No stress social events: do you panic when it comes to parties, social functions, potlucks, and catered events? Relax! A little preparation will help you enjoy any get-together, without compromising your gluten-free diet

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Maintaining a gluten-free social life can be scary and sometimes downright dangerous. Here are a few tips for enjoying yourself in any social situation.

RELAX. The more uptight you become before social situations, the less you will enjoy them. Learn as much about the event beforehand as possible. If you can, talk to the catering staff to learn about the food that's being served.

EVALUATE your reason for being there. Is it for the food, the company, the activities, or some other reason? When you decide why you are attending the function, food may become less important. If you are there for the food, be prepared to discuss the menu discreetly with the catering manager.

LOOK at the food selection when you get there. Scope out the safe foods to eat--the fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, corn chips, and cheeses. Use meats, salads, and other foods to build on these selections. Eat a light meal or snack before going in case you have to skip the foods being served.

ATTITUDE is everything! Have a positive attitude and you will enjoy the event. Expect to have a wonderful time.

THE CROSSROAD DECISION ... to tell or not to tell? If you choose to tell others about your condition, make it a positive experience for everyone. You can use gluten intolerance as a stimulating topic of conversation, but be yourself first--not your condition.

GLUTEN-FREE Comfort Food!

Date Nut
Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

Excerpted from the Complete
Gluten-Free Cookbook (see review
on facing page)

1 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3 Tbs. shortening or vegetable oil
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup sorghum flour
2/3 cup whole-bean flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

1. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin
and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine
dates, walnuts, shortening, baking
soda, and salt. Pour in 1 cup
boiling water and set aside for 20
minutes.

3. In a large bowl or plastic bag,
combine sorghum flour, whole-bean
flour, tapioca starch, sugar,
and xanthan gum. Mix well and
set aside.

4. In a separate bowl, using an
electric mixer, beat eggs and
vanilla until combined. Stir in
date mixture. Add dry ingredients
and mix until combined.

5. Spoon batter evenly into each cup
of prepared muffin tin. Let stand
for 30 minutes. Meanwhile,
preheat oven to 350[degrees]E Bake
for 18 to 20 minutes, or until firm
to the touch. Remove from pan
immediately and let cool
completely on a wire rack.

To make this recipe egg free:
Omit eggs from recipe. Combine
1/4 cup flax flour or ground
flaxseed with 1/3 cup warm water.
Let stand for 5 minutes. Add with
vanilla. Increase baking time by
2-3 minutes for muffins.

Better Nutrition

Your Source for Gluten Free!

Better Nutrition has teamed up with GIG (gluten.net) to offer monthly information on living without gluten.

Would you like to share a tip or success story about how a gluten-free diet has helped you?

E-mail us at editorial@betternutrition.com. If we publish your tip or story, we'll send you a free Better Nutrition care package, which may include nutritional supplements, cookbooks, and other healthful products!

By Cynthia Kupper, RD, CD

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HAVE FLAX, WILL TRAVEL

EDITOR'S PICK

ONCE IN A WHILE, a product comes along that's not just high quality and great tasting, but truly innovative. Enter TRAVEL FLAX from Hodgson Mill, a company specializing in natural whole grains since 1882. Once you try these individual packets of ground flax meal (available in Milled Flax Seed and Organic Golden Milled Flax Seed), you'll wonder why no one ever thought of this before. Each single serving--great for stashing in your purse, suitcase, backpack, or even office desk drawer--provides 1,300 mg of omega-3 fats, a typical daily dosage. The flax is gluten free and pre-milled for optimal absorption. Keep the box, which features a Berry Delicious Smoothie recipe (gluten free) and instructions for using flax as a substitute for eggs or oil in recipes. And if it's recipes you're after, visit hodgsonmill.com and view some of the company's favorites.

KITCHEN STAPLE

STAYING IN? The Complete Gluten-Free Cookbook is a must-have for the GF kitchen Authors Donna Washburn and Heather Butt offer delicious recipes like Black Bean Chili, Rubbed Roast Chicken, and Mango and Ginger Cream Tart. And the creative pair doesn't shy away from bread, a typical gluten-laden food; the cookbook includes a section on options for bread-machine baking. In addition to its mouth-watering recipes, the cookbook guides the gluten-free cook on how to make lactose--or egg-free variations and how to avoid cross-contamination. To sample for yourself, try the date nut muffin recipe on the following page for a sweet. moist treat.

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COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning