Gluten Free Adventures

Sprouts Jubilee

2012-01-27T08:48:00.000-08:00

Sprouts is a new chain here in Northern California, and they can generally be found in the central and western United States. They have more of an open feel, with more bulk bins and wine, and less fresh grab and go items than I would say of Whole Foods. They have both a gluten free aisle as well as items throughout the store. Right now they are having what they've entitled "gluten-free jubilee" and all of their gluten free items are at least 25% off. There are locations in both Elk Grove and Roseville, with one opening soon in Citrus Heights.

Since I love food, as well as getting deals, I had to go check things out. I stocked up on Luna and Larabars at $1.00/each, Hansen sodas for $0.50 a can, and coconut water for $1.50 instead of $2.99. The big savings came in when looking at the pastas and bake mixes. $1.80 for quinoa pasta, any shape, is a good deal. Pamela's, Authentic Foods, King Arthur, and Bob's Red Mill, and a few others were all about $2-3 off per mix. King Arthur can be more of an expensive line, so that's what I generally stocked up on. If you have not ever been to Sprouts, or if you want to take advantage of some deals, make sure you plan a visit before February 1.

Telestrations

2012-01-26T17:42:00.000-08:00

Pictionary and telephone: what an awesome combination!

I seriously recommend this game. It's easy to learn, easy to play, and your face will be sore the next day from laughter.

Dave & Busters Does Gluten Free

2012-01-26T11:57:00.000-08:00

I went to Dave & Busters for a corporate event, so of course I had to research the gluten free options ahead of time. For the evening we were presented with a buffet so I was kind of at their mercy, but at least with some research I knew what I was walking into.

I, out of habit, ate a little something ahead of time, and while I could have ordered on the side, it would have been slightly awkward. For this particular event I ended up eating veggies and cocktail shrimp but I was ok with that.

My research did however reveal some interesting tidbits you should know before heading out to Dave & Busters. I love potato skins, and they typically are something I am able to order if on the menu, but not at D & B. None of the appetizers are on their gluten free menu because of cross contamination issues, or per their language "It is because of contamination- where the food is prepared. For gluten free we prepare the items separately," and yet on their gluten free menu it does not sound like the items are prepped in a separate area. In any case they have a gluten free menu. You need to call corporate for a copy, but here's what is available currently as of January 2012.

Suggested Menu Options for Wheat/Gluten Allergies
We have prepared this list of suggested menu items based on the advice of our QA & Food Safety Manager/Nutritionist along with the most current information from our food suppliers and their stated absence of wheat/gluten protein within these items. Please be aware that during normal kitchen operations involving shared cooking equipment and preparation areas, which may or may not include common fryer oil, the possibility exists for cross contact, therefore, food items (including garnishes may come in contact with wheat/gluten proteins. Additionally, fried food items could absorb wheat/ gluten proteins during the cooking process. Therefore, we recommend that individuals with these allergies and intolerances avoid ALL fried foods & garnishes. Due to these circumstances, we are unable to guarantee that any menu entrée below can be COMPLETELY free of wheat/gluten protein.

*As an added precaution, please ask to be seated away from the kitchen to avoid potentially irritating aromas

Soups:

Chicken Tortilla (Order without Garnish or Toppings)

Chicken & Seafood:

BBQ Chicken,

Lacy’s Chicken

Island Grilled Tri-Fecta

Salads without Dressing or Tortilla Strips:

Sweet Apple Pecan Salad (Shrimp or Chicken)

Greek Salad (Shrimp or Chicken)

Honey Mustard Spinach Salad, House Salad

Grilled Steak Salad (no Frazzled Onions)

Salads Dressings:

Raspberry Vinaigrette, Honey Mustard, Caesar, Balsamic Herb Vinaigrette

Sides:

Sautéed Green Beans

Mashed Potatoes (without toppings)

Mixed Vegetable Medley Citrus Rice

Burgers & Sandwiches without a bun:

Roasted Turkey Avocado BLT

The Boss Chicken Club

Char-Grilled Atlantic Salmon

Buster’s Cheeseburger

Monterey Burger

Bar Burger

Dave’s Double Cheeseburger

Steaks:

NY Strip or Sirloin Steak

Chargrilled NY Strip or Sirloin Steak Jack Daniels BBQ Ribs

Black Jack NY Strip or Sirloin Steak

Sauces & Extras:

Black Jack BBQ Sauce, Chipotle-Honey Sauce, Guacamole, Pico de Gallo, Salsa, Sour Cream

Birthday Cupcakes

2012-01-25T09:10:00.000-08:00

I love blue and polka dots so for my birthday it only made sense to combine the two. I picked up both mini and regular size cupcake liners for what I planned to be blue velvet cupcakes.

I had teal but not blue dye already, so teal it was. Teal, cream cheese frosting that is. I had considered making the frosting dairy free, but I have not found a dairy free cream cheese that I like.

The blue velvet cupcakes did not end up the way I hoped but they were certainly delicious chocolate cupcakes made using the Kind Arthur chocolate cake mix.

Everyone who ate one of these mini gems asked for a second one. Frosting or not. YUM!

Veggie Quesadillas

2012-01-24T09:14:00.000-08:00

A friend and I got together for dinner but we didn't feel like doing anything too involved, so we made veggie quesadillas. We gathered all our supplies and started the process.

We spread cashew cheese on both tortillas, sprinkled with Daiya cheese, then fresh spinach, steamed broccoli, and sandwich it all.

You don't need to much cheese to make this tasty.

We decided to experiment and make one in the toaster oven and one on the stove top. I personally have not been a big fan of toaster ovens because I always thought if you have a regular oven why the hell do you need a mini oven on your counter. My opinion has slightly changed over the years, and in our experiment the one in the toaster oven turned out better; the cheese melted more and the edges of the tortilla did not curl like it did on the stove top.

In the end it was quite satisfying.

How Well is Your Digestive System Working?

2012-01-23T10:54:00.001-08:00

Coconut Curry Chicken Soup

2012-01-23T09:57:00.000-08:00

This has been a great winter for me and my old enemy soup. We have been able to work out our differences and have an amicable relationship. For soup Sunday this week I made coconut curry chicken soup, yet another awesome recipe I was exposed to thanks to Pinterest. In the original recipe it was suggested to pour the chicken and veggie mix over the rice, but I stirred it in. It will thicken significantly if you do this, so I added about a cup of extra chicken broth. The coconut flavor was mild and you could certainly add in more curry if you wanted a stronger flavor. Yet again, I found a soup I will make again.

Wholesome Cake

2012-01-19T11:10:00.000-08:00

I received some samples of cake mix from Whole Some Chow, who offer both a vegan line and a gluten free, vegan line. I was iffy about whether or not this was going to be good, because honestly I have not had any vegan cake mixes that are actually good. Every other time when I have made a cake with oil instead of eggs it separated after being baked. The other issue with vegan cakes is density. It's expected they will be more dense, but some are just inedible.

Thus, you can understand my doubt that these cakes would be tasty, but I gave it a go. I started out with the chocolate cake, which was good enough to frost. The vanilla cake was really good; the first day I could hardly tell it was vegan, but the second and third day it almost seemed to become more dense. The raw batter was actually better than the baked cake.

Then there was the chocolate lavender cake. I waited as long as I possibly could because I dislike lavender and just could not imagine it in a cake. When I finally did make it it had a similar consistency to the plain chocolate, but something was off about it both in taste and texture. Just not for me. Overall I do not think I would buy these mixes, but if you're vegan, I suppose they are worth a go.

It's Museum Time!

2012-01-18T14:51:00.000-08:00

To find out all the details and to plan your day please visit SacramentoMuseums.Org

Buns & Barrettes

2012-01-18T11:46:00.000-08:00

I have dined at the Counter several times before, but most recently was the first time I was able to order a burger with a bun! A friend and I journeyed out to the fountains plaza for a typical whole foods/counter combo. We were pleasantly surprised to see they are now offering Udi's gluten free buns. It was nice to be able to order a real burger, bun, and all, although I will say I am more so a fan of Canyon Bakehouse buns. In any case, the burger was absolutely delicious. And if you have not had their sweet potato fries, you're missing out.

After the meal and our way over to Whole Foods we passed a new store to the plaza called Charming Charlie. All the glitz and glam, and colored coordination- it was calling our names, but given the set up of the store and the location we figured we surely could not afford anything. We were however once again pleasantly surprised for the evening. We discovered it was actually sort of like Clarie's but geared more to adults. Violet and dark purple on separate rounders, lime green and forest green; we were in accessory overload.

Where was this store a year ago when I needed some accessorizes for multiple events? In any case, it was an evening adventure of girly fun.

Salsa Bean Soup

2012-01-17T09:57:00.000-08:00

My husband looked at me a little funny when he asked for dinner and I told him salsa bean soup. Once he ate a bowl, he wanted a second, and confessed it was absolutely delicious.

In the making process I realized it was probably the way some people make chili- with a can of salsa. In any case, the type of salsa will either make or break this recipe. I used homemade salsa that I am absolutely in love with, and a can of drained cannelloni beans. Heat them together, and that's about it. I topped it with Daiya Cheese, avocado, and some tofutti sour cream.

I had previously calculated the cost of my homemade salsa at $2.00 a jar, and with that knowledge I was able to determine that it was only $2.09 a servings, including all the dairy free toppings.

Homemade Tortilla Chips

2012-01-13T09:34:00.000-08:00

On a recent road trip I revived my love of lunch wraps and burritos. YES, there is a gluten free tortilla that rolls: Teff wraps!. We made many a burrito on this particular trip, including dinner one night with relatives. We had a full Mexican spread just as if we out to eat.

We only have two wraps left at the end of our trip and they needed to be popped in the fridge or freezer by then, so we decided to try making tortilla chips out of them. If you're corn free there are not too many options for tortilla chips other than Beanitos, so we figured why not give teff wraps a try.

We just added a little sea salt and cut them into small pieces and put them in the oven on low heat. About 10 to 15 minutes later and you've got one tasty chip. Paired with some homemade guacamole and we ate like royalty.

Bagel Chips

2012-01-12T08:55:00.000-08:00

Glutino. They make breads, crackers, bake mixes, snack bars, and now, they have introduced bagel chips in original and Parmesan and garlic. They're called bagel chips, but these are basically croutons. Sure, they're also great as dippers, and paired with soup, but they're a hard, dry, seasoned bread cube- that screams crouton to me. And a taste one at that! At $5.00 a box I would not buy these all the time, but they were quite tasty.

What do you think? Have you tired these yet?

Gluten Free at Chick-Fil-A

2012-01-11T10:11:00.000-08:00

Chick-fil-A was the "hip" place to hang out when I was in high school, but I was not part of that crowd. Dispute knowing they have a list of gluten free options on their website, I have truthfully never actually dined at Chick-fil-A. Mainly that is because they are not conveniently located for me and not because I did not see them as a good option. More recently, this week they announced new gluten free, non-breaded chicken nuggets that are part of their new healthy children's meal.

Per their press release "Chick-fil-A's Grilled Nuggets, paired with the Fruit Cup and one-percent milk, is one of the most nutritious children’s meal combinations offered among any major fast food chain. The meal has only 210 calories and 3 grams of fat – reflecting an 86 percent cut in fat grams and a 56 percent calorie reduction compared with its previous offerings."

Now I want to go Chick-fil!

You can read the full press release here.

Mark Baldwin Chick-fil-A, Inc.
(404) 684-8598
mark.baldwin@chick-fil-a.com

Kristal McKanders Jackson Spalding for Chick-fil-A
(404) 214-3558
kmckanders@jacksonspalding.com

Pizza Rolls

2012-01-10T11:36:00.000-08:00

Have you made monkey bread before? It can be sweet; it can be savory- I prefer the savory, like garlic butter rolls, or like I made this time- pizza style! Once again thanks to Pinterest I discovered a recipe posted by Confections of A Foodie Bride for pizza monkey bread. This is not your hurry up and bake pizza, but more like grab a cider and have some fun in the kitchen. Plus it makes a great recipe for a party because of it's presentation.

You can use an pizza crust mix you want, but I made sure to make my pizza monkey bread gluten free and dairy free. I used the Gluten Free Mama pizza crust mix, mini hormel pepperoni's and daiya cheese. Of course using shredded cheese makes it a little bit more tricky, but I made it through. Basically smoosh the dough flat in your hand, add your fillers, coat with garlic butter, and put it in the pan. Repeat, repeat, and repeat again until you run out of dough.

You can use any kind of pan you want, but I used a bundt pan. I baked it for about 40 minutes at 350 degrees, but basically jsut watch to see if your dough is done. Grab your favorite pasta sauce for dipping, and away you go. Delicious!

Mac & Cheese to Go

2012-01-09T15:04:00.000-08:00

Do I like convenience? Yes

Do I like Mac & Chesse? Yes

Was I excited about instant gluten free mac & cheese? YES

Is this product from Pastariso any good? Debatable.

The new instant gluten free mac and cheese from Pastariso is a great idea, but in practicability I'm not sure it's worth it. It runs about $2.50 a container, and after you heat it up and let the pasta absorb the water you add, you end up with less than half filled container. It's just filler, empty calories; it's not a full meal. For kids and busy parents I can see it as a plausible item in the cupboard, but then I feel kids should be eating something more healthy after school. As a adult I could get more bang for my buck and spend maybe 1 or 2 dollars more and make an entire bag of pasta into mac and cheese and have multiple servings left in the fridge for later. Overall, I give this product a "muh."

Disney on a Budget

2012-01-06T09:09:00.000-08:00

I live on that fine line between sane and crazy, and leaned a little into the crazy when I decided to go to Disneyland on New Year's Eve. The place was packed by 9 AM and it just got busier. It's usually best for gluten free diners to order during a non-rush period, but that was not going to happen at Disneyland this time. I was prepared however. For starters, pack your bag accordingly. They mainly care about weapons, and didn't say anything when they looked into my bag, but if they have any qualm just tell them you have special dietary needs. We brought in several small ziplocs of homemade beef jerky, pretzels and peanut butter, a couple protein bars, trail mix, and bottled water.

Then once you're in the park go over to the kind people at city hall and pick up a current gluten free dining list. They update them fairly often, but in general they have gluten free buns throughout the park, a gluten free pizza option, and so much more. Now here's where the budget comes into play. We ate responsibly and shared a gigantic turkey leg for $8.99. Add in a soda and lunch was only $6.50 a person; that's less than any hamburger meal costs throughout the park. Hell, it would probably cost you more to buy a combo at Carl's Jr. Plus, the turkey leg was amazing; slow roasted in it's own juices. Tip: grab a fork and knife and a mustard packet and find yourself a seat. This is way easier to eat sitting down, even tough it was amusing to see others walking around eating this giant leg walking around.

In the afternoon we made sure to snack on our brought-in goodies, and for dinner we ended up at Rancho Del Zocalo. We ordered plain chicken tacos off the Celiac Friendly list. It was a huge plate that came with 2 tacos, (they used soft corn tortillas), rice, and beans, all of which came out of separate containers than the average order. And it was nice that the server knew exactly what to do- changed gloves, separate dish stack, separate everything. I wish all places trained their staff that well. In any case, it was a lot of food, and we shared the meal for $16, which included a beverage, and a coffee. Plus cotton candy for $4.00 for dessert, thus dinner only cost $10 a person. And truly, it was enough food for each of us; a whole plate each would have been too much.

This plate was probably some of the best Mexican food I have out in a long time. And not a single doubt in my mind...or gut, that it wasn't gluten free.

Now if you've been following along, that means we only spent $33 for 2 people to eat at Disneyland and it's not like we were only there for a little while. We were at the park from 9 AM to 2 AM. That's less than if we had gone out to your average sit-down restaurant for dinner and we did not feel deprived in the slightest.

Gluten Free Corn Dogs

2012-01-05T12:37:00.000-08:00

Worth the $5.00! That is all I need to say.

Homemade Lettuce Wraps

2012-01-05T09:53:00.000-08:00

I love the lettuce wraps at P.F. Chang's and Del Mar Rendezous has some really awesome ones too, but we should be able to make that same awesomeness for in-home dining, don't you think? Someone posted a recipe for lettuce wraps on Pinterest, and so I added it to my recipe board to come back to. Before the holidays seemed like a good time to make them- an easy, quick meal.

The homemade version was not as pretty as P.F. Chang', and the lettuce was not as crisp, but it was tasty! If you want to try out the recipe I used, you'll find it here.

Christmas, Asian Style

2012-01-04T09:57:00.000-08:00

Every Sunday my husband and I walk to the local farmer's market and we pass a Chinese food restaurant that smells divine. We spoke recently of how we miss Chinese take out and how we should go buy some take-out containers and make up some of our favorite dishes ourselves. Welp, that's exactly what we did, but since multiple entrees is quite a bit of food for just two, we decided it must be a special occasion, and so instead of ham, we had an Asian Christmas.

Our Menu:

Sweet & Sour Chicken

Kung Pao Pork

Pad Thai with Shrimp

Fried Rice

Coconut Ice Cream

We used The Gluten Free Asian Kitchen as our instructional guide for the evening. All the entrees turned out well and the Kung Pao Pork was absolutely amazing.

We had previously made the Pad Thai with shrimp and it was more delicious than the first time.

As for her coconut ice cream recipe,it did not turn out right. We did everything we were supposed to, but it just tasted like sweet eggs and ended up pitching it. Overall, the meal was delicious, and it was ok about the ice cream, because I had a backup plan. Don't most gluten free folks have one when it comes to serving a big meal? :-)

Mineral Fusion Makeup

2012-01-03T11:12:00.000-08:00

Sometimes a girl needs a little help with looking refreshed. You all know what I'm talking about. Extra concealer, a little blush, and of course, some under eye cream. My veins are really close to the surface so I always have some sort of sad circle under my eyes, and when I'm really tired, it's pretty hard to hide. I have tried and posted about other eye creams before like Derma-E and Smashbox.

My latest endeavor is a cream from Mineral Fusion. I believe the entire line is gluten free and have tried both the mascara and their revitalizing eye treatment. The mascara was great, except it's not water proof; that's kind of a deal breaker for me. The eye creme, it's really a soft, gentle cream that has peptides to firm and brighten the skin.

Unlike Derma-e, which is a thicker cream that needs to be rubbed in instantly, and sort of acts like a collage, getting rid of the dark saggy puffiness. It's unlike the smash box brand too, which is a thin, completely shiny creme, that makes your skin sparkle. Do I feel like it makes a difference? Yes, but you might need a second application at lunch, depending on how your day is going.

Butterbeer Jelly Shots

2011-12-30T06:32:00.000-08:00

I have found that pinterest is a great place for recipe and food sharing and have 2 food related boards: Foods I've Tried and Recipes I want to Try. Someone posted a picture of some butterbeer jello shots and because I am both a Harry Potter fan and love butterscotch I had to give this recipe a try.

If you've never made jelly shots, well, what are you waiting for? I fancied them up with some Christmas sprinkles just before serving. They were perfect for our informal Christmas eve gathering- or for your new year's gartherings.

Salted Bacon Bark

2011-12-29T12:43:00.000-08:00

Chocolate, caramel, marshmallow, sounds good so far right? Add in bacon and salt for the current bacon & chocolate craze, and you will have one seriously rich, seriously delicious (and seriously high calorie but worth it ) dessert. I substituted Frangelico- a hazelnut liquor. for whiskey, and it was one of the fanciest things I ever ate.

Want to try it? You know you do? Recipe here.

Bacon & Brown Sugar Roll

2011-12-28T12:57:00.000-08:00

Whether you are entertaining a large group or just want to make something special and different for a small family meal, I have a great suggestion for you. All you need are 3 things: brown sugar, bacon, and mini sausages. I used Aidell's mini apple & chicken sausages, (little smokies are not gluten free from what I understand,) and Applegate turkey bacon. Simply cut your bacon in half, wrap the sausage, use a toothpick to hold it. Right before you put them in the oven at 350 degrees, sprinkle them with brown sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes, rotate and sprinkle if you deem it necessary, and bake for another 20 minutes or until the turkey seems crispy. Serve immediately. You won't be disappointed.

Gluten Free Discount Hunt

2011-12-27T14:13:00.000-08:00

Every now and then I hit up the grocery outlet, but mainly before a road trip. Since Mike and I are heading out of town for New Year's it seems only appropriate to see what I could find for cheap.

I've had these crackers before and really liked them. Just $1.49 a box.

Gluten free, corn free pasta for $1.79, although I'm not familiar with the brand. On a side-note I also found Schar brand pasta 50% off at my local Safeway.

Corn-thins, a good staple. Just $0.99.

Love these- Aidell sausage. $3.99

Nut thins, nacho flavor $0.99.

Plus a case of water for $3.00, coconut water for $0.89 and chocolate almond breeze for $1.25 and I was on my merry way.

Califlower Potato Chowder

2011-12-22T08:16:00.000-08:00

I decided to play in the kitchen with some vegetables I bought at the farmer's market. Simply put, to make calif lower potato chowder...

Boiled 4-5 small red potatoes and 1 head cauliflower-Drain.
Then put it in a blender
Add 1/4 raw yellow onion and a little green onion (but those are mainly for decorating when serving), and 1 cup of chicken broth. Salt, pepper, garlic, and dill to taste and then blend until desired consistency.

In the end it comes out like a medium-thick chowder. Serve with a little cheese and green onion or chive on top, and that's it. Ridiculously simple.

Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

2011-12-21T11:40:00.000-08:00

Oh ya, I did it. I put zucchini in my cake! Normally it's zucchini bread or zucchini brownies, and you ask yourself, do you like zucchini that much? This little experiment of how to use excess zucchini taught me something; something that you may or may not have known.

Unlike adding carrot to cake, which changes the flavor, zucchini does not seem to change flavor; in fact we did not even notice the cake had zucchini in it. Mainly it just moistened the cake.

Now I understand why I'm usually hearing about zucchini brownies from parents- it's a great way to sneak veggies into your diet. I used 4 cup of grated zuchhni in my cake batter. I added some frosting and some sprinkles, and took them to a holiday party. They looked very festive and no one had a clue they had zucchini in them until I told them; plus they didn't care or notice they were gluten free either. The entire lot of them were gone by the end of the night. Don't trust me on this one? Well try it for yourself and let me know what you think.

Dairy Free Egg Nog

2011-12-20T11:07:00.000-08:00

Might be Minestrone

2011-12-19T08:40:00.000-08:00

For the month of December every Sunday is a soup day. I made up a batch of something sort of like minestrone soup. I took a cue from a fellow blogger, Poor Girl Eats Well, with a few tweaks of course. I used rice, while her recipe called for couscous, and I left out the spinach. I used the last bits of turkey meat leftover from Thanksgiving in this batch and well, it was pretty good. I kept my veggies pretty chunky, since I like more of a chowder feel, while my husband blended up some of his and made it more of a consistent texture across the board.

According to Kimberly over at Poor Girl Eats Well, this dish serves 8 and only costs $0.88 a serving, and depending on where you shop (my veggies came from the farmer's market), I'd say her estimate is close on.

Next up in for Soup Sunday is Potato Cauliflower Chowder.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

2011-12-16T09:41:00.000-08:00

Looking for a new dip this holiday season and too lazy or don't have enough time to make spinach dip yourself? It's ok, this is your solution. Nothing else needs to be said.

Rice Salad with Apples

2011-12-15T10:40:00.000-08:00

Working fruit and vegetables into every meal has been a challenge of mine that I totally killed this week! Instead of your same old buttered rice, a few extra ingredients and I had a great, fresh side. I tweaked a recipe I found on familyfun.com, but basically all you have to do is peel, slice, and chop up an apple, grab some raisins, some fresh chopped almonds and mix. The recipe that inspired me was suggested to be served cold with a little honey, olive oil mixture, but I just added a little squeeze of honey. It was nice to switch it up a little as rice is cheap but can get boring after awhile.

I also managed to sneak in some veggies into my dessert. Just wait for that post. :-)

Jamba Juice Update

2011-12-14T13:33:00.000-08:00

I was a Jamba Juice addict for a while- I used to rotate between mango a-go-go and strawberry surf rider. Then I went gluten free and I got concerned about their boosts; some were gluten free and some weren't. I was concerned about the blender cups not being cleaned well enough between uses and the possibility of cross contamination. Around the same time I became a proud owner of a commercial grade blender and started making smoothies at home. I was on a smoothie kick for months and then I started switching things up because fruits and all the add-ins can be high in sugars.

Last week I was just thinking I had not had a smoothie in a while and then came across some new information about Jamba Juice. It seems both their menu and their boosts have gone through some changes since I last visited them, and now all their boosts are gluten free. Plus I hear some locations have some gluten free snacks too. This is great for people always on the go and in need of a quick fix.

Pamela's Whenever Bars

2011-12-13T09:44:00.000-08:00

Cream of Celery Casserole

2011-12-12T08:19:00.000-08:00

I had extra celery left over in the vegetable drawer and creme of celery soup in the cupboard so I decided to get a little experimental and make creamy celery casserole. Now let me prefix this with the following statement: I don't care for celery. I only ever buy it to put it in soup or in this case, add flavor to the turkey, and thus I ended up with extra. I did not want to see it go to waste, so I decided to run with the idea of a celery casserole I found somewhere on the web.

I sauteed the celery in butter for about 5 minutes until I could put my fork through it, and then I transferred it to my pyrex pan, added sauteed mushrooms, cream of celery soup, some bread crumbs and a little vegan cheese.

I baked it for about 30 minutes and transferred it to my plate. It made a nice presentation, but I did not care for it. Celery and I just do not see eye to eye. I did however eat all my mushrooms and cheese- those I definitely could not let go to waste.

Sugar Plum Vegan Winter Dinner

2011-12-09T11:22:00.000-08:00

Sugar Plum Vegan in downtown Sacramento is offering a gluten free holiday option available for pick up the week of Christmas. Plus they have other great gluten free options. If you haven't been there they are worth a visit.

Comfort & Joy Available for Pick Up December 23, 24 30 & 31

Gluten Free Wild Rice & Winter Vegetable Stuffed Acorn Squash with Sage Cashew Gravy

Creamy Garlic & Chive Mashed Potatoes

French Green Bean Amandine

Juanderful Roasted Beets

Gingerbread or Sweet Potato Cheesecake

$19 per person/Gluten Free
Oil Free with Acorn Squash $19
(all sides and dessert are Gluten Free)

Bacon Cheddar Spread

2011-12-08T11:03:00.000-08:00

If you can not have dairy, it's just best to stop reading, because you'll be sad. Sorry. Ok, so dairy lovers, bacon lovers, it's time for the merging of minds and flavors. This bacon cheddar spread from Aloutette is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! It's super light and fluffy, more like a whipped dip or whipped cream cheese, which makes it very easy to eat half the container before you realize it. It is great with my current other favorite item, sweet potato tortilla chips. And I just had a great idea while I was typing this- I bet it would make unbelievably good mac and cheese.

Amy's Frozen Entrees

2011-12-07T08:16:00.000-08:00

Earth Balance December Contest

2011-12-06T07:58:00.000-08:00

Have you heard about the Earth Balance Holiday Bake Off? Earth Balance has become more of a staple in my house over the past few months. They are running a contest through the entire month of December and each week has a different theme. I am planning on doing quite a bit of baking this month, so I just might have to put my thinking cap on and figure out which recipe I want to submit.

Slightly intrigued? Well let me peak your interest even more. The prize is a $400 gift card to Whole Foods!

So here are all the details.

"Your recipes should be your own original creations and contain one or more Earth Balance® products such as any of the buttery spreads, nut butters or soy beverages. The recipes must be plant-based (vegan) and free of any animal products (no dairy, eggs, meat, etc…). We will evaluate recipes based on appeal (50%), ease of preparation (25%) and creativity (25%). You can submit as many recipes as you like from November 28 to December 23, in the following categories:

Nov. 28th - Dec. 4th: Pies
Dec. 5th - Dec. 11th: Cakes
Dec. 12th - Dec. 18th: Cupcakes
Dec. 19th - Dec. 23th: Cookies

WEEKLY PRIZES – Made Just Right™ will select 2 recipes from each category for a total of 8 winners. Each winner will receive:
· A $400 gift certificate for Whole Foods Market.
· A 1 year supply of Earth Balance® products.
· An Earth Balance® gift pack featuring a bamboo cutting board and kitchen supplies.
· A copy of the book The Complete Idiot's Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition by Julieanna Hever
One of the 8 winners will be selected as the GRAND PRIZE WINNER!

GRAND PRIZE - Made Just Right™ will select one lucky winner to win:
· An additional $1,000 gift certificate for Whole Foods Market.

SPECIAL PRIZES – More opportunities to win! Made Just Right™ will also select 3 recipes from all submissions to win in the following categories: Best Photo, Most Recipes Submitted, and Most Creative Recipe. Winners will receive:
· A 1 year supply of Earth Balance® products.
· An Earth Balance® gift pack featuring a bamboo cutting board and kitchen supplies.

We will announce the 8 weekly winners, the 3 special prize winners and the 1 grand prize winner the week of January 9th, 2012! For complete contest rules, visit HOLIDAY BAKE-OFF CONTEST RULES. For specific questions about how to upload your recipe, visit the MADE JUST RIGHT™ FAQ.

http://www.madejustright.com/

Amazing Dairy Free Rolls!

2011-12-02T10:00:00.000-08:00

I didn't mind "giving up" bread when I first went gluten free; bread wasn't a big part of my life. Yet every now and then I love eating a delicious, meaty sandwich. The Canyon Bakehouse buns are a great standard sandwich bun but when you want something hearty, more gourmet the Against the Grain Country Vermont Roll is your best friend.

These rolls are excellent for roast beef sandwhiches, pulled pork, and most recently I had a left over turkey sandwhich around thanksgiving. Sure they're high in calories (mainly because they're using coconut milk to keep them dairy free), but they are truly one of the best rolls I've eaten.

Left Over Turkey Dish

2011-12-01T07:54:00.000-08:00

Last night I made a dish that is inexpensive, great for left over chicken or turkey bits, easy enough for college students, or busy working professionals who don't have a lot of time to make anything. I made the dish I hated as a child- cream turkey on toast.

My mom would make the cream from scratch with real milk, etc. I did a little short cut and used cream of chicken soup I had in the cupboard with some milk, salt, pepper, garlic. Heat it up, thin out with a little milk, and then simmer it while you toast your bread, cut the bread into squares (I buttered my toast but not necessary- your choice), and then just scoop turkey cream mixture onto your toast and serve.That's it. Tasty and simple.

I think I just disliked it when I was younger because I had a think against "slop" like dishes. This is the second time as an adult I have made it, and my husband gave me praise for this dish. Go try it.

Karmic Krunch

2011-11-30T08:36:00.000-08:00

Well I was traveling in Southern California I happened to stumble upon another gluten free granola snack mix. I liked it off the bat because it was oat free and most granola's have oats, and some of us Celiacs just can't do oats. I also liked that it's first ingredient is buckwheat flakes, and it's no joke when they say it contains macadamia nuts- they have whole macadamias and they were yummy. Overall I really enjoyed this in and out of my yogurt. If you want to find out more about the company or try some for yourself check out Karmic-Health.com

Christmas Comes Earlier Every Year

2011-11-30T08:31:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is near, but it hasn't happened yet, and yet.... the malls were decked out in Christmas decorations November 1. That's just scary. And the colored Christmas trees-oh my! While the pink and blue ones are cool, it just does not seem right. White, well, that can pass because of snow. Maybe we'll get a can of "snow" this year to dust our tree.

I think I'll Press the Soup Button

2011-11-29T11:05:00.000-08:00

I love my blender. A slow cooker, I almost called it a crockpot, but like "sticky" vs. "post-it" and "gelatin" vs. "Jello," Crockpot is a brand, but in any case whatever you call it is a great winter appliance. Sure you use it sometimes during the rest of the year, but it really gets its use in the winter. Go ahead, tell me if I'm wrong, but that's my take on it.

The blender, however, is my next best friend in the winter for soups and smoothies in spring/summer. The right blender can make anything into a smooth liquid, and even heat it up for you too. I made broccoli soup a little while ago, and loved it, and with fresh veggies from farmer's market this past week I made taco soup. Add in some beans at the last minute and pulse them in and sprinkle tortilla chips bits on top and it's like dining at a Mexican restaurant in the comfort of your own home.

CH-CH-CH-CHIA

2011-11-28T08:01:00.000-08:00

I had no idea what synergy was until I started my current job a couple of years ago. I tired it once and thought it was absolutely disgusting. It basically tastes like vinegar with a hint of whatever flavor it's supposed to be- guava, gingerberry. etc. I would much rather do a shot of apple cider vinegar in the morning and again at night, and still experience generally the same positive side effects. What would those be you ask? Well it's supposed to be good for detoxifying the body, and thus it translates to a great beverage if you're hungover, so I'm told.

Recently I discovered the Cherry Chia Kombucha and a customer had me try some because I told him how gross I thought the stuff is. The cherry chia seems to be the exception to the gross factory- it tastes like jello. See I like bits in my drinks; weird, I know, but it's true. Aloe in my coconut water, tapioca gel balls in my smoothies, and now chia. It's a good source of fiber and also supposedly curbs food cravings.

So now I'm curious...are you a kombucha drinker? Do you drink it because you actually like the flavor or because it dos good things for the body?

Ki's Resturant

2011-11-22T07:22:00.000-08:00

Ki's Restaurant has been on my wishlist for a couple of years. Located in Cardiff by the Sea, which is a great surfing area, the restaurant itself is right across the street from the beach.

When you walk in it seems like an independent smoothie place, with a smoothie and juices menu above the register and a few small tables. Their full menus are sitting at the counter and once you order you can go upstairs to seat yourself and pretty much anywhere in the house is a nice view of the ocean.

They have a gluten free menu for all three courses of the day, but I think breakfast is their specialty and serve it until 2pm. They use breads from a local bakery, and teff tortillas, with ingredients listed on the menu, as well as a dedicated toaster, etc. I gave the menu one look over and new instantly what I was going to order.

Believe it or not I have never had a breakast burritio before, so that's what I ordered. Sure I've had left over burrito for breakfast, but not a burrito with breakfast foods. So in any case I was super excited about my burrito and it was absolutely delicious! Eggs, hash browns, avocado, tomatoes, and cheese (they have soy cheese if you're dairy free). I ate half and wrapped up the other half for the beach.

Everyone else I dined with was also very happy with the meal. I thought the orange juice was priced a little high, but I had a sip of my husband's and it was very good. They also had coconut water and guayaki cans available for purchase, so it is definitely my kind of place. I'd like to come back and try other things off their menu; perhaps we'll do lunch next time.

Pacific Foods Condensed Soups

2011-11-21T08:41:00.000-08:00

During this time of year condensed soup is pretty much on everyone's shopping list for their go to casserole dishes. Canned gluten free soups however are not the same as condensed soup from Campbell's; the trick is mixing the soup with sour cream, well at least until I met this one. Pacific Foods recently introduced 3 Cream Soups: Celery, Mushroom, and Chicken. I like their packaging, as they are easier to ship and travel with then a can, plus their consistency is right on. I mixed together a cream of mushroom and a cream of chicken for a large casserole I was making with mushrooms, broccoli, and chicken. It turned out perfect. The box says you can mix with equal parts water or milk, but if you want a strong flavor for a casserole, I say use it straight.

Night in Santa Monica

2011-11-21T07:48:00.000-08:00

Santa Monica is great for the beach and boardwalk, but there is definitely more to do. I pretty much end up trying sushi every city I visit. and on my last trip to the Los Angeles area my aunt took me out to the Crazy Fish. It was a low key place with a long sushi bar and several tables. It definitely seems like a place where the staff would learn your name and all the locals went. The menu was simple, but unbelievably tasty. I thought the fish was pretty high quality and very well priced. In fact, I don't think I have ever eaten as many rolls for such a low cost in the Sacramento area.

After dinner we headed over to Angel's Piano Bar, which is the perfect place to go for an old-fashioned drink and some live piano or jazz music. This place never charges a cover and is a nice mix of bar and small tables for their small eats menu. It is a place to come for the music and conversation; not a place you worry about going to impress people. We happened to be there on the night that Dessy Dilauro was performing. She has a great mix of style and it was pretty cool to randomly pick a place to go and to sit 6 feet from a live performance

I love stumbling upon new and fun places, and this time around I didn't hit any duds. Next time you're in a different city, make sure to explore it, as a local for a recommndation, and don't just stick to a premade plan you had; it can be more fun that way. :-)

Against the Grain Stuffing

2011-11-17T08:39:00.000-08:00

I made my first batch of stuffing a couple of weeks ago and used a great recipe from Against the Grain Gourmet. I'm not really a huge fan of stuffing, but since I've been giving everything else like soup a try, why not stuffing? And I got rave reviews!

Here's the recipe I followed directly from the company.

Ingredients:
2 Against The Gain Baguettes, sliced and lightly toasted*
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 ribs celery, finely chopped
1⁄2 stick butter
1 large egg
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Toast baguette slices for approx 15-20 min @ 250-300, and dice in approx 1⁄2 inch cubes.
2. Melt butter in frying pan; add chopped celery, onion, salt, and pepper and sauté for approximately five minutes. If you specifically want rosemary stuffing, add a Tbsp of fresh chopped rosemary to your sautéed vegetables.
3. Toss butter and vegetable mix with bread crumbs; add raw egg until evenly moistened.
4. Stuff turkey cavity and place in preheated oven (I cook my turkey at 325, but follow directions on turkey packaging.)
5. Bake uncovered for 1 hour. After one hour, cover breast with a small piece of muslin, and baste as needed until done, pouring off juices as necessary. You don’t need to cover the exposed stuffing if you like the surface to be slightly crispy.

*You could also make it dairy free by using the dairy free country Vermont rolls instead of the baguettes.

San Diego Gluten Free Expo

2011-11-17T08:21:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I went to San Diego for the Gluten Free Expo. I was the representative from my work, and I actually volunteered because I love the beach and have family in that area. The expo was well publicized and organized. I'm told roughly 3,000 people attended and other exhibitors like myself weren't anticipating that many folks and ran out of samples early.

I was hoping to be able to leave my table and socialize with some of the other vendors, and check out some of the local bakeries in that area, but my time was very limited as the attendees just kept coming. Overall it was a great day of meeting new people and sampling lots of treats.

Broccoli Soup

2011-11-16T08:12:00.000-08:00

I am embracing the world of soup. I have little time right now, as it is my busy time at work, and I have am amazing blender with a soup setting, so I'm taking advantage of its full potential. I made broccoli soup and it was delicious. I ate the entire bowl. I'm patting myself on the back for that one because that is certainly a rarity in my life. Paired with a side of tortilla chips, it was completely satisfying.

What did I do you ask? Well I steamed my broccoli, and then I threw I bunch of stuff in my blender until it was full. Broccoli. maybe about 3-4 cups, a can cannelinni beans, 1 1/2 cups chicken broth, salt, pepper and garlic to taste, and a little cheese as a garnish. Sorry, that's as specific as I can get on this one. Play around. I bet you can make up a great batch too.

Ginger Elizabeth's Thanksgiving Dessert

2011-11-10T09:21:00.001-08:00

I'm not sure this is gluten free but it sounds amazing!

The Thanksgiving Dessert from Ginger Elizabeth Chocolates

Ginger designed this lovely entremet cake for Valrhona to showcase the chocolate maker’s latest chocolate creation — Caramelia. Enjoy it with your family and friends this Thanksgiving. Caramelia Chocolate Mousse, Orange Scented Arborio Rice Pudding, Cinnamon Caramel Jam, Bittersweet Chocolate Cake, Salty Cinnamon Streusel, Marmalade-Style Candied Orange Zest, Caramel Glaze $42, Serves 12-16 people.

Available for pick up Wednesday, 11/23 or Thursday, 11/24
Open Thanksgiving, Thursday, 11/24 9am-Noon
Please place orders by Tuesday, 11/22 and allow 48 hour notice.
Please order in The Boutique or by phone: 916.706.1738.
This cake is hand-made in small batches; please place orders early
to ensure availability.

1801 L Street, Suite 60 | Sacramento, CA 95811 | 916.706.1738
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Katz Gluten Free

2011-11-09T08:06:00.000-08:00

Baseball season is over, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy a little apple pie! And when you're done, you can follow it up with a little coffee bundt cake from Katz, too. Both of these are a treat, but watch to find out just what makes them so special, and which one we think hits the home run.

Enjoy Life Crunchy Cookies

2011-11-08T08:03:00.000-08:00

Enjoy Life sure does give gluten-free people the opportunity to enjoy life a little bit more, but just how much will we enjoy these cookies? Watch as we review four of them.

Vegan Lasagna

2011-11-07T08:20:00.000-08:00

I decided to be extra adventurous with dinner this week. I love eggplant, zucchini, mushrooms, spinach, Daiya cheese, and cashew cheese, but how are they all together? I figured I would try and use the zucchini as my pasta, and make a gluten free, dairy free, vegan lasagna. I've been eating more vegetables lately, as if I didn't already eat more than the average person, and thus have found myself leading a slightly more vegetarian diet.

I love cheese, but the one downfall to real cheese for any baked dishes is that it gets gummy and messes up the sponge when you wash dishes. I have gotten hooked to herb cashew cheese by a local Sacramento vendor; it's great paired with crackers and veggies. It sort of has the consistency of ricotta, and thus I used it as a replacement in my pseudo-lasagna dish. Basically I just layered all my veggies and cheese, plus some homemade pasta sauce like anyone would and baked it for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

It got a little bit more liquid-like than my typical lasagna,most likely from the moisture of the vegetables, but it was absolutely delicious! And I didn't feel bad about eating it.

Randomness at an Electronic Store

2011-11-06T22:31:00.000-08:00

Fry's Electronics is a time sucker, and they know how to get you to buy all the little stuff on the long enclosed checkout line. Here are just some of the fun and interesting things I came across.

San Diego Gluten Free Expo

2011-11-04T10:36:00.000-07:00

I am totally looking forward to this!

Saturday, November 12, 2011; 12:00pm - 4:00pm

Scottish Rite Event Center, 1895 Camino Del Rio S, San Diego, CA

The Wm. K. Warren Medical Research Center for Celiac Disease at the University of California, San Diego is very pleased to be working with enthusiastic members of the San Diego and Southern California celiac disease support groups and gluten-free community on plans for the first San Diego Gluten-Free Food Expo.

The 2011 San Diego Gluten-Free Expo will include:

Lots of delicious food samples at each exhibit table! We have a great variety of gluten-free food vendors coming (see vendors)
information tables from the local support groups
a raffle with great gluten-free products to win
free goodie bags with samples of gf products and coupons
a free "Gluten-Free Guidebook”. This Guidebook will include lists of restaurants in the San Diego area that address gluten-free, information about celiac disease and gluten intolerance, and various resources both locally and online.

Furthermore, while participating in the Expo you will:

Support the educational and awareness programs conducted by the Warren Medical Research Center for Celiac Disease. Any proceeds raised at the Expo are primarily earmarked for these vital programs done right here in our San Diego community.
Help increase awareness by showing our strength in numbers to the media, public, and business community.
Be able to give direct feedback to vendors of gluten-free products
Last, but certainly not least, get to sample lots of yummy gluten-free food!

Thai Thursday

2011-11-03T08:24:00.000-07:00

I've been branching out and trying various flavor pallets. This week we had spicy peanut bake, which is like Asian shake 'n bake, and peanut sauce on rice. I found the flavor practically addicting. If you haven't tried anything like this, you really should.

Caramel Cups

2011-11-02T08:42:00.000-07:00

I'm all about the caramel! Chocolate and caramel- not cake, not pie, sometimes not even cookies make me happy, but for me caramel can turn a bad day around. These caramel cups are made with sunflower butter (from sunflower seeds) and a new addition to the Sun Cup product line. The caramel is the perfect thickness not to thick not to thin. I just wish they were dairy free, but otherwise they are perfect.

Food Allergy Concert Nov 6

2011-11-01T07:37:00.000-07:00

Do you, or someone you know have children with food allergies? I came across a great blog and a great, upcoming bay area event.

Zucchini & Cheese Appetizers

2011-10-31T09:41:00.000-07:00

I experimented with eggplant last week, so this week I decided to play with zucchini. My husband supposedly hates squash of all kinds, but hen you add cheese to the mix, how can you hate something, right? I found a super simple recipe for these grilled zucchini roll-ups on Health.com, and I tweaked it a little.

I made sure to pat off the extra moisture the zucchini had after being grilled, let them cool, and then instead of goat cheese I used a cashew cheese with some lemon juice and spread it on the zucchini. Add fresh spinach leaves, although after eating we agreed they would be even better if the spinach was slightly blanked, fresh herbs if you like, and roll. That's it. A great, easy, health finger food for parties, as a side, or an appetizer.

Glutenfreeda Pizza Wraps

2011-10-26T08:35:00.000-07:00

We review two pizza wraps from Glutenfreeda. Do good things come in small packages, or should we resort to something larger, more traditional (like a real pizza)? Watch and find out!

Eggplant Pizza

2011-10-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

So I bought a giant eggplant at farmer's market last weekend, not quite sure what I was going to do with it, but wanting to do something fun and different. My husband says he generally doesn't like eggplant, but I think this meal changed his mind. We took large rounds of eggplant, fried them using Choice Batter--the best breading for frying, gluten free or not, hands down-- and then baked them with homemade tomato sauce and Daiya cheese on top. The result, a gluten free, dairy free, vegan dish to be eaten with knife and fork. Simple and delicious!

Soy Taquitos

2011-10-18T09:02:00.000-07:00

I haven't had taquitos in years. Not something I would normally buy, but it's nice to have options. The ones I tried from Starlite were vegan, but I couldn't really tell the difference between chicken and tofu. They were very crunchy on the outside, and nice and soft on the inside, at least when you put them in the oven. You can put them in the microwave, but I'm not sure what they would be like. In any case, I think I'll be buying these again.

Ingredients: Corn Tortilla (White Corn, Water, Lime), Water, Texturized Soy Flour, Onion, Mushroom, Corn, Beans, Soy Flour, Cornstarch, Yeast Extract, Salt, Celery Seed, White Pepper, Natural Spices, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Expeller Pressed Canola or Soybean Oil. WHEAT FREE, GLUTEN FREE

Croutons.

2011-10-17T08:18:00.000-07:00

Croutons. When a gluten free gal bakes a loaf of bread and it doesn't turn out, I think we all know what you do- make croutons. I recently tried out the Kinnickinnick Bread and Bun Mix and was happy to see just how far the mix goes. I've made 3 loaves of bread with one box mix, but I'm not a bread person, so yes, I made a loaf of bread just to cube it up and make croutons. The mix itself is for a very basic white bread, but I added in some herbs - parsley, garlic and onion powder, and salt- to enhance it just a little. I add a slice of bread as I was cubing it up for croutons and it was very good- soft, moist, with a nice crust.

If you've never made croutons, or need some pointers, make sure you dry the bread out enough. Generally you need to toast it at 220 degrees for about an hour, depending on the size of your cubes. Once the bread is slightly toasted and dry, all I do is drizzle some olive oil back and forth over the pan, shake on your favorite herbs, and stir; make sure everything is well coated. Pop your pan back in the oven and watch carefully; probably another 15 minutes. Let them cool and store in an air tight container. And if you hadn't put two and two together yet, croutons are very similar to stuffing.

Asian Cookbook & Rice Noodle Dish

2011-10-12T10:11:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but sometimes I get unexpected things in the mail from unknown parties. Now... they usually are food-related items, that one is to assume the company would like reviewed here on my blog, or on my podcast. The Gluten Free Asian Kitchen by Laura B. Russell happens to be one of those fun items. I did not request it, nor was there a note, but as someone who loves to cook I wasn't going to deny the opportunity to try some Asian dishes.

I know quite a few cookbooks have lists about ingredients in the front or back of the book, but this one I actually find very helpful as I am not as familiar with Asian cuisine, and I wouldn't be able to tell you if most mirin or dashi was gluten free or not. The sauce and snack chapters are fascinating, and I plan to make porcupine balls in the future: don't worry they're just rice and ground pork. Some of the recipes are very basic and others are a little bit more complex, but I would say overall none of the dishes are overly fancy. Thus far we have tried out stir-fried rice noodles with chicken and peanut sauce. This dish was absolutely delicious and in fact I had to fight my husband for some of the left overs.

Pho No....

2011-10-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

This winter I am truly making efforts to be a "soup" person. I thought I would use this Vegetarian Pho soup base to make a tasty Sunday dinner. I added fried tofu, rice noodles, and all the veggies, but both my husband and I could not get past the smell of the soup base- licorice. I've had Pho before and don't recall it smelling or tasting like black licorice. It just really threw us.

Join NFCA for Top 10 Ways to Get Gluten-Free Kids to Eat Healthy

2011-10-11T20:29:00.001-07:00

Announcing NFCA’s Webinar, “Top 10 Ways to Get Gluten-Free Kids to Eat Healthy,” on Thursday, October 20 at 2pm ET/11am PT.
Join NFCA as EA Stewart, also known as The Spicy RD and one of NFCA's Ask the Dietitian bloggers, outlines 10 ways dietitians can engage their gluten-free pediatric and adolescent patients in healthy eating habits.
Sponsored by Blue Diamond Growers, this hour-long webinar is free of charge and the only requirement is a working Internet connection!
Using her Top Ten Tips, EA will:

Discuss the dietitian’s role in instilling healthy emotional and physical habits in children with celiac disease.
Share strategies that dietitians can use to motivate their young patients to make nutritionally sound gluten-free choices
Explore ways that young kids living gluten-free can successfully manage the limitations of their diet by making healthy and creative food choices
Identify tools dietitians can share with the gluten-free child to ensure that they have a safe dining experience away from home.
And more!

Watch & Win!
Three Webinar participants will be randomly selected to win a special prize pack from Blue Diamond. Each prize pack includes:
· 1 bag of gluten-free Baked Nut Chips - Sea Salt
· 1 bag of gluten-free Baked Nut Chips - Nacho
· 1 bag of gluten-free Baked Nut Chips - Sour Cream & Chive
Have a question for EA? Send your inquiries to kvoorhees@CeliacCentral.org by Thursday, October 13th for a chance to have your inquiry answered live during the Webinar! (Please title the email subject line "webinar question").

Continuing Education Credits: See CeliacCentral.org/webinars for details.

Note: A recording of each Webinar will be posted along with the Webinar slides within 72 hours after the live Webinar ends. To download recorded Webinars and slides, visit the Archived Webinars page at CeliacCentral.org/webinars/archive.

Title:	Top 10 Ways to Get Gluten-Free Kids to Eat Healthy
Date:	Thursday, October 20, 2011
Time:	2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EDT

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

Thrifting

2011-10-11T16:06:00.000-07:00

You know you're "thrifty" when....

1. You haven't paid full price for anything in at least 6 months
2. You think the clearance section at Target is mostly too pricey
3. You find yourself debating about buying designer jeans that cost $7.00- you think that's a smidgen steep

On my latest round of thrifting I had many nice finds- 3 store bought scarves, 3 nice tops, 2 shirts for my husband- some new with tags- and 2 awesome pairs of jeans. The first, Calvin Klein. Marked 2.98, but were an additional 25% off (my store has discounts on certain tags on certain days) making them only $2.23.

The second, Banana Republic jeans for $6.98- already a good deal, but then add the fact that they were a yellow tag and 75% off, making them $1.74.

I'm also working on a Halloween costume from thrifting only. I have almost everything I need and am only up to $3.00. More on the Halloween costume later. What are you recent goodwill finds?

Vegetarian Sloppy Joes

2011-10-11T09:32:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid I hated sloppy joes. I generally still have a thing against sloppy, mushy foods that require a bowl because they have no form, but slowly I'm coming around. I've developed a chili recipe I enjoy, and have been playing around with more healthy options. Last week I tried out a recipe for lentil sloppy joes from one of my newer cookbooks, Gluten Free on a Shoestring.

Rice, lentils, and vegetables are the main components of this dish, and thankfully unlike how we had sloppy joes when I wasa kid, it did not involve ketchup. This recipe has the perfect consistency for eating it by itself or for putting it on a bun, and I really enjoyed it. The one thing that I do not agree with is the recipe's yield size, which is listed to feed six. Using all the measurements listed I made enough food for 10-12 servings, so if you just want a little, I'd cut the proportions in half. Otherwise, the author is right on for taste, texture, and friendliness to the budget.

Chocolate Mousse

2011-10-10T08:21:00.000-07:00

Have you tried any of the Orgran products? I recently tried the chocolate mousse, which was super easy to make, and pretty tasty. I was in a playful mood at the time, and decided to take things one step further by adding in fresh strawberry puree. The product remained the perfect consistency for eating out of a serving dish.

However, I thought it would be fun to make it into a mousse pie, so I made up a graham cracker crust, and poured my mousse in. Alas, my pie was a flop. The mousse didn't thicken up anymore in the fridge, so when I took it out of my cheesecake mold it became runny. It sure did take good though.

Walk Now for Autism 2011

2011-10-09T16:06:00.000-07:00

Mike and I spent our Sunday morning out walking for a cause: Walk Now for Autism 2011. We walked on the GF Specialty Dream Team with friends and customers.

Jeffery the Giraffe accidentally bummed me in the head while he was walking with us over the bridge.

My friend Haley sneaking a pic with Jeffery the Giraffe.

Our destination: the state capitol.

Bella Gluten Free Crust Mix

2011-10-06T08:41:00.000-07:00

I had seen Bella mixes advertised in Living Without Magazine, and then one day I had a delivery of them on my front door. The mixes are super allergen friendly but sometimes that translates to lack of taste, undesirable textures, and the like. With the weather finally starting to cool down, and me gearing up for fast, quick grab meals, it was time to make up the pizza mix.

The mix is supposed to make two large 14 inch pizzas, but I decided to make up the dough and make 6 personal size pizza crusts that I would par-bake and then freeze. The dough was really easy to work with. My special secret is to wear gloves when working with anything sticky. I divided the dough equally and made up my little rounds by hand; not the most perfect circles, but it just adds an extra artisan touch.

I baked each crust for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, let them cool, and then I froze all the crusts except one- that was to be lunch. That way when I thaw them I'll just crisp them up a little before adding toppings and it will save on time. Right now everything I make, one serving goes into the freezer so I have a select of healthy entrees for the days that I'm exhausted from work between now and the end of the year. Pizza isn't necessarily thought of as a healthy option, but when you pile it with a bunch of veggies and little to no cheese, it's a nice, filling option.

The lunch crust I baked for a total of 15 minutes without toppings, then I loaded it with sauce, spinach, herbs, bell peppers, and a little sprinkling of cheese and gave it another 10 minutes. The crust had a nice flavor, although next time I think I'd like to add in my own herbs into the dough. It was chewy without being doughy, although it wasn't firm and flopped down when you went to pick up a slice. I imagine this would be less likely to occur if you baked the crust a little longer without toppings, but then it's a fine balance between crisping the crust and a crust that's too crunchy or hard you just have to pitch it. Overall, I liked the crust, but for pizza crust mixes, King Arthur Pizza Crust still has my heart.

Amande Yogurt

2011-10-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

If you're dairy free there have been an assortment of alternative milk options on the market for some time: rice, soy, coconut, hemp, and almond. There has been yogurt of varieties too, but almond yogurt is a newer one to the market. We are primarily an Almond Breeze milk household, so I figured my husband, who tries to avoid dairy, would like this yogurt.

However, surprisingly, he disliked it. He actually asked me "what is this crap?" I personally think he is off his rocker as I love this stuff. The peach isn't bad, but the blueberry is my favorite. I think it's great that it is fruit juice sweetened, which means it has no added sugar. It's not as creamy and smooth as your typical yogurt; it's thick, some might think on the verge of chunky, but not. For a dairy free yogurt I find it pleasing to the pallet and not overly expensive. Have you tried this yet? What are your thoughts?

From Vamps to Vixens

2011-10-01T20:14:00.001-07:00

Luna Protein Bars

2011-09-29T08:10:00.000-07:00

Before I went gluten free Luna Bars were a staple in my life. Recently they introduced a new gluten free line of bars: Luna Protein. They come in five flavors and over the past month I've tried them all. They retail for about $1.50 a bar, but can be found for on sale from time to time for $0.99 cents. Also select Target stores sell select flavors in a 5 count box for a really good price. At 12 grams of protein in 200 calories, they bars are one of my new favorites. Check out what Mike thought on this episode of GFree TV.

American Grilled Cheese Restaurant

2011-09-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip into the city I was having a hankering for cheese, especially after seeing all the giant cheese wedges inside the ferry building, so we took a walk to a place I had wanting to visit for the last 6 months: American Grilled Cheese Restaurant. Our previous trip to an all Mac and Cheese place was slightly disappointing, so how did this place fare?

As we walked up we saw this place was hustling and bustling, and they have limited seating, so if you see a seat, grab it. They're close to AT&T park, so they did pick a fairly great location for foot traffic. Walking inside, it's a small cafe, with awesome art on the wall, that is secretly hiding a bunch of storage refrigerators.

They have a small, select menu of grilled cheese options, and a few salads. Simplistic is a good way to go. As long as the sandwich itself is well done you don't need a huge variety of fancy cheeses. We ordered the Piglet, which was Tillamook sharp cheddar, artisan cured ham, apple mustard, rosemary butter and the Mousetrap, which is Tillamook sharp cheddar, creamy havarti, and monterey jack. They make gluten free bread in house, and only charge a $0.50 up charge for making it gluten free. The bread was sliced a little on the thick side, but it toasted well, and had a nice taste and texture.

All the sandwiches are served with a handful of grapes, which I thought was a nice touch, and of course you can add a side salad or a small bowl of tomato soup (not sure if that's gluten free). You can see from the picture that the sandwiches had a good amount of cheese, but I just was hoping for more. If I owed a grilled cheese place my signature would be more cheese then bread, but I suppose on both a cost and caloric analysis The American has found the right balance.

Overall I was satisfied with my meal, and would eat there again. Just remember they are a lunch place, and close at 3 or 4pm, even on the weekends. The only thing I would do different next time is order it with extra cheese :-).

Bite Size

2011-09-27T09:32:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a bite size kiwi? These guys are cute and tasty. They're my one little "extra" from my farmer's market excursion yesterday morning. Sad to see nectarines and peaches die down, but that just means other great fruits are ahead.

Gluten Free Soft Pretzels!

2011-09-26T08:51:00.000-07:00

Finally I have found a gluten free soft pretzel!!! I'm not sure what the brand was, but I used to eat frozen soft pretzels that came in a black box. I also used to be a huge, huge fan of pretzel time in the mall. I've missed that. In any case, there is now a gluten free option! They are twisted by hand and made in a nut-free facility. Depending on your fridge space, they are good for 1 day out, 4 days in fridge, or 9 months in freezer, but let's be real, the 1 day out is realistically how long they will last in your house.

I always dipped my pretzels in a cheese sauce, but what if you're dairy free too. We also reviewed Nacheez! A dairy free, vegan nacho cheese option. Check out our on the spot reactions of Kim & Scott's gluten free pretzels dipped in Nacheez on this episode of GFreeTV.

San Francisco At It's Finest

2011-09-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

One of my husband's side hobbies is photography, and last time we were in San Francisco we attempted some Ninja moves to take some awesome shots of the city. Like an old 50's spy movie, we kissed in corners of fancy hotels until we could make it into the elevators....no really, we did do some sneaking, and overall he took some awesome pictures. He's entered this one into a contest that ends on Sept 29 11:30 AM PST, so please help him win by voting for him. Thanks everybody!

Avocado Beauty Products

2011-09-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

I have come to love avocados, and avocado potato chips, so when I came across chapsticks, soap, and body products made from avocado oil I had to give it a go. Bella Vado, a southern California company, produces avocado oil, which is high in monounsaturated fats (otherwise known as the good fats :-) because they can actually reduce your cholesterol). They then use their avocado oil to make various beauty products. I tried their sweet orange avocado chapstick and their avocado hair pomade.

The avocado sick is amazing! It has a very gentle citrus scent, and is a nice soft stick. You'll want to make sure to not leave this one in your car or golf box because it is slightly softer to start than say "Chapstick" brand. It doesn't feel like it's coating my lips but absorbing into them, which is exactly what you want in a good chapstick. It does have a far bit of oils in it, and yet it doesn't feel greasy, and it lasts a pretty long time. Out of all the chapsticks I've tried I'd give this one a 7 out of 10.

As for the pomade, I thought the oils in it would be good for the ends of my hair. I did accidentally put a little too much in my bangs one day and they just kind of were flat and dead looking for the day, but that was my own flat. A little goes a long ways and is great for people with a hairdo that requires a little extra firmness to it. Plus it's made with natural ingredients and doesn't smell like chemicals.

(Ingredients: Extra Virgin Avocado Oil, Mango butter, Beeswax, Jojoba Oil, Borage Oil, Vitamin E and Sweet Orange Essential Oil)

Chocolate Crunch Granola

2011-09-22T07:52:00.000-07:00

Have you tried the new Enjoy Life Chocolate Crunch Granola? I love Enjoy Life; I think 90% of their products are awesome, but this one, I'm not a fan. The chocolate flavor almost tastes fake and for some reason this brand of granola does not seem to hold me over for very long. Have you tried it? What do you think? What's your favorite granola?

Free Night at the Drive In

2011-09-20T10:09:00.001-07:00

Endangered Species Chocolate

2011-09-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

Endangered Species Chocolate is a pretty readily available product; I've seen the bars in a variety of states and stores, plus their bars are certified gluten free (you'll find a symbol on their packaging). They have your typical chocolate fruit combinations, but then they have some others that are less common, like dark chocolate and blueberry. The blueberry is very mellow on the back end and gets more prominent if you let the chocolate sit on your tongue. It's a bittersweet chocolate, which given my need for sweets, isn't something I would normally go for, but it curbed my chocolate craving.

They also make a chocolate covered hazelnut toffee that is one of my new favorites.

What's your favorite chocolate?

Elemental Herbs

2011-09-19T10:22:00.000-07:00

Whenever I'm at the store I check out what kind of chapsticks are near the register. I recently discovered Elemental Herbs Chapstick, and found they make an all healing balm, and sunscreens as well. The company is based in California, and they seem to have a pretty straightforward philosophy- "offering natural healing products that are good for people and good for the earth."

The original stick has a slight fragrance to it simply from the natural ingredients and not an added scent. It almost smells like fresh flowers. It goes on nice and smooth, so it's the right consistency, but it feels a little waxy for me, probably from the beeswax. I feel there's some room for improve here.

On a scale of 1 to 10 out of all the chapsticks I've tried out, I give this one a 4.5; slightly below average but certainly not the worst I've tried.

I have also purchased their sunstick and was really disappointed with it. It is unbelievably thick. Normally you can use a sunstick on your neck and shoulders, and once you do a few streaks on your skin it starts to heat up and soften so you can kind of rub it in if you want. This stuff doesn't budge. In fact I ended up getting a funny tan on one of my arms while out int he sun one weekend because the two lines of protection didn't cross. It almost reminds me of paste we used in kindergarten. Looks, feel, and smell. I think I'll be passing this brand up for a different option next time.

(USDA Certified Organic Original Ingredients: Organic Calendula*, Organic Comfrey*, Organic Lavender*, Organic Plantain* and Organic Yarrow* Infused in Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil* with Organic Beeswax*, Organic Essential Oils* and Vitamin E.)

Chocolate Sensory Overload

2011-09-18T18:40:00.001-07:00

If you "like" chocolate as much as I do, and by like I mean crave, dream about, and eat with every meal, -oh, and not allergic to dairy, than the ferry building in San Francisco can be a great place to go and blow a boat load of money on chocolate bars. There's a place called Recchiuti Confections, and they have some of the most gourmet chocolates I've ever seen. I really wanted the caramel lovers box for $30+ but instead I treated myself to just 1 fleur de sel- a sea salt caramel for $1.25. HEAVEN!

Of course, there was also Scharffen Berger with some mighty tasty options.

And last but not least, I almost, almost came home with this, but my husband didn't think it was too funny.

Peanut Butter & Co.

2011-09-15T08:21:00.000-07:00

I grew up on Skippy peanut butter and never realized the world of nut butters that was out there until I was exposed to it a few years ago. I've made my own peanut butter and it truly does not taste anything like the stuff that comes out of the jar. The real thing, without corn syrup, without all that extra junk that gets added in, is seriously one of the best things I've ever tasted. Without making it from scratch, the Peanut Butter & Co. is hands down, the next best thing!

All Natural Peanut Butter & Co. are based out of New York and actually have a sandwich shop of cool different PB&J varieties, but they also sell several varieties of peanut butter, jams, and nuts. The peanut butters are all gluten free and come in some awesome flavors, including cinnamon raisin, dark chocolate dream, and my favorite, white chocolate wonderful. White Chocolate Wonderful is smooth, it's sweet, plus it's actually dairy free, and makes incredible fudge!

AAA First Member Appreciation Day

2011-09-14T18:34:00.001-07:00

So I just happened to get my renewal notice for AAA in the mail yesterday and then today I got an interesting email...

AAA Member benefits just got more exciting! Current AAA Members can purchase tickets to the First AAA Member Appreciation Day on Saturday, October 1st, which is also the first day of the all-new Fright Fest. Exclusive hours to select areas of the park for AAA Members who purchase tickets for this event are from 10:30am to 12 noon (regular operating hours 12 – 8pm).

Members will also have the opportunity to purchase a picnic package which includes admission and an all-you-can-eat buffet picnic (last day to purchase the picnic package is Monday, September 26)! For more information, please contact the park directly at 707-644-4000. One Day Admission $22 per person and Picnic Package $32 per person. For ticket and picnic package sales, click here to purchase your special event tickets.

Guests must be a valid and existing AAA Member to purchase tickets. Season Passes and other purchased tickets are not valid for exclusive hours.

Amy's Gluten Free Options

2011-09-13T11:47:00.000-07:00

Were you aware that Amy's Kitchen has so many gluten free options? And they just added some new options! I can't wait to try the taco fiesta light and lean meal. What;s your favorite option from Amy's?

Schar Pasta

2011-09-12T11:04:00.000-07:00

I've been branching out within the world of gluten free pasta. Most stores don't have a very large selection, but I happen to have the benefit of a gluten free store really close to home, that has a nice spread of pasta brands, shapes, and sizes. Schar pasta is primarily made from corn and rice, so not my first choice, because I like to limit my corn intake, but I gave it a try, and it resembles regular pasta fairly well. It did not fall apart from too much stirring, it did not turn to mush after reheating leftovers, and my husband approved. I would probably buy this one again; I think it might be a good fit for pasta salad.

A Little Inspiration

2011-09-11T12:23:00.001-07:00

Cotton Candy Adult Beverage

2011-09-10T23:26:00.001-07:00

If you mix a packet of cotton candy powder with water, ice, and
whipped cream vodka you've got yourself a festive,
deliciously-dangerous beverage.

Star Ginger

2011-09-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

So how does a girl like me end up dancing on the line between being a food blogger and a restaurant critic? By happenstance. Be Our Guest Consulting stumbled upon my blog and thought I would be a great person to spread the word about the gluten free options at Star Ginger Asian Grill & Noodle Bar. I of course, am not a restaurant critic, but certainly did get some extra special treatment, as I had the opportunity to dine with restaurant owner Mai Pham.

Walking into the restaurant, it has a casual feel with a simplistic setting of wooden tables with fabric chairs. Some modern square windows provide natural light to this fast paced lunch spot and a somewhat elegant feel for it's more formal, full service dinner hour. The menu has just enough options to give you variety without giving you too many options that you feel overwhelmed, and the same can be said for the gluten free items, which are denoted with a blue GF circle on the regular menu.

We started our meal with young coconut juice with coconut meat, and I'm a huge fan of coconut water, so I was really excited about that. Probably the most refreshing drink I've ever had; I could have had 2 or 3 more glasses, but I had to leave room for the actual reason I was there--the food!

I was able to have a selection of items to try out including the vegetable and lentil curry; pad thai, which came with both shrimp and chicken; and thai bbq chicken with rice. Now this whole meal was truly a venture out of my normal pallet of flavor range and I found myself unusually excited about how much I really did enjoy everything. The vegetable and lentil curry, for instance, is not something I would have ever ordered at a restaurant but I found it to be a very healthy and filling dish. The thai bbq chicken was strangely addicting, and I actually found myself sneaking leftovers out of the fridge at midnight. As for the pad thai, which would have previously been my go to item? That was my least favorite of the group. While tasty, the pad thai didn't offer me as much sophistication in flavor as I would have liked.

Now for the nitty gritty of the gluten free selections: most of these dishes are naturally gluten free, but cross contamination is still a big concern. The gluten free selections have been driven by customer request, and Mai is no expert on gluten free, but she listens to your needs. The only serious issue I have is that the sweet potato fries are listed as gluten free, but they are not fried in a dedicated fryer; in fact they are fried in the same oil as dumplings. If an addition was made to the menu stating *shared fryer, that could at least bring this important fact to light, reconfirming that it is the customer's responsibility to ask questions and decide how sensitive they are to gluten.

Overall the dinner servings were generous, the food was good, and I didn't feel like I over ate, or ate anything tremendously bad for me, and yet it felt like a treat.

Mrs Crimbles Cheese Bites

2011-09-08T10:10:00.000-07:00

What can I say- I seek out cheese snacks!

S'Mac

2011-09-08T09:53:00.000-07:00

So I've never been to New York, but I had a friend come back from New York recently and she brought me a menu from S'Mac! I love macaroni and cheese, and I have heard great things about this place. After my very disappointing experience at HomeRoom, our bay area Mac n' Cheese place, I yearn to go here even more.