Gluten Free in D.C.

New Website! Gluten Freedom

2009-10-08T14:32:00.003-04:00

I hope you'll check out my new website, Gluten Freedom. It's got recipes, restaurant and product reviews, as well as gluten-free advice. Thanks for all of your support!

Whole Foods Gluten Free Pie Crust: Two Ways

2009-09-18T08:06:00.001-04:00

This weekend I created two meals using Whole Foods' Gluten Free Bakehouse pie crusts. I had not yet used this product and it did not disappoint. We’ll be eating the leftovers tonight!

Both of these recipes are two of my favorite meals from my pre-celiac days and they are naturally gluten free, except for the pie crust. The Whole Foods crust worked perfectly with both meals and my non-celiac friends couldn’t tell the difference.

Tomato Pie: This pie is perfect for Atlanta right now, since you can get gorgeous tomatoes at your local farmers’ market. You should not make this pie unless you have great tomatoes…grocery store tomatoes will make for a mediocre pie. This meal is a family favorite from growing up on the Eastern Shore of Virginia. As you’ll see, this is an incredibly simple, yet delicious recipe.

Directions:

- Cook GF pie crust at 350 for 15 minutes and let cool
- Peel four large tomatoes and cut into thick slices (have extra tomatoes in case you need more)
- Put first layer in cooled pie crust (use small pieces of tomatoes to fill in gaps), and sprinkle with chives, basil, salt and pepper
- Repeat for second layer
- Mix one cup of Hellman’s mayo and one cup of shredded cheddar cheese and spread over top of tomatoes
- Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes (the mayo/cheese layer of the pie will start to brown)

Quiche: A great meal for Sunday brunch entertaining, I made the quiche in the morning and then reheated it for about ten minutes once our guests arrived. I served it with a simple mixed green salad and strawberries. Nothing too complicated, but looked pretty on the plate.

Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Cook 4 oz. of Hormel bacon , cut into ½ inch pieces. Remove from heat and drain grease.
- Glaze pie crust with egg yolk.
- Stir together 4 lightly beaten eggs, 1 cup 2% milk, and 1 cup cheese. Add ½ t. salt and ¼ t. pepper.
- Add bacon to mixture and pour into pie crust.
- Cook for 35 minutes, or until the top starts to brown.

Notes about the crust: The crust tasted great and very much like pie crust, but it did seem a little salty to me. I have not yet used this crust to make a sweet pie so I’m not sure what it will taste like with something sweet baked in it. Also, the edge of the crust did not ‘brown’ as much as I would like (even when basting it with egg yolk) so I might adjust the temperature a little bit in the future. Two pie crusts come in a package and the sell for around $5.99. I think this is a very reasonable price. The crusts keep in your freezer indefinitely, but you want the crust to get to room temperature before you start baking. The crust also reheats well when eating leftovers.

Thank you Whole Foods for making a pie crust to help us GF eaters make yummy, quick and savory meals!

Washington Post Article About Celiac

2009-09-01T08:29:00.002-04:00

Celiac Disease is getting more and more publicity, which is great because I believe it will help get more people diagnosed. Today's Washington Post featured an article about Celiac.

Check it out! 'No Wheat, No Rye, No Barley: No Problem!

Things I Love: Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Oats

2009-09-01T07:55:00.001-04:00

I love oats and Bob’s Red Mill now produces oats that are certified gluten free. (Make sure you purchase the GF oats…it’s clearly labeled on the bag.)

What I use them for:
- Making homemade granola (recipe still to come…mines not as good as my mother-in-laws)
- Making Monster Cookies
- To add to a topping for a fruit cobbler

- A hearty breakfast in the winter

Why I love it: While oats have been controversial in the past in regard to their gluten content, Bob’s are certified and good to go. Oats were one of the foods I missed the most when first diagnosed and now I don’t have to miss out on them anymore. When following a recipe using oats, you don’t have to change it at all. They cook the same as any other oats.

Shortcoming(s):
- More expensive than non-certified gluten free oats, but unfortunately that’s not unusual in the GF world.
- Sometimes can be difficult to find in stores. Good news! Kroger on Howell Mill Road carries them as does the Buckhead Whole Foods.

Gluten Free Meals From non-GF Bloggers

2009-08-20T12:52:00.005-04:00

More and more people are making gluten free meals! Check out this blogger and the gluten free summer dinner party she created. (Just skip the bread!)

No More Bodo's: Gluten Free Trips to Charlottesville, VA

2009-08-18T14:03:00.005-04:00

David and I’ve gotten to partake in some great trips together this summer and shared many delicious meals. Once David finished the Bar in July, we decided to meet up for a few days in Charlottesville, Virginia. Both graduates of UVA, David and I love Charlottesville. For those of you that have been to Charlottesville, unfortunately many of the places we loved so much in college are based around bread…Bel Air sandwiches, Bodos’ bagels, and Take it Away bread ends with house dressing are just a few of the places I can no longer go…well, I still go there and just watch David eat our old favorites!

Needless to say, we’ve had to explore new options when we go to Charlottesville now. While it was tricky at first, we’ve found some yummy, gluten free alternatives and rediscovered old places with our new gluten free perspective. Sadly, I don’t think Bodo’s will ever be gluten free!

So I arrived in Charlottesville, eager to meet up with David who is coming from Roanoke where he took the Bar. For dinner that night, we decided to go to one of our favorite restaurants from our college days, Duner's Restaurant. Located on Route 250, five miles west of Charlottesville, Duner’s is small and does not take reservations, but it is totally worth the potential wait.

I was amazed at what a large menu they had and the wait staff was extremely friendly and encouraged me to decide what I wanted to order. I made my selections and the waitress told me that the chef would definitely be able to produce gluten free versions of my choices. Not only did she ensure that my meal would be gluten free, but she also said they could make David’s gluten free as well. For those gluten free eaters out there you know what a treat it is to be able to eat off of someone else’s plate at a restaurant!

The meal was absolutely delicious and I thoroughly enjoyed everything I ordered as well as David’s! We shared grilled sea scallops for our appetizer that were prepared with a summer squash salsa on top. For my main course I chose rack of lamb with sun dried tomato pesto. The menu listed the rack of lamb as ‘parmesan crusted’ so the chef just left off the crust and sprinkled some parmesan on top. It was perfectly prepared and the sun dried tomato pesto went perfectly with the lamb. David ordered the grilled ribeye steak and it too was perfectly flavored. The chef put the sauce for the ribeye (which was not gluten free) on the side for him so I could try it. I personally think I out ordered David but both meals were unique, flavor and delicious! The wait staff was very knowledgeable about gluten and definitely willing to accommodate their gluten free customer.

The next morning David and I ventured out for our morning coffee. Since being diagnosed with celiac disease, I’ve discovered a Charlottesville bakery called Baker's Palate that makes gluten free muffins. My personal favorite are their pumpkin muffins, but they also make banana muffins. Located close to the Downtown Mall, we stopped in to stock up. They keep their gluten free muffins in the freezer, so they’re not freshly baked each day but they’re still delicious. I would suggest heating them up before you dive in. The owner pointed out to me that she makes the gluten free pumpkin muffins with raisins. Note: if you are ever at Baker’s Palate and they serve you a pumpkin muffin without raisins, it’s NOT gluten free. Just a heads up!

Baker’s Palate also sells their gluten free muffins at Java Java coffee shop on the Downtown Mall (421 E. Main St.), but sometimes they’re sold out and they never have more than a few. In the past I’ve gotten a bunch of muffins at Baker’s Palate and stuck them in the freezer. They freeze really well; just reheat them in the oven.

As any good vacation goes, by the time you finish coffee and breakfast, you’re thinking about your next meal. Lunch is tough in Charlottesville with no more Bel Air or Take it Away, but we’ve discovered (thanks to Gluten Free Bird), The Flat Creperie on the Downtown Mall. At The Flat you can order buckwheat crepes that are gluten free. They serve both sweet and savory crepes at this crepe stand.

While delicious and filling, The Flat is not a fine dining experience. It’s often very busy and the only potential seating can be found on benches outside. Being that there are cramped quarters in the kitchen, I do worry about contamination but they wipe down the crepe makers before they make a buckwheat crepe and all of their ingredients you can get inside the crepes are gluten free. I’m very sensitive to gluten, but in the three times I’ve eaten at the Flat, I’ve never gotten sick. My personal favorite is a buckwheat crepe with chicken, spinach, cheddar and tomatoes. Yummy! Once I get my crepe I like to take my food and sit on the Downtown Mall. The Flat tends to be quite hot a crowded in their front yard eating area.

Now I’ve saved the best news for last about our trip to Charlottesville. Arch's, the popular frozen yogurt spot, is gluten free!! Hooray! I indulged in this dessert twice while on our three day stay. Sadly, you must stay away from all of the toppings (major cross contamination with all of the serving utensils and open area where the mix ins are located) so you can’t get an Archer. I brought my own M&Ms and homemade granola to add to my peanut butter and chocolate swirl frozen treat.

Another fun afternoon treat in Charlottesville are the many vineyards nearby. Our personal favorite is King Family Vineyards, located off of 250 in Crozet. The grounds are beautiful and the UVA polo team plays on the fields on the property. There is plenty of seating outside and they don’t mind at all if you bring your own food. The vineyard also sells cheeses on the premises but you’ll want to bring your own gluten free crackers.

So even though I’ll no longer have a Zazu’s wrap or a Bel Air picnic at Beaver Creek, David and I have found many gluten free alternatives in Charlottesville as we stayed well fed during our Charlottesville visit.

Gluten Free in DC Heads South

2009-08-17T15:14:00.003-04:00

This summer has been a time of change and transition for David and me. In May David completed law school and in June I finished up teaching for the summer. While David buckled down to study for the Bar, I prepared for our move to Atlanta. Yes, that’s right. We’re heading south! We’re moving to Georgia for a year and then the plan is that we’ll be back in DC in September 2010.

I moved our stuff to Atlanta in mid-July while David took the Virginia Bar. I flew back up to DC after the Bar and we’ve had some great mini-trips with lots of delicious food between then and now. I’ll be blogging about some of these feasts throughout Virginia, North Carolina and Georgia soon.

My plan for the next 12 months is to continue updating on Gluten Free in DC as both of our families and many friends are still in the Washington area so we’ll be making trips back to the District and the Commonwealth of Virginia throughout the year.

While in Atlanta I’ll also be blogging at a new address:

www.GlutenFreedomAtlanta.blogspot.com

Please check out the new blog and pass it along to friends that in the Atlanta area.
Thanks for continuing to follow Gluten Free in DC!

Pete's APizza in DC Offers GF crust

2009-08-05T08:07:00.003-04:00

On Sunday night, David and I had dinner with our friends, Chris and Molly at their DC home. Molly and Chris are always eager to try new gluten free options and they had discovered that Pete's New Haven Style Apizza (located near the Columbia Heights metro) offers a gluten free crust.

When we called to ask about the preparation of the crust and pizza, they were very knowledgeable about contamination, telling us that the pizza crust is cooked halfway in a separate oven and then when a GF crust is ordered, they put it in the oven with the other pizzas, but on a special baking stone for just GF orders. (It always makes me feel better and more confident in the food when the manager clearly understands the need to be cautious in preparing the food, not just the ingredients.)

The pizza was delivered to Molly and Chris' house and we thoroughly enjoyed the crispy crust. Pete's gluten free crust is a thinner, crispier crust with a great crunch. The only problem is there are so many topping options to choose. The only toppings that contain gluten are the fried eggplant and meatballs, but the rest are gluten free friendly. David and I shared the Nighthawk pizza which is topped with basil pesto, grilled chicken, wild mushrooms, caramelized onions and mozzarella. Delicious! I look forward to trying the New Haven Green (artichoke hearts, oven dried tomatoes, sauteed spinach and olives) next time!

Pete's New Haven APizza

1400 Irving Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
202-332-PETE (7383)

Cooking with Summer Squash

2009-08-03T09:04:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite summer foods is squash. You can find squash easily and in great quantities during Washington, D.C. summers. Last summer I shared a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) with my sister-in-law, Alden, and we were blessed with all of the squash and zucchini we could imagine.

If you love fresh vegetables and fruit, a CSA is a great idea for the summer. You get a delivery each week from the same farm of whatever vegetables are growing on that farm at that moment. It forced me to cook and experiment with unfamiliar produce such as bok choy but I also learned to make my own pesto (due to the unlimited basil we received for a few weeks) and gluten free zucchini bread. I would recommend sharing a CSA with a good friend because then you don't feel as if you're wasting food when you're out of town on vacation and it's a fun excuse to cook together!

When joining a CSA or going to a local farmer's market, you're guaranteed to encounter plenty of squash. There are many ways to cook squash but today I wanted to share two delicious squash dishes that are family favorites. Both of these dishes are great for entertaining because they don't require much hands on attention once the cooking process begins.

Simple Roasted Summer Squash: This dish is very simple, easy and flavorful and you can make it in small or large quantities (sometimes a CSA will only give you one piece of squash which can be difficult to find a recipe and use for just one).

Ingredients:
Summer squash, sliced into 1/2 inch rounds
Onion, sliced
Olive oil
Salt/pepper
parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Slice squash into 1/2 inch round pieces. (If it's a larger squash/zucchini, I then cut the rounds in half.)
3. Slice up an onion.
4. Place onion and squash on cookie sheet and drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper on top. Mix up onions and squash in olive oil. Lay onions and squash flat on cookie sheet.
5. Cook for 15 minutes then using a spatula, flip onions and squash and cook for another 15 minutes.
6. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and bake for another 2 minutes.
(Note: I like the squash to be nice a browned before taking them out of the oven, but they also taste good when not browned.)

Dot's Squash Casserole: This recipe is my grandmother, Dot's, old recipe. My mom made it last week and I'm going to make it today using squash from my in-law's garden in Linden, VA that is overflowing with summer vegetables right now!

Ingredients:
3 pounds summer squash, chunked
3 medium onions, chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup water
salt & pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
(the original recipe also calls for crumbled crackers on top but we just skip that step now to make it GF! I think it tastes better without it anyways)

Directions:
1. Cook squash & onions with water, sugar, salt and pepper until mashable (about 45 minutes).
2. Beat two eggs lightly.
3. Add milk to eggs and mix well with squash. Add butter and mix.
4. Bake at 325 for about 30 minutes.
This recipe freezes well also!

Enjoy the abundance of squash during the last month of summer! Feel free to add your own squash recipes.

Cherry Blossom Cakes

2009-08-01T09:30:00.003-04:00

This cake maker was featured yesterday in Daily Candy and in May's Gluten Free Examiner. The cakes look yummy and they got rave reviews from non-gluten free eaters as well! I haven't yet tried one of these cakes but hope to soon. I'm always thrilled to see more gluten free options in the DC area.

(Photo from DC Gluten Free Examiner, May 2009)

Cherry Blossom Cakes

Zeer.com: A new way to shop for Gluten Free Foods

2009-07-09T13:18:00.002-04:00

Zeer.com is a website that has over 30,000 products and lists their 'gluten free safety status.' The website has four categories to label foods: labeled as gluten free, contains gluten, appears gluten free, and may contain gluten. When you click on a product, it will tell you the status as well as provide you with products that are similar and gluten free. Zeer.com claims to be very up to date on the latest information regarding celiac disease and the gluten free diet.

There is a monthly subscription fee to Zeer.com and I haven't decided yet if I want to pay for the subscription, but the website is definitely worth checking out. They let you access some of the website without paying the fee so you can get an idea of what it's all about.

Zeer.com

Farm Table Celebration at Evening Star

2009-07-02T10:49:00.002-04:00

When David graduated from law school this spring, we wanted to find a place to celebrate with our families and share a delicious meal together. The owners of Evening Star in Del Ray (one of our favorite restaurants) also own a wine shop next door, called Planet Wine. This shop is beautiful, with dark wood shelves and wines displayed throughout and covering the walls. The owners have put a huge table in Planet Wine, naming it Farm Table. You can reserve the Farm Table for a night and get a special meal created by Evening Star chef, Will Artley, composed of seasonally fresh and local food.

David and I decided to see if we could get a gluten free Farm Table meal for our family during his graduation weekend. I contacted Clare Parker, who organizes reservations for Farm Table and she assured us that Will would be happy to create a gluten free meal for our law school celebration. Clare was super friendly and helpful throughout the reservation and menu planning process.

On Saturday, May 16th we arrived at Planet Wine with parents, brothers, sisters and spouses, and shared an absolutely delicious meal. Even though the meal was over a month ago, I remember it so well. The flavors came together perfectly and we had a great evening of food and togetherness. I have to tell you about the food itself, but just writing about it, will not sufficiently explain just how good it was.

We started with champagne and a canapé of Virginia Oysters on the half shell and beef tartare with spicy jicama and crispy yucca. I must admit that I was a little nervous about beef tartare but it was delicious and the different flavors and textures were perfect. The jicama and yucca acted like a crisp cracker that held the beef tartare.

After the canapé, we sat down and Chef Will Artley came out to chat with us and introduce the meal to us. The first course was a bibb salad with grilled asparagus, caramelized shallots and pancetta deviled egg. Wow! The deviled egg flavor was strong but went perfectly when combined with the asparagus.

For the main course, diners had the two options: grilled sea scallops with spring succotash and carrot emulsion or forever braised lamb shanks with fava bean ristotto. mushrooms and green peppercorn sauce. I went with the lamb shanks and it was quite possibly one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten. Will did a nice job of providing two very different options, so that everyone could find something they would enjoy.

The best part of the meal was dessert, which was of course gluten free! The baker at Buzz made strawberry rhubarb shortcake with vanilla ice cream. What a great finish to the meal!

So now that David’s buried in his study for the Bar Exam, I can’t help but think back to what a fun night we had at Farm Table. A meal made of fresh, delicious, gluten free food and our families together in one place. I love how food brings people together and Farm Table provided the perfect back drop for an evening of celebration.

Thai Shirlington Offers Many GF Options

2009-06-16T15:09:00.003-04:00

Thai Shirlington is another wonderful discovery in the gluten free dining world! The other night I decided to call the restaurant and see if they were familiar with a gluten free diet. Tthe manager I spoke with on the phone told me that they had many gluten free diners and she assured me that they could accommodate my diet.

Thrilled by this news, my friends and I went to Thai Shirlington that evening and the manager was so helpful. She took me through every item on the menu and told me what I could and couldn't have. This was so helpful and it allowed me to know what all of my options were from the beginning. I went with the Panang Perfect and it was delicious as well as naturally gluten free. This meal comes with rice, but their rice noodles are also gluten free. She also knew that soy sauce has gluten in it. Some of the other gluten free items on the menu that I'm eager to try are the green curry chicken and chicken pad thai.

If you go to Thai Shirlington, and I encourage you to do so, just ask for the manager to help you through the menu. They're extremely friendly and the manager assured me that once the waiter took my order, she would follow up with the kitchen.

My friends have gone to many restaurants with me since I started my gluten free life, and one of my friends who was at dinner with me commented that this was one of the best and most helpful restaurants she'd been to with me and she's right! I highly recommend Thai Shirlington if you're in the mood for yummy (and reliably gluten free) Thai food at a very reasonable price!

Thai Shirlington Website

THAI in Shirlington
4029 Campbell Ave
Arlington, VA 22206

703.931.3203

Making Trash with Gluten Free Chex

2009-05-11T11:16:00.004-04:00

Good news! Rice Chex are now officially gluten free, as General Mills has replaced barley malt with molasses in the recipe. Chex also mentions on their website that they actively prevent cross contamination and have tested their Rice Chex for gluten. Thank you, General Mills!

While it’s always nice to have yet another cereal option, I’m even more excited about the fact that I can make one of my favorite and easy to makesweet snacks: Trash.

Yes, the name is a bit odd, but it’s oh so good! You may remember this chocolate, peanut butter, crunchy treat from your childhood, but if you’re not familiar with this simple recipe, you should definitely try it.

Recipe for Trash:

1 stick butter
12 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 c. peanut butter
9 c. Gluten Free Rice Chex
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 white kitchen trash bag (new & clean)

Melt butter, chocolate chips and peanut butter in 3 quart saucepan. Pour cereal into a large bowl. Pour chocolate mixture slowly over cereal. Gently fold mixture over until all the cereal is covered.

In a medium size trash bag pour 1/2 of the powdered sugar. Put cereal mixture on it and pour in the rest of the powdered sugar. Tie top of bag securely and gently shake bag until each cereal is covered with powdered sugar and chocolate. After cooling, place in an airtight container. Will keep for several weeks.

Enjoy!

A Local Treat: The Dairy Godmother

2009-05-07T08:46:00.004-04:00

Today I was craving a delicious frozen treat and I remembered a cute and yummy frozen custard shop in Del Ray called the Dairy Godmother. Since I hadn’t been to the Dairy Godmother since I was diagnosed with celiac, I wasn’t sure exactly what ingredients go into the custard so I decided to email them directly. Within 15 minutes, I had a response from the Dairy Godmother and it was great news!

Here’s the email I received directly from Liz, the owner of the Dairy Godmother:

The custard and sorbets ARE gluten-free.We often have gluten-free cookies such as macaroons and marshmallows that we make.We usually have gluten-free cones as well.

My kids could not have dairy or gluten when they were small so I am very conscious of having something for everyone.

I have quite a few requests for gluten free items. Sometimes the flavor of the day has cake or something with gluten in it so the customer should ask if it has gluten but the gluten is not hidden. It will say "with vanilla wafers" so that people who are used to checking will not be surprised.

Thanks a bunch for asking, Liz

I always love such a confident and thoughtful response! Needless to say I went to the Dairy Godmother last night and it was just as delicious as I remember from my pre-celiac days. I kept it simple, ordering just the chocolate and I brought my own homemade gluten free granola as my topping. While they have M&Ms as a topping I think I’ll just bring my own, out of fear of cross contamination with other toppings. The marshmallows and macaroons looked yummy so I’ll have to go back and try them!

Every day The Dairy Godmother serves chocolate and vanilla custard, but you can check out their adorable website for the flavor of the day. The Dairy Godmother is a great local spot with lots of personality. When you’re looking for a summer treat, The Dairy Godmother is the perfect stop, regardless of whether or not you’re gluten free!

www.thedairygodmother.com

The Dairy Godmother
2310 Mount Vernon Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22301
703.683.7767

Founding Farmers: Bringing local food to the DC restaurant scene

2009-03-15T22:08:00.002-04:00

Having only been open for the past four months, Founding Farmers is already getting a lot of attention from DC diners. I read and heard a lot about Founding Farmers, which boasts its connection to the farmers that harvest the restaurant’s food as well as being a LEED Certified Green Restaurant. When I first learned about Founding Farmers, I knew I wanted to check it out and learn more about their goals as well as sample their potentially celiac-friendly food.

I love the idea of knowing where my food comes from and how an entrée literally gets ‘from farm to table.’ I’m definitely one of those suckers for books like Omnivore’s Dilemma (Michael Pollan) and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (Barbara Kingsolver) and my dream is to start a restaurant/gluten free bakery in Charlottesville or Linden, VA that only uses local produce and meat. So Founding Farmers is the fancy-urbanite version of my dream life.

My love for things natural and local definitely became much more pronounced after my celiac diagnosis because I immediately began to think more about:

1. What was in my food
2. Where my food came from
3. The flavors of the food I could eat

Upon learning about Founding Farmers, my hope was that they would be able and willing to accommodate my gluten free diet. I figured anyone who cares so much about ingredients and farms should be willing to make adjustments for those with allergies and be knowledgeable about the ingredients in their dishes. Fortunately, my assumption was correct!

David called early in the week to make reservations for Friday night. They only offered 5:30 and 9:00 reservations so we decided just to go without reservations and we were seated in under 30 minutes. We had a drink at the bar while we waited and it was very crowded and a bit difficult to get a drink, but not obnoxiously crowded and everyone was friendly so I didn’t mind too much. All of FF’s wines are organic and they have a lot of fun drinks. They even serve absinthe…I didn’t know if that was gluten free or not. An added bonus about Founding Farmers is that it was easy to find street parking, which is not always the case when going to DC restaurants.

Despite it being a busy Friday night, the wait staff was extremely friendly and chatty. I definitely felt good about their knowledge of gluten as well as their understanding of what was in the food. For example, the waiter immediately knew that I could not have the tomato soup. Our waiter(s) encouraged me to choose what I wanted and they would work hard to make changes to it so that it could be gluten free. I always love that response!

For a fancy restaurant, the menu is quite large and there are overwhelmingly, many options from which to choose. The menu also changes frequently so you’ll just have to communicate with the waiter about your options, but I can guarantee you there will be plenty of choices for entrees. (Appetizers were a bit more limited.) I selected the lemon meuniere diver scallops with pumpkin risotto for my dinner and I was not disappointed. The only change the chef had to make was not to use flour when searing the scallops. The sauce was naturally GF as was the risotto! The sauce was full of flavor and it mixed perfectly with the risotto. I ate every bite of my dish but did not feel too full when I finished.

I strongly recommend Founding Farmers as the staff was extremely friendly and willing to provide me with the food I wanted to eat. We had multiple waiters over the course of the evening but they all knew my dietary needs and didn’t seem to mind, despite it being a busy night. Some people have criticized the menu being too big, but I think a lengthy menu is a good thing for gluten free diners because it gives us more options!

And of course the "wanna be, organic farmer/baker" in me loves the idea of natural and simple foods that haven’t traveled across the globe to get to my plate.
Enjoy Founding Farmers for breakfast, lunch or dinner!

Founding Farmers:

1924 Pennsylvania Ave, NW (IMF HQ2)
Washington DC 20006
202.822.TRUE (8783)

www.wearefoundingfarmers.com

It's not about what I can't have...

2009-03-06T10:07:00.003-05:00

When people first learn about the restrictive diet I must follow due to my celiac diagnosis, they often give one of the following responses: “That’s awful!” or “I can’t think of anything worse!” Even though the diet can be tricky, there are many worse diagnoses than celiac disease and I feel blessed to have my health back (most of the time) and a disease that I can control simply by my diet.

Instead of spending time thinking about the foods that I can no longer eat, I try to embrace the delicious items that I can enjoy that make me feel good!

My diagnosis has made me appreciate food more than I ever did, particularly now that I don’t live in fear of being sick every time I eat. David and I love being in the kitchen and we definitely keep a stocked pantry of naturally gluten free foods. I’m now a firm believer in getting quality foods and ingredients that will provide the most flavor.

Here are some of my favorite foods to have in the house:

Blanchard’s Coffee: There’s nothing I enjoy more than a lazy morning with a good cup(s) of coffee. I’ve definitely become a coffee snob and I love freshly roasted coffee. My favorite coffee brand is Blanchard’s Coffee. They’re located in Richmond, VA and they freshly roast all of their coffee. You can order their very reasonably priced coffee online or if you’re lucky enough to live in Richmond, they sell it in Ukrop’s. The flavor and aroma of Blanchard’s coffee puts Starbuck’s to shame! The Ethiopian Yergacheffe is my personal favorite.

Check out the Blanchard’s Coffee website: Blanchard's Coffee

Blueberries: In the final stretch of winter, I long for the summer farmer’s markets and the fresh fruits and vegetables to be purchased! In the cold winter months, I’m still happy to splurge on a container of blueberries at the grocery store. While the flavor is not quite the same as local produce, I love any snack or meal with blueberries. Yogurt (I use Stonyfield Farms brand) and blueberries topped with granola is a favorite snack, but my all time favorite food with blueberries are pancakes.

I’m inspired to write today because of the blueberry pancakes David made this morning using Pamela’s Baking Mix. The pancakes are delicious and a perfect way to spend a morning on spring break! David has mastered the art of gluten free pancake making and today he made waffles for the first time as well. Of course we enjoyed Blanchard’s Coffee with the pancakes! (If we don’t have blueberries in the house when making pancakes, David adds bananas and chocolate chips to the mix.)

Aunt Ruby’s Peanuts: I love peanuts and I don’t know what I would do if peanuts weren’t gluten free! Aunt Ruby’s peanuts are crunchy, salty and very flavorful. This North Carolina company sells peanuts that are packed with yumminess! Their prices are very reasonable and you can freeze them so they last for a long time if you buy in bulk for the best prices. The Country Style peanuts are a staple cocktail hour snack for us.

Aunt Ruby’s: Aunt Ruby's Peanuts

Feel free to share some of the many foods you enjoy! Remember, it’s not about what we can’t have; it’s about embracing all of the delicious food we can eat.

Traveling? Your guide to gluten free blogs!

2009-03-04T08:22:00.009-05:00

I must give my husband, David, credit for this discovery. If you click on the following link, it will show you a map that's marked with the location of gluten free blogs throughout the country. When you click on the link below, it will look like it's just a blank map, but if you click on the map, then thumbtacks will provide you with the locations and you can click on the individual thumbtacks for details.

This is so useful if you're planning on traveling and want to find restaurants, stores, or resources that are accommodating for the gluten free diet. Since I'm going to Atlanta next week, I just found multiple Atlanta gluten free blogs that will help me make my dinner plans!

Gluten Free Blogs across the country

Check it out and let me know what you find!

Gluten Free Cupcakes in Shirlington

2009-02-25T10:37:00.001-05:00

Great news! The bakery, CakeLove, is now offering gluten free cupcakes at their Shirlington location. This fancy bakery sells four varieties of gluten free cupcakes (chocolate or yellow cake and vanilla or chocolate icing). These cupcakes taste different from Buzz cupcakes as the icing is a bit denser and the texture of the cake itself is different. The cupcakes are also bigger than Buzz, which I like! That being said, I enjoy both stores’ baked goods so I wouldn’t necessarily recommend one over the other.

The people that work at CakeLove also know to put the GF cupcakes in a separate container if you order them with glutinous cupcakes so they are aware of contamination.

Having now sampled all of the flavor varieties at CakeLove, my preference is the chocolate cake with vanilla icing. You should refrigerate the cupcakes until you eat them. I like to take thecupcakes out of the fridge in advance or put it in the microwave for a few seconds. (Don’t microwave for too long because the icing will melt!)

Individual cupcakes cost $3.50 each. You may also order two layer gluten free cakes, but they ask for four days notice. Enjoy!

Here’s what they say on the CakeLove website about gluten free baking:

"Baking without wheat flour, the very foundation of baking, was a real challenge. My goal was to create not just gluten-free* sweets, but gluten-free sweets that tasted just as good as any other CakeLove product. Happily, during the process I produced great gluten-free cakes and pastries, and I became a better baker." - Mary

About Gluten-Free products: Celiac disease, also known as gluten allergy, is a genetic disorder that causes gas and severe pain in the stomach and intestines. Those affected are not able to break down gluten, a protein that's in wheat flour, oats, and barley. The only treatment for this disorder is to totally avoid foods with gluten. Our regular products are made with wheat flour and have gluten. On our Green Label we use our own custom mix of starches and non-gluten flours. Recipes may contain: potato starch, brown rice flour, garbanzo bean flour, rice flour, sweet rice flour or tapioca flour.

Cake Love:
4150 Campbell Ave. Suite 105
(formerly South 28th St.)*
Arlington, Virginia 22206

Z Pizza in Alexandria Goes Gluten Free

2009-02-24T08:06:00.003-05:00

Great news! Z Pizza now has a gluten free pie crust. The crust is light and delicious. While I love the Rustico crust as well, Z Pizza's seems to be more of a rice flour as opposed to the chickpea flour crust at Rustico. The Z Pizza crust is thinner and lighter in texture.

Z Pizza is not serving gluten free crusts at all of their locations yet, but their Alexandria franchise on Duke Street now has it. David and I were particularly excited about this new food option because Z Pizza offers takeout and my family loves Z Pizza. When people invite us over for dinner, I often feel like I don't have good options to tell them of things they can feed me, so Z Pizza is a perfect option, particularly for friends who don't cook much.

We ordered Z Pizza last week and asked all of the usual 'gluten free questions' of the manager. They make and bake their gluten free crusts in a separate part of the store AND they use separate toppings to put on the pizzas. I didn't inquire as to whether all of the topping options are gluten free, so I kept it simple and ordered a pizza with veggies (the California pizza). Z Pizza uses fresh ingredients, many of which are organic. The pizza was flavorful, delicious and I didn't get sick! The pizza also reheated well the next day so I enjoyed it for lunch too.

Enjoy! Let me know if you try any of the other toppings offered at Z Pizza.

Z Pizza
3217 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.600.1193
www.zpizza.com

Honey Mustard Chicken: A simple winter dish

2009-01-15T09:14:00.001-05:00

If you’ve ever eaten at my house or my mother’s, you’ve probably enjoyed honey mustard chicken. This dish is so easy and naturally gluten free! It’s a perfect meal for a winter evening, and takes very little prep time. I often serve this when entertaining because once you get it in the oven, there’s very little work to be done.

Ingredients:
2-6 Boneless chicken breasts (depending on how many people you’re hosting)
½ stick butter
¼ cup honey
¼ cup Dijon mustard
½ -1 teaspoon curry powder

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325.
Melt butter over low heat. Remove from burner.
While melted butter is still warm, stir in honey until it mixes with butter. Repeat with mustard. Stir in curry powder.
Place chicken breasts in a Pyrex dish. Pour mixture over chicken. Put in oven and let cook (uncovered) for 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes. If mixture gets a little sticky, just add some water.
Remove from oven and serve with rice. Use the sauce from the dish on the rice as well. Enjoy!

Las Canteras: Peruvian Dining in Adams Morgan

2009-01-08T08:32:00.002-05:00

In the mood for unique and flavorful food? Check out Adams Morgan’s Las Canteras, a restaurant serving Peruvian cuisine. I went to Las Canteras for my friend, Phil’s, birthday a couple of months ago and had a delicious and gluten free meal, with no trace of contamination.

Phil goes to school with David so I knew that I would not know many of the people attending the dinner. As you know, anytime a large group of people goes out to dinner, particularly at an unfamiliar restaurant, a celiacs’ heart starts to race. All of the fears that accompany going out to eat are heightened: you don’t want to make a scene, but you also don’t want to be the weirdo that doesn’t eat anything either! I sometimes find myself getting stressed out even before the actual dinner. I continue to remind myself, however, that these feelings of discomfort are good, as it forces me to be assertive and try out new places.

Needless to say, I was a little nervous about this restaurant while simultaneously meeting some of these people for the first time. When I got to Las Canteras, a quaint restaurant that’s nearly hidden on 18th Street, I saw on the menu some dishes that could potentially work. While the waiter did not totally understand what I needed, he did not hesitate to get the manager who went through items of interest on the menu with me.

Many of the dishes at Las Canteras have rice and potatoes as the starch so that was comforting. Also, I found that the descriptions of the entrees on the actual menu were very informative. For example, one of the dishes said that beer was in the sauce so I knew immediately that I couldn’t have that. Ultimately I chose between the following three dishes:

Filet Mignion: A class cut of tender beef made with a Peruvian flair. Served with quinoa saute with shallots and grilled asparagus
Quinotto: A risotto-style dish made with quinoa, mushrooms and grated cheese. Served with or without shrimp.
Seco de Carne: Beef stew slow-cooked in a sauce of yellow pepper, paprika, onion and cilantro. Served with garlic rice and beans

I went with the Seco de Carne and I was not disappointed. The meat was so tender and all of the spices mixed perfectly with the dish. The beans and rice were flavorful and added texture. Even more importantly, I felt great after the meal and the following day. Always a victory! Other people ordered the same dish as I did and mine did not have to be modified at all in order to be gluten free. I always love it when people want the same dish I do. It makes me feel like I’m not missing out on something better!

I would recommend Las Canteras if you’re looking for a unique night out in the city. I’m eager to go back to Las Canteras and try the other two dishes that I was eying!

Side note: The wait staff and manager were definitely nice but they did not go out of their way to be overly accommodating and friendly. I’m ok with that though, because the food was delicious and turned out to be gluten free, just like they said it would be.

Las Canteras
2307 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009
202.265.1780

Appetizers, Entrees and More at Carlyle

2009-01-06T13:51:00.005-05:00

One of my favorite ‘gluten friendly’ restaurants is Carlyle, located in Shirlington (a neighborhood in Arlington). I’ve always loved the food here and the staff is so helpful in accommodating my needs. The managers are extremely knowledgeable about gluten and where it is found. For example, they know that you can’t have the salmon because it has a soy sauce marinade, which is always a promising sign!

The other night David and I went to Carlyle for a drink and the bartender offered us an appetizer. I told him that unfortunately, I didn’t think there was anything I could eat from the appetizers section of the menu, explaining that I have celiac. He knew exactly what celiac was and got the manager who told me that she could sauté the calamari instead of frying it and that they would also give me a marinara sauce for dipping instead of the salsa it normally comes with which has soy sauce. Hooray! I had just been saying to David that I can never have calamari because it’s always fried. My sautéed calamari was delicious and a great bar snack! The people at Carlyle have always been extremely helpful, but their willingness to create an appetizer for me made my night.

One of my other personal favorites on the Carlyle menu is the roast pork tenderloin. It is the most flavorful pork tenderloin that I’ve ever tasted (well, except when David grills it) and they always cook it perfectly. Unfortunately, the potatoes are not gluten free but the manager always has lots of substitute options for me to choose from and I usually go with the asparagus. Their salads are delicious and I believe the shrimp and grits are also gluten free. Of course you’ll always want to double check with the manager, just in case they’ve changed their menu.

What I love the most about Carlyle is the staff’s willingness to walk through all of the ingredients with you and tell you clearly how they cook everything. I think it’s one of the restaurants that has the most knowledgeable staff so I feel confident going here. No matter how busy they are (and they get very busy), they don’t rush you through your decisions and are always eager to answer questions.

Let me know what dishes you’ve tried at Carlyle! Carlyle is a great restaurant for before or after the movies or before a show at Signature Theater. I just recently saw Les Miserables at Signature with my mom and we ate at Carlyle before the show. And of course, I got the roast pork tenderloin!

Note: Carlyle does not take reservations, but you can call ahead and get on the list in order to lessen your wait time. But of course it's always fun to hang out at the bar too!

4000 28th Street South
Arlington, VA 22206
703.931.0777

Two More Delicious Meals at Evening Star!

2008-12-22T07:46:00.002-05:00

On Friday night, David and I were looking for a quiet date night and of course we ended up at one of our favorite spots: Evening Star in Del Ray. As I’ve mentioned before, the food at Evening Star is always flavorful and the wines are well priced and they have a large selection of wines by the glass. David and I had not been to Evening Star in awhile so it was nice to be back.

We were thrilled to see Dennis, our favorite waiter, and he informed us that the chef now tries to make every dish on the menu as celiac friendly as possible. Great news! We ate the Mixed Grill as an appetizer which includes a grilled scallop and bacon with corn and an avocado puree. Wow! Sadly, I had never actually eaten a scallop before and it was so good! For dinner I chose the ‘Forever Braised Short Ribs’ with butternut squash risotto. Delicious! The meat was so tender and a perfect combination with the jus, risotto and meat. Also, for a celiac to simply be able to order an actual entrée off of the menu and not have to get it altered at all is so unusual and a welcome change.

I enjoyed my meal so much that I decided to bring my sister-in-law, Blair, to Evening Star on Sunday night while our husbands attended the Redskins game. Blair ordered the highly recommended short ribs and even though I wanted the short ribs again I decided to branch out and try something new. It was between the salmon and the duck for me, but I went with the pan roasted duck breast and I’m glad I did. It was cooked perfectly and full of flavor. The only modification I had to make to the entrée was to substitute the squash risotto for the barley risotto that comes with the duck. Of course I didn’t mind this modification at all because squash risotto is one of my favorite dishes.

Many thanks to Evening Star for considering all of the celiacs out there when planning menus! It is so nice to look at the menu and know there are multiple options for me and that the chef and waiters understand my needs. David and I look forward to many more date nights and evenings with friends at Evening Star. (Non-celiacs love Evening Star too!)

Evening Star Cafe
2000 Mount Vernon Avenue
Alexandria, VA

Drinks at Cheesetique

2008-12-20T08:27:00.003-05:00

Looking for a cozy spot to get a glass of wine after work? You don’t even have to cross the river to find the perfect place! Last night I went out for drinks at Cheesetique in Del Ray. Cheesetique is a wine and cheese shop as well as a wine bar. It used to just be a cheese shop but they recently moved down the street to a larger location. When you enter the building, walk to the back and seat yourself at the bar or tables. The atmosphere is laid back, warm and not too loud. You also don't feel rushed by the wait staff to finish, which I always appreciate.

While their wines are a bit pricey, I think it’s worth the cost because you know you’re getting a good glass of wine. On this evening I tried two of their reds that were smooth and perfect for a cold December night: the Cotes du Rhone and Rioja (this one was my personal favorite and very reasonably priced at $8).

We also ordered three cheeses from their cheese menu that were flavorful and each one was distinctly unique. The menu includes nice descriptions of the cheeses and wines to help you decide what you want and what flavors to expect. The cheese plate, with three cheeses, was $15 and plenty for four people. On a celiac friendly note, Cheesetique serves the bread and crackers on a separate platter so you don’t have to worry about crumbs contaminating the cheese. Cheesetique even sells gluten free crackers in their store so I’m sure you could purchase some to have with your cheese platter.

Cheesetique has a lunch and dinner menu, but I have not experimented or enquired about its gluten free potential yet. There are plenty of salads on the menu so that’s a good sign. Just another reason to go back! Cheesetique's wine bar includes a large bar and a handful of tables, but they do not take reservations. We had no problem getting a table, but it was definitely crowded when we left. This is a great spot if you're looking to get your family out of the house over the holidays but you're not necessarily looking to spend a lot of money on a huge meal.

Cheesetique Specialty Cheese Shop
2411 Mount Vernon Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22301
703.706.5300

Gluten Free Gift Ideas

2008-12-19T10:31:00.004-05:00

Do you have a friend with celiacs that you're shopping for this holiday season? As I'm writing this posting, students of mine are bringing me a handful of Christmas gifts, some of which I won't be able to eat, including biscotti and cookies. (It's the thought that counts, right?) On that note, a 'Gluten Free in DC' reader asked me about gluten free Christmas gift ideas and places to purchase gluten free foods. Of course anything that's non-edible is fine, but during the holidays we all like to give and receive edible goodies!

I don't know of a place that does specifically gluten free baskets (that's a great business idea!), but I would recommend going to Whole Foods. There are so many options at Whole Foods that you could put into a basket or gift bag. A nice idea would be cheese and gluten free crackers (Mary's Gone Crackers is a personal favorite.) Any cheeses, except veiny cheeses (like blue cheese) are gluten free. Wine is gluten free so that can be a good and easy gift. Nuts and dried fruit could also be a nice addition to the basket. As I've mentioned before, Buzz Bakery sells gluten free cupcakes and brownies that are delicious and baked goods are always appreciated by celiacs!

If you're looking for stocking stuffer ideas, some of my favorite gluten free candies are M&Ms, Hershey's Kisses, 3 Musketeers and Reece's Cups.

Christmas is Coming...

2008-12-10T09:40:00.003-05:00

As any celiac knows, the holidays can be tricky with the many parties and festivities where gluten filled goodies will be served. Many of my friends are wonderful about putting out gluten free snacks whenever hosting me, but I like to bring something sweet and gluten free to my hosts. This way you’re guaranteed to have something you can eat…just make sure they aren’t put on the same tray as other cookies that do contain gluten.

Throughout the next few weeks I will be blogging about holiday cooking and baking in hopes that I will provide you with culinary ideas you can use at your own parties, share with your friends or even use as gifts. The holidays are a time to give, share and spend time with friends and families. This time of year is a perfect opportunity to show others how good gluten free food can be and remind yourself that you don’t need to miss out on all of the fun simply because of your dietary needs. Happy GF Holidays!

Christmas Monster Cookies:
These cookies are delicious and using Holiday M&Ms can add a festive touch. I also love this recipe because it makes enough cookies for a large group (think gift giving or holiday parties) and they freeze well. I’ll be bringing a batch to my friends’ Whit and Meredith’s holiday party this weekend:
Ingredients:
1/3 cup softened butter
¾ cup brown sugar (tightly packed)
¾ cup sugar
1 t. baking soda
1 t. gluten free vanilla (McCormick now specifies on the back that its vanilla is GF…Hooray!)
2 eggs
1 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups gluten free oats (Note: Bob’s Red Mill now has certified gluten free oats; you can order them online; they can be difficult to find in stores so when I find them, I buy a lot. I most recently found them at Ukrop’s in Richmond.)
1 cup holiday plain M&Ms
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 and grease cookie sheet.
Using a mixer, combine butter and sugar. Then mix in eggs, vanilla and baking soda. Add peanut butter and mix until blended. Mix in oats on slow speed (I usually start with 2 ½ cups and add more, depending on what I want the consistency to be like.) Then add M&Ms and chocolate chips and mix slowly.
(If I have time, I refrigerate the dough for 15 minutes, but it's not necessary.)
Using a spoon, place balls of mix onto cookie sheet and bake for 9-12 minutes, depending on how brown you want them and how big you make your cookies. I usually check on them after 9 minutes and see how their looking.
Place on cooling rack and enjoy!

Food For Thought: pills fix everything!!

2008-12-03T12:00:00.001-05:00

Check out this link about potential pills to help celiacs. Definitely interesting to think about. I think I'm in agreement with Glutenfree Chicago...I don't mind not having the wheat but it would be nice to take a pill before going to restaurants just in case there's contamination.

gluten-free chicago: pills fix everything!!

Betsy's Mashed Potatoes

2008-12-03T07:25:00.005-05:00

My mom and I LOVE mashed potatoes so this is a go to side dish at holiday meals. Simple, flavorful and minimal dishes to wash!
Ingredients:
2 ½-3 lbs. red potatoes washed (not peeled)
¼ cup parmesan cheese
Plenty of salt and pepper
¾ cup 2% milk (warmed)

Directions:
Wash potatoes and put in a pot. Fill with water to cover potatoes. Boil water and let potatoes cook for 25-30 minutes once water boils. Once potatoes are tender to the touch of a fork, drain water. (Don’t poke with fork too much because potatoes will dry out.) Add half of the milk and start to mash with a potato masher. Add rest of milk and start adding salt and pepper and parmesan cheese.

Taste as you add more cheese, salt and pepper. You might choose to use more or less milk and cheese depending on your taste buds and desired consistency of potatoes. (I prefer chunky mashed potatoes but if you want them smoother, add more milk.)

I like this side dish because it’s relatively easy and you don’t even need to break out the Kitchen Aid. It’s perfect when there’s already a lot going on in the kitchen…it minimizes dishes and space. I find that the skin left on adds color and texture to the dish!

Leftover Tip: These reheat well in the microwave, but I suggest adding a little milk before reheating.

Recipe Variation: Use sour cream instead of or in addition to parmesan cheese.

Thanksgiving: A Celebration of Simple and Flavorful Food!

2008-12-02T13:59:00.004-05:00

Gluten Free in DC enjoyed getting away from the city during the Thanksgiving break! The husband (whom I’ll now refer to by his real name, David) and I went to Onancock, Virginia with my parents, grandparents, brother and his wife to celebrate the holiday. In the year that I have been diagnosed with Celiacs, I have become more and more aware of just how much food is a major part of all of our celebrations, traditions and holidays so I am appreciative to all of my family members on both sides of my family for making the holiday season gluten free friendly!

You might be asking yourself, where in the world is Onancock? Well, Onancock is located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia, which is the peninsula off of Maryland. Yes, it’s actually Virginia. You can get to it by driving through Annapolis and the Eastern Shore of MD. (See map above for more details.)

So why do I love the Eastern Shore? The Eastern Shore is always a much needed break from life in D.C. My parents have a house on a small creek that feeds into the Chesapeake Bay. In the summer there’s lots of boating and cocktail hours on the dock, but I think the winter is my favorite time to be on the Shore. There’s no internet, no major cities within an hour’s drive and most importantly, no schedule. The typical day consists of reading, napping, watching college sports on TV, and cooking yummy food. Not only do I love cooking on the Shore, but I also look forward to planning the menus. It’s so nice to have plenty of time to cook and it’s always fun to cook with the husband, Mom and my sister-in-law, Alden. (The other members of the family tend to stay out of the kitchen!)

This year for Thanksgiving dinner we continued our new tradition of cooking beef tenderloin instead of a turkey. We still cook a turkey breast so that we can have cold turkey sandwiches with canned cranberry for lunch, but for the meal itself, we eat beef tenderloin. David cooked the tenderloin and I must say that he did an amazing job. He tested his culinary skills by cooking the tenderloin on the grill for the first time. The flavors were unbelievable even though David prepared the meat simply using only olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh rosemary.

As sides for the meal, we made mashed potatoes and green beans. My mom’s trick with the green beans is to cook them on the stove, drain them, and add a little butter, salt, pepper and vinegar. The vinegar gives them a great kick but it’s not overwhelming. They are so simple and easy.

To top off the meal I purchased from Whole Foods a variety of pies and their creamy biscuits, all from the gluten free frozen section. The Whole Foods pies are perfect because everyone has strong feelings about what pie flavor they prefer and the pies are small so you don’t feel badly buying a variety. While they might seem a bit pricy, it's so worth it to be able to enjoy dessert with everyone else! We had a sampler of apple, pumpkin and cherry pies, which lasted us for desserts beyond Thanksgiving day.

The Shore was a great escape from the hectic city and a perfect time to enjoy delicious food cooked with love!

Another meal at Tortilla Coast

2008-11-25T16:44:00.004-05:00

As any celiac knows, it's great to have a meal at a restaurant and feel healthy the next day, but it's really great when you eat there twice, and both times emerge healthy and happy! I went to Tortilla Coast last night with some friends and the meal was just as excellent and gluten free as the first time I went.

Also, I called ahead in the morning to tell them that I would be dining there that night and they fried a special batch of chips for me before the oil got contaminated with gluten. When I arrived they served them to me and they were warm, salty, crunchy and delicious! So I got to have chips and salsa just like everyone else. How awesome is that?! It's so nice to feel normal when dining at a restaurant.

Vegetables, grains, superfoods and more!

2008-11-25T16:02:00.008-05:00

I mentioned Heidi Swanson the other day and her Super Natural Cooking cookbook. Well, I just found out that she has a great website with tons of vegetarian recipes. She also has a section of gluten free recipes! Hopefully this will give you some good ideas for Thanksgiving. Just looking at the pictures will make you want to cook!

www.101cookbooks.com

Adding spice to your gluten free cooking: Old Bay

2008-11-24T08:18:00.003-05:00

The husband and I love Old Bay! Ever since my friend, Becky, gave us a huge container of the seasoning salt as an engagement gift (she's from Easton so that sort of explains the gift), we've loved using it. When I was first diagnosed with celiacs, we immediately checked to see if Old Bay is gluten free. Lucky for us, it is!

Old Bay is a seasoning salt that is typically used when eating crabs. The husband and I have found that it adds good flavor to many foods. Two of our favorites are sweet potato fries and burgers. This combo is one of our go to weeknight meals and it's perfect for having a group of people over for dinner. Old Bay is yummy in both turkey burgers and hamburgers and the recipe we use is the same for both.

Old Bay Dinner for 6

Old Bay Burgers:
Ingredients:
2 lbs. hamburger (I prefer 85/15...90/10 gets a bit dry)
2 eggs
1 medium onion, chopped
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
4 T. Old Bay (the husband and I vary our amount of Old Bay depending on whose taste buds we're feeding...in our minds, you can't have too much! 4 tablespoons is actually a bit conservative)
Sliced white cheddar cheese
Sliced avocado
Sliced fresh tomato

1. Heat olive oil in pan and add chopped onion. Saute until onion is brown.
2. In a bowl, mix meat, eggs, onion and Old Bay.
3. Make into 7 patties and they are ready to cook. I think everything is better on the grill, but you can make them on the stove top as well.
4. Add cheese when burgers are almost cooked through.
5. Top burgers with avocado and tomato.

*Note: we prefer to go bunless with these burgers. I still haven't found a gluten free bun that I love and I find that eating burgers with a fork is not the end of the world; in fact, it makes the dinner seem a little fancier!

Old Bay Sweet Potato Fries:
Ingredients:
4 Large sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into strips (think steak fries shape...2 inches wide, 4 inches long, and about 1/2 inch thick)
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons Old Bay

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a bowl, mix olive oil and Old Bay; then add sweet potatoes and mix
3. Lay sweet potatoes flat on cookie sheet.
4. Cook for 10 minutes and then flip sweet potatoes and cook for another 10 minutes.
I keep my eye on them and serve them once they start to get brown and a little crispy. The husband thinks you can't overcook them!

We usually serve this meal with a nice salad as well to add more color to the plate. You can use the extra tomato and avocado for the salad. One of my favorite GF dressings is Maple Farms of Vermont Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Enjoy!

Finding Gluten Free 'Comfort' in Richmond

2008-11-22T08:59:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago the husband and I were in Richmond, Virginia for a wedding. We have many good friends in Richmond so on Friday night we met up for dinner with some good friends from college. When I tell you that we had an amazing dining experience, this is no exaggeration! We went to Comfort (Broad Street) which is known for its yummy southern comfort fare. I had heard great things about Comfort and was hopeful that they would be willing to accommodate me.

The husband and I arrived a little early so we had a drink at the bar. Their beverage and food prices are shockingly reasonable (particularly since I’m used to DC dining prices) and the husband was immediately enthralled by the wide variety of bourbons they offered. Comfort does not take reservations so plan on having a drink at the bar while you wait. This part of the night was just as fun as the remainder of the evening so I didn’t see it as a pain at all. The bartender nicely talked with us and told me that they would definitely be able to find food suitable for me.

Our friends arrived and we were seated in a booth in the back of the restaurant and I immediately began to salivate over the menu! Everything looked delicious and I LOVE side dishes so there were many items I wanted…the question was could I actually eat any of them? Our waitress was incredibly nice and she has a gluten intolerance herself so she knew everything about the menu and what I could and could not eat. For example, she knew that I shouldn’t order the meatloaf because it contains oats. She circled all of the sides that I could have (unfortunately I couldn’t eat the squash casserole or fried okra but there were so many options that it didn’t matter.) She also informed me that all of the entrees were gluten free except the meatloaf and fried catfish.

As all of my fellow celiacs know, just having the ability to choose from so many things on the menu is a rare experience! So what did I order? I had the short ribs as my entrée and the sweet potato puree and asparagus for my sides. What a meal! I ate every single bite and felt totally healthy the next day. Hooray! Definitely a success!

My trip to Comfort was one of my best dining experiences since being diagnosed. The entire staff at Comfort was so welcoming and ‘comforting.’ They understood contamination and all of the little ways gluten can sneak into your food. I was a little nervous about contamination because the kitchen is so small, but it wasn’t a problem at all. I enjoyed a rich, flavorful and filling meal and I actually felt like I had choices! If you’re going to Richmond or driving through, make a stop at Comfort!

Comfort
200 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23220
804.780.0004

What's for dessert? Buzz Bakery

2008-11-21T08:56:00.006-05:00

After a meal at Rustico, the husband and I often walk across the street to Buzz Bakery. Buzz is always ‘buzzing’ with people and they have a huge array of cakes, cookies and pastries. The best part is they have yummy gluten free treats! On the menu, Buzz has two types of gluten free brownies and cupcakes. I recommend the chocolate cupcake with vanilla icing. Before experiencing Buzz, I was never a huge fan of chocolate cake, but their chocolate cupcake is very flavorful and actually tastes like real cake. (It doesn’t leave a funny aftertaste like some gluten free sweets.) If you get a cupcake to take home for later, I recommend sticking it in the fridge and then zapping it in the microwave for about five seconds when you’re ready to eat. The brownies also freeze well. These treats are a bit pricy, but the chocolate cupcake is definitely worth the $3!

Not only does Buzz serve coffee drinks at Buzz, but they also sell wine by the glass and even champagne! Buzz stays open until midnight every night so you can always go for an after dinner dessert and coffee/champagne. Enjoy!

901 Slaters Lane
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.600.BUZZ

Rustico's Chick Pea Crust Pizza

2008-11-20T08:30:00.005-05:00

Last night the husband and I went to Rustico in Alexandria for dinner. We love their pizzas and they make a chick pea flour crust pizza that is by far the best gluten free pizza that I've eaten. The chick pea makes the crust much heartier and flavorful than the rice flower crusts I've tasted before. A word of warning: The people at Rustico make regular flour pizza as well so they don't guarantee a gluten free kitchen. I appreciate that they understand this concept! That being said, they do cook the chick pea crusts in a different oven from the gluten pizzas AND they make the dough in a separate area of the kitchen.

The atmosphere at Rustico is very warm and welcoming. The husband and I enjoy eating at both the bar and in the restaurant. They offer the full menu in the bar and there are many booths as well. There are TVs to watch athletics and while it's busy, it's not so loud that you can't hear the people that are in your group.

Last night I ordered the sausage pizza which is by far my favorite. The sausage is homemade and gluten free! One of my other favorites is the roasted mushroom with goat cheese. You can also create your own pizza too. In the past I've ordered grilled chicken and pesto. Yummy! One of the best parts is that I always have leftovers! Rustico also has a huge selection of beers, including about six gluten free beers. Pizza and beer, what more could a celiac want?!

The manager at Rustico is very friendly and nice. He always stops by our table to talk to us and see how we're doing. You can also order pizzas for take out as well, which is a fun idea for a Sunday afternoon of football.

So while there is a risk of contamination at Rustico, the fact that the staff understands that there is a risk and that they try to minimize the risk. As you know, any time we celiacs go out to dinner, we're taking a chance. That being said, the pizza is delicious and the staff wants to be accommodating. Even though I've had contamination in the past at Rustico (I'm extremely sensitive to gluten contamination), none of my other celiac friends have gotten sick.

Overall, Rustico is a fun place to go where celiacs can get food that is rarely available to us. This is a regular spot for us! It's a great place to take non-celiac friends. Some people even prefer the chick pea crust to the regular crust!

827 Slaters Lane Alexandria, VA 22314 703.224.5051

You can't always go out to dinner...favorite recipes

2008-11-18T07:11:00.004-05:00

While the husband and I love to go out to dinner, we like to cook even more! Even since I was diagnosed with celiacs, we still use 'normal' cookbooks because there are so many delicious recipes out there that are naturally gluten free. Our three favorite cookbooks are,

- The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook (Ina Garten) The husband's sister, Heidi, introduced us to the world of Barefoot! While all of her cookbooks are great, the original is our favorite. Her perfect roast chicken is so simple, easy and amazing! (Just skip the 2 tsp. of flour.)

- Super Natural Cooking (Heidi Swanson) Given to me by Heidi, this cookbook is vegetarian and uses many different (non-gluten grains) in its recipes. My personal favorite is the chunky lentil soup. It's so hearty and perfect for the upcoming cold months. Serve it with GF corn bread and it's a great dinner.

- The New Best Recipe (Cook's Illustrated) The husband gave me this cookbook for Christmas last year and it has over 1,000 recipes. For example, the writers experiment with the best ways to make oven french fries and they tell you what the best method is. Lucky for us, the fries are GF and so good! You don't even need a frier to make them!

Both of our lives are hectic and busy, so taking the time to prepare meals together is one of the things we like to do most. In this blog, I hope to share some of our favorite recipes with you in addition to just reviewing restaurants because for the celiac, eating at home is always the safest and most comfortable place to eat!

Lunch at Whole Foods

2008-11-15T14:26:00.006-05:00

One of my favorite places to go for lunch on Saturday is Whole Foods in Alexandria (1700 Duke Street). First of all, I could spend hours wandering the aisles at Whole Foods, looking at all of the beautiful items. There is so much for the celiac to eat at Whole Foods and they even make their own line of gluten free foods which can be found in the freezer section. The apple and pumpkin pies actually taste like real pie!

While I could write all day about the incredible gluten free products, the part of Whole Foods that I love the most is their prepared food section. Oftentimes when friends suggest a lunch date, I choose Whole Foods. The store even has a large area to sit at the store or you can take it to go. Today I went with my friends Meredith and Ellie and we each had yummy and very different meals.

I love the salad bar at Whole Foods for many reasons. Their ingredients are always fresh and everything actually looks good...not like it's been sitting there all day! Also, they list every ingredient in every item on the salad bar.

A word of warning though: Celiacs should always be careful about any kind of buffet/salad bar because of the potential for cross contamination. One of the things I check out first is where the items are located in the salad bar. For example, if there's chicken next to a cold cous cous salad, I will avoid that chicken as well because of its close proximity to the cous cous as it's likely people have dropped cous cous into the chicken. While sometimes I'm disappointed that there are things I can't have, there are so many options that I always have plenty of healthy and yummy items in my salad.

Today in my salad I had a variety of goodness on top of my greens. I had the usual carrots, corn, and grilled chicken, but I also topped my salad with snap peas, a quinoa & chickpea salad, grilled veggies and a cold red bean and rice salad. I also purchased the new Mary's Gone Crakers 'Twigs and Sticks' that I substituted for croutons so as to add a little saltiness to the salad. I usually go with the balsalmic vinagarette dressing, but as I said before all of the ingredients are listed for every item, included salad dressings, so there are many options! Enjoy!

Whole Foods
1700 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
703.706.0891

Blue Duck Tavern

2008-11-15T08:21:00.004-05:00

The husband and I had been reading about Blue Duck Tavern (24th and M) for awhile and hearing great things about the cuisine. Before even eating at the restaurant I loved their philosophy of using fresh and local ingredients. (As I'm a 'wannabe foodie' I'm a bit obsessed with the local food movement...more on that later!) We knew nothing about whether or not Blue Duck would accommodate my dietary needs, but I figured that simply due to the fact that they use such natural and fresh ingredients, there would be something I could eat. And fortunately we were right!

This summer the husband and I decided to experience Blue Duck cuisine first hand and we took his parents and sister for a birthday celebration. The decor of Blue Duck is very unique. There are wooden rocking chairs in the lobby and there's a rustic American feel. Blue Duck is attached to the Hyatt, but you never notice or realize it while you're in the restaurant. The kitchen is totally open to the restaurant so you can watch the chef in action...that always makes me feel safer about my food because they have to be clean if people are watching! We sat at a huge wooden table (at times it was hard to hear each other, so I would prefer a booth) and started examining the menu.

I had mentioned my celiacs when I made the reservations and the hostess I spoke with assured me that it shouldn't be a problem. Once we arrived they already had documented my allergy and my waiter immediately told me to pick exactly what I wanted and he would ask the chef. The waiter was very knowledgeable about the ingredients, but he always double checked with the chef which made me feel safer. (Sometimes I get concerned when a waiter acts overconfident and doesn't want to talk to the chef because he insists that he knows everything.)

Not only did the waiter check with the chef about the items I wanted, but he also asked the chef whether or not there was gluten in the selections of my family members. This was awesome because one of the things I miss as a cealic is being able to share bites of food with the people I'm with! There were very few things I could not have on the menu. I believe there was only one entree that I could not have or that couldn't be modified in some way to accommodate me.

So what did I get? The menu changes all the time because they use fresh ingredients. I ordered lamb that was unbelievable. It was so tender and the sauce was delicious. I could have it totally as is. They didn't have to modify it at all. I believe the lamb I ordered this summer was different from what's currently on the online menu so you'll always want to check with the chef about their current items. The best news was that pretty much all of the sides were gluten free, including the grits and mashed potatoes! We also shared a baby green salad, white asparagus and a pate.

Blue Duck was the perfect venue to celebrate with family and friends because the meal was very much family style. We passed sides and appetizers around the table and I could participate in the culinary sharing. When people ask me what food I miss the most since being diagnosed as a celiac, I tell them that it's not the food, it's the experiences. Wedding receptions and birthday parties where you have to watch everyone else eat together are difficult and even a little lonely. Fortunately, I have wonderful family and friends that are always looking out for me and finding ways to make me feel included. At Blue Duck, I felt a part of the festivities! I could even share homemade peanut butter ice cream for dessert.

Overall, the food at Blue Duck is amazing. They are committed to fresh and simple ingredients, which is a perfect combination for celiac customers. The waiter did not pretend to know everything about celiacs, which I actually appreciated because he checked on everything. When going to Blue Duke (which I high recommend) you definitely want to make reservations in advance.

Blue Duck Tavern: 24 & M Streets, Northwest
Washington, D.C.
202.419.6755
Menu: http://www.blueducktavern.com/gallery/blueduck/menu.html

What do I say?

2008-11-14T08:08:00.004-05:00

I've had a request to go through what exactly I say to restaurants when trying to explain my gluten free needs. It can be scary, awkward and intimidating, but this is for our health, comfort and it will ultimately make the next celiac visit to that restaurant a little easier so it's worth it...I promise!

1: Always be polite and appreciative, BUT never apologetic. Not apologizing is tough, and I have trouble following my own rule here, but you should never apologize for a disease over which you have no control.

2: I ask, "Have you heard of gluten?" I can immediately gauge whether I'm going to attempt to eat anything here based on the confident "yes, we train all of our employees in food allergies" or the puzzled expression on the manager's face.

3. If they know about gluten, but don't have a special menu, I remind them where gluten can be found (wheat, rye and barley) and that I have a disease that requires me to abide by a strictly gluten free diet.

4. If they assure me that I can eat here, I then select a few dishes in my mind that I would be interested in eating and that possibly don't contain gluten. I ask the manager about these specific dishes. (It can be overwhelming to both the manager and the celiac customer to ask about the entire menu).

5. If they tell me those dishes are fine, I proceed to ask them about the not as well know things gluten is found in: soy sauce, marinades, salad dressings, fryers that could be contaminated.

6. I also ask about how they prepare their food and what their kitchen is like. If they prepare everything on the same griddle, it's likely to be contaminated. I've found that people are very honest about this. I've had waiters tell me that I probably shouldn't eat at the restaurant because of the way they cook their food and that it's a busy day for them in the kitchen so they don't have the time to clean as well as the should. (This is why I tend to avoid Sunday brunch at restaurants and diners.)

7. Continue thanking them throughout the meal. A little bit of gratitude goes a long way. If the meal went particularly well (i.e. Tortilla Coast), I'll even contact the restaurant the next day to thank them for accommodating me.

8. A word of warning: this can be a lengthy process, but it's so worth it! None of us want to be a pain to the restaurant or the people we're with, but the pain and damage it will do to our bodies if we don't, is more important.

A final note: Never feel like you HAVE to eat something. Go with your gut...literally and figuratively. You can politely leave the restaurant at any time. If the meal arrives and you don't feel comfortable, double check with them and if you still don't feel safe, don't eat it! I was at a restaurant in Portland, Oregon this summer and I had a bad feeling about the meal when it arrived, but I ate it anyways, and I regretted my decision to not double check for the next 3 days (including a cross country flight)!

So don't avoid restaurants and dining experiences because you're scared! There's so much yummy food out there and just because you have celiacs, doesn't mean you should miss out!

Clarification: Firefly (Dupont) vs. Fireflies (Del Ray)

2008-11-13T09:36:00.005-05:00

There's been a little bit of confusion about Firefly. There are two restaurants in the DC area that have similar names: Firefly, which I blogged about yesterday (Dupont) and Fireflies, which is a restaurant in Del Ray. These restaurants have different owners and no affiliation. The husband and I used to frequent Fireflies (Del Ray) before my diagnosis.

Unfortunately their menu mostly consists of sandwiches and pizza, which aren't so good for a celiac customer. I do love their Sunday brunch, however, and their omletes are delicious with many fresh ingredients. I like to get grilled chicken, gouda and spinach in mine. They serve two types of hash browns and one of them is gluten free. (The ones that look like a McDonald's hash brown patty are NOT gluten free.) When I went to Fireflies (Del Ray) right after I was diagnosed, the waitress was very knowledgeable about gluten (she's a nutritionist) and she did caution me that they make the pizzas (flour in the air) in the same small kitchen that they do all of their cooking. I took the risk and I was fine. I have not been back in awhile but we had a good experience.

You don't need to make reservations here, and there's great blue grass music on Sundays. While the music is great, I try to avoid sitting too close to the band...it can be difficult to talk to the people with you if you're too close to the music.

I think it would be harder to find things on the lunch/dinner menu though. They do have some salads that look yummy so let me know if you go there and inquire about the salads.

Sorry for the confusion about the two restaurants!
Fireflies (Del Ray)
1501 Mount Vernon Avenue
Alexanria, VA 22301

Evening Star

2008-11-12T21:31:00.004-05:00

The husband and I love going to Del Ray, a cute 'up and coming' neighborhood in Alexandria. One of our favorite restaurants is Evening Star Cafe. They have a quaint dining area and two bars. The downstairs bar can get a bit smoky, but we just discovered the upstairs bar, which is non-smoking and has TVs for watching sports. Besides the food, I also love Evening Star's lengthy AND reasonably priced wine list. The owners also own Planet Wine, a wine store next door to Evening Store that also has a wonderful selection of wines and they are very knowledgeable and friendly. Sometimes they even sell gluten free brownies from Buzz bakery.

Now to the best part...the food! Every time I have gone to Evening Star, the wait staff has been more than willing to accommodate me. Their menu changes seasonally, but usually a large part of the menu can be modified to fit my gluten free needs. I'm a big fan of the salmon and their sides are delicious. Just make sure that the waiter clearly understands about the potential for contamination as well. It's a small kitchen so it's always good to give a friendly reminder.
For lunch I enjoy one of their salads with grilled chicken and one of their vinaigrettes. I have not been to Evening Star for brunch since I've been diagnosed, but from my 'pre-celiac days,' I can tell you, the brunch is awesome! I'm not sure, however, what their GF options are for brunch.

The staff at Evening Star is very friendly and the chef has even come out to talk to me before to make sure that I feel comfortable. Evening Star doesn't take reservations so plan on having a drink at the bar if you want to go on a Friday or Saturday night. It's worth the wait!

Note: The owners of Evening Star also own Rustico, Tallulah, and Buzz Bakery...I'll be blogging about them soon!

Evening Star Cafe: 2000 Mount Vernon Avenue
Alexandria, VA 22301
Telephone (703) 549-5051

Firefly

2008-11-12T13:30:00.005-05:00

The husband and I discovered that Firefly (in Dupont) is gluten free friendly last winter. We called ahead and when I arrived at the restaurant, the chef had created a special menu for me on which he crossed out the dishes that I could not have. I was left with many delicious options to choose from. Now Firefly actually has a gluten free menu and every time the husband calls to make reservations, they have in their computer that I cannot have gluten.

Even if I didn't have celiacs, I would still love Firefly and its food! The atmosphere at this small restaurant is warm and not too loud. The decor is very cool and there's even a tree in the middle of the restaurant. You can order off the menu in the bar or the restaurant and there is a nice wine selection. The wait staff is very friendly and helpful. They always tell me what specials I can and can't have as well and they're always willing to change the dish so that I can get what I want.

My absolute favorite thing on the menu...the mini pot roast. This dish is cooked so perfectly that it falls apart in your mouth. The sauce is gluten free and the mashed potatoes that it comes with, so not a thing has to be changed.

I just checked the Firefly website and they now have a GF menu posted online: http://www.firefly-dc.com/frffood/firefly_gluten_free_menu.pdf
(The bold items are the ones that are GF.)

Also of note about the menu, the Truffle Fries are totally gluten free because they're not fried in contaminated oil! So, if you're craving fries, Firely is the place to go! I've never had the grits...they say they're gluten free but I would ask about the bacon before I order them. Next time I'll inquire about those!

If you want to try Firefly, you should definitely make reservations because the restaurant is small and a popular spot for many DC folks.
Firefly: 1310 New Hampshire Avenue
NW Washington, DC 20036
202.861.1310

Tortilla Coast Side Note: Thank you Hilary!!

2008-11-12T11:55:00.001-05:00

Side note about Tortilla Coast: Apparently there's a woman named Hilary who goes to Tortilla Coast and she has celiacs. Brandon (my favorite manager) says she's been great about educating the restaurant staff about Celiacs, where gluten is found, contamination, etc. Thank you, thank you Hilary! This is why it's SO important that all of us celiacs inform and explain clearly to restaurants what are needs are. I know we feel like we're being a major pain, but the more restaurants know, the better! I've found that places are so helpful and want to cater to our needs but it's imperative these places know just how serious we are about our disease and that we're not just on some version of the low carb diet...definitely a pet peeve of mine!
So again, thank you Hilary!

Tortilla Coast

2008-11-12T11:36:00.005-05:00

Hooray for Tortilla Coast! My parents have always loved Tortilla Coast which is a Tex-Mex restaurant located on Capital Hill. Since my diagnosis I have assumed that I would not be able to eat there. Last night my Dad and I attended a history lecture at the Freer and he suggested Tortilla Coast after the lecture.

I decided to give Tortilla Coast a call to see if they had ever heard the word gluten. To my surprise, they were very knowledgeable about gluten allergies, so much so that the woman on the phone told me not to eat the chips when I arrived because they are fried in the same oil as foods containing gluten. Already I was thrilled! She told me that all of their staff is taught about food allergies and that I should ask for Brandon, the manager, when I got to the restaurant.

When we arrived, the waitress was so friendly and Brandon made me feel confident that they knew what they were talking about! For example, Brandon knew that I couldn't have the steak because the marinade contained soy sauce. He also assured me they are very careful about contamination when preparing dishes for those with gluten allergies.

Brandon also walked me through the menu and he was so nice about the fact that I had a ton of questions. I stayed away from the chips, but there were many things on the menu that I could have. The spinach and mushroom enchiladas are fine as is. The quesadilas are fine as long as you use corn tortillas. Brandon cautioned that if I wanted the chicken enchiladas, I should order them with the grilled fajita chicken and not the enchilada chicken because of all of the spices they use...he just said there was more room for error and contamination from earlier preparation. (I'm very sensitive to contamination so it made me happy to hear him say this!)

So what did I order? I got the chicken fajitas with white corn tortillas and let me tell you, they were the best corn tortillas I've ever eaten! They were warm, soft and and full of yumminess! The grilled veggies, guac, beans and rice were all fine too.

Needless to say, I give Tortilla Coast 5 gluten free stars! There were many options and the entire staff was knowledgeable, friendly and understanding! Most importantly, I did not get sick! Like I mentioned before, I'm very sensitive to contamination so I get sick pretty easily.
The same people that own Tortilla Coast own Cafe Deluxe (Bethesda, Tysons and DC locations) so I'll have to check them out too!
Tortilla Coast: 400 First Street SE
Washington, DC
202. 546.6768

Who Am I?

2008-11-12T11:29:00.001-05:00

Welcome to my blog! Ever since I was diagnosed with Celiac's Disease in August 2007, I've been telling myself that I would start a blog for foodies restricted to a gluten free diet. While there are websites that post gluten free restaurants, you typically only find Outback, which don't get me wrong, I think it's great that they have a gluten free menu! That being said, there are so many restaurants that are willing to accommodate gluten allergies that aren't as well known as Outback. I live in Alexandria, VA (right outside of Washington, D.C.) so I'm particularly interested in finding and supporting restaurants in this area that are gluten free friendly. The Husband and I love food, whether cooking at home or going out to eat and we actually eat such better food now that I've been diagnosed. I hope that others will share on this website what restaurants they've been to that accomodate their gluten free needs.