Restaurants in Washington DC that offer a gluten free menu or accommodate gluten free dining:

• Austin Grill 750 E Street
• Bertucci’s Italian Restaurant 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
• Jaleo 480 7th Street NW
• Maggiano’s Little Italy 5333 Wisonsin Avneue NW
• Pete’s New Haven Sytle APizza 1400 Irving Street NW
• Rosa Mexicano 575 7th Street NW at F Street
• Tortilla Coast 400 First Street SE

Be sure to save room for a decadent gluten free dessert:

• Hello Cupcake 1361 Connecticut Avenue NW
• Red Velvet Cupcakery 675 E Street NW
• Sticky Fingers Bakery 1370 Park Road NW
  

My husband Chuck and I recently found out that we will be traveling to Orlando, Florida this summer. Typically Orlando is a “no brainer” as we vacation in Walt Disney World. In my humble opinion, Disney is the most forward-thinking vacation destination in the US for people with special dietary needs. I could recite in my sleep where we safely dine while in Disney. However, this time we will be traveling (gasp) sans children and have decided (in part due to an immense amount of guilt); we cannot set foot within the Magic Kingdom without our kids in tow. So we are branching out and exploring what else the Sunshine State has to offer.

Immediately after booking our trip, my food anxiety began to set in. Where would I eat? What would I eat? What if there was nowhere to (safely) eat? What if I had to eat cardboard-flavored food all week? After soothing myself with some chocolate and bad reality TV, I decided to take action. I logged onto my trusty computer and sent my S.O.S. out to the masses, “social media style”. What is social media, you ask? Social media is a trendy new past-time and all the kids are doing it. Got an Internet connection? You’re in with social media (now wasn’t that easy?!). At first, I was a bit hesitant to jump into this online experience. Truth be told, I need cliff notes to use my remote control and tend to get into arguments with my GPS system. Technical savviness isn’t one of my strong points. However, I tested the waters and found that I could navigate just fine in this virtual gluten-free world, and I came away with a ton of first-hand information on my travel destination. Intrigued? Check out these resources:

Twitter: www.twitter.com Where else can you find up to the minute gluten-free information, tips, and news in 140 characters or less? Do a keyword search for “gluten free” or “gfree” on Twitter and you’ll find a bevy of gluten-free people sharing information.

Facebook: www.facebook.com Have you become a friend of Hold The Gluten? Search for gluten-free fan pages and groups and jump right into the communities.

Gluten-free Blogs: Gluten-free blogs offer an awesome first person perspective that allows you to glimpse a gluten free day in the life. Google “gluten free blogs” to check out the diverse group of bloggers that include teenagers, foodies, eco-friendly, and athletes.

iPhone Applications: www.itunes.com I must admit, I still think lovingly about my red Nokia cell phone from 1992. I have not crossed over into the iPhone realm, but luckily my techie husband possesses one. For those with iPhones, there are several gluten-free applications available.

Now that you’ve amassed some gluten-free travel tips from the above resources, I highly suggest creating a vacation cheat sheet. Pack one printout in your luggage and another in your carry-on. This way when you’re famished and desperately looking for a restaurant to accommodate your gluten-free needs, you can quickly reference your notes. Be sure to detail the restaurant names, addresses, phone numbers and chef/manager information.

Last but not least, share your findings! Did you come across a restaurant in Poughkeepsie dishing up drool-worthy flourless gluten-free cake? Or maybe you uncovered a diner in Fayetteville serving a killer grilled cheese on gluten-free toast (with a side of expertise in cross contamination)? For the good of gluten intolerant people everywhere, shout your experiences from the rooftop! Word of mouth is huge within our gluten-free community. Sharing is caring people!

I am counting the days until my plane touches down in sunny Florida. With confidence, I will feast gluten freely and I will not let my food intolerance rule my days. Yes, a little pre-trip planning was necessary, but thanks in part to our amazing gluten-free community, I have overcome my fear of traveling outside a ten-mile radius from my home. And I pinky swear to share the location if I find my holy grail, aka a gluten-free pizza that doesn’t taste gluten-free.

I must give HUGE props to General Mills for addressing the need for gluten free mainstream products.  I practically live on Chex cereal (my favorite is Honey Nut) and have been known to sneak spoonfuls of Betty Crocker chocolate frosting for a “snack”.   In addition to the generous assortment of gluten free products (see listing below), General Mills provides a helpful fact sheet on healthful gluten free eating, reading labels, and foods that may contain gluten.   I especially love that General Mills clearly identifies their products “Gluten Free”.

Be sure to check out the Live Gluten Freely site as well as their Facebook page.  I’m thrilled to announce that starting next month, I will join Kim Bouldin of Gluten Free is Life and Vanessa Maltin of Celiac Princess as a Featured Blogger on Live Gluten Freely!

The Live Gluten Freely product box includes:

• Betty Crocker® Gluten-Free Brownie Mix
• Betty Crocker® Gluten-Free Yellow Cake Mix
• Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy Chocolate Frosting
• Honey Nut Chex® Cereal
• Betty Crocker® Create-A-Bug® Fruit Flavored Snacks
• Betty Crocker® Fruit Flavored Snacks Variety Pack – Fruit Roll-Ups®, Fruit Gushers®, Fruit by the Foot®
• Peanut Butter Cookie Lärabar® Snack Bar
• Betty Crocker® Potato Buds® Mashed Potatoes
• Betty Crocker® Red Serving Spoon
• Coupons and More!

Our venture into Philly started off as any typical day in early 2010…with snow.   Undaunted by the forecast of (sigh, yet another) two feet, we loaded Thing 1 and Thing 2 into the car and headed towards the City of  Brotherly Love.  Once on South Street, we easily found metered parking right in front of the bakery (probably due to the impending blizzard barreling our way).  Having obsessively studied the bakery menu, I was prepared to order.  That was until I stood witness to the rows of muffins, cupcakes, and cobblers calling my name.  Our first selection was a Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich.  I’m not sure what excited the children more, the fact that they were eating a “sandwich” that was actually a cookie or the fact that their Mommy Dearest was (willingly) sharing her gluten free goodies with them.  Yes, I admit, I have a tad bit of difficulty sharing.  Keep in mind that my hubby and kiddos can eat gluten, so I feel totally justified in threatening to administer a karate chop if they venture near my gluten free stash.  But I digress…The Chocolate Chip Cookie Sandwich ($3.50 single/$38.50 dozen) was utterly fabulous!    

We then moved on to the Magic Bars ($2.75 single/$30.75 dozen).  Oooh, these were good. We barely left room for one chocolate and one vanilla cupcake ($3.50 single/$38.50 dozen) iced to perfection.  Unfortunately, Thing 1 and Thing 2 gobbled the cupcakes up in record time, so the photo opportunity was missed.

Pros

• Delectable vegan baked goods free from gluten, corn, peanuts, and soy.
• Dedicated gluten-free facility.
• Fresh baked daily.

Cons

• Pricing.  While I completely understand that the price point for gluten free baking is higher, I felt that $38.50 for a dozen cupcakes seemed excessive.
• Unless you are lucky enough to find a metered spot, parking in the adjacent lot was pricey ($10.00).

Over this past weekend Snowmageddon occurred.  Here in New Jersey, it snowed a whopping 28.5 inches.  That kind of winter weather calls for three things:  hot chocolate, comfy p.j.’s and a big pot of soup simmering on the stove.  After my diagnosis with celiac disease, I found it hard to find soup mixes or premade varieties without wheat.  No longer could I take a quick trip down the soup aisle in my grocery store and pick up a few cans of Campbell’s soup.  About a year ago, I discovered Fantastic World Foods Simmer Soups.  Their Blarney Stone Creamy Potato soup is “a creamy blend of diced potatoes seasoned with onions and leeks.”  Simply add in milk to their mix and simmer on the stove for 10 minutes.  Inspired by their Baked Potato soup suggestion on the back of the package, we added a dollop of sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, and crumbled bacon.

Pros:

• Overall a tasty and hearty gluten-free soup!
• Reasonably priced at $3.65 for a 7.5 package of soup mix (approximately 6 servings).

Cons:

• Do your pricing research!  In doing a search on-line for Simmer Soups, I found that the price point varied greatly by retailer.  For example, if you ordered a 6-pack of Simmer Soups directly from Fantastic World Foods the price is $30.72.  In comparison, if you order the same quantity via Amazon.com, the price is $21.94.

I apologize in advance.  This song will get stuck in your head for days. Possibly weeks.  Who knew a little ditty about peaches would be so #&$%^ catchy?!  That said, my latest recipe creation was actually not inspired by the evil peaches song but by a Ginger Peach White Tea we picked up from The Republic of Tea. I loved the blend of this tea and thought this combination would be perfect in a muffin!

The melding of ginger and peach flavors provide just the right contrast of spicy and sweet.  The muffins are moist and freeze/reheat perfectly (which is good because the recipe makes three dozen!).

Gluten Free Ginger Peach Muffins with Agave Nectar

3 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup sour cream (I used reduced fat)
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 container (6 ounces) peach yogurt
1 can (15 ounces) peaches drained & diced
1 cup white rice flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons xanthan gum
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, combine all wet ingredients and mix well.  Then add in all dry ingredients – finish by folding in the fresh grated ginger and chopped pecans.  Spray muffin tins with non-stick spray. Using a spring loaded ice cream scoop (this is so much easier than trying to pour directly into the muffin tin!), evenly distribute the batter into muffin tins. Bake 30 minutes (or until wooden tester comes out clean). Makes three dozen muffins.

Episode 32 “Gluten Makes Me Grumpy” Features:

Feedback from listeners Scott and Nate about onion rings in the french fry order.

Are you attending the Gluten Free Life TV Twitter Party on February 2nd?

2010 Gluten Free Cooking Expo April 17th & 18th in Lisle, IL.

Sausage Recall due to salmonella.  1.2 million pounds of sausage recalled!

In search of gluten free gravy for my mashed potatoes:  Trader Joe’s GF Turkey Gravy (premade) for $1.49 and Road’s End Organics Golden Gravy Mix & Shitake Mushroom Gravy (mix) both 99 cents.

BIG Brown Rice Tortillas from Trader Joe’s – my review.

Have you joined the Hold The Gluten fan page on Facebook?

Prevention Magazine offers over 4,000 gluten free recipes (keyword search “gluten free”).

What do YOU think of this HTG Podcast? Leave your feedback wherever you download this podcast!

Read the blog. Listen to the podcast. Educate yourself.

Rock on Celiacs!

Click the player below to listen to the show! Subscribe to the podcast using iTunes (or whatever media player you use) at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/htgpodcast

Download audio file (032_HoldTheGluten-28Jan2010.mp3)

Click for direct download

Becoming gluten free prompted many changes in my life.  While it may seem trivial, I was unfairly forced to ingest itty bitty tortillas.  Gone were the days when my dinner description included the words “quesadilla the size of your head”.   Now I know you are asking yourself the (totally valid) question: “Um, hello Maureen, traditional gluten free corn tortillas are six inches in diameter.  That’s not itty bitty, that’s portion control!”  And to answer your question: Sometimes I want a quesadilla the size of Sputnik!  Then  I discovered (BIG!) Brown Rice Tortillas in my local Trader Joe’s refrigerated section.  Before I share with you my humble opinion, I must admit to missing the lilliputian-sized corn tortillas so much that I have returned them to my refrigerator.  Sometimes bigger isn’t always better.  Well, unless we’re speaking about quantities of bacon or chocolate, but that’s another post entirely.

Pros:

• BIG BIG BIG tortillas!
• Works well for quesadillas.
• Reasonably priced at $2.49 for six 10-inch tortillas (vs $1.50 for ten 6-inch corn tortillas).
• Do not come frozen (therefore avoiding severing a digit or two while trying to separate a solidified tortilla mass).

Cons:

• Very chewy texture.  Borderline rubbery.
• Not your best option for a wrap-type sandwich (easily broke when folded).

This past Sunday was my birthday.  Not to be all Negative Nancy, but turning 37 was NOT that thrilling in the grand scheme of things.  To make matters worse, a full-on “raging hormone” war was taking place in my SAGGY, FLABBY body.  Can I get a waaaah?  What I wanted – strike that – needed was chocolate.  Lots of chocolate.  My darling husband of ten years knew it was vital that he take action quickly:  provide his long in the tooth wife with some chocolaty confection or get punched in the throat.  Just for the record, I wouldn’t really punch my devoted spouse in the throat.  I abhor physical violence.  A kick in the shin might be warranted though as I take my chocolate very seriously.

Enter the wondrous Betty Crocker.  As you all know, Betty Crocker offers gluten free cake, cookie and brownie mixes.  What could be better to perk up a disheartening 37th birthday than with chocolate cake?  I had yet to try Betty’s gluten free version of their Devil’s Food cake.  However, a few months ago I had taste tested the gluten free vanilla cake mix with good results.  Chuck (a.k.a. husband in reaction/avoidance mode) began mixing the cake ingredients.  Just as I had doctored the Betty Crocker vanilla cake mix, Chuck added two ingredients to the gluten free devil’s food cake mix.  One cup of sour cream and one packet of chocolate pudding mix went into the batter.  The result?  A moist, dense, chocolaty hunk of heaven.  This cake was so darn good that Chuck and my two kiddos were permitted ONE slice each.  I ate the rest of the cake forkful by fabulous forkful.  By the time I got around to taking a picture to post (priorities People, cake before photography!), all that remained was one tiny bite.

My birthday turned out to be quite fabulous and amazingly tasty.  I can’t wait to turn (gasp) 38!  Yeah, that’s totally a lie, but the cake…I’ll take any day!

Episode 31 “Gluten Free 2010!” Features:

• Listener Amanda, a high school student with celiac disease, shares her story.
• Is there a connection with celiac disease and our immune system going into hyper-drive when faced with other illness (i.e.  common cold)?
• Gluten free cookie crisis — Hershey’s recipe revamp gone terribly wrong.
• Burger King shares their gluten free food options!
• Listener Joe Z. found Joe Corbi’s Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough to be tasty.
• Listener Julia LOVED Udi’s White Sandwich Bread — even untoasted!
• Gluten free food ideas:  Peanut butter sandwich ala Trader Joe’s GF pancakes & some peanut butter.   Waffle Panini made with apples, cheese, and (mmm) bacon in between two GF waffles.
• What do YOU think of this HTG Podcast? Leave your feedback wherever you download this podcast!

Read the blog. Listen to the podcast. Educate yourself.

Rock on Celiacs!

Click the player below to listen to the show! Subscribe to the podcast using iTunes (or whatever media player you use) at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/htgpodcast

Download audio file (031_HoldTheGluten-09Jan2010.mp3)

Click for direct download

Episode 30 “October aka Celiac Awareness Month” Features:

• Gluten Free Holiday – GF Turkey list.  Butterball new GF gravy packet.
• Joe Corbi’s fundraiser offers Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough.
• My horrible GF lunch experience at Maggiano’s (Cherry Hill, NJ location).
• Gluten free dining in Walt Disney World.  Sit down vs. counter service.   Road trip to Pizza Fusion in Orlando, FL.
• Discovered a tasty new GF cider — Strongbow Cider.
• GF cakes:  Listener Julie recommends 123 Gluten Free Chocolate Pound Cake.  I recently discovered Amy’s Organic now offers GF Chocolate Cake.
• Armour Chili Beans Recall
• Gluten Free iPhone Apps:  Is That Gluten Free?  $5.99 and I Eat Out Gluten & Allergen Free $8.99
• November Gluten Free Giveaway!  Betty Crocker.
• What do YOU think of this HTG Podcast? Leave your feedback wherever you download this podcast!

Gluten Free Giveaway! The fantabulous folks at Betty Crocker sent me a their gluten free fruit-flavored snacks to sample.  They’d also like to share the gluten free goodness with one lucky Hold The Gluten listener!  Leave a comment for a chance to receive a Betty Crocker “Simple Joys” prize pack that includes 2 boxes of Betty Crocker Fruit-Flavored Snacks, a retro Pick ‘em Up Sticks game, a light-up yo-yo and a classic Frisbee.  Betty Crocker Fruit-Flavored Snacks is a snack you can feel good about as they are made with real fruit and each serving is less than 100 calories! Now kids – and kids at heart – can enjoy the simple joy of a fun, great tasting gluten free snack.    Deadline to enter is 12/14/2009.

Read the blog. Listen to the podcast. Educate yourself.

Rock on Celiacs!

Click the player below to listen to the show! Subscribe to the podcast using iTunes (or whatever media player you use) at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/htgpodcast

Download audio file (030_HoldTheGluten-26Nov2009.mp3)

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Happy Halloween everyone!

I was recently perusing the November issue of Better Homes and Gardens and noticed a naturally gluten-free recipe within their “Thanks for Thanksgiving” article. Score one for the gluten intolerant! I loved the idea of Pumpkin Cornbread and had to give it whirl. As you know, I am very fond of cornbread — it’s so delicious and easy to make. I slightly tweaked some of the ingredients and added a sugar base. This recipe is fantastic! The family enjoyed it warm topped with melted butter. A drizzle of real maple syrup would be tasty as well.

Gluten Free Skillet Pumpkin Cornbread

6 tablespoons butter, melted
2 cups cornmeal
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons masa harina
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 cup buttermilk
8 ounces sour cream (I used reduced fat)
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
demerara sugar for bottom of pan

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat bottom of cast iron skillet with melted butter, set aside remaining melted butter. In a large mixing bowl, combine cornmeal, sugar, masa harina, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. In a separate bowl combine remaining butter, buttermilk, sour cream, egg, and pumpkin. Whisk into cornmeal mixture. Sprinkle demerara sugar into bottom of cast iron pan (enough to coat) before pouring batter. Bake 25 minutes (or until wooden tester comes out clean).

Episode 29 “October aka Celiac Awareness Month” Features:

• Glutened by a dog biscuit. And mayo. My crazy story.
• Erin of Gluten Free Fitness knows my love for anything bacon & shares info on GF Baconaisse.
• Need to appoint a “taste tester” for all glutenous food in the house.
• Ready for Halloween? Check out Sure Foods Living Gluten Free & Allergen Free Candy List.
• Listener David (gluten free since 1977) shared with me some of his challenges of being gluten free 30+ years ago.
• Betty Crocker Vanilla Cake tweak and review.
• PF Changs updated gluten free menu.
• Upcoming Event NFCA Gluten-Free Cooking Spree in San Francisco.
• Listener David shares info on Pizza Fusion.
• October Gluten Free Giveaway!  Shabtai Gourmet.
• GF community driven sites: Gling and Special Gourmets.
• What do YOU think of this HTG Podcast? Leave your feedback wherever you download this podcast!

Gluten Free Giveaway! Leave a comment for a chance to win Shabtai Gourmet’s Gluten Free Prize Package!  Shabtai Gourmet is a unique Gluten Free Bakery line specializing in Gluten Free, Lactose Free, Soy Free, Casein Free, Peanut Free & Dairy Free Cakes and Cookies. Shabtai has brought a fresh and exciting new approach to allergen free baking. Shabtai and his family owned bakery has grown over the years, yet has never lost its old world out of this world taste.Three lucky winners will be chosen.  Deadline to enter is 11/06/2009.

Read the blog. Listen to the podcast. Educate yourself.

Rock on Celiacs!

Click the player below to listen to the show! Subscribe to the podcast using iTunes (or whatever media player you use) at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/htgpodcast

Download audio file (029_HoldTheGluten-21Oct2009.mp3)

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June 1, 2009 was a historical day for the gluten intolerant.  Gluten free peeps all over America were able to buy GF cake, cookie, and brownie mixes at their local grocery stores.   I sped like a maniac cautiously drove to my supermarket with grand visions of eating gluten free cake for lunch that day.   Much to my amazement, I arrived at the store and saw not one measly box of gluten free mix.  The gluten-filled mixes mocked me from their shelves.   With a heavy heart, I returned home empty handed and washed down a handful of chocolate bits with some Hershey’s syrup.  Two months later, the day of rainbows and unicorns finally arrived!  I’d procured a box of GF vanilla cake mix that I didn’t have to purchase online, at a specialty food store, or three states over by way of catamaran.

I’d read on several gluten free blogs that the Betty Crocker Vanilla Gluten Free Cake Mix was on the dry gritty side, so I decided to doctor it up a bit.  To the cake mix, I added one cup of sour cream (I used reduced fat) and one vanilla pudding mix.  Here’s my (humble) opinion of the product and my tweaked results:

Pros

• Ease of purchase (even my local podunk grocery store carries the GF product line).
• Minimal ingredients = tasty cake in belly sooner rather than later.
• With the sour cream and pudding mix added, I loved the cake!  My picky, gluten-eating family thought it was delicious as well.

Cons

• My wondrous gluten free cake mix for $4.00 was sitting right next to a lovely 99 cent box filled with wheat.
• The box of Betty Crocker gluten free cake mix is 15 ounces.  Betty’s glutenous cake mix is 18.25 ounces.
• The glutenous Betty Crocker cake mix makes TWO eight inch cakes or 24 cupcakes.  Those who make the gluten free version will get ONE lonely eight inch cake or 18 cupcakes.  Seriously, why do gluten intolerant people get less product for a greater price?  Something seems wrong with this picture.

Episode 28 “Hold The Gluten Hiatus No More” Features:

• Hold The Gluten is back!  Where I’ve been and what the heck I’ve been up to.
• Recap of NFCA Appetite for Awareness Event on September 30, 2009 in Philadelphia, PA.
• Upcoming Gluten Free Giveaway from Shabtai Gourmet.  Drawing will be held next podcast.
• What do YOU think of this HTG Podcast? Leave your feedback wherever you download this podcast!

Read the blog. Listen to the podcast. Educate yourself.

Rock on Celiacs!

Click the player below to listen to the show! Subscribe to the podcast using iTunes (or whatever media player you use) at http://feeds2.feedburner.com/htgpodcast

Download audio file (028_HoldTheGluten-06Oct2009.mp3)

Click for direct download