Gluten Free Foodies

Celebrate the foods that you can eat!

Gluten Free Dining and Shopping Guides

July 26th, 2010 at 11:12 am by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
Have you heard about the Triumph Guides? The Gluten Free Restaurant Guide, Gluten Free Grocery Guide and Gluten Free Restaurant Rescue Pack - dining cards ?
Well, I am here to tell you they are really great! It is so easy to look up info and to carry with you. These guides are updated annually with such useful information.

In 2004, Ross and Kay Cohen of Philadelphia came up with a great idea while trying to figure out how Ross could live a happier Gluten Free lifestyle. Ross actually avoided social situations around food because it was just too hard to navigate the strict gluten free guidelines to stay healthy. His wife said, "Let's make dining cards to teach restaurants how to make gluten free foods", so that he and others who are Gluten Free do not avoid a social life. They dove right in and began to meet with chefs and restaurants. They also studied labels and cookbooks to discover pitfalls that may occur in a restaurant kitchens. Each of the cards has 3 translations. The cards are laminated and can be folded up and carried in your wallet or purse for easy spontaneous use! The cards explain the gluten free diet quickly and accurately. The 10 pack of cards has 10 different languages including - American, Chinese, French, Greek, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Mexican, Thai and Vietnamese - ready to travel with locally or internationally.


Since those early days, they have also added a gluten free grocery shopping guide that includes 30,000 products with 1,100 brand names. As an added bonus, the gluten free restaurant guide, just released 5th addition, has over 6,500 Restaurants for all 50 States including menus for 120 national and regional chains like Chili's, Red Robin and Baja Fresh Mexican Grill. I was actually very surprised to see Buca di Beppo in there as well!

The Grocery Guide has information from top store brands like Safeway and Kroger, to name a few. The book is nicely organized into sections like grocery aisles - dairy, beverages, baking, canned & packaged goods, cereal, bread & pasta, condiments, sauces, dressings, snacks, baby foods and formulas, frozen foods and meats. There are so many foods and companies that might be new to you or you may have missed because the store may not have tagged the shelf or positioned it in a space that wasn't easy to find. This way you can plan ahead and ask your favorite grocery store if they carry the Gluten Free items you are looking for or order it for you.

I have added an icon link to the sidebar of my blog to make ordering easier. Just click the icon below in this post or on the sidebar for more information. You can order any or all three from this link. The books and cards make a great gift for your Gluten Free Foodie friends and family too!


Enjoy!


Lisa

glutenfreefoodie@gmail.com
Filed under: , , ,

Gluten Free Foodies BBQ & Music Saturday, July 24th

July 23rd, 2010 at 8:49 am by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
Looking for something different to do this weekend?
Wish you had more Gluten Free friends?
Well, I think I can help you!
Meet us at Mike's 4 Star BBQ in Port Gamble on July 24th at 4 PM.
Look for us sitting outside on the deck enjoying the gorgeous views around the quaint little town of Port Gamble while eating some of Mike's totally awesome Gluten Free pulled pork, beef brisket, chicken or no mayo slaw! Oh ... did I forget to mention the ribs and handmade sausage?! Mike even has a dedicated GF fryer to make some of his famous Old Mill Chips ... just for us! I like to dip them in their perfectly spicy and sweet BBQ sauce.
Mike's Four Star BBQ is located in the old filling station at 4719 NE State Hwy 104
We will be at Mike's until about 5:45 PM and then we will drive over to Kingston to enjoy the FREE Concert on the Cove that starts at 6:30 PM. Bring some of your favorite Gluten Free treats to share for dessert during the concert. Don't forget to bring a folding chair or a blanket to sit on the grassy cove. The concerts are at the Mike Wallace Park next to the Kingston Ferry. If you live in the Seattle area just walk on the ferry to meet us for the concert.
The concerts are organized by the Kingston Chamber of Commerce.
If you have any questions or think you will meet us at both locations or just one, please let me know so I can look out for you and save some space.
Please note each person or family will be paying for your meal at the time that you order. Families and friends are welcome, even if you aren't Gluten Free but curious please feel free to join us for some really great food and music!
 
Looking forward to seeing you,
Lisa
Filed under: , , ,

Gluten Free Veracruz Cooking and Pairings

July 18th, 2010 at 10:04 am by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
I had the most amazing dinner and lesson the other night at Mexico y Veracruz Cooking in Pacific Place, downtown Seattle. It was a special event dinner that was sponsored by Cazadores and Corzo Tequila.
I know, when I heard Tequila, I thought ... yikes! I do not like Tequila! I use it to cook but I do not like to drink it. I don't even like Margaritas. I actually hate the smell of it!

I knew this was going to be a hard lesson for me but I thought I would make an effort because my friend, Chef Fernanda at the restaurant invited me to attend the event. I didn't have the heart to tell her ... I hate Tequila! I really only have a cocktail on special occasions.

So the other night, as I was getting dressed, I reminded myself to have an open mind about this special event. I thought, who knows, maybe I might learn something new? When I arrived I gave Fernanda a big hug and we sat down to catch up before the festivities. She also assured me that everything on the menu was Gluten Free, just for me! How sweet is that?! A really handsome and nice waiter, Andrew, came over and introduced himself to me and asked about what type of cocktail we wanted to start the night off. I thought to myself, yikes! how am I going to do this? Both Fernanda and he recommended a refreshing Grapefruit Cocktail with Cazadores Blanco, perfect for the summer. When it arrived I took a small sip and realized this is not the flavor I remembered. This was smooth and floral. I only had a few sips as I ate my favorite freshly made salsa and chips. I get really distracted when this is in front of me. The salsa has roasted tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, onion and I am not sure what peppers. I tried to get the recipe but no luck! The corn chips are perfectly crisp with such flavor. They sprinkle sea salt and squeeze fresh lime juice on them while they are still hot from the fryer. I just about polished off the chips and salsa, the first course arrived. I did notice, however that the combination of the drink with the chips and salsa went really well together. The flavors were fresh and bright.

To learn more about the history of Cazadores Tequila explained by Tania, their Ambassador, look at the info on their website and video. Some interesting things to note, in 2001, Mexico and the European Union ruled that it was forbidden that tequila be produced outside of Mexico. The Western Blue Agave plant is grown in 5 states in the Highlands of Mexico - Jalisco, Nayarit, Guanajuato, Michoacan and Tamaulipas. Tequila can only be called "tequila" if it has at least 51% Tequilana Western Blue Agave and adhere to the standards of the TRC. If it is less than 100% you will not feel well after consuming it! You will get the infamous worst hangover ever! Cazadores and Corzo Tequila is high end and you will not feel ill but please drink responsibly. She also explained to us that the factory plays classical music during the fermentation process to allow the yeast to thrive. It takes 12 years to grow an agave mother plant, from which the sprouts grow. The Pina, the middle section, is where the juices are extracted. It takes 4 days to cook and process. (Other brands do it within hours, thus poor quality.) They must distill the agave 2 times by law then it goes into a barrel to age and extract the vanilla, chocolate creamy flavors from the wood.

Just then, it was time to sample the Blanco - sip, swirl, swallow and exhale slowly ... wow! ... it was nice and also time for the first course of the meal.

Ceviche! So fresh from the sea, cold, citrus marinated Ahi tuna and shrimp served so beautifully atop an avocado half.

In between, Tania told us about Reposado, made from 100% Blue Agave, rested for over two months in new small American white oak casks. Rich aroma, floral and slightly sweet. It goes really well with - Oranges sprinkled with Cinnamon! It was so good and I was so shocked that it was sweet and creamy, two words I would not think of using when describing ... Tequila!


And now the main course ...
Carne Tampiquena - A northern Mexico favorite from Tampico - Grilled Painted Hills steak served with cheese enchiladas topped with the absolute best mole sauce I have ever had! I think the server said it had 24 ingredients! The creamiest rajas (roasted, peeled poblano peppers and onions) and refried beans were on the side.

Oh my goodness ... let's just say I lived in the moment with this meal. I savored each and every bite. I appreciated all of the flavors from the mole, to the rajas ... and then I realized that my tastebuds were so happy because they had been introduced to something new. Pairings that were not my typical favorites and yet slightly different. Orange instead of lime ... Cinnamon, which I absolutely love, with a variety of peppers, it was as if my palate had a rebirth! I could suddenly taste the various levels of the food, simply citrus to the spice of the peppers. I was so happy that I went to this event. I learned so much about how pairings in different ways with quality beverages can make all the difference in the world to enjoy a meal. So typically we think of pairing beer or wine. I never would have thought of pairing Tequila. I suggest the next time the there is an event like this at Mexico Cantina y Veracruz Cooking that you gather your friends and go! Awesome food, drinks and friends!

Wait ... wait ... we finished off the meal with the most beautiful sugar nest domed flan and a few sips of Cazadores Anjeo, which is aged for 12 months and is just for sipping.
Thank you to everyone for such a lovely evening. I really enjoyed talking to everyone and learning about something that I thought ... I didn't like. I am a changed woman!
Lisa

Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

Pickles Deli – The Best Gluten Free Sandwiches!

July 7th, 2010 at 11:52 pm by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
Eh ...um ... eyes over here please!
I know, I know that sandwich looks absolutely amazing. Forgive me ... that Gluten Free Spicy Italian sandwich looks absolutely amazing! Well it was the best Italian sandwich I have had in like 7 years! Totally stacked so high I could barely take a bite without squishing it down. Actually ... oh! ... that made it even better because all of the juices from the pepperocinis oozed out all over the hot cappicola, pepperoni, hard salami and in with the garlic Parmesan peppercorn dressing ... um ... and the sharp provolone and mozzarella romaine, tomato and red onion! The flavors rolling together like a waves in the ocean ... Oh man ... let's do it again ... more please!






So let's back up and I will tell you how I came across this divine piece of sandwich heaven ...

A few weeks ago I was itchin' to take a short day trip across the water. The weather around here has not been the best and I am so ready for summer sun! On top of it, I just get in these moods where - I just have to go to one of my favorite areas around the Puget Sound to just let the ferry winds blow across my face and through my hair. This trip took 4 ferry rides but well worth it. Anyway, I was looking on line to see what new things were happening on Whidbey Island. I love the little towns - Clinton, Langley and Coupeville on the south end of the Island. So, like I said, I was looking to see if I could find some place cool to eat a special Gluten Free lunch because my birthday was at the end of the week. So I kept looking and then got busy with some other chores. Later that evening I got back on line and opened my email inbox and there was an email from Kim at Pickles Deli in Clinton, WA on Whidbey Island! She very sweetly told me that she had some new Gluten Free bread, meats and cheeses and wondered if I would go out for a visit to try them. I immediately replied with a great big YES please.

I couldn't believe it! I was so excited and so in the mood for a really good loaded sandwich.

So I told her that I would be there on Thursday for a day trip for my birthday. We left early that morning - Mom, Mac and I because it was a family birthday celebration day.

It was very easy to find just a few minutes up the road off the ferry on highway 11042 SR 525, Suite 122 in the Ken's Korner shopping center. 360 341 3940 is the phone number.

Summer hours
Mon. - Wed. 9am-6pm
Thurs. - Sat. 9am - 8pm
Sun. - 11am-5pm

All of the meats and cheeses are Boar's Head and Gluten Free! You can order off the menu and tell them you want the Gluten Free bread. They will take extra care to make sure that the cross contamination is little to none as best as they can. We ordered a side of the potato salad and I am so glad we did. It was almost better than mine.
It was creamy and I think it had cheese and pickles in it, perfectly seasoned. We ended up splitting the sandwiches and also ordered the Classic Turkey and Bacon along side the Spicy Italian. The Turkey Bacon was loaded and a meal in itself. You will walk away very satisfied. The sandwiches also come with a Pickle ... of course!

I was so impressed with Kim and her team. They were all so sweet, calm and fast. Kim said hello to everyone by their name while making their food. She didn't skip a beat! Smiles and all! Kim even was sweet to my mama! One of her friends, Jeff came in to get his daily meal and she introduced me to him. It was a great feeling being there, as if we were family. Pickles Deli has been in business for three years. You can tell by the line that never stopped the entire time I was there. Please contact Kim for more info about her Gluten Free menu, any updates and catering.

While I was in the area I went into the local grocery stores. Star Store in Langley, the other is in Bayview Corner, carry a very nice selection of Gluten Free treats from breads, crackers, meats, chips, cookies and snack bars. The Goose Grocery also has a variety of Gluten Free items in their freezer and snack sections as well. Along the highway in Clinton, the FoodMart also had a great big sign that said "Gluten Free Products ..." so I had to stop and go inside. Great selection of some fun, hard to find things like Pik-Nik Shoestring Potatoes. It actually says GLUTEN FREE on the back of the can!

Go ... have some fun on Whidbey Island and eat at Pickles Deli ...
tell Kim I said ... Hello!

Stay the day, weekend or week with no worries because you can find some good Gluten Free food on Whidbey!

Enjoy!
Lisa
Filed under: , , , , , , , ,

Paella Party – Para Todos Los Gustos

June 28th, 2010 at 5:08 pm by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
Have you ever worked so hard for a meal, that by the time you sat down to eat it you were so excited you didn't know where to start? I mean the kind of meal that you just wanted to dive
into - the fire roasted poblano peppers with a bit of smoky tomato, rice, mussels and a big bite of spicy chorizo - all perfectly seasoned by the outdoor fire and glowing with that saffron hue.

Ohhh! well ... let me tell you that my birthday wish came true this year!
My favorite way to celebrate with friends is to cook a really big meal that we can make together. Each guest brought a portion of the ingredients to add to the meal. We arrived at my friend Ana's summer house on Bainbridge Island around 3 pm. Luckily I made a few extra treats to kick start the festivities. More about those later ... but I highly recommend that you feed your guests while making this meal because it will take up to 2 hours. After all this is meal was originally created in Valencia, Spain as a laborer's or poor man's meal cooked over a fire in the middle of the field where they worked.

The name Paella refers to the metal pan that the dish is made in. It has 2 small handles and is somewhat shallow. This type of pan is usually very wide and flat on the bottom which allows for even heating over the fire. I have always wanted a traditional paella pan but do not have one. Luckily for me, my friend Gail let me borrow her two Paella pans. If you don't have one, I would suggest going to The Spanish Table in the Pike Place Market in Seattle. They have everything, I mean absolutely everything that you could ever want or need that has to do with Spanish cooking and Paella. They have Paella pans that range from 22 cm to 115 cm! I can't even imagine making Paella in a 115 cm pan ... but oh how fun would that be?

So we heated up the grill and started to roast the poblano peppers. Once the peppers started to blister on all sides we put them into a paper bag to let them sweat. Then we put the Roma tomatoes on for just a few minutes on all sides. At this point we began to work in shifts, the tomatoes went inside the house with Ana and Cynthia so they could puree them into a smoky sauce. Dave, Marla's husband, helped me with grilling the chicken, just enough to get the flavor started and toget all sides with grill marks. While the chicken was cooking, Sandy was a trooper and cut up 4 big onions - 2 red and 2 white, no tears! When the chicken was done we took it off the grill, put it on a plate, covered it with foil and put it to the side. We added a tad bit more of olive oil, the onions and the chorizo to the pan. I used Isernio's chorizo because it is Gluten Free. I removed the casings and added small pieces, about 1.5 - 2 inch pieces into the pan with the onions. In the meantime, Marla and Gwen took the poblanos from the bag, removed the blistered skin and cut them up. Once the onions were translucent and the chorizo was cooked, we added the poblano peppers. Then the tomato sauce went in and the rice. We used a brown rice but there are various types that you can use. I also added some Pacific Foods Gluten Free Chicken broth to both pans to allow the rice to cook. A traditional Spanish rice for paella is Matiz short grain rice, which you can also purchase at the Spanish Table.


By this time we started to use the other paella pan inside because the big pan was full and took up the space of the grill. Kelly arrived and was put to work with Ana while she was cooking the inside paella. I ran back and forth making sure that both pans were cooking at the same timing. We heated the other pan with some olive oil and added the onions, chorizo, tomato sauce, poblanos and rice and let it simmer. We added the saffron and pimento spices, garlic, sea salt and pepper and covered both pans with foil and waited patiently while the rice cooked. Patience is not one of my virtues ... but the others relaxed and enjoyed the view over the Agate Passage while sipping Cherry Mojitos and chatting. I couldn't wait to dive into the Paella!

About this time, my friend David walked in after running his first marathon in Seattle. Yes, he was actually standing in the doorway and greeted me with a smile after running 26 miles! We got him an icy cold Cherry Mojito and some Cherry Salsa with chips to help him relax and refuel. His timing was perfect because things were just about to heat up!

The time while waiting for the rice to cook is the hardest part for me because as I mentioned it requires patience. Well ... it is the hard part because you want to time it just right to put the chicken, mussels and shrimp in without overcooking or undercooking everything. It's all about timing ... let's just say it worked out!
We added green peas and fresh cilantro to brighten it up. David was the official taste tester and said it was ready. I called everyone to get a plate and paella was served!
It was perfect! As I looked around at everyone eating, I could hear the Spanish music playing and all I could think of is how happy everyone was, especially me. Everyone helped create this beautiful and absolutely delicious meal and had a lot of fun doing it! I think that is what I love about this meal - it is a great way to get your guests involved and chatting about food ... Paella!

We finished the meal off with some Cafe Dulce de Leche Flan that I made. Ana, the sweetheart, brought out a Gluten Free Chocolate Raspberry Cake with a candle and everyone sang

"Happy Birthday ... to me" ...

I have always wanted to have a Paella Party for my birthday and now I can say that we did it. Thank you to everyone who celebrated with me, espcially Ana, for sharing her home with us. Hopefully it is not the last time that we all get together to make some really great food. I love Paella and I love making it. I love that you can add whatever ingredients you want traditional or not. I love that it is Spanish and Gluten Free with all my favorite ingredients - chorizo, poblanos, mussels shrimp, saffron, rice. The best part is ... para todos los gustos ... there is a little something for everyone!
Ole!
Lisa
Filed under: , , , , , , ,

Cherry … Oh Cherry Syrup!

June 26th, 2010 at 9:35 am by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
So what is one to do when life gives you 20 lbs. of cherries? Yes, I said 20 lbs. of NW Cherries! Make lots-o-cherry food and drinks! This week has been all about pitting cherries, by hand. I started off just cutting the cherries and using my fingers and then got wise to the tool. The first thing I wanted to make is Cherry Syrup because I thought it would be a great basis for all sorts of recipes to add a beautiful cherry red color and intense sweet, slightly tart flavor. It is so easy, once you get past the pitting ... 2 cups pitted NW Cherries 1 cup brown sugar 1 cup cane sugar 2 cups of water 1 teaspoon of lemon juice 1 teaspoon of Nielsen-Massey pure almond extract 1 tablespoon of Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla paste
Heat the water and sugars in a tall sauce pan.
Keep an eye on it an stir so it doesn't burn. Just as it begins to boil slowly add the cherries. Lower the heat to a simmer. Stir for a few minutes and cover. Reduce the heat to low to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and recover. After 10 minutes turn the heat off and add the lemon juice, NM pure almond extract, NM Madagascar Bourbon vanilla paste. Stir well to incorporate all the flavors. Cover and let it meld for 15 minutes. Take the lid off and let it cool on a rack. Use a funnel to pour into a bottle that has a tight seal. Refrigerate until you are ready to use it. Great to use to top anything Gluten Free - pancakes, waffles, frosting or use it for drinks. Stay tuned ... Enjoy! Lisa glutenfreefoodie@gmail.com
Filed under: , , , , ,

Gluten Free Birthday Wishes and Eddie Vedder

June 25th, 2010 at 8:28 am by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
Well yes ... another year and ... Oh what a Gluten Free filled year!
I have met so many amazing people this year, virtually and in person. So this morning when I woke up with birthday surprises, besos and bacis (kisses) from Mac (my dog, he's trilingual) and Eddie Vedder ( I heart Eddie) ... I had to share. Strong cup of coffee in hand and a new little Cherry Bomb cupcake that I just had to make! If you want the recipe send me an email. Thanks for all the Birthday wishes ... looking forward to a weekend with friends at a Paella Party ... Ole'! Lisa ... A Very Happy Gluten Free Birthday Foodie! xoxo glutenfreefoodie@gmail.com
Filed under: , , , ,

Giddy for NW Cherry Season … Naturally Gluten Free

June 23rd, 2010 at 7:23 pm by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
I recently spent a day in Yakima, WA, to learn all about the life of the NW Cherry. I am amazed to find out that it takes so much just to get these beautiful, sweet little red jewels to our taste buds. The season only lasts 45 days and if you miss it ... oh how sad!

Just a few things to think about while enjoying this season's best of the NW ...


  • Store unwashed cherries in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and wash just before eating.

  • Keep the stems on the cherries to increase shelf life.

  • Bing, Tieton and Chelan Cherries are all available right now. Bing should be available until mid August.

  • Rainier Cherries are a cross between Bing and Van - sweet and tart yet creamy with a golden and blush hue. The Rainier Cherry was named after our Mt. Rainier. 20 brix (sweetness level) or more and no less than 17 these are the best naturally sweet Gluten Free candy you can find this summer. Make sure you get some for outdoor concerts, movies and a day at the beach!

  • Did you know that cherries are naturally low fat, low carb, and are a high fiber super food? They taste so sweet while providing vitamin c, antioxidants (from the dark color) and micro nutrients. Cherries also provide an excellent source of melatonin which is a hormone to help us sleep. One cup of cherries is only 90 calories!

  • Cherries have been proven to fight inflammation and help ease the pain of arthritis, gout and headaches from the abundance of antioxidants, isoqueritrin, queritrin and other compounds. In addition they help fight cancer and heart disease.

  • NW Cherries account for two thirds of the nation's crop and ship to 62 countries which brings $600 million into the Northwest annually. Northwest Cherries are from WA, ID, UT, OR, MT.


What are you waiting for?
Go get your cherries .... and I will show you how to make some fun things to last all season long ...

Enjoy!
Lisa
glutenfreefoodie@gmail.com

Filed under: , , , , , ,

Yakima Cherry Almond Waffles

June 20th, 2010 at 9:05 am by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
Happy Father's Day to my mother who has always been there in both roles as mother and father to me!

I spent an amazing day yesterday with some fellow foodies in Yakima learning all about one of my absolute favorite foods - cherries!

So in honor of my mom and Yakima Cherries I made Gluten Free waffles with almonds and perfectly ripe Bing Cherries ... just a little bit of syrup and non-dairy earth balance butter ...

This is a first, albeit short posting, in a series all about the "Life of a Cherry" from Yakima, WA.

Happy Father's Day! and thanks Mom!

Lisa
glutenfreefoodie@gmail.com
Filed under: , , , , , , , , ,

Update from Lisa – Gluten Free Foodie

June 17th, 2010 at 9:38 pm by Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie
I wanted to let you know that I am no longer associated with the Gluten Free Foodies Bakery & Market in Poulsbo, WA. I really enjoyed meeting everyone that came out to see us and look forward to talking to you in the future. I am going to continue to write my blog and plan events for the support group - Gluten Free Foodies. Feel free to contact me at glutenfreefoodie@gmail.com

Take care,
Lisa
Filed under: , , ,
Write your own blog

Do you have something to say? Are you passionate about a particular topic and can write regularly and coherently? We'd love to talk with you. Contact us today about blogging on this site.

Blog Search
About Lisa - Gluten Free Foodie

Learning to live Gluten Free is a challenge. Gathering with like minded people while exchanging ideas, life experiences and gluten free food is more interesting! So I created, Gluten Free Foodies, to support Gluten Intolerant and other Food Sensitive people by gathering at monthly events and celebrating the foods that we can eat! Feel free to send me an email at glutenfreefoodie@gmail.com After all, didn't Erma Bombeck once say ... "I am not a glutton, I am an explorer of food."

Gluten Free Foodies

Create Your Badge