FAAN™ and Enjoy Life Foods Increase Awareness Within Food Allergy-Friendly Communities

SCHILLER PARK, IL, July 25, 2011 - More than 12 million Americans suffer from food allergies and according to health statistics, these numbers continue to grow. However, despite 4% of the nation being affected,there continues to be relatively low awareness of these potentially life-threatening allergies. People with food allergies do not see themselves as victims or sufferers. Instead this active group chooses to be viewed as members of a community that band together to battle food allergies. More importantly, these communities are not small.

Throughout the remainder of 2011, FAAN (The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network) and Enjoy Life Foods are continuing to work together to increase food allergy awareness through the 2011 FAAN Walk for Food Allergy, which take place in more than 40 cities nationwide and online. These annual walks help raise the necessary funds for food allergy awareness, advocacy, education, and research programs. “We are very proud to be able to show our support for this great cause, by partnering with FAAN once again this year,” said Scott Mandell, CEO of Enjoy Life. “Increasing food allergy awareness is one of our main goals and we are very happy to aid our consumers and the community in any way we can. By becoming a National Gold Sponsor, we are able to do this on an even greaterlevel than in the past.”

With the growing number of people diagnosed with food allergies, increasing awareness proves to be essential. The FAAN Walk for Food Allergy events provide an outlet for food-allergy fighters to come together to support other like individuals and educate local communities about the seriousness of food allergies. Additionally, the Walks serve as a resource for these individuals to learn and taste new allergy-friendly products like those of Enjoy Life Foods.

With organizations like FAAN and brands such as Enjoy Life Foods working toincrease awareness and provide allergy-friendly snacks, individuals with food allergy will soon have less risk when eating everyday foods.

About FAAN
Founded in 1991, FAAN (The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network) is the trusted source for food allergies, a potentially life-threatening medical condition that afflicts approximately 12 million American, or one out of every 25. A nonprofit organization based in Fairfax, VA, FAAN is dedicated to raising public awareness, providing advocacy and education, and advancing research on behalf of all those affected by food allergies and anaphylaxis.FAAN provides information and educational resources about food allergy to patients, their families, schools, health professionals, pharmaceutical companies, the food industry, and government officials. To become a member of FAAN or for more information please visit www.foodallergy.org.

About Enjoy Life Foods
Since 2001, Enjoy Life Foods has remained committed to providing consumers with gluten-free and allergy-friendly foods of the highest quality. Standing strongly behind their promise of “Taste, Trust, Love,” Enjoy Life manufactures a wide variety of cereals, cookies, granolas, snack bars, bagels, trail mixes, chocolate chips, and chocolate bars for the millions of Americans living with food allergies, lactose intolerance, and celiac disease. In addition to being free of the eight most common allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish), Enjoy Life guarantees that all products are made in a dedicated nut and gluten-free facility. Visit them online at http://www.enjoylifefoods.com, on Facebook at “Enjoy Life Foods,” or on Twitter at “ELFCeo.”

Buon Appetito Senza Glutine at Bar Italia Madison

Senza Glutine= Without Gluten

Last Tuesday, I had the wonderful privilege of dining with Lindsay aka The Lunch Belle and Jackie of The Promotion Factory at Bar Italia Madison. When Lindsay first invited me after dinner at Ovelia, I was excited to learn that she was going to check out Bar Italia gluten-free menu that was launched in early April. Once we finalized our date, I emailed the restaurant through their Contact Us page and was pleasantly surprised when Bar Italia's manager and partner, Hassan El Garrahy, emailed me directly to assure me there was indeed a gluten-free menu. Mr. El Garrahy and Chef/Partner Denis Franceschini are extremely well-known in the NYC restaurant scene with many years experience at restaurants such as Cipriani, so I felt like I was in good hands for my meal at Bar Italia Madison.

The swanky and friendly
Chef Denis Franchescini
and Me

As Lindsay and I met up with Jackie, a PR rep for the restaurant, we were immediately given the royal treatment. The wine flowed freely and we enjoyed the pleasant company of the Bar Italia staff including Chef Denis, the lovely captain Annalisa, and the ever personable (and impeccably dressed) owner Hassan. Chef Denis wanted us to try everything and believe me we did! Just when we thought we ordered enough, Denis and his staff brought out more.

I ate like a gluten-free queen at Bar Italia with everything from bread to appetizers to pasta and pizza and dessert. I was instantly transported back to my trip to Italy in 2009 where I was brought to tears while eating gluten-free pasta and drinking wine outside of Vatican City. Chef Denis went through each dish with us, many of which were naturally gluten-free. He explained how he likes to use less ingredients to bring out the true flavor of the dishes. Hassan echoed his thoughts by explaining they like to have a very "clean" menu. The flavors were rich without being overpowering and I even tried many dishes that were new to me. We started with not one but SIX appetizers, a pasta course, the main course, and dessert with wine at each course. As in Italy, we ate for hours! It was fantastic.

Here was our decadent menu for the night:

Appetizers

• Bruschetta: gluten-free roll with tomato eggplant & roasted peppers. I love when restaurants have gluten-free bread readily available. The bruschetta was fresh and delicious. 
• Polenta Gratinata: polenta with mushrooms. I am not a mushroom fan, but the polenta and the cheese was flavorful even with the mushrooms. This was one of Lindsay's favorite dishes. 
• La Caprese di Bar Italia: mozzarella with cherry tomatoes. I think this was some of the creamiest, melt-in-your-mouth mozzarella that I ever ate. 
• Tuna al Balsamico: seared sliced tuna with fennel and balsamic. Believe it or not, this was my first time EVER of not eating tuna out of a can. This was by far my favorite dish of the night. It was amazing and quelled my fears of eating fish. Thank you Chef Denis for getting me out of the can and onto the plate. ;-)
• Polipetto all Griglia: grilled octopus & chick peas. I couldn't bring myself to eat these little guys. Sorry. 
• Tartare di Salmone: tartare of salmon. Another first for me. This salmon was prepared simply with some avocado. I don't usually eat fish, but this was one of those "clean" dishes that Hassan spoke about and I didn't want to pass it by. I really need to get that "fishy" fear out of my head and enjoy dishes like this more often.
• Insalata di Spinacini: baby spinach, apple, and bacon salad. Simple salad, but amazing flavors.

Pasta

Black Truffle Pasta

• Penne al Tartufo: gluten-free corn-based penne with black truffle and Parmigiano. Yet another first for me. Black truffles are a delicacy with limited and almost exclusive European production. This dish definitely had the richest flavor out of all of the amazing dishes we ate at Bar Italia. Deliziosissima! 

Main courses

• Bianca Pizza with Prosciutto: gluten-free pizza with four cheese and prosciutto. Thin crust pizza, just like in Italy! I shared with the girls and the enjoyed their first gluten-free pizza.
• Gnocchi di Patate con Taleggio e Pere: Potato gnocchi with taleggio and pear. *Not gluten-free. (Jackie's entree)
• Orecchiette al Ragu' di Vitello: pasta with veal ragu. *Not gluten-free. (Lindsay's entree)
  

Dessert

gluten-free tiramisu

• Gluten-free Tiramisu: raw, vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free. This was served semi-freddo and was half-way between a cake and an ice cream. This was a decadent way to end a luxurious meal. I was so full but think this gigantic hunk of tiramisu could have been an entree in itself. This was a special dish created by Andree El Garrahy, Bar Italia's gluten-free and raw food gourmet chef. Please note the size of this ginormous piece of tiramisu!
• Mix sorbet: mango, peach, and lemon sorbet. The peach sorbet was out of this world. It tasted like freshly picked peaches and was a great choice in desserts. I could have eaten a whole bowl of the peach sorbet by itself. 

Beverages

When dining with Italians you must be prepared to drink, A LOT! I drank lots of sauvignon blanc throughout the meal since I am not a red wine drinker. I also finished with prosecco and limoncello, an after-dinner digestivo. Also on the menu is a Caprese Martini, which is basically a salad in a glass consisting of tomato vodka, fresh lemon juice, balsamic vinaigrette, cherry tomato, basil, and a Parmesan cheese rim. I did not try this drink but Jackie assured us it is a very rich and unique drink menu item. 

Bar Italia Madison is truly a quintessential New York dining experience. From the decadent Italian menu to the personable and attentive staff, this is a perfect location for a special meal in Manhattan. I highly suggest this restaurant for a celebratory dinner or a special night out; you will not be disappointed. When a meal transports you back to another time and country, I consider that a huge success. I want to point out, the gluten-free menu is only a portion of the full Bar Italia menu so your friends and family will have their pick of Italian dishes for their meal.  

I want to thank Lindsay for the amazing invite to Bar Italia and Jackie for arranging us this decadent meal with her client, Bar Italia. (Disclaimer: the meal was completely paid for so Lindsay and I dined as guests.) I also want to thank both Denis and Hassan for understanding that a gluten-free menu goes way beyond words on a page that say "gluten-free". From the ingredients to the preparation, both Hassan and Denis completely understood that you can still eat an amazing meal while maintaining a gluten-free diet. They went above and beyond and delivered a decadent and safe gluten-free meal.

Click here to read Lindsay's review of Bar Italia Madison.


Bar Italia Madison
768 Madison Avenue
http://www.baritalianyc.com/

South China Morning Post: No Grain, No Pain

A few weeks ago Jennifer, a former colleague of mine, called me from Hong Kong to do an interview about Celiac Disease for the South China Morning Post. I was very intrigued by this interview because I wanted to learn more about the prevalence of Celiac in Asian countries. I chatted with Jennifer for close to an hour and gave her my run down of Celiac Disease over the past thirty years.

Much to my surprise, my friend Jill (owner of Glow Gluten Free) emailed me yesterday with the article which was sent to her by someone in her family living in Hong Kong. This was another example of the power of the Internet and the truly global community we live in.

Here's the article:

No grain, no pain

Gluten intolerance is most often associated with a Western diet. But a study has found the condition may be on the rise in Asia owing to a change in eating habits

Jennifer Huang (healthpost@scmp.com)  Jul 19, 2011

Bread is said to be the staff of life. But if you happen to be among a small but growing number of people diagnosed with coeliac disease, a severe form of gluten intolerance, it can make you very sick.

Click here to read more

Stubborn Celiac?

Readers, I need your help.

I know most of you are not medical professionals but so many of you have been through a battery of tests, doctors, and dead-ends in the medical community before getting your Celiac diagnosis. I am not looking for a medical diagnosis here, but just an opinion given the symptoms of a family member. To me, all signs point to Celiac Disease and I feel that this person needs a new doctor to tell them this since the primary care physician keeps saying no Celiac. What do you think?

Medical history

• Emergency gall bladder removal 20 years ago
• Diagnosed with Barretts Syndrome in the esophagus
• Daily medication for Barretts Syndrome
• Recent weight loss of about 10 pounds for no apparent reason
• Liver lesions
• Colonoscopy and Endoscopy determined to be clear
• Lower right quadrant abdominal pain led to CAT scan that was clear
• No blood work or genetic testing performed
• Two first-degree relatives with Celiac Disease 
• At least one second-degree relative with Celiac Disease

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a medical professional and do not encourage you using this blog as a medical advice column. I am simply looking for your opinions here. Please enter them in the comments section below. 

El's Gluten-Free Snacks Fill the Savory Void

Did you ever eat a gluten-free snack that you didn't realize you always wanted but never had? Sounds weird, but I did and it was El's Bagel Crisps. I've seen gluten-filled bagel chips in the delis throughout NYC, but I never gave them a second thought. When Candice from Embrace G-Free tweeted about El's Gluten Free Snacks and I said I wanted to try them, El's responded immediately and sent me samples. I was so excited when two free samples of their snack bags showed up at my office a few weeks ago.

I dug right into the Bagel Crisps mainly because I never had them before. As a lifelong celiac, there are many foods I have never tried which always seems to surprise people. But being gluten-free for 30 years had its limitations back in the 1980s, but certainly not today. With products like El's Bagel Crisps, the gluten-free snack market is growing albeit slowly. El's Bagel Crisps did not disappoint. These crisps were crunchy, flavorful, and downright good. So good in fact that I had to put them away in order to avoid eating the entire bag. By day 2, they were gone!

Next up were the El's Medleys. When I opened the bag I thought "CHEX MIX?!?!" because that is exactly what it looked like minus the Chex. The medleys had gluten-free bagel chips, corn nuts, corn chips, potato chips and pretzels in a flavorful spice mix. I only have one word for these El's Medleys: DELICIOUS! Seriously, this was one of the best savory gluten-free snacks that I ever had. I can imagine this is what the commercially available Chex mixes taste like but only better because they are all gluten-free including the seasonings.

I think El's Gluten Free Snacks hit the jackpot in creating a snack that was totally absent from the gluten-free world. They filled a void that I didn't even realize was there until I had their delicious bagel crisps and medleys.

Here is some more information about El's Gluten Free Snacks:

After more than a year of recipe development and testing El’s is proud to offer our Bagel Snaps, a gluten free bagel chip which we make entirely by hand and which is the only gf bagel chip on the market, and our Medleys snack mix which incorporates our Snaps and other gluten free ingredients, all baked in our own zesty coating. 

El’s snacks are:

• Gluten Free
• All Natural
• Whole Grain
• Free of Dairy
• Free of Eggs
• Nut free
• Non-GMO
• Vegan
• A good source of Omega 3’s.
• All batches are tested for less than 5 PPM of gluten.

You can see more information on our Snaps and Medleys at www.elskitchen.com.

Recipe of the Week: Super Simple Chili

Hi friends. I haven't posted a recipe in a really long time because I stopped cooking big meals. Once I was told there was mold in my old apartment I wanted to spend as little time there as possible. I was being made sick from my building and the idea of cooking in a sick building was not appetizing at all. Now I live in a lovely building with a bright kitchen. It's been hot up here in NYC, but I have been turning the oven on more and firing up the stove. It feels really good to be back in the kitchen.

Last night I realized that I would be out three nights this week. I like to make big meals on Sundays so I have something to eat for lunch and dinner throughout the week. I put things in the freezer too so the following weeks I can grab something quick. Buying lunch every day is very expensive in NYC so I usually limit myself to buying once a week. I tend to vary my lunches with sandwiches, veggie burgers, and leftovers. I find that chili is a really good leftover that can survive in the freezer for a few weeks. This is exactly what I did last night. Read on for my recipe.

Super Simple Chili by Erin Smith of Gluten-Free Fun

1 can of light red kidney beans, rinsed
1 can of black beans, rinsed
1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilis
1 can of corn or half bag of frozen corn
3 cups of diced calabasas squash (or any other kind of squash, I use what I find in the supermarket)
1 pkg. of gluten-free taco seasoning (I use low-sodium)

Throw in wok. (Yes, my largest pot is a wok so I use it for everything!)
Stir occasional
Let simmer for up to 2 hours, this makes the beans and squash nice and tender.

That's it. I have at least 4 or 5 meals from this dish and it is super simple. Enjoy!

Food Fête’s 7th Annual Summer Media Event

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending the 7th annual summer media Food Fête at New York City's Metropolitan Pavilion. This was my third food fête but my first "normal" food event. I went to an exclusive gluten-free Food Fête in March and an allergen-free Food Fête in April. As with the first two events, Jeff Davis (founder of Food Fête) was successful with another amazing event.

There were over 50 vendors, many of which were gluten-free, at this event including some of my very favorite gluten-free friends including Mary's Gone Crackers, California Fig Advisory Board, Angie's Kettle Corn, and Boar's Head.

The one and only MARY!! From Mary's Gone Crackers

California (Dried) Figs, I love you!

Angie's Kettle Corn

Boar's Head Spread

I was really excited to meet new gluten-free vendors and also connect with some people that I never met in person before. This includes Yasso Frozen Greek Yogurt, So Delicious Dairy Free, Victoria Gourmet, and Deep River Snacks.

I can't wait to start reviewing all of the new products I learned about and to tell you more about what's to come from these exciting gluten-free vendors. Stay tuned!

Opa! Gluten-Free Feast at Ovelia

"You can't be egotistical about food, you have to explore."

Did you ever have a gluten-free meal with amazing service that almost brought you to tears? Well, I had that last night at Ovelia Psistaria in Astoria, NY. The attentive service, the decadent Greek meal, and the amazing food blogger camaraderie made for a fantastic evening only blocks from my new apartment.

I was lucky enough to be invited to this blogger dinner by Judith, founder and editor of Fooditka.com. Although Judith and I had virtually "met" a few years ago, we never met in person. It was great to finally put a face, blog, and email name together. Also at the dinner were Meg of Harmonious Belly and We Heart Astoria (Another blog Judith also contributes to), Lindsay of The Lunch Belle, and Elena of The Gotham Palete. In my more than 4 years of writing this blog, I think this was the only event where I was the sole gluten-free representative. These ladies couldn't have been more welcoming. They asked me questions about Celiac and gluten-free food and seemed genuinely interested in my dining out habits. I was happy to educate these esteemed foodies about the navigation of a gluten-free diet in a gluten-filled world.

Prior to attending this dinner, I was honestly nervous to go. Ovelia Psistaria had just launched their "Rock n' Ribs Wednesdays" and when I saw the menu online I knew it would be a gluten-filled meal with lots of BBQ sauce and sides I would not be able to eat. I reached out to the restaurant via their Contact Us page and heard back within a couple of days. I got a response from Peter Giannakas, one of the owners and the chef of Ovelia. Peter's response started to ease my gluten-free fears. He said:

I can list all the items that are gluten free but that would be almost the entire menu. So instead I will list the items that you would want to avoid!  Also very important is to mention to your server about gluten-free restriction and to absolutely get a manager, who will be more than happy to address the issue to me and the kitchen so that we can take further precautions while prepping the meal!

Items to avoid:
melitzanosalates, keftedakia, fried feta cubes, fried kalamari, kolokithokeftedes, fried squash and eggplant, spanakopita, monastiraki bifteki, olive brine pork (can be served without dumpling), mousaka, pastitsio, veggie mousaka, ribeye (avoid our genuine steak sauce), all our pasta dishes with the exception of the ouzo stir fry which is prepared with rice noodles

Wow, that was a Greek mouthful but also so reassuring. I was already off to an amazing start with Ovelia. When I responded to Peter that I was coming to Judith's Rock N' Ribs event, he did some kitchen investigation. He then replied:

So the sauces are not gluten free but if you would like i can smoke a rack or a half a rack without basting them with the bbq sauce! And maybe you can bring your own? 

What?? I can bring my own sauce and you will leave some ribs "au natural" for me? Sign me up!! I wrote back to Peter to tell him I would indeed be there and would come with some of the new Guy Fieri BBQ sauce I got last week. BBQ Game On!

When I arrived at the restaurant, I met Peter within minutes. We spoke openly about the menu to come and he eagerly took my BBQ sauce to put on the smoked ribs. As I spoke to Peter with Judith about the menu, I became more and more relaxed. Peter said "You can't be egotistical about food, you have to explore." I am not sure if Peter realized how important this was to hear; these words alone were music to my ears. Peter, thank you for being so open and not brushing off food intolerances as a nuisance!

As the food began to arrive, I slowly drifted into a gluten-free Greek food heaven. Homemade family-recipe greek sausage (Ovelia Loukaniko) with lemon, halloumi (Greek cheese) with prosciutto, and at least 4 other (gluten) appetizers arrived first. The staff clearly pointed out which were safe for me to eat. The new Corn Dog Buttons were deep-fried sausage bites in a corn batter, but Peter mentioned there was not a dedicated fryer in the kitchen. Good to know. Next came out feta cheese infused with jalapenos. This is not a regular menu item but it is the filling to one of the deep-friend appetizers. It was so nice to enjoy a similar dish to what the other women were eating. Peter also brought out some halloumi chips were absolutely amazing. Think thin potato chips made entirely of cheese. You can't go wrong!

Judith, Meg, Lindsay, Elena, and I were quickly getting full off the abundance of appetizers but next up came our dinner. At this point, I barely had any room left but Peter's staff brought me out a rack of ribs made with the Guy Fieri Kansas City BBQ sauce and I couldn't let those pass by. I had three of the ribs which were really good and some of the side dishes including the oven-roasted lemon potatoes (A typical Green side and one of my favorites), french fries, and sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows. I only had enough room for a taste of these dishes and the sides since I was so full.

Throughout the meal, the staff continued to tell me the ingredients of all of the new dishes they brought out and tell me if they were gluten-free or not. Yes, we were at a food blogger dinner but I sensed the generosity and care of the preparation and presentation of the dishes were genuine. Chris Giannakis, the co-owner, "front of the house", and Peter's brother, came out during the meal to introduce himself and make sure everything was good. With all the food we were stuffing in our mouths, all we could do was eagerly nod and mumble thank yous.

If you are looking for authentic Greek food with a staff that understands the need for dietary alterations and seems to really care about their clientele, then Ovelia Psistaria is your place.

Thank you Judith of Fooditka.com for inviting me to dinner and Lindsay, Meg, and Elena for being so cordial and interested in learning more about being gluten-free.

A very special thank you to Chef/Co-Owner Peter Giannakis and Co-Owner Chris Giannakis for going above and beyond for a fantastic, delicious, and most importantly safe gluten-free meal at your restaurant Ovelia! I will be back very soon.

Ovelia Psistaria
34-01 30th Ave.
Astoria, NY

Updated: Read Fooditka's rview of Ovelia here.

And check out her super cute new logo. Love it!



Tasty, rib-sticking convivality – Review of Ovelia Psistaria by The Gotham Palate

Loukaniko at Ovelia by Harmonious Belly

Click here for even more links about dining in Astoria.

The G Freek Show Interviews Gluten-Free Fun

On Saturday, I was honored to be interviewed by Josh from The G Freek Show. It was my first official interview so I was kind of nervous, but Josh asked great questions and I was happy to participate. Please click the link below to listen to now.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/gfreek/2011/07/03/interview-with-gluten-free-award-winner-gluten-free-fun

Delight Gluten-Free Magazine Goes Digital

I am really excited to announce that Delight Gluten Free Magazine is hosting a gluten-free potluck for the NYC Celiac Disease Meetup group on July 24th. This meetup event filled up in less than 5 hours and we have an ever-growing waiting list, so it's clearly a popular event. I had been waiting on posting this press release until Apple put the apps up, but they seem to be really slow with adding any apps. (My friend built a wine map app and it took months for it to go live.) I will be sure to update you, dear readers, as soon as the app is ready. Read on for more information about how Delight Gluten Free Magazine is going digital!

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Delight Gluten-Free Magazine Launches Digital Versions 

for iPad, iPhone, iPod and Android Devices

Marks first gluten-free, allergen-free magazine to offer subscribers digital alternative

In May, Delight GlutenFree Magazine launched digital versions of the magazine for computers as well as, iPad, iPhone, iPod and Android devices.

The digital edition of Delight Gluten-Free Magazine offers technologically savvy gluten-free consumers new ways to find recipes and stay up-to-date on the latest gluten-free news and popular trends, whether they are at home, at work or on the go.

Digital subscriptions are fully interactive, offering readers an engaging new way to read the entire publication. Every article, photograph and cooking tip from the print version is included in the digital copy. Additionally, the digital edition features exclusive cooking demonstrations, gluten-free lifestyle guides, easy ingredient checklists and fully clickable advertisements from Delight’s partners.

The iPad, iPhone and iPod versions are available as an official app from the Apple iTunes store. The free download includes six pages of free content. The full version is available to Delight digital subscribers or can be purchased for $4.50 per issue.

Delight Gluten-Free Magazine is a national and international food & lifestyle publication for people with food allergies and sensitivities. Filled with fully illustrated recipes and glossy hi-resolution food photos, Delight has been put in categories with other popular food magazines on today’s newsstands. For more information, please visit www.DelightGlutenFree.com.

Delight Gluten-Free Magazine is published quarterly and is currently available by annual subscription, at Amazon.com, nationally in Whole Foods Market, Barnes & Noble, and Borders, as well as hundreds of local and organic markets. The magazine can also be found in nearly 1,000 doctors’ offices and hospital centers. An annual subscription is $18 and includes four issues of the magazine. To subscribe, please visit http://www.DelightGlutenFree.com.

http://www.delightglutenfree.com
http://www.twitter.com/delightgfmag
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Delight-Gluten-Free-Magazine/63597166037

Gluten-Free Skinnygirl® Margarita

For my birthday, a friend gave me a bottle of Skinnygirl® Margarita. I remember hearing mixed things about this pre-made light margarita and it's level of gluten, if any. I also heard they had very poor customer service and do not respond to customers. Luckily for me and my readers, I recently heard back from the Skinnygirl company and here is what they had to say:

The ingredients in Skinnygirl Margarita are not produced from cereals containing gluten and do not contain gluten. 

Here are the nutritional facts for the product you mentioned: 

Serving Size: 1.5 fl. Oz. (Average Analysis)
Calories: 37.5
Carbohydrates: 1.43
Fat: 0
Protein: 0.07
Fiber: 0
Sugars (g): 1.4
Skinnygirl margarita does not contact any artificial sweeteners.

Ingredients: Water, Blue Agave Tequila, Agave Nectar, Citric Acid, Flavors, Caramel, Sugar, Sodium Benzoate

There are roughly 13 g of 80° tequila per 1.5 fluid ounces of margarita.

Calories in our products are stated in calories per ounce of liquor. Carbohydrates are stated in grams per ounce of liquor.

Looks good to me, especially since I am almost done with the birthday bottle and have another bottle in my kitchen as we speak. I am looking forward to trying different flavors of margaritas this summer, including adding pureed watermelon and maybe peach. Any suggestions?

I was also excited to learn that Skinnygirl is launching sangria this summer. Read on:

In case you haven’t heard the news, Beam Global has acquired Skinnygirl® Cocktails, created by natural foods chef and reality TV star Bethenny Frankel. Skinnygirl® Margarita has 100 calories per four-ounce serving, uses natural flavors and is lightly sweetened with agave nectar. One of the next cocktails under the Skinnygirl® brand will be a white sangria available in stores this summer!! Learn more about Skinnygirl® Cocktails by visiting our website at www.skinnygirlcocktails.com.