BD’s Mongolian Grill – The SAFE Restaurant
I had the pleasure of talking to Ken Leetch, the General Manager, at BD’s Mongolian Grill in Bolingbrook. He was nice enough to take the time out of his busy schedule to discuss their safety practices with me. This restaurant can be allergen free, gluten-free, Paleo, or Vegan. You pick, and they will try to accommodate. First off, BD’s Mongolian Grill is one of my favorite buffet type restaurant. Most buffet type restaurants are not very safe for Bean with her peanut allergy, due to cross contamination issues. I was comfortable taking her to BD’s before, but now that I know more about their safety practices I am confident that BD’s would be a safe place for her to eat.
If you have never been to BD’s Mongolian Grill, it is essentially a place where you pick the ingredients and then take it up to the grill. It’s amazing stir fry. You can purchase one bowl or unlimited bowls. With your bowl, you also get their soup and salad bar. Their soups recently changed to being 100% home-made in-house by BD’s. After you start off with the soup and salad, then you take your bowl and go up to the buffet and choose your ingredients. You have several choices of meat, vegetables, noodles, sauces, and spices. Once you have all your ingredients picked out, you can take your food up to a grill to be cooked.
Some of the safety practices they follow are:
- Temperatures are checked on the food lines every few hours to make sure everything stays cold and fresh
- The tongs are constantly changed to avoid any cross contamination
- If you are concerned about possible cross contamination due to a food restriction or allergy, they will make your bowl from fresh ingredients in the back that are kept segregated
- Also, they have an Allergy Friendly cooking station. It is a separate place to have your food cooked to avoid allergens in your food. The pans are used one time before being washed, and then they are heated up to 200 degrees to burn off any remaining allergens
- There is a MAC or MAM (Market Area Manager or Market Area Coordinator) walking around the food area, in a black chef coat. They can help create meals, give ideas, and also can provide you with a nutritional brochure.
They also have a .pdf file on their website that lists every single ingredient used in all of their items. If you are on the go, there is an Android and Iphone app called BD’s Go Mongo. The app lets you create-a-bowl, choose all your ingredients, and view all the ingredients in the bowl you made!
Disclaimer: I did this review, because this is one of my favorite restaurants. I was not given anything and did not receive any compensation in any way, in order to do this review. All opinions are my own and not influenced in any way.
Kemnitz Family Kitchen Labels & Flags
Kemnitz Family Kitchen has these great labels, stickers, and flags for foods that are gluten free and allergen free. They also have special labels that say “NO” in red if they are not safe. We went to my mom’s for a cookout yesterday, and my cousin has decided to try being gluten free to see if it makes her feel any better. We were able to put flags in the foods that were safe for her. My mom made the homemade salsa, and taco dip. Both were safe, so I was able to put a flag in them.
My cousin brought some Udi’s Gluten Free hamburger buns, which are not only gluten free, but nut free also! Had to put some cute flags and stickers on those too!
My cousin brought a cake she made gluten free, and it was REALLY good. However, my grandmother brought packaged donuts that were not safe for my cousin or my daughter’s peanut allergy, so I put the STOP sticker on them. It was great, because they were both able to see right off that they were not safe for either of them.
I am so excited about these flags and labels. Especially at larger family functions where different people have different food restrictions, and people bring home made foods. People can immediately see which items are safe and which are not.
My cousin said these were a great idea, especially if you are at a restaurant and they bring around desserts to view. They could have the little GF flag in them to show they are gluten free and safe. Another neat idea is if you order lunch from a restaurant and they have gluten free options. They could label your meal with a Gluten Free sticker. Kemnitz Family Kitchen has several little stickers and flags for every occasion and food restriction. These would be great for cookouts, family parties, and school treats.
You say it’s your birthday? Happy Gluten Free Birthday! Imagine getting a cupcake from a co-worker that is gluten free, with a little birthday sticker on it.
Is the food vegan? Is it an Easter, Christmas, Halloween, or Fourth of July? There are adorable labels to label your foods to bring to get togethers. There are even labels to make what items your food does NOT have! This is especially important for home made foods. The possibilities are endless!
Disclaimer: I was sent two packages of flags and labels in exchange for my honest opinion of the products. I was not compensated in any way, and all opinions are my own.
Review: Nonuttin’
Right off, I love the name!! Nonuttin’ says it all! Their products are free of ELEVEN allergens!! Yes, 11! Their products are dairy free (including all derivatives such as casein and whey), egg free, fish free, certified gluten free, mustard free, peanut free & tree nut free (including employees signing a contract that they do not eat peanuts/tree nuts before work or bring them into any area of the No Nuttin’ facility), sesame free, shellfish free, soy free (including soy lecithin), no sulfites, wheat free, AND since the USA lists coconut as a tree nut, no coconut either!
Are you allergic to latex? No latex gloves are used on any Nonuttin’ production line either! Avoiding refined sugar? They only use evaporated cane sugar! So their products must taste like cardboard right? It can’t be free of all these things, and actually taste good, right? WRONG! Their products are delicious! Nonuttin sent Lizzie and I a bunch of their products to try and they were all delicious! Our kids loved them all!
The first thing we tried was their Nonuttin’ All Natural Granola. The girls loved putting it in their yogurt or just eating it plain. Bean loved the Vanilla Cinnamon, and Bubbles favorite fruit is blueberry, so she really loved the Blueberry Maple.
The next thing we tried was their granola bars. YES, they have granola bars! AND they are peanut free granola bars! Can you tell how excited I am about this? If your child has a peanut allergy, you understand my excitement. I have not found ANY safe granola bars for Bean at any of the stores around here. They are always “made on the same equipment” or “may contain”. Well these contain No Nuttin! Their granola bars come in four varieties – Apple Cinnamon, Raisin (both pictured below), Chocolate Chip, and Double Chocolate Chunk. Their granola bars are soft and chewy, and you can actually see the apple and raisins in them! Definitely a favorite here!
Next we tried their oatmeal! They come in these great little cups, with lids. Just add boiling water (I just used really hot water), pour it up to the line in the cup, put the cover back on for a couple minutes and TADA, the perfect cup of oatmeal! I was really leery of these at first. I really thought they would be soupy, and I really dislike soupy oatmeal, but they seriously turned out perfect! There are four varieties – Daily Hug (apples and cinnamon), Morning Mojo (apples, blueberries, apples, raw sunflower seeds, and cinnamon), Pacific Coast Morning (blueberries and cranberries), and Sunny Start (cranberries, raisins, and raw sunflower seeds). We tried the Morning Mojo and Daily Hug. Bean had the Morning Hug and loved it. Bubbles tried the Morning Mojo, but was not thrilled about the sunflower seeds. I like it though and finished it off for her!
Lizzie came over for a cookout, and we had to figure something for the kids to have for dessert. The dessert had to be gluten free for Lizzie’s kids, peanut free for Bean, and dairy free for Bubbles. It is always so very difficult finding a snack that all the kids can enjoy. Often, we find a product that is allergen free OR gluten free, however these are the best of both worlds, and allowed all of our children to enjoy them! They loved them, and even the dog wanted some! LOL Lots of smiling faces, and no one was left out!
Nonuttin is a great treat for field trips, on the go, as a quick snack, also they are great for kids to bring in as a safe treat for school for birthdays or for snack day. All the kids could have these! They are soft and chewy and sooo good, especially the Double Chocolate Chunk, and all the kids will love them!
Disclaimer: Nonuttin’ sent us the products pictured above to review, in exchange for our honest opinions of their products. We were not compensated in any way, and all of the opinions were our own and not influenced in any way.
Making the Switch to Paleo!!
As you know, we are gluten free. We have been for awhile now, due to necessity. However, we still have not seen the health improvements that we were hoping. Bear still had an enlarged lymph node in his neck that he has had for years, and Bee was still very moody and bloated. No matter what we did, we could not get the weight off of Bee and onto Bear.
So, I started doing more research. About health, about nutrition, about our history as humans, and about how our eating practices have evolved over time. All of this information, lead me to the Paleo diet.
For those of you that do not know, the Paleo diet mimics the way our ancestors ate thousands of years ago. The diet is simple really. Its all whole foods, fresh, not processed. There are no grains, no corn ( its actually a grain!), no peanuts or other legumes, no processed sugars or added sugars, no dairy ( with the exception of the grass fed butter). Its a diet high in proteins and good fats. For those of you that would like to know more, please let me know. I can get you pointed in the right direction
While it is not hard to follow, as far as knowing what is okay to eat and not okay to eat, there are some more challenging aspects of this type of lifestyle. There is a lot more time put into meal planning and preparation. This is because everything we eat is fresh. Nothing comes out of a package. So, this means making sure that we have enough veggies, seeds, and nuts. This means taking the time to make extra portions at dinner so that we can use them as a base for our lunches the next day. And, because our local farmers market does not open until June, this means lots of regular trips to the grocery store.
However, all of the new challenges that we have faced have been nothing compared to all of the benefits we are already seeing, and it has not even been a full 30 days yet! Bear’s lymph node has almost completely gone back down to normal. None of us are bloated anymore. Bee is visibly thinner. Our skin and hair is noticeably healthier. The kids both have much better moods and sleep much better. I’ve lost 6 pounds. Not to mention all of the fun we have preparing the food we eat. For me, cooking had previously become a chore, and we were stuck in so many ruts, eating the same types of things over and over and over. But with Paleo, we all get involved. We chose foods together at the store, and have a great time discovering new foods at small local stores. We have had a great time experimenting with new flavors and textures ( one of the latest was masked sweet potatoes with toasted coconut…try them, you will NOT be disappointed!). We do not have to fight as much to get Bear to eat. We all just FEEL better. Not to mention that it has really helped my husband and I become even closer.
It feels so good to know that we our nourishing ourselves and our children with healthy, whole, fresh foods. We are also much more adept at handling our stress. We now participate in exercise as a family, and have the ability to give ourselves alone time without feeling guilty. This has been the most positive lifestyle change that we have ever made, and my only regret is that we did not do it sooner.
I am going to be starting to experiment with some new Paleo recipes soon. Look for new ideas coming soon. And please, if there is something that you would like to see Paleofied, let me know and I will do my best to make it happen!
Bonus: The right kind of bacon (uncured, minimally processed, nitrate free, etc) is totally okay with this lifestyle!! Now, what can be better than that??
Wordless Wednesday
Although they still antagonize each other, lately my girls have really bonded with each other. Bubbles was really worried about Bean while she was in having her upper endoscopy, and the minute we were able to get into the recovery room (after Bean stopped dry heaving) and started feeling a little more herself, Bubbles announced that she wanted to “lay with Beanie”. She climbed into the bed with her to chill and watch some TV.
Benefits of Baltic Amber Teething Necklaces/Bracelets
Have you heard of these??
Amber is not a “stone” but a natural resin. So as it warms with the body’s natural temperature, amber releases its healing oils (these oils contain succinic acid )which are easily absorbed into the skin and then into the bloodstream. Baltic Amber has some of the highest concentrations of Succinic Acid found in nature, and this is what makes it so special. Succinic Acid is a natural component of plant and animal tissues, and it’s presence in the human body is beneficial in many ways. It is known to reduce inflammation of the throat, ear and stomach and to fight irritation, infections and respiratory disease as it dramatically improves the body’s immunity. Natural amber beaded necklaces are a completely non-invasive remedy for side effects associated with teething, such as lack of appetite, upset tummies, ear ache, fevers and colds. Baltic amber is also a natural analgesic that will calm your child and is recognized by allopathic medicine specialists as antispasmodic and anti-fever. Many adults report improvement of arthritis discomfort in their hands when wearing amber on the wrists.
The word “Amber” has always been associated exclusively with “Baltic Amber” even though there are other varieties of amber in different locations in the world. In fact, more than 125 types of fossil resins have been found but these are not amber, simply distant cousins. The Baltic Amber is the only amber sought after for its rare qualities including the ability to provide natural healing. Baltic amber resin comes from a fossil produced by ancient pine tress that grew in Northern Europe millions of years ago in an area that reached from southern regions of what is now known as Scandinavia as well as neighboring regions of the Baltic Sea bed. At some point, the climate grew warmer and these pine trees, known today as conifer trees, exuded great amounts of natural resin which scientists say achieved its stability over time through oxidation.Baltic amber facts
•Amber is a fossilized tree resin that has taken millions of years to form.
•Baltic amber is the only fossil resin that contains 3-8 % succinic acid, a medicinal substance with diverse effects. The highest content of the acid is found in the amber cortex–the external layer of the stone.
•Raw Baltic amber comes in diverse forms drops , icicles, dripstones and nuggets of various sizes, which show how it was formed and how it travelled – each piece is totally unique.
•Amber has a great diversity of color varieties, most common being cognac, honey, green, lemon, golden, butterscotch.
•Highly prized and greatly valued, amber will sometimes appear with inclusions that date back to its origination…a tiny piece of plant or a fragile insect that became part of the flowing resin and therefore preserved millions of years ago.
•Amber nuggets are warmer than other stones and when rubbed, they attract bits of dry grass and paper, as amber becomes electrically charged. It charges negatively, which is beneficial for people.
•Amber nuggets burn when lit, with a bright yellow flame, exuding a pleasant resinous scent.
•Baltic amber is alive, as the process of its internal transformations continues and it is beneficial to human beings.
Baltic amber’s remarkable medicinal properties include analgesics that reduce or eliminate pain associated with headaches, joint stiffness, dental discomfort such as teething, etc.Strengthening your immune system –
Succinic acid is the primary substance in natural Baltic Amber and has remarkable ability to boost the body’s immune system, to enhance natural healing, and to protect the body from infection.
Restoring Energy –
Succinate is a raw material and a major catalyst in the Krebs Cycle, one of our main sources of energy. During this cycle, our bodies metabolize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins for energy. metabolized for energy. Our own bodies naturally produce the same succinic acid to some extent. Succinic acid contains salt which is one of the key substances in cellular respiration as well as intercellular energy production. As a result, succinic acid restores both oxygen and energy to depleted cells and aids the body in returning to a normal, fully functional state.
Maintaining Wellness –
Under stress or duress, the human body’s cells require more oxygen more quickly. A lack of oxygen can result in lethargy as oxygen is vital to the intercellular creation of energy. When the body has low oxygen, it is much more at risk of illness. A healthy body is one that has a slightly alkaline blood “ph” balance which means that oxygen is being fully absorbed in all the critical areas with ease.
Breaking a cycle of (chronic) inflammation –
Whenever there is any form of chronic inflammation, disease is a good probability. With chronic cellular inflammation, the body’s immune system will automatically increase production of free radicals which can, in excess, cause inflammatory-related disease. Chronic inflammation is quite of the underlying factor in many seemingly unrelated illnesses.
Review & Giveaway – Two Fat Guys Gourmet Barbecue Sauce!
While at the GFAF Expo, we tried Two Fat Guys Gourmet Barbecue Sauce. Lizzie and I agreed that it was so delicious! We were thrilled about doing this review. Two Fat Guys Gourmet Barbecue Sauce is made with all natural products like tomatoes, garlic, brown sugar, honey, and other good ingredients that I know and can pronounce! There is nothing artificial, and is free of nuts, eggs, and dairy. It is also gluten-free and contains no high fructose corn syrup! We avoid high fructose corn syrup, so I was really happy about that. Two Fat Guys Gourmet Barbecue Sauce comes in four varieties – Mild, Smoky, Spicy, and Lava Hot. It is also made right here in our home state of Illinois!
So Lizzie and I planned a date, and we sure did have perfect weather for a barbecue! We decided to make chicken breasts, shish kabobs, pulled pork, and corn on the cob. Everyone wanted to try different flavors of the sauce, so we decided to grill everything and then put the sauce on ourselves afterward.
I am not a big fan of spicy food, but I loved the Mild and Smoky flavored sauce. The kids preferred them also, with the Mild being their favorite.
However some like it hot, and Lizzie, her hubby, and my hubby preferred the Spicy and especially the Lava Hot! All of it was so very tasty on the kabobs, and the shredded pork. It has to be some of the best barbecue sauce we have tried. We were all so full after the kabobs and pulled pork, that we only tried a small piece of chicken in the sauce, but that was delicious too!
Two Fat Guys Gourmet Barbecue Sauce is available at many stores. You can find out if it’s available at one near you by clicking here and selecting your state or clicking purchasing it online!
HOWEVER, we just can’t keep Two Fat Guys Gourmet Barbecue Sauce to ourselves though, so we are doing a giveaway, so you can try it too! With Father’s Day right around the corner, this is the perfect gift for the man who loves to grill! The giveaway includes the following items:
You can enter the giveaway by clicking on this link a Rafflecopter giveaway
Disclaimer: We were provided with the sauces and mugs shown in the first picture of this review, in exchange for our honest opinion of their barbecue sauces. We were not compensated in any way, and all opinions are our own.
Allergy Warriors & Gluten Free Living 