Radio Interview with Z93.7 TOMORROW!

Please tune in tomorrow morning at 7am AST as I talk to the morning crew about my website and passion Against the Grain: Raising Awareness for Celiac Disease!
If you are not near a radio you can listen online by going to http://www.kafc.org/.

If you have an iPhone, you can also listen by downloading the free radio app, SHOUTCast, and finding KAFC 93.7 on the app.

I'll be sure to take pictures and post them on here later! Let me know you thoughts after you listen!

Alaska State Senate Resolution to Declare May as National Celiac Disease Awareness Month

Today, I was honored to have the opportunity to meet with my state senator, Cathy Giessel, to discuss drafting a resolution to have the state of Alaska recognize May as National Celiac Disease Awareness Month. Senator Giessel is thrilled to have the opportunity to work with me and the Celiac Disease Foundation on this resolution.

California and New York have already passed similar resolutions to recognize May as National Celiac Disease Awareness Month.(CA-SCR 7, NY- S1139-2011)

The Celiac Research Centers in the United States recognize May as National Celiac Disease Awareness Month and, Internationally, the Association of European Coeliac Societies recognizes Celiac Disease in May and celiac events are held throughout the world to raise awareness.

Stay tuned for more information on this exciting development!

To read more about the other state resolutions, follow the links below:

Press Release (on bill passage in CA)

Formal versions of bills -
CA Resolution PDF
New York Resolution

Terra Bella Coffee offers gluten-free items!

I have known for sometime that Terra Bella makes gluten-free items. They made my birthday cake for me back in March. Recently, however, I visited their coffee shop again and I am still delighted whenever I see signs like the one below! It just makes my day. I wanted to share it with you all again.

For more information on menu items, locations, hours, community events, and just good info a an awesome company visit www.terrabellacoffee.com

I also have them listed under my AK Restaurant Guide and there is a good article to read there as well.

I'd love to hear from those of you that have been to their place and loved their food!

Gluten free family weekend on the East Coast (aka Camp!)

I had an amazing time at the NJY gluten free family weekend! NJY camps was kind enough to fly me out for their first ever Gluten Free Family Camp weekend in Millford, PA. NJY camp partnered with the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University in New York to create a dedicated gluten-free kitchen to serve kosher meals and snacks to the families in attendance. All proceeds for the weekend would go to the Celiac Disease Center.

Some activities at camp

NJY stands for New Jersey Youth and it is comprised of eight Jewish camps which serves the entire Jewish community ranging from special needs children to senior adults. Their goal is to create fun and exciting community service infused programs for Teens in Residential Camp and in Israel! Even if you are not of the Jewish faith you are more than welcome to attend! It was nice to share a kosher meal with my gluten free family in celebration of Shabbat.

In the Nah Jee Wah dining hall preparing for Shabbat Dinner

Shabbat dinner menu - kosher and gluten free

I had never been to camp before and this was a great first adventure. I got to play with the children during archery lessons, arts and crafts, ropes course, rock climbing and zip lining. There was also a beautiful lake with boats, jet skis, and a water trampoline!

Not only did the camp of fun and games for the kids but the Celiac Disease Center sent over some of its finest physicians to do education with the parents! They shared the latest updates in the field of Celiac research and nutrition. 

There were also some notable people in the field of Celiac Disease awareness present. I had a wonderful time playing the Sing Down game with Kirsten Boncher, mother of two and blogger on her own site (link below). She and her family are gluten free, dairy free, and soy free like me! I also met Nicole Hunn, author of Gluten-free on a Shoestring, and Craig Pinto, former kicker of the New Jersey revolution arena football team from 2008-2010 and founder of Kicking4Celiac. He is also a Guinness World Book of records holder!

It was such a wonderful weekend and I was so sad to leave! I made so many wonderful friends and I pray I will see them again soon. The most rewarding part of the trip was when a little girl, named Khloe, looked at me and said that her mother told her I could not eat wheat just like her. I told her that was true and she smiled, threw her arms around me and said, ":Will you eat with me, Mrs. Alaska?" I knew God had put me in the right place at the right moment. Knowing you are not alone is the biggest step in living with Celiac Disease!

For more Information please visit the following links:

Celiac Disease Center of Columbia University
Gluten free on a Shoestring
Kicking for Celiac
Our Gluten Free Family

CDF Anchorage Gluten free Support Group

The Anchorage Gluten-free Support group meets tomorrow night 6/16/2011! 

Please join us from 6-8pm at Natural Pantry on Old Seward Highway in the University Center.

For more information please feel free to e-mail me at mrsalaska2011@gmail.com. I look forward to seeing you there!

June Product of the Month

Product of the Month!

June 2011 - These simple chips are my new weakness! I found them at Wal-Mart while out of town in Arkansas. I was hungry and they were only $0.99! They have a few simple ingredients and are gluten-free, dairy-free and kosher! If you are traveling for the summer these are great to throw in your bag or keep the kids quiet. Be careful though, they are addicting!

June Recipe of the month

I got this recipe from my friend, Kirsten, who I met at the gluten free family weekend at NJY Camp. She has a gluten free blog too! http://whattofeedyourkids.blogspot.com

GFCF Chocolate Chip Cookies

I think yummy, homemade gluten free/dairy free treats make going gluten/casein free a lot less of a "diet" and more of a lifestyle change. These are based on a recipe in my FAVORITE gluten free cookbook by Annalise Roberts, Gluten Free Baking Classics.

1 cup Spectrum Naturals Organic Shortening (Whole Foods has this)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tablespoon organic gluten free vanilla extract
2 cups plus 2 Tablespoons Brown Rice Flour Mix (see below)
1.5 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon xanthum gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces Enjoy Life gluten, dairy and soy free chocolate chips

1.Heat oven to 375 degrees. I use teflon sheet or you can spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2. Beat shortening and sugar with electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.
3. Add flour, baking soda, xanthum gum and salt. Mix at medium speed until well blended.
4. Drop tablespoon of dough onto cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Bake in center of oven for 8-10 minutes until light golden brown.

ALSO...I grind up cashews in a coffee grinder to make cashew flour. Then I mix 2 parts cookie dough with 1 part cashew flour to add some protein.

Brown Rice Flour Mix

6 cups brown rice flour (extra finely ground)
2 cups potato starch
1 cup tapioca flour
2 cups sorghum flour (optional)

My first time to go to Camp!

I'm so thrilled to be making my first national appearance! Tomorrow I get on a plane and fly to New York to work with the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University. I will be spending the weekend at a kid's camp. The Celiac Disease Center and NJY camps have worked together to open a gluten-free kitchen at camp so everyone can enjoy the fun of camp and eat safely! I never went to a camp when I was a kid so I am incredibly excited! Not only do I get to play and hang out with kids just like me but, I can eat and not worry about getting sick.
I am so honored to have been invited. If you want to know more about the Celiac Disease Center in New York visit their link - Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University
Be sure to check back soon for pictures of my weekend with the campers!