A Canadian Celiac Blog

My chat this week was with Melissa, owner-operator of Happyditty Bakery.  The bakery recently relocated from Victoria, BC to Kingston, Ontario.  Melissa and I speak of our shared experiences in operating a gluten free bakery, many things you would never consider you might have to be concerned with when starting a business.  If it was only all about the baking.  You can find more about Happyditty Bakery online at https://happyditty/squarespace.com or on Facebook and Instagram at Happyditty.

Thanks Ellen Bayens of Theceliacscene.com for introducing me to such a nice, interesting person as Melissa.

Sue’s Websites and Social Media –

Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com

Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com

Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast

Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA

Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com

Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com

Instagram – @suesgfbaking

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL

     (search Sues Gluten Free Baking)

Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com

New Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com

Let’s start the blog with the Show Notes for this episode:

This week I spoke with Ellen Bayens of theceliacscene.com to discuss the Holiday Survival Guide issued by the Canadian Celiac Association. We chat about our own experiences with relation to the tips and recipes given in the guide. Thanks to Udi’s and Schar for sponsoring the guide, and thanks to the contributors for their articles and recipes. I mentioned Lisa, a co-host on my other podcast Gluten Free Weigh In, is on a ketogenic gluten free diet, as this was of interest to Ellen.  Lisa’s Instagram is gf_ketogirl. You can find the Holiday guide at https://www.celiac.ca/living-gluten-free/holiday-survival-guide/

Sue’s Websites and Social Media –

Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com

Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com

Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast

Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA

Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com

Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com

Instagram – @suesgfbaking

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL

     (search Sues Gluten Free Baking)

Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com

New Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com

My Thoughts –

The holiday season is always very busy and stressful foreveryone.  Those of us with celiac disease must not only learn to function in our own lives on a gluten free diet, which is no easy feat, but at this time of year, we must learn to function in an environment that includes other friends and family members.

I’m sure most of us can remember back to a time when we had never heard of celiac disease or the gluten free diet.  Once we were faced with it as our only treatment, it was a steep learning curve, all in an effort to become healthy.  Now, it’s difficult to imagine knowing nothing about the gluten free diet, or its importance, but that’s the reality for many people we come into contact with.

I remember, it was December many years ago, when I had my endoscopy and the doctor told me to keep eating gluten until I had another blood test, then to go on the diet.  It wouldn’t be till after the holidays that I would be able to meet with a dietician.  After doing some research into gluten, I distinctly remember saying to my mother – “It can’t mean all gluten, it must be something where I have to limit it, or keep track of the amount, how can anyone live completely without gluten?”  We all know how that turned out.

As frustrating as it can be for us to encounter those who don’t understand celiac or the gluten free diet, remember – we’re the lucky ones.  We’ve had a diagnosis and we know how important it is to be on a strict gluten free diet.  The Holiday Survival Guide gives great tips to help us through some difficult situations. Hopefully it won’t happen often, and I’m glad to say awareness now is better than ever.  Ellen said it best in the podcast – this time of year is not the time to educate –  but it is the time to be vigilant.  Enjoy the holidays gluten free and hopefully stress free  – it’s the healthiest thing you can do for yourself.

Let’s start the blog with the Show Notes for this episode:

This week I spoke with Jessica Danford whose online presence as GFREEWIFEY is well known at least amongst those from the Toronto area.  Over this past year, she has begun a program to donate gluten free food to public food banks.  This may sound simple, but it involves education of both management and volunteers at each food bank as well as mounting campaigns to have safe gluten free food donated to the food banks willing to handle it.

To this end, Jess has set up a GoFundMe page for donations at www.gofundme.com/gfreewifeyfoodbank

She can be found online at – www.gfreewifey.com

To be kept up to date on her projects, including the Community Cook Book sign up for her mailing list at http://eepurl.com/dsgyor

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/Gfreewifey/

Instagram – GFREEWIFEY

YouTube – http://bit.ly/GFWifeyYOUTUBE

You can also email Jess at –

jess@gfreewifey.com

Sue’s Websites and Social Media –

Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com

Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com

Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast

Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA

Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com

Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com

Instagram – @suesgfbaking

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL

(search Sues Gluten Free Baking)

Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com

New Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com

 

My Thoughts –

I suspect, like me, you receive many letters and personalized “asks” for money and assistance from numerous charitable organizations.  For the most part these organizations are well meaning and use the donated funds in responsible ways to better the cause they are set up for.  Many of us can look on these charities as worthwhile, and at the same time do not donate time or money to them.

There are many reasons for this, but the simple one is – I haven’t been affected by this situation or condition, so it’s not personal with me.  This is nothing to be ashamed of, all charitable organizations acknowledge that their public “asks” are only successful with those who have been touched by the cause in one way or another.

Celiac disease is my cause, and I suspect that of most of my listenership.  That’s the easy part.  The harder part is to look at the “forgotten” celiacs.  Those who cannot afford membership in the CCA, or to attend a conference, or who don’t have transportation to attend chapter meetings, or restaurant meetups.  These celiacs are essentially invisible.  We spend a great deal of time investigating new foods that we all hope will “improve our lives” or finding that next favourite restaurant, or that perfect GF picture for Instagram.  It’s very difficult to imagine requiring a gluten free diet, but being in survival mode, not having enough money to buy the basics.  Individuals, families and most heartbreaking of all, children, whose only treatment for a serious autoimmune condition is financially out of reach.

This is the beginning of the holiday season for many of us.  It’s a season of sharing and giving.  Both the Canadian Celiac Association and the GoFundMe page for GFreeWifey are excellent ways to do something special for our own this year.  If we don’t, who will?  Let’s make it Personal!

Let’s start the blog with the Show Notes for this episode:

I often get asked about how to manage a gluten free home kitchen.  Having had a commercial gluten free bakery, I have some tips that I was able to apply to my home kitchen.  During the episode I also reference a YouTube video called 5 Things Everyone Should Know About Gluten Free – you can find it at

http://bit.ly/5ThingsAboutGlutenFree

The website for my gluten free baking show can be found at https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com

Sue’s Websites and Social Media –

Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com

Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com

Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast

Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA

Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com

Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com

Instagram – @suesgfbaking

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL

(search Sues Gluten Free Baking)

Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com

New Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com

 

My Thoughts –

Again, this is one of those episodes where I talked through my thoughts on the podcast, so I don’t have very much to add.

It does make me remember how difficult it was to both switch my kitchen over to a safe gluten free environment and then to educate my family to help me keep it safe.  So much to learn, and in such a short time.  If you are in that situation, just make one change at a time, involve your family as you switch over to a safe gluten free space.  Maybe you have kids, who can help you decide on what colour container to use for gluten free and where to store things.  Getting my family on board from the beginning was a huge help for me.

It is hard to look back on those early days, partly because they were not easy, and partly because I can truly appreciate how much my family has rallied behind me and changed everything they do in the kitchen to meet the needs of the gluten free family members.  Way to go folks – couldn’t have done it without you!

Let’s start the blog with the Show Notes for this episode:

During the summer I had a very interesting chat with Cinde Little of Everyday Gluten Free Gourmet.  Cinde is first a foodie, and she brings that love of food and curiosity of new flavours and combinations to the gluten free experience.  I made some of her recipes and thoroughly enjoyed them.  You can find Cinde’s blog at https://www.everydayglutenfreegourmet.ca

Twitter – @LittleCinde

Instagram – everyday.gf.gourmet.ca

Facebook – Everyday Gluten Free Gourmet

Sue’s Websites and Social Media –

Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com

Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com

Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast

Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA

Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com

Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com

Instagram – @suesgfbaking

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL

(search Sues Gluten Free Baking)

Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com

New Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com

 

My Thoughts –

It’s hard for me to remember back before gluten free – it’s been more than 20 years, but one thing I do remember was a curiosity surrounding new foods and new recipes.  I am an accomplished gluten free baker, but as I’ve said before on the podcast, I’m not a great cook – good enough for my family and to tackle the odd dinner party, but nothing extraordinary.

Before gluten free, I tried everything, not only to eat, but to make.  I remember once having a Japanese dinner party, inviting friends and even buying a sake set to enjoy the authentic wine.  Once I required a gluten free diet, that all changed.  Like you, I struggled just to get nutritious meals on the table that were safe for me and my family.  The fancy stuff and extra effort got left behind.

It’s refreshing to speak with Cinde, to see her approach to gluten free, maybe it’s because she doesn’t have to eat gluten free, or maybe she’s just a true foodie.  Regardless, the recipes and perspective she brings to bolstering our day to day eating the same old thing is like a breath of fresh air.

Thanks Cinde for taking the time and putting in the effort that many of us on a gluten free diet, can’t seem to achieve – approaching the diet with a curiosity and wonder that can expand horizons.  I’ll still make my same old recipes, tried and true, but now with some new recipes, I can sprinkle a little bit of new taste and magic into my meals and my diet.

Let’s start the blog with the Show Notes for this episode:

This episode is a conversation with Ellen Bayens of The Celiac Scene about our favourite Gluten Free things.  Here’s our list –

Ellen – Duinkerken Multi-Grain Bread Mix, Little Northern Bakehouse Bread, Schar Chocolate Covered Graham Wafers, Cloud 9 Pancake/Waffle Mix, Red Robin Restaurant, 6 Mile Pub in Victoria, Floating Fish Store in Victoria, Rizopia Pasta, Tinkyada Pasta, Royal Spice Restaurant, Rawthentic Eatery, Real Food Corn Thins, Wendel’s True Foods Gluten Free in Langley BC, Wild Poppy Bakery in Ladysmith BC, chocolate mousse, M&M Meats Too Tall Chocolate Cake GF, salted licorice

Sue – Tutti Biscotti Orange & Dark Chocolate, Pamela’s Pancake & Baking Mix, New York Fries, salads at MacDonalds, Boston Pizza chicken wings, The Junction Restaurant in Seeley’s Bay Ontario, Go-Go Quinoa pasta, Wow Desserts cheesecakes as restaurant desserts, grilled cheese sandwich, Chapman’s Ice Cream and PaneRiso ice cream cones, M&M’s, Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups

You can find Ellen at www.theceliacscene.com.

You can find Cinde Little at – https://www.everydayglutenfreegourmet.ca

Sue’s Websites and Social Media –

Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com

Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com

Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast

Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA

Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com

Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com

Instagram – @suesgfbaking

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL

(search Sues Gluten Free Baking)

Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com

New Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com

 

My Thoughts –

Funny thing, if someone heard a couple of celiacs chatting, they would assume they were both “foodies” as the conversation will inevitably turn to food and restaurant choices and favourites.  Sharing our finds, our successes and our creations is the best way to help others who may be struggling.

I can remember back to a time when everything gluten free was new and I didn’t know where to turn just to feed myself, let alone enjoy it, or appreciate it.  Even though gluten free is more known now and every grocery store has something to feed us, there are still many at the beginning of this journey, and yes, they still struggle.

Do you ever see someone in the gluten free section at your local supermarket pondering over the choices like they were reading Greek?  I have, and if it’s not too intrusive, I’ll introduce myself as a celiac and help them make some choices, maybe not for them, but for a loved one.

We all have our favourite foods, the list is honed from the many times we have tried and been disappointed, as well as those times we have been pleasantly surprised.  I encourage you to share your lists, as Ellen and I have done.  Who knows, your favourites are likely shared by others.  I think I’ll have an ice cream cone now.

Let’s start the blog with the Show Notes for this episode:

This week was a bit different – I spoke about a video I felt compelled to make about the

5 Things Everyone Should Know About the Gluten Free Diet.  Here’s the link –

http://bit.ly/5ThingsAboutGlutenFree

I was quizzed so many times while I had the bakery about the diet and questions surrounding those on it, I felt that maybe a video might answer those top 5 questions as follows:

Who needs to eat a gluten free diet?

How much gluten is too much? – A tiny bit of gluten makes a huge difference.

What happens when someone who shouldn’t eat gluten eats some?

How can anyone be sure they’re eating gluten free?

How can I prepare a meal for someone eating gluten free?

Sue’s Websites and Social Media –

Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com

Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com

Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast

Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA

Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com

Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com

Instagram – @suesgfbaking

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL

(search Sues Gluten Free Baking)

Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com

New Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com

 

My Thoughts –

Not too much to add to about my thoughts on the 5 questions – I did that in the podcast.  What I can share was the difficulty in translating the answers to simple video segments.

I love M&M’s (almost too much) and I remember sitting around the kitchen table with my girls when they were young playing simple math games with a small bag of M&M’s. How many of each colour, add colours together and the ever-popular subtraction (in our mouths).  I thought this might work, so after counting out 94 M&M’s without red or yellow, I added 1 red and 5 yellow.  I dropped them a few times onto the white surface before I got all of them to stay together.  Afterwards – you guessed it, I played subtraction.

Parts per million as a concept is tricky to illustrate in video.  I didn’t even want to estimate a million of anything.  Crumbs were the answer, and everyone has them in their toasters.  In our house we have two matching toasters one black for wheat products and one white for only gluten free.  It wasn’t hard to find or show crumbs on a white background.

Even more difficult than parts per million was to show what happens when someone eats gluten.  I didn’t want to get graphic, and everyone’s pain and discomfort is different.  My main goal with this segment was to show the effects lasted for days and that ingesting gluten is nothing one gets over quickly.

How can anyone eat gluten free – this one was easy – Labels, Labels and Labels.  We all, over time, get used to it.  Odd to watch others in a grocery store, never reading a label.  It’s second nature to me now.

Lastly, I wanted to illustrate eating simply.  I normally have a big salad or some homemade soup for lunch.  Often on a restaurant menu the only thing we can eat is a salad (to be safe), but the truth is most of us (celiacs) love salads.  I noticed this when feeding a summer camp of celiac kids – I could never make enough salad.  That’s a good thing.

The challenge I’m left with after uploading the video is to have people watch it.  You can help me by sharing it, especially with those around you who either need some education on the subject or just some reinforcement of what you’ve already told them.  Then my job will be done!

Let’s start the blog with the Show Notes for this episode:

This week I spoke to Cinde Little who writes a food blog and recipes as the Everyday Gluten Free Gourmet.  Cinde wrote a blog post devoted to baking gluten free cookies, some of the basics, and some suggest

ions for flours and techniques.  I also mentioned a reference page comparing cups and grams for different flours to help in weighing out flours for recipes (see link below).  You can read Cinde’s entire blog post at –

Blog Post – https://www.everydayglutenfreegourmet.ca/tips-for-making-gluten-free-cookies/

Cinde’s Website – https://www.everydayglutenfreegourmet.ca

Twitter – @LittleCinde

Instagram – everyday.gf.gourmet.ca

Facebook – Everyday Gluten Free Gourmet

My flours weights page – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com/dry-ingredient-weight-amounts

Sue’s Websites and Social Media –

Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com

Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com

Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast

Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA

Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com

Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com

Instagram – @suesgfbaking

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL

(search Sues Gluten Free Baking)

Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com

New Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com

My Thoughts –

Baking cookies is something that we often miss and maybe even mourn when we first get diagnosed, or when someone in our family gets diagnosed.  Many of us have a recipe box of family favourites that just won’t be the same without wheat flour.  Admittedly, it takes time to come to terms with the gluten free diet, to feel comfortable enough to not panic and take it day to day.  The thought of baking, even after a couple of initial attempts is often daunting and not very encouraging.

My best advice is try, just try, and then try again.  You might want to start with a mix, just to get something edible with minimal fuss.  Then try looking online or in books for some simple recipes and work with one that isn’t complicated.  As you get better and gain confidence, you can tackle different flours and techniques.  It won’t work every time, even your favourite recipe will have different degrees of success – gluten free baking is just like that.  But it’s worth it.

We all have family favourites and likely recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation.  There’s a reason our grandmothers and great-grandmothers made cookies – because they were made with love, cost less than buying them, and most times tasted better than pre-made.  These are all the reasons that should draw you to your kitchen today.  We all complain about the cost of gluten free prepared foods – with good reason, they are expensive to make.  Not so much if you make them yourself.  Then we know as we practice, that our fresh cookies will taste better than anything that comes from a package.  Lastly, we have the opportunity to add that most special ingredient – Love – can’t get that from a package.  Go forward – bake cookies!

Let’s start the blog with the Show Notes for this episode:

My conversation this week is with American Certified Nutritionist Aimee Aristotelous who has recently published a book looking at pregnancy from the perspective of a healthy gluten free diet.  The book is called – The Whole Pregnancy: A Complete Nutrition Plan for Gluten-Free Moms-to-Be.  Aimee looks at all aspects of nutrition required for pregnancy and relates it to a healthy gluten free diet.  She includes meal plans and recipes to suit the different needs of each trimester.

The book is available through most book sellers as well as from Amazon.

Aimee can be found online at www.thewholepregnancy.com and on Instagram at thewholepregnancy.

Sue’s Websites and Social Media –

Podcast https://acanadianceliacpodcast.libsyn.com

Podcast Blog – https://www.acanadianceliacblog.com

Facebook – @acanadianceliacpodcast

Twitter – CeliacPodcastCA

Email – acdnceliacpodcast@gmail.com

Baking Website – https://www.suesglutenfreebaking.com

Instagram – @suesgfbaking

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUVGfpD4eJwwSc_YjkGagza06yYe3ApzL

(search Sues Gluten Free Baking)

Email – sue@suesglutenfreebaking.com

New Podcast – Gluten Free Weigh In – https://glutenfreeweighin.libsyn.com

 

My Thoughts –

Pregnancy is often a time of excitement, mixed with fear of the unknown.  It’s a time when you and everyone around you want to do the right thing.  This is where our understanding of the gluten free diet might be letting us down.  We try and educate ourselves to make our diet as healthy as it can be, but then the unknown enters the picture.

How much should a Mom-to-be increase her food, what nutrients should she be looking to increase and how will she know that she is choosing the best sources?  All these questions are common to every pregnant woman, but adding the complexity of the gluten free diet, may be enough to cause someone to second guess how they are feeding themselves.  To say nothing of the comments from all those around her, who ask, speak and give advice out of love and concern.

Today, the pregnant woman who is eating gluten free because of celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, or simply because she feels more in control of her health issues, is challenged to incorporate everything she is being told about eating healthy, eating for two, and getting all the right nutrition gluten free.

A book that brings information and perspective to these issues is very welcome – Thank you Aimee!