Celiac and Emeril: New Cookbook from Gluten-Free Daughters

Celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse has two adult daughters who are gluten-free! Jilly has celiac disease and was diagnosed in 2004, while her sister Jessie was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity in 2001. The Lagasse girls have a brand new cookbook, The Gluten-Free Table: The Lagasse Girls Share Their Favorite Meals. Emeril wrote the forward to their book and makes gluten-free gumbo for his daughters.
 
Remember how exciting it was too see gluten-free episodes of Emeril Green in 2008? Now, we know why Emeril had a special interest in doing these shows. Is a gluten-free cooking show from the Lagasse girls coming soon?

 

Gluten-Free Olympic Athletes Go for Gold in London 2012

Wondering what US Olympic athletes are gluten-free and may win a gold medal in London 2012? Pole vaulter Jenn Suhr was diagnosed with celiac disease in 2011 and is the world’s top ranked female pole vaulter. Swimmer Dana Vollmer is gluten intolerant and also can’t eat eggs. She will compete in the 100m butterfly and 4x200m freestyle relay. Dana is the new spokesperson for Crunchmaster Crackers. To read about gluten-free Olympic athletes from other countries, visit About.com. View the Olympic schedule for these gluten-free athletes.

Update July 30, 2012 - Dana Vollmer won a Gold medal and set a world record in the 100m butterfly!

Update August 4, 2012 - Dana Vollmer won a total of three gold medals and set two world records! She competed in the 4x200 free relay and 4x100 medley relay.

Update August 6, 2012 - Jenn Suhr won a Gold medal in the pole vault!

How to Get SAFE Gluten-Free Food at a Restaurant

How do you determine if the gluten-free food at a restaurant is truly SAFE for someone with celiac disease to eat? There has been tons of news coverage about Domino’s launching a “gluten-free” pizza that is not SAFE for those with celiac disease.

 

Since May is Celiac Awareness Month, it is the perfect time to implement an easy technique that people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity can follow at restaurants. We need to ensure restaurant employees understand the importance of SAFE gluten-free food, and don’t confuse our order with a weight loss fad!

 

Use my SAFE technique before taking a bite! 

 

Shared cooking equipment, serving spoons, or fryers? Don’t eat it! 

Alert the chef that you will get extremely sick if your meal is not 100% gluten-free.

Follow recommendations and reviews from gluten-free websites, blogs, and support groups.

Examine their knowledge of gluten-free ingredients and cross-contamination.

  

Help keep the gluten-free community SAFE by sharing this blog post!

New Resource for Gluten-Free College Students

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) has a new digital publication for gluten-free college students called GREAT U. The terrific resource is a must read for gluten-free high school students applying to college. Those already in college will find the guide handy not only for themselves, but for helping roommates and friends understand the gluten-free diet. Parents will enjoy reading GREAT U, especially the tips on how to make the ultimate gluten-free package.  

 

“GREAT U was created to build gluten-free students’ confidence and empower them to take action on their own behalf while on campus. All students deserve a GREAT college experience, and this publication helps them do just that.”

 

Here are my favorite articles in GREAT U:  

• Gluten-Free No-Nos in the Dining Hall 
• Gluten-Free One Liners
• Hurdling the Obstacles
• Dating Dos and Don’ts 
• Great Stories from Our GREAT Schools (Emory University, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and University of Colorado Boulder)
• How to Start Your Own Gluten-Free Advocacy Group on Campus

 

Thanks to Kelly Clayton, NFCA’s college intern, and Udi’s Gluten-Free for making this resource possible! Click here to download GREAT U. When you are done reading it, be sure to click the reader feedback button at the bottom to let NFCA know how great you think it is.

Review: Feel Good Foods Gluten-Free Egg Rolls

I was so excited when I found the new Feel Good Foods gluten-free egg rolls at Whole Foods. Trying them is a great way to celebrate five years of living gluten-free and three years of blogging. As many of my blog readers and Twitter followers know, gluten-free egg rolls are the one food that I have been craving for years.  

When I picked up the egg roll box, I was immediately impressed with the nutritional information: low fat and approximately 100 calories! One box of egg rolls is $4.99 and contains three egg rolls. They are available in three varieties: chicken, shrimp, and vegetable. They are dairy-free and contain eggs and soy. I purchased chicken and shrimp.

As soon as I got home, I popped one in the microwave and one in the oven. No matter how eager you are to try them, I don’t recommend microwaving them. Seriously, I waited five years for a gluten-free egg roll, so you would think I could wait an extra 15 minutes for them to cook in the oven before trying them, but I couldn’t. The box offers three cooking options: microwave, quick oven, and conventional method.

The egg rolls are long and thin and look more like a spring roll than an egg roll. If you are expecting a spring roll, then you will enjoy them. However, if like me, you are expecting a traditional egg roll, then you will be disappointed. They have a nice plump filling, but are missing the egg pieces, taste, and texture normally found in egg rolls. The chicken ones have too much black pepper, so I like the shrimp egg rolls best. I greatly appreciate that new gluten-free products like this exist, but unfortunately, they did not satisfy my egg roll craving.