Thank you Betty!

A few weeks ago I recieved a text message, "brownies or cookies?"  I am a chocolate chip cookie lover so aptly replied, "if chocolate chip, cookies, if not, brownies...why?"  There wasn't a response, until the next day when she showed up at my door with a plate of cookies in hand.  I was floored.  She said she had found the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cookie mix and had to make me some.  After I quizzed her on her preparation techniques to ensure against cross-contamination, I took a bite and was taken back.  They were GOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

This past week brought another similar experience.  A 

girlfriend had stumbled upon a box of Betty Crocker's Gluten Free Brownie mix, and couldn't resist buying it.  This evening I pulled out the box, hopeful that they would be at least decent.  And was I in for a surprise.  

They were AMAZING.  Seriously folks.  OUT. OF. THIS.  WORLD!  In fact, the friend who enjoyed them with me commented that they were some of the best brownies she had ever tasted...and she gets to eat gluten!

I have to say that I have tried several other baking products on the market, and I have found some good "substitutes," but they all have that gluten free flavor and taste to them.  None have really taken be back to the good ol' days...but Betty Crocker...she has out done herself!

And as if having brownies, cookies, devils food cake or yellow cake weren't enough, Betty Crocker has a load of recipes that can be made using of these products.  I am thinking that the ooey-gooey Rocky Road Bars and the Lemon Lover's cupcakes with lemon buttercream frosting might be the first on my list to try.  Thank you Betty Crocker team, for re-instilling my faith in baking quality products that are gluten free.

***For those looking, both friends mentioned they found them at Harris Teeter in Cary.  I have searched a few other major chains but not seen them on the store shelves yet. 

Grocery Store Review: Walmart

I don't know about you, but I am always looking for ways to keep my grocery bill to a minimum. I used to be one of those coupon clippers, and could get a lot of food for near to free, but most of those items are laden with gluten and I have since cancelled my News and Observer Subscription.  I was one of "those" who only got the paper for the coupons, occasionally I glanced at the headlines, but if I were honest, I really glanced at the front page and the comics.  

I live in West Cary, as in, just about as far as you can get from Trader Joes and Whole Foods and still have a Cary address.  Which isn't really so bad, but I have to admit, the trek to that side of town still seems like a trek, and often times, hardly worth it.

So I have to admit I have paid more.  I became acutely aware of what Harris Teeeter carried that was gluten free, and Food Lion as well.  Most of the time I would do just fine, and found myself only going to the other side of Cary on occasion.  

A few weeks ago, those of us in West Cary celebrated the opening of the new Walmart naer I-540 and Hwy 54.  And as I always do when I walk into a new grocery store, I immediately started checking aisles for gluten free options.  There were several that I was aware of, not because of any markers or tags on the shelves, but because I know what brands have gluten and which ones label correctly at this point, but imagine my surprise when I also stumbled upon a section completely dedicated to GLUTEN FREE PRODUCTS!

Walmart we welcome you to west Cary, and we thank you for catering to our gluten free lifestlye!

An introduction: Pam McKerring

Several months ago, Zach put it out there that he was looking for additional bloggers in the Cary area.  I responded with something like, "I blog, and can blog occasionally about being gluten free in Cary, but will admit, that I don't blog very often these days."  I received an email, inviting me to join the blog, and asking me to introduce myself...I think that was about 2 months ago.  I hope this is not the trend for me. 

My name is Pam, and next week will mark the 1 year mark for my official diagnosis of being gluten free.  It was a long journey for me, I was living in Africa and got really sick one weekend.  For about a year and a half I was sporadically ill.  Seeing as I was living in a 3rd world country we assumed I had some sort of parasite, amoeba, or strange illness and treated myself for all of them, with no luck. After a year and a half I found myself in a doctors office in the states and was introduced to Celiac's Disease.  And life changed forever. 

It's been a year since I officially ate gluten free full time.  I was one of those who in the process of trying to figure out what was wrong with me cut out wheat for a time, which I know is exactly what the Doctors tell you not to do, but I didn't know at the time.  It has been an eventful year, but I can say, 100% worth it to have a diagnosis and treatment plan.  It is a wonderful thing to feel healthy, to have energy, to not be in a mental fog and to not have eczema patches on my skin.  Yes, it is frustrating to have to be so careful about what I eat, but the outcomes are so worth it.

This post is supposed to be an introduction of myself.  And one thing that I have fought this year, is the idea that my diagnosis does not define who I am.  In the first year of diagnosis changing this mental perspective is difficult because it seems like everything revolves around the "g word" and so it is so easy to let it define you.  Yes, it places boundaries on my life, BUT, I am so much more than a person living without gluten.  

I am Pam, I live in Cary, I love hiking, kayaking and anything that gets me outdoors, I serve on staff as a missions Pastor at a local church, I relieve stress through creativity in my kitchen, have a deep love for the continent of Africa, and yes, I live gluten free.   I look forward to getting to know you better, and letting you into my crazy world of living Gluten free in Cary, and wherever life takes me.

Gluten Free Raleigh Special Event: GF Cooking Demo w/ Jules Shepard

Click here for more information about an upcoming Gluten Free cooking demonstration with famous Celiac author Jules Shepard. The event will be held at the Earth Fare in Raleigh on July 12, 2009 @ 10am. Please sign up soon as only 40 spaces are available.

Useful Resources: Town of Cary GF Classes

Check out the following 2 classes centered around the Gluten Free Diet being offered this summer by the Town of Cary.

1) Allergy-Free Cooking click here to register
Description:
Here’s help for those of you who are allergic to common foods such as peanuts, soybeans and corn. Or it could be foods containing gluten, which you or a family member must completely avoid to treat celiac disease. Maybe you suspect it’s just a wheat intolerance, so your energy level is higher when you don’t have bread or cereal for breakfast. Or you just feel better if you don’t eat any wheat or dairy products. Perhaps you are trying to help your family kick the sugar habit to ward off obesity and diabetes type II. Mealtimes are especially challenging for individuals facing allergies to any, and sometimes all, of these foods. Learn how to prepare allergy-free alternatives in this hands-on cooking class, and make meal times happy times again!

Meets:
Th 08-06-2009 7:00PM - 9:00PM Kitchen-Herbert C. Young Community Center
Th 08-13-2009 7:00PM - 9:00PM Kitchen-Herbert C. Young Community Center

Fees: resident $56.00 | non-resident $73.00

2) Let's Do Lunch--Beyond the Sandwich - click here to register
Description:
Here's fresh ideas for packing lunch for those of you who would rather not eat bread. Whether you're celiac, wheat/gluten intolerant, watching your weight, or just plain tired of the same old sandwich routine, you'll discover healthful and budget-friendly lunch-to-go options for you and your family.

Meets: Th 8-27-2009 7:00PM - 9:00PM Kitchen-Herbert C. Young Community Center

Fees: resident $28.00 | non-resident $36.00

Grocery Store Review: Super Target in Apex

It is easy for me spend lots of time and lots of money at Target. Over the last few months, I have been able to find more and more Gluten-Free items at Super Target in Apex (which means I will just be spending more time and more money there!).

I know that many people don't think about Target as a place to look for Gluten-Free items. Also, we are used to paying a 'pretty penny' for Gluten-Free items.  Surprisingly, the Apex Super Target offers many Gluten-Free items at reasonable prices.  Below is a list of some great items that are labeled as Gluten-Free and their prices (as of April 30, 2009).

Deli Area

Applegate Farms Organic Turkey Breast (7 oz) $6.49

Columbus Brand Salame (12oz) $7.99

Columbus Brand Sopressata (4 oz) $3.99

Columbus Brand Pancetta (3 oz) $5.99

Canned Soups

Amy's Lentil Vegetable $1.99

Amy's Tomato Bisque $ 2.19

Amy's Chunky Vegetable $1.99

Amy's Southwestern Vegetable $1.99

Amy's Black bean $1.99

Pacific Naturals Foods Butternut Squash Soup $3.09

Pacific Naturals Foods Creamy Tomato Soup $3.09

Pacific Naturals Foods French Onion Soup $3.09

Pacific Naturals Foods Cashew Carrot Ginger Soup $3.09

Pacific Naturals Foods Roasted Red Pepper Soup $3.09

Pacific Naturals Foods Sweet Corn Soup $3.09

Pacific Naturals Foods Chicken Broth $3.34

Sausages

Niman Ranch Spicy Italian Uncured Sausage $4.29

Niman Ranch Chipotle Cheddar Uncured Sausage $4.29

Niman Ranch Apple Gouda Uncured Sausage $4.29

Niman Ranch AndouilleSausage $6.99

Baking Aisle

Cherrybrook Kitchen Chocolate Cake Mix $4.99

Cherrybrook Kitchen Fudge Brownie Mix $5.19

Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Baking Flour $4.99

Cereal Aisle

Envirokids Panda Puffs $3.99

Rice Chex $2.99

Corn Chex $2.99

Honey Nut  Chex $2.99

I was thrilled to see two new Chex cereals available as Gluten-Free! YUM!  

Snack Aisle

Assorted Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks $2.04

Frozen Foods

Amy's Frozen Bistro Burger $3.99

Amy's Frozen Asian Noodle Stir Fry $3.14 and $5.79

Amy's Frozen Cheese Enchilada and Black Bean Enchilada $3.99

Amy's Frozen Indian Vegetable Korma $3.99

Amy's Frozen Tamale Verde $3.99

Ian's Chicken Nuggets $4.99

Ian's Chicken Finger Dinner $3.79

Ian's Alphabet Tots $2.99

Happy Gluten-Free Shopping!

Gluten Free Vendor Fair - Whole Foods Cary

There will be a Gluten Free Vendor Fair held at the Cary Whole Foods location on Saturday, April 25th, 2009 from 11am to 2pm. See below for more details.

Saturday, April 25th
Gluten-Free Fair
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Admission is Free

Join us for a gluten-free day on Saturday, April 25th. We will have tasting
stations with gluten-free products, information about gluten-free diets and several giveaways. Trevor from Bella Monica Flatbread Company will be on hand with samples of their Gluten Free Pizzas.

April 25th, 11a.m. to 2 p.m.
Whole Foods Market
102B New Waverly Place
Cary, NC 27518
919.816.8830
Map

Update on Z Pizza in Cary

Good News!  The Gluten Free crust drought is over!
Their supplier received a new shipment from the producer and diverted a truck to Cary with more than a week's supply.  As of Thursday at dinner, they are back in Gluten Free business.

 

Call Ahead for Z Pizza in Cary

I got an email from the manager of ZPizza in Cary today.  He asks that people call ahead to check for availability of the Gluten Free crusts this week.  He says that they are low on GF crusts but are expecting shipments later this week.

919 465-9009

Here is the full email:

My name is Ken Alexander.  I'm the manager of Zpizza of Cary at the Stone Creek Shopping Center.
We've been delighted at the response from the community now that we offer a 10" gluten free crust for our pizzas.  It's so rewarding to see the smiles on the faces of people who haven't enjoyed a pizza "out on the town" for years.  We'll do out best to continue to provide a quality dining experience to our patrons.

The response has been particularly strong this past week.  We find ourselves very low on the gluten-free crusts.  We'll get a case in by air on Wednesday the 25th, and five cases more on Thursday the 26th.  In the meantime, could you please ask your readers to call ahead to check the availability of our gluten-free crusts?  I would hate for anyone to make a special trip only to be disappointed.

We'll do our best to maintain a comfortable supply of gluten-free crusts on hand, so that your members will have a place to enjoy a tasty, and healthy, pizza.

Thank you for your help.
 
Ken Alexander
Manager
Zpizza of Cary
Stone Creek Shopping Center
Cary, NC  27519

Restaurant Review: XIOS Authentic Greek Cuisine

XIOS, located in the Peakway Market Square at 800 W. Williams Street (HWY 55) in Apex, offers fantastic Greek food. Although they do not have a separate menu with Gluten Free items, I met with Chef Niko last week and he wrote out all the items that do not have gluten in them.

Appetizers:
Dolmathes: Stuffed Grape Leaves
Tzatziki: Cucumber Sauce
Melitzanosalata: Eggplant Salad
Fasolakia: Green Beans with Olive Oil, Tomatoes, Onions, and Herbs
Hummus: Chickpea dip (without the pita)
All salads

Entres:
Mythia: Mussels
Garides Souvlaki: Shrimp Skewers
Souvlaki: Lamb, Chicken, Pork Skewers
Loukaniko Psito: Grilled Sausage
Kotopoula: Grilled Chicken
Arnisia Paidakia: Lamb Chops
Melitzana Iman: Grilled Eggplant

We have had varying success with explaining to the wait staff about Gluten Free dining. However, my daughter has never had any problems after eating at Xios because we have learned what is "safe." Be sure to talk with your server and the chef about your needs.

As the weather gets warmer and the days longer, enjoy a lovely dinner outside on their patio.
Other than the great food, XIOS also has belly dancing on the 1st and 3rd Fridays! Check out their website for events and specials.

http://www.xioscafe.com/

Petition to the Raleigh City Council - Food Allergen Poster

Over the last few weeks, I have been thinking about new ways to improve the lives of those with Celiac Disease and/or another food allergies. Dining out in restaurants is a big issue for the estimated 12 million Americans with a food allergy. For those of us on a Gluten Free Diet, we are well aware of the dangers of eating out.

About this same time, I saw an interesting article about something the City Council of New York City did. The NYC City Council actually passed a law which requires restaurants to display a food allergy education poster and will fine locations $100 for non-compliance. I thought this was a great idea and would be a good starting point in the education of food service workers in the food allergy arena. Of course this does not guarantee that food allergy sufferers can have a safe meal, but it is a start down that path. Food service workers need to know what the allergies are and how to prevent cross-contamination.

So, I decided to email the Raleigh City Council about the issue and my proposal. I offered up my services on the creation of the poster and anything else they would need. I have not heard back as of yet. In the meantime, I created an online petition to gain a little more ammunition. Please take just a few minutes to read the petition and to sign it. The more signatures, the more the City Council will take this issue seriously. Thanks for your time and support!

Click here to sign the Food Allergy Education Poster Petition to the City Council of Raleigh, North Carolina.

15,900

15,900 - That's my estimate on the number of Celiac's in Triangle area.

15,423 - If you go by the NFCA's estimate that 97% of Celiacs are undiagnosed, this is my estimate of undiagnosed Celiac cases in the Triangle.

So here we are, 477 of us - with more coming each day thanks to increasing awareness and better diagnosis. From the statistics kept on visitors to this blog and the number of RSS subscribers, I would estimate that about 120-140 of the 477 are reading this blog each day.

I didn't just make these numbers up of course, new information was released today (see this article from the N&O) about Triangle population estimates. The Raleigh-Cary area now tops the nation in growth.

The Raleigh-Cary metropolitan area, which includes Wake, Johnston and Franklin counties, grew by 4.3 percent from July 2007 to July 2008, and is now home to close to 1.1 million people. It well outpaced its closest rival, the Austin, Texas, area, which grew by 3.8 percent, to become the national leader.

The national growth average was just under 1 percent.

The Triangle has been near the top of the nation's growth chart for more than a decade, as newcomers poured into the area to take jobs in technology, tourism and academia. The resulting building boom, and the jobs that came with it, drew hundreds of thousands of new residents.

The Durham-Chapel Hill metropolitan area, which includes Durham, Orange, Chatham and Person counties, didn't make the Top 10, but its population continued to swell at a steady 2.5 percent, up slightly from the year before. Just fewer than 490,000 people live in that area.

So there are 1.59 million Triangle residents. Some estimates say that 1% of the population in the US has Celiac. So what does this mean to all of us? The Triangle has a formidable number of Celiacs and this information should help drive the market for Gluten Free products. I hope to see more and more restaurants, grocery stores, etc... catering to us in the future. With almost 16,000 of the most loyal customers ever created, how could they not?

Rita's Ice-Custard-Happiness Review and Giveaway!

This beautiful warm weather brings on cravings for sweet cool treats. Rita's Ice-Custard-Happiness http://www.ritasice.com/with five locations around the Triangle offers a variety of Gluten Free options to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Rita's has ice cream, custards, Italian ices, shakes, and coffee drinks. You can check out their allergen information at http://www.ritasice.com/uploads/documents/Allergen_Chart_12.30.08.pdf

Obviously, we avoid the flavors with mixed in dough, all the cones, and most of the toppings.

My daughter likes to pick the brightest colored Italian ices... but Rita's has plenty of choices for those who don't base their food decisions on a particular shade of pink!

If you live in Apex and received the free Apex Monthly mailer for March, look on page 13 for two coupons for the Rita's located at Beaver Creek Commons.

Also, each year for the last sixteen years, Rita's has given away a regular size Italian Ice to every customer on the first day of spring.

Celebrate Spring at Rita's in :

First Day of Spring, March 20

FREE Regular Italian Ice to every customer
from noon until 10pm!

http://www.ritasice.com/events-and-promotions/first-day-of-spring.aspx

Locations:
APEX
Beaver Creek Commons Shopping Center 1011 Beaver Creek Commons Unit 304 by Office Max

CARY
8204 Tryon Woods Drive suite 112

MORRISVILLE
McCrimmon Corners Shopping Center 4141 Davis Drive

RALEIGH
The Shoppes at Oberlin Court 1028 Oberlin Road Suite 228

DURHAM
1125 W. NC Highway 54 & Highway 401

PEEPS

More and more manufacturers are indicating Gluten Free on their labels.  I find it so reassuring to see those ten little letters!

Yesterday at the super Target in Apex, we walked by a HUGE display of technicolor PEEPS ( http://www.marshmallowpeeps.com/) on sale .  My daughter flipped one of the packages over and announced:

"It says Gluten Free, so we have to buy it for me!"

Enjoy the very sweet marshmellow spring-time treat.  I am always happy for my daughter to be able to enjoy a "normal" treat that other kids eat.

Restaurant Review: Five Guys Burgers and Fries

If you have never been to Five Guys Burgers and Fries, get there as soon as possible. The first Five Guys restaurant opened in the Washington, DC area where I grew up. When Five Guys started showing up here in NC, I teased my parents by telling them that I didn’t “need” to come home anymore because I could get Five Guys here! They didn’t think that was very funny!

Five Guys burgers are perfectly juicy and the fries are outstanding. They only use 100% beef and their fries are 100% potatoes fried in peanut oil. Just order NO BUN and your choice of free toppings. You will receive your burger wrapped in foil and a brown paper bag of hot fries. Delicious!

When ordering, keep in mind that a Little Hamburger or Little Cheeseburger is one beef patty and a Hamburger or Cheeseburger is two beef patties.

The front page of their website, http://www.fiveguys.com/index.aspx , proclaims:

Zero Gluten, except for our buns.

I always appreciate any restaurant that makes it clear what does and what does not contain gluten. Plus, it helps get the word out about gluten!

Currently, there are 300 Five Guys locations in 25 states. We are lucky enough to have 5 of them in our area:

• Cary at Stone Creek Village 1856 Boulderstone Way
• Cary at the Barnes &Noble Plaza across from Towne Centre Mall 712 SE Maynard Rd
• Durham at The Streets At Southpoint Mall 6910 Fayetteville Rd.
• Raleigh at North Hills 4120 Main At North Hills St
• Raleigh at Brennan Station 8107 Creedmoor Road
  

Five Guys is always a hit with our family. The laid back atmosphere and the bulk peanuts to snack on while you wait for your burger makes for a fun dining out experience.

The staff at the two Cary locations and the Durham location were very accommodating and did not think it was "odd" to order a bunless burger! (I have not been to the Raleigh locations).

*Five Guys realizes that some people are extremely allergic to peanuts and has signage to warn patrons about the peanuts available in the shells in bulk in all their stores as well as their use of peanut oil.

Restaurant Review: On The Border Mexican Grill

We can always rely on a safe place to eat at On the Border Mexican Grill and Cantina. They have a location in Cary at 1102 Walnut Street and a location at Plantation Point in Raleigh at 3351 Cypress Plantation Train. (In addition, they have locations in 37 states and even Egypt, Korea, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.)

Talk with your server and they will bring you the Gluten Free menu which is also available at http://www.brinker.com/gr/allergens/otb%20allergen.pdf

Concerns about cross-contamination are addressed in the list of suggested beverage and menu options:

We have prepared this suggested list of beverage and menu options based on the most current ingredient information from our food suppliers and their stated absence of wheat/gluten within these items. Please be aware that during normal kitchen operations involving shared cooking and preparation areas, including common fryer oil, the possibility exists for food items to come in contact with other food products. Due to these circumstances, we are unable to guarantee that any menu entrée can be completely free of allergens, including tortilla chips and enchiladas.*

Over the past few years, we have noticed that the servers are more and more familiar with Gluten Free. It used to be a struggle to explain what we needed for our daughter and ordering usually took a significant amount of time. However, it is much easier now.

Special thanks to Jason Helms from the kitchen at the Cary location for always taking the time to talk with us about our daughter's needs when eating out. He never made my daughter feel uncomfortable about being different; he has always made our daughter feel special and important! He is one of the reasons that we keep going back to On the Border.

Typically, we create a meal from side items and the kids menu for our daughter. However, the salads and fajitas are flavorable and filing for adults and older children.

As a related note, you can also get allergen information about egg, fish, dairy, peanut, shellfish, soy, and tree nut from the website.

Accidental GLUTEN

Well it happened... my daughter accidentally ate something at a birthday party that contained gluten.  The result was upset tummy, fatigue, and a few pretty bad days. Afterwards, she got every cold that she came in contact with... So, it has been a rough few weeks.  Sorry for the lack of posting lately...but, now we are back to healthy.

Do you have similar symtpoms when you accidentally eat something with gluten?