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Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

gluten free dinner party at whole foods market












you are cordially invited to a gluten free dinner party hosted by Whole Foods Market Cambie! this very special event will take place on Thursday August 11th from 6:30pm - 8:00pm. everything on the menu is gluten free! Andrea and I will also be there to talk about living gluten free in Vancouver, and we are excited to meet many of you in person. it will be a delicious and informative evening!

the gluten free dinner party includes appetizers, sparkling cocktails, a main course, followed by dessert. the gluten free menu has been specially created by Whole Foods Health Starts Here chef Mark Lukan. this promises to be an intimate gathering of like-minded foodies, and of course a great chance to eat and talk gluten free!

Date: August 11th
Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: Whole Foods Market Cambie (in the Floral Department)
Cost: $20

Appetizers:
Chilled Peach and Corn Soup
Grilled Veggie Kabobs
Thai Shrimp and Carrot Salad

Main:
Chicken & Peach Skewers or
Tofu Skewers with Peach Chipotle Glaze
Summer Saute
Brown Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms and Apricots

Dessert:
Grilled Peaches with crumbly Streusel Topping
all gluten free and all delicious!

for more information and to register, please contact Whole Foods Market Cambie customer service at 778-370-4210. to reserve your seat you will need to register and pay in person at Whole Foods Market Cambie Guest Services.

we hope to see you there! Robyn + Andrea.



Tuesday, June 21, 2011

annual celiac disease conference & food faire














we recently attended the National Celiac Disease Foundation’s Annual Conference and Food Faire in Los Angeles on May 14, 2011. the conference was very well attended with people of all ages. the theme of the conference was to provide participants with a better understanding of celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and the gluten free diet. speakers included Alessio Fasano, M.D., who is the Medical Director of the Center for Celiac Research, Danna Korn, author of Living Gluten-Free for Dummies, and Carol Fenster, Ph.D., author and gluten free cooking expert. 

we especially enjoyed the food faire which comprised of over 100 gluten free exhibitors. we spent most our time in the food faire sampling new products, and meeting many of the owners behind these great businesses such as Breads From Anna, Solterra Foods, Venice Bakery and Elizabeth Kaplan of the Pure Pantry. we were also happy to chat with a few other companies we know well like Bard's gluten free beer, Udi’s Gluten Free Foods, Nature’s Path, Kettle Cuisine, Pamela’s and Enjoy Life Foods. we also tried amazing baguette style bread from Schar at their booth, everything was so good! 

besides tasting Bards and Green’s gluten free beer, and getting our hands on the coveted Udi’s hot dog buns, we found several other unique and new gluten free products. we hinted at a few of our favorite gluten free finds in our conference giveaway post, but we wanted to write more about why these up and coming products and companies look so good. 


this bread and baking mix company was founded in 2004 by Anna Sobaski, who also has celiac disease. Breads From Anna come in a variety of flavors including the Original, Classic Herb Bread, and Black Bean Brownie. all of Breads From Anna are gluten, soy, and rice free. the All Purpose Flour bread mix is also yeast free. the two wonderful women at the booth were so friendly and helpful and genuinely huge fans of Anna's products.

we chatted about how to make the perfect loaf of bread with a Zojirushi bread machine, which they swear by. after devouring handfuls of the Classic Herb Bread samples, they told us that this bread makes a delicious stuffing mix. Anna's website has step-by-step tips for making her bread mixes in the Zojirushi bread machine, and other brands of bread machines. (I think I know what I want for Christmas this year!)

what we also commend Breads From Anna on is that the mixes are high in quality and nutrition. you would never know that Anna's bread is gluten free, it has the right texture, is not dense, and is full of flavour. common ingredients in Anna's breads include chia flour, chickpea flour, bean flours, and sorghum flour to name a few. what is interesting is that none of her breads contain rice flour, this is so liberating don't you think? we are so over rice bread! for a listing on where to find Anna's products click here. it seems there is only one place in Canada selling Breads From Anna products, St Albert Alberta, but there are several online places to buy these products.


we were totally amazed at this company's new gluten free Bake-In-Bag pizzas. not only is the pizza great, but the idea is that you cook the pizza in the biodegradable bag, in any oven, without worrying about cross contamination because it is protected inside the bag! to us this product is ingenious. 

the CEO, Elaine Valenza-Opdahl, was at the booth, and it was such a pleasure to talk with her. her booth was buzzing all day long. we love the Solterra philosophy, "Keep it simple, Keep it pure." Solterra offers other amazing gluten free products such as pastas, gnocchi, and baking mixes. there are two pizzas: margherita cheese pizza, and vegan cheese pizza. Solterra is a Colorado-based business, and their products should be available in Canada in a few months. we will keep you posted! 


Venice Bakery 
this is a Los Angeles-based business specializing in gluten free pizza crusts and focaccia bread. we were so impressed with the quality and taste of their pizzas that we went back to their booth several times to sample their pizzas. the staff were so friendly and passionate about their great tasting pizza, it made trying their products that much better. they also introduced their new gluten free calzones at the show, which were simply amazing! 

Venice Bakery is not a dedicated gluten free business, however their gluten free products have been certified by the Celiac Sprue Association. gluten free products are produced at separate times and on dedicated equipment, and are then tested to be sure they are under 5 ppm. as a precaution, Venice bakery sends their product to Siliker Labs for testing. click here to see a video of the president of the company, Jimmy DeSisto, describe the company's history and what you can do with their gluten free pizza crusts. 


we have more to tell you about our fun trip to Los Angeles, and our next post will feature some of the great places to eat out gluten free in L.A. one of them we can't stop thinking about! bye for now, Andrea + Robyn.


celiac disease foundation   |   breads from anna   |   venice bakery   |   solterra foods



Saturday, May 29, 2010

homestead specialty baking

Homestead Specialty Baking is the creation of Jennifer Yong, who left her career in law to pursue her passion for baking, and enrolled in Vancouver Community College's (VCC) renowned Baking and Pastry Arts program. upon graduation Jennifer decided she wanted to create a bakery that everyone can enjoy, therefore while Jennifer is not gluten intolerant herself, she specializes in baking for those with special dietary needs. Homestead offers gluten free, as well as dairy free and sugar free baking. quality is very important to Jennifer, and her goal is to make delicious and wholesome treats using the highest quality ingredients, as well as local and organic ingredients as often as possible. we love Jennifer's culinary philosophy—bake the best in every bite! 

Andrea and I met Jennifer recently to talk more about her home based business and to sample some of her baking, it was a lot of fun! we were curious to know how Jennifer bakes her gluten free treats such as blueberry scones, chocolate chip cookies, carrot cake and banana fig mini muffins, and especially how she deals with cross contamination. Jennifer uses dedicated pans and trays for her gluten free baking, which are washed before each use with a dedicated kitchen sponge. gluten containing flours and gluten free flours are each sealed in their own containers with lids. Jennifer also separates the area in her kitchen where she bakes gluten free and non-gluten free products. additionally, once the baking is complete, everything is packaged right away. food safety is of utmost importance to Jennifer, a preoccupation for which she attributes to her legal background. 

as anyone on a gluten free diet knows, baking without gluten is not easy. Jennifer recalls recommending that gluten free baking be included in the VCC program, but she says her request was rejected because her instructors felt it was too difficult to teach how to bake gluten free! Jennifer still wanted to pursue it, and decided to take on the challenge in her own business. she admits it was a lot of trial and error in the beginning, and that trying to mimic what gluten does in baking is like a scientific art. the staple ingredients in Homestead’s gluten free baking are Anita's Organic brown rice flour, a local company, sweet potato starch and tapioca starch.

Jennifer’s products are outstanding and we think she has succeeded in her quest to deliver great gluten free alternatives! everything tastes fresh, and not too sweet. Homestead also sells pre-made pancake and muffin mixes, carrot cake, fruit tarts, and loaves. custom orders are welcome as well. I recently placed a custom order for Homestead’s scones, cookies and muffins and it was ready in just a few days. Jennifer delivered it bright and early on a Saturday morning, and the scones had just come out of the oven, what a treat!  they were moist and warm, and certainly did not taste ‘gluten free’. Homestead Specialty Baking can accommodate custom orders for anyone in the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley. 

in addition to custom orders, look for Jennifer and her gluten free treats at the Kitsilano Farmer's Market (Sundays) on the following dates, starting this weekend! 

***May 30th, July 25th, August 15th, and October 17th. 

additionally you can purchase Homestead's gluten free baking mixes at the Home Grow-In Grocer, a wonderful corner market located at 18th and Columbia in the Riley Park neighborhood. if you haven't been to the Home Grow-In we suggest checking it out. we would be keen to write a post on them as well, however Jennifer's products are the only gluten free items I found when popping in a few weeks ago. please ask for gluten free if you do stop by, and maybe they will start carrying more gluten free local products like Jennifer's amazing baking!  Robyn.

ps. stay tuned for a great Homestead Specialty Baking giveaway!!!




Monday, May 10, 2010

choices markets: gluten free events & info

there are Choices Markets in most communities in the lower mainland: downtown, kitsilano, kerrisdale, cambie, burnaby, south surrey/white rock, and now in the bc interior in kelowna. fortunately for Robyn and I, we have always lived within walking distance to a Choices Market. before we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease we chose to shop here for the organic produce and product selection. one of the incentives that always kept us coming back to Choices over other organic grocers is their preferred shopper membership card program. the card not only gives shoppers discounts on specially labeled products, but you also accumulate points based on what you spend. when you reach 2000 points, the points can be redeemed for $20 off your next purchase, or donated to a local food bank! for more information and how you can sign up, click here.

when we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2005, we were completely overwhelmed at what lay ahead in terms of the necessary dietary shift, I mean gluten, what is gluten? fortunately for us, Choices already had that covered. while the product selection five years ago was nothing like what it is today, they did carry some of the basics, and they have their own Rice Bakery. the Rice Bakery is located just down the street from the Kitsilano Store on 16th avenue (near macdonald). you can shop here, or pick up many of their fresh or frozen items at the other locations. my personal favorite is the multiseed bread, which is also dairy free, and a new find at the rice bakery—pre-made frozen pizzas! they are awesome! they come in three flavors: pepperoni, veggie, and vegan, which has green pepper, onion, and pineapple. to see their complete list of products, click here.

in addition to the user-friendly blue sticker system, which identifies all gluten free products, Choices also offers free gluten free store tours. in the current Choices Market Newsletter, Choices dietician Desiree Nielsen RD, discusses the importance of maintaining a healthy gluten free diet, as we all know, just because something is gluten free doesn't always mean it's good for you. see her article titled "Thriving on a Gluten Free Diet" on page nine. 


here is a list of some great upcoming gluten free events:

the big news this month at Choices is that their fifth annual Gluten Free Fairs are taking place this month! the Kelowna Fair was this past weekend, sorry for the late notice, but the Vancouver and Surrey fairs are still to come this month. the Vancouver fair takes place on Saturday, May 29th between 8:30am and 2:00pm at St. Mark's Anglican Church, at 1805 Larch Street. The Surrey fair takes place the following day on Sunday, May 30th between 8:30am and 4:00pm at Choices Market South Surrey, located at 3248 King George Road. these events will feature seminars by gastroenterologist Dr. Hugh Freeman MD, Choices dietician Desiree Nielsen (mentioned above), and Dr. Arjuna Veeravagu ND, founder of the Sage Clinic in Vancouver. 

there will also be gift bags with gluten free products, gluten free food sampling, and Q&A with Desiree and the local chapter of the Celiac Association. to register for the Vancouver fair call the Kitsilano store at 604-736-0009, and for the Surrey fair call the South Surrey Store at 604-541-3902. the admission fee is $15 at the door, and all proceeds will benefit the local chapter of the Celiac Association. there will also be a free event concurrently at the Surrey Store on Sunday, May 30th where anyone is welcome to sample gluten free food available throughout the store. this is a great way to taste test products that might often be expensive only to find out later they are not that great.

for anyone interested in learning to cook gluten free, Choices South Surrey will be holding an Italian cooking class using gluten free ingredients such as millet, brown rice, and polenta. this event takes place on May 17th from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, and the cost is $15 at the door. space is filling up fast, if you are interested please call 604-541-3002 to register.

you can find all of this information and much much more in the Choices Newsletter, including a contest where one lucky winner, in each store, will win a Glutino prize package, which also includes a $25 Choices Gift Card! thank you Choices for all that you do!  Andrea + Robyn.


ps. don't forget our current giveaway, the deadline is midnight tonight! click here for details.


choices markets   |   choices newsletter   |   choices nutrition


Tuesday, February 23, 2010

winter olympics: finding gluten free at place de la francophonie

Place de la Francophonie is one of the many cultural events taking place during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics located on Granville IslandPlace de la Francophonie features Canadian francophone culture at several venues throughout Granville Island including the Air Canada Stage, which features nightly performances and shows, and Club Adrenaline, a sports bar where you can watch the games and sample a menu of French Canadian cuisine. 

there are two dishes on the menu that are gluten free including the organic salad with goat cheese, strawberries and balsamic maple vinegrette under the hors d’oeuvres section of the menu, and the chicken or salmon skewers with basmati rice and salad under the plats principaux (entrees). if you are not familiar with beef bourguignon it is not gluten free as the recipe calls for flour, which is used to coat the beef. gluten is also likely to be found in conventional stocks that may also be used in the broth. under the dessert section of the menu, the crème brulee is gluten free. 

everything on the menu is free of charge with the exception of the desserts which are $7.50.

bon appétit!  Robyn.


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Sunday, February 21, 2010

winter olympics: finding gluten free

so I ventured out yesterday to see if I could get into some of the many, many pavilions and venues here in Vancouver right now. everything has such long lineups, that I have not actually made it into any of them, until yesterday. I went to LiveCity Downtown, 45 minute line to get in. the LiveCity venues are secure sites and you must pass through security before entering. you are not allowed to bring in any food or opened beverages, they will make you throw it out and pour it out, just like they do at airports. they will let you keep your empty bottle to fill it with water once inside. they do make exceptions for parents with small children, you can bring in food/ formula/ milk/ juice for small children. 

so what if you are gluten intolerant and you plan on bringing your own gluten free food or snacks? you are out of luck. once inside there is the Canadiana Cookhouse and Coffee Bar Service which is serving popular Canadian fare such as pizza, poutine, chili, hot dogs, and baked potatoes. I asked about the poutine gravy, and it has wheat. the only thing left to consider is the baked potato, which comes with bacon bits, sour cream, chives, and cheese. I was told that cross contamination is unlikely, the baked potatoes are kept in their own food warmers. I guess you could question the bacon bits, but in a venue like this nobody is likely to know, and it's very busy so they don't really have time for question period, you know? you could order it plain, with just sour cream, but I decided to chance it, and ordered the baked potato with everything, and it was tasty, and I didn't feel sick afterward.

inside LiveCity Downtown you will find the Canada Pavilion and CentrePlace Manitoba. there was another line to get into the Canada Pavilion, so we skipped it, and enjoyed the Manitoba Pavilion, which had no line up. it is a very beautiful, sustainable building. we were here during the day, but it is supposed to look spectacular at night when they project light and images which mimic the northern lights and Manitoba's wildlife such as herds of bison onto the translucent facade. I loved the long wooden benches out front and the gathering place they created. 

if you enjoy architecture CentrePlace Manitoba is worth a visit. if you are hungry and looking to enjoy the games on large screens with friends I don't recommend LiveCity for anyone looking for gluten free food. in fact today I called the City of Vancouver (dial 311) to ask about this rule, and they confirmed that nobody, under any circumstances, can bring in their own food. I was told that a diabetic had called before me with the same question, and was given the same answer. I could go on a lengthy rant here about the City's oversight and ignorance with regard to dietary restrictions, I mean shouldn't public venues be accessible to all?

it will be impossible for Robyn and I to review all of the venues, so if anyone has discovered good gluten free options at any of the Vancouver 2010 venues, please leave a comment and share your experience!

livecity   |   vancouver 2010

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Thursday, February 4, 2010

be my valentine: dagoba's gluten free hot chocolate

photo credit dagobachocolate.com
not only is valentine's day just around the corner, but it's a time of year when a nice cup of hot chocolate can take the chill off, especially if you are hanging around some of the 2010 Winter Olympic venues! Dagoba Organic Chocolate not only makes chocolate bars, but they also have three kinds of hot chocolate mixes; authentic, xocolatl, and unsweetened. what is xocolatl you ask? it is a blend of cacao, rich dark chocolate, chillies, and cinnamon, sounds nice doesn't it?

all Dagoba Organic Chocolate products are gluten free, certified organic, and fair trade certified. Dagoba also practices what they call Full Circle Sustainability™, which is a commitment to better their business, products and themselves in the areas of quality, ecology, equity, and community. you can read more about it here.

mix your favorite Dagoba drinking chocolate with warm milk or your preferred milk alternative, but make sure that your milk alternative is gluten free. in our last post Robyn discussed some of the options, you can read about it here. today I am having a cup of authentic drinking chocolate, which contains cane sugar, but it's not too sweet at all, it is a nice smooth and rich chocolate taste. 

do you know someone who loves chocolate, but also has a gluten allergy? the drinking chocolate containers or the chocolate bars make a nice gift for your sweetie, friend or coworker. they will love you for thinking of them, and for being able to present them with a gluten free valentine. you can buy online, or at Choices Markets and Whole Foods. 

xoxo  Andrea.

dagoba   |   gluten free milk alternatives

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Thursday, November 19, 2009

gluten free catering experience: part one

I have been invited to an industry event tomorrow night at Vancouver Special on Main Street. I am excited about the party, but nervous about what kind of food will be served. the invite states that the event will be catered by another Main Street business called Tonina’s Deli & Catering Company. I’ve never heard of them, so I went to their website to find out more about them, and what kind of food they offer.


I got excited when I saw under the baking section they state clearly that gluten free options are available. good news! they don’t explain, however what those items might be, so I decided to call ahead to find out what I could expect at the event.

the owner’s name is Jark, and I spoke with him directly, he answered the phone. when I told him I was attending the ‘party for architects’ he knew right away which event I was referring to. I explained that I was calling to find out what gluten free options they have and if he could ensure some of the catered menu was gluten free. Jark was excited to discuss the menu, telling me that the order was for an assortment of meats, cheeses, and of course bread. he was also planning to make small pizzas, and said he would love to make me gluten free pizza, and could easily make it out of spelt.

“um, spelt,” I said. “Jark, I can’t eat spelt, it is not gluten free.”

“oh, are you that sensitive,” he asks?

“yes I have Celiac Disease, I am gluten intolerant.”

“oh I see,” he said. “then why don’t you send me some recipes and I’ll see what I can make for you! I want you to enjoy the party for architects.”

“ok, but one other thing, are the meats you are serving gluten free?”

“well the organic meats are, yes, but the regular meats are not. let me confirm with my organic suppliers to make sure.”

“thanks, but how will I know which meats are the gluten free ones,” I ask?

“well, that’s no problem, I will label them for you.”

wow, what personalized service. this man is out to do his best, just for me. as far as he knows, I am the only gluten free guest attending this party. despite the slip with the spelt, I have to say I am very impressed with his willingness to accommodate me.

stay tuned for part two where I write about the party and whether or not my gluten free dreams actually come true!  Andrea.

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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

how to entertain gluten free

w hotel buffet, originally uploaded by heather.
with the holiday season approaching many of you might be starting to plan and organize dinner parties, brunches, or sending out baking to family, friends and coworkers. if you know you have to prepare some food for someone who is allergic to gluten we have a few suggestions…

first, familiarize yourself with what gluten actually is, and how it negatively affects people who are gluten sensitive or someone with Celiac Disease. there is a general lack of awareness when it comes to what the consequences are if someone who is celiac eats gluten, and it’s not always comfortable for the person who is allergic to gluten to discuss their intestinal disorder just so they can clarify how they can best enjoy a meal you have invited them to.

second, it is also important to understand what gluten is and the foods that contain gluten, it also important to understand that cross contamination should be avoided. if your home is not a gluten free home, then it is important that you set aside a set of cookware that you can dedicate to the gluten free cooking you are embarking on. clean it well, and keep it in a separate area of your kitchen during your cooking. for example, you could decide to prepare and cook all your gluten free foods on your kitchen island, and prepare and cook foods that do contain gluten on the counter next to your stove. however once you decide how to segregate the two areas, make sure that other members of your household are aware of your system so they don’t cross contaminate by accident. make a big sign if necessary!

cross contamination can easily happen. If your recipe calls for butter, for example, and you used your butter to spread on toast, and your butter has crumbs on it, don’t use it. be prepared to buy new ingredients that have not been contaminated.

recipes can be simple or complex, and there may be ingredients you are not familiar with, let alone whether or not they contain gluten. to be sure, call your friend or coworker and ask them if they are ok with the ingredient in question. they will really appreciate it, and will be able to offer alternatives if the one you planned to use is questionable.

if your menu ends up being a combination of foods that contain gluten and gluten free foods make sure to keep them separated well on your serving table. it is helpful to indicate which foods are gluten free so that your gluten free guests know with certainty what they can enjoy without having to hunt you down for clarification. it’s also helpful to remind everyone every so often that the gluten free food shouldn’t be contaminated with a spoon that was just dipped in soy sauce for example. (yes soy sauce contains gluten!) as a gluten free guest it can be really disappointing to peruse the buffet table only to find bread or cracker crumbs all over the cheese selection. it is important for the host to take part in this food control, so that the gluten free guests don’t feel like they are imposing on others.

we have both been in situations where there was no planned gluten free food, but by default we were able to eat the cheese and fruit, but found the table to be in such a state that we decided it wasn’t worth the risk to eat anything. this leads to a feeling of alienation, lack of enjoyment, and HUNGER!

learning from these experiences we often come to parties, showers, lunches, with our own food as a backup, and then have to explain to people why we aren’t sharing!

the best advice we can give to someone trying to entertain gluten free, is to make the whole experience gluten free! challenge yourself to find enough recipes, buff up on your ingredient knowledge, and make an experience that everyone can enjoy equally! you will provide your gluten free friends with a completely satisfying and stress-free experience! and your gluten eating friends will never know the difference. kudos to you!

stay tuned for our mom’s Best Gluten Free Turkey Dinner recipes.



Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

gluten free dinner party at whole foods market












you are cordially invited to a gluten free dinner party hosted by Whole Foods Market Cambie! this very special event will take place on Thursday August 11th from 6:30pm - 8:00pm. everything on the menu is gluten free! Andrea and I will also be there to talk about living gluten free in Vancouver, and we are excited to meet many of you in person. it will be a delicious and informative evening!

the gluten free dinner party includes appetizers, sparkling cocktails, a main course, followed by dessert. the gluten free menu has been specially created by Whole Foods Health Starts Here chef Mark Lukan. this promises to be an intimate gathering of like-minded foodies, and of course a great chance to eat and talk gluten free!

Date: August 11th
Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: Whole Foods Market Cambie (in the Floral Department)
Cost: $20

Appetizers:
Chilled Peach and Corn Soup
Grilled Veggie Kabobs
Thai Shrimp and Carrot Salad

Main:
Chicken & Peach Skewers or
Tofu Skewers with Peach Chipotle Glaze
Summer Saute
Brown Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms and Apricots

Dessert:
Grilled Peaches with crumbly Streusel Topping
all gluten free and all delicious!

for more information and to register, please contact Whole Foods Market Cambie customer service at 778-370-4210. to reserve your seat you will need to register and pay in person at Whole Foods Market Cambie Guest Services.

we hope to see you there! Robyn + Andrea.



Tuesday, June 21, 2011

annual celiac disease conference & food faire














we recently attended the National Celiac Disease Foundation’s Annual Conference and Food Faire in Los Angeles on May 14, 2011. the conference was very well attended with people of all ages. the theme of the conference was to provide participants with a better understanding of celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and the gluten free diet. speakers included Alessio Fasano, M.D., who is the Medical Director of the Center for Celiac Research, Danna Korn, author of Living Gluten-Free for Dummies, and Carol Fenster, Ph.D., author and gluten free cooking expert. 

we especially enjoyed the food faire which comprised of over 100 gluten free exhibitors. we spent most our time in the food faire sampling new products, and meeting many of the owners behind these great businesses such as Breads From Anna, Solterra Foods, Venice Bakery and Elizabeth Kaplan of the Pure Pantry. we were also happy to chat with a few other companies we know well like Bard's gluten free beer, Udi’s Gluten Free Foods, Nature’s Path, Kettle Cuisine, Pamela’s and Enjoy Life Foods. we also tried amazing baguette style bread from Schar at their booth, everything was so good! 

besides tasting Bards and Green’s gluten free beer, and getting our hands on the coveted Udi’s hot dog buns, we found several other unique and new gluten free products. we hinted at a few of our favorite gluten free finds in our conference giveaway post, but we wanted to write more about why these up and coming products and companies look so good. 


this bread and baking mix company was founded in 2004 by Anna Sobaski, who also has celiac disease. Breads From Anna come in a variety of flavors including the Original, Classic Herb Bread, and Black Bean Brownie. all of Breads From Anna are gluten, soy, and rice free. the All Purpose Flour bread mix is also yeast free. the two wonderful women at the booth were so friendly and helpful and genuinely huge fans of Anna's products.

we chatted about how to make the perfect loaf of bread with a Zojirushi bread machine, which they swear by. after devouring handfuls of the Classic Herb Bread samples, they told us that this bread makes a delicious stuffing mix. Anna's website has step-by-step tips for making her bread mixes in the Zojirushi bread machine, and other brands of bread machines. (I think I know what I want for Christmas this year!)

what we also commend Breads From Anna on is that the mixes are high in quality and nutrition. you would never know that Anna's bread is gluten free, it has the right texture, is not dense, and is full of flavour. common ingredients in Anna's breads include chia flour, chickpea flour, bean flours, and sorghum flour to name a few. what is interesting is that none of her breads contain rice flour, this is so liberating don't you think? we are so over rice bread! for a listing on where to find Anna's products click here. it seems there is only one place in Canada selling Breads From Anna products, St Albert Alberta, but there are several online places to buy these products.


we were totally amazed at this company's new gluten free Bake-In-Bag pizzas. not only is the pizza great, but the idea is that you cook the pizza in the biodegradable bag, in any oven, without worrying about cross contamination because it is protected inside the bag! to us this product is ingenious. 

the CEO, Elaine Valenza-Opdahl, was at the booth, and it was such a pleasure to talk with her. her booth was buzzing all day long. we love the Solterra philosophy, "Keep it simple, Keep it pure." Solterra offers other amazing gluten free products such as pastas, gnocchi, and baking mixes. there are two pizzas: margherita cheese pizza, and vegan cheese pizza. Solterra is a Colorado-based business, and their products should be available in Canada in a few months. we will keep you posted! 


Venice Bakery 
this is a Los Angeles-based business specializing in gluten free pizza crusts and focaccia bread. we were so impressed with the quality and taste of their pizzas that we went back to their booth several times to sample their pizzas. the staff were so friendly and passionate about their great tasting pizza, it made trying their products that much better. they also introduced their new gluten free calzones at the show, which were simply amazing! 

Venice Bakery is not a dedicated gluten free business, however their gluten free products have been certified by the Celiac Sprue Association. gluten free products are produced at separate times and on dedicated equipment, and are then tested to be sure they are under 5 ppm. as a precaution, Venice bakery sends their product to Siliker Labs for testing. click here to see a video of the president of the company, Jimmy DeSisto, describe the company's history and what you can do with their gluten free pizza crusts. 


we have more to tell you about our fun trip to Los Angeles, and our next post will feature some of the great places to eat out gluten free in L.A. one of them we can't stop thinking about! bye for now, Andrea + Robyn.


celiac disease foundation   |   breads from anna   |   venice bakery   |   solterra foods



Saturday, May 29, 2010

homestead specialty baking

Homestead Specialty Baking is the creation of Jennifer Yong, who left her career in law to pursue her passion for baking, and enrolled in Vancouver Community College's (VCC) renowned Baking and Pastry Arts program. upon graduation Jennifer decided she wanted to create a bakery that everyone can enjoy, therefore while Jennifer is not gluten intolerant herself, she specializes in baking for those with special dietary needs. Homestead offers gluten free, as well as dairy free and sugar free baking. quality is very important to Jennifer, and her goal is to make delicious and wholesome treats using the highest quality ingredients, as well as local and organic ingredients as often as possible. we love Jennifer's culinary philosophy—bake the best in every bite! 

Andrea and I met Jennifer recently to talk more about her home based business and to sample some of her baking, it was a lot of fun! we were curious to know how Jennifer bakes her gluten free treats such as blueberry scones, chocolate chip cookies, carrot cake and banana fig mini muffins, and especially how she deals with cross contamination. Jennifer uses dedicated pans and trays for her gluten free baking, which are washed before each use with a dedicated kitchen sponge. gluten containing flours and gluten free flours are each sealed in their own containers with lids. Jennifer also separates the area in her kitchen where she bakes gluten free and non-gluten free products. additionally, once the baking is complete, everything is packaged right away. food safety is of utmost importance to Jennifer, a preoccupation for which she attributes to her legal background. 

as anyone on a gluten free diet knows, baking without gluten is not easy. Jennifer recalls recommending that gluten free baking be included in the VCC program, but she says her request was rejected because her instructors felt it was too difficult to teach how to bake gluten free! Jennifer still wanted to pursue it, and decided to take on the challenge in her own business. she admits it was a lot of trial and error in the beginning, and that trying to mimic what gluten does in baking is like a scientific art. the staple ingredients in Homestead’s gluten free baking are Anita's Organic brown rice flour, a local company, sweet potato starch and tapioca starch.

Jennifer’s products are outstanding and we think she has succeeded in her quest to deliver great gluten free alternatives! everything tastes fresh, and not too sweet. Homestead also sells pre-made pancake and muffin mixes, carrot cake, fruit tarts, and loaves. custom orders are welcome as well. I recently placed a custom order for Homestead’s scones, cookies and muffins and it was ready in just a few days. Jennifer delivered it bright and early on a Saturday morning, and the scones had just come out of the oven, what a treat!  they were moist and warm, and certainly did not taste ‘gluten free’. Homestead Specialty Baking can accommodate custom orders for anyone in the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley. 

in addition to custom orders, look for Jennifer and her gluten free treats at the Kitsilano Farmer's Market (Sundays) on the following dates, starting this weekend! 

***May 30th, July 25th, August 15th, and October 17th. 

additionally you can purchase Homestead's gluten free baking mixes at the Home Grow-In Grocer, a wonderful corner market located at 18th and Columbia in the Riley Park neighborhood. if you haven't been to the Home Grow-In we suggest checking it out. we would be keen to write a post on them as well, however Jennifer's products are the only gluten free items I found when popping in a few weeks ago. please ask for gluten free if you do stop by, and maybe they will start carrying more gluten free local products like Jennifer's amazing baking!  Robyn.

ps. stay tuned for a great Homestead Specialty Baking giveaway!!!




Monday, May 10, 2010

choices markets: gluten free events & info

there are Choices Markets in most communities in the lower mainland: downtown, kitsilano, kerrisdale, cambie, burnaby, south surrey/white rock, and now in the bc interior in kelowna. fortunately for Robyn and I, we have always lived within walking distance to a Choices Market. before we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease we chose to shop here for the organic produce and product selection. one of the incentives that always kept us coming back to Choices over other organic grocers is their preferred shopper membership card program. the card not only gives shoppers discounts on specially labeled products, but you also accumulate points based on what you spend. when you reach 2000 points, the points can be redeemed for $20 off your next purchase, or donated to a local food bank! for more information and how you can sign up, click here.

when we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2005, we were completely overwhelmed at what lay ahead in terms of the necessary dietary shift, I mean gluten, what is gluten? fortunately for us, Choices already had that covered. while the product selection five years ago was nothing like what it is today, they did carry some of the basics, and they have their own Rice Bakery. the Rice Bakery is located just down the street from the Kitsilano Store on 16th avenue (near macdonald). you can shop here, or pick up many of their fresh or frozen items at the other locations. my personal favorite is the multiseed bread, which is also dairy free, and a new find at the rice bakery—pre-made frozen pizzas! they are awesome! they come in three flavors: pepperoni, veggie, and vegan, which has green pepper, onion, and pineapple. to see their complete list of products, click here.

in addition to the user-friendly blue sticker system, which identifies all gluten free products, Choices also offers free gluten free store tours. in the current Choices Market Newsletter, Choices dietician Desiree Nielsen RD, discusses the importance of maintaining a healthy gluten free diet, as we all know, just because something is gluten free doesn't always mean it's good for you. see her article titled "Thriving on a Gluten Free Diet" on page nine. 


here is a list of some great upcoming gluten free events:

the big news this month at Choices is that their fifth annual Gluten Free Fairs are taking place this month! the Kelowna Fair was this past weekend, sorry for the late notice, but the Vancouver and Surrey fairs are still to come this month. the Vancouver fair takes place on Saturday, May 29th between 8:30am and 2:00pm at St. Mark's Anglican Church, at 1805 Larch Street. The Surrey fair takes place the following day on Sunday, May 30th between 8:30am and 4:00pm at Choices Market South Surrey, located at 3248 King George Road. these events will feature seminars by gastroenterologist Dr. Hugh Freeman MD, Choices dietician Desiree Nielsen (mentioned above), and Dr. Arjuna Veeravagu ND, founder of the Sage Clinic in Vancouver. 

there will also be gift bags with gluten free products, gluten free food sampling, and Q&A with Desiree and the local chapter of the Celiac Association. to register for the Vancouver fair call the Kitsilano store at 604-736-0009, and for the Surrey fair call the South Surrey Store at 604-541-3902. the admission fee is $15 at the door, and all proceeds will benefit the local chapter of the Celiac Association. there will also be a free event concurrently at the Surrey Store on Sunday, May 30th where anyone is welcome to sample gluten free food available throughout the store. this is a great way to taste test products that might often be expensive only to find out later they are not that great.

for anyone interested in learning to cook gluten free, Choices South Surrey will be holding an Italian cooking class using gluten free ingredients such as millet, brown rice, and polenta. this event takes place on May 17th from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, and the cost is $15 at the door. space is filling up fast, if you are interested please call 604-541-3002 to register.

you can find all of this information and much much more in the Choices Newsletter, including a contest where one lucky winner, in each store, will win a Glutino prize package, which also includes a $25 Choices Gift Card! thank you Choices for all that you do!  Andrea + Robyn.


ps. don't forget our current giveaway, the deadline is midnight tonight! click here for details.


choices markets   |   choices newsletter   |   choices nutrition


Tuesday, February 23, 2010

winter olympics: finding gluten free at place de la francophonie

Place de la Francophonie is one of the many cultural events taking place during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics located on Granville IslandPlace de la Francophonie features Canadian francophone culture at several venues throughout Granville Island including the Air Canada Stage, which features nightly performances and shows, and Club Adrenaline, a sports bar where you can watch the games and sample a menu of French Canadian cuisine. 

there are two dishes on the menu that are gluten free including the organic salad with goat cheese, strawberries and balsamic maple vinegrette under the hors d’oeuvres section of the menu, and the chicken or salmon skewers with basmati rice and salad under the plats principaux (entrees). if you are not familiar with beef bourguignon it is not gluten free as the recipe calls for flour, which is used to coat the beef. gluten is also likely to be found in conventional stocks that may also be used in the broth. under the dessert section of the menu, the crème brulee is gluten free. 

everything on the menu is free of charge with the exception of the desserts which are $7.50.

bon appétit!  Robyn.


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Sunday, February 21, 2010

winter olympics: finding gluten free

so I ventured out yesterday to see if I could get into some of the many, many pavilions and venues here in Vancouver right now. everything has such long lineups, that I have not actually made it into any of them, until yesterday. I went to LiveCity Downtown, 45 minute line to get in. the LiveCity venues are secure sites and you must pass through security before entering. you are not allowed to bring in any food or opened beverages, they will make you throw it out and pour it out, just like they do at airports. they will let you keep your empty bottle to fill it with water once inside. they do make exceptions for parents with small children, you can bring in food/ formula/ milk/ juice for small children. 

so what if you are gluten intolerant and you plan on bringing your own gluten free food or snacks? you are out of luck. once inside there is the Canadiana Cookhouse and Coffee Bar Service which is serving popular Canadian fare such as pizza, poutine, chili, hot dogs, and baked potatoes. I asked about the poutine gravy, and it has wheat. the only thing left to consider is the baked potato, which comes with bacon bits, sour cream, chives, and cheese. I was told that cross contamination is unlikely, the baked potatoes are kept in their own food warmers. I guess you could question the bacon bits, but in a venue like this nobody is likely to know, and it's very busy so they don't really have time for question period, you know? you could order it plain, with just sour cream, but I decided to chance it, and ordered the baked potato with everything, and it was tasty, and I didn't feel sick afterward.

inside LiveCity Downtown you will find the Canada Pavilion and CentrePlace Manitoba. there was another line to get into the Canada Pavilion, so we skipped it, and enjoyed the Manitoba Pavilion, which had no line up. it is a very beautiful, sustainable building. we were here during the day, but it is supposed to look spectacular at night when they project light and images which mimic the northern lights and Manitoba's wildlife such as herds of bison onto the translucent facade. I loved the long wooden benches out front and the gathering place they created. 

if you enjoy architecture CentrePlace Manitoba is worth a visit. if you are hungry and looking to enjoy the games on large screens with friends I don't recommend LiveCity for anyone looking for gluten free food. in fact today I called the City of Vancouver (dial 311) to ask about this rule, and they confirmed that nobody, under any circumstances, can bring in their own food. I was told that a diabetic had called before me with the same question, and was given the same answer. I could go on a lengthy rant here about the City's oversight and ignorance with regard to dietary restrictions, I mean shouldn't public venues be accessible to all?

it will be impossible for Robyn and I to review all of the venues, so if anyone has discovered good gluten free options at any of the Vancouver 2010 venues, please leave a comment and share your experience!

livecity   |   vancouver 2010

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Thursday, February 4, 2010

be my valentine: dagoba's gluten free hot chocolate

photo credit dagobachocolate.com
not only is valentine's day just around the corner, but it's a time of year when a nice cup of hot chocolate can take the chill off, especially if you are hanging around some of the 2010 Winter Olympic venues! Dagoba Organic Chocolate not only makes chocolate bars, but they also have three kinds of hot chocolate mixes; authentic, xocolatl, and unsweetened. what is xocolatl you ask? it is a blend of cacao, rich dark chocolate, chillies, and cinnamon, sounds nice doesn't it?

all Dagoba Organic Chocolate products are gluten free, certified organic, and fair trade certified. Dagoba also practices what they call Full Circle Sustainability™, which is a commitment to better their business, products and themselves in the areas of quality, ecology, equity, and community. you can read more about it here.

mix your favorite Dagoba drinking chocolate with warm milk or your preferred milk alternative, but make sure that your milk alternative is gluten free. in our last post Robyn discussed some of the options, you can read about it here. today I am having a cup of authentic drinking chocolate, which contains cane sugar, but it's not too sweet at all, it is a nice smooth and rich chocolate taste. 

do you know someone who loves chocolate, but also has a gluten allergy? the drinking chocolate containers or the chocolate bars make a nice gift for your sweetie, friend or coworker. they will love you for thinking of them, and for being able to present them with a gluten free valentine. you can buy online, or at Choices Markets and Whole Foods. 

xoxo  Andrea.

dagoba   |   gluten free milk alternatives

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Thursday, November 19, 2009

gluten free catering experience: part one

I have been invited to an industry event tomorrow night at Vancouver Special on Main Street. I am excited about the party, but nervous about what kind of food will be served. the invite states that the event will be catered by another Main Street business called Tonina’s Deli & Catering Company. I’ve never heard of them, so I went to their website to find out more about them, and what kind of food they offer.


I got excited when I saw under the baking section they state clearly that gluten free options are available. good news! they don’t explain, however what those items might be, so I decided to call ahead to find out what I could expect at the event.

the owner’s name is Jark, and I spoke with him directly, he answered the phone. when I told him I was attending the ‘party for architects’ he knew right away which event I was referring to. I explained that I was calling to find out what gluten free options they have and if he could ensure some of the catered menu was gluten free. Jark was excited to discuss the menu, telling me that the order was for an assortment of meats, cheeses, and of course bread. he was also planning to make small pizzas, and said he would love to make me gluten free pizza, and could easily make it out of spelt.

“um, spelt,” I said. “Jark, I can’t eat spelt, it is not gluten free.”

“oh, are you that sensitive,” he asks?

“yes I have Celiac Disease, I am gluten intolerant.”

“oh I see,” he said. “then why don’t you send me some recipes and I’ll see what I can make for you! I want you to enjoy the party for architects.”

“ok, but one other thing, are the meats you are serving gluten free?”

“well the organic meats are, yes, but the regular meats are not. let me confirm with my organic suppliers to make sure.”

“thanks, but how will I know which meats are the gluten free ones,” I ask?

“well, that’s no problem, I will label them for you.”

wow, what personalized service. this man is out to do his best, just for me. as far as he knows, I am the only gluten free guest attending this party. despite the slip with the spelt, I have to say I am very impressed with his willingness to accommodate me.

stay tuned for part two where I write about the party and whether or not my gluten free dreams actually come true!  Andrea.

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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

how to entertain gluten free

w hotel buffet, originally uploaded by heather.
with the holiday season approaching many of you might be starting to plan and organize dinner parties, brunches, or sending out baking to family, friends and coworkers. if you know you have to prepare some food for someone who is allergic to gluten we have a few suggestions…

first, familiarize yourself with what gluten actually is, and how it negatively affects people who are gluten sensitive or someone with Celiac Disease. there is a general lack of awareness when it comes to what the consequences are if someone who is celiac eats gluten, and it’s not always comfortable for the person who is allergic to gluten to discuss their intestinal disorder just so they can clarify how they can best enjoy a meal you have invited them to.

second, it is also important to understand what gluten is and the foods that contain gluten, it also important to understand that cross contamination should be avoided. if your home is not a gluten free home, then it is important that you set aside a set of cookware that you can dedicate to the gluten free cooking you are embarking on. clean it well, and keep it in a separate area of your kitchen during your cooking. for example, you could decide to prepare and cook all your gluten free foods on your kitchen island, and prepare and cook foods that do contain gluten on the counter next to your stove. however once you decide how to segregate the two areas, make sure that other members of your household are aware of your system so they don’t cross contaminate by accident. make a big sign if necessary!

cross contamination can easily happen. If your recipe calls for butter, for example, and you used your butter to spread on toast, and your butter has crumbs on it, don’t use it. be prepared to buy new ingredients that have not been contaminated.

recipes can be simple or complex, and there may be ingredients you are not familiar with, let alone whether or not they contain gluten. to be sure, call your friend or coworker and ask them if they are ok with the ingredient in question. they will really appreciate it, and will be able to offer alternatives if the one you planned to use is questionable.

if your menu ends up being a combination of foods that contain gluten and gluten free foods make sure to keep them separated well on your serving table. it is helpful to indicate which foods are gluten free so that your gluten free guests know with certainty what they can enjoy without having to hunt you down for clarification. it’s also helpful to remind everyone every so often that the gluten free food shouldn’t be contaminated with a spoon that was just dipped in soy sauce for example. (yes soy sauce contains gluten!) as a gluten free guest it can be really disappointing to peruse the buffet table only to find bread or cracker crumbs all over the cheese selection. it is important for the host to take part in this food control, so that the gluten free guests don’t feel like they are imposing on others.

we have both been in situations where there was no planned gluten free food, but by default we were able to eat the cheese and fruit, but found the table to be in such a state that we decided it wasn’t worth the risk to eat anything. this leads to a feeling of alienation, lack of enjoyment, and HUNGER!

learning from these experiences we often come to parties, showers, lunches, with our own food as a backup, and then have to explain to people why we aren’t sharing!

the best advice we can give to someone trying to entertain gluten free, is to make the whole experience gluten free! challenge yourself to find enough recipes, buff up on your ingredient knowledge, and make an experience that everyone can enjoy equally! you will provide your gluten free friends with a completely satisfying and stress-free experience! and your gluten eating friends will never know the difference. kudos to you!

stay tuned for our mom’s Best Gluten Free Turkey Dinner recipes.



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gluten free vancouver: dining & lifestyle blog by Gluten Free Vancouver is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

gluten free dinner party at whole foods market












you are cordially invited to a gluten free dinner party hosted by Whole Foods Market Cambie! this very special event will take place on Thursday August 11th from 6:30pm - 8:00pm. everything on the menu is gluten free! Andrea and I will also be there to talk about living gluten free in Vancouver, and we are excited to meet many of you in person. it will be a delicious and informative evening!

the gluten free dinner party includes appetizers, sparkling cocktails, a main course, followed by dessert. the gluten free menu has been specially created by Whole Foods Health Starts Here chef Mark Lukan. this promises to be an intimate gathering of like-minded foodies, and of course a great chance to eat and talk gluten free!

Date: August 11th
Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: Whole Foods Market Cambie (in the Floral Department)
Cost: $20

Appetizers:
Chilled Peach and Corn Soup
Grilled Veggie Kabobs
Thai Shrimp and Carrot Salad

Main:
Chicken & Peach Skewers or
Tofu Skewers with Peach Chipotle Glaze
Summer Saute
Brown Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms and Apricots

Dessert:
Grilled Peaches with crumbly Streusel Topping
all gluten free and all delicious!

for more information and to register, please contact Whole Foods Market Cambie customer service at 778-370-4210. to reserve your seat you will need to register and pay in person at Whole Foods Market Cambie Guest Services.

we hope to see you there! Robyn + Andrea.



Tuesday, June 21, 2011

annual celiac disease conference & food faire














we recently attended the National Celiac Disease Foundation’s Annual Conference and Food Faire in Los Angeles on May 14, 2011. the conference was very well attended with people of all ages. the theme of the conference was to provide participants with a better understanding of celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and the gluten free diet. speakers included Alessio Fasano, M.D., who is the Medical Director of the Center for Celiac Research, Danna Korn, author of Living Gluten-Free for Dummies, and Carol Fenster, Ph.D., author and gluten free cooking expert. 

we especially enjoyed the food faire which comprised of over 100 gluten free exhibitors. we spent most our time in the food faire sampling new products, and meeting many of the owners behind these great businesses such as Breads From Anna, Solterra Foods, Venice Bakery and Elizabeth Kaplan of the Pure Pantry. we were also happy to chat with a few other companies we know well like Bard's gluten free beer, Udi’s Gluten Free Foods, Nature’s Path, Kettle Cuisine, Pamela’s and Enjoy Life Foods. we also tried amazing baguette style bread from Schar at their booth, everything was so good! 

besides tasting Bards and Green’s gluten free beer, and getting our hands on the coveted Udi’s hot dog buns, we found several other unique and new gluten free products. we hinted at a few of our favorite gluten free finds in our conference giveaway post, but we wanted to write more about why these up and coming products and companies look so good. 


this bread and baking mix company was founded in 2004 by Anna Sobaski, who also has celiac disease. Breads From Anna come in a variety of flavors including the Original, Classic Herb Bread, and Black Bean Brownie. all of Breads From Anna are gluten, soy, and rice free. the All Purpose Flour bread mix is also yeast free. the two wonderful women at the booth were so friendly and helpful and genuinely huge fans of Anna's products.

we chatted about how to make the perfect loaf of bread with a Zojirushi bread machine, which they swear by. after devouring handfuls of the Classic Herb Bread samples, they told us that this bread makes a delicious stuffing mix. Anna's website has step-by-step tips for making her bread mixes in the Zojirushi bread machine, and other brands of bread machines. (I think I know what I want for Christmas this year!)

what we also commend Breads From Anna on is that the mixes are high in quality and nutrition. you would never know that Anna's bread is gluten free, it has the right texture, is not dense, and is full of flavour. common ingredients in Anna's breads include chia flour, chickpea flour, bean flours, and sorghum flour to name a few. what is interesting is that none of her breads contain rice flour, this is so liberating don't you think? we are so over rice bread! for a listing on where to find Anna's products click here. it seems there is only one place in Canada selling Breads From Anna products, St Albert Alberta, but there are several online places to buy these products.


we were totally amazed at this company's new gluten free Bake-In-Bag pizzas. not only is the pizza great, but the idea is that you cook the pizza in the biodegradable bag, in any oven, without worrying about cross contamination because it is protected inside the bag! to us this product is ingenious. 

the CEO, Elaine Valenza-Opdahl, was at the booth, and it was such a pleasure to talk with her. her booth was buzzing all day long. we love the Solterra philosophy, "Keep it simple, Keep it pure." Solterra offers other amazing gluten free products such as pastas, gnocchi, and baking mixes. there are two pizzas: margherita cheese pizza, and vegan cheese pizza. Solterra is a Colorado-based business, and their products should be available in Canada in a few months. we will keep you posted! 


Venice Bakery 
this is a Los Angeles-based business specializing in gluten free pizza crusts and focaccia bread. we were so impressed with the quality and taste of their pizzas that we went back to their booth several times to sample their pizzas. the staff were so friendly and passionate about their great tasting pizza, it made trying their products that much better. they also introduced their new gluten free calzones at the show, which were simply amazing! 

Venice Bakery is not a dedicated gluten free business, however their gluten free products have been certified by the Celiac Sprue Association. gluten free products are produced at separate times and on dedicated equipment, and are then tested to be sure they are under 5 ppm. as a precaution, Venice bakery sends their product to Siliker Labs for testing. click here to see a video of the president of the company, Jimmy DeSisto, describe the company's history and what you can do with their gluten free pizza crusts. 


we have more to tell you about our fun trip to Los Angeles, and our next post will feature some of the great places to eat out gluten free in L.A. one of them we can't stop thinking about! bye for now, Andrea + Robyn.


celiac disease foundation   |   breads from anna   |   venice bakery   |   solterra foods



Saturday, May 29, 2010

homestead specialty baking

Homestead Specialty Baking is the creation of Jennifer Yong, who left her career in law to pursue her passion for baking, and enrolled in Vancouver Community College's (VCC) renowned Baking and Pastry Arts program. upon graduation Jennifer decided she wanted to create a bakery that everyone can enjoy, therefore while Jennifer is not gluten intolerant herself, she specializes in baking for those with special dietary needs. Homestead offers gluten free, as well as dairy free and sugar free baking. quality is very important to Jennifer, and her goal is to make delicious and wholesome treats using the highest quality ingredients, as well as local and organic ingredients as often as possible. we love Jennifer's culinary philosophy—bake the best in every bite! 

Andrea and I met Jennifer recently to talk more about her home based business and to sample some of her baking, it was a lot of fun! we were curious to know how Jennifer bakes her gluten free treats such as blueberry scones, chocolate chip cookies, carrot cake and banana fig mini muffins, and especially how she deals with cross contamination. Jennifer uses dedicated pans and trays for her gluten free baking, which are washed before each use with a dedicated kitchen sponge. gluten containing flours and gluten free flours are each sealed in their own containers with lids. Jennifer also separates the area in her kitchen where she bakes gluten free and non-gluten free products. additionally, once the baking is complete, everything is packaged right away. food safety is of utmost importance to Jennifer, a preoccupation for which she attributes to her legal background. 

as anyone on a gluten free diet knows, baking without gluten is not easy. Jennifer recalls recommending that gluten free baking be included in the VCC program, but she says her request was rejected because her instructors felt it was too difficult to teach how to bake gluten free! Jennifer still wanted to pursue it, and decided to take on the challenge in her own business. she admits it was a lot of trial and error in the beginning, and that trying to mimic what gluten does in baking is like a scientific art. the staple ingredients in Homestead’s gluten free baking are Anita's Organic brown rice flour, a local company, sweet potato starch and tapioca starch.

Jennifer’s products are outstanding and we think she has succeeded in her quest to deliver great gluten free alternatives! everything tastes fresh, and not too sweet. Homestead also sells pre-made pancake and muffin mixes, carrot cake, fruit tarts, and loaves. custom orders are welcome as well. I recently placed a custom order for Homestead’s scones, cookies and muffins and it was ready in just a few days. Jennifer delivered it bright and early on a Saturday morning, and the scones had just come out of the oven, what a treat!  they were moist and warm, and certainly did not taste ‘gluten free’. Homestead Specialty Baking can accommodate custom orders for anyone in the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley. 

in addition to custom orders, look for Jennifer and her gluten free treats at the Kitsilano Farmer's Market (Sundays) on the following dates, starting this weekend! 

***May 30th, July 25th, August 15th, and October 17th. 

additionally you can purchase Homestead's gluten free baking mixes at the Home Grow-In Grocer, a wonderful corner market located at 18th and Columbia in the Riley Park neighborhood. if you haven't been to the Home Grow-In we suggest checking it out. we would be keen to write a post on them as well, however Jennifer's products are the only gluten free items I found when popping in a few weeks ago. please ask for gluten free if you do stop by, and maybe they will start carrying more gluten free local products like Jennifer's amazing baking!  Robyn.

ps. stay tuned for a great Homestead Specialty Baking giveaway!!!




Monday, May 10, 2010

choices markets: gluten free events & info

there are Choices Markets in most communities in the lower mainland: downtown, kitsilano, kerrisdale, cambie, burnaby, south surrey/white rock, and now in the bc interior in kelowna. fortunately for Robyn and I, we have always lived within walking distance to a Choices Market. before we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease we chose to shop here for the organic produce and product selection. one of the incentives that always kept us coming back to Choices over other organic grocers is their preferred shopper membership card program. the card not only gives shoppers discounts on specially labeled products, but you also accumulate points based on what you spend. when you reach 2000 points, the points can be redeemed for $20 off your next purchase, or donated to a local food bank! for more information and how you can sign up, click here.

when we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2005, we were completely overwhelmed at what lay ahead in terms of the necessary dietary shift, I mean gluten, what is gluten? fortunately for us, Choices already had that covered. while the product selection five years ago was nothing like what it is today, they did carry some of the basics, and they have their own Rice Bakery. the Rice Bakery is located just down the street from the Kitsilano Store on 16th avenue (near macdonald). you can shop here, or pick up many of their fresh or frozen items at the other locations. my personal favorite is the multiseed bread, which is also dairy free, and a new find at the rice bakery—pre-made frozen pizzas! they are awesome! they come in three flavors: pepperoni, veggie, and vegan, which has green pepper, onion, and pineapple. to see their complete list of products, click here.

in addition to the user-friendly blue sticker system, which identifies all gluten free products, Choices also offers free gluten free store tours. in the current Choices Market Newsletter, Choices dietician Desiree Nielsen RD, discusses the importance of maintaining a healthy gluten free diet, as we all know, just because something is gluten free doesn't always mean it's good for you. see her article titled "Thriving on a Gluten Free Diet" on page nine. 


here is a list of some great upcoming gluten free events:

the big news this month at Choices is that their fifth annual Gluten Free Fairs are taking place this month! the Kelowna Fair was this past weekend, sorry for the late notice, but the Vancouver and Surrey fairs are still to come this month. the Vancouver fair takes place on Saturday, May 29th between 8:30am and 2:00pm at St. Mark's Anglican Church, at 1805 Larch Street. The Surrey fair takes place the following day on Sunday, May 30th between 8:30am and 4:00pm at Choices Market South Surrey, located at 3248 King George Road. these events will feature seminars by gastroenterologist Dr. Hugh Freeman MD, Choices dietician Desiree Nielsen (mentioned above), and Dr. Arjuna Veeravagu ND, founder of the Sage Clinic in Vancouver. 

there will also be gift bags with gluten free products, gluten free food sampling, and Q&A with Desiree and the local chapter of the Celiac Association. to register for the Vancouver fair call the Kitsilano store at 604-736-0009, and for the Surrey fair call the South Surrey Store at 604-541-3902. the admission fee is $15 at the door, and all proceeds will benefit the local chapter of the Celiac Association. there will also be a free event concurrently at the Surrey Store on Sunday, May 30th where anyone is welcome to sample gluten free food available throughout the store. this is a great way to taste test products that might often be expensive only to find out later they are not that great.

for anyone interested in learning to cook gluten free, Choices South Surrey will be holding an Italian cooking class using gluten free ingredients such as millet, brown rice, and polenta. this event takes place on May 17th from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, and the cost is $15 at the door. space is filling up fast, if you are interested please call 604-541-3002 to register.

you can find all of this information and much much more in the Choices Newsletter, including a contest where one lucky winner, in each store, will win a Glutino prize package, which also includes a $25 Choices Gift Card! thank you Choices for all that you do!  Andrea + Robyn.


ps. don't forget our current giveaway, the deadline is midnight tonight! click here for details.


choices markets   |   choices newsletter   |   choices nutrition


Tuesday, February 23, 2010

winter olympics: finding gluten free at place de la francophonie

Place de la Francophonie is one of the many cultural events taking place during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics located on Granville IslandPlace de la Francophonie features Canadian francophone culture at several venues throughout Granville Island including the Air Canada Stage, which features nightly performances and shows, and Club Adrenaline, a sports bar where you can watch the games and sample a menu of French Canadian cuisine. 

there are two dishes on the menu that are gluten free including the organic salad with goat cheese, strawberries and balsamic maple vinegrette under the hors d’oeuvres section of the menu, and the chicken or salmon skewers with basmati rice and salad under the plats principaux (entrees). if you are not familiar with beef bourguignon it is not gluten free as the recipe calls for flour, which is used to coat the beef. gluten is also likely to be found in conventional stocks that may also be used in the broth. under the dessert section of the menu, the crème brulee is gluten free. 

everything on the menu is free of charge with the exception of the desserts which are $7.50.

bon appétit!  Robyn.


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Sunday, February 21, 2010

winter olympics: finding gluten free

so I ventured out yesterday to see if I could get into some of the many, many pavilions and venues here in Vancouver right now. everything has such long lineups, that I have not actually made it into any of them, until yesterday. I went to LiveCity Downtown, 45 minute line to get in. the LiveCity venues are secure sites and you must pass through security before entering. you are not allowed to bring in any food or opened beverages, they will make you throw it out and pour it out, just like they do at airports. they will let you keep your empty bottle to fill it with water once inside. they do make exceptions for parents with small children, you can bring in food/ formula/ milk/ juice for small children. 

so what if you are gluten intolerant and you plan on bringing your own gluten free food or snacks? you are out of luck. once inside there is the Canadiana Cookhouse and Coffee Bar Service which is serving popular Canadian fare such as pizza, poutine, chili, hot dogs, and baked potatoes. I asked about the poutine gravy, and it has wheat. the only thing left to consider is the baked potato, which comes with bacon bits, sour cream, chives, and cheese. I was told that cross contamination is unlikely, the baked potatoes are kept in their own food warmers. I guess you could question the bacon bits, but in a venue like this nobody is likely to know, and it's very busy so they don't really have time for question period, you know? you could order it plain, with just sour cream, but I decided to chance it, and ordered the baked potato with everything, and it was tasty, and I didn't feel sick afterward.

inside LiveCity Downtown you will find the Canada Pavilion and CentrePlace Manitoba. there was another line to get into the Canada Pavilion, so we skipped it, and enjoyed the Manitoba Pavilion, which had no line up. it is a very beautiful, sustainable building. we were here during the day, but it is supposed to look spectacular at night when they project light and images which mimic the northern lights and Manitoba's wildlife such as herds of bison onto the translucent facade. I loved the long wooden benches out front and the gathering place they created. 

if you enjoy architecture CentrePlace Manitoba is worth a visit. if you are hungry and looking to enjoy the games on large screens with friends I don't recommend LiveCity for anyone looking for gluten free food. in fact today I called the City of Vancouver (dial 311) to ask about this rule, and they confirmed that nobody, under any circumstances, can bring in their own food. I was told that a diabetic had called before me with the same question, and was given the same answer. I could go on a lengthy rant here about the City's oversight and ignorance with regard to dietary restrictions, I mean shouldn't public venues be accessible to all?

it will be impossible for Robyn and I to review all of the venues, so if anyone has discovered good gluten free options at any of the Vancouver 2010 venues, please leave a comment and share your experience!

livecity   |   vancouver 2010

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Thursday, February 4, 2010

be my valentine: dagoba's gluten free hot chocolate

photo credit dagobachocolate.com
not only is valentine's day just around the corner, but it's a time of year when a nice cup of hot chocolate can take the chill off, especially if you are hanging around some of the 2010 Winter Olympic venues! Dagoba Organic Chocolate not only makes chocolate bars, but they also have three kinds of hot chocolate mixes; authentic, xocolatl, and unsweetened. what is xocolatl you ask? it is a blend of cacao, rich dark chocolate, chillies, and cinnamon, sounds nice doesn't it?

all Dagoba Organic Chocolate products are gluten free, certified organic, and fair trade certified. Dagoba also practices what they call Full Circle Sustainability™, which is a commitment to better their business, products and themselves in the areas of quality, ecology, equity, and community. you can read more about it here.

mix your favorite Dagoba drinking chocolate with warm milk or your preferred milk alternative, but make sure that your milk alternative is gluten free. in our last post Robyn discussed some of the options, you can read about it here. today I am having a cup of authentic drinking chocolate, which contains cane sugar, but it's not too sweet at all, it is a nice smooth and rich chocolate taste. 

do you know someone who loves chocolate, but also has a gluten allergy? the drinking chocolate containers or the chocolate bars make a nice gift for your sweetie, friend or coworker. they will love you for thinking of them, and for being able to present them with a gluten free valentine. you can buy online, or at Choices Markets and Whole Foods. 

xoxo  Andrea.

dagoba   |   gluten free milk alternatives

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Thursday, November 19, 2009

gluten free catering experience: part one

I have been invited to an industry event tomorrow night at Vancouver Special on Main Street. I am excited about the party, but nervous about what kind of food will be served. the invite states that the event will be catered by another Main Street business called Tonina’s Deli & Catering Company. I’ve never heard of them, so I went to their website to find out more about them, and what kind of food they offer.


I got excited when I saw under the baking section they state clearly that gluten free options are available. good news! they don’t explain, however what those items might be, so I decided to call ahead to find out what I could expect at the event.

the owner’s name is Jark, and I spoke with him directly, he answered the phone. when I told him I was attending the ‘party for architects’ he knew right away which event I was referring to. I explained that I was calling to find out what gluten free options they have and if he could ensure some of the catered menu was gluten free. Jark was excited to discuss the menu, telling me that the order was for an assortment of meats, cheeses, and of course bread. he was also planning to make small pizzas, and said he would love to make me gluten free pizza, and could easily make it out of spelt.

“um, spelt,” I said. “Jark, I can’t eat spelt, it is not gluten free.”

“oh, are you that sensitive,” he asks?

“yes I have Celiac Disease, I am gluten intolerant.”

“oh I see,” he said. “then why don’t you send me some recipes and I’ll see what I can make for you! I want you to enjoy the party for architects.”

“ok, but one other thing, are the meats you are serving gluten free?”

“well the organic meats are, yes, but the regular meats are not. let me confirm with my organic suppliers to make sure.”

“thanks, but how will I know which meats are the gluten free ones,” I ask?

“well, that’s no problem, I will label them for you.”

wow, what personalized service. this man is out to do his best, just for me. as far as he knows, I am the only gluten free guest attending this party. despite the slip with the spelt, I have to say I am very impressed with his willingness to accommodate me.

stay tuned for part two where I write about the party and whether or not my gluten free dreams actually come true!  Andrea.

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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

how to entertain gluten free

w hotel buffet, originally uploaded by heather.
with the holiday season approaching many of you might be starting to plan and organize dinner parties, brunches, or sending out baking to family, friends and coworkers. if you know you have to prepare some food for someone who is allergic to gluten we have a few suggestions…

first, familiarize yourself with what gluten actually is, and how it negatively affects people who are gluten sensitive or someone with Celiac Disease. there is a general lack of awareness when it comes to what the consequences are if someone who is celiac eats gluten, and it’s not always comfortable for the person who is allergic to gluten to discuss their intestinal disorder just so they can clarify how they can best enjoy a meal you have invited them to.

second, it is also important to understand what gluten is and the foods that contain gluten, it also important to understand that cross contamination should be avoided. if your home is not a gluten free home, then it is important that you set aside a set of cookware that you can dedicate to the gluten free cooking you are embarking on. clean it well, and keep it in a separate area of your kitchen during your cooking. for example, you could decide to prepare and cook all your gluten free foods on your kitchen island, and prepare and cook foods that do contain gluten on the counter next to your stove. however once you decide how to segregate the two areas, make sure that other members of your household are aware of your system so they don’t cross contaminate by accident. make a big sign if necessary!

cross contamination can easily happen. If your recipe calls for butter, for example, and you used your butter to spread on toast, and your butter has crumbs on it, don’t use it. be prepared to buy new ingredients that have not been contaminated.

recipes can be simple or complex, and there may be ingredients you are not familiar with, let alone whether or not they contain gluten. to be sure, call your friend or coworker and ask them if they are ok with the ingredient in question. they will really appreciate it, and will be able to offer alternatives if the one you planned to use is questionable.

if your menu ends up being a combination of foods that contain gluten and gluten free foods make sure to keep them separated well on your serving table. it is helpful to indicate which foods are gluten free so that your gluten free guests know with certainty what they can enjoy without having to hunt you down for clarification. it’s also helpful to remind everyone every so often that the gluten free food shouldn’t be contaminated with a spoon that was just dipped in soy sauce for example. (yes soy sauce contains gluten!) as a gluten free guest it can be really disappointing to peruse the buffet table only to find bread or cracker crumbs all over the cheese selection. it is important for the host to take part in this food control, so that the gluten free guests don’t feel like they are imposing on others.

we have both been in situations where there was no planned gluten free food, but by default we were able to eat the cheese and fruit, but found the table to be in such a state that we decided it wasn’t worth the risk to eat anything. this leads to a feeling of alienation, lack of enjoyment, and HUNGER!

learning from these experiences we often come to parties, showers, lunches, with our own food as a backup, and then have to explain to people why we aren’t sharing!

the best advice we can give to someone trying to entertain gluten free, is to make the whole experience gluten free! challenge yourself to find enough recipes, buff up on your ingredient knowledge, and make an experience that everyone can enjoy equally! you will provide your gluten free friends with a completely satisfying and stress-free experience! and your gluten eating friends will never know the difference. kudos to you!

stay tuned for our mom’s Best Gluten Free Turkey Dinner recipes.



Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

gluten free dinner party at whole foods market












you are cordially invited to a gluten free dinner party hosted by Whole Foods Market Cambie! this very special event will take place on Thursday August 11th from 6:30pm - 8:00pm. everything on the menu is gluten free! Andrea and I will also be there to talk about living gluten free in Vancouver, and we are excited to meet many of you in person. it will be a delicious and informative evening!

the gluten free dinner party includes appetizers, sparkling cocktails, a main course, followed by dessert. the gluten free menu has been specially created by Whole Foods Health Starts Here chef Mark Lukan. this promises to be an intimate gathering of like-minded foodies, and of course a great chance to eat and talk gluten free!

Date: August 11th
Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: Whole Foods Market Cambie (in the Floral Department)
Cost: $20

Appetizers:
Chilled Peach and Corn Soup
Grilled Veggie Kabobs
Thai Shrimp and Carrot Salad

Main:
Chicken & Peach Skewers or
Tofu Skewers with Peach Chipotle Glaze
Summer Saute
Brown Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms and Apricots

Dessert:
Grilled Peaches with crumbly Streusel Topping
all gluten free and all delicious!

for more information and to register, please contact Whole Foods Market Cambie customer service at 778-370-4210. to reserve your seat you will need to register and pay in person at Whole Foods Market Cambie Guest Services.

we hope to see you there! Robyn + Andrea.



Tuesday, June 21, 2011

annual celiac disease conference & food faire














we recently attended the National Celiac Disease Foundation’s Annual Conference and Food Faire in Los Angeles on May 14, 2011. the conference was very well attended with people of all ages. the theme of the conference was to provide participants with a better understanding of celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and the gluten free diet. speakers included Alessio Fasano, M.D., who is the Medical Director of the Center for Celiac Research, Danna Korn, author of Living Gluten-Free for Dummies, and Carol Fenster, Ph.D., author and gluten free cooking expert. 

we especially enjoyed the food faire which comprised of over 100 gluten free exhibitors. we spent most our time in the food faire sampling new products, and meeting many of the owners behind these great businesses such as Breads From Anna, Solterra Foods, Venice Bakery and Elizabeth Kaplan of the Pure Pantry. we were also happy to chat with a few other companies we know well like Bard's gluten free beer, Udi’s Gluten Free Foods, Nature’s Path, Kettle Cuisine, Pamela’s and Enjoy Life Foods. we also tried amazing baguette style bread from Schar at their booth, everything was so good! 

besides tasting Bards and Green’s gluten free beer, and getting our hands on the coveted Udi’s hot dog buns, we found several other unique and new gluten free products. we hinted at a few of our favorite gluten free finds in our conference giveaway post, but we wanted to write more about why these up and coming products and companies look so good. 


this bread and baking mix company was founded in 2004 by Anna Sobaski, who also has celiac disease. Breads From Anna come in a variety of flavors including the Original, Classic Herb Bread, and Black Bean Brownie. all of Breads From Anna are gluten, soy, and rice free. the All Purpose Flour bread mix is also yeast free. the two wonderful women at the booth were so friendly and helpful and genuinely huge fans of Anna's products.

we chatted about how to make the perfect loaf of bread with a Zojirushi bread machine, which they swear by. after devouring handfuls of the Classic Herb Bread samples, they told us that this bread makes a delicious stuffing mix. Anna's website has step-by-step tips for making her bread mixes in the Zojirushi bread machine, and other brands of bread machines. (I think I know what I want for Christmas this year!)

what we also commend Breads From Anna on is that the mixes are high in quality and nutrition. you would never know that Anna's bread is gluten free, it has the right texture, is not dense, and is full of flavour. common ingredients in Anna's breads include chia flour, chickpea flour, bean flours, and sorghum flour to name a few. what is interesting is that none of her breads contain rice flour, this is so liberating don't you think? we are so over rice bread! for a listing on where to find Anna's products click here. it seems there is only one place in Canada selling Breads From Anna products, St Albert Alberta, but there are several online places to buy these products.


we were totally amazed at this company's new gluten free Bake-In-Bag pizzas. not only is the pizza great, but the idea is that you cook the pizza in the biodegradable bag, in any oven, without worrying about cross contamination because it is protected inside the bag! to us this product is ingenious. 

the CEO, Elaine Valenza-Opdahl, was at the booth, and it was such a pleasure to talk with her. her booth was buzzing all day long. we love the Solterra philosophy, "Keep it simple, Keep it pure." Solterra offers other amazing gluten free products such as pastas, gnocchi, and baking mixes. there are two pizzas: margherita cheese pizza, and vegan cheese pizza. Solterra is a Colorado-based business, and their products should be available in Canada in a few months. we will keep you posted! 


Venice Bakery 
this is a Los Angeles-based business specializing in gluten free pizza crusts and focaccia bread. we were so impressed with the quality and taste of their pizzas that we went back to their booth several times to sample their pizzas. the staff were so friendly and passionate about their great tasting pizza, it made trying their products that much better. they also introduced their new gluten free calzones at the show, which were simply amazing! 

Venice Bakery is not a dedicated gluten free business, however their gluten free products have been certified by the Celiac Sprue Association. gluten free products are produced at separate times and on dedicated equipment, and are then tested to be sure they are under 5 ppm. as a precaution, Venice bakery sends their product to Siliker Labs for testing. click here to see a video of the president of the company, Jimmy DeSisto, describe the company's history and what you can do with their gluten free pizza crusts. 


we have more to tell you about our fun trip to Los Angeles, and our next post will feature some of the great places to eat out gluten free in L.A. one of them we can't stop thinking about! bye for now, Andrea + Robyn.


celiac disease foundation   |   breads from anna   |   venice bakery   |   solterra foods



Saturday, May 29, 2010

homestead specialty baking

Homestead Specialty Baking is the creation of Jennifer Yong, who left her career in law to pursue her passion for baking, and enrolled in Vancouver Community College's (VCC) renowned Baking and Pastry Arts program. upon graduation Jennifer decided she wanted to create a bakery that everyone can enjoy, therefore while Jennifer is not gluten intolerant herself, she specializes in baking for those with special dietary needs. Homestead offers gluten free, as well as dairy free and sugar free baking. quality is very important to Jennifer, and her goal is to make delicious and wholesome treats using the highest quality ingredients, as well as local and organic ingredients as often as possible. we love Jennifer's culinary philosophy—bake the best in every bite! 

Andrea and I met Jennifer recently to talk more about her home based business and to sample some of her baking, it was a lot of fun! we were curious to know how Jennifer bakes her gluten free treats such as blueberry scones, chocolate chip cookies, carrot cake and banana fig mini muffins, and especially how she deals with cross contamination. Jennifer uses dedicated pans and trays for her gluten free baking, which are washed before each use with a dedicated kitchen sponge. gluten containing flours and gluten free flours are each sealed in their own containers with lids. Jennifer also separates the area in her kitchen where she bakes gluten free and non-gluten free products. additionally, once the baking is complete, everything is packaged right away. food safety is of utmost importance to Jennifer, a preoccupation for which she attributes to her legal background. 

as anyone on a gluten free diet knows, baking without gluten is not easy. Jennifer recalls recommending that gluten free baking be included in the VCC program, but she says her request was rejected because her instructors felt it was too difficult to teach how to bake gluten free! Jennifer still wanted to pursue it, and decided to take on the challenge in her own business. she admits it was a lot of trial and error in the beginning, and that trying to mimic what gluten does in baking is like a scientific art. the staple ingredients in Homestead’s gluten free baking are Anita's Organic brown rice flour, a local company, sweet potato starch and tapioca starch.

Jennifer’s products are outstanding and we think she has succeeded in her quest to deliver great gluten free alternatives! everything tastes fresh, and not too sweet. Homestead also sells pre-made pancake and muffin mixes, carrot cake, fruit tarts, and loaves. custom orders are welcome as well. I recently placed a custom order for Homestead’s scones, cookies and muffins and it was ready in just a few days. Jennifer delivered it bright and early on a Saturday morning, and the scones had just come out of the oven, what a treat!  they were moist and warm, and certainly did not taste ‘gluten free’. Homestead Specialty Baking can accommodate custom orders for anyone in the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley. 

in addition to custom orders, look for Jennifer and her gluten free treats at the Kitsilano Farmer's Market (Sundays) on the following dates, starting this weekend! 

***May 30th, July 25th, August 15th, and October 17th. 

additionally you can purchase Homestead's gluten free baking mixes at the Home Grow-In Grocer, a wonderful corner market located at 18th and Columbia in the Riley Park neighborhood. if you haven't been to the Home Grow-In we suggest checking it out. we would be keen to write a post on them as well, however Jennifer's products are the only gluten free items I found when popping in a few weeks ago. please ask for gluten free if you do stop by, and maybe they will start carrying more gluten free local products like Jennifer's amazing baking!  Robyn.

ps. stay tuned for a great Homestead Specialty Baking giveaway!!!




Monday, May 10, 2010

choices markets: gluten free events & info

there are Choices Markets in most communities in the lower mainland: downtown, kitsilano, kerrisdale, cambie, burnaby, south surrey/white rock, and now in the bc interior in kelowna. fortunately for Robyn and I, we have always lived within walking distance to a Choices Market. before we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease we chose to shop here for the organic produce and product selection. one of the incentives that always kept us coming back to Choices over other organic grocers is their preferred shopper membership card program. the card not only gives shoppers discounts on specially labeled products, but you also accumulate points based on what you spend. when you reach 2000 points, the points can be redeemed for $20 off your next purchase, or donated to a local food bank! for more information and how you can sign up, click here.

when we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2005, we were completely overwhelmed at what lay ahead in terms of the necessary dietary shift, I mean gluten, what is gluten? fortunately for us, Choices already had that covered. while the product selection five years ago was nothing like what it is today, they did carry some of the basics, and they have their own Rice Bakery. the Rice Bakery is located just down the street from the Kitsilano Store on 16th avenue (near macdonald). you can shop here, or pick up many of their fresh or frozen items at the other locations. my personal favorite is the multiseed bread, which is also dairy free, and a new find at the rice bakery—pre-made frozen pizzas! they are awesome! they come in three flavors: pepperoni, veggie, and vegan, which has green pepper, onion, and pineapple. to see their complete list of products, click here.

in addition to the user-friendly blue sticker system, which identifies all gluten free products, Choices also offers free gluten free store tours. in the current Choices Market Newsletter, Choices dietician Desiree Nielsen RD, discusses the importance of maintaining a healthy gluten free diet, as we all know, just because something is gluten free doesn't always mean it's good for you. see her article titled "Thriving on a Gluten Free Diet" on page nine. 


here is a list of some great upcoming gluten free events:

the big news this month at Choices is that their fifth annual Gluten Free Fairs are taking place this month! the Kelowna Fair was this past weekend, sorry for the late notice, but the Vancouver and Surrey fairs are still to come this month. the Vancouver fair takes place on Saturday, May 29th between 8:30am and 2:00pm at St. Mark's Anglican Church, at 1805 Larch Street. The Surrey fair takes place the following day on Sunday, May 30th between 8:30am and 4:00pm at Choices Market South Surrey, located at 3248 King George Road. these events will feature seminars by gastroenterologist Dr. Hugh Freeman MD, Choices dietician Desiree Nielsen (mentioned above), and Dr. Arjuna Veeravagu ND, founder of the Sage Clinic in Vancouver. 

there will also be gift bags with gluten free products, gluten free food sampling, and Q&A with Desiree and the local chapter of the Celiac Association. to register for the Vancouver fair call the Kitsilano store at 604-736-0009, and for the Surrey fair call the South Surrey Store at 604-541-3902. the admission fee is $15 at the door, and all proceeds will benefit the local chapter of the Celiac Association. there will also be a free event concurrently at the Surrey Store on Sunday, May 30th where anyone is welcome to sample gluten free food available throughout the store. this is a great way to taste test products that might often be expensive only to find out later they are not that great.

for anyone interested in learning to cook gluten free, Choices South Surrey will be holding an Italian cooking class using gluten free ingredients such as millet, brown rice, and polenta. this event takes place on May 17th from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, and the cost is $15 at the door. space is filling up fast, if you are interested please call 604-541-3002 to register.

you can find all of this information and much much more in the Choices Newsletter, including a contest where one lucky winner, in each store, will win a Glutino prize package, which also includes a $25 Choices Gift Card! thank you Choices for all that you do!  Andrea + Robyn.


ps. don't forget our current giveaway, the deadline is midnight tonight! click here for details.


choices markets   |   choices newsletter   |   choices nutrition


Tuesday, February 23, 2010

winter olympics: finding gluten free at place de la francophonie

Place de la Francophonie is one of the many cultural events taking place during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics located on Granville IslandPlace de la Francophonie features Canadian francophone culture at several venues throughout Granville Island including the Air Canada Stage, which features nightly performances and shows, and Club Adrenaline, a sports bar where you can watch the games and sample a menu of French Canadian cuisine. 

there are two dishes on the menu that are gluten free including the organic salad with goat cheese, strawberries and balsamic maple vinegrette under the hors d’oeuvres section of the menu, and the chicken or salmon skewers with basmati rice and salad under the plats principaux (entrees). if you are not familiar with beef bourguignon it is not gluten free as the recipe calls for flour, which is used to coat the beef. gluten is also likely to be found in conventional stocks that may also be used in the broth. under the dessert section of the menu, the crème brulee is gluten free. 

everything on the menu is free of charge with the exception of the desserts which are $7.50.

bon appétit!  Robyn.


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Sunday, February 21, 2010

winter olympics: finding gluten free

so I ventured out yesterday to see if I could get into some of the many, many pavilions and venues here in Vancouver right now. everything has such long lineups, that I have not actually made it into any of them, until yesterday. I went to LiveCity Downtown, 45 minute line to get in. the LiveCity venues are secure sites and you must pass through security before entering. you are not allowed to bring in any food or opened beverages, they will make you throw it out and pour it out, just like they do at airports. they will let you keep your empty bottle to fill it with water once inside. they do make exceptions for parents with small children, you can bring in food/ formula/ milk/ juice for small children. 

so what if you are gluten intolerant and you plan on bringing your own gluten free food or snacks? you are out of luck. once inside there is the Canadiana Cookhouse and Coffee Bar Service which is serving popular Canadian fare such as pizza, poutine, chili, hot dogs, and baked potatoes. I asked about the poutine gravy, and it has wheat. the only thing left to consider is the baked potato, which comes with bacon bits, sour cream, chives, and cheese. I was told that cross contamination is unlikely, the baked potatoes are kept in their own food warmers. I guess you could question the bacon bits, but in a venue like this nobody is likely to know, and it's very busy so they don't really have time for question period, you know? you could order it plain, with just sour cream, but I decided to chance it, and ordered the baked potato with everything, and it was tasty, and I didn't feel sick afterward.

inside LiveCity Downtown you will find the Canada Pavilion and CentrePlace Manitoba. there was another line to get into the Canada Pavilion, so we skipped it, and enjoyed the Manitoba Pavilion, which had no line up. it is a very beautiful, sustainable building. we were here during the day, but it is supposed to look spectacular at night when they project light and images which mimic the northern lights and Manitoba's wildlife such as herds of bison onto the translucent facade. I loved the long wooden benches out front and the gathering place they created. 

if you enjoy architecture CentrePlace Manitoba is worth a visit. if you are hungry and looking to enjoy the games on large screens with friends I don't recommend LiveCity for anyone looking for gluten free food. in fact today I called the City of Vancouver (dial 311) to ask about this rule, and they confirmed that nobody, under any circumstances, can bring in their own food. I was told that a diabetic had called before me with the same question, and was given the same answer. I could go on a lengthy rant here about the City's oversight and ignorance with regard to dietary restrictions, I mean shouldn't public venues be accessible to all?

it will be impossible for Robyn and I to review all of the venues, so if anyone has discovered good gluten free options at any of the Vancouver 2010 venues, please leave a comment and share your experience!

livecity   |   vancouver 2010

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Thursday, February 4, 2010

be my valentine: dagoba's gluten free hot chocolate

photo credit dagobachocolate.com
not only is valentine's day just around the corner, but it's a time of year when a nice cup of hot chocolate can take the chill off, especially if you are hanging around some of the 2010 Winter Olympic venues! Dagoba Organic Chocolate not only makes chocolate bars, but they also have three kinds of hot chocolate mixes; authentic, xocolatl, and unsweetened. what is xocolatl you ask? it is a blend of cacao, rich dark chocolate, chillies, and cinnamon, sounds nice doesn't it?

all Dagoba Organic Chocolate products are gluten free, certified organic, and fair trade certified. Dagoba also practices what they call Full Circle Sustainability™, which is a commitment to better their business, products and themselves in the areas of quality, ecology, equity, and community. you can read more about it here.

mix your favorite Dagoba drinking chocolate with warm milk or your preferred milk alternative, but make sure that your milk alternative is gluten free. in our last post Robyn discussed some of the options, you can read about it here. today I am having a cup of authentic drinking chocolate, which contains cane sugar, but it's not too sweet at all, it is a nice smooth and rich chocolate taste. 

do you know someone who loves chocolate, but also has a gluten allergy? the drinking chocolate containers or the chocolate bars make a nice gift for your sweetie, friend or coworker. they will love you for thinking of them, and for being able to present them with a gluten free valentine. you can buy online, or at Choices Markets and Whole Foods. 

xoxo  Andrea.

dagoba   |   gluten free milk alternatives

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Thursday, November 19, 2009

gluten free catering experience: part one

I have been invited to an industry event tomorrow night at Vancouver Special on Main Street. I am excited about the party, but nervous about what kind of food will be served. the invite states that the event will be catered by another Main Street business called Tonina’s Deli & Catering Company. I’ve never heard of them, so I went to their website to find out more about them, and what kind of food they offer.


I got excited when I saw under the baking section they state clearly that gluten free options are available. good news! they don’t explain, however what those items might be, so I decided to call ahead to find out what I could expect at the event.

the owner’s name is Jark, and I spoke with him directly, he answered the phone. when I told him I was attending the ‘party for architects’ he knew right away which event I was referring to. I explained that I was calling to find out what gluten free options they have and if he could ensure some of the catered menu was gluten free. Jark was excited to discuss the menu, telling me that the order was for an assortment of meats, cheeses, and of course bread. he was also planning to make small pizzas, and said he would love to make me gluten free pizza, and could easily make it out of spelt.

“um, spelt,” I said. “Jark, I can’t eat spelt, it is not gluten free.”

“oh, are you that sensitive,” he asks?

“yes I have Celiac Disease, I am gluten intolerant.”

“oh I see,” he said. “then why don’t you send me some recipes and I’ll see what I can make for you! I want you to enjoy the party for architects.”

“ok, but one other thing, are the meats you are serving gluten free?”

“well the organic meats are, yes, but the regular meats are not. let me confirm with my organic suppliers to make sure.”

“thanks, but how will I know which meats are the gluten free ones,” I ask?

“well, that’s no problem, I will label them for you.”

wow, what personalized service. this man is out to do his best, just for me. as far as he knows, I am the only gluten free guest attending this party. despite the slip with the spelt, I have to say I am very impressed with his willingness to accommodate me.

stay tuned for part two where I write about the party and whether or not my gluten free dreams actually come true!  Andrea.

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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

how to entertain gluten free

w hotel buffet, originally uploaded by heather.
with the holiday season approaching many of you might be starting to plan and organize dinner parties, brunches, or sending out baking to family, friends and coworkers. if you know you have to prepare some food for someone who is allergic to gluten we have a few suggestions…

first, familiarize yourself with what gluten actually is, and how it negatively affects people who are gluten sensitive or someone with Celiac Disease. there is a general lack of awareness when it comes to what the consequences are if someone who is celiac eats gluten, and it’s not always comfortable for the person who is allergic to gluten to discuss their intestinal disorder just so they can clarify how they can best enjoy a meal you have invited them to.

second, it is also important to understand what gluten is and the foods that contain gluten, it also important to understand that cross contamination should be avoided. if your home is not a gluten free home, then it is important that you set aside a set of cookware that you can dedicate to the gluten free cooking you are embarking on. clean it well, and keep it in a separate area of your kitchen during your cooking. for example, you could decide to prepare and cook all your gluten free foods on your kitchen island, and prepare and cook foods that do contain gluten on the counter next to your stove. however once you decide how to segregate the two areas, make sure that other members of your household are aware of your system so they don’t cross contaminate by accident. make a big sign if necessary!

cross contamination can easily happen. If your recipe calls for butter, for example, and you used your butter to spread on toast, and your butter has crumbs on it, don’t use it. be prepared to buy new ingredients that have not been contaminated.

recipes can be simple or complex, and there may be ingredients you are not familiar with, let alone whether or not they contain gluten. to be sure, call your friend or coworker and ask them if they are ok with the ingredient in question. they will really appreciate it, and will be able to offer alternatives if the one you planned to use is questionable.

if your menu ends up being a combination of foods that contain gluten and gluten free foods make sure to keep them separated well on your serving table. it is helpful to indicate which foods are gluten free so that your gluten free guests know with certainty what they can enjoy without having to hunt you down for clarification. it’s also helpful to remind everyone every so often that the gluten free food shouldn’t be contaminated with a spoon that was just dipped in soy sauce for example. (yes soy sauce contains gluten!) as a gluten free guest it can be really disappointing to peruse the buffet table only to find bread or cracker crumbs all over the cheese selection. it is important for the host to take part in this food control, so that the gluten free guests don’t feel like they are imposing on others.

we have both been in situations where there was no planned gluten free food, but by default we were able to eat the cheese and fruit, but found the table to be in such a state that we decided it wasn’t worth the risk to eat anything. this leads to a feeling of alienation, lack of enjoyment, and HUNGER!

learning from these experiences we often come to parties, showers, lunches, with our own food as a backup, and then have to explain to people why we aren’t sharing!

the best advice we can give to someone trying to entertain gluten free, is to make the whole experience gluten free! challenge yourself to find enough recipes, buff up on your ingredient knowledge, and make an experience that everyone can enjoy equally! you will provide your gluten free friends with a completely satisfying and stress-free experience! and your gluten eating friends will never know the difference. kudos to you!

stay tuned for our mom’s Best Gluten Free Turkey Dinner recipes.



Showing posts with label events. Show all posts
Showing posts with label events. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

gluten free dinner party at whole foods market












you are cordially invited to a gluten free dinner party hosted by Whole Foods Market Cambie! this very special event will take place on Thursday August 11th from 6:30pm - 8:00pm. everything on the menu is gluten free! Andrea and I will also be there to talk about living gluten free in Vancouver, and we are excited to meet many of you in person. it will be a delicious and informative evening!

the gluten free dinner party includes appetizers, sparkling cocktails, a main course, followed by dessert. the gluten free menu has been specially created by Whole Foods Health Starts Here chef Mark Lukan. this promises to be an intimate gathering of like-minded foodies, and of course a great chance to eat and talk gluten free!

Date: August 11th
Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Location: Whole Foods Market Cambie (in the Floral Department)
Cost: $20

Appetizers:
Chilled Peach and Corn Soup
Grilled Veggie Kabobs
Thai Shrimp and Carrot Salad

Main:
Chicken & Peach Skewers or
Tofu Skewers with Peach Chipotle Glaze
Summer Saute
Brown Rice Pilaf with Mushrooms and Apricots

Dessert:
Grilled Peaches with crumbly Streusel Topping
all gluten free and all delicious!

for more information and to register, please contact Whole Foods Market Cambie customer service at 778-370-4210. to reserve your seat you will need to register and pay in person at Whole Foods Market Cambie Guest Services.

we hope to see you there! Robyn + Andrea.



Tuesday, June 21, 2011

annual celiac disease conference & food faire














we recently attended the National Celiac Disease Foundation’s Annual Conference and Food Faire in Los Angeles on May 14, 2011. the conference was very well attended with people of all ages. the theme of the conference was to provide participants with a better understanding of celiac disease, gluten sensitivity and the gluten free diet. speakers included Alessio Fasano, M.D., who is the Medical Director of the Center for Celiac Research, Danna Korn, author of Living Gluten-Free for Dummies, and Carol Fenster, Ph.D., author and gluten free cooking expert. 

we especially enjoyed the food faire which comprised of over 100 gluten free exhibitors. we spent most our time in the food faire sampling new products, and meeting many of the owners behind these great businesses such as Breads From Anna, Solterra Foods, Venice Bakery and Elizabeth Kaplan of the Pure Pantry. we were also happy to chat with a few other companies we know well like Bard's gluten free beer, Udi’s Gluten Free Foods, Nature’s Path, Kettle Cuisine, Pamela’s and Enjoy Life Foods. we also tried amazing baguette style bread from Schar at their booth, everything was so good! 

besides tasting Bards and Green’s gluten free beer, and getting our hands on the coveted Udi’s hot dog buns, we found several other unique and new gluten free products. we hinted at a few of our favorite gluten free finds in our conference giveaway post, but we wanted to write more about why these up and coming products and companies look so good. 


this bread and baking mix company was founded in 2004 by Anna Sobaski, who also has celiac disease. Breads From Anna come in a variety of flavors including the Original, Classic Herb Bread, and Black Bean Brownie. all of Breads From Anna are gluten, soy, and rice free. the All Purpose Flour bread mix is also yeast free. the two wonderful women at the booth were so friendly and helpful and genuinely huge fans of Anna's products.

we chatted about how to make the perfect loaf of bread with a Zojirushi bread machine, which they swear by. after devouring handfuls of the Classic Herb Bread samples, they told us that this bread makes a delicious stuffing mix. Anna's website has step-by-step tips for making her bread mixes in the Zojirushi bread machine, and other brands of bread machines. (I think I know what I want for Christmas this year!)

what we also commend Breads From Anna on is that the mixes are high in quality and nutrition. you would never know that Anna's bread is gluten free, it has the right texture, is not dense, and is full of flavour. common ingredients in Anna's breads include chia flour, chickpea flour, bean flours, and sorghum flour to name a few. what is interesting is that none of her breads contain rice flour, this is so liberating don't you think? we are so over rice bread! for a listing on where to find Anna's products click here. it seems there is only one place in Canada selling Breads From Anna products, St Albert Alberta, but there are several online places to buy these products.


we were totally amazed at this company's new gluten free Bake-In-Bag pizzas. not only is the pizza great, but the idea is that you cook the pizza in the biodegradable bag, in any oven, without worrying about cross contamination because it is protected inside the bag! to us this product is ingenious. 

the CEO, Elaine Valenza-Opdahl, was at the booth, and it was such a pleasure to talk with her. her booth was buzzing all day long. we love the Solterra philosophy, "Keep it simple, Keep it pure." Solterra offers other amazing gluten free products such as pastas, gnocchi, and baking mixes. there are two pizzas: margherita cheese pizza, and vegan cheese pizza. Solterra is a Colorado-based business, and their products should be available in Canada in a few months. we will keep you posted! 


Venice Bakery 
this is a Los Angeles-based business specializing in gluten free pizza crusts and focaccia bread. we were so impressed with the quality and taste of their pizzas that we went back to their booth several times to sample their pizzas. the staff were so friendly and passionate about their great tasting pizza, it made trying their products that much better. they also introduced their new gluten free calzones at the show, which were simply amazing! 

Venice Bakery is not a dedicated gluten free business, however their gluten free products have been certified by the Celiac Sprue Association. gluten free products are produced at separate times and on dedicated equipment, and are then tested to be sure they are under 5 ppm. as a precaution, Venice bakery sends their product to Siliker Labs for testing. click here to see a video of the president of the company, Jimmy DeSisto, describe the company's history and what you can do with their gluten free pizza crusts. 


we have more to tell you about our fun trip to Los Angeles, and our next post will feature some of the great places to eat out gluten free in L.A. one of them we can't stop thinking about! bye for now, Andrea + Robyn.


celiac disease foundation   |   breads from anna   |   venice bakery   |   solterra foods



Saturday, May 29, 2010

homestead specialty baking

Homestead Specialty Baking is the creation of Jennifer Yong, who left her career in law to pursue her passion for baking, and enrolled in Vancouver Community College's (VCC) renowned Baking and Pastry Arts program. upon graduation Jennifer decided she wanted to create a bakery that everyone can enjoy, therefore while Jennifer is not gluten intolerant herself, she specializes in baking for those with special dietary needs. Homestead offers gluten free, as well as dairy free and sugar free baking. quality is very important to Jennifer, and her goal is to make delicious and wholesome treats using the highest quality ingredients, as well as local and organic ingredients as often as possible. we love Jennifer's culinary philosophy—bake the best in every bite! 

Andrea and I met Jennifer recently to talk more about her home based business and to sample some of her baking, it was a lot of fun! we were curious to know how Jennifer bakes her gluten free treats such as blueberry scones, chocolate chip cookies, carrot cake and banana fig mini muffins, and especially how she deals with cross contamination. Jennifer uses dedicated pans and trays for her gluten free baking, which are washed before each use with a dedicated kitchen sponge. gluten containing flours and gluten free flours are each sealed in their own containers with lids. Jennifer also separates the area in her kitchen where she bakes gluten free and non-gluten free products. additionally, once the baking is complete, everything is packaged right away. food safety is of utmost importance to Jennifer, a preoccupation for which she attributes to her legal background. 

as anyone on a gluten free diet knows, baking without gluten is not easy. Jennifer recalls recommending that gluten free baking be included in the VCC program, but she says her request was rejected because her instructors felt it was too difficult to teach how to bake gluten free! Jennifer still wanted to pursue it, and decided to take on the challenge in her own business. she admits it was a lot of trial and error in the beginning, and that trying to mimic what gluten does in baking is like a scientific art. the staple ingredients in Homestead’s gluten free baking are Anita's Organic brown rice flour, a local company, sweet potato starch and tapioca starch.

Jennifer’s products are outstanding and we think she has succeeded in her quest to deliver great gluten free alternatives! everything tastes fresh, and not too sweet. Homestead also sells pre-made pancake and muffin mixes, carrot cake, fruit tarts, and loaves. custom orders are welcome as well. I recently placed a custom order for Homestead’s scones, cookies and muffins and it was ready in just a few days. Jennifer delivered it bright and early on a Saturday morning, and the scones had just come out of the oven, what a treat!  they were moist and warm, and certainly did not taste ‘gluten free’. Homestead Specialty Baking can accommodate custom orders for anyone in the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley. 

in addition to custom orders, look for Jennifer and her gluten free treats at the Kitsilano Farmer's Market (Sundays) on the following dates, starting this weekend! 

***May 30th, July 25th, August 15th, and October 17th. 

additionally you can purchase Homestead's gluten free baking mixes at the Home Grow-In Grocer, a wonderful corner market located at 18th and Columbia in the Riley Park neighborhood. if you haven't been to the Home Grow-In we suggest checking it out. we would be keen to write a post on them as well, however Jennifer's products are the only gluten free items I found when popping in a few weeks ago. please ask for gluten free if you do stop by, and maybe they will start carrying more gluten free local products like Jennifer's amazing baking!  Robyn.

ps. stay tuned for a great Homestead Specialty Baking giveaway!!!




Monday, May 10, 2010

choices markets: gluten free events & info

there are Choices Markets in most communities in the lower mainland: downtown, kitsilano, kerrisdale, cambie, burnaby, south surrey/white rock, and now in the bc interior in kelowna. fortunately for Robyn and I, we have always lived within walking distance to a Choices Market. before we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease we chose to shop here for the organic produce and product selection. one of the incentives that always kept us coming back to Choices over other organic grocers is their preferred shopper membership card program. the card not only gives shoppers discounts on specially labeled products, but you also accumulate points based on what you spend. when you reach 2000 points, the points can be redeemed for $20 off your next purchase, or donated to a local food bank! for more information and how you can sign up, click here.

when we were diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2005, we were completely overwhelmed at what lay ahead in terms of the necessary dietary shift, I mean gluten, what is gluten? fortunately for us, Choices already had that covered. while the product selection five years ago was nothing like what it is today, they did carry some of the basics, and they have their own Rice Bakery. the Rice Bakery is located just down the street from the Kitsilano Store on 16th avenue (near macdonald). you can shop here, or pick up many of their fresh or frozen items at the other locations. my personal favorite is the multiseed bread, which is also dairy free, and a new find at the rice bakery—pre-made frozen pizzas! they are awesome! they come in three flavors: pepperoni, veggie, and vegan, which has green pepper, onion, and pineapple. to see their complete list of products, click here.

in addition to the user-friendly blue sticker system, which identifies all gluten free products, Choices also offers free gluten free store tours. in the current Choices Market Newsletter, Choices dietician Desiree Nielsen RD, discusses the importance of maintaining a healthy gluten free diet, as we all know, just because something is gluten free doesn't always mean it's good for you. see her article titled "Thriving on a Gluten Free Diet" on page nine. 


here is a list of some great upcoming gluten free events:

the big news this month at Choices is that their fifth annual Gluten Free Fairs are taking place this month! the Kelowna Fair was this past weekend, sorry for the late notice, but the Vancouver and Surrey fairs are still to come this month. the Vancouver fair takes place on Saturday, May 29th between 8:30am and 2:00pm at St. Mark's Anglican Church, at 1805 Larch Street. The Surrey fair takes place the following day on Sunday, May 30th between 8:30am and 4:00pm at Choices Market South Surrey, located at 3248 King George Road. these events will feature seminars by gastroenterologist Dr. Hugh Freeman MD, Choices dietician Desiree Nielsen (mentioned above), and Dr. Arjuna Veeravagu ND, founder of the Sage Clinic in Vancouver. 

there will also be gift bags with gluten free products, gluten free food sampling, and Q&A with Desiree and the local chapter of the Celiac Association. to register for the Vancouver fair call the Kitsilano store at 604-736-0009, and for the Surrey fair call the South Surrey Store at 604-541-3902. the admission fee is $15 at the door, and all proceeds will benefit the local chapter of the Celiac Association. there will also be a free event concurrently at the Surrey Store on Sunday, May 30th where anyone is welcome to sample gluten free food available throughout the store. this is a great way to taste test products that might often be expensive only to find out later they are not that great.

for anyone interested in learning to cook gluten free, Choices South Surrey will be holding an Italian cooking class using gluten free ingredients such as millet, brown rice, and polenta. this event takes place on May 17th from 7:00 to 9:00 pm, and the cost is $15 at the door. space is filling up fast, if you are interested please call 604-541-3002 to register.

you can find all of this information and much much more in the Choices Newsletter, including a contest where one lucky winner, in each store, will win a Glutino prize package, which also includes a $25 Choices Gift Card! thank you Choices for all that you do!  Andrea + Robyn.


ps. don't forget our current giveaway, the deadline is midnight tonight! click here for details.


choices markets   |   choices newsletter   |   choices nutrition


Tuesday, February 23, 2010

winter olympics: finding gluten free at place de la francophonie

Place de la Francophonie is one of the many cultural events taking place during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics located on Granville IslandPlace de la Francophonie features Canadian francophone culture at several venues throughout Granville Island including the Air Canada Stage, which features nightly performances and shows, and Club Adrenaline, a sports bar where you can watch the games and sample a menu of French Canadian cuisine. 

there are two dishes on the menu that are gluten free including the organic salad with goat cheese, strawberries and balsamic maple vinegrette under the hors d’oeuvres section of the menu, and the chicken or salmon skewers with basmati rice and salad under the plats principaux (entrees). if you are not familiar with beef bourguignon it is not gluten free as the recipe calls for flour, which is used to coat the beef. gluten is also likely to be found in conventional stocks that may also be used in the broth. under the dessert section of the menu, the crème brulee is gluten free. 

everything on the menu is free of charge with the exception of the desserts which are $7.50.

bon appétit!  Robyn.


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Sunday, February 21, 2010

winter olympics: finding gluten free

so I ventured out yesterday to see if I could get into some of the many, many pavilions and venues here in Vancouver right now. everything has such long lineups, that I have not actually made it into any of them, until yesterday. I went to LiveCity Downtown, 45 minute line to get in. the LiveCity venues are secure sites and you must pass through security before entering. you are not allowed to bring in any food or opened beverages, they will make you throw it out and pour it out, just like they do at airports. they will let you keep your empty bottle to fill it with water once inside. they do make exceptions for parents with small children, you can bring in food/ formula/ milk/ juice for small children. 

so what if you are gluten intolerant and you plan on bringing your own gluten free food or snacks? you are out of luck. once inside there is the Canadiana Cookhouse and Coffee Bar Service which is serving popular Canadian fare such as pizza, poutine, chili, hot dogs, and baked potatoes. I asked about the poutine gravy, and it has wheat. the only thing left to consider is the baked potato, which comes with bacon bits, sour cream, chives, and cheese. I was told that cross contamination is unlikely, the baked potatoes are kept in their own food warmers. I guess you could question the bacon bits, but in a venue like this nobody is likely to know, and it's very busy so they don't really have time for question period, you know? you could order it plain, with just sour cream, but I decided to chance it, and ordered the baked potato with everything, and it was tasty, and I didn't feel sick afterward.

inside LiveCity Downtown you will find the Canada Pavilion and CentrePlace Manitoba. there was another line to get into the Canada Pavilion, so we skipped it, and enjoyed the Manitoba Pavilion, which had no line up. it is a very beautiful, sustainable building. we were here during the day, but it is supposed to look spectacular at night when they project light and images which mimic the northern lights and Manitoba's wildlife such as herds of bison onto the translucent facade. I loved the long wooden benches out front and the gathering place they created. 

if you enjoy architecture CentrePlace Manitoba is worth a visit. if you are hungry and looking to enjoy the games on large screens with friends I don't recommend LiveCity for anyone looking for gluten free food. in fact today I called the City of Vancouver (dial 311) to ask about this rule, and they confirmed that nobody, under any circumstances, can bring in their own food. I was told that a diabetic had called before me with the same question, and was given the same answer. I could go on a lengthy rant here about the City's oversight and ignorance with regard to dietary restrictions, I mean shouldn't public venues be accessible to all?

it will be impossible for Robyn and I to review all of the venues, so if anyone has discovered good gluten free options at any of the Vancouver 2010 venues, please leave a comment and share your experience!

livecity   |   vancouver 2010

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Thursday, February 4, 2010

be my valentine: dagoba's gluten free hot chocolate

photo credit dagobachocolate.com
not only is valentine's day just around the corner, but it's a time of year when a nice cup of hot chocolate can take the chill off, especially if you are hanging around some of the 2010 Winter Olympic venues! Dagoba Organic Chocolate not only makes chocolate bars, but they also have three kinds of hot chocolate mixes; authentic, xocolatl, and unsweetened. what is xocolatl you ask? it is a blend of cacao, rich dark chocolate, chillies, and cinnamon, sounds nice doesn't it?

all Dagoba Organic Chocolate products are gluten free, certified organic, and fair trade certified. Dagoba also practices what they call Full Circle Sustainability™, which is a commitment to better their business, products and themselves in the areas of quality, ecology, equity, and community. you can read more about it here.

mix your favorite Dagoba drinking chocolate with warm milk or your preferred milk alternative, but make sure that your milk alternative is gluten free. in our last post Robyn discussed some of the options, you can read about it here. today I am having a cup of authentic drinking chocolate, which contains cane sugar, but it's not too sweet at all, it is a nice smooth and rich chocolate taste. 

do you know someone who loves chocolate, but also has a gluten allergy? the drinking chocolate containers or the chocolate bars make a nice gift for your sweetie, friend or coworker. they will love you for thinking of them, and for being able to present them with a gluten free valentine. you can buy online, or at Choices Markets and Whole Foods. 

xoxo  Andrea.

dagoba   |   gluten free milk alternatives

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Thursday, November 19, 2009

gluten free catering experience: part one

I have been invited to an industry event tomorrow night at Vancouver Special on Main Street. I am excited about the party, but nervous about what kind of food will be served. the invite states that the event will be catered by another Main Street business called Tonina’s Deli & Catering Company. I’ve never heard of them, so I went to their website to find out more about them, and what kind of food they offer.


I got excited when I saw under the baking section they state clearly that gluten free options are available. good news! they don’t explain, however what those items might be, so I decided to call ahead to find out what I could expect at the event.

the owner’s name is Jark, and I spoke with him directly, he answered the phone. when I told him I was attending the ‘party for architects’ he knew right away which event I was referring to. I explained that I was calling to find out what gluten free options they have and if he could ensure some of the catered menu was gluten free. Jark was excited to discuss the menu, telling me that the order was for an assortment of meats, cheeses, and of course bread. he was also planning to make small pizzas, and said he would love to make me gluten free pizza, and could easily make it out of spelt.

“um, spelt,” I said. “Jark, I can’t eat spelt, it is not gluten free.”

“oh, are you that sensitive,” he asks?

“yes I have Celiac Disease, I am gluten intolerant.”

“oh I see,” he said. “then why don’t you send me some recipes and I’ll see what I can make for you! I want you to enjoy the party for architects.”

“ok, but one other thing, are the meats you are serving gluten free?”

“well the organic meats are, yes, but the regular meats are not. let me confirm with my organic suppliers to make sure.”

“thanks, but how will I know which meats are the gluten free ones,” I ask?

“well, that’s no problem, I will label them for you.”

wow, what personalized service. this man is out to do his best, just for me. as far as he knows, I am the only gluten free guest attending this party. despite the slip with the spelt, I have to say I am very impressed with his willingness to accommodate me.

stay tuned for part two where I write about the party and whether or not my gluten free dreams actually come true!  Andrea.

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Tuesday, November 17, 2009

how to entertain gluten free

w hotel buffet, originally uploaded by heather.
with the holiday season approaching many of you might be starting to plan and organize dinner parties, brunches, or sending out baking to family, friends and coworkers. if you know you have to prepare some food for someone who is allergic to gluten we have a few suggestions…

first, familiarize yourself with what gluten actually is, and how it negatively affects people who are gluten sensitive or someone with Celiac Disease. there is a general lack of awareness when it comes to what the consequences are if someone who is celiac eats gluten, and it’s not always comfortable for the person who is allergic to gluten to discuss their intestinal disorder just so they can clarify how they can best enjoy a meal you have invited them to.

second, it is also important to understand what gluten is and the foods that contain gluten, it also important to understand that cross contamination should be avoided. if your home is not a gluten free home, then it is important that you set aside a set of cookware that you can dedicate to the gluten free cooking you are embarking on. clean it well, and keep it in a separate area of your kitchen during your cooking. for example, you could decide to prepare and cook all your gluten free foods on your kitchen island, and prepare and cook foods that do contain gluten on the counter next to your stove. however once you decide how to segregate the two areas, make sure that other members of your household are aware of your system so they don’t cross contaminate by accident. make a big sign if necessary!

cross contamination can easily happen. If your recipe calls for butter, for example, and you used your butter to spread on toast, and your butter has crumbs on it, don’t use it. be prepared to buy new ingredients that have not been contaminated.

recipes can be simple or complex, and there may be ingredients you are not familiar with, let alone whether or not they contain gluten. to be sure, call your friend or coworker and ask them if they are ok with the ingredient in question. they will really appreciate it, and will be able to offer alternatives if the one you planned to use is questionable.

if your menu ends up being a combination of foods that contain gluten and gluten free foods make sure to keep them separated well on your serving table. it is helpful to indicate which foods are gluten free so that your gluten free guests know with certainty what they can enjoy without having to hunt you down for clarification. it’s also helpful to remind everyone every so often that the gluten free food shouldn’t be contaminated with a spoon that was just dipped in soy sauce for example. (yes soy sauce contains gluten!) as a gluten free guest it can be really disappointing to peruse the buffet table only to find bread or cracker crumbs all over the cheese selection. it is important for the host to take part in this food control, so that the gluten free guests don’t feel like they are imposing on others.

we have both been in situations where there was no planned gluten free food, but by default we were able to eat the cheese and fruit, but found the table to be in such a state that we decided it wasn’t worth the risk to eat anything. this leads to a feeling of alienation, lack of enjoyment, and HUNGER!

learning from these experiences we often come to parties, showers, lunches, with our own food as a backup, and then have to explain to people why we aren’t sharing!

the best advice we can give to someone trying to entertain gluten free, is to make the whole experience gluten free! challenge yourself to find enough recipes, buff up on your ingredient knowledge, and make an experience that everyone can enjoy equally! you will provide your gluten free friends with a completely satisfying and stress-free experience! and your gluten eating friends will never know the difference. kudos to you!

stay tuned for our mom’s Best Gluten Free Turkey Dinner recipes.