Gluten-Free Products...Right to your Doorstep!

Through an MBA connection I was lucky enough to meet Dan, founder of gfreely.com - home delivery of new and exciting gluten-free products! I love what they are doing and cannot believe I haven't stumbled upon it before. Not only do they ship it to your doorstep, but each month they choose different products for you to try.

We all know that at first diagnosis you are lost...simply confused and overwhelmed. Gluten-free products are pricey and there isn't much information out there on which are the best bang for your buck and taste the most like "real food". This frustration is what is what drove Dan to start Gfreely...why not give individuals a chance to try different products each month so they can avoid the waste associated with the trial and error process?
This way they can familiarize themselves with various brands and avoid buying products that are either thrown away or you feel you are forced to eat because, darn it, that loaf of bread cost me $10!

Even though I have my favorites, I still love this idea and plan to sign-up. The market for gluten-free products is growing so quickly that new, better tasting and higher quality items are coming out all of the time - many times without our knowledge! If you are new to the gluten-free lifestyle SIGN UP NOW because this company is here to help you and make the transition just that much easier.

I encourage everyone to check this out. And hey...even if you aren't gluten-free - it makes a great gift for the Celiac or gluten-intolerance individual in your life :)

Domino's Gluten-Free Pizza: Scary!

Anytime I find a restaurant that is adding gluten-free food items I get so excited...more options is always good, right? Unfortunately, after seeing the video below from Domino's I'm nervous for the launch of their "gluten-free" pizza. When I first heard, I thought it was fantastic that such a large chain would be bringing g-free pizza mainstream, but watch this video and you'll notice that:

- It isn't really gluten-free - they tell Celiac patients not to touch it
- There is cross contamination happening all over the place (oven, hands, pans)
- No mention of toppings and what is/is not gluten-free
- Side note: also doesn't look very good (they should've gone with Smart Flour Foods!)

Let me know what you think...

G-Free in the City Expansion

Friends, family and followers...I've decided to expand my restaurant and community contacts outside of the city of Austin and will start soon reaching out and researching menus. There are a few reasons why I want to expand. First, as part of my MBA program I am required to do a summer internship so I could end up at a company outside of Austin (most likely actually), secondly I'm working on my official website (www.gfreeinthecity.com) that will have a nationwide mapping feature hopefully within the next 6 months or so, and finally I want to start helping others everywhere! I know that there are cities that seem to have a better grasp on gluten-free than others, these include Chicago, New York, San Francisco and San Diego so I'll hit these up later on down the line. The goal for the current list is to aim for cities where it's a little more challenging...

Please feel free to provide suggestions on other cities that you'd like to see, or send me a message if you know of restaurants that would be a good addition to the site. My goal includes at least 20 unique restaurants in the following cities:

- Seattle, WA
- Denver, CO
- Minneapolis, MN
- Columbus, OH
- Atlanta, GA
- Tampa, FL
- Phoenix, AZ
- Knoxville, TN
- Charleston, SC
- Pittsburgh, PA

Wish me luck and again feel free to send any menu pics, suggestions or lists to jaime.sutton@gmail.com!

Favorite G-Free Video Clips!

Okay, so you come across some interesting clips on the internet...YouTube, Facebook, who knows. So, I wanted to share some of my favorite gluten-free video clips, both serious and silly. Enjoy!

Reading Gluten-Free Labels:

First gluten-free commercial I've ever seen in mass media, go General Mills!

Adam Carolla Rant on Dieting and Gluten-Free:

Top 5 Tips for Gluten-Free Kids:

Haha...Sex and the Celiac:

My G-Free Future...?

This week we have finals for the full-time MBA program, which is the unspoken signal that we should start to think about summer internships and future careers. Most of the individuals in my class are switching careers, industries and even discovering brand-new opportunities, which leave us all feeling a little lost and overwhelmed by the potential we've got. They tell us a top 20 program will get us in the door, but first we need to decide what door we wish to knock on.

When I started my MBA application I was dedicated to going back into higher education (I was working for www.myedu.com) but then I got diagnosed, right before completing my essays. After a month I realized that this is what would now drive my life, I switched all of my essays around, and I not only dealt with it but became truly passionate about learning and teaching others how to make the best of this crappy diagnosis. At that time I started my blog and have been pondering how to make gluten-free a "career" ever since.

In a world dominated by doctors and dieticians I feel as if an MBA could make an impact that wasn't originally foreseen by the people who run Living Without and Celiac.com so I've made it my mission to get into lifestyle marketing for the gluten-free community. The question is...how? I've had the opportunity to speak with and conduct informational interviews with individuals such as Kim Koeller with GlutenFreePassport.com, individuals from Enjoy Life Foods and Mary's Gone Crackers and even dietitians in the Austin area.

What I've realized is that I have the personal experience, a lot of marketing background and about .25 of an MBA so I could provide a lot to this industry in some way or another. Ideally, I'd love to take G-Free in the City to the next level (and am in the works) but I've decided that my summer internship should be dedicated to learning the business and market side of things from within the walls. So my goal is to find one of the special dietary CPG companies, a large conglomerate who has a goal of expanding their product line, a local business or an amazing publication that serves the community and convince them to take me under their wing for the summer.

That being said, I've got an uphill battle. Such a niche industry takes a lot of hard work to break into, but I'm dedicated and determined so wish me luck!

Summary of Gluten-Free Grains

I got this information off of the ConAgra Mills website: http://www.conagramills.com/our_products/ancient_grains.jsp

I know there is misunderstanding about gluten-free, thinking it is no carbs. This summary is a great way to familiarize yourself with other grains that can be used just like flour or wheat! Many gluten-free flour blends use these grains as well.

Amaranth
	Very small, light-colored grain with an appealingly peppery flavor. Native to the Americas and prized by the Aztec civilization—it is a dietary staple as well as a revered symbol of the culture. Amaranth protein quality is among the highest with respect to other grains. It has comparatively more calcium and iron than other grains. Gluten-free
Millet
	Small, pale, yellow round grain with a mild flavor that's ideal for blending with the flours of other grains A staple in India and common in Africa, millet was domesticated more than 4,000 years ago from a wild West African grass. Millet nutrients include the B vitamins—thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B6, and folic acid—along with a number of other important nutrients. Gluten-free
Quinoa
	A small, light-colored round grain with an unmistakably nutty, earthy flavor. Indigenous to South America, where the Incas praised it as the "mother of all grains." Superior protein quality compared to other grains; a powerful source of minerals, including calcium, magnesium, potassium and iron. Gluten-free
Sorghum
	Medium-size round grain with a mild, lightly sweet taste that melds well with other flavors. Originated in Africa; today it is the fifth most important cereal crop in the world. Highly versatile—sorghum can be extruded, flaked, popped, formulated into baked goods and even brewed into beer. Gluten-free
Teff
	Tiny, ivory-colored grain whose lightly sweet, molasses-like flavor is compatible with other grain flours. The foundation of the Ethiopian diet, and principle source of nutrition for its people. Notable source of calcium and magnesium. Gluten-free