Gluten-Free Living Now Expo in Indianapolis, Indiana…and a GIVEAWAY!

Gluten-Free Living Now Expo

This weekend, October 13-14, 2012, the Gluten-Free Living Now Expo is going in in Carmel, Indiana.  And I couldn’t be more excited about it.  Gluten-Free expos are a great way to not only listen to speakers, gather information, sample products, meet a variety of vendors and find out about their products, and just meet others in the gluten-free community.  I live for these things and jump at the chance to attend them whenever possible.

Needless to say, I am heading up to Indianapolis this weekend specifically to attend this expo and I couldn’t be more excited about it.

The expo itself is being held at The Fountains, located at 502 E. Carmel Drive, Carmel, IN 46032.  On Saturday, the expo runs from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Come back on Sunday and enjoy the expo from 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

The expo is expecting over 70 vendors to be there, promoting their products, services, and the like.  This is a great way to find out about what companies are doing for the gluten-free community, what products are out, what local businesses are doing gluten-free (and where to find them!), and more.

Admission to the Gluten-Free Living Now Expo is only $5.00 for adults.  Children 10 and under are free of charge.  And what does this admission price get you?  A lot.   With your paid admission, you will be able to attend all lectures that are being given.  In addition, your admission fee gets you access to every vendor in attendance and whatever samples they are giving out.  Last year…the samples were awesome.  This is not to be missed.

Also going on are awesome cooking demonstrations and workshops.  According to the Gluten-Free Living Now Expo page, Pamela Giusto-Sorrells, of Pamela’s Products (one of my favorite product lines on the shelves these days!) will be making gluten-free bread in the microwave and showing those in attendance how easy it.  Gluten-free bread is something we in the gluten-free community continue to search for because we want the best tasting.  And Pamela has it.  She will show you how easy it is to make and share other recipes for sweet to savory breads.  This is not to be missed.

But she’s not the only one there for the workshops and demonstrations.  Check out the others being hosted by nutrition consultants, local restaurants/bakeries, Mrs. USA 2011, and Miss Indiana 2012, among others.  These are going to be some great workshops and demonstrations to see…so make time to sit in for them.

Some great lecture series will be going on as well regarding gluten-free living and Celiac Disease.  The featured speaker this year is Alassio Fasano, M.D., professor and director at the Center for Celiac Research, as well as the director of the Mucosal Biology Research Center.  Other speakers will be in attendance and these lecture series will definitely give some further insight into Celiac Disease and how to live a gluten-free lifestyle.  If you have questions, I guarantee you these speakers have answers.

So…if you happen to be in the vicinity this weekend…stop in at The Fountains in Carmel, Indiana and check out the Gluten-Free Living Now Expo.  With so much to check out, see and do, you will probably spend the entire day there.  And who can blame you?

Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery

Now, dear readers…the giveaway…

My dear friends at Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery have put together a little giveaway prize package that you will have the opportunity to win!

This prize pack includes:

• Samples of Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery’s new tasty Gluten-Free Tortillas
• A Rudi’s Gluten-Free T-shirt and magnet
• A tortilla warmer
• A cookbook filled with delicious gluten-free recipes

All you have to do to be entered for a chance to win is tell me in the comments below whether or not you have ever attended a gluten-free expo.  If you have…what did you enjoy most about it.

The winner will be selected at random.  Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity.

And check back after this weekend for a full report on the Gluten-Free Living Now Expo as I intend to share my experience here.

500 posts and still going strong

500 Blog Posts!

It was my blog on Sinfully Gluten Free’s Asiago Rosemary Bread that made me hit the 500 mark on my blog.  And my…how things have changed since I first started keeping this little documentation of places I eat, recipes I make, recipes I’ve tried, and products that I’ve either enjoyed…or not.

This blog began in February 2011…back when I was just a vegetarian.  My early blogs relate to that mostly and were mainly restaurants I visited (in town and out of town) and an occasional blog on a recipe.

But then…the hatchet came down.  Doctor’s orders…I was to go gluten-free.

And so, my little vegetarian blog took on a whole new aspect.  One that now focused on being a gluten-free vegetarian.  The name I gave myself “veggiefoodlover” didn’t always seem to fit now…but it was what I started out with and how people came to know my blog.  So…I keep it…for now.  It’s so fascinating to see how this blog morphed into what it is today.

Even better…I’ve loved becoming a voice in the gluten-free community.  Since going gluten-free, my blog has taken on a whole new dimension and my diet and life have totally changed.  I have been called an inspiration to the gluten-free community.  I have been able to experiment with a variety of products and taste things I never would have even thought of trying before.  I’ve been introduced to a lot of fantastic and not-so-fantastic foods, products, and companies.  I have a lot of favorites, many of which I turn to in a pinch.

What I have found through this blog is a voice for a condition that a lot of people still don’t understand.  This isn’t me going on a fad diet.  This is me doing what I needed to do to properly nourish my body and make myself feel better.  Going gluten-free has taught me a lot…as a cook and as a consumer.  And it’s a trend I hope to only continue to document and, perhaps, help others who are new to gluten-free and need a little guidance.  This wasn’t the blog I started or ever intended to keep…but this is what my blog has morphed into.

And the honest truth is…I wouldn’t change it for anything.

I am proud to be a gluten-free vegetarian blogger.  And I hope that I have many, many more blogs in my future.  For my loyal readers and any new readers who may have just found me…thank you!

And…on that note…I also want to mention that I’m going to be going through my blog and better categorizing things for the future…to make searching so much easier.  So…stay tuned for some upcoming changes.

Taking the guess work out of grocery shopping in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Gluten-Free Trading Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I never thought I would say this, but…I LOVE MILWAUKEE!

I was there last weekend for the sole purpose of running in the Rock ‘N Sole Quarter Marathon.  It was quite a haul from my Southern Indiana home, but the race sounded like so much fun.  So…my roomie and I were Milwaukee bound.

As I have learned from past travel experiences…come prepared.  That’s exactly what I did.  I packed up a reusable grocery bag with gluten-free foods and snacks to keep at our hotel…just in case there was nothing I could really eat while in Milwaukee.

Heh.  I totally pegged the city wrong.

In fact, Milwaukee is the home of the happiest place on Earth for anyone gluten-free.  And that, my friends, is a completely gluten-free grocery store.  YES!  I kid you not.  What is this oasis of gluten-free goodies called?

The Gluten-Free Trading Company.

Gluten-Free Trading Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

And it is located on South Chase Avenue in Milwaukee.  Incidentally, they have another store located in Pewaukee, Wisconsin as well.  Who would have thought Wisconsin would be a hub to embrace a gluten-free lifestyle.  Mind boggling…but true.

I think I might have squeed aloud when I walked into the doors of the Gluten-Free Trading Company.  Why?  Because this little shop has aisles and shelves and freezers and fridges that hold only gluten-free goods.  This means the guess work is taken out of it.  I didn’t have to sit there going…”well, it doesn’t contain gluten, but it shares equipment with products that have wheat…so…” (Yes…those always go on the shelf.  I’ll pay extra for the peace of mind of knowing that something is absolutely gluten-free).  I literally could go in there with a basket and just pile stuff in (and I just might have done that…twice…) and not have to second guess anything.  COMPLETELY 100% EVERYTHING GLUTEN-FREE!!

Pardon me while I do my happy dance of gluten-free joy.  It was like a nirvana of gluten-free awesomeness.  Seriously.  I didn’t even know where to begin as far as shopping went.  But what I did end up doing was snagging items I had  never seen where I live to try out.  Oh, I was one happy girl in that little grocery store.  So happy.  I think I was smiling like a loon the entire time as I was checking out products, deciding on what to try, and telling myself I could not buy one of everything…as much as I wanted to.

I went slightly over my budget.  I admit it.  But I was just so elated that such a place existed…where I could go grocery shopping and not spend half the time staring at ingredients, allergen information, and certain key words that clue me in on whether or not I can consume it or not.  It was something I haven’t been able to do in over a year.  And I loved every moment of it.

I loved it so much that I returned the following day…very close to their closing time to grab a few more things.  I was leaving to head home the following morning, so it was my last chance.  I was good and kept myself to a limited number of items.  Even better, I discovered that the Gluten-Free Trading Company also ships.  SO…if there is something I got that I love and still can’t get anywhere around here…they can get it to me.  Let the second happy dance of joy commence.

Check out their Web site:  Gluten-Free Trading Company

And if Milwaukee wasn’t already winning me over with the restaurants aplenty that do gluten-free foods (see previous blogs), the fact that they have TWO such places that do just gluten-free stuff is astounding.  I wanted to get over to A Gluten-Free Frenzy, which is a grocery store and café in Milwaukee, but they had closed by the time we made our way over there.  So…something to check out the next time.  From the Web site, I might just have to get a snack while visiting there too.

Milwaukee…you really surprised me.  Between being able to safely eat dinner somewhere and have an appetizer, entree, and dessert, and being able to grocery shop in not just one, but two places completely dedicated to gluten-free foods…it just won my heart.  I love you.

And I hope to come back and visit soon.

Now…what would it take to get a place like this near where I live, right?

*wistful sigh*

My haul from the Gluten-Free Trading Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Praise of Celestial proportions!

I love Celestial Seasonings!

It’s not every day that you run across a company that really, really cares about its clientele.  Seriously.  I’ve written letters to restaurants regarding their menus (lack of options for a vegetarian with a gluten intolerance…trust me!) and have received defensive letters in return or a form letter.

That was not the case with Celestial Seasonings in Boulder, Colorado.  I visited the plant back in April when I ventured away from a convention I was attending in Denver to go see the plant.  I am a tea fiend and Celestial Seasonings is my go-to tea…because it’s available EVERYWHERE!  Before taking the tour, I had dropped into the café for a small breakfast and fell in love with some gluten-free breads that they had for sale.

As mentioned in my previous blog about my visit to Celestial Seasonings, I had e-mailed them about possibly receiving the recipes for the bread, as buying anything gluten-free out in Indiana is not only expensive, it’s practically impossible.  (Seriously, grocery store sections are usually very small and most don’t even carry Udi’s bread!).

I received a message back from their Consumer Relations saying that they stumbled upon my blog and have been trying to locate the recipe for me, but currently haven’t been able to track it down.  And they apologized for the time it took to get back to me.  Needless to say, I was already impressed.  One weeks later, I received another e-mail back from a different person in Consumer Relations, this time telling me that the gluten-free breads are actually brought into the café and not made on site, so recipes are not available to them.  The fact that they spent all that time trying to track this down for me spoke volumes of the dedication they have to their customers.  If I was impressed before, I was now gobsmacked.

But here is the epitome of customer appreciation.  Upon returning home from work yesterday, I went to get the mail from my box and noticed an envelope in there from Celestial Seasonings in Boulder, Colorado.  Upon opening it, I found a nice letter from a Jessica, a Consumer Relations Representative.  This was no form letter either.  It was typed out addressing not only their delay in getting back to me, but voicing their appreciation of my patience.  But here is the kicker, folks…also inside were not only coupons for Celestial Seasonings tea and Arrowhead Mills gluten-free baking mixes…they also put in some recipes for a variety of gluten-free breads, muffins, cakes, pancakes, waffles, cookies, etc.  This goes beyond customer service.  This is ensuring customer satisfaction!

I said it to our tour guide on the tour of Celestial Seasonings, I said it to everyone back at the convention center where I was in Denver, and I’ve said it to people here where I live.  I would work for this company!!  I would love to work for Celestial Seasonings…even more so now because I have now been given ultimate customer service.  When contacting companies these days over things, normally you don’t even know if you’re going to get a person on the other end.  Celestial Seasonings is definitely run by real people.  Real people who care and who take time to not only find an answer for you, but contact you back and make sure you are satisfied with the response they give.

I’m impressed.  I’m beyond impressed.  Boulder, Colorado is such a healthy area.  The fact that gluten-free products are so readily available make me want to pack up and head out west.  Maybe one day.  But for now, I’ll remain in Indiana…and give these kindly provided recipes a whirl.

Thank you, Hain Celestial Group, for making me a bigger believer, not just in your company, but in your dedication to your customers.  I raise a mug of Sleepytime Tea in your honor.  Cheers.

I’m everything chef’s hate!

My chef hero is none other than Anthony Bourdain.  In his book, Kitchen Confidential, Bourdain speaks of his dislike of the lactose-intolerant, vegetarians, and those who order their sauce on the side.

I am all three of these things.

I am also an avid fan of Food Network…another cardinal sin in the eyes of Bourdain.  I drink in the culinary world of network TV chefs and marvel at their creations.  I don’t have cable, so the only place I get to watch these cooking shows are while I’m on the cardio machines at the gym.  I’m not kidding.

And while Bourdain is right in his disdain of this kind of chef, it just serves to make me want to get into my, albeit, tiny kitchen, and whip up something amazing for dinner.

I am not a trained chef…but I do love to cook.

Even more than that…I love to eat.

Some would think that being a vegetarian might put a limit on my “foodie” status, but it has yet to hinder me…except at chain restaurants…those little “jack-in-the-box” American cuisine, popular dinner spots like T.G.I.Fridays and Applebees…those sorts of places where the entrées are meat-centric and a vegetarian is limited to a salad (Please, no bacon! And can I get that dressing on the side?) and a bowl of tomato soup.

I’m talking about real food…from real restaurants.  Like I said, I love to eat.  And with that…I love to try new things.  Food, restaurants, desserts, cultures…you name it.  I’ll try it.

So, even though I’m one of those vegetarian foodies…I’m still a foodie.  I know what I like to eat, but I’m more than willing to give something different, yet still vegetarian, a go.

This, my friends…is my foodie adventures.  From the local cuisine to food from abroad…this is my little slice of foodie heaven.  And I’m dishing up a piece just for you…should you care to indulge in it.  I hear it goes great with hot tea (no milk!).