Chefs and Restaurateurs Flunk Gluten-Free Quiz at NRA Show
Ambler, Pa. (PRWEB) May 22, 2012
Chefs and restaurateurs lack a fundamental understanding of gluten-free protocols, and it’s a threat to those with gluten-related disorders, according to the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA), the non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness and improving the lives of those of celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity.
“When most people dine out, they expect a meal that’s safe to eat. Individuals with gluten-related disorders don’t have that luxury,” said Alice Bast, founder and president of NFCA.
Earlier this month, NFCA quizzed chefs and restaurateurs on the floor of the National Restaurant Association Show, an international gathering of professionals in the foodservice industry, and the results were alarming. Many of the chefs and restaurateurs said they have gluten-free options at their restaurants, yet less than four percent of them responded correctly to four questions regarding gluten (see “Survey Questions” below). (more…)
Summer is coming and fresh vegetables — in the stores, at the farmer’s markets and in your garden — will be plentiful. It’s time for summer salads.
Try this delicious salad as a side dish or even as a main. It’s light and satisfying.
Use the ingredients list as a guide. If you don’t have peppers, use what is on hand. If you don’t like cilantro, it’s fine not to use it at all; many people don’t like it. Use any lettuce, even finely sliced cabbage. See the tip below for how to make your red onion a little mellower. Or see what’s in your fridge, open a can of black beans, defrost some corn, and you have a delicious salad great for lunch or a party. Enjoy! (more…)
Domino’s Pizza recently announced it would offer gluten-free pizza for gluten sensitive customers. Domino’s made it clear that the pizzas used a gluten-free crust, but are manufactured using the same equipment as the other gluten-containing foods and are not safe for people with celiac disease.
Domino’s worked with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA) and received the NFCA’s new, and now suspended, “Amber Designation.” This designation was to tell people that although the ingredients are gluten-free, the product cannot claim that cross contamination does not occur. The “Amber Designation” differed from the NFCA’s existing “Green Designation,” which tells the customer that the product is tested to less than 10 parts per million of gluten. “Amber” was basically a caution sign.
What Did Gluten-Free Watchdog Organizations Say?
The Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) and other organizations called for a recall of the NFCA’s “Amber Designation.”
The North American Society for the Study of Celiac Disease commented on Domino’s Pizza ‘Gluten-Free’ Crust Announcement as follows,
Both of their gluten-free options will arrive in pre-sealed, single-serve packaging and they will remain that way through preparation to be opened and served at the table by the adult in charge. This means both the pizza and the cupcake will arrive at the table free from cross contamination and ready to be enjoyed by the birthday child!
How can they do this with a pizza you ask? The cheese pizza is made by (more…)
Tacos! Drive thru beef and chicken, crunchy or soft may be our most familiar tacos – staples of a fast food diet. But if you’ve never had a fish taco, I content that you’ve never enjoyed the best taco of all. From South America, across Arizona and up to Alaska, fish tacos are routinely on restaurant menus, even at airports and most home cooks have their very own favorite versions.
Fish tacos, in all their regional variations are a culinary sensation.One you shouldn’t miss out on just because you don’t frequent these locales. They are incredibly easy to make at home.
Gluten-free tortillas are easy to find in local groceries. This makes constructing a perfectly delicious gluten-free fish taco pretty darned easy in under 30 minutes. The best fish tacos I have eaten are made with Alaskan halibut or mahi-mahi. Spicy coleslaw and fusion mayonnaise (spicy, often citrus flavored mayo) are the icing on the cake, when it comes to dressing up a fish taco.
Here’s a recipe for my version of gluten-free fish tacos, just in time for Cinco de Mayo. Add a side of homemade guacamole and pico de gallo and be prepared to enjoy. Viva tacos de (more…)
5/8/2012 9:29 PM ET (RTTNews) - Domino’s new gluten-free pizza should not be eaten by people with Celiac disease, the company said in a statement. Apparently, the first gluten-free pizza being offered by national pizza chain is designed for people with gluten sensitivity, as opposed to those with full-blown Celiac disease.
Despite the fact that the crust are gluten free, Domino’s can’t guarantee that no gluten will come into contact with the pizza, which could be dangerous for those with the gluten allergy. (more…)
May is National Celiac Disease Awareness Month, so it seems appropriate to share some medical facts about this autoimmune disease that just might shock you.
These facts come from Dr. Tom O’Bryan who is is a nationally recognized speaker and workshop leader specializing in gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. Dr. O’Bryan’s specialty is in teaching the many manifestations of gluten sensitivity and celiac disease as they occur inside and outside of the (more…)
AllergyEats, The Most Comprehensive Source for Finding Allergy-Friendly Restaurants,
Offers Free Peer-Based Ratings, Tips & Info-Sharing Forums BOSTON, MA (March 19, 2012) – Millions of people will travel this season for spring break, school vacation and the Easter/Passover holidays, and for most of them, these trips mean fun, relaxation and wonderful adventures. But for the 15 million people with food allergies (and their families), traveling can be a source of tremendous anxiety. Dining in unfamiliar cities and restaurants – which may or may not be able to accommodate their special dietary requirements – can be extremely stressful. Worrying about a possible allergic reaction compounds the problem. But the food allergy community can depend on AllergyEats (www.allergyeats.com), the biggest and fastest growing source for finding allergy-friendly restaurants, to help them more comfortably dine out wherever they are – resulting in a more enjoyable, less stressful trip.
“I’ve traveled extensively with my children – who are allergic to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, sesame and dairy - and have learned (more…)