University of Virginia Health System

July Newsletter

You’re Invited to theCharlottesvilli Celiac SupportGroup Meeting!

October 1^st, 2005

10 am – noon

Dining Conference RoomsMain Hospital at University of Virginia

We will highlight amaranth, a nutritious and gluten-free food!

All meetings are supported by theUniversity of Virginia ’s Digestive Health Center and are open to the public at no charge.

Other upcoming meetings:

December 3^rd, 2005    (Holiday Party!)

HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE JULY 30^th MEETING

• Alice Bast, executive director of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness, came to give us a lively talk outlining her experience as a person with celiac disease, the development and purpose of the foundation, the need for increased awareness in the medical field and general public, and ways to bring about that awareness.  Soon support groups will be able to order kits from the foundation that spell out how to run a certain type of event or how to get in touch with the media. In the meantime, lets continue to brainstorm about how we can all get involved!  Check out Alice ’s website at www.celiacawareness.org.
  
• Carolyn Sisk brought in a delicious coffee cake!  Look for this recipe at the end of the newsletter.
  
• Andrea Yoder (a dietitian who previously ran the Charlottesvilli celiac support group) was in town for the weekend and stopped by at the end of the meeting.  Andrea is currently finishing up school at the Culinary Institute in New York .  A friend of Andrea’s came along and provided information about the gluten-free hot dog restaurant she works at in Poughkeepsie , NY called, the “Soul Dog Neighborhood Eatery.”  Soul Dog touts GF options including hot dogs and buns, chili, French fries, desserts and a multitude of standard and gourmet hot dog toppings.  Though the “Soul Dog Neighborhood Eatery” is in Poughkeepsie , NY , it is still great to know that places like this exist (and you never know when you may be up there for a visit!!).

CELIAC EVENTS

• September 30^th – October 2^nd, Vienna , Virginia
  •   Annual Celiac Sprue Association Conference
  • For information on the schedule and pricing go to http://www.csaceliacs.org/2005Conference/2005conference.php
• October 2^nd – 1PM to 5PM,  Richmond, Virginia
  • Donna Washburn and Heather Butt, authors of the cookbooks, “125 Best Gluten-Free Recipes” and “The Best Gluten-Free Family Cookbook” will be presenting a workshop, informing us about the nutritious flours (sorghum, bean, amaranth, quinoa, soy and nut), discussing the nutritional benefits, purchasing, handling and baking properties of each, and offering samples to see and feel.  They will also demonstrate how to handle the flours during baking, giving lots of practical baking hints along the way.  Samples to taste will be provided. 
  • Cost: $20, minimum of 25 prepaid registrants.   Registration by Sept. 21^st.
  • Contact Madelyn Smith of the West End Gluten Intolerance Group for more details.  Website: www.gigofrichmond.org; Email: twegig@comcast.net; Phone: (804) 968-4111

GLUTEN-FREE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

• Clan Thompson’s Smart Lists.  One member asked about group discounts on this product, which lists specific brand name items that are gluten free.  This can be a very useful tool, though you must remember that products can change unexpectedly so it is always a good idea to check the labels. Clan Thompson will offer us a 10% discount on orders of 10-19 or a 15% discount on orders of over 20 SmartLists.  Prices range from $15 to $75 depending on the options you choose (food and/or medications, one-time or subscription with updates). Let Amy know if you are interested and if there are over 10 requests, orders can be placed together.  See http://www.clanthompson.com/prod_catalog.php3 for more info.

• Looking for a different kind of vacation?   
  The Two Bars Seven ranch (http://twobarssevenranch.com) in the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming now offer weeks in which they provide gluten-free meals.  Here’s what they have to say: “Many of the Two Bars Seven Ranch family members have Celiac Disease and understand how to ensure a fun vacation for Celiacs and their families with all of the horseback riding, fishing, hiking, and fun of any other vacation, but with none of the stress over how to find delicious gluten-free food. We will feature meals with their dietary needs in mind, in addition to our traditional ranch-style cuisine.”  The next session is August 28^th to September 3^rd.  

• New gluten-free soy sauce packets available!            
  According to the website http://www.kariout.com/gluten.html, Kari-Out, the food ingredient and packaging "to go" company, has introduced the first low sodium soy sauce in packets specifically for Chinese restaurants. Kari-Out's new soy sauce is also wheat free, gluten free, sugar free, Kosher, and has zero (0) grams of carbs. Paul Epstein, President of Kari-Out, said, "Kari-Out is always developing innovative products to meet the needs of our distributors and consumers.”  Kari-Out was partly inspired to create a gluten-free soy sauce because several members of Mr. Epstein's family have Celiac Disease, including himself and his four-year-old daughter, Lily.

• New Toast It Toaster Bags are available through many online stores and provide a way to use a toaster without fear of contamination.  Put your gluten-free bread into these heat-resistant, non-stick bags to avoid contamination from crumbs left in the toaster.  They are reusable up to ten times.

• Ian’s Allergen Free Chicken Nuggets and more...  Using a corn coating these frozen products are totally gluten-free!  Ian’s also uses chickens raised without the use of antibiotics or growth hormones.  Check them out at www.iansnaturalfoods.com.

• Bard's Tale Dragon's Gold is the first craft-brewed gluten-free beer made from 100% sorghum. Check out the website for more information: www.bardsbeer.com.  It is available online at www.internetwines.com.   

• Kraft Foods has a fact sheet on labeling of gluten in all packaged Kraft foods at http://kraftfoods.com/kf/HealthyLiving/articles/allergiesandsensitivities.htm.   It states “Our policy for all Kraft products, including Oscar Mayer and Nabisco brands, is to list gluten-containing ingredients in the ingredient statement on the package label.  If a Kraft product contains gluten, a source of gluten will be listed in the ingredient statement, no matter how small the amount. For labeling purposes, we include wheat, barley, rye and oats as sources of gluten.” For hidden ingredients “the grain source is listed in parentheses after the ingredient. This method is used, as necessary, to identify ingredient sources for natural flavor, modified food starch and others.”   To see a list of all Kraft brands (and there are many!!!!) go to http://www.kraft.com/brands/namerica/us.html

RECIPES

Overnight Coffeecake

Recipe provided by Carolyn Sisk

2 c. Gluten-Free Pantry Country French Bread and Pizza Mix

1 tsp. Baking powder

1 tsp. Baking soda

1 tsp. Cinnamon

½ tsp. Salt

½ c. brown sugar

½ c. white sugar

2/3 c. margarine

2 large eggs

1 c. buttermilk (or 1 c. milk + 1 Tbsp. Lemon juice)

1 tsp. Vanilla

Sift together the 2 c. gluten free mix, baking powder, soda, cinnamon and salt and set aside.

Cream sugars and margarine.  Blend in eggs, flour mixture, buttermilk and flavorings.  Pour batter mixture in a 9 x 13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

½ c. brown sugar

1 Tbsp. Cornstarch

½ tsp. Cinnamon

¼ tsp. Allspice

1 Tbsp. Hard butter (or margarine) cut in small pieces

½ c. finely chopped pecans

Combine the above ingredients, sprinkle over batter mixture.  Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, uncover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO SEND US A FAVORITE RECIPE TO SHARE WITH THE GROUP . 

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