G-free. Frozen. Fast.

We’ve probably all been there: You spend a summer day at the pool, and then at baseball practice, and then finally you’re home with showers taken and stomachs empty.

Such is a byproduct of busy summertime. The last thing any of us typically want to do after a long, hot day is slave over an equally hot stove, when all that sounds good are quick eats and cool sheets. Throw in the need for gluten-free products and, oh boy, you can have a dilemma on your hands!

Thanks to modern technology, though, frozen meals can be a perfect fit for such an evening. Doubly good for the gluten-free crowd, is that we are really starting to see an increase in the amount of freezer meals that we can quickly pop into the microwave or oven. These meals are safe for us to eat, and delicious too!

Chicken nuggets… Corndogs… Pizza… Soups… All these are current gluten-free options that are available to us in frozen form, and they are made by several brands – perfect fare for those summer days, no? And most of us have heard about Udi’s; they have an entire page of frozen meals on their website, and a feature that lets you see what stores close to you carry certain meals. And how about this for an idea: the Gluten Free Mall. At this site, you can order from a plethora of frozen, gluten-free meals online, and have them shipped to your door. How’s that for convenience?

We all get busy, and summer can be the busiest time of all. Take heart, though, in the above words and the below links. Take control of your summer, and fill your belly with gluten-free goodness while you do it!

http://glutenfreemom.com/best_gluten_free_products/frozen_food/#.VYGKxPlVhBc

http://celiacdisease.about.com/od/glutenfreefoodshoppin1/ss/Gluten-Free-Food-List_6.htm

http://udisglutenfree.com/product-category/frozen-meals/

http://www.glutenfreemall.com/catalog/frozen-foods-c-25.html

Have you ever been waiting in the checkout aisle of your local grocery (cart stuffed full of gluten-free goodies, of course), and been just bored enough to page through one of those Us Weekly magazines? You know, the ones with the Jenners and/or Kardashians on the cover every time?

Anyway, those magazines have a feature called “They’re Just like us!” – this recurring section includes photos of various celebrities doing mundane, peasant-type (wink, wink!) tasks such as getting gas, receiving a parking ticket or leaving a store with a torn, overflowing bag. It turns out, though, that a lot of the people in those photos really do have something in common with us: a bunch of them are gluten-free!

Just for kicks, here’s a list of some notable names who steer clear of gluten-laced goods. Enjoy!

·         Oprah – We’ll start with a big name, if not one that is truly gluten free. The talk show billionaire followed a strict diet during a recent three-week cleanse in which she gave up, among other things, gluten. 

·          Jennifer Aniston – This ageless star recently dabbled in the short-lived “baby food” weight loss plan that consists of small jars of pureed, gluten-free vegetables and fruits. Let’s hope she stayed away from the jars of peas – yuck!

·         Russell Crowe – The Australian superstar shared on social media last month that he’d dropped nearly 20 pounds of fat, and gave credit to a gluten-free diet. Did he gain weight for a role we don’t yet know about?

·         Zooey Deschanel – Known mostly for New Girl and her role opposite Will Ferrell in Elf, this dead ringer for singer Katy Perry was once vegan and gluten free. She’s since ditched the vegan lifestyle, but still ingests no gluten due to an allergy.

·         Jim Carrey – This megastar swears by a "veggies and protein" diet, and steers clear of wheat and dairy – most of the time. He admitted recently to cheating and getting a pizza from time to time. Can we hold that against a guy that funny?

·         Chelsea Clinton – The only daughter of the political mega-couple has a gluten allergy, and is a vegetarian, as well. She even had her nuptials and reception catered entirely with vegetarian and gluten-free dishes, including the wedding cake!

·         Drew Brees – Super Bowl winner? Check. NFL Man of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year? Check and check. Gluten free? Check. The star quarterback of the New Orleans Saints suffers from Celiac disease, but you wouldn’t know it by his on-field performance.

·         Miley Cyrus – Say what you want about the pop singer’s other lifestyle choices, but something is working to help her keep her shape. She tweeted earlier this year that her gluten-free choice was not about weight, but about health. We’ll ride a wrecking ball to that!

Those eight names are only the beginning of a huge list! Want to know more of the names, and the stories behind their gluten-free choices? Check out the links below!

http://www.glutenista.com/gluten-free-celebrity-list.html
http://healthresearchfunding.org/famous-people-celiac-disease/
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Allergies/photos/celebs-gluten-free-17828847/image-17828956
http://glutenfreekidsrock.blogspot.com/2011/10/celebrities-gluten-free-diet-or-celiac_17.html

Gluten-Free Whole Grains

As we gluten-free individuals know, despite all the cool restaurants and recipes and tips and tricks that are available to us, it can be easy to get into a dietary rut. I don’t know about you all, but my ruts tend to revolve around the same rotation of foods, prepared the same way, week after week. With our busy schedules, I suppose it’s human nature to err on the side of comfort and convenience, rather than keeping things mixed up with only a little extra effort.

As it turns out, those “rut” or “go-to” foods aren’t always the best nutritional choices for us, and we could probably be preparing these healthier gluten-free meals in a more efficient manner, as well. The great news is, both of these problems can be solved a lot more easily than we might think!

Choosing Better Gluten-free Stuff

·         Find the whole grains! As you browse your local market for gluten-free goods, search the labels for the first ingredient listed. Bread, cereal, pasta and the like that are largely made from wild rice, brown rice, buckwheat, whole corn and other whole grains are more nutritious than refined grains.

·         Always go with enriched. Only select gluten-free brands enrich their products, but your body will know - and appreciate - the difference. Pro tip: B vitamins like thiamin, riboflavin and folic acid will appear on enriched foods' labels.

Preparing that Gluten-free Stuff

·         It's simple to cook whole grains! Much like rice, the finished product looks a lot more complicated than the process required to make it, actually is. Think of it like this: dry grain + pan + water / broth ... Boil ... Simmer until liquid is absorbed. Easy, right?!

·         Remember how your dad never used the instructions when he built your toys? Cooking grains is a lot like that! Cooking times can vary according to taste. If you like your pasta a little bit al dente style, then shorten up that cooking time. Want those whole grains tender? Add more liquid and keep cooking until it feels right to you. You are in control!

Some of these things may seem like common sense, but you may be surprised at how many of us don't step out of our meal routines for fear of the unknown. As you saw above, it doesn't have to be that way! Have more questions about how to healthily spice up your gluten-free menu at home? Check out these links!

http://wholegrainscouncil.org/files/CookingWholeGrainsGF.pdf

http://www.glutenfreedietitian.com/healthy-gluten-free-grains/

https://iowaagliteracy.wordpress.com/tag/gluten/

Could a Pill Keep Gluten Away?

As adopters of the gluten-free lifestyle, surely we’ve all fantasized about snatching a piece of fried chicken, taking a nice long sip of beer or feasting on a handful of grandma’s fresh-baked cookies. But, whether you’re gluten free by choice or by necessity, we all know those little transgressions are not good ideas.

We also know that, for those of us with Celiac disease, no vaccines, pharmaceuticals or surgical procedures currently exist to combat the effects of gluten. However, help could be on the way! According to a recent story published by Yahoo! Health, drug companies currently are attempting to develop a pill to mitigate the symptoms of accidental gluten ingestion – something I know I personally have had to deal with far too often.

Sure, non-FDA approved supplements for the effects of the gluten peptide already exist, but the drugs being designed now would ideally function as a more comprehensive combatant of accidental gluten ingestion and cross contamination. How handy would that be?!

This is not to say we’re all out of the woods just yet – gluten intolerance pharmaceuticals overall are still in their infancy and face an uphill battle. Complex regulatory frameworks for the approval of drugs in most countries is a major restraint on development. This is partly due to rising incidence of Celiac disease, and lack of treatment options. On the bright side, Celiac disease diagnoses are rising in lockstep with healthcare expenditure, changing lifestyles, increasing awareness about healthcare, and increasing number of initiatives by various governments and government associations. This means we’re still trending upward! Don’t lose hope!

Want to keep up with the latest news on this front? Check out the link below and stay informed… And only for the time being, stay away from those cookies.

http://www.celiaccentral.org/research-news/

https://www.yahoo.com/?err=404&err_url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.yahoo.com%2fhealth%2fcoming-soon-maybe-drugs-to-