Gluten-Free Expo Chicago: {aka Momnivore eats too many carbs}

Since my food philosophy teeters between gluten-free and “real food”, I have issue with consuming a great deal of processed foods. But everyone needs a break from the three-meal baking/cooking/clean-up rigamarole.

For those new to “real food”: the belief is grains, nuts, and seeds need to be properly prepared {soaked, fermented, soured, or sprouted} before consumption.  {That can be a bit much to take on for a newbie}

For those new the overwhelming change in diet, this expo was a haven: with samples and coupons galore.  It’s a step in the right direction.  Awareness of food and diet, the real baby steps, is half the battle.

Here a few of my favorite brands in the gluten-free world:

I’m not big on giving my kids candy, but let’s face it, with autism: potty-training is hell.  Plus, I’m big on don’t make everything illegal, or your kids will rebel in the future. So, I do allow them some candy, hot dogs, and such, but they are the cleanest and most crap-free I can find.

Upon recommendation from another biomed mama, I found a dye-free and gluten, dairy, and soy-free candy company a few months back called Surf’s Sweets when I was at Whole Foods.

To my happiness, I stumbled upon them at the expo.

Moosepie adores their jellybeans.  What’s really cool: they are located in a Chicago suburb. Talk about buying really local…

I wish all candies didn’t have evil food dye in them.  It’s one of my lofty goals in life to eradicate that garbage from the American diet. 

Of course, the leader in gluten-free breads and such was there.  Udi’s.   I’m not really crazy about their breads, but I love their cinammon rolls and bagels.  A nice treat when you miss the carbs from gluten-eating days…

I also had the opportunity to listen in on a presentation from a local mom who started up a gluten-free whole grain baked good company called Zema’s Madhouse Foods.  Although she isn’t celiac or even gluten-intolerant, she wanted to totally change the way her kids ate by eliminating white sugars and wheat.

Her blueberry gluten-free oat breakfast bars were some of the best I’ve had in years.  I’ve tried many a gluten-free product over the past two years, and her goods were some of the best I’ve had.  Bar none.

 

I was also smitten to see another one of our treat staples: Enjoy Life Foods, also located a few minutes from the estate here in Chicago.  We buy their chocolate chips religiously, as they are the only soy-free chocolate I can find on the market.

Their new line of crunchy cookies, to die for as well.  Especially the sugar-crisp ones, they harken back to the days of the sugar-cookies from the bakery down the street from my childhood home.

I also was happy to learn that a new company called wellamy.com {the owner also has twins with ASD} is going to venture into the online world of health/gluten-free/allergen-friendly products.  Think Amazon with a healthy conscience.

Love her logo too, the design geek in me.

It appears that this expo is spreading to many other cities across the US, {I know New York, Vegas, and LA are among some of the areas}, so I think it’s work the admission charge of $20 to check this out if you are gluten-free or considering it.

Off to gorge on my sample swag,
Nicolette

*not perked by the expo or any of these brands…though they should love me, because this blog is awesome.