Gluten Free on sale at Sprouts!

We go here pretty often since it is right by my parent's house. This is where we get the take and bake GF pizzas, chocolate crispy rice bars and crackers. What I love about Sprouts is they have little tags (green - I think) in their aisles stating "Gluten Free." It makes GF things - such as cereal, cookies, crackers etc. - MUCH easier to find. They also have an excellent selection of fresh chicken sausage (various flavors) which are all gluten free! We had the Brats last night and they were excellent!

The fine print says "all tagged gluten-free grocery and frozen grocery products, plus select items in other departments, limited to quantities on hand."

Needless to say we will be heading there this week!

Celiac Joke

What do you call a gluten free joke?

Corny!

It made us giggle. 

Gluten Free Betty Crocker Baking Mixes!

I am SO excited!!  Betty Crocker has come out with some gluten free baking mixes!!  Yellow Cake, Devil's Food, Chocolate Chip cookie mix and Brownies.    

These should be in mainstream grocery stores this month.  They are made in a gluten free processing facility, their canned icing will also be labeled gluten free in a couple of months.  I am so EXCITED!

It does state that they will be a little more expensive than the regular mixes - but less expensive than traditional GF mixes.  My friend read a review where they did a blind taste test (not telling that one was regular and one was GF) and the GF products did really well - in some cases better.  

Thank you Betty Crocker for doing this.  We now have an easy and affordable option for school parties etc. without having to make a special trip to a specialty store.  YEA!!

http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/gluten-free/

Gluten Free Cupcake from Starbucks

Starbucks has started carrying a Gluten free cupcake -  Valencia Orange Cake.   It is really good.  A moist orange cake topped w/almonds - sweet and tender.   It is individually wrapped to prevent cross contamination.

I surprised Grace with this at school during lunch one day - she was very excited.  Of course she didn't like it.

sigh.

I think she would have liked it if it didn't have the almonds on it - she doesn't like nuts in her food.  She took them off the top but said it still tasted like almonds.  

I thought it was good - especially with coffee (go figure.)  It is exciting to have another mainstream option avaliable to people with Celiac.  

  

 

PIZZA!!!!!

Sprouts has started carrying a "take and bake" Gluten Free Cheese Pizza.  It is DELISH!!!  It is an 8 inch pizza with a gluten free crust, good cheese that bakes perfectly in about 7 minutes and taste like a "real" pizza.

I asked Grace what she wanted to say about the pizza and she said "Tell them I don't like it.  I LOVE it!!!"

Skinny Minnie eats the whole thing.  THE WHOLE THING!  This kid never eats the whole thing of ANYTHING. 

This can be found in the "prepared foods" area of Sprouts and is under $3.  I have had the best luck by placing it directly on the rack (w/a cookie sheet on the rack below it to catch dripping cheese.)  Let it sit for a minute or two before cutting and enjoy.  

Grace's First Holy Communion

What a BEAUTIFUL day!! The weather was perfect and is was simply lovely.

Grace had her first Holy Communion this morning. Granny, Grandpa, Aunt Renee, Uncle Mark and cousin Austin came to support her and we had a lovely time.

Aunt Renee got a lovely Pix for Grace to put her low gluten host in. Before Mass I placed the pix on the alter and unhinged the top for easier opening. Grace respectfully went up to communion with Father hands clasped then proceeded to question him if he had the gluten free host in his hands :) A little gutsy but I was proud that she practiced our "always ask" policy - of course it was. She was also proud that she didn't make a face while drinking the wine. Aunt Renee said she saw her take a healthy gulp!

Back to our house for a family lunch. Oh - the discussion about what to serve. Something easy to make, keep warm for a couple of hours while at church with out drying out and something that Grace could have that was gluten free, Sam could have that was dairy free and Aunt Renee could have that was beef free - brussel sprouts maybe?? Troy and I went to Central Market yesterday to look at options. Shortly after arriving a helpful "Foodie" told us of their Rotisserie Chicken sale (buy a chicken and get a free pound of cole slaw and a pound of potato salad - easy and inexpensive!) Perfect.

We had chicken (which I quartered an put in the fridge the night before then put on low heat before leaving for church), the salads, asparagus, a variety of fruits and some breads for the gluten lovers in the family. Everyone loved it.

Dessert - oh the dessert! The Victorian Flourless Cake from Central Market - yummy goodness coated in ganache. Devine. I placed rock candy around the base of the cake to "fancy it up" and everyone loved it.

She was beautiful, everything went off without a hitch and all and all a perfect day.

"The G Free Diet"

Elisabeth Hasselbeck was on The View yesterday talking about her book "The G Free Diet."  I know nothing about the diet - however Grace was excited to hear them talk about Celiac on TV and talk about all of the good foods you can eat. 

http://abc.go.com/daytime/theview/video

Gluten Corn Chex are here!

Gluten Free Corn Chex have hit our local Walmart!  I just found them at the store today.  We currently have Rice Chex and Corn Chex that are gluten free.  I am still waiting on the other flavors to come in. 

I have said it before but will say it again - I LOVE that General Mills has taken Celiac Disease and other gluten issues seriously and has provided us with a mainstream cereal that is also certified gluten free.  

Yea! 

Another lovely use for Rice Bread

About a year ago Troy and I realized our kids had never had Twinkies - what neglect!  They tried them, liked them then never asked for them so that was that.  

Last week Troy realized our kids had never eaten cinnamon toast!  That was one of the first things I learned how to "cook" and I remember it fondly from childhood. 

Rice bread smeared with butter and topped with cinnamon and sugar - broiled in the oven.  Lovely.  The butter added moistness to counteract the dryness of the bread and who doesn't love a good butter and sugar combination.  

Celiac and the young Catholic

Grace is having her First Communion in a few weeks.  This should be simply a very special time for everyone.  It has turned into a very stressful one.

Troy and I disagree with what Grace should do - we do both agree that it should be her choice. 

As Catholics we believe that Christ is fully present in both the bread and wine.  Thus Grace would be fully participating in the Eucharist by just taking the wine.   Should be simple - right?

Troy and I view this differently for several reasons.  As much as it pains me to say so - we both have equally valid points.  Troy is a Convert  and remembers being denied communion as a non Catholic.  I am a "Cradle Catholic" therefore in our situation I feel the wine only is a sensible compromise.  Troy feels she will always regret not taking "full Communion" (bread and wine) if she doesn't do it on her First Communion (but refrain from then on.)  I feel what should be a joyful time could turn into a sick and painful time by taking the bread.  I also feel it is hard to ask others to take her Celiac seriously if we decide "just this once."

Grace - knowing and accepting all of the risks - wants to take the bread just this once. I am torn. 

Several months ago Troy did a bunch of research and we learned that for Catholics there must be wheat in the host. For other denominations rice hosts are acceptable.  While typing this I remembered Troy came across some information about a low gluten Host.  I researched it and found this!!!  

http://www.benedictinesisters.org./bread/low_gluten.php

Needless to say I will be contacting our Priest!  I pray he is open to this.  He is a kind man - but he - like many - don't understand Celiac and think it is not that big of a deal.  It is a big deal - especially to Grace.  I will also be making a purchase to have on hand.     

Rice Crispy Treats - ugh.

If Grace has asked me once she has asked me 100 times "Are Rice Krispy Treats gluten free?"  We have the Crispy Rice treats that I wrote about but she really wants the REAL Rice Crispy treats like Sam eats.  

The problem is the Malt flavoring.  I guess it makes it taste good but for a kid w/Celiac it is a problem - needless to say.  

Pizza night!

Last night Grace wanted to make Pizza.  Um - Grace - we don't have crust...  She figured it all out - here is Grace's Friday night pizza.  

Rice bread, a thin smear of tomato paste topped with twisty cheese stick (mozzarella and cheddar) pulled apart and broiled until toasted.

She loved it so much she had a second topped w/shredded cheddar cheese.  

Simple, easy and she loved it!  

She said (after most of it was eaten) "Take a picture for your blog!!!"

Who knew that the nasty rice bread we all hated would make something so yummy for a Friday night.  Toothpaste tube tomato paste made this SO easy - no bottle or can to open and waste - just squeeze out as much as you want - since Grace only likes very light sauce it is perfect.  

This will be a keeper!