Gluten Always Ruins a Perfectly Good Evening- Jako Japanese Restaurant

I write this post as a warning to all those in Vancouver who love sushi, and follow a gluten-free diet, out of necessity, or otherwise.

Jako Japanese Restaurant, located on Davie St in the Downtown/Yaletown district is NOT a gluten-free restaurant. After eating what should have been a clean roll, I am now in bed, in pain, with a stomach swollen like a balloon!

It leads me to the suspicion that they do not use real rice vinegar to season their rice, but something else like a malt/barley vinegar.

Save your tummies!!

Panne Rizo's Rewards Program

I've talked about Panne Rizo on this blog before, and I'm still a huge fan. It's so nice to have a bakery dedicated to gluten-free eating, but one that offers egg-free and dairy-free products as well. My favourite products are still their bread crumbs, Vegan Chia Loaf, and Bird's Nest Cookies, but I will continue to explore and update you on my findings!

Panne Rizo is also fantastic at providing it's customers with new products for the holidays. Last Christmas they had a delicious assortment of traditional Christmas cakes and cookies, of which I ate plenty!

I noticed that they've also got special offerings for this Thanksgiving! Drop by and pick yourself up a pumpkin pie (or try the recipe on my blog!) or some pumpkin loaf. Or save yourself a ton of time by ordering some gluten-free turkey stuffing! This is fantastic for those who will be serving someone with a gluten-free diet and is overwhelmed by the idea of making their own!

A new feature for Panne Rizo is their free Customer Rewards Program. Gain points by spending money (1 point for each dollar spent), and gain extra points by bringing in your own reusable bags!
Panne Rizo will also register you into the Celiac Registry where you can get your Celiac receipts at the end of the year for tax purposes.

If you are diagnosed Celiac- here is the link to the Canadian Revenue Agency's page on Gluten-Free write-offs:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/tpcs/ncm-tx/rtrn/cmpltng/ddctns/lns300-350/330/clc-eng.html

Here is the link to the page of Panne Rizo's new Customer Rewards Program:
http://www.pannerizo.com/rewards-celiac-registry/

Mentos...

This is a sad post.

To be honest, I don't know anyone other than me that buys Mentos, but they are one of my favourite candies to indulge in.

Until now.

Mentos have gluten, guys.
"Wheat glucose syrup"

What the heck, Mentos? Why do you need wheat? Change this! It can't be that difficult.

Yummy Product Review: Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss

Alright people. We are talking about a serious topic here. Ice Cream.

More importantly, we are talking about Soy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan (aka. Dairy-Free) Ice Cream.

I had heard about this product through the grapevine, and had been dying to try it. A little while ago at my local Whole Foods, this product was on sale, and I grabbed the VERY LAST carton of it.

The one that was left was called "Naked Coconut"- and even though I'm not a crazy coconut fan, I decided I had to try it.

This stuff is unreal. Although pricey, it is so rich in flavour that you'll find yourself only eating a little at a time (and still being entirely satisfied).

This Naked Coconut flavour was rich in coconut flavour, with little pieces of actual coconut mixed around inside. This is something you'll eat right out of the carton.

I'm looking forward to trying some of their other flavours, including Naked Almond Fudge, Vanilla Island, and Cappuccino. Based on their website, it looks like they have 10 flavours of ice cream, and 2 flavours of ice cream bars available in Canada.

I've seen this product sold at Whole Foods, and Choices Markets so far.
If you love your ice cream, like I do, go out and try this! I highly recommend it!

Allergies- Know Thy Enemy.

It's been over 3 months since I gave up gluten.
Do I love the change? Yes.
Do I feel healthier? Yes.
Have my eating habits changed for the better? Yes.

The problem now is that my body seems to be incredibly more sensitive to what I put in it. I really feel the difference between good food and bad food. I also really feel the pain if I accidentally consume gluten, in any form.

Last night I made a delicious recipe, adapted from one I saw on Steven and Chris
For the recipe: go here.

I messed around with the spices a little, didn't have any wine, used chicken breasts instead of thighs, but essentially a very similar dish.

So, a while back, I bought a bag of curry powder at my local No Frills grocery store. Of course, I read through the ingredients, and although NO gluten was listed on the label, it did say, "May contain traces of gluten". Now, I figured, okay, it's probably made in a plant that there is a risk of cross contamination, but if it actually doesn't contain gluten in the recipe, then it can't be that bad...right?

Wrong.

Pain, people. Lots. Of. Pain.

Slowly I am learning my lesson. No gluten allowed. Not even traces. It's a tough battle- this whole gluten-free thing. The diet is just fine- but wheat/gluten is so sneaky, it's literally in every corner of the grocery store. It just reinforces the fact that I really have to check the labels- and if it says, may contain traces- DO NOT CONSUME! It's just not worth it. Even though the risk may be small, there clearly was enough gluten in the product to really make me feel it.

So, today- I will be tossing out that curry powder, and looking for a new, gluten-free version.

I finished this book yesterday, and recommend it for anyone who is interested in living a gluten-free life, who has recently been diagnosed with a gluten-sensitivity/celiac, or anyone who wants to lose weight, feel better, and have more energy.

It really is a fantastic read- although slow at times (written by a doctor- many medical terms to plough through), William Davis gives a variety of examples of how wheat (gluten) can negatively affect your life. His many medical studies through his patients have proven the benefits of giving up gluten, and the absolute miracles that have occurred in their doing so (diabetes cure, 10 year skin rash disappears, incredibly fast weight loss).
For me, it was interesting to read the scientific side of this problem: how wheat has changed over the years, how science meddling in our food production has been an absolute curse, and of course, reading the many magical stories of people getting healthy through one simple change- no more gluten.

I, for one, know I'll never go back. I don't want to live with the constant stomach aches, the uncomfortable and ugly swelling and bloating of my stomach for reasons I was unaware of at the time, the energy crashes, the painful canker sores, the migraines. All of these problems disappeared within 3 days of me giving up gluten.
Coincidence? I don't think so.

Why you should ask, "Would a Caveman eat that?!"

This article gives an example of why we really should only eat what we are meant to eat- things that the earth gives us. This isn't some hippy-dippy way of living- it's the road to good health.

Coffee Creamer

A Gluten-Free Kitchen

Starting up a gluten-free, dairy-free kitchen can be a bit of a commitment. You want to have yourself set up to be successful, with many opportunities to create the most wonderful, delicious meals, and treats for yourself and your family.

Basics to have around the cupboards:

• White Sugar
• Brown Sugar
• Honey
• Maple Syrup (The real stuff. Don't buy the poison. Keep it in the fridge or it will go moldy!)
• Sorghum Flour
• Rice Flour (brown or white, whichever you prefer)
• Tapioca Flour
• Corn Flour
• Millet Flour
• Buckwheat Flour
• Potato Starch
• Corn Starch
• Baking Powder
• Baking Soda
• Yeast (Both rapid-rising, and not)

All flours I have found at Whole Foods. Most of them are made by Bob's Red Mill- Whole Foods does have some in bulk (rice and buckwheat).

Great spices to have on hand:

• Cloves
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Nutmeg
• Turmeric
• Curry Powder (check the ingredients labels before buying!)

For the fridge/freezer:

• Fruits and Veggies. I cannot stress the importance of having these around to snack on!
• Fresh salsa! Grab some at your local farmer's market or deli! Fresh is best!
• Kale!!!! Kale chips....so good. Try using red or black kale for a bigger crunch!
• Frozen berries for smoothies!
• Unsweetened Almond Milk (The Silk brand is just terrible. Try Almond Fresh)
• Gluten-free Soy Sauce (Kikkomen makes it! Available at Safeway!)
• Chef's Natural Sausages (Available at the Vancouver Farmer's Market! Try Apple and Pork)
• Soy Good Frozen Dessert (ICE CREAM!!!!)
• So Delicious Cultured Coconut Milk (AKA YOGURT! This is BETTER than the real stuff. Available in Strawberry, Blueberry, and Vanilla. Just try not to get addicted)

For the cupboards:

• Vegetable Oil
• Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar (Get both your Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar from an international market or deli! You'll absolutely find the best quality there.)
• Natural Peanut Butter (Try Adam's 100% Natural Crunchy! A little tip out there...next time you're buying peanut butter, check out the ingredients label on Skippy brand- one ingredient in there you probably didn't expect...)
• Rice pasta- vermicelli, as well as your standard penne, rotini...find a variety of brands at your local Whole Foods!
• Rice! Lots of it! Those who know me know that rice is my absolute favourite food.

Canned Foods:

• Black Beans
• Corn
• Campbells Chicken and Rice Soup. Great for a quick lunch.
• Young Sweet Corn (Stir Fries, and Curries)
• Bamboo Shoots (Thai Curries)
• Coconut Milk
• Dalla Terra Roasted Pepper Antipasto (Put on grilled chicken, mix into your thai curries...so versatile...so delicious)

Just a note: don't buy canned tomatoes. If you're going to: find them in glass jars. The acid in tomatoes leeches the metal out of the cans and creates an unhealthy metallic balance for you to consume. Google it.

Snacks

• Blue Corn Tortilla Chips
• Annie Chun's Seaweed Snacks (Try the sesame flavour)
• Rice Cakes
• Rice Crackers
• Make some of my OMG Bread and keep it on hand for sandwiches and toast!

I'll continue to add to this list as I discover new products! As of right now I've got most of this on hand. The baking ingredients may seem like a bit excessive- but all gluten-free baking uses a variety of flours versus just one to create a great product. Different flours for different recipes for different baked ingredients!

Vancouver Farmer's Market- Earth Day Post

Vancouver has some wonderful Farmer's Markets, and lucky for us, even in the dreary, wet winter, we still have one! This "Winter" market is located right near Nat Bailey Stadium, and there is a moderate amount of parking facilities available. Lots of bike parking- so if you can, ride your bike there!

 I decided I absolutely had to go visit the market this weekend after watching a thought-provoking documentary called "Farmaggedon" on Friday evening. It focusses on the debate over raw milk (which I can't have anyways...but you lactose-intolerants apparently can!)...and how it is illegal in Canada and in some states in the US. It was eye-opening, but what really got to me was the idea of buying local.

Of course, of course, we all know it's better to buy local, but without proper planning, we find ourselves at the supermarket time and time again without knowledge of where our food is travelling from, and how far it had to travel to get to our plates. It's self-explanatory that local food is better for the earth. Think about all the emissions that go out into the atmosphere every day just getting food to people's plates. Even "every day" type veggies like cucumber, and lettuce travel thousands of miles- why?! It just seems so silly if you think about it.

 The Vancouver (Winter) Farmer's Market had an exceptional number of stands and a very happy crowd slowly moved their way around the market.

I managed to pick up:
cucumbers
apples
carrots
leeks
tomatos
wild pink salmon
sashimi-grade wild tuna loin
GLUTEN-FREE ginger cookie (inspiration for baking them later today...)
GLUTEN-FREE apple and pork sausages
and more.

There was so much available- all sorts of lettuces, peppers, dried fruits, juices, all sorts of meat. Mostly organic, all local. It really makes you feel good supporting these farmers. Supporting the local economy. Knowing where your food comes from.
Whether it's all psychological that it tastes better, or not, is up to you...but in my belief, these products not only are better for the earth and better for your body, but they taste better, too.

I wanted to make a shout out to a couple of vendors:

1. High-Crow Gluten Free. They were the ones who had several baked goods on hand at the market, including the chewy ginger cookie that I purchased. Honestly, this was probably one of the best cookies I've ever eaten in my life. Their products are available at the farmer's market, and Edible Canada Bistro on Granville Island uses some of their products. Their website is: http://www.highcrow.com/

2. Chefs Natural Sausage. A wide variety of sausages, made with locally grown meats. All are gluten-free, no MSG, and no nitrates. I purchased a pack of 4 apple and pork sausages for about $6. Great price- delicious sausages!

If you want to find out more about the farmer's markets in Vancouver check out eatlocal.org

Markets are available all over the city- so look to see when the one nearest you is opening. Until then, check out the one on Saturdays at Nat Bailey!

Being healthy and allergy-free, and eating delicious foods is easy. All it takes is a little extra planning.

Cactus Club

It's important as a person with allergies to be informed when you go out to eat. So many sneaky ingredients!

Recently, I went to Cactus Club, and before I went, did some research. It's as easy as it gets. Cactus Club has a "gluten-free" menu listed on their website, informing you of the products you can order that are gluten free, or the modifications you can request to make a dish gluten-free.

Check it out! Just go to menus, and there is a "gluten friendly" bar to choose!

More allergies.

Bad luck.
I got the second part of my allergy results back.

The verdict:
No cashews, flax, navy-beans (strange), and pistachios.


Good-bye flax oil. Hello salmon oil.


So, you can expect any recipes I post here to also be free of these ingredients.

Oh no! Teriyaki and Soy Sauce!

Yeah, cross those off the list. I made the mistake of making what I thought was a gluten-free dish, but not...

Rice noodles, stir fried chicken and broccoli. Mixed in with a little worchershire, teriyaki, gluten-free soy sauce, and oyster sauce.
Delish, but my stomach gave me a little inkling that something wasn't right.

I'm a big fan of stir fries. I'm also a big fan of sushi. So what do we do when we can't have gluten?!

So far, I've successfully found a Kikkoman gluten-free soy sauce on the shelves of Safeway. Awesome! Unfortunately this isn't an option at any sushi restaurants I've been to, so I'll just have to go without, or bring my own, which takes some advance planning.

Teriyaki sauce...well, for me, many teriyaki sauces have pineapple which make them a no-no. Also, gluten. So I will be on the hunt for a great gluten-free, pineapple-free teriyaki sauce.

I'm also going to have to check that bottle of Oyster Sauce...might end up having gluten-too.

The list of foods to throw out grows! Oh, the pain!

The beginning.

Let me explain what this is. This is a blog about my journey into respecting my allergies which include:

ABSOLUTELY NOTS:

Eggs
Gluten (so, wheat, barley, rye)
Pineapple
Garlic
Dairy

STAY AWAY FROM:
Almonds
Peanuts

I've been living (mostly) dairy-free for the past 6 years, except for the odd plate of nachos. I mean, cheese! It's tough.

About a year ago I really started feeling the pain of my allergies. Pain in my guts. A weightiness around my middle. It took about the whole year for me to decide to get an allergy test.

I went to my Naturopath, and had the blood test/ELISA test, with the results above. Already knowing dairy, and suspecting gluten and eggs, I was shocked by pineapple and garlic (sad news). I decided after the hefty Naturopath bill, that I was really going to commit to this. No more cheating. No more sneakiness of grabbing a slice of cheese when my boyfriend was slicing them up.

So far it's been two weeks, and the change really has shocked me. In two weeks, my stomach has flattened, my symptoms disappeared within 48 hours, and I've felt a clarity that I haven't had before.

In a genius moment in the infrared sauna, I decided I would start to document this journey. It really is a lifestyle change, but it's easier than I thought. It just takes a bit of getting used to. If you're starting this journey yourself, it is scary, but it's worth it. The past two weeks have proven that to me.

I don't exactly know what this blog will consist of- maybe advice, no-nos (food I have discovered that really doesn't work for me), recipes I liked, great things I found in the grocery store.

We'll see.
Good luck.