Nowadays, it’s pretty easy to come by gluten-free cookbooks. The question becomes, How do you know which one is right for you?

Beth Hillson isn’t any ordinary writer. Being the founder of Gluten-Free Pantry, the president of the American Celiac Disease Alliance, and the food editor of Living Without magazine, I knew I could learn a lot from her. Beth was diagnosed with celiac disease in 1953 and then again in 1976. Beth decided to get educated on the subject of celiac disease and eating gluten-free. She felt she had no choice but to get educated if she didn’t want to eat just baked potatoes and bun-less burgers for the rest of her life. Beth went to culinary school to understand how food is prepared and how to replace the gluten in recipes.

Beth’s decision to get so well-informed worked to all our benefit. With her website GlutenFreeMakeovers.com, she is constantly using the information she has collected over the years to help as many people as she can transition to a stress-free, gluten-free lifestyle.

In 2011 Beth published her first gluten-free cookbook, Gluten-Free Makeovers. From croissants to stir-fried chicken, this cookbook has a meal for everyone. There are so many things that you cannot eat when you are off gluten. This cookbook not only gives you delicious recipes for those items; it also is as easy to read as it is to follow. Beth includes many tips she has come across from trial and error in gluten-free cooking and baking. Anyone who cooks knows how valuable tips like these are. Beth saves you the aggravating time in the kitchen and makes being gluten-free much more fun.

Being diagnosed with celiac disease myself, I know how much of a struggle it can be to know who to ask advice from and where to get information. Beth isn’t just a diagnosed celiac who has gone through hell and back, she is also a thriving author, researcher and humanitarian who hasn’t let celiac disease control her life. I cannot think of a better person to help anyone on their road to eliminating gluten 100% from their life.

One thing I found really amazing about the Gluten-Free Makeovers cookbook was how extensive it is. It’s 260 pages of recipes and that doesn’t even include the resources, easy-to-use index and other information Beth includes in the book.

Here is one of my favorite recipes from Gluten-Free Makeovers:

Chocolate Angel Food Cake ( gluten-free, dairy-free):

1 cup Cake and Pastry Flour ( see below)

5 tbs unsweetended cocoa powder

1 ½ cups sugar

12 large egg whites at room temp

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ tsp cream of tartar

¼ tsp salt

Cake and pastry flour:

1 cup sweet white sorghum flour (4 ounces)

1 cup white rice flour (5.4 ounces)

¾ cup cornstarch (3.4 ounces)

1½ teaspoons xanthan gum (or guar gum)

½ teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Sift the flour cocoa powder and 3/4 c of the sugar into a bowl. set aside

Beat the egg whites at low speed in a large mixing bowl until foamy, about 5 min. Add the vanilla, cream of tartar and salt. With the mixer on medium speed, add the remaining 3/4 c sugar in a slow, steady stream. Beat an additional 5 to 7 minutes, until the whites are shiny and form stiff peaks.

Sift one third of the dry ingredients over the egg whites and gently fold in with a rubber spatula. Repeat until all the flour mixture has been incorporated. Scrape the batter into an ungreased non-stick aluminum 10-inch tube pan. Smooth the top and gently tap the pan onto the counter to remove any air pockets.

Bake 40 to 45 min, until tiny cracks appear on the top and the cake springs back to the touch. Invertthe pan onto a wire rack if the pan has feet pt invert the center tube of the pan onto the neck of bottle to cool completely.

To unmold, run a think knife around the side of the pan and the tube and gently push the base up if using a two piece pan or invert the cake onto a serving plate.

Nots:

You can also make cupcakes with this mix. Try topping the cake with fresh strawberries and frosting! Yum!

Enjoy!

Miranda Jade Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

I am often asked by my readers and radio show listeners how I manage to stay energized and stress-free with my busy work schedule. I’m not going to lie to you—it’s pretty tough. Over the years, I’ve figured out, though, that the secret to feeling good is taking care of yourself. I depend on a well-balanced diet, healthy supplements, and exercise to keep me going during the day. That’s why when I heard about gluten-free RelaxZen products, which are designed to promote emotional and physical well-being without drugs and caffeine, I knew I had to give them a try.

I tried both the Day and Night formulas, which are the two most popular RelaxZen products. RelaxZen Day contains herbs, vitamins (including Vitamins B6 and B12), and amino acids. This formula made it easier for me to concentrate on my work and kept me perky even in the late afternoons when I tend to slow down.

Since RelaxZen Day was such as success, I tried RelaxZen Night. I don’t suffer from any sleep problems, but after a busy day, it can be hard to unwind and get myself in “sleep mode.” I have been taking the Night formula as I get ready for bed and have found that I’m much more inclined to go straight to sleep, instead of thinking about the day that just passed and the next one to follow. I wake up feeling refreshed after a deep, peaceful sleep.

In an age where there are tons of caffeinated, sugar “energy drinks” to give people a quick buzz that later makes them crash, it’s refreshing to find a company like RelaxZen which gives its customers health and happiness-promoting products and does this without gluten. If you’re stressed out, need a pick-me-up, or are having trouble sleeping, I’d go the RelaxZen route and see what this company is capable of doing for you.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

Resource:

RelaxZen: RelaxZen for Every Day http://www.relaxzenshots.com/daynight

It isn’t every day that I come across a fresh, baked-to-order, gluten-free dessert like Madrid Coffee Cakes by husband-and-wife (Sergio and Lia) team committed to making delicious baked goods for their customers.

Sergio comes from a long line of bakers. When he was only 9 years old, he started helping in his father’s bakeries in Madrid, Spain. He had a passion for baking and trained under master pastry chefs and bakers and eventually led his father’s bakery team at the young age of 17. When Sergio moved to the US, it was only right for him to open his own shop following family tradition. With Sergio being the man in the kitchen and Lia handling all the business side of the bakery, this husband-and-wife team were ready to roll!

Sergio and Lia noticed in their customers a growing concern about eating gluten and listened to their frustrations over not being able to find tasty gluten-free treats. They knew they had to find a way to make their famous baked goods enjoyable to all. After educating themselves in the safety precautions of producing gluten-free items, Madrid Coffee Cakes came up with gluten-free baked goods that not only were gluten-free but also grain- and dairy-free!

My taste-testing team and I had the pleasure of testing the Madrid Coffee Cakes. If I could describe them a word, I would say: delicious, homemade taste, comfort food at its finest. Ok, maybe that’s more than one word, but you get the idea. The newest flavor, lemon-poppy, was my favorite. The last time I had something that was lemon-poppy flavored it was a gluten-filled lemon-poppy muffin, which I recall got me quite sick. To be able to eat something so flavorful that was not only gluten-free but also grain- and dairy-free brought me, my mouth and stomach much joy.

My entire testing team loved all the flavors. We noticed a slight lemony flavor in each one of the coffee cakes. It was refreshing and not something you would expect. Although these cakes are gluten-free, grain-free and dairy-free, they definitely have sugar in them. They don’t call them cakes for no reason. If you are in the mood for something sweet and delicious, these cakes could be just what you are looking for.

Madrid Coffee Cakes takes to heart all their customers and you can really tell this by all the close attention they give to customer satisfaction. European desserts have made a name for themselves as being the best for a reason, and you can taste why in Madrid Coffee Cakes.

Click here to check out Madrid Coffee Cakes and to see all their different flavors. Be sure to take advantage of their individual portion cakes while you still can!

Miranda Jade Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

To read the Q and A I did with Madrid Coffee Cakes click here.

In making a kitchen safe for celiacs, I recommend purchasing a new toaster specially designated for gluten-free use, which can be invaluable in avoiding cross-contamination. But what about when you’re traveling or eating over at someone’s house?  Now you can avoid cross-contamination with an innovative product called Toast-It Reusable Toaster Bags, which are convenient not only for toasting but for grilling gluten-free foods.

The bags are Teflon® and 100% non-stick. You can use them for heating up all sorts of foods, such as sandwiches, burgers, pizza slices, and garlic bread, in toasters and toaster ovens and on grills. Each bag is reusable up to ten times and comes two to a package.

Follow the link below to order a package:

http://www.glutenfree.com/index.cfm/manufacturer/IMCG/959069-___-Toast-It-Bags.html

Miranda Jade Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

Beth Hillson is a name you hear often in the gluten-free community. When I was sent her new gluten-free cookbook to review I was very excited. Who exactly is this gluten-free master Beth Hillson? That’s the exact thought I had. Before reading Beth’s cookbook ” Gluten-Free Makeovers” I got to get a few of my questions answered about Beth.

Read below for the interview and stay tuned for the review in two weeks!

When were you diagnosed with celiac disease?

I was diagnosed in 1953 and again in 1976.  I was a small child when I was diagnosed the first time.  They took away all my food and fed me bananas for several weeks, or maybe it was months.  Gradually, my mother introduced new foods – - leaving starches including corn, rice and potatoes – - until the very last.  I was on this diet for 3 ½ years.  When everything was added back, the doctor told me I was cured.  No one mentioned the word, “gluten.”   When symptoms returned,  I went from doctor to doctor complaining about my stomach.   Each one diagnosed me with a different ailment – - “nervous stomach,” psychiatric problems, lactose intolerance, and IBS.  It took several years and a second biopsy before I was rediagnosed with celiac disease.  This time the doctor knew that gluten was causing the problem but he didn’t fully understand the diet.  Corn Flakes and Rice Krispies were on the list of foods I could eat.  He even told me that beer was fine.  So I educated myself.  I went to culinary school to understand how foods are prepared and how to replace the gluten in the recipes.  It was my only choice unless I wanted to eat baked potatoes and naked burgers for the rest of my life.

What was the hardest part for you switching over to being gluten-free?

There was nothing available by way of products or resources when I was diagnosed.  My cravings motivated me to teach myself how to cook and bake gluten-free.  If I wanted a cake, I had to recreate it with gluten-free ingredients.  But I always viewed this as a challenge rather than a liability.  A positive attitude and a good support system turned this from a dire prognosis to a culinary adventure.   It’s a journey I’ve been on ever since.

How has the gluten-free community changed since you were diagnosed with celiac disease?

We’ve gone from zero to sixty miles an hour in this industry since I was diagnosed.  I can’t even begin to describe all the changes.  But here’s an example.  When I created Gluten-Free Pantry in 1993, we were still thinking that 1 in 1,000 people had celiac disease.  The possibility that many others had gluten sensitivity was not even in the picture.  I often said I could stand on the street corner in Manhattan with a plate of my Chocolate Truffle Brownies and never come across another celiac, even if I stood there for a full day.  Today, I can’t go anywhere without running into half a dozen people with celiac disease and another dozen who are gluten intolerant.

You took the gluten-free world by storm, baking out of your own home and evolving into a successful business. Tell us in your own words what this whole process was like for you.

I guess I was a pioneer.  The business came out of a need.   I was making baking mixes so I could quickly whip up a bread or pancakes or a quick bread when I wanted something good to eat.  (After all, freshly baked has always been the way to go.)  Then it occurred to me that I could save some money on ingredients if I bought a 50 pound bag of rice flour.  Once it arrived, I knew I had to find a few other people to share the mixes with or I would never use up all that flour.  I had no idea the business would take off the way it did.  For the first three years, I was working night and day just to keep up with demand.  I couldn’t imagine marketing my products proactively.  The company was growing more than 30% per year just by word of mouth.  That’s amazing when you’re a little business.

What was your purpose in selling your first gluten-free company?

I became disheartened when so many entrepreneurs began copying my products.  Mix companies were showing up everywhere.  There must be over a hundred of them today and each one has a sandwich bread, a pizza mix, a brownie, a cupcake, and so on.  They all  claim they started the business because there was nothing good out there.  But honestly, there are plenty of great mixes now.  When I started Gluten-Free Pantry there truly was nothing else available for gluten-free consumers.   I wish people would copy the pioneering spirit instead of copying each other and create products that are a unique and fill a void in our lives.

When I created the company, I was a lifeline for our customers.  The first time we moved to a larger location, the phone lines were down for nearly a day and people freaked out, fearing we had gone out of business!  I’ll never forget when a customer called the local police to check on us and someone came to find me.  I had that kind of connection to our customers and I felt I had a commitment to help them live well on a gluten-free diet.  But, by the time I sold the company, I did not feel that way.  I knew our customers had other choices.  I didn’t feel like I was letting people down.

What did you do with your “free time” after that?

I spent time with my elderly parents until they passed away.  Then I went back to school to get an MFA in creative writing and wrote a memoir as my thesis.  It’s still in process, but I hope to publish it one day soon.  And then I wrote a cookbook, “Gluten-Free Makeovers.”

On your website, glutenfreemakeovers.com, you have a section called “baking basics” where you help many people who are having trouble baking gluten-free. You must enjoy helping others be successfully gluten-free in their own kitchens. What inspired you to start glutenfreemakeovers.com?

I think “makeover” is my mantra.  I have always looked at ways to recreate favorite foods so we can enjoy them.  It was the concept that led me to create the GF Pantry and the recipes in the cookbook and on the web site.  I really do enjoy helping people.  This is a challenging lifestyle, but not impossible, especially with all the variety these days.  As long as people view this as a challenge and understand the rewards are delicious, safe foods, they will happily embrace the gluten-free lifestyle.  I can’t begin to describe the feeling I get when I see someone smile because they baked something delicious or tried something yummy that I fed them.  This is as good as it gets.

You have quite a record of cooking and baking. Was this something you always had an interest in?

Coming from a childhood where I ate bananas seven different ways, I have always been hungry for good food and great variety.  I think that childhood experience heightened my culinary curiosity.  When I was a kid, I trolled the neighborhood looking for handouts, for things that were not allowed on my diet.   I visited my friends’ homes and checked out their refrigerators.  I asked the mothers what they were serving for dinner and hinted boldly that I might like a taste.  I bought candy at the penny candy stores in my neighborhood.  (Sugar was another thing I couldn’t have.)  Food became intensely interesting to me.  That hungry still persists.

You recently published a gluten-free cook book “Gluten-Free Makeovers” published by Da Capo Press . What inspired you to do so?

I have gathered so many great recipes since I started Gluten-Free Pantry and then after selling it and writing recipes and articles for Living Without Magazine.  I wanted a place to organize them.  And, frankly, they are good recipes.  I wanted others to enjoy them, too.  By the way, I cook from my own cookbook all the time and so does my sister who was diagnosed with celiac disease seven years ago.

How did you choose which delicious recipes would be included in your cook book versus those which would not be?

I picked recipes that filled a void – - favorite family traditional dishes, wonderful cakes and cookies that I thought we should all have.  After I set up an outline and chapters, some of the recipes had to be shelved.  I had way too many.  But that’s good news.  Now I have enough material for another book someday.  In addition, people are always sending me their recipes to make over.  That’s fun, too.

You have come up with so many gluten-free recipes, any plans on another cook book in the future?

Perhaps I will do another cookbook.  I think the big deterrent is that there are so many cookbooks out now.

Anything else you want to share?

Lots of people are intimidated by gluten-free cooking and overwhelmed by the diet and lifestyle.  I encourage people to give it a try and not be discouraged.  Take baby steps at first.  By that I mean start with a couple of mixes from a company you’ve heard about and trust.  Become accustomed to the way gluten-free flours handle and branch out slowly.  Find a cookbook (hopefully mine!) and try one or two recipes just to get started baking from scratch.  Next thing you know, you’ll be making your own flour blends and making over mainstream recipes just like I do.  Just keep a positive attitude.

Miranda Jade Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

After mom Betty Lou Carrier read Sugar Blues by William Dufty and took to heart the book’s preaching that “sugar causes disease,” her life took a turn.  Little did she know that her newfound commitment to eliminating sugar from her family’s diet would end up with a 104,000 square -foot facility, 80 full-time staff, and the opportunity to work side by side with her two sons.

It all began with some experimentation in the kitchen, as Betty Lou sought to make sugar-free treats for her kids to take to school. She had never created recipes before, but after throwing some ingredients together, she found that she had created a delicious treat, loved by kids and grown-ups alike. Now the company offers a wide array of not only sugar-free but also various dairy-free, lactose-free, vegan, and gluten-free foods.  They recently came out with a new gluten-free protein bar, which comes in four flavors.

What Betty Lou first created in her kitchen was the forerunner of her company’s most popular item, Betty Lou’s Nut Butter Balls, which are gluten-free and come in a variety of flavors, including Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Coconut, Cashew, Spirulina, and more, with an average of 9.15 grams of protein packed in each 1.4-oz. one. Their current ball shape comes from Betty’s Lou’s original use of an ice cream scoop to shape the treats before rolling them by hand with nuts.

Another high-quality gluten-free product Betty Lou’s offers is Low Glycemic Designer Protein Shakes, which are offer 20 grams of protein per serving. The shakes are free of lactose, gluten, sugar, soy, and hormones, with the protein source being milk and rice proteins. The shakes are high in fiber and sugar, contain vitamins and minerals, and are made with a digestive enzyme and probiotic blend. The three flavors of Chocolate, Vanilla, and Orange Cream mix instantly in water. Such a product is valuable for gluten- or lactose-free athletes looking for a protein boost or as a meal replacement shake for people looking to manage their weight.

The most recent release by Betty Lou’s is the Organic Just Great Stuff Bars, which come in four flavors, Organic Superberry Acai, Fruit & Veggie, Chocolate Dream Greens, and Cacao Acai Bar. The bars are certified organic, full of antioxidants, vegan, and gluten-free with protein supplied from organic rice protein and cashews. The bars are also rich in antioxidants; the Organic Cacao Acai Bar has an ORAC Antioxidant value of 34,100, as tested by the credible laboratory Brunswick Labs.  The ingredients are also unique and nutritious. For instance, the Chocolate Dream Greens Bar has “organic freeze-dried spinach, sprouted broccoli, kale and carrot, and whole foods like bananas, raisins, dates and cashews,” according to Betty Lou’s website.

According to Betty Lou’s son John, the facility is thoroughly washed out between every production as well as tested often for gluten content. Betty Lou’s is proud to create top-of-the-line “private label” products for doctors, nutritionists, and other companies by utilizing their team of scientists and researchers. John said that two of the private label products they created were named in the Top 5 Best Bars in Food Engineering Magazine.  According to John, in their latest third party audit of their facility, which was conducted to check their “good manufacturing” practices and procedures, resulted in a rating of 97%– the “Best in the Food Industry.”

“We go all out to keep our consumers safe, while enjoying a delicious, gluten-free performance snack from Betty Lou’s,” John says.

As awareness about gluten and celiac disease increases, more and more food companies are committing themselves to serving the gluten-free community. Betty Lou’s, Inc. stands out as one of these companies, which with its variety of gluten-free, nutritious snacks, has made living gluten-free easier for the gluten-free community.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

Resources:

Betty Lou’s, Inc. http://www.bettylousinc.com

Not only is Heaven Mills a gluten-free certified bakery, it’s also certified Kosher by Star-K and The Beth Din of Tartikov. Heaven Mill’s plant is gluten-free, wheat-free, nut-free, dairy-free, preservative-free, and many more “-free”s.

My West Coast team could not believe how amazing the Pita Bread was. They lightly toasted it and tried it with tzatziki sauce and homemade hummus and couldn’t get enough of it. It can be cut up to go perfectly as a side with salads, or better yet, cut in half and filled with whatever kind of foods you may enjoy, as you would do with a sandwich, for example. They have a distinct pita flavor and texture without any wheat or gluten. They have really pulled off an incredible product with this one.

Now comes the Hamantashen. For those of you unfamiliar with what Hamantashen is, let me explain a bit. It is a triangular-shaped filled pastry which is traditionally served on the Jewish holiday Purim. While today the pastry is filled with a variety of flavors, it is most traditionally filled with poppy seed filling. The name was intentionally distorted to Hamantashan which means “Haman’s pockets” in Yiddish. Some say that Haman wore a three-cornered hat, and that is why the dough is triangular. In Hebrew, the pastry is called Oznei Haman, which means “Haman’s ears.”

We all loved the Hamantashens in both flavors. My testers said that they went perfectly with their morning coffees and teas. They were sweet, light, and perfectly sweetened.

The carrot muffins come in a six-pack. Since I am a carrot muffin addict, I tend to be rather picky. I have tried every carrot muffin and carrot cake in every town I can go to. I liked these but did not love them. I found them to be a bit drier than I prefer. I warmed them up a bit and this did help somewhat. I added a little homemade cream cheese frosting and this helped even more. With that said, I found myself “trying” to like them. They just were not my cup of tea. My testers agreed. They said these muffins could be slightly sweeter and slightly moister.

Overall we really enjoyed the company’s products. I have to add, I am very impressed with their attempts to have so many “-free”s and still pull off gluten-free items that taste like the real deal.

Heaven Mills Bakery makes it easy and enjoyable to be gluten-free and Kosher. Even if you aren’t Kosher, these products will still satisfy your gluten-free needs. To order some yourself, you can visit their online store at www.HeavenMills.com.

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.

Jovial’s cookies and pastas are all handcrafted in the northeast region of Italy in Veneto. This bakery is family-owned, all-organic, and everything is baked in small batches.

The three flavors, Chocolate Vanilla Cream, Chocolate Chocolate Cream, and Fig Fruit Filled, were all an unexpected light delight with an airy, ever-so-creamy center. We all felt the Fig Fruit Filled tasted exactly like the long-desired gluten-free Fig Newton™. These cookies were truly out-of-this-world. We felt as if we were having a taste of Italy. They were unlike anything we’ve tasted yet!

The brown rice pasta (Brown Rice Penne Rigate) was light and flavorful and so was the Brown Rice Capellini. Both were healthy-tasting, yet this didn’t interfere with their tasting like the “real thing.”

Jovial tests each batch, and they ensure all batches are under 10 ppm.

It’s not often you’ll have available a gluten-free, high-quality European option in America. Well, Jovial is available in the U.S. and is spreading across it, to be found now in many stores. You can use the Store Locator at JovialFoods.com to find Jovial products near you.

Miranda Jade

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

k.m.

I was a bit skeptical testing “already-cooked” rice in a bowl. It appealed to me somewhat, as it was organic and preservative-free, and sometimes I do need a side dish and don’t want to wait for the standard forty minutes for my brown rice. So I gave Go-Go Rice a shot and asked my test team in L.A. to try it out as well.

I popped this little dish in the microwave, after peeling back the cover slightly, set the time, walked away, got myself a glass of juice, and it was done. The moment came to test it. I could not believe how moist and tasty these little hearty grains of brown rice were. I thought it would be dried-out and need something to make it taste good. Not at all. It tasted as if I had just cooked it stove-top, with the same consistency as stove-top rice.I called the L.A. team and before I could say a thing, they went on and on about how convenient, fast, and unexpectedly delicious the organic brown rice was.

The master of the creation, T.J. Song, Stanford Business School graduate, with seventeen years of global trading (in Korea and the U.S.) and ten-plus years in the natural and organic food business in the U.S. under his belt, was a rice lover. In fact, it was and still is his daily staple. He wanted convenient “rice meals’’ for a long time. He found consumers purchasing products like this, but to him, these meals weren’t that good.

In 2004, he finally decided there was a potential business and ventured into the cooked rice business with a facility completed in 2005. Go-Go Rice was successfully introduced March 2006 to Expo West. Minsley, Inc. currently manufactures and distributes these delicious, convenient rice bowls.

We thank T.J. Song for being a man with a vision and taste.

Miranda Jade
www.glutenfreehelp.info.