Gluten Free Trini

I decided to make black cake (fruit cake) for the Christmas season. It did not come out very dark. I think I would need to add more browning or fruits. The cake tasted great though. It did not come out grainy and it also held it's shape well.

Here is a document created by the Gluten Intolerance Group with tips on how to read Product Labels to find safe food. Also check out the Gluten Intolerance Group of Port of Spain Facebook Page for any updates on Celiac Disease and the Gluten-Free Diet.

I recently bought a Hamilton Beach Waffle Maker. It is simple to use. My only issue is that the non-stick grids cannot be removed so it is difficult at times. After I bought the waffle maker, I made an announcement to my family that they were banned from using it to make waffles with gluten and dairy. Cross-contamination can take place very easily especially when someone does not clean it properly. The waffles came out good. They were surprisingly fluffy. Usually when I bake with gluten free flour, it comes out a bit dense or hard. Even after the waffles were stored in the fridge and microwaved, they were still soft and fluffy. When I was making the waffles, I had the setting at medium temperature level.

I recently bought two boxes of cupcake mix from Be Free Foods . I bought these mixes because they are certified by the Gluten Intolerance Group so they would be safe. In a box, you get a pack of cupcake mix and a pack of frosting mix. The ingredients were also dairy-free. The only problem was that the recipes for the cupcake mix and the frosting required butter and milk. I had used Refined Organic Coconut Oil which I bought from Be Free Foods. I saw online that coconut oil is a good substitute for butter and would also give baked goods a similar texture. The oil had a neutral flavour and smell so it did not overpower the cupcakes. I had used a 1:1 substitution ratio. I had also used Silk Original Almond Milk for the milk substitute.

Nutritional deficiencies can occur with people suffering from Celiac Disease due to poor absorption and also from a limited gluten-free diet. Wheat, barley and rye provide many important nutrients. Cutting out gluten can reduce some important vitamins and minerals in the diet. There are few gluten-free grain products enriched with the vitamins and minerals that gluten-containing grain products have. People would have to make substitutions in their diet to make up the nutrients. Here is a graphic that I created to show some foods rich in thiamin/vitamin B1. I used the information found from the World's Healthiest Foods website .

I had ordered gluten-free carrot cake cupcakes from Zayas last week. The cupcakes could be dairy-free and also egg-free but I ordered them to be dairy-free and gluten-free. They tasted great. They weren’t oversweet like some other gluten-free products or desserts. It was just right. There were raisins and nuts in them and that added a really nice flavour as well. The texture of the cupcakes was similar to a cupcake made with wheat. It had a nice crumby texture and it wasn’t heavy or dense. The frosting was made with egg-whites and it tasted great as well and it did not have an overpowering sweet taste. Of course, I ate one as soon as I got them and after that I ate two within the same day. I had to use a lot of self-control to eat one per day.

Yesterday, I went to some businesses that sell gluten-free products to hand out flyers and posters for the Gluten Intolerance Group of Port of Spain . I went to Malabar Farms Gourmet Shop , Whole Foods Market , Adam’s Bagels , Cascade Mini Mart , Peppercorns in Ellersie Plaza, Nature’s Discount Nutrition Centre , Petit Gourmet , New Earth Organics Enterprises Ltd , Be Free Foods Organic Grocery , Zayas and Hi-lo West Mall. I would’ve visited some more stores but there were time constraints and my energy level was running low. Let me know if there are any other places that you think should have flyers or posters for the Celiac Awareness Campaign for May. Contact me at gigofportofspain@gmail.com or gluten.free.trini@gmail.com A poster in Malabar Farms Gourmet Shop

Image Source Most of the Celiac Disease Organizations and Research centers recognize May as Celiac Awareness Month! For this month, I’ll try to increase my efforts in educating the public about Celiac Disease, gluten-related disorders and the gluten-free diet. I’ve recently set up the support group with the Gluten Intolerance Group . The Gluten Intolerance Group of Port of Spain ’s goal is to raise the profile of celiac disease in the area, reach people who haven’t been diagnosed and educate the public about the gluten free diet and celiac disease.

I recently formed a support group with the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America for the Port of Spain Area. If you are interested in helping with spreading awareness about Celiac Disease, gluten-related disorders and the gluten free diet, you can contact the group at gigportofspain@gmail.com . Here is a link to the  branch website .