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Oct/Nov 2012

Features

Strength in Numbers

Youngberg’s son Tyler was allergic to peanuts, milk, eggs, soy, peas and beans and she was unsure how to best manage his many allergies. When arranging playdates for Tyler, Youngberg asked the other mothers not to serve peanuts and to have their kids wash their hands before they played with Tyler. But she was never certain how well her requests were received. Would Tyler be safe?

Team Sports and Your Child's Special Date

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When the colorful cupcakes adorned with tiny basketball players were placed before Jeremy Ardshahi and his teammates at their end-of-season celebration, the 9-year-old was amazed and enticed. Yet he knew he’d be the only player on his team who wouldn’t sink his teeth into that gooey frosting.

Are You Gluten Sensitive?

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Not long after Gretchen Frascella turned 40, a number of health problems hit. First, a mysterious rash showed up. Despite steroid treatments, it didn’t clear. Then at a routine appointment, her doctor noted she was anemic and that her thyroid was a bit sluggish.

Enzymes

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Many people with multiple food intolerances narrow their food choices over time in an attempt to control the ever-increasing number of reactions they have when they eat. Yet rather than shortening the list of allowable foods, their plan should include ways to increase their overall food tolerance. Digestive enzymes are one of the best ways to accomplish this.

Giving Thanks: Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Feast

In my family, the tradition extends beyond dinner. Every year, each member of the family participates in the Thanksgiving preparations in some way. My husband and sons set up the tables for dinner, drinks and desserts. The grandchildren make place cards and help bake pies. My daughter-in-law and best friend help me prepare food the night before and our guests carry food to the table, light candles and fill water glasses in that last mad dash before our gluten-free dinner. The preparations are as much a tradition as the meal itself.

Departments

Life Story

Jeannie Mai

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Television personality and style expert Jeannie Mai always looks impeccably dressed, embodying a classic sense of fashion and beauty that’s up-to-the-minute and uniquely her own. Mai hosts the Style Network’s popular How Do I Look? She’s also the digital fashionista for NBC’s Fashion Star and serves as the on-camera fashion expert for The Biggest Loser. A former makeup artist, Mai learned six years ago that she was gluten sensitive. Here, she talks with Living Without about fashion and her diet-related experience.

So Good

Blueberry Breakfast Cookies

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I love bright, cheery New England mornings—crisp air, deep blue sky, fluffy clouds. And I love breakfast. My ritual includes a bowl brimming with blueberries and topped with lactose-free yogurt. I sprinkle two handfuls of gluten-free cereal on top and there it is—a simple breakfast, my favorite. Can a morning get better than with these gluten-free breakfast cookies?

Back to Your Roots

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From sweet beets to maligned rutabagas, these subterranean wonders are inexpensive yet rich in nutrients and flavor, making them a healthy and economical addition to your Thanksgiving feast and winter diet. Naturally gluten free and allergy friendly, they can keep you well nourished all season long.

Crazy for Gluten-Free Crackers

As a self-professed “snack-tooth” (as opposed to a sweet tooth) with a gluten intolerance, I find that typical wheat-filled appetizer spreads are hard to stomach. That’s why I go to holiday gatherings armed with a secret weapon—homemade gluten-free crackers. I bring two trays of crackers. One is for the hors d’ouevre table so I can enjoy the festivities without worrying about my gut. The second, wrapped and tied with a bow, is a homespun gift for my hosts.

Mix it Up: Gluten-Free Flour

The beauty of gluten-free baking is that it opens the door to a variety of highly nutritious and flavorful flours, like these.

House Call

Pediactric Allergies Q & A - Skin Health and Allergies, Oral Desensitization and More!

I had eczema as a child and now I’ve got food allergies and asthma. Is there anything I can do to reduce the chances that my kids will be allergic?

Research Roundup: Gluten and Schizophrenia, College and Special Diets, and More!

Researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Children’s Memorial Hospital in Chicago recently surveyed the parents of more than 38,000 U.S. children about the presence of food allergy, mapping the data by geographic location. They found kids living in urban areas have a much higher prevalence of food allergies compared to children in rural areas (9.8 versus 6.2 percent, respectively). In particular, kids in big cities had twice the odds of having peanut and shellfish allergy compared to their rural counterparts. Of note, severity of food allergy didn’t follow the same trend; reports of life-threatening reactions to food were similar across geographic locations.

Bug Busters

Most commercial bug sprays contain harsh, synthetic chemicals that can irritate those who are sensitive. Fortunately, effective insect control is possible using safer, non-toxic products.

Try it

Living Without's Favorites: Super Food

Here’s an easy way to nudge up nutrition while adding delicious flavor and texture to homemade baked goods, salads, smoothies, yogurt—whatever. Linwoods presents a finely ground mixture of organic seeds (flax, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame) and dried goji berries that’s bursting with essential Omega 3s, minerals and vitamins, including Bs, C, D and E.

Living Without's Favorites: Fruit Snacks

Looking for a sweet treat that’s safe for your child’s lunch box, as well as for Halloween handouts? Stretch Island Fruit Company has got you covered. Their allergy-friendly fruit candy comes in seven mouth-tingling flavors.

Living Without's Favorites: Knead This

Move over, play dough. Mama K’s Play Clay is gluten-free, vegan, 100 percent natural, biodegradable and packaged in re-usable and recyclable containers. This aromatic clay is designed to appeal to the senses—and to your child’s sense of fun.

Living Without's Favorites: Boost Your Baking

Are you frustrated with nutritionally depleted gluten-free flour blends? Try Flax and Whole Grain All Purpose Flour from Premium Gold Flax Products, Inc.

Read it

Living Without's Favorite Books: Go Gourmet

Check out Kafka’s cookbook, The Intolerant Gourmet: Glorious Food Without Gluten & Lactose (Artisan). Here’s gluten-free, dairy-free food at its best—300 recipes in all. Sink your teeth into flakey English Muffin...Crisp Duck with Forbidden Rice Packets…Roast Quail with Fennel. And there’s more proof in the pudding—Chocolate Marsala Pudding, that is.

Living Without's Favorite Books: Perfectly Ripe

Ripe, A Fresh, Colorful Approach to Fruits and Vegetables (Running Press) is a bold and sensual cookbook written by Cheryl Sternman Rule and beautifully photographed by Paulette Phlipot.

Living Without's Favorite Books: Mad About Muffins

Muffins make us smile. Why? They’re easy to make and they disappear quickly. Now award-winning cook Camilla V. Saulsbury capitalizes on the magic of muffins with her new cookbook, 150 Best Gluten-Free Muffin Recipes (Robert Rose). There’s a muffin for everyone in this book. From simple Fresh Apple Muffins to exotic West African Toasted Millet Muffins, you’ll find recipes that delight.

Living Without's Favorite Books: Slow Down!

Everyday Gluten-Free Slow Cooking (Sterling) by Kimberly Mayone and Kitty Broihier, RD, is a wonderful way to simplify mealtime. Packed with 140 budget-friendly recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner and entertaining, this cookbook is certain to become a well-used tool in any gluten-free household. Whether it’s Monday Night Football Chili or Chicken Fajitas, these recipes are ideal for busy households who are striving to eat healthy.

Food for Thought

Trick or Treat

There is no greater treasure hunter than the child with food allergies on Halloween.

In Every Issue

Editor's Note

Grapevine/Tender Touch

Ask the Chefs