Gluten Free Travel Blog

If you haven't already over-indulged in Holiday treats -- and if you're looking for a fun gluten free dessert to take to a party or bake with your kids -- I have just the thing: Gluten Free Whoopie Pies. And it couldn't be easier. Basically, what I did was buy Betty Crocker's gluten free chocolate cake mix and follow the directions on the back of the box, as if I were making a cake or cupcakes. But instead of spooning the batter into a cupcake pan, I used a new Whoopie Pie baking pan I recently purchased through a fundraiser at my son's school. I had been so excited seeing this cool gadget in the catalog. I had thought, "How fun! Now I can make my own Whoopie Pies so that my son can FINALLY have one that's safe for him to eat!" Although the Whoopie Pie pan did not come with baking instructions, I merely reduced the baking time from what was detailed on the Betty Crocker box. If you don't have a Whoopie Pie pan (I don't expect many people do!), a simple Internet search turns up plenty of places to buy them. Amazon.com has Wilton nonstick one... Read more →

Don't miss my recent article on the NuGo Blog: Tips To Enjoy Gluten Free Holidays, Wherever You Choose to Dine ( http://www.nugonutrition.com/2012/12/02/tips-for-enjoying-gluten-free-holidays-wherever-you-choose-to-dine/ ). You'll get advice for hosting a delicious Holiday celebration for gluten-free (and glutinous!) guests, tips for safely dining at someone else's house, and guidance for celebratory dinners out. Read more →

Last week I shared a recap of my recent conversation with Denise Baron Herrera, VP of Food and Beverage at Burton's Grill. They've got one of the best Gluten Free Menus around, with more options being added all the time, including gluten free seasonal specials. Hopefully you'll have a chance to visit one of the expanding list of Burton's Grill locations soon. In the meantime, the folks at Burton's shared a great gluten free recipe with me, one that makes a perfect appetizer for a Holiday get-together...or even a Super Bowl Party a month later! Gluten Free Caramelized Onion Dip 8 oz Cream Cheese, room temperature 1 cup Sour Cream 1 cup Mayonnaise 2 tsp kosher salt, diamond crystals 1 tsp black pepper 1 tsp granulated onion 2 cups caramelized onion, chopped Put the first six ingredients in the food processor and mix. Once ingredients are combined, transfer into a bowl and fold in rough chopped onions. If you are making a large batch, you can mix with a hand or standing mixer. Enjoy! Read more →

This is Julie Bourne's final Blog post from ROME, where she has been studying -- and eating gluten free -- for the semester. She shares with us some of her top restaurant picks...places she can rely on for a safe, gluten free meal in Rome. Stay tuned for her January post, when alas, she returns to her "home base" at the University of Denver. The first reaction that I get when I tell people that I am studying abroad in Rome is always the same: “How can you eat anything there? Don’t they only eat pasta and pizza?” The truth about Italy as a whole is that the vast majority of people who work at restaurants here understand the needs of people with allergies or Celiac Disease. Since Celiac Disease is so prominent in Italy (due to more aggressive efforts in diagnosis than in the U.S.), there is a good chance that your waiter has a sister, friend, parent, or cousin-twice-removed who also has Celiac Disease or “Celiaca” (che-li-aka), so they will do what is necessary to provide you with a safe meal. That does not mean, however, that you can go into any restaurant unprepared. A key phrase to... Read more →