Food Review: Udi's Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls

photo credit: milkfreemom

Hey Celiac Warriors! Ready for some more Udi's goodness? Well, have I got a treat for you!

I know I'm not the only one who loves cinnamon rolls. I remember frequenting Cinnabon through the years and indulging in some ooey gooey cinnamon roll goodness. Now that I'm diagnosed with Celiac Disease (diagnosed via blood test and biopsy in September of 2011), places like Cinnabon are kryptonite to my digestive tract.
After my diagnosis, I tirelessly searched for gluten free cinnamon rolls that were as good or better than Cinnabon cinnamon rolls.

Recently, my boyfriend brought me home a package of Udi's Cinnamon Rolls (he's such a keeper). After dinner, I heated one up and put the provided glaze on top. The cinnamon roll smelled so amazing as it was warming up. So I took my first bite, and....

Delish! It was so amazing! The cinnamon roll was nice and soft. You could taste the cinnamon and spices, and the glaze was perfection. Even my boyfriend thought it was amazing (and he isn't gluten free)!
I don't have to tell you that the cinnamon rolls didn't last too long in this house! I pretty much devoured them within 3 or 4 days, LOL!

For those of you tracking your calories, carbs, etc., here is what you need to know:

• Calories: 300
• Fat: 6g (no trans fat)
• Carbs: 56g
• Sugars: 30g
• Sodium: 370mg

Allergen Warning: This item contains Eggs.

I will definitely be purchasing this item again (and again, and again)! It's definitely one sweet treat that I have to have in my freezer!

I highly recommend that all my gluten-free friends try this item. If you have a serious sweet tooth, and need to satisfy it, PICK THESE CINNAMON ROLLS UP! They are so tasty! You can find them in many stores and on Amazon.

Food Review: Udi's Broccoli and Kale Lasagna

photo credit: celiac (dot) com

Good afternoon fellow Celiac Warriors! I have another amazing food item to tell you about!

Recently, I came across Udi's Broccoli and Kale Lasagna while at the grocery store doing my weekly shopping. Me, being the foodie that I am, did not hesitate to pick up a box and see if this lasagna was any good. I've tried so many amazing Udi's products and I hoped that this one would be a winner too.

Well, folks, I was right! This lasagna was very good. The sauce was very rich and the meal was full of flavor!
I don't need to tell you that it is Gluten Free because Udi's is a go-to brand for those of us who are gluten free.

As for the nutritional facts, I was scared that it was going to be a million calories and have a ton of sodium. Nope. Only 370 calories and 290mg of sodium. If you're watching your carb intake, there are only 35 grams of carbs in this lasagna.

This lasagna is pretty filling, but for those of you looking to add a side dish to your lasagna, I suggest steamed veggies that are seasoned and a glass of your favorite wine.

Allergen Warnings: This item contains Milk and Eggs. Those of us who have Celiac disease often have bouts of (or are full blown) lactose intolerance. I HIGHLY recommend taking a lactaid pill before consuming this product. I tend to have lactose intolerance symptoms whenever I have something that is oozing tons of dairy. I make sure my medicine cabinet is stocked with lactaid pills.

Definitely pick up Udi's Broccoli and Kale Lasagna. It's a scrumptious and quick meal that you can just pop into the microwave and indulge in while watching your favorite TV programs.

Thank you, Udi's for making another amazing product! Keep em' coming!

Food review: Gluten free Chex Oatmeal

photo credit: Shauna Silva

I found this item shortly after the FDA ruling went into effect.

At first, I was a little nervous in trying this product, since I have had issues with gluten free oatmeal in the past. I decided to try it anyways. The following Saturday, I made myself my first bowl of oatmeal in over 4 years.

*drum roll please*

While it tastes EXACTLY like non-GF oatmeal, it has a different texture to it. I ended up overcooking it a little and it stuck to my non-stick saucier.
With this oatmeal, you need to keep an eye on it and cook it exactly to the package instructions. I ended up goofing and cooked it according to how I used to cook non-GF oatmeal.

All in all, it was very good. I added some brown sugar and craisins to the oatmeal, which made it even better.

When I was first diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I had a hard time with gluten free oats. Every 6 months or so, I had tried to re-introduce GF oats into my diet to see if I would have any reaction to it. This is the first time since my diagnosis that I haven't had a reaction to it.

Gluten Free Chex Oatmeal is less than $3 and it is whole grain oats. It is NOT certified gluten free, but with the new FDA ruling, ALL items labeled gluten free HAVE to test less than 20ppm. This product hasn't given me problems, but if you are sensitive, I ask that you exercise caution.

This product comes in several delicious flavors, including maple & brown sugar and apple & cinnamon.

If you're interested in trying this product, check out my Gluten Free recommendations store on Amazon. To visit this store, click here. (Items will be on page 3)

Styleite writer attempts gluten free joke and fails miserably

Guys, I tend to think of myself as a relatively open-minded Celiac. I tend to think I have a pretty good sense of humor. I hear a lot of jokes and I laugh.
But, now I feel as if I'm getting to the point where the jokes are just getting a little too old. The gluten free frenzy has been around for quite a few years now, and the jokes just aren't funny anymore. They are just tired, old, and stupid.

Yesterday, a Styleite writer decided to write an article called "5 Foods You'd Never Know Were Gluten Free."
My fellow Celiacs may be interested in knowing what this "Einstein" put in her article:

1. Sandstone (since we're not capable of having pasta)
2. Leaves (since we don't deserve anything else)
3. Air (because we deserve to look stupid)
4. Corn 
5. The internal organs of Celiacs. Yeah, so if people want to go on a gluten free diet, she suggests that the public slip us something in our drink and go to town on our internal organs. Nice, right? So we Celiacs deserve a date rape drug because we got stuck with an inherited, life-long, auto-immune disease that we have to deal with for the rest of our life. After we get slipped the drug, people can go to town on our internal organs, because we're obviously not human. We get to be the sacrificial lamb for those who want perfect skin and a waif-life physique.

That last one is what inspired me to write this article. I almost NEVER respond publicly to jokes like this, but when Celiacs are targeted directly, the gloves will come off.
My other concern is this whole 'slipping us something in our drink' deal. Since when is slipping someone a 'roofie' funny? The sick part is, is a woman wrote the article.

If the woman who wrote the article reads this, I hope she understands that Celiac Disease is a serious illness. People have died from the illness. Would she make a Cancer parody too? Probably, because she obviously doesn't have a heart, or a soul.

If you want to read her article, check it out here.

I highly recommend that the woman who wrote the Styleite article educate herself on Celiac Disease. I can recommend a few books for her. If some of you are wondering about what this Celiac Disease is all about, click on the above picture. You will be transferred to my Amazon store Look to the right of your screen and click on books. Some of the books in there are books that helped me after my diagnosis.

Education is key, people. It is obvious that the Styleite woman is ignorant. As for the rest of the world, the gluten free joke craze is so over. Move on to something else. The jokes aren't funny anymore.

[photo credit: memecrunch.com]

Celiac Warrior Gal's Favorite Recipes: Gluten Free Papaya, Mango and Shrimp Lettuce Wraps

This is a recipe that I saw on the back of an Annie Chun's Maifun Rice Noodle box. 

This recipe is filling, delicious, and GLUTEN FREE!!! It is super easy to make and is a perfect summertime lunch or dinner meal.

Here is what you will need:

• One green papaya (peel the papaya and slice it into matchstick strips)
• One slightly firm mango (peel the mango and slice into Matchstick slices)
• One small cucumber (thinly sliced)
• 1/2 package of Annie Chin's Maifun's Rice Noodles (cook, drain, and rinse as directions state for salad usage).
• 1 cup of small to medium sized shrimp. Make sure the shrimp are cleaned, deveined, and cooked (recipe says prawns, but shrimp is the same thing).
• 1 head of rinsed lettuce (separate leaves)
• 5 to 6 TBSP of peanut butter (recipe says to use Thai Peanut Sauce, but we improvised)
• 2 TBSP of fresh cilantro

 Directions:

1. Mix papaya, mango, cucumber, cooked noodles and shrimp in a bowl.
2. Add peanut butter to above mixture and toss.
3. Arrange lettuce leaves on a plate and divide noodle mix among the leaves.
4. Garnish with the cilantro (if you wish).
5. Wrap the lettuce leaves and eat!

The lettuce does have a hard time staying in a 'wrap' position, you might need to use a toothpick to hold it in place if you're making this for family or guests. I ended up just getting a fork and eating it like it was a noodle salad. Using peanut butter instead of the Thai Peanut Sauce gave it more of a hearty texture and made me full after eating just a little bit of it. I do recommend that you pick up gluten free Thai peanut sauce. Annie Chun doesn't make gluten free sauce, but San-J does! Thai peanut sauce will definitely add some spice and flavor to the dish. While the dish already has some flavor, I had to listen to my better half complain about the dish being a little bland. I think next time we will have to actually follow the recipe and use Thai peanut sauce.

To purchase the Annie Chun's Rice Noodles, click the photo.
If you are interested in the peanut sauce, you can purchase it here.

[photo credit: www.luxebc.com]

Soon, you could own a scanning device that checks for gluten in food.

Wouldn't it be great if we never had to worry about being 'glutened' when dining out? It would be freaking fantastic, right?
With the wonders of technology, this could be a reality. The science and technology gods may be blessing us with a scanning device that could determine whether or not there is gluten in our food.

A company in San Francisco, California called 6SensorLabs, is in the process of developing a portable device that has the capability of detecting gluten in food.
The company is only one year old, and was founded by a woman who was diagnosed with a gluten allergy in college. She, and her co-founder wanted to create a device so others could have a stress free dining experience while out to eat.
As for the size, it will be half the size of an iPhone, but will also be thicker. It will contain a sensor that will quickly detect gluten in food.

The company is hoping to have this device available sometime next year. There is no word on how much it will cost. I'm pretty sure it will be expensive. Then again, there is no price on freedom to go out to eat with your hunny and your friends and family.

They are working on devices to detect other allergens in foods. Right now, they only have the device that detects gluten. 

I, for one, am excited about this device. While I do have a bunch of restaurants that I am comfortable eating at, I do have others that I want to go to, but am too afraid to even try out of fear that I may be 'glutened.' It certainly isn't easy having Celiac Disease. I am thankful for the restaurants that I am able to go to. This device will make it much easier to become more adventurous.
Plus, this girl has been dying to go to restaurants with some spicy foods. This girl wants some Thai or some Mexican food!

Hey, can any of you recommend any Thai and Mexican restaurants that are nice to the Celiac crowds?

Also, what do you guys think of this device? Would you buy one?

[photo credit: www.pinterest.com]

One of my most disappointing 'being glutened' experiences

Before my life-crushing Celiac disease diagnosis, one of my favorite restaurants to go to was Chili's. I loved going there to kick back, drink a few beers, and get the restaurant-made tortilla chips and salsa. I'd scarf those down while waiting for my meal to be made. I'd usually order a burger or steak or something along those lines.

Then I got that darn diagnosis. My first time at Chili's after my diagnosis, I was nervous. I decided to skip the beers, and get a margarita instead. I got my chips and salsa, because they are tortilla chips and I asked if they were GF and the staff said 'yes.' I told the staff that I had Celiac disease and needed to eat gluten free, so they gave me options that were GF. I ordered a meal that they recommended, and I felt safe with their recommendation. I talked with my friend and enjoyed stuffing my face with the chips and salsa.
The meal came, and we dined.
After the meal, I went home, and I was okay after a while. A few hours later, I was in the bathroom, and it seemed like I didn't leave for months. I was fatigued, I was moody, I was achy, and it was hard for me to work through it while doing my job every day.

I did try Chili's again last year, and I got 'glutened' again. I guess I'm like one of those kids who is told that the burner on the stove is hot, but I touch it anyway. I just wanted to see if Chili's was still a bad restaurant for me.

One of my "bad" restaurants is Olive Garden. Despite the fact that they do have a gluten free menu, and I ordered off of it, I still got sick.

I keep telling people that eating out is like playing Russian Roulette: Sometimes you get lucky, sometimes you get the shaft. You never know how you take to a restaurant unless you try. Each Celiac sufferer is different. We all react differently to different restaurants. Some people are okay at Olive Garden and Chili's. Others, such as myself, aren't.

If you are recently diagnosed to Celiac disease, and you aren't sure which restaurants have gluten free options, you can search each state here
If you live outside the United States, you can use the World Map

Even though I've had bad experiences, I have had some fairly wonderful ones too. Outback Steakhouse has been absolutely amazing in handling my requests. So has Red Robin, Mario's Pizza in Connecticut, Nardelli's in Connecticut, Margaritaville and Cheeseburger In Paradise in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I may have forgotten one or two. Cheeseburger in Paradise was my favorite find. The manager of the restaurant had come out and talked to me and made sure I was taken care of.

Fellow Celiacs, some restaurants DO care about us. Not all of them are going to "roll their eyes" at us. Stay encouraged, everyone!