Celiac disease is caused by a reaction to a gluten protein found in wheat (and similar proteins which include other grains such as barley and rye).  The only effective treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet. Being a type one diabetic, I know how frustrating it is to have dietary restrictions, especially when dining out! I also know that a few of my diabetic friends have celiac disease. Inside are a few places where you can find gluten free foods while dining out! Enjoy!

Siren’s Feast – An Edible Odyssey , is a culinary memoir, which makes it extra special. Mehagian takes us through a vivid period (the provocative 60's and 70's) of her amazing life and also charts the experience gastronomically, providing fantastic recipes along the way for us to sample in our own kitchens. We not only live through her words but can also create, smell and taste the foods  she is describing with over forty recipes . “A spicy brew of recipes and adventures,” says Quincy Jones of Nancy Mehagian’s Siren’s Feast, An Edible Odyssey. “I don’t know whether to eat this book, smoke it or make love to it."

The Veggie Fest has become a major, annual happening in Chicagoland – I attended the 2007 event in August. This fair meanders over about ten acres, obviously with numerous booths selling all variety of eats – hot & cold, cooked and raw, fast food favorites and ethnic specialties from around the world. The international food tents were a great adventure. An audience would gather in a tent (numerous choices – Indian, Cuban, Columbian, German….) for an ethnic cooking exhibition right on the spot. Then at the conclusion, we would all sample the creations. This went on all through the day. All for free. This event was created and sponsored by an all vegetarian organization called Science of Spirituality on their campus in Naperville, IL.

"Many pathogens survive or even multiply… or they produce high levels of biogenic amines and/or toxins and spread to humans. Of course food safety measures are trying to address infectious pathways, but all of a sudden the microbes appear somewhere else…even in places where they have never been detected before. This is the dawn of Food Corporatism : The power of the food industry (we have to include the pharmaceutical industry when talking about preservation, food modification, colouring, genes-manipulation) is enormous."

Woodlands is South Indian cuisine and a totally pure veggie adventure. The genuine adventure is due to the authentic South Indian style and presentation of their offerings. The Garden Café, with Chef David Chan, delivers fine art with Chinese style creations featuring novel and exciting uses of meat substitutes. Both  restaurants reside in Orlando, Florida.