Gluten in hair products?

oh so it seems in my absence I have found something out. Something strange and rather annoying.

I've just moved up to LA for six weeks to work on my internship with Sony Pictures Entertainment TV under the VP of Media relations and Promotion. (phew! that's a lot to say) I have to find some nice "work" clothes so I went to the Glendale Galleria with my friend. After spending too much money on clothes I decide to walk into the Aveda store because I need some new hair product for my curly side. I stroll in and the sales woman offers me some tea (it was DELICIOUS) and asks how she can help me. I tell her i'm looking for something to help with my curls and she leads me to the correct section. She then begins to tell me about their best selling product




















Be Curly Enhancer.

She tells me how wonderfully it works because of this little extra ingredient.

Oh? "what could that be?" I ponder.

Wheat Protein

the moment she says the words, my face drops. I let her continue her spiel and then politely inform her I am "Allergic" to wheat. i didn't really feel like explaining the whole gluten thing

Her face then drops as she informs me that pretty much everyone of their curly products contains that wheat protein. when I say pretty much, i really mean every product.

Granted, I'm not sure if this means it has gluten in it, but i've trained myself to head for the hills when I see the word wheat.

stupid oats and wheat. they ruin every good beauty product!!

Over it.

I'm so over school. So over essays. So over it!












hahah so i typed in "frustrated" into google image search and this came
up. Why do we throw our hands in the air and make squinty faces when we
are frustrated? Does it make life better, easier? Nope. It's just
something we do out of habit and because we are a species of imitation.
We see someone do something to express an emotion, and we follow in suite.


yea, this has nothing to do with gluten.

attn: Orange County

For some reason, I never thought to google gluten-free restaurants in orange county. I mean, I google everything else. OK! i'll admit it....i've googled people. Is that creepy? maybe.

regardless of my creepiness... I found one restaurant/pub that serves gluten-free food and even a place in Disneyland.

I'll just do a little list for your info. If anyone knows of any others (aside from Outback Steakhouse and PF Changs) let me know!

Orange County GF Eateries

1. Skosh Monahans- This is a restaurant by day and pub by night. The owner's child was diagnosed with autism in 2002 and is on a gluten-free diet. They offer a great gluten/casein free menu for kids and adults alike, including pizza.
(949) 548-0099 Location: Costa Mesa














2. Z' Tejas- This is a small chain, but I had no idea it offered a GF menu. The menu is basically TexMex and being from Texas...I know good TexMex. Funny thing is I've always liked Z' Tejas and it's nice to know they offer a GF menu. The menu can be found on their website. ztejas.com
(714) 979-7469 Location: Costa Mesa @ South Cost Plaza

















3. Storyteller's Cafe- Located at Disneyland's Grand California Hotel, this is the perfect place if you are on a vacation at the Happiest Place on earth (aside from Disneyworld...and Eurodisney, of course). They offer gluten-free items such as pizza, hamburger buns (finally a hamburger non-protein style!), and apparently GF breakfast items as well.
714-781-3463 Location:Disneyland i.e. Anahiem

This next one i'm not sure about, but a friend told me they offer gluten-free items along with Vegan items.













4. Native Foods- It's pretty much a vegan restaurant. All natural. GF and Vegan often go hand in hand.
(714) 751-2151 Location: Costa Mesa @ The Camp


I have yet to actually try any of these places. I'm poor. I have no car. I pretty much eat chicken and vegetables with hummus every day. What do you want from me! I'll have a car/kitchen/money soon. Ok I lie, I'll never have money. Eventually I'll test these places out and give relay my utterly brilliant culinary critic. It seems to me that Costa Mesa is on the ball in regards to their GF restaurants. The rest of Orange County is kind of failing. FAILING Orange County, hear that??

Make your request

Since the Ralphs here in Orange located off of Chapman Ave near the CA-22 doesn't offer gluten-free products, I thought I would check out their website to see what they have to offer.

I mosey on down to ralphs.com and work my way through a bunch of nothing to find the Search section under special orders. I type in Gluten-free. Up pops a listing of Bob's Red Mill products, some McCormick's meatloaf/seasonings mix, and my favorite Tumaro's Tortillas.

Ok FIRST of all, three things? I mean really now, a huge supermarket only offers three things that are "gluten free" on their ONLINE purchasing section?

Second of all, McCormicks and Tumaros are NOT gluten free! I went to their websites to check and Tumaros Tortillas are clearly made of wheat flour and McCormicks warns that they cannot declare any of their seasonings as gluten free.

Not Only is Ralphs failing to deliver GF products. They are LYING!
They say you can special request items by listing the product brand and name of product with a description, but they don't guarantee they will get it.

I'm not asking Ralphs to stock shelf after shelf of gluten-free product, that's why there is Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and smaller health food stores. I'm just asking for some basics, and for them to not lie.











for: Ralphs
love: Me


--------------
----------------
Todays Recipe

Crépes w/Chicken, Asparagus & Mushrooms











Recipe and Photo Courtesy of Glutenfreeda.com


Ingredients:
For filling:
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons gf flour
1/2 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons milk
1/3 cup gf chicken stock
2 Tablespoons shallots, chopped
2 large button mushrooms, chopped
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped
1-1/2 Tablespoons dry Sherry
1/2 lb. thin asparagus, trimmed
1 teaspoon unsalted butter

For crépes:
1/2 cup gf flour
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt
Few grates of nutmeg
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

For topping:
1 large egg yolk
5 Tablespoons chilled heavy cream
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter


Directions:
For filling:
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 Tablespoons gf flour
1/2 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons milk
1/3 cup gf chicken stock
2 Tablespoons shallots, chopped
2 large button mushrooms, chopped
1 cup cooked chicken, chopped
1-1/2 Tablespoons dry Sherry
1/2 lb. thin asparagus, trimmed
1 teaspoon unsalted butter

For crépes:
1/2 cup gf flour
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Pinch of salt
Few grates of nutmeg
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

For topping:
1 large egg yolk
5 Tablespoons chilled heavy cream
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter

Serves 4

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

I think we, the gluten-free community, should work to make our supermarkets cater to us. We need gluten-free items. They need customers

Celiac in the UK

I've decided to spend my Spring Semester of 2008 studyingat Middlesex University in London, England. That is of course if I get into the program. If i don't....I can't be held responsible for what may happen ; )

Like the good little student I am, I did a little research on celiac disease and gluten-free stuff in London. I found this site
http://www.coeliac.co.uk/ (i'm not embedding because my hyperlinks don't seem to be working properly...). Like a true Brit there is an extra letter in celiac and everything. Then again, maybe it's just us Americans who are lazy and took out that little "o". Edit: As it turns out, cOeliac is a completely legitimate way to spell it in both America and England. Apparently I'm just oh so uncouth and uncultured. According to the website, if you have gluten sensitivity in anyway you gotta get a prescription for gluten-free foods.










Basically it seems that England treats gluten sensitivites/Celiac disease like an actual disease. The subheading on the website even says "The charity for people with coeliac disease and dermatitis herpetiformis. ok I have NO idea what that last thing is but it has the word "herpe(s)" in it. They offer a "fundraising" section, where people can raise money to help those with celiacs. I gotta research this more so I can get the full benefit of a prescription for GF foods while in England.

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

Todays Recipe

Avocado, Shrimp & Mango Tostadas









recipe courtesy of Glutenfreeda.com


Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 pound medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
6 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 mango, peeled and diced
1 avocado, peeled and diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1/3 cup chives, finely chopped
4 corn tortillas
1 can black beans
1/4 cup gf chicken broth
2 cups romain lettuce, torn into bite size pieces
1/2 cup gf sour cream


Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a small bowl, roughly mash beans - leave some whole. Add chicken stock, stir to blend. Microwave on high for about a minute or until hot. In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add garlic; saute for 30 seconds. Add shrimp and saute for 2 minutes or until pink and opaque. Remove from pan and place in a medium bowl. Let cool for a couple of minutes. Place tortillas on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for about 8 minutes, turning halfway through, or until crisp. Meanwhile, prepare mango, avocado, jalapeño pepper and chives. Add to shrimp. Toss with lime juice. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. To assemble, place tortilla on plate, top with black beans, followed by romaine lettuce, shrimp mixture, and a dollop of sour cream.
Serves 4

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

I've slowly become addicted to corn tortilla chips. This is no bueno.

It's a Biggie

Ralphs is a part of the Kroger corporation. Who are they?








That's just a few of the supermarkets associated with the Kroger Company. With so many supermarkets reaching so many people...why can't they reach us? The consumer who needs something a little different. A little less gluten.

How is it that the Kroger company will put gluten free items in the City Market in Winterpark, CO when they can't put any in the Ralphs in Orange, CA?

The View on Celiacs

I know this aired a month or so ago, but it's still a very informative segment the View did on Celiac disease. Watch and Learn my dears.