It’s always an honor to be recognized for your work.  I don’t think anyone could deny that statement and recognition from your peers is always a grand experience.  With Danny the Dragon receiving non-stop recognition since its release, I keep thinking it can’t get better.  A few months ago, I received confirmation that my eBook about my other undeniable cause Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free living Gluten and Your Aging Body had not only been nominated, but won a Silver Medal for eBooks in the Florida Publisher’s Association’s President’s Book Awards.

The Florida Publisher’s Association is a collection of publishers, self-publishers, authors, publishing industry friends and publishing vendors from Florida founded in 1983 by Betty Wright with the intent of giving Florida’s growing group of book publishers an opportunity for education and networking.  In 2005, then-President of the group Dinah Arnette decided to start recognizing the authors and publishers of the group in honor of their 25^th anniversary, establishing the FPA President’s Book Awards.  The tradition continued and in 2011 they decided to open the competition up to the public for the first time.

I cannot express fully how honored I am to be a part of this incredible group and to be featured among the other winners.  To have two books recognized for excellence by my peers in the publishing and writing industry is the greatest honor I could ever ask for.

Thank you, FPA and thank you colleagues.  It truly is a great honor.

Tina

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Read the interview by clicking on the link below:

http://bfkbooks.com/interviews/tina-turbin-on-danny-the-dragon-et-al

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

You can order a copy of the Winter print edition of the Journal of Gluten Sensitivity to read my article, “U.S. Has Yet to Define ‘Gluten-Free’ for Food Labels,” in which I take up the critical subject of the FDA’s gluten-free labeling regulations.

The Journal of Gluten Sensitivity is a print and online quarterly newsletter co-edited by the founder of Celiac.com, Scott Adams. It publishes articles geared toward those on the gluten-free diet for reasons of celiac disease, gluten intolerance, as well as wheat allergies, keeping readers up-to-date on the latest scientific research and developments in the gluten-free arena. I am honored to have my article included in its Winter publication.

Check out the link below to subscribe to the newsletter:

http://www.glutenfreemall.com/catalog/journal-gluten-sensitivity-celiaccom-paper-edition-online-edition-year-subscriptionissues-celiac-disease-newsletters-p-469.html

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

b.a.

Some people accomplish extraordinary things. When they do, it’s nice to recognize them and applaud them for their accomplishments. Tina Turbin is one of those people. She’s well known by many of you because of her involvement in the celiac community.

Who is Tina Turbin?

Tina is an activist in two main fields: 1) She actively works to make improvements in children’s literacy and education, and 2) She works diligently to raise awareness about celiac disease. She speaks regularly on these topics on national radio shows and writes articles and columns for a wide variety of publications and websites. You can learn more about Tina at http://TinaTurbin.com.

Why the “Congratulations!”?

Tina wrote the award-winning children’s picture book Danny the Dragon Meets Jimmy. iSTORYTIME (the iPhone App Developer for Dreamworks) has recently signed to turn the DVD of this book into a children’s book app. This production is unique because its the first of its kind to have sign-language interpretation added for the deaf to assist this under-served population.

Imagination Publishing Group President Alan Wayne said, “I’m pleased to say that this is the first of many apps to be created through iStorytime for the Danny the Dragon series.” Profits from the sales of the Danny the Dragon DVD are donated to the Blossom Montessori School for the Deaf. Learn more about her books, DVD, and what she does to help celiacs at her website.

Congratulations Tina!

Connie Sarros

www.gfbooks.homestead.com

Betty Lou Carrier was an innovative lady in the seventies. After reading Sugar Blues and taking to heart the book’s preaching that “sugar causes disease,” Betty’s life took a turn. Betty Lou’s Inc. now has a 93,000 square -foot facility and 80 full-time staff, and Betty Lou works side by side with her two sons, her original testers.

This week my team and I tested a number of their products, and we think we’re hooked!
Their most popular item, Betty Lou’s Nut Butter Balls (more on this later), come in flavors such as Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Coconut, Cashew, Spirulina, and more, with an average of 9.15 grams of protein packed in each 1.4-oz. delicious ball. I see them in tubs all over the U.S. in stores.

John, one of Betty Lou’s sons, said the Nut Butter Spirulina Ginseng balls have a unique little history. The ginseng took some time to locate, due to Betty Lou’s particulars on purity. He claims their source is quite expensive per kilo due to its origin and its being the only source for ginseng on the market that’s pesticide-free. Their fruit bars were reminiscent of pop tarts. In fact, we heated them up slightly to see what happened, which made great even better.

The organic Krispy Bites are a rendition of rice-crispy treats with a hint of peanut butter, still offering bites of protein!  Their latest release, the low-glycemic protein powder in three flavors, which has a whopping 20 g protein, is lactose- and gluten-free, and they are delicious—available in Orange Cream, Chocolate, and Vanilla.

John made mention of his facility being thoroughly washed out between every production as well as tested often. According to Susan Jeffries, their on-site scientist and researcher, their foods never test above 10 ppm, and by the end of 2010, there will be no gluten whatsoever in their facility.

The most popular items, the Balls, were Betty Lou’s first creations in her home in the seventies, as she  attempted recipes for her two boys and herself. She’d create the recipe, use an ice cream scoop (hence the current balls), and roll them by hand in nuts. They were a hit then and even more so now.

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 private label products they create were proudly named in the Top 5 Best Bars in Food Engineering Magazine.

The most recent release of 2010 is their Just Great Stuff bars. They come in four flavors, each offering a concentrated variety of rich nutrients and an incredibly impressive ORAC (which stands for Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity—that is, the antioxidant value). For example, the Organic Cacao Açai Bar ORAC test came out as a whopping 31,188 units ( μmol TE/bar). Their fruit-and-veggie Just Great Stuff bar was 25,326 units (μmol TE/Bar) and the Organic Chocolate Dream Greens is 21,700 units (μmol TE/Bar).

Susan Jeffries explained that all their testing is through the well-respected Brunswick Labs, hence these bars have had quite a bit of precise technology applied to them.

Susan went on to explain the nature of the “total ORAC” test and how it tests antioxidant power. Its testing is against the five predominant “reactive species” found in the body. She went on to explain how each affects the body is slightly different, so when the test is performed, the scientist can see the antioxidant capability of one or more of these reactive species. Anyone can visit www.BrunswickLabs.com to learn more about this amazing technology.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Betty’ Lou’s son John explained how thrilled they are with the new addition of these bars and how clean the ingredients are in them as well.

My testers and I were all convinced that these bars, one for one, were the healthiest gluten-free bars we’ve had the opportunity to test yet. They are clean and bursting with flavor and punch. Being able to eat something so good and so good-for-you is a refreshing change for our gluten-free community.

Betty Lou’s is an outstanding company with customer service that is warm and friendly, not to mention an easy, easy, easy on-line ordering system!  http://www.bettylousinc.com

Tina Turbin
www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Becky lived a life of stomach troubles and headaches starting as a little child. Back in the 60s and 70s, the limited tests conducted on her never revealed what was happening inside her body. It wasn’t until many years later that Becky finally discovered what was causing the turmoil–gluten.

With gluten out of her diet, she soon began to feel better. Her gastrointestinal problems, headaches, irritability, mood swings, sores, and joint pain all went away. She now had energy and realized she was feeling like normal people do.

Becky loved playing in the kitchen and attempting to duplicate family recipes and cookbook recipes without gluten; the challenge of acquiring the texture and taste of “normal’ food was pure fun. Becky had a unique upbringing living in the Ozarks and the book is full of little family anecdotes which are truly charming. She openly lets you into her life.

This cookbook seems to keep the traditions of the Ozarks alive, yet in a gluten-free way. The book has recipes I have never seen before and never dreamed of. Many are family recipes or Becky’s original adaptations of recipes. A lot of work went into her kitchen; she relied on her neighbors, friends, and husband, Gene, to give her or deny her a thumbs up to let her know if her recipes were a hit or a miss, heading back to the stove if need be.

The result is a cookbook with family stories, pictures, and, of course, recipes I can guarantee you’ll be amazed with. Many of the recipes are quick to make, just as the title says—“Fast and Yummy.”

Becky’s husband, Gene Pierson, said Becky is no longer with us, but he believes God led her to write this book. In April and May of 2009 the two of them traveled to many support groups and health food stores promoting the book and doing book signings. She’d often asked him why God let her have this disease. He feels he knows why, and it’s because she truly touched and helped so many lives through the creation and result of this very cookbook.

Profits from this book will help support the release of the book she finished before her passing, Little Farm in the Ozarks. This new book includes Becky’s favorite recipe her mother used on the farm.

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

Author Diane Jacobs has created a unique cookbook for celiacs and gluten-sensitive individuals. What makes this particular cookbook so extraordinary is Diane’s down-home country style and fresh ingredients, as if they just came from your garden or farm.

The recipes are truly unlike any other in this consistently one-of-a-kind gluten-free recipe book. We tried a variety of dishes from her cookbook, and one for one, they were delicious.

Using seasonal tomatoes to make a fresh, kid-friendly tomato pie had all-over sensory appeal. Then the “All American” Macaroni and Cheese—out-of-this-world. I have to mention the Johnny Cakes, too, adapted from a recipe published in a 1981 issue of Readers Digest—scrumptious.

Diane’s book is full of little anecdotes that introduce the delightful recipes to come. They seem to add an element of charm to each dish.

We just finished our last bite of the Pleasant Street Inn’s Apple Skillet Cake. Not a crumb left.

I highly recommend Diane’s fabulous book, Delicious! The Very Best of Gluten Free and Wheat Free Cooking.

You may purchase her book through Amazon or www.celiacdiseaseinfo.org.

Diane is also happy to share her eBook, which is 50 pages full of information—What on Earth Is Celiac?—also on her website.  Read my eBook review here.

I also had the pleasure of interviewing Diane. Click here to learn more about this wonderful woman.

About Diane: Diane Jacobs was diagnosed in 2003 with celiac disease and has dedicated herself to sharing information about celiac disease and also about the benefits of eating and cooking wheat and gluten free. In 2005, Diane created her own website: http://www.celiacdiseaseinfo.org; in 2006 she self-published her first edition of her Ebook: What on Earth is a Celiac?; in 2008, her cookbook: Delicious! The Very Best of Gluten Free & Wheat Free Cooking, a Homestyle Recipe Collection for Celiacs and Wheat Sensitive Folks” was self-published both at the website and at Amazon.com: http://amzn.com/B002GQ2ZJU.

Then in 2010, she created her food blog: “Gluten Free Foodie Heaven”: http://www.glutenfreefoodieheaven.blogspot.com.

Diane speaks to community groups and organizations about celiac disease and about how to comfortably (and fabulously!) and survive as a person who either is required to or desires to eat gluten and wheat free.  She also makes appearances on TV programs cooking gluten free and has been featured in local newspaper articles as well.

Prescott, Arizona Courier article: March14th, 2010:
http://www.prescottaz.com/main.asp?SectionID=74&SubSectionID=111&TM=69298

Tina Turbin

www.GlutenFreeHelp.info

I loved knowing that Starbucks was going to carry gluten-free treats for those on a gluten-free diet, gluten intolerant or who have celiac disease. I am celiac.

I also love how they will accommodate you by allowing you to read ingredients as well as substitute soy milk for milk in case you are dairy, lactose or casein sensitive or have an allergy. When I hear of a large company taking notice of the statistics of those in need of gluten-free foods and then catering to those needs- well thank you Starbucks! ….PAUSE…. DUMBFOUNDED…What did you say?…Excuuuuuse me, this can’t be. There must be a mistake. This is unbelievable.

OK, read it for yourself. Melissa Alison reveals the latest changes to the light Frappuccino- they ADDED gluten! Now are you thinking what I am thinking? Even my daughter asked me the obvious “Why, why would they ADD it with all they know!” That’s what I want to know- why?

Read for yourself that the new base mix for light Frappuccinos now includes gluten yet the regular Frappuccino base mix doesn’t have gluten listed in the ingredients, but is not designated gluten-free because of the risk of cross-contamination- read the full details:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/coffeecity/2011829401_new_frappuccino_recipe_deletes.html

Read, get informed and be very aware that things can change overnight- ingredients can change. Be aware, read your labels and stay in tune with changes of ingredients always for your safety and health.

Tina Turbin

Sandi Star  founder of  http://www.karmic-health.com shares some insight which everyone should read:

Agave has been in the “media” recently published by Mercola (check out story) stating that agave is extremely dangerous and is worse than high fructose corn syrup. Although I have the highest respect for Dr. Mercola I can only speculate he does not have enough research to back this up and has not taken the time to get each manufacturers side of the story. As you know….. http://www.karmic-health.com/pb/wp_0f68724a/wp_0f68724a.html Be sure and read this all the way to the bottom and 5 articles offered at the bottom, with evidence and data for everyone to have.

and Kath Patalsky of http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com shares this:

I get a lot of questions about my use of Agave Syrup as a sweetener in my vegan recipes. So here is my Agave Syrup 101 post. It is a must read for anyone who is health-conscious or simply curious about what they put in their bodies. I encourage all professional or amateur chefs to read this post as well. There is a wide world beyond white sugar. Click ahead for Agave Syrup 101, it includes health benefits, directions of use, sweetener comparisons and the history of this healthy sugar substitute…

Sugar Confusion. I’m never surprised by the presence of confusion when it comes to sugar and sweeteners. With so many natural and artificial sweeteners…http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2009/07/agave-syrup-101-why-its-healthy-sugar.html

Please do your homework and be aware of AND READ the many articles on Agave.

Tina Turbin