Tag Archives: Gluten

Seeing a Celiac specialist for the first time

Posted on February 24, 2013 | 7 Comments

Recently I decided that it was high time for me to get a check up on how my poor ole intestines and body are doing. The last time I got blood work /a physical done was about two years ago and it was normal, but I have never been to a Celiac specialist since my diagnosis in 2007, so I figured they would be much more helpful. Awhile back I decided to give up the majority of dairy products, which seems to have helped, but I have ongoing symptoms that I’m hoping this new doc can help with.

I went to the George Washington Medical Center, and my experience couldn’t have been better. The doctor (a gastroenterologist) was extremely knowledgable, and presented me with a few options for a course of treatment.

One option included eating gluten for two months to test my diagnosis. While it was tempting to have a doctor-approved gluten binge, I declined and went with the other option: a endoscopy and colonoscopy to see what damage there is to my intestines and if I have IBS or something else on top of my Celiac Disease.

celiac blood test results

Good news is I got my blood work back and the Celiac Disease Comprehensive was clean!

Bad news is (see above) I have to get an endoscopy/colonoscopy, which sounds like just about the least pleasant thing I can imagine. But, if there’s something I can do to get my health back in top form, I’ll just have to power through it.

I’d love tips/advice on my upcoming procedure – I plan on stocking up on jello and tea for the day of fasting, but any help is appreciated!

And a resource for those of you in the DC area – the DC Celiac Support Group keeps a list of favorite doctors in the area if you’re looking for one! Find it here.

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Recommendations for a Gluten Free Inauguration Weekend

Posted on January 18, 2013 | 3 Comments

This is my first inauguration in DC, and boy am I excited! There’s a buzz of excitement in the air and as hundreds of thousands of people descend upon the District, I thought I’d compile a few recommendations for gluten free travelers!

1. Eat like the Obamas

On the following list of the Obama’s favorite restaurants,I recommend you try these gluten free options:

#4: Fries at Five Guys

#5: My favorite kale salad from Lincoln

#9: Tacos from Oyamel

#18: Cupcake at Georgetown Cupcakes 

2. Try a specialty inauguration cocktail 

154 bars in DC will be open until 4:30am during inauguration weekend. Way past my bedtime – but here’s a map of where they are!

3. Go to brunch on Monday

If you haven’t experienced a true DC brunch, this is your opportunity! There are quite a few restaurants opening on Monday for brunch, and my recommendation is Firefly in Dupont, since they have a gluten free menu, and are a bit removed from the action on The Mall, but still very accessible. Get yourself some grits, drink some mimosas, and celebrate four more years!

 

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Beanfields Chips: move over Doritos!

Posted on January 9, 2013 | 3 Comments

It’s a miracle that most Doritos are gluten free. They’re available everywhere, and bring you right back to pizza parties in the 3rd grade. However, no one feels great after eating a bag of Doritos. Your tongue turns bright orange and you haven’t eaten anything with nutritional value. 

But what if you could have a chip that tasted eerily similar to a Dorito, only made out of beans and rice? With a good dose of protein and fiber? AND they’re low in sodium, low in fat, and gluten free? 

Enter Beanfields!

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The good people at Beanfields sent me samples of all of their flavors to try, but I think that the Nacho or Pico De Gallo ones are my favorites. They’re light and crispy, and completely snackable. The Sea Salt and Unsalted are more suited to dipping in hummus or salsa and would make a great alternative to the less-healthy corn tortilla chips.

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The sad thing is that when i looked in this box I thought, “Wow! I have a lifetime supply of chips!” Then two weeks later they were all gone. 

Use the store locator on Beanfield’s website to find them at a store near you! 

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Find DC gluten free eats on my Facebook page!

Posted on November 25, 2012 | Leave a comment

I’ve taken the plunge: I started a Facebook page! So often I’m out to eat, or just roaming around DC and I find great gluten free food that deserves to be shared! On the page I’ll be posting pictures and news specifically for my gluten free folks in the DC area. I’m excited to see what happens!

And thanks to my first two followers, Sue and Hope! :)

Click here to Like Gluten Free in DC on Facebook!

Click to Like!

 

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Why I’m Omission Beer’s biggest fan

Posted on November 23, 2012 | 6 Comments

If you follow me on Twitter, you can probably tell that I’m slightly…ok completely, obsessed with Omission Beer. I love it so much I actually bought stock in the company. Craft Brew Alliance (BREW) owns the popular beer Redhook, as well as all of the Widmer Brother’s and Kona Brewing Company beers. Currently Omission makes up only a small part of their sales, but if the rapid increase in availability in DC is any indication, it will continue to grow as demand for great-tasting gluten free beer increases. You heard it here first people: Omission is the new Redbridge. Only better.

A few weeks ago I was invited to an event at Churchkey hosted by the great folks at Omission. Churchkey provided some great gluten free appetizers (tater tots!) and the beer was flowing as I got the chance to talk to the passionate staff (many who are celiac’s themselves) at Omission. I even spent 20 minutes talking to Rob Widmer himself (star shock). He was so gracious, and listened to me jabber about gluten free beer.

So, why is Omission my favorite gluten free beer? A few reasons:

  1. Taste: Most importantly, this beer tastes great. It doesn’t have an aftertaste like sorghum beers do, it’s not too light like a cider, and everyone who has tried it has loved it – gluten free or not.
  2. Tested: Something truly unique about Omission is that every single batch is tested by an independent lab using the R5 Competitive ELISA for gluten content. You can actually go to their website and look up your beer using a serial number on the bottle to see the test results. That is real commitment to the celiac community.
  3. Availability: I swear I’m seeing Omission pop up in a new store every week. It’s now in three stores right by my apartment. Since Redhook is such a popular brand, if you request it at your local liquor or grocery store, it’s fairly likely that they should be able to order it for you. Picture below is from Sherry’s Liquor in Woodley Park. which just got it in.

Where to find Omission in Washington DC: 

  1. Churchkey (Logan Circle)
  2. Bier Baron (Dupont)
  3. Whole Foods P Street (I’m guessing most Whole Foods carry it)
  4. Fuel Pizza and Wings (multiple locations)
  5. Madhatter (Dupont)
  6. Mellow Mushroom (Adam’s Morgan)
  7. Thunder Burger (Georgetown)
  8. Old Dominion Brew House
  9. Cleveland Park Wine and Liquors (Cleveland Park)
  10. Sherry’s Liquor (Woodley Park)
  11. Manhattan Market (Woodley Park)

Check out the interactive map on their website for updates.

In conclusion, I love Omission beer. I will drink it in a house; I will drink it with a mouse; I will drink it in a box; I will drink it with a fox. 

Get some.

Cheers!

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Crios loves celiacs

Posted on November 20, 2012 | 2 Comments

This weekend I had brunch at the recently-opened Crios Modern Mexican in Dupont. Crios is the sister restaurant to one of my other favorite places for hangover brunch: Scion. It’s also conveniently located right next door in case you wanted to do some kind of brunch-crawl.

Our waiter was adorable, and also very knowledgable about what menu items were safe. How much of a relief would it be if you saw this on every menu you opened?

Nearly the entire menu is gluten free, but I went with the huevos rancheros and yucca fries. The waiter said that the chorizo and yucca hash was his favorite, so I think I’ll try that next time, only made with the soyrizo (which he confirmed is also gluten free and made in-house).

Yucca fries are so amazing. Soft, slightly sweet, salty and spicy. We ordered a second round for the table so we could continue to fuel ourselves through the flowing $13 bottomless mimosas. The huevos rancheros were spicy, cheesy, with a perfectly crispy tortilla bed.

If you’re into flan, they have coffee and coconut versions for dessert.

Crios Modern Mexican
2120 P Street NW
Washington, DC 20037

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Boston gluten free eats

Posted on November 19, 2012 | 3 Comments

I was recently in Boston for the weekend, and I was able to find some great gluten free food, especially in the semi-crunchy Cambridge area. In no particular order, my favorite places were:

1. Tavern in the Square

I went here to watch the Michigan football game, since it’s the local alumni bar. They also happen to serve Bard’s and have a gluten free menu (winning!) I got a huge plate of nachos, and it was the perfect way to watch a Michigan victory!

2. Stone Hearth Pizza

This place is right up my alley: local ingredients, unique gluten free beer, and great gluten free pizza. Their menu is marked with what items are gluten free. The beer I tried is called Celia, brewed by The Alchemist Brewery. Not my favorite, as it’s a sorghum beer, and therefore tastes a bit like grass. But it wasn’t horrible.

The pizza was stellar though – chewy with that stone-fired taste. Although the crust was a bit burnt, I kind of liked it better that way. Mine was topped with a butternut squash sauce, fontina, and sage.

4. Veggie Planet

This place served me the best lunch I’ve had in quite awhile. You can take any of their entrees and put it on top of brown rice or coconut rice, giving us celiacs tons of options. I had the weekly special, which was butternut squash, beets, feta cheese, basil, and a fennel apple puree (the real star). It came out piping hot and I scarfed it down.

5. Violette Bakery 

While walking around Harvard’s campus, I happened upon Violette Bakery at a farmer’s market. They had so many sweet and savory options, but I just had to have a gluten free danish with homemade blueberry preserves. I haven’t eaten anything like this in six years: heaven.

How good does this look?

6. Uno Due Go

Move over Panera, there is finally a fast/fresh lunch place that is celiac-safe! Gluten free sandwiches, pizza, and soups are all on the menu. The staff was very knowledgable and took my sandwich to a separate area to make it. I can’t say that it was the best sandwich I’ve ever had (the roll was a bit dry), but it was nice to have so many options.

I also got a Congo Bar, which was superbly buttery and riddled with chewy, chocolatey, coconutty yummies.

And thus concludes the story of how I ate my way through Boston. So much fun to try out new places! Any other recommendations of places to check out in Beantown? 

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The next generation of gluten free beers

Posted on September 21, 2012 | 1 Comment

Have you ever seen something so beautiful? A gluten free beer and the NYC skyline.

When I was in the city a couple of weeks ago I was really lucky to try a few new gluten free beers that really are in a class of their own.

First was Prairie Path Golden Ale from Two Brothers Brewing Co.

Prairie Path is crafted to remove gluten and has less than 5 ppm, according to their lab report (awesome they provide that!)

It has a “complex malt character” and is a “crisp, drinkable, savory ale that is light in color, but not flavor.” Check out that color!

Then I progressed to something a bit heavier – Harvester Brewing Dark Ale.

This beer “uses a very dark, near espresso-like roast” of chestnuts. Which “lend a roasty flavor and aroma with notes of chocolate and dark fruits.” You can really taste the chestnuts in this one! It’s a beer with some complex flavors, and is very sip-able (unlike Redbridge, which I can basically chug it’s so light).

While these beers may not be the easiest to find – it makes me giddy as a school girl at a carnival that there are some bold new brews coming to the market.

Cheers to beers!

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GlutenAid – does it work?

Posted on June 14, 2012 | 16 Comments

I got glutened last night. And it was entirely my fault (hate when that happens).

What was it this time? A double chocolatey chip frappuccino from Starbucks. I’d never gotten one before (usually I stick to the “light” mocha or coffee ones since I know they are gluten free) – but my boyfriend said it was delicious so we decided to split one. I don’t know why I didn’t think to check before I started sipping, I guess I just assumed that because all of the other ones were this one would be too. *Kicks self in the butt*

After about five sips I knew something was up (we’ll call it my glutuition) and I quickly did a Google search on my phone. Of course – the chocolate chips contain gluten.

Then I moved into damage control mode, bracing for my stomach to start churning. After about 30 minutes I was dead tired and my stomach was getting bloated – but nothing too horrible. My boyfriend, wanting to help, started looking up all kinds of “what to do if you get glutened” information and said that a lot of people take Benadryl to reduce hives/rashes (which I’ve gotten before). I’d never tried it so I figured it couldn’t hurt, and we headed to CVS to pick some up. (Check out my usual post-glutening routine here).

CVS was out of Benadryl (must be allergy season), but he spotted something else in the same aisle… Glutenaid?!

There is zero information online about this stuff, but I figured that $14 is worth doing an experiment (plus the placebo effect can be pretty powerful).  The active ingredients are: protease, DPP-IV and amylase. The usage instructions say to “Take 1 capsule with the first bite of any meal containing gluten, or when food preparation is unknown.”

Hmm…I’m skeptical. Let’s see what they say it does:

“CVS/pharmacy GlutenAid is specially formulated for individuals who feel unwell after eating wheat or grain and thus may have an intolerance to gluten. Gluten is a protein that most often is found in grains such as barley, rye, wheat, and spelt. The enzyme DPP-IV is well known for its ability to break down gluten proteins, which may reduce the onset of symptoms associated with gluten intolerance. CVS/pharmacy GlutenAid is also formulated to assist in the digestion of the carbohydrate portion of grains (such as wheat) by means of the enzyme amylase. CVS/pharmacy GlutenAid works well in conjunction with restrictive diets such as gluten free/casein free and others. This product is not intended to replace a gluten free diet for those with Celiac Disease.“

So, basically it will break down the gluten faster.

After looking into the ingredients and figuring that it couldn’t hurt me, I took one GlutenAid and three B-12 vitamins. Surprisingly, I didn’t find myself rushing to the bathroom 30 minutes – 1 hour after I had the drink like I expected to. I slept through the night with very minor symptoms.

Then this morning I woke up and it hit. Although not as bad as it has been. It seems like the GlutenAid might have actually done what it said it did, which was “reduce the onset of symptoms”.

Now, I’m in no way going to ever take this and intentionally ingest gluten. And I’m also in no way endorsing this product – all celiacs know that there is no cure and there is no way to find a loophole around a strict gluten free diet.

After this incident, and after every time I slip up and get glutened I will end up becoming super obsessively strict with my diet afterwards. But – if I do ever have a similar situation, I will take a GlutenAid again. Even if it was just the placebo effect, or if it only delayed/reduced my usual symptoms by a few hours, it certainly didn’t hurt. Next time I see my doctor I’m going to talk it over with him and see if he thinks there’s any validity to the formula.

Any one else try this stuff? Or anyone have any other home remedies after getting glutened? 

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Best grits in DC

Posted on June 1, 2012 | 2 Comments

Going out to breakfast or brunch can be a challenge for celiacs. French toast, pancakes, English muffins – gluten seems to be the star of the show in most dishes. Nine times out of 10 I end up eating an omelette or some kind of eggs, which is mostly okay with me. Except for the fact that they usually come with hash browns or home fries, and I’m always skeptical of how they are made (they could be fried, put on a griddle next to the toast, come from a mix that has them coated in flour, etc.)

So when a restaurant has grits on the menu, they are always my go-to substitute. They’re creamy, cheesy, buttery, and good ole’ Southern cookin’.

These are my top three restaurants for grits that I’ve found in DC yet.

1. Ted’s Bulletin

Seriously amazing cheese grits. They’re like a finer, condensed macaroni and cheese.This isn’t the most colorful plate in the world, but so delicious.

2. Vinoteca

Nice and cheesy, just how I like ‘em. These come with big pieces of cheddar on top. Try them with the smoked salmon omelette.

3. Art and Soul

I only had a taste of my friend’s grits here as a part of their shrimp and grits dish at dinner, but they serve them as a side dish at brunch as well. If Art Smith can’t make a good pot of grits, then I don’t know who can.

Any places I’m missing for good grits? Or anything else you substitute for toast while eating breakfast out? 

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