Feb18
Posted in Posted in Gluten Free, Healthy Eating, Uncategorized, Vegan by Lucy
Kenneth Chang’s article “Gluten free, whether you need it not” in the New York Times on February 4 raises a couple of excellent points:
- People need more information about celiac disease
- There is another newly defined condition known as non-celiac gluten sensitivity
- A gluten-free diet is not “new” – in fact, wheat is a relatively new food that the human body often does not tolerate.
Read more »
Aug21
Posted in Posted in News, Uncategorized, Vegan by Lucy
Hello Fans! We were recently nominated for VegNews Magazine’s 2012 Veggie Awards in the category “Favorite Vegan Cookie Company”!
You could win cool prizes when you cast your vote! Prizes include a Vegan Caribbean cruise, a Vitamix blender, and shopping sprees, plus more! Assuming we’re your favorite, thanks for the love! And let us know if you win something great.
Feb10
Posted in Posted in Food Allergy Friendly Shopping, Gluten Free, Healthy Eating, News, Uncategorized, Vegan, allergy friendly shopping by Lucy
Yes, Lucy’s cookies are one of Dr. Oz’s favorite diet foods. Really! Check out this list – and TV link. He talks about how to “cheat” on your diet, and do no harm. Smart stuff!
And, we got a “Wow! are we impressed!” from WeightWatchers.com. They emphasized the fact that three cookies count only three PointsPlus points!
Everyone deserves a cookie. Enjoy and stay healthy.
Oct24
Posted in Posted in Food Allergies, Food Allergy Friendly Shopping, Gluten Free, Holiday Cookies, Holiday Traditions, Vegan, allergy friendly shopping by Lucy
Did you know that October is National Cookie Month? While there is no particular origin of this observance, it’s certainly a celebration that we believe in! There is no better month than October (think Halloween!) to enjoy a sweet treat! To honor this fun and delicious time, we will be giving away a Halloween gift pack to several lucky fans who correctly answer Halloween trivia questions posted on our Facebook Fan Page www.facebook.com/DrLucys, and Twitter page www.twitter.com/lucys_tweets. The fun happens on Monday, October 24 and Tuesday, October 25, 2011. Happy Halloween!
Halloween is just a week away, and if you and your family are managing food allergies, you know that tricking and treating can be stressful. Here’s a link to my 2010 blog post about what happens at my house after a ghoulish tromp around that neighborhood. Also, check out FAAN’s tips for dealing with food allergies at Halloween.
Mar21
Posted in Posted in Food Allergies, Food Allergy Friendly Shopping, Food Allergy Recipes, Gluten Free, Gluten Free Recipes, Healthy Eating, Kosher Pareve, Vegan, allergy friendly shopping by Lucy
Well, you probably know our story already. Yet, if you’d like to hear it again and also see our amazing cookie factory, check this video out! I’ll tell you more about how we provide the highest quality in gluten free and allergy friendly cookies.
Check out our beautiful 320 quart mixer, “Mag”, that works like a dream. See our awesome staff busily making cookies for you. See our two roll-in rack ovens that together can bake 2000 delicious, crispy cookies in 15 minutes.
Remember, Lucy’s are certified vegan, kosher pareve and gluten free. They’re all natural, contain many organic ingredients and have 0g trans fat and 0mg cholesterol. Yummy.
Cookies are coming your way! Enjoy!
Jan04
Posted in Posted in Food Allergies, Food Allergy Friendly Shopping, Gluten Free, Vegan by Lucy
Our delicious cookies were recently selected for new gluten free and allergy friendly sections in the following chains throughout the U.S. Look for us on these shelves starting now. Some deliveries will not occur until late February 2011, so keep watching.
With these additions, we are providing cookies in more than 6000 North American locations! I hope this makes life easy for you. And tasty too!
I received a message today from a Facebook fan who found them in Safeway! Let me know where you find Lucys.
- Acme
- Albertson’s
- Carrs
- Cub
- Dominick’s
- Genuardi’s
- Hy-Vee
- Jewel
- Randalls
- Safeway
- Shaws
- Tom Thumb
- Vons
If you are looking for Lucy’s at your local store and don’t find them, please let your store manager know. We are eager to work with new stores and distributors. Send them to our website and this direct link to our email.
I hope you’re having a happy new year. Stay warm and enjoy a few treats!
Dec02
Posted in Posted in Food Allergies, Gluten Free, Healthy Eating, Holiday Cookies, Holiday Traditions, Vegan by Lucy
Some of my best memories involve cookies. My mother is a fantastic baker. Over the years she collected and fine-tuned a wonderful set of cookie recipes she specially selected for the holiday season. Every December she would designate days during the month for making each of these delights.
As we grew up all our family members became part of the process, first my sisters and I, and later nieces and nephews. The littlest ones always had the job of sprinkling sugar on the delicious, buttery sugar cookies. As we grew into adolescence we might even get a turn at rolling out dough, though it took years for anyone to gain the skill and style of Mom.
In fact, I remember the first time I made Mother’s cookies in my own kitchen. I was newly married and living far away from my parents. It was the first year that I would not be with them for the holidays. Though they might have shipped these special treats to me okay, it seemed like the right time for me to make the cookies on my own.
I remember feeling nervous over rolling out the dough. The texture and thickness had to be just right for the best cookie result. Amazingly, my dough and rolling were just fine. It happened as if Mom was right there doing it herself.
This year we plan to have a gluten free and allergy friendly family cookie-making day. We’ll be celebrating Mother’s 90th birthday. She’s still amazing, and still making her amazing cookies. And I am happy to say that she loves mine too!
While there are many ways to show your love during the holidays, I personally think cookies are a great way to share friendship and joy. Happy holidays to everyone!
Nov05
Posted in Posted in Food Allergies, Gluten Free, Healthy Eating, Kosher Pareve, News, Vegan by Lucy
Most of us allow ourselves to indulge a little over the holidays and come New Year’s Day, we’re looking for ways to maintain healthy weight and help our children develop good eating habits.
This holiday season, instead of focusing on what we should be eating less of, perhaps we’re better off shifting the focus to what we should be eating more of. Fill up on veggies and you’ll be set to consume just the right amount of dessert. No more, no less.
A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) showed that last year about one-third of U.S. adults consumed fruit or fruit juice at least twice a day, down slightly from more than 34 percent in 2000. About 26 percent of Americans ate vegetables three or more times a day, the same results as reported in 2000. So, only one quarter to one third of us are eating anywhere close to enough of these amazing plants. To help us all eat more of these great foods the CDC established the Fruits and Veggies – More Matters! Program. It’s based on a simple premise—more fruits and vegetables matter. They are:
- Low in calories
- High in fiber
- May reduce risk of many diseases including heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancers
- Rich in vitamins and minerals that help you feel healthy and energized
- Probably ease the effects of aging
- Can be a helpful part of maintaining a healthy weight and managing or avoiding development of diabetes and other diseases that result from being overweight.
Our family is going to start this holiday season off with healthy habits that include less worry about enjoying a few treats and instead focus on including more fruits and veggies. We’re adding a veggie appetizer, two more vegetable side dishes and a fruit desert to our Thanksgiving menu. If we start now, when the New Year comes around, our resolutions might have nothing to do with improving our diet. Here are some recipe ideas: green beans, roasted vegetables, salad.
Of note, if you’re managing a special diet, fruits and veggies can provide a rich, nutritious and tasty alternative to many common challenges. If cheese and crackers should be avoided, try roasted eggplant instead.
Want to join in the Fruits and Veggies—More Matters Program? Visit the CDC’s site for lots of health and nutrition information, including a fruits and veggie serving calculator.
Jul07
Posted in Posted in Food Allergies, Gluten Free, Kosher Pareve, News, Vegan by Lucy
For most of us summer fun includes gathering with friends and family around the scrumptious flavors of the season. Whether you’re cooking on the grill in your own backyard, packing a picnic basket for the beach or filling your backpack for a hike—it’s good to take a few minutes this summer to review some food safety tips. Plus with the prevalence of food allergies and celiac disease, it might be nice to think about what steps to take for guests with special dietary requirements.
Here are 7 tips for food safety this summer:
1. When packing your cooler for a long trip, you might consider freezing some food items ahead of time. This will more likely keep your items at a safe temperature in transport and can help your entire cooler function better as a cold spot. Remember that a cooler full of cold or frozen items will maintain lower temperatures better than a partially filled cooler. Pack high, even if it’s just by adding a bag of ice cubes or frozen juice boxes serving double-time as ice cubes.
2. If you’re taking produce on the road, try washing all salad ingredients and fruits or vegetables before packing and find a cool place for transport.
3. If running water is not available remember to take along hand wipes or hand sanitizers that don’t require water to clean hands before and after working with food.
4. Wash hands, utensils, and other food contact surfaces using soap and warm/hot water after contact with raw meat or poultry. If you’re taking meats to grill at the park or beach, consider getting them ready while you’re at home. Taking pre-formed burgers or trimmed chicken from a container prepared at home surely beats tangling with preparation while you’re away. Remember to use fresh utensils and plates to turn items and for removing food from the grill.
5. If you’re cooking for someone with food allergies, think ahead about any marinades you might be planning to use. Check to see if all ingredients are acceptable. You might be surprised at how many marinades contain gluten or nuts. Clean your grill surface well, and segregate any foods that might contain allergens of concern (including cheese that might be added to hamburgers). Use a separate utensil and plate when handling the food that must avoid allergens. You might consider inviting your guest to assist with cooking his or her special item. This might increase everyone’s sense of comfort regarding safety.
6. Cook foods to proper temperatures. As a refresher, you can review minimum cooking temperatures here. Don’t forget to pack your meat thermometer if you’re travelling.
7. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours when the temperature in the food serving area is below 90° F, within 1 hour when the temperature is above 90° F. Getting food back into the fridge promptly is always a good idea. Produce and leftovers will last longer.
For more great tips on food safety, visit the US Health and Human Services website on food safety. Happy grilling!
