Gluten Free in San Diego

Gluten-free pies

2012-01-12T19:46:00.000-08:00

I tried Fabe's gluten-free pumpkin and apple pies over the holidays. Even with my limited culinary skills, I can make a pumpkin pie when armed with a pre-made pie crust. However, over the holidays, sometimes you just need to grab a pie from the store. It is nice that there are options for pre-made gf pies and that these pies are vegan too but I think they could be better. The pies are pretty small, maybe 4 servings, really 3 servings per pie. They run about $8 each at Whole Foods so they are not cheap given the size. The pumpkin pie was okay, it was a little soggy in the middle and a little heavy. The apple pie was a little heavy on the crust and light on the apple. Overall, these pies are good in that they present a gluten-free pie option but I think they could be better. If they were larger and had better filling, I would be more likely to repurchase.

They are available at Whole Foods and Sprouts.

http://www.fabesnatural.com/pies.php

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2012-01-12T19:10:00.000-08:00

I found these Tate's Bake Shop Gluten Free Chocolate Chip cookies at Bed, Bath and Beyond. They are really light and crispy with nice big chocolate chips. If you like crispy cookies, these ones are for you! They have a good texture and I don't think they come across as "gluten-free" as some packaged gf cookies can do. They are also big cookies which of course didn't stop me from eating multiple cookies at one time. I would definitely buy these again. At Bed, Bath and Beyond, I think they were $3.99 a bag of about 12 cookies (similar to a pepperidge farm bag of cookies). You can also buy them in bulk at the Tate's Bake Shop website:
http://www.tatesbakeshop.com/

page featuring the cookies:
http://www.tatesbakeshop.com/p/product-cookies/GPCky6PackGFCC.html

Legends Bistro at La Costa Resort

2012-01-12T18:52:00.000-08:00

Legends Bistro is a casual restaurant within the La Costa resort. I went with a friend and was expecting to eat plain salad or something similar from their regular menu. When we sat down, I mentioned that I was gluten-free and they brought me a whole menu. It was a professional menu that looked exactly like the regular menu and wasn't something they just printed out that day. I was very pleasantly surprised. What was even better was that the selections on the gluten-free menu sounded a lot more interesting than the regular menu. I ordered a chicken pasta dish that was made with rice pasta. It was very tasty with lots of veggies. They also had vegetarian and vegan selections on the gf menu. The entrees were price between $10 and $18 for lunch. I would definitely go again. The strange part though is that they don't advertise their gf menu at all. It's nowhere to be found on their website and if I hadn't mentioned I was gluten free, I would not have even known they had a gf menu.

http://www.lacosta.com/legends-bistro.aspx

La Costa Resort and Spa

2100 Costa Del Mar Road

Carlsbad, CA 92009

Call 800 854 5000

GF bread with protein!!!

2012-01-11T21:01:00.000-08:00

I tried Julian Bakery's bread after getting a recommendation for it from an employee at Whole Foods. I had seen it in stores but hadn't really paid any attention to it because it is a little pricey. However, now I am a convert!!

I stopped eating bread for the most part after becoming gluten free. Although there are some good tasting gf breads out there (Udi's & Rudi's), they lack a lot of nutritional value, i.e. not much if any protein or fiber. Julian Bakery offers two different gf breads. The one I tried is the Smart Carb Gluten Free #3. It has 1g of fat, 10g of protein and 7g of fiber in each slice. That is amazing for bread!!

It's not a soft supple sandwich bread but it is great toasted with butter and whatever you want to put on it. If you go to their bakery store in La Jolla, a loaf costs $7. Online it is $7.99/loaf. It is also sold at Whole Foods and Sprouts but I'm not sure which loaves they sell at those stores. They make 4 different gluten free loaves!!

Julian Bakery
5621 La Jolla Blvd.
La Jolla, CA 92037
Ph. 1-800-982-7323

http://www.julianbakery.com/bread-product/smart-carb-gf-3-gluten-free/

I like cupcakes!!!

2012-01-11T20:26:00.000-08:00

I finally tried the gluten free cupcakes from Sprinkles in La Jolla and I loved them!! They only come in one flavor, red velvet, but they are available every day!!! (which is not the case with many other bakeries around town). The gf cupcakes are kept in the back separately from the other cupcakes and they have a little Red candy G on top to differentiate them from the other red velvet cupcakes. They do have a lot of frosting on top but the frosting is creamy and yummy and the cake part is moist and delicious. I will definitely be back.

Each cupcake costs $3.50

www.sprinkles.com

8855 Villa La Jolla Drive
San Diego, CA 92037
(858) 457-3800

Secret ingredient

2012-01-11T20:13:00.000-08:00

I just started using Bob's Red Mill Textured Vegetable Protein ("TVP") as a substitute for meat in a lot of recipes such as in pasta sauce, sloppy joes, tacos etc. and it is great!! It is basically just dried soy protein. You rehydrate it for a few minutes and just add it to whatever you are making. It is fat free and has lots of protein per serving. It doesn't really have a flavor so it just takes on the flavor of whatever you are making. It has a subtle texture that you don't really notice. It is very healthy, easy to use, a great way to add protein to your diet and inexpensive. I bought a bag of it from Whole Foods for under $4 and you can buy it in bulk online for about $3/bag.

http://www.bobsredmill.com/tvp-textured-veg._protein.html

Buca di Beppo's GF menu

2012-01-11T19:59:00.000-08:00

My family and I went to Buca di Beppos over the holidays because I knew they had a gluten-free menu. The caprese salad was really good and tasted very fresh. As an entree I had a chicken dish that is no longer on their menu (gf and regular) but they made for me anyway. It is grilled chicken in a tomato sauce with capers. It was served with mashed potatoes and it was an individual portion as opposed to their typical family style sized dishes. It was good but I wish they had some pasta options. Gluten free pasta is so cheap and easily obtainable that it is unfortunate that an italian restaurant cannot manage to offer it. There were also no gluten free offerings for dessert which was also a little disappointing. They could at least have berries and cream. However, the sangria was really yummy! Overall, I'm grateful they have a gf menu but I wish they would expand the gf selections.

http://www.bucadibeppo.com/

Quinoa Macaroons

2012-01-11T19:51:00.000-08:00

I really wanted to like Mrs. Denson's Gluten Free Quinoa Macaroon cookies because I love macaroons and quinoa is really good for you, but I just didn't. They had sort of a strange flavor, a little apple saucy maybe. Just didn't love them. Not worth the calories:) I bought them at Sprouts (aka Henry's) for about $4 per box.

http://www.mrsdensonscookies.com/

Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens

2011-11-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

Stone Brewing World Bistro and Gardens in Escondido has a beautiful setting with a large indoor atrium and a garden where you can sit and have a glass of wine or gluten-free beer.

They offer a gluten-free menu for lunch and for dinner and their menu changes daily depending on what is fresh and available. However, their gluten-free menu on the day I went had plenty of delicious sounding options... I even got to have dessert!

It is a great place to go with friends or visitors from out of town. It is a little drive to get out there even if you live in Escondido, but it is definitely worth the trip. There are even some trails nearby if you want to pre-burn your calories.

My only reservation about going there is that I have heard a couple of stories about mistakes with gluten-free orders. I would definitely take the time to make sure the waitstaff understands your needs and checks directly with the chef about any questions or concerns you may have.

http://www.stoneworldbistro.com/

1999 Citracado Parkway
Escondido, CA 92029 - GOOGLE MAPS

tel 760.294.7866

Sunday - Thursday: 11am - 11 pm
Friday & Saturday: 11am - midnight
Kitchen closes at 10pm every night

My new fave restaurant: STACKED

2011-11-04T11:09:00.001-07:00

STACKED is a new restaurant that has a location in LA and one right here in San Diego in Fashion Valley Mall.

It is a new restaurant concept where you order from an iPad on your table. You can completely customize your burger, sausage, pizza, salad, side or dessert. They have gluten-free buns for the burgers and gluten-free crusts for the pizza.

I had the gluten-free pizza with my choices of veggie toppings. They have multiple types of sauces, cheeses and toppings. I don't know how they deal with cross-contamination issues but myself and my GF friend had no troubles after eating there.

It's a cool concept because whenever you need something, you just press the "help" button on your iPad and a waiter comes over - no more trying to flag down a distracted waiter. The food also came really fast after ordering.

I'm looking forward to trying another menu option next time I go.

http://stacked.com/STACKED_menu/

STACKED

Fashion Valley Mall

7007 Friars Road
San Diego, CA 92108
suite #356
619-225-7900

New GF options in South Park

2011-11-04T10:49:00.000-07:00

For those of you who aren't familiar with South Park, it is just south of North Park, which means that it is directly east of Balboa Park. It's a great little neighborhood with tons of cute craftsman homes and lots of independent restaurants, bars and retailers.

Urban Gourmet Food & Market is a neighborhood store that sells organic and gluten-free groceries (plus regular stuff too) and also makes fresh sandwiches, salads and smoothies for dine-in or carry-out. They offer gluten-free sandwiches every day plus other gluten-free treats! The prices are very reasonable including buy one sandwich, get the second half-off on Mondays.

Check out the store and check out the neighborhood!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Urban-Gourmet-Food-Market/224051650941970

Urban Gourmet Food Market

1947 Fern St, San Diego, CA 92102

619-237-1177

M-F: 6:30am - 8pm

Sat: 8am - 8pm

Sun: 8am - 7pm

A useful APP that can help you find GF options on the road

2011-11-04T10:41:00.000-07:00

Here is a new App available on itunes for your iPhone. It lists a lot of chain restaurants and some local options too and tells you which menu options are available gluten free... which is a lot faster than trying to read PDF menus on your phone and navigate non-mobile websites on your phone. It has everything from Buca di Beppo to Burger King to Chick-fil-A to Outback to Ruby Tuesdays etc. It's useful when you are on the road and don't have time to plan your dining in advance. You can also request that they add your favorite restaurants to the App.

It is available through iTunes for $4.99.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/glutenless-dining/id468307836?mt=8

Another GF cupcake!

2011-11-04T10:34:00.000-07:00

Sprinkles in La Jolla is offering a gluten-free cupcake daily - their Red Velvet Cupcake, which happens to be my favorite flavor - Yay!!! I have not tried it yet but I hear they are good. They cost $3.50 each or $39/dozen.
Sprinkles Cupcakes - La Jolla

8855 villa la jolla drive
la jolla, california 92037

phone 858. 457 3800

monday - saturday 9 - 8
sunday 10 - 7

http://sprinkles.com/

Frozen GF burritos - yummy & healthy!

2011-11-04T10:27:00.001-07:00

I love Amy's new(ish) Gluten Free Burritos. Before I became GF, I used to eat Amy's frozen burritos all the time. They are organic and much healthier than your typical frozen burrito, not to mention delicious! Whole Foods carries them for $3.69 each but if you keep your eye out, you can get them on sale for 2 for $4! AND Whole Foods always gives you a 10% case discount and a case is only a dozen burritos. This burrito makes for an easy, healthy, low-cost lunch.

http://www.amys.com/products/product-detail/gluten-free/000353

Terra Restaurant is in a new location

2011-05-26T08:31:00.000-07:00

From a reader:

Hello, just wanted to let you know that Terra American Bistro, in La Mesa, also caters to celiacs and other special diets.

My sister took me to lunch there last week and it was fabulous! Fresh and everything seasoned to perfection. I had the (GF) Seafood Chowder and the Farmer's Salad with Grilled Salmon. I've never had a fresher salad in my life! All vegetables were garden picked and the salmon was cooked liked I'd never tasted before; moist and flavorful! I cannot recommend the restaurant enough. Chef/restaurateur Jeff Grossman, graciously went around greeting his guests and was most personable. I cannot wait to go back! I'm sending you the link.

http://www.terrasd.com/

7091 El Cajon Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92115
phone: (619) 293-7088

New Gluten Free Pizza Place in SD

2011-04-18T09:13:00.000-07:00

If you like New York style pizza, Long Island Mike's Pizza Corporation is the place for you! Their gluten free crust is thin and floppy (as it is supposed to be) and tastes really good! Unlike a lot of gluten free pizza crusts, it does not have that mysterious sweet flavor. You also get a lot of pizza for your buck. The gluten free pizza is a good size with six large slices and only costs about $15 for a one-topping pie.

The only mystery is why their gluten free pizza is not mentioned on their website. I only found out about it because they were kind enough to bring free GF pizza to our CSA meeting. I have since visited their restaurant, which also doesn't feature GF pizza on their menu. It's like an insider secret that you have to ask for!

Long Island Mike's Pizza Corp.
5250 Murphy Canyon Road
San Diego, CA 92123-4367
(858) 5NY-PIZZA

http://www.longislandmikespizza.com

I tried Old Spaghetti Factory's GF pasta!

2011-01-05T10:30:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you are just in the mood for pasta and there are very few gluten-free pasta options out there so I am glad that the Old Spaghetti Factory has a national gluten-free menu. I had the gluten-free pasta with the Mizithra Cheese & Browned Butter. It was really good and there was enough that I could take home half for another meal. Your meal comes with a side salad (kind of lame iceberg lettuce salad) and a scoop of ice cream for $10, which is good value these days. And the miracle is that the they DO NOT charge extra for gluten-free pasta! Where else have you seen that? To be honest, I wasn't that crazy about the Old Spaghetti Factory before I become gluten-free but now that they have a good selection of GF items, I will definitely be back.

http://www.osf.com/menu/menu.html

Bucca di Beppo FINALLY has a GF menu!

2011-01-05T10:25:00.000-08:00

Finally Bucca di Beppo has a gluten free menu! This restaurant is a fave for many people and it was always frustrating that all I could eat was a lame salad. Although they still don't have gluten-free pasta, at least you can order chicken or fish entrees prepared in a gluten-free fashion. Hopefully GF pasta will come soon!

http://www.bucadibeppo.com

Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Restaurant

2011-01-03T08:50:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to try Roy's Hawaiian Fusion Restaurant for some time and now that I know they have a gluten-free menu, I'm more likely to try it soon. They currently have a $35 prix fixe menu.

http://www.roysrestaurant.com/cuisine/local_menus.aspx

Yummy GF Cheesecake

2011-01-03T08:44:00.001-08:00

Last night I saw these single-serving cheesecakes at Henry's. They are made by Pamela's Products and are gluten free! They come in several flavors and I tried the New York Cheesecake one. It was so good. The cheesecake was good and the crust was good too - with a cinnamon flavor. I don't think anyone would know it was gluten-free! They are on sale right now at Henry's for 2 for $6.

http://www.pamelasproducts.com/index.html

SAGE Grill in Encinitas

2010-11-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

A reader recommends SAGE Grill in Encinitas for those of us with gluten issues. Their menu notes which items are gluten free and the Owner is aware of the importance of avoiding cross-contamination since his daughter also has food sensitivities.

1506 Encinitas Blvd
Encinitas, CA 92024
760-943-7243

Open daily 11:30am-1oPM
Sunday brunch: 10am - 2pm

http://www.sagegrill.com

Gluten Free Soup

2010-11-11T10:18:00.000-08:00

I tried Kettle Cuisine's Grilled Chicken Corn Chowder recently and it was really good. It's more of a meal than a starter since it's thick and hearty. All of their soups are gluten-free, even the chicken and noodles, and the chicken is antibiotic-free and raised on a vegetarian diet.

The only bad part is that each soup is $3.99 at Whole Foods, which seems a lot for a soup. Of course, if you treat it as a meal, it's not so bad.

http://www.kettlecuisine.com/Our-Soup.aspx

Really Good GF Crackers

2010-11-11T10:03:00.000-08:00

Crunchmaster Multi-Seed Crackers are really good. I tried the Original Flavor and they were crunchy and very tasty. I think they have a lot more flavor than typical rice crackers.

I bought a bag for $2.49 at Fresh & Easy. I think you can also buy them at Costco.

http://www.crunchmaster.com/home.aspx

Gluten Free Challah Bread

2010-09-27T09:51:00.000-07:00

Katz Gluten Free Company sent a bunch of free samples to our San Diego Gluten Free Group and I was lucky to get a loaf of their Sliced Challah Bread. Challah bread is what I used to think of as egg bread as a kid. The bread is really tasty and does not need toasting, it's delicious right out of the bag. However, I would not want it as my everyday bread since it does contain 6 grams of fat (2.5 grams of saturated fat) for every 2 slices... although it does include 3 grams of protein too!

I am also looking forward to their cinnamon rolls. If they taste anything like the bread, you wouldn't know they are gluten free!

In San Diego, you can buy it online only. Their online vendor search did not show up any stores in the local area. A loaf of the challah bread online costs $5.79 which seems to be average for gf bread.

http://www.katzglutenfree.com/

IKEA - a great place to eat!

2010-09-21T10:05:00.000-07:00

When you think of IKEA, you typically don't think of food. You think of large boxes of furniture that you can spend many hours putting together. I know because I have spent many hours putting their pieces together....

Anyway, whenever I go to IKEA, I get the gluten free almond torte in the cafeteria. It's almond cake with really good creamy vanilla frosting and it's only $1.29/slice! They also have it for sale downstairs in the freezer section along with about 5 other flavors that are labeled gluten free. YUMMY!!

I also get the salmon entree that is stuffed salmon with vegetables and potato-broccoli cakes. I don't know for sure that they are certified gluten free but I've eaten this meal many times without any problems. Also, you can have a large entree, a salad, a dessert and a drink for less than $10 - who can beat that? And it's healthy too!

2149 Fenton Parkway
San Diego, CA 92108

http://www.ikea.com/us/en/store/san_diego

If you are in Palm Springs, Check out this place.

2010-09-21T09:58:00.000-07:00

If you are like many San Diegans and head to the desert for a weekend or two during the year, be sure to check out Palm Greens Cafe in Palm Springs.

I have been there twice - for breakfast and dinner and both times it has been excellent. They serve GF pancakes for breakfast and have all sorts of GF options for later in the day. They also usually have GF baked goods such as brownies, cookies and cupcakes that you can eat there or take to go.

611 south palm canyon drive

Palm Springs, CA 92264

(760) 864-9900

palmgreenscafe.com‎

GF bread at Chargers Games!!

2010-09-21T08:58:00.000-07:00

Gluten Not Included Bakery (http://gnibakery.com/) is supplying GF hamburger buns and GF hot dog buns plus other GF snacks to the "Gluten Free Zone" - a concession stand at the main entrance to the stadium.

Now you can enjoy the football game AND eat burgers and hot dogs along with everyone else!!

Let's support this stand so that gluten free foods become more widely available at events like these!

http://www.sandiego.gov/qualcomm/

Gluten Free, Dairy Free dessert

2010-09-21T08:50:00.000-07:00

I love Rice Dream Strawberry "ice cream." It's so good and in my opinion, Rice Dream tastes so much better than Soy Dream. I think Soy Dream has an aftertaste. Rice Dream is also relatively healthy for a dessert and has no saturated fat. I just wish that it was available in more stores. So far, I have only seen it at Whole Foods for $3.69 for a pint.

http://www.tastethedream.com/index.php

Rudi's GF bread

2010-09-21T08:42:00.000-07:00

This may be sacrilegious, but I think I prefer Rudi's GF bread to Udi's. Rudi's, whose name is suspiciously similar to Udi's, has a gf multigrain bread that is very similar to good whole wheat bread. And maybe it's my imagination, but the slices seem larger than Udi's bread.

I bought Rudi's GF bread at Whole Foods. It was the same price as most of the other gf breads, about $6/loaf.

http://www.rudisbakery.com/gluten-free/

Gluten Free Cupcakes in La Jolla

2010-08-24T10:45:00.000-07:00

A reader let me know about this place and I haven't tried it yet but from the photos, it looks AMAZING. According to their website, they have several gluten free flavors - check the daily calendar for availability - including choco libre, limone ricotta, harvest, raspberry cheesecake and more!

CUPS
858-459-CUPS(2877)
7857 Girard Ave, La Jolla, CA 92037

http://cupslj.com/

Expecting too much?

2010-05-26T09:36:00.000-07:00

I think a gluten-free and dairy-free mac & cheese
is too much to ask for. I usually enjoy Amy's frozen
frozen entrees, but this one was an exception. I
did not enjoy the soy cheese mac & cheese at all but
I don't think it was Amy's fault. I have yet to find
a good dairy-free cheese. Most of them just taste
funky. If anyone knows a good gluten and dairy
free mac & cheese, I would love to hear about it!

Great Mexican Food in Solano Beach

2010-05-26T09:28:00.000-07:00

From a reader:

"I live in Solana Beach and I happen to live right down the street from a great Mexican place called Tony's Jacal. Recently I was diagnosed with Celiac disease, but much to my surprise, Tony's Jacal was able to do several items gluten free. If you tell them you have a "wheat allergy" they will whisk away your chips and bring you new ones that are fried in fresh oil, and I have eaten both their carnitas plates and shrimp fajitas (with corn tortillas) and haven't been sick."

http://www.tonysjacal.com/

621 Valley Ave
Solana Beach, CA 92075
Tel: (858) 755-2274

Hours of Operation

Lunch
Monday through Saturday 11:00am to 2:00pm

Dinner
Weekdays 5:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Friday and Saturday 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Sunday 3:00 pm to 9:30 pm
Closed Tuesday

My new fave GF cereal

2010-05-26T09:17:00.000-07:00

I bought Mesa Sunrise from Nature's Path after loving their delicious and addictive honey-sweetened corn flakes. This cereal is organic and gluten-free and contains flax and amaranth. It tastes really good and is good for you with 3 grams of protein and fiber in each serving. I also like the ecopac packaging because you get more cereal in the bag and there's no unnecessary cardboard. I bought Mesa Sunrise at Wholefoods for about $6/bag (one bag = a lot more than a box).

http://www.naturespath.com/

Gluten Free Cakes

2010-02-25T08:44:00.000-08:00

I have heard from several people now that these cakes and cupcakes a really good. They come in lots of flavors and are great for a party or catered event.

Cakes vary from $55-$65 each. Cupcakes are available as a dozen or a pack of 24 bites.

2Good2B Gluten Free

http://www.2good2b.com/

760-685-2168

Waters Fine Catering - To Go

2010-02-11T09:02:00.000-08:00

I went to Waters Fine Catering's Solana Beach location yesterday for lunch. They have a really nice selection of freshly made food. It was a Wednesday, so they had a selection of gluten-free pizzas. There are also various other safe foods, such as salmon, rice, vegetables etc. The gluten-free pizza was very good and very reasonably priced - only $6.50 for a personal size pizza. If you choose to eat at the place (they have about 5 tables inside and 2 outside), then they will heat your food for you. They have different gluten-free selections on different days, so check their website, which is updated daily with the day's menu.

http://www.waterscatering.com/

They have two locations - one in Solana Beach and one in San Diego. I have not been to the San Diego location yet.

125 South Highway 101
Solana Beach, CA 92075
858-509-9400

1115 West Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110
619-276-0568

Brick Oven Pizzeria

2010-02-11T08:26:00.000-08:00

I went to Brick Oven Pizzeria the other day when I was in Poway. The people there are very friendly and welcoming and are used to lots of us gluten-free types coming in.

Their gluten free crust is a lot like regular delivery crust - like Pizza Hut's hand-tossed crust. The gluten free pizza comes in the medium size only, which feeds 2-3 people, depending on your hunger level. They have a nice variety of toppings as well. My only complaint is that I wish their interior seating area was larger and was a little more separated from the order counter. For those of us who don't live in Poway, we would eat the pizza there, and more atmosphere would be nice.

12222 Poway Road
Poway, CA 92064
(858) 274-2568

Open Daily 11am-9:30pm

http://www.858brickoven.com/

Sooooo good

2010-02-01T19:02:00.000-08:00

Omigosh, these "cookies" are so good. They taste like coconut chocolate chip cookies. The bag contains three servings but be careful, as you may eat all three servings in one sitting without noticing.

They are gluten free and nut free and raw, for those into the raw movement.

One bag at Whole Foods La Jolla was $4.29. They didn't have this flavor in the Whole Foods in Hillcrest today - they did have other flavors though.

http://www.goraw.com/

GF, nut-free granola bar

2010-02-01T18:48:00.000-08:00

Nonuttin' granola bars are gluten free, nut free, dairy free and lots of other things "free" too! I was pleasantly surprised by the Nonuttin Double Chocolate Chunk granola bar I tried. It was pretty chewy and pretty chocolatey. I wish it had more than 2g of protein, but it is a pretty good snack for on-the-go.

I found it in Whole Foods in the GF section for $1.69.

http://www.nonuttin.com/

As close to normal as you can get

2010-02-01T18:42:00.000-08:00

Udi's Gluten Free bread is as close to regular bread as you can get. It is soft and flexible and can be eaten without being toasted! It's good for a sandwich or for anything else that you use bread for.

So far, I've found it in the Whole Foods in La Jolla (not the Hillcrest one) for $4.99. They have it in white sandwich bread and multigrain varieties. But if you see it, buy it because they sell fast!

http://www.udisfood.com/

UPDATE: Thanks to helpful readers, it seems that Wholefoods in Hillcrest DOES carry Udi's bread - they must have been out when I went in. Also, it is available at Healthy Creations in Encinitas (along with the Udi's brand pizza crust).

I think the lesson here is to call ahead before you go to make sure your chosen store has Udi's in stock.

Move over Glutino, UDI's has arrived!!!!

Amazing GF buffet at the Four Seasons

2010-01-08T10:40:00.000-08:00

The Four Seasons Aviara is now having a monthly gluten free buffet for $29. It is on the first Saturday of every month. The buffet includes an appetizer bar, a salad area, hot entrees, cold entrees and a fabulous dessert bar. EVERYTHING is gluten free (unless marked otherwise). When I went, there were just a couple of sandwiches that were marked as containing gluten, otherwise, everything else was gluten-free. The dessert bar must have had about twenty items on it ranging from flourless chocolate cake, to all kinds of cookies, to chocoloate-covered strawberries, to creme brulee and more! Go and bring your appetite, but not your thirst. A small bottle of coke will run you $5 with no refills!

7100 Four Seasons Point - the California Grill
Carlsbad, CA 92011
(760) 603-6800

http://www.fourseasons.com/aviara/

Yummy hot GF breakfast cereal

2010-01-07T14:29:00.000-08:00

I have missed my morning oatmeal since I became GF. I'm pretty lazy so the little packets of oatmeal that just require adding water and microwaving are perfect for me. I found eco-planet's 7 Whole Grains Hot Cereal in Apple Cinnamon flavor at Whole Foods the other day and I am so glad I did. It tastes really good and is good for you. Unlike traditional pre-packaged oatmeal, it does not have too much sugar, only about 8g per serving and it has fiber and lots of other good things.

A box with 6 packets cost $5.69 at Whole Foods. You can order it online at various stores but the online prices seemed the same as Whole Foods or more expensive!

It also comes in original and Brown Sugar Maple varieties.

UPDATE: I was in Whole Foods in Hillcrest yesterday and could not find any of this great cereal - I couldn't even find the space on the shelf where it should be - I'm really hoping they haven't stopped carrying it!

The best GF packaged cookies I have had.

2009-12-22T10:36:00.001-08:00

Gilbert's Goodies Super Dooper Snickerdoodle cookies are the best pre-packaged gluten free cookies I can remember eating. Instead of being dry and crumbly like most GF cookies, they are moist and almost dough-like. They are wheat, gluten, nut, soy, milk and corn free!!

I got mine in a well basket (see previous post below). However, you can order them online at:

http://www.gilbertsgourmetgoodies.com/index.html

They also have other flavors of cookies plus cookie dough. Unfortunately, they are not available at stores in California YET, but maybe if we call write to them, we can get them here to SoCal.

A Great Gluten Free Gift

2009-12-22T10:24:00.000-08:00

My friend sent me a gift basket for Christmas and I was thinking that I wouldn't be able to eat any of it, but to my surprise, the whole basket was full of gluten free goodies!! All the things are yummy and healthy too!

My basket contained chocolate-covered popcorn, low-fat potato chips (that didn't taste low-fat at all), dried fruit, granola bars, plantain chips, snicker doodle cookies and much more!

The baskets are available through Well Baskets (wellbaskets.com). They have baskets for every occasion including Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.

http://store.wellbaskets.com/glfrgiba1.html

Whole Foods GF pie crusts

2009-11-30T07:17:00.001-08:00

I bought two Whole Foods' gluten-free pie crusts for Thanksgiving and they were great. We made pumpkin and apple pie and everyone in the family ate them. They tasted just like regular pie crusts. They were $7.99 for a pack of two and are available in the refrigerated/frozen gluten free section.

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/

GF Vietnamese food in OB

2009-11-30T07:09:00.000-08:00

From a local GF diner:

"Yesterday I went to The OB Noodle House. It was the most amazing gluten friendly restaurant I’ve been in. If you like Vietnamese food (especially pho or bun), run there! Even the egg rolls are made with homemade rice wrappers. Except for the soy sauce on the table (which they are working to change), almost everything on the menu is naturally GF. The service was excellent and helpful, and the food was beyond delicious. Check it out."

http://www.obnoodlehouse.com/

2218 Cable St
San Diego, CA 92107-1317
(619) 450-6868

Borrelli's in Encinitas has GF pizza AND pasta

2009-11-21T15:27:00.001-08:00

They have yummy gluten free pizzas and gluten free pasta with a variety of sauces. Also, you can start your meal off with gluten free bread served with butter or marinara sauce for dipping. Finally an Italian restaurant with multiple GF items on the menu!

285 N El Camino Real # 108
Encinitas, CA 92024-5384
(760) 436-1501

http://www.borrellispizza.net/

Bubba's Smokehouse BBQ in La Jolla.

2009-11-21T15:11:00.000-08:00

Many BBQ places are off limits to gluten free folks due to the gluten contained in the sauce. However, the owners of Bubba's say that their "smokin' hot" sauce is GLUTEN FREE but the sweet sauce is NOT gluten free.

I'm looking forward to checking this place out.

888 Prospect St
(between Drury Ln & Fay Ave)
La Jolla, CA 92037

(858) 551-4227

http://bubbassmokehousebbq.com/

UPDATE: I tried this place over the weekend and I really enjoyed it. You can order the meat with sauce on or on the side, then they have a self-serve sauce station with the hot bbq sauce, the mild (not gluten free), tabasco, Louisiana hot sauce and ketchup. The sides were good too. Very reasonably priced, especially consider it is located in the main drag in La Jolla.

Homemade GF pasta and gnocchi in Encinitas

2009-10-27T09:47:00.001-07:00

Via Italia Trattoria in Encinitas makes all of their pasta on site at the restaurant. They also make their own gluten free pasta and gluten free gnocchi! Just request gluten free when you order.

VIA ITALIA TRATTORIA
569 S. Pacific Coast Hwy.101
Encinitas, CA 92024

ph.: 760 479-9757

http://www.viaitaliapizzeria.com/

Gluten Free Chinese in Del Mar

2009-10-26T08:53:00.000-07:00

Del Mar Rendezvous offers Chinese and Asian food with many gluten-free options. The Gluten-free menu has over 40 items including 18 lunch specials on the Gluten-free lunch menu (11 of which are $9.95 or less). They even have gluten free soy sauce - just make sure to tell your server you are dining gluten free.

The Gluten-Free Menu is available at:
http://www.delmarrendezvous.com/gluten-free-menu.html

1555 Camino Del Mar
Del Mar, CA 92014
(858) 755-2669

http://www.delmarrendezvous.com

UPDATE: I tried this place right before Thanksgiving. The food was really good. They have a gluten-free printed menu plus gluten-free soy sauce (be sure to ask for it because they also have regular soy sauce). They have a huge variety of dishes and the servings sizes allow you enough to take home for lunch the next day. The prices were reasonable too.

Boston's Gourmet Pizza has a gluten free crust

2009-10-20T11:30:00.001-07:00

Boston's Gourmet Pizza is now offering a gluten-free crust for most of their pizzas. It is available for the small size pizzas and is made in a dedicated gluten-free kitchen. I have not tried it yet, but I heard it is very good.

294 N. El Camino Real
Encinitas, CA 92024
PHONE: 760-753-6300
FAX: 760-753-6366

http://www.bostonsgourmet.com/?q=bostonsgourmet_restaurantpages_encinitas

Betty Crocker GF Brownie Mix

2009-10-20T11:12:00.000-07:00

The Betty Crocker Gluten Free brownie mix is actually really really good - about 100x better than the Betty Crocker GF chocolate chip cookie mix. The brownies taste just like regular brownies - so much so that my husband even eats them! They are moist and chocolatey and good.

They are available at most regular grocery store chains either in the baking aisle or in the diet foods aisle by the diabetic products. However, watch out for the price because they can run as much as $4.79 per box. I only buy them when they go on sale for about $3 per box. You can buy a set of six boxes from Amazon.com for under $24 with free shipping.

New Sticks & Twigs from Mary's Gone Crackers

2009-10-20T11:03:00.001-07:00

I like Mary's Gone Crackers regular crackers so I thought I would try these new "Sticks & Twigs." They have the same seed-heavy texture as the crackers and are very crunchy. I tried the curry flavor, which was good. However, the sticks & twigs are a little too hard-core for me. I think I would need to dip them into something to lessen the hardiness of them. However, they are pretty good. They were $3.50 for a bag from Jimbo's.

www.marysgonecrackers.com

Rice crackers that actually taste good.

2009-10-20T10:56:00.001-07:00

I found these rice crackers at Jimbo's and they are by far the best ones I have tasted. They have a good flavor and a good texture and are a real substitute for wheat crackers, unlike a lot of rice crackers I have tried.

They are about $2.50 per box.

Pasta Pronto in Del Mar

2009-09-19T14:53:00.000-07:00

Cafe Pasta Pronto in Del Mar offers several gluten free dishes and desserts every day. I went today for lunch and sat in their large outside patio. It is at the back of the restaurant away from the cars and traffic. I ordered the baked ziti for $9.99. It was a huge portion and came with fresh veggies on the side. It was delicious and tasted exactly like regular baked ziti - even my husband liked it, and he is not gluten free at all. There was also a quinoa salad and a quinoa risotto on the gluten free menu today. You could also add grilled shrimp or chicken to any entree for an additional charge. For dessert, I had the flourless belgian chocolate cake which was very rich and delicious. I would definitely go back here - the food and ambiance were excellent.

http://pastaprontodelmar.com

Open Monday - Saturday
10:30AM - 9:00PM Telephone: 858.481.6017

2673 Via De La Valle #G
Del Mar, CA 92014

Trio GF bars

2009-09-05T21:38:00.001-07:00

From a reader:

Here’s a wonderful “bar” snack that is GF. It’s Mrs. May’s Trio (I have only tried the cranberry). A friend gave me this because she noticed it was gluten free. It is mostly nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. There isn’t any attempt to make it have a flour base. It keeps a really long time, so I always keep one in my bag and in my car. You can buy them in bulk (12 bars) at Smart and Final and Costco also sells them. It is also vegan and Kosher as well as free of cholesterol, preservatives, gluten, or dairy. They are available in Strawberry, Blueberry, Cranberry and Tropical flavors.

Online at www.mrsmays.com, they are $1.19 each.

Brown Rice Tortillas

2009-09-05T21:31:00.001-07:00

I purchased these Brown Rice Tortillas from Trader Joe's. I used them for quesadillas and they weren't bad. They are definitely a little tougher and chewier than regular flour tortillas but they are not crumbly at all. You could use them for a burrito and have no problems with it falling apart. They were pretty reasonably priced, I think $2.99 for a pack of six. They are a nice alternative to corn tortillas and are much larger in size.

As close to Kraft Mac & Cheese as it gets

2009-08-20T11:45:00.000-07:00

Trader Joe's GF Rice Pasta & Cheddar is about as close to Kraft Macaroni & Cheese as I have experienced. This is not your organic, no food-coloring type of Mac & Cheese. No, this is the real stuff, it is bright yellow and has plenty of fake cheesy flavor. Some of the organic GF versions seem pretty bland to me, but not this one - it's good. So, the next time you are craving Kraft Mac & Cheese, give this one a try! It's pretty cheap too - $1.99 per box.

La Farfalla in Escondido

2009-08-17T14:52:00.000-07:00

The CSA group went to La Farfalla this past Saturday for dinner and it was amazing! There were a variety of pasta dishes made from gluten free pasta that were amazing! There were also sandwiches, made with DELICIOUS gluten free bread! When was the last time you had a good sandwich??

The best part was the desserts. They had delicious super moist gf chocolate cake and carrot cake, and also fresh baked gf chocolate chip cookies! Yum yum.

Everything was very reasonably priced, with entrees priced under $10, large cookies for $1 each and huge slices of cake for only $2.50.

La Farfalla
155 S. Orange
Escondido, CA 92025
760-741-0835

Smores can be for us again!

2009-08-14T16:49:00.001-07:00

Have you missed having smores at a bonfire on the beach? The wait is over!
There are now gluten free graham crackers available from Kinnickinnick.

They seem a little thicker and more dense than regular graham crackers, but
are overall not bad at all.

They are available at various places online for about $4-$5 per box.

http://www.thebetterhealthstore.com/BrandItemDetail.asp?sku=2013300309

No more gluten free snacks at Starbucks

2009-08-14T16:45:00.000-07:00

It seems as though Starbucks experiment with gluten free snacks is over. I can't find their GF Orange Valencia Cake anymore and when I've asked, the stores say they stopped ordering it because nobody bought it.

I think part of the problem was that it was sold as a fresh baked good but it was packaged in plastic, which made it look more like a twinkie. Maybe they could start carrying gluten free granola bars instead, which would have a longer shelf life and be more palatable to non-GF folks.

Thanks for trying Starbucks!

www.starbucks.com

Rice tortilla chips

2009-08-04T12:04:00.000-07:00

If you can't eat corn, these tortilla chips from Riceworks are an excellent alternative. They are crunchy and flavorful - they come in sweet chili, sea salt, salsa fresca, parmesan, wasabi and baked cinnamon flavors. I tried the sea salt and sweet chili flavors. Both were really good. Overall, I still prefer regular corn tortilla chips, but these are an excellent alternative.

They are available at Whole Foods and other similar stores.

http://www.riceworkssnacks.com/new_index_USA.html

Betty Croker Gluten Free Cookie Mix

2009-08-04T11:46:00.000-07:00

Betty Croker's new Gluten Free Cookie Mix is now available in regular grocery stores in the baking aisle. As a cookie mix, it is somewhat lacking - the cookies are pretty dry and crumbly, however, if you add egg to the mix, it becomes more like a chocolate chip cookie bar which has somewhat of a cake-like texture to it. This makes the mix far more palatable and makes the "cookies" easier to eat since they don't fall apart in your hand.

Overall, it is probably not the best GF chocolate chip cookie mix out there, but it is available in regular grocery stores which can be a big plus.

http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/gluten-free/

Carrabba's Italian Grill has a GF menu but not a GF grill

2009-08-04T11:38:00.000-07:00

Carrabba's also has a gluten free menu, which is nice for an Italian restaurant. Most of the time, I just hope Italian restaurants have risotto, otherwise, I am stuck with salad.

Carrabba's does offer six entrees that can be served gluten free (when cooked without the grill baste). However, they do warn consumers that they do not have a gluten free grill so there is definite cross-contamination issues.

The only gluten free dessert offered is vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce and pecans.

You can download the GF menu here: http://www.carrabbas.com/carrabbas-menu.aspx

Fleming's Steakhouse has an official GF menu

2009-08-04T11:30:00.000-07:00

It should not be a surprise that a steakhouse can offer gluten free menu items, but it is nice that they have an official gluten free menu so you know exactly what you can order and how to order it. For example, the chilled seafood appetizer is okay, but not the cream mustard sauce on the side. The steak sandwich should be ordered without the soy chili glaze.

Here is the link to their gluten-free menu:

http://www.flemingssteakhouse.com/menu/nutritional-guide/#Gluten

Gluten Free Licorice

2009-08-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

If you like Licorice and have not been able to eat it since becoming gluten free - here is your answer: Candy Tree Organic Licorice. It comes in both the black and red licorice variety as well as vines, ropes etc.

It tasted just like regular licorice to me - I would never have guessed there was anything different about it.

It is available on amazon.com for about $30 for a pack of 12.

Trader Joe's GF Ginger Snaps

2009-07-15T14:34:00.000-07:00

If you like ginger snaps, these ones are for you! They taste exactly like regular ginger snaps, I don't think anyone could really tell the difference. They are light and crunchy and have a good ginger flavor. And for $1.99 a bag, how can you go wrong?

Kinnikinnick Cookies

2009-07-15T14:09:00.000-07:00

I tried Kinnikinnick cookies the other day at the CSA picnic. The ginger cookies were pretty good - the flavor was good - they were very light, almost too light, but they were okay. The chocolate chip cookies were more disappointing. I thought they needed a lot more chocolate chips and were too airy to be chocolate chip cookies in my opinion. They weren't bad, they just weren't great.

You can find more info about the cookies and their many other GF products at the company's website:

http://consumer.kinnikinnick.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/consumer.home.html

La Farfalla in Escondido

2009-07-15T13:26:00.000-07:00

La Farfalla is a small restaurant in Escondido. The owner is very sensitive to all food allergies including gluten. Here is the review from fellow GF diner Tehara:

"We have eaten at this restaurant 3 times in the past month. Not once have we been disappointed. Portions are quite big, my husband and I even shared a meatball dinner the other night and we could hardly finish it all. Our daughter is Celiac and can't eat any gluten, Terry has gluten free items and if we call ahead she is willing start a fresh pot of water boiling so our daughter can have wonderful rice noodles for her pasta entree. The salads are out of this world. And check out the fresh bread, wow, oh! wow, yum! And gluten free chocolate chip cookies that rival and regular wheat flour cookie in town."

The restaurant is located at:

155 S Orange St
Escondido, CA 92025-4124

(760) 741-0835‎

Delicious Gluten Free Bagels

2009-07-15T12:50:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for yummy GF bagels that taste better than a lot of wheat bagels, then Kai's Kitchen's bagels are for you. They come in plain, cinnamon raisin and everything flavors and they are very moist and chewy not dry and crumbly like some GF bagels I won't mention. They are also smaller than regular store bought bagels which is a plus if you want to watch your weight. They are free of most allergens including dairy, eggs, nuts, soy and corn. Each bag costs $7 and contains 6 bagels.

You can purchase them at Healthy Creations or by calling the number on the website below.

http://www.gfkaiskitchen.com/

Homemade GF bread!

2009-07-09T10:50:00.001-07:00

Several people have been asking about a good breadmaker. One reader recommends the following bread mix and breadmaker - here is her review:

"Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Hearty Bread Mix and a good breadmaker (ZOJIRUSHI BBCC-X20 Home Bakery Supreme Breadmaker – worth EVERY penny!) It seriously takes me only a few minutes to mix the few liquids and pour stuff in the breadmaker. Then I can just forget about it. The breadmaker does the work.

My non-gluten free, bread loving sister was visiting and almost ate an entire loaf! Yes, it still tastes best when it’s toasted or warm, but it has the feel and texture of “real” hearty bread. Typically, after the loaf cools, I slice it, put some wax paper between the slices, and put it in the freezer since I usually only eat one piece a day. That way it doesn’t spoil."

Thanks for your review Cat!

I found this breadmaker on sale at Amazon.com for $214 with free shipping.

Healthy Creations: the Good News and the Bad

2009-07-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

My favorite gluten free food source is changing a little. The good news is that they will be offering a wide variety of gluten free baked goods and lunch items starting July 16th ("from 11-6:30pm on July 16th we will be giving away free food all day long to celebrate our new Healthy Bakery! One free baked good to everyone who stops by, along with sampling of the breakfast and lunch items we will be offering from now on").

So I am looking forward to trying their new items - they sound very good. The bad news is that you can no longer assemble your meals yourself. To accommodate the bakery, they don't have enough room to let you still make your own meals. This is pretty disappointing to me as I enjoyed making my own stuff and accommodating my own personal tastes, i.e. extra spinach, very few onions, extra asparagus, less liquid etc. Of course, you can request the meals be made with your own specifications, but I will still miss it. However, I understand their need to change so I am excited to visit on the 16th.

www.healthycreations.com

NuGo Gluten Free Carrot Cake

2009-07-02T07:58:00.001-07:00

This carrot cake bar seems pretty nutritious, it has no saturated fat, 3g of fiber and 9g of protein per bar. It is available through the company's website in a box of 12 bars for $19. I got mine as a free sample at a gluten free event. Since it contains walnuts, I couldn't eat it, so I gave it to my gf mom to try. She wasn't crazy about it but didn't really say why. They also come in dark chocolate and trail mix flavors. I would be interested to see what others think - they look good to me - if only they were nut-free!

http://store.nugonutrition.com/products/45502.html

P.F. Chang's has a GF menu

2009-06-30T07:09:00.001-07:00

The good news is that P.F. Chang's has a gluten-free menu. It is a special menu that you have to ask for but it is a full menu that is nicely printed and laminated. There is plenty to choose from as far as entrees and there is one dessert that you can have. Unfortunately, I was not very impressed by my meal. I got the ginger chicken and it just seemed pretty bland to me. The egg drop soup tasted too thick and processed to be fresh. I did not try the gluten free dessert which was some kind of chocolate dessert which sounded good. Overall, the combination of the long wait for a table (on a Tuesday night) plus the high prices make me think I will not be back anytime soon; however, it is nice to see a restaurant cater to us GF folks.

www.pfchangs.com

UPDATE 1/7/09: I went back to PF Changs for lunch recently. There was no wait for two people to get a table. I ordered the Street Noodles with shrimp and my friend ordered the GF fried rice with shrimp. We both really liked our meals and for dessert we split the GF flour-less chocolate cake. Overall, it was a great meal and we had plenty of leftovers for the next day.

Jocalat is chocolate but better?

2009-06-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

According to the Larabar website, jocalat "Harmonizing with fruits and nuts, each flavor contains no more than seven simple ingredients. Deliciously rich. All Organic. No added sugars. Free of dairy, soy and gluten. A wholesome indulgence you can feel good about eating." I could not eat this myself since I am allergic to nuts, so I gave it to my mom who is also gluten-free. She really enjoyed it although did not provide me with a good description to post here. As far as I can tell, it's like chocolate plus fiber and vitamins. I know a lot of people enjoy other Larabar products.

Tasty Gluten Free Chips

2009-06-20T13:31:00.000-07:00

I received a free sample of R.W. Garcia's Thai Sweet & Spicy Tortilla
Chips with Flaxeed and they were delicious! Most tortilla chips
do not contain gluten, unless the flavoring (i.e. Doritos etc.) contains
gluten. Likewise these chips are gluten free, but also are very
flavorful. They actually are sweet and spicy and the flaxseed is good too, and probablygood for you! According to their website, they are
available at Whole Foods and also online at amazon.com.
If I see them in the store, I will definitely pick up a bag!

England has more GF food than the US!

2009-06-20T13:18:00.001-07:00

People complain about English food and I can't say that I blame them for the most part, however, when it comes to their grocery stores, they win the prize!! I was so surprised when I went into Tesco and they had a HUGE gluten-free section with much more of a variety than they have here. They sell FRESH (not frozen) gf bread, buns, muffins, cakes, cookies etc. They sell lots of things that we only get mixes for. Since I am lazy when it comes to food, I would much rather buy a ready-made gf cake, then a gf cake mix. Also, their bread was much lighter than most of the gf bread found here. And to top things off, gluten-free seemed to be more of a familiar concept to people over there than here. So if you are heading to the UK, stop by the grocery store when you arrive and you will have plenty to eat throughout your trip!

American Airlines serves GF food on international flights

2009-06-20T12:43:00.000-07:00

Recently, I had the opportunity to experience American Airlines' international flight service on my way from San Diego to Manchester, England. I was in coach and those seats seem to have gotten smaller and smaller. And the plane was so old that it still had ashtrays (covered over) and only one television for the whole seating section. However, the bright spot in this experience was the gluten-free food. I had to order it ahead of time, but it was worth it. I was always served first and the meals were good. There were plenty of vegetables and salad and typically I got fruit instead of the usual dessert, which was fine with me. They even gave me a gluten-free bread roll with cheese! That's more than you get in a lot of restaurants that serve gluten-free food. In other words, fly American for the food, not the ambience.

Amazingly Delicious Brownies!

2009-05-10T21:11:00.000-07:00

Deanna Smith, Owner of the Gluten Not Included Bakery
in Escondido, brought free brownies to the GF meeting on Saturday and they were truly amazing!! They tasted so good that there was no way to tell that they were gluten free. I'm sure if I gave one to my friends and didn't tell them they were GF, they would have no idea. They were so good that I had THREE and had to leave the room to stop eating more:)

Go visit the bakery and try the brownies and the bread!

http://www.gnibakery.com/

GNI Bakery
2250 S. Escondido Blvd. #110, Escondido, CA 92025
760-432-6100

I think they are open Mon-Sat from 9-6; extended hours plus wine/beer are coming soon.

GF pizza in Linda Vista

2009-05-09T19:19:00.001-07:00

Dante from zPizza was kind enough to supply the GF Support Group in San Diego with free pizza at our meeting today. He had a variety of flavors including BBQ, cheese, pepperoni and Tuscan. The crust was a thin crust but not too thin and tasted and looked great. I wouldn't have even guessed it was gluten-free! The toppings were also delicious.

The gluten-free pizzas currently only come in the 10" size and cost an additional $5. However, you should go on Mondays because it is buy 1 gluten free, get 1 GF free!

The gluten-free variety is only currently available in the San Diego area in the Linda Vista location of zPizza:

zPizza

San Diego (Linda Vista/USD)

5175 Linda Vista Road

San Diego CA, 92110

P: (619) 272-0022

http://stores.zpizza.com/san-diego-3/

F: (619) 272-0205

Betty Crocker is going Gluten Free!

2009-05-09T19:11:00.001-07:00

BETTY CROCKER is introducing gluten free cake and cookie mixes!! They will be available in grocery stores beginning June 1st! Finally a hopefully more affordable option to more expensive mixes from Whole Foods etc. I can't wait to try them!

For more info, follow the link:

http://www.bettycrocker.com/products/gluten-free/

VANS frozen waffles DO contain gluten

2009-05-09T19:03:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I just found out that VAN'S wheat free frozen waffles DO contain gluten... in the form of barley malt. The good news is that the company is planning on getting rid of that ingredient. The bad news is that it is still currently in the waffles. The weird part is that I've never noticed a problem with them and I eat them several times a week.

Gluten Free on American Airlines

2009-05-09T09:56:00.000-07:00

American Airlines offers gluten free meals on its flights that actually
offer meals, i.e. mainly international. I just ordered mine for my flights
so I will report back on how they are. I was pretty impressed by
Continental's GF meals - they beat regular plane food.

Starbucks Gluten Free at Last!!

2009-05-07T09:03:00.000-07:00

Starbucks is finally jumping on the Gluten Free Train!!! They have their gluten-free Orange Valencia Cake in their stores. I was in a Mission Valley Starbucks yesterday and there it was!!! Each slice is individually wrapped to avoid contamination from the other baked goods. It has almonds on top so I can't eat it (nut allergy), but I'm not complaining - at least there is now an option for the rest of you! Since I became gluten-free, coffee shops have held less of an appeal because I end up getting hungry while I am there and then of course can't eat anything. This is a good step for Starbucks - hopefully the other big chains will follow suit.

Gluten Not Included

2009-05-07T08:57:00.000-07:00

I was at Whole Foods last night and I saw that they are now carrying the Gluten Not Included bread. They had the regular and the cinnamon raisin varieties. I have not tried them yet, but I have heard that they are very good. And the bonus is that they are cheaper than the Whole Foods brand bread. I think a loaf was around $5.99.

Glutino English Muffins

2009-05-07T08:44:00.000-07:00

I had put off buying these muffins for a long time because I'm not crazy about Glutino bread, however, I wish I hadn't waited. These muffins are great - they are light, airy, and tasty - the complete opposite of the bread! Why can't all their products be this good. The downside is the price. I paid $6.99 at Whole Foods. I need to find a cheaper place to shop.

Gluten Free Pizza in Poway

2009-04-30T20:10:00.000-07:00

I am looking forward to trying Brick Oven Pizza in Poway. They claim to have the best gluten free crust out there.... we'll see if that is true!

Brick Oven Pizzaria
12222 Poway Rd. #19
Poway, CA 92064
(858) 274-2568

http://www.858brickoven.com/

Bed & Breakfast in Santa Barbara

2009-04-30T19:51:00.000-07:00

Another recommendation from a reader: James House Santa Barbara

I have not visited James House, but here is a review from a fellow gluten-free reader:

"The B&B is run by the sweetest lady you will ever meet Marie. She asked when we first got there if we had any allergies, so I told her about me being gluten free. She said that at least one person a month now makes this request and she would be happy to accommodate. She then was kind enough to go out and buy gluten free raisin bread and make french toast, gluten free yogurt, sausage and more. What an amazing experience!"

GF friendly restaurant in Santa Barbara

2009-04-30T19:45:00.001-07:00

One reader found this great restaurant in Santa Barbara. What makes it great is the fact that all the items on the menu are labeled if they are gluten free, egg free, soy free, dairy free, vegetarian or vegan. And to top that off, the food is delicious too. Give it a try if you are in Santa Barbara!

230 E Victoria St . Santa Barbara CA . 805-966-7759

http://www.spiritlandbistro.com/

Celiac Disease Foundation Annual Education Conference & Food Fair

2009-04-30T19:31:00.000-07:00

The Celiac Disease Foundation is hosing their Annual Education Conference and Food Fair in Pasadena, CA on May 2nd.

Location: Pasadena Convention Center Ballroom
300 East Green Street
Pasadena, CA 91101

Time: 8:30am - 4pm

http://www.celiac.org/newsEvents/conference2009.php

Glutino Flax Bread

2009-03-30T17:54:00.001-07:00

I am not crazy about any of the Glutino bread varieties, but when I absolutely need bread to make sandwiches, I find the Flax Seed variety to be the most palatable. The Flax takes away from the usual bland, dry taste of Glutino bread. Also, flax seed is supposed to be very healthy. I buy this bread at Whole Foods where it costs approx. $5.69 per loaf.

Whole Foods Pizza Crust

2009-03-30T17:48:00.001-07:00

Whole Foods Gluten Free Crust is thick, bread-like and very good. It is definitely a much heavier crust than the other gluten free pizza crusts on the market, but when you crave a thicker pizza, this hits the spot. One crust typically is enough for two people or two meals. They come in packs of two in the Gluten Free fridge and cost $7.99 for the pack.

Update of UNO's Chicago Grill review

2009-03-19T15:28:00.000-07:00

After going to UNO's a second time, I am happier with their gluten-free pizzas. Although they only guarantee that the pepperoni and cheese pizzas are gluten free, they will put their regular pizza toppings on a gluten free crust if you ask. This makes their pizzas much much better. I liked their crust but I found the plain pepperoni pizza to be very bland, but now that I can get more toppings, such as veggies and pineapple, I will happily go back.

Continental Airlines good for allergies

2009-03-19T14:59:00.000-07:00

Continental Airlines is allergy friendly. Not only are their flights peanut free (unlike Southwest, Delta and Northwest), but they also offer gluten-free meals. You just have to request the gluten free meal at least 24 hours before your flight.

Sammy's Woodfired Pizza

2009-03-14T11:03:00.001-07:00

I tried the Hawaiian (Canadian bacon & pineapple) pizza with the gluten free crust at Sammy's the other day. The toppings were very tasty and fresh. The crust was okay. It was a thin crust with a mild flavor. The edges got very crispy - kind of sharp in your mouth. Overall though, the greatness of the toppings overcame the mediocrity of the crust. The ability of getting a good tasting pizza at a regular restaurant is wonderful! Sammy's is all over San Diego, so it is convenient and the service was great too. I will definitely go again. The gluten free crust costs $3 extra, but that seems pretty standard at restaurants that offer gluten free products.

www.sammyspizza.com

Gluten Free Bakery & Coffee Shop in Escondido

2009-03-10T12:15:00.000-07:00

A reader just told me about this new bakery & coffeeshop. I have not had a chance to visit yet, so please let me know what you think in the comments section. They have gf white and cinnamon raisin bread and are developing other products.

GNI Bakery (Gluten Not Included)
2250 S. Escondido Blvd
Escondido, CA
760.432.6100

www.gnibakery.com

OPENING SOON!!

Easy Pizza Crust

2009-03-10T11:51:00.000-07:00

I just tried TooValoo's frozen pizza crusts. They resemble a whole wheat tortilla but they are of course gluten free, and are more substantial than a tortilla and don't break apart like a tortilla. You can take them frozen from the freezer and place toppings on them and put them right in the oven without having to thaw them out. They have a very mild flavor and are very light so they basically provide a good base for the toppings of your choice. They are a good size for a meal and they are relatively low in fat with only 4.5g per crust. They are available online or at the Leucadia Farmer's Market.

www.toovalooglutenfree.com

Pancakes for the lazy....

2009-03-08T12:19:00.001-07:00

I found these Gluten Free, dairy free frozen pancakes at Trader Joe's the other day. They are in the freezer section with all the other breakfast items. They are silver dollar size pancakes and there are 4 packets of 3 pancakes in the box. All you have to do is open one package and put them in the microwave for 90 seconds and out comes delicious, soft, moist pancakes. These are very yummy and great to grab for breakfast or for on the go. They are Trader Joe's own brand but are 100x better than the Trader Joe's brand wheat free frozen waffles. I think they were either $3 or $4 per box.

Risotto - still dissapointing

2009-03-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

I thought I would give Lundberg Risotto another shot - this time in Garlic Primavera. Unfortunately it was no better than last time. The risotto itself is not bad, it's just the flavor that is too strong and not very good. I could go crazy and make risotto from scratch or more likely I will keep looking for a better version! Oh well, hopefully I will have better luck next time.

Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake - yummy!!

2009-03-08T10:15:00.000-07:00

I went to the Cheesecake factory for lunch the other day to meet a friend. I have not been there in years since their typical cheesecake contains wheat. But I checked and to my surprise, they have one gluten free cheesecake - the Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake. It is gluten free because it is flourless. The cheesecake has three different layers. The bottom layer, which is typically crust in most cheesecakes, is a dense layer of a thick chocolate mousse-like substance. The next layer is somewhat less dense and contains chocolate chunks. The top third of the cheesecake is a lighter chocolate cheesecake. The top is sprinkled with cocoa and a square of chocolate godiva chocolate. Yummy is all I can say! It is very rich so it took me three sittings to finish it, but it was excellent. However, I should mention that they will not guarantee that it is gluten free due to cross-contamination etc. However, I did not have any reaction to it. I did not get the whipped cream - I am not sure if it is just cream or not. I also had the Cobb Salad (skipped the vinaigrette dressing because it looked a little suspicious). The Cobb Salad was dissappointing because it was 95% lettuce, 4% egg and .05% avocado, chicken, and bacon.

www.cheesecakefactory.com

The Prado Restaurant

2009-03-08T10:09:00.000-07:00

I had lunch with a friend at the Prado Restaurant in Balboa Park a few days ago. I ordered the fish tacos and they were delicious. The fish was fresh and grilled which made it soft and succulent as opposed to a lot of fish tacos where the fish is dry and chewy. The corn tortillas were delicious and it also came with fresh jicama and shaved cabbage and warm smokey beans. Overall, it was delicious and had no hint of gluten anywhere. We sat outside on the beautiful patio and enjoyed the scenery. The service was excellent. The prices are a little high but I think it is worth it for a special treat.