Beyond Rice Cakes

Celiac, Gluten-Free Diet in U.S. News & World Report

U.S. News & World Report published an article today about celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. Reporter Adam Voiland explains celiac disease and how the skyrocketing demand for gluten-free food has led to better options lining store shelves. He also addresses patients who are not diagnosed with celiac disease who are also going gluten-free!

Read the entire article online from U.S. News & World Report.

Gluten-Free Diet: A Cure for Some, a Fad for Most
While 1 percent of Americans have celiac disease, many others adopt the eating plan used to treat it.

Alvine Reports Positive Outcomes for Celiac Treatment

Alvine Pharmaceuticals this month announced exciting news about ALV003, an oral protease therapy designed to detoxify the gluten protein in patients with celiac disease. But before we get to the news, you need to understand what ALV003 is and how it could help patients in the future.

ALV003 is an orally administered combination of two proteases (enzymes) that break gluten down into unharmful fragments that can be digested by a person with celiac disease. The drug has to be taken with meals and prevents only against unintentional exposure to gluten.  So, don't think you can go out and eat a regular pizza!! The drug will only prevent against a trace amount of gluten.

At the United European Gastroenterology Week conference held in Vienna, Alvine researchers presented data demonstrating that patients with celiac disease who took ALV003 and then consumed gluten showed "elimination of peripheral gluten specific reactive T-cells."

Additionally, Alvine announced proof of concept found in a Phase 1 trial  of the drug. The trial restults confirmed that single doses of up to 1,800 mg of ALV003 were safe and tolerable in healthy patients and that doses at the 300mg level resulted in a 96% reduction of gluten in a meal in the stomach after about 30 minutes in patients with celiac disease.

So, what does that mean? According to Dr. Ciaran Kelly, Medical Director of the Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, the outcomes represent a "major step toward providing people with celiac disease a better quality of life." Dr. Kelly adds that there is a great need for drugs like ALV003 to help patients prevent the potentially serious complications of gluten exposure.

For more information about the trials, visit Alvine Pharmaceuticals.

Gluten-Free Food in Chicago

Since I was diagnosed with celiac disease about five years ago, I have grown to love foods that have bold flavors. I love Mexican food because of the fabulous spices like cumin, cilantro and garlic. And Italian food is incredible with its combination of tomatoes, basil, oregano and cheeses. I was lucky enough to sample several incredible restaurants this past week while in Chicago attending the American Dietetic Association's Food & Nutrition Conference and Expo. 

I have always heard that Chicago has some pretty good gluten-free food, but after this week, I'm willing to brave the freezing wind again just to have another slice of pizza and a bowl of guacamole!!

The first piece of gluten-free pizza I had in Chicago was from Lou Malnati's Pizzeria. Lou Malnati's is the one of the oldest family pizza restaurants in Chicago, dating back to the 1940s. Lou Malnati's if famous for its deep-dish pizza that is handmade and each pizza is prepared to the customer's specification. In my case, I needed a gluten-free pizza, which I thought might be a problem for a pizza place, but not Lou Malnati's! There is a Crustless Deep Dish Pizza available that is certified gluten-free on the menu and is delicious! The crustless pizza is made from a large round sausage base and can be topped with all of the same toppings as any regular pizza! Lous Malnati's came highly reccommended to me before I left on my trip and I have to say that I definitely agree...it is delicious!

The second gluten-free pizza I had in Chicago came from Marcello's: A Father and Son Restaurant. The restaurant is fabulous about preparing the gluten-free pizzas in a safe envioronment and even hands out a flyer to customers that explains the handling procedures and lists all of the ingredients! They prepare their gluten-free pizza crusts in a sterile environment and cook the crust on parchment paper so it never touches the oven. All of the toppings are handled with caution to ensure there is no cross-contamination.  I ordered a gluten-free pizza with tomatoes,spinach, mushrooms and basil and topped with mozzarella & romano cheese that was absolutely incredible! My mouth is watering for more!!

My last gluten-free dining expereince in Chicago was at the Adobo Grill. I was immediatly excited when I learned that not only did they have a gluten-free menu, but also a Tequila Bar! There were tons of gluten-free options including grilled flank steak in chile morita adobo sauce, roasted butternut squash & wild mushroom enchiladas, quesadillas stuffed with huitlacoche, cheese, fresh corn and ancho salsa and even a chocoalte tamale for dessert! This is just a brief glimpse at the gluten-free menu. There are tons of delicious options! And, don't forget the guacamole bar! Instead of chips, Adobo Grill serves jicama chips to those on a gluten-free diet! 

 

So next time you're in Chicago, have no fear! There are tons of options to more than satisfy even the largest of gluten-free appetites!

At-Home Celiac Test Coming Soon to U.S. Market

One of the most common complaints I hear from patients is “my doctor won’t test me for celiac disease.”

These are patients who have clear symptoms of celiac disease and should be screened, but can’t get a doctor to acknowledge that celiac is one of the most common conditions in the United States and affects more than 3 million people!

The good news is that within the next year, patients could be able to accurately and easily screen themselves for celiac disease from the comfort of their own home. And, it won’t cost a fortune…only about $50.

For the first time, Health Canada has approved the Biocard Celiac Test Kit, an at-home test that measures (anti-tTG) IgA antibodies from a fingertip blood sample. The U.S. FDA is currently evaluating the test and is expected to grant approval in the United States sometime in 2009.

The test comes from 2G Pharma and was developed by two women who are best friends and worked for years in the corporate pharmaceutical world. Their closest friend was diagnosed with celiac disease after more than 10 years of severe suffering from celiac and almost bleeding to death from intestinal damage. The ladies used all of their skills to find and bring to market a test that would prevent anyone from suffering the same pain their friend had while trying to get a celiac diagnosis.The Biocard Celiac test has been approved in Europe since 2005.

So, how does the test work? The Biocard Celiac Test measures the presence of antibodies in the blood.  Certain antibodies in a person’s blood indicate whether or not the body is having an immune system response to the presence of some foreign substance. For people with celiac disease, the foreign substance is gluten! 

The test is simple and quick to administer! And, the company even created a video with step-by-step instructions so that you will be sure to take it correctly. Watch the video! Just be sure that you are consuming a diet containing gluten in order to obtain accurate results.

To take the test, start by setting up all of the different parts of the kit. Gently massage your index  finger to drive blood to it. Then wipe your finger with an alcohol swab and let it dry. Prick your clean fingertip with the lancet that is included in the test kit. It is a very small needle, so it is practically painless. Gently press the blood out of your fingertip into the vile and mix it with the included buffer solution. Turn the vile upside down and mix the blood and buffer together. Then squeeze three drops of the blood/buffer liquid into the sample holder. Wait 10 minutes to read results.

The Biocard Celiac Test is positive if you have two red lines on the test card. One red line appears in the control field, which indicates that you have done the test correctly. The second red line will only appear if you are having an immune system response to the gluten protein. If the test comes out positive for celiac disease, the makers of the test recommend consulting with a doctor to confirm the diagnosis with an intestinal biopsy.

How reliable is the test? According to the creators at 2G Pharma Inc., the test is as accurate as a tissue transglutaminase (tTG) laboratory test that your doctor would request and uses the same technology to detect specific IgA antibodies that react with tissue transglutaminase (tTG), a well known indicator of celiac disease.  The test has been approved by Health Canada and meets all of the European medical device requirements for a home test.

Additionally, a study published in the British Medical Journal found that the simple rapid antibody test allowed nurses working in primary care medical offices to detect celiac disease in patients who were not picked up during routine clinical care. The study evaluated 2,690 children around six years old and 120 nurses. The study found 31 newly diagnosed celiac patients. The rapid test accurately detected celiac disease in 30 of the 31 patients. 

The Biocard Celiac Test is a landmark development for the entire celiac community. It is the first time that patients will have immediate access to find out if they have the autoimmune disorder. It makes celiac disease as easy to diagnose as strep throat!  It will also allow for simple mass screening, especially amongst family members of those already diagnosed.

So, be sure to check back soon—I’ll have all of the details for when the test becomes available in the United States and how you can get it! Also, be sure to keep visiting the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness website to find out how 2G Pharma will be working with the NFCA on several programs in the United States next year!

Gluten-Free at Food Expo East

October is one of the best months of the year because it is when Food Expo East brings all of the best gluten-free vendors into one conference hall. This year the conference was at the new Boston Convention Center and featured 1,200 manufacturers, nearly 200 of which specified that some of their products are gluten-free! AMAZING!

I spent two days visiting with most of these manufacturers. I tasted tons of products and can say without a doubt that gluten-free has gone mainstream. Every product I tasted was better than the last and all of them are now being taken into "normal" grocery stores!

Of course there are the well-known favorites that we all love and adore! Bob's Red Mill had a magnificent booth with shelves full of gluten-free products! The big news this year from Bob's Red Mill is the production of gluten-free oats. A lot of my loyal blog readers have been asking me why they can't find the oats....well I spoke to Bob himself and he assured me that although production was slow for a few months, that things are back up and running at full speed. You can expect to see the oats back in stores in the next few weeks! Yippie!

And don't forget about the other Bob's Red Mill products. They have a fantastic new pizza crust mix and of course the chocolate cake mix, chocolate chip cookie mix and all of the wonderful gluten-free flours and grains. Another great thing I learned while at the conference is that Bob's Red Mill has a new food service distribution channel to provide gluten-free ingredients to restaurants, hotels, etc. This is a great way for chefs to bring products in to cook with! So, if you want more information, be sure to contact Bob's Red Mill directly.

Simply Asia Thai Kitchen was set up in full swing with incredible cooking demonstrations featuring Chef Manny Haider. I got to eat a variety of delicious Asian food and learned so much about the new Thai Kitchen gluten-free products. My favorite new product was the line of Curry Simmer Sauces. They are sold nationwide and the curry paste is already mixed with coconut milk so all you have to do is add your favorite vegetables and chicken or shrimp and you're set for dinner! All four flavors (red curry, green curry, yellow curry and panang curry) are delicious so be sure to check them out!

Pamela's Products had their usual gorgeous display set up filled with platters of delicious cookies, brownies, cupcakes and biscotti! Pamela's has teamed up with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness to work on a variety of great projects so definitely check out the Cupcake Party program and stay tuned for a huge women's health campaign coming next spring! Mary's Gone Crackers had all of her delicious crackers out for sampling and Glutino/Gluten-Free Pantry also had a massive gluten-free display set up! Tons of new frozen foods and crackers lined the shelves! And of course, the Gluten-Free & Fabulous girls were cooking up a storm of pizzas!

There were tons of new manufacturers that I had heard of before, but this was the first time I got to taste their products. This would be the longest blog post ever if I talked about them all, so I'm just going to focus on my favorites!

Conte's Pasta takes home my favorite new vendor award from Food Expo East. Gluten-free Gnocchi, raviolis, pizza and pasta! Incredible!  Every single product I tasted was truly amazing and made me feel like I was eating a home cooked Italian meal. If you're craving Italian food, this is the company for you. And, chefs...please ask them about distributing to your restaurant. Your customers will forever be grateful! And, not only were the products great, but the owners of the company were two of the sweetest people I've ever met!
 
Cinderella Sweets had some of the most delicious gluten-free cakes and cookies out for sampling...I kept going back for more of the Mocha Cake. It was sooooo good! Other products include lady finger cookies, fudge brownies, ring ting cupcakes, apricot & raspberry rolls, and a seven-layer cake. All of the products are gluten-free, lactose Free, soy free, casein free & dairy free, and they are Kosher! Best of all, Andrew and his family are such huge supporters that they are now donating a percentage of all sales to the NFCA to support educational programming. So get online today and order products!!

Gluten-free breakfast and snack bars that taste good are REALLY hard to find! But look no further! KIND Fruit + Nut Bars are incredible. They come in a variety of different flavors including macadamia/apricot, almond/apricot, fruit/nut delight, walnut/date, sesame & pecans with chocolate, almond/coconut, fruits and nuts in yogurt and a few more! But you get the idea...tons of flavors! The bars are gluten-free, all natural, high in fiber, low in sodium and no trans fat! I took a bar with me on my flight back to Washington, DC and it was the perfect snack that kept me full until I could get home. I know you'll love these bars!

One more company I have to mention is Twin Hens. They make gluten-free pot pies that are crispy ontop, warm and soothing on the inside and just delicious! The crust is made from polenta and the gluten-free pie is filled with beef and vegetables. Definitely check this out!

There are tons of other great companies out there, so if you want more information, contact me at any time and I'm happy to share the rest of them with! You can also see all of the photos from the expo. But, this post is getting long and I could go on for days about the incredible food I tasted at Expo East!

National Cupcake Day...Gluten-Free

I love cupcakes...I love them so much mainly because they make me feel happy and remind me of so  many good times being a kid! I love cupcakes that have a super moist cake and are topped with a mound of frosting that is sweet...but not too sweet! It has to be just that perfect amount of sweetness that makes you want more and more and more!

Since I love cupcakes so much, I had to find a way to incorporate cupcakes into my job at the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. So, the NFCA teamed up with Pamela's Products to host Gluten-Free Cupcake Parties to raise awareness of celiac disease and the gluten-free diet.  Over the last year, nearly 100 fabulous volunteers have hosted cupcake parties and helped the NFCA raise thousands of dollars to put towards educational programs for doctors and pharmacists.

Now it's your turn!

October 18th is National Cupcake Day!! Join in the fun by hosting your very own Gluten-Free Cupcake Party! Not only will you be joining in for a national day of celebration and eating delicious gluten-free cupcakes, but you'll be helping raise awareness of celiac disease and the gluten-free diet.

  So, here's how it works:

Step 1: Visit the NFCA website and fill out the form to register to become a Gluten-Free Cupcake Party host.

Step 2: NFCA will contact you to arrange the details of your party and answer all of your questions.

Step 3: Invite 12 of your closest friends over to decorate cupcakes! Each guest will donate $15 to celiac awareness.

Step 4: Once you've set a date for your party, Pamela's Products will send you a full Cupcake Party Baking Kit that contains Classic Vanilla Cake Mix, Luscious Chocolate Cake Mix, and three frosting mixes. Each of your guests will also receive a special take home gift such as a  spatula, whisk or frosting spreader. You will also receive an apron from Ohm Dog as a thank you for hosting a Cupcake Party!

Step 5: Host the party! Be sure to take lots of pictures!  Following the party, NFCA will ask each host to submit photos and an event recap for publication in NFCA's newsletter and on its Celiac Rockstars Blog.

So...if you love cupcakes and want to do your part to help raise awareness of celiac disease and the gluten-free diet, sign up now to host a Gluten-Free Cupcake Party! I promise you'll have tons of fun and get to eat delicious gluten-free cupcakes! 

South Florida Gluten-Free Cooking Spree

Mark your calendars and sharpen your knives! The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness and CNN Newsroom Anchor Heidi Collins invite you to the South Florida Gluten-Free Cooking Spree. The Gluten-Free Cooking Spree is an event that joins together the medical and lifestyle aspects of celiac disease to educate both doctors and chefs about celiac disease and the gluten-free diet.

Online Event Registration - Powered by www.eventbrite.com

Here's how it works:

• Top chefs and medical professionals will be put on to teams of three. Each team will have one chef, one doctor and one medical support professional. Together, the teams will work to create the best gluten-free meal.

•  Attendees will sample the food cooked by the chefs and enjoy a large assortment of other gluten-free food options. Come hungry! All attendees will take home a fabulous goodie bag filled with treats from a variety of gluten-free vendors.

• A three-person panel will judge recipes: Sonja Lovett (Palm Beach Post), Sarah Jane Kenyon (LPGA Golfer and NFCA Spokeswoman) and Phyllis Kessler (President PBC Celiac Support Group).

Event Program

Welcome and History of Cooking Spree
Vanessa Maltin
Beyond Rice Cakes Author & NFCA Director of Programming & Communications

About the NFCA and the Future of Celiac Disease
Alice Bast
NFCA Executive Director

Key Note Address
CNN Newsroom Anchor Heidi Collins

Celiac Awareness on the Golf Course
LPGA Tour Player Sarah Jane Kenyon

The Celiac Pill--AT-1001
Doug Jacobstein, Alba Therapeutics

Presentation of Teams and Gluten-Free Dishes
Vanessa Maltin

Presentation of Awards: Best Gluten-Free Dish & People's Choice Award
Sonja Lovett, Palm Beach Post

Enjoy gluten-free hor d'oeuvres, desserts, gluten-free Redbridge beer, Woodchuck and Magners Cider.

Gluten-Free Yom Kippur Feast

I love the fall Jewish holidays because it is such a wonderful time to be with your family and reflect on the past year. It is a time to think about how you'll improve yourself next year and be a better person...and, of course...it is a time for delicious food! I LOVE cooking food for the Yom Kippur break-fast. After a whole day of fasting, it is so great to dig in to a warm and hearty meal!

This year I was feeling really ambitious and decided to make brisket, sweet potato latkes and noodle kugel...all gluten-free of course! The good news is that the prep work for these three dishes can be done in advance and won't take you too long after returning home from services! So, here are the fabulous recipes!

Vanessa's Sweet & Savory Gluten-Free Brisket Recipe
Vanessa's Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Pancakes Recipe
Vanessa's Gluten-Free Noodle Kugel Recipe

Gluten-Free on Emeril Green Video

I hope you were all able to tune in last night to see Emeril Lagasse teach Pam and Mike to make delicious gluten-free food! It was a great episode of Emeril Green and I am so thrilled that such a well-respected chef took on making gluten-free food!

On the show, Emeril took Pam and Mike shopping through the new Whole Foods to find the best and most fresh gluten-free products. They made several dishes including Gazpacho, Italian Salad, Pizza (white and red) and Pasta Primavera.

I had my one minute and 30 seconds in the spotlight and I have to say it was definitely one of the greatest moments of my life. It was an honor to meet Emeril and to talk to him about how the gluten-free diet has changed my life. He is a wonderful chef and person and I hope our paths cross again in the future!

In case you missed it, here is a video clip of my short appearance on the show!

And, at long last, here are the recipes from the show! 

Emeril's Gazpacho
Emeril's Italian Salad
Emeril's Pizza (white and red)
Emeril's Pasta Primavera

And finally, a huge THANK YOU to all of my family, friends, co-workers and fans who sent me the sweetest messages the last few days! I am blessed to have such a wonderful group of supporters! We had a huge Emeril Green party to celebrate the episode airing! I made all of the recipes from the show plus a few of my own favorite recipes! Here are some photos..check out those stellar cupcakes! Lauren and Emily from the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness were the creative directors and came up with the brilliant idea for the green E!! And, be sure to make the cookies...they are AMAZING!

Gluten-Free School Lunches: Tell the USDA to Provide GF Options

More than three million Americans have celiac disease. Many of these patients are children who cannot get gluten-free lunches at school. Currently the National School Lunch Program does not include any provisions for gluten-free food. The good news is that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is revising the Child Nutrition Act and wants to hear from you to help guide the revision process!

To give you a little background, the Child Nutrition Act includes legislation for the National School Lunch Program. This is the program that provides schools with federal assistance for school lunches. In 2009, the act will be reauthorized and, to help ensure the needs of all Americans are met, the USDA is accepting input on what needs to be changed to improve the program.

Please help improve the lives of children with celiac disease by sending your comments to the USDA. You can fax comments to 703-305-2879 or submit comments online.  

The deadline for submission is October 15, 2008.

Here are a few key points to remember as you submit comments:

- Celiac disease is a genetic autoimmune disorder that interferes with absorption of nutrients from food. Celiac disease can lead to serious long-term health consequences if it is not treated properly with a 100% gluten-free diet.

- About 1 in 150 children in the United States are affected by Autism. In some cases, a gluten-free, casein-free diet has helped autistic children improve cognitive abilities.

The gluten-free diet means eliminating all forms of wheat, rye and barley. There are three million Americans with celiac disease, many of whom are children attending school. These children cannot take full advantage of federal nutrition programs, including the National School Lunch Program because gluten-free options are not always available or easily identifiable on menus.

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness is asking the USDA to include the following items when the Child Nutrition Act is reauthorized in 2009:

-Gluten-free alternatives should be available and reimbursable. Consuming gluten-free food is not a choice for patients with celiac disease, rather it is a medical nutritional therapy and the only treatment for the disease.

-Gluten-free alternatives should be available every day for all meal and snack times.

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your comments with the USDA and for helping all children with celiac receive gluten-free food options at school.