluten free?

Anne Moon — Fri, 22 Jan 2021 22:00:00 +0000

I’m new to the dog world, really new; we’ve had our puppy for 2 weeks.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far:

1) I’m tired. Coco isn’t sleeping through the night, yet, and it’s been 6.5 years since we’ve had a newborn in the house. I forgot what this kind of tired feels like, but she’s cute, so I’m ok with it. Luckily she’s now only waking up once a night vs 2 or 3 times, so I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

2) I knew that puppies liked to chew on things, but WOW, she really loves to chew: my pants, my ears, my chin, my toes, the rug, my nasty socks, her own tail, nothing is off limits.

3) She needs to be within 2 - 3 feet of me at all times, ideally right next to me or under my feet.

4) Everyone said that we’d love having a dog, and it’s true.

5) The controversy about dogs following a gluten free diet seems to be as controversial as humans following a gluten free diet. (Obviously people with Celiac Disease must follow a gluten free diet, there is no controversy there.)

Here’s what I think. When it comes to following a gluten free diet, for humans and dogs, it’s an individual choice. What works for one person, family and dog may not work for other people, families or dogs.

Our puppy started her dog food life with a brand that includes gluten. When we brought her home I continued to feed her the same food that she had at her breeder’s house. I read that switching dog food, too fast, would cause all sorts of digestive issues; which wasn’t something that I wanted to happen. I planned to wait until her first veterinarian appointment to decide what we would do, keep with the gluten full food or switch to a gluten free brand as our house is 100% gluten free because my daughter has Celiac Disease.

Well, our sweet puppy, Coco, LOVES to lick faces and lips and nibble on our fingers and toes. It started stressing me out feeding her gluten full food, three times a day, combined with all her licking and biting and me meal prepping/food handling. Don’t get me wrong, I wash my hands before I start cooking and handling our food, but unless Coco is asleep, it’s a constant balancing act of keeping her chewing on the right toys and not on my 6 year old or power cords; which inadvertently leads to her licking or biting my hands. I also saw that it was affecting how my daughter played and interacted with Coco. I don’t want there to be added stress at home for her, remote middle school is hard enough. I also don’t want her to have a restricted relationship with Coco, especially since Coco ADORES her and navigating her life with Celiac Disease is restrictive enough. So, we made the switch to gluten free food sooner than planned.

I know that the gluten free/grain free dog food controversy is, primarily, divided into two camps: 1) gluten free/grain free food leads to heart disease and 2) dogs are carnivores, can’t process grains and do better on a gluten free/grain free diet. It feels similar to the discussion between people believing that a gluten free diet is a fad, ridiculous and not beneficial for anyone outside the Celiac community and those who sing the praises of a gluten free diet from the mountain tops. It may not surprise you that I’m in the “sing it from the mountain tops” camp.

After doing a lot of research and exploring the different brands of gluten free/grain free foods, we found and decided to go with a gluten free dog food that still contains grains. It’s not certified gluten free, I don’t think that exists in the dog world, but at least it isn’t filled with wheat, barley or oats. I found a brand that makes a lamb and brown rice dry food that is made for small puppy breeds, and our vet is ok with it. We have decided to toe the line between everyone’s physical and mental health by feeding our puppy gluten free and some grain. Of course, there is still a lot of hand washing, but it’s not as stressful and we can really relax and enjoy the newest member of our family.

Coco Playing Fetch

If you would like additional support navigating living Gluten Free…

Click here to schedule an informational call Find Me and more ideas about living gluten free on Instagram @beautifullyglutenfreephotos

Disclaimer:

While we have ten years’ experience of navigating the world as the parents of a child with Celiacs, we are not physicians, nutritionists, or other licensed medical professionals. The material and content contained in the Services is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for consultation, diagnosis or medical treatment by a licensed medical professional. Please consult your doctor for any medical or health-related questions. The information contained in the Services should NOT be used to disregard medical or health-related advice from a physician or licensed medical professional.

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Supporting Someone Who Has Celiac Disease!!

Anne Moon — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 21:45:00 +0000

Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that can only be treated by adhering to a strict 100% gluten free diet. The support and care from family and friends is critically important to successfully navigating and managing celiac disease. The following suggestions will help you to better support and care for the person in your life who has Celiac Disease.

1) What is Celiac Disease?

Celiac Disease is a genetic autoimmune disease that affects about 1% of the American population. The only treatment for Celiac Disease is a strict 100% gluten free diet and lifestyle. Gluten is the general name for the series of proteins found in all grains. For someone with Celiac Disease, it is the gluten proteins in wheat, barley, rye and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye) that triggers an immune response that causes the body to attack the lining of the small intestine. There are more than 200 different symptom presentations; they can be immediate, gradual, severe or silent.

Continued exposure to gluten in persons with Celiac Disease (even silent/asymptomatic Celiac), causes intestinal damage that can lead to other health complications, such as failure to thrive in children, chronic inflammation, gastrointestinal issues, malnourishment, infertility in both men and women, neurological issues, mental conditions, rashes and increased chance for certain cancers and other autoimmune diseases.

Even after symptoms are relieved and the lining of the small intestines has healed, a person with Celiac Disease must continue following a strict 100% gluten free diet, gluten can never be re-introduced. It is recommended that all immediate family members get tested and watch for Celiac Disease as there is a 1 in 10 chance that another member of the family also has or will develop Celiac Disease.

2) Create Space in the Kitchen

For a person with Celiac Disease, the safest kitchen is a 100% gluten free kitchen, but that is not always possible.

In a shared kitchen, a person with Celiac Disease will need clearly defined and dedicated spaces for their gluten free food and cooking equipment. A few kitchen tools can NOT be shared with gluten containing foods and will need to be replaced with a new and, ideally, different colored version. Purchasing new equipment in different colors is a great way to help remind everyone which tools are for gluten free cooking; decreasing the chance of accidentally using them when preparing gluten containing foods.

Any food or condiment that is served or spread with utensils that come in contact with gluten containing foods can NOT be shared (for example: condiments in jars, humus, peanut butter and/or butter to name a few). Possible solutions would be to use squeeze bottles or clearly label separate gluten free containers.

Gluten free food and cooking equipment should be stored separately from gluten containing food and equipment, especially baking ingredients.* In the refrigerator, store all of the gluten free food on the upper shelves, with the gluten containing food below. Most dishware, metal utensils and glasses, that can be washed in the dishwasher, not by hand, can be shared.

*It is worth mentioning that in shared kitchens, where the individual/individuals with Celiac Disease live in the house, many of them stop baking with gluten containing flours entirely. If symptoms are not relieved, it could be because of continued use of gluten containing flours; they spread easily on surfaces, in the air and can contaminate designated gluten free areas. Every situation is different and what works for one person or family, may or may not work for others; these are personal decisions.

3) Maintaining a Gluten Free Diet Outside the Home

It takes a very small amount of gluten, just a crumb, to damage the lining of the small intestines and trigger a negative reaction, even in people with silent/asymptomatic Celiac Disease. As a result, one of the most challenging aspects of living with Celiac Disease is eating outside the home as there are very few options that are 100% gluten free. People with Celiac Disease need to be very clear when communicating their gluten free needs with restaurant and food service providers. Unfortunately, because of cross-contact with gluten in shared kitchens, many restaurants and food service providers aren’t able to safely provide food to someone with Celiac Disease.

Cross-contact occurs when something that is otherwise gluten free comes into contact with something that has been exposed to gluten, which results in the gluten free item becoming unsafe for a person with Celiac Disease to consume. Cross-contact cannot be fixed by simply removing the gluten containing item or adjusting cooking methods. The food, dishes and utensils with which it was served need to be replaced.

4) Emotional Support

Living with Celiac Disease is hard. While there is a lot going on inside the body, it can seem, from the outside, that the person is fine; but they might not be. A lot of the symptoms, when gluten has been ingested, cause internal discomfort with no outward or public expression: fatigue, joint pain, headaches, bloating, brain fog, depression, anxiety diarrhea, and/or constipation. One of the most frequent complaints from the Celiac community is that their friends and family don’t believe that they are suffering and feel negatively judged about the need to follow such a strict diet.

Not being able to fully participate in food related events and activities, to “miss out,” to be different and draw attention to oneself because of needing to bring their own food or when ordering at a restaurant is challenging and brings up a lot of different emotions. That person may or may not want to share those feelings; give them that space and also be there to listen and believe them without judgement if they do share how they are feeling. Making comments about needing to bring their own food or about the way they order aren’t helpful. If you know about your family member or friend’s gluten free needs, there’s no need to talk about these situations; let them do what they need to do to maintain their health. If you are just learning about someone’s Celiac Disease and gluten free needs, approach the conversation with curiosity and empathy.

When food causes pain and illness, feelings of distrust and anxiety are quick to follow; which are compounded when those around them don’t believe that “just a crumb” will cause harm. If a person with Celiac Disease does not accept food prepared and made in other people’s kitchens; they are not being rude, they are protecting their health. They have very few places, outside their home, where they can relax and trust what they put in their body.

These emotional stressors may cause individuals to skip events and isolate themselves; which can lead to and/or exacerbate depression and anxiety. It cannot be said enough, supporting, trying to understand and not being judgmental goes a long way with individuals who are navigating their Celiac Disease and gluten free life.

5) Celebrate and Try Something New

Individuals and families with Celiac Disease know that there is a lot of bad gluten free food, both in the stores and in restaurants. They also know where and what the good gluten free food is; let them share it with you. Whether that is going out to their favorite restaurant or bakery, inviting you to their house to cook for you or trying what they bring to your house.

Be open and have a great time. In the end it is the connection and relationship, not the food, that is most important.

~~~~~~~

If you or someone you know would like more medical information about Celiac Disease, reach out to your medical provider. Screening for Celiac Disease begins with a simple blood test. Make sure that gluten has NOT been removed from your diet before the blood test; gluten must be present in your diet for accurate screening.

If you or someone you know would like more information about living gluten free, living with Celiac Disease or supporting someone you love please reach out. Beautifully Gluten Free is a Celiac Disease and gluten free resource that helps support individuals and families to live their best gluten free life.

Click here to schedule an informational call

Disclaimer:

Why stay home when you can see the world and be Gluten Free.

Anne Moon — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 22:00:00 +0000

I love to travel. I was fortunate to be exposed to it at a young age, traveling with my family. My middle and high school loved learning outside of the classroom and offered a lot of amazing travel opportunities that I took advantage of: many wilderness trips, class retreats to the San Juan Islands, Ashland OR Shakespeare Festival, and even a two month stay in Indonesia. I’ve traveled with friends and on my own; which I still love to do. Now, I’m able to travel with my family and can show the kids how different and how similar cultures can be. The challenge is that no matter where we are or where we go we need to eat and it has to be Gluten Free. There is more stress and anxiety when we leave the comfort of our house, but I’ve learned that the excitement of traveling and seeing something new is worth it. With some extra planning, it is possible to travel and maintain a Gluten Free diet.

When we received our daughter’s Celiac Disease diagnosis, one of my first worries was about what our and her future travel life would be like. Ironically, it was mid January, 10 years ago, and we were on vacation in Hawaii when I received the call from her pediatrician with her blood test results. It was positive for Celiac, her numbers were off the charts. I was also told that she had to keep eating Gluten for her Endoscopy procedure three weeks later. This was the last time, in her life, that she, and we, would ever travel without food worry. It had already become challenging to feed her foods with Gluten, because she was naturally listening to what her 20 month old body was telling her. So, I went against what a lot of mothers of very young kids do and I introduced her to ketchup. That was the only way she would eat the fries that came out of the shared fryer. I also let her eat the cashews that she picked out of the bar snacks; they were covered with pretzel dust. It was a bitter sweet vacation; we had an answer to why she was sick and a solution, but she was very sick and we had to keep her sick. The minute I was allowed to change her diet to Gluten Free I did, but how would she eventually be able to experience distant travel or even a weekend away from our house?

In looking back, I can see that we did take a break from the type of travel that we had done before her diagnosis, but there were a lot factors that could have attributed to the decrease in travel. It can be challenging to travel with young children. I was pregnant with our second then our third child. But, honestly, I was nervous and overwhelmed. I didn’t feel confident in my ability to keep her safe outside our house, I didn’t know how to be away from our kitchen for more than a couple days. But, I couldn’t stop traveling forever and I wanted to show my kids the world. I also wanted and want to show my daughter that having Celiac Disease doesn’t mean she has to stay home. So, a few years ago I began to figure out the best way for us to visit new places and be Gluten Free. It takes extra planning and there are places that are harder to visit and eat without being Glutened, but it is possible and is even easy in some places to eat Gluten Free. (Italy, we love you!)

Right now, because of the Coronavirus, traveling is extremely restricted. Knowing that I’m not allowed to travel causes me to focus more on all the places that I would love to visit but can’t; you always want what you can’t have, right? But, being forced to stay home does create the perfect opportunity to research, plan and figure out your GF travel system. The travel restrictions will lift and when they do you’ll be ready to go.

Here are a few ideas for traveling while living Gluten Free:

1) Gluten Free Travel apps on your phone and websites on the internet are great tools: Find Me Gluten Free, the Nima Sensor’s app (see more discussion about Nima below), the Gluten Free Scanner for when I’m in US grocery stores, Google and general restaurant review sites like Yelp. I find that I use Google when label reading and Yelp to help cross reference when I’m learning about a restaurant that may not be on the Find Me Gluten Free app. These apps and services help me navigate the best Gluten Free options for our family. I feel very fortunate and grateful that these tools exist because I remember what it was like without them, not as easy. Fortunately new apps and resources are continually popping up, so keep your eyes out for them. I’m looking at and playing around with a couple new travel and ingredient analyzing apps, I will report back when I’ve spent more time with them.

2) When traveling in a foreign country and you don’t speak the language you can use a pre-translated Gluten Free/Celiac Information card. I’ve used the cards from Celiactravel.com. There are other GF translation cards out there, you just need to search for them. Along with the translated card, it is helpful to know how to say “Gluten Free” in the languages of the countries that you are visiting.

3) Five star hotels and resorts tend to have the knowledge and ability to provide Gluten Free food options, mainly because meeting the needs of their customers and providing excellent service is what they do. They are not overwhelmed by the task of keeping you safe and well fed. That being said, staying at Five Star Hotels and at the best All-Inclusive Resorts can be expensive and not within your budget. One way to experience their knowledge and to feel well taken care of, even pampered, without staying at the hotel/resort, is to have a meal there. For example, we recently stayed in a rented house on a beach in Mexico, 20 min away from The Four Seasons Hotel. I didn’t want to cook 100% of our meals and we also wanted to have a fancy night out, so we made dinner reservations at one of the The Four Seasons restaurants. When I called to make the reservation, the concierge was very thorough when speaking with me about our Gluten Free needs. She asked and made notes about the severity of my daughter’s reaction, even wanting to know the names and ages of all three kids. I was clear with her about my daughter’s needs, that almost of us are also Gluten Free, but included that my son would probably want to have something that contains Gluten. I felt that she wanted to make sure that we would have an amazing experience. When we arrived at the restaurant, our waiter knew about our Gluten Free needs and let us know which dishes were, or could be made, Gluten Free. The kitchen cooked a successful and yummy Gluten Free meal for four of us (including french fries) and a Gluten-filled mac-n-cheese for my son. When we left to go back to our house we were happy, well fed, full and felt well taken care of.

4) If it is within your budget to stay at a Luxury or All-Inclusive Resort, definitely try to make it happen. It isn’t very often that travel, eating out and being Gluten Free is easy, but there are All-Inclusive and Luxury Resort options all over the world that will serve you and serve you well. One aspect of going on a vacation is to feel like you get a break from your day to day life. A huge part of day to day life with Celiac Disease and living Gluten Free is cooking, planning, researching and more cooking. More and more places are offering amazing Gluten Free options so that you can have a real break from your day to day life. A quick search will provide you with current reviews of places that can serve your Gluten Free needs, even Disneyland!

5) Rent a place that has a kitchen, this is what we do most of the time. Having access to your own kitchen really makes it a lot easier to stay safe from Gluten while traveling, especially in places where it’s hard to find GF food options. It is also much kinder to your pocketbook. Eating out every meal adds up cost wise and also increases the chance of being Glutened from cross-contact. When you have access to at least a refrigerator and microwave (and ideally a stove, oven and BBQ) you can pick up GF food supplies from the grocery store. What I really love to do is visit local farmers markets to pick out what is fresh and from the region. A couple times the places we’ve rented actually had their own little gardens that we were allowed to pick from; which was amazing. Another reason to rent a place is that you usually end up with more space than if you were in a hotel; this is a huge bonus, when you need more than one room.

6) Create a “To Go” kitchen. I don’t trust other people’s cutting boards or other cooking tools; which means I need to bring my own when we rent a place. Most of the pots, pans and other kitchen tools in my kitchen are way too big, bulky and heavy to pack, so I invested in pots and pans designed for camping. The pots and pans have removable or folding handles and nest within each other, saving space. I found super thin and light cutting boards that are stored within a zipping storage bag that can also hold a knife, spatula, wooden spoon, sponge and a couple extra kitchen towels. I also include collapsible strainers and a steamer. Since this is not a carry-on bag and have the space, I also pack packaged GF food. This is great when traveling with kids to places with food flavors that they aren’t used to. Sometimes the kids, and even adults, want to have a meal that feels and tastes like home.

7) I bring our Nima Sensor.* I know that there is controversy over this product, but we love it. It isn’t perfect, but it has detected Gluten from cross-contact in food that we thought would be safe (for example, roasted potatoes in Italy that were cooked separately and the first and second attempt at a burger without a bun in a San Diego restaurant). While I would love to be able to trust all restaurants to prepare safe GF food, I can’t. So I use every tool I can to help ensure that our food is safe. The Nima Sensor is one of those tools. The Nima Sensor has also helped us to test packaged food that doesn’t contain Gluten ingredients but has been processed on shared equipment and/or when the labels are in a different language. In addition to the sensor itself, I can look in my Nima app and/or Nima Facebook Group to find out what other Nima users’ experiences are at places and with products all over the world. As I mentioned, some people don’t like the Nima Sensor and some love it; it’s up to each person to decide if they want to use this tool or not—no judgment.

Safe Travels Everyone!

*I am not affiliated with The Nima Sensor company, I’m just letting you know what we do when we eat out while traveling or when we try to a new restaurants and food at home.

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Kissing: Gluten Free

Anne Moon — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 21:00:00 +0000

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow and I’m sure there will be a lot of extra kissing happening. The big question is, how can one ensure that his/her partner has a kissable Gluten Free mouth?

There isn’t a lot of discussion or scientific information about being Gluten Free and kissing, or other intimate physical contact involving the mouth, but there should be. Kissing, like eating is a fundamental human behavior. It happens between friends, family and intimate partners. It’s a sign of love, trust and connection. So, what are the best ways to keep this act safe for those who can get sick from a very small amount of Gluten? What are the best ways to remove Gluten from the mouth? Is a good rinse enough? Can one get sick from kissing someone who has gluten in their make-up or body lotion? In addition to the physical act of removing Gluten, there is an emotional part. There are a lot of layers that complicate kissing and being Gluten Free because it involves a few very important aspects in life: physical intimacy, honesty, what is put in and on the body and trust in other people.

The first challenge comes before any physical contact occurs. It involves honest conversations that can be hard to have; it’s the “Gluten Free Talk.” Some find it easy to share their Gluten Free needs and are very up front about it. While others find it difficult to be open about their health and dietary needs, especially with someone they’ve just met because of possible past negative judgment. If you find it difficult to share your story with someone new, one suggestion would be to create a non-food centered date or activity to figure out if that person is safe enough and worth the energy to hear your Gluten Free story and health needs.

Even with friends and family, it’s important to remember that someone who is Gluten Free might avoid a lip or cheek kiss hello or goodbye. This was an important idea for me, when we went Gluten Free with my daughter. While she wasn’t old enough to wear make-up on her own face, I occasionally did and do. My main goal has been to make her GF safe zone as large as possible with the hopes of decreasing as much worry and anxiety as possible; this included removing all Gluten from, not only our kitchen, but our bathrooms and my make-up drawer as well. I want my (and the rest of my family’s) lips and cheeks to be safe places for her to give or receive a kiss without worry.

One group of people who have, I think, the hardest time with navigating relationships with new people, friends, the dating world and having the “Gluten Free Talk” are young people. They are trying to not only figure out their life Gluten Free but also what it’s like to have healthy and fun relationships, including intimate relationships, with someone else. Both are individually hard to navigate and even harder together. All they want is to be like their friends, to not stick out too much and to have fun.

If you have a young person in your life who is Gluten Free, do what you can to help them navigate the process. Help them figure out what their “Gluten Free Talk” might be like. Help them find safe restaurants if they want to go out on a date. Seek out teenage Celiac support groups; it could be a freeing experience if they met someone, started to date and learned about being in intimate relationships with someone else who has Celiac disease!

All that being said, the process of navigating intimate relationships with other people and your Gluten Free needs, regardless of your age, can lead to something very profound. It’s an amazing opportunity to learn more about healthy relationships and your inner strength. If someone isn’t ready or can’t be respectful of your Gluten Free needs, that person isn’t right for you. How many times have we been in relationships with people and put up with them not fully supporting us or truly accepting our needs, whatever that may be? Compromising for others doesn’t feel good and can chip away at our self worth. If a person can’t support another’s Gluten Free needs, it’s a huge red flag. Learning how to see and act when a red flag appears is an amazing life lesson to learn; I wish I had learned that lesson younger than I did. Health and safety is paramount and should not be compromised.

Creating a kissable Gluten Free mouth, or other body part, isn’t very hard and is definitely worth the effort for yourself and/or your loved ones. Switching my make-up was an easy and simple task that has not only helped to keep my daughter healthy, it’s given her an example of what being supported and respected looks and feels like. Asking your potential kissing person to brush their teeth after a Gluten filled meal or to share in a Gluten Free meal shouldn’t be an issue if they want to be with you and are supportive of your health and wellbeing. Kissing can cause exciting butterflies in our stomaches, but they should be the good butterflies, not the stressed, anxious I might literally throw-up butterflies. For those of you who have loved ones that are Gluten Free, making an effort and being supportive of their Gluten Free needs goes a long way and is an amazing way to show them your love.

Here are some ideas to create a Gluten Free Pucker-Up ready mouth:

1) Remember that each person who is Gluten Free will have their own idea of what makes them comfortable. Just because a good rinse or time away from food/drinks was ok for one person who is Gluten Free doesn’t mean that it is ok for someone else. Having the “Gluten Free Talk” will create space for both parties to work together in creating what works for both of them.

2) Wear Gluten Free make-up and other skin products.

3) If you go out to dinner, both people can eat Gluten Free.

4) If Gluten is consumed, I feel, that a rinse is not enough. Give the teeth and mouth a good brush with Gluten Free toothpaste.

5) Time can remove Gluten from the mouth as well, but if you don’t know how long it’s been, ask the person. They can either brush their teeth if it was recent or skip the brushing if you’re comfortable that it’s been long enough. It’s your call.

6) If you want to go out to a party, with the hopes of kissing a new person. Bring a new travel or single use toothbrush and tooth paste with you. When you find someone you’d like to kiss, they can quickly take care of business and you can kiss all you want. (I picked this advice up from a college student who still wanted to go to parties and kiss people. This person found it to actually be pretty easy, was well received and has been successful.)

The most important part of kissing Gluten Free is figuring out what makes you the most comfortable and being clear about your comfort zone with your loved ones. Each individual will have a different definition of what makes them feel comfortable and safe when it comes to being in physically intimate relationships, and that’s ok and needs to be respected.

Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Kissing!

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Then, one day I looked closely at a label and saw that it had the “Certified Gluten Free” label as well as the “manufactured on shared equipment” phrase! What?!?

Anne Moon — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 01:05:00 +0000

Label reading and ingredient investigation are necessary skills for those who need to be Gluten Free.

Label reading and ingredient investigation are such essential skills to stay healthy, that you’d think food manufacturers would do their best to make it easy for people to make confident Gluten Free choices. When I’m confident about a product and my family loves it, I’m super loyal and I tell my Gluten Free community about it. I want that product to be successful and stay on the shelves. The sad reality though, is that even when a product seems to be clearly labeled, it can still be confusing. I have spent hours, over the last 10 years, standing in grocery store aisles Googling product information and scanning barcodes with my GF apps. There is also a lot of time spent responding to texts/emails from very well meaning friends, family and teachers about what is safe for my daughter. No one wants to buy/give her something that might make her sick; their anxiety about safe food options and label reading is even higher than mine.

What makes me the most upset is when I find products that are falsely labeled Gluten Free. Maybe those manufactures are trying to capitalize on the growing requests for items to be Gluten Free and are not interested in the health and safety of their consumers. Hopefully the false labeling is more of a lack of knowledge about cross-contamination or cross-contact and what it takes for an item to be truly Gluten Free. Also, it seems, that the FDA’s labeling requirements and rules give manufactures a lot of freedom in their labeling practices; feeling more like a “good faith” promise than a rule. “We trust that you’ll make sure that you’re producing products that meet our less than 20 parts per million standard. And no, we won’t make you test it unless something comes up.” Regardless, all of this adds to the confusion and frustration that comes with label reading and living a healthy Gluten Free life.

From what I’ve gathered from longterm Gluten Free people, and from what I’ve seen over the last 10 years, the amount of good Gluten Free products has skyrocketed. Luckily, despite the loose standards of labeling something Gluten Free, it has only become easier to maintain a Gluten Free life. We can thank a few third party organizations for the increased ease of finding safe GF products. These organizations are fighting for rigorous testing of GF products, certification processes and clear and consistent GF labeling.

One group, the largest, has been around since the 1970’s, back when the general public had no idea what Gluten or Celiac disease was (it’s older than me). It began as a support group and has transformed into an organization that consistently advocates for the Gluten Free community. They do everything they can to support, educate and fight for clear labeling of Gluten Free food and products. The Gluten Intolerance Group (GiG) is responsible for the amazing “Certified Gluten Free” label that we see on everything from bread to shampoo. I love seeing that label, it makes my life so much easier. What I love, as well, is that they are in my backyard! I live in Seattle and their headquarters can be found a few miles south in Auburn, WA. I’m excited and proud that such a long standing, influential and pro-Gluten Free organization came out of the Pacific Northwest.

As my family has continued on this GF journey I’ve moved further and further away from buying products that come from shared machinery facilities. Not buying products that come from shared machinery gives me peace of mind, it takes away the need for extra research and there are enough Certified Gluten Free products that we aren’t missing much. My daughter is so reactive that I also don’t want to take the chance of her getting sick from poor labeling. I have to admit, that after I found the Certified GF label, I got a bit lazy in my label reading, only looking for the symbol.

Then, one day I looked closely at a label and saw that it had the “Certified Gluten Free” label as well as the “manufactured on shared equipment” phrase!

What?!?

I was so confused, I wasn’t sure what to do! Then I realized something, GiG has a contact page on their website! I can just write to them and ask—being curious has always felt better than feeling overwhelmed and confused; it has served me well.

The people at GiG responded to my questions. They are so kind, helpful and do their best to be transparent and educational. Here is my email exchange with them:

Original email from me:

“Hello,
I’m curious about what I should believe when I see your GF Certification label on food packaging that also carries the statement “made on equipment that also processes wheat (and other allergens).” Does the company that uses the shared equipment clean the equipment enough to earn your Certification? I’m feeling nervous and confused by the contradiction.
Thank you, in advance, for your thoughts and feedback.

All the best,
Anne Moon”

GiG’s reply:

“Hi Anne,
I can understand your concern about a “may contain” statement on a certified gluten-free product. GFCO certification does not prohibit the use of plants that also use wheat ingredients, but we do require additional extensive cleaning, testing and ingredient segregation to ensure that there can be no cross-contamination with gluten. The companies that use these statements do so out of an abundance of caution, and they are aimed at people with wheat allergies, not those with celiac disease. We generally recommend they not use them because they are misleading and confusing for consumers. See our attached white paper on labeling, which gives more information.

If you come across any specific products that you have a concern about, let us know and we can confirm their certification status.

Best regards”

(I thanked them for their response and asked if I could share the information with friends; which they replied “yes.” Since only my friends and family, might read this blog, I’m sharing it here. 😁)

Wheat allergy!

Since we don’t seem to have wheat allergies, I hadn’t thought about that issue. While Celiac is triggered from Gluten specifically, someone with an allergic reaction to wheat can be reactive to other parts of the wheat plant that might be present on the machines even when Gluten is not present.

Bottom line: the Certified Gluten Free label is safe for people with Celiac Disease. People who have severe (even anaphylactic) allergic reactions to wheat, should still be mindful of the shared equipment situation.

I love that my friends, family and I can keep trusting GiG’s label, especially since they don’t need to wait for my reply if they are in the grocery store trying to pick something out. I like the reminder about how being curious can help relieve my confusion and anxiety. And I really love how transparent, striving to educate and improve our GF lives GiG was and is.

Below are the sheets they sent me explaining the Certified Label combined with the Shared Equipment statement.

Manufacture labeling and label reading isn’t an exact science, unfortunately. I recommend that you always use your best judgement when buying and consuming something that is labeled GF. There are still cases when I find products labeled GF but are not Celiac Safe (But, I haven’t had that happen with something labeled with GiG’s Certified label). If and when mislabeling happens it is very important that we communicate the inaccurate information to the company and also share the experience with our GF communities; we need to look out and support each other.

Happy Shopping!

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Hawaiian Luau!

Anne Moon — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 23:25:00 +0000

Aloha!

We had a fun and successful Gluten Free Luau experience! We’ve been successful before, but each time we go I learn a bit more about how to be more successful with less anxiety. It helps that we go back to the same place each time, The Mauna Kea Beach Resort. Their Luau menu is the same, every time, but they do make some changes to the performance year to year; which provides predictability with the food and excitement for the show. Luckily they always have an amazing fire dance, it’s one of my favorite parts of the show.

For us, the Gluten Free options are in-line with the types of food that we like to eat; which makes it easier for us to have a filling meal: traditional Hawaiian Kālua pig, slow roasted turkey, seafood options, fruit and salad. The menu is fairly meat heavy, but there are some great meat free options. There is a Gluten Free mashed potato dish that is a combination of taro root and potatoes.

Mauna Kea has their food laid out in a buffet, which generally makes me very nervous and concerned about cross-contact. They do have clear allergen labels next to the dishes, but once enough people have gone through the line all bets are off if any dish can still claim to be gluten or dairy free.

So, what is my strategy to ensure my daughter’s plate of food is safe, despite the buffet? I’m the first person to arrive in the food area and go straight to the food that she wants and load up her plate so that she doesn’t need to go back for more. The chef and cooks are on hand and are ready to answer any questions that someone might have and are great with accommodating special needs. They know exactly how crazy the food line can be and how serving utensils can travel between dishes; which leads to cross-contact and unsafe food.

In addition to making sure I’m the first one near the food, I also skip the traditional wooden plates that are used. Who knows how much gluten is stuck in the groves of those very well used plates. I head straight for the stack of sparkly clean white plates on the fruit and dessert table, taking the second or third plate down. That may sounds crazy, to not take the top plate, but you never know, crumbs are no longer insignificant things when dealing with being gluten free because of having celiac disease. I’ve learned to be ok with making choices that may seem a bit over the top when it comes to keeping my daughter healthy; and really, who cares?

I bring our NIMA Partners Sensor and Capsules so that I can test samples of her food if there are new items that she’d like to try or if we’re feeling nervous. So far we’ve been successful and have eaten dinner at the Luau without issues.

While the food is an interesting part of the evening, it’s fun to have the chance to eat some traditional Hawaiian dishes, the main reason why we go is for the amazing performances. I would recommend going to a Luau, even if the food isn’t gluten free or you don’t feel comfortable with the gluten free options. Bring your own food or eat before and enjoy the show. The fire dancer is one of the definite highlights.

Below are a few photos of the Kālua pig being dug out of its slow roasting pit and my daughter’s plate. Her favorite things to eat are the strawberries and the Kālua pig. Unearthing the slow cooking pit is a fun process to watch, and the results taste amazing. Unfortunately I don’t have photos from the performance as I did follow the rule of not taking pictures, but we loved it. If you have the chance to see a great Luau, definitely don’t let the food stop you. Go.

If you would like additional support navigating living gluten free…

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Heading to Hawaii!

Anne Moon — Sun, 29 Dec 2019 00:42:04 +0000

Traveling with Celiac Disease is tricky, definitely doable and also requires a certain amount of arm strength. Our bags are extra heavy because we’re not just packing clothes and toiletries but food and snacks.

We are heading to the Big Island of Hawaii tomorrow morning and are very excited to take a break from hats and giant jackets. While getting everything (food, clothes and bathing suits) ready for our flight and time in the sun I was reminded of a previous trip to Hawaii a few years ago.

After getting on the plane, after putting all our stuff in the right place, I began to list all the food and snack options that I had brought. Just as I finished, the woman in front of me said, “excuse me, did you just say that you have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?” Slightly confused I said, “yes, why?” I’ll never forget her reply, “would you mind keeping that sandwich wrapped up? My son is allergic to peanuts and can have a reaction to airborne peanut particles. This is the last leg of our trip and we just want to get there without more complications.” Stunned, this was the first time I’d heard about allergic reactions to airborne food particles, I assured her that I would not open the peanut butter and jelly filled ziplock until after we’ve gotten off the plane. Kindly she said, “if you run out of food or snacks we have plenty to share. We have cheese, crackers, pretzels, goldfish.” I gave little giggle at the irony of the situation and said “no thank you, I brought enough, and we actually can’t have your snacks, my daughter has Celiac Disease and can’t eat Gluten.”

The exchange gave me pause. I had been rushing at home, trying to pack our bags with food for the flight and managing the increasing anxiety that comes with leaving the safety of our house. Now, here was this other mother, doing the same thing, managing her and her son’s anxiety, trying to keep him safe as well as experiencing travel. I felt blessed that we didn’t and don’t have the added anxiety of an anaphylactic reaction, but at the same time, it’s hard to travel with Celiac Disease. The addition of needing to be Gluten Free definitely has an impact on our travel.

Luckily, it has gotten easier to travel Gluten Free. There are so many helpful apps, resources and more and more people know and understand what it takes to provide safe food for people with Celiac. I’ve also set our family up with a pretty good travel system.

There are three things that makes our travel lives easier: 1) we tend to stay in places with kitchens, 2) I have a “To-Go Kitchen” that can be easily packed into our suitcases, and 3) I bring some of our favorite Gluten Free foods with us. As someone who loves to visit local markets and cooking, I prefer to stay in places with kitchens so that I can cook. I love going out to eat, but it’s great to not have to eat out for every single meal. Bringing some favorite foods from home takes the pressure off when it’s hard to find Gluten Free options at a local grocery store.

I don’t need to bring my “To-Go Kitchen” this time as I have access to Gluten Free cooking equipment. But, I still need to bring a few things to help increase the chance that our daughter can have an amazing trip without getting sick. Also, groceries are more expensive in Hawaii, especially Gluten Free items, so I bring what I know we will want to eat, that can also be safely packed in our bags.

Here’s what’s on my list:

Our Nima and Nima capsules

Pamela’s pancake mix

Udi’s Flax/Fiber Sandwich bread

Andean Dream pasta

My homemade GF mac-n-cheese, frozen

Banana Bread from our local GF bakery, NuFlours

GF hamburger buns

GF graham crackers

Hot Sauce, I always travel with hot sauce

GF and reef safe sunscreen

GF chlorine removing shampoo/conditioner

GF aftersun lotion

Safe travels everyone. Aloha!

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A Few Ideas

Anne Moon — Tue, 10 Dec 2019 08:54:00 +0000

You need/want to be gluten free; now what?

When our family needed to switch to a gluten free diet our Dr. and a nutritionist gave us a folder with information about what to avoid, what was safe, some hidden places that gluten can be found and a list of a few gluten free resources. During our meeting with our Dr. and nutritionist, the information that they provided and the idea of living gluten free seemed pretty straightforward. And it was straightforward, until I walked back into my house and tried to put it into practice. The packet was helpful, but didn’t cover everything that we needed to know.

Did I really have to get a new pot for cooking pasta? My cutting boards were in good condition; did I really need a new set? One of my favorite mixing bowls had been given to me at my wedding shower. I thought about my best friend, who had given it to me, every time I used it. Did I have to get rid of that as well?

Walking back into my kitchen, I was flooded with a million emotions and questions that I failed to ask while I was in the office. I was overwhelmed, sad and heartbroken, not only for the changes that needed to happen but also for not knowing what my daughter’s life might be like and if she would be able to thrive and grow.

What about outside our house? Are there restaurants that even know what gluten is? Is there any place that will be able to serve us safely?

I wanted the Dr. and nutritionist to come to my house for a house call so that they could help me figure this out. The task of creating a safe gluten free kitchen, house and life seemed very daunting and I was desperate to start healing my daughter as soon as possible. I wanted a few fun and easy suggestions that could help me feel like I was making forward progress toward a successful gluten free life. Suggestions that could help me see the positive side of this Celiac diagnosis, to not feel alone and to help me find all the yummy food that we could eat.

While I can’t get into everyone’s kitchen to help out, I can provide a few simple ideas that may not have been included in the information that came from your Dr. and/or nutritionist. Ideas that can help you feel like you’re making positive progress on this gluten free road. I don’t want anyone who’s on this journey to feel overwhelmed, alone or paralyzed by the process.

In fact, some of these ideas are a great way to feel productive during the waiting time between the blood tests and the endoscopy that is needed for an official Celiac diagnosis. You definitely still need to eat gluten until the endoscopy, but you can use this time to start getting your house ready, to find and explore the resources in your community and be able to hit the ground running when your results are in. We had three weeks between our daughter’s blood test results and endoscopy, during which we had to keep feeding her the foods that were hurting her. If we would have thought to be more proactive, during that three-week waiting period and taken positive steps toward our new gluten free life, we might have been able to ease the frustration and pain that came with having to keep her sick for the scope. I don’t want that for you.

So, here are a few ideas:

1) Before you clean out your entire pantry, fridge and kitchen of everything with Gluten, clean off the top shelf in your fridge and one area where you keep non-refrigerated food. Then go shopping for a few new yummy gluten free groceries. If you clean out everything at once, your kitchen is going to look bare and depressing; which could cause you to feel more overwhelmed and/or sad about this transition. In cleaning out part of your space and adding back safe yummy food options, your kitchen won’t feel so empty and deprived.*

Plus, during the waiting for the scope period of time, while you’re still eating the rest of the gluten out of your kitchen, you can start taste testing new gluten free foods to see what and which brands you like.

2) You don’t need to clean out your kitchen/house in one day, that’s a crazy big job. Start with the most obvious and easiest sources of gluten and cross contact. Throw away or donate your gluten containing flours, other baking supplies, other gluten containing food and contaminated kitchen tools that you use daily. Every step away from gluten is one step closer to better health. You can take these steps as quickly or slowly as you need to help prevent feeling overwhelmed. For example, if it’s winter and your not using your BBQ, don’t worry about the grill until you want to use it again. If you cook a lot of pasta but don’t bake very much, buy a new pot, strainer and find your new favorite gluten free pasta first, then invest in new baking tools later. Replacing everything at once is overwhelming for you and your pocketbook. *

3) See if there is a gluten free bakery near you and go. It is another way for you to feel and see what you can have verses what you can’t. Changing your diet, for your health, can be a very vulnerable experience; especially if the food you need to avoid will hurt you. Feeling safe and protected can give you a break from wondering and hoping that the food you’re eating won’t make you sick. Also, gluten free places love welcoming new people into the gluten free community; feel their love, acceptance and even excitement of having someone new to feed.

4) In Seattle, we have a grocery store chain that periodically offers gluten free cooking classes, even for kids, and are safe for people with Celiac Disease. Knowing how to cook is an important skill, in general, but is crucial for someone with Celiac or other strict gluten free needs. Find a cooking class and take your partner or best friend. If you love to bake, taking a gluten free baking class is a great way to feel confident and to learn from someone who already knows how to navigate the do’s and don’ts of GF baking. Gluten free baking can be very tricky, easily disappointing and expensive when you first start. Also, taking a cooking class or two can help you meet other people who are interested in learning about living and cooking gluten free.

If you don’t have access to in-person cooking or baking classes, there are a lot to choose from online. You won’t meet other people in your area, but learning a few tricks, tips and recipes will help build your confidence. Instagram and Pinterest are great online gluten free cooking/baking resources as well.

5) A Celiac Disease diagnosis can lead to feeling alone and different; which can be isolating. Reach out into your community and find people who have been on this gluten free road and who has information and experiences to share. Finding other people who know what you’re going through can be therapeutic and even a great way to find laughter. I have shared countless moments of frustration coupled with laughter with other moms when we talk about what needs to be done to keep our children safe, how we feel crazy, sad and frustrated sometimes. Being part of a community and laughing helps to lighten the load. Also, being open about having Celiac Disease and needing to be gluten free has a funny way of bringing others, who also need to be gluten free, into your life.

Hopefully these ideas will be beneficial to you during your transition to living gluten free. It can be a challenging road to be on but also one of amazing discovery and a way to reach better health and to feel great. If you’d like more help and support, feel free to contact me. You definitely do not need to figure this out all on your own.

* My statements regarding the process of cleaning out the kitchen are more in line with the idea of having a 100% Gluten Free kitchen. That is what I have, I love it and it works for my family. I do recognize that many kitchens need to be shared cooking spaces and that is completely doable as well. I will have a future blog post about shared kitchens as the shared space situation deserves it’s own space.

If you’d like more support on your gluten free journey…

Click here to schedule an informational call

Disclaimer:

While we have nearly ten years’ experience of navigating the world as the parents of a child with Celiacs, we are not physicians, nutritionists, or other licensed medical professionals. The material and content contained in the Services is for informational purposes only and are not intended to serve as a substitute for consultation, diagnosis or medical treatment by a licensed medical professional. Please consult your doctor for any medical or health-related questions. The information contained in the Services should NOT be used to disregard medical or health-related advice from a physician or licensed medical professional.

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Beginning and Remembering

Anne Moon — Wed, 20 Nov 2019 22:47:56 +0000

After, almost, 10 years of navigating a 100% Gluten Free lifestyle, after our daughter’s Celiac Disease diagnosis, I’ve decided to start a business. It’s a business, but it’s more of a support system that will help ease the transition to a Gluten Free life for others. I’m bringing together and sharing all that I have learned so that individuals and families don’t have to feel overwhelmed, as if they have to re-invent the wheel, just to eat a safe meal or grocery shop.

What I find interesting is that while I’m looking into the future thinking about ways that I can be of service to the Gluten Free community, I keep going back to that space, 10 years ago in late 2009 early 2010 when our daughter was about 17 months old. I was a new mother, trying to figure out what mothering was and our daughter was sick and getting sicker and we didn’t know why. I keep going back to the beginning, back to the version of me that would have loved to have the current version of me show up in her life.

Actually, I go back a bit farther, to when my daughter was born in late Spring 2008. I was a brand new mom and, for whatever reason, my husband and I decided that it was the perfect time to remodel our kitchen. We needed to move out as we didn’t think it was a good idea to have our brand new little girl exposed to who knows what when our old house, built in 1925, was opened up. We set ourselves up in a small-furnished apartment, for the summer, with just a few things from home. To this day I have no idea how it happened, but somehow I had the ability, with a newborn and house remodel, to read a book. By chance this book would foreshadow the rest of my life: “Gluten-Free Girl” by Shauna James Ahern. I love reading stories that involve someone’s experience with cooking, travel, discovery, and I was intrigued by her tagline: “How I Found The Food That Loves Me Back & How You Can Too.” I had no idea what gluten was before reading Shauna’s story, but her story made sense to me. It’s such a simple idea, that what we eat can have a huge positive or negative affect on our bodies, our health and life. It’s an idea that I hadn’t really thought about until I read Shauna’s story. The notion that the negative affects of a disease could be dealt with and treated, solely, with a diet adjustment seemed like a big deal.

As with many things when you have a newborn, I forgot about the book. We moved back home and kept going day by day figuring out being parents; watching our daughter grow and thrive. That is until she stopped thriving and was sick for months. Then it came, her official diagnosis of Celiac Disease. We had a tangible thing; an answer for what was causing her to be so sick. Better yet we had a fix, a fix that came out of our kitchen. That’s when I remembered Shauna’s book, and read it again.

Today, I find it ironic and funny that I was reading this book, while on the couch in our temporary housing feeding my newborn daughter who would go on to be diagnosed with the same disease just only over a year later. The snarky little voice in my head still jokes “be careful what you read!” Who would have thought, that, like Shauna’s story of sickness, disease discovery and healing though food, Gluten would have such a profound affect on our family’s trajectory, the life of my daughter and me as her mother.

It was a steep learning curve, a road filled with blind corners and unintentional mistakes, but we’ve learned and keep learning so much. I wouldn’t wish challenging situations on anybody, but they happen all the time, that’s how it goes and that’s how we can grow; everyone has something. I believe in looking at the upside of Celiac Disease versus the downside. I believe in showing my daughter that she can take this challenge and not let it hold her back. Yes, we can’t go out to pizza unless there is a dedicated kitchen, but we can figure out how to make homemade pizza for a pizza party with our friends. She can’t have the homemade treats that someone brings to class, but we’ve stored treats that she can have in a school freezer so that she won’t miss out. Even better, she can come to class with enough cookies from our kitchen to share. (These cookies are real and have become a big deal with her friends, they ask for them all the time, which she loves.) Her restrictions, while challenging, can also create an amazing opportunity for inclusion and celebration.

Similar to Shauna, in writing her book, I’m excited to share our story, to help bring more awareness about what it means to be Gluten Free to manage Celiac Disease (or for other medical and health reasons). To help other people to not get bogged down in what they can’t have and help them get excited about what they can have. Everyone has something and in the grand scheme of “somethings” this isn’t the worst. At the same time it can feel like it’s the worst, which is ok and I hope to create a space and be the support for someone when it feels like it’s too daunting and hard.

I look back at the 2009/10 version of me and us trying to figure out how to heal our 20-month old daughter with Gluten Free food. I can still see the blurriness and feel the weight of it all; not knowing which way was up. I feel so much for that mom and would love to be able to go back, reassure her and give her some tools and information to help her feel more at ease. While I can’t go back to myself 10 years ago and say, “hey, let’s grab some coffee and then we can hit the grocery store. I’ll show you the best pasta for mac-n-cheese, your daughter will love it!” I can absolutely do that now for someone who is just starting their own journey.

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