Tag Archives: Gluten-free diet

B&O Espresso Opens Shop in Ballard, Adds Gluten Free Treats!

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Gluten Free Mousse
Gluten Free Chocolate Cake
Chai Milkshake
Sarah Bernhardt – Mousse with an Amaretti cookie.
Marzipan
Gluten Free Crème Brûlée
Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies

There’s a new kid on the Leary block – our very favorite and long time residents of Capitol Hill did a hop, skip and a jaunt over to the buzz-happy Ballard! And boy are we happy to have them! B&O Espresso isn’t just espresso and they aren’t just desserts, they are the finest espresso and desserts in Seattle. For example, their chai latte’s are freshly brewed chai, made by the owner himself. They have mousses and cookies and towers of cakes. They have chocolates and milkshakes that are tantalizing to taste.

Yes, some of their menu has been discontinued, along with their late night food-munching hours. They do, however, offer early morning pastries, brunch, espresso and desserts. The venu also has a wide array of gluten free desserts like the Sarah Bernhardt, Crème brûlée, double chocolate chip cookies, mousse, Marzipan and my personal favorite – the chai milkshake.

If you ever spent any time in B&O’s Capitol Hill location, you would have noticed the French posters and tributes, colorful Cap Hill patrons and the lavish decor collected from vintage styles over the years. While the new location is smaller and not of the same vibe, it’s still the same friendly people and the same fantastic treats.

10 Signs You Are Gluten Intolerant.

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Say no to gluten.By Dr. Amy Myers

More then 55 diseases have been linked to gluten, the protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It’s estimated that 99% of the people who have either gluten intolerance or celiac disease are never diagnosed.

It is also estimated that as much as 15% of the US population is gluten intolerant. Could you be one of them?

If you have any of the following symptoms it could be a sign that you have gluten intolerance:

1. Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea and even constipation. I see the constipation particularly in children after eating gluten.

2. Keratosis Pilaris, (also known as ‘chicken skin’ on the back of your arms). This tends be as a result of a fatty acid deficiency and vitamin A deficiency secondary to fat-malabsorption caused by gluten damaging the gut.

3. Fatigue, brain fog or feeling tired after eating a meal that contains gluten.

4. Diagnosis of an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Ulcerative colitis, Lupus, Psoriasis, Scleroderma or Multiple sclerosis.

5. Neurologic symptoms such as dizziness or feeling of being off balance.

6. Hormone imbalances such as PMS, PCOS or unexplained infertility.

7. Migraine headaches.

8. Diagnosis of chronic fatigue or fibromyalgia. These diagnoses simply indicate your conventional doctor cannot pin point the cause of your fatigue or pain.

9. Inflammation, swelling or pain in your joints such as fingers, knees or hips.

10. Mood issues such as anxiety, depression, mood swings and ADD.

How to test for gluten intolerance?

I have found the single best ways to determine if you have an issue with gluten is to do an elimination diet and take it out of your diet for at least 2 to 3 weeks and then reintroduce it. Please note that gluten is a very large protein and it can take months and even years to clear from your system so the longer you can eliminate it from your diet before reintroducing it, the better.

The best advice that I share with my patients is that if they feel significantly better off of gluten or feel worse when they reintroduce it, then gluten is likely a problem for them.  In order to get accurate results from this testing method you must elimination 100% of the gluten from your diet.

How to treat gluten intolerance?

Eliminating gluten 100% from your diet means 100%. Even trace amounts of gluten from cross contamination or medications or supplements can be enough to cause an immune reaction in your body.

The 80/20 rule or “we don’t eat it in our house, just when we eat out” is a complete misconception. An article published in 2001 states that for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity eating gluten just once a month increased the relative risk of death by 600%.

Still unsure?

Seek out an integrative practitioner or functional medicine physician to help to guide you.

About Dr. Amy Myers

Amy Myers, MD is the Founder and Medical Director of Austin UltraHealth, a functional medicine practice in Austin, Texas. Dr. Myers seeks to find the root cause of illness rather than treating only the symptoms with medications. Nutrition is a large part of her practice and she believes that food is medicine! Dr. Myers has published an eBook The Myers Way: Your Guide to UltraHealth and holds monthly nutritionist lead 21- Day Challenges based on her eBook.

This article was originally posted on www.mindbodygreen.com

Cupcake Royale Perfects the Gluten Free Cupcake.

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Gluten Free Flourless Deathcake Gluten Free Chocolate CupcakeWe are happy to report another cupcake retail chain is catering to the gluten challenged folk of Seattle.

Cupcake Royale has perfected the chocolate gluten free cupcake. They tell me the flour consists of Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour and is available with a variety of frosting tops.

When we were in the other day they had this yummy gluten free cake with vanilla and chocolate buttercream frosting at the Capitol Hill location. We devoured them both! The cake is moist and chocolaty, while the frosting is a sugary dance of delight.

Another fun tidbit is Cupcake Royale makes their gluten free cupcakes for special orders, so if you are wanting a dozen or dozens, they will make them for you with any frosting tops or a mix of several.

Best Gluten and Dairy-Free Protein on the Market.

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Vega Protein ShakesWe haven’t found a better protein out there that is also gluten free and dairy free. Vega produces a chocolate, berry, vanilla chai and also just came out with regular vanilla.

What’s unique about this protein? Let us count the ways.

Vega has:

  • 50% daily intake of vitamins and minerals
  • 15 g protein
  • 6 g fibre
  • 1.5 g Omega-3
  • Antioxidants
  • Probiotics
  • Greens

For protein Vega uses all plant-based sources:

  • Pea protein
  • SaviSeed™ (sacha inchi) protein
  • Hemp seed protein
  • Sprouted whole grain brown rice protein

Fiber is also a nice benefit of the plant-based proteins, like hemp. But also helps with:

  • Maintaining normal blood sugar levels
  • Normalizing elimination and maintain bowel health
  • Promoting a feeling of fullness, reduce feelings of hunger and thereby support healthy weight management when combined with exercise and a reduced calorie diet.

Not only does this protein taste good, especially mixed in smoothies, but it is low in carbohydrates (great for diabetics), has Omega-3s, antioxidants, greens, vitamins & minerals, probiotics and digestive enzymes.

This protein is hands down our top contender for protein. It isn’t cheap, but well worth it for optimum health.

Essential Baking Company Has Gone Gluten Free.

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Essential Baking Company has long been known for their specialty artisan breads. Based out of Seattle, this crafty crust-maker has decided to offer a new line of gluten free sandwich breads that are a little different than other gluten free breads on the market. We have found many of the sliced sandwich breads available are the equivalent to eating wonder bread. While delicious in many respects, they offer no nutritional gain or fiber count and a high starch content.

Essential bakery has three options that contain fiber, sunflower seeds and flax seeds. These delicious gluten free bread options are quite sustainable and definitely a healthier option for sandwiches. The company tells me all of their gluten free breads are soy, dairy and nut free as well. They sell a Gluten Free Seeded Cinnamon Raisin, Gluten Free Sunny Seeded White and Gluten Free Super Seeded Multi-Grain. Essential Bakery also has gluten free rolls and more gluten free products rolling out soon.

All gluten free products are available at PCC locations throughout Seattle and other grocery stores. Please visit their website for more information on locations. Check out their video on gluten free breads!

New Seattle Gluten Free Pastry Chef Coming to Whole Foods.

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There is a new Seattle gluten free kid on the block, Tarte Nouveau, run by Shelley Baumgarten of Seattle. We ran across her booth at the Fremont Sunday Market last weekend and got a chance to see all of her goodies. To name a few, she makes lemon bars, cupcakes, brownies, tartes, and other delicious treats.

Her treats will be available at Whole Foods in August, so be on the look out for her brand! Products they plan on carrying are tarts (dessert and savory), cupcakes, Madeleine’s, Eclairs and brownies. Pricing will be competitive with other gluten free products.

“It’s my total belief that everyone deserves great dessert, especially individuals with food allergies because we struggle so much to keep ourselves healthy,” says Baumgarten.

Baumgarten says she uses a mix of gluten free flours from Bob’s Red Mill and Xanthum Gum. She also fulfills orders for individuals having parties, special celebrations or personal orders.  She can be reached by email, tarte.nouveau@gmail.com or by phone T 206-524-3020 or 206-949-2163. She welcomes special order requests by stopping by her booth at the Fremont Sunday Market.

Her baking background: When she was a child, her mother would take her to a very fine department store that had an incredible bakery.  She was mesmerized by the rows of gorgeous pastries and other baked goods.  This planted the seed for her to try her hand at baking, then discovered she truly loved it, even as a young child. Later, as an adult, her doctor told her to stay off gluten, so she decided to attempt gluten-free baking. One year later and after a year of product development (and sending tons of samples with her husband to his Boeing job for taste testing) she launched Tarte Nouveau. She will celebrate the company’s first birthday this coming September.

Eating Gluten Free: Counting the healthy and the unhealthy ways.

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Many people ask me if it’s healthier to be gluten free because they heard it was and were considering a change, despite having an allergy. My answer is usually yes and no, depending on how you go about it. Sure, it’s healthier if you cut down the amount of starches and carbohydrates you are eating and replace those with more vegetable and protein-rich foods. It’s also great to not have an allergic reaction if you are allergic. But often times the change from eating gluten to eating gluten free goes from eating regular gluten packaged goods to gluten free packaged goods. You get what I’m saying? Carbs to carbs isn’t healthier.

The Unhealthy Gluten Free Diet

1) Bread. Instead of eating a regular sandwich every day for lunch, you now eat a gluten free sandwich with gluten free bread made of potato, rice, and tapioca flour. IT IS healthier if you are allergic, because now you will not have the allergic reaction, but you are still eating a starchy, food-coma inducing sandwich. Most gluten free sliced bread like Udi’s and Rudi’s are 80 calories per slice.

2) Pasta. Instead of eating regular spaghetti, lasagna, and ravioli, you now eat the gluten free versions plus the same amount of cheese that come with these dishes. Italian food is probably the most fattening and carb-heavy food you can eat, aside from American cuisine. So while yes, you are not having the allergic reaction to gluten, you are still working on increasing your cholesterol and overall body fat.

3) Cookies and Crackers. Gluten free manufacturers LOVE to make gluten free cookies, you know why? Because with enough sugar anything tastes good and you know what sells best over just about anything in the world? Sugar. So again no gluten reaction, but it’s still a high sugar, high fat, high carb cookie. Crackers are just less the sugar. A lot of gluten free cookie and cracker manufacturers like to use cream, milk, and eggs in their products as well, which also makes these little snacks a high-dairy treat.

The Healthy Gluten Free Diet

1) Bread. Instead of eating a sandwich every day for lunch, how about a salad with lots of fiber and protein? Kale, spinach, brown rice, quinoa, cashews, almonds, kale chips, tuna, chicken, turkey, olives, cucumbers, carrots are a few of my favorite ingredients for a complex and filling mid-day lunch. I also like to make lettuce wraps with meat and rice cheese, along with vegetables, which is easy to make and definitely filling.

2) Pasta. I don’t eat a lot of Italian food and yes, it’s hard to replace the ingredient of many Italian dishes and actually make it delicious. Egg plant is a great replacement to lasagna noodles and spaghetti squash or shredded zucchini is a healthy replacement for spaghetti. I use alternative cheeses like almond or rice cheese instead of regular cheese, to lower fat content.

3) Cookies. I don’t eat cookies, plain and simple. I can’t handle most sugar anyhow, so it’s good to cut it out. If I do occasionally eat a cookie or a treat I look to Skydottir Cookies or Jodee’s Desserts for a treat. Both bakers are vegan and use high fiber, low fat, and low-glycemic index alternative sweeteners in their products.

4) Crackers. There are many delicious gluten free cracker brands out there as well, but I just recently turned to a new brand I found called Go Raw Flax Snax, crackers made of flax, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds flavored like pizza other herbs. They are so good! They also have a cookie that is made out of raw coconut and ginger, also very good.

5) Vegetables. All in all it’s important to eat more vegetables. One way I am able to do this is juice every other morning. I like to make juices that are strictly low sugar vegetables, so carrots and beets are usually not on my list. I do use tomatoes which have some sugar, but mostly cucumbers, celery, kale, spinach, lemon, and ginger. Combinations of all these with a little apple or carrot definitely makes them taste better, but after awhile you get used to the taste and feel amazing to boot.

Don’t get me wrong, I still eat gluten free breads, pastas, and crackers on occasion, mostly once or twice a week when I really want it, but for the most part I try to cut out the carbs, fat, and sugars for an all around healthier and more nutritional diet. Eating gluten free can definitely be healthier and I can only hope celebrities or gluten free advocates in the public sphere educate people about what is actually healthy and what is not when it comes to eating gluten free.

Seattle’s Blue Saucer Cafe offering gluten free sandwiches.

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Blue Saucer is a cute little coffee shop/cafe sitting on the corner of 92nd and Roosevelt in the Maple Leaf neighborhood of Seattle.

Over the last year, Blue Saucer’s owner, Billie Bryan, has been testing out local gluten free desserts and baked goods by several different local vendors. Her current vendors are Dolce Lou, who provide the shop with delicious sweet breads, cakes, and now sandwich bread; Sister Souls GF Bakers, who provide mini loaves, currently lemon poppyseed, double chocolate and sour cream coffee cake; and Dancing Women Catering and Meal Delivery Service who provide delicious peanut butter cookies (these frequently sell out in a day).

If you live in the Seattle area, Blue Saucer is the kind of home-grown coffee shop that you want to spend time in. The employees and owner remember your name and what you like to drink/eat. Speaking of which, they have an expansive array of herbal and caffeinated black teas, along with coffee drinks, juices, smoothies, lunch and breakfast items – all well-made and delicious.

Blue Saucer will be participating in Maple Leaf’s Art Walk along with many other Maple Leaf businesses, including mine, maoStudios. Come down to the Maple Leaf area on May 11, 2012 from 6-9 pm to view local artists, artisans, eat food, and drinks! Our office will have jewelry from Yoj Healing Crystals and Bijoudally.

Gluten Free Spanish Tortilla

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This is a really delicious gluten free dinner recipe that is very similar to a quiche.

A ‘Spanish Tortilla‘ is usually an omelette or quiche like dish, with potatoes and without a crust.

Serves 6 people.
Time: 40 minutes.

Ingredients:

3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup precooked diced red potatoes, (see Tip)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
6 large eggs
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup shredded Manchego, or Jack cheese
3 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 Avocado
2 Tablespoons of Salsa
2 Tablespoons of Sour Cream

Technique:

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add potatoes, thyme and paprika and cook for 2 minutes more.

Lightly whisk eggs and egg whites in a large bowl. Gently stir the potato mixture into the eggs along with cheese, spinach, salt and pepper until combined. Wipe the pan clean; add the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and heat over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture, cover and cook until the edges are set and the bottom is browned, 4 to 5 minutes (it will still be moist in the center).

To flip the tortilla, run a spatula gently around the edges to loosen them. Invert a large plate over the pan and turn out the tortilla onto it (the middle usually isn’t cooked, so be careful not to loose the egg batter). Slide the tortilla back into the pan and continue cooking until completely set in the middle, 3 to 6 minutes. Garnish with avocado, salsa, and sour cream. Serve warm or cold.

Adapted from EatingWell.com

 

Gluten Free Travel in Norway

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As I sit here admiring the the rare but rewarding day of sun in Seattle, I can’t help but recall the pitch black winter I experienced in Norway. Before I traveled to Norway, I had never been to a place darker (aside from Alaska, but I was there in summer when it was light out 22 hours a day) than my home town. Norway in December, is only light (twilight) from 11 am to 1 pm and is pitch black the rest of the day and night. This makes for excellent Northern Light viewing if it’s not cloudy, but also extreme hibernation.

To my surprise and delight, the little town we lodged in, Lyngseidet, Norway, had more gluten free options in their one tiny grocery store (it’s actually a chain found in Sweden, Norway, & Denmark), than the entire city of Copenhagen. Just to give you an idea of how small this town is, there were no restaurants, no bars, just a grocery store, church, and retirement home for the 800 people who live in the area. We flew into Tromso and then drove to a ferry, which got us to this magical little place.

The Lyngen Alps are truly majestic mountains, rising high and white. Lyngseidet sits in one of the many Fjords the glaciers cut out centuries ago.

My first order of business (required for all gluten free travel) when I get into foreign cities is to hit the grocery stores and pharmacies to see if and what gluten free options are available. The grocery store/chain in Lyngseidet is called REMA 1000. I found gluten free potato flours, almond flours, and a whole dedicated gluten free section for all sorts of gluten free mixes, cookies, crackers, breads, and pasta. They also had an entire freezer section of frozen gluten free almond flour cakes, brownies, and breads. So despite there not be one restaurant (that we knew of anyway), we ate very well on our trip.

So what did we learn? Gluten Free in Norwegian is Glutenfri (The Norwegian language is almost identical to Danish, just pronounced differently). When you are reading the ingredients of products if it has wheat flour or Hvetemel, it is usually the first ingredient listed. Uten Siktet Hvetemel translates to ‘without wheat flour.’ Other ingredients to look out for, Potet, is potato and Mandel is almond, both are common gluten free flours used in gluten free goods. Mostly you will see glutenfri listed on the front, but these tips will help further investigation.

We had many adventures in Lyngseidet, our first being dog sledding. In my head I had a much more romantic expectation of what this looked like, maybe a large sleigh, pulled by 20 large huskies through the alps for hours. When we got there we realized it was more like 5-6 scrawny (and poorly cared for) little husky mixes pulling 2 people for an hour with a guide. At first I was sad to see hundreds of dogs yelping and living outside, but after I realized they were excited to go for a run and it’s what they love to do.

We also managed to get out and hike in the afternoon (when it was pitch black). It was dangerous to do that, so we didn’t make it that far unprepared, but we managed to overlook the entire town and Fjords of the Lyngen Alps.

Our group stayed through the New Year, dancing, eating, and playing games in our cabin waiting for the Aurora Borealis to come out and play (and it did!). It was a fun little trip and a place I’d like to visit again during the warmer months.

If you are gluten free and looking to travel internationally, Gluten Free Hotels for Celiacs has a robust list of hotels all around the world who can accommodate you.

If you are gluten free and looking to travel internationally, Gluten Free Hotels for Celiacs has a robust list of hotels all around the world who can accommodate you.

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