Connecticut mom making waves with her gluten-free macaroons.

If you are gluten free and from CT (like I am), you will be delighted by this story.
A mom in Enfield looked for a way to work and be a stay-at-home mom, and a booming macaroon business was born. Stephanie Thomacos from Enfield, CT is a self-taught baker who operates her macaroon business from home.

She initially started baking with her grandfather on a farm, making box cakes. As she experimented with various foods, she became inspired to make macaroons.
"I used to buy them from a bakery in New Jersey. They were really expensive and I never thought I could make them, but I just decided one day to try. I loved it and decided to make a thing of it. Other people loved them and nobody else around here does it (it's true. No one does!). It's an unsaturated market for macaroons so I decided to jump in on it. -Journal Inquirer

Thomacos baked up a ton of macaroons and showcased them at a recent Farmers Market in Ellington. She sold out of her macaroons not even halfway through the day. The macaroons are made with sugar and almond flour, which means they are naturally gluten free! Thomacos offers 10-14 flavors of macaroons at every farmers market she goes to. She even makes them into shapes of various characters (pandas, corgis, etc).

So when does this mom find time to bake her creations?
According Thomacos, she starts baking between Wednesday and Friday, making 600-900 macaroons.
She charges $2 each, $3 for characters. If you want to stock up, a half dozen costs $11 and a dozen cost $20.

Where can you find these macaroons?
Stephanie Thomacos will be at the Ellington Farmers Market Saturdays through August 24, and at the Coventry Farmers Market every Sunday through October 22. She will also be appearing at the South Windsor market in September.
If you cannot make these appearances, she takes custom orders for baby showers and parties. She is planning to do holiday boxes as well.

Thomacos is becoming a rising star with her macaroons, selling out at nearly every farmer's market she attends.

Since I live in proximity of all these Farmer's Markets, I will be making a point to attend, and try these macaroons. Look for an upcoming post and maybe a meet and greet with Thomacos herself? Stephanie Thomacos, you are making a fellow CT citizen, and a gluten free (Celiac) proud! Can't wait to get over and meet you!

Photo- I do not own the photo. Photo is from Mama's Macs Facebook profile. 

 

Recall Alert: Purely Elizabeth recalling GF granola due to possible glass, plastic, or rock contamination.

If you have a bag of Purely Elizabeth GF granola that contain cashews, and have best-by dates beginning in November and going through the end of this year, you may want to toss them.

Bags that were sold at Whole Foods, Costco, Publix, Purely Elizabeth's website, Thrive Market, and Amazon are a part of the recall. If you purchased granola from Walmart or Target, you are NOT a part of the recall. Granola BARS are also not a part of the recall.

Purely Elizabeth put out a statement last week regarding the recall. They are working with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the matter. As of right now, there is no recall on the website.

This story is developing.

Support Celiac Disease Awareness by enjoying a night of comedy in NYC.

If any of you are in the NYC area on May 19, you have to check out a comedy show being sponsored by the Celiac Disease Foundation. Tickets are $25 each and all proceeds go to the Celiac Disease Foundation.

For more information, and to buy tickets, click here.

Great news! NIH will be submitting a plan for Celiac Disease Research!

On Thursday, the US House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies released a report under the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) regarding funding for Celiac Disease research. It included a letter from the Chief Executive Officer of the Celiac Disease Foundation, which you can read here.

Basically, Marilyn Geller, the CEO of CDF, shared her testimony last month and it led to Celiac Disease research being included in these federal documents.

The inclusion of Celiac Disease in such a report has never happened before (history-making, guys!), and if Celiac Disease research gets the funding, it can help researchers learn more about the disease, and it could help them find a cure.

Before you throw the confetti, nothing has been signed into law just yet. The documents have to go through the Congressional appropriations process and be signed by the White House.
Geller is confident that it will be signed. Overall, this is a great time for those of us living with Celiac. We are moving closer than ever to being taken seriously, and hopefully we will have a cure in our lifetime. Pray, meditate, send positive energy that Celiac Disease research gets the funding it deserves!

If my Celiac grandmother were alive today, she would be so proud. As a Celiac sufferer myself, I'm very excited about all of this.

Why we need more awareness about Celiac Disease.

Celiac Disease awareness is near and dear to my heart, and it is important that we continue to raise awareness in hopes it helps the rest of the world to take us seriously.

This morning, I came across a heartbreaking story of a woman who died from complications of celiac disease. She had ignored her symptoms and didn't adhere to a GF diet.

She, like all of us, ate wheat products for a portion of her life. Her body loved wheat. I mean, wheat products were yummy!
When she was diagnosed with Celiac, not only was it during a time when gluten free food was very sparse, she had difficulty giving up what she loved: foods with wheat ingredients.
She suffered the consequences of not adhering to a GF diet, as her liver gave out on her. She also had an enlarged stomach and had gained 30 pounds. She succumbed to her complications, and her daughter has spoken about her mother's health issues.

She, like all of us, are hoping for more awareness to be raised. We as Celiacs need more support. All of the men and women who have died from Celiac Disease will have died in vain if things don't change now.

The whole world knows what gluten free is. Unfortunately, not everyone knows about Celiac Disease. Celiac Disease may seem harmless to the uneducated eye, and you may think the woman I spoke about could have prevented her own death if she adhered to a gluten free diet. Guys, it is not that easy.

First off, Celiac Disease is not harmless. People can die from the illness. Even if you get diagnosed late in life, the damage could already be done. Or, you could be diagnosed early and have a really severe case. Regardless of the situation, people can and have died from the disease.
Secondly, I understand the woman in the story, because my grandmother had a similar situation. She was diagnosed during a time when gluten free food was not really available unless you made EVERYTHING from scratch (including grinding up your own grains, and driving 4 hours to another state to get those special grains. My grandfather did that every week). There was no support, and you also wanted to avoid looking like you were nuts in front of ignorant people, so you didn't tell anyone. Also, back then you didn't know ANYONE who had the disease. It was considered extremely rare, and in the medical world, it was also considered to be a childhood disease. When the store that my grandfather bought grains from closed, my grandmother had no choice but to go back to regular food. She did it in order to survive, but what she was eating was slowly killing her. I watched all the hard work she did on rebuilding her health completely go away. She dropped a lot of weight, she shrunk in height, she developed a large hump on her back, and she lost the ability to do most of her activities of daily living (washing, toileting, dressing, walking, etc).

Without proper education, support, awareness, and food, new Celiacs return to their former ways of eating. It's survival mode, despite the fact that the gluten foods are slowly killing them.
Also, people become embarrassed when they are diagnosed with Celiac Disease. I remember how hard it was for me. Grocery shopping sucked and having a social life sucked. We need to tell the world that this is a real condition, and it should be taken as seriously as the other diseases out there.

I think about the people who have yet to be diagnosed. When they find out, they will find themselves in a world that doesn't care that you have Celiac disease. The world will see you as a "whining, entitled, trendy, crybaby." This is a problem that needs to stop now.
It starts with those of us who talk regularly about Celiac Disease. I'm not afraid of talking about it because I want to help others. I want to be the person I wish I had around when I was diagnosed.

To find out more about the woman in the story, click here

Syracuse's 3 Bears Gluten-Free Bakery and Cafe recognized for business excellence.

If you have Celiac Disease and you are in the Syracuse area, you have to stop by 3 Bears Gluten-Free Bakery and Cafe. The dining establishment has been going strong for 5 years and is exclusively gluten free.

The business was recently honored for it's top-level customer service. Jennifer Stowe, the manager of 3 Bears has worked to build her restaurant's reputation. Due to her establishment being exclusively GF, doctors have recommended the bakery to their gluten free patients, both Celiacs and those with an allergy/intolerance.

Stowe is hoping her business will continue its upward momentum. She plans on adding new niches, and she is even working on getting a liquor license for her bakery and cafe.
She is also hoping to expand her menu to include those with other food allergies and dietary restrictions.

3 Bears offers a wide selection of foods, including sweet treat baked goods, sandwiches, pizza, wings, dinners, and many more.

My Two Cents

If I am ever in the Syracuse, NY area, I'm checking this place out. As a Celiac, I have high respect for restaurant owners who make their restaurants exclusively GF. It makes it easier on us to dine out and not worry about getting 'glutened.'

Celebrities who have Celiac Disease

 Getting diagnosed with Celiac Disease can be pretty tough (believe me, I remember how hard it was for me). You may be the first among your family and/or friends that has been diagnosed as Celiac. It can be lonely (even though my grandmother had it, and I was partially raised by her, she had been gone for a few years when I was diagnosed. I had no one).

What gave me some comfort was that I was not alone. Some of the celebrities I look up to were also Celiac Disease sufferers. People like Elizabeth Hasselbeck and Emmy Rossum had been living with the disease for years before I was diagnosed. I researched both and learned a lot from them. Also, learning that my first celeb crush has 2 Celiacs in his family really helped me feel less alone.

Here is a list of celebs who have diagnosed Celiac Disease:

• Elizabeth Hasselbeck (public figure)
• Emmy Rossum (actress)
• Wil Wheaton's mom and sister
• Meg Cabot (author)
• Sarah Joy Brown (actress)
• Joe C (rapper who frequently performed with Kid Rock in the early 2000s. He died from complications associated with Celiac Disease)
• Adrianne Palicki (actress)
• Deborah Ann Woll

Many more have also been diagnosed. I know that last year, Mandy Moore (singer/actress) was tested for Celiac, but she never confirmed having Celiac Disease.

We are not alone in this world. We have each other. Together, we need to raise awareness so that the world takes our illness seriously. Never be afraid to speak up.

Celiac Disease Awareness Month: What you need to know about Celiac Disease.

Celiac Disease is an inherited autoimmune disease that affects 1 in 100 people in the world. Approximately 97% of people who have Celiac Disease do not know they have it. When Celiac Disease is left untreated, it can put the sufferer at risk for osteoporosis, infertility, cancer, and even death.

What happens when someone with Celiac Disease ingests gluten?
Gluten, a protein that is found in wheat, barley, rye, and most oats, triggers an immune response when it is ingested into the body. The body begins to attack itself, resulting in malabsorption of nutrients (gluten kills the villi in the small intestine. Villi are responsible for absorbing nutrients). This brings about symptoms of diarrhea, pain, and more than 300 other symptoms associated with Celiac Disease. Symptoms vary from person to person, and they vary in severity.

While there is no cure for this disease, it can be treated by a life-long, strict adherence to a gluten free diet.

You may be thinking, "I see gluten free food all the time. How hard can it be?" You'd be surprised. While there are more gluten free options than ever before, it doesn't mean that all options are safe for Celiacs. There are a lot of sneaky companies out there that put harmful ingredients in GF food, causing the sufferer to relapse in their symptoms. Eating out is even worse. A story broke out, stating that many GF options at restaurants actually have gluten in them.

Celiac Disease is much more severe than any intolerance or allergy to wheat and gluten. It's an actual disease. People with Celiac Disease have actually died from having Celiac Disease. Joe C (Kid Rock's rapper friend) died from Celiac Disease in the early 2000s. My grandmother (diagnosed in the 1980s) died from both dementia and Celiac Disease in 2007.

Why do I care so much about Celiac Disease?
I was diagnosed with it over 12 years ago. I had gotten very sick in the months leading up to the diagnosis. The doctor did a blood test and I tested positive for the disease. Following the diagnosis, I went in for a intestinal biopsy. Again, I tested positive for the disease. It was official, I had Celiac Disease, just like my grandmother. I was diagnosed before the gluten free craze started and no one knew anything about Celiac Disease or gluten free food. Dating was tough, going out with friends was tough, and I cried every time I went to the grocery store.
Despite how much is available, gluten free-wise, it is still a slap in the face when I look at the ingredients of so-called gluten free foods, and see "Contains: wheat, barley, gluten, etc." A law was passed years ago that was supposed to stop this behavior, but I guess the laws still don't take Celiac Disease seriously.

This is why awareness needs to be brought to this illness. Even though there has been an emphasis on gluten free food in the last several years, the focus has been taken away from Celiac Disease. More research needs to be done, studies need to be conducted so we can find a cure, and we need to be taken care of when we go out to eat.
Guys, we cannot be afraid to speak up. People die from this illness, it must be taken seriously.

I'm a mom now, and I worry that I could have passed Celiac Disease to my son. If he ends up having the gene for Celiac Disease, I don't want him to deal with the eye rolls and the people who scoff at us. There needs to be more awareness, more compassion, more research into this illness. If you, or someone you know, has Celiac Disease, stand up and spread awareness.

 #CeliacDisease #CeliacDiseaseAwarenessMonth #GlutenFree #GFree #GlutenFreeDiet #IAm1in100

Aldi's rolling out A TON of gluten free items. Find out when they will be available!

Aldi's is my favorite grocery store because they offers their own inexpensive gluten free line. I have been buying their gluten free items for years and I have never had an issue.

Well, you can imagine my happiness when I found out they were unveiling more GF items.
Along with their breads, cheesecakes, pretzels, mixes and more, they will be adding the following items:

• Chocolate Frosted Donuts
• Ravioli
• Skillet meals
• PB&J bites
• GF Linguini
• More bread items
• Croutons
• Empanadas

These items will be in every Aldi's store as of May 8.

Get your reusable bags ready! May 8th will be here before you know it. And like I said, this Celiac has NEVER had an issue with their brand LiveGFree.

You have Celiac Disease. Does that mean your kids have it too?

If you have Celiac Disease and you recently had a child, you may be wondering if you passed the disease onto your child. After all, we all know that Celiac Disease is an inherited autoimmune disease. I inherited Celiac Disease from my grandmother.

Now that I have a child of my own, one of the first things I worried about is that I passed the Celiac gene to him. I told my son's pediatrician that Celiac does run in the family and that I have it. I expressed general concern that my son might have the gene. My son's pediatrician told me that they usually do those types of tests in a few years, so it's something they will probably test for when he turns 3, unless symptoms become present (luckily, he's been handling gluten foods pretty well).

Anyways, I did some research on genetic risks and found out that the general incidence of Celiac Disease is around 1%. If there is a family history of Celiac (and if a first degree relative has been officially diagnosed with it), the likelihood of your child developing it ranges from 4-16%.
If you have Celiac and you're a new parent, it's advised that you continue your regular appointments and screenings.
It is also advised that you do not remove gluten from your child's diet before testing. As you all know, removing gluten from your diet before being tested will give you an inaccurate result. With CD, you don't want your kids to have an inaccurate test result.

What tests will they do on your child?

• tTG
• EMA
• DGP
• Total serum IgA
• Endoscopy to confirm diagnosis

What about genetic testing?

• All testing will do is determine whether your child has the genes needed for Celiac Disease development.
• Also, a positive result does not mean that Celiac is present. One-third of the general population has the Celiac genes. All it means is that the illness could develop, and if you have the illness, your child will need to be screened regularly.
• A negative genetic test result means that your child does not have Celiac Disease.  

Mamas, whatever the case may be, hang in there. Be strong for your child. You got this.

 #CeliacDisease #Celiac #GlutenFree #GF #GlutenFreeDiet #Genetics #Health #kids #celiackids

Study suggests that we are paying 2 to 3 times more for "gluten free" food that still contains gluten.

Last week, I wrote about how those of us who are gluten free are unknowingly buying food that still contain a dangerous about of gluten in it. As if that was infuriating enough, when you add the cost that we already pay for our food, it's enough to have steam actually come out of your ears.
Researchers studied 5,600 food tests over the course of 18 months. The results came back that 1 in 3 food items were not gluten free, meaning, it tested ABOVE 20ppm.

Over 5 years ago, a law was passed that companies who want the GF label had to test under 20ppm. The simple fact that these errors continue to happen is just putting those of us with Celiac Disease at risk for serious complications (cancer, infertility, osteoporosis, death).

Look, I know a small portion of us can be overbearing with having to be completely GF. However, these food issues are playing with our lives. None of us want to be sick, and we certainly don't want to die from complications related to Celiac Disease.
I really hope that food companies and restaurants get their act together.
Also, I have a sense of humor and I try to be positive and make light of situations. However, this situation isn't funny.

One third of gluten-free food contain gluten, study finds.

If you have Celiac Disease, or a gluten sensitivity, dining out at restaurants these days may seem like a dream come true. With more restaurants offering gluten free options, it is making it easier to dine out....or is it?

A study, published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, found that gluten resides in 32% of restaurant foods marked gluten free. It was also found that 52.3% of GF pizzas contain gluten, and nearly 51% of GF pastas contain gluten. The researchers tested the food with the Nima device, which uses a small sample of food to detect gluten.

While this may seem shocking and somewhat criminal, the USDA law that grants manufacturers the ability to label packaged food GF if it tests under 20ppm, does not apply to restaurant foods.

My Two Cents
I highly urge you all to speak to your waiters about their GF options. With Celiac Disease, you can't take any risks. I also recommend that you stick to 100% GF restaurants. I will be posting about random GF restaurants across the country.

source:
https://nypost.com/2019/04/19/almost-a-third-of-foods-labeled-gluten-free-contain-gluten-study-finds/

 

100% gluten free restaurant opening in Louisville, KY.

If you are gluten free and living in the Louisville, Kentucky area, a new 100% gluten free restaurant is coming your way. Silly Axe Cafe will be located at 2216 Dundee Road, where the old DiOrio's Pizza and Pub used to be.

The menu will feature pasta salads, quesadillas, and multiple assortments of sandwiches. ALL will be gluten free. Those of you who are wondering if the place can be trustworthy, I have some good news for you. The owners maintain a gluten free diet due to allergies. The owners are also thinking about adding some GF favorites to the menu (fried chicken and mac & cheese).

Read on to learn more about this gem of a restaurant:
https://www.courier-journal.com/story/money/louisville-city-living/2019/01/25/gluten-free-restaurant-silly-axe-cafe-opening-louisville-highlands/2667223002/

My Two Cents
I wish I were in Louisville. I would practically LIVE in a place like this!
If you live in the Louisville area and you check out this restaurant, let me know how it is!