Catelli Gluten Free Pasta Giveaway

How would you guys like to win a year’s supply of Catelli Gluten Free pasta?

That's right, an entire year's worth of delicious gluten free pasta! All you have to do is follow the Rafflecopter instructions below and the chance is yours.

Haven't had a chance to try the new Catelli Gluten Free pasta yet? Check out my review.

While your waiting for the winner to be announced, grab a Catelli Gluten Free pasta coupon here while supplies last.

Good luck! 

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Product Review: Catelli Gluten Free Pasta

Catelli recently sent me a box of their new Gluten Free pasta to see what I thought of it. It is produced in a dedicated gluten free facility and certified by the Canadian Celiac Association. In my opinion, any company that goes the extra mile to have their Gluten Free product certified by the CCA, is one that truly has Celiac consumers on it's mind.

*All opinions are my own and I have not been financially compensated in any way.

I can happily tell you that hubby, who is super critical of anything Gluten Free and our 5 year old grilled cheese and pizza pocket lover really enjoyed the pasta right along with me. 

Catelli is a great example of just how far we have come with Gluten Free pasta. It cooks in under 9 minutes and stays nice and al dente. It does't fall apart in the water, nor is it mushy on the plate. This pasta will not disappoint even the most harsh critic in the family.

I love preparing pasta for my family just as much as they enjoy eating it. It's one of those staples that  is great to have in the pantry when you want a no fuss meal. But it can also be so much more than that! The only limit is personal creativity and time. To save on time, I try to have a few vegetables in the fridge that are pre cut and ready to go. Add sauce and you are all set.

While supplies last, you can grab a coupon for $1.00 off of any Catelli Gluten Free pasta product here

With American Thanksgiving soon upon us, the Catelli recipe below is sure to be a quick and easy hit for those who are celebrating.

Festive Fusilli Stuffing

Create a new holiday tradition by serving this stuffing-inspired pasta dish alongside your roast turkey and trimmings.

 Prep Time: 25 min                                                   

Serving: 8 to 10 (makes about 7 cups/1.75 L)

 Ingredients:

2 tbsp (30 mL) each butter and olive oil

1 large cooking onion, chopped

1 cup (250 mL) each chopped celery and grated carrot

3 tbsp (45 mL) finely chopped fresh sage leaves

1 tbsp (15 mL) each finely chopped fresh rosemary and thyme leaves

1/2 tsp (2 mL) each salt and pepper

1 1/4 cups (300 mL) chicken or vegetable broth

3/4 cup (175 mL) dried cranberries

1 pkg (340 g) Catelli Gluten Free Fusilli

1/4 cup (50 mL) chopped fresh parsley leaves

 1.      Heat butter and oil in a nonstick skillet set over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, sage, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper. Sauté for 8 minutes or until softened and fragrant. Stir in broth and cranberries; simmer for 8 minutes.

 2.      Meanwhile, cook fusilli in a large pot of boiling salted water for 7 minutes. Drain well; transfer fusilli to a large bowl. Add the skillet mixture and parsley; toss well to coat. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

 Tips:

·        This stuffing can be served any time of year along-side roast chicken, pork or pan-fried fish.

·        For a vegan stuffing, use all olive oil and vegetable broth. 

·        Make the stuffing up to 1 day ahead. Transfer the fusilli to a casserole dish. Drizzle with a little extra broth and bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20 minutes. 

 Per serving (about 3/4 cup/175 mL): 213 calories, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 6 mg cholesterol, 226 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrates, 2 g fibre, 7 g sugars, 3 g protein.

The Broken Road To Awareness

Why is Celiac Disease so misunderstood? Why is there so much varying information? Why can't we all be on the same page? Why? Why? Why?

Celiac is the only disease that I can think of, where the people who are diagnosed don't even really understand it, let alone the Doctor's diagnosing it.  We are sort of left to figure it out on our own, resulting in widespread misconceptions, wrong choices, inaccurate media coverage and best of all, the pain of accidental Glutening.


Uneducated Doctors : 
If the front line is not in order, how can we expect those who have Celiac Disease to fully understand their condition? Most family Doctors have minimal knowledge about Celiac. Many of them neglect to do the proper testing and suggest that their patients try a Gluten Free diet to see how it makes them feel. In the long run, they are only adding to the misconceptions. Due to the lax in proper diagnosis, some are just assuming that they have Celiac, when in fact they don't. Others face numerous hurdles in getting an accurate diagnosis.

Another issue is with the lack of Celiac Disease specialists. People who live near a facility such as the Chicago Center for Celiac Disease research luck out. But those of us who are nowhere near a research facility, often get put on the back burner unless we fiercely advocate for proper testing and the answers to go along with it.

Not enough awareness:  Celiac Disease awareness seems to be  IS severely lacking. Due to it being virtually non existent, people usually assume that eating Gluten Free is a choice and they do not associate it with a real disease. Both those who have Celiac and those who don't are not usually fully aware how serious this autoimmune disease is. Many people are too embarrassed to speak up and make sure food is Gluten Free, some admit that they "cheat" once in a while and others just don't know where to start. 

Resources are also limited. The support and information available to those who are newly diagnosed varies substantially from City to Province to Country. Celiac is a confusing and overwhelming disease to be diagnosed with. Many people are told they have the disease and then sent on their way with no formal education about it.

Fear mongers :  
There is a never ending flood of people with personal agendas. Weather they are out to make money, or to spread misinformation in hopes of roping people into their way on thinking (anti GMO, No Grains ect.) there are many who use Celiac as a platform to preach non related issues.

Greed: 
This one touches all facets of Celiac Disease. Gluten Free food does not need to be as overpriced as it is. Period. We have come a long way and it is clearly a highly profitable market. But we are still gouged at the grocery store. Why? Because we have no choice, we are chained to the medical need for Gluten Free.

Big companies want to sell us books on how to live and eat Gluten Free.  Many individuals have started websites to offer "helpful" information to those with Celiac Disease, but unfortunately you have to pay a fee to reap the so called benefits. Also, the information which is being sold, is widely available for FREE.

Scams and the people who buy into them:
I'm not even going to list the various companies that make this list,but I will tell you what to be vigilant against. There are MANY magic pills out there, offering a way to prevent damage after eating Gluten. Some even offer a downright cure. These are SCAMS!!! First of all, if and when a cure or remedy becomes available, it will be international news. You will hear about it from those who research Celiac Disease as well as awareness organizations such as the National Foundation For Celiac Awareness, Canadian Celiac Association and Coeliac UK . Also, after a medical breakthrough, it will be years before any type of medication reaches the market. I can guarantee you won't be able to obtain it without a proper prescription either. 


Media : Can we not get some legitimate air time? Everyone from local news stations to Dr Oz has something to say about Gluten Free. The problem is that the rare time that they mention Celiac Disease, they do so in passing, like it's not the real issue. I tend to cringe when I see a news report about "Gluten Free". The newscasters never seem to educate themselves about what they are discussing and the so called specialist is usually someone who has no real background or education in Celiac Disease. Do we discuss MS or Parkinson's with a Podiatrist? No. Contrary to what one may think, not all Doctors are created equal. This is why they specialize in specific areas of health.

The question I am left with is, how can WE as a Celiac public, band together and create the necessary and accurate awareness that is vacant from our communities?

Cheese Steak Hoagie

With the cold and wet weather here to stay, a warm and hearty meal is what we are all in need of this time of year. I used Udi's hot dog buns (sent to me by Udi's as part of their Fall Comfort Giveaway) and created my own little cheese steak hoagie.

Boy, was this a family crowd pleaser!

Want to make your own? Follow the simple steps below:

Ingredients

4 Udi's hot dog buns
Quick Fry Steak cut into thin strips
1/2 White Onion
1/2 Green Pepper
3 Mushrooms
1 tsp Steak Spice
Mozzarella Cheese cut into cubes
Gluten Free smokey BBQ sauce

*Cut vegetables as thin or thick as you like 
*Use as much or as little cheese and BBQ sauce as you desire

Directions

Cook steak on medium heat until lightly browned. Add steak spice. Then add mushrooms, onion and pepper.Remove from heat and add cheese to the skillet.

Place a layer of cheese on the bottom of the bun. Then add skillet mix of steak,cheese and vegetables. Drizzle some BBQ sauce on the top and enjoy!

Udi's French Toast Sticks With Cranberry Apple Compote

Here is the first recipe that I have come up with using the Udi's products that were sent to me. I hope that you find it as warm and comforting as my family does. Two awesome things about this recipe are that the components can be eaten together or separately and can be easily frozen for a quick bite when you are in a rush.

French Toast Sticks With Cranberry Apple Compote

Ingredients

French Toast Sticks
4 slices of Udi's Whole Grain Bread
2  large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Cranberry Apple Compote
2 small apples
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 cup canned cranberries
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp margarine
1 tbsp cornstarch


Directions

French Toast Sticks
Slice bread into four equal rectangles.
Whisk together eggs, milk and cinnamon.
Preheat a non stick pan on medium heat with margarine or butter.
Soak bread slices in the egg mixture, turning once and making sure they are completely coated. When bread is no longer firm to the touch it is ready to be removed.
Add bread sticks, a few at a time to pan and cook until all four sides are slightly toasted.


Cranberry Apple Compote
Peel and chop apples into small cubes and place in a pot.
Add lemon juice, cranberries, brown sugar, cinnamon, and margarine then mix with wooden spoon on med/low heat.
Once juices start seeping from the apples, mix cornstarch with enough cold water to make a paste and add to mixture while stirring.
Leave on heat for several minutes, stirring occasionally until mixture is thick and apples are no longer crunchy.


Head over to the Udi's Fall Comfort Giveaway on my blog for a chance to win $150.00 CDN worth of amazing products from Udi's!

Udi's Fall Comfort Giveaway

According to a recent survey commissioned by Udi's, 4.3 million Canadians are saying goodbye to Gluten. People are choosing to eliminate Gluten for various reasons ranging from Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance or because it helps to alleviate other medical conditions that thrive with a Gluten Free substitution such as Autism or MS. A lot of people are making the switch a family affair to show support for relatives who must adhere to this way of life.

Eating Gluten Free doesn't have to be boring and tasteless. To prove that, I will be participating in a "Fall Comfort" food challenge hosted by Udi's. They have supplied me with the same items that YOU COULD WIN!

In the next few weeks I will be showcasing various recipes that I have come up with using the items that I have received from Udi's . Are you excited to see what I come up with? I am!

Udi's has offered a prize pack valued at $150.00 Canadian, to one of my lucky readers. The prize pack includes plenty of Gluten Free items to make your Fall a little more comforting, plus a cutting board, Udi's lunch box and a cozy throw to keep you warm.

Udi's Prize Pack

You can find Udi's products at most major retailers including Sobeys, Metro, and Real Canadian Superstore. Don't forget to check your local health food shop as well.

Visit Udi's website to see their product range or to view some tasty recipes.You can follow them on Twitter Facebook and Pinterest as well.

Enter to win this Udi's prize by following the Rafflecopter instructions below.

Good Luck! 


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Empower A Newly Diagnosed Celiac

Below is in my personal opinion, what every newly diagnosed Celiac needs deserves to have at their fingertips.  



The Canadian Celiac Association's Pocket Dictionary. At
$9.95 for non-members it's a bargain. Per the CSA - "This pocket-sized dictionary was developed to help people with Celiac disease and gluten sensitivity to select acceptable foods and understand food ingredients so that they may avoid foods containing gluten. It provides a brief description of each item along with an assessment of its acceptability for the gluten-free diet."

A Grocery store tour

How priceless would this be?! A tour around your favourite grocery store with someone who specializes in not only Celiac Disease, but nutrition. This would be a great help in showing newbies where to find safe staples AND what fruits and veggies they should be stocking up on now that they will be lacking some serious nutrients in GF food. I know I'm dreaming here but,it would be a great way to get Celiac's shopping at certain retailers. Just putting it out there...

An informative book on Celiac Disease such as "Real Life with Celiac Disease" by Melinda Dennis and Daniel Leffler. This is  a great book for those who are unfamiliar with Celiac or want to educate themselves further.

A Gluten Free care package

Check out a free basket that the University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center offers the newly diagnosed. This is a great way to set people up for success as it contains many essential items that will help alleviate the overwhelming feeling of uncertainty that most of us feel upon diagnosis.

Gluten Free cookbooks

You can find these almost anywhere that sells books now. Pretty awesome! One of my favorites happens to be the DK Gluten-Free Cookbook. Check out my tips for finding a cookbook full of recipes that will work for you here.

A Support group

While there are many of them out there, it is worth investigating to find one that is suitable. Support groups can range from in person gatherings to "pages" on Facebook. Take this with a grain of salt as they only offer the support that members are willing to put into it and can often be a pool of misinformation at times. Rest assured that there are indeed legitimate and helpful groups out there. I suggest starting with either the NFCA or CSA to find a local group or page that is helpful.

Product Review: Barilla Gluten Free Pasta

Some exciting news in the world of pasta - Barilla is introducing a line of Gluten Free pasta! It's made with non GMO corn and rice in a dedicated Gluten Free facility. With four varieties to choose from (spaghetti, penne, rotini and elbows) the meal possibilities are endless. I was happy to learn that this pasta was created with Celiac's in mind and not just for the diet hungry fadsters. The wonderful folks at Barilla kindly sent me some pasta to sample.

When I first opened the box of spaghetti, I noticed the colour right away. It is just like "regular" spaghetti, not gritty or gray like some of the other brands that I have tried. The instructions on the box are very simple and to the point. Ten - eleven minutes in boiling water while stirring occasionally. 

My family and I really enjoyed the spaghetti. It has the texture that I remember (pre Celiac diagnosis) growing up with and it tastes great. The only items that I added to the pasta were tomato sauce and frozen peas. Sometimes simple really does pay off. It was a great meal that paired nicely with an Udis bun doubling as garlic bread.

Not sure what to make? Check out Barilla's  recipe page for some inspiration.
As for the price point of 2.79- $3.29, no complaint's there.

Barilla Gluten Free pasta is in the process of hitting stores. Expect to see it widely available by the end of 2013.

If you have had the chance to try Barilla Gluten Free pasta, let me know what you think.