Ahh...the Holidays are fast approaching, there's a nip in the air, and it's the season for slow cooking! I have to confess that it took me quite a while to get around to buying a slow cooker (just 3-4 years ago), but when I did, I was in love! What could be better than popping simple ingredients into a pot in the morning and then having your dinner ready to eat at night?! It's a busy (yet health-conscious) working mom's dream! I've tried all sorts of recipes in the slow cooker, from Coq Au Vin (surprisingly simple) to Beef Brisket, but I'm always looking for more slow cooker recipes -- ones that are also gluten free, of course. That's why I was so excited to hear about a new gluten free slow cooker cookbook developed by my friend Carrie, a.k.a. "Ginger Lemon Girl." The Everything Gluten-Free Slow Cooker Cookbook is perfect for all those times you want a warm, satisfying dinner -- without having to spend hours in the kitchen. While you can always search for slow cooker recipes that are gluten free (or that can be modified to be GF), it's much more comforting to know that EVERYTHING in... Read more →
November 2012
I'll be straight with you: Burtons Grill, with 9 locations (and a 10th to open soon!), is at the top of the food chain when it comes to restaurants offering Gluten Free Menus. I can say this from personal experience, having been to at least three of their locations -- and often seeking them out when traveling. Currently, they have 5 locations in Massachusetts, 1 in Connecticut, 1 in New Hampshire, 1 in South Carolina, and 1 in Virginia (with a second VA location coming soon to Charlottesville). Their commitment to the gluten free community runs deep. Kevin Harron, their CEO, has Celiac Disease, and they have an Allergy Commitment to all their guests with special dietary restrictions that involves training ALL their staff, not only the chefs preparing your food. I recently had a chance to talk with Denise Baron Herrera, Vice President of Food and Beverage, who has a shrimp allergy herself. She said the servers are trained to ask if anyone at the table has any food allergies or intolerances, and now almost every ticket that comes back to the kitchen notes some sort of allergy. (Burtons does not have any peanuts or peanut-containing products on the... Read more →
I"m often asked about tips for planning a successful gluten free vacation, and there's quite a long list of advice I share, beginning with suggesting a visit to our website, GlutenFreeTravelSite, where you can search user-submitted gluten free dining and travel reviews by location. But frankly, there are times when you simply don't have the time or desire to do all the planning yourself. You want someone to take it off your plate. But who? Who will have your gluten free needs in mind? I was priviledged many years ago to be put in touch with Lesley Hayden at Travel Leaders travel agency. She works in their Boston area office, and although I've never met her in person, she's helped to plan many trips for our family. The nice thing about working with a travel agent -- in addition to having someone to do the legwork for you -- is that it doesn't cost you a thing. In fact, in most cases, they can actually SAVE you money but having access to deals you might not be able to find on your own. Lesley has developed a great knowledge of what is involved in planning trips for her gluten free... Read more →
I always enjoy finding cool and unique gifts. My friend Diane Elbin from The WHOLE Gang website recently came up with an ingenious gift for anyone who appreicates good food -- and it's here just in time for your early Holiday shopping! Diane is a professional recipe developer, chef, cookbook author, and gluten free health coach. Diane created what's essentially a beautiful Cookbook Desk Calendar of 12 cards featuring mouth-watering photos of gluten free (and dairy free) meals, with the full, easy-to-follow recipes on back. There's a featured recipe for each month, and the 12 cards are contained in a CD case that flips open into a stand for display. Showcase the month's calendar, and then flip the card over to try the lucious recipe. In addition to being gluten free and dairy free, each recipe comes with specific instructions if you desire to modify it to be vegetarian, vegan, or Paleo. I'm literally salivating over some of the photos and recipes: Jicama Tacos and Tostadas, Little Lasagne Flowers, Easy Layered Mexican Casserole, Summer Vegetable Rosettes, and Cashew Cream Yam Cannelloni, to name my "must-try" favorites. Even though they may sound or look fancy, the preparation instructions look surprisingly simple.... Read more →
I'm always looking for travel opportunites that truly give gluten free travelers a "vacation from worry"...an opportunity for you to travel in which all the meal details have been taken care of. That way, you can truly relax and enjoy your vacation without hours and hours of advance planning -- or scrutinizing every every menu for the duration of your trip. I recently learned of Gluten Free Cruises, started by travel agent Lynda McHenry. She has organized a Gluten Free Food and Wine Cruise down the Danube River from May 22-29, 2013. You'll board the brand new AmaPrima river boat from Ama Waterways, a company that's been delivering quality cruises to her clients for 10 years. The boat is equipped to accommodate 164 passengers and make stops in Budapest, Bratislava, Vienna, Durnstein, Melk, Linz, Passau, and Vilshofen -- with an optional 2-day stay in Prague. Lynda has 35 years experience as a travel agent, 31 of which have been as the owner of her own agencies. She, her husband, and her daughter are all gluten intolerant. They started a gluten free grain business, as well as a dedicated gluten free cafe in Oregon. Lynda launched Gluten Free Cruises with two... Read more →
We're always excited to hear about pizza chains that are offering gluten free pizza -- and even more excited when they do it right. We all know how Domino's learned the hard way about the importance of avoiding cross contamination when preparing gluten free pizza for their Celiac and gluten free customers. To truly be "gluten free," a gluten free pizza crust must be topped with only gluten free ingredients, and care must be taken to shield the pizza from any contact with regular flour or regular pizza during preparation and cooking. Pizza Pie Cafe, with locations in both Utah and Idaho, does just that. The gluten free pizza crust is kept in its own separate pan during prep and cooking, and separate sauce (and ladle) are used, gloves are changed, and a separate pizza cutter slices the pizza before it's served. You can order a gluten free pizza on its own -- or added for only $2 extra when you purchase any regular-priced adult "All You Can Eat" Gluten Free Pasta & Salad buffet. Now that's a deal! Pizza Pie Cafe's employees take the same precautions with the gluten free pasta that they do with the pizza...they boil it... Read more →