Gluten Free Food Safety Survey

Has Consumer Perception of Gluten Free Food Safety Changed Over Time?

The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center has partnered with the Gluten Intolerance Group in an interesting initiative to deepen their understanding of consumer perception of gluten free food safety. If you have 20 minutes to participate and were diagnosed with celiac disease or gluten intolerance/gluten sensitivity, please fill out this food safety survey. They hope to get valuable information from this study to identify the education and shopping behaviors within the gluten-free community that might be useful in advancing gluten-free products and dining; and identify education, training and communication needs within and between consumers and food manufacturing and food service industries.

Take the survey here:  

Survey Link

Please share this with others in the GF community.

Crock Pot Chicken Corn Tortillas

Gluten Free Crock Pot Corn Tortillas

Ingredients:

3 T canola oil
4 large chicken breasts
1 (19 oz) can of enchilada sauce
2 (11 oz) cans of gluten free cream of chicken soup
1 (4.25 oz) can black olives, sliced
2 dozen corn tortillas
1 large onion, chopped
1 (8 oz) package taco style cheese

Instructions:

Place a large skillet over medium heat and add oil.
When the oil is heated add the chicken.
Cook for about 5 minutes per side.
Remove and let cool.
When chicken is cooled, it can be shredded.
Cut tortillas into 8 wedges.
In a large bowl combine soup, olives and onions.
Begin layering in the slow cooker with enchilada sauce on the bottom.
Then add tortillas, soup, chicken and cheese in that order.
Continue the layering in this order to the top being sure to end with cheese.
Cover and cook for 7 hours at low temperature.

Tip: It is best served in a bowl and topped with sour cream or guacamole.

 

Brands of Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup:

Healthy Valley Organic  - Locations where to buy here

Pacific Natural Foods  - Locations of where to buy here

Mom's Place Gluten Free - Where to buy here

 

Gluten Free Cream of Chicken Soup

Mix:

1 cup rice flour

1 cup dry milk

1/4 cup dried minced onion

 

Use 1/4 cup of mix and add:

1 Knorr chicken boullion cube

1 1/2 cups water

 

Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan. Heat over medium until thickened. Use in place of 1 can cream of chicken soup.

Talking to Your Family about Gluten-Free Living

Is your family considering making a movement toward a gluten-free lifestyle? Maybe you’re considering it out of necessity or as a commitment to a healthier way of life. It doesn't take a psychology degree to know that food can be a tough subject to tackle, and persuading children and other members of the family to give up gluten is not always easy. When you consider that gluten is in many favorite foods like cake, cookies, crackers, bread, and pasta, along with many processed food items, it is easy to understand why family members are reluctant to embrace this dietary change. Here are some tips to make the transition easier.

Educate the Family

Approaching a necessary dietary change as a practical health matter is the best way to start a conversation about gluten-free living. Focusing on the positive aspects of the change instead of what the family will be giving up is critical for putting a positive spin on the transition. Describing gluten-free dietary choices as "tasty" instead of simply "healthy" is a better way to get family members excited about new menu options.

Replace Comfort Foods with Gluten-Free Alternatives

Recipes abound for classic favorites. If your family realizes that they won't have to give up pizza, cookies and macaroni and cheese altogether, the change will be less traumatic. Emphasize how delicious the new diet will be by backing up the claims immediately with proof. Research has found that many people assume that "healthy" foods will be tasteless. It is better to focus on how great items taste, instead of talking about how healthy the substitute foods are.

Be a Role Model for Your Children

Parents are the most influential role model for children. After a big announcement about new dietary changes, it is critical that both parents embrace the diet immediately as role models for the family. Even though children may feel obliged to complain some at first, if they see both Mom and Dad eating delicious new meals that fill up the house with wonderful aromas, then they are likely to respond with an open mind.

Emphasize All Favorite Foods that are Gluten-Free

Have a list handy of all the families favorite foods that will not be effected by the new diet. Ice cream is always an acceptable peace offering once you tell the kids that regular cake is off limits. Writing these foods down in a book for kids is a great reminder of how many foods are on the diet. Steak, peanuts and fruit are a few favorites that many people respond to with a smile.

Plan Substitutes for School and Holiday Celebrations

Talking to teachers and finding out about any upcoming events where cake, cupcakes or other forbidden foods will be served is a great way to circumvent a bad situation. Off to bake some gluten-free cookies for your child to take to class to share for a special occasion. Getting your kid involved is an excellent way for them to see the event as a positive way to share their gluten-free goodies.

Forgive and Forget

When your teenager decides to cheat and eat something he shouldn't, don't get upset. Expect this to happen, because it will. It is natural for teenagers to test the boundaries. All any parent can do is educate a child about what he should be eating to feel good, providing the information and support to make good choices. The good news is that a child will usually feel so bad after they cheat, that they ultimately realize that the cheating is not worth it.

Spousal Encouragement

Appeal to your spouse's desire to be a good role model for the kids. If your spouse is not gluten intolerant and wants to have an occasional gluten snack away from the family, then that's fine. Adults are going to do what they want. A responsible parent will want to do the right thing for the family, without sacrificing their image as a role model.

Conclusion

The hard part of any new diet is the psychological transition. All a parent can do is provide education about the "why" and the "how" of this diet, making it easy and fun for the family. Playing interference for birthday parties and other events to ensure your child is not left without birthday cake is also important. Planning is the key.

"Allison Gamble has been a curious student of psychology since high school. She brings her understanding of the mind to work in the weird world of internet marketing with psychology degree".

Strawberry and Pineapple Freezer Jam

 

What You Need:

1 pint box of fresh strawberries, washed, drained and hulls removed
2 1/2 Cups of fresh pineapple, peeled and finely chopped
7 Cup sugar
2 packages (1 3/4 oz) powdered pectin
1 Cup cold water
4 pint freezer containers with lids

How to Make It:

Place strawberries in a large mixing bowl.
Crush the strawberries with a potato masher.
Measure out 2 1/2 Cups strawberries and place in a separate bowl.
Add the pineapple to the strawberries.
Slowly add the sugar and stir until well combined.
Place the cold water in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add the pectin.
Stir continuously until water begins to boil.
Boil 1 minute.
Remove from heat.
Pour the water mixture into with the fruit.
Stir well to combine.
Continue stirring 4 minutes.
Pour into the pint freezer containers and cover.
Let stand at room temperature for 24 hours.
Freeze after 24 hours.
Jam will stay good in the freezer for up to 6 months.
To use, remove from freezer and allow to come to room temperature, about 1 hour.
Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Homemade Soups on Healthy the Go

In this day and age it can be hard to eat healthy. With your busy schedule, especially if you have children, many people find it easier to grab whatever is available and the quickest and deal with the health consequences later. With the following tips for soups on the go you’ll learn how to make sure that the food you grab is of the healthy variety.

The problem with dealing with the consequences of unhealthy eating habits is that later is actually closer than you might think. Later is right now. Sadly, we are a nation of obese adults and just as many, if not more, obese children. Our unhealthy eating choices have caught up with us. You might be asking yourself, “How can I eat healthy when I’m crunched for time already?”

One way is to make foods that can be taken with you on the go. One of those foods is soup. Soup is tasty, filling, and good for you anytime, but especially on a cold fall or winter day. There are hot soups and believe it or not even cold soups. Many of the warm soups are even good eaten cold or lukewarm.

First, choose your favorite soup. A popular choice of many is the infamous chicken noodle soup. There’s nothing better when you are under the weather than the warm chicken broth soothing your throat. Campbell’s has a wonderful soup in a microwave container perfect for eating on the go, but we are going to make our own soup for an even healthier choice.

The one thing that is best about homemade food is that you know what is and is not in it. Since we are concerned with health, preparing your own soup creations at home is the best way to go. No matter which type of soup you choose to make, be sure to use fresh ingredients. The other items you’ll need are plenty of cups with lids and a blender.

Now it’s time to actually create your time saving soup. A good soup always starts with the stock. For chicken soup, make the broth by boiling the remains of the chicken you had for dinner. Add the herbs and seasonings of your choice and boil until the chicken bones come out clean. Any remaining meat will be included in the broth. Once the broth cools completely, ladle it into air-tight jars or containers for storing.

If you’re more of a beef and vegetable soup lover, you can use commercial canned broths or bouillon cubes for the base of your soup. Season the stock really well and boil before adding any other ingredients. Once the stock is ready, all that is left to do is toss in your favorite veggies. Again, wait until the soup is completely cooled before pouring into storage or serving containers.

Now, what about that blender? It’s a bit difficult to eat soup the traditional way while driving and if you are serving to your kids, the combination of a car and soup in a bowl is a disaster waiting to happen. Here’s where the blender comes into the picture.

Pour some of the soup into the blender and blend until the pieces are small enough for you to swallow without choking. You can even puree the soup completely if you’d prefer. For a thicker texture, add a bit of cream soup. Now, your soup is ready for distributing in your to-go cups.

The ideal cup would be a coffee mug with a lid. These types of cups have a wide opening perfect for drinking soups from. Be sure to prepare enough soup for the entire week. You can take the soup with you while you’re out shopping, working in the garden or to work. A cup of soup is packed with healthy nutrients and it won’t mess up the car or cramp your busy lifestyle. The next time you don’t have time to eat, reach for a cup of healthy homemade soup instead of pulling into that fast food drive thru. 

Shish Kabobs

Do you have children? They love to eat grilled food, too. A fun and healthy alternative to burgers and hot dogs for them is to make shish kabobs. Shish kabobs are easy to make and healthy for children and adults. 

Shish kabobs remind me of those scenes in old movies when they roast the meat over the spit. Unlike the scary unmentionable meat being turned over by cowboys, we put our favorite meats and vegetables on a stick and add some flavor.

Kabobs cook just like that unmentionable meat in the old days. Kabobs can be cooked on wooden skewers and can be eaten without utensils, making them popular with all children who eat them and to the mothers who have to clean them. Metal skewers can be too hot to touch, if you have little ones, use wooden skewers. They are much cheaper and can be discarded later.

When working with wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before putting them on the grill. A skewer that is not saturated with water will burn on the grill and can cause flare ups.

Now that the safety issues are out of the way, let's begin to have fun creating these yummy tasting shish kabobs. There are allot of combination that you can make with your favorite foods. Choose from lamb, beef, chicken, shrimp, fish and pork. For vegetable choices, be sure to use the vegetables that are can stand up the heat without getting soft and falling apart. Some of the most common choices are tomatoes, peppers and onions.

Cut the meat and vegetables into one inch cubes. It's easier to cook, if all the food on the skewer is of smaller size. Round vegetables such as tomatoes do not need to be cut into squares. Just make sure that the tomato is the same size as the rest of the food. Select items for the kabobs, with similar cooking times on the same skewer. For example, it does not take long for a shrimp or scallops cook on a hot grill, but chicken or beef, will take longer to cook. Zucchini will take longer to cook than the a cherry tomato. Zucchini also takes the heat better. If you want your tomatoes on a skewer, consider adding one to each end of the kabob a few minutes before the meat is done cooking. 

To reduce the cooking time for chicken, boil boneless chicken breasts for about twenty minutes before cutting into cubes. By parboiling you are helping to prevent cross contamination. It is also a good idea to include a single type of meat on skewers. When it comes time to put your shish kabobs together combine the chicken with a variety of vegetables.

When using raw meat, prepare the kebabs the night before and chill them with or without marinade. If you marinade, be sure to drain any excess away before grilling. Let the skewers come to room temperature before placing them on the grill to aid in faster, more even cooking.

I love shish kabobs. They can be used as an appetizer or a main dish on a bed of rice for the children. As a snack or main attraction, they are delicious. By mixing the meat and vegetables, you can enjoy the shish kabobs at any time without getting tired of the same foods. Shish kabobs are easy to make, are gluten free and healthy.

How To Get Rid Of Brown Spots On Your Face Naturally

Although harmless, that brown spot on your face may be unattractive. Even worse, it can make you feel older than you really are. There are cosmetic treatments for this problem such as laser and micro dermabrasion. However, these can be very expensive. If you don't have the budget for these treatments, fret not. There are certain home remedies which can aid in winning back your youthful appearance.

Also called age spots, making them less visible may be done by applying some things found in or around the home. Some of them may be in the medicine cabinet, refrigerator or even your garden. Continue reading if you're sick and tired of these unsightly marks that won't seem to go away.

Citrus fruits like orange, lemon and grapefruit are naturally acidic. However, they're light enough to be applied on most skin types and produce dramatic results. Their acidic property can help bleach those clumps of melanin. Using cotton buds, apply the juice of any citrus fruit found in your kitchen on the affected area and leave it there, preferably as you sleep.

Another effective yet mild bleaching agent is lactic acid, and buttermilk has it. If you find that citrus fruit juice makes your skin sting, then switch to buttermilk instead. It's gentler especially on sensitive skin types. Again, use cotton buds to daub it onto those discolorations and allow to it stay overnight.

See if you got vitamin E supplement inside your medicine cabinet. Using a clean needle, prick a capsule and directly apply the oil inside on your problem spots. It's also okay to apply the oil all over the face because it's a moisturizer that's rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants are effective against delaying and even reversing the signs of aging on the skin because they can neutralize free radicals effectively.

Another natural remedy for age spots is aloe vera. Check out your garden if you have this plant. The gel inside the leaves has to be smeared on the discoloration. This gel is also loaded with antioxidants. It's also used by many cultures in treating several different skin problems.

Aside from trying out these home remedies for ridding that brown spot on your face, you should do your share and protect yourself from too much sun exposure. Apply sun block that's formulated for your skin type. When stepping foot outside, use a pair of large sunglasses, wide-brimmed hat and an umbrella.

Typically, there are different types of problems involving skin pigmentation that can emerge, as a person gets older. Sometimes, these brown spots on skin appear because of the damages in the skin structure.