go-with-your-gut

Give-Away…XO Baking Co Celebrating Celiac Awareness Month of May

Ilise Ratner — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:28:12 +0000

I am a life-long fan of XO Baking Co and you will be too!

To celebrate Celiac Awareness Month XO Baking Co is giving away some of their newest products:

Vanilla Cake, Chocolate Cake, Vanilla Frosting and Chocolate Frosting (all baking mixes)

You will simply need to ‘LIKE’ XO Baking’s FB page. As well, click on $2.00 coupon and sign up for their newsletter and then send me an email at iratner@go-with-your-gut.com with your favorite cookie flavor.

We will be choosing a random winner on May 15^th.

Don’t miss out on these new delicious products!

Simply Asia Food Event

Ilise Ratner — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:39:21 +0000

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness is involved with a lot of fascinating and delicious events and this was one of them. This week NFCA partnered with Simply Asian Food for an educational event to satisfy the discerning palate. I was invited as a gluten free blogger along with other media to hear about Simply Asia’s new products on the market and sample these delights.

The Chef – Connie Trang, featured in the grey shirt speaking to the crowd in the photo below, highlighted the consistent use of 5 elements that are common to most Thai (Asian) dishes. These together create a wonderful balance; Sweet, Sour, Spicy, Salty and Bitter. And that is how the event began. Samples of Simply Asia’s Food came out one after the next with these 5 elements. In addition, she spoke of using lemongrass, thai basil, galangal and kefir lime leaves to add a twist that sets Asian cooking apart from others.

Simply Asia prides itself by not using any high fructose corn syrup, no preservatives, no additives, and no coloring. In other words, they are using all natural ingredients.

Here is the extensive list of the Gluten Free products for Thai Kitchen and Simply Asia:

Thai Kitchen:

Coconut Milk
Lite Coconut Milk
Organic Coconut Milk
Organic Lite Coconut Milk
Fish Sauce
Sweet Red Chili Sauce
Spicy Thai Chili Sauce
Pineapple & Chili Sauce
Thai Chili & Ginger Sauce
Spicy Thai Mango Sauce
Red Curry Paste
Green Curry Paste
Roasted Red Chili Paste
Peanut Satay Sauce
Original Pad Thai Sauce
Stir-Fry Rice Noodles
Thin Rice Noodles
Red Rice Noodles – NEW
Brown Rice Noodles – NEW
Purple Corn & Rice Noodles – NEW
Thai Basil
Thai Bird Eye Chilies
Kaffir Lime Leaves
Galangal
Lemongrass
Jasmine Rice
Red Curry Kit
Green Curry Kit
Original Pad Thai Noodle Kit
Thai Peanut Noodle Kit
Pad Thai Noodle Cart
Sweet Citrus Ginger Noodle Cart
Spicy Thai Basil Noodle Cart
Tangy Lemongrass Noodle Cart
Thai Peanut Noodle Cart

There are also some additional products (Rice Noodle Soup Bowls, Instant Rice Noodle Soups, Simmer Sauces), but these are really the signature products.

Simply Asia:

Kimchi Singapore Street Noodles
Classic Curry Singapore Street Noodles
Garlic Basil Singapore Street Noodles
Sesame Ginger Singapore Street Noodles

I will share with you one of my favorite recipes especially as grill season is upon us!

Shrimp Pad Thai (if you are allergic to shrimp like me – substitutions can be made as per below)

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes

2 single-serve packages (2 ounces each) Thai Kitchen^® Brown Rice Noodles

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided

1 egg, lightly beaten

4 ounces medium shrimp*, peeled and deveined

6 tablespoons Thai Kitchen^® Original Pad Thai Sauce

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1/2 cup bean sprouts

1/4 cup coarsely chopped unsalted peanuts

Fresh cilantro sprigs and lime wedges

*Or use boneless chicken breast, boneless pork chops or firm tofu, cut into cubes

Bring 4 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add rice noodles; let stand 5 minutes or until noodles are soft but firm. Rinse under cold water; drain well. Place in cold water. Set aside.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in large skillet or wok on medium-high heat. Add egg; scramble until set. Remove from skillet. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add shrimp; cook and stir just until shrimp turn pink. Drain rice noodles well. Add rice noodles, Pad Thai sauce and green onions to skillet; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or until noodles are tender.
Stir in bean sprouts and scrambled egg. Place noodle mixture on serving platter. Sprinkle with peanuts. Serve with cilantro sprigs and lime wedges.

Makes 2 servings.

Gluten Free Snack of the Week

Ilise Ratner — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 17:42:10 +0000

Gluten Free Snack of the Week

Many of my clients ask me for quick, healthy, delicious snacks so I am sharing this one with you. As you can see, if you use your imagination there can be many variations of this, however, this week it’s all about almond butter with roasted flaxseeds (Trader Joes), organic strawberries all on top of a gluten free rice cake.

Natural Food Products Expo West

Ilise Ratner — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:04:30 +0000

Wow! What a what weekend! Imagine 800,000 square feet of all the finest organic foods and beauty products on the open market! There were lots of tired feet, to be sure! I spent most of my time at XO Baking Co’s booth – handing out samples of their new products; Pancake and Waffle Mix, Chocolate Cake and Chocolate Frosting mixes, and Vanilla Cake and Vanilla Frosting mixes. They have also come out with a finished product: ginger, chocolate and vanilla snaps! You will soon be able to buy these delicious – I mean, D.E.L.I.C.I.O.U.S. new mixes and products. I’ll talk more about XO Baking Co as I conclude…

My main focus for Expo West 2012 was Gluten Free – no surprise there. And this year, with the sheer amount of gluten free vendors (over 125) it was clear that it isn’t a trend anymore as it was at Expo West 2011. Gluten Free is here to stay and only getting stronger. I spoke with Cynthia of The Gluten Intolerance Group and she mentioned that over 100 of these vendors are certified gluten free (GFCO). Here is a sampling of some of the seasoned and new gluten free vendors on the block:

Rudi’s - is coming out with an absolutely delightful sorghum and brown rice based tortilla wraps about 6 inches in diameter. They were serving up tasty (and spicy!) wraps with pulled chicken and a black bean and corn mixture.

Dr. Schar – will soon have a graham cracker to add to their line of products. YES, an absolutely great rendition of the graham cracker as we knew and loved pre-celiac!

San-J - I don’t know about you but I like a nice savory meal with San-J products from time to time. A highlight for me is San-J’s Orange Sauce…try it with veggies or your favorite protein.

Crunchmaster -A favorite, go-to cracker for me with 4 flavors; original, rosemary and olive, roasted garlic and toasted onion. Well worth trying if you haven’t already!

Mary’s Gone Crackers - Always deliciously healthy! Love MGC’s, pretzel sticks and cracker crumbs and really great idea of showcasing a chocolate fountain to pair pretzel sticks! It gives new meaning to what one can do with a GF pretzel stick!

Canyon Bakehouse - Have you tried Canyon Bakehouse products yet? If not, you are missing out! Their line of bread, buns, and muffins are great – and most uniquely they have a delicious focaccia bread! Try it, if you haven’t already!

Ian’s Natural Foods - For the mom’s out there, Ian’s has an allergy friendly line for children. From animal cookies, to bread crumbs including breaded fish and chicken, your children will be in for a treat.

King Arthur Flour - I was brought up on King Arthur Flour – the gluten containing flour. In 2010 KAF came out with their own gluten free line of mixes. Their mixes include; bread, brownies, pancakes, pizza, cookies, muffins, chocolate and yellow cake and of course, their flour.

Arnel’s - Arnel’s was new to me and perhaps to you as well. Arnel is a sweet woman. She has her own line of bread, pancake and pie crust mixes – all made from her all purpose flour. She uses organic whole grains in her bread mixes that besides being gluten free they are also soy, dairy and corn free.

Bold Organics - This pizza is a WINNER! Made with all organic ingredients; even the discerning palate would not know it is a gluten free, dairy free pizza. Bold in flavor (hence the name), thin crust, non-GMO and for meat lovers they even have a pizza with nitrate-free meats. Oh! And Bold Organics is a NY pizza company. Besides Italy — who makes better pizza?!?

Golden Platter - I certainly walked by this booth a lot during lunch hour and they deserve a ‘silver platter’ for this delicious gluten free chicken nugget. Their line also consists of chicken patties and chicken tenders. Job well done!

Manini’s - For the commercial and home baker, Manini’s has a delicious line of bread mixes and pasta mixes as well as fresh pasta. I had the pleasure of trying their bread at the show and LOVE the flavor – they use all organic ancient grains and are certified gluten free. If you haven’t tried baking bread, do so, Manini’s makes it easy!

Hillary’s - So sorry I didn’t find these veggie burgers earlier in the show. Texture was great, flavorful and spiced just right. I like the Adzuki burger best! They use non-GMO products. They are gluten, soy, dairy, corn, egg, nut and yeast FREE.

XO Baking Co

I have saved the BEST for last. XO Baking Co is clearly my all-around best choice for a sweet treat. XO uses organic coconut flour and premium cassava flour as the base for their all purpose flour. And – there is no sugar added to the AP flour! What’s so good about all of these products is the taste and texture. One would never know it is a gluten free product. Seen and heard at Expo West this year were many reactions over and over again. One such comment after sampling; ‘not all gluten free food is created equal’. Their original line consists of brownies, chocolate chip cookies, double chocolate chip cookies, banana bread, corn bread, gingersnap cookies. All of these items can be purchased on Amazon or on their website. This year they have added 5 new products that will be ready for purchase in the Spring - pancake and waffle mix, chocolate cake and frosting mixes, vanilla cake and frosting mixes and 3 finished cookies aptly named ginger, chocolate and vanilla snaps…my mouth is watering!

Food Fête Chocolat

Ilise Ratner — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 15:17:50 +0000

How lucky was I to be invited as the ‘press’ along with The Huffington Post, The Daily News to sample the finest chocolates currently on the market at Food Fête Chocolat held at the Helen Mills Event Space on W. 26th Street, NYC. last night. In attendance were Amano, American Heritage Chocolate, Chuao, Divine, Fine Chocolate Industry Association, Gail Ambrosius, Gnosis (a fellow IINer), Hotel Chocolat, Kallari, Lindt, The Madison Chocolatiers West, Sun Cups, Truffly Made, Inc and Valrhona.

I wore my Celiebo NO GLUTEN pin so that people would have a visual that I couldn’t eat gluten in addition to me telling them that I was representing the Gluten Free Community (along with Erin Smith, Gluten Free Fun and Jordan Gary, Delight Gluten Free Magazine).

The American Heritage Chocolate had a display of the History of Chocolate and it’s health properties. I tasted a chocolate drink that was better than any tea or coffee I have ever had. They were using a stone slab and made the chocolate in front of us. The smell was wonderful!

The chocolates were SO beautiful. What was especially enjoyable was that a few of the Chocolatiers talked about the history of cacao in Venezuela, Ecuador and Ghana and how the chocolate groves/farms ultimately produce this artful gastronome.

A few of my favorites: Sun Cups; using Dark and Milk Chocolate and sunflower seeds. They are nut free, gluten free, kosher and certified organic by CCOF. Another favorite was a chocolate salted-caramel by the Fine Chocolate Industry Association. There’s nothing like mixing the savory wtih the sweet all in one bite. As well, there were chocolates made with garlic, bacon, and exotic herbs with healing properties. Really, the displays were like none I have seen, so innovative and the crowd of about 100 was buzzing with excitement.

Needless to say, I walked out with a generous gift bag stuffed with delicious chocolates some of which does contain gluten and that which doesn’t I will gladly eat sparingly.

Renewable Energy – My Camelback Climb

Ilise Ratner — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 02:03:57 +0000

I had the pleasure, a few hours before Rosh Hashana 2011, to climb Camelback Mountain in Scottsdale, AZ with my dear friend, Kay. I had wanted to climb Camelback for about 20 years – since she moved to AZ. And so, on this lovely, 90 degree morning we started out. I was wearing a camelback backpack filled with ice water and no food.

The hike started out well. We walked up the mountain on a dirt and rock trail and then we arrived at the saddle about 35 minutes later - it was actually a plateau or landing. There Kay took a business call and said it might take an hour. So what else was I supposed to do but climb the rest of the mountain. I started out on a trail that turned out to be a wrong path. It was quite close to the mountain edge. I realized partway through that I had not thoroughly investigated the rest of the trails and so I had reached a place that I could not go any further. Has that ever occurred in your life? Reached a place where you couldn’t go any further because you hadn’t fully scoped out all the possibilities? I went back to where I thought I had gone wrong and then the trail appeared. And at that very moment, another hiker, Rick, appeared, out of nowhere. Just appeared. He and I then proceeded to ascend the mountain – rocks and all. He was instrumental in my climb – for if he wasn’t there I am not clear if I would have actually gone to the top. However, as a seasoned climber he help me carefully place my feet in places that were stable. Not looking down or looking back to take away my focus – we proceeded to the top.

Now – right here would have been where the pictures that I took of me and Rick at the top of the mountain. Instead here is a photo of the saddle. The height doesn’t look like much, however – it is not for the weak or weary.

: ‘From the saddle of the Camel’

The elevation is 2,704 feet above sea level. The highest achievement I have physically endured. I know I am on to something here. The climb up freed me from what had been holding me back to achieve the success in my life that is there for me. What is holding you back? Go on out and take on a challenge in your life – whatever it is; running a 5K or a marathon, quit smoking, losing 15 lbs, renew a relationship in your life. There are so many places in life that hold us back from being who we need to be in this lifetime.

This climb (challenge) came in a perfect time in my life. It inspired me to achieve what I set out to accomplish. And so, Rick disappeared as he appeared – ‘just like that’. And though we may never see each other again – along the way it is so much more special to take the risk with someone else at your side.

So many life lessons arise when we challenge ourselves in a way we never thought possible.

I am looking for my next hike/climb in NYC. Do you think I’ll find it here? Hhhmmm?!?

‘Gluten Free’ food labeling rule – FDA has opened comment period

Ilise Ratner — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 17:59:02 +0000

FDA NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Aug. 2, 2011

Media Inquiries: Siobhan DeLancey, 202-510-4177, siobhan.delancey@fda.hhs.gov

Trade Inquiries: Stephen King, 240-402-1407, stephen.king@fda.hhs.gov

Consumer Inquiries: 888-INFO-FDA

FDA reopens comment period on proposed ‘gluten-free’ food labeling rule

Rule would help by creating a uniform and enforceable definition

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today reopened the comment period for its 2007 proposal on labeling foods as “gluten-free.” The agency is also making available a safety assessment of exposure to gluten for people with celiac disease (CD) and invites comment on these additional data.

One of the criteria proposed is that foods bearing the claim cannot contain 20 parts per million (ppm) or more gluten. The agency based the proposal, in part, on the available methods for gluten detection. The validated methods could not reliably detect the amount of gluten in a food when the level was less than 20 ppm. The threshold of less than 20 ppm also is similar to “gluten-free” labeling standards used by many other countries.

People who have celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, a protein in wheat, rye, and barley. Celiac disease damages the small intestine and interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. About 1 percent of the United States population is estimated to have the disease.

“Before finalizing our gluten-free definition, we want up-to-date input from affected consumers, the food industry, and others to help assure that the label strikes the right balance,” said Michael Taylor, deputy commissioner for foods. “We must take into account the need to protect individuals with celiac disease from adverse health consequences while ensuring that food manufacturers can meet the needs of consumers by producing a wide variety of gluten-free foods.”

The proposed rule conforms to the standard set by the Codex Alimentarius Commission in 2008, which requires that foods labeled as “gluten-free” not contain more than 20 ppm gluten. This standard has been adopted in regulations by the 27 countries composing the Commission of European Communities.

The FDA encourages members of the food industry, state and local governments, consumers, and other interested parties to offer comments and suggestions about gluten-free labeling in docket number FDA-2005-N-0404 at www.regulations.gov¹. The docket will officially open for comments after noon on Aug 3, 2011 and will remain open for 60 days.

To submit your comments electronically to the docket go to www.regulations.gov²

1. Choose “Submit a Comment” from the top task bar
2. Enter the docket number FDA-2005-N-0404 in the “Keyword” space
3. Select “Search”

To submit your comments to the docket by mail, use the following address:

The Division of Dockets Management
HFA-305
Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fishers Lane, Room 1061
Rockville, MD 20852

Include docket number FDA-2005-N-0404 on each page of your written comments.

For more information:

Federal Register Notice (scroll to FDA–temporary link will update when document publishes on Aug. 3):

http://www.ofr.gov/inspection.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1³

Gluten-Free Portal (scroll to Gluten-Free):

http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/FoodLabelingGuidanceRegulatoryInformation/Topic-SpecificLabelingInformation/default.htm#gluten⁴

FDA’s Proposed Rule on the Gluten-Free Labeling of Foods: http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/FoodAllergensLabeling/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/ucm077926.htm⁵

Questions and Answers on the Gluten-Free Labeling Proposed Rule:

http://www.fda.gov/Food/LabelingNutrition/FoodLabelingGuidanceRegulatoryInformation/Topic-SpecificLabelingInformation/ucm265309.htm⁶

Consumer Update on the Gluten-Free Labeling Proposed Rule:

http://www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/ucm265212.htm⁷

The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, and security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency also is responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products.

‘Everybody Eats’ Multi-Grain High Fiber – High Protein Loaf

Ilise Ratner — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 03:07:43 +0000

A truly delicious and healthy bread. It is dense and light at the same time. If you read my blog and /or know me – I am all about healthy gluten free living. This bread is a newly developed by Everybody Eats in conjunction with dietitians and nutritionists. After toasting this bread it has a delicious, rich, crispy crust and a light and elastic interior. With more than 4 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber per slice (you slice and toast it yourself), it’s great for nutritious sandwiches of all kinds. Even kids like it.

One loaf of MULTI-GRAIN costs $12.00 and can be purchased at these retail stores nationally http://www.everybodyeats-inc.com/retail_stores.html

Ingredients: Rice Flour, Tapioca Starch, Buckwheat Flour, Sorghum Flour, Non-Fat Dry Milk, Whole Egg, Potato Flour, Xanthan Gum, Kosher Gelatin, Iodized Salt, Canola Oil, Poppy Seed, Sesame Seed, Flax Seed, Millet, Yeast, Evaporated Cane Juice, Cider Vinegar, Potato Starch, Calcium Lactate, Calcium Carbonate, Citric Acid, Cellulose Gum, Carbohydrate Gum.

(All products made in a 100% dedicated gluten free and 100% dedicated ground and tree nut free facility that uses dairy. No legumes or soy are used in our recipes. Chocolate products may contain soy lecithin.)

It’s worth every bite!

Joan’s GF Great Bakes New Product!

Ilise Ratner — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 18:43:15 +0000

Joan's GF Great Bakes Multi-Grain English Muffins

I love to do research! And in the gluten free industry that means sampling gluten free food. Today I am particularly happy to be sampling Joan’s GF Great Bakes products recently introduced to the market; specifically the multi-grain English muffins. Besides her delicious line including bialy’s, Italian bread, bagels, English muffins, Scicilian pizza, corn toaster muffins, chocolate chip cookies and calzone, she has introduced double chocolate muffins, crumb cake, and multi-grain English muffins.

And Joan has really has done it again. I am a proponent of healthy gluten free living and in large part those of us that are gluten intolerant (Celiac Disease, gluten sensitivity) have taken the whole wheat out of our diets and are left with low fiber, low nutrient dense food from which to choose. Joan’s multi-grain English muffins are made with 3 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber (amaranth, flax seed meal, organic buckwheat, and are also fortified with iron, vitamins A, B2, B6, B12, and D3, Calcium, Folic Acid) and many more.

At first glance, taste and smell I was so pleased. First off, the package of 4 muffins comes in a resealable plastic bag that is compact for the freezer. I defrosted the muffin for 30 seconds and in that time I knew that it was in for a treat. The smell was very inticing. I then toasted the muffins for a crunchy texture. I ate them plain with a bowl of soup so I could savour the flavor of the muffin.

Joan’s GF Greatbakes is a dedicated gluten free facility. They are also peanut, tree nut and soy free. They have many products that are dairy and gluten free and some that are gluten, egg and dairy free

You can order Joan’s product on-line or find them in select stores nationally.

Are you hungry yet?

Tates Bake Shop

Ilise Ratner — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 20:52:28 +0000

Today, on this chilly cloudy Sunday, I took a drive to Southampton, NY to buy Gluten Free Chocolate Cookies from Tates Bake Shop. Yes, it was a bit eccentric to drive an hour for cookies, however, the mood struck so I went. I had seen the packaging in many retail grocery stores yet not gluten free. It was very much worth the trip. The coookies are sold in a stack of 12. They are thin and a take-off from their signature chocolate chip cookie. There is a buttery, sweet, chocolately, salty taste all in one. The slightly salty taste enhances the other flavors, for sure! I had a couple while sitting with a cup of organic tea at the chairs and tables in front of the shop watching the passers-by. The rest are in the freezer for safe-keeping! What a lovely few hours away!