LIST - Gluten Free for a Crowd

This might be a BIT of an exaggeration, but hey, people are gluten free!

It's that time of year in NYC... the time when everyone is finishing their spring cleaning, prepping for summer, and having parties. And since I'm not in college anymore, normally at parties people feed you! It's a great concept. But hosting a party for a crowd, especially if you are gluten free, can be a big challenge. Why? Take a look:

• If you are like me, you are anal about food being cooked properly and being hot when served. This is hard to achieve with a crowd because you usually have to cook food in batches and it may take a while to serve lots of people
• People like variety, so when cooking for a crowd you tend to have more dishes to offer than if you were just cooking for yourself or your family
• People have their own special diets (like you!) only different. There are vegetarians, vegans, people that don't eat fish, people that don't eat red meat, even people that don't eat veggies!
• Groceries. Cooking for a crowd can cost a lot, especially if you serve alcohol in addition to your meal.
• Dishes. Need I say more?

Now, I am certainly NOT trying to be a Martha Stewart or Sandra Lee type and tell you my time-tested tips. These are things that work for me. If it doesn't work for you, or if it doesn't sound "quite right", then don't do it!

What to Make?

• Don't accommodate wheat-eaters - don't feel obligated to make a dish containing wheat if you're the only gluten-free person at the party. They'll live. If it's a pot luck, they can always bring something glutenny.
• Slow cooking - I am a big fan of making a giant hunk of meat for a party. Anything you can put in an oven or crockpot for hours is awesome. You hardly have to touch it the whole day. 
• BBQ - another great way to cook gluten free (who cooks wheat on a grill?!??!) Just throw some meat and veggies on, get some good BBQ Sauce (like Sweet Baby Ray's), and you're good to go.
• Healthy choices - unless you're having a Super Bowl party, it's always a good idea to make your party as healthy as possible. It'll save you time and money.

Saving Time

• The night before - all this can be done the night before your party: chopping veggies, defrosting/trimming meat, making dessert, making spice blends
• The hours before - all this can be done the morning of your party: cooking starchy side dishes like rice and potatoes, putting everything cold in their serving bowls, pre-cooking veggies and meat, setting up your crock pot or roast.

Saving Money

• BYOB - you never get to old to ask guests to bring some wine or other booze. 
• Do it Yourself - instead of buying the pre-sliced carrots or taco mix from a packet, make it yourself. Fresh veggies are cheaper than the pre-sliced ones, and you probably have all the spices you need to make any blend
• Naturally gluten free - especially if there are only a few guests that are gluten free, don't try to impress with gluten free breads or gluten free pasta. First, you'll probably have one guest that insists the wheat version is "so much better' (annoying), and second it's so much cheaper to keep it naturally gluten free.

Sense the inspiration?

Sample Menu
We made this menu last weekend for 25 people. Only took ~3hrs to prep and cook everything, and probably cost ~$75 (included standard stuff not listed, like plates and napkins).

Sangria - made with Trader Joe's red wine, rum, apples, peaches, pears, blueberries.  Oh, and made in our giant plastic cauldron leftover from Halloween. It was a nice touch.

Appetizers - corn chips w/ guacamole and salsa, guests brought a few appetizers as well

Meat - a giant hunk of pot roast cooked in my crock pot with tomatoes, onion, chili pepper, hot sauce, a little water, and spices (garlic, cumin, chili powder, ancho chili powder, salt, pepper, oregano). Cooked for ~6hrs and shredded.

Sides - spanish rice (cooked with tomatoes, onion, garlic, pepper, and same spices as above), black beans (cooked with onion, garlic, and same spices as above), fajita veggies (zucchini, peppers, onion, mushrooms cooked with same spices as above). Also with standard taco toppings: tomatoes, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, cilantro, lime

Dessert - gluten free chocolate/raspberry cake, guests brought other desserts (including gluten free brownies!)

LIST - I Can't Believe It's Gluten Free!

Holy smokes, Batman!!! You won't believe the gluten free foods we've got here!!


It's been almost a year since Eric kicked wheat to the curb, and I've been thinking a lot recently about how much he has to limit what he eats because of this food allergy. It got me wondering that sometimes it's possible to be overly careful and miss out on some gluten free foods that are just fine to eat.

Hopefully while reading this you'll make a face like Lucy's above. These are ingredients and products that I was surprised to find out are gluten free, even though they definitely don't seem like it at first. Just remember, always do your research! If you are dining out, never assume that something is gluten free, ask the wait staff to make sure. And if they are not sure (like if you get the response "gluten? what's that?" you might be better off passing.

Buckwheat

Yes, I know that you are now programmed to cringe at anything with the word "wheat" in it, but this type is OK. Buckwheat, in fact, is not wheat at all. It's just a regular old plant that has flowers and seeds, and those seeds are ground up and used in noodles, groats, pancakes, farina and more. They are most frequently seen in Japanese soba noodles and in buckwheat pancakes or crepes in fancy cafes. Just be sure to ask and make sure that the buckwheat was not mixed with regular wheat flour to make the dish.

Doritos (most kinds)

Now, I don't normally support bagged, preservative-laden, chemically snacks that can sit on the shelves of your pantry for years. But I am always excited to see when the folks that make these snacks take the time to figure out if people with food allergies can eat them. Take Doritos. On their website they list if each type of chip is gluten free, contains trains fat, lactose free, casein free, onion free, additive free, msg free and is pork free (the pork free thing is a little odd, but I guess it's good to know...). You'll notice that all Doritos except Nacho Cheese and Spicy Sweet Chili contain no gluten ingredients. Thanks, Frito Lay. You make it much easier for millions of gluten intolerant Americans to get their snack on!

Chex Cereal (5 flavors)

Another example of a big company helping out the little people by telling them which products won't make them crawl into bed for days on end. Chex cereal has been heavily marketing it's 5 types of gluten free cereal: Rice, Honey Nut, Chocolate, Cinnamon, and Corn. They even have a slew of gluten free recipes on their website!

Tamales

Tamales are a delicious Latin American dish made of corn masa stuffed with meats, cheese, and veggies and steamed inside a wrapper of corn husks or plantain leaves. They're gluten free because the corn masa traditionally is only made from corn. Check out Trader Joe's frozen beef tamales, or support your local Latin American restaurants and get some authentic, probably home-made, tamales. Just be sure to confirm that there is no wheat flour in the mix.

Tamari

Tamari is a kind of soy sauce, actually it was the original soy sauce first invented in Japan. Tamari traditionally contains little or no wheat, and if you purchase gluten free soy sauce from the supermarket, chances are it is Tamari.

Fruit by the Foot

I'm not sure why I was so surprised to learn that Fruit by the Foot snacks are gluten free. Maybe it's because Fruit Roll Ups, a very similar sugary delicious snack, do not say "gluten free" on their label. Check out the General Mills website for nutritional info on every product they make. The Fruit by the Foot says "gluten free" right on the top right of the label.


Breadfruit


I couldn't help it, had to throw this one in there. For anyone that's watched Top Chef, you probably know already that breadfruit is not a loaf of bread shaped into a strawberry or pear. It's a regular old fruit, just with a spongy texture that will remind you of bread. Fooled ya, didn't I?

Oats


I wanted to include oats on this list with a word of caution: regular "Quaker Oats" are NOT gluten free. The thing about oats is that they are naturally gluten free. But in modern times, there is so much darn wheat everywhere that it frequently contaminates the oat fields. I exclusively use Bob's Red Mill's gluten free oats. They are grown on fields away from wheat fields, packaged in a gluten free facility, and each batch is tested for the presence of gluten. If you have an extreme gluten sensitivity then you should avoid, but for the vast majority of folks these oats will be just fine.

Kosher for Passover foods


Some of you may be aware that Passover ends tomorrow evening. I recently was surprised to find that many Kosher for Passover foods are gluten free. Foods such as cakes, cookies, macaroons, even some types of matzoh are gluten free. Without going into too much detail, about a gagillion years ago when the  Jews were fleeing slavery from Egypt, they were forced to roam the desert for 40 years without any sort of bread or bread products. To commemorate their toils in the desert, during Passover no bread or bread products are eaten. Be careful, there are still many products that do contain wheat flour, like matzoh. But I was very excited to see so many gluten free products on display. And now is the perfect time to pick up ~10 lbs of macaroons (like I did) since they will be on sale in the markets.

What other surprising gluten free foods have you encountered?? Leave a comment or email me at gfmadefriendly@gmail.com and I will expand this list!

LIST - Help! I've Been Glutinated!!

This is how Eric describes being glutinated. Read all about it here

I'm sorry to have to tell you this. No matter how careful you are, no matter how much self restraint you have, no matter how diligently you grill the waitstaff at a restaurant, there will come a point where you will be glutinated.

Now, there's no need to feel ashamed. It happens to everyone.

Here are some tips to help get you through your glutination:

1. Don't Purge

Just because you accidentally ate a little gluten doesn't mean you should go hog wild and start scarfing down bagels and donuts like your at some state fair's bagel and donut eating contest. It's not worth it, and you'll just feel a thousand times worse.

2. Do Some Detective Work

It's really important to try and figure out where this mystery source of gluten came from. It can as simple as "oops, I shouldn't have eaten that piece of bread" to something far more complicated like cross contamination or hidden ingredients in foods. Even if you can only narrow it down to a few different sources, it will help you because you'll be more careful in each of those situations. If you don't some detective work, you're likely to be glutenated again by the same source.

3. Take Advantage

Don't try to push through the pain. If at all possible, call out from work, cancel your meetings, and relax. You are genuinely ill.

Now, I'm not saying you should purposely glutinate yourself just to stay home from work. That would be ridiculous. And sad. Just pull a Bueller.

4. Gain Back Your Tummy's Trust

While your stomach and intestines are dealing with the gluten inside of you, don't then overload yourself with other foods that are tough on your system. Just like when you're sick with the flu, eat simple foods, and avoid dairy, acid, spicy foods, lots of fats, and heavy seasonings. You want your stomach to focus on the gluten and the gluten only, not on a mound of fiery chili with peppers and sour cream.

5. Get Back On That Horse!

Even though being glutinated can seem like a major setback in your fight against all things wheat, there's no need to shut yourself in from restaurants and new foods. Learn from your glutination, don't be overwhelmed with fear by it.



Have you been glutinated before?? Share your experiences and tips on how to deal!

LIST - Gluten Freeville Presents Top NEW Gluten Free Products

Are you excited?? Me too!

Gluten Freeville attended the 2011 Natural Products Expo in California last weekend, and there's lots of great news for those that keep a gluten free diet!!

Check out their article with the top new gluten free products:

http://glutenfreeville.com/featured/top-10

My favorites are:

Kinnikinnick refrigerated pie crust
Kim & Scott's soft pretzel
Canyon Bakehouse "rye" bread
Glutenfreeda shredded beef burritos

LIST - Top Gluten Free Pizza Toppings

What makes a good pizza? Well, there's the crust, which should be crunchy on the bottom, chewy on the top, and if it can fold in half that's an A+. Then there's the cheesy, which should be ooey, gooey, and stringy. And of coure the toppings.

Now, what makes a GREAT pizza? Only the toppings can take a pizza from LIKE IT to LOVE IT.

My strategy for gluten free pizza toppings is easy: fresh toppings, and lots of them. I like adding lots of toppings to the pizza to help cover up the non-wheat flavor of the crust. No matter how good a gluten free crust is (and believe me, there are some really good ones), you'll usually have at least a hint of an aftertaste to let you know it's not the real deal. So the more toppings the merrier.

Here are my favorite ways to top a delicious gluten free pizza crust.

1. Supreme
- sliced peppers
- sliced mushrooms
- diced tomato
- chopped garlic
- pepperoni (I use Boar's Head from the deli counter)

2. Farmer's Market
- sauteed kale
- thinly sliced fennel
- chopped garlic

3. Chicago Style
- sliced mushrooms
- diced tomato
- sauteed sweet Italian sausage (I use Premio)

4. Uptown
- sauteed spinach
- chopped garlic
- caramelized red onion

5. Downtown
- roasted broccoli
- roasted ramps
- chopped tomato
- roasted garlic

LIST - Travelling Gluten Free

One bug I don't mind being bitten by is the TRAVEL BUG! Send me anywhere and everywhere, I don't care!

In college I was lucky enough to spend a semester in Prague, my #2 favorite city in the world besides NYC. For those of you that haven't been, here's my 5 favorite things about Prague:

1. It looks like a Disney movie. All the streets are cobblestone, all the buildings are painted pretty pastel colors, and there's a castle!
2. Beer is cheaper than water, and in my opinion, tastier.
3. Dogs are so well trained that they walk without leashes. Yay for the animals!
4. They make this one sandwich called smažený sýr. Think giant square mozzarella stick, with tartar sauce, on a hamburger bun. Heaven. I know it's not gluten free, I discovered it before I knew what gluten was. One day it will be done gluten free. I promise.
5. The history there is just amazing, and there are plenty of people that want to talk about it and share their stories.

Anways, I got off topic. So when I was in Prague I also had the luck to be able to travel all over Europe. I went to Berlin, Paris, Barcelona, Naples (let the drooling begin...). This is where I was bit by that damn bug.

And then I came home, and haven't been out of the country again since. Which is fine. I've done a lot of travelling in the US, which is not such a bad place I suppose. My 2 favorite places in the US thus far are definitely Asbury Park, NJ and Lake Sunapee, NH (check out Eric's website here for more info than you ever wanted to know about Asbury Park). Asbury is literally a metaphor for the whole country: it's the struggle of good vs. evil, rich vs. poor, left brained folks vs. right brained folks. It's wonderful. And Sunapee is clean, isolated, nature-packed, and calm.

Which brings me to the actual plot of this post. Does the "gluten" factor mean you have to give up travelling? Are you now supposed to stay in your "safe zone" and never leave your city limits?

Absolutely not.

If you DON'T TRAVEL, then GLUTEN WINS. And we cannot let that happen.

So, I've been planning a trip for this weekend (Boston, if you must know), and I wanted to share some tips and advice that you can use WHEN (not if, when) you plan your next trip.

1. Use the Internets (duh)

Just like when you research your flights, hotels, and attractions in your destination, use the internet to research where to eat. Do a little more than just typing in "city name + gluten free" and looking at the first result, go to the 2nd page! When I was searching for Boston restaurants, it took a little while before I came across this gem, the brilliant blog Please Don't Pass the Nuts. This is a blogpost from 2009 about dining out in Boston, and while the posting was helpful, one fan posted a HUGE list of restaurants. Make bookmarks on your favorites and then compile them into a Google Map at the end of your search.

2. Create a custom Google Map with your "favorites" saved

It's super easy. You can watch this video from Google to see how. But basically, go into Google Maps, click "My Maps", create a name and all that, then search for each of your restaurants/cafes/etc, then where it says "directions" and those buttons, click "Save To" and click the name of your map. It's there! I would recommend searching by restaurant name and not address, because whatever you type in becomes the title of the spot on your map.

You can then download your custom map to your smart phone and be all set when you're on the go on your trip!

3. Call ahead to restaurants

I can't stress how important this is. You can't expect to always find restaurants that have a gluten free menu. And even if you have a ton available, you'll want to eat somewhere different. Just make sure you call ahead, explain your situation, and see if they have anything on their menu that evening that you can eat. I would recommend calling before 5pm, since this is when restaurants start getting busy. And call the day you're planning on going, many places change their menu daily.

Here's some questions you can ask:
- I have an intolerance to gluten, do you know if there are options on the menu for tonight that don't contain wheat/barley/rye?
- Do you have any gluten free options on your menu for tonight?
- Do you know if there are any options on your menu that are safe for people with a gluten intolerance?

It'll usually go one of 3 ways: either they are very accommodating and helpful, they don't know but offer to ask the chef, or they just don't know and don't care. If it's #3, don't bother.

4. Go to the grocery store

This works great for breakfasts, snacks, and desserts. And it's even better (but not necessary) if you have a mini fridge in your hotel room. So many grocery stores (and our favorite, Whole Foods) carry gluten free cereals, snacks, desserts, it will make life easier to stock up. And it's cheaper than eating out for every meal.

5. Be flexible

While it's good to plan your trips in advance, don't do it to the extreme where you're not able to make changes to your itinerary. Be flexible in your eating choices, you'll have a much better trip.

LIST - Gluten Free Soups

Soup is the only liquid meal I can tolerate. I know a lot of folks are really into those vegetable juices that are cleansing and whatever, but the thought of drinking cold vegetables is gross. Smoothies are good, I can do that for a meal, but not every day, and certainly not in winter. Now soups, that's a year-round affair.

Here's a quick list and links I put together of popular brands and the gluten free soups they offer. I was very disappointed in Campbell's, which only offers 1 gluten free soup. Progresso, on the other hand, has over a dozen!

Take a look and keep in mind that the cans at the store may not explicitly say "gluten free" on them. You should always be cautious and read the ingredients, even if you see a product on a website as gluten free.

1. Campbell's - Even though Campbell's has an extensive list of gluten free products, there is only 1 soup!! Bummer. Check out the list here. The only gluten free soup is Wolfgang Puck Tomato Basil Bisque. You might as well eat a bowl of marinara sauce

2. Progresso - Getting better. Progresso currently has 17 gluten free soups, including New England Clam Chowder, Southwestern Chicken, and French Onion. See the complete list, including their other gluten free offerings here.

3. Amy's - I love Amy's products. They have an amazing wide range of products for all types of special diets, and their website displays each product and whether it's gluten free, dairy free, lactose free (nice distinction!), soy free, etc. And on top of that, they're delicious. See the listing of soups here. Look for the wheat stalk symbol to see which soups are gluten free.

4. Hale and Hearty Soups - While I doubt the staff at these fast food chains have much knowledge about gluten free, for every soup they offer you can (and should!) ask to look at the ingredient card. Keep an eye out for our gluten foes.

Do you have other recommendations for well known soups that are gluten free? Let me know!

LIST - Gluten Free Medicines

I am very cocky when it comes to getting sick. When I was younger, I would get colds or the flu pretty much every season. It was not uncommon for me to be sick on my birthday (late March...don't worry, I will remind you later so you can start picking out presents :) ), resulting in a depressing or cancelled party.

But now, for some reason, I don't get sick that often. I like to think that it's because I eat better and exercise more, but who knows. So now I get a cold or the flu maybe once a year. I like to think I'm immune to getting sick. For example, last year during that whole swine flu epidemic, Eric definitely caught it, but I didn't get sick.

Fate has caught up with me, and now I have a cold. Wah wah wah. Time to suck it up and get some medicine, take some naps, and get well. Today is day 3 of my cold, and it's got me thinking about medicines that are gluten free.

As some of you may remember from my post earlier this month, Gluten Free 101, one of the best ways to avoid "glutinating" yourself is to learn how to read food labels, and avoid anything that you can't pronounce. But with medicine, I can't pronounce ANYTHING!

Fortunately, I found this huge list on www.glutenfreedrugs.com. Here's the link for gluten free medicines. It's listed alphabetically, but if you go back a page you can download a PDF of the list to save. If you have a smartphone, this definitely comes in handy on the go.

One word of caution: be careful of generic versions of these medicines. All medicines use "fillers" to beef them up a bit, and generic version may use different, possibly gluten-filled, fillers in their medicines. When in doubt, ask a pharmacist or do your own research. There is nothing worse and more ironic than medicine making you MORE with gluten. So do your research and make sure you are able to stay gluten free while under the weather.

LIST - Top GF "Fast Food" Lunches in NYC

Lunch is a very vague meal. It can mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. For example, someone that sleeps late would consider lunch their first meal of the day. Others intentionally skip or eat a light breakfast and then eat a big lunch. Some wake up early, eat breakfast, and then wait until mid-afternoon to eat lunch. Back in the day, lunch was called "dinner", and dinner was called "supper". It's no wonder that at "lunch" time in NYC you can eat anything from pancakes to a salad to a fried chicken megaton.

Whatever lunch means to you, I've compiled my favorite places to grab a fast gluten free meal during the day. Most of these places are national chains, so even if you don't live in New York you'll still be able to use this guide. Hope you enjoy!

1. Chipotle

Everyone knows Chipotle. They've become a nationwide sensation with fresh, flavorful Mexican food. And they care about folks with special dieting needs. Just take a look at this page on their website. It's amazing - the ONLY things at Chipotle that have gluten are the flour tortillas! Go ahead and get yourself a burrito bowl or a fajita burrito bowl, they're great! And, if you don't load up on extra guac, your meal comes in at just under $10.

2. Whole Foods

I'm not sure if this is the best place to talk about Whole Foods' lunches as "Fast Food". When that line gets long, it's anything but fast. But, if you're like me and eat lunch at 2pm, it's the fastest healthy food you can find. The great thing about Whole Foods is they always show the ingredients for the foods in their salad bar and hot bar areas. And if something looks vague, you can ask and they're always willing to help. My favorite at Whole Foods is the soup and the cold salad bar because they have salad ingredients that I'd usually never purchase (lots of different kinds of sprouts and greens). Eric is in love with the "Naked Wings" at the hot bar section, which are just plain fried chicken wings (none of that gluten-filled breading!). In the hot bar section, you can get a main (for him, the wings) and 2 sides (like potatoes and greens) for about $9.

3. Grey's Papaya

While this may not be the most health-conscious meal, Grey's Papaya hot dogs are cheap and greasy, perfect for those days when you stayed out too late the night before. You can ask them for 2 dogs (or more, if you'd like) without the bun, and they'll put it in a little paper container. Top it off with some of their great fresh juice, and you almost have all the food groups. This is one of the cheapest meals you can get in NYC. Don't quote me on this, but if I remember correctly you can get 2 dogs and a drink for around $5 or $6.

4. Maoz

I first discovered Maoz while frolicking around Amsterdam during my college semester abroad. It was love at first bite. The perfect combination of falafel and salad bar. I sincerely hope you have a Maoz near you. Here's a link to a document they have listing potential allergens in their food. Stay away from the pita (obviously), french fries (cross contamination with other fried foods), broccoli, fried eggplant, and barley and tabouli salads (which naturally contain wheat). They offer a falafel salad, which is perfect for those that are gluten free. You get a bowl of lettuce topped with a few falafel balls, and then you get to go crazy at their salad bar! The salad plus drink costs about $10, without drink closer to $8.

5.  Hampton Chutney Co.

This chic Indian cafe (one uptown, one in Soho) serves up dosas, which are like giant crepes made of chickpeas and/or rice. They're gluten free and delicious! You can choose from traditional Indian flavors or more US-friendly toppings (like chicken, avocado, arugula, monterey jack cheese). I recently had a fall-themed dosa with roaster butternut squash, beets, and goat cheese. Check out their menu here. A little more pricey than some of the other options I listed (between $10-15 depending on the type of dosa), but definitely a treat!

LIST - Gluten Free 101: Top 10 Tips

I 've been writing this blog for about 2 months now, and I realized this morning that I haven't really given any introduction into the gluten free lifestyle. There's so much more to know than "eat these cookies!" or "but these pretzels!". While gluten free cookies and pretzels are (I think) essential to living without wheat, that's just the tip of the iceberg. So I decided to put together this Top 10 list to get started living the gluten free lifestyle. I tried to incorporate as many outside sources as possible to give you tons of resources and options.

So here it is!

1. Learn what gluten is and what gluten isn't


Check out this blog post from the blog "Life As We Know It". They have a great, simple definition of gluten. For a more detailed definition, check out this article on the website "What Is Gluten".

These are ingredients that contain gluten (from the cookbook "The Gloriously Gluten-Free Cookbook: Spicing Up Life with Italian, Asian, and Mexican Recipes" by Vanessa Maltin (see Vanessa's website):

• barley
• bulgar
• couscous
• durum
• einkorm
• emmer
• farina
• farro
• graham
• kamut
• malt flavoring
• matzo
• mir
• rye
• semolina
• spelt
• triticale
• wheat, wheat flour, wheat germ, wheat starch

Now, what isn't gluten? Here's a list, also from the cookbook:

• almond meal
• amaranth
• arborio rice, jasmine rice, white rice (and flours)
• arrowroot
• bean flours
• buckwheat
• coconut flour
• corn flour + corn starch
• guar gum
• lentila
• potato flour  + starch
• quinoa
• roasted kasha
• sorghum flour
• soy
• tapioca flour + starch
• teff
• xanthan gum

2. Learn how to read food labels

In addition to the ingredients listed above, keep an eye out for these weird ingredients on food labels that contain gluten. I got this list from the Celiac Sprue Association (see website here)

• Starch - according to CSA, for foods made in the US, "starch" on labels must refer to potato starch. But, "modified food starch" can be made from wheat
• Natural flavor - may contain gluten
• Malt - usually made from barley, which contains gluten
• Maltodextrin - when produced in US, made from corn. When produced in foreign countries, contains gluten
• Caramel color - can contain malt, which usually contains gluten
• HVP, HPP, TVP - either made from wheat, corn, or soy
• MSG - from foreign sources, usually contains gluten. From US producers, made from cane, beets, or tapioca. Keep in mind that many US food producers import MSG from foreign countries

3. Prepare your kitchen

It's very important that you take the time at home to avoid cross contamination. My apartment isn't strictly gluten free, so we make sure to keep organized and keep clean to avoid contamination.

Cross contamination is extremely frustrating. You take many precautions to avoid eating anything with gluten, but for some reason you have a gluten reaction. It negates all your efforts.

Here are some tips to make your kitchen a safe one (note: this is meant for kitchens that aren't 100% gluten free):

• Clean your toaster and toaster oven - wash the grates and sweep out any bread crumbs. If your kitchen isn't strictly gluten free, use a pice of tin foil for cooking any foods that do contain gluten 
• Wash your dishes - for your transition into gluten freedom - wash all dishes, pots, pans, silverware once before using. For continued freedom, wash really well after use to make sure no residual gluten sticks (not that you don't already!!)
• Don't re-use things that have touched gluten - for example, if you cut bread on a cutting board, was the cutting board immediately. If you just wipe it with a towel, gluten will remain and can contaminate other foods
• Be careful with spreadable foods - if you go from peanut butter to bread to peanut butter, the jar is contaminated. What I do is scoop out as much peanut butter as I need, close the jar, then spread.
• Organize your pantry - if you have separate drawers or cabinets, make one gluten free and one gluten filled. If you have one area, make some sort of visual divider between the two areas (cans or jars make good barriers).

4. Explore new aisles at your grocery store

Here's a secret: I love grocery stores. I love the produce section with periodic rain storms, I love the variety, I love the 1 requisite office supply / home decoration aisle. Learn to love the grocery store and find the aisles that have gluten free foods.

• The produce section
• Meat + fish department 
• Gluten Free packaged foods (usually in the health food aisle, or in the baking aisle)
• Frozen foods (there's usually a health food section also. Also, I often find gluten free breads, bagels, and muffins in the freezer section)

5. Love fresh foods

All fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally gluten free. All fresh meats (not necessarily deli) and fish are naturally gluten free. Incorporate as many naturally gluten free foods into your diet as possible.

6. Ditch processed foods (at least those without the "gluten free" label)

Processed foods are where you have to worry. You have to read the label for everything. I often find myself at the store looking up weird ingredients on my Blackberry to see if they are a source of gluten. There are many processed foods that have the "Gluten Free" label on them, but for those that don't, you have to do some research. Overall, it just makes life easier to avoid processed foods, especially the ones without the that label.

7. Gain the support of friends and family

This is (I think) the hardest part of ditching gluten free. Everything else you have control over and the ability to walk away or say no. But if you're friends and family are not supportive of your food allergies, it can be very difficult at holidays, birthdays, or just hanging out. Here are some tips:

• Paint a picture of why you gave up gluten. I love this interpretation on the Lobo Jones Photography Blog
• Explain to them what you can and cannot eat. 
• When going out with friends, step up and suggest places to go. Pick a place with gluten free options.
• For family events or holidays, ask the host in advance what they are making and if it contains wheat. If it contains flour and is easy to replace (gravy, for example) ask politely if they can replace flour with a gluten-free starch (in gravy, use cornstarch). If it's not easy to replace (like bread), ask if you can bring your own. 
• Keep an eye out for cross-contamination, and suggest alternatives to avoid it. For example, if you are at a family event with deli foods, ask the host if they can order a tray of meats and then serve bread separately (instead of assembled sandwiches). If its Thanksgiving or Christmas, as the host if they can cook the stuffing in a separate dish than the turkey.
• Have reasonable expectations. For immediate family or best friends, I would ask and expect them to make an effort to keep the meal gluten free. But for extended family or friends of friends, unless they have experience cooking gluten free you can't expect them to go all out. Don't take it personally. 

8. Be smart when dining out

There are many resources for people on a low fat diet to help them dine out. For example, you should avoid foods that are basted because they are usually slathered with fats. A lot of the same logic applies to dining out gluten free. Here are some tips:

• Do your research - if you have a specific restaurant in mind, look on their website to see if they have a gluten free menu. or google "restaurant name" + gluten free to see if anyone else has had a gluten free experience there. If you don't have a specific place in mind, just google "your city" + gluten free restaurant for ideas. Also try this website Gluten Free Restaurants with an easy search engine.
• Call ahead - pick a few restaurants and call them. Try to call earlier in the day when the joint isn't too busy. 
• When ordering, let the waiter or waitress know that you have a gluten allergy, don't just say that you "don't eat wheat". People respond stronger to allergies as opposed to food preferences, so they are more likely to empathize with your situation and check more carefully with the kitchen.
• Ask specific questions about the menu - such as "is there any soy sauce in this?" or "is this breaded?" or "does this contain any bread crumbs or flour?". 
• Use a dining card - especially if there are language barriers, a dining card is an easy way to communicate with wait staff. The website "Celiac Travel" has dining cards in 51 languages
• Beware of fried foods - the risk of cross contamination is high when the restaurant fries gluten filled foods in the same oil as gluten free foods. Ask if they use a separate fryer (you'd be surprised how many do!)
• Don't assume it's gluten free - especially with these foods:
• corn tortillas
• soy sauce
• rice or rice pilaf
• marinades
• BBQ sauce
• soups
• salad dressing
• Tip for good service - it's a nice way to let the restaurant know that you appreciate their help or modification to the food

9. Plan ahead for travelling

During the summer I went to LA for a week. Now, I know that if there's one better place than NYC for gluten free dining, it's LA. But, I still wanted to plan ahead to make for a successful gluten free vacation. And, it actually turned out to be a cheaper vacation too! Here's how:

• Shop at the grocery store - for snacks, desserts, even breakfasts. This reduces the stress of having to find snack on the go or looking for a breakfast spot each morning. And it saves $$$$.
• Research online for restaurants with gluten free offerings - some of my faves in LA include: In 'n Out Burger (you can get the burger "protein style" and it's wrapped in lettuce! Just get ketchup + sauce on the side), Pizza Fusion, and many mexican restaurants. 
• Dine in with friends and family - if your vacation spot is home to friends or family, suggest eating at their house one or more nights. You can show off your gluten free cooking talents, and feel secure that everything is safe to eat.

10. Stay positive

Remember why you started this. You gave up gluten for your health. You gave up wheat to feel better, rid yourself of pain, and regain control over your stomach. While it is tough to start and maintain a gluten free diet, consider the alternative.