Archive for October, 2008
Lager Lovers-Gluten-Free Beer is Here!
It’s football season! Time to sit in front of the flat-screen with friends and root for your favorite team (go Bears!). But what would game day be without some cold ones? Unfortunately, for the celiac, most beer is off-limits.
Nearly all beer contains barley malt, a grain that a celiac simply can’t stomach. Luckily, beer companies have taken notice of the nearly 3.2 million people with celiac disease and have developed alternatives.
And in our effort to offer alternatives, Apple’s Bakery now carries Redbridge gluten-free beer, perfect for game day gatherings with friends. Redbridge is made from sorghum, a cereal grain safe for a celiac and those who avoid gluten. Sorghum is produced in large quantities in Africa and has been used to make beer internationally for years.
Redbridge assures us that no wheat or barley comes in contact with the beer and “no blending or mixing of the ingredients takes place” in the brewing process in order to maintain purity. Redbridge is committed to providing a gluten-free alternative and has even partnered with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness to get the word out about celiac disease.
Even better, this is a great tasting beer. As the company describes it, the beer “is a rich, full-bodied lager brewed from sorghum for a well-balanced moderately hopped taste.” Decide for yourself: stop in to Apple’s for a six-pack!
We also carry Arico’s Cassava gluten-free potato chips for your game day needs. Made from the cassava root, the chips come in four flavors. Barbeque Bliss is my personal favorite.
Check out Arico Natural Foods and Redbridge on the web for more information.
Gluten-Free AND Tasty
Sampling the foods we come to love is a big part of the epicurean journey in one’s life. Having recently partnered with Naturally Yours Grocery to carry our gluten-free baked goods line, Apple’s Bakery had the opportunity to begin a sampling program at the store’s Peoria and Bloomington locations.
Our resident gluten-free baker, Erin Alderson, set up her table and introduced area consumers to the fantastic taste of our gluten-free bakery products. The Peoria Naturally Yours store was treated to our great gluten-free olive oil bread with dipping oil; customers at the Bloomington store sampled our decadent gluten-free chocolate cake.
Upon her return to Apple’s, Erin marveled at the many comments she received from customers who were pleasantly surprised that our gluten-free products are tasty. When told there was not any wheat flour in the products, customers gave dubious looks. Yet, after a bite, they said, “You know, that tastes really good!”
It’s amazing how quickly our opinion of food gravitates to the negative when told it’s not comprised of mainstream ingredients. I want to shout, “You don’t know what you’re missing!” when referencing the abundance of flavor formed with the correct blend of flours.
For now, we’re taking it one mouthful at a time! Watch for gluten-free samplings at our newest partner store, the Chicagoland grocer Treasure Island Foods, in the future.
Our Gluten-Free Goods at Local Stores!
I’m pleased to announce two new Apple’s Bakery partnerships.
Our gluten-free products are being sold locally at Naturally Yours Grocery with locations in Peoria and Bloomington.
We’re also in talks with Treasure Island Foods in the Chicagoland area and hope they’ll become another outlet for Apple’s gluten-free baked goods. Details to come!
Free Celiac Screening - October 18, 2008
The University of Chicago-renowned for its prestigious academic programs-is also home to the Celiac Disease Center, a non-profit organization devoted to spreading the word about celiac disease and helping those struggling with the ailment.
The center began in 2000 and was the first of its kind. Made up of doctors who specialize in infertility,
thyroid disease, dermatology, diabetes, cancer, and other disorders often linked with celiac disease, the center helps those with the disease and continues to search for innovative treatments and, ultimately, a cure.
Apart from conducting significant research and offering patient services to celiacs, the center also has an information hotline, a hands-on education center for medical professionals, and a care package program that delivers gift baskets of food and resources to the newly diagnosed celiacs all over the country.
The celiac center was started in an effort to educate doctors on the disease and dispel the previously held belief that the disease was rare. Many doctors weren’t, and still aren’t, screening for the disease, and many insurance companies won’t cover the screening costs.
For anyone at risk for celiac disease, the Celiac Disease Center is offering a free celiac blood screening on Saturday, October 18. The center offers the free screening each fall and nearly 500 participants come from the Chicagoland and countrywide. This is a great opportunity for those who can’t otherwise get tested.
My friend Kip will venture to Chicago this Saturday, along with his wife and beautiful two-year old daughter, to take part in the free screening. His wife was previously diagnosed as Celiac; both she and Kip are concerned that their daughter shares the disease. The screening will shape their lifelong nutritional journey as a family.
I’ve asked Kip to comment on his experience from a father’s point of view. Should any other blog readers know of someone who has been screened for celiac disease, or if you yourself have gone through the testing experience, please feel open to share your experience in the comments section below.
For more information on the free screening, or to pre-register, call the center’s office at (773) 702-7593 or visit the center’s website.
Athletics & Better Nutrition
October is a great month for our family. My husband Chris and I celebrate our wedding anniversary each October 6th, and this year marks our 23rd year. In today’s world, that in itself is a huge accomplishment. For us, it’s a culmination of give and take, the sway of back and forth encouragement from one to the other as each reaches for new horizons.
This month also marks my first anniversary as a 5K runner. I ran my first road race, benefiting the Peoria YWCA, on October 18, 2007. I’ll run this race again this year. Wow, what a rush! This is a great run.
The fellowship of other women gathering early on a cool, crisp Saturday morning to jog through a sleepy neighborhood makes skipping that second cup of coffee worthwhile.
And it’s really all about the finish. Tables laden with fruit, muffins, bagels, and pizza await the participants as reward for the effort, and that food seems to cry out, “Eat me!” As a former spectator of a wide variety of races Chris participated in, I’d always cheer from the sidelines and casually graze the post-race feast.
Since becoming a gluten-free baker, I’ve grown much more sensitive to the challenges the Celiac has with nutrition. A recent article in the online edition of Trail Runner Magazine focuses on the challenges a gluten-intolerant trail runner faces, particularly when a traditional runner’s diet consists of cereals, bagels, pastas, and other grain-based foods. Amy Fisher raises the question, “What is the non-gluten runner to do?”
Fisher offers great tips on going gluten free and how a diet sans gluten offers health benefits, such as keeping blood sugar levels consistent during runs, which makes for steadier energy levels. Fisher also gives lists of healthy gluten-free foods such as beans, lentils, lean protein, leafy green vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. (The article is only available to online subscribers, but Trail Runner’s website is chock full of helpful reference materials.)
As we move along in life, I believe it’s important to incorporate more exercise and a balanced approach to our nutrition. I am grateful to have resources, like the above-mentioned article, to assist me in my quest for better health and nutritional guidance for all.
Of course, my reward at the end of my race is no longer a bagel but rather an Apple’s Bakery seasonal Gluten Free Spice Gem cookie! Happy running!