I use Chex to make breading or bread crumbs for chicken or the top of casseroles (or hot dishes if you are from Minnesota).
I like to use the Chex recipe website to find fun ways to vary the tastes. My kids love to make crazy mixed up Chex- just open the pantry and let them start mixing any and everything into a baggie or as I would prefer a reusable storage device!
I decided I needed to do a little back to basics by sharing what I keep in my pantry and why. I love cereal and 1-don’t want to pay for most gluten free brands and 2- don’t want to have to go to my local coop to stock up.
I buy Chex. I can get at all the local grocery stores (Target for me), on sale and in 5 different flavors. Rice, Corn, Chocolate, Cinnamon and Honey.
I can eat it for breakfast or create fun snacks and desserts using it.
www.glutenfreely.com is operated by General Mills and provides great recipes.
click here to see their blog
They are an inspiration! Wish I had that dedication and will power!
Just got my monthly flyer from Lakewinds – there are some good gluten free deals Edwards Rice snaps $2.59 ($1 off), DeBoles pasta $1.99 ($.70 off), Members only deals – Crunchmaster crackers (yum!), Enjoy Life Cereal, Food for Life Tortillas, veggie stix, Pamela’s Whenever bars
Do you want to lose weight in 2012? I know I do. I was intrigued when I re-read this article from 2008. It is about how women used their faith to help them lose weight and keep it off. I would love for you to read it too. Click here and you will be taken to the article!
great blog with many gift options.
click here!
Sorry I haven’t be writing much- it has been a crazy busy December.
check this out- don’t really know how it works 
but a gluten free donut is worth a try.
So how funny, the day I posted on my blog about the frozen donuts I like, I got a newsletter from Cooqi in St Paul, MN stated “Fresh Donuts made every Sunday’.
Well I got into the car Sunday morning to get there at 10am when they opened. I got 1 of each flavor- vanilla, chocolate and pecan (I guess sometimes they have apple). Hands down the chocolate was the best. I only complaint was that I didn’t like the sprinkles on them. I did send off a quick e-mail letting them know that.
Thank you General Mills for the new line of Betty Crocker mixes.
Yes, mixes!
Yellow Cake, Brownies, Devil’s Food Cake and Chocolate Chip Cookies
I hear they are already on the shelves in the east coast but should be everywhere by June 1st, 2009!!
Talk to your grocery store manager to see if they are ordering.
I tried the Devil’s Food Cake on my friends and family— thumbs up from all!!
Check both the cake mix aisle and the kosher aisle for product.
Click here to see what the boxes look like!
Today may be Cinco de Mayo but I have a few interesting things to share…
1. Starbucks is launching a gluten free sweet treat–Gluten-free Orange Valencia Cake with Almonds. I will have to check it out tomorrow and give a ‘review’
and
2. It is my dad’s birthday!
Arrowhead Mills Organic Gluten Free Pancake & Baking Mix
This is a winner. I always have at least 2 bags at home.
I have used it as a replacement for flours in most of my recipes (1 for 1).
When I was first diagnosed I had to make my own version of this. I love the convienince and freshness of this product.
My friends at The Orginal House of Pancakes have confirmed for me that ALL 4 Twin Cities (Edina, Eden Prairie, Wayzata and Maple Grove all serve GLUTEN FREE PANCAKES.
I don’t know about you all but pancakes at a restaurant were on the list of things I missed. Sure I can make them at home but eating breakfast out always meant some kind of eggs for me.
To visit their website for location information, click here!
Gus and Carol, the owners of Christos, took on the challenge of my gluten intolerance. They have 3 locations- Minneapolis, Minnetonka and St. Paul.
Just ask your wait staff and they will help you find very tasty options.
I am going tonight and always take my gf crackers so that I can enjoy their hummus and rice pudding for dessert.
I always keep some snacks in my car.
As a busy on-the-go mother of 2 girls, I find myself hungry while on the run.
I keep small containers of nuts and snack bars. I haven’t had problems with Zone Perfect- chocolate almond raisin, Luna- lemon zest, iced oatmeal raisin, berry almond and sunsire blueberry bliss, and all flavors of Nature’s choice.
Make good choices based on the weather as some of these can melt when it gets too hot in the car.
Are you looking for a baby gift and want something organic?
Check out www.bumblebeeboutique.com as they have the cutest lovie blankets by miYim.
The owners just celebrated the birth of their first child a few months back and are local to Minnesota! I always enjoy helping out the local economy.
So I figured there are several of you out there who are catholic (like me) and who had to pass on communion wafers for many years. Well about a year ago, my church started offering Gluten Free communion wafers. They are housed in a special GF drawer along with small cases to place one in prior to attending mass.
I asked my favorite deacon, Deacon Sam, who happens to order these and here is where he get them…
St. Patrick’s Guild—1554 Randolph Ave, St. Paul 55106
If you think your church needs a little encouragement, send me a note and I will get in touch with someone at my church who can help.
But my question is… what does ‘earth friendly’ mulch come in plastic bags? My friend Meghan, who must be about a week ahead of me with her yard prep for summer, asked me this last weekend. And today as I work my garden, I am wondering the same thing.
Maybe getting bulk delivery next year is the way to go?
It is more work to haul it all around the yard in a wheelbarrow but is it worth it in the end? Maybe I will get a little more exercise with bulk delivery too.
I am not perfect when it comes to the earth but each day I try to be better than I was the day before.
when it comes to the EARTH but each day I try to BE BETTER than I was the day before.
Well this morning is the annual Celiac Walk and it is currently 38 degrees (but smiles it feels like 28).
I am pulling out my winter hat and mittens as the kids and I prepare for our 5K journey.
I am excited for the kids. They have never done more than a 1K fun run so today will be a nice challenge for them.
It sure is great when the whole family supports your life change!
I have found that many people to not know that the twist tops (for example-on most plastic drink bottles) can NOT go into the recycling with their bottles. These rigid plastic tops can also cause problems, slowdowns and waste within recycling facilities.
What can you?
1. remove them before you recycle and at minimum throw them away with the regular trash
OR
2. save them and take to an AVEDA salon
For more information check out http://aveda.com/aboutaveda/caps.asp
This is a great idea for a daisy, brownie or junior girl scout troop OR a school!!
I am sure many of you, just like me, pick and choose which items you are going to buy organic when selecting product. Well no matter what you need to wash them before you serve. I started using Environne Fruit & Vegetable Wash on all my produce.
It states ‘proven to remove pesticides, waxes and chemical’. I bought it at Lakewind Coop. http://www.environne.com/
I made gluten free lasagna for the entire family last night.
I just replace the noodles with DeBoles gluten free rice lasagna noodles AND add a little extra sauce.
No special recipe. I have even made mexican lasagna with them.
Family likes it just as well as the regular especially the second day.
So I did say every once and a while I was going to chat about other stuff.
This is one.
I am so proud of my 10 year old daughter. She just had 9 inches of hair cut off to donate to the Pantene Beautuful Lengths Organization. Amazing it take 6 donations to make a wig. We picked this group as you only need 8 ‘good’ inches vs Locks for Love which is not 10 ‘good’ inches.
http://www.beautifullengths.com/en_US/index_home.jsp
Do you dread going to cocktail parties or out for appetizers with friends?
Well I always pack some Ener-G Crackers to take along.
1- they taste awesome on their own
2- you can put the items from the meat and cheese platter on top
3- there made be a dip or spread you can eat so –spread away
Love them with the hummus from Christos (mentioned this restaurant in an earlier blog)
So 8 years ago when I was diagnosed with celiac, one of the top things I missed were donuts. Why these things of all things? Well that was at the height of the Krispy Kreme craze. People were always bringing warm donuts to work. It was killing me.
Then I found kinnikinnick and their vanilla glazed, chocolate glazed and cinnamon donuts. They are also soy and dairy free. I first found them online at www.kinnininnick.com but now I am happy to report they are available at Lakewind Coop which is only miles from my home.
Well the best one is reduce. How can you reduce the waste from the start?
Anyone who knows me well, knows I love love love fountain pop.
Well I am trying my hardest to bring a cup from home with me to the gas station where I fill up on my caffeine free diet coke. So from the start I am reduce the plastic in the recycling pipeline. OK, so technically that might be a reuse but it my mind it is a reduction.
EVER SMALL step in the right direction is a good step for our earth.
Tonight, I am visiting my favorite spot for restaurant made pizza. This is a huge treat because as far as I know it has only been around about a year at this spot. You can get any gf topping you want on it too. They use crust from Cooqi in St. Paul.
www.parktavern.net
www.cooqi.com
This time of the year I love starting our very small veggie garden. We don’t do a ton due to space but the kids love this activity. They each get to pick out 2-3 items and they love to watch them grow. Last year my oldest daughter grew pumpkins from seeds she bought. This year, she is using seeds from her last year pumpkins- she is super excited and the seeds were no cost (extra bonus).
I am hoping the hubby and kids build us a trellis for beans this weekend with scrap wood we have. This was a fun idea I found in family fun magazine.
So these sheets are on my list of ‘things I hope to never buy again’.
I know they aren’t good for me or the environment.
So what to do? Well after some internet research, I have found that adding 3/4 to 1 cup of vinegar during the final rinse cycle is suppose to be the best replacement.
I will try this week and get back to you all. Share your experiences if you have tried!
Today is recycling day in my neighborhood.
I just went for a walk and was totally shocked at how many people use paper or plastics bags to ‘bag up’ their recycling.
Please don’t use any additional bags in your recycling. If your city requires you to separate your paper and plastic/glass/cans, then ask them for a 2nd bin. We don’t need anymore garbage in our garbage
I love the name of this bakery. It reminds me of how I use to feel when I couldn’t get any yummy gluten free treats from bakeries or groceries. Well, Madwoman makes a great sandwich bread. I even ate 2 slices without toasting them. I don’t know about you but I seem to always have to double toast my bread before I eat it.
The gentleman behind the counter was so so very nice.
Also note they have many casein free product and a lactose free ice cream counter. I was also eyeing their cookies & cream, cookie dough and apple pie gluten free ice cream. I resisted but only because I wasn’t headed straight home.
4747 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN
Please submit via the comment button any and all gluten free and/or earth friendly ideas you have.
I will review your submissions and post under the category as well as under ‘Reader’s Ideas’- a new category I am adding today per a comment I received.
I look forward to hearing all your ideas!
It is best to water your lawn in the early morning when the wind is usually the lightest.
You get less waste of the water blowing around.
Also note, you may not need to water your lawn every other day (I know a lot of people who just set their timer and let it go).
I only do it twice a week unless it rains- then I skip a cycle.
Pasta and noodles that are gluten free are no all created equally.
I love (and so does my non gluten sensitive family) KA-ME asian noodles. I usually get the Rice Sticks and Bean Threads. They are less expensive or so it seems than official gluten free pasta. They are easier to cook and don’t get gummy. They cook quickly, 3 minutes for the rice sticks.
I use them in all my old pasta recipes that call for pretty much any shape of noodle. Again look for them in the asian food section of your grocery store.
www.kame.com
Did you know the downtown Minneapolis has joined the Tuesday and Wednesday Gluten Free Pizza offering? The downtown Minneapolis location 119 North 4th Street,Minneapolis, MN 55401 is currently being renovated so they haven’t promoted to having Gluten Free Pizzas.
Go and enjoy!
http://www.pizzaluce.com/
It is a total bummer that you can’t recycle MOST frozen food boxes.
They have a thin coating that prevents freezer burn and messes up the recycling process.
HOWEVER, Amy’s Kitchen brand (a favorite brand amongst the gluten free crowd) can be recycled. Way to go Amy’s Kitchen!
These are my favorite mixes for making brownies and blondies. The whole family, well actually anyone who has ever tried them, really likes them and says they don’t taste like ‘those other gf foods’.
In researching their website, they offer tons of other mixes as well. Many are tree nut and peanut free as well as dairy free too
Enjoy! https://www.namastefoods.com/shopping/storefront/cgi-bin/category_list.cgi
Well the kids are done with school as of 11:30 today.
Now it is time to start our home summer education and fun.
One thing the girls do is bring home any uncompleted school workbooks. They work the remaining pages to keep their skills sharp, learn some new things, recycle/reuse the books and last but not least keep the TV from being turned on too often.
I know some people don’t like to eat at fast food restaurants but I have not had any problems at McD’s. My ‘without the bun’ order has become much easier since the Atkins diet came along. McD’s didn’t even have a button on their register for ‘no bun’ when I was first diagnosed 8 years ago. I also eat the french fries as they fry no other food!! Chicken nuggets USE to be fried but aren’t anymore so no contamination there! And always remember the ice cream can be served in a cup.
Happy summer dining as I am off for a Wayzata trolley ride today- making a stop at McD’s for lunch with the kids.
These are a recent find. My sister-in-law found them for me when we were out in Arizona for Spring Break. They look like a tortilla chip but don’t have any corn in them. I found them at my Lakewind Coop in Minnetonka too. I haven’t look at any other groceries for them. The sea salt are awesome. When I recently shopped, I bought the fiesta lime to try next. They also have wasabi, nacho cheese, honey dijon, pico de gallo, sesame seaweed and Santa Fe bbq. Note they do contain milk in case you have problems with that.
http://www.girlscouts.org/contact/
I am in the process of trying to find out if the scouts are even working on a gluten free cookie. Please feel free to use the link above to write them a note too. The more they hear from us the better the chances.
Well don’t know about where you live but in Plymouth, MN you get to pick your garbage service. Many people in my neighborhood have been switching over to a company called Garbage Man Co. so I decided I should look into it. When I called my current company Allied Waste Twin Cities, they stated that even though they don’t communicate it… their service was more green friendly than the Garbage Man. Who to believe? I don’t know but for the time being I am going to stick with my current service. Great link about where garbage should go!
http://www.littlebrowniebakers.com/
I got a nice but generic note back from the scouts saying they were researching with bakers, etc etc.
So I have now contacted the baker for my state who is listed above.
I tossed out some peanut allergy stats vs gluten stats to show the potential is there. They currently have several peanut free varieties (and of course I can’t find that list right now)
How great is it that General Mills has really been going after the gluten free market!! Slowly they converted their basic Rice and Corn Chex cereals to be gluten free and now there are a total of 6 gluten free flavors! (honey nut, cinnamom, chocolate and strawberry) I have eaten 5 of the 6 and love them. I really like the strawberry and chocolate mixed with vanilla yogurt. YUMMY and I don’t have to make a special trip to my coop to get them!
So after about 2 weeks of using vinegar in the rinse cycle instead of the sheets in the dryer, no a single comment from the family. I wasn’t sure if they would smell a difference or feel a difference but nothing. I was also nervous but I just put in 3/4 cup for a big load in the liquid softener spot in the washer and it takes care of the rest.
The only issues I have notice are when washing fleece. There is still static so I may keep a box around in case I have a bunch of fleece jackets and/or blankets to dry.
I think <a href="“>this magazine is a must have for anyone with celiac.
I have been getting it for over 8 years and I love it.
It is well worth the investment even if you just read the ads to see what new product is available.
While visiting my sister last summer I almost crashed my car when I was an awning that said WHEAT FREE. I was so excited. I pulled over and orders a bunch of goodies to take home with me to Minnesota. My favorite was the herbed french bread rolls- yummy- my mouth is watering just thinking about them. They also serve a full lunch menu- pizza and sandwiches, etc etc. Check them out if you are in Chicago area.
My sister-in-law introduced me to these adorable, fashionable and compact bags.
How many times have to run into a store for a quick errand and forgot your reusable bag? If you are like me, the answer is too many times to count. I was getting so frustrated with myself that many times I walked out carrying my purchase in my hands vs. getting another plastic bag. Well thanks to Megan, I now have an Envirosax in my purse all the time. It holds up to 44 pounds too!
Ok, so if you haven’t already figured it out, I am a sweets girl. Bittersweet has great cookies, bars, breads and more. It is a long drive for me to get there so I was thrilled when I saw they sell some dry mixes too. I made the corn bread the other night and finally had to freeze a bunch of it because it was so good. I kept thinking just one more little bite. Well I am happy to say my freezer now has about 10 squares of corn bread I can pull out and heat up at any time. Yummy!!
Hand Carved Wall Cross
This link should get you to the rest of the assortment at Celebrate You Faith
The website still says ‘this summer’ and ‘june’. If you see it, let me know!
It is great if you recycle your pop cans. It is even better if you pull the pop tops off and take them to a McDonalds. It raises money for the Ronald McDonald House.
This is a great project for your kids to do. Teaches them about recycling AND helping others. For every 100 tops, you raise about $1.00! Little steps to making a difference!!!
All Jell-o brand jellos are gluten free. I like having jello with a little whipped cream as an easy and low fat/calories dessert. You can also make some fun colors ‘parfait’ like dessert too. Great for kids and great at the 4th of July since there is a blue colored jello.
So you want to have a nice night out with some friends? Well instead of driving several cars from place to place… organize a Pedal Pub night.
Biking and drinking throughout Minneapolis- now that is a great summer night! www.pedalpub.com
Yah! I found a worcestershire sauce that is gluten free. Thank you Lea & Perrins
Now with Chex cereal and gluten free pretzels you can make a great snack mix (leave out the bagel bites). We like to add a cupgluten free ‘cheerios’ too- they really take on the flavor!
Well LaChoy doesn’t state anything on their own website but I can’t find anythink in the ingedients that would lead me to believe there is gluten. I have found it an inexpensive option vs the ones at coops or specialty grocery stores.
Yesterday, Celiac got a lot of press in Minneapolis based on a study conducted comparing current blood samples and samples from the 1950′s. I have some of my own thoughts as to way to rates may have risen as well.. sure I do believe our way of life-food chooses-etc have an impact but what about people being diagnosed earlier today and overall better health of people today.
If you want to read the article, click here!
If you want to see the piece from KARE11, click here!</a>
There are several local places in Twin Cities area where they will recycle your mattress.
Here is a copy of the article from the Star Tribune:
A Minneapolis plant run by nonproft PPL Industries is recycling mattresses that once were dumped in landfills.
By KARLEE WEINMANN, Star Tribune
Last update: July 15, 2009 – 7:11 AM
MATTRESS DROP-OFF
LOCATIONS
• Hennepin County Recycling Center and Transfer Station, 8100 Jefferson Hwy., Brooklyn Park
• Coon Rapids Recycling, 1831 111th Av., Coon Rapids
• It’s All About Sleep, 622 E. Main St., Anoka
• McLeod County Fairgrounds, 840 Century Av. SW., Hutchinson
Twin Cities residents buy about 350,000 new mattresses each year, according to the International Sleep Products Association. Of the old ones they replace, about half are reused or given away.
But the other half are discarded or dumped, causing problems when the mattresses — designed to last, not biodegrade — take up space without breaking down in landfills. Their sturdy steel springs are so difficult to compress that they can damage compactors, so entire mattresses end up getting dumped in landfills, where they tend to float to the top after other trash decomposes, dirty but intact.
Finally, in an age of increasing environmental awareness, mattress-recycling operations are beginning to crop up. Minnesota now has two, including one in southeast Minneapolis that’s been fully functional since April.
“Welcome to Mattressville,” Douglas Jewett said as he meandered through the basement of a Minneapolis warehouse on 15th Avenue SE., where dozens of mattresses stand on end, waiting to be stripped and gutted so the materials in them can be put to new uses.
A $200,000 start-up boost from Hennepin County helped Jewett — chief operating officer for PPL Industries, a nonprofit that offers hands-on skills training — start the service.
“Everything has to be recycled,” said Jewett, who has a manufacturing background and has led recycling programs before. “The longer you wait, the more it costs to get it back.”
And when mattresses are filled with materials that could have lives beyond their original uses, such as the steel innards and polyurethane foam, finding a way to redistribute those commodities for reuse makes sense, Jewett said.
The recycling process
In the Minneapolis facility, a custom-built machine crams and shapes the mattresses’ bare steel skeletons into a bale, which is then weighed, tagged and picked up, sold and reused. So far, the steel is the most valuable part of a discarded mattress with the most reuse potential. A given mattress’ steel is worth about $16 to PPL, Jewett said.
Many components of a mattress can be refashioned, if properly deconstructed. The steel and foam can be melted down, and the low-grade cotton shows promise for use in oil and storm water filtration, said Tim Hagen, research coordinator for the University of Minnesota Duluth’s Natural Resources Research Institute. Hennepin County commissioned him in June 2008 to research new uses for old mattress materials and explore marketing those second-life products.
For now, the shoddy, outer fabric and wood are primarily used to generate heat, but that could change as a push for mattress recycling yields further research, Hagen said.
“Like any recycling process, you’ve got to separate the individual components and properly prepare them for the marketplace,” Hagen said.
Jewett anticipates his program will reach the 40,000-mattress-a-year mark within two years, though he estimated it’ll be about a decade before mattress recycling is integrated in the mainstream of refuse handling.
That’s a reasonable goal, given the size of the metro area, said Greg Conkins, contributed goods manager for Goodwill Industries. He oversees the state’s first mattress-recycling program operated by Goodwill in Duluth.
For each of the past two years, about 17,000 pieces have been processed there, largely drawn through partnerships with 10 counties and their waste management services.
Partners in recycling
The Minneapolis operation, which charges a $15-per-mattress fee, has already partnered with Hennepin and McLeod counties, the cities of Coon Rapids and Anoka, delivery service Suntrax Logistics and furniture retailer Room & Board, all of which bring discarded mattresses to PPL. Jewett expects more cooperation with counties and retailers as the program takes off.
People can bring mattresses to waste drop-off sites and the municipalities will transport them to the recycling plant. The PPL plant will not accept dropoffs from individuals.
Despite anticipated growth, there are still difficulties associated with the emerging industry, now in its infancy.
“Some of the recycling markets have been challenging, but they slowly but surely overcome that,” said Heidi Ringhofer, operations and maintenance supervisor for Western Lake Superior Sanitary District, who since its beginning in 2004 has been involved with the Duluth mattress-recycling operation.
Still, overall the industry is a slow-growing one, Ringhofer said. That’s partly because there’s a limited number of mattresses discarded — unlike the pervasive plastic bottles that people use and toss every day — and partly because of the labor-intensive process of stripping mattresses of their many individual components, Ringhofer added.
“They are big items to recycle, and there are such specific items in there,” she said. “It’s not like when you can recycle glass to glass or aluminum to aluminum.”
Karlee Weinmann • 612-673-7278
It is a big press day for gluten free product and celiac.
Here is the full article JCuene mentioned in his comment today.
Let’s hope General Mills keeps up the development of gluten free product
By ILAN BRAT
Mass marketer General Mills Inc. is carving out a niche in gluten-free
food after realizing it could reach eager customers without costly ad
campaigns.
The company’s Betty Crocker brand is rolling out gluten-free mixes for
cookies, brownies and cakes. The mixes are the first gluten-free
offering from a major, mainstream brand in the cake-mix aisle. Gluten is
a key protein in wheat, but many people react badly to it.
Ann Simonds, General Mills’s president of baking products, says the
company decided to pursue gluten-free products last year after its
customer-relations department noticed that customer inquiries about food allergies and sensitivities most frequently centered on whether items contained gluten.
“It used to be, as a marketer in the food industry, you needed a $50
million idea to make the business model work,” says Ms. Simonds. “Today, you can meet an unmet need that will be a $5 million business . … That would be worth it for a company like General Mills.”
Last July, General Mills released a gluten-free version of its Chex
cereal, and the company received thousands of grateful emails and phone calls.
Doctors increasingly are diagnosing Celiac disease — in which ingesting
gluten causes the body to damage the digestive system. Moreover, a diet fad is focusing on reducing gluten consumption.
Although only about 1% of the U.S. population has Celiac disease,
General Mills says its research shows about 12% of U.S. households want to eliminate or reduce their gluten intake, although some doctors say it’s nutritionally important for those who aren’t sensitive to it.
General Mills won’t disclose how much it’s spending for the gluten-free
marketing, but says it’s much less than what it normally dishes out for
national product launches.
The company’s move also reflects consumer goods makers’ growing use of digital tools to market less expensively to niche segments of consumers. In recent years, companies such as Procter & Gamble Co., candy-maker Mars Inc. and others have launched new products without marketing through TV, magazines or newspapers.
Instead, big marketers have relied on Web sites, toll-free numbers and
direct sales to customers such as doctors and specific retailers to
introduce some new products, says Alison Chaltas, a marketing consultant with Interscope LLC.
The Betty Crocker brand plans to spread the word by sponsoring online
marketing, advertising in gluten-free lifestyle magazines, and
participating in gluten-related events. In early May, Betty Crocker
sponsored a booth at a Celiac Disease Foundation event in California.
The company paid for product links to show up more prominently when
people search “gluten-free birthday cake mix” and “gluten free dessert
mixes” on Google. The company also sent hundreds of product samples to bloggers who write about Celiac disease, motherhood and related issues.
General Mills, which reported higher-than-expected fiscal fourth quarter
earnings per share of $1.07 on Wednesday, plans to launch more than 50 new products — the gluten-free items among them — in the first half of the recently started 2010 fiscal year.
Even though retailers have been focusing on trimming products from their shelves recently, the new gluten-free products could get a welcome reception. “Gluten has increasingly become an area of dietary focus and concern for consumers, and we want to ensure our stores are able to meet their needs,” says Haley Meyer, a spokeswoman for grocery giant Supervalu Inc., some of whose stores are now carrying the new Betty Crocker products.
Currently, mostly small food companies supply gluten-free products.
Producing gluten-free cookie, brownie and cake mixes that consumers
would recognize as Betty Crocker products wasn’t easy. Gluten in wheat flour makes dough springy, helps cakes rise in the oven, and keeps cookies together. Most traditional baked goods contain at least 30% wheat flour.
From September to December, General Mills food scientists baked more
than 1,000 pans of brownies, cookies and cakes while conducting about 75 experiments with different formulations, says Jodi Benson, director of baking products research and development.
In initial experiments with yellow cake, the rice-flour mix wouldn’t
rise, leaving flat, dense and moist matter in the bottom of the pan, Ms.
Benson says. The mix needed something to trap air.
They tried removing some water, substituting butter for oil and upping
the egg ratios among other things to get the batter to rise in the oven.
After adding testing procedures in its own factories to assure a
gluten-free environment, General Mills is rolling out the new mixes
across the country. The mixes will sell for about $2 more than the
traditional Betty Crocker mixes.
“We refer to [the customer base] as narrow but deep,” says Dena Larson, marketing manager in the baking products division. “This may be the only brownie [a customer] buys.”
Write to Ilan Brat at ilan.brat@wsj.com
We had this company out to clean 2 of our rooms. They used green friendly solutions for most all cleaning needs (a few exceptions are rust stains and if they can’t get their water source to a room- think high rise apartment building).
They were so friendly. Jason, an owner, took my call, answered all my questions and scheduled my appointment. Then today Rhett(I think he is also an owner) and Bruce came to do the cleaning. So nice! So thorough! and So reasonably priced!
They have been in the carpet cleaning business since 1996 and in January changed their name to reflect their eco efforts that have always been part of their business.
ok, so first I must admit I haven’t been here but plan to on my next trip to Chicago. This restaurant is located in River Grove which is sort of near O’Hare Airport. Then gluten free menu looks fabulous!
I am across a flyer at our local swim shop. This organization sounds really cool. I like the concept and also think it could be considered a shop local organization.
The idea… think of 3 independently owned businesses that you would miss if they closed. go a buy something there and let them know you care THEN if we could get 50% of the population to go and spend $50 there, we would create $42.6 billion in revenue.
To read more about this group click here!
It was reported that bottled water sales were flat last year vs previous years of double digit growth.
That is great news! We use Sigg water bottles at our house.
My girls also picked them out for their grandparents for Mother’s/Father’s Day presents this year.
This look like a nice site to teach kids about ways they can reduce, reuse and recycle. And even better all their favorite stars are talking about it.
Check it out! Click here (you would have thought it would be www.disneyfriendsforchange.com but it isn’t)
There is a little more infomation in this article about the research the Mayo Clininc doctor performed vs the KARE 11 and Star Tribune Articles.
To read, click here.
I went to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat last night. First of all, the show was wonderful. But second of all, I was thrilled to have a Brownie a la mode that was gluten free. The staff was great when my mom called to order the tickets (I think she asked them about 20 gluten related questions- and yes that is one of the many reason I love her). And the wait staff was great too.
Next up Oklahoma in October or November at Chanhassen- I can’t wait for the kids to see this one! more info- click here!
after a good session of chewing
I did buy her some great chew toys so she avoids the kids arms, legs and socks. Green Bone is a eco friendly chew toy. They are make of Bamboo and Hemp then filled with sutffing made from recycled plastic bottles. I found them at Pet Smart (can’t find a website to share)
More places in the Twin Citites to share… thanks to my husband for finding out this information for me
Add two more restaurants to the list offering gluten-free pizza. Diners at Eden Pizza in St. Paul and Galactic Pizza in Uptown Minneapolis now have the option of ordering pies made with crust from Cooqi, a gluten-free bakery in St. Paul.
In the past year, Cooqi has started making wheat-free piecrusts for several restaurants, including Pizza Luce (St. Paul and downtown Minneapolis), Park Tavern in St. Louis Park and Leonardo’s Pizzeria in Mahtomedi.
Our tomato plants are getting full– fuller than we could ever eat so we have 2 options. 1- canning them for winter sauces, stews and soups and/or 2- coming up with a place that could use them. So we are going to donate some of our abundance to our favorite local food shelf. We love all the folks down at IOCP in downtown Wayzata. To learn more, click here.
Just like everyone else, I get too busy to make home made breakfasts. I love Van’s waffles. They come in 6 flavors. They are available at my ‘regular’ grocery store- no special coop trip needed!! And I love to toast them once, load on my topping and then microwave for about 15 seconds. They seem to absorb more syrup from the heat.
Happy and quick morning to all!
Kinnikinnick was one of the first brands I found that I really liked back in 2001. They use to only be available via mail order. Thank goodness the times have changed! ONE- my local co-op Lakewind carries a bunch of their stuff and TWO- they have added a gluten free Oreo cookie. I love them straight up as well as sometimes I soften ice cream and make my own version of cookies and creme! They also come in vanilla.
Link to site- click here.
This morning, my hubby, 2 kids, sister-in-law, 2 cousins and a boyfriend all piled into 1 car to drive north for a cabin weekend. In the past, this group would have usually taken at least 2 if not 3 cars. I am proud of their carpooling efforts!
You might ask why I didn’t go… well the puppy is too young for that big of a group AND bonus for me, I get a day and a half to do some power cleaning of the kids’ rooms.
However my day starting with finding an exploded pop can in the basement frig, so after cleaning that all up I lowered the setting on the frig- save a little energy too!
D’Amico and Son offers free kids meals on Sundays as well as bottomless glasses of wine! Great for most but after a while I get a little tired of the pot roast.
Well, last night I took a box of my own gluten free pasta to the restaurant. The cook was very helpful and boiled a fresh pot of water for my dinner. I felt like everyone else. I was so excited I didn’t even care that I paid full price+the price of my noodles.
Thank you Wayzata D’Amico and Son!!
I tried the cinnamon rolls from Grandma Ferdon’s. They are in the freezer section of some coops and a store called U Bake. I opinion- not enough flavor. Maybe they needed some frosting or something. Plus there were no warming/heating instructions- frustrating.
It has been about a week since I first tried and wrote the blog above. This time I put a little left over frosting on top of them after I had warmed them up (about 20-25 sec on microwave). Yum, much much better this time.
Today I was gluten free shopping at Fresh & Natural in Plymouth, MN. My youngest daughter was so excited to see the lemon wafers (she does NOT have celiac). We had to buy a box AND open them in the parking lot. Yum!! A true treat!!
Yummy! This brownie was very good. It is also lactose free.
I got it at U Bake but am sure it is available other places too.
Overall though, I would recommend making your own brownies with either Betty Crocker or Namaste mixes then freezing them. Buying an individual serving brownie can get very very expensive. This one from French Meadow was $1.79.
Saw a cool article today in the Star Tribune about reusing urban trees from Minneapolis that were lost due to storm, construction, reclaiming or disease (that seems a little odd).
They are making cutting boards out of maple. Each board is labeled with the zip code of the tree’s old location.
To learn more about the company- click here!
The article states that they are currently being sold at Seward Co-op, Linden Hills Natural Home and Mother Earth Gardens
Yesterday, I was taking my dog for a walk along with my kids and a 3 year old neighbor girl. Earlier that day, several different ‘inserts’ were left in the neighborhood newpaper slots. Due to the wind, they were littering the yards.
However surprised and thrilled I was when our sweet little 3 year old neighbor said “LITTER!” and ran to pick it up. We had fun with it and tried to pick up all the litter on our way there and back. THEN she put it all into the recycling bin.
Start your kids young and make it fun!
So I got a few samples of Pamela’s Cookies and I just am not that thrilled. I remember trying some several years ago when it was really one of the few in-store options. I didn’t like them much then. They seem very dry and almost chalky to me.
Note they are also 80% organic.
“Turning Trash in to Treasure” is the name of this tuesday extra at 10 pm. They will be talking about composting. I will come back to this entry and link the report!
Link to their preview- click here.
I found a new product (at least new to me) on the shelves at Lakewind Coop yesterday.
I bought a box of Glenny’s oatmeal cookies.
Yummy and just like the box says “moist and chewy”.
I would recommend for those who miss oatmeal cookies-they state their oats are gluten free.
I always seem to be buying a special spice I need for one recipe then never use again BUT never throw out. Are you in the same position? Did you notice most spices don’t have freshness dating? Well I went to McCormick’s website to see what they have to say about it…most spices that are crushed or ground shouldn’t be kept more than 3 years. That would mean I need to throw out about 75% of my spices However, I guess those that are 7+ years should probably go- right?
If you have McCormick Spices, you can check how old they are using this link and the code on the bottom of the bottle.
This is a nice sugar cookie mix that I can even find at Target. I recommend cooking them a few minutes longer than noted on the box. Mine seem to fall apart when they are cooked in the 12-14 minute range. I also add a little colored sugar on top- just to make them look a little more special.
Cherrybrook Kitchen also offers chocolate cake mix, chocolate chip cookie mix, and chocolate and vanilla frosting mix that are gluten free.
They have other product that is nut free, peanut free, egg free, and dairy free product.
More about this company, click here.
There are 3 types of ‘previous owned’ clothes stores in my mind
1. those who sell their old clothing using the word vintage- ex: Tatter’s at 2928 Lyndale- sale this Sat/Sun 50% off
2. those who consign their old clothing using words like designer and branded- ex: Turnstyle
3. those who sell whatever is left over- ex: Goodwill Store
All serve a purpose and all save those clothes from being in a landfill.
Today, I am visiting 2 of these places as well as passing some clothing on to my friend who has a daughter and 2 sons. It is a great excuse for us to get together 2-3 times a year (when a bag fills up, it reminds me it is time to call Carolyn)
I decided to try a different pancake mix the last time I was at Lakewind. I bought Maple Grove’s mix. I would say it is a more cake-like pancake than others I have tried. I made the smallest serving and I think I have about 1/2 the mix leftover because I am already full. They absorb a lot of syrup too.
I am interested in making the pineapple upside down cake recipe on the back of the box. That cake was a childhood summer favorite.
The box notes you can write to them for coupons (bummer they aren’t online) at 1052 Portland Street, St Johnsbury, VT 05819
Well back when I was first diagnosed, I read every label. Then as time went on I got comfortable with my favorite foods and didn’t read their labels. Well I was surprised when I found out some of my tried and true chips had gluten in them. (Making the changes to the labeling requirements sure does make my life easier).
Click here is the list from Frito Lay of what is gluten free. Maybe some day they will change the cheesy doritos so we can eat them!
Do you ever wonder what to do with your old cell phone when you get a new one?
Well put it to good use! Verizon refurbishes or recycles the phone to aid domestic violence.
For more information, click here!
My daughter picked out a new lunch box that is made from recycled water bottles- pretty cool for a 9 year old to even notice this! Ok, so does she really need a new one? Could last year’s one work again this year? Answer, no way. It was a bad buy on our part- too small- hard to clean.
I am hoping this one (click here to see) works better!
You may not like to buy used clothes from consignment or dontation stores but you can…
1- go to your friends garage sales
2- hold a clothing swap with friends- great with a glass of wine
3- have an uniform sale with people from your school
4- set up an exchange with a friend who has older and younger kids- you return after you are done
I like Ben and Jerry’s coffee heath bar crunch so I was surprised that when I learned they used Fair Trade Coffee to make the ice cream. I don’t know why I was suprised as this company has been a leader in combining corporate with environment and activism. Their dairy comes from a coop. They use cage free eggs.
To learn more from their website, click here.
Ben and Jerry’s does not post a gluten free ice cream list however, here is what they say about it…click here.
I say just ask the folks behind the counter.
I also noticed when I was doing my research that some store will make their ice cream cakes gluten free. I know we have done this at Dairy Queen too.
Sometimes it feels like all I am doing is picking up and throwing away all the free stuff my kids get. Some of it I do donate but most of it is junk I would want another house to have to deal with too.
Sometimes the freebies are practical and useful like the usable bags I got at a recycling event or the business card I could plant to grow flowers. Sometimes the freebies are exciting and tasty treats so they don’t come home with us. Most of the time they are plastic (yuck) or so cheap they don’t work for the start or break easily. I wish companies would truley look at how they are spending their money and what they are putting into the recyling/garbage stream.
This post was due to an article in the Star Tribune that I will link- click here!
Today is my birthday. I have been having flashbacks to my 21st. No crazy party night. I was mugged the night before I turned 21 and spend a good chunk of the day with the police etc. Today, I woke up to find that our house had almost been broken into. Almost you say? How can you almost? Well our puppy Lucy must have scared them out the door. They did spend alot of time in the garage looking through our glove boxes etc. They did look in all our garage cabinets- sorrry dudes we aren’t like 17 and hiding drugs and alcohol in our garage. Thank goodness they didn’t touch my hubby’s bikes.
Well I am off to the MOA with a family group for the day!
Yummy yummy! Last night for my birthday the family shared 2 different slices for dessert from The Wedge (just south of downtown Minneapolis). My Husband picked up their Gluten Free Chocolate Pecan Caramel Torte (my youngest wants this now for her birthday and she doesn’t have celiac) and Gluten Free Almond Reapberry Cake (light and flavorful- my husband’s favorite). I like them both for different reasons. They are spendy but most single slices of specialty cakes are ($3.70-$4.00 a slice) but the 2 were plenty for all 4 of us.
The Wedge info- click here.
The FDA says gluten free beers can now put gluten free on their label. Prior to now, beer was defined as beverages made of malted barley and other grains. Well we know gluten free beer has no malted barley.
Now beer that is gluten free can be clearly labled.
Looking for some names… New Grist, Red Bridge, Klisch’s Lakefront and Bard’s Tail.
I have never been a beer lover (even before celiac hit).
Do you have a favorite one? Please send a comment so others know what is good out there!
A link to the full USA Today article- click here.
I was recently shopping for a new duvet cover. I figure after about 10 years we were due for a new one. I was surprised and thrilled as I continue my EF quest to discover that Pottery Barn has an environmental commitement page on their website. OK I discovered it after I had ordered the cover I fell in love with AND ironically it is made of organic cotton. So fate must have intervened on my final selection (I brought 3 home to let my hubby have some input) as only 2 of the 3 ended up being organic.
Their organic cotton is only 1 of many things they are doing- to see more click here.
The annual Junk Bonanza kicks off both kids going back to school and the official beginning of my Christmas shopping. I will be interested to see how it works at Canterbury Park in Shakopee vs the Medina Ballroom (bummer that was only 5 miles from my house). The event runs from September 17 through 19. I don’t pay the extra for the early bird but do try and get there around 10am the first day. A great event of reused and recycled items!
Wondering if my ‘smart women’ friends will join me this year???
More details… click here!
Well, I am happy to say that Ziploc has created a bag called Ziploc Evolve that are ultra light bags made with wind power and 25% less plastic. With school starting up in the next few weeks, I find it hard to not use some plastic baggies. Some field trips require bagged lunches and I don’t want any of our ‘good’ storage to be ‘accidentially’ thrown away or left behind.
Thanks Ziploc for at least starting to make a different in the plastic world.
Mr. Tidbit rarely has something nice and almost always complains about the price. Well our new gluten free mixes from Betty Crocker (General Mills) got a pretty standard review from him.
Cookies- thinner, fragile and grainy than regular – I say welcome to gluten free Mr. Tidbit, I would take grainy over charboard everyday which is what most gf cookies are.
Brownies- liked the taste but too pricey- again I say welcome to the gluten free world!
If you want to read his write up…click here and then scroll down as there is another topic prior to this one.
I contacted a local Minneapolis and surrounding area liquor store to find out what gluten free beer they carry. I was impressed with the list and may stop in soon to get a few ciders to try.
Here is what Haskells has…Lakefront “New Grist” Made with Sorghum & Rice
Tommyknocker Bards Sorghum Beer
Green’s Discovery
Green’s Endeavour
Green’s Quest
Red Bridge (I believe this is Budweiser’s Gluten Free beer)
Plus ALL cider’s are typically gluten free.
Thanks Beau for your help!! Click here to view Haskells site.
So many green things to do and see at the fair.
Kim Palmer did a great write up in the Star Tribune.
To read it… click here!
School starts for my kids a week from tomorrow.
When the list of supplies came out, we first went through our craft supplies and checked the condition of their ‘ongoing’ supplies like binders, scissors and headphones to make sure all were in good working order.
Another cost savings measure you can take, buy extras of those well used items while they are on sale. Store them until after the first of the year when you inevitably need like pencils and markers.
Happy back to school!
What did I eat yesterday at the fair???
Spirals chips from the food building – my family’s favorite
Shared cotton candy and had a sip of my daughter’s snow cone
Kettle corn
My new find- BACON on a stick- it is near WCCO- yummy
corn on the cob
What did you eat???? Please share
Honey Oat Bread and limited supply/trial basis deep dish pizza crust
I will try and get there this weekend to get 1 of each (and I may pick up a donut too) so I can try them and let you know what I think.
for the Cooqi website… click here!
So a school mom friend told about this new bread- she learned about it at the fair- Udi bread from Denver, CO. She had heard it was good even when it wasn’t toasted. I personally haven’t liked any bread untoasted since I went gluten free, so this was a huge challenge/opportunity for me.
I found it at the 50th/France location yesterday. I bought white sandwich and whole grain. I tried both and so did my picky non gluten-free daughter and we really liked them both. I could not tell a huge difference between the 2 and we compared labels and there was very little difference in the fiber and sugars.
It is on sale this month for $4.99 a loaf (12 oz.)- September!
For more about Udi… click here!
Amy’s Soups 2/$5
Barbara’s cereals $3.99
Nature’s Choice granola bars 2/$7
Udi’s Bread $1 off now $4.99
You will also find coupons for Amy’s entrees $1 off 2 in their organic &natural magazine this month
With school just around the corner, the endless driving cycle begins for many of us. How long should you keep your car running while waiting vs turning it off and restarting? SURPRISE, only 10 seconds. It is better to turn your car off and restart. Don’t create more pollution. Don’t use more gas. Happy driving (P.S. see if you can get some carpools started for those kid activities)
Green’s Amber Ale is for sale at the Bulldog Restaurant in NE Minneapolis-401 East Hennepin Avenue
Thanks again to my sister-in-law who is always looking out for these great finds for me and all of you.
They also have very yummy food- great nachos and yummy fancy burgers. My kids love their tater tots and hotdogs too.
To see more… click here (beer is under high end Belgium Beer).
For my birthday (ok is was almost 3 weeks ago but I save a savor my gluten free treats) my sister brought me 2 items from this bakery. I have had the Lotsa Chips Cookies and Triple Chocolate Bronwies. I microwaved the lotsa chips to see if they would soften up (my kids were eating sweet martha cookies for the state fair and I was totally jealous). I heated for about 15 seconds. Yummy! I am not a huge mega choc chip personal but these were good dunked in cold milk. I also liked the triple choc brownies though after my sister told me the price- they were either too small or too expensive. They made 10 different cookies, cheesecake, coffee cakes, breads and choc cupcakes. I will have to visit the next time I am in Chicagoland area.
Note they are also a bakery working to keep green!
To learn more… click here!
I did a little comparison pricing on these 2 brands breakfast bars. I have eaten both brands many times and really don’t think there is that big a difference in their taste. However, the last time I was stocking up on bars, I noticed there are only 5 bars in Glutino box vs 6 in Nature’s Choice and Glutino was more expensive per box. Bar size is about the same but Glutino does have more fiber (3 vs 1).
At the end of the day… Glutino was $1.15 a bar and Nature’s Choice was $.68. Putting on my green friendly hat too, 6 bars to a box is a better use of the cardboard too.
I FEEL SO STUPID!!!!! SEE MY ADDED NOTE BELOW
After a great comment from a reader…. Nature’s Choice are Wheat Free not Gluten Free. I will have to advise the store where I bought them because silly me I didn’t read the label and they had it shelved in their gluten free section
Well the first week of school is over, the coffee for 30+ people and the garage sale, so what I am doing with my time but catching up on the newspapers from the week.
This article made me laugh. The author tried to go 6 days without using plastic. It really made me realize how much I didn’t realize about plastic and it’s expansive coverage of my life. Before I starting reading this, I thought ‘oh I could do this too’. After reading, I can see I would never make it.
To read the entire article… click here!
Maple Grove’s new recycling program is taking off. They now have 80% of the households recycling (use to be only 60%).
Plymouth recycling can be mixed too but I don’t think our stats are this good. Many people don’t realize they can mix it all and still do all the sorting.
My hope still is that the manufacturers are all challenged/required to only sell product in plastic that can be recycled. I hate that I love eating yogurt!
To read the entire article… click here!
With school beginning again, it is a good time to remember to use both sides of the paper. An old spelling test can become next week’s practice test sheet. A math worksheet can become your grocery list next week. Sounds easy but it is hard to do (or sometimes to get the kids to do). Let them use a marker or colored pencil on the ‘other side’ so they don’t get confused!
And always always recycle that paper when all the lines are use up!
I lunched yesterday with a girl friend at Old Chicago in Plymouth.
I asked the waitress about them making a gluten free pizza.
I had heard from a friend that you could bring in a crust and they would top and cook it for you.
Her answer to me…. YES they would make it and cook in a separate pan (not separate oven) and they would only charge me for the toppings!! Yah! Sounds like a plan to me- I will bring a Cooqi crust there the next time I go.
HAPPY EATING!
For Old Chicago locations… click here!
I read a great article today about relieving stress and reducing clutter. Clutter is sometimes caused by the silliest things and if you can try and tackle the 50 worst in your home (worst to you not your other family members) maybe some of that underlying stress will go away. So I am going to keep adding to this posting as I work through my list.
1. the old red secretary desk (sold at garage sale to a girl out of college) 9/12
2. the ‘topless’ cookie jar that we kept full of candy from holidays, etc (tossed in the garbage along with 2 Christmas lollipops)-now stored in an empty container I already had 9/16
3. pipecleaners and threading puff balls (giving to the 3 year old next door) 9/17
4. clean out ever cabinet in the kitchen- full 1 1/2 tupperware bins 9/25
5. I had 2 cuisinart food processors- I asked my mom to determine which to keep and which to sell! 9/25
6. took 6 outfits to a consignment store 10/9
7. hung 5 photos I had framed years ago 10/8
I FOUND THIS IN AN ARTICLE>>>
8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Oct. 10
You’re eligible for a free screening if:
You eat a regular diet (you haven’t excluded wheat)
You have a close family member with biopsy-confirmed celiac disease
You have persistent gastrointestinal symptoms
You or a close family member has type 1 diabetes
You have a related autoimmune condition such as rheumatoid arthritis
It’s free, but preregistration is mandatory. Call 773-702-7593 or go here for more info.
WHEAT ALLERGY: An allergic reaction to gluten.
Symptoms: Hives, difficulty breathing, nausea or a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis.
How to test for it: Doctors use a variety of tools, including a food diary, an elimination diet, a skin test or a blood test, or a food challenge, which involves eating capsules of the food under supervision.
GLUTEN SENSTIVITY: An immune system reaction to gluten.
How to test for it: There isn’t yet a test for gluten sensitivity. If you’ve tested negative for both wheat allergy and celiac disease but still react to gluten, you may have gluten sensitivity.
Nice article by Julie Deardorff about living wheat free and gluten free.
Discuss intolerance levels, alternatives and hidden gluten items.
To read full article… click here!
If you live in Plymouth Minnesota and get the free publication of Plymouth Magazine, look for quotes from me in their upcoming October Mag 2009.
If you don’t live here but want to see, I am hoping you can find online at their website… click here!
May be old news to you but new to me.
Click here to see what all they have and where it is located within the stadium!
Fresh and Natural is hosting a gluten free food fest over the next 2 Saturdays.
Today in Shoreview from 11-3
Next Saturday (the 26th) at their Hudson and Plymouth locations from 11-3.
Ad lists discounts, samples and prize giveaways.
I also found in their ad in Star Tribune a coupon for $3 off/$30 purchase and $5 off/$50 purchase.
Do you own a mulching lawn mover? Well now might be a good time to buy one as it is the end of the season or maybe see if there is an attachment you can buy for you current mover. We have one and it is great. No grass to pick up- little to no mess left on the driveway- even with the new dog, very little cut grass gets tracked into the house. The worst offender is my hubby but he is right behind the mover so I guess that totally makes sense and he does leave his tennis shoes in the garage.
Mulching lawn mover also feed your lawn for free, eliminate the need to haul it away or pay for curbside pickup of clippings.
Extra bonus, it saves you time too since you don’t have to bag it!
HAPPY TRAILS!
OK, so I have only eliminated 3 things at home and am still going for the 50.
However for those of you who think 50 is too much but want to do a good fall clean up and out.
Grab 2 bags- fill one with trash/recycling and fill the other with donation/resell items.
You will get that great satisfaction of purging!
OMG! I was so excited to find this website. I feel so horrible when I directly recycle those huge books. Who uses the yellow pages anymore when there is dexonline, etc?
Today I am liberated! I stopped them!!
Join the fun by clicking here!
Have you heard about Colin Beavan?
Well, good for Colin and good for our planet but could you do it too? I don’t think I could.
He and his family gave up electricity, processed food and even toilet paper over the course of a year.
To find his book and blog… click here.
Nickelodeon launched a site aimed at kids and being earth friendly.
Kids can play games with Sponge Bob, Naked Brother Band, iCarly and more.
www.biggreenhelp.com
for a link… click here!
What do you usually do with your flower pots, hanging baskets and trays when you buy your annuals?
I save some for planting seeds of my own the following spring HOWEVER I usually have some still left over.
Now Otten Brothers in Long Lake will take them through November 1st.
Note for the future Bachman’s took them on 2 days in September so in 2010 I bet they will take again on the 3rd weekend.
Are you looking to recycle batteries, carpet, fluorescent bulbs, tires, or electronics?
Plymouth is not hosting a special collection day this fall. Instead they are providing us with a list of places we can use year round to properly dispose of our ‘junk’.
Batteries- City Hall Building 3400 Plymouth Blvd or Maintenance Facility 14900 23rd Ave N
This is the one I am going to use today.
For the rest of the list… click here!
I love this event! My kids love throwing (literally) their used pumpkins into the recycling unit.
From October 30th-November 9, a dumspter will be on the west side of the Public Works Maintenance Facility (14900 23rd Ave N) in Plymouth, MN. The ONLY request is to please remove the candles! They will also take apples and gourds!!
What is collected will provide feed for the farm animals at Barthold Farms!
Compostable Bag Products Sold in Minnesota
Starting January 1st 2010 you must use compostable yard bags for curbside collection.
Funny, you might be thinking. Who has yard waste in January in Minnesota.
Well don’t forget your Christmas tree. I know I don’t put mine out by the curb until after the first of the year so I must locate a compostable tree bag or go bagless this year.
Please note… compostable is not the same as biodegradable (won’t be taken).
BAG to NATURE and BIOSAK are 2 brands- currently carried at Home Depot and Menards (not sure about Lowes)
Wow was I shocked today when Target on Rockford Road in Plymouth MN had a gluten free end cap.
What did they have? Glutino bars, Mi-del ginger snaps and animal crackers, Tinkyada Pasta Joy, Annie’s Mac and Cheese and gummy bunnies, Allergaroo, Envirokids cereals, Pamela’s mixes, some Bob’s Red Mill oats and pizza crust, and Mary’s crackers. Funny they didn’t include the new Betty Crocker mixes as they carry all 4 or Cherrybrook mixes. FYI Betty Crocker mixes were on sale for $3.99!
Let me know if your Target is doing this too!
Do you miss cheesecake and pumpkin pie?
Why not merge the 2 together and make a pumpkin cheesecake with Mi-Del Gluten Free ginger snaps (replace graham crackers) for the crust.
Also I always bake a pumpkin pie when the holidays roll around. I don’t like making my own crust so I go crustless which works great since the pumpkin pie fillings holds itself together. Pile on the homemade whipped cream and yummy yummy- can’t you just taste it!
My parents attended an event late last week at Macy’s. Tim Scott made the flourless chocolate lollipops that can also be made a cupcakes. My mom said the version made with semi sweet chocolate was great (she isn’t a dark chocolate fan). I think using frango mint could be quite tasty myself. I will have to make in the next few weeks (I am trying to watch the sweet treats due too much fun this summer with all my new gf finds)!
for the recipe… click here!
1 1/2 bags KAME rick stick vermicelli (red bag found in asian food section)
1 egg
1 bag shredded mozarella
2 jar sauce
1 pound ground meat
1 cup milk
Pizza topping like pepperoni, olives, oinions, peppers Or not if you are unsure with kids
Boil noodles
in 9×13 pan whip egg, milk and 1/3 of cheese (I usually add a little garlic too)
pour over noodles and mix
brown meat, drain and mix with sauce
pour over noodles, top with cheese and any other toppings.
bake 350 for 45 min to 1 hour
freezes real well
Here, a cheat sheet.
Only #1 and #2 are accepted in Plymouth, MN
No. 1: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET, PETE), the most widely recycled plastic, is used for soft-drink bottles and is also commonly found in textiles, which explains why a bottle can be turned into fleece.
No. 2: High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is used for detergent bottles and grocery bags.
No. 3: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC or vinyl) is what salad-bar containers are made from.
No. 4: Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is used for dry-cleaning and fresh-produce bags.
No. 5: Polypropylene (PP) is what makes bottle caps, yogurt cups, and drinking straws.
No. 6: Polystyrene (PS) is also known as Styrofoam.
No. 7: These “other” plastics, such as polycarbonate baby bottles, are generally not recyclable at most centers.
Grab a book… Smart Mama’s Green Guide – click here!
Or just check out this article from the usa weekend… click here!
Green to Grow Welcome Home kit
The kit can be found at … www.bumblebeeboutique.com or click here!
Includes:
•2 5 oz regular neck bottles
•2 10 oz regular neck bottles
•1 package of intermediate regular neck nipples
(3 – 6 months)
•1 package of expert regular neck nipples (6+ months)
•1 organic cotton baby cloth (colors vary)
So what are you going to do on October 24 to make a difference???
Kyra Sedgwick’s pet peeve is plastic!
What is your pet peeve and how will you make a difference?
My goal that week is to go to 3-5 Caribou and Starbuck coffee shops and ask them to start saving their plastic tops for me. I will in return pick them up weekly and donate to Aveda.
Please share your ideas with me!!
to learn more about this day go to www.makeadifferenceday.com
Isn’t it too cold to bike to work here about 4 months out of the year? How in the world does Minneapolis rank #2. It is totally great that we do rank #2. The only city to beat us in Portland where it rains like 300 days a year. Go figure- why can’t Seattle, San Fran or Sacramento beat us?
Well I guess people want to ride to work when the weather is great here and people here are focused on improving the enviroment and want to make save some $$ too.
Congrats Minneapolis!
Green Math an article by Jeffrey Ball was published back in September. I am finally catching up on a back log of reading – you moms know what the first few weeks of school can do your schedule?!?!
Did you know the recycle triangle was created by a college student trying to win a contest.
Maybe the labeling and process for determining carbon footprint should be another contest thrown out to students!
To read Jeffrey’s article.. click here!
I realized after 8 1/2 years, I have never checked out what wikipedia has to say about gluten free diet. This should be a great starting place for anyone.
Check out what they have to say…. click here!
I hate buying a container of buttermilk for a recipe and then only using a small part of it. What a waste.
So now I make my own buttermilk by pouring 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (or distilled vinegar) into a measuring cup then filling it to the 1 cup mark with regular milk. PLEASE make sure you let it sit for 15 minutes then you are good to go!
If you have a child…. you have too many crayons in your house— right????
Well here is a place that will recycle your old ones and create new ones.
It is even located in Wisconsin.
This is a great school project!!!
To learn more… click here!
Here is a great check list for getting your house ready for fall.
I know I just changed my furnace filter- still need to schedule the annual cleaning!
To see the list created by Karen Youso… click here!
I was reading Redbook and comes across this list of stats I just had to share…
70% of the earth is covered in water
1.7 billion people in the world without access to clean water
21.7% of US water goes to washing our clothes (makes you think you could maybe wear a few things twice before you wash??)
$11billion is the amount Americans spend on bottled water a year
10% of plastic water bottles are recycled- HOW CAN THAT BE???
Please tell a friend!!!
My aunt forwarded this to me…. a large part of it was over my head but overall promising find to help ‘cure’.
UM scientists pinpoint critical molecule to celiac disease, possibly other autoimmune disorders
Published: Monday, September 7, 2009 – 16:32 in Health & Medicine
It was nine years ago that University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers discovered that a mysterious human protein called zonulin played a critical role in celiac disease and other autoimmune disorders, such as multiple sclerosis and diabetes. Now, scientists have solved the mystery of zonulin’s identity, putting a face to the name, in a sense. Scientists led by Alessio Fasano, M.D., have identified zonulin as a molecule in the human body called haptoglobin 2 precursor. Pinpointing the precise molecule that makes up the mysterious protein will enable a more detailed and thorough study of zonulin and its relationship to a series of inflammatory disorders. The discovery was reported in a new study by Dr. Fasano, published the week of September 7, 2009 in the online version of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Fasano is a professor of pediatrics, medicine and physiology and director of the Mucosal Biology Research Center and the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Haptoglobin is a molecule that has been known to scientists for many years. It was identified as a marker of inflammation in the body. Haptoglobin 1 is the original form of the haptoglobin molecule, and scientists believe it evolved 800 million years ago. Haptoglobin 2 is a permutation found only in humans. It’s believed the mutation occurred in India about 2 million years ago, spreading gradually among increasing numbers of people throughout the world.
Dr. Fasano’s study revealed that zonulin is the precursor molecule for haptoglobin 2 — that is, it is an immature molecule that matures into haptoglobin 2. It was previously believed that such precursor molecules served no purpose in the body other than to mature into the molecules they were destined to become. But Dr. Fasano’s study identifies precursor haptoglobin 2 as the first precursor molecule that serves another function entirely — opening a gateway in the gut, or intestines, to let gluten in. People with celiac disease suffer from a sensitivity to gluten.
“While apes, monkeys and chimpanzees do not have haptoglobin 2, 80 percent of human beings have it,” says Dr. Fasano. “Apes, monkeys and chimpanzees rarely develop autoimmune disorders. Human beings suffer from more than 70 different kinds of such conditions. We believe the presence of this pre-haptoglobin 2 is responsible for this difference between species.”
“This molecule could be a critical missing piece of the puzzle to lead to a treatment for celiac disease, other autoimmune disorders and allergies and even cancer, all of which are related to an exaggerated production of zonulin/pre-haptoglobin 2 and to the loss of the protective barrier of cells lining the gut and other areas of the body, like the blood brain barrier,” says Dr. Fasano.
“The only current treatment for celiac disease is cutting gluten from the diet, but we have confidence Dr. Fasano’s work will someday bring further relief to these patients. Zonulin, with its functions in health and disease as outlined in Dr. Fasano’s paper, could be the molecule of the century,” says E. Albert Reece, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., dean of the School of Medicine, vice president for medical affairs of the University of Maryland and John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor. Dr. Fasano, as a physician scientist, fulfills two of the core missions of the University of Maryland School of Medicine: making basic science discoveries that can impact human health, and finding ways to translate those discoveries into treatments and diagnostic tools.”
People who suffer from celiac disease have a sensitivity to gluten, a protein found in wheat, and suffer gastrointestinal distress and other serious symptoms when they eat it. In celiac patients, gluten generates an exaggerated release of zonulin that makes the gut more permeable to large molecules, including gluten. The permeable gut allows these molecules, such as gluten, access to the rest of the body. This triggers an autoimmune response in which a celiac patient’s immune system identifies gluten as an intruder and responds with an attack targeting the intestine instead of the intruder. An inappropriately high level of production of zonulin also seems responsible for the passage through the intestine of intruders other than zonulin, including those related to conditions such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis and even allergies. Recently, other groups have reported elevated production of zonulin affecting the permeability of the blood brain barrier of patients suffering from brain cancer.
“We hope pre-haptoglobin 2 will be a door to a better understanding of not just celiac disease, but of several other devastating conditions that continue to affect the quality of life of millions of individuals,” says Dr. Fasano. “This is quite a remarkable molecule that was just flying under the radar. We would have never have thought it would be the key. Now that we have identified this molecule, we are able to replicate it in the lab to use for research purposes. We hope to learn much more about it and its potential for treating and diagnosing celiac disease and other autoimmune conditions. This molecule has opened innumerable doors for our research.”
It is getting to the end of the season but I know we still do lots of outside fire pits this time of year.
We love to eat smores.
This year, I found a great ‘graham cracker’ to use. Before I only ate the chocolate and marshmellow.
Smoreables are yummy. I haven’t tried them in a crust yet but.. I like to eat them sandwiched with leftover frosting/icing!!
To see what the box looks like… click here!
I had Red Bridge gluten free beer before the game (bottles were sold at a gas station) and inside the game (on tap at Curly’s).
Yum!
I hadn’t researched all of the Dairy Queen treats in the past -just the cookieless cake. However, my cousin turned 8 this week and wanted to bring dilly bars for his class. My buddy (my cousin’s classmate) in 2nd grade has celiac so his mom called to find out if Sophie could eat it.
YAH she can.
For a list of all Dairy Queen treat… click here then select the allergy brochure!
These have to be my favorite Lakewind Coop scone.
I stopped by there today and yummy- I feel spoiled with this treat.
Remember they have them on Tuesdays!!
Ok, so this pack of 4 crusts may have been out there for awhile but I have never seen them. Sounds like a good deal- 4 crusts for about $8.50.
Have you tried them? If so, let me know what you thought.
Lakewind is running a sale on these items. They were on $2.50 so you save $1. Pretty good deal. I stocked up!
I tried the chocolate peanute butter one today. It totally reminded me of the Little Debbie nutty bars. Only I wanted to eat the entire box- not a good thing for the waistline!
There are 2 other flavors too milk chocolate and dark chocolate. I got them at Lakewind
This was a nice change from all the ‘cakey’ snack bars. Totally full of nuts. Do know there are oats listed but they are listed as organic oats and organic dried oat syrup. I may have to get a box to keep in the car in the summer time. Many of my other favorites either crumble or melt in the heat. Got them at Lakewind too.
They have for the HOLIDAYS
-par-baked rolls
-various kinds of stuffing cubes
-pumpkin pie kits
-cranberry wild rice bread
along with all their other great items!!
Just drive on over to St Paul-2186 Marshall Ave.
www.cooqiglutenfree.com
I am sad I will be out of town because this sounds like a great way to kick of the holiday season- I hope you can go and enjoy!
Midtown Global Market at Lake Street & 10th Avenue in Minneapolis
10-5pm
Kick-off this holiday season by going green at the 4th Annual Green Gifts Fair. Come and shop more than 70 local retailers and artists for green, recycled and organic gifts. LEARN about green holiday decorating, wrapping and food and party ideas. EAT a local lunch at many of the restaurants at the market. CELEBRATE the new 2010 Do It Green! Magazine’s kick-off, attend the eco fashion show, low carbon cook off with local chefs, or listen to local musicians.
I haven’t been but I have read about this bakery.
They are refined sugar-free, gluten free, wheat free, soy free, egg free, vegan, kosher and casein free.
To go to their website… click here!
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
YIELD: 3 dozen cookies
1 cup coconut oil
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
1/4 cup flax meal
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, applesauce, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking soda and xanthan gum. Using a rubber spatula, carefully push the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and combine until dough is formed. With the same spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips just until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Using a melon-baller, measure out the dough and place on the prepared baking sheets. Space the portions 1-inch apart. Gently press each with the heel of your hand to help them spread. Bake the cookies on the center rack for 14 minutes, rotating the trays 180 degrees after 9 minutes. The cookies will be crispy on the edges and soft in the center. Remove from the oven.
Let cookies stand 10 minutes. They’re best served warm, but to save them use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely before covering. Place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
YIELD: about 10 slices
2/3 cup rice milk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1⁄4 cup poppy seeds
3/4 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, plus more for pan
3/4 cups agave nectar
1/3 cup applesauce
1 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons pure lemon extract
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease a 7 × 4 × 3-inch loaf pan with oil.
Pour the rice milk, apple cider vinegar, and poppy seeds into a small bowl – but do not stir – and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Add the oil, agave nectar, applesauce, vanilla, and lemon to the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the poppy seed mixture into the batter, and combine just until all ingredients are blended. The batter will expand slightly.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 35 minutes, rotating the pan 180 degrees after 18 minutes. The teacake will be golden brown and springy, and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.
Let the teacake stand in the pan for 20 minutes, then gently run a knife around the edge of the bread. Cover the top of the pan with a cutting board, and invert onto the board. Carefully lift the pan away and re-invert the teacake onto another cutting board. Either cut and serve warm, or wait until it is completely cool before storing. Cover the uncut teacake with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.
These poop bags are made of biodegradable cornstarch!!
I got the 100 count value pack when we got our dog Lucy at {PetSmart
I love them and feel ok about putting them in the trash.
I am looking forward to my cruise today.
I filled out their medical form and faxed it to them 2 weeks ago as they requested.
I will be interested to see what they do different/special for me as a gluten free passenger. I will let you all know when I get back!
My friends at Forever Lily have designed a tote made of #2 recyclable plastic.
And I think the pattern is gorgeous.
I love Beth’s story and I love her cause- so consider this a gift that gives at least 3 times- Beth’s cause, the gift and the recycling bin in the future.
Read her book too, especially if you are at a cross roads in your life.
Click here!
Starting December 1st 2009, the downtown Minneapolis and St Paul locations will serve gluten free pizza 7 days a weeks.
That tells you how popular their Tuesdays and Wednesdays must have been.
Also note, they are selling their gift cards- great gift for all your GF friends. IF you buy $100 worth, you get $25. Heck, if you go alot yourself, buy them and keep the great savings for yourself.
Well overall, I guess I would give them a “B”.
I know they received my medical form as the first night at dinner I was served GF rolls.
However, after that it got iffy. They attempted to take my dinner/lunch orders 24 hours out but failed the 2nd night. Then they stumbled on the dessert they promised.
By day 3, they had my lunch order but forgot to cook it for me- waited about 15 mins. Dinner night 3 was flawless.
Breakfast on day 4 was on time but burned.
I would recommend meeting with the lead host of your dining room on day 1 after you board- you may have to track him/her down. That is the person you is suppose to ensure you get what you want when you want it!
Have you tried any?
I haven’t and am looking for some to use for Christmas stuffing.
I think Kinnikinnick has some frozen ones and I got an e-mail from Cooqi and Deerfield Bakeries saying they have them
Any insight?
I haven’t made this actual recipe but it is very close to the one I received at a workshop.
(I am trying to responsible and finish off all the old cleaners before I start making more)
• 1 c. white vinegar
• 2 tsp. borax
• 32 oz. (4 c.) hot water
• 20 drops essential oil, optional
• 1/4 c. liquid dish soap
Directions
Combine vinegar and borax with 32 ounces hot water. Add an essential oil (if desired, for fragrance) and dish soap. Place in a spray bottle and be sure to label it.
Thanks to Karen Youso of the Star Tribune for writing this recipe.
Don’t buy those expensive little bottles any more!
Just put vinegar in that compartment and you will get great results and it will help keep your dishwasher clean and smelling fresh.
Reduce your dependence on store bought/made cleaners!
Per their website ‘Sunsets is proud to announce we now have a gluten-free menu available for our guests. We feature Bard’s Beer and Oppulent Vodka along with many dishes carefully prepared just for our gluent-free patrons.’
700 East Lake Wayzata Tel: (952) 473-5253
Their website made it seem that is was only their Wayzata , not Woodbury, that had this menu.
I made my dough yesterday and will probably bake it later tonight after they are gone. I just swapped out the flours and added the recommended Xanthan Gum (1/4 teaspoon for cookies). I am going to make peanut blossoms and a toffee topped shortbread.
You can’t order them in advance- it is a first come first served based on when they prepare them.
Sounds like they are going to make Russian Tea Cakes, Chocolate Crinkles, Raspberry Drops and Pizzelles; just to name a few.
Visit their website for more details by clicking here!
The article is on page 9 if you want to read it… click here!
My daughter has made a bunch of Christmas presents. We were trying to come up with a way to wrap that used little new product. We decided on using paper bags and shredding odds and ends from our colored paper box. They look so cute. She is now calling the paper her ‘salad’. She used orange, red, green, white, cream and a little brown.
So cute and I love that her 9 year old mind is thinking about reusing and repurposing existing vs buying buying buying!
So ironically the day I wrote about wrapping, the Star Tribune did an article about wrapping. I didn’t read the paper until yesterday (oh the holiday- yes I am running behind). I also just read the last 2 weeks of People magazines so now I feel fairly caught up on the whole Tiger vs Elin deal (so sad for all involved).
Well if you are a visual person and want to see the Star Tribune’s great ideas… click here!
OK, so first things first, I don’t drink coffee.
Therefore, I don’t enter Starbucks very often.
I also thought it was just my location as the people working there were clueless.
So until yesterday, when I hit my 2nd Starbucks in a week, I didn’t realized they had pulled the plug on their gluten free treat.
This is also sad to me as reporting the official start date on Starbucks selling this was one of my very first postings 
Check it out , so cool. It even included recipes!
Click here!
www.liveglutenfreely.com
Have you noticed the GarbageMan truck in your neighborhood.
Great idea, could be money saving too in the future as their goal is to charge you for the garbage you put out vs a monthly rate.
I just wish our neighborhood would unite and only have 1 service. I hate having 5 different trucks come through every Wednesday. The way to make real savings…. get the ‘hood together and pick one truck any truck but 1 is for sure better than 5.
For more about the company (which is a franchise) click here!
Hirshfield’s Natura interior waterborne paint
Zero VOC
Virtually Odorless
I will use this the next time I need to paint!
To read more about it… click here!
Well, I have started the post holiday clean up.
It is amazing how much stuff accumulates over these 2 weeks plus the time you use to prepare for it all.
-I have already done a deep clean on the dryer- time to take the front off and get all that extra lint out.
-I updated my online address book in preparation for next year’s Christmas cards- sorry I can’t seem to go green here- I like paper/photo cards too much.
-I have filled almost 3 paper bags with paper to be recycled. I found a manual for a computer we recycled 2 years ago. I guess it was finally time for me to part with the manual now- ha ha!
-I have been using home made detergent for about 6 months now. This month I convert my dishwasher soap. If I like the recipe I will share soon.
-Later this week, I am going through the kids’ rooms to start pulling more items for the May garage sale- it is never too early!!
I read the article in the Star Tribune this past Sunday.
Did you? If not, click here!
Have you used the product?
I would love to hear if you have used it and where you found it.
Thanks!
According to a note I received from my car manufacterer, using a GPS to get you to your location effeciently reduces fuel use by 12% and carbon dioxide emissions by 21%.
I know the only reason they told me this was to get me to buy the new and ‘upgraded’ dvd for my GPS, but I am always happy to have the information.
I saw a great book and it made me think of all the fabric scraps.
It is called One-Yard Wonders: Look How Much You Can Make With Just One Yard of Fabric by Yaker and Hoskins
Fun Fact the ladies are from the Twin Cities
The article looks at oral enzymes and immunotherapy as possible treatments for celiac disease- there is hope!
I ran into a friend from my kid’s school who also has celiac.
She was raving about how yummy the blueberry muffins from Udi are.
I haven’t tried yet but will grab a packet the next time I am at Lunds.
I have been exclusively eating their bread and always have a loaf in the freezer.
I am running late on doing this and I bet you are too.
Change it soon, since we still have many furnace months ahead of us in MN.
Bon Appetit magazine ‘tested’ gluten free pasta and here are their winners.
Riso Bello Spaghetti al Risa (www.olioandolive.com)
Ancient Harvest Supergrain Quinoa Pasta (www.quinoa.net)
Rustichella d’Abruzzo Organic Corn Spaghetti (www.markethallfoods.com)
I haven’t had or recall even seeing any of these. Have you? Any thoughts?
I was excited to read about this in the Star Tribune.
Crazy that it took a grant to get a program like this started. All food facilities, especially of a certain size, should be required by law to compost.
To read the entire article… click here!
Bachman’s hired Ki Nassauer from the Junk Revolution to advise and develop a line of repurposed and vintage home decor, gifts and garden items.
To read the entire article,… click here!
This is the time on year when I try to clean through and reduce clutter around the house- especially in my limited storage space. Here is a nice article that will provide you with some new and creative ideas about how to ‘keep’ without keeping as well as where to takes certain things you might want to part with.
Note- To get rid of or less the amount of children’s art work you actually keep. Take a photo of an assortment of art from 1 school year. Print out an 8×10 and there you have 1 keeper that combines many artistic memories.
To see the article of other ideas… click here!
If you don’t know where to drop them off, check out the link below. All you need to do is go to the locations tab and enter your zip code! You will find locations near you.
Pass those shoes along!
click here for the website!
There was another updating article regarding Aveda’s recycling on bottle tops.
I love that they are trying to help create awareness and solve this recycling issue.
To read the entire article… click here!
From drop off locations- any Aveda store or salon that sells Aveda product. I drop mine off at the Juut salon in Wayzata. My mother-in-law collects at her school in Wisconsin and brings them to us every time she is in town.
Want to help? Ask your favorite Caribou or Starbucks what they do with their twist tops? Maybe you can deliver them for the coffee shop or get them to at least start collecting.
I was surprised and happy to see the Star Tribune compared the 2 carpet cleaners I have tried/coming tomorrow to clean my carpets. Funny -don’t you think? There are many out there but ZEROREZ and GreenClean are 2 I had heard good things about.
I will add to this blog Thursday after Zerorez is done.
To see the entire article… Click here!
20% off all Seventh Generation cleaning products.
If you don’t make them yourself, this is the next best thing!
I am going to provide a link to their flavor ingredients (their base ice cream is gluten free). This was you can check out the flavors at home to see what you want to get.
So I am giving up wheat, barley and rye for Lent this year. Just kidding, I do that everyday of the year.
I am going to stop talking on my cell phone and reading e-mails/texts while in the car with my kids. I am handing them the phone. This does not give them the right however to call their friends while in the car
I am going to pick up all the trash and dog poop I see as the snow melts.
While out with my Lucy this week, I have been amazed at how much trash there is under all this snow.
And please please next put a flyer in my newpaper slot. They never make it into my house. They are either blown away or immediately recycled.
Just in case you didn’t know, semolina is just another name/form of wheat.
I read this question in a magazine and wanted to scream out loud- “Don’t you know how to google?”
I remember not knowing the answer to this question but that was before search engines were invented. I went to an ingredient dictionary and quickly found out.
I hope I help someone out this one! Something who is smart enough to search out an answer via the internet.
If I read that Dr. Fasano says it is ok to eat blue cheese, I am not going to worry and eat it.
He is quoted as saying “it would tak a lot of guts and money to eat 100 grams (about 1/4 of a pound) of blue cheese a day. I don’t see any problems.”
They are gluten free -it is made with corn. I have some at home and drank some at the Bulldog in St. Paul this week.
I love the fact that it is also green, organic and local to Minnesota- my home.
A small writeup I found about it… click here!
And their own page … click here!
I have had this discussion too many times- it makes me tired.
White Vinegar is gluten free. (yes- period)
Have you tried this brand?
I haven’t but their ad in Gluten Free Living looks really good.
Please provide your feedback!
516-804-5600
www.gfgreatbakes.com
Have you heard of it?
It was written up in the Star Tribune this week.
Sounds like it is a green home cleaning machine. It takes tap water and charges it with electricity. Something with the negative/positive charge and dirt. Too techy for me to explain but I would love to try one out.
Here is there website www.activeion.com
PF Changs is my favorite chinese restaurant.
Even before they had a gf menu, they have been taking care of me.
My favorites lettuce wraps and Chang’s spicy chicken – yummy!!!
I was at the dentist office with my youngest today and read the April issue of Family Circle (yummy donuts on the front cover). Not only was there a small article about gluten allergy and testing BUT a whole recipe section of gluten free recipes. I will have to buy the magazine the next time I am out and try them- pasta, pizza and some other things.
Borax- the purely natural laundry booster and multi-purpose household cleaner.
It has been around for 115 years!
I use it when I make my laundry detergent.
I am going to use it to clean the nasty underside of the shower door.
I am hearding (and I am sure they have been doing it for ages) Origins makeup will recycle your used containers. All you have to do is bring them back to the cosmetics counter.
This is the title of a book that sounds really cool to me.
The author finds a ton of ways to give a little and make a big difference to a non-profit organization.
Thanks to Wendy Smith for writing this book.
Canker sores or a sore throat- I find gargling warm salt water helps. It is natural and no cost to go to the doctor. Try it first before you go see the doctor.
Wow do these taste stale and cardboard like!
I won’t be buying these again
I did get a note back from the company and their product is gluten free.
Happy Happy Hour!
yum- I am eating it right now with vanilla yogurt.
It feels like a total dessert treat with the big chunks of chocolate.
I took this cereal/granola up north for girls weekend breakfast. Overall consensus was good. I like the nutty mixed with the chewy cranberries.
Declutter, recycle and reuse what you have.
1- if you don’t need it at the new house- donate or recycle it before you move- you could even have a garage sale
2- recycle curbside as much as you can- save yourself the time in your car and gas usage- if you can leave it at the curb, do it.
3-reuse- my immediate urge upon moving is to buy a whole bunch of new stuff for the new place. wait, try what you have a suppliment it vs starting from stratch
Open the blinds and curtains on the south facing side of your house.
Let mother nature do her job to warm your house- you have already paid the energy company plenty of money over the winter
Reduce the use of gas or electric heat
Reuse the sun’s nature energy
File a temporary change of address form.
Change your address directly with all important communication.
Send out a change of address notice to your friends.
By filing a temporary, you will cut down on the junk mail that follows you to your new home.
These chips remind me of the taco doritos from my past.
They have great flavor and a little kick to them.
Yum!!
Go outside
Take a walk
Clean up the trash that has appears under the melting snow
Go to a park
Go to Lakewind for the 3rd annual Gluten Free roundup. Minnetonka from 11-4 today!
Chanhassen March 20th from 11-4
There is an event coming up March 13-14 at the Mall of America.
1,000 prom dresses that are either ‘reused’- previously worn or ‘recycled’- donated/bought at the end of the season from stores will be given away.
Location is the 4th floor rotunda
13th from 9-5
14th from 10-4
Thank you Operation Glass Slipper
My gluten free bff elementary school friend brought me an Udi plain bagel last night.
I ate half of it today and wow was it soft and fluffy!
Love it!
March 24th from 6-8 pm
Brought to you by the Green Institute and Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity
3001 4th Street SE Minneapolis
price- FREE
rsvp cristen.porter@tchabitat.org
My best friend growing up is jewish. I loved going over to her house during passover and eating matzo. Actually, looking back matzo tasted like an early form of gluten free bread that I had. I think I love the memory of matzo a whole lot more than I love the tast of matza.
Sounds like Cooqi isn’t going to make anyone but they were willing to share the recipe they like.
I would give this bread an ok rating. I am just in love with Udi so it is hard for me to like anything else at this point.
However, I will keep trying new breads when I find them.
Did you know ‘they’ say you use 6 times more water when you hand-wash your dishes instead of using the dishwasher!
I know we will be there to see the ribbon cutting.
It is located at 15700 36th Ave N, Plymouth, MN.
The library is green too!
- green roof with plantings to reduce heating and cooling costs
- storm water management pond and rain garden to control storm water overflow
- Light-sensitive fixtures will dim lights according to the brightness of the librarry
- More than 100 geothermal wells will provide more efficient heating and cooling
April 9th and 10th
Plymouth Creek Center
14800 34th AVe N
Admission $3, 15 and under are free
Brenda Langton (Cafe Brenda and Spoonriver) will speak Friday night
Order by April 16th and pick on May 1st from 8-12 at Maintenance Facility 1499 23rd Ave N
Tree prices range from 15-30
Shrub prices range from 6-15
they will be bare rooted- less expensive and easier to transport.
Amazing, wouldn’t you think the kind of people who use the park system would be concerned about recycling and the earth.
Well, Three Rivers determined that only 25% of the bottles sold were recycled. I am betting that number is even lower as some people may have brought their own bottles into the park too.
Well I want to congratute Three Rivers for proposing to no longer sell plastic bottles!
To read the entire article… click here!
As a mom, how can you not agree with all Michelle Obama is saying about our kids and their health. Childhood obesity is on the rise. Eating gluten free can be healthy but there are also lots of new fun and yummy treats now available. Balance balance balance is what I say (I may not always do personally but I try hard with the kids).
Healthy kids make for a healthier envirnment too if you ask me. More food from the earth is eaten, less processed food are eaten, less packaging is needed for the food and the list could go on and on and on.
To read the article found in the Star Tribune today about the First Lady… click here!
Check out the article from the star tribune. Click here…
And then check out the idiot who commented down below about using the city water/well water. Doesn’t he know he pays for that water- silly silly silly man.
I have NOT researched pricing. Can anyone else tell us if this is a good deal?
Sarasota Florida update
I am going to Mattison’s Forty One for dinner. The Sarasota Herald Tribune states they now have a gluten free menu. Update to come!
Harry’s Continental Kitchen, 525 St. Judes Drive on Longboat Key Florida announces a new gluten free menu!
I don’t think I will make it there this visit but happy to know for the next one.
My mom found a gluten free bakery for me in Sarasota Florida.
Island Gluten Free Bakery. Their big sign simply says GLUTEN FREE.
I had the sandwich bread- good enough to eat without toasting.
Peanut Butter cookies- my daughter even liked. The blueberry scone was a little dry and could have used more berries.
NOTE they are closed on Monday.
Here is a link to their website…click here!
great article… click here!
I spend a day a week at my kids’ school working in the cafeteria. Their school lunch program is considered an upgrade to other programs but I tend to question the portion sizes (or waste) for the younger grades and the amount of carbs that are allocated to each lunch (do you really need to serve garlic toast or breadstick with pizza????). Plus my 5th graders brings 2 snacks a day. Seriously, do they need to eat every 2.5 hours from the last time they started eating?
They had a nice full menu- only thing missing was a chicken option.
I had the blue ribeye with mashed potatoes- it was very good.
I also had a few bites of the beet salad and enjoyed it as well.
Too full for dessert and actually didn’t even look at the menu.
Wow! I loved the 2 week Spring Break. But even better was coming home to green grass and birds chirping.
Kids are back to school today and I, well, I am back to reality. Grocery shopping, dry cleaner, health club, setting Send Out Cards appointments, etc etc etc.
Earth day is on 10 days away!!
Thanks to the Target employees for requesting and supporting a recycling program at the stores.
The recycling center was due to open yesterday, I am going there today and will look for it!
Here is what they will accept…glass, plastic and aluminum, as well as more tricky items like cell phones, MP3 players and ink cartridges.
Drop-off bins are in the front of each store, usually near the cart corrals.
Real Simple rated their top 8 gf goodies.
I’ve got a lot of goodies to find. I have only heard/eaten 4 of these.
–Glutino Gluten-Free Cheddar Crackers (well I have had the plain)
–Glutino Gluten-Free Pretzel Twists (one of my favorite snacks to keep on hand)
–Udi’s Blueberry Muffins (I love the entire line of goodies!)
–Mary’s Gone Crackers Organic Onion (I am not a fan)
Here is an article detailing how GREEN it is (I will be looking for gluten free food while I am there too!)
The grass at Target Field is emerald green, but it’s what’s underground that helps make the new home of the Minnesota Twins the greenest ballpark in America.
The Minneapolis Warehouse District stadium uses underground cisterns to capture and recycle rainwater to wash down the seating area, avoiding the waste of drinkable water.
It’s one of a host of features built into Target Field that helped it nab a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver-level award Thursday, making it the most environmentally friendly and energy-efficient outdoor baseball stadium in the country.
The LEED certification also underscores a trend in U.S. building design. Architects are drawing up more homes, schools, office buildings and stores to be sustainable and energy efficient in a race to out-green the competition.
LEED standards, set by a Washington, D.C., nonprofit called the U.S. Green Building Council, have become a de facto seal of approval for scoring “green buildings.” Builders chase LEED’s standard, silver, gold and the extremely rare platinum ratings like restaurants seeking Michelin Guide stars.
But only a handful of stadiums have LEED status, and extending LEED certification to massive structures such as the $545 million Twins ballpark raises a question: Can any building that big be green, too?
Green purists would say no, but some local sustainable design experts believe the Twins’ ballpark — by virtue of its extreme visibility — could teach
people how efficiency and sustainability can be woven into their lives.
“If you do it on a stadium, you’ve got the potential to educate people on a very big scale,” said John Carmody, director of the Center for Sustainable Building Research at the University of Minnesota’s College of Design.
“It’s not just the kilowatt savings that’s important; it’s got a broader educational mission,” he said.
The University of Minnesota’s own 50,805-seat TCF Bank Stadium became the state’s first LEED silver certified stadium when it opened last year.
Target Field this year takes bragging rights as the greenest outdoor baseball ballpark, scoring 36 points on the LEED rating system and edging out the 34-point LEED rating at 2-year-old Nationals Park in Washington, home of the Washington Nationals.
The aditional features that make Target Field LEED-certifiable added $2 million to the cost of the park, or less than 1 percent more to the $545 million price tag.
That was considerably less than the original estimate that it might cost up to 10 percent more.
The added features range from items that will be invisible to fans — such as more energy-efficient field lights that shave $6,000 a year on electricity costs over standard stadium lights — to the extremely up-close-and-personal — such as the adjustable toilets that let users choose less water to flush urine and more to jettison solid waste.
There are features that fans can touch but might not register as environmentally sustainable, such as the limestone mined from Mankato, Minn., that covers 60 percent of the stadium’s exterior.
Using locally sourced products reduces the stadium’s carbon footprint by reducing transportation costs, said Dan Loosbrock, assistant project manager for Golden Valley-based Mortenson Construction, which built Target Field and TCF Bank Stadium. Mortenson is the nation’s third-ranked builder of sports facilities.
Architects and builders, of course, want to inspire an emotional connection with their creations, and the Twins and Target Field are certainly attempting to do that with every little touch, from the feel of the limestone to naming each of its box seat suites after Minnesota lakes.
But architects must consider the entire environmental lifecycle of the materials, said Jim Bowyer, director of the responsible materials program of Dovetail Partners Inc., a Minneapolis nonprofit that helps organizations design environmentally conscious buildings.
Bowyer said he’s not a purist who insists there can be no such thing as a “green” stadium. “If they’re going to build these structures, they should build them to have the lowest environmental impact that you can build them to.
“But that doesn’t stop me from putting an asterisk on the size,” he added.
The lack of a roof might be one of the most energy-efficient features of the new ballpark.
Heating the 28-year-old Metrodome’s 60 million cubic feet of space was the single largest expense, said Steve Maki, director of facilities and engineering for the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, owner of the Twins’ former home.
In 2008, the Dome spent $1.9 million to heat its facilities, and it budgeted nearly $1.7 million for this year.
Target Field has radiant heaters scattered throughout the facility, and though most of that heat will dissipate into the atmosphere, the heaters likely will be used only for a few hours at a time in the early spring and autumn, making them a bargain compared with the 24-hour and seven-day-a-week expense of heating the Dome, as well as the electricity spent to keep it inflated, experts agreed.
The Twins do not know how much they will spend this year on utilities, but the LEED features should save them $38,000 a year on energy costs over standard designs, said Bruce Miller, principal architect for the ballfield’s designer, Populous, formerly known as HOK Sport of Kansas City, Mo.
More sports stadiums are seeking LEED status, but getting it might become harder in the future, said Loosbrock. The building council is ratcheting up its standards as it learns more from buildings such as Target Field, he said.
“We want to be the gold standard,” he said.
Leslie Brooks Suzukamo
Happy 40th Anniversary of Earth Day.
What are you doing to celebrate?
Well, I am taking my girl scout troop to an all day event to celebrate and teach our youth more about saving our planet.
Well, I feel most if not all of us who have celiac are more aware what we put into our bodies every day.
I know I try (and don’t always succeed) to do the right thing.
With Earth Day being on Thursday April 22nd, think of just 1(ONE) more thing you can do to be nice to our Mother Earth.
I promise to start my garden this weekend- pumpkins, beans, carrots and cucumbers for sure – that is 2 more veggies than last year.
Wow! I can’t believe it has been a year already. Time really does fly.
What have I accomplished?
EF: I am consistently NOT running the dry cycle on my dishwasher, I am making my own laundry soap, I use vinegar instead of fabric softnerners, I wash all my fruits and veggies to remove pesticides, and I am getting really good at recycling-both curbside and at local facilities.
GF: Well I hope those of you with celiac have enjoyed my food reviews. I know I have had fun searching for new product everytime I go to the store as well as stopping at stores I haven’t before. I am reporting back from the cities I visit about grocery stores and restaurants. I am eating gluten free!
Mom: I am reading more and about important things. I hope I am teaching my kids to follow their dreams. I hope I am helping you with some of your struggles. I am sharing my voice.
Sunday April 18th 2009
3rd Annual Recycle Run
Adult-5K and kids-1/2 run
8:45 am Lake Harriet Bandshell (43rd St/Lake Harriet Parkway)
www.minneapolisrecyclerun.com
I only ate the peanuts and had a diet coke but did see they had Red Bridge Beer.
I will need to get up and wander around more to see what I can find at the next game.
Well it is about time!!
Here is a link to an article written by Kevin Duchschere… click here!
Kitchen items
• Dishes (setting for four), $5 to $15.
• Gadgets, about 50 cents.
• Microwave ovens (functional), one-fourth of cost.
• Pots and pans, 50 cents to $3.
• Glasses and china, 25 cents to $1.
Toys and games
• Action figures, 25 cents to $1.50.
• Fisher-Price toys, electronic toys and video games, 25 percent of cost.
• Complete board games or puzzles, $1 to $3.
• Stuffed animals, 25 cents to $10.
• Tricycles, $3 to $10.
Electronics
• Analog TV sets, free.
• VCRs, free to $5.
• Radios, $1 to $4.
Media
• Paperbacks, 50 cents to $1.
• Hardcover books, $1 to $2.
• Kids’ books, 25 cents to $1.
• LPs, 50 cents to $1.
• CDs, $2 to $5.
• Videos/DVDs, $1 to $5.
Children’s clothing
• Jackets, 50 cents to $2.
• Outfits (two-piece), $2 to $5.
• Pants and overalls, $1 to $2.
• Shirts, 50 cents to $2.
Miscellaneous
Power tools, 25 to 30 percent of cost.
sporting goods, 20 to 30 percent of cost.
• Bicycles, 25 percent of cost.
• Lamps, $3 to $25.
• Furniture, 25 percent of cost.
• Frames, 25 cents to $3.
• Costume jewelry, $1 to $5.
• Men’s suits, $5 to $25.
American Cancer Society (651-255-8716 or www.gooddonor.org): The Good Donor site is a partnership with other charities including Arc, Epilepsy Foundation, Lupus Foundation, Courage Center and Vietnam Veterans. Items for the Cancer Society can be left in a garage or as close to the front door as possible. Donations can also be dropped off at 6731 Boone Av. N., Brooklyn Park.
Arc Hennepin-Carver (612-866-8820 or www.bluetrucks.org and click on “Request a pickup online”): Arc picks up in most of the metro area. Clothing and household goods are preferred.
Bibles for Missions thrift center (763-522-1786): Drivers will remove items from inside the house if the donor is present. Pickups occur within one week of request. Mattresses in good condition are accepted.
Bridging (952-888-1105): Furniture, mattresses and household goods only. The pickup is fee $75 if items are in the garage or on the driveway.
Disabled American Veterans (651-487-2002, www.davmn.org): No upholstered furniture or appliances. To sign up on its website, click on “thrift pickup service.”
Epilepsy Foundation (651-287-2300 or 1-800-779-0777 or www.efmn.org): The foundation picks up donations up to 75 miles out of the Twin Cities area. To schedule a pickup online, go to the website and click on “donate clothing” (but it will accept small household items) and then “schedule a pickup.”
ReUse Center (612-281-9844): ReUse takes reusable building materials only. Generally, items must be in the garage or by the front door. The pickup fee is $50.
Salvation Army (612-332-5855, 1-800-728-7825): No steel desks or furniture needing repair is accepted. Clothing in any condition is OK.
St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store (651-602-0478): No pianos or large appliances accepted. Drivers can come into the home.
Steeple People (612-871-8305): Drivers will pick up if there are three or more major furniture items. Items can be picked up in the house. Minneapolis only.
Yum, yum and more yum
My sister (in Chicago) bought some of the snack packs. I tried 3 flavors and loved them. They were great while I was traveling around last weekend.
She got them at Costco and it looks like they have at Whole Foods too.
A great alternative to granola bar in the summer when those seem to melt if I leave them in my car.
More info… click here!
Here is a clip from here newsletter…
While it has been a joy to provide fresh baked goods to you for the past three-and-a-half years, our retail bakery business model is simply not sustainable, despite our countless loyal customers and the tireless dedication of my employees.
So, heartbreakingly, the bakery is closing.
Yet… the GOOD NEWS is that the Cooqi mission will live on!
Cooqi 2.0 will now be parlaying its most successful products into high quality, whole-grain gluten-free baking mixes that will be available for purchase online and from area groceries and coops within the next couple of months.
Our initial line of mixes – bread, pizza crust, cakes, pancakes, muffins, and baking flour – reflect the most popular items in our bakery. Not only will Cooqi’s baking mixes allow you to continue to have the things you love from Cooqi, but you’ll be able to make them easily (and more economically) yourself.
I will miss my donuts runs!!!
It sounds like Judy (of Cooqi) is working to ensure our new favorite pizza stops have crusts.
She doesn’t have a solution yet but knows we all want our fresh from a pizza oven pizzas.
Sounds like Madwoman might take over.
More when I hear.
Well, once again I won’t be able to make it this year. We are having our first annual event for Read Indeed at the Mall of America that day.
I hope you can make it OR make a donation to the cause.
Click here to see the official website about the event!
$3.99 for Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Flour
Pamela’s cookies $3.99
I went to www.glutenfreetravelsite.com today to see if anyone had comments about cruising on Royal Carribean Cruise Line. It was real easy to use. I would recommend if you are going on a trip!
Loved loved loved this book.
Thought for sure it would have to be made into a movie.
Saw in the paper yesterday that Bryce Dallas Howard (Ron’s daughter), Emma Stone and Viola Davis are joining the cast.
I hope they keep the wiki site updated.
So I remember where to look and so do you… click here!
25% OFF online orders
Moms like good deals.
Now through May 12th enjoy 25% OFF any DeerfieldsGlutenFree.com online orders over $50.00
Just use coupon code WELOVEMOM at checkout. Offer valid online only. Offer not valid on previous purchases.
Here is was Pizza Luce has to say!!!!!
PIZZA LUCÉ GLUTEN FREE MENU UPDATE
You may have heard that Cooqi Gluten Free Delights Bakery, who supplies our tasty gluten free crusts, has closed their retail location in St. Paul.
We’ve had many questions about what this means for our gluten free menu.
Pizza Lucé will not be affected and will continue to offer the same delicious gluten free menu that you enjoy. We’ve had a fantastic relationship with Cooqi and with them the best in their new venture. We will miss the bakery very much!
Due to overwhelming demand we’ve rolled out our gluten free menu at all Twin Cities Pizza Lucé locations, and it is available seven days a week. Not only is our gluten free menu available when you dine-in at Pizza Lucé, but we also offer our gluten free menu for Carry Out and for Free Delivery!
We’ve spent a great deal of time training our staff and ensuring our General Manager and Kitchen Manager have been certified through the Celiac Awareness Group, and our cooks and wait staff have been properly trained in avoiding cross-contamination. Even though we do offer a gluten free menu, we are a flour rich pizzaria and we ask you take that into consideration when dining with us.
Trader Joe’s All Natural Uncured All Beed Hot Do.
16 oz or 8 dogs
$3.99 everyday price
So today I tried the lemon strudel muffins. I don’t know, they didn’t taste very lemony to me. I really like the blueberry so I guess I will just stick with those. Maybe I should be adventurous and make my own lemon ones some day- no!
I haven’t tried them yet.
They are only $1.29 for a 4 oz box.
Sounds like it would be worth the investment to try them out.
I like the sound of the onion and chive.
Says they are good with salsa, guacamole and hummas
About 9,000 per child before they are potty trained.
Annually about 18 Billion diapers are disposed of!
In the USA, approximately 43,000 TONS
Reduce- what you cook
Reuse- eat leftovers
Recycle- find somewhere that will take your leftovers- especially if you own a retail food store
First and foremost, tell them you have gluten allergy. You will get fresh water and utensils.
Here is what they say. If you want to read their actual website… click here! Then go to nutrition and then ‘got allergies’.
Watching Gluten?
We sell noodles, and a lot of them, so we can’t guarantee that your
food won’t come into contact with gluten, but we will do our best to
accommodate your request. So if you’re looking to reduce gluten, try
these dishes with rice noodles. There is no gluten in the ingredients.
Penne Rosa
Pesto Cavatappi
Pasta Fresca
Whole Grain Tuscan Linguine
Spaghetti with marinara sauce
Buttered Noodles
Here are some other dishes you also might try:
Pad Thai
Chinese Chop Salad with fat-free Asian dressing and
no wonton strips
The Med Salad with no cavatappi noodles
Caesar Salad with no croutons
Tossed Green Side Salad with fat-free Asian dressing
Cucumber Tomato Side Salad
As you may remember, I do volunteer work with an organization called Read Indeed. Maria, our 9 year old founder, turned 10 this weekend. We are celebrating with a big event out at the Mall of America.
Nine-year-old Maria Keller started a nonprofit called Read Indeed in the hopes of collecting and distributing 1,000,000 books to needy kids by the time she’s 18. She’s approaching 300,000 books.
Here is what Read Indeed has to say… REMEMBER this is a great cause that recycle many books and reduce landfills by finding homes for books that individuals, old libraries and publishers no longer want.
To help raise money for Read Indeed, Barnes & Noble will also be hosting a book fair this Saturday, May 15 with the portion of the proceeds going to Read Indeed. You can use the code 10175664 when purchasing books, DVDs, CD, etc at any Barnes and Noble store or online on Saturday! Please pass the word. The money raised for Read Indeed helps pay for shipping of books to children throughout the world.
I got the official list from a wonderful person named Jesse Baier, Corporate Communications and Marketing at Delaware North Companies. Enjoy the game AND enjoy the food and beverages!
GLUTEN FREE ITEMS
Farmers market section 141
-whole fruit
-Carrots with Ranch dipping sauce
-Gluten Free Nut snacks
Veggie Kabobs-133
Shrimp Skewers
Turkey Leg-133,311
Pork Chop on a stick
Fruichi Smoothies –Vended
Talenti Gelato -141,302
Red bridge Beer -116,124,325
Bun Less
-Grilled chicken
-Hot Dog –Twins Big Dog, Original & Dugout Dog
Taco meat in Nachos and Tacos
Now that is a lot of trash.
People- you need to recycle and use what you have!
Enough hazardous waste is generated in 1 year to fill the New Orleans Superdome 1,500 times!!
11000 Crooked Lake Blvd, Coon Rapids
Limited Quantities
9 am – 3 pm
Compost Bin (The Earth Machine) $49
Rain Barrel (The SYSTERN barrel) $55
Did you see that Bob, the owner/founder of Bob’s Red Mill, gave his company to the employees.
How super cool is that. And his kids were mad about it. May 24th, 2010 People issue.
Saturday from 8 am -noon, we are going half price on it all then packing up and heading to the Salvation Army in Maple Grove!
Cafe Levain is hosting a gluten free dinner including Bard’s Bear on May 26th.
To make your reservations call 612-823-7111.
(In honor of May being National Celiac Awareness Month)
This opinion in the Star Tribune raised all my green fears again.
HOW DO YOU REALLY KNOW IF YOU ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING???
to read the article… click here!
Hello! Who wants their food any other way??
Today I met with one of the partner’s of Simple, Good and Tasty. You haven’t heard of them? Well, I hadn’t either but now that I have I will be a follower. I already told my kids about their ‘events’ that help a farmer work his farm. They asked ‘when can we go??” I love their excitement and energy toward the unknown adventures of a day on a farm.
Check out their website … click here!
If you live in the Twin Cities and want to buy local and eat local. They have a huge directory of stores and restaurants. Sign up for their mailing list!
For the 2nd summer (June and July), M&I Bank is partnering with Maria and Read Indeed to collect books for kids who don’t have their own books at home.
Bring 25 books to any M&I Bank and receive a pass to Waterpark of America!
This is a great way to recycle those books your kids have outgrown over the school year.
More info… Click here!
The Marsh offers all locally grown foods. It is very cool- it all looks great and healthly too.
(Think the Food Revolution at the school cafeteria but at an already healthy establishment). Sounds like Simple, Good and Tasty helped The Marsh work on their food sourcing. They made it simply and consistent enough for the Marsh to maintain their menu. Link to the restaurant… click here!
Extra cool note- their ‘plastic’ cups are all made from plants. Learn more about Fabri-Kal serveware… click here!
I was shopping at Target this week. You could tell they were in the middle of a major grocery floor move. Many empty slots with new product tags.
A new section was labeled “Choose Well”.
It looks like a lot of new gluten free/allergy free/organic product.
Check it out this weekend- they should be done with the move by then.
Overall my gluten free experience has been wonderful.
Only one small slip at one of the lunches. Otherwise someone has come to me to let me know what I can eat.
The dessert chef took great care of me! Fabulous chocolate/almond cake, creme brulee with raspberries and even my own loaf of zuchinni bread last night.
Breakfast today was 2 huge blueberry pancakes!
Have you heard of it?
Do you like to send cards? Wish you sent more cards? Wish you were on time with the cards you do send?
Well I found Send Out Cards. I haven’t missed a birthday in 4 months (that is a world record for me). I have even sent gifts or gift cards along with the birthday cards. AND best part, I didn’t have to leave my house to buy any of it or mail any of them.
Check out SOC. They even use recycled paper!!!!
Click Here!!
You can even create a free card- no string attached by clicking on the banner!
So I know we all know about General Mills and their gluten free cereals. Looks like Mr Tidbit just found out or just decided to report it.
click here to read.
Thanks to my friend Joanne for sending me this site!
I think it look real cool and easy to use.
Just plug in what you want to recycle or need to get rid of + zip code and it will tell you where to go!
I never knew where to take old fire extinguishers and now I do!!!!
click here to go to the site.
Lifetime Parking Lot
Wednesdays from 3-7 pm
July 7th- September 8th 2010
3600 Plymouth Blvd
The new coop is finally open in Long Lake. It is kitty corner from McDonalds (Willow and old highway 12).
They had a nice assortment of gluten free and green products.
Not as much as Lakewind but they are new so I will give them a break.
This will be very convient for me next fall when my youngest goes to Orono for school
One of the booth’s at the Plymouth Farmer’s Market.
This is run by twin 14 year olds- Partick and Carolyn Wardell
How awesome is that??
UDSUS has helped companies cut expenses with digital paper management which is also envirnmentally friendly.
They helped my local government office cut costs!
Old Chicago is one of my go to places. I love the italian nachos (change the pasta chips to corn chips- yummy).
However, my favorite item was their turkey burger. It has disappeared in the past and come back from the dead. I hope that happens again. Subbing a chicken breast for any of the burgers doesn’t do it for me.
Ironically,the lady I met there was upset too. She had been there 2 weeks ago and noticed it was missing. We complained to our waitress (and yes, she knows we are mad at her). Help support the cause the next time you are there. Ask where the turkey burger is. Maybe it will make an appearance again soon!
Plymouth magazine promotes Fresh and Natural and a great place to ‘Shop Local’!!
Well, I didn’t know.
6 Courts exist at Plymouth Creek Center
August 1st-September 12 2010 is the season
763-509-5200
This summer, I hope to take the girls out for breakfast once a week.
The first week of the summer we went to Original House of Pancakes in Wayzata (yummy gluten free blueberry pancakes).
The next week we were out of town and then too busy week 3.
Well next Friday will be Fat Nat’s Eggs. Sounds good- organic and homemade meats.
located at 3540 Winnetka Ave
New Hope 763-540-0234
Will let you know if I find any gluten free treats there!
The 2nd annual Read Indeed book drive at M&I banks ends July 24th.
We hope to collect about 100,000 books this year.
Please help by donating today!
www.readindeed.org
We met some friends at the Bad Waitress for breakfast last friday.
Funny name as there aren’t waitresses just people who deliver food to your table- you write up your own order and pass it at the cash register. Food was fine-nothing great in my mind. Kid’s pancake was really cute- decorate with fruit to look like a bear. Cookies and cinnamon roles the size of my head in the glass counter front.
If we really cared about our carbon footprint, we would band together with our neighbors to eliminate the number of trucks on our street. Recycling is coordinated by the city BUT the trash people. I think we have at least 4 different services that pass twice on Wednesdays.
Think of the gas waste
Think of the wear and tear on the roads
Think of the noise pollution
Think of the safety
Stop thinking about ‘ME’ and the possible cost changes (I bet it is less than $2 a month).
What to do with all the stuff you have left over after a garage sale?
Well, www.readindeed.org will take all the children’s books off your hands. They get them directly into the hands of other children who don’t have books.
Have your child host a children’s book drive.
It’s easy for them to manage.
Contact www.readindeed.org for more information.
You can do it in any state. They will find a good home for the books you collect
all 3 flavors are on sale for $4.99
Monday I was lucky enough to be part of the Read Indeed team when we received over 38,000 books for M&I. This isn’t the final count from the event… just the final drop off count.
I love that we will literally be able to give kids around the world, books they get to keep for FREE!
Do you want to host a book drive at your school, church, local library or office??
go to www.readindeed.org to learn more!
Have you been looking for this brand of outerwear?
My friend Jeff at 45 Degrees in Stillwater, Minnesota told me yesterday that they will have it for fall.
His first order is due in September. He might even consider taking pre-orders. He will ship it to you too!
209 S Main St
Stillwater MN 55082
click here to get to the store’s website!
A friend snagged me a sample box of the new – not yet to market- gluten free bisquick.
I haven’t made anything yet.
There are so many choices, I am not sure what I want to make first.
Last night, we dined at the Red Stag Supperclub.
click here!
They were the 1st LEED-CI certified restaurant in Minnesota.
Sounds like most of their meets are local too.
They host a once month meet the farmer event.
Jake o’Connor’s has gluten free symbols on their dinner menus. These items are either already gluten free or can be made gluten free if requested.
i enjoyed a wonderful beet and grilled chicken salad.
I drove past the Tonka Bottle Shop last week.
There sign outside said “Ask about our Gluten Free”.
I assume they were talking about both beer, wine and spirits (I didn’t have time to go inside and ask).
They also carry many organic products.
Now is a great time to get out and visit the farmer’s markets.
Tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuces, etc are all coming into season.
Don’t forget Plymouth has started a farmer’s market. Wednesday afternoons (I think it starts at 3 pm) in the Lifetime Fitness Parking Lot- really close to the skating rink entrance.
I heard there is a lady with gluten free dry mixes that are yummy!
I love that Family Fun magazine has changed the quality of their paper. I haven’t read about it but it seems like it is recycled paper. Great example they are setting!
Great article in the Plymouth September Magazine about trying to get school lunches to be more local… meet the farmer… eat what is in season in MN.
To read the article… click here!
I would love to maintain a veggie garden in a big plot ‘off site’ from my home.
Wouldn’t that be a cool project for a group of kids or a scout troop.
Read this article about a few companies in the Twin Cities.
Click here to read!
I don’t normally eat pasta that is ‘made to be gluten free’. I prefer Asian noodles.
However, I recently wanted to make Mac N Cheese with an elbow macaroni. Well I tried the Tinkyada pasta and loved it. I would vote it best gluten free pasta.
great way to stop the yellow pages/dex books from coming to your house!
It is nice to see a fitness magazine tackle Celiac.
If you aren’t a member of Lifetime and want to read the article… click here!
Gluten-Free Grains
Being gluten intolerant doesn’t mean you have to eat a totally grain-free diet. Here are a few options you can still enjoy (in moderation) when grain-cravings strike:
Rice
Corn
Quinoa
Buckwheat
Millet
Amaranth
Teff
Sorghum
Wild rice
Where Gluten Hides
Aside from its presence in breads and pastas, gluten weasels its way into a surprising variety of ingredients and products, which may include:
Wheat
Rye
Barley
Spelt
Kamut
Durum
Triticale
Einkorn
Semolina
Couscous
Wheat germ
Seitan
Bulgur
Farina
Faro
Emmer
Matzo
Graham
Stock cubes
(broth)
Play-Doh
Lipstick
Soy sauce
Communion wafers
Imitation meats
Marinades
Sauces
Processed meats
Textured vegetable protein
MSG
to read it …. click here!
Great suggestions by meal and snacks plus a list of their RDs.
www.icanhavethat.com
They have gluten free and other allergy free gift baskets.
Milk Free, Egg Free, Soy Free, Tree Nut Free, Peanut Free, Fish Free, Shellfish Free
WOW!
I haven’t tried them but they were written up in Today’s Dietitian.
If anyone is looking for a gift for ME, feel free to send me a basket
I haven’t but heard they were great. I forgot to ask the person what brand. Who knew there would be more than 1.
Here is one I found on Amazon. 7 reviews and 5 stars
Why would you use? Great when you are traveling and don’t have your own toaster!
I made a yummy stuffing using seasoned croutins from Rose’s.
I think my hubby was jealous because mine actually a lot more flavor than his
My youngest daughter joined the Green Team.
There first meeting was about a week ago.
Learning for her… NOT use paper napkins- use cloth, NOT buy individual serving snacks- make your own single serving and put it in a reusable container, USE wax paper
Over Thanksgiving my dad bought the families kringles- an old family tradition for holiday breakfast. It was hard to resist since I can’t eat them and haven’t been able to for over 10 years.
However, I got their catalog. They have gluten free brownies and coffee cakes- blueberry cream cheese and peach sour cream. I am going to have to try these.
1- on the go bars- like Larabars or Luna bars
2- single serving of nuts- in reuseable containers
3- Gift cards to Trader Joes, Whole Foods or PF Changs
http://www.usatoday.com/yourlife/pets/dogs/2011-01-11-pettalk11_ST_N.htm
Wow! A dog can be trained to sniff out gluten. Which I had one!
Have you heard of Nooodle? Yes there are 3 O’s.
Made of yam flour and have ZERO calories.
So, I don’t have any babies left at my house AND luckily neither of my girls have celiac.
But these sound good… Organic puffs by Happy Baby.
Sweet Potato and Strawberry puffs are made with whole grain brown rice. Other flavors contain wheat. These 2 flavors have a big red section on the bottom of the container that says GLUTEN FREE.
Eco-friendly packaging too- BONUS
This sounds like a cool website.
I just signed up for it.
They offer samples and coupons for foods with different allergies.
Check it out!
Are you planning on making a New Year’s resolution to be better at this?
Do you miss birthdays and anniversaries all the time?
Do you hate going to pick out a card? Then when you get home realize you needed another one for something else?
Check this out!!! Send Out Cards- www.sendoutcards.com/katibrick You do everything online and they print, stamp and mail it for you. You can even buy a gift or gift card. If you input key dates, you will receive an e-mail reminding you- IT IS AWESOME. I haven’t missed a birthday in 11 months!
All cards are printed on recycled paper AND think about the gas you save not running out for cards or postage!
The name says it all.
Create a card online- 15,000 on hand OR create your own with photos.
They print, stamp and mail it for you.
My New Year’s resolution last year was to remember others. This system helps me do just that.
Love it! Best membership I ever bought.
check it out by clicking here! you can even create a free card.
I started the HCG diet about 10 days ago.
The only thing on the diet I can’t have are the melba toast or bread sticks.
I tried one of my gf crackers but had issues with my weight loss stalling.
I would recommend… since we all have gone so long without our bready carbs… don’t eat them now if you want to lose the weight.
I am down 9.4 lbs in 10 days even with my stall!!
I am finishing apple day today.
Started yesterday morning with nothing to eat until noon apple. 4 apples yesterday and 2 this morning before noon.
I am really looking forward to lunch today! Chicken and spinach has never sounded so good.
I did drop 1.5 lbs yesterday and feel less water logged- I am trying to drink 3/4-gallon a day. So, a day with little water was nice for me.
Down 17 lbs now!!! Goal is 23 lbs, however I would like to be done on Friday of this week so we will have to wait and see.
Yah! How exciting.
To read the story… click here!
I wish I was able to attend this year.
Circumstances with the kids prevent me from attending.
I will be there soon though!
Can’t wait to try the gluten free menu!
McGarry’s has a gluten free notation on their menu AND can walk you through the sandwiches that are gluten free if ordered without the bread/bun.
Great place to spend St. Patick’s Day!
click her for link to their site!!
Where did February go? I can’t believe I didn’t post a single note to my blog. I was busy finishing up the HCG diet and maintenance plan- lost 19 pounds and have kept it off for 5 weeks now!
I also started training for Walk Wisconsin. A walking only marathon- yes 26.2 mile marathon. A group of girl friends and I will drive over the Stevens Point Wisconsin to do the race the first weekend in June. Click here for their site.
I love it. great way to save money AND do fun things you already like OR take an inexpensive chance on something you have been wanting to try.
The current recycling contract expires at the end of 2011- YEAH!
Plymouth will try once again to improve their program- making more items acceptable to place in the bins AND compost type items too!
To read Laurie Blake’s article…copy and paste this link (the click through isn’t working on it)
http://www.startribune.com/local/west/117449858.html?elr=KArks:DCiUBDia_nDaycUiacyKUzyaP37D_MDua_eyD5PcOiUr
We find it hard to get ‘hands on’ opportunities for our kids to learn about helping others besides raising money.
My husband just found a great organization! www.363days.org
You and your family make 150 sandwiches… deliver them to a drop spot… they deliver them to people in need
GREAT organization!
GREAT giving back to Minneapolis community
GREAT man who started this
GREAT that kids can DO something
I haven’t tried them yet but need to get to a Costco, Walmart or Walgreens to get a bag.
Flavors… sea salt, white cheddar, hot buffalo wing and jalapeno ranch.
Please let me know if you have tried and which flavor you liked!!??!!
Sarasota gluten free pizza
YUM
Cosimos has 2 Sarasota location
here is a link to their site… click here!
They get their crusts from Gluten Free Bakery. I really loved the crust- better than any other I have tried!!
I always keep some kind of protein or energy bar in my purse and car.
I love Luna, Pure Protein and Advocare.
Some i need to try are Attune blueberry vanilla (equipment that process wheat), Bakery on Main apple cinnamon (I didn’t like the last time but need to give another chance), Boomi almond protein plus, BumbleBar original with hazelnut(vegan), KIND peanut butter and strawberry(new flavor for me), Larabar carrot cake (new flavor for me), nogii peanut butter and chocolate (good source of protein 20 g), PureFit berry almond crunch (18g protein), Pure Oranic cranberry orange, SOYJOY banana and thinkThin mixed nuts (low in sugar)
Here is a list of all current gluten free deli meat…
Applegate Farms
Boar’s Head
Carl Buddig
Dietz & Watson
Di Lusso
Honeysuckle White
Jennie-O-Turkey Store
John Morrell
Kroger’s store brand
Hormel 100 percent natural
Hormel Natural Choice
Thumann’s
A few additional supplies of lunch meat are….
(items in () are not gluten free but the rest of their selection is gf)
Black Bear (rotisserie chicken)
Kunzler (ham loaf and Mac &Cheese loaf)
Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh (Italian Style and Southwest chicken strips)
Sugardale (dutch loaf)
I saw this ‘recipe’ and wanted to share. I am planning on trying it out this year.
First dye your eggs per the regular directions and let them dry for at least 15 mins.
(OK, I had better back up because my sister might read this)
#1 boil water and hard boil your eggs
#2 let dry for 15+mins
#3 prep another batch of dye that is darker or a different shade
#4 add a tablespoon of olive oil and run a fork through the mixture which will create swirls of oil
#5 place dyed egg in and roll it around so it picks up oil streaks
#6 remove and blot gently with a paper towel
A huge thank you to Real Simple for sharing gluten free snacks.
I know I have tried Mary’s Gone Crackers crackers but not their sticks and twigs.
Love-French Meadow brownies, Udi muffins, General Mills chex, Glutino Pretzels, Back to Nature crackers and Glutino crackers.
i just bought the ice cream sandwiches at Target then saw them on clearance yesterday – sad!
Click here is the full list!
I haven’t even seen it in the stores here in Mpls?
Have you?
I would love to find out what you thought and where you got it!
Thanks
www.glutenfreepitas.com
Now here is fresh approach to getting your gluten free product into a store near you…. You sell the product to the store for the company. Sound odd, well that is what Purely Elizabeth is asking you to do. If the store purchases product, you get a free case of their product.
p.s. I haven’t tried the product because it isn’t in any stores in my town either!
Well it is time to start some of your garden by seed.
A great and green way to do that is … used empty egg shells and or empty egg cartons.
They are great, simple and easy small containers that can be planted directly into the ground.
HINT: only use cardboard egg cartons- the Styrofoam ones won’t disintegrate.
Don’t forget to save the cartons from your EASTER EGGS!!!
This is easy when you think about it but hard to always remember….
Fresh and dried are equally good for you HOWEVER remember there are as many calories is the dried and fresh (an apple is an apple). The hard to remember part is a dried apple seems SO very very small compared to a fresh one.
My recommendation is to stick with the fresh.
Towering ambition article…
I received not 1 but 2 copies of this article in the mail from family members.
May 4th, a 13 foot tall- 1900 pound gluten free cake will be on display in Washington DC at the Embassy Suites.
Shepard is hoping to raise awareness about gluten free labeling.
Happy eating to those who can attend!
I just read an article in Mens Health- thanks to my husband.
I thought Matthew Solan did a great job describing the pros and cons of a gluten free diet.
Yes it is great that many new gluten free foods are coming to market, however that doesn’t mean they are good for us.
Yes a gluten free donut or pizza is just as back for your weight as one with gluten.
To read the article… click here!
April was my 2nd biggest month to date!
I started this blog 2 years ago today.
I appreciate your support and would love to hear ideas from YOU!
please go
visit
listen
learn
if you take ONE thing away and do it well, you have make a step in the right direction!!
more info.. click here!
Hours:
Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Sunday: 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Admission: Free
check them out!
click here!
a small sample of what they have to say
In 2007, the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) tasked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to finalize standards for gluten-free labeling. Four years later, the FDA has failed to fulfill that mandate. To the millions of Americans who eat gluten-free food, this inaction is a big deal…..
What are you doing Saturday May 14th?
Maybe you could attend family farm day at Dodge Nature Center?
My friend’s wonderful organization SAJAI will also have a table there.
Spring Farm Festival
Register
Date(s): May 14 Time:10 a.m. to 3 p.m.Ages:Preschoolers to Seniors Cost:
Public: Adults $5.00 / Children $5.00 / Families $20.00
Members: Adults $3.00 / Children $3.00 / Families $12.00
FREE for children ages 2 and under
Join us for our annual Spring Farm Festival! Activities include:
-Barn visits and animal demonstrations
-Old-fashioned farm games
-Wagon rides
-Pony rides *extra cost
-Live entertainment
-Bake sale
-Bread baking
-Face painting
-Kids farm chores
-And more!
Spring Farm Festival is held at 1701 Charlton Street, West St Paul, MN
for the link... click here!
The Säjai® Foundation, a Minnesota-based 501(c)(3) organization created by Barbara King, works to combat childhood obesity and to inspire wise health and nutrition choices for youth. The Foundation is the result of Barbara King’s passion for children, her commitment to healthy living and concern for the future of all of us.
The Foundation has a developed a family of programs called Wise Kids® to teach children about healthy living and to encourage them to be actively involved in the outdoors. By working with children, families and youth serving organizations we hope to begin taking action, at a local level, to reduce childhood obesity.
Overview:
• The Foundation is currently leading the development of several youth programs and research for out-of-school and camp programs. Research results on our first program, the Wise Kids program, are now available. Click here to read the Executive Summary.
• Through education and opportunity, the Foundation can tackle the obesity crisis, and encourage wise health and nutrition choices by children and adults in the community.
click here to go to their site!
What a great organization and what a great man Dean was to run across America!
click here to learn about the organization!
Too many of our children – in cities, towns, urban, rural or suburban – are unhealthy. Some don’t get enough to eat or enough of the healthy, nutritious foods growing minds and bodies need. Others eat too many of the wrong things. Many kids don’t get to play or be active every day.
In fact, nearly 1 in 3 American children is overweight or obese. Yes, 1 in 3. And, they are now at huge risk for several diseases associated with obesity – diabetes, heart disease, even some types of cancer – that will be with them throughout their lives.
Check them out at their website www.deerfieldsbakery.com
See this article in the New York Times
click here!
“Life does not require that we do the best, only that we try the best.”
~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
American author best-known for his inspirational book, Life’s Little Instruction Book
I love the quotes on BeFreeForMe
yummy it even includes desserts!
<a href=”http://www.oceanprimetampa.com/menus/optampa-gluten511.pdf” title=”ocean prime menu”>click here to go to the menu!
Thursday June 2nd from 3-7pm
Richfield Ice Arena Parking Lot
636 66th St E, Richfield
Use the East Entrance
KEEP old medicine and drugs OUT of the LANDFILL and WATER STREAM.
I found a great new site that combines information out getting out and about
Unplug for a day
Fun activities for the family
sponsored by the Jeffers Foundation
donate 25 new or gently used children-teen books and get a water park of america pass.
drop off locations… all M&I banks in the Twin Cities and western Wisconsin!
Tune in to KARE11 5pm news to see Maria in the backyard!
on sale at Lund’s and Byerly’s until June 1st 2011
at Lunds and Byerlys until June 1st 2011
There will be another book drive this summer.
Ther 3rd annual event will be starting soon.
I will get the dates and post.
HELP us, help M&I collect 100,000 books this summer
AND
Read Indeed exceed the 500,000 books collected!
Dates June 12th-July 31st
25 books = 1 water park pass
don’t forget about teen books too!!
I use www.myfitnesspal.com
SUPER EASY
and
LOTS OF FOOD is already loaded- even from restaurants
Celiac Disease (CD)
This is one of the most common inherited disorders with an estimated prevalence rate of 1:100. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the villi of the small intestine are damaged by specific proteins in the grains wheat, rye and barley (collectively called gluten). Symptoms of CD are highly variable, may occur at any age, including the elderly, and involve not only the gastrointestinal system but many other organ systems. Gastrointestinal symptoms range from nausea, reflux, bloating, gas, diarrhea and/or constipation. Other symptoms can include fatigue, weight loss (note CD can also occur in obese individuals), mouth ulcers, dental enamel defects, bone and joint pain, easy bruising of the skin, menstrual irregularities, miscarriage, infertility in both women and men, migraines, depression, ataxia, seizures, neuropathy, lactose intolerance and elevated liver enzymes.
Another presentation of CD is the skin condition dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) that is characterized by an intense burning, itchy rash that is symmetrically distributed.
Untreated celiac disease can result in nutritional deficiencies such as anemia and osteoporosis, as well as development of other autoimmune disorders (e.g., thyroid disease, arthritis, liver disease) and intestinal cancers.
There are specific blood tests (TTG and EMA) that can be used to screen for CD, however the only definitive test for diagnosis is the small intestinal biopsy. Diagnosis of DH is a skin biopsy from unaffected skin adjacent to the blisters or erosions. A gluten-free diet should never be started before the blood tests and biopsy are done as this can interfere with making an accurate diagnosis.
Once a diagnosis of CD is confirmed, the treatment is a strict gluten-free diet for life. For more information on the gluten-free diet see www.glutenfreediet.ca
Gluten Sensitivity (GS)
Recent research has revealed that it is possible to be sensitive to gluten and not have celiac disease or wheat allergy. Although the exact mechanisms and prevalence of GS is not known at this time, Dr. Fasano from the Center for Celiac Research in Baltimore has recently published several papers on this topic. There appears to be differences in gut permeability and the immune system of those with CD compared to individuals with GS. GS is not an autoimmune disease, is not accompanied by elevated tissue transglutaminase antibodies (TTG) and does not result in increased intestinal permeability or severe intestinal damage. However, it is interesting to note that IgA and IgG antigliadin antibodies (AGA) were elevated in almost 50% of the cases in the Fasano study. Elevated AGA levels have also been seen in schizophrenia, ataxia (loss of muscle coordination) and other conditions.
Symptoms of GS can be similar to CD such as abdominal pain, bloating, gas, diarrhea, unexplained anemia, muscle cramps, leg numbness, and bone or joint pain.
Currently there are no specific tests for diagnosing GS. The only way to determine if someone has GS is by ruling out CD and wheat allergy, then seeing the response to a gluten-free diet and a gluten challenge. It is not known whether someone with GS must strictly avoid gluten for life like those with CD.
The Center for Celiac Research estimates that GS may affect 6-7% of the population compared to 1% for those with CD. Dr. Fasano will be speaking at the International celiac disease conference in Oslo, Norway June 19 at a session called Gluten Sensitivity: More Than Celiac Disease. So stay tuned for more information in my upcoming columns.
Wheat Allergy
A food allergy is an abnormal immune reaction to naturally occurring proteins. The most common food allergens are wheat, egg, peanut, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and milk. Food allergies are estimated to affect approximately 5 to 6% of young children and 3 to 4 % of adults in westernized countries.
When someone with wheat allergy consumes foods made with wheat, it triggers the release of a specific antibody called Immunoglobulin E (IgE) from various cells in the body. This IgE circulates throughout the bloodstream and causes other cells to release inflammatory chemicals such as histamine. This immune response or allergic reaction may result in a variety of symptoms that can be mild to life threatening anaphylaxis that can occur within minutes to a few hours. It can affect the skin, gastrointestinal tract, respiratory system and/or cardiovascular system. Symptoms of wheat allergy can include swelling and itching in the mouth, hives, itchy rash, eczema, itchy and watery eyes, nasal congestion, abdominal cramps and pain, diarrhea, tightening of the throat and trouble breathing and swallowing, dizziness and a drop in blood pressure. Unlike CD, wheat allergy does not result in severe intestinal damage.
Wheat allergy is more common in infants and young children, and is frequently accompanied by other food allergies. Adolescents and adults can be allergic to wheat although it is not as common as in children. It is estimated that approximately 0.1% of the population has wheat allergies.
The only treatment for wheat allergy is to follow a strict wheat-free diet. But the good news is that the majority of children will outgrow their wheat allergy over time. Check out this link for more information about food allergies and food intolerances.
I enjoyed this article and wanted to share.
Click here to read her take on how baking gluten free has become easier.
My local Star Tribune listed 4 recipes that looked really good to me
flour blend
doughnuts
pizza
almond cake with cherries
Peoples Organic might be new in town, but it’s no stranger to gluten-free foods. Owner Lynn Gordon previously founded French Meadow Bakery, a certified-organic bakery known for its line of gluten-free breads (in addition to vegan, yeast-free and kosher breads). At this Galleria café, any of the sandwiches, along with the wraps, can be served on gluten-free bread or in a gluten-free tortilla upon request. The Rachel ($9.95) is made with natural, oven-roasted turkey, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut, with Thousand Island dressing.
Also for your gluten-free enjoyment, find meal-sized soups like the Asian fresh ginger broth, a breakfast burrito, a couple of gluten-free beers and a gluten-free macaroon.
Galleria, 3510 W. 70th St.; 952.426.1856; Hours: 6 a.m.–10 p.m. Mon.–Thurs., 6 a.m.–11 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 6 a.m.–9 p.m. Sun.
PF Chang’s
The gluten-free menu options at PF Chang’s [3] are so comprehensive that it’s a challenge to choose one specialty, but the simple nourishment of the street-fare-inspired Singapore Street Noodles ($10.95) make it a favorite across the board. They’re made with chicken, shrimp, rice noodles and a gluten-free curry sauce.
Other top-rated dishes that can be done minus the gluten include the chicken lettuce wraps, a best-selling appetizer, and Chang’s spicy chicken(my personal favorite) and Mongolian beef entrees.
There’s even an option for your sweet tooth, the flourless chocolate dome, along with gluten-free beers, vodkas and wines. Operating partner David Richoz has been amazed by the response to the restaurant’s efforts to accommodate gluten-free diets, saying that approximately 20 percent of the parties being served have a gluten-free diner among them.
2700 Southdale Center, 952.926.1713; Hours: 11 a.m.–10:30 p.m. Mon.–Thurs., 11 a.m.–11:30 p.m. Fri.–Sat., 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Sun (other locations in Twin Cities too)
At Rice Paper, [4] many of the dishes are rice-based, so it isn’t too much of a stretch to offer a separate gluten-free menu (the same menu is also dairy-free). In the Mekong Encounter, tofu, snow peas, asparagus and sweet bell peppers are prepared in a slightly spicy Thai coconut-curry sauce with kaffir lime leaf, for a hearty dish that’s big on flavor ($17.95 with tofu, add $2.50 for shrimp). Receiving gluten-free requests at least once daily, owner An Nguyen is very respectful of the dietary need, and though a few items just cannot be modified (for example, the peanut sauce, which contains a small amount of wheat), she’ll do all she can, even to modify items that aren’t on the gluten-free menu. 3948 W. 50th St.; 952.288.2888; Hours: 11 a.m.–2 p.m., 5 p.m.–9
I found this write up… I have never eaten here.
Even though you’ve gone off gluten, there’s no need to do without pizza. At Tavern on France [5], the Farmers Market flatbread ($8.50), offered with a gluten-free crust, is one you won’t want to miss. The flavors are uber-fresh, from tomatoes marinated in their homemade balsamic vinaigrette with garlic and basil, along with Portobello mushrooms, spinach, roasted red peppers and mozzarella cheese.
All pizzas can be ordered with gluten-free crust and in that case, get cooked in a separate oven from the traditional wheat-crusted ones.
Many burger options can also be requested gluten-free (and without a bun), like the “veg head” made with marinated, grilled Portobello mushroom. 6740 France Ave. S.; 952.358.6100; Hours: 11 a.m.–12 a.m. Mon.–Thurs., 11–1 a.m. Fri.–Sat., 10 a.m.–11 p.m. Sun.
At Good Earth [6], the staff is happy to help you maneuver your way through the menu to find gluten-free substitutions. In the case of the grilled chicken quesadillas ($10.95), an all-corn tortilla can be substituted for the flour one, then filled with grilled chicken, Monterey jack and cheddar cheese, topped with shredded lettuce, diced chilies, sour cream and guacamole. The Good Earth huevos can also be made with a corn tortilla. Vegetable bean soup can be served without croutons. A wide variety of salads, like cashew chicken or almond tuna, are popular with gluten-free diners. “As gluten-free becomes a way of life for many people, Good Earth has become very sensitive to helping people find appropriate choices,” says Donna Fahs of Parasole Restaurant Holdings, Good Earth’s parent company. Galleria, 3510 W. 70th St.; 952.925.1001; Hours: 7 a.m.–10 p.m. Mon.–Sat., 7 a.m.–9 p.m. Sun.
Exciting article about some changes that could be coming. Recycle more!!! Repurpose more plastics!!
Interesting article about building a house well enough that it almost self manages the temperature.
Would this work with the cold MN winters???
Well I guess I like hearing that big companies are doing things to reduce their impact on the environment.
I am sure it will take them saving money to keep up with them- but all the better for the planet!!
They were very crisp but not as crunchy as rice crackers.
I enjoyed them very much.
Thanks to General Mills for taking a leadership role in gluten free product!!!
They have really improved their gluten free website www.glutenfreely.com
You can shop from this site. Their sale prices seem in line with sale prices I have seen– their regular prices seem high.
Let me know what YOU think. I would love the feedback
here is a blog posting by Sam Taute about gluten free at the show… click here!
and the other buzz was about BLK water. A Real Housewife of NJ’s hubby is promoting. To see their site… click here!
cupcake at Cupcake
I would now recommend calling ahead- even a day or two- to see what they might have. Because I didn’t know or call, I had a vanilla cupcake with buttercream frosting. YUM!!!!!! I would love to see if they would make me an assortment of all their fun flavors.
Gluten-Free Options
Angie’s Kettle Corn – Sold on Target Plaza and vended in the stands
Farmers market – Section 141
Whole fruit
Carrots with Ranch dipping sauce
Gluten Free Nut snacks
Veggie Kabobs – Section 133
Shrimp Skewers – Section 133
Turkey Leg – Sections 133,311
Pork Chop on a stick – Section 133
Fruichi Smoothies – Vended in the stands
Talenti Gelato – Sections 141, 302
Red bridge Beer – Sections 116, 124, 325
Killebrew Root Beer – available throughout Target Field
Bunless Grilled chicken – available throughout Target Field
Bunless Hot Dogs – available throughout Target Field
Twins Big Dog
The Original Twins Dog
The Dinger Dog
The Dugout Dog – Vended in the stands
Rachel’s Kettle Chips
Nachos and Cheese
Cracker Jack
Land O Lakes soft serve ice cream
Push Up Fruit Bars
Premium Bars
Cotton Candy
Popcorn
A must read article from Be Free For Me about helping a picky eater transition (ok not really a transition but a quick switch over) to eating gluten free.
Vic’s Bagel Bar
I am traveling to NYC this fall and can’t wait to go. I may have to bring a whole bag home with me too.
Fresh bagels- I never thought I would see that.
Vic’s was diagnosed with celiac 6 month after he opened his shop. He changed his recipe to be gluten free and the rest is history! Click here to visit his site!!
Buy McDonald’s apple dippers NOW while they have the Smurfs promotion.
There is a code on the packet. Type that code into www.happymeals.com and they will plant a tree.
We went today and our trees where #35,799, 35,803 and 35,804
byerly’s and lunds have Udi Bread on sale for $4.99!!!
In late September William-Sonoma will be carrying a new gluten-free flour from French Laundry called C4C or Cup for Cup. A gluten-free flour substitute.
French Laundry is a high end restaurant in the Napa Valley area in California.
Lakewinds is have their September sale.
It runs from Aug 31st- Oct 2 2011
Glutino frozen gluten free entrees on sale for $4.59
For members Rudi’s Bread is on sale for $4.39
And
Lundberg Farms Rice Chips are on sale for $2.29
and
Ian’s GF Chocolate Chip Button Cookies are on sale for $4.39
“Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.”
~ Lance Armstrong “Every Second Counts”
American former professional road racing
cyclist who won the Tour de France a record
seven consecutive times
This about this as you live your journey with Celiac!
Their gluten free crust is available on the medium size only and costs an extra $2.95
Have you seen there before????
They sell them at the Nordic Ware Outlet store . They are only $3.99 Put your gluten free bread in any toaster!
My girlfriend promoted my blog on Moms Together on Facebook today.
That was so sweet and exciting. It will be fun to watch the hits I get today!
While looking for a favorite spot to visit while in Chicago… I came across a place I hadn’t heard about yet… SWIRLZ CUPCAKES. I will have to stop by for a visit when I am there in November. They have a surprise GF flavor every day plus 1 other flavor of the day. I hope I can get there to get the pumpkin with cream cheese frosting!!!! Ok I just look and found even more flavors I want to try- RED VELVET- seriously haven’t had a red velvet gf ever.
To check them out… click here~
they also have a vegan option (not all are gf) each day.
Can you tell I am going to Chicago soon???
The Happ Inn has pizzas, gluten free buns for burgers adn sweet potato fries. What more could this MOM want??? (ok I didn’t see anything GF on the dessert menu)
I am attaching the menu- hope you like it!
I was so happy to find these last year.
Not only are the great on salads but I make my old gluten filled recipe for stuffing using these GLUTEN FREE croutons.
Ok truth be told, my mom makes the stuffing. I let her do all her cutting and chopping and cooking of the butter, onions, celery and spices. I just grab mine before she mixes hers. Add chicken broth and cook it up! I like my stuffing crispy and outside the bird- how do you like it??
NYT says to make a non-flour stuffing this year. This version is made with brown rice. YES, I love brown or wild rice dishes BUT I can make those any old day of the week. I just have to have my bread based stuffing with my bird.
Are you hosting Thanksgiving and have someone with a gluten allergy or sensitiviy or intolerance coming over?
Are you newly diagnosed with celiac? Avoiding wheat or gluten for other reason?
Need help with finding a recipe or substitutions for an existing recipe?
Send me a comment… I would love to help you out!
I wanted to share these coupon codes with you all. 
They have products that are repurposed wood.
They are running these coupons until 12/31/11
CODE OFFER
kt10 $10 off $40 purchase
kt15 $15 off $75 purchase
kt30 $30 off $150 purchase
kt40 $40 off $200 purchase
kt50 $50 off $250 purchase
Gluten Free bagel from Rose’s Bakery
New lentil and sea salt crackers
stuffing made with croutons from Rose’s
rolls from Rose’s
and a crust free pumpkin pie
