Ole! Gluten Free in the Bay~

So...I fully intended to snap lovely photos of the incredible Tapas that my dear friend Alison and I savored and devoured during our "girl's" evening at Va de Vi in Walnut Creek last weekend, but instead...we became entranced by the "Mystery Reds" wine flight that we were tasting...so this was the only snap shot we came away with!

The joy of visiting Walnut Creek is watching this once tiny town, transform itself continuously into a chic, Little House on the Prairie-meets Rodeo Drive (for the shopping only, not attitude!) kind of spot that one can never get tired of walking all around, finding delicious little spots to eat at, such as Va de Vi. Earlier this year, a friend had told me about this Tapas bar and bistro, so this past reunion weekend with my dear pal Alison seemed the perfect time to check it out.

I had called ahead to the restaurant to make reservations, but most importantly, to ask if a Celiac was safe and able to eat there. The answer was a resounding, "Yes, we are very familiar with gluten-free eating"...and they were. Our waiter, though a bit over-hyped about his job, was VERY diligent about me being able to eat safely and well! He even went through the entire Tapas menu with me and helped choose our delicious Spanish delights. It was a huge relief and I trusted that he knew what he was talking about, and thankfully he did. Each plate that arrived was a vision and perfectly gluten-free.

It always delights me to rediscover over and over again, just how well a Celiac is able to eat/dine and how many delicious foods and flavors are out there for us to savor. It's also exciting to me when I find a new restaurant that "GETS IT!" So the next time you are visiting the East Bay/ Walnut Creek area be sure to visit Va de Vi and please, please order the Pomme Frits...ils sont cest' manifique!!

By the way...I did guess the origin of one out of the three reds we were tasting - it was a delicious 2004 Artessa "Elements" Cab Franc/Syrah/Tempranillo from the good old Napa Valley - love the California reds.

Eat well.

and...Eat delicious food!

Gluten-Free Birthday Wishes ~ Spanish Style!

So I just recently celebrated my birthday...however, which year doesn't really doesn't matter, right?! It was a joyous celebration with family and friends sharing laughs, good conversation, delicious wine, and an almost-all gluten free menu to boot!!

I was determined to create a delicious and safe menu that didn't contain one ounce of gluten even though I, the birthday girl, was the only Celiac at the party. Now you might be wondering about the beautiful little desserts you see above...thinking, "those look too good to be true"...well sadly, you are correct. Those were all specially hand-picked desserts for my guests, however, you can see a blurred vision of my sweet little chocolate cake below, candles included!


My biggest regret of the night was being so caught up in all the excitement and chatter and running around, that I completely forgot to snap a few photos of the most delicious Basque Tortilla de Patata and Los Pimientos that my sweet friends from Espana made for us all to indulge in. My beautiful friend Nere, created two of the most perfect looking Tortillas I have seen, other than the delicious ones sitting on some bar in San Sebastian. They were a meal in themselves and my guests were ohhhing and awwing with every bite. The same went for the gorgeous platter of burnt-sienna colored Pimientos con ajo y aceite de oliva (peppers with garlic and olive oil) that our wonderful amigos de Pamplona prepared to pair with their fabulous vino de Navarra in Spain. Check out their website - it's fantastico!!


Here's a gluten-free recipe for Basque Tortilla de Patata:

- 4 Slices Bacon

- 2 tsp Sliced Green Onions/tops

- 3/4 tsp Salt

- Dash Pepper

- 3 Med. Potatoes

- 1 tbs Snipped Parsley

- 1/8 tsp Dried Thyme, Crushed

- 4 Large Eggs

In 8-inch skillet cook bacon until crisp; drain, reserving 2 T of drippings. Crumble bacon and set aside. In same skillet combine reserved drippings, peeled, thinly sliced potatoes, onion, parsley, salt,thyme and pepper. Cover tightly; cook over low heat until potatoes are barely tender, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring carefully once or twice. In small bowl beat together eggs and milk; pour over potato mixture.

Cover and continue cooking over very low heat til egg is set in center, 8 to 10 minutes. With a wide spatula, loosen sides and bottom and slide potatoes
out onto serving plate, or serve from skillet.


Aside from our muy delicioso Tapas, I also served some tasty gourmet-style all beef hamburgers I found at Whole Foods. There were a variety of fresh-seasoned flavors to choose from, such as basil, sun dried tomato and mozzarella burgers or a jalapeno and herb burger and my favorite was the mushroom and mozarella burger. They are all so delicious and are sure to please any hamburger connoisseur! In keeping the menu fun but low-key, I also found some delicious Kettle gourmet chips in a variety of flavors that ARE safe for Celiacs and so tasty, you won't be able to eat just a few. The final touch was all the hamburger fixings, which included fresh garden tomatoes, sliced onions, butter leaf lettuce, pickles and all the GF condiments one could need for a burger!

Not only was the party such a delight, but so was the satisfaction that came from hosting a gluten-free party where everyone walked away totally satisfied and sated. It was a lovely evening filled with delicious food and a wonderful guest list.

Here's to next year and eating safely for the next 365 days!!

Viva Espana!

A Place of Inspiration ~

The past couple of weekends I was luckily enough to spend time in one of my favorite locations on the planet, Sun Valley, Idaho. There's something truly magical and spiritual about the Big Wood River Valley, the beauty of Mt. Baldy and the way the sun sets behind the Sawtooth Mountains.

I had been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Sun Valley Writer's Conference since last year, and though I wasn't able to attend the entire weekend program (who knew this was so hugely popular!), attending the individual seminars and lectures was easy as pie...gluten-free, of course! This year's theme was Frontiers in a Changing World, and I was lucky enough to hear five amazing authors speak, including Kati Marton, Ian Buruma and the charmingly funny Frank McCourt, just to name a few.


Being the aspiring writer that I am, I was truly in awe of these great storytellers and their gifts of putting life onto a page with some ink and creative thought. Listening to their insightful world-views and ability to discuss such a vast variety of topics reminded me that life is a journey, and boy do I need to make sure I learn something new each and every day I'm able to take it in. Not only were the authors words so alive and genuine, but they were supported by the magic of the venue, Sun Valley!


Throughout the weekend there was delicious food to be found and eaten, as well. The town of Ketchum, just one mile from the Sun Valley Resort, is so delightful and charming and warm and happy and...oh, I could go on an on. I am SO at peace in that place, I cannot begin to describe the blanket of warmth I receive when my feet are planted in that town. I'm digressing... there were quite a few great restaurants I visited that not only prepared my gluten- free dishes correctly, but staff totally GETS IT! They understand eating and living gluten-free in this little place on the map of the world...so for any of you Celiacs out there who find themselves in this part of Idaho, feel safe to indulge your taste buds at the following little haunts and enjoy:

~ Desperados Mexican Cantina - YUMMY!

~ Vintage - A charmingly cozy new bistro inside a historic Ketchum cabin

~ Ketchum Grill - A favorite of mine

~ China Panda - Obviously - Chinese food

~ Baci - A great Italian Cafe and Wine Bar

I am already looking forward to next year's conference and to the endless possibilities that await me between now and next August 2009. Between now and then, I intend to do a lot of reading and writing on this blog and hope that in the next twelve months the Celiac world will also be the beneficiary of some exciting and earth-shaking discoveries in research and a good, moist chocolate cake!!

Be well.

Celiac Disease Hitting Mainstream News ~

Happy Thursday!

It seems like every week there's another article popping up throughout the mainstream media talking about the ever-growing prominence of gluten-free foods and Celiac Disease. This week is no exception - USA Today ran an article titled, "Gluten Free Foods Gaining Popularity" so have a read and pass it along to your Celiac and non-celiac friends, as well.

It's not a great article, in my opinion, but the fact of the matter is Celiac Disease continues to garner more media coverage, bringing more and more awareness to this country, so we'll take what we can get. There are some good links included in the story, but darn it, they left out my Blog! ha

Let me know what you think of the article. I'm curious.

Have a wonderful, gluten-free week and weekend.

Celiac Support ~

It's August already! How can this be? Seriously? It was just June, then suddenly July 4th arrived and now it seems that everywhere we turn in our society we see all the signs of promoting "Back to School"...and to be honest, I'm feeling pretty slided. Due to my last bought of gluten poisoning that happened on July 2nd, these past six weeks have literally been a blur of coming out of the Celiac brain fog, trying to feel human and eat again, while slowly getting back into some sort of a normal life and routine. And from the abundance of comments, feedback and helpful tips I've received from so many of you, it helps me to know that I've been supported by so many, in so many ways and that I'm certainly not alone.

Some great comments and VERY helpful tips came my way via the blog that I also write for on the Celiac.com website, as well as what's been posted here. I must say that each and every time I read one of your comments, I am moved by what so many of you are going through, each and every day. I have to say that in 2008, it is quite astounding to me that soooooooo many adults and children are suffering needlessly by still not being diagnosed properly and left to suffer, search, and anguish on their own while trying to find a diagnosis. Something has to be done to expedite this process. It literally breaks my heart to read some of the comments I've received and to know that this disease deserves MUCH, much more attention by medical professionals across our nation.

I'll politely step down from my soap box right now, but the fact of the matter is...if you live in the United States and are an undiagnosed Celiac, your quality of life is going to suffer for quite a while (tremendously so, in some cases) and all the boxed, gluten-free goodies from here to China (okay, it's the Olympic spirit) will not make things better. However, in many western European countries children are automatically tested for Celiac by the age of six. That's pretty astounding and amazing, in my opinion.


In the spirit of summer-time breakfasts on the patio and in the warm August sunlight, I thought I would post a yummy waffle recipe that I have been enjoying! I found it in my new favorite magazine, Living Without:

Best Morning Waffles
Serves 4
To save time in the morning, mix batter the night before, cover and store in the refrigerator overnight. Stir the batter in the morning while your griddle heats up. If batter is too thick, add more milk. Using an egg substitute isn’t recommended for these waffles.

4 eggs
5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter or vegetable oil
1 cup milk of choice (plain-flavored rice, soy or almond)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups brown rice flour*
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Beat eggs and sugar together in mixer bowl until light and frothy. Add oil, milk and vanilla and mix until well combined.
In a separate bowl, mix together flour, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt. Add to egg mixture and beat on low speed until well combined. Batter should be thick.
Pour a small portion of batter into a well-oiled waffle iron and cook until done. Repeat until all batter is used.
*TIP For lighter waffles, use 11/2 cups brown rice flour and 1/2 cup sorghum flour.

TIP For banana-nut waffles, add 1/2 ripe mashed banana to liquid ingredients; add 1 tablespoon ground almonds or pecans to the dry mixture. For blueberry waffles, add 1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries to liquid ingredients. (If your family prefers waffles with consistent texture, puree blueberries in the blender before adding them to the batter.) If batter is too thin, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time.

For special occasions, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup gluten-free, dairy-free chocolate chips—a special treat your kids will love. (Your waffle iron will need special clean up after this batch!)

Finally, I thought it would be beneficial to post an upcoming calendar of Nation wide Celiac events coming up now through fall 2008. There are some great opportunities to mingle with hundreds of other Celiacs, try new products, and learn learn learn about what's going on with medical research and what might hopefully be on the horizon that could aid in faster and proper diagnosis of those with Celiac Disease.

Be well and enjoy the wonderful summer days, gluten-free, of course!


Here's to abundance and support. Thank you all for your goodness.

Cause of Celiac Disease Uncovered?

There's some important news that was just published on July 24th in MedlinePlus, the National Library of Medicine's consumer health web site. The gist of it is that researchers believe they have finally answered a basic question about the cause of Celiac Disease -- where in the body does the wheat protein gluten enter one's system?
Note:(*this news item will not be available after 10/22/2008).

I've been keenly interested in learning more about Dr. Alessio Fasano, medical director of the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He's an integral part of this research and of this study just released. He's from Naples, Italy and is now practicing in the States. I just read a great article about him in the June/July issue of Living Without, and I highly recommend you doing the same. The more we all know about the research being done on our behalf, the more supportive we can be of the process.

Enjoy this article and share it with every Celiac you know. A special thanks to Kerry Seymour, (a noted Nutritionist in the Reno area), who is also the leader of our Sierra Nevada Celiac Group.

Information is key for us all!

On one other note, I just finished reading Gluten-Free Girl's latest blog post regarding the birth of her baby girl, born last Monday. My heart and prayers go out to Shauna, The Chef, and especially to baby Lucy - for a full recovery and many, many deep breaths.

Slowly Coming Back to Life ~ The Gluten Hangover

This delightful bowl you see above has become my new "best friend." It's an Italian remedy/recipe to use when one's stomach is causing them great grief and a bit too much time in the bathroom - I also call it, my gluten hangover recipe.

Since I haven't been able to consume much more than Brown Cow non-fat vanilla yogurt, a banana here and there, and rice, since consuming gluten on July 3rd, this recipe has come in handy and at least been tolerable by my poor stomach that's been SO compromised. The recipe may not sound that great, but it does seem to help and provides a bit of nutrients:

1/2 - 1 Cup of steamed Jasmine rice

1 Slice of organic, salted butter

1/2 Lemon - squeeze the entire lemon over the rice, including some of the pulp

1 Tbsp. of grated Parmigiana cheese

Salt to taste

The next time (though I wish this on no one!) you are suffering from the same gluten "side affects," give this little number a try.

Another little dish I created out of desperation to eat something with protein, was a similar type rice-bowl but with some added flavor and freshness.


1 Cup of steamed Jasmine rice

1 Slice of organic butter

1 Handful of cherry tomatoes

1 Handful of fresh Ciliegine Mozzarella

1 Tbsp. Drizzle Fig Balsamic Vinegar - to taste

Salt to taste

Mangia Mangia!

Thankfully, my severe brain-fog and exhaustion have semi-lifted and now I'm left with the challenge of being able to give my body some nutrition. The difficult part for me comes from dealing with a stomach that takes nearly a month to get back to normal...whatever "normal" really is for a Celiac. I'm not sure if others of you out there deal with this, but after I consume gluten, my poor stomach can be nauseous for weeks, so eating is quite a challenge.

I did manage to venture out from my house this past Saturday though, and headed to my local farmer's market where I picked up some delicious tomatoes (pictured above), some local honey, and a bottle of this yummy Fig Balsamic Vinegar that is starting to make me very happy. It's what I used to flavor the above recipe, but it can be used in so many different ways, and when I'm finally back to eating lettuce again, you can be sure I'll use this vinegar to create several dressings.


The line of balsamic vinegars is from a business in Napa, CA that has created some wonderful flavors of oil and vinegars that are all gluten-free, I am told. I called their headquarters to double-check! I think the bottles and packaging are also clever and look good sitting on your kitchen counter - ha!

In addition, I also managed to venture out to the Gluten-free tour that the Reno Whole Foods offered last Wednesday night. There was a good turn-out for the event, with nearly 20 Celiacs on-hand to learn all of what the store has to offer. Some of the products I am already using on a regular basis, but I did learn from the guide and from chatting with other Celiacs, of a Thai food line that's completely GF and everyone seemed to rave about them. The line is Thai Kitchen Products


I picked up my first bottle of their Pad Thai Sauce and as soon as I'm recovered, I'm chomping at the bit to try out this exciting product and create my own Thai dishes!

One other tid-bit that I would be remiss in not mentioning - in the middle of my gluten poisoning, I have received two acupuncture treatments from the amazing Dr. John Diamond. He's such a blessing. He tried to actually de-sensitize me via acupuncture to gluten, due to my body being so toxic. It's a work in progress, but I will say that the treatments definitely calmed down my adrenal system and at least "calmed" some of my symptoms.

Let me just say that if you happen to be a Celiac and live in Northern Nevada, this man should be on your support list of doctors.

Thanks Dr. Diamond!!

Well, that's all the energy I could muster up for this post but I do hope some of this information is helpful.

Be safe.

Be well.