In the News

2nd Annual "Test Your Gluten IQ" Quiz to be Held in Honor of Celiac & Gluten Sensitivity Awareness Month.
Posted on April 23, 2013

 

 

 

Houston, TX - For Immediate Release

In honor of Celiac Awareness & Gluten Sensitivity Month, Stuffed Pepper will be hosting the 2nd Annual Test Your Gluten IQ quiz. Last year, the Gluten Dudes duked it out with the Gluten Free Dolls, and it was a big hit. This time they’re mixing it up a bit and pitting the Paleos against the Vegans. All in good fun. All in the name of spreading awareness.

Spearheading the Paleo team are Alain Braux, the Paleo French Chef, and grain-free, all-natural baker, Jessica Dean. Gurus for the Vegan team are Tess Masters, aka The Blender Girl, and Elisa Rachel, gluten-free, vegan blogger at EatingWhole.net. While Paleos and Vegans were chosen simply as fun avatars with a seemingly natural rivalry, the mascots are also a subtle hint for gluten-free people to look at their diets a little more deeply.

Gluten-free industry members have come out in support of the game. Bard’s Beer, a gluten-free craft beer made from sorghum, is the exclusive event sponsor, while companies such as Conscious Box, Tasty Bite, Dr. Lucy’s, Attune Foods, Pamela’s Products, and Schär have donated gifts for prize-winners.

Games are a great way to spread awareness around health related issues. As popular blogger, Gluten Dude (and one of last year’s team captains) put it, “The contest spread knowledge, awareness and pleasure throughout the gluten-free community. It was a win for everybody involved. And yes...I'm still bitter my team lost."

1 in 133 Americans have celiac disease (about 2.8 million people), with about 95% of those thought to be undiagnosed. It is also thought that celiac disease may be on the rise. Gluten Sensitivity is a recently recognized legitimate medical condition, distinct from celiac disease, and which doctors are still learning about. Because of this, it is imperative to raise awareness about the dangers of gluten to people who may be affected by it. Current estimates say Gluten Sensitivity effects about 8 to 12% of the population.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye and must be avoided at all costs by people with celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. Luckily, it is getting easier to transition to a gluten-free diet due to greater information dissemination on the web, more support networks and better tasting gluten-free options at the grocery store.

Anyone is invited to join the fun of the Gluten IQ Quiz and see how much they and their team really knows about gluten. Players don't have to be 100% paleo or 100% vegan - but they may lean a little more to one side or the other. Aside from the game being an exciting way to raise awareness about celiac disease and gluten sensitivity, members of the winning team will be randomly chosen to receive some fabulous gluten-free gifts.

There is one question a day. The quiz begins Wednesday, May 1st and ends on the last day of the month. Players are encouraged to read the FAQ on the Stuffed Pepper website before starting the game, where they will find most of the information they need to raise their gluten intelligence quotient. Players are also encouraged to invite as many friends and family members as possible to increase the chances that their team will win.

Stuffed Pepper is a recently launched gluten-free community website open to those following a gluten-free diet and those who want to know more about it.The website offers recipes, articles from medical experts, restaurant listings, a forum, and more. Content is provided by the community members themselves, and membership is free.

Visit the game page: http://www.stuffed-pepper.com/about-gluten-free/test-your-gluten-iq. 

Visit the website: www.stuffed-pepper.com

For more information, contact heather AT stuffed-pepper.com

Press Release: Stuffed Pepper Offers Month-Long Meal Plan for Gluten Free Beginners & Fresh Ideas for GF Veterans
Posted on January 28, 2013

  

 

 

Stuffed Pepper Offers Month-Long Meal Plan for Gluten Free Beginners

& Fresh Ideas for GF Veterans

HOUSTON, Texas. January 28th, 2012.  --   Stuffed Pepper, an online Gluten Free community made up of members, star chefs and medical professionals want to help gluten-free people get organized! Heather Jacobsen, founded the site to act as a member-based outlet and informational database for all people who are celiac (coeliac) or gluten sensitive to turn to for new recipes, industry news and a place to share their stories. 

While members make up the majority of the content, Jacobsen likes to make sure nutritionists and chefs give accurate and healthful meal options for beginners and gluten-free veterans to stay on track and feel their best.

With the new year, they have put together a month-long meal plan, which also includes some recipes that are vegan, vegetarian, paleo, and kid friendly; all of course are gluten-free, and a perk: soy-free too! In addition, there are tips on how to make one's own successful meal plan, including great ways in which to use leftovers, and how to keep it simple, without being boring.

 

The month-long meal plan is available online and as a downloadable PDF, free of charge. It's broken up by time of day, with room to create a shopping list. Eating well couldn't be easier. 

As Jacobsen says, "To eat well on a gluten-free diet, you really must cook most meals at home. And if you are new to the gluten-free diet and still need help on what to eat, organizing your weeks will be your saving grace. That's why we are encouraging people to make their own gluten-free meal plans, and we hope our plan gives a little inspiration."

As further encouragement for people to make their own gluten-free meal plans, Stuffed Pepper has joined forces with Rudi's Gluten Free Bakery to offer a $100 gift package to one lucky person who posts their one-week meal plan on Stuffed Pepper's website.Details of this giveaway can be found on Stuffed Pepper's "Back Porch" (their forum).

Stuffed Pepper is a community website for gluten-free living, with recipes, restaurant reviews, health articles and more. Whether just starting out on the diet, or a veteran, there is something of interest for everyone. And plenty of ways to give back to the community, as well. The website can be found at stuffed-pepper.com.

 

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If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with Heather Jacobsen, please call her at 713-517-0111 or email her at heather AT stuffed-pepper [dot] com

Dolls Vs. Dudes: First Ever "Test Your Gluten IQ" Quiz to be Held in Honor of Celiac Awareness Month
Posted on May 22, 2012

May is Celiac Awareness Month, and in order to get the word out about just what celiac disease is, and what you need to know about gluten, Stuffed Pepper will be hosting the first ever "Test Your Gluten IQ" quiz. This is a friendly battle of the sexes, captained by two respected and popular bloggers, The Gluten Dude and Gluten Free Doll. The game is open to anyone except Stuffed Pepper’s esteemed panel of Experts, and the sponsors who helped to make the quiz possible.

Anyone is invited to join the fun and see how much their team really knows about gluten and celiac disease. Aside from being an exciting way to raise awareness about celiac disease and gluten intolerance, members of the winning team will be randomly chosen to receive some fabulous gluten-free gifts from the quiz's sponsors.

Players are encouraged to read the FAQ on the Stuffed Pepper website before starting the game, where they will find all the information they need to raise their gluten intelligence quotient. Players are also encouraged to invite as many friends and family members as possible to increase the chances that their team will win.

There is one question a day. The quiz begins Wednesday, May 23rd and because celiac awareness shouldn’t end at the end of the month, it will continue into June, with the last day of the quiz being June 15th. Prize winners will be drawn on June 16th. The sponsors of the quiz include Rudi’s Gluten-Free Bakery, Conte’s Pasta, Kettle Cuisine, Glow Gluten Free, Go Macro, and Surf Sweets.

1 in 133 Americans have celiac disease (about 2.8 million people), with about 95% of those thought to be undiagnosed. It is also thought that celiac disease may be on the rise. Because of this, it is imperative to raise awareness about the dangers of gluten to people who may be affected by it.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye and must be avoided at all costs by people with celiac disease. Luckily, it is getting easier to transition to a gluten-free diet due to greater information dissemination on the web, more support networks and better tasting gluten-free options at the grocery store.

Stuffed Pepper is a recently launched gluten-free community website open to anyone who is on a gluten free diet. The website offers recipes, articles from the experts, restaurant listings, a forum, and more. Content is provided by the community members themselves, and membership is free. Although fairly new, Stuffed Pepper had 40,000 page views in the last two months. It is hoped that this fun and educational game will reach even more people who might be affected by gluten.

Let the game begin! Visit http://www.stuffed-pepper.com/about-gluten-free/test-your-gluten-iq to get started winning points for your team.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lake Oswego baker wins Food Network's 'Cupcake Wars' with gluten-free treats
Posted on December 21, 2011

By Eric Apalategui for Special to The Oregonian A Lake Oswego baker's gluten-free creations creamed the competition on the latest installment of the Food Network's "Cupcake Wars". Kyra Bussanich, who opened Crave Bake Shop at 460 Fifth St. in May, was one of four pastry chefs invited back to the televised competition, after she finished as the first runner-up on the program last year. Bussanich, 33, is the only Pacific Northwest resident ever to win the competition, as well as the only gluten-free baker from anywhere to take the top spot, show producers told her.The theme of this show was "The Closer 100th Episode," celebrating the TNT television series starring Kyra Sedgwick. Bussanich's elaborately decorated cupcakes followed a coffee and doughnut motif in honor of the cop drama.As part of her prize, which also included $10,000, Bussanich and assistant Jackie Eizik of Tualatin catered a party for Sedgwick and other cast and crew from "The Closer.""Cupcake Wars" is a showcase not only for the shop and online store but for gluten-free foods in general, Bussanich said. She herself doesn't tolerate the protein found in wheat and similar grains that form the foundation of most baked goods. "Gluten-free can be divine. It doesn't have to be bland." 

Finalists Unveiled in Gluten-Free Chef of the Year Competition
Posted on November 7, 2011

THE FINALISTS OF THIS YEAR’S GLUTEN-FREE CHEF OF THE YEAR COMPETITION HAVE BEEN ANNOUNCED.The entrants will now go forward to the cook off on Friday 25th November 2011 to be judged by celebrity chef and food ambassador of Coeliac UK, Phil Vickery and a panel of industry experts.For the second year, the competition is being run in association with the Institute of Hospitality and the Craft Guild of Chefs.More at...Eat Out Magazine

Against the grain: 'Wheat Belly' author claims staple is destructive to the body
Posted on October 27, 2011

By Monica EngThe last few decades have not been good for wheat.Some of the world's most popular diets (Atkins, South Beach and the Dukan Diet) have urged followers to  ditch bread and other carbs to slim down, while a rising number of celiac and gluten sensitivity sufferers have dropped bread in the name of health. For cardiologist William Davis, this is no coincidence. The author of the new book "Wheat Belly" (Rodale, $25.99) believes that modern wheat — including whole wheat — has become so uniquely destructive to multiple body functions that more than 80 percent of us could benefit from giving it up all together. Forty to 50 percent of us, he says, could see and feel results almost right away. More at...Chicago Tribune 

South Beach Diet Doctor: Go Gluten-Free

Posted on October 14, 2011

by Diana GonzalezSouth Beach Diet doctor talks about how a gluten-free diet can improve healthThe South Beach Diet , which became a bestseller eight years ago, is intended for weight loss. The doctor who created it noticed some of his patients were experiencing unexpected health benefits. Dr. Arthur Agatston has since realized he has since realized cutting out gluten is the main reason why.More at...NBC Miami

Gluten-free Market Still Expanding Considerably
Posted on October 1, 2011

By Tiffany JamesThe number of gluten-free specialty foods that are available today compared to the offerings back in 2006 is mind-boggling.  The gluten-free market has literally exploded in the last three years in the U.S.  From condensed soups to prepared ready-made pizza crusts and even powdered donuts – there are very few things that there isn’t a gluten-free version of these days.According to Packaged Facts, sales of gluten-free labeled foods will exceed 5 billion dollars by 2015.More at...Celiac-Disease.com

Kostopoulos partners with Canadian Celiac Association
Posted on October 1, 2011

by calgaryflames.comCALGARY, AB -- The Calgary Flames and Flames forward Tom Kostopoulos along with the Canadian Celiac Association (CCA) are proud to announce Kostopoulos has partnered as a spokesman for the Calgary chapter of the Canadian Celiac Association.Kostopoulos will donate $100.00 per goal during the regular season to CCA as well as tickets to youth in the Calgary chapter of CCA programs. After these games he will meet with the ticket recipients in the locker room.More at... Official Site of the Calgary Flames 

Novak Djokovic's path to the top in tennis went through his stomach
Posted on September 27, 2011

by Chris LehouritesLONDON -- Ever since eliminating pizza from his diet, Novak Djokovic has been on a roll.  Djokovic has been boasting all season about how he has more energy on the tennis courts since starting a gluten-free diet, cutting out pizza and bread from his daily life. But the top-ranked Serb has been reluctant to disscuss his new regimen in any detail, letting his game do the talking.More at... San Jose Mercury News.