I love Springtime. More sunshine, flowers coming up, and I just want to be outdoors…and not in my kitchen. I’m still not used to the longer days, so by the time it starts getting dark and I start thinking about dinner, I’m often scrambling to get food on the table. So it’s a great time to refocus on quick and easy.

I love good food, but I’m also big on time savers. For me, that means:

• The delivery services from nearby farms, like Relay and Washington’s Green Grocer. I can get organic fruits, veggies, meats, etc. easily, and Relay also has gluten-free products from Triple Oak Bakery and others.
• Buying non-perishables staples in bulk on Amazon, like Larabars, canned beans that are tested gluten-free like Eden, broth (we always use Pacific) and more. They’ve probably got your favorite mixes and pasta, and the normal basics like soups, paper products, etc. That makes my trip to the store quicker and less stressful. Of course, this only makes sense for foods you know you like and that you’ll use in large quantities.
• I’m also a big fan of companies that test for gluten and are certified, like Nuts.com. They’ve got nuts, and also dried fruits, gluten-free grains, snacks, etc.
• Frozen veggies. Yes, really. You totally can’t tell if the spinach was frozen once it cooks down, and it’s quicker, more convenient and cheaper.
• Menu Planning! Heather of Celiac Family hosts a weekly gluten-free menu swap. Sometimes for me that’s a formal plan, sometimes it’s a physical list and sometimes it’s a mental one. But if I don’t do it, I end up making several extra trips to the store.

I asked a few fellow gluten-free bloggers for suggestions as well.

Heather of Celiac Family has a lot of practice cooking gluten-free for the whole family! She suggests:

• Slow-cookers are great for getting the meal started in the morning, so you don’t have as much prep work to do at dinner time. (My recipe for Mexican chicken is great for tacos, rice bowls, or even a quick plate of nachos.)

• Cook larger amounts than needed so you have leftovers for another meal that week. I always have leftover Mexican chicken, so I can use it for tacos the first night and taquitos or rice bowls a few days later.

• Lately, I also find roasting vegetables in the oven helpful. While the veggies are cooking, I can work on the rest of the meal. I toss the veggies in a little olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast in the oven at 375 until tender. I find asparagus takes about 10 min., cut and peeled sweet potatoes about 20, and cut and peeled red potatoes about 30 (depending on the size).

Ricki Heller of Diet Dessert and Dogs is both gluten-free AND vegan, so she’s an expert juggler (Caution–she does have a gf recipe index, but some recipes from several years ago do contain gluten). Some of her tips:

• Always cook big-batches if you can; then just pack in smaller servings in the freezer (you need a big freezer for this one!). You can take out a container of quinoa and a container of sauce and then just defrost and have an “instant” meal (you can mix and match this way, too)
• Make use of your appliances, and invest in good ones: I use my food processor and/or high-speed blender EVERY day.
• Plan before you cook: set up your mis en place (all parts measured and placed on the counter) so you don’t waste time while trying to mix things.
• Enlist help: hubby, kids, etc. can have a task to make the whole prep time faster

Carrie of Ginger Lemon Girl shares that her suggestions and quick go-to meals:

• One easy meal is 1-2 bags of frozen veggies microwaved and eaten with a 90-second bag of pre-cooked brown rice + sometimes with deli roasted chicken, sometimes with eggs, sometimes just veggies & rice
• Sandwich night! gluten-free bread, turkey, ham, lettuce, etc…  and we love applesauce
• Admittedly we also order food from the one (of two) restaurant in our town about once week — for gluten free, I always keep it super simple (not glamorous at ALL) and order plain steamed chicken & vegetables and plain white rice. (Cheryl’s note: we’re lucky that in the DC area we do often have more options!)
• I also like to stop and pick up a deli roasted chicken and then just steam broccoli and sweet potatoes to go with it in the microwave when I get home.

Need more ideas?

• 50 of my quick and easy suggestions are here
• Carrie shares some of her easy meal ideas here
• Shirley of Gluten-Free Easily has a list of 50 suggestions

News:

My recent articles & quotes

• Gluten-free and Vegetarian? Check out my article in Today’s Dietitian
• Okay, we all know sugar isn’t a health food, but most of us get more than we realize. More on why it’s a problem and my thoughts in “Avoid the Sour Side of a Sweet Tooth” in the Washington Post
• Can enjoying your food help your health? Learn more about Mindful Eating in the March issue of Today’s Dietitian

Upcoming Meetings:

• NFCA is hosting a teleconference on the Neurological impact of Celiac on April 9th. Sign up here (it will also be archived)

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Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach in Fairfax & Alexandria, VA.  She helps people with a range of dietary issues , including Celiac Disease, GI issues,  food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals and feeling great!  Email or call 571-271-8742.

For so many years it’s been a given that women should take a calcium supplement, just as a part of good preventative health and strong bones. Over half of women report taking calcium, vitamin D, or both. But the recommendation for calcium supplements has come under scrutiny during the past few years, with a 2010 BMJ study showing slight increases in heart attacks with calcium supplementation without D.

As of Feb 2013, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force official recommendation is against taking to taking calcium with D as primary prevention for fractures. They looked at 16 studies of people taking 1000mg or less a day of calcium with 400mg or less of Vitamin D (which is a pretty typical dose) and found that there was no decreased incidence of fractures.

• This recommendation does not apply to people with osteoporosis, vitamin D deficiency, or people who are living in an institution. It also does not apply to people taking calcium for other reasons (e.g. Celiac disease)
  
• The recommendations call for more research on the potential impacts of higher levels of vitamin D, and there is still support for taking Vitamin D for other reasons.
• People who are at greater risk of falls are still encouraged to take vitamin D
• They did not examine the effects of vitamin D on cardiovascular health or other diseases and conditions.
• Fortunately, the risk of harm with taking calcium supplements is pretty low, but there is a slightly increased risk of kidney stones for women.

Take home message: If you’re a healthy person with no history of osteoporosis and you’re taking calcium because that’s what you’re supposed to do for your bones, the good news is now you have one less thing to worry about. Yes, you need calcium for your bones. But food sources are clearly superior to supplements. We also all need to regularly do weight bearing exercises, and avoid smoking.

There’s a nice summary from Harvard here, and full text of the recommendations here.

Recipe: Creamy Veggie Soup

I wish I was moving onto Springtime recipes, but with the cold, I’m still loving my soup. This Creamy Veggie Soup is perfect for anyone avoiding dairy, or just trying to get some extra veggies.

• 1 head cauliflower, roasted with olive oil and 1/2-1 bulb of garlic
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• A big ‘ole container of chopped veggies (maybe 3 cups?) chopped carrots, onions and celery
• A small handful roasted almonds, around ¼ cup
• 4-5 big sprigs of thyme
• 3-4 cups broth–any kind works. I usually use Pacific Organic Chicken Broth
  or their Vegetable Broth. I love Pacific because they’re organic, gluten-free & don’t use GMOs
• Salt
• White pepper, to taste

Roast a head of cauliflower with at least a ½ head of garlic. This can be done ahead or frozen.

Heat the olive oil over med/med high heat, and add in the veggies and thyme. Let them brown, 5-6 min and stir occasionally. They’re done when they are crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, puree the cauliflower mix and almonds with 3 cups of broth. This is simple in a Vitamix. If you’re using a food processor instead, using almond flour instead of whole almonds is probably a good idea.

Add puree into the pot with the browned veggies. Stir, add more broth, salt and pepper as needed.

 

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach in Fairfax & Alexandria, VA. I work with people to feel and look their best with a range of specialties, including Celiac Disease, GI issues,  food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals.  Email me or call 571-271-8742. 

• Passover Products & Recipes

• Update on G-Free Labeling

• Events

Gluten-free Passover foods:

Passover isn’t here until March 25th but many of the products are already appearing in grocery stores. Not all Passover foods are gluten-free, but many are, and there’s a much wider selection than usual at the grocery store. This can be a good time to stock up on GF cakes and mixes, cookies, macaroons, “bread” crumbs and supplies like potato starch. As an added bonus for people with multiple restrictions, most Kosher for Passover products contain no corn or soy products, either.

In a nutshell, the basic rule of foods for Passover is no leavened foods, which eliminates normal breads, cakes etc. Matzo, (an unleavened bread usually made from wheat) is eaten, and some products contain products Matzo and matzo meal, (also potentially listed as cake meal or farfel). However, many products don’t contain gluten. Or, if you find products labeled “non-gebrok or gebroktz or grebrochts” (or another spelling variation) they’re non-grain containing and therefore have no gluten-containing ingredients. Often Kosher for Passover products and cakes are made of potato flour or nut meals rather than wheat or glutinous grains.

As always in the gluten-free world, read labels carefully. “Kosher” and “Kosher for Passover” are two different things entirely. Kosher for Passover foods will be labeled “May be used for Passover” or have a symbol that says OUP. I have often seen “regular” Kosher foods in the Passover section at grocery stores, so please do check the labels very carefully.

Keep in mind that many Passover foods are imported from other countries, and imports should be, but often not labeled quite in the same way as the FALCPA U.S. labeling laws dictate (the flip side is that a claim of “gluten free” is more meaningful in Europe or Israel) So a label will still say matzo, but may not say “wheat” explicitly or have the disclaimer stating that it contains wheat.

Most Kosher for Passover products will have to adhere to strict standards for cross contamination from a religious perspective, but again, buyer beware and no guarantees. Voluntary allergen labeling statements (AKA “Made in a factory” claims) are still not regulated.

And, for the first time, Manischewitz has a Gluten-Free line of products

From a gluten-free perspective, possibly the best part of Passover is AFTER Passover, when all of the great gluten-free goodies are on sale! Passover ends April 2nd, so mark your calendars, because the word has gotten out in gluten-free circles and the mad rush is on.

Back when you really couldn’t get GF prepared foods in the regular grocery store, this was a much bigger deal. But it’s still nicer to have an expanded selection, and nicest of all is AFTER Passover, when all of the products are on sale!

For people who DO celebrate the actual holiday of Passover, not just the gluten-free food, here are some great recipes and information:

• Elana’s Pantry has an extensive roundup: http://www.elanaspantry.com/passover-round-up/
• Jules has some delish recipes: https://gfjules.com/
• The Gluten Free Diva has some of her favorites listed
• Gluten-Free Bay has an extensive list
• Or see: http://recipecircus.com/recipes/Writermom77/ and click on holidays. There are quite a few Jewish holiday recipes, and they are all gluten and dairy free

Other favorite gluten-free recipe sites for Passover? Let me know in the comments on my website.

Lately, Whole Foods has stocked a gluten-free Matzah, and the brand is Yehuda, so keep your eyes peeled! There are also many more Kosher markets, such as Kosher Mart in Rockville. Some local grocery stores also have a great selection.
You can also buy gluten-free oat matzoh made from certified gluten-free oats. The only downside is that it is insanely expensive!

• Shmura Oat Matzah http://www.glutenfreeoatmatzos.com/
• Lakewood Shmura Matzo http://glutenfreematzoh.com/
• Shabtai Gourmet have always been a passover go-to, but they are sold out–the company has damages due to Sandy and isn’t back to business yet.
• Kids with Food Allergies put out a booklet on Passover with food restrictions.

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Gluten-Free Labeling Laws

Could it finally be? Yes, gluten-free labeling laws are on the horizon. We still don’t have a date, and don’t know what they say, but in the next few months there should be a lot more info available. Please note: these laws will not dictate that every product is marked for gluten status. Instead, if products choose to be labeled “gluten-free” they will have to conform to standards set out by the FDA.

FDA is holding a free conference in Bethesda with more info on the proposed labeling on March 22nd, 2013. It will also be taped and available after the event.

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DC Area Metro Celiac Organization
Next Meeting Date: Saturday, June 1nd, 2013, 2:00–4:00 pm

Rockville Public Library

Speaker TBD

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Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist and Certified Wellcoach in Fairfax & Alexandria, VA. I work with people to feel and look their best with a range of specialties, including Celiac Disease, GI issues,  food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals.  Email me or call 571-271-8742. 

February is American Heart Month, so I’m spotlighting one of the best foods for heart health, fish which happens to be naturally gluten-free. I’ve also got some gluten-free resources that I love below, too.

Every week or so, I see an article on the importance of fish for good health and how we all should eat more.  Then a line or two on how people should avoid mercury because it can be so dangerous, etc.  I suspect the take-home message most people are receiving is “you should eat fish, but it’s risky.”

So let’s break it down and make it easy.  The  American Heart Association recommends 2 or more servings of fish a week, preferably fatty fish, like salmon, mackerel, herring, lake trout, sardines, etc.  Aside from heart disease, there are so many reasons why fish can be beneficial–omega 3 fatty acids are anti-inflammatory and may help with conditions from high triglycerides, rheumatoid arthritis, macular eye degeneration, high blood pressure, depression and the list just goes on.

Studies show that while mercury, PCBs, etc. are associated with health risks, the risks of NOT eating fish are higher.  In other words, the potential benefits outweigh the risk.

Fortunately, a lot of the highest omega 3 fish are low in mercury, too.

• Salmon
• Trout
• Sardines
• Anchovies
• Oysters
• Flounder

Steer clear, or limit the big fish…they’ve accumulated a lot of mercury as they’ve eaten up the little fishies.

• Shark
• King Mackerel
• Tilefish
• Swordfish

For pregnant, breastfeeding moms and little ones, those listed above should all be off the table.

Tuna is also moderately high in mercury, especially albacore tuna.  We’re best to limit tuna to 6 oz a week, or if you’re eating canned, choosing a lower mercury variety like skipjack tuna is wise.  For all you sushi aficionados, the much of the tuna used tends to come from larger fish, which are higher in mercury. Or just trade in your tuna for canned salmon, which is usually wild-caught, higher in omega 3s and lower in mercury.

My favorite new resource puts the info on omegas and mercury together nicely, so you can see how your favorite fish stacks up.  Or, if you want to calculate your mercury level for a week and see how you’re doing, check out a nifty calculator from GotMercury.org  You can crunch the numbers based on what you’re eating and your size, and that can give you a good sense of where you stand in relation to the recommended limit.  Or you can check out the FDA listing of mercury in fish.

What about sustainability and the environment, the politics and health of wild/vs. farmed, etc.?  That’s a whole different discussion!  The short answer is to check out a seafood guide, such as the one from the Monterey Bay Aquarium.

What about that flaxseed you’re adding to your yogurt faithfully every day?  That has omega 3s, too, as does walnuts, canola oil, soy, chia seed and more.  This form of omega 3s, called ALA, does have health benefits.  However, it does not seem to have all of the same benefits as the omegas in fish, and our bodies don’t use it as efficiently. If you’re vegan or allergic to fish? There are DHA supplements available that are derived from algae.

Speaking of supplements, generally, a low dose (around 1 gram) is generally considered safe, but definitely don’t go for high dose supplements (over 3 grams) without having a chat with your doctor.

A few of my favorite things:

I often am asked about my favorite books, products, etc. And so here’s a run-down of a my 3 favorite cookbooks for 2012:

• The Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook by Carrie Forbes review here

Quick, simple, fix it and forget it meals. Everything I’ve made has been fantastic.

• Nourishing Meals: Healthy Gluten-Free Recipes for the Whole Family by Ali Segersen review here

Veggie-heavy, whole-foods meals for the whole family. Lots of great ideas, and I’m jut about to make the sauerkraut!

• The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam

A fantastic book. Almonds are one of my favorite “go-to” foods for snacking and also for baking.

Some things I’m loving:
This moving NYT story about a boy with Juvenile arthritis. His family tried dietary changes, and it seems like they made a huge difference for him. Please note—I don’t believe in pushing a g-free diet as the cure for all ills, and yet I absolutely get regular feedback that there are people who do see amazing benefits, even without Celiac.

My favorite Valentine’s day recipes:

• Tuxedoed Strawberries
• E’s Cake
• Chocolate Covered Pomegranates
• For a quick and easy treat, how about a Crust-less Gluten-free Pie from Shirley of Gluten-Free Easily?

What can I say, I like chocolate.

Upcoming DC Events:

Meeting Date: Saturday, March 2, 2012, 2:00–4:00 pm

Speakers: Andy Williams, from Barlean’s Organic Oils

Karen Broussard, the creator of the GlutenFreeTravelSite, , will introduce and conduct a live website demonstration of her acclaimed website and many of its brand new features.

Location: Bethesda Public Library
7400 Arlington Rd., Bethesda, MD 20814
www6.montgomerycountymd.gov/Apps/Libraries/branchinfo/be.asp

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist and Certified WellCoach in Fairfax & Alexandria, VA. Cheryl works with people to feel and look their best with a range of specialties, including Celiac Disease, food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating.

Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals.  Email me or call 571-271-8742.

Many of us see the New Year as a great time to make changes and improve our health.  It’s a good time to look at your diet and lifestyle, both to see how far you’ve come in the past years and also to see what you can do to look and feel your best.

Going gluten-free can be a big turning point to eating healthier.  Many people are amazed to realize the impact that diet has on how they feel!  All of a sudden, people need to start reading labels, and many begin to wonder why there are all of these ingredients they can’t pronounce and why high fructose corn syrup and red dye # whatever seems to be in everything.  Or maybe after years of eating anything and staying slim, the pounds have started creeping upward.  No matter what your reason, let this be the year you improve your diet.

Are you getting the nutrients you need?

Years ago, the Food and Drug Administration realized that many people weren’t getting enough vitamins like folate, several other B vitamins, iron and calcium.  So they added a variety of nutrients to the foods supply in every day foods like flour, bread, pasta, cereal, etc.  However, gluten-free breads and cereals are considered specialty products, and very few are enriched with these vitamins.  Not only that, but many gluten-free breads are filled with things like tapioca, potato and cornstarch to give a light texture, and these foods have very few nutrients.  So when people switch from eating regular packaged foods to eating gluten-free processed foods, they don’t realize that they’re actually eating a lot fewer vitamins and minerals, a lot less fiber and usually more calories, too.  Not only that, but many people with Celiac disease may be deficient in many vitamins, such as B vitamins, vitamin D, Calcium and iron because they have not been absorbing foods well for years, and may need more than the average person while they are healing.

Often in the beginning, people want to try anything that’s gluten-free, and are just focusing on getting by.  The focus is on finding replacements for old favorites and learning all of the new rules.  That is definitely a great short-term strategy but it’s only the first step!  The good news is that that many healthy foods are naturally gluten-free, like fruits, veggies, beans, many gluten-free whole grains, nuts, seeds, and plain fish and poultry. These foods also naturally contain B vitamins, calcium and fiber, too, so it’s a bonus all around.

And, as we well know, gluten-free does not automatically mean good for you! Jimmy Fallon just did a great monologue earlier this week and put it best. He said, “I heard that Dunkin’ Donuts is testing a line of gluten-free pastries. So if you’re looking to eat healthy, still no.” (around 3:20)While having options is fantastic for the gluten-free community, confusing gluten-free with nutritious isn’t helping anyone.

Also, often how much we eat is as important as what we eat. I really like this new visual from the CDC on portions:

Portion size is almost always a part of the puzzle, and it often takes structure and awareness to avoid those subconscious traps. I really love the book Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think which has some easy and accessible suggestions.

News:

• A college student with Celiac disease sued Lesley University to get safe, gluten-free meals at the school cafeteria and WON. Hopefully this begins a new trend of acknowledging that schools need to accommodate people with medically based nutritional needs. Navigating college can be hard enough, especially for freshmen, without adding extra demands.
• I was quoted in a December Washington Post story on strategies to manage holiday drinking. Fortunately the tips also apply all year ’round!
• I finally updated my gluten-free recipe index on my blog. Yum yum!
• DC Celiacs Meeting:
  Next Meeting: March 2, 2013, Location TBD

I thought this quote was perfect for this time of year:

You’re closer to your glory leaping an abyss than re-upholstering your rut. ~James Broughton

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist and Certified WellCoach in Fairfax & Alexandria, VA. Cheryl works with people to feel and look their best with a range of specialties, including Celiac Disease, food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals.  Email her or call 571-271-8742.

Let’s face it, we’re in the middle of eating and shopping season. Some days, it seems like our main form of exercise is usually moving the fork from the plate to our mouths. Here are some ways to enjoy the spirit of the season and favorite holiday foods, while staying healthy, too.

Enjoy seasonal fruits.  Clementines, pomegranates, pineapples, mangoes, oranges, grapefruits and apples are wonderful this time of year.  Keep them on the counter or in the front of the fridge where you can see them!

Move the goodies out of sight:  One of the biggest challenges of the season is a see-food diet, otherwise known as “if I see it, I eat it”. We’re more likely to be tempted by what’s right in front of us. Put the candy dish in a cupboard and move the cookies where you won’t have a constant visual reminder.

Balance: if you are going to a holiday party in the evening, make an extra effort to eat well on other days.  Add in more vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, etc. and move more, too!  A piece of chocolate cake one day or one big holiday meal won’t make or break a diet, but treats every day will add up.

Savor your favorites:  Bottom line, you’re going to eat some treats this holiday season, so you might as well truly enjoy them.   Target things you enjoy most (i.e. no filling up on chips or every day foods) When you eat, really eat!   When we really taste our food (rather than inhaling something while talking and multitasking) food tastes much better, we’re more satisfied and full quicker.

Fill your table with fruit and veggie dishes: Have your holiday meals feature seasonal vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, collards or bean or veggie soups.  Make roasted chestnuts as a snack. Have a fruit inspired dessert, like baked apples, poached pears, sautéed bananas, etc.

Skip the alcohol, or limit it to a drink or two.   Not only does it have a lot of calories, but once you’ve had a few, it’s easier to indulge on other foods.

Get moving! Exercise is a great way to improve mood, reduce stress levels, and burn calories, too.  Head out at lunchtime for a short walk, check out the holiday lights in the evening, start a new family tradition and do something active at family events, dance at party functions, or make a habit of hitting the gym.  You don’t have to wait until January for healthy resolutions.

Naturally Gluten-Free Goodies

Resources

Recipes

Gluten-free and Easy for the Holidays:

I can’t quite believe that it’s December, and yet here we are. For many people, the holiday season is one of the most challenging times to be gluten-free. I’ve highlighted some of my favorite tips for staying SANE and gluten-free here, in the new Simply Gluten-Free Magazine.

And yet there are so many more great recipes out there.

But for many people, it s easier to make some desserts that happen to be gluten free, rather than gluten free adaptations of “normal” foods. Foods that are naturally gluten-free avoid the expensive specialty flours. Personally, I am not a fan of spending a lot for specialty flours when I’m sharing with many non-GF folks. This avoids the inevitable complaints of friends or family who won’t even try GF foods just because they’ve decided they won’t like it. There are a lot of treats which just happen to be GF, or mostly GF. You can find recipes in normal cookbooks, or maybe you have family recipes and didn’t realize they were safe! Here’s a list of treats from people at my classes I’ve marked the desserts that are naturally or easily made dairy free (DF), egg free (EF) and soy free (SF), NF (nut free)because many people are dealing with several issues. I bet you’ll be pleasantly surprised. There are many more out there, but these are just to get your thoughts going. Remember, these foods are only GF if you use GF ingredients. And as always, check labels to avoid surprises.

Some of these are healthy, some not, but there are enough options to choose from that you can surely find something that works for your lifestyle that you and your family can enjoy together.

• Baked apples
• Candied orange peel (DF, EF, SF, NF)
• Caramelized bananas or Bananas Foster
• Candy canes! Dipped in (dairy free) chocolate or plain (DF, EF, NF)
• Chocolate bark (DF, EF)
• Chocolate mousse (NF)
• Christmas pudding/plum pudding
• Crème brulee (NF)
• Cheesecake-use any gf cookie crumbs for the crust, or do a crustless cheesecake (NF)
• Chocolates: make your own with a mold or buy
• Chocolate covered: strawberries, cherries, almonds, cashews, hazelnuts, etc. (can be DF or NF)
• Clementines (DF, EF, NF)
• Clementine cake (DF)
• Custard (NF)
• Dessert soufflé
• Dried fruit (DF, EF, NF)
• Divinity (DF, NF)
• Flan
• Flourless tortes
• Fondue, using chocolate and a variety of fruit and GF cookies (DF*, EF, NF)
• Fruit crisp (any gf flour or quinoa flakes for topping) (DF, EF)
• Fruit and whipped cream (EF, SF, NF)
• Fudge (EF)
• Gelato
• Hard candies (DF*, NF*)
• Hot chocolate (EF, NF)
• Ice cream/frozen yogurt (check labels!)
• Jello (DF, EF, NF)
• Macaroons
• Mango with sticky rice (DF, EF, NF)
• Marshmallows (DF, NF)
• Meringue cookies (DF, SF, NF)
• Marzipan (some say glucose derived from wheat, so do check labels as always)
• Nut or seed brittle (DF*, EF)
• Panna Cotta (EF)
• Pavlova (meringue cake) (DF)
• Peanut butter cookies (DF) or a nut free, sunbutter cookies
• Poached pears (DF, EF, SF, NF)
• Popcorn clusters or caramel corn (EF)
• Popcorn cake (EF)
• Pralines (EF)
• Pumpkin seeds (DF, EF, SF, NF)
• Pudding
• Pudding pie with almond or cookie crumble crust
• Rice pudding ( EF, NF)
• Rice krispie bars using puffed rice (EF)
• Roasted chestnuts. (DF, EF, SF) Not quite dessert, but an amazingly seasonal yummy snack.
• Sorbet (DF, EF)
• Toffee (EF)
• Torte (here’s my chocolate hazelnut torte)
• Truffles (EF)
• Watermelon (DF, SF, EF, NF)
• Zabaglione

Not that these are healthy by any stretch of the imagination, BUT Martha Stewart has a slideshow and recipes of 40 holiday candies, all of which (at a quick glance) are GF. Of course, you need to make sure the chocolate is GF, be mindful of cross contamination, etc. but this is an easy way to keep traditions without venturing into specialty flours and unfamiliar territory.

Resources:

• Sandy really hit close to home, both literally (near where I grew up) and figuratively. I put together a list of food must-haves to have on hand, because it’s better to be prepared than scramble for gluten-free foods.
• It’s soup season. Here’s a guide to finding soups without BPA, a chemical linked with a variety of health concerns.
• The Washington Post highlighted Chia, Nutrition’s New Pet Project and included some of my thoughts on this gluten-free nutritious seed.

Recipes:

• The new issue of Simply Gluten-Free  is online and has many beautiful recipes
• Jules Shepard is again hosting a g-free cookie swap, where you can get ideas and prizes
• Iris of the Daily Dietribe has a list of 30 g-free cookies
• G-Free Kid has a PDF of holiday favorites
• Gluten Free Girl and the Chef has a great selection of cookies
• A gargantuan Home for the Holidays from GFE and many  others
• The delicious Ms. Shirley Braden of GFE has an all desserts blog, All Gluten-Free Desserts with many options perfect for the holidays
• Simply Sugar and Gluten Free Christmas recipes
• 25 days of Christmas from Gluten Free Easily 2010
• Celiac Family’s Favorites
• Gluten Free Merry Christmas from the Whole Gang
• Gluten and Dairy free Holiday tips from Gluten Free Goddess
• Christmas Cookie Roundup (from my cookie exchange)
• Christmas cookie roundup from Ginger Lemon Girl & I’d also recommend her GF 101 Cooking e-book!
• A roundup from Elana’s Pantry

If you’re not hungry yet, I don’t know what to say!

As always, wishing you and yours a joyful, peaceful and yummy holiday season.

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist and Certified WellCoach in Fairfax & Alexandria, VA. Cheryl works with people to feel and look their best with a range of specialties, including Celiac Disease, food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals.  Email her or call 571-271-8742.

BPA and how it might be affecting your health

In the colder weather, it’s harder to get fresh foods and more people look toward canned soups, canned veggies or fruit.

BPA (short for Bisphenol A) is everywhere, and if you’re not going out of your way to avoid it, it’s most likely in your diet.  It’s found in can liners, which includes canned vegetable, soup, or soda and even canned infant formula. It is in many plastic or polyurethane containers, water bottles and even on cash register tape. The hypothesis is that the chemical mimics estrogens, and can affect hormonal systems in the body.

There’s growing evidence that BPA is problematic.  A study came out from JAMA in Sept 2012 showing that BPA seems to be linked to obesity in children. Moms with more BPA in their urine during pregnancy seem to have children with more emotional issues at the age of 3.  Many more studies are listed here. Certainly there is considerable speculation that it may be linked to cancer, too. Also, for reasons that are not clear, women with PCOS (a common endocrine disorder) seem to be more sensitive to BPA and have higher levels, and there is some speculation that BPA may even cause PCOS.

Consumer Reports has confirmed that cans do pack a whopping dose—often double the max recommended value.  AND, although we often have a sense this doesn’t affect us because we may choose to, say, eat fresh veggies. Unfortunately, if you do eat out, chances are parts of the meal came from a can.

FDA’s stance has always been that BPA is safe—however, now it’s been moved to “some reason for concern” category. They finally banned it from sippy cups…after manufacturers already stopped using it. More studies are underway, but in the meantime, consider reducing your risk!

Some manufacturers have declared their intent to ban BPA, like Campbell’s and Muir Glen. However, they haven’t yet actually stopped using it in all products yet.

Good bets:

• When possible, use fresh or frozen foods
• Make sure your water bottle is BPA free, and ideally stainless steel
• Ditch the soda. There are just so many reasons…
• Skip the plastic containers. Instead, store food in glass, like Ball Jars.
• Look for brands of cans without BPA:

Eden foods, who has been BPA free for MANY years. The only exception is their canned tomato products. They do test for gluten, too…

Edwards and Sons has products without BPA, and many gluten-free products, too.

Amy’s Organic cans are all BPA free since March 2012

Farmer’s Market, which has super yummy canned pumpkin, sweet potato and more

Vital Choice Seafood

Trader Joe’s has SOME BPA free cans as well.

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist and Certified Wellness Coach in Fairfax & Alexandria, VA. Cheryl works with people to feel and look their best with a range of specialties, including Celiac Disease, food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals.  Email her or call 571-271-8742.

Sandy has been a big wake up call to me, in part because it was supposed to do much more damage here, too. It’s 2 weeks out and the area where I grew up is still without power, and much of NY and NJ are in the same boat.

Now, obviously many people have suffered a lot of loss and inconvenience. But what about g-free folks? Most of the food at shelters or evacuations sites is probably not gluten-free. It’s a great time to plan ahead & investing in your future comfort and health NOW. After all, it seems like we’ve been having once a century storms about once a year, so the odds are it will come in handy.

Do you have a 3-day food supply as FEMA recommends? And what if you had to make it 2 weeks? I’d have enough food for 5 days because I have latent squirrel genes, but 2 weeks would be pushing it.

Here are some ideas. Some require hot water or a manual can opener.

• Canned beans Eden Foods Beans
  Eden is tested for gluten and BPA free, too)
• Canned chicken
• Canned salmon (bonus for ones with a pull top lid!)
• Canned tuna
• Canned soups and stews (a few brands that label as gluten-free are options from Progresso labeled g-free, Amy’s Soup labeled g-free, Pacific foods, Dinty Moore Beef Stew or
  select Dinty Moore microwavable cups etc.)
• Canned veggies: canned tomatoes, corn, green beans.
• Jarred veggies: roasted red peppers, pickled veggies including pickles
• Condiments, ideally in little packages of mustard, mayo, etc.
• Jerky
• UHT (shelf stable) milk
  or milk alternatives
• Nut Butters or squeeze packs

Ready to go meals:

• GoPicnic has a variety of easy, ready to eat options
  Go Picnic has a variety of nice options
• St. Dafour has some ready to eat meals. Bonus—they’re in local stores

These require heating:

• Gluten-free emergency kit
• Options from Trail Food Express
• My Own Meal

Starches:

• Cold cereal—So many to choose from!
• Just hot add water G-free oatmeal packs
• Ready to eat rice, wild rice and quinoa packets, such as Seeds of Change (no gluten-ingredients used), Trader Joe’s, etc. Caution on Uncle Ben’s—some contain wheat.

Snacks:

• Nuts
• Seeds
• Bars:
  • Larabars®
  • Pure bars®
  • Raw Revolution Bars®
  • Kind bars®
  • Bumble Bars®
  • No Opportunity Wasted bar®
  • NuGo bars®
  • Zingbars®
  • Rise bars

  .

• Dried Fruit
• Fruit leather
• Canned fruit
• Tortilla chips & jarred salsa
• Potato chips (rice chips, etc.)
• Bagged pre-popped popcorn
• Crackers—gluten-free, of course, like Crunchmaster’s or Mary’s gone crackers

Sanity savers:

• Gluten-free chocolate
• Cookies—consider stashing a 2 pack of a gluten-free brand, like Pamela’s, Enjoy Life, etc.
• Hot cocoa
• Tea

DOUBLE CHECK THAT EVERYTHING IS GLUTEN-FREE!

It’s also worthwhile to think about

• water
• medications
• food for your furry, feathered or finned friends
• other necessities. 

A camp stove, matches, a sterno, generator, etc. will come in handy, too. For other, more general preparedness resources please see the FEMA website.

And, of course, my sympathy for everyone directly involved in this disaster.

PS—The NY region still needs help. Please consider donating if you are so inclined!

UPDATE: THANKSGIVING 2013 NEWSLETTER HERE WITH UPDATED LINKS/INFO

It takes a little planning ahead to guarantee a great Thanksgiving. In many ways, it’s easier if you’re hosting, because you know what you can and can’t have. Most people hate to impose on their hosts, but it’s easier on you AND your host to ask beforehand than sit through a four-hour meal and watch others eat. Remember, nothing is more important that staying safe!

Turkey:
Though it’s always good to check, the good news is that all plain fresh turkey is naturally gluten free. However, self-basting turkeys usually contain gluten. Most gravy packets are a problem, too.  As of 2011, ALL of the companies I called did have gluten-free turkeys, except Tofurky, which has gluten. Check out my gluten-free turkey list for 2011, which has manufacturer contact info.

If you’re not hosting Thanksgiving at your house, talk to your host as soon as you can. You’ll need to talk about:

* Broth used for basting
* Seasonings
* Stuffing in the turkey
* Cross contamination

Vegetarian/vegan options:

Okay, so Tofurkey is off the table. Here are great roundups with ideas for main meals. Most of the other sides here are already vegetarian.

Gluten-Free Goddess’ Roundup

About.com’s roundup

Gravy

Almost all regular canned gravy and gravy packets are not gluten-free. Gluten-free gravy is available online, and Trader Joe’s sells some now.   Also, it’s pretty easy to make a simple gravy with gluten-free broth and cornstarch instead of wheat (and if corn is a problem for you, arrowroot can be substituted 1:1 instead).

Herb Gravy From Elana’s Pantry

Gravy using Cornstarch from Simply Recipes or see this link for recipes.

Side dishes

There are lots of good options here. Green bean casserole, baked yams, cranberry relish, gelatin salads, butternut squash soup, mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, applesauce…all of these things are easy to adapt to food restrictions, and they’re healthy and delicious to boot.

Here are some ideas to get you going:

Sides:

My Cranberry Fresh Fruit Relish

Crockpot Applesauce by Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free

Green Bean Casserole from Gluten Free Mommy

Simply Tasty Asparagus from Celiac Family

Roasted butternut squash soup from Jules Gluten-Free

Stuffing:

This is obviously more of a challenge. You can go the nontraditional route and do a wild rice, buckwheat or quinoa stuffing. You could use a gluten-free cornbread or pre-made bread crumbs.

Cornbread stuffing with roasted acorn squash from the Gluten-Free Goddess

The NY Times Blog had a G-Free Stuffing section with a few recipes

Dessert!

For many people (myself included!) dessert is the highlight of the Thanksgiving route.  If you’d like to use your standard recipes, you can easily make a crustless pumpkin or sweet potato pie or check out Whole Foods’ crusts.  Or, you can easily make a crust from crushed up cookies, shredded coconut or almond meal. Apple crisps are also simple, too. And, of course, now with the new GF Betty Crocker mixes, a cake or brownies are pretty simple, even if they’re not traditional.

The Best Pecan Pie (one of my very favorites)

Easy, Crustless Apple Pie from Gluten Free Easily

Ginger Lemon Girl’s Pecan Pumpkin Pie bars

Apple Crisp–A lazy way to get that apple pie taste!

Cranberry Cobbler from Ginger Lemon Girl

T Day Recipes:
It’s dangerous when someone asks about food while I’m hungry.  When I was asked for Thanksgiving favorites, of course I started thinking (and drooling) about all the wonderful things that would make for an absolutely amazing gluten-free feast!  Here are a bunch from some of my favorite GF bloggers.

• Like to plan ahead? Ginger Lemon Girl has a 5 day Thanksgiving Guide
• Gluten free Girl has an amazing roundup of recipes
• Gluten Free Homemaker’s 2011 roundup
• Celiac Family has a Thanksgiving Roundup from a variety of bloggers and a Thanksgiving Dessert Roundup
• Simply Gluten and Sugar Free Healthy Holiday
• Gluten-free Goddess
• Celiac Princess
• A list of 40 Thanksgiving recipes
• About.com

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Events, news, etc:

Please vote…for my cookies! The Almond board is hosting a recipe contest and if you’re on Facebook, I’d greatly appreciate a vote for my yummy “Intense Cocoa Bites”. They’re gluten-free, of course, but also dairy-free, vegan, sugar-free, grain free and healthy, too. Part of the prize is almond packs for clients, so this may be in your best interest.

• DC Metro Area Celiac Association Meeting Topic: “Adolescents and Young Adults with Celiac Disease & Gluten Free Travel” Meeting Date: Saturday, November 17, 2012, 2:00–4:00 pm

• Speaker: Aaron Rakow, PhD (Clinical Psychologist), a team member of the Celiac Disease Program at Children’s National Medical Center, will discuss Children’s National’s new program, “Celiac Disease Group Therapy for Kids,” and how it is geared to help adolescents and young adults with their psychological needs. tinyurl.com/96jst37.
• Location: Tenley-Friendship Public Library
• 4450 Wisconsin Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20016
• www.dclibrary.org/tenley

As always, wishing you and yours a joyful, peaceful and yummy holiday season.

Cheryl Harris, MPH, RD is a Registered Dietitian, Nutritionist and Certified Wellness Coach in Fairfax & Alexandria, VA. Cheryl works with people to feel and look their best with a range of specialties, including Celiac Disease, food allergies, pregnancy, breastfeeding, vegetarian and vegan diets, preventing diseases and “whole foods” eating. Let’s get you on your way to achieving your goals.  Email her or call 571-271-8742.