A perfect (gluten-free) anniversary

My husband and I have only been married for two years, but quite honestly, these have been the healthiest   two years I've had in a very long time. On our wedding day, I didn't know I had celiac disease (I was diagnosed a few months later), but we served a wonderful meal of new mexican fajitas (on corn tortillas), fresh homemade salsa, a beautiful seasonal green salad, spanish rice and beans. Essentially our wedding was gluten-free...until the cake! I don't remember feeling sick or bad on that special day, thank goodness! Fast forward and here I am eating cake, pizza, waffles etc... just made a little differently than before. I am forever grateful for having an extremely supportive husband who loves everything (so he says) that I cook and is always open to eating gluten-free. I look forward to the many, many meals we will share.

As for a perfect way to celebrate our 2 years together we traveled to the big city...Denver is only a 30 minute drive from our current home, but it's worlds apart from our life in Boulder (this topic could be another post entirely).

First things first, dessert before dinner at Pinkberry! Did you know that ALL Pinkberry flavors are gluten-free? Yes! I love this place. I think it's best to stay away from the toppings because you never know if the oreo-cookie serving spoon accidently fell into the chocolate shavings :( The fruit toppings are more isolated from the other toppings, so those are usually a safe bet, to avoid cross-contamination.

Dinner at Linger. Well,  supposedly I live in the "foodiest town in America" but I fell in love with Linger. Sorry Boulder. Not only did the waiter bring us two glasses of complimentary prosecco,  he was incredibly well versed on the issue of cross-contamination and being a celiac. I was taken more than serious. I was taken care of.

Linger has an amazing view of the Denver skyline from just about any seat in the restaurant. The careful attention to detail was well done, from the food, to the menus, to the bottle of water. Did I mention the food was absolutely incredible. The plates are small and the idea is to share a few dishes and savor the flavors. Linger. Enjoy.

Here's a sampling of what we had...a bowl of corn and poblano soup with Dungeness crab and avocado, sweet-potato waffle fries with chipolte ketchup (fried in a "clean" fyer), seared diver scallops with apple, and watercress salad, and a grilled chicken, grilled corn, avocado, bacon, french feta yumminess cobb salad (with grilled GF bread). Check out the awesome menu here.

The Linger eatuaries sign 

from the LoHi neighborhood

Gardens at the Gregory Inn

Next on the list: a  quaint bed and breakfast in LoDo. The Gregory Inn.  My amazing gluten-free breakfast included a crustless quiche, apple-chicken sausage, fresh fruit, coffee and juice. Lovely. The chef (Todd) was helpful and knew just how to make a safe meal for me! Breakfast on the roof-top patio was a perfect start to the day.

Breakfast at the Gregory Inn

Last, but certainly not least it's important to have dessert (again).  This is one of the easiest cakes you can make! Happy celebrating!

Flourless Chocolate Cake 
(circa 1997, Gourmet Magazine)

Ingredients
4 oz fine-quality, bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for sprinkling

Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F and butter an 8inch round baking pan. Line the bottom with a round of wax paper and butter the paper.
Chop chocolate into small pieces. In a double broiler, or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, melt chocolate with butter, stirring until smooth. Remove top of double broiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in the middle of oven for 25 minutes (or until top has formed a thin crust).
Cool cake in pan on a rack for ~5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate. Dust cake with additional cocoa powder and serve with fresh berries, whip cream, sorbet, etc... whatever you like!

 the ingredients

complete! 

Gluten Free in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Having lived in Boulder for the last year, I've become quite accustomed to having numerous gluten-free options at hand. I feel like I can go into almost any restaurant and have something safely prepared for me. When I come back to New Mexico, I don't feel so fortunate. There's a saying in NM that it's the "land of mañana" in other words, what ever needs to get done, can get done tomorrow. Well, I believe this saying exists because New Mexico is a little behind the times. Stuff gets done here just a little slower than in other states. Sometimes thats a good thing, but in the world of  knowledge and accommodating people with food allergies and gluten intolerance, this is not such a good thing. For example, one of my old favorite restaurants, Flying Star put out this statement about gluten: "Our counter staff is happy to comply with your changes, but will not be able to assist you with Gluten issues." Shut down.

****Update**** One year after writing this post, Flying Star has decided to offer some "Gluten Not" options. I don't know if they pay any attention to cross contamination, but they do offer a couple breakfast entrees and muffins that do not contain gluten.

I've decided to pick my battles and Flying Star is one that can be shoved under the rug for the time being... I'm focusing on the restaurants that ARE open to accommodating those with Celiac Disease and Gluten Intolerance. Thank you Slate Street Cafe, Zinc Wine Bar, Slice Parlor Pizza, The Cube BBQ, O'Neills Irish Pub and Scalo for listening to your customers and offering safe and delicious gluten free meals! My hope is that more and more restaurants will jump on the bandwagon and understand that the individual that has gluten intolerance is the one that makes the decision about where to eat out. Having gluten-free options on your menu will actually increase sales :)

(Please excuse the quality of the photos, they were taken on a camera phone)

On a recent rendezvous to Albuquerque, I had the most wonderful meal at Slate Street Cafe. Many of the staff follow a gluten-free diet and the owner has a family member with Celiac Disease. Yay! The food here is amazing. It is presented well,  it's fresh and full of flavor. Plus a drink in the wine loft before the meal is a nice touch. They have a separate gluten-free menu, just ask the hostess when you take your seat! My meal included a peach glazed seared salmon with sauteed green beans, sugar snap peas, snow peas and a spicy kiwi-mango salsa. Awesome! All the salads are gluten free and the one that caught my eye was the  grilled peach and prosciutto salad with spring greens, asparagus, golden tomatoes and shaved parmesan.

We also ate at Zinc Wine Bar and Bistro- Zinc is an awesome place to listen to music and have a wonderful meal. The hostess, chef and waitress were all knowledgeable about my intolerance and assured me that I would have a safe meal. It was wonderful! I had the New Mexico raised steak and a mixed green salad with homemade champagne vinaigrette. I will be back. 

For more in-depth gluten-free listing, check out Gluten Free Albuquerque.  

The Cube 

talk to the manager or cook on-site. The BBQ sauce and most of the meats and salads are gluten-free,  naturally! 

Slice Parlor Pizza

A relatively new pizza joint in town. Serves a 12" pizza and even has gluten free beer on the menu. It doesn't get much better than that!

El Pinto Restaurant serves up some of Albuquerque's most delicious New Mexican food. You can safely eat chicken tacos, enchiladas and carne adovada. Order from their new gluten free menu and devour the delicious salsa!

If you are traveling to Santa Fe, check out the article published by Living Without Magazine.

My favorites in Santa Fe:

La Choza. You can safely eat the carne adovada (this chile and meat is not made with wheat flour). Pinto beans and Posole. Delish!

Vinaigrette Salad Bistro. Speak to the staff. They are accommodating to those with special dietary needs. I love the Apple Cheddar chop salad. Just make sure your meat is NOT marinated.

Tree House Bakery. All vegetarian and very tasty. Go on Tuesday- it's gluten free special day!

Revolution Bakery. This place is amazing. It's entirely gluten-free. Pick up your bread, cinnamon rolls, hot coffee, scones, pizza etc... and don't worry about gluten-contamination at all! WOO HOO!

Gluten Free in Switzerland and Italy

Traveling used to be so incredibly simple for me. I would find food at ease and go to whatever restaurant I wanted to, when I was hungry. Of course I didn't feel well afterwards, but it sure seemed simpler! Today, I google, I call, I feel nervous, I google some more, then it all seems to work out. I had the most awesome vacation a few weeks ago where I spent time on the Italian Riviera (Rapallo, Portofino, Santa Margherita, Camogli and the Cinque Terre) and in Switzerland (Zurich, Bern, Lucern, and Baden).  

Italy is hip to gluten intolerance and celiac disease. It's not hard to find food in most grocery stores and pharmacy's that cater to the gluten free traveler. Switzerland was a bit harder, but in the end totally do-able. I have to admit, when I see a food market, a pharmacy or other food vendor, I always have to check to see what they offer. I am sure my travel companions get tired of me always stopping in to check out the markets! I have found that is is absolutely necessary to have a hotel or apartment with a kitchenette when traveling abroad. Going out to eat should be a treat, not a chore. I cooked everyday while on the trip, but I was never deprived. Everyday I made myself a Nutella rice-cake sandwich to enjoy while others were having chocolate croissants. I packed a lunch with gluten-free Shar bread. I devoured the cheese and yoghurt in Switzerland and I had my fair share of chocolate bars, fresh olives and cappuccinos in Italy. I didn't get sick and I didn't feel hungry...not once.

 

Here are some tips and a list of awesome places to get some good food in Italy and Switzerland. 

Plan your stays in various cities based on the open air food markets. These are delectable and honestly, you wont find better produce. Sweet cherries, peaches, nectarines, strawberries and apples were in abundance and all grown in Italy. It was heaven. We stayed in the Ligurian region. Markets are held daily. http://www.initaly.com/regions/liguria/markets.htm  

Billa Supermarket- Rapallo, Italy

I stocked up on fresh pesto, gluten free penne pasta, fresh mozzarella cheese, veggies and chocolate from this market. Salami and other cured meats are labeled gluten-free (senza glutine)

Ristorante Da Paolo, Camogli, Italy

I've been to this restaurant three times and they always know what to do. I believe the chef has Celiac disease. The meal is pricy, but worth it. I recommend going at lunch, but make a reservation! Fresh grilled calamari with olive oil, herbs and garlic, with a insalata mista was fantastic!

Ristorante Da Paolo, Via S. Fortunato 14, Camogli

Tel: 0185.773595

Restaurant Il Cancello, Portofino, Italy. This restaurant is at the Palace hotel offers gluten free meals.

Kerala Indian Restaurant, Zurich, Switzerland. This restaurant treated me like a queen. They have an incredible amount of gluten free items on the menu and were very proud and sure of providing me a safe meal. On top of all the good service, the food is excellent. Our meal included vegetable pakora (made with chickpea flour), tandoori chicken, malabari chicken curry, aloo gobi vegetables and a indian pudding with cardamom and coconut milk for dessert. Yum. Yum. Yum. 

Muller Vital Shop, Zurich, Switzerland- I was able to buy a selection of breads, rice-cakes, musili, and snacks from here. This is great place to supplement your fruits, veggies and yogurt which are abundant in Zurich. 

The  Drogerie +Reformhaus +Naturheilpraxis in Stein-am-Rhein, Switzerland sells a selection of GF products, including a few gluten free baked goods. 

The Marinello market in Rail City (main Zurich train station) carries a selection of gluten free bratwurst and sausages. They are all delicious! Just read the fine print on the allergen statement. Marinello is even open on Sunday, as everything else seems to be closed! 

Other grocery stores in Switzerland were my lifesaver. I went to either the Coop and Migros daily. They are found in almost every town and you can stock up on the best yogurt you will ever eat plus meats, cheeses, fruits, veggies and nuts. 

GF pasta with pesto, spicy sausage, 

wilted spinach and fresh mozzarella

Gluten Free in Dallas, TX

I was in Dallas over the weekend for a wedding and was very worried that I would be eating steak and potatoes for the entire three days! First let me say, not surprisingly Dallas is not anything like Boulder. The more I travel as a celiac, the more I realize what a special place I live in and how easy I have it. In Dallas, there were a couple times when a waiter looked at me funny and didn't really understand what I was trying to explain. I was given a salad with croutons, which I returned. Then received a different salad, still with croutons. Eventually, I was give an salad without croutons, but with crumbs all over the place. It was obvious that they had just removed the bread from the salad. Needless to say, I never did get a clean salad and I sure didn't eat one that was contaminated. I had fruit instead.

It wasn't all doom and gloom for my culinary experience... I found LOVE at Kozy Kitchen. This place is awesome. They make their own GF whole grain bread, have grass fed organic buffalo burgers and even have a huge selection of cakes, which are ALL gluten free. Heaven. Heaven. Heaven. This is a restaurant where the food is flavorful, fresh and not only for those on a GF diet.  I wish I would have spent more time at Kozy. Another good thing about Dallas is that you can always hunt down a Whole Foods. Sure this takes planning, but it's well worth the time.  For a quick bite or lunch, Jason's Deli offers a gluten free menu. Nothing spectacular, but when you need fuel, a sandwich does the trick! I had a wonderful weekend, but I am happy to be back in Boulder, the gluten-free mecca.

Kozy Kitchen
Jason's Deli
Whole Foods Market
Wholesome Foods Bakery

The Kozy Kitchen

Grass fed buffalo burger, with sauteed seasonal 

veggies, raw cheddar cheese and mustard

the Oh My God Cake!

(white chocolate, peanut butter, chocolate, etc, etc, etc)

I only had one steak while in TX, but here are a few other restaurants which cater to the gluten free crowd! 

Outback Steakhouse

Texas Land and Cattle

Kona Grill

Fish City Grill

Gluten-Free in Stockholm, Sweden

I was lucky enough to spend a week in Stockholm recently. In Sweden, celiac disease and eating gluten free is well accepted and the blank stares of confusion are rare at restaurants! I did my research before going on the trip about where to eat and shop for food. I highly recommend visiting the cafe at Junibacken museum. They have many gluten free options including a Swedish meatball, mashed potato and lingonberry dish that was fantastic!

Swedish Meatballs

                                                      an enormous chocolate dipped macaroon

For fast-food, visit McDonald's for a cheeseburger and fries. The french fries are cooked in clean oil so there is no risk for cross contamination with breaded items. I have to say- I never really like McDonald's, but I had to try it out in Sweden! The fries were good, the burger still sucks. But if you are like many people, and really love and really miss McDonald's, take a vacation to Stockholm.

Other fast food options include the Taco Bar. I'm from New Mexico, so my opinion of eating Mexican food in Stockholm is quite biased. But to give the restaurant credit, almost everything on the menu is gluten free, including the tacos and enchiladas. Dinner for 2 was about 120sek. Not too bad! The salsa was mild but extra jalapenos perked up my chicken tacos.

Stockholm is not cheap. For a decadent and tasty meal try out the Vassa Eggen Steakhouse. This hip bar and steakhouse was extremely accommodating. I was able to have warm gluten free bread, Swedish boiled potatoes and a beautifully charcoal grilled steak topped with roasted garlic and red wine sauce. Yum. Plan on spending about 350sek for 2 people.

One of the best meals we had was at Lao Wei. This ever popular Chinese vegetarian restaurant fills up very quickly, but it's well worth the attempt of getting a table! The whole menu is gluten free and vegetarian. The flavors are fantastic and the ingredients are fresh! Highly recommended. 

So good, we forgot to take a photo before eating!

Another great restaurant is the  Resturang Cypern. The menu is clearly marked of what items are gluten free. Plus it was really tasty Mediterranean food. We enjoyed the food and relaxed atmosphere so much, that we had dinner here two times. 

                                                           Chicken Kebabs with Greek Salad

Ikea cafe- when in Stockholm, don't forget to visit the Ikea mothership. Almondy tortes are sold in the cafes and in the freezer section of the store. I enjoyed a slice of almond torte and a cappuccino at the cafe. It was well worth the 20 min free bus ride from downtown.

One of the best places to have a lunch or an afternoon snack is the Vete-Katten bakery. They serve "Friends of Adam" gluten free muffins and bread. You can have a wonderful sandwich on gluten free bread, a sweet muffin and a hot cup of tea. This place is awesome. It's comforting and beautiful all at the same time. I was able to read and people watch one rainy afternoon. Absolute bliss.

                                                     Cardamom Muffin by Friends of Adam

                                                     Feta and Cottage Cheese Sandwich

Many hotel chains offer a gluten free breakfast. We stayed at the Elite Stockholm Arcadia Hotel- the continental breakfast included boiled eggs, cheese, variety of meats, fresh fruit, and gluten free bread- just ask the breakfast staff!

Grocery stores are always a life saver. I found a great selection of GF bread, cookies, crackers, cereals and other snacks at Hemkop. I bought bread and sandwich fixings to take my lunch on the go. This saves money and ensures you always have a safe meal to eat when out and about.

                                                     Ham and swiss cheese on Shar Bread

Eating gluten-free in Stockholm is about as easy as eating in Boulder, Co. It's a gluten-free playground and I would be more than happy to visit again!

Suki Thai Noodle House in Boulder

A few weeks ago I received a newsletter from Boulder County Celiacs. Featured was Suki Thai,  a restaurant that has almost an entirely gluten free menu (the vegetarian pad thai sauce and kids mac & cheese are not gluten free).  I was thrilled to read about a place in which the risk of cross contamination would be very slim. We headed out to have lunch at Suki Thai. The professor (who loves all things glutenous) and I were both extremely pleased with our meal;  it was simple, delicious and cheap! The food is fresh and cooked to order. Gluten free food is often more expensive and it seems these days there is always an up-charge on gluten free products in restaurants. This restaurant is across the board affordable and very tasty. It is wonderful to have a great dish for $6.50! 

                                                 Fried tofu noodle bowl with fresh veggies, 

                                                   daikon, corn, cilantro and lemongrass

                                             Chicken Pad Thai made with egg, bean sprouts, 

                                                   peanuts, scallions and fresh rice noodles

Fresh Thai iced tea

Finding Solace in the Kitchen with Foods that Heal

Everyday I have to think about eating a meal that is safe. Every time I go out to eat I have to explain my situation. Sometimes I feel silly, other times I feel like a burden but most of all, I hope that one more person will be educated about gluten intolerance and in the long run, life will be a lot easier! I had the pleasure of telling my story to WalkAbout Magazine in the hopes that even more people will learn about celiac disease and the importance of eating gluten free and thriving!

Please check out the story here. 

Tea Time!

One of my favorite pastimes is sipping a hot cup of tea. I enjoy the warm comfort of tea in the morning, in the afternoons and sometimes before bed. I've been drinking tea for as long as I can remember. When I was very small, I would have afternoon tea with my great-grandmother, with a lot of cream and sugar added! And to this day, I still love a hot cup of earl grey with cream and sugar in a beautiful teacup.  Before I was diagnosed with celiac disease I would drink a daily dose of "stomach ease" tea in attempt to feel better. Little to my knowledge it was most likely making me feel worse! Yogi Stomach Ease Tea contains barley malt (as do 3 other flavors, including the fasting tea, calming tea, and kava stress relief.). Barley malt is not gluten free, so make sure to read all of your tea labels. Some of my favorite (gluten-free) teas include:

Celestial Seasonings: Tension Tamer and Mint Magic are wonderfully soothing teas.  Search for your favorite flavor and check the gluten status on the website.

Stash Teas: I love the Earl Grey, however all of the flavorings used do not contain any gluten. That's right, all the tea blends from Stash are gluten free :)

Mighty Leaf Teas: all teas from Mighty Leaf are free of gluten. No wheat, barley or rye, however they do have a disclaimer saying that some of the tea may be at risk for cross-contamination due to the facility where the tea is processed. hmm. Drink at your own risk! I drink the Organic English Breakfast and Orange Dulce without any issue. As an added bonus, all the tea pouch is biodegradable.

Two Leaves and a Bud, Tea Company: this tea company is fantastic. It's based out of Colorado and all of the teas are organic. The teas is packaged in beautiful little sachets that are environmentally friendly and of course are all gluten-free. Happy sipping!

Product Review: Lillabee Anytime Muffin Mix

These muffins are delicious! They are light, fluffy and simply take on whatever flavor you add. I love cinnamon, so naturally I turned this fantastic muffin mix into cinnamon-apple muffins. The mix makes 12 muffins, which did not last very long in my house. I had them for breakfast and snack. Try them out, you won't be disappointed. You can order online at Lillabee or find them at the Boulder Farmers Market. Be creative with your add-ins!

Additional ingredients needed

2 eggs

1/4 cup + 2 tbs butter (or non-dairy alternative)

1 tsp gluten free vanilla extract

3/4 cup milk (or non-dairy alternative) 

2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1 apple, peeled and chopped

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

Follow the directions on the insert of the mix to make these scrumptious muffins (make sure to add cinnamon to the dry mix)! 

Product Review: Lillabee Allergy Friendly Baking Mix

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Jared from the Lillabee, Allergy Friendly Baking company. I first discovered Lillabee in August on a trip to the  Boulder farmers market and was thrilled to see and sample such a wonderful chocolaty brownie mix. These products are great for people who don't have a lot of time (or want) to make flour blends from scratch. They are simple to make, taste delicious and are free of gluten, oats, nuts, dairy and soy! To make the products even more appealing to the health conscious crowd-- all the mixes steer clear of genetically modified organisms (GMO's).  I've made a great birthday cake using the yellow cake mix and everyone seemed to enjoy the sweet taste and light texture.  I am excited to try out additional products by Lillabee, so here we go...!

These waffles are a breeze to make and are a great for breakfast or an afternoon snack.

Gluten Free Cinnamon Waffles with Peaches

1 cup Lillabee pancake/waffle mix
1 egg
2/3 cup milk or non-dairy beverage
1 tsp gluten free vanilla extract
1 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup fresh or frozen fruit ( I used peaches from High Country Orchards that I had packed and froze from  the summer crop)

Follow directions on the package insert from the Lillabee mix with the exception of adding cinnamon. Bake according to your waffle maker's manufacturer directions and top with fresh fruit! Delish!

Gluten-Free in LA (South Bay Area)

On a recent trip to Los Angeles (the South Bay area) I was pleasantly surprised how easy it was to eat healthy,  gluten-free food...with some preparation of course! Staying at a bed and breakfast turned out to be fabulous! Richard and Susan Egan, owners of "By the Beach" in Redondo Beach were extremely accommodating to my dietary needs and were excellent cooks. My daily gluten free breakfast included fresh poached eggs with tomatoes and greens. A variety of fresh fruit (mangos, pineapple, pears, cherries, bananas, kiwis), artisan cheese, coffee and orange juice. It was just perfect. The room also had a small kitchenette where I could store additional snacks and make lunches in order to be prepared for a day at the beach or a long wait in LA traffic! I would highly recommend this B&B for the Celiac traveler or any traveler. It was comforting, clean, quiet and our hosts were extremely welcoming. 

gluten free breakfast on the patio

the backyard of the B&B

In El Segundo, we discovered a  restaurant that was full of flavor and reasonably priced. The self proclaimed "urban country" food did not disappoint at the Farm Stand. Fresh flavors of the Mediterranean infuse the food and the happy hour wine is a big plus. I'm always a little nervous trying out new restaurants, but the  staff at the Farm Stand  is aware of the importance of gluten contamination and I was able to eat safely. I would recommend the herb salmon with roasted veggies and rice pilaf or the lemony roasted chicken with a tart cherry pilaf and veggies. Yummy! I was also able to have some really good meals at the Whole Foods in El Segundo. The prepared foods area is remarkable! Other restaurants in the area include, Chipotle Mexican Grill, Outback Steakhouse, and The Green Temple Vegetarian Restaurant. For a delicious dessert, try Pinkberry frozen yogurt with fresh fruit.  Trader Joe's is also a gluten-free paradise and I was able to pick up a lot of snack foods here. It's always nice to return home from a trip healthy and happy! Cheers to L.A! 

Pinkberry mango frozen yogurt topped with 

blood oranges, raspberries and chocolate chips