Don't Overestimate Fruit, Advises Expert
What are the most effective sources of dietary fiber for those who are on gluten-free and lactose-free diets?
That's the question fiber expert Joanne Slavin answers in a recent U.S. News and World Report blog entry by senior writer Katherine Hobson.
The answer? "Beans and legumes would probably be the most effective. You might also consider cooked or stewed vegetables, which are easier to consume. Generally, fruits are low in fiber and relatively high in calories and sugar, so they're not a great fiber source."
Many thanks for this guidance!
Also: Did you know that beans (and many other gluten-free foods) can be frozen? Thanks to Allergic Girl for the lead!
Showing posts with label Allergic Girl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Allergic Girl. Show all posts
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Cooking by the Book
Next Event on March 3, 2009
Last year I was fortunate to receive an invitation to one of the Cooking by the Book fundraisers for the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University (CDCCU). It ain't cheap, but it's definitely worth consideration if the $220 tab is within your budget. (A portion goes to the CDCCU.)
Cooking by the Book is a cooking event held at an unusual apartment downtown. I was especially impressed by the large professional kitchen and, uh, the shower, but here you'll have to settle for a picture of a bookshelf that includes Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic by Dr. Peter Green and Rory Jones.
But we weren't at this event to read. Before the cooking began, we were able to get to know each other over drinks, which explains the presence of the bottle to the right of the bookcase. Then we split up into teams to prepare different parts of a meal.
The theme to our feast had to do with twos. I shared quinoa duty, which involved getting some scallion-cutting practice and learning different ways to pack two colors of quinoa into a "mold" so they could be presented as one. Here you can see the packed quinoa.
And here, on a finished plate, you can see the quinoa arranged into a kind of Oreo—oh, I mean Mi-Del chocolate sandwich cookie—formation.
And here's the yin-yangy soup! (There were no googly eyes, but it was still yummy.)
This event isn't just about the food—it's also about the schmooze. I enjoyed meeting other gluten-free people and those who love and support them. Some of us even reunited for lunch at Lilli and Loo!
The next Cooking by the Book is scheduled for 6:30pm on Tuesday, March 3, 2009. To find out more about attending, contact Cynthia Beckman by Monday, February 23, 2009.
EXTRA Here is Sloane "Allergic Girl" Miller's description of a 2007 Cooking by the Book event.
Photo: David Marc Fischer
Last year I was fortunate to receive an invitation to one of the Cooking by the Book fundraisers for the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University (CDCCU). It ain't cheap, but it's definitely worth consideration if the $220 tab is within your budget. (A portion goes to the CDCCU.)
Cooking by the Book is a cooking event held at an unusual apartment downtown. I was especially impressed by the large professional kitchen and, uh, the shower, but here you'll have to settle for a picture of a bookshelf that includes Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic by Dr. Peter Green and Rory Jones.
But we weren't at this event to read. Before the cooking began, we were able to get to know each other over drinks, which explains the presence of the bottle to the right of the bookcase. Then we split up into teams to prepare different parts of a meal.
The theme to our feast had to do with twos. I shared quinoa duty, which involved getting some scallion-cutting practice and learning different ways to pack two colors of quinoa into a "mold" so they could be presented as one. Here you can see the packed quinoa.
And here, on a finished plate, you can see the quinoa arranged into a kind of Oreo—oh, I mean Mi-Del chocolate sandwich cookie—formation.
And here's the yin-yangy soup! (There were no googly eyes, but it was still yummy.)
This event isn't just about the food—it's also about the schmooze. I enjoyed meeting other gluten-free people and those who love and support them. Some of us even reunited for lunch at Lilli and Loo!
The next Cooking by the Book is scheduled for 6:30pm on Tuesday, March 3, 2009. To find out more about attending, contact Cynthia Beckman by Monday, February 23, 2009.
EXTRA Here is Sloane "Allergic Girl" Miller's description of a 2007 Cooking by the Book event.
Photo: David Marc Fischer
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Unusual Hot Chocolate
Thanks to Sloane "Allergic Girl" Miller, I became aware of a dairy-free hot chocolate recipe in yesterday's New York Times.
How can chocolate milk be dairy-free? When the milk used is coconut milk! If you're interested, check it out here.
Another unusual concoction (found on my own, thank you very much!) is a mix that combines hot chocolate with marzipan flavor. Use coconut milk instead of dairy milk with Niederegger's Marzipan Trinkschokolade, and you might be coming close to a hot Almond Joy drink! (Feel free to double check that it's gluten-free!)
If hot chocolate is music to your ears, this video is for you, you sexy thang!
Source (1:26)
How can chocolate milk be dairy-free? When the milk used is coconut milk! If you're interested, check it out here.
Another unusual concoction (found on my own, thank you very much!) is a mix that combines hot chocolate with marzipan flavor. Use coconut milk instead of dairy milk with Niederegger's Marzipan Trinkschokolade, and you might be coming close to a hot Almond Joy drink! (Feel free to double check that it's gluten-free!)
If hot chocolate is music to your ears, this video is for you, you sexy thang!
Source (1:26)
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Recognition for Allergic Girl Article
If the Chicago Tribune's investigative reporting on food labels was a high point of 2008, then a low point would have to be Meredith Broussard's hatchet jobs against the well-regarded Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN), which Broussard recently attacked again with this Huffington Post item in which she still seems to be one of the only people in the world who would insist that the FAAN estimate of 150-200 deaths-by-allergy per year is a wild exaggeration.
Even if Broussard is right that the "real number" is actually 11, it's still a minor difference in terms of the entire US population—and a negligible quibble with FAAN considering how helpful the organization has been in educating families and the general public about allergies.
So it's great that Sloane "Allergic Girl" Miller took on Broussard in the healthcentral.com article "Everyone's Gone Nuts" (January 11, 2008). This interview with pediatric allergist Mike Pistiner just won third place in the Samter Journalism Awards, developed by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) "to recognize the best reporting of the role of the allergist/immunologist and allergy, asthma and immunologic disease."
Yaaaai, Allergic Girl!
Even if Broussard is right that the "real number" is actually 11, it's still a minor difference in terms of the entire US population—and a negligible quibble with FAAN considering how helpful the organization has been in educating families and the general public about allergies.
So it's great that Sloane "Allergic Girl" Miller took on Broussard in the healthcentral.com article "Everyone's Gone Nuts" (January 11, 2008). This interview with pediatric allergist Mike Pistiner just won third place in the Samter Journalism Awards, developed by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) "to recognize the best reporting of the role of the allergist/immunologist and allergy, asthma and immunologic disease."
Yaaaai, Allergic Girl!
Thursday, February 07, 2008
LILLI AND LOO: A META-REVIEW!
As you might already know, the Asian restaurant Lilli and Loo recently joined the roster of the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP) on the advanced level, which means that the restaurant receives "intensive assistance in menu review by qualified nutrition experts" along with GFRAP's basic "complete packet of education and training materials, a review of the restaurant’s GF menus, and the assistance of a Resource Person to answer questions." So far Lilli and Loo is the only non-chain restaurant in Manhattan on that level, and I can say from my own experience that this eaterie is worth multiple visits.
When the restaurant first came up with its gluten-free menu, Maggie and her associates offered a banquet's share of diverse options, but since then the menu has expanded to include even more choices, including one of my favorite types of Asian cuisine.
Many items on the restaurant's evolving gluten-free menu have already been favorably received by A Gluten-Free Guide, CeliacChicks, Gluten-Free Fun, and Allergic Girl. Probably the stand-out item has been the cool and refreshing Saigon Spring Roll appetizer. A fun new addition is the Rock Shrimp Tempura. Not to be confused with classic tempura, which is known for the lightness of its batter, this appetizer is more like an outstanding version of popcorn shrimp, presenting the restaurant's whole tasty shrimp within a thick, crunchy coating enlivened by a drizzled mayonnaise sauce. Filling out the appetizer options are edamame (steamed salted soy beans) and Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps, which involve wrapping lettuce around a mix of chicken, pineapple, and vegetables.
In the early online coverage of Lilli and Loo, the glazed Borneo Orange Chicken came across as a favorite—and I like it too. But oh, how excited I was to find crispy Thai Fish added to the menu! As a longtime fan of various versions of Asian whole fish, I'm especially fond of the crispy variations. At Lilli and Loo, it's served in a two-way style, with numerous separated and boneless chunks atop the rest of the fish, which is still on the bone. So, if you're not used to eating this dish, you can enjoy the separated pieces and also learn to pull the rest of the tasty, moist meat away while leaving most or all of the bones behind. And don't be afraid to poke around the cheeks in the fish head for the tiny, subtly flavorful morsels you might find there. (Note that when ordering this type of dish, it can be helpful to talk with the waitperson about how many of you intend to share it, to make sure that you'll get the right size of fish.)
I'm still exploring the other items on the menu, looking for ways to mix-and-match cuisines or just commit to one type throughout. I've been pleased by the mild Asian Chicken Curry and Masaman Chicken Curry as well as the Pomegranate Teriyaki Grilled Chicken, although I was sorry to find that it wasn't glazed in the way I associate with teriyaki cooking. I also enjoyed the change-of-pace represented by the sweet Shrimp with Fresh Mango (again with tasty shrimp, right), which could function almost like a dessert in a meal shared by several people (an ideal way to enjoy the fare at Lilli and Loo).
And then there are the Happy Hours. It's been tough work, but for your sake, dear reader, I've been making my way through the Lilli and Loo cocktail menu. My favorite so far is the lychee martini.
As CeliacChick Kelly and Allergic Girl Sloane have noted, Maggie and the rest of the gang at Lilli and Loo are eager to please and willing to accommodate other dietary requests. Just try to give them a "heads up" to ease matters for everyone concerned. And, speaking of heads, I agree with Kelly that the loo at Lilli and Loo is worth a visit, too. (Thanks to Ben Cappel for coming up with the "loo" angle.)
Something else that's exciting about Lilli and Loo is that it is just one of the restaurants and food enterprises in which Vanessa Phillips and her family have a hand. From talking with Vanessa's father, I understand that the family hopes to serve gluten-free customers in various NYC locations, including the Upper West Side. Having GFRAP restaurants there would certainly help to complement the string along the Upper East Side. CeliacChick Kelly has been covering some of the most recent developments.
As you might already know, the Asian restaurant Lilli and Loo recently joined the roster of the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP) on the advanced level, which means that the restaurant receives "intensive assistance in menu review by qualified nutrition experts" along with GFRAP's basic "complete packet of education and training materials, a review of the restaurant’s GF menus, and the assistance of a Resource Person to answer questions." So far Lilli and Loo is the only non-chain restaurant in Manhattan on that level, and I can say from my own experience that this eaterie is worth multiple visits.
When the restaurant first came up with its gluten-free menu, Maggie and her associates offered a banquet's share of diverse options, but since then the menu has expanded to include even more choices, including one of my favorite types of Asian cuisine.
Many items on the restaurant's evolving gluten-free menu have already been favorably received by A Gluten-Free Guide, CeliacChicks, Gluten-Free Fun, and Allergic Girl. Probably the stand-out item has been the cool and refreshing Saigon Spring Roll appetizer. A fun new addition is the Rock Shrimp Tempura. Not to be confused with classic tempura, which is known for the lightness of its batter, this appetizer is more like an outstanding version of popcorn shrimp, presenting the restaurant's whole tasty shrimp within a thick, crunchy coating enlivened by a drizzled mayonnaise sauce. Filling out the appetizer options are edamame (steamed salted soy beans) and Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps, which involve wrapping lettuce around a mix of chicken, pineapple, and vegetables.
In the early online coverage of Lilli and Loo, the glazed Borneo Orange Chicken came across as a favorite—and I like it too. But oh, how excited I was to find crispy Thai Fish added to the menu! As a longtime fan of various versions of Asian whole fish, I'm especially fond of the crispy variations. At Lilli and Loo, it's served in a two-way style, with numerous separated and boneless chunks atop the rest of the fish, which is still on the bone. So, if you're not used to eating this dish, you can enjoy the separated pieces and also learn to pull the rest of the tasty, moist meat away while leaving most or all of the bones behind. And don't be afraid to poke around the cheeks in the fish head for the tiny, subtly flavorful morsels you might find there. (Note that when ordering this type of dish, it can be helpful to talk with the waitperson about how many of you intend to share it, to make sure that you'll get the right size of fish.)
I'm still exploring the other items on the menu, looking for ways to mix-and-match cuisines or just commit to one type throughout. I've been pleased by the mild Asian Chicken Curry and Masaman Chicken Curry as well as the Pomegranate Teriyaki Grilled Chicken, although I was sorry to find that it wasn't glazed in the way I associate with teriyaki cooking. I also enjoyed the change-of-pace represented by the sweet Shrimp with Fresh Mango (again with tasty shrimp, right), which could function almost like a dessert in a meal shared by several people (an ideal way to enjoy the fare at Lilli and Loo).And then there are the Happy Hours. It's been tough work, but for your sake, dear reader, I've been making my way through the Lilli and Loo cocktail menu. My favorite so far is the lychee martini.
As CeliacChick Kelly and Allergic Girl Sloane have noted, Maggie and the rest of the gang at Lilli and Loo are eager to please and willing to accommodate other dietary requests. Just try to give them a "heads up" to ease matters for everyone concerned. And, speaking of heads, I agree with Kelly that the loo at Lilli and Loo is worth a visit, too. (Thanks to Ben Cappel for coming up with the "loo" angle.)
Something else that's exciting about Lilli and Loo is that it is just one of the restaurants and food enterprises in which Vanessa Phillips and her family have a hand. From talking with Vanessa's father, I understand that the family hopes to serve gluten-free customers in various NYC locations, including the Upper West Side. Having GFRAP restaurants there would certainly help to complement the string along the Upper East Side. CeliacChick Kelly has been covering some of the most recent developments.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
