July Support Group Meeting

Please join me Thursday night (July 21st) from 6-8pm at Natural Pantry for the Celiac Disease Foundation Anchorage Gluten-free Support Group! There will be Udi's products there to sample as well as gluten-free Schar cookies! See you there!

July Recipe of the Month

My mother-in-law has two sons and both of them married women with multiple allergies. Sarah, my sister-in-law and I both share dairy and gluten allergies. When we visit, Becky is always adapting her recipes to make us something that is allergen-free! She has mastered adjusting her family recipes to meet our restrictions. She even makes things for the two of us and serves them to our husbands and passes them off as "normal" food! We both love her dearly and appreciate the extra effort and love she puts into our food. I know a lot of people draw the short stick when it comes to mother-in-laws but, I couldn't have asked for a better one! Below is a recipe her mother made when she was a child and she tweaked it to make it gluten and dairy free!

Becky's no-bake Frozen Ice Cream Cake! (it's dairy-free too!)
2 boxes Udi's Crunchy Double Chocolate Chip cookies

2 tablespoons of Earth Balance soy-free butter (room temp)

4 pints Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Vanilla Bean ice cream (room temp)

Chocolate Sauce (recipe for sauce is below)

Directions:

Empty two boxes of Udi's Crunchy Double Chocolate Chip cookies (28 total) in a large gallon freezer bag. Roll over with a rolling pin until all the cookies are crumbled and there are no large chunks. Place cookie crumbles in a large mixing bowl and add two tablespoons of room temp butter. Hand mix until butter is evenly distributed. Spray 9x13 pan and then empty cookie and butter mix into pan. Press firmly to make an even surface. Pour almost all of the chocolate sauce over the cookie crust (leave about 1/4 cup and set aside for drizzling over the top of the finished cake- optional). Let chocolate sauce cool.

While the sauce is cooling, mix all 4 pints of ice cream in a large bowl and mix until it is almost a really thick soup consistency. When chocolate sauce has cooled, poor vanilla ice cream into the pan over the cookie crumble and hardened sauce. Smooth over the top with a spoon and place in freezer overnight.

When you are ready to serve heat the chocolate sauce up a little and drizzle it over the cake for looks and its ready to be served!

Chocolate Sauce:

1 cup gluten-free cocoa powder

1.5 cups sugar

1 cup water

1/2 cup gluten-free corn syrup

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla

Directions:
In a small saucepan, combine cocoa powder, sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt; mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil; boil 3 minutes, stirring constantly

I think I ended up eating the rest of this . . .

Remove pan from heat and beat in vanilla. Let cool completely, stirring occasionally. Store covered in refrigerator.

July Product of the Month

I just discovered these amazing cookies while visiting my in-laws. My moher-in-law, Becky, has a great little store near her home in Fairmont, MN that always has gluten-free gems. The Olive Pantry was the store that first introduced me to Udi's bread and I have never looked back! I was so excited when she found these cookies - they are not heavy or soft like most gluten-free cookies. They are crunchy and chocolately and I am convinced its impossible to eat just one!

My interview with KAFC 93.7 breakfast crew!

I had a wonderful time hanging out with Skip, Lady W, and Mrs. Vic. They were so fun and I had a good time passing the morning with them!

I am so grateful for the opportunity to get on the air and share my story with the listeners.

Celiac Disease affects 1% of the population, that's over 3 million Americans, including almost 7,000 Alaskans. The worst part is that 97% of those people do not know it! That is why I am so dedicated in my work to increase awareness!

THANK YOU, KAFC 93.7!

Tips for a safe, gluten-free 4th of July!

Summer and the 4th of July holiday are a great time for eating and socializing outdoors in the Bay Area.  Being gluten-free can often be difficult while attending a BBQ at a friend or family member’s house.  With that in mind, here are a few quick tips on how to eat safely and gluten-free at a BBQ:



Never Show Up Without Something To Eat – Always make sure that there is something for you to eat at an event by offering to bring a gluten-free salad (make a quinoa salad for an extra source of protein) or side dish.

Have The Host/Hostess Grill Meat First Then The Bun – Nothing can be more painful than watching your beautiful burger be ruined by bread crumbs at a BBQ!  Speak up to your host/hostess!  Ask them to grill the meat or fish first and then have them heat up the buns.  You can then safely whisk away your meat and enjoy it on a gluten-free bun before it becomes contaminated.

Aluminum Foil Is Your Friend – Cooking on a potentially contaminated grill?  Take no chances – cook your meat on a piece of aluminum foil in order to allow you to cook your food on the same grill without the risk of cross-contamination.

BYOB – Bring Your Own Buns – You can easily bring your own gluten-free bun to a friend or family member’s house for a BBQ.  Ask the host/hostess to place your bun on aluminum foil on the grill to toast it up for you prior to enjoying with a piece of grilled meat.

Beware of Hidden Sources of Gluten – This is one area that you need to pay particular attention to.  Sauces, marinades and salad dressing are often guilty of containing hidden sources of gluten.  There are many mainstream brands of sauces, marinades, and salad dressings that are gluten-free but you need to really read the labels to make sure that the item offered at the BBQ is truly gluten-free.  Ask to read labels of what you are eating.  If they already threw out the bottle of the sauce, marinade or salad dressing that they used it’s better to go without.  It’s always better to be safe than sorry!

Relax and Enjoy Yourself – Do your homework, bring something for yourself to enjoy at the BBQ, and make every effort to educate your host/hostess about the gluten-free diet so you’re able to relax and enjoy the 4th of July holiday with friends and family!

Continue reading on Examiner.com Top gluten-free tips for eating safely at a 4th of July BBQ - Oakland Gluten Free | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/gluten-free-in-oakland/top-gluten-free-tips-for-eating-safely-at-a-4th-of-july-bbq#ixzz1QyoewHes