You may remember my announcment last Fall that travel agent Lesley Hock had arranged a spectacular Gluten-Free Getaway Weekend at Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires. Well, I have great news... Canyon Ranch has just reduced the price of the 3-night getaway, being held from May 3-6, 2012, at their resort in Lenox, Massachusetts. Their special new rate for this group is like saving up to 45%! But space is limited...so if your body and soul could use a bit of pampering, be sure to give Leslie a call for more details. I think you'll be tempted by all that this world-renowned spa resort has to offer... Just imagine spending three nights getting away from the stress and responsibilities of everyday life…relax in a serene setting…attend complimentary classes and seminars geared to health and wellness…be pampered with spa treatments…and have gluten-free menu selections readily available. Set in the elegant Bellefontaine mansion in the serene town of Lenox, Massachusetts in the Berkshires -- and just a short drive from New York City or Boston -- Canyon Ranch health resort and spa has set the standard for luxury spa resorts from the time when the original location in Tucson, Arizona opened in 1979.... Read more →
March 2012
I have to confess...I love anything made with nuts. Nut-crusted fish. nuts sprinkled in salads, nuts in quinoa, chocolate covered nuts...you name it. And I love eating handfuls of nuts: cashews, pistachios, almonds, pecans, walnuts, peanuts. Fortunately, no one in our household has any (known) nut allergies! I'm particularly intrigued by using nut flours -- like almond flour -- in baked goods. Pamela's Baking and Pancake Mix, which is our family's favorite gluten-free pancake mix, includes almond meal, which is probably one of the reasons we find it so delicious. Typically almond meal lends moistness and a subtle wonderful flavor to gluten-free baked goods -- and I like knowing I'm getting fiber and protein, too. So when I recently read about a new bakery called Dolcetti that offed a range of flourless gluten-free cookies inspired by an old Italian recipe using nut flour, I just had to try them. Dolcetti's artisan nut cookies are, in short, amazing. They're sold at a handful of places in the San Francisco Bay area, but fortunately for the rest of us, you can purchase them online (3-bag minimum order). These are small, two-bite cookies that don't make you feel guilty when you eat a... Read more →
It seems that our gluten-free travel needs are getting noticed, with more resorts open to hosting gluten-free weekends that give gluten-free folks -- and their friends and family members -- a chance to relax, reconnect, and enjoy a worry-free dining experience where their gluten-free needs will not just be met -- but welcomed! My gluten-free friend, Erin Smith -- who leads the New York City Meetup Group and is also publisher of two great Blogs, Gluten Free Fun and Gluten Free Globetrotter -- has helped organized what sounds like a fantastic Gluten-Free Gourmet Getaway weekend at the Good Commons retreat in Plymouth, Vermont in June. The group will depart on Thursday night, June 21 from NYC via a luxury motorcoach. A light dinner and beverages will be served on the drive up to Vermont. The following three days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) will be filled with wonderful gluten-free meals prepared by highly skilled on-site private chefs, yoga classes, GF cooking demonstrations, visits from local cheese artisans, a 4-course wine-tasting dinner -- and optional massages, local tours, and outdoor activities like hiking. The bus will return to NYC on Sunday evening. Erin wants to reassure all attendees that, “A goal of... Read more →
There have been a lot of gluten-free "bars" that have come out in the past few years: breakfast bars, snack bars, protein bars. Whatever they're called, they typically make a good, quick breakfast or snack when you're on-the-go. They're also perfect for packing on a trip, especially when your access to safe gluten-free foods is unknown. Some of our family's favorite "bars" are the LUNA protein bars (mint chocolate chip in particular!) and EnviroKidz Organic Crispy Rice bars (I like the ones with peanut butter for that extra protein). But recently Pamela's launched their new "Whenever Bars" which we absolutely love! These healthy snack bars come in FOUR flavors: Oat Blueberry Lemon, Oat Chocolate Chip Coconut, Oat Cranberry Almond, and Oat Raisin Walnut Spice. We have only tried two flavors so far -- the Oat Blueberry Lemon and the Oat Chocolate Chip Coconut. Commenting on the Oat Chocolate Chip Coconut, our gluten-free son said, "Mom, these taste just like cookies." He is right. They taste too good to be as healthy as they are! I love the fact that they're made with gluten-free oats and other whole grains and lightly sweetened only with agave and coconut sugar. Many of the... Read more →
I'm a huge fan of Burton's Grill. You probably are, too, if you're gluten-free and live in the Northeast. Even though our family isn't lucky enough to have a Burton's Grill near where we live (in a suburb of Washington, DC), we always look forward to dining there when visiting relatives in the Boston area. Burton's Grill has locations in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and even a bit further away in Virginia Beach. Their Gluten-Free Lunch and Dinner Menus rank high on our family's list due to their wide range of great-tasting options -- and the fact that you don't feel you have to "go without" (as in ordering a burger without the bun or being a denied the choice of pasta as an entree). Burton's offers their gluten-free guests both gluten-free buns with their burgers and sandwiches as well as delicous gluten-free pasta (just take a look at this incredible gluten-free Lobster Pasta!) Another sumptuous gluten-free pasta choice: Chicken and Wild Mushroom Pasta -- medallions of chicken pan-seared with asparagus and cremini mushrooms in a sherry cream sauce over gluten-free pasta. How often do you see something like THAT on a Gluten-Free Menu?! My mouth is watering right now!... Read more →
I'm constantly amazed at how the reviews of CRUISES that gluten-free travelers submit to our website, GlutenFreeTravelSite, are so varied.** Some people rave about the care that goes into preparing their meals -- and the gluten-free choices available -- while others leave the cruise sorely disappointed. That's why, this month, we chose to showcase a particularly positive review of one cruise line -- Celebrity -- as our Featured Review of the Month on GlutenFreeTravelSite. Celebrity is one line that has gotten consistently positive reviews on our site, and this month's featured reviewer (who is an avid traveler and also happens to be the National Secretary of the Canadian Celiac Association) has actually had TWO successful cruises on one of their ships...the Celebrity Summit. His first cruise with his wife was a European cruise back in 2008 for their honeymoon. Their more recent cruise on the same ship -- the Celeberity Summit -- involved a Caribbean itinerary of "island hopping." This Celiac traveler could not have spoken more highly of the treatment he received on board. "I was taken aback by the staff's genuine concern for my needs and remarkable ability to cater to the Gluten-Free diet." He said he "ate... Read more →
If you're looking for a restaurant in Massachusetts with a nice range of gluten-free choices for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, you'll want to check out Hearth and Kettle, with 6 locations in Massachusetts, including 3 on Cape Cod. Their Gluten Free Menu offers something for everyone -- whether you're a seafood lover or a meat-and-pototoes guy or gal. Prices are reasonable, in keeping with the philosophy that's driven them since they opened their first restaurant in 1973: to serve wholesome, great-tasting meals at reasonable prices in a warm, friendly atmosphere. In fact, all menu items are tested against 3 criteria...they must be wholesome, great-tasting, and competitively priced before they are "H'nK" approved. Many entrees are even prepared using all natural, organic, and locally grown ingredients. Some noteworthy highlights? Mango Shrimp and Organic Mediterranean Chicken (both shown here). Hearth and Kettle is actually a part of a larger company called Catania Hospitality Group, which owns several inns, resorts, and spas. Their award-winning Daniel Webster Inn and Spa, in historic Sandwich, MA (the oldest town on Cape Cod), also offers an extensive Gluten-Free Menu. If you or a family member is following a gluten-free diet, you know what a welcome relief it... Read more →