0 Food Allergy Counseling: Sunbutter Manufacturer's Coupon

I was contact by SunButter, makers of sunflower seed butter to offer you all a $1 off manufacturer’s coupon. (See above and download). 

From SunButter's press release: “SunButter is both peanut and tree nut free and is used in many schools across America as a delicious and safe alternative to peanut butter.”

I have met the SunButter founders many times and love their allergen policies and protocols – did you know tree nuts and peanuts cannot grow in North Dakota where SunButter is produced? Additionally, SunButter has strict allergen protocols from the manufacturing processes all the way to their truckers (no PB sandwiches allowed in the truck cab!) 

Here is more information about SunButter. Here's their allergen information. And here's how to contact SunButter to ask your personal questions about your food allergy or food restriction needs.

Thanks SunButter!

Detail: Food Allergy Counseling: Sunbutter Manufacturer's Coupon

0 Food Allergy Counseling: Chef The Film

I love film and I love food, so films about food are an extra delicious pairing to me. Like peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwiches. (PS you can make "fluffernutters" with all kinds of food allergy free variations like using Ricemellow Creme & Soynut butter on Udi's GF bread. Yum!) 

Chef, written and directed by Jon Favreau, is just that: a delicious pairing of great music, a road trip movie, father/son bonding story and gorgeous food pictures. 

For example, here's Chef's pasta aglio e olio recipe posted on She Knows and Bake Space. Chef makes this, read seduces, Scarlet Johansson with this recipe. And you can totally make this top 8 allergen, food allergy friendly; it's naturally tree-nut free! 

If you see Chef, make sure to stay until the very end of the credits as there is footage of Chef Roy Choi talking to Jon Favreau about making the perfect grilled cheese. Here's some of the background footage through Youtube. So fun! 

Interestingly, how chefs are represented in this film (and most food/chefy films I can think of, like Mostly Martha or Eat Drink Man Woman) underscores something I understand about chefs: they often express love through cooking. Jon Favreau said as much to Eatocracy when he was explaining some of what he learned working with Chef Roy Choi (Tweets by Chef Choi) to get this role down correctly: “…The most accurate, sincere communicating [chefs] do is through their food.”

Understanding this basic tenant of chef-life is how I can dine out often. I know, at the core, chefs are driven to express themselves, their passions and their art through food. Possibly harming through food is the exact opposite of what drives culinarians as professionals and artists.

When you communicate with a chef clearly about your food allergic needs, odds are your needs will be taken seriously and appropriate accommodations will be made. Here’s my step-by-step guide to dining out (via Allergic Living Magazine).  I have a whole chapter about dining out in my book Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well with Food Allergies (Wiley, 2011) or if you want to work on creating food allergy confidence around challenges like dining out, contact me for a tailored-to-you counseling program.

Detail: Food Allergy Counseling: Chef The Film

0 Food Allergy Counseling: Interview: Cherrybrook Kitchen

**Stay tuned to my Allergic Girl Facebook page for a chance to win a grand prize of three [3] Cherrybrook Kitchen products of your choice. Details will be on my Allergic Girl Facebook page here.**

When I cut out wheat from my diet back in 2005, Cherrybrook Kitchen was one of the first nut-free, wheat-free baking mixes I found on the shelf at my local Whole Foods and tried and loved. (NB: I’ve been nut allergic since infancy, wheat intolerance is something way newer. Here a quick primer on the difference between an allergy and an intolerance.)

I’ve been writing about Cherrybrook Kitchen on my blog since 2007, here a list of those blog posts. 

Cherrybrook Kitchen has had some recent ownership changes and expansions and I had a chance to chat with them about what continues to makes Cherrybrook Kitchen an excellent option for those of us who need allergen-free treats. And really, who doesn’t need a safe treat once in a while? 

**

Allergic Girl: Cherrybrook Kitchen was started in the 2000s by the Rosenberg family. It is now owned by Healthy Brands.  Can you tell us more about your company, why Healthy Brands decided to acquire Cherrybrook Kitchen?

Cherrybrook Kitchen: Healthy Brands Collective was created from the need that co-founders Dan and Donna Ratner recognized when the 2008 recession hit the economy. As a result, good brands were unable to keep producing their products due to a loss of funding and access to investment. These were healthy brands in need of a sustainable solution in order to thrive.

“Our goal was simple,” said Dan. “My background in healthcare finance had given me experience working with medical practices where many doctors often share the resources of one office. Seeing potential in that industry’s standard practice, we wanted to recreate that model for health food brands. This is how Healthy Brands Collective was born.”  

Healthy Brands Collective includes brands that have similar points of distribution, retail customers, and share a common purpose – creating healthier foods for healthier lifestyles. Cherrybrook Kitchen was the first company to be rescued and natural, allergen-free treats were integrated into the Healthy Brands Collective mission.  The founder’s mission for Cherrybrook Kitchen has not changed since new ownership. 

“We decided to acquire Cherrybrook Kitchen because it was a respectable brand that had plenty of opportunity to grow and we felt that this target market also deserved to have its cake & eat it too!” Donna said. 

AG: What has changed with new ownership? What hadn’t changed with ownership?

CBK: Cherrybrook Kitchen was started in 2004 by the Rosenberg family. Since becoming part of the Healthy Brands Collective family, Cherrybrook Kitchen’s individual grassroots mission has not changed and the founder’s story is celebrated today. We continue to keep the essence of the brand in its original form. Recognizing the concerns of our audience, our social media has become an interactive forum and source for information on food allergies, and related topics. 

It’s a new experience for Cherrybrook Kitchen to be part of a family of brands that includes nine other siblings: Cell-nique Super Green, European Gourmet, High Country Kombucha, Living Harvest Tempt, Bites of Bliss, Lisa’s Kitchen, Funky Monkey, Healthy to Go and Yumnuts. In addition to the growing number of brands, the wellness-conscious team of people that manages and facilitates the growth of these brands is also increasing in numbers. Another new benefit is that Cherrybrook Kitchen now has the marketing funds to spread the word. 

Our growing family is what’s new!

AG: What are the core values of Cherrybrook Kitchen and of Healthy Brands?

CBK: Our core mission at Cherrybrook Kitchen is to create allergen-free sweets in a dedicated, safe facility where ingredient quality is of the utmost concern and focus. As a family-owned company, Healthy Brands Collective is comprised of a dedicated and passionate team, and products that promote healthier options for consumers. 

“The people who watch over these brands are all parents, the core of the family nucleus,” Donna said. “Every brand is treated equally as the saying goes, ‘it takes a village to raise a child.’ This is our village.”

AG: What’s your best sellers? What’s your newest products?

CBK: All Cherrybrook Kitchen products are equally popular and we’re proud to offer a diversity of allergen-free baking mixes that includes a gluten-free line. New products include the ready-to-spread frosting and the carrot cake mix. Another big update is that our audience has grown tremendously and we’re always listening to the ideas that our fans love to share. They help give us direction and we will continue to facilitate dialogue and support awareness on topics related to food-allergies.

AG: What can we look forward to for the future of Cherrybrook Kitchen?

CBK: In the future, we look forward to growth and innovation here at Cherrybrook Kitchen! We’re present at many allergen-free events and actively work to introduce new people to Cherrybrook Kitchen every day. We plan to stay true to our roots, while continuing to explore new allergen-free products, share recipes, and alert our audience to resources that could be beneficial for the allergen-free food community. 

***

Here is Cherrybrook Kitchen's allergen information.

Please contact Cherrybrook Kitchen directly about your needs. 

And lastly,  Cherrybrook Kitchen has a box top rewards program and my book Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well with Food Allergies (Wiley, 2011) is part of their program. Thank you, Cherrybrook Kitchen for the support! 

***

Thank you Healthy Brands Collective and Cherrybrook Kitchen for all that you do for our community!

Detail: Food Allergy Counseling: Interview: Cherrybrook Kitchen

0 Interview: Anna Curran, Cookbook Create

Anna Curran of CookbookCreate.com (Photograph Copyright Anna Curran)

When a family receives a diagnosis of food allergies (or celiac disease, FPIES, EoE or EGID) it can be a challenge for everyone, especially in the kitchen. "What’s for dinner?" turns into "What’s safe for dinner?" 

As food allergy families learn how to cope with these challenges, many of them start amassing specific recipes for their specific needs. Also, friends and family will ask, what can I cook for you? Wouldn't it be great to have a personalized cookbook dedicated to your food allergic loved one’s needs and their favorite, safe-for-them dishes?

Enter, CookbookCreate.com.
 
Anna Curran and I met through the New York Women’s Culinary Alliance several years back and she is the founder of a print-on-demand startup CookbookCreate.com. 

From Anna: 
CookbookCreate.com combines the best of Web 2.0 and print-on-demand technology delivering a fun, easy to use tool to make your own custom cookbooks. Prior to founding her startup, she was selected by Startup Weekend as the New York co-founder of the pilot program called The Startup Foundation sponsored by the Kauffman Foundation. Current and past client work as a digital strategist includes Lama Surya Das, a national best selling Tibetan Buddhist author; America: Now and Here, a cross-country journey of art and artists with Eric Fischl, Paul Simon and Chuck Close; and Personal democracy Forum— the leading conference on politics and technology. She is formally trained artist, printmaker, and dancer. Anna is a Pipeline Fellow and is the founder of Startup Weekend's Partnership Series that brings together Fortune 500 companies who want to collaborate with startups. You can keep up with her on Twitter @AnnaCurran.


Recently, I had a chance to ask Anna a few questions about Cookbook Create. Read on!

Allergic Girl: Can you tell us, briefly, the history and mission of Cookbook Create?

Anna Curran: We help people tell their story through food by providing a print-on-demand platform for cookbooks. Our product helps people collect recipes from different sources and design their own custom cookbooks to be ordered by mail. Here's a video about
Cookbook Create.

AG: Super fun! What was your inspiration for Cookbook Create?

AC: I was inspired to found this company when one day I was looking for my grandmother's chocolate drop cookie recipe in my mother's cookbook. My Aunt had given my mother this notebook in 1969 with a dozen handwritten recipes, and my mom added to it over the years. 

Photograph Copyright Anna Curran

As I turned the pages, I saw recipes from my great grandmother, Aunt, and grandmother's recipes from both sides of family. Paging through the notebook that was coming unbound, I realized that this cookbook, was the story of my family told through food. On that day after looking through my mother's cookbook, I was left with a question that inspired me to found Cookbook Create, "What is digital version of this cookbook?"

Photograph Copyright Anna Curran

AG: What does Cookbook Create do?

AC: Cookbook Create helps you keep all of your recipes in one place and make a personalized cookbook with any recipe you have saved.

AG: Who is the ideal user of Cookbook Create?

AC: Initially, we are focused on helping families preserve their recipes. Many of our customers will make family cookbooks as a gift, collecting recipes from various family members and compiling them into a gift cookbook. We also see a lot of cookbooks made as wedding gifts.

AG: How can we get started with Cookbook Create?
 
AC: Visit us on Cookbook Create, and create an account. Then you'll be able to add your own recipes and collect them from friends. Any recipe you save to your account can be used in making your own personalized cookbook with color photos and custom fonts.
Social Links
Twitter: www.twitter.com/cookbookcreate
Facebook: www.facebook.com/cookbookcreate
Website: www.cookbookcreate.com



Thank you, Anna of Cookbook Create.  

Stay tuned to my Allergic Girl Facebook page for details on how to win a gift card for Cookbook Create!

Detail: Interview: Anna Curran, Cookbook Create

0 Product Review: Dark Chocolate Morsels, Enjoy Life

Image courtesy of Enjoy Life Foods

FREE GIVEAWAY CONTEST UPDATE: RULES BELOW


Recently, one of my favorite and trusted food allergy-friendly treat manufactures, Enjoy Life Foods, released a new product: Dark Chocolate Morsels with 69% cocoa for baking. They sent me a sample of the Dark Chocolate Morsels to try and although I haven’t yet baked with them I did taste them. And taste them again. Ahem, and again. The Dark Chocolate Morsels have a slightly fruitier taste as they are higher in cacao with a lower percentage of sugar.  But still, de-lish. 

I had an opportunity to ask Enjoy Life Foods more about this new product. Feel free to contact them directly about your food allergy needs.

***

Allergic Girl: Why Dark Chocolate Morsels?
 
Enjoy Life Foods: We have featured semi-sweet chocolate chips for years, and about two years ago, when we introduced the Mega Chunks, we produced those in the standard semi-sweet format as well. Both products are doing extremely well in the marketplace. But our consumers kept asking for more. When we looked to introduce a third product, we saw how much people love dark chocolate, and we all know the great health benefits that Dark Chocolate offers people, so we decided this was the way to go. Early sales results indicate that we are right on target.
 
AG: How are they different from your Megas or Minis? For example 69% cacao, yay but what is the “normal” percentage for your chocolate chips?

ELF: The current Cacao % on our minis and megas is 52-55%.
 
AG: What does a higher percentage mean and why is that desirable in a chocolate confection?
 
ELF: The higher the percentage, the more pure chocolate in the product. One of the unique attributes of the Enjoy Life chocolate is that we do not use any soy lecithin in our product, which means more of our product is made up of pure, premium, high-quality chocolate. It is why our product tastes as good as it does, and also why it is slightly more expensive that those offered by companies using soy lecithin as a filler.
 
AG: How do you ensure that your chocolate is free from the top 8?
 
ELF: Our product is manufactured under strict guidelines to make certain that it remains Free from the Top 8 Allergens. While there is dairy in the particular facility where the product is produced, we do a double-clean out along with swabbing all equipment before and after product is produced. We also test our finished goods to make certain that there are no unstated allergens in our product.
 
AG: What is the ideal use for the Dark Chocolate Morsels?
 
ELF: People love our Dark Chocolate Morsels in all of their baked product, but we also find that people use them as a topping on yogurt, pancakes, cereal, oatmeal, etc. As well, many people love them right out of the bag. Guilty!
 
AG: Any recipes to share? Or links to recipes that use these Dark Chocolate Morsels?
 
ELF: There is a great recipe on the bag of Dark Chocolate Morsels, with more to come that will be introduced on our website,www.enjoylifefoods.com.
 
AG: Where can we buy or find more info?
 
ELF: As is true with many new products, it takes awhile for the new product to end up on the store shelves. Currently, the Dark Chocolate Morsels can be found at your local independent natural food store. They will soon be on the shelf at Whole Foods as well as many other supermarkets. As is true for all of our products, they can be ordered online at www.enjoylifefoods.com.

***

FREE CHOCOLATE GIVEAWAY CONTEST on Facebook.  Please go to my Allergic Girl by Sloane Miller Facebook page for contest details!

Detail: Product Review: Dark Chocolate Morsels, Enjoy Life

0 Food Allergy Counseling: Food Allergy Friendly Halloween Tips, Jo Frost

A few weeks back I was invited to a webinar hosted by

Mylan Specialty, LLC, marketers of EpiPen that featured the Supernanny Jo Frost. Jo has had food allergies (shellfish) since she was little and it was fun to listen to her talk about how the crew on her show and the families she works with are allergen-free for the week she works with them on her show Family S.O.S. with Jo Frost.

She also gave a some solid tips to follow for Halloween, have a look at the picture.

As always: 

•    Discuss the your food allergy needs with your board certified medical provider.
•    Go over your anaphylaxis action plan
•    Have your two EpiPen epinephrine auotinjectors and emergency medications on you at all times
•    Don't hesitate to use them

Keep in mind this Allergic Girl's must-haves when managing  severe, life-threatening food allergies:


•    A thorough understanding of your food allergy diagnosis
•    An ability to clearly communicate that diagnosis to those around you
•    Support from friends and family around your diagnosis
•    Your emergency medication on hand, as well as your anaphylaxis action plan, just in case
 
Always consult your personal board certified medical provider about what is safe for you and your food allergic needs.
 
*SPECIAL OFFER: Through the end of 2013, there a 0$ co-pay program through EpiPen: https://activatemysavings.com/epipen/.*

Detail: Food Allergy Counseling: Food Allergy Friendly Halloween Tips, Jo Frost

0 Food Allergy Counseling: Gluten & Allergen Free Expo, Secaucus, NJ

For the first time, the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo came to the east coast.

I was thrilled to be there selling and signing books on Saturday September 7.

From the crowds, starting at the early bird 9am start, I’d say it was a roaring success! I met many fans of Allergic Girl: Adventures in Living Well with Food Allergies – thank you so much! 

I saw many of my colleagues there, Anthony from Bistango Restaurant, Marlisa Brown, RD, author of Gluten-Free Hassle Free, Chef Franklin Becker, Erin Smith of Gluten-Free Fun, Tamar Freuman, RD who wrote that wonderful article in US News & World Report. A few several former counseling clients of mine were there, too. 

And then there were the vendors, many of the community’s favorites were there and some I had only heard about. Here are a few shots from the day.

I LOVED this!

Michael from Freedom Foods. Based in Australia, I've heard about them for years and they are on their way to the US.

Mylan Specialty LP, marketers of EpiPen and Get Schooled in Anaphylaxis Program

King Arthur Gluten-Free flours and mixes which are also top 8 allergen free

Enjoy Life Foods: new formulations & packaging, same commitment to top 8 allergen free snacks and treats

HomeFree Treats - GF, nuts-, egg- and dairy- free and organic

La Veneziane corn-based GF fresh, vacuum-packed gnocchi

There were many more vendors to meet but as I was manning my area at the author's table, I couldn't' get to everyone.

Fantastic job, Gluten & Allergen Free Expo, and I look forward to be part of your growth in the coming years!

Detail: Food Allergy Counseling: Gluten & Allergen Free Expo, Secaucus, NJ

0 Chobani: Chobani Greek Yogurt and Food Allergens

Chobani had a major influx of cash and huge plant expansion last year (see the New York Times: U.S. Hunger for Yogurt Leads to Gigantic Factory). Chobani  built new facilities and have been aggressively expanding their line of offerings in the Greek yogurt category. I wrote about their expansion and my new favorite flavor, banana. 

With all of this expansion, allergens, specifically tree-nuts, have been added to the Chobani Flip lines. Concerned about a higher possibility of cross contact or contamination with one of my safe go-to snacks (especially running around in between meetings in New York City or when traveling elsewhere for speaking engagements) I contacted Chobani irectly for more information. Here's what they said.

"All of our Flip products and blended Chobani flavors are produced in our new Twin Falls, Idaho plant, but are absolutely kept from one another in production. There is no cross-contamination. Our fruit-on-the-bottom Chobani flavors are primarily produced in our Central New York plant, with some additional production in Twin Falls, Idaho, and we follow the same rigorous standards to avoid cross-contamination." 

In order to protect our customers, we have a comprehensive allergen program that includes segregated storage, clear labeling, and extensive training. Additionally, all products containing tree nuts are produced in a special room, away from other products.

Any consumer with additional specific questions is welcome to contact our customer loyalty team at (877) 847-6181."


Thank you Chobani for clarifying your allergens statement!

Detail: Chobani: Chobani Greek Yogurt and Food Allergens

0 FDA Defines Gluten-Free: FDA Defines “Gluten-Free” for Food Labeling

In 2004, the United States Food and Drug Administration issued the Food Allergen Labeling And Consumer Protection Act. What it didn’t include at that time was any regulation on what gluten-free meant. The act went into full effect for the top eight allergens in 2006 (this included wheat but not gluten, which is the protein found in wheat, barely and rye). You can read more about FALCPA here and how it applies to allergen labels and how to read and understand them.

Today is a very big day for the gluten-free, celiac disease community as the FDA finally set a standard for what it means to call a food “gluten-free”. The FDA now defines a gluten-free food as containing less than 20 parts per million [ppm] of gluten. This number is similar to standards in Canada and the European Union however not as strict as those in Australia, which, as I understand from a food allergy counseling client who lives there, are five parts per million.

Many companies here have already adopted a 20ppm standard, so there should be little disruption; however, it will put on notice those food manufacturers jumping on the gluten-free bandwagon that the standards set down by the FDA must be met in order to be called gluten-free.

***

Here ths story from the New York Times today: F.D.A. Sets Standard for Foods Labeled Gluten Free:

The agency set a gluten limit of 20 parts per million in products labeled gluten free, said Michael R. Taylor, deputy commissioner for foods and veterinary medicine at the F.D.A. The limit had long been discussed and did not come as a surprise to industry or patient advocate groups. It was similar to the level adopted in recent years by the European Union and Canada, Mr. Taylor said.

And here is a link to the FDA ruling:

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today published a new regulation defining the term "gluten-free" for voluntary food labeling.  This will provide a uniform standard definition to help the up to 3 million Americans who have celiac disease, an autoimmune digestive condition that can be effectively managed only by eating a gluten free diet.

Detail: FDA Defines Gluten-Free: FDA Defines “Gluten-Free” for Food Labeling

0 Food Allergy Advice for Kids, Wall Street Journal

March 4, 2013, the Wall Street Journal wrote up a report by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology’s Adverse Reactions to Foods Committee outlining how and when to introduce highly allergenic foods, which include wheat, soy, milk, tree nuts, and shellfish. Here is a link to the abstract in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.

Now, according to the Wall Street Journal, the committee suggests these foods can be introduced to babies between 4 and 6 months; previously parents had been told to wait. 

Confused? So is everyone. 

Robert Wood, director of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine's best advice:

“Dr. Wood said he tells parent they don't need to feel pressured to do an early introduction. ‘You can do whatever you want because we're not sure what makes a difference, he said.”

Consult your board certified allergist or health professional about the best course of action for you and your family.

Detail: Food Allergy Advice for Kids, Wall Street Journal

0 Bananas and Sour Cream

When I was little, visiting my grandparents in East Hampton, Long Island, my Bubby (a Jewish term for grandmother) would slice bananas and lovingly place them over sour cream; sometimes she sprinkled a little sugar on them. I loved this treat; she made it for my mother too, when she was a little girl. I associate that flavor combination with her, although I never eat it because sour cream -oy! - too rich for my lactose-intolerant palate these days.

So when Chobani Greek Yogurt sent me samples of their new product line to try, I was delighted to see bananas with two percent Greek yogurt in the package. Upon my first taste, I was instantly transported to my Bubby’s house – the sweetness of banana coupled with the creaminess of two percent yogurt, it's a way healthier and transportable version of my childhood treat. It’s my new favorite flavor, read: obsession.

In other news, Chobani recently built a new facility. Here’s the December 16, 2012 story from the New York Times. Part of their new product line includes products with tree nuts. I asked Chobani to respond to this statement from the New York Times Chobani story: "The third new product the plant will be responsible for is the Chobani Flip, a square package with one corner containing nuts, granola, dried fruits or other ingredients that can be added to the yogurt."

This was Chobani's answer:  "All allergens are processed on dedicated equipment in a segregated area with its own independent air handling system. Ingredients are kept isolated & access to the room is restricted. Employees wear special garb & follow strict protocols when entering & exiting."

Great news!

I have been enjoying Chobani without issue for a few years now. But as everyone’s needs are different, please reach out to Chobani directly if you have questions: http://chobani.com/who-we-are/contact/

Meanwhile, Thank you Chobani for this healthy walk down memory lane – so yum!  

Detail: Bananas and Sour Cream

0 Udi’s Granola, Recall, December 2012

"Dec. 19, 2012 – DENVER – Udi’s Healthy Foods, LLC of Denver, Colorado, is voluntarily recalling its 12-ounce bags of “Udi’s Gluten Free Au Naturel Granola” with UPC 6-98997-80615-8 and “Best By 041913 12265 1” because they may contain undeclared almonds. People who are allergic to almonds run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products." Here’s the full press release from Udi's Gluten Free.

This recall from Udi’s Gluten Free happened right before Christmas. Their granola line was never nut-free; they make a granola with nuts and always have to my knowledge. And accidents happen. Their bread products (muffins, bagels, loaves etc) used to be made away from the granola, and any nuts and was made in a different part of their plant from their bread products. However, I reached out directly to Udi’s to ask them to confirm that. the below is from Udi’s directly:

**
 
Thanks for reaching out to us. Our baked goods are completely nut free and made in dedicated nut free facilities.  The only product of ours containing nuts will be our granolas, but these are made in a completely separate bakery from the rest of our gluten free baked goods. This way we can assure that there will never be any cross contamination of nuts in our baked goods.

Most of our granolas do contain nuts, except the Au Naturel. Our nut-free granolas are thus not made in a nut-free facility, but we do have measures in place to clean and sanitize equipment between batches and sequence production in such a manner to avoid nut contamination of nut-free products.
 
**

Any further questions, please reach out to Udi’s Gluten Free directly:
http://udisglutenfree.com/
http://udisglutenfree.com/contact-us/
mail@udisglutenfree.com

Detail: Udi’s Granola, Recall, December 2012

0 Angie's Popcorn

New brand name. New website.  New flavors. New packaging. New allergen policy.

Lots of “new” and news over at formerly Angie’s Kettle Corn now Angie’s.

I saw Angie’s at Natural Products Expo East where there were unveiling all the goodies. Here’s me and Angie in a sweet and salty hug!

I’ve now had a chance to try the Sweet and Spicy which, OMG, I LOVE. And today I tried their low calorie line: BoomChickAPop flavors of plain and lightly kettled (that’s my word for it). The plain was delish and the lightly kettled, well, I like a full on sweet and salty but if you are watching calories this will give you a hint of sweet and some fiber and whole grain. A decent option for sure.

The main question and concern here is the food allergen statement. Back when I first met Angie’s and worked with them to clarify their allergen messaging they were top eight free.

That has now changed as they make products in three different facilities; they used to just make popcorn in one place and they have added products with dairy and chocolate.

*From Angie’s about their chocolate drizzled products (which I haven’t yet tried): “Our chocolate coating has milk and soy in it. All though there are no nuts in the chocolate coating, it is not certified nut free.”*

I’m excited about Angie’s expansion. As I know Angie (she was a psychiatric nurse), I know she really understands the importance of clear food allergy messaging as well as a clean facility.

But please, don’t take my word for it. I know you have questions about the change-over and the new products. They welcome your questions and comments. Contact them anytime to talk about your needs.

Congratulations Angie’s on all of these wonderful and delicious expansions!

Detail: Angie's Popcorn

0 Nizza, New Chef

*UPDATE: January 2012 CHEF MIKE is no longer at Nizza. We wish him well!*

Recently, I had a chance to sit down with the new chef at Nizza, one of my favorite haunts. Michael Schimelpfenig and I talked about Nizza’s new additions to their already delicious menu and their “Yes/Can Do” philosophy.  Numodo filmed it all on video for You Tube, which will be out soon. Meanwhile, I’m going to tempt you with these stills of the food I tried – everything was gluten-free, soy free, fish free, shellfish free, peanut free and tree nut free. And beyond good.

Stay tuned!

***

Socca and "Cuoco" salad

Funghi socca

Chicken pillard

Gnocci "stagione"

Lamb rack

Detail: Nizza, New Chef