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.

Risotto - still dissapointing

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!!

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

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.

Whole Foods Cake Mix

I was craving chocolate cake this morning so I made some with Whole Foods' 365 brand Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix. The recipe calls for buttermilk or lowfat yogurt but since I had neither, I just used skim milk. The cake came out pretty well. It's pretty light and fluffy and chocolatey. The chocolate flavor could be a little richer, but maybe the addition of chocolate chips would help that. The box is $3.99 from Whole Foods and you have to add eggs, vanilla extract, butter and buttermilk/yogurt. Overall, not amazing, but not bad.

Morton's Steakhouse

My husband and I went here for my birthday. The service was perfect - no complaints whatsoever. The waiter was very aware of food allergies and every facet of the menu. Normally steak restaurants are pretty safe - you just have to avoid the bread and any special marinades or sauces. The food was excellent. I had the single cut filet mignon with balsamic glaze asparagus on the side. My husband had the bone-in filet plus lyonnaise potatoes. The steaks were wonderful and the Lyonnaise potatoes were amazing!! The asparagus was just okay - I would get something different next time. It was Morton's, so it was expensive, but good for a special occasion.

Sammy's Woodfired Pizza

Sammy's Woodfired Pizza offers gluten free pizza crusts for $3 extra. I haven't tried them yet, but since I love pizza, I plan to do so soon. They have locations all over San Diego County. Please comment below if you have tried their gf pizza.

www.sammyspizza.com

online gluten free goods

Tired of going to Whole Foods only to find that they are out of your chosen product? A good friend recommended www.vitacost.com and they have 223 gluten free foods. They also seem cheaper than Whole Foods and other specialty stores. I will place an order soon and see how it works out.

http://www.vitacost.com/productResults.aspx?showAll=true&Ne=6&N=32+1006114&pgSz=100&Ns=P_SoldQuantity|1

if link doesn't work, go to www.vitacost.com, then food and grocery, then gluten free food

The Pure Pantry Pancake & Baking Mix

The Pure Pantry's Pancake and Baking Mix makes delicious buckwheat pancakes and waffles. For those who miss the rich hearty flavor of whole wheat and whole grain, then buckwheat is for you. Buckwheat is not actually wheat and is safe for including as part a gluten free diet. The pancake mix is easy to use just like regular commercial pancake mix, but this one is of course gluten free. The mix can also be used for other baking needs. The mix makes great waffles and I doubt anyone would realize it is gluten free. There is also an original buttermilk flavored mix for those who prefer a more traditional pancake. The Pure Pantry is a company founded by a local SoCal resident who also lives gluten free. It is available at Healthy Creations and the Leucadia Farmer's Market.

For more information regarding purchasing the mix, contact the company's founder, Elizabeth Kaplan at: Elizabeth@thepurepantry.com

Gluten Free Dining at Healthy Creations

The gluten free dining out group had a great time making food and enjoying appetizers at Healthy Creations last night! I made the gnocchi in a vodka sauce, the Tuscan veggie pizza, the BBQ chicken pizza and the Asparagas Tomato Gouda Frittata. I know the BBQ chicken pizza is super yummy because it was one of the appetizers and I am excited to try the other things. I will post reviews as soon as I have eaten them. If anyone got different entrees, please comment below or email me your thoughts.

www.healthycreations.com

Glutino Cheese Pizza was edible...

Glutino's Due Cheese frozen pizza was edible, but that's about it. It really didn't seem to have any flavor and the crust was just like a slice of rice bread, i.e. not so good. Glutino makes lots of gluten free products and I am assumed they are named Glutino because of that, but so far, I have not really liked any of their products. It seems other companies make better foods in all the categories I have tried. Next time, I will stick with Amy's rice crust pizza gluten free pizza.

Uno's Chicago Grill

Last night I tried Uno's Gluten-free pizza. They have two gluten-free
pizzas on their menu: cheese and pepperoni. The menu states that they
have more items on their gluten-free menu. I didn't look at this so I don't know what else they offer. The photo to the right shows the gluten-free pizza at the bottom and their regular personal pan pizza at the top. The gluten-free crust is a thin crust. It actually tasted pretty good, although it was somewhat reminiscent of a pita bread crust. The toppings, however, were very disappointing. I ordered the pepperoni pizza but it was incredibly bland. The pepperoni itself was okay, but the cheese and tomato sauce had no flavor. Maybe they left out all herbs and spices in their quest to avoid gluten? Although tomato and cheese are typically hard to mess up! The pizza cost approx. $11 and was enough for two servings. Although it was nice to actually be able to order something on a regular menu, I don't think I'll be back unless they add some more flavor to their gf pizza.

A supermoist muffin!

I was so impressed by how moist these muffins are. And they are full of flavor and completely free of gluten! These muffins are better than most non-gluten free muffins. They have a substantial flavor and texture and are not like some muffins that are basically a cup cake without frosting! So far I have tried the ginger flavor and it was excellent. These muffins would make for a tasty breakfast or a mid-morning snack. They are available at Whole Foods but the downside is that they are expensive - I think they are about $3 per muffin. However, I am looking forward to trying the other flavors.

www.muffinphysics.com

Double chocolate chip cookies lack the second chocolate flavor!

Arico's Gluten Free double chocolate cookies contain very good chocolate chips but the cookie itself was disappointing. It was very soft, to the point that it just kind of crumbled. I bought a bag of these cookies but I only kept eating them because of the chips. These are better than some other gluten free cookies on the market but aren't great. I paid $3.99 for a bag of about 8 chips ahoy-sized cookies at Whole Foods. They also come individually packaged. Still looking for a great gluten free cookie...

A wheat-free shampoo for colored hair

My favorite shampoo for my colored hair used to be Pureology, however, I noticed that it always made my scalp very dry and itchy. I read the ingredients, and guess what - wheat protein! Ever since I stopped using Pureology, I have been searching for a good gluten free shampoo. Most of the ones I have found either take the color out or leave my hair dry and straw-like. My salon uses Bumble & Bumble but I've never really been a huge fan of their products. Most of their regular shampoos do contain wheat, however, I saw that their color support shampoo (it comes in several colors for blondes, brunettes, redheads etc.) does not contain wheat. After using it for over a month, I have found that my hair is soft and manageable and the color is actually enhanced! This shampoo is not cheap, it's about $22/bottle retail and Amazon has it for $18/bottle. However, unless I find a comprable cheaper alternative, I will probably keep using it.

A good frozen pizza

I was very pleasantly surprised at Amy's Gluten Free, Non-Dairy Spinach Pizza. I have had various gluten free frozen pizzas and typically the rice crust is not the greatest - kind of dry and spongy. However, Amy's has managed to well season the crust so you don't even notice it is a rice crust. There is so much flavor in this pizza that I wouldn't even notice it was gluten free. I was also a little wary of the soy cheese as I usually don't eat soy cheese, however, it was fine. It doesn't really melt as well, but as far as flavor, it is fine. The only downside is the "servings." Amy's claims that this pizza constitutes three servings but I had a hard time making it into two servings! It cost $9.99 from Whole Foods so for me it was $5/meal. Overall, I would buy this pizza again - it only takes 15 minutes in the oven and makes for a tasty meal.

Chicken tenders and nuggets.

Bell & Evans Gluten Free breaded Chicken Breast Tenders (they sell nuggets too) are just like regular chicken tenders, except they are baked, not fried, and they are gluten free!! They are available in Whole Foods and they are a little expensive, $8/box, but you can probably get three servings from one box, so it's not too bad. I just bake them and then dip them in ketchup.

Fish Sticks again!

Dr. Praeger's Gluten Free potato crusted fish sticks are excellent. Finally, I can eat fish sticks again! They taste just like the real thing and they are pretty healthy too. I just cook them in the toaster oven for a fast meal. They are available at Whole Foods in the frozen fish section.

Wm. K. Warren Medical Research Center for Celiac Disease

A great local resource for information and testing for Celiac Disease. Wm. K Warren Medical Research Center for Celiac Disease is located at the University of California San Diego. I have not been there yet, but I have heard good things. If anyone goes, please let me know what you think.

http://celiaccenter.ucsd.edu/

858.822.1022

More GF Pizza - Woohoo!!!

I LOVE Pizza so I was very excited to hear that UNO Chicago Grill, famous for their deep dish pizza, is now serving Gluten Free Pizzas!!! It's not at all locations, so call first, but it is available in Fashion Valley in San Diego. I am very excited to try it - I am always searching for the perfect GF pizza!


http://www.unos.com/kiosk/nutritionUnos.html

Literally the best GF brownies ever

I finally tried the GF brownies I had ordered from Healthy Creations. They come uncooked in a foil pan that you put in the freezer until you are ready to cook them. They are absolutely delicious - by far the BEST brownies I have had since I started on the GF diet!!! I have tried so many GF brownies that are just okay, but these are really really good. The only downside is the price. One order which makes about 8 good sized brownies is $10. They are expensive but for a once in a while treat, they are worth it. I cooked them all then froze most in ziplock bags for later. I am excited to go to Healthy Creations on February 12 for the Gluten Free SD dining out get together.

www.healthycreations.com

Cowboy Star

My husband and I went to Cowboy Star for a special occasion. Typically steak restaurants are pretty safe and the higher-end places usually are pretty good about educating their staff about food allergies. However, when I told the waitress that I could not eat gluten, she had no idea what I was talking about. She had not even heard the word gluten before, and I thought I was talking about glucose! I tried to explain to her that I could not eat wheat, and clearly this was beyond her comprehension as she brought both me and husband individual bread portions. Overall, the food was okay. I liked the atmosphere since it was more relaxed than some other steak restaurants, however, their inability to educate their servers leaves me doubting I will go back.

www.thecowboystar.com

Healthy Creations Organic Meals

I tried Healthy Creations after hearing the owner speak at the January meeting of Gluten Free in San Diego Support Group. The owner is also gluten free so she understands the dietary restrictions completely. Healthy Creations offers a monthly menu and you can either go to their location and assemble your own meals from their menu and take them home and put them in your freezer, or you can have the foods prepared for you and pick them up or have them delivered. Since I am not a big cook, I had my meals prepared and delivered to my door. In addition to my gluten allergy, I also have a nut allergy, so I just mentioned those in my online order and everything was made safe for me to eat. I ordered several meals, sides and desserts. Most of the ingredients are organic and locally produced so the food is good for you and good for the environment. So far, I have sampled the Mexican lasagna which is very good but very rich - I definitely recommend mixing a healthy serving of veggies with each portion. The maple roasted butternut squash is good but a little too sweet for me. The raw chocolate mousse is also good but very rich and good in small servings. Overall this is a wonderful business to have near to San Diego! The portion size is good and I can get about 5 servings out of a 3 serving lasagna. The prices are also reasonable and works out to $5 or less per meal. What is better than healthy meals that I can eat without allergy worry? I intend to keep ordering from Healthy Creations and am excited to see their February menu. Just make sure you mention that you are gluten free when ordering!

www.healthycreations.com

Glutino Duo Mushroom

I tried Glutino's Gluten Free Penne Duo Mushroom frozen entree because I wanted a quick and easy meal. The only part of it that was good was the quick. It took 5 minutes to cook in the microwave. However, it was not easy to eat. I have to agree with someone else's review that calls this entree crapino. After following the directions to the letter, the pasta came out undercooked and the sauce was bland at best and it looked pretty gross. This was definitely not worth the $5+ I paid for it at Whole Foods. The spaghetti sauce in a jar does a much better job than Glutino in the flavor department. Not buying this again.

www.glutino.com

Arrivederci Restorante in Hillcrest

My husband and I went here for dinner one night. They have a set menu plus a daily menu and there were two kinds of risotto on the menu the night we went. I got the mushroom risotto and it was very yummy. We also got an appetizer that had spinach, prosciutto, asiago cheese and some goodies. The serving sizes were generous so there was some left over for the next day. The service was excellent! And for dessert I had the creme brulee. They also have a good wine list. Parking is a pain but that's Hillcrest. Prices were between $11 and $20 for a main entree. I did not talk to the chef about the exact ingredients of my food but I didn't have any problems. However, since they don't advertise anything as being gluten free, I would recommend that someone is very sensitive, to call ahead and ask.

Barolo Ristorante Italiano in La Jolla

I went to this restaurant with a gluten-free dining out group. One of the chefs has a child who is gluten-free so he understands the diet restrictions. I ordered the Rigatoni Salmone and it was delicious. The portion size was good and I had some left over to take home for the next day. The house wine was good and inexpensive. Italian has always been my favorite food and I have missed being able to go Italian restaurants so I am glad I have found this one. Parking is easy because it is a few blocks away from UTC. If you want to go here for a gluten-free meal - call a couple hours ahead because they have to buy the pasta.

www.barolos.com

Whole Foods Brownie Mix = OK

I made these brownies after having a major chocolate craving. Instead of the recommended butter, I used half olive oil and half apple sauce to reduce the fat content. I was disappointed when these brownies came out of the oven - they didn't seem very chocolately even though they contain little chocolate chips. However, after the brownies cooled, they tasted better. They were still lacking some chocolately flavor that I wanted, but they weren't bad. I think I will try a different mix next time. This mix was from Whole Foods' 365 brand and was about 3.99 per box.

I'm in heaven over a protein bar

As someone with a NUT and a GLUTEN allergy, it is next to impossible to find an energy or a protein bar. So I was super excited when I saw the Comfort Bars in Whole Foods and they didn't have a peanut flavor, which always means all flavors may contain peanuts. Although the name is a little weird, and reminds me of laxatives, these bars are delicious!! I had the white chocolate Cherry Chip flavor and omigosh, they taste so good!!! I'm going to buy them by the box next time. They are a little pricey, approx. $2.35 each at Whole Foods but they are worth it for me since they are the ONLY bars I can eat that actually taste good!

www.comfortbar.com

Corn Thins - cracker substitute?

Corn thins are a cracker substitute - sort of! They have the taste and texture of rice cakes but they are about a quarter of the thickness, thereby, making them a more viable cracker substitute. They have a pretty mild flavor that won't interfere with any topping. They are certified gluten-free and are high in fiber so they are good for you. Overall, they are pretty good, not as good as a buttery wheat cracker, but much healthier!

www.cornthins.com

Gluten-Free Market!!!

I just heard about this market that is all gluten-free!! It sounds like heaven. I hope to check it out soon!

STELLA LUCY GLUTEN-FREE MARKET
108 South El Camino Real
San Clemente, CA 92672
(949) 542-4631

Terra Restaurant in Hillcrest

I have not actually tried this restaurant but I am excited to go there because they feature gluten-free selections on their menu. They are located next to Trader Joe's in Hillcrest. I am supposed to attend a work function there this week so I will definitely review the food soon.




www.terrasd.com