" The Right to Know" Labeling GMOs in California

     Most people are unaware that genetically engineered foods or GMOs are present in many of the foods we buy and consume. According to the Center for Food Safety, 70 % of the foods sold in grocery stores are genetically engineered. GMOs are plant or meat products who’s DNA has been artificially altered by genes from either bacteria or viruses. The goal of genetic modification is the creation of new species of plants and animals that are larger, draught and pest resistant or produce greater yield. Opponents of GM foods and agricultural products worry that GMOs may cause irreparable environmental damage and pose long-term health risks. According to The Center for Food Safety, the FDA has not seriously investigated the health risks associated with genetically modified foods. There have never been any long-term studies on the environmental or health risks associated with GMOs, which increases the risk to American consumers.

     Genetically modified foods are more prevalent in the United States then we realize, because state laws do not require companies to include GMO foods on product labels. As a consumer, you have the right to complete and accurate product labeling. Currently, fifty countries in the world label genetically modified foods including Europe. The United States is one of the few western nations which does not require manufacturers to list GMOs as an ingredient in produce, meats and processed foods. In California, “The Right to Know” GMO labeling initiative will appear on election ballots in November. The GMO labeling initiative would require food manufacturers to list GMOs on product labels. According to the Center for Food Safety, the GMO labeling initiative will not increase food or manufacturing costs and will help Californians make informed decisions when grocery shopping. The ability to choose healthy foods should be  every American's right. Therefore, it is essential that food is accurately labeled. On November 6, vote in support the GMO food-labeling proposal in California to stop the hidden sale of GMO products in state stores.

A Review of Pasta Pronto in Delmar, California

     I recently stopped by Pasta Pronto in Delmar, Cal. for lunch. Pasta Pronto is open for lunch and dinner. They also have a deli case for takeout orders and catering services. With a name like Pasta Pronto, you may not expect delicious gluten free food. However, Pasta Pronto has gluten free entrees on the lunch and dinner menu. There are also gluten free sandwiches, takeout meals and desserts in the deli case. From the exterior, Pasta Pronto looks like a typical, mall based Southern California restaurant. Don’t be fooled by Pasta Pronto’s unassuming exterior. The restaurant is a hidden gem for anyone with gluten sensitivity. 

    Pasta Pronto is a small café, which can only be described as cozy. The atmosphere is perfect for a casual lunch or an intimate dinner. The restaurant is tastefully decorated with small tables, booths and Italian theme, art deco paintings. There is also an outdoor dining area. As of late august, Pasta Pronto’s menu had a delightful selection of gluten free entrees, sandwiches, soup and desserts. The service is one of the nicest things about dining at Pasta Pronto. When I arrived for lunch, I informed the wait staff that I was gluten intolerant, and I asked for a gluten free menu. Before showing me to the dining area, the hostess pointed out the gluten free selections in the deli case and on the menu. She assured me the cook was knowledgeable about cross contamination and gluten free food preparation. For lunch, I ordered a gluten free quinoa, artichoke, asparagus and tomato salad topped with melted parmesan cheese. Meals are served with bread and pickles. I was surprised when the waitress brought me a separate bread tray with piping hot gluten free bread and butter. My meal arrived within 20 minutes of my order. The quinoa dish was a zesty blend of sauted asparagus, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, and spices with a topping of baked parmesan cheese. Despite the generous serving, the meal was so savory that I wanted more.  Pasta Pronto is worth visiting. On my next trip to San Diego, I plan to eat there again.

Gluten Free Tomato and Vegetable Quinoa

    Quinoa is a grain like edible plant, which is a popular staple, in the diets of gluten sensitive people.  Quinoa was originally cultivated in South America and was a food staple of the Incas. The word quinoa means mother grain in the Quecha language. Quinoa has more nutritional value than most grains. It has all eight amino acids, including lysine. Quinoa is a naturally gluten free food. It is a staple, along with rice, in many gluten free recipes. Quinoa is a delightful addition to any main course. One of my favorite gluten free, vegetarian quinoa recipes is tomato and vegetable quinoa.

Ingredients:

3.5-4 cups of water

2 cups quinoa

1 red onion chopped

3 tomatoes

2 green peppers

2 tbs. olive oil

Pinch of salt

½ tsp. mustard seed

½ tsp. black pepper

Pinch of cayenne

Grated parmesan cheese

Pinch of garlic salt

     Wash the quinoa thoroughly. When preparing quinoa, use a 1:2 ratio of quinoa and water. Next, combine the quinoa, water and salt. Let the water boil and reduce the heat. Let the quinoa simmer for 15 minutes. Drain any excess water from the quinoa.

    Chop the onion and green peppers into small cubes. Next, slice the tomatoes into cubes. Sauté the olive oil, garlic salt, pepper, cayenne powder and mustard seeds in a medium size pan. Add the onions and green pepper. Sauté the vegetable mixture until it is tender. Next, add the cubed tomatoes. Continue sautéing the mixture and stir frequently. Combine the quinoa with the sautéed tomato and vegetable mixture. Serve warm and garnish with grated parmesan cheese.

Setting Up A Gluten Free Kitchen

Changing your diet after being diagnosed with gluten sensitivity can be a challenge; especially, when you are the only one in your family who is on a gluten free diet. To cook gluten free meals, you will need to make a gluten free zone in your kitchen. With careful planning, maintaining a gluten free kitchen is easy and a learning experience for everyone in the family.

When setting up a gluten free kitchen, cross contamination is a concern for anyone with gluten sensitivity. Cross contamination is a phenomenon that occurs when gluten free food is accidentally contaminated by foods containing gluten. For example, if you use the same toaster to prepare whole wheat and gluten free toast, you increase the likelihood of cross contamination. Using the same butter for gluten free and non-gluten free foods is another way to cross contaminate foods. Educating everyone in the family about celiac disease and gluten intolerance and how to maintain a gluten free kitchen decreases the likelihood of cross contamination.

To set up a gluten free kitchen, create a separate space in the kitchen for gluten free food preparation. There should be a section of the pantry and the refrigerator for gluten free foods. Foods containing gluten should be kept as far away from gluten free foods as possible. If you have children with gluten sensitivity, remove foods containing gluten from easily accessible areas of the kitchen. Make sure gluten sensitive children understand which foods are safe and gluten free, so they can make healthy choices when preparing a snack or meal. Clearly identify gluten free foods with a large GF label. People with gluten sensitivity will also need a different set of condiments including sugar, butter and jellies to avoid cross contamination. In addition, you will need to purchase additional sets of cutlery, a toaster, cutting board and cookware. The new cookware, toaster and cutlery, should be clearly labeled GF and used only for gluten free meals. You will also need to create a separate drawer for utensils and cookware used for gluten free foods. When preparing a gluten free meal, avoid cross contamination by using separate cookware, utensils, cutting board or toaster. Lastly, explain to children and loved ones how to use and maintain a gluten free kitchen for everyone’s safety. Teach everyone gluten free food handling skills. Families who understand celiac disease and gluten intolerance are more likely to practice gluten safe food preparation. Maintaining a gluten free diet is possible even if other members of the family are not gluten intolerant.

The Shopper's Choice: An Essay Grocery Shopping and Gluten Intolerance

I have been living on the west coast for four years. I like California, with its wide open spaces, emphasis on sustainability and spirituality. However, I miss the mom and pop health food stores and natural food cooperatives I used to frequent in New England. In California's East Bay, there are few small, health food stores. I still have not located a natural food co-op within driving distance of my home. Most of the natural food stores are large grocery store chains like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s. There are few co-ops or bulk,wholesale sellers of organic foods that service northern California. In my opinion, large, natural food grocery chains lack the personal feeling of a small,organic food shop. Although there are many gluten intolerant people in California, only a few large natural food stores cater to customers with food allergies. When I lived in the east coast, I was part of a United Foods cooperative with a group of likeminded people. Once a month, we would meet and order organic and vegetarian grocery items and other necessities in bulk. A large truck would deliver our food orders at the end of the month. The group would meet and sort the grocery items to ensure every person received their delivery. The co-op’s bi- monthly gatherings were a terrific opportunity to build community and friendship. In northern California, there aren’t any convenient alternatives to shopping at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s unless you live in San Francisco. I am not maligning either store. However, the prices at Whole Foods are so high that I cannot afford to shop there. Neither store has an affordable or adequate selection of gluten free or non -GMO foods. The employees at the local Whole Foods store do not impress me as being knowledgeable about gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Six months ago, I asked a Walnut Creek Whole Foods employee if one of the bakery items was gluten free. The clerk stated she did not know the meaning of the word gluten or gluten free, and she did not know anything about the question. The local Safeway,where I shop on occasion,is more community oriented and much friendlier than Whole Foods or Trader Joes. The store’s cashiers are friendly; they know me name; always say hello, and the store sells gluten free grocery items. Although I am not a fan of Safeway, sometimes I shop there because of the store’s lower prices, gluten free food section and customer service. I propose a solution to the lack of gluten free grocery selections in my neighborhood. Instead of shopping at large, grocery store franchises, people should shop at community based co-ops or small grocery stores. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if people in northern California had affordable choices regarding the purchase of non-GMO, organic, gluten free groceries? The holiday season is nearly here. Soon it will be a new year. This year my new year’s resolution will be to find a group of people who are interested in buying non -GMO gluten free food and saving money. I will start a natural food cooperative or join one to save money and get a better selection of non-GMO, gluten free grocery items. I don’t believe I should have limited choices when grocery shopping or pay more for organic food because I am gluten intolerant.

A Review of Jimbo's Naturally in Carlsbad, CA

Jimbo’s Naturally is a natural food and organic grocery store in Southern California. They have organic grocery stores in Carlsbad, 4S, Escondido and Carmel Valley. On my last trip to San Diego, I visited Jimbo's grocery store in Carlsbad. Jimbo’s is a delightful alternative to natural food supermarket chains like Whole Foods and Trader Joe's. The store is committed to being a quality, neighborhood, organic grocery store. Jimbo’s natural food store is dedicated to providing gluten intolerant and celiac customers the highest quality foods. Jimbo’s also supports the non GMO movement. They sell foods that are predominantly manufactured by companies who pledge not to use GMO products. Their “Bill of Rights” summarizes the stores mission: to be customer friendly, socially responsible, support natural and organic food, provide a healthy workplace, embrace truth, integrity and respect. Besides fresh fruits and vegetables, Jimbo’s has a cornucopia of gluten free, non GMO, frozen and prepackaged foods. They have an assortment of frozen lunch and dinner entrées like Glutino's Macaroni and Cheese and Gluten Free Café's Lemon Basil Chicken. Jimbo’s also sells a wide selection of rice pastas, gluten free snacks and breads. There are even prepackaged, imported, specialty foods like gluten free khichadi. In case you are still hungry, Jimbo’s has a deli and bakery with prepared foods, cakes, cookies and gluten free sandwiches. I had a birthday party recently. A family member ordered a specially prepared, gluten free birthday cake from Jimbo’s bakery for the party. It was a small chocolate cake with chocolate icing. The cake was surprisingly, rich and chocolaty with a thick texture. It was the perfect addition to my birthday dinner celebration.

As a customer and someone with gluten intolerance, I am impressed with Jimbo’s customer service and commitment to providing its customers with safe gluten free foods. At the Carlsbad store's entrance, there is a small information center with pamphlets on a variety of topics including gluten intolerance, celiac disease and the gluten free diet. There is also a brochure which lists gluten free foods for sale in the store to aid celiac and gluten intolerant shoppers in making smart shopping decisions. The Jimbo's Carlsbad store is about half the size of Whole Foods market, but there is a larger selection of food and the prices are less expensive. The grocery store reminds me of the hip, local, health food co-ops I used to visit in Massachusetts and Vermont. Jimbo's Naturally is an organic grocery store in Carlsbad, and a mecca for organic food aficionados and anyone on a gluten free diet.

A Review of Pizza Nova in Solana Beach

Last night I ordered take-out, gluten free pizza from Pizza Nova in Solana Beach. What a relief to find excellent, gluten free pizza at a reasonable price in San Diego. Pizza Nova has been in business since 1990. They have three locations in the greater San Diego area; Solana Beach, Delmar and Point Loma. The restaurant specializes in homemade, gourmet, wood fire pizza, Italian pastas, appetizers, soups, salads and desserts. Besides delicious appetizers and salads, Pizza Nova’s menu has 17 varieties of gluten free pizza from pear gorgonzola to goat cheese. They also have free home delivery and catering services. I ordered the gluten free, Mediterranean vegetarian pizza and a caprese tomato and mozzarella salad. The caprese salad is a zesty blend of six large slices of fresh mozzarella cheese, yellow and red roma tomatoes, capers and a light blend of olive oil and balsamic vinegar dressing. The salad serves one to two people. Pizza Nova's gluten free, Mediterranean vegetarian pizza is topped with sautéed Portobello mushrooms, zucchini, olives, tomatoes, onions, fontina, feta and mozzarella cheese. The pizza and salad arrived within 30 minutes of my telephone order. Pizza Nova’s 10 inch gluten free pizza serves one to two people and has about six slices. The wood fire gluten free crust is thick and somewhat chewy with a savory olive oil and herb flavor. My sister who is not gluten intolerant ate a piece of my gluten free pizza and liked it better than her regular cheese pizza from another local restaurant. I heartily recommend Pizza Nova for its excellent customer service. The staff at Pizza Nova is friendly and conscientious, and they are careful with gluten free pizza orders. The gluten free pizza at Pizza Nova in Solana Beach is some of the best gluten free pizza I have eaten in a long time.