Giveaway: Glutino Corn Bread Stuffing

A fun, new giveaway!

Who doesn't like free stuff, and really...who doesn't like stuffing...especially corn bread stuffing! It doesn't need to be a holiday, stuffing can be a fun side anytime. Gosh, I could probably eat an entire bowl of it for lunch, or who am I kidding, I could eat an entire bowl just because any time of the day, any time of the year.

So, when Glutino sent me a box of their gluten-free corn bread to sample, I made it immediately.  The stuffing is already formed into bread crumbs, and includes all of the herbs and seasonings needed. All you need to add is oil, onion, celery, broth and 2 eggs.  I served it as a side with our dinner and gravy, it has a great homemade flavor, and was hit with my family

Corn bread stuffing makes a perfect side for the holidays, especially when you don't have time to make corn bread from scratch. This is a quick and tasty solution, and you can easily serve this to your friends and family that don't eat gluten-free, and I bet they won't know the difference.

This also makes a great solution if you are traveling for the holidays, or spending the holidays at someone's who is not gluten-free, and you want to be able to prepare something away from home without making a mess or needing many ingredients, or having to look for gluten-free flours in a place where you are not familiar.

The stuffing is only available seasonally, so supplies are limited, and is available anywhere Glutino is sold.

Glutino and I would love to give 2 winners a box of their very own cornbread stuffing to try.

Please leave a comment below and tell about your favorite side at Thanksgiving.  Also, and very important, please leave your email (this is important, otherwise, I an unable to contact you and let you know that you won).

This giveaway will be open until Friday, November 8th, and I will draw 2 random winners and announce them that night.

Good luck!

Giveaway: Vanilla Chex

I have to admit, I do like to indulge in Chex cereal every now and then, for breakfast, as a snack or even dessert at the end of the day.  And if not to eat in a bowl with milk, then I love make Chex mix, like Reindeer Chow during the holidays.  Sometimes I will even use the Rice or Corn Chex in place of bread crumbs in savory dishes.

General Mills recently introduced the newest flavor of Chex cereal, Vanilla, to their gang of gluten-free Chex cereals*.  I have to admit, while most people are fans of chocolate, I love me some vanilla!  Hot chocolate, egg creams, ice cream....I always go for vanilla!

And you should too!  Vanilla Chex are now available on grocery store shelves nationwide.  And to make it a little bit easier and sweeter, General Mills sent me some coupons for a free boxes of cereal to pass onto others.

Just respond here with your favorite gluten-free snack ideas, and I will choose 3 names to receive 2 coupons each on Wednesday, August 28th.  That gives you one week to give me your favorite snack ideas!

*Gluten-free Chex cereals include: Rice Chex, Corn Chex, Honey Nut Chex, Chocolate Chex, Cinnamon Chex and Apple Cinnamon Chex.

Dunkin' Donuts gluten-free options, yay or nay?

Earlier this year Dunkin' Donuts announced it would be testing some gluten-free products in a few of it's stores, and now it looks as if by the end of the year, we can expect to see them nationwide at their stores.  They will be offering gluten-free cinnamon sugar donuts and gluten-free blueberry muffins that are baked in a dedicated facility and individually packaged to avoid cross-contamination.

After reading Gluten Dude's post this morning, I am in full agreement... I just don't see this as exciting, at least not to me personally. I get it, there are people out there jumping for joy, and I can see how it would be great for special occasions, or for children who are no longer told they can't eat anything there when other kids are able to indulge.  Or when your child is at a birthday party watching all of the other kids enjoying donuts.  Sure, the donuts may not be warm and freshly baked, but they are something.

But will you eat them?

I won't.

Maybe, when I was first diagnosed, I would have been in the excited club,  and ran over to Dunkin' Donuts to try one, but not now.  Mainly, I didn't go to Dunkin' Donuts before I was diagnosed with celiac, so why would I go now?  I don't need to be adding something packed with calories, and non-pronounceable ingredients which I wasn't eating in the first place.

And, let's talk a little bit about the calories.... gluten-free items are often higher in fat and sugar so that they can keep up with the gluten-filled counterparts in taste and texture, and this is definitely true with the Dunkin' Donuts offerings.  The cinnamon sugar donut will be packed full with 320 calories, which is more than their gluten-filled glazed donuts (260 calories)!  Their blueberry muffin will contain 400 calories!  I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like a deal for me.  That's a meal's worth or non-nutritious calories.

I have read several announcements online about this new introduction to the gluten-free world, and what gets me, is when the media makes Dunkin' Donuts out to be offering healthier options.  This is misleading.  Call it what it is...yes, they are providing options for those who are gluten-free, and kudos for that!  But, this is not a healthier option.  These items are still packed full of sugar, fats and non-pronounceable ingredients, so they can stay "fresh" in their plastic packaging.

The most important thing to realize is that, yes, celebrities might be touting the gluten-free "diet" as a way to loose weight.  The new gluten-free donut and muffin at Dunkin' Donuts will not help you loose weight like a celebrity, or even a non-celebrity for that matter.

Is it nice to have a gluten-free alternative when everyone else at the office or a birthday party is able to dig into that warm, jelly-filled donut...sure it is!  I am not denying that one bit.  But, if you weren't going to eat it before, why would you eat it now.

What are your thoughts on Dunkin' Donuts new gluten-free menu items?  Yay, or nay?

Udi's introduces.......COOKIES!!

Oh yeah....look at the latest and greatest from Udi's!! I know, this doesn't exactly jive with my desire to loose weight, but is nice to see more items available for the gluten-free community. Yes, I did taste them, I had to review them, but next time, I am going to resist.

I found this nifty display at my local Kroger in the deli section, complete with Udi's breads, pizza crusts, bagels, muffins, granola and cookies in chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and snickerdoodle. Kroger is rolling out this display nationwide, so keep your eye peeled.

To read more about, read my review here.

More gluten-free deliciousness from Udi's!

I have it on good authority that Udi's is going to release more gluten-free deliciousness in the near future. As many people already know, Udi's is one of the top gluten-free brands out there. Their bread is outstanding, and even the pickiest gluten-able eater would inhale a peanut butter and jelly or grilled cheese on Udi's gluten-free bread before they could refuse it. The day I discovered their bread, I never looked back and have been a faithful fan. You can take it right out of the package and eat it straight away with no heating. My daughter's daily school lunch sandwiches are made with Udi's and she can eat gluten!

Sometimes just for fun, when I have gluten-able friends over, I will just hand them a slice of bread out of the package to see their reaction, and they have all been amazed.

Not only does Udi's create fabulous gluten-free bread, but they also sell other equally amazing gluten-free products such as four different varieties of granola, blueberry muffins, lemon streusel muffins, double chocolate muffins, pizza crusts, bagels and cinnamon rolls.

And the best part, they are coming out with more! On their list, these are some of the new items we will see:

• Hamburger buns, hot dog buns, dinner rolls
• New muffins, including bran muffins
• Cinnamon raisin and whole grain bagels
• A new bread

To hear more about their new releases and Udi's as a company, check out this video by Gluten Free Angel, with Udi's founder, Etai Bar-on and marketing director, Heather Collins.

They have not announced a launch date, but I have a feeling it will be worth the wait!

GFIW: Swedish Fish, April 27

Swedish Fish...enough said.

Because sometimes you need something that has no redeeming health value, yet it is gluten-free and will satisfy a sweet craving. I like to keep these in my purse at all times...well, until I find Z takes them and hides them in her room to have a Swedish Fish extravaganza for one.

Enjoy a fish or 5!

Gluten-free product news: gluten-free Bisquick, Tribe hummus, and more...

General Mills is going to be debuting their new gluten-free Bisquick and Hamburger Helper at this year's Annual Celiac Disease Foundation Conference in LA on Saturday May 5th.

Now, while I will admit, I never would have eaten Bisquick before, nor hamburger Helper I still think this is exciting news for the gluten-free community! Not only does it show that a major company is spreading awareness, but it is providing something to the growing gluten-free population. This feels like a huge win, and hopefully other companies and even restaurants will follow suit, and mean that it will be readily available.

To read more about the Bisquick coup, read my article I wrote for Celiac-Disease.com here.

Secondly, yesterday I was craving hummus, but not near a Trader Joe's where I usually buy my hummus. TJ's hummus is so yummy! Anyway, my fall back has always been hummus by Tribe, yet when I went to pick some up I noticed the 'gluten-free' label is gone! (as seen below) I am thinking, why would a company take off a label to promote it is gluten free especially in a time when 'gluten-free' is a huge buzzword. And when the label comes off, it makes me think something is going on in the production that is not making it gluten-free anymore. And the last thing i want to do is to make myself sick.

So, while I am standing in the store, I take out my trusty iPhone and look up the web site, and on the web site it states it is dairy-free, soy-free, vegan and even kosher, but nothing about gluten. Hmmm..... It is a Saturday, so I can't call the company, which I have done many times while standing the grocery stores aisles. So, I buy it anyway, and will find out the answer at home. I sent the question out on Twitter and to the celiac listserv to see if anyone can help me. I received a couple of responses of people who said they eat it with no problem and they are usually very sensitive, and best of all, fellow gluten-free blogger Adventures of a Gluten Free Mom had the same question just a few weeks ago, and received reassurance from Tribe that it is the same recipe, they just changed their packaging. Why?? Who knows. But you can read more about it and see their response from Tribe here. I think I am going to indulge in my hummus as my afternoon snack today with some fresh cut bell pepper.

Happy Snacking!

Udi's Gluten-Free Double Chocolate Muffins

Because these are so sinfully delicious, and I want to shout it from the rooftops and play it from a boombox á la Say Anything, I have to put a link to my review here too!

Tomorrow, it will be breakfast with Udi's bagels with smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers...mmm...can't wait!! After a very long walk, of course.

Red lentil saga, part 3

**Update 4/16**

My response from Bob's Red Mill marketing director, Matt Cox:

Dear Anne,

Regarding this problem with grains in the lentils, I hope you know how sorry we are for the experience you had with our product. We pride ourselves with our very high standards for purity but this one just slipped through our fingers.

We’ve done some serious sleuthing to find the root cause of these stowaway grains in our lentils and here’s what we found. The farmer that grows our lentils, rotates his crops every third year with wheat, which is what we determined to be the sort of grains you sent for our inspection. No matter how meticulous the farmer may be in purging the field of wheat at harvest, some errant seeds invariably remain. During the following year when lentils are planted, a few sprouts of wheat pop up along with the lentils. They all get harvested, dried and cleaned together. Screens are used to purify the lentils from sticks and rocks from the farm but wheat is so similar in size to lentils, they both end up in the final product.

With the root cause discovered, you’ll be happy know that the farmer has installed an additional piece of quality control equipment that ensure that customers only receive lentils in their bag. The high tech machine is a color sorting device that uses an electronic eye to detect variations in color. The machine is calibrated to allow only the hue of lentils, so anything lighter or darker—like wheat—gets blown off the conveyor with a sharp blast of air.

There may be a few remaining bags on store shelves that have here-and-there kernels of wheat, but once those are gone you’ll see consistently clean and pure lentils. Thank you so much fur alerting us to this. We wouldn’t have had such valuable insight without you. If you have any additional questions or concerns, I would be pleased to help you.

Sincerely,

Matthew Cox

Marketing Director

Bob's Red Mill Natural Foods, Inc.

Thoughts? I am extremely pleased that they took this matter seriously. I never would have guessed those mystery grains were actually wheat! I did have a feeling it must have come from the harvesting side of it.

Will you trust this machinery that can be alerted and then discard the non-lentil grain?

**Update**

I have been looking at pictures of barley all day, and now I am thinking it could also be oat groats. Even if it is oat groats, the possibility of a glutening is still the same. I just wanted to clarify, that it may be this. Hope we will get the answers soon.

**Update**

Thankfully Bob's Red Mill saw my post on Twitter and the VP of Operations contacted me and seemed very concerned. I am definitely impressed by their quick action.

I am sending them the barley grains I picked out of the replacement bag that was sent to me back in February. Let me tell you, it was no fun to go through it, but with a quick inspection, I picked out 14 grains.

As I mentioned below, when I was at the store the other day, just for fun, I looked at all of the red lentil packages, and could see barley throughout.

Now, if these do not look like barley, please let me know before I make a complete idiot of myself:

I will keep you updated as I receive any information. Wouldn't it be great if they could produce their beans and lentils in their gluten-free facility, so we could know they were 100% safe.

-----------------------------------------

I know, I know...I can't stop talking about the barley I found in Bob's Red Mill red lentils here and here. I am sure I sound like a broken record and everyone reading this is rolling their eyes at me, and I truly do admire Bob's Red Mill and all they have done for the gluten-free community, especially their recent introduction of gluten-free oat flour. And yes, I realize that their beans are not labeled gluten-free, but I think a lot of celiacs would take it for granted that they are gluten-free, but their red lentils are not. And I am just not willing to take the chance by picking out the barley bits.

While I was at my local grocery store today, I decided to look through all the packages of BRM red lentils I could find, and every single one of them had visible barley in it. I have not noticed the same with their other beans, but I am surely staying away from the red lentils.

I wish Bob's Red Mill would make gluten-free beans to go along with the rest of their impressive line of gluten-free products, but until then, I will have to purchase beans from Arrowhead Mills, who list their beans as gluten-free.

Maybe if enough people ask for them to make gluten-free beans we can make an influence.

Interview with stage manager Jolly Roger and living gluten-free

Recently I had the opportunity to speak with the extremely well-traveled and talented stage manager Jolly Roger, who has toured with everyone from KISS to Ministry. Not only is he a very busy at his career, but he also has celiac and must follow a strict gluten-free diet. He was able to spend some time with me and tell me a little bit about how he discovered he has celiac, and how it impacts his busy lifestyle.

How did you get into the music industry?

I always loved music, I can remember being 16, living in New York City, and reading about The Beatles’ first trip to America, in Parade magazine, so I waited at the airport for them to arrive and then when I saw them I thought they were punks with their short hair, and didn’t listen to them until the White Album. I was more into the Rolling Stones, I was going to see the Stones play when there were only seven guys on tour with them.

I always wanted to be in rock ‘n roll and in 1972 I got into the business full-time in NYC. Later I moved to Madison, WI and my first big tour was with Cheap Trick for three years and about 1,000 shows.

Since then I have worked with Cheap Trick, Kansas, Styx, Ozzy Osbourne, The Cure, Pixies, KMFDM, Ministry, Los Lobos, The BoDeans, The Smithereens, and many more that I know I am forgetting.

What do you do now?

I have worked with Jam Productions for 30 years. I have worked as crew, head electrician, rigger and lighting design. I have designed the lights at the Metro, the Vic, Park West, and the Riviera.

I have an electronic background from Vietnam, then I became really interested in lighting design and just learned as I went along, lighting is very subjective.

When did you first realize you had a problem with gluten?

My symptoms first started seven years ago at the age 55. I believe it affected me a long, long time, but I didn’t realize I was feeling different than I was supposed to be. I would drink lots of beer and eat lots of bread. I would do things in excess, clean up, do things in excess again. Someone once gave me a dozen Krispy Kreme donuts, I ate the whole thing and I was sick for days.

Working with Cheap Trick from 2002-2004, I thought I had colon cancer, or something really bad, my brother told me he was lactose intolerant, and as I was drinking milk and eating cheese daily, I cut out dairy and felt better. But in 2-3 weeks I started feeling bad again. A friend told me about celiac disease, so I quit eating gluten, and now it is all good.

I bought The Gluten-Free Bible when I came across it at Whole Foods, and learned that lactose intolerance can be brought on by gluten-intolerance. So now I continue to stay away from dairy. I dropped 175 pounds after I cut out gluten and dairy.

My daughter Val Capone (her roller derby name), on the Manic Attackers with the Windy City Rollers, also has celiac, in addition to her Crohn’s disease. My other daughter Justine, who just received her PhD in chemistry from Northwestern, has so signs of the disease.

How did you handle it, before realizing you had celiac, when you didn’t feel well?

I would only eat graham crackers for a while, which I later discovered fed it all. Then I went on a pure meat diet, which helped.

Have you been diagnosed by a doctor?

No, because I know what makes me feel better, plus I am not big on doctors. In the rock ‘n roll business, you have eight months of the year where you can afford to pay premiums for insurance and have money coming in, but for the other four months it is not always possible. Some bands provide healthcare if you start and stay with them for a while, but most music people don’t have healthcare.

What do you miss most about being able to eat gluten?

I miss White Castle, but if I eat it, it will bother me for days.

Do you feel caterers, on tour, are more aware these days with the gluten-free diet?

Caterers are becoming more aware, some are better than others.

What do you do when you travel internationally?

I stopped touring internationally before I was diagnosed, so I am lucky that way. When I did tour, I traveled to 49 states and 38 countries. My favorite countries are Australia and Canada.

What snacks do you make sure you have on hand during your busy work days?

I like Glutino apple and blueberry bars and Stonyfield O’Soy yogurt. I also like Vienna beef hotdogs and Wellshire hot dogs with corn tortillas and Dinty Moore beef stew.

What do you drink when you want a real drink?

I drink red wine, whiskey and Red Bridge beer.

Where do you like to eat out in Chicago?

Cy’s Crab House, Da Luciano, Sushi Luxe, Coobah, and Gage. I order meat with no garnish and plain baked potatoes. I also get pizza delivered from Marcello’s.

What do you do at formal dinners or family gatherings?

If at a function with a buffet, I will bring my own food, because even if I see something I like that seems safe and have a small bit, I will get sick. Or I will say I am not hungry and say ‘thanks anyway’.

At family gatherings, I will spend time in the kitchen with my gluten-free beer.

And last question, how did you get the name Jolly Roger?

I was given the name Jolly in the 9^th grade for being tall like the Jolly Green Giant, I am 6’8”. While touring with KISS in 1976 Gene Simmons told me I needed a second name, he told me that I was a nice fella, but not cool enough to carry one name, so he gave me the second name, Roger, and since then I have been going by Jolly Roger.

Jolly can currently be seen working gigs at venues around Chicago, and recently worked Air, Stone Temple Pilots, Spoon, Vampire Weekend, Matt Kearney and will be working this weekend’s much anticipated Atoms for Peace (Radiohead’s Thome Yorke’s side project).

Interview with entertainment journalist Monika Agorelius and living gluten-free

Monika Agorelius, a close friend and a Swedish-born journalist, director and producer at CloseUp Productions, which is a media production company based in England and France, is living with both celiac and Crohn’s disease. Not only does she have celiac, but she has two obstacles to navigate through with her busy schedule. Monika travels a lot for her work and has learned to ask for gluten free foods in several languages. I was lucky to have the chance to speak with her about living gluten free, and she shares her top three to-go snacks and in which country you get the best cinnamon buns.

How long ago were you diagnosed with celiac and Crohn's, what led you to get tested?

I was diagnosed with Chron's at the age of 24. About ten years later I started getting a different kind of belly ache, but still thought it was caused by the Chron's. I was not on any regular medication of any kind and I continued eating my normal healthy diet, which included wheat products. One day over lunch a TV producer colleague told me about her food allergies and she described the symptoms of celiac. 'This sounds familiar', I thought, so I went to the doctor for a blood test and soon discovered that I was also celiac.

What foods other than gluten, must you avoid?

In order to keep off medication, I've gradually, over the years learned which foods make me feel healthy and what to stay away from. This includes alcohol, greasy deep fried foods, processed foods, anything with ingredient lists and additives a mile long, anything with MSG (monosodium glutamate), artificial sugar replacements such as aspartame, and spicy foods. At times I don't cope very well with raw salads and milk products but most of the time it's okay.

Did you find all of this to be an obstacle to your busy lifestyle and career?

Yes! But after a while you learn what's good for you and if eating the right things makes you feel better than it's worth the extra effort.

How did you handle the early months after your diagnosis and the restrictions of your new diet, especially when working away on film sets?

It was hard at first to recognize all the food products that do contain gluten. It took me a while to learn that soy sauce has wheat in it, for instance.

Were/are you 100% compliant with the gluten-free diet? Are you very sensitive if you come in contact with gluten?

I know a few times when I've been feeling really awful and asking myself 'why now, did I eat something that's triggered this?' So I go back and read the small print on the packaging and usually find that there's some barley or wheat in the product. I may well be able to handle a bit of gluten on occasion, but I'm not going to eat a baguette just to check if I'm going to be sick or not. The pain is not worth it.

How do you handle your diet when travelling, or where you live in the French countryside, especially when there is a language barrier?

My French is not great, but one thing I learned quickly was to ask 'do you have anything without gluten please?' Which, unfortunately, they don't most of the time. Most supermarkets in the part of Normandy, where I live, offer rice cakes and sometimes gluten free cornflakes. Health food shops are better, they have a decent variety of gluten free products.

What about in England?

It's getting better and better all the time in the UK. Most supermarket chains, such as Tesco, Asda and Sainsbury's have big gluten free sections that are clearly marked and offer a good choice of products. My favourite range is Tesco's Free From range, their gluten free pasta is very tasty and so are their gluten free bagels and pita breads. These chains also sell the best gluten free bread, from Genius. The bread comes in white, brown and whole grain varieties, and are quite new on the market. It's the first gluten free bread I've found that is soft and does not require toasting. You can make a normal sandwich and it tastes like normal, 'gluten-full' bread!

What countries, do you feel, are the most aware of the gluten-free diet, and the easiest in which to eat?

Sweden, where I was born and brought up is the best for gluten free foods. The Swedes have a good awareness of food allergies and you find that supermarket staff, waiters and chefs in restaurants are well educated concerning food allergies. You can stay in a hotel and ask the breakfast waitress for gluten-free bread and they'll bring you a selection of breads and margarine that hasn't been in contact with knives containing breadcrumbs from bread containing gluten. It's a real treat. There are some really nice gluten free products in Sweden. Sempe makes lovely gluten free crisp breads, biscuits and pasta, and Fria make the nicest breads, my favorite is their poppy seed rolls and their Swedish style sweet cinnamon bun as well as the oat loaf.

When you are on film sets how to do handle your food restrictions and the craft services table? Do you arrange it ahead of time?

It depends. If I'm only on a particular set for a day or two I'll bring my own bread and some fruit, as back-up in case there isn't anything on the menu I can eat. If I'm on a job for a longer period of time I'll ask the caterer and they're always happy to help.

Have you found that awareness has increased since you were first diagnosed?

Yes, very much so. I think gluten intolerance is more common now than it used to be, and the awareness is getting bigger.

What reactions do you get from people when you tell them you have celiac?

It varies. Many people have no idea what celiac means, so you tell them 'it means that I have an allergy to gluten'. I've been in situations where someone has made a lovely cake and you have to turn it down and explain 'sorry, I’d love to eat it, but I can’t, I'm allergic to gluten' and they say 'but you can have a small slice, can't you?' and they look so disappointed, and then you feel really guilty. Those situations are awkward, but I then try to make a joke of it 'all the more cake for everyone else', kind of thing. I've also been in situations were someone reacts as if I've been struck with a nasty terminal disease, and do a sympathetic tilt of the head, nodding in concern and saying 'I'm so, so sorry to hear about your tragedy, I hope you get better soon'. It's unfortunate that an intolerance like celiac doesn't just go away, but it's possible to learn to live with it. It’s not life threatening, and with an increasing awareness living a life without gluten gets easier and easier every day.

What are some "go-to" snacks that you carry with you when you are on set or just out and about?

A banana, bottle of still water and a homemade gluten free sandwich, made with Genius bread and cheddar cheese.

To read more of my interviews with fascinating people living gluten-free, go here.

The red lentil saga continues

This is a follow-up to this post.

Bob's Red Mill said they would send me a replacement package of red lentils to replace my barley infused one. I was hoping that the package I had was a fluke, and I could start using their red lentils regularly once again. But guess what? The new package of red lentils..without even opening it, I could see barley in it! Argh!

So, while I am a huge fan of Bob's Red Mill products, especially their products labeled gluten-free, I have given up on their red lentils for now. Instead, I went to the store and bought red lentils from Arrowhead Mills, which have them listed as gluten-free on their web site.

Such a disappointment.

What I found in my red lentils!

**updated with call to Bob's Red Mill**

I spoke with customer service this morning. Their response was that their beans are not processed in their gluten-free facility and run on equipment that will process wheat and barely on an "as needed" basis. There is no schedule. The process includes cleaning lines in between runs and then discarding the first 30 lbs processed to use as feed, but not to be sold in retail. Hmm...well, that process didn't work with my bag of red lentils! They said they record all complaints, so if you have found unwanted gluten in your Bob's Red Mill dried beans, call them at 800.349.2173.

Original post --

I use red lentils on a weekly basis, I love them! And being a vegetarian 99.9% of the time I rely on my beans. So when I found several of these in my Bob's Red Mill red lentils Saturday night, I was extremely disappointed. I was all ready to make veggie tacos, and had to scratch that whole idea and move to plan b.

I have never seen this in my beans before, but have read about it happening to other people. At first I wasn't even sure what it was, so I took this photo. But a visit yesterday to Whole Foods looking at the dried beans confirmed this is indeed an offending grain of barely. And there was more where that one grain came from.

I was so hungry, I was about to just eat the lentils anyway, but then I used the rational part of my brain and decided that was not a good idea at all. I ended up buying some organic lentils from Whole Foods yesterday, but I did not see red lentils there...my favorite.

I am actually going to be driving past the Gluten-Free Trading Company today, so I thought I would check and see if they sell any, otherwise....I need to find a reliable brand.

2 new gluten-free cereals by Nature's Path!

Next month, Nature's Path will be introducing two new gluten-free cereals to their family of gluten-free foods. Crunchy Maple Sunrise and Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise.

These two new exciting organic cereals are an excellent source of whole grain, fiber and omega-3. They are made with organic corn, rice, flax, quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth.

I have had the opportunity to taste both and was thoroughly impressed by the flavor and texture. Not only have I enjoyed them with milk as my morning cereal, but I have also enjoyed them as an afternoon snack with greek yogurt and blueberries. And it felt great knowing I was eating a well-balanced meal.

These two new cereals will begin arriving at retailers the week of September 13th.