Congratulations to Kent State University in Ohio for being the first college to open an entirely gluten free dining hall! Hallelujah! I just hope more colleges follow suit in the coming years. I've been optimistic that our own Celiac son, now 13, will have ample choices when it comes to his big college decision. After all, as a parent, you hope that your child will be able to choose a college based on all the typical criteria (academic reputation, courses of study, location, affordability) and dozens of other personal preferences -- rather than solely based on where they'll be able to eat safely for four years. Granted, more and more colleges have started labeling gluten free choices -- and are even well-versed in how to avoid cross contamination in the preparation of gluten free meals. Others have separate stations for gluten free. But, alas, most colleges still have a long way to go. To hear this news from Kent State sets the bar higher, and, in my opinion, where it should be -- and could be -- at colleges all over the U.S. After all, even at the smallest colleges, there are always multiple dining halls. Why not dedicate one... Read more →
August 2016
I have a ton of cookbooks...and I tear out recipes from all the gluten free magazines I read each month. I also have several binders full of recipes, including a lot of old family favorites that I adapt to make gluten free (like my husband's and my favorite lasagna recipe). So another cookbook is not necessarily something I desperately needed. But am I glad to have gotten a copy of Carol Kicinski's new Simply Gluten Free 5 Ingredient Cookbook! The premise is that all the recipes include only 5 ingredients (not including things like water, oil, salt, and pepper) and take only about 15 minutes to make. For a busy mom juggling a business, that's music to my ears. I make dinner most nights, and sometimes it can take an hour or more to prepare. So I like the sound of easy, as long as it's healthy and my family will eat it! So I opened the cookbook and started paging through it. The difference between this cookbook and others is that I dog-eared about every third page! Everything sounded so delicious -- and there were some really cool and creative recipes. Since I wanted to enlist the help of... Read more →
Travel & Leisure magazine has just named Charleston the #1 travel city in the world! Have you been there? If not, now is a great time to visit, while also layering in a bit of culture. From October 6-9, 2016, Charleston is hosting its annual Nuovo Cinema Italiano Italian Film Festival. You can combine everything Italian with wonderful Charleston culture at the perfect time of year! And, of course, you will dine gluten free without worry. Ellen Morse, gluten free travel specialist and Celiac herself, lives in Charleston and sits on the Board of the Festival. Since moving to Charleston a year ago, she has been exploring gluten free restaurant options and can personally recommend local venues where you will enjoy safe and wonderful meals. She has also vetted three different (and gorgeous) hotels that are able to take good care of gluten free guests. Your stay can even be extended beyond the dates of the festival, if you'd like to spend more time exploring Charleston and the surrounding area. There is limited availability at the hotels, however, so if you think you might be interested, give Ellen a call at 312-337-9235 or email her at [email protected]. The New Italian... Read more →