This is a recipe and note provided by Laura Waldo of Our PlaceLivingGlutenFree.com

I am always searching for recipes to share with you; of course they must be made from healthy ingredients, and free of grains.  The recipe I am sharing with you today is one I adapted from Around My French Table, a book that I have been salivating over in recent months.  Authored by Dorie Greenspan, this book celebrates French home cooking and the photographs are absolutely stunning! Dorie is a part-time resident of Paris, France and the recipes in this book focus on what French people really eat at home.   The D-Man requested that I make this cake after seeing the photograph, and how could I refuse.  I removed the all-purpose flour, refined sugar, and a few tweaks later had a beautiful cake that Dorie refers to as “Marie-Helene’s Apple Cake”.   The cake produced has a moist crumb, and is not overly sweet.  The recipe sounds tedious, but I assure you it is not difficult to make, a whisk and spatula are the only tools you need to make this beautiful cake.

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup coconut flour (sifted)

¼ cup + 1 tablespoon tapioca starch

¾ teaspoon baking powder

pinch of sea salt

¼ teaspoon of ground organic cinnamon

3 or 4 large apples (preferably different kinds)

2 large pastured eggs at room temperature

¾ cup sucanat (or organic sugar)

3 tablespoons dark rum (optional)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract (if omitting the rum add 1 tablespoon vanilla)

1 cup unsalted pastured butter (melted and cooled)

DIRECTIONS:

Center a rack in the oven, and preheat to 350 degrees.  Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan, and put on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper (this step is important as the cake weeps a bit when baking).

Whisk the coconut flour, tapioca starch, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together in a small bowl.  Peel and core the apples, and cut them into 1 to 2 inch chunks (I made mine 2 inch chunks….I was going for a rustic appeal, and also saving time).

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they are foamy.  Add the sucanat and whisk for a minute or so to blend.  Whisk in the rum and vanilla extract.  Whisk in half the flour mixture, and when it is incorporated, add half the melted butter, followed by the rest of the flour and the remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth, rather thick batter.  Switch to a rubber spatula, and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so that it’s coated with the batter.  Scrape the mix into the pan, and even it out a bit.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes away clean; the cake may pull away from the sides of the pan.  Transfer to a cooling rack, and lest rest for 5 minutes.  Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake, and remove the sides of the pan.  (Open the sprinform slowly, and make sure there aren’t any apples stuck to it).  Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature.  If you want to remove the cake from the bottom of the springform pan, wait until the cake is almost cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan.  Cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack.  Carefully remove the bottom of the pan, and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.

The cake can be served warm or at room temperature, with or without whipped cream, barely sweetened heavy cream, or ice cream.  (The cake can be kept for 2 days at room temperature; press plastic wrap or wax paper against the cut surfaces).

Laura Waldo

Laura to create Our PlaceLivingGlutenFree.com. A labor of love, this blog provides recipes and information for those who have Celiac Disease, and Gluten Sensitivities.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreehelp.info

k.m.

The celiac community has seen a surge of helpful resources in the form of eBooks, including Gluten Toxicity: The Mysterious Symptoms of Celiac Disease, Dermatitis Herpetaformis, and Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance by Shelly Stuart, R.N., B.Sc.N. The book contains 248 pages and 30 chapters of clearly laid-out answers and advice for those with celiac disease, DH (dermatitis herpetaformis), and gluten intolerance.

The eBook offers extensive descriptions of symptoms, breaking them down into numerous categories, and diagnosis and the gluten-free diet are dealt with in detail. What sets the book apart from others is an assortment of topics that Shelly takes up in the latter part. Some chapter titles awaiting you are “Thirty Lifestyle Tips To Help Ease The Transition,” “What If The Gluten-Free Diet Doesn’t Work?”, “Could A Grain-Free, Specific Carbohydrate, Paleolithic, Or Elimination Diet Be Helpful?”, and even “Is A Gluten-Free Or A Grain-Free Diet Healthier For Dogs And Cats?” Shelly even shares not one, not five, but twelve theories of why the prevalence of celiac disease has increased. She even shares a list of “Global GF Bloggers,” listing my website, http://glutenfreehelp.info, under this category.

Shelly suffered the effects of gluten toxicity for many years before she was finally diagnosed with celiac disease. After she was diagnosed, she had her relatives screened, and her mother and one of her three daughters were also diagnosed celiac. Her mission now is to increase celiac awareness. She has created an exemplary eBook as part of this mission, and I highly recommend you avail yourself of it.
http://celiacnurse.com/products-page/e-book/gluten-toxicity-ebook-pdf/

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

Distilled beverages, alcohol, and vinegars are gluten-free. Distilled alcohol is also known as “spirits” or “liquor” and comes from distilling fermented foods such as grain, fruit, and vegetables.

According to Living Without, research shows that gluten peptides are too large to make it through the distillation process.

Watch out for liqueurs, though, which are distilled beverages that have sugar and flavorings added to them. These additional ingredients may not be gluten-free.

As far as undistilled beverages go, such as beers, ales, malt vinegars, hard ciders, and lagers, these aren’t gluten-free, although wine is. Luckily gluten-free beers can now be found in the U.S.

Miranda Jade
http://www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

     There are many ways to enjoy gluten-free pizza. You can buy it pre-made, make it from scratch at home, or order it in a restaurant. You can find recipes for pizza dough and various combinations of toppings in gluten-free cookbooks and gluten-free websites. American restaurants such as Uno Chicago Grill, with 200 locations, serve gluten-free pizza. You can look up restaurants that accommodate gluten-free patrons with gluten-free pizza online through gluten-free restaurant websites.

     An easy way to make gluten-free pizza is by buying already-prepared gluten-free pizza crusts which your child can top with his favorite toppings. Whole Foods Gluten Free Pizza Crusts come two to a package. They are thick, almost like a deep-dish crust, chewy, and tasty. You can also make your own pizza crust from pre-made mixes or by making your own mix from gluten-free pizza dough recipes. Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix makes two 12-inch gluten-free pizza pie crusts. It tastes delicious, and you can even fold the crust over easily. If necessary, you can make the crust egg-free. Some pizza crust recipes, which you can find online or in gluten-free cookbooks, can be rolled out, just like traditional wheat dough, and can be made thin (new York style) or thick (Chicago style), versatility that your celiac child will enjoy. Then you and your child just need to load it with his favorite toppings and stick it in the oven.

Tina Turbin

It seems to me that tea is typically gluten-free unless it has additives, but the teabags could possibly have gluten ingredients. Here a re a few familiar names which you may have on your shelves:

Lipton’s Green Tea: The decaf is perfect when you want to enjoy the taste of green tea without the caffeine jolt in the evening. I called the company and they verified their tea is gluten-free.

Trader Joe’s

Teavanna

Celestial Seasonings

Yogi Pure Green Decaf (certified organic): Their flavored teas may have barley malt, but not the pure teas.

Salada Green Tea

Tazo

Bigalow teas at times do use barley in some flavors, so you may want to avoid them. 

For information about several tea manufacturers’ products check out: http://www.glutenfreeinsd.com/beverages.html

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Tina Turbin www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

m.j.

Make sure before you take your celiac child out to dinner that the two of you eat a high-protein snack about an hour before you think you’ll be ordering your food. The hungrier you are, the more likely you will make a mistake. If you absolutely must go to the restaurant hungry, bring a gluten-free snack for your child and a snack for yourself.

Choosing the right restaurant is an important part of successfully eating out gluten-free. There are many celiac-friendly restaurant directories online. I recommend calling the restaurant when it’s not busy and speaking with the manager or chef, or both.  If you’ll be dining Italian, call ahead to see if you can bring your own pasta along. Many Italian restaurants are happy to do this.

Learn how to speak to the server. Make sure he is standing near you and can hear you clearly. Although celiac disease isn’t an allergy, it’s usually easiest to explain to your server that your child has food allergies. Always tell your server to tell the chef that your child is allergic to wheat. If your server doesn’t seem to understand, you’ll need to speak with the manager or chef. You’ll need to ask the server or chef a lot of questions.

Ask your child to pick out several items on the menu that look good, and let him know that you need to ask questions about these first because they may not be safe to eat. Make it clear that his first choice, or even his second choice, may not be okay to eat. Have your child pick out simple dishes without sauces.

Finally, make sure to warn the server about cross-contamination and its dangers. Let him know that your child’s food must be prepared on a clean surface with clean utensils. Most chefs will not realize the risks of cross-contamination unless these are made clear to them.

Going out to eat with your celiac child requires some work and planning ahead, but you’ll find that you and your child will get the hang of it in no time!

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

GFRAP logo

Chances are, especially if you’re an American, you enjoy eating out, even if you do happen to be on the gluten-free diet. Dining out can be a convenient way to feed yourself on a regular basis, or it can be something you do on special occasions, but it’s an important part of most people’s lives. Thanks to the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program®, eating out gluten-free is much easier than it once was.

You may be familiar with the statistics. About one percent or three million Americans have celiac disease, which is an autoimmune reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. According to the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program®, it is estimated that eight to ten percent of the population is on a gluten-free diet, and of these 96% of them are “brand loyal.” They also tend to dine out in groups, and due to their food intolerance, they are often asked to select a restaurant they know that can accommodate their needs.

If you’ve been recently diagnosed with celiac disease or haven’t had much luck finding gluten-free eateries, you are probably wondering how gluten-free diners can find these accommodating restaurants. Thanks to the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program®, finding a gluten-free restaurant is easier than ever. On the home page of glutenfreerestaurant.org, click on the “Find a Restaurant” tab. On the right-hand side of the top of the search page, you can either search by zip code or conduct a detailed search, which has several fields, such as the restaurant’s name, city and state, and — my favorite — cuisine. If you’re in the mood for Italian food, you can type in “Italian” in the cuisine field and your city’s name, click search, and then scan your results for your restaurant of choice.

The Gluten-Free Restaurant search tool is not only convenient for those who want to locate gluten-free restaurants in their own hometown, but it’s also ideal for travelers. If you’ll be taking a road trip, you can search for restaurants in cities along your intended route of travel and plan where you’ll be making your food stops during your journey. If you’ll be staying in a particular city, you can search for a variety of restaurants that can accommodate your needs during your visit. In such a way, the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program helps solve two of the biggest challenges for the gluten-free community — eating out and traveling.

The Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program® (GFRAP) is a service of the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America, with over 1,600 chain and independently-owned restaurants participating. Restaurants receive publicity through the GFRAP’s website and publications by the Gluten Intolerance Group. They can choose from three different levels of accreditation in their quest to service gluten-free patrons. For more information on how your restaurant can participate in this program, you can visit the website of the GFRAP, GlutenFreeRestaurants.org.

You have enough challenges as it is with the demands of family, work, and your community that the simple luxuries of life, such as eating out and traveling, shouldn’t be a source of trouble but a cause for joy. Thanks to the Gluten Intolerance Group of America, we have the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program® to make gluten-free living much easier.

Tina Turbin

http://www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Resource:

Gluten-Free Awareness Restaurant Program® http://www.glutenfreerestaurants.org

It all began as a list of gluten-free friendly restaurants for their personal information, became a website, and is now an internet phenomenon listing over 17,600 businesses that accommodate the needs of the gluten-free community; if you haven’t heard of the Gluten-Free Registry, it’s time to check out this highly valuable internet resource.

If you’ve recently switched to eating gluten-free, or even if you’ve been on the diet for many years, you’re probably well-acquainted with the challenges of the gluten-free lifestyle. Eating out and traveling are among the top trials that we face on the gluten-free diet. Thanks to the Gluten-Free Registry, these facets of our lives don’t have to be a cause for inconvenience anymore.

How does it work? On the Gluten-Free Registry homepage, you can click on your state on the map and then proceed to a page with an advanced search to fill in additional information such as the city of interest. You can also order a print magazine specifically put together for your region or conduct a search with your mobile phone, and even map results on your iPhone or GPS.

Not only is this vast database helpful for people eating out in their local area, but it is an ideal tool for gluten-free travelers. Whether you’re planning a vacation or travel regularly for work, you can use the Gluten Free Registry’s handy search tool to find gluten-free friendly eateries along your journey or in your destination city.

Not only does the Gluten Free Registry help to improve the quality of life for celiac and gluten-sensitive individuals by providing this information on gluten-free friendly businesses, but it also seeks to persuade restaurants to create gluten-free items, or even a gluten-free menu, and grocers to carefully label their gluten-free products. The Gluten Free Registry uses the argument of gaining a competitive advantage when they promote to a businesses the importance of becoming gluten-free-friendly.

After all, the numbers of people with celiac disease is staggering. It’s estimated that 1 in 100 Americans has the disease, which is an intolerance to gluten resulting in an autoimmune reaction targeting the villi, or absorptive “fingers,” of the small intestine and a variety of devastating physical and mental symptoms. With three million celiac Americans in need of eliminating gluten from their diet in order to safeguard their health, not to mention gluten-sensitive  individuals who don’t have celiac disease, it’s important for restaurants and food businesses to accommodate the gluten-free community.

If you’re looking to donate money on behalf of the gluten-free community, the Gluten Free Registry is a worthy cause. The website provides free access to its vast database and depends on advertising and sales from the GPS POI and their online store. According to the website, the Registrar Team says the endeavor is mainly privately funded. They welcome donations of as little as $1, saying that even this amount is helpful. If you’d like to make a donation, you can conveniently do so online via their website.

The Gluten Free Registry stands out in the gluten-free community as a major source of information and support for celiac and gluten-sensitive individuals. Just by making dining out and traveling gluten-free easier experiences, they have made a significant difference in our quality of life.

Tina Turbin

http://www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Resource:

The Gluten-Free Registry http://www.glutenfreeregistry.com

[The following AllergyEats Blog post was written by Adrienne Walkowiak]

Legal Sea Foods, a popular restaurant chain, gets high praise when it comes to serving food-allergic guests.  For years, their restaurants have been doing all the right things – training their staff, implementing specific allergy protocols and offering a gluten-free menu.  According to Corporate Chef Jeff Tenner, accommodating food allergies has become an integral part of their corporate culture.  This is not mere talk – Legal Sea Foods has a chainwide AllergyEats allergy-friendliness rating of 4.6 out of 5!

The Legal Sea Foods team could be considered progressive, as they’ve been providing food allergy options, including a gluten-free menu, for years – long before many other restaurants implemented these procedures and special menus.  They have an ongoing commitment to careful food allergy protocols at every level and at every one of their 30 locations.

The food allergy process starts at the table with the service staff, who are “aware and inquisitive,” engaging guests in dialogue when taking their order.  If guests have a special request or request a substitution, the server asks if the guest has food preferences or a food allergy.

In the case of a food allergy (or allergies), the order gets flagged.  There’s an “allergy key” in the restaurants’ electronic system, which prints allergy information in bold red letters at the top of the diner’s ticket.

As part of their food allergy protocol, the food allergic diner’s plate is lined with an additional plate beneath it, as a physical reminder that this meal is being prepared for a food allergic guest.

In the kitchen, the chefs and staff use clean surfaces, new cutting boards, sanitized knives and even new pairs of gloves when preparing the special meal, to prevent cross-contamination.  They use clean, sanitized pans for every meal prepared for a food allergic guest, and even have separate fryers for people with nut allergies and gluten intolerances.

“We’ve had a gluten-free menu for five years, and we’ve created a following because of that.  We make sure that people who are on a gluten-free diet can still enjoy interesting foods, such as gluten-free rolls and croutons, and we can fry gluten-free food, using chickpea flour or cornmeal,” Tenner continued.

A manager is always alerted to a food allergy at the beginning of the process, and is responsible for bringing the meal to the food allergic guest.

“People’s allergies are all different levels – some people are deathly allergic,” Chef Tenner explained.  “We’re not a nut free or shellfish free environment, and we take great care to elevate the dialogue with food allergic guests to effectively communicate with them.”

The restaurants’ staff members – including managers and servers – receive extensive allergy protocol training as part of their orientation when they start with the company.   Additionally, staff members are provided with tools, such as detailed ingredient lists for every item on the menu, to help them accommodate food allergic diners.

“Our servers are provided with pocket guides that break down the menu into different sections and highlight allergens.  They all have easy access to ingredient guides for things we produce in-house and things we buy from outside vendors, and we encourage our servers to share our ingredient lists with guests,” Tenner explained.

The company only works with vendors that provide detailed ingredient lists, explaining that they can’t sell or serve a product unless they know exactly what’s in it.

The Boston-based company also keeps up with the changing food allergy legislation in Massachusetts, which is the first state in the nation to implement regulations around food allergies and restaurants.  One of the first pieces of legislation, which has recently gone into effect, requires disclaimers on menus, asking guests to notify their server of any food allergies.  Legal Sea Foods already had a similar disclaimer on their menus before required by law to do so, but recently altered the language slightly per the new Massachusetts guidelines.

The second piece of legislation takes effect in February 2011, calling for increased protocol training around food allergies. The Legal Sea Foods team, which already has strict training protocols in place, are embracing this new online allergy training, which will be enforced by the Massachusetts Department of Health.

When asked about whether restaurants are moving towards a “food allergy trend,” Tenner explained that there’s a wide discrepancy among restaurants.  Some are sincerely concerned about the health and safety of their guests and are very willing to accommodate food-allergic diners, while others are less concerned about food allergy issues.

“Some restaurant owners are keenly aware that they’re in business to make money, and if they ostracize a certain segment of the population, that will impact their bottom line,” Tenner said.  “Others don’t look at it that way.  They think there are enough people without food allergies to keep them in business.”

Tenner has found that people with food allergies in their own families are far more aware and conscientious about the issue.  For instance, well-known chef and television personality Ming Tsai’s son has food allergies, which makes Chef Tsai much more sympathetic around this issue in his own restaurants.  He’s also a national spokesperson for the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), working to further education and research on food allergies.

“Ming is very concerned about food allergies and is a big Legal Sea Foods fan because he knows he can bring his son into the restaurant and we can accommodate his special requirements,” Tenner added.  [Paul's note: I can confirm first-hand that Ming is a fan of "Legal's".]

At Legal Sea Foods, food allergy protocols are consistent among their 30 restaurants.

“It’s been part of our culture for so long,” Tenner explained.  “Of all the things we do well, this is one of the biggies.  It’s become a way of life for us.”

For more information about Legal Sea Foods, including restaurant locations, please visit www.legalseafoods.com.

You can read part one of this article here.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info