No Gluten Required

stats stat!

2012-01-31T13:57:00.000-05:00

If you like stats, graphs, numbers, refresh the ngr home page and you can now view some basic stats! Your eyes are not deceiving you, its over 72,000 page views!

Gluten-free, its the law

2012-01-19T13:15:00.000-05:00

There are new legal definitions of "gluten free". Things are changing... in Europe. Come across the pond I say! Can you hear me barking USDA & FDA peeps?!

Best colleges for gluten-free

2012-01-11T12:53:00.000-05:00

Here are the top 14 U.S. colleges, ranked by bestcollegesonline.com, that increase awareness and access to gluten-free options. Some of these are so cool I almost want to go back to school.

Gluten in Medications Survey

2012-01-04T12:57:00.000-05:00

As part of the FDA study, the NFCA's Gluten in Medications Survey is now live. It only takes a few minutes, and this is valuable data that hopefully will lead to better rules and regulations, including labeling. If you or a loved one had Celiac Disease and/or avoids gluten, please link on over and click yourself some answers.

not by the hairs of my ginny gin gin

2012-01-03T10:35:00.001-05:00

Ever since I tackled tonic water, I have been wanting to attempt homemade gin. Actually, that is a bit of a lie. Several years ago, I got into a rather heated discussion about my adamant dislike of gin. It falls into the category of "it tastes like licking a christmas tree, which I am not into". (see also, pine nuts) For this reason, I had been seeking out a juniper-free gin. Apparently if you

stagger lee - Crispin cider

2012-01-02T21:23:00.001-05:00

I have had Crispin cider before, but I haven't written about it. On the whole, I don't write about products I don't really like. Crispin cider is ok. Its not great, though its better than most I have tried, it just isn't fantastic, and I don't see the point in writing about things that aren't fantastic. Crispin's limited release of their Staggar Lee, well its worthy of grabbing a pen. The

2011 the best of

2011-12-31T14:29:00.004-05:00

Happy Holidays! This has been a weird year. 5 jobs and 3 moves latter, I am still not sure how to think about 2011. There are few things I can be more certain of than knowing I have the best friends. They truly are! Do you have someone in your life you can call or text with urgent chocolate questions? Know a pal who will drop everything and help you move, again? Is anyone on speed dial who can

Open Clinical Drug Study

2011-12-20T12:20:00.000-05:00

There is a clinical trial accepting new persons with Celiac Disease who follow a gluten free diet and are still symptomatic. It appears to be a single or double-blind study for Larazotide Acetate. Here is a write about about the drug. I would still like to see a clearer explanation of what reactions it causes or prevents in T-cells, but it is interesting non the less! Anyone have any more info?

Phase 2

2011-12-13T11:37:00.000-05:00

Here is a tiny bit of exciting news... funds have been raised for a phase 2 clinical trial of a celiac "vaccine". It will be interesting to see the results of the T-cell responses and efficacy. I am cautiously optimistic.

Gluten Free Travel

2011-12-12T15:26:00.000-05:00

Traveling gluten-free in a gluten-filled world can be tricky. Where are your favorite spots? Where have you had excellent options and service? Where would you like to go or go again?

Mass Market - Sunday 11 December

2011-12-01T14:48:00.000-05:00

I am going to be running a table at Mass Market on Sunday, December 11th from 12-6 at Mass Art in Boston. I will be selling copies of Cook Food Every Day, which has over 40 gluten free recipes, and ALL proceeds go to the Greater Boston Food Bank. There will also be treats from the cookbook for sale to help tide you over till you get to make them yourself. Come down and grab a gluten free snack

NYT Magazine article, and what's missing

2011-11-28T16:21:00.002-05:00

This Sunday's New York Times Magazine included an interesting piece: Should We All Go Gluten Free? You might be surprised to hear that I have some opinions about said article. Since this post does not come with photos, you might be tempted to ignore it, so I shall employ the power of the bulleted list to pull you back in. The article is mis-titled (Note that article writers almost never write

Thanksgiving recipe round-up

2011-11-16T17:15:00.002-05:00

Yeeeeeeeeeeee hawwwwwwwww Planning ahead tips Brining a turkey Cooking a turkey Brining and cooking a duck Stuffing cranberry orange sauce cranberry apple sauce stuffed mushrooms buttermilk brioche (you could turn them into rolls by doling them out into muffin tins) brioche vegan sweet potato cornbread homemade crackers chex mix scones (remove the sugar and you have biscuits!) apple pie

FCA receives an FDA grant

2011-11-16T16:43:00.000-05:00

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, NFCA, has received an FDA grant to study gluten in medications. This sort of begs the question why OTC and Rx drugs are allowed to not fully disclose ingredients... but that aside, I will be interested to see the findings.

Pumpkin breakfast muffins

2011-11-11T10:50:00.000-05:00

Its moving from smoothie to decidedly not-smoothie-for-breakfast weather and I have started up my quest for more interesting breakfast options. I have been throwing beets and carrots into breakfast bars, breads, and loafs as a way of upping the fiber and adding a little sweetness - not to mention terrifyingly awesome hues to my morning snack. This batch was a little hodge-podgey. The batter was

LivingSocial Gluten Free Deal

2011-11-08T11:38:00.000-05:00

Glutenfreely.com is having a $50 for $25 promo on LivingSocial.com, if you are into that sort of thing. Go forth and save money on over-priced packaged goods.

New favorite hard cider - Clos Normand

2011-11-06T15:58:00.000-05:00

This is my hands-down new favorite beverage. (That's right, its trumping all other gluten-free alcoholic beverages!) Clos Normand Brut is now at the tippity-top of my favorites list. It is everything I want an alcoholic cider to taste like. Dry, dry as a bone. If you have peeped my thoughts on gf beer, you know that my biggest complaint is that they are too sweet. They taste more like wine

Crunchmaster crackers

2011-10-25T20:51:00.000-04:00

I received some Crunchmaster products free over a month ago. I have been late to the game in reviewing them, but here goes. The 7 Ancient Grains were solid snacking crackers. They claimed 7 grains, though I think flax and sesame are categorized as "seeds" not grains, but I digress. Their crunch is loud, and consistent with a rice cracker, but the flavor is slightly more complex, and the finish

I miss gluten

2011-10-24T13:13:00.000-04:00

I am having one of those rare days, a day that I thought I was done with having. I miss gluten. It is not so much that I miss a particular food, but I miss not being able to just grab something to eat without having to think, worry, check, and ask a zillion questions to make sure I CAN have it. I know these days happen from time to time, I just sort of hate it, but I know there are a ton of

Occupy No Gluten Required

2011-10-19T13:10:00.000-04:00

I got into one of those great conversations today that made me want to share it with the world. It was about the occupy movement, which as of this weekend, is now international. It also got me thinking about the connections between Celiac Disease and the current conversations happening at and around Occupy -Funding for disease research is dictated by drug companies. Disease research functions

Gluten Free Awards

2011-10-04T10:15:00.000-04:00

Its time for the second annual Gluten Free Awards. Go forth and nominate my dear readers. PS - I have been cooking up a storm. I have smoked cinnamon roasted celeriac, onions, and carrots over chicken polenta for lunch. I just haven't been so awesome at posting. In the true spirit of Columbus Day, I shall work hard to invade your home, call it mine, and plunder some great recipes. (Hopefully

Gluten-free job posting

2011-09-06T09:45:00.000-04:00

I received this pretty nifty job posting via Healthy Villi. I cannot speak to anything about the organization - but its founding member Melinda Dennis was my nutritionist when I was first diagnosed and she is awesome. Paid Position Opening for the Healthy Villi Looking for self-starting, highly organized person who works well with people, to serve as Program Manager working directly with the

what is in a name, or a flour mix

2011-08-25T15:00:00.000-04:00

Mr. Keller apparently has not been reading my rage as of late. Its cool, I can specialize my dislike for just him. Cup4Cup is the French Laundry papa's new retail market endeavor - a gluten-free flour blend for $19.95 for 3lbs. So let's see, where to start. 1. $6.65lb for ingredients that cost less if you purchase them individually 2. Not organic, local or special in any other than, LET ME SLAP

sometimes you feel like a nut

2011-08-17T13:18:00.000-04:00

Today's Jezebel piece, When Everyone Things Your Deadly Allergy is Just a Fad is interesting, thought not surprising. Bullying people who are different? Who would have ever guessed?! Let me just stop for a moment and point out that peanuts are not technically nuts, but legumes. I do this not to be snide, but as an interest counterpoint to some of the rather nasty commentators who are venting

Gluten-free help

2011-07-31T21:43:00.000-04:00

Friend, and fellow gluten-free feller, Aliza Shapiro is an amazing human and needs our help. As the owner/operator/creator of Truthserum Productions - and performer no less! - Aliza is a local institution. We met through mutual friends in Boston, and once I was diagnosed, we shared a new special bond over gluten-free faux oreos, good/safe places for cheap eats, and discussed doctors and medical