International Food Blogger's Conference 2010 - Downtown Seattle

The food conference was only one reason we went to Seattle. This year marks our 6th anniversary. I think flying across the county for the first time and staying in a tiny boutique hotel for a few days (we didn't stay in the main conference hotel) was a nice way to celebrate the occasion! 

Michael and I spent hours just walking around the city. Taking a million pictures of the architecture of downtown buildings, hanging out in the public library (we're geeky that way), and trying to find as many gluten-free eateries as possible. 

Pike Place market was the highlight of Friday morning. We walked slowly through the large open air market. The fresh produce and flowers were beautiful. The fish sellers abundant. The scent of fresh breads (sadly NOT gluten free), homemade cheeses, and locally made baked goods were around every corner. 

We actually did find a small bakery/seller that made huge gluten free cookies and cinnamon buns. But they only made cinnamon buns on Saturdays & Sundays, so I didn't get a chance to try then! 

One local vendor sold fresh Washington state apples and created smoothies with them. It took a lot of restraint not to buy a bag of apples! 

People anxiously awaiting for fish to be thrown at the famous Pike Place Fish Market. If you've ever had to endure a fun video during human resources training called, "Fish!" about how to have great customer service no matter what type of job you have... this is where they filmed it. 

Below are pictures of Seattle that touched me the most. Michael took most of these shots. 

The Space Needle had fantastic views of the city in the evening. 

Downtown Seattle 

Downtown Seattle with Mt. Rainier in the background. 

Puget Sound at dusk

I loved just being able to spend time walking around city. Art is everywhere in the old city from the bus stop...

This wall borders one of the bus stations and it had poems running along the bricks. I loved this!

More bus station poetry. 

Even the sewer covers looked like art work. 

A favorite part of sitting in the Theo chocolate factory during the conference was seeing the light play off of the red bricks in the old building. Even the old pipes had character. 

Food trucks from Seattle fed the non-gf food bloggers on the 2nd day of the conference. This particular truck served pulled pork sandwiches. 

The Seattle Urban Farm Company, a unique company that creates rooftop gardens for restaurants and stores. They have a big black farm truck that has a whole garden in the truck bed. These beautiful beets and onions were part of the display on the back of the truck.

Tomorrow will be my final post on IFBC 2010. It will feature some of the incredible food bloggers and memorable meals we had while in Seattle! 

What are some of your favorite sites in Seattle? 

International Food Blogger's Conference 2010 - The Sessions

IFBC held at the back of Theo Chocolate.

The 2010 International Food Blogging Conference took place at Theo Chocolate factory in the Fremont district of Seattle from August 27th - 29th. This was my first trip to the west coast. I loved Seattle, although personally I think the coffee shops downtown need to sell gluten free sandwiches along with their bagels and croissants! On Saturday morning we rode a bus over to the Theo Chocolate factory where we would attend sessions on food photography, food writing, law & ethics, specialized diets & blogging, how to write recipes, etc...

My trusty notebook used the first day of IFBC, I quickly learned my laptop would have been more appropriate for following tweets and adding my thoughts.

Udi's provided gluten free muffins for the morning sessions. If you haven't tried them, they are delicious (even though apparently that's an over-used flavor description that should never, ever be used on food blogs... oh well). The lemon muffins were my favorite! The muffins were light, tender, and full of that lovely sweet-tart flavor that reminded me of gluten-filled donuts. Yes. I would spend good money on these gluten free muffins.

POM Wonderful was also a sponsor of IFBC. I can't tell you how many bottles of pomegranate juice & tea I had at this conference. My body should be absolutely loaded with antioxidants. The tea was addicting and I loved the different flavors of tea infused with the juice. POM Wonderful provided a healthy alternative to the beers & wines that were also offered.

More pomegranate info: If you want to know how to open a pomegranate, I did a post about the process here. I also shared how to make pomegranate molasses here.

Lemons used in our writing exercise. The fragrance throughout the room was lovely and clean!

Speaking of lemon muffins, one session we attended was a writing workshop led by Kathleen Finn. The workshop focused on teaching us how to improve our writing skills and descriptive techniques. We had to think of ways to distinguish the taste and feel of a lemon along with the sound of a lemon being chopped -- without using the word lemony or citrus-y. It's harder than you might think. There were absolutely amazing writers in that room of food bloggers, and somehow funny sexual references in their sentences seemed to abound... you don't think a lemon is sexy?

Shauna James Ahern and Alex Jaimeson, Food Blogging for Specialized Diets. I love that they were both wearing red!

My favorite session of the entire conference was the panel on Food Blogging for Specialized Diets. Shauna James Ahern was the first panelist. She is author of the blog Gluten Free Girl, and the books "Gluten Free Girl: How I found the food that loves me back, and "Gluten Free Girl and the Chef." Joining Shauna was Alex Jamieson, a vegan holistic nutritionist and author of the books: "The Great American Detox Diet" and "Living Vegan for Dummies."

Shauna and Alex talked about the joys of writing about food. Some reasons discussed: food bloggers love the experience, they love to help people, and they want to share the joy they find in their kitchens. Shauna and Alex also shared the challenges that can come from working on a blog, why special diets seem to be increasingly more common, and how to make readers of all types of foods welcome to your blog.

A great point that Shauna made during this session was that no matter who you are and no matter what you can eat -- most people have at least one food that they avoid for health, taste, or ethical reasons. So really, we're all specialized food bloggers. We may not state it formally on our blog... but in general everybody has reasons for eating what they do.

Alex shared great stories about why she was a vegan (mostly for healthy reasons - the animal welfare/environmental ethics came later) and she shared her passion for helping people feel well. I loved Alex's enthusiasm for healthy food. The conversations between her & Shauna were engaging, fun, and exuberant! The joy shared by these two women simply radiated throughout the room!

Penny De Los Santos' first cover photograph for Saveur magazine shared during the photography session.

Another session that won people over at IFBC was the photography presentation by award-winning food photographer Penny De Los Santos. Penny was passionate about re-thinking photography. Penny taught that you can learn how to "make" a picture instead of taking one. I loved her incredible delivery & teaching style. I could have listened to Penny talk about the art and philosphy of photography for hours. I was deeply touched by Penny's reflections and intense love of knowing exactly the right moments to make a picture. Penny made me want to read the manual of my little, lowly "point-and-shoot" camera and actually made me believe that even I could make phenomenal pictures.

Melissa from Gluten Free For Good, beautifully summed up the photography session in her recent post on IFBC. If you would like more information on this session, please visit the IFBC website. (Penny's session will be available to view soon!)

Wendy of Celiacs in the House, accepting her Theo chocolate bar which held a ticket stating her prize for winning the photo contest. Go Wendy!

After the inspirational presentation from Penny, attendees were challenged with the task of "making" pictures during lunch on Sunday. I was absolutely BLOWN away by the quality photographs these food bloggers created. The photos were simply incredible. Beautiful. I can honestly say I'm not one of these bloggers! I love to write, I love to cook & bake, and I love creating recipes. But photography (at least at this point in time) is not one of my talents!

I think the highlight of this session for the attending gluten free bloggers was finding out that Wendy from Celiacs in the House won the photo contest. Wendy's award-winning photo was taken by her Canon Powershot SD1200 IS.We were all so proud of her for showing that you don't have to have the world's best camera or lighting equipment to make a beautiful picture. Along with learning photographic techniques, many people also have to develop the talent of being able to see beauty in unexpected places. Wendy... you have that gift!

• Here are the IFBC photograph winners posted by Kathleen Finn, author of "The Sharper your Knife, the Less you Cry" and IFBC writing session instructor.

Wowed by the port-a-potties of awesomeness...

Last but not least for today...

Ahhh... the port-a-potties. You know I love you to post this picture. The fancy-pants port-a-potties were the talk of the town at IFBC. Theo Chocolate factory didn't have enough restrooms for 350 food bloggers, so Zephyr Adventures (co-sponsor of IFBC) went out and found "The Royal (Portable) Restrooms", advertised as "a regal portable restroom experience." You just don't know what you were missing. Those port-a-potties of awesomeness had artwork on the walls, mirrors, a sink, soap dispensers, towels, a rug on the floor, and get this... individually-wrapped MINTS. Now mind you, there were a few food bloggers who were still a little put out at the thought of using port-a-potties throughout a 3 day food conference, but I have to say they certainly added something fun to talk about while waiting in line for food... or.... well... the port-a-potty.

If you attended IFBC this year, please share your comments on your experiences of the trip!

Tomorrow I'll share more highlights of IFBC and our first trip to Seattle!

Gluten Free Sardine Salad -- by Valerie of City|Life|Eats

Today's guest post is from Valerie at City|Life|Eats, a wonderful gluten fee & casein free blog. Valerie is sharing a recipe for sardine salad which I'm really excited about because I'm actually a fan of sardines... and you should be too as they are so incredibly healthy for you!

I am so excited to be guest blogging for Carrie here at Ginger Lemon Girl.  My name is Valerie and I blog at City|Life|Eats about mindful living, allergy-friendly eats and city life.  I first discovered GLG last year, when I began to explore whether I had food intolerances (which my research had indicated might be the common denominator between several ongoing health issues I was dealing with) and was looking for tasty food-intolerance-friendly recipes to complement the new diet protocol my ND had put me on. I am so grateful for Carrie's upbeat tone, wonderful recipes, and how she is always introducing us to other great bloggers.  Through Carrie, I discovered Meghan Telpner, for example, which came in particularly handy when part of my dietary restrictions included switching to a lower-glycemic way of eating.

Fast-forward 15 months later, and I feel better than I ever have as an adult.  While I continue to work with my both my doctor and ND towards even better health, blogs like GLG have been a huge part of this adventure and provided with me with a sense of community.  I eat completely gluten-free and dairy-free (as gluten and dairy are my main two trigger foods) but I also avoid many other foods for various reasons, and generally eat a plant-based diet with the occasional addition of wild-caught fish or lean grass-fed meats.  I had been blogging for a couple of years about mindful living, green beauty, city life and yummy eats, so adjusted my blog to reflect my gluten-free, dairy-free recipes and I focused my food-related posts to be "food intolerance friendly."

Since Carrie recently wrote about the challenges of cooking fish, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite fool-proof approaches to eating fish: canned sardines.  They are sustainable, do not require cooking, and are inexpensive.  While I enjoy a nice piece of fresh wild-caught salmon, whether grilled or broiled, I do love the convenience of canned sardines. And yes, I agree, sardines can taste fishy.  

Today's recipe removes the fishiness out of the equation and adds lots of terrific fresh flavors and vegetables.  If you are trying to upgrade from a basic tuna and mayo sandwich, I hope you consider trying this sardine salad.  The avocado lends it delicious creaminess, making mayo unnecessary, and the lime juice is a perfect foil to the fishiness of sardines.  This sardine salad is delicious on gluten-free bread or crackers, but I also really enjoy it by scooping it with celery or carrot sticks.

Sardine Salad (Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Soy-Free)
Serves 1-2

• 1 can boneless, skinless sardines, drained
• 1/2 cup diced carrots
• 1/4 cup diced celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped scallions
• 2 tablespoons sundried tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or cilantro or basil (use what you have on hand)
• Juice of two limes, separated
• 1 jalapeño chili, with stem, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled and diced

Place sardines, carrots, celery, scallions, sundried tomatoes, herb of your choosing, jalapeño (if using), juice of one lime and salt in a bowl.  Mix bowl, breaking up the sardines into flakes.  Add avocado and taste to adjust seasoning. I usually add about half the juice of the second lime, but it is really up to you. If you are not serving immediately, you can make the recipe up to the addition of the avocado and have the salad sit for a couple of hours and even overnight in the refrigerator. Add the avocado immediately before serving.
Note: just as with any tuna fish salad recipe, feel free to swap ingredients or adjust ratios – if you like celery better, add more celery.  Swap diced red onion for the scallions. Add hot sauce.  Whatever makes you happy.

If you want to bring this salad to work for lunch: When I make this salad to bring to work, I add all the ingredients up to the avocado and only use the juice of one lime.  Then I bring this little kit you see in the picture immediately above, where I pack the sardine salad in one container and my celery and carrots in another, along with an avocado and a lime.  When I am ready to eat the salad at work, I cut the avocado and add it to the salad along with some freshly squeezed lime juice.  It makes for a delicious fresh-tasting lunch that transports you away from the office.


Valerie blogs City|Life|Eats about mindful living, allergy-friendly eats and city life.  In addition to cooking always gluten-free and dairy-free (and often vegan) recipes, Valerie loves exploring farmers’ markets, practicing yoga, and spending time with her husband and loved ones.  You can also find Valerie on Twitter @citylifeeats and Facebook.

Why Am I Gluten Sensitive? -- By Dr. Robert McCarthy

Today's guest post is written by a Dr. Robert McCarthy, founder of McCarthy Family Chiropractic  in Greenville, North Carolina. Dr. McCarthy is an advocate for those who are gluten sensitive in the Eastern NC region. 

WHY AM I GLUTEN SENSITIVE?
THE HEALTH DAMAGING EFFECTS OF GLUTEN
By: Dr. Robert McCarthy

More and more people these days are hearing about gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. However, it is still a poorly understood health condition, even among traditional health care providers. I recently had a patient tell me that his family doctor scoffed at him when he shared the fact that he was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity. The doctor replied by saying he doesn’t think gluten sensitivity is a “real disease”. He went on to say that there just isn’t enough research to prove it.  If any of you have suffered from accidental gluten exposure, I’m sure you’d beg to differ. The problem lies in the fact that the research has been around for decades, but the doctor just hasn’t read it.

Gluten sensitivity and its wicked stepmother, celiac disease are very real entities that can be diagnosed with scientific lab tests. However, you need to use the right test or you may wind up with a false negative. I’ve had patients wind up on anti-depressants because no one could identify the cause of their symptoms. The doctor then says, ”It’s all in your head”.  The most accurate and sensitive test is a stool sample. You also need to have the genetic test done to see if you have 1 or 2 genes for either gluten sensitivity or celiac disease.

Gluten is a sticky protein made up of glutenin and gliadin. When water is added, as in cooking, the two bind together forming gluten. If you are genetically predisposed, it’s just a matter of time before symptoms appear. Symptoms can range from mild bloating and cramping all the way to disabling abdominal pains. Another problem with proper diagnosis is that many gluten sensitive people have no abdominal symptoms at all. They may have a reaction to gluten that triggers an autoimmune attack inside their body. Whatever tissues or organs are attacked will determine their symptoms. One of the most common effects of repeated gluten ingestion in susceptible individuals is Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Other very common symptoms include aches and pains, lack of energy, brain fog, altered immune system function, depression, and other autoimmune reactions.

Gluten is a problem for these people because they lack the enzyme DPP4, which is necessary for complete digestion of gluten. This leaves a large molecule called gluteomorphine floating around inside your intestines. In time it will disrupt the inner lining of your intestines leading to another condition called leaky gut syndrome. You actually wind up with holes in your intestines allowing all sorts of pathogens to directly enter your blood stream. This leads to a whole cascade of events that fire up your immune system, which in turn can lead to autoimmune disease. Some different body tissues that then fall under attack are the thyroid gland (Hashimoto’s), the pancreas, the lining of your stomach, and even your brain and nervous system.

This information has been well documented going back to the 1920’s. In fact, during WWII in Denmark, there was a grain shortage and people with celiac disease became better. The Roman physician, Galen, described a condition in which the digestion was upset by gluten containing foods as early as the second century BC. If your doctor is not up to date with the latest research, it’s time to find a new doctor.

    

From Dr. McCarthy's website:

Dr. McCarthy graduated from the prestigious S.U.N.Y.@ Stony Brook with a bachelor’s degree. He then attended New York Chiropractic College in Seneca Falls, NY, graduating with a Doctorate in Chiropractic. After graduation Dr. McCarthy accepted an appointment to the NYCC faculty where he was a distinguished instructor in orthopedics, neurology and radiology.

Dr. McCarthy moved to Greenville and established his private practice, McCarthy Family Chiropractic in 1996. Having a focus on meeting the health needs of entire families, Dr. McCarthy offers unique treatments for children, adults, and elderly patients. He has a passion for helping people who have “been everywhere” and “tried everything”. Chronic conditions that destroy people’s lives are given special attention in his office.

Currently, Dr. McCarthy serves as the chairman of the Research Committee for the North Carolina Chiropractic Association. He lectures regularly on posture, nutrition, fibromyalgia, and chronic pain.

As an active member of the Greenville community, Dr. McCarthy attends Covenant UMC with his wife and 5 children. He is also the founder and head coach of the Pitt County Youth Lacrosse League and the President of the East Carolina Youth Lacrosse League.