NYT Magazine article, and what's missing

This Sunday's New York Times Magazine included an interesting piece: Should We All Go Gluten Free?

You might be surprised to hear that I have some opinions about said article. Since this post does not come with photos, you might be tempted to ignore it, so I shall employ the power of the bulleted list to pull you back in. 

• The article is mis-titled (Note that article writers almost never write article titles, its up to the editor. Here we have another stunning example why "snappy titles" that have nothing to do with the content irritate people who care about the article)
• There is a complete omission of the large price difference between gluten filled and gluten-free replacement foods
• The author ignores the many people, companies, support groups, and facilities that have and DO support people with Celiac Disease, you know, before General Mills thought it a profitable idea.
• There is no mention of access to care. This directly relates to the 11 year average diagnosis rate for Celiac Disease in the U.S.
• There is a glossing over of what other "changes" occurred with the reformulation. 
• Its hard to pick, but possibly the saddest part, is the lack of General Mills using its Big Food money to support and lobby for labeling laws that define "gluten free" in the United States. This would be an amazing way to actually allow people to know what food is and isn't safe.  

I don't not think that every article can do every thing for further the knowledge, understanding, compassion, and access to basic socially and culturally appropriate foods and healthcare, but ignoring half the story makes General Mills sound like a hero, rather than an opportunist.

And it ignores that the products that General Mills produce, benefit SOME people. Those with money, access to care and information, and who speak and read English, and who see gluten-free Bisquick as "food". It also ignores that there are a lot of strings attached to this offer of gluten-free replacement foods.

The reformulation of Chex came along with the addition of the preservative BHT. Trying their product, I found myself wondering, like many did, about its gluten-free nature because it caused digestive unrest. This, yet another omission, by Mr. O'Brien, gives me a less-than-warm-and-fuzzy-feeling about his proximity to General Mills. Maybe he is just a fan, a person who is excited to have more "normal" gluten free options on store shelves. Call me Pollyanna-ish, but I except a lot more from journalists.

Thanksgiving recipe round-up

Yeeeeeeeeeeee hawwwwwwwww

Planning ahead tips
Brining a turkey
Cooking a turkey
Brining and cooking a duck

Stuffing
cranberry orange sauce
cranberry apple sauce
stuffed mushrooms
buttermilk brioche (you could turn them into rolls by doling them out into muffin tins)
brioche
vegan sweet potato cornbread
homemade crackers
chex mix
scones (remove the sugar and you have biscuits!)
apple pie
vegan pumpkin custard
pumpkin pie
English toffee

I am working on some new fun ideas for this year. More squash and greens and cheeses for sure!

FCA receives an FDA grant

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, NFCA, has received an FDA grant to study gluten in medications.

This sort of begs the question why OTC and Rx drugs are allowed to not fully disclose ingredients... but that aside, I will be interested to see the findings.

Pumpkin breakfast muffins

Its moving from smoothie to decidedly not-smoothie-for-breakfast weather and I have started up my quest for more interesting breakfast options. I have been throwing beets and carrots into breakfast bars, breads, and loafs as a way of upping the fiber and adding a little sweetness - not to mention terrifyingly awesome hues to my morning snack.

This batch was a little hodge-podgey. The batter was looking rather dry, so I added some applesauce last minute. It helped with the flavor and texture, but the final muffins took a long time to bake - though their centers remained very moist.

Pumpkin breakfast muffins

The wet team
3/4 cup water
3 tbsp psyllium husk (you could use flax seed meal if you like)
3/4 cup oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup dates chopped
1 cup apple sauce
1/2 cup maple syrup

The dry team
1 cup almond meal
1 cup millet flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp mace
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp coriander

The stir-ins
2 cups chopped fruits & veggies (beets, apples, oranges, cranberries)
1/2 nuts/seeds + 1/4 cup for topping the muffins (pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds)

1. Combine the wet ingredients and mix well.
2. Slowly add in the dry ingredient in batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
3. With the mixer off, stir in the fruit and nuts.
4. Dish into muffin tins and top with additional nuts.
5. Bake at 350F for 45-1 hour.
6. Enjoy your super high fiber muffins that don't taste like cardboard!

LivingSocial Gluten Free Deal

Glutenfreely.com is having a $50 for $25 promo on LivingSocial.com, if you are into that sort of thing. Go forth and save money on over-priced packaged goods.

New favorite hard cider - Clos Normand

This is my hands-down new favorite beverage. (That's right, its trumping all other gluten-free alcoholic beverages!)

Clos Normand Brut is now at the tippity-top of my favorites list.

It is everything I want an alcoholic cider to taste like. Dry, dry as a bone. If you have peeped my thoughts on gf beer, you know that my biggest complaint is that they are too sweet. They taste more like wine than beer, and often the carbonation is small and not really at full capacity.

It smells a bit smoky and of apple juice, not like floral apple orchards. The taste is much milder, mellow, and almost light. There is no hint of smoke in the flavor and the finish is very clean.

Crunchmaster crackers

I received some Crunchmaster products free over a month ago. I have been late to the game in reviewing them, but here goes. The 7 Ancient Grains were solid snacking crackers. They claimed 7 grains, though I think flax and sesame are categorized as "seeds" not grains, but I digress. Their crunch is loud, and consistent with a rice cracker, but the flavor is slightly more complex, and the finish isn't as sweet as traditional rice-only rice crackers. My favorite part was that they were well balanced in the salt department, not too much, but not too bland either, thus escape the fate of many a dull gf cracker.

 The other package was of the Multi-Grain Crackers.

These contained oat flour. I do not eat oats, gluten-free or otherwise. So I handed them off to a gluten-eating mouth, which reported that they were good and not too-cheesy. (No Smartfood like white paws post snacking did appear)

I miss gluten

I am having one of those rare days, a day that I thought I was done with having. I miss gluten.

It is not so much that I miss a particular food, but I miss not being able to just grab something to eat without having to think, worry, check, and ask a zillion questions to make sure I CAN have it.

I know these days happen from time to time, I just sort of hate it, but I know there are a ton of others out there hating along with me. Our fingers (and the fingers of our friends) are crossed hoping for the day when going out to eat is a celebration rather than an ulcer-inducing stress-fest.

I have a giant list of places I would go to, things I would eat, a lot of street food for sure! I still have a lot of hope on this front. Hope for no weird stomachaches, hope for having my skin behave somewhat normally, hope for pizza and beer! There is a lot of hope in the mix of this sad, hissy-fit of a day.

Occupy No Gluten Required

I got into one of those great conversations today that made me want to share it with the world. It was about the occupy movement, which as of this weekend, is now international.

It also got me thinking about the connections between Celiac Disease and the current conversations happening at and around Occupy

-Funding for disease research is dictated by drug companies. 
Disease research functions a lot like our currently lobbyist system, where the deepest pocket, or perceived deepest pockets drive what gets funded and researched. Barring a celebrity fund raising for a disease, only diseases with giant potential financial gains are focused on. There are lots of drug options for erectile dysfunction, not so much for hard to detect autoimmune diseases with actual co-morbidity, and life-threatening side-effect stats.

-In the United States, we treat the ability to have access to socially and culturally appropriate foods as a privilege, not a right.
In Italy, Ireland and Sweden, there are programs that enable people to purchase gluten-free substitute foods at a lower costs - comparable to gluten-filled products because eating what YOU deem food is important. Celiac Disease is treated like what it is, a disease, not a choice, where only wealthy persons with access to specialty grocers or the internet with a secure shipping address, have the ability to eat the foods that they feel are appropriate for them.

-Access to medical care is considered a privilege, not a right
11 years is still the average rate of diagnosis of Celiac Disease in the United States - this is IF you are so lucky to have health insurance, good health insurance, that will pay for the specialists and tests. Who is able to have care, and find out why they are in pain and often suffering from several of over 300 symptoms, is not in the control of us, the people.

-There is no legal definition or protection around the consumption of items labeled "gluten free"
There have been two federal-level attempts for a legal definition of "gluten free". Companies have highlighted the "____-free" marketplace as a trend that is bringing in a lot of money. This money is great for companies, but for those who MUST avoid certain foodstuffs, not having a consistent definition of what gluten-free is and is NOT, often means people are taking a risk with their health and well-being when purchasing a processed good. The USDA and FDA are not protecting us, the citizens who have a right to know what is and is not in our food.


If you are interested in learning more, continuing conversations, and getting involved, there are lots of ways to support the protesters and the idea(l)s of democracy.

A friend has created a website to collect demands and track popularity.
Occupy Against Big Food, which is happening 10/29.

Talking about it.
Talking about what is happening is making a difference. It is entering into discourse with friends, family members, co-workers and strangers, about what is going on and how you feel about your democracy. It is a huge step. By talking about it, I learned that the Occupy Boston, that I walk by every day, does not need food right now, but is in need of other supplies for the library they just started.

Let the occupying of comments commence!

Gluten Free Awards

Its time for the second annual Gluten Free Awards.

Go forth and nominate my dear readers.

PS - I have been cooking up a storm. I have smoked cinnamon roasted celeriac, onions, and carrots over chicken polenta for lunch. I just haven't been so awesome at posting. In the true spirit of Columbus Day, I shall work hard to invade your home, call it mine, and plunder some great recipes. (Hopefully you have all had your smallpox vaccines)