The best GF packaged cookies I have had.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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

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

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

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?

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

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!

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

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!

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

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!

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

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

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!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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....

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.