Ferrara Candy Gluten Free

I recently wrote Ferrara to find out whether or not their delicious Chewy Lemonheads were gluten free.  Here is the awesome response:

Thank you for writing Ferrara Candy Company regarding Chewy Lemonhead & Friends®. Hearing from our consumers better enables us to continue to provide quality products and services. Consumer feedback is very important to us, and we appreciate the opportunity to respond.

Ferrara products contain only Corn Gluten. Ferrara products contain no wheat, rye, barley or oats.  Here is a list of candies you can enjoy:

Atomic Fireballs
All Gummies (Ferrara, Black Forest, Trolli)
All Jellies (Gum Drops, Orange Slices, etc)
Chewy Lemonhead & Friends
Berry Chewy Lemonhead
Tropical Chewy Lemonhead
Grape Head
Cherry Head
Cherry Sours
Juju's
Jujy's
Jelly Beans
Bob's Sweet Stripes
Boston Baked Beans (contains peanuts)
Brach's brand Wild 'N Fruity Gummi Worms
Brach’s Cinnamon Disks
Brach's Lemon Drops (Kosher)
Chocolate (Almonds, Raisins, Peanuts)
Fruit Snacks (Ferrara, Black Forest, Trolli)
Gumballs
Jawbreakers / Jawbusters
Red Hot's

Thank you for contacting Ferrara Candy Company with your request for information on our allergens. 

Please visit our website at www.ferrarausa.com for additional information about our products and services.

Sincerely,

Mallory Gold
Consumer Relations

New York City Gluten-free

Imagine the scene: It's a Wednesday night. I've spent the day deep cleaning the apartment (finally and ewwww) and am exhausted. I'm vegging on the couch when my husband gets home from work, and goes in to change. I'm feeling pretty proud of myself for the heart-sy, cute-sy, "I-love-you-and-your-hard-week-at-work-will-be-ok" decorating surprise he's just found on the bathroom mirror. Yes, at that moment I'm pretty sure I'm about the best surpriser this world has ever known. Yes sir, I may be almost thirty (cringe), but I've still got it. In fact, I'm basically a teenage girl... best surpriser EVER. And then... the usurper emerges from the bedroom. He's holding an envelope, and saying something about, "Happy Birthday!". I'm saying, "But it's not my birthday yet. You really want me to open this now?"

Somewhere in the middle of ripping open the envelope, squealing with delight, and being whisked off to an amazing birthday weekend in NYC, I went ahead and handed over my sash and tiara to the new Queen...er...King of Surprise.

He had an adorable "I have a crush on you" card. He had flights departing Friday morning and returning Sunday. He had Wicked tickets. He had a 4 star hotel in Midtown Manhattan. He had plans for shopping sprees. He... had me at "Hello". :)

And the best news? Between Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, gourmet gluten free meals, red velvet cake, designer bag shopping at Century 21 (hello best store and prices ever), finding a birthday outfit at the GIANT Macey's on 34th, walking around town, chilling in Times Square, drooling over the New York vibe of our hotel and the yellow lily bouquets in the lobby (I know they brought them in just for me)... somehow amidst all of that, I was distracted enough to not think about the big 3-0. A birthday miracle. :)

As usual, New York City did not disappoint in the gluten-free department. It is always one of my favorite places to vacation because of the food. I ate delicious meals all day every day, and didn't get sick once. New Yorkers truly get it.

Here are the restaurant reviews:

Bloom's Deli:

It was close to our hotel, and I knew I liked the food, so we visited Blooms again this trip. This time I tried the Turkey Club Triple Decker, which is served on toasted gluten free bread. It was very very tasty, even though there was no sauce (I was told the Russian dressing on the table was gluten-free, but felt weird about it so decided not to risk it. I've learned through hard experience to trust that inner voice). They are pricey for a sandwich ($13.75 without fries), but tasty and filling. This is a great place to go if your loved ones don't have to eat gluten-free too. My husband really enjoyed his very non-gluten-free Reuben Sandwich. All in all, very tasty, and absolutely no negative reaction.

Bistango Ristorante:

Delish. This is where I chose to eat my birthday dinner, and I loved the cozy atmosphere and the scrumptious Italian food. The employees all knew what "gluten free" was, and I saw other guests ordering gluten free as well.

Each gluten-free meal is served with bread and dipping oil (nice touch), and I ended up ordering the pizza with red velvet cake for dessert. I felt very safe, and had no adverse reaction. My husband said the normal food was good too. Try them. Tasty.

Nizza:

Yum. Nizza was a small, quaint restaurant that was absolutely packed (for good reason). Luckily, we'd made reservations. It's located within walking distance of the Majestic Theatre, which is where we were seeing Phantom that night, so it worked out really well.

Each gluten-free meal is served with breadsticks, which were good, and we decided to go crazy and try one of their famous chickpea soccas as well. We weren't blown away; I think you either love them, or hate them. I know plenty of people love them, but not really our cup of tea. The meal more than made up for it, however.

The Ziti Al Forno, a cheesy baked delight, was exactly what I was craving. Top it off with Tortonni (delicious frozen Italian custard) for dessert, and you have perfection.

No negative reaction. Just yummy-ness. With so many options, I'm really glad we gave Nizza's a try.

Peter's Restaurant:

We went here for breakfast our last morning, and were glad we did (even though it was no where near our hotel). The service was super fast, the gluten-free (and non-gluten free) selection was great, and I felt very safe.

I ordered the eggs benedict, and was impressed by how normal they were, and how large the portions were.

Other random finds:

*The NBC Studio store has a Red Mango upstairs. Perfect mid-day, Rockefeller Plaza, gluten-free snack (certified gluten free frozen yogurt).

Virginia Beach Gluten-free

In September of last year (er...a wee bit behind on posting I'd say), my husband and I spent the weekend in Virginia Beach. As you know, traveling to a new place is always a bit scary. I feel like sometimes all the research in the world isn't enough, especially when you're headed to a small city with limited options. But research I did, and I must say... Virginia Beach turned out to be the stuff gluten-free dreams are made of!

Here are my meal reviews. If you're in the area, I hope you make it to VA Beach soon. It was beautiful, oh-so-relaxing and scrumptious.

Breakfasts: I will flat out admit that breakfasts were a wee bit disappointing. We stayed at the Country Inn & Suites Oceanfront, and while we loved the hotel (all balcony, oceanfront rooms, a more secluded stretch of beach, good room at a decent price), we didn't love the included breakfast buffet. I was counting on fresh fruit, yogurt and maybe even eggs and bacon. The fruit was disappointing, and there was no yogurt, eggs or bacon. Luckily, we came prepared with paper bowls and gluten free cereal, and I took a bowl down to the buffet to fill with milk each morning.

Lunches: We opted for early dinners and light lunches on the beach in our lounge chairs, so we packed Lays Stax, gluten free Rice Krispie treats, fruit snacks and beverages.

Dinner #1: Cheeseburger in Paradise

I was so stinkin' pee-my-pants nervous about going to Cheeseburger in Paradise. I pictured everything being contaminated by all the buns flying around, and doubted that the gluten free buns would be enjoyable. But my hubbie is a huge Jimmy Buffett fan, so I bucked up and went with it. I was very careful to tell my waitress of my concerns, and she immediately put my mind at ease, telling me that they are very careful with cross contamination, and when a gluten free order comes up, they pull all fresh ingredients out of the fridge. She also told me that I could have the yummy fries from a dedicated fryer, and that the gluten free buns were actually really good. She didn't lie. I loved my Prime Kobe Mushroom Swiss Burger & fries so much, that I almost boycotted our restaurant choice the next night for a repeat. DELICIOUS. And I didn't get glutenated; not one little bit.

Dinner #2: Burton's Grill

(I've search high and low for my photos, and can't find them anywhere! Picture a photo that makes your mouth water, and you've pretty much got the idea...)

I'm so glad we decided not to boycott, because Burton's Grill was the find of a lifetime for me. DELICIOUS food, great service (where everyone is completely aware of what "gluten-free" means and managers serve all allergy and non-gluten meals) and... did I mention DELICIOUS food? I felt so normal eating at Burton's. My Celiac Disease was a non-factor. We enjoyed our experience so much, that we made a little side-trip on our recent trip to Boston, just so we could eat at one of their 7 locations. In a word, delightful. And, again, I didn't get glutenated; not one little bit.

Grilled Stuffed Zucchini appetizer (oh, my... you MUST)

Tuscan Brick Chicken (YUM)

Vanilla Bean Creme Brulee (didn't even think I liked creme brulee, but just WOW.)

I honestly could have eaten at either of our chosen dinner restaurants every night for a week, and been completely free from sickness and IN HEAVEN.

Morale of the story: If you're thinking of Virginia Beach, go. Just go. It's worth it for the food alone.

Best gluten-free sandwich bread and gluten-free hot dog buns

It's official. I have a new favorite brand of gluten free sandwich bread and hot dog buns. And we found them completely by accident. We were in the store shopping for EnerG Tapioca Buns. The store didn't have them. My husband said that he'd seen a new brand in the freezer section that we should try. I reluctantly agreed. Very reluctantly (you know how scary trying a new gluten-free bread can be...). But I came away from our little Memorial Day BBQ wanting to smooch my hubbie!

Udi's is the closest thing (by far) to a normal bun I've had since I was diagnosed (flavor, texture and even shape). So, I decided to try their sandwich bread...and what do you know? I'm eating sandwiches on store bought bread again without using the toaster! The flavor is really normal, and they've done something with the texture to make it light and...fluffy? (I'm not sure that's the word, but think almost the gluten-free version of Wonder Bread).

A bit expensive (like all pre-made gluten-free bread)? Yep. Worth it to not have to pull out the bread machine every time I want a fresh tasting sandwich or hot dog? Yep!

If you head to your freezer section and try them out, I don't think you'll be sorry!! Let me know what you think, and if you've tried the multi-grain version. I think it's next on my list, but as always...I'm a bit sceptical.

Here's a link I found for a $1 off coupon!

Disneyworld Gluten Free

Disney just does gluten free right, as I found out when I visited Disneyland last year. So, when the hubbie and I decided to visit Disneyworld for the first time for our 3rd anniversary, I was excited to spend a week feeling like a normal, non-diet-challenged person!

A month or so before we left, I got on Disneyworld's official website, and found the email address for the special dietary people. I sent them a quick email, and within a day or two had an email waiting in my inbox with all kinds of gluten-free lists for food and snacks throughout the resort. A special reservations form was also attached, with instructions to make any reservations I wanted to at sit-down restaraunts online, and then fill out the form and return it so they could put the dietary information in their computer system. Making reservations online on the Disneyworld website was a breeze, and each reservation form I filled out had a place to check a box for special dietary needs. Between that, and the form I filled out and returned to the Disney dietary department, I didn't enter a single sit-down restaraunt that didn't already have my information in their system. It was awesome, and easy.

Did Disneyworld food live up to my expectations? Yep. Their sit-down restaurants blew my socks off. MOUTH WATERING. Although, I have to admit, the quick-service meals I ate in the park were just so-so. So my summary advice: book sit-down meals for dinner every night (maybe an early dinner), and just use quick service to supplement here and there. The first four days of our trip were by far the yummiest because we did that.

Here's some reviews and photos of the gluten free meals I ate during our May 10th-May 18th, 2011 trip. Enjoy!

Breakfasts: We stayed at the Radisson Lake Buena Vista, and had a good sized mini-fridge, so we did cereal and milk every morning before we went to the park. That means no breakfast food reviews. Sorry! When we vacation, we like to get going early and quickly. Plus...saves a few bucks and is easy to do gluten-free. Triple bonus! :)

TUESDAY-MAGIC KINGDOM

Casey's Corner on Main Street: If you read my Disneyland review, you know that the main street hotdogs were my favorite dining experience of my last Disneyland trip. So I was excited to swing in Casey's for a quick lunch when we arrived at the Magic Kingdom. When we got to the register, I told the cashier I had a food allergy (which I found gets better response than saying Celiac), and she said a manager would be out to take my order. I asked her if the fries were gluten-free, cooked in their own oil. She replied, "Oh yes. We can do them gluten-free. That's why a manager comes out. So he can make sure everything is gluten-free." The manager came out, took my order for a gluten-free hotdog, and when I asked if the fries were gluten-free, he told me yes (before you order them...read my whole review). A few minutes later (allow about 10-15 minutes) I was eating a gluten free hotdog and fries. The bun wasn't warm (a bit disappointing), so the hot dog was just mediocre. The fries were fine...tasted like fries. Now...random (or maybe not-so-random)note:throughout the rest of our trip, I felt weird headaches off and on (thought it was lack of sleep, because I didn't know where I could've gotten gluten), and then stomach issues started creeping in. WELL...the second to last day of our trip, we returned to Casey's, and I went through the song and dance of talking to a manager again, and telling him I would have the hot dog meal. He then said, "As for fries, the fries are gluten-free, but depending on how sensitive you are...we don't have a dedicated fryer, so they get fried with the chicken nuggets." I was so...mad? Upset? Something? So THAT explains why I was feeling a little off and under the weather for the majority of our trip. Moral of the story: beware of Casey's fries. Even if they tell you they are gluten-free. Also, even if you use the word "allergy" to get a manager out there, make sure and use the words "Celiac who can't have ANY gluten at all" with the actual manager. And don't be shy about asking them to heat up the bun. The second go-round my cute hubbie thought to ask, and while they don't have a microwave, the second manager we dealt with put my bun in the oven for a bit (in a little container of course). Made the hotdog much more enjoyable.


Aloha Isle: My husband and I were both addicted to the naturally gluten-free Pineapple Floats (fresh Dole pineapple juice with vanilla ice cream). Yum. Couldn't go a day in the Magic Kingdom without getting one!

Tony's: Such a cute little themed restaurant! It's made to look like the place where Tramp took Lady (random note...look at the sidewalk to the left of the main entrance...you'll see a little love note he left her. Also, look out the right window at the back of the restaurant. You might just see two little love dogs having dinner). It was a fun way to kick off the trip, and the chef (I've unfortunately forgotten him name) was wonderful. He came out immediately, and talked me through everything I could have. I chose Chicken Parmesan over gluten free pasta. He brought me out warmed up gluten-free rolls with butter when they brought my hubbie out bread (pretty yummy), and the food was good. Not amazing...but good. And I felt completely safe. He returned to check on us, and offered gluten-free desserts, but I was feeling full.

WEDNESDAY-EPCOT

Turkey Leg in the America section of the World Showcase: Epcot was the hardest park for me as far as quick service type meals go. But it worked out, because for some reason a turkey leg sounded soooooooooo good. Weird, since I've never tried one, and am usually not into dark meat. But I'm glad I gave in. Delish. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was more than enough for a lunch when we had a pretty early dinner scheduled.

Coral Reef: Very cool experience. My husband loves fish, so it was worth it just to sit right by the wall of a giant aquarium for the whole meal (although, there were actually quite a few tables that weren't right by the aquarium, so I guess we just got lucky!). And my food was delicious. Again, the chef came out and asked what I thought sounded good, saying that the majority of the items on their menu are naturally gluten-free. I ordered the Apricot Pork, and it was very tasty. For dessert, we did a flourless chocolate cake drizzled with raspberry, and it was yummy. Great experience.



THURSDAY-HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS

The Brown Derby: AWESOME...awesome...awesome. By far the best food experience of the trip. We were both blown away. It was also our priciest meal, but we don't regret it for a second. We did an early Fantasmic package, and it was soooo worth the delicious food, and the reserved seats to the show. Highly recommend it. Our waiter was actually very knowledgeable about gluten (he probably could've taken care of our order himself), but he still sent the chef out, who was amazing. He walked me through the menu, brought me out warm rolls and butter, and came back later to make sure everything was going well. Our package came with an appetizer, entree and dessert. For the entree, you don't want to miss the Cobb Salad (the chef knew about blue cheese causing a reaction in 9/10 people without me having to say anything). They sub tomatoes for the blue cheese, and it is TO DIE FOR. Apparently the owner of the original Brown Derby in L.A. was Mr. Cobb, and invented the concept of a Cobb Salad (true story). YUM YUM YUM. So good we had to do take-out versions for lunch the next time we were in the park. I had the Beef Fillet over White Truffle potatoes as my main dish. The meat melted in my mouth, and the potatoes...oh-my-yum. As for dessert, more flourless chocolate cake (although a different variety than the Coral Reef). Delicious. Yes, I think the theme of the Brown Derby is delicious. If you're going to Hollywood Studios, don't miss this fun, tasty restaurant!!! (And if you're seeing Fantasmic, you might want to look into the package deal. We loved not having to wait in line 2 hours before the show to have a seat.)

FIRDAY-ANIMAL KINGDOM

Flame Tree BBQ: I have to admit, I was a little disappointed with the Flame Tree BBQ, but I think it was my fault. I'd seen online before we went that they had BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, and could do them gluten-free, so I was excited to try one. The manager was great, and made my order himself. He also gave me my choice of some gluten free sides, and I chose a bag of grapes. The pork was good, and the gluten-free bun was too...but when he brought it out there was no sauce. He said that the sauce had caramel color and modified food starch, and that most people were fine but if I had any doubts, I shouldn't eat it. Now, if you know me, you know that I do NOT take any risks. I am one strict, strict, strict Celiac. Still, for some reason, I went with the sauce. Dumb? Probably. My tummy wasn't quite right after... although I'm beginning to wonder now if it was all just related to the Casey's fries the first day. Anyway, if you're going to the Flame Tree BBQ, be prepared to go without the sauce. If you're ok with that, go. The manager was knowledgeable and I felt safe (just not safe from myself apparently).

Rainforest Cafe: We requested to talk to the manager, and he came out, assuring me that there were lots of gluten-free options. I was in the mood for a Cobb Salad, so I verified that the dressing was gluten free, and made sure they didn't put blue cheese on it. It was good... nothing to rave about after the Brown Derby Cobb, but good just the same. And of course, a really fun environment. We went early-ish, and it was virtually deserted, which was also nice.

SATURDAY-HOTEL POOL DAY, AND EATING OUTSIDE THE PARK

Outback: As usual, Outback was a tasty, low stress gluten-free experience. Our waiter knew all about gluten-free, and even made sure he made a point of putting the bread on the opposite side of the table. He was almost hilarious in his thoroughness. I always go with the Alice Spring Chicken and Half-Ribs with garlic mashed potatoes on the side, and it never disappoints. I usually go with a Thunder from Down Under too...but wasn't feeling up to it. (Dumb Casey fries!)
SUNDAY-CHURCH, POOL & EATIN-THIS-N-THAT

Because of religious beliefs, we like to try to observe the Sabbath as much as possible while on vacation, which meant a bit of prep work. We headed to the Walmart just down the street from our hotel Saturday night (BEST souvenirs EVER by the way...aisles and aisles), and got salads, dressing, string cheese, gluten-free soup and other gluten-free snacks for our Sunday meals. With the fridge and microwave in our room, and the rain coming down outside, it turned out pretty well (I liked Progresso's Corn Chowder for a canned soup...hadn't tried it before).

MONDAY-MAGIC KINGDOM

Cosmic Ray's: The manager was great, and handled my gluten-free hamburger order from start to finish. She even told me that there was no dedicated fryer, but if I wanted fries she would oven bake them for me. I thought that sounded lovely. The only bad things I can say are that 1-I hit a couple spots of gristle in my burger(which is something that grosses me out) and 2-the toppings are all at a salad bar, and seemed to have contamination potential, so ketchup and some tomatoes from a safe bowl was as far as I could go. That being said, I have a feeling if I was more persistent, they probably would've given me whatever I wanted from the back. They were very helpful and accommodating, and I felt safe. The pre-packaged gluten-free brownie I had for dessert was surprisingly tasty. My husband even had a few bites. :)

Pinocchio Village Haus: We decided on pizza for dinner, so ended up here. Eh. Disappointing. It was an Amy's cheese pizza, which can taste Ok-ish, but not the way they heated it up. The cheese was browned, but not melted...I think they were trying to hurry. They also charge you differently for gluten-free than normal here, which is different than most places we've eaten in Disney parks. While a normal pizza meal, which includes a personal pizza and a salad is $8.50ish, they charged me $9 something for my pizza and another $3 for a "side salad", which given the gluten-free-ness of it was really romaine lettuce in a little bowl with a bit of Parmesan cheese. Funny thing is, I didn't even want the salad, but my husband said, "Your meal comes with it doesn't it?" and the cashier didn't disagree. Not my most fulfilling meal, but it did feel safe...and we were in there shortly before closing, so maybe they were just in a rush.

TUESDAY-PARK HOPPING

*Most delicious orange I've ever eaten from a fruit cart in Hollywood Studios (seriously).

*Take-out Cobb Salads from the Brown Derby (yum and oh-so-filling).

*Popcorn & Mickey Ears Ice Cream from the carts around the parks.

WEDNESDAY-MAGIC KINGDOM BEFORE FLYING OUT

Casey's for lunch, where I found out I'd been contaminated.

Currently Loving: Gluten-free Crackers and Gluten-free "Oreos"

Real crackers and Oreo-esque sandwich cookies = 2 things I never thought I'd eat again.

Recently, I was proven wrong.

I stumbled upon Glutino Gluten Free Cheddar Crackers while in Walmart one day, and decided to splurge. Spending $5 on a little box of crackers seemed like a great idea after going 2 years on only the occasional rice "cracker" (yes, "cracker" in quotes... those things just don't quite do it for the girl who used to devour saltines by the sleeve).

So glad I gave Glutino a try. They are pretty darn normal. In fact, they taste a bit like the hoity-toity designer crackers my mom used to buy to go with Christmas cheese balls. Not quite a Ritz, or a saltine, but a good, "normal" cracker just the same. (One warning: in my humble opinion, avoid the multi-grain version. I'm so glad I tried the cheddar version first, because I never would have bought ANY version again if I'd started with the multi-grain. Ew. They tasted oddly like...black licorice. Yes, strange. The cheddar version doesn't taste cheddar-y to me, by the way. I use them as the norm, because I'm kinda scared to try the other versions after biting into the licoricy goodness of the multi-grain. )

These little babies are tasting so delicious to me as of late. Crunchy... able to be dipped in milk...no glutiny after taste... yummy cream filling. Who needs anything else? Definitely recommend them if you're feeling sandwich cookie deprived!

Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Recipe

(Should've taken a picture before the frosting ,and closer up, and...better. But I was anxious to eat the blasted things!! The blog where I found the recipe has an excellent picture if you're a visual type...)

Healthy? No. Calorie light? No. Do I care at this moment? NO!! Sometimes a bread deprived girl just needs a cinnamon roll. And this my friends is a true, rolled out, swirly, soft, light, DELICIOUS cinnamon roll. And it's 100% gluten free.

If you're anything like me, airports are torture. Why? The smell of Cinnabon in the morning. Or afternoon. Or night. :) Ever since the diet, a bonefide certified cinnamon roll has sounded delicious, but it seemed that all the recipes I came across were for fake-wanna-be-cinnamon-rolls-in-muffin-pans. Not gonna do it for me. So, last night I tried another google session, and came across this recipe on iamglutenfree.blogspot.com (who got the recipe from The Gluten Free Kitchen by Roben Ryberg. I don't know who you are Roben, but bless you! :)). SCRUMPTIOUS. And easy. And full of ingredients that I already had in my pantry. I'm in love. Even the hubbie was in heaven, and he can taste "gluten free" a mile away. I'm not joking...these things rival Cinnabons. Enjoy!


Cinnamon Rolls
Serves 8 or 9

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons shortening

1/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup of milk, room temperature
1 packet yeast (about 1 tablespoon)
1 egg
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup potato starch
1 cup corn starch
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/2 teaspoons xantham gum
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

TO SPRINKLE ON BOARD COVERED WITH PLASTIC WRAP
1 - 2 tablespoons sugar

FILLING (I did it "my mom style" and brushed the dough with really soft butter before sprinkling the filling)
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped nuts - optional

GLAZE (This is the glaze recommended in the recipe, but I added 1/4 a block of cream cheese for a tasty tasty frosting experience....)
¾ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
milk to thicken

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In medium bowl, combine shortening and sugar. Mix well. Measure warm milk and add yeast to milk. Whisk well to fully dissolve (I did the milk and yeast first, and then set it aside to let it work its magic for a bit).

Add milk/yeast to sugar mixture. Add remaining ingredients. Mix very well, being sure to remove all lumps. Dough will be quite soft.

Take a piece of plastic wrap and lay it out so it covers a 13 1/2" x 13 1/2" square. Sprinkle sugar on the wrap. Lay ball of dough on top of that. Then pull out another sheet of wrap and gently lay over the dough. Pat the dough down into a roughly squarish pancake. Lift the top wrap up and then reposition it. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough in between the two layers of wrap. Occasionally you'll have to lift and reposition the wrap because it gets "stuck" under the edges. You might have to occasionally flip the whole thing over. Make sure that when you're done you've got ABOUT a 13 1/2" x 13 1/2" square of dough.

Remove top piece of wrap. Combine filling ingredients. Spread evenly across dough's surface (don't forget the soft butter trick mentioned above if you're into extra delicious calories). Use the bottom piece of wrap to lift the edge of the dough and start to roll it up forming a long cylinder. Cut off or trim up the irregular ends of your "log". Then cut into 8 or 9 slices of similar size, about 1 1/2" wide (I use dental floss, wrapping it around the log, crossing it, and pulling. Works like a charm. Thanks mom.) Place rolls into a greased round glass pie pan (I used a square Pyrex).

Bake approximately 20 minutes, until tops are lightly browned.

Combine powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk to make glaze. (If you're doing cream cheese, mix it with beaters til it's smooth, then add powdered sugar to taste, about 1 tea vanilla, and milk til it's the right consistency). The amount of milk you use will depend on how thick you want the glaze to be. Stir until all lumps are dissolved. Drizzle over warm rolls if desired.

*I made these, put them in the pan, and then stuck them in the fridge for a couple hours while me and the hubbie went for a run. Still turned out great! The original poster said that she's done it overnight, with success!

Gluten Free in NYC

The hubbie and I headed to NYC for a weekend for our second wedding anniversary, and I have to say...a dream destination for those of us with Celiac. We arrived with a HUGE list of restaurants that not only offer gluten-free options, but are actually members of the Gluten Free Awareness Program (http://www.glutenfreerestaurants.org/). This generally means that they know about cross-contamination, and all those issues that can make those of us with actual Celiac disease sick. We didn't' make it through even half the list. But here's some places we DID try and love:

Blooms: It was close enough to the theater district that we walked to our show after even though it was a bit of a hike (Wicked at the Gershwin...unrelated, but AWESOME!!). I tried the grilled chicken sandwich, which is served on a gluten-free bun. It was very very tasty, even though there was no sauce. The chicken was seasoned quite scrumptiously. I also ordered the gluten-free fries. Mmmmmm mm. This is a great place to go if your loved ones don't have to eat gluten-free too. My husband enjoyed a delicious salami sandwich so much, that we ended up eating breakfast here one morning too. I had eggs, bacon, potatoes (which are french fries) and gluten free toast (made out of the same buns that the sandwiches are made on). All in all, very tasty, and absolutely no negative reactions...it felt very very safe.

Risoterria: This was my second experience at Risoterria, and again wasn't disappointed. I love the fact that you get gluten-free breadsticks while you wait (chewy breadsticks...not crunchy, typical gluten-free breadsticks). The pizza is yummy (I tried the mushroom one this time with a truffle oil sauce...mmmmmmm....). My husband ordered risotto and really enjoyed it. Be prepared for a really really little environment (you get to know your neighbors), and a moderately pricey menu. Still, I'd suggest it.

Tu-Lu's Gluten Free Bakery: We walked way out of our way one day to try a completely gluten-free bakery. I had a chocolate cupcake with cream cheese frosting, and a cranberry white chocolate oatmeal cookie. Both were delicious. There's just something about walking round a big city all day that makes you need a cookie. Not want a cookie...NEED a cookie. This is a great place to get one, although I must admit that I was surprised by how few options they had. For some reason, I expected lots more variety after seeing the website. Still...fun. And one of their walls is soooooooooo cutely painted. :)

Petit Cafe: We went here for breakfast one morning, and I was a bit sad we didn't make it back. I had originally thought I'd get a gluten-free bagel (they looked soooooooo normal), but then I saw the blueberry muffins, and had to have one. The hubbie ordered an omelet, and both were delicious. I believe they also serve gluten free pancakes, french toast, sandwiches, etc. Great little place. Delicious big muffins.

Grom Gelato: After Risotteria, we came across Grom Gelato. They had gluten and non-gluten listed right on their big wall menu, and I was pumped. However, I have to admit, I ended up being really scared eating it (probably shouldn't have eaten it, but for some reason was very un-Amber-like and did). I think there is probably a contamination issue at work here. Each flavor has it's own scoop, which is AWESOME. However, as I watched them dish up the ice cream into the cones (which the majority of people order), I saw them touching the cone with the scoop, and scraping excess ice cream off the side of the cone with the scoops, and then the scoops go back in the ice cream, leaving little cone crumbs. Like I said, I normally wouldn't eat something after observing something like this...but I did. And I had a mild reaction that night as a result (most likely...guess it could've been something else...).

Honestly, if you have Celiac, you have to go to NY just to feel like you're eating like a normal person on vacation. It was so much fun.

Gluten-free in Disneyland

Before we left for our week long trip to Disneyland, I did a lot of research about the food. Ah...the curse of being a Celiac and traveling. Lots of prep. But as I researched Disneyland, I found myself getting really excited. I repeatedly read that it was the happiest place on earth to be gluten-free. Honestly, I didn't want to get my hopes up, but Disneyland did not disappoint. The food was awesome! It was the first trip since being diagnosed that I didn't blow through the gluten-free snacks I always take on vacation to keep me from starving (GF Rice Crispie Treats, Cinnamon Coated Almonds, and Envirokidz Granola Bars). There WAS no starving! I was always fed, and fed well!

Once inside the park, I stopped at City Hall on cute little Main St, and picked up a whole packet listing everything I could eat in the park. The list was pretty long! What did I end up trying?

*GF Pizza at Redd Rockett's Pizza Port: Pretty yummy, and it actually cost less for me to get a GF personal pizza then for my family members to order slices of normal pizza! Not usual in the GF world! The head chef came out and took my order, reassuring me that the pizza was cooked in a separate pan, and I had absolutely no reaction so it was a great trust-building experience as my first Disneyland meal!

*Hot Dog's (with buns!!!) at Coke Corner Main St: MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE! Hot dogs are one of those things that I never loved before the diet, but have craved like crazy since. To be able to have a delicious, normal tasting bun...heaven. I probably ate 4 during our 5 days at the park. Couldn't get enough. My husband was even sent on a mission to find out what buns they use: Ener G Tapioca Buns. I will be buying some immediately. The hot dogs are John Morrell 100% beef. The hot dog basket comes with Lays Chips, or apple slices. Yum. Again, I felt very comfortable that I wasn't getting cross-contaminated. Every single person I ordered from knew exactly what I was talking about when I requested GF, and they always sent my order out it a separate bag instead of the usual basket. Just order ahead of time...it takes 20 minutes for them to do a gluten-free bun, but it's so worth the wait.

*Hamburger & French Fries at Taste Pilot's Grill in CA Adventure: Yum again. The bun wasn't as tasty as the hot dog bun, but still pretty normal! And the fries. Yum yum yum. It was the first fries (except homemade) that I've been able to eat since the diet, and it was heavenly. Just heavenly. Again, the people taking my order had obviously been educated on the subject, and assured me a separate fry frier was used.

*Cotton Candy and Dole Pineapple treats from the vendor stands

*Big Thunder Ranch BBQ: The head chef was sent out and told me that I could have everything except the corn bread, desserts and ribs (meaning chicken, coleslaw, beans, corn on the cob and smoked sausage). He assured me that he or his assistant handle all the allergy orders personally, and that through out the park head chefs are on site to do so. Awesome. It was a bit pricey (I think $25-$29 per person), but it was all you could eat and oh-so-scrumptious (except for the coleslaw...not my thing...it was more spicy and vinegary than sweet). The environment was really fun too. I have to add this tidbit, though--the next day, I was sick. It felt like a gluten-attack, but I of course can't be positive.

*Freshly made English Toffee from the candy shop on Main St: This wasn't in our packet, but I saw them making it in the window and couldn't resist. I checked the ingredient label, and the only thing I was worried about was the "Milk Chocolate". I asked a cashier, and she immediately went into the kitchen and talked to the chef. They told her they were using Guittard Milk Chocolate. After googling it on my hubbie's nifty Blackberry, and finding it gluten free, we bought a pack and were in heaven. Yum.

Outside the park, we ate at Outback and PF Changs (did you know they expanded their menu last week!!!! YAY!!!!) and didn't have a problem with either. Delicious food, knowledgeable staff, no reactions. We also tried Zankou Chicken. I didn't have a reaction, but was a bit disappointed with the food. My meal basically turned out to be spit-roasted chicken, because I couldn't eat the hummas, lettuce or tomato without the pita. If you go, order the kabob plates...at least then you get rice too.

Mimi's Cafe was on our list to try. We walked in, and were given the "GF Menu" which was actually a binder listing the items on the menu, with check marks for the different allergens. Pretty much everything had gluten, except for some Vegetable Soup and a salad. That actually sounded really good to me because it was a rainy night, so we prepared to be sat. Then I flipped to the back of the grid page, and saw the ingredient listing for the soup. Being the extra cautious type, I read on, only to find BARELY printed in big ole letters. We gave back the menu and left, fearing Mimi's was one of those places that thinks gluten only includes wheat.

Another thing that helped us out? Our hotel had a mini-fridge, so we went to the Target down the street from Disney and got GF cereal and milk to keep on hand for breakfast.

All in all, the trip was fantastic. I felt like a normal person traveling instead of a "Celiac". Best vacation I've had GF so far. I don't think my family even had to suffer because of my diet! Gooooooooooooooo Disneyland! Now...I just want to go back. :)

Normal Gluten-free Bread...No Really. It's NORMAL!

I have been on the gluten-free diet for almost a year, and I have to say that at this point life is feeling pretty normal. I've adjusted to the gluten-free lifestyle, and all my old recipes have been converted to taste completely normal gluten-free (well...all except for my mom's unbelievable, one-of-a-kind sugar cookie recipe. Unfortunately, I'm still working on that one). Dinners have been normal (really normal) for a long time, cookies haven't been a problem, and with the recent addition of Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cake Mixes... life feels...complete. :) The one exception to the normalcy: BREAD.

Up until recently, I'd tried recipe after recipe, with just mediocre results. The hotdog and hamburger buns featured on this blog earlier...ok. But all the bread I ever made was either slightly off taste-wise, or way too dense. It just wasn't...NORMAL. You know what I mean by normal--yummy and crusty on the outside, spongy and light on the inside...BREAD! My sweet little hubbie changed all that.

For Christmas, I was given Bette Hagmann's "Gluten Free Gourmet Bakes Bread" cookbook. It took me a month before I even tried (that's how motivated I was after my previous attempts to put in all the work for homemade gluten-free "bread"). But the little title I'd seen for one of the recipes when I flipped through it kept going through my head over and over, in a very whiny, "try me" type voice: "Crusty French Rolls". Having gone without real bread for a year, nothing sounded better than that. You know what I'm talking about. So, I finally tried it--AWESOME. My gluten-free life will never be the same. Not only was it pretty easy compared to some of the recipes I'd tried, but they tasted like FRENCH BREAD FROM THE STORE. Crusty, spongy, deliciously flavored NORMAL French bread. Next, I used my new CuisineArt Breadmaker (also a Christmas present from the hubbie...do you think he was getting sick of not having bread around? :)), and tried the White Bread recipe. Also easy, also THE MOST NORMAL YUMMY BREAD! I would've been impressed with the results before I was gluten-free!

So, to make a long story short, I HIGHLY recommend the cookbook. It's worth it for those 2 recipes alone. I can now serve delicious sandwiches, rolls, and hot out of the oven BREAD (not fake-bread. BREAD) for my friends and family, Celiac or not! Mmm mm. Life just gets more and more normal...and tasty. :)

On a diet and gaining weight...

So, am I the only Celiac out there frustrated by the fact that I feel like I'm on a diet and yet packing on the weight?! Talk about a bummer. I remember my dietitian telling me I would gain weight as my intestine healed and started absorbing nutrients properly. But having been a skinny minny my whole life, and never having had to worry about what I ate, somehow I didn't believe her. "Ha...riiiiiiiiiiight. I'll stop eating tons of bread, and 90% of the goodies I'm used to, and I'll GAIN weight. Uh-uh. I'm going to be a stick! At least there will be perks to the Celiac diet..."

I hate to say it, but she was right and I was wrrr...wrrrrrr....wrrrrrrrong. There. I said it. :)

I'm not saying I'm overweight, but I tell you...it does not feel good to pull out pants and shorts I haven't worn in a season or two and have them be too small!

I exercise like always, and don't overeat. (Well...I'm sure I could probably cut out some ice cream and snacks here and there...IF I WANTED TO CUT OUT ALL HAPPINESS!) But still the ten pounds came and won't leave.

My awesome husband keeps reminding me that I'm now HEALTHY and that's more important than being able to fit into pants that were probably way too skinny in the first place. And the logical side of me definitely agrees...

But there's still that girly side..... :)

Gluten Free Pizza Crust

UPDATE: Ok...so since originally posting this a couple of years ago, I have changed my mind.:) Sorry, but Bette Hagman's Seasoned Pizza Crust in "The Gluten Free Gourmet Bakes Bread" blows everything else out of the water. Think normal tasting pizza (not take out pizza...normal homemade pizza...). Delish. If you don't have that book yet...it's a must. Just a couple of changes to her recipe:

*The first couple times were sooooooooo frustrating as I tried to figure out how to spread the dough. Here's what I do now. Grease and dust with cornmeal a small cookie sheet. Grease the back side of a plastic spatula (the pancake flippy kind...not the rubber, scrape the sides kind). Put all the dough in the center of the pan. Use the greased back side of the spatula to pull the dough to the edges of the cookie sheet. When you hit the side, leave the extra that naturally accumulates for a raised edge crust. Mmm. Don't get frustrated. A few times in, you'll be a pro!

*I bake for 15 minutes without toppings, and another 13 with.

*And I highly recommend brushing the crust with a mix of melted real butter, parmasean and minced garlic 3 minutes before it comes out. YUM. Even my hubby eats it with me.

I'll leave the post underneath, but compared to the stuff I'm now making....eh. :) I'm telling you GET THAT COOK BOOK!

It's been awhile since I posted. Life has been...crazy life! I'll try to do better. Starting right now...

Ever since I've been eating gluten-free (almost a year now), I've been making homemade pizza here and there, hoping to land on something that tastes close to a normal pizza. (I'm lucky enough to live close to a Z Pizza that serves gluten-free crust, which is actually really good, but it's a chickpea crust, so I'd still like a yeasty, doughy option!) It's a lot of work to make homemade crust every time I want a pizza, especially since gluten-free crust tends to be sticky and hard to spread. The majority of the crusts I've tried (quite a few different recipes, believe me) haven't been anything special, and definitely aren't worth all the work. Most don't get poofy like a normal crust, and ALL of them have turned kinda mushy and dense under all the cheese and toppings.

Finally, on Friday I might have found a winner. Instead of going completely from scratch, I decided to try Blue Chip Group's French/White Bread mix. I made it as instructed for bread, adding some sugar and honey in an attempt to yummy-up the flavor. When I pulled the pizza stone out of the oven, I was pleasantly surprised at how NORMAL the crust looked. After eating it, I was still impressed--and so was the husband, which is saying something! Great texture...I almost could've believed I was eating Dominos. :) The flavor still needs a little tweaking...I'm thinking about adding some Italian seasoning next time, or maybe brushing the crust with butter and parmesan the last bit. But all in all. Success!!

Gluten-free Hamburger Buns & Gluten-free French Fries Recipe

UPDATE: Since originally posting, I've found I much prefer store bought hamburger buns. Whole Foods brand are decent... better than the homeade variety posted below. So why not? :)

Happy 4th of July everyone! In honor of the holiday, I thought I'd share the recipes I used in the scrumptious BBQ shown above. It really was to die for, if I do say so myself. :)

For the hamburger buns, I used Jules Shepard's breadstick recipe, which I unfortunately can't find online anywhere (sorry...so not helpful). But it can be found in her book, "The First Year: Celiac Disease and Living Gluten-free." I highly recommend it. I've used this recipe previously for hot dog buns and really enjoyed it, but I have to say I think it makes even better hamburger buns. It held together, wasn't too bready...I could've been eating a burger at a gourmet restaurant.

As for the fries, that's a recipe I can share! :) I don't usually like homemade, steak-style fries. They're too soft for me. But these...no no no. Nice and crispy. I think you'll like them! :)

Gluten-free French Fries Recipe:

Slice up some potatoes, skins and all.

Put them in a plastic bag, and add enough olive oil to just coat all the potato pieces. Shake the bag around until all the pieces are coated.

Add seasoning to your liking. I added chili powder, paprika, lots of season salt and a little garlic powder, and they were DELICIOUS! (You can adjust the amount to your liking...I smothered on the season salt and chili powder, and went a little lighter on the other two.) Shake the bag around until the seasoning is evenly distributed.

Spread the fries on a cookie sheet, and cook at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes, giving them a little stir/flip every 8 minutes or so.

Yum yum yum. Hope you enjoy!

Gluten-free Chinese Lemon Chicken Recipe

You'll have to forgive the picture above...it's sorta half-devoured. :) I forgot to pull out the camera until we were well into the meal, and yum yum yum yum. Food like this does not last long! :)

This is one of those lucky finds. I was looking online for a new lemon chicken breast recipe, came across this one for Chinese style lemon chicken, thought it sounded SCRUMPTIOUS, and guess what? It just happened to be naturally gluten free! The only changes I made were to cut it down to 3 servings, and to increase the honey by the tiniest of bits. Yummmmmmy. Give it a try. I think you'll LOVE it!

http://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/284/Chinese_Lemon_Chicken38791.shtml

For the fried rice, I just sauteed green onions, green pepper (I actually like red better, but didn't have any) and a bit of minced garlic in some oil, added a couple of scrambled eggs, some peas, and precooked rice, and drenched it in salt, pepper, and La Choy's (gluten-free) soy sauce to my liking. Fry, fry, fry...and whala. :)

A complete gluten-free Chinese dinner in for two!

I'd love to know what you think...

Ghastly Gluten

So, have you ever wanted to track somebody down and strangle them? Or at least give them a good hard spankin? :) I've spent the last week wishing I knew for sure who glutenized me so I could do just that. :)

Yes, I've had a week and a half of cramping, yucky bathroom issues, horrible nausea every time I eat, shooting headaches, aching...and just all around blah-ness. I'm finally feeling better the past couple of days, so no pity party for me yet, but there for a while it was a wee bit frustrating.

So, what do I think got me? Well, I almost hate to say it because you can never know for sure...but well...I'm pretty sure it was Uno Chicago Grill. Yes, we decided to try a new restaurant that we were all excited about, and that had a big, nice, fancy gluten-free menu. I excitedly ordered a gluten-free pepperoni pizza, and went to town. Yum. By that night, I was feeling pretty ill, and it spiraled from there. Maybe it was a one time thing, and they are usually fine. Maybe it was a mix up. Most probably it was cross-contamination. I don't know. But I do know I was one sick puppy, and will not be eating there again soon.

The silver lining is that Brian (hubby) and I have been wondering ever since I started the diet if I'd even know if I accidentally got some gluten, and how that all worked. I guess now we know! Lucky us! :)

Big Boo Boo

Well, I just discovered that I've been making quite a major mistake with my gluten-free diet. It all started yesterday after the hot dog buns when me and the hubbie went to mix up some more Nearly Normal Flour. One of the ingredients is Corn Flour, and as I grabbed the bag of Bob's Red Mill Corn Flour, I noticed it didn't say "Gluten-free" like all his other bags. Hm. I immediately ran to Google (how did people survive before the internet) and did some research. When I came across a blog post from about a week ago, talking about how Bob's Red Mill Corn Flour is now going to be gluten-free, I knew I was in trouble. Apparently, all this time I've been using it, not gluten-free due to cross contamination. Sigh. I was pretty upset and frustrated. I've been so so strict, yet all along my flour has probably been contaminating me. After freaking out, and whining to the hubbie, and trying to trace back all the times I've been sick since starting the diet to see if my baking was involved, I finally just said, "Oh well. It's a learning process. Throw out the flour, and we'll start again."

Anyway, that's my story of the day. A lesson learned: always read ALL the stinkin labels oh-so-carefully!

Gluten-free Hot Dog Buns

UPDATE: Since originally posting, I went to Disneyland and experienced EnerG Brand Tapioca Hot Dog Buns. Can't go back. They are my fav. Just sayin'... :)

(Yes, I'm a bit of a ketchup, saucy girl. :))

What's Memorial Day without hot dogs I ask you?! :) After being surrounded by hot dogs on our cruise last month, I have been craving them like crazy and wasn't about to let the holiday pass without pulling out the George Foreman and grilling some! (Gotta love apartment complexes that forbid real barbecue grills :)) Gluten-free hot dogs were easy: we went with BallPark. But what about buns?! I didn't know what to do. In the end, I used Jule's Shepards Bread Stick recipe (found in the before recommended book), and they actually turned out quite tasty! I did them a little too big, not expecting them to raise as much as they did, but overall...yum. Nice and spongy like a hot dog bun, and yummy flavor.

That being said, if any of you know of a killer recipe, do share!

Happy Memorial Day!

Gluten-free at PF Changs

My husband took me to dinner at PF Changs yesterday for our anniversary, and I gotta say...best dining out experience so far! Everyone at the restaurant, from the hostess to the waitress, knew exactly what we were talking about when we requested the gluten-free menu. No one was at all surprised or confused. The waitress even volunteered all kinds of helpful info without me even having to ask (i.e. they use seperate woks for all the gluten-free food). And I was so excited when they actually handed me a REAL menu, with only gluten-free options on it! It wasn't a print out from the internet, they didn't hand me their normal menu and tell me what they could change to be gluten-free...it was a complete gluten-free menu!

We started off with the Lettuce Wraps, and then ordered the Chang's Spicy Chicken and the Lemon Chicken. It was all delicious--I was thrilled to be eating a REAL meal. A lot of the times I go to a "gluten-free" restaurant, and end up feeling like I should be happy just to be able to eat a bland meal there. Not the case here...there was breaded chicken, there were sauces, our waitress even knew to bring us gluten-free soy sauce. It was such a great, great experience! Highly recommend it.

My heart belongs to CHEX!

Just got back from the grocery store and am toting my first box of gluten-free Honey Nut Chex! That's right!! I'd heard Chex was expanding their gluten-free line, but hadn't expected to see them so soon. What a great surprise! From what I hear, Chex will now be offering gluten-free Rice, Corn, Honey Nut and Strawberry Chex! As a cereal girl, I couldn't be more pleased! :)

Haribo Gummies

I am a gummy candy fanatic, and Haribo has always been my brand of choice...so I was thrilled to find this on their website:

"Are Haribo products gluten free?Most Haribo products are gluten free. The following Haribo products are NOT gluten free: Black Licorice Wheels, Red Licorice Wheels, Sour S’ghetti, Fruity Pasta, Pico-Balla, Allsorts and Pontefract Cakes."

http://www.haribo.com/planet/us/info/faq.php

Not only are most of their products gluten-free, but it was also so easy to find! Go Haribo!!!

(You MUST try putting the Gummy Bears in your gluten-free rice krispie treats. Such a yummy addition! Yeah...I'm kinda like a really tall three year old...)