Celiac Safe Eats in Seattle

When my daughter was accepted to the University of Washington, I knew I needed to find places nearby where we could eat safely.  Gluten Free Mom got us started on the right track with Razzi’s Pizzeria (see below), and I’m happy to have discovered several additional places.

Because neither my daughter nor I have very noticeable symptoms after eating gluten, I have to preface this post with a disclaimer: Always do your due diligence before eating out. Ask questions, trust your instincts, and don’t eat anywhere you aren’t comfortable. But then, you already know that. 🙂 Please let me know if you find any issues with any of the restaurants on this list. And now, on to the list!  Continue reading

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Celiac Awareness Month: #60ForCeliac

Invisible Illness Campaign_Beyond Celiac logoI’m excited to be part of Beyond Celiac’s Blogger Force for Celiac Awareness Month in 2016!

This year Beyond Celiac (formerly the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness) is highlighting the invisible aspects of celiac disease with the goal of showing the world that celiac disease disrupts more of our lives than just what we eat.

See how many times you can relate to the questions in this 60-second video, and consider sharing it to raise awareness of celiac disease. (Use the hashtag #60ForCeliac.)

Follow @CeliacSafeEats (and the other Beyond Celiac bloggers) on Twitter for more information about celiac , Celiac Awareness Month, and gluten-free dining.

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CDF Expo and Conference: Where to eat?

This will be my first time attending the Celiac Disease Foundation National Conference and Expo. The conference is in Pasadena, CA, home of the Rose Bowl (Go, Bruins! But I digress…)

Breakfast and lunch on Saturday (gluten free, of course) is taken care of as part of the conference, which leaves several other meals to round out the weekend. Although I’m bringing food with me, I would really like to find safe, good restaurants for dinner on Saturday and lunch on Sunday.

I did my usual research using Yelp reviews and came up with a few (insert your favorite sad emoji here) possible choices within a 20 minute walk from the conference.
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Restaurant Review: Open Oven Pizza Co, Roche, Cornwall

I love this review. It makes me wish I were closer than a 15 hour plane ride so I could try the pizza! If you’re visiting England, check out Open Oven Pizza, Co. and chroniclesofagrumpycoeliac.wordpress.com.

chronicles of a grumpy coeliac

Oh. My Goodness. Where to begin. Last week I was in Cornwall and had the most amazing cream tea ever, I thought right that’s my blog for the week sorted (who am I kidding, I definitely don’t post that often, I’m not organised enough for that) but then. But then, my friends, I went for pizza. Pizza in the oddest place one would go for pizza… pizza in a services…

Oh god. When our friends suggested it (they assured me they did gluten free) I felt my heart drop… surely no pizza place in a services, in Cornwall, is going to have a clue about cross contamination procedures. No matter, no matter, deal with it, you can only ask and then eat later if necessary. Deal with it JessOkay…

Now, to clarify, these services are newly built just off the A30 near Roche in Cornwall. They’re pretty…

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Pill to Treat Celiac? Ha ha.

In my inbox this morning is a Google Alert: “A Pill to Treat Celiac Disease Could be Coming Soon.” Be still my heart! Ha ha.

Of course, we’ve seen these types of claims before. It sounds like a real alternative to a life-long gluten free diet, but is at best a way to avoid damage from occasional cross-contamination. If it works. If it passes all the FDA requirements. If it doesn’t have nasty side-effects. Gluten Dude puts it directly and succinctly: No…There is NOT a drug that will allow celiacs to eat gluten.

But, as someone who essentially has no symptoms from being glutened, being a little less nervous every time I eat out would be great. Some people know first-hand to avoid a restaurant that talks-the-talk, but doesn’t walk-the-walk. Not me.  Continue reading

Using Yelp Reviews

Because I don’t react to being glutened, I rely on outside information to find restaurants I want to try. Frustrated[1] with searching for terms like “GF” or “gluten free,” I began using the term “celiac” to filter reviews on Yelp. Although it can be exciting to find several “celiac” reviews, I have to read each one carefully.

Not all reviews are positive.

Sometimes the reviewer says something like, “If you have celiac, don’t eat here!” Good information and I stay away from that restaurant! Continue reading

Why Celiac Safe Eats?

Diagnosis

In 2011, I was diagnosed with celiac disease along with another GI condition. In hindsight, I’ve probably had celiac my whole life but never any symptoms that I recognized. On the positive side, I don’t spend days or weeks recovering from a glutening incident. I also never know if I am eating out safely.

Desire to Eat Out

I cook much more (and better) than I did before my diagnosis. However, for social and mental health reasons – as well as the need (and desire) to travel – I can’t always prepare my own meals. Because I never know if I’m being glutened, I tend to be very selective about where I eat and what I eat. Continue reading