It's Been a While...

Hey everyone! I'm sorry it's been so long... I've been crazy busy! I discovered the wonder that is Udi's Gluten-free breads and the like... Their frozen pizza crust is to DIE for. Their website can be found HERE. Also, there's this super awesom totally gluten-free deli in Randolf, MA  called All Can Eat. It's like celiac heaven! and their information can be found HERE.

On a restaurant note: Bertuccis' is doing a wonderful job with their gluten-free endeavors, making it super easy for celiacs to feel comfortable with the way the food is handled and confident in what they're eating. They even have a totally seperate gluten-free menu, which is awesome! They really are trying very hard to make sure that we can enjoy a good meal out, without worrying.

Thanks for reading!
<3 m

Oh my goodness, I have found some great and some okay gluten-free restaurants!

Hi everyone, I hope all is well in your little worlds! A couple weeks ago, I celebrated my sweet 16 with a trip to Burtons in Hingham Mass. I had heard great things about their gluten-free menu, but I was still a little skeptical. When we got to Burtons, we found a spot in a corner to wait for our table. The manager came and found us and explained the gluten-free process. He was very knowledgeable and happy to accommodate us and my "diet restrictions" and my friend Kate so nicely puts it. It seemed as though every single person who was working that night made an effort to make my experience a good one. When I opened the gluten-free menu, I initially thought it was a joke. There were SO many choices! I felt like I was ordering off the main menu! Something that really meant a lot to me, was that when they brought out the rolls for everyone else (usually when I bow out), they brought out a little plate with a gluten-free roll just for me. I felt like I was in heaven!!! It tasted like the real deal! The manager came out and had a lovely conversation with us about the gluten-free world, and how they became aware of the growing "problem" of Celiac. I ordered a pasta dish (can you believe it!?!?), and couldn't believe how good it was! They use corn flour pasta instead of rice pasta, which, in my opinion, is a LOT better. The corn flour pasta just tastes better. 


Tonight I headed out to TGI Fridays. It wasn't too special, but it wasn't bad either. I had to call ahead, and tell them I was gluten-free. When I got there, I had to pick what I wanted, and then they checked the ingredient lists and got back to me on it. It wasn't the best I've had, but in a crunch, you wouldn't hear me complaining. 


Happy Valentines Day!!!
~Maddy

Wahoo! Gluten Free Restaurant Options and Ski Lodges!

Hey everyone! Sorry I have't posted in a while, it's been really busy. So, last week I went to a Red Robin for dinner. I walked in knowing they had a menu with gluten-free options, but what I didn't know was if it was a completely different menu, modified recipes, and if it was any good. The staff was super friendly and really made it easy to be gluten-free. The manager came and talked to the table about the gluten-free process and how they fight against cross-contamination. At Red Robin, which is very unusual, they use completely different fryers for their fries, as not to cross-contaminate them. They also prepare all the food on separate surfaces. I got the Bruschetta Chicken Burger, made protein style (on lettuce instead of a bun) with white rice instead of fries. I substituted gluten-free salsa for the bruschetta salsa. It was to die for! I now can recommend Red Robin to fellow celiacs knowing that their gluten-free food is amazing, and their service to us tops. 


Over the weekend, I went snowboarding with a few of my friends. My only concern was lunch. Thanks be to God, I brought a lunch just in case. We went to Loon in Lincoln, New Hampshire. The Pemigewasset Base Camp by South Peak was where we ended up for lunch. They did have salads, although they were prepared on a contaminated surface. I ended up eating what I brought, not wanting to feel sick so far from home and without my parents. What I did not worry about was dinner. We ended up going to The Common Man, also in Lincoln. I was settling myself for a caesar salad with no crutons and no dressing, when one of my friends found a note saying that rice pasta was available as a substitute. I was overjoyed. I told the waitress about my diet restrictions, and the staff was also very cooperative. We came to a gluten-free Chicken Sautee, made with chicken, spinach, tomatoes, rice pasta, and olive oil. It was to amazingly wonderful! I hope you all are finding these diamonds in the rough as I am!


Happy Trails! ~mc

Lunch is Challenging

So today I decided that I was going to challenge myself to get a gluten-free lunch at school, which was not my brightest idea. I spent the first fifteen minutes of lunch looking for a cooler with salads in it, the hot lunch being homemade pizza. Once I found the cooler with salad in it, I spent ten minutes in line waiting to get and pay for my salad, but to my dismay, when I got to the cooler, the salads were all gone. By then lunch was over, and I ended up having a bag of doritos, possibly the most unhealthy gluten-free chips, and headed to my next class. My only solace was that there was only one more class, and then i could go home and get some food. A heads up to high school celiacs, don't rely on school lunch. It was frustrating that the school didn't have enough supply of salads. The salads were probably sitting in the cooler for days anyway. Thanks for reading! :)

Beginnings

Hi everyone! Well, no one yet. My name is Maddy, I'm 15 years old and I was just diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Celiac Disease is an inherited, autoimmune disease in which the lining of the small intestine is damaged from eating gluten and other proteins found in wheat, barley, rye, and possibly oats. The developement of this has had a pretty big impact on my life. My school does not offer gluten-free meal choices and not all grocery stores carry gluten-free foods. Every time my friends want to go out to dinner, I need to make sure it's a restaurant with a gluten-free menu. In my research about Celiac Disease, I've found a lot of medical journal type stuff, and I haven't found something I can really relate to. My hope with this blog is that I can help give others teens trying to navigate the unfamiliar waters of the beginnings of celiac disease something to relate to. I hope you all are willing to take this journey with me. :)