CakeLove

Cake love recently opened up in Tyson's Corner mall in Tyson's Virginia. They have several other locations located throughout the DC metro area. Including two in DC, three in Maryland and two in VA.

The cakes are supposed to be great and they offer vegan and gluten free options. yippiee.

Click [HERE] to visit the Cakelove website.

UPDATE:

Ok, so I had a chance to try a cupcake from cakelove! Babysitting the other day, the kids wanted to go to the mall so I stopped by the store. They only had one gluten free option, but I'm sure you can pre-order different gluten free varieties.

Soooo how did it taste? Well, I wanted to love it soooo much, but it really wasn't great. It didn't taste much like anything. I got a chocolate cupcake, could barely taste the chocolate and the icing was just o.k. it tasted a little more like cool whip than icing...which is not bad, but it just wasn't great. I would take a cake by Pamela or Namaste over cakelove in a heart beat :-\

I was a little disappointed, especially because I spent $3.50 on it! But it was nice to say that I've tried them. Who knows, the non gluten free cakes might be way better! (probably)

Sonic

One thing I miss about the South and gluten containing food is definitely Sonic. While I see commercials for Sonic all the time back in DC, I have yet to actually see a Sonic. I am assuming they are all in Southern VA.

Sonic does not have any gluten free food options, sadly, but it does have really great slushes! and some great dessert options...so while we wait for them to cater to the gluten free population....we can enjoy their famous slushes!

Chicken Parmesan

I'm in Atlanta visiting my friend Kimmie and this was a meal that she had planned one night. It just happened to be gluten-free....and delicious...and way easy!

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Tomato Sauce (your choice)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Place the chicken breasts into a casserole dish. Cover with tomato sauce and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

2. Place preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and top with Mozzarella cheese. Place back in oven for 10 minutes or when cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Cinco's Mexican Cantina

Greetings from Georgia! I am in the ATL for the week visiting my best friend Kimmie. While I am here I will try to let you know about anything gluten free in this area.

The other night we went to Cinco's Mexican Cantina in Suwanee, GA.

While the manager nor the wait staff knew anything about gluten free food, they were willing to work with me. Actually, the manager did not speak english and was very hard to communicate with. He kept coming back to me saying that nothing said gluten in the ingredients....I had a hard time explaining that gluten isn't actually listed in the ingredients...(usually) which made no sense to him! But, I did have a much easier time speaking to the waitress who was very sweet to help me. The chips were gluten free, as well as the queso. I ended up ordering enchillada's with corn tortilla's with chicken and cheese. The chicken was plain and they had no problem grilling my food with foil down to make sure there was no cross-contamination.

Pamela's Cupcakes

It is my roommates Birthday so I baked some gluten free chocolate cupcakes. I used the Pamela's chocolate cake mix and they are delish! Pam never let's me down ;-)

Chocolate Frosting:

4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup cocoa
1 stick butter
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
about 1/3 cup milk or water (depending on consistency you would like)

Top with sprinkles and dust with powdered sugar!

Click [HERE] for Pamela's Chocolate Cake Mix

Also, on a side note. Pamela's makes a killer frosting mix and pancake mix. If you haven't tried them, you should!

Uno Chicago Grill

Uno's has a pretty good amount of gluten free options :-)

Erewhon

I've only ever had the Crispy Brown Rice cereal by Erewhon but they have all sorts of gluten free cereals. Crunchy Corn and Amaranth, Rice Twice, Corn Flakes and Crispy Brown Rice with Mixed Berries too!

Looks yum. Check them out [HERE]

Amy's Cream of Tomato Soup

Amy's Cream of Tomato Soup is gluten free and oh so delicious! A great summer treat with grilled cheese (Glutino corn bread) and sour cream and onion chips (Utz)

Moe's Southwest Grill

I was talking to my bestfriend who lives in GA and she mentioned Moe's which was a huge favorite of mine pre gluten free while I lived in GA. I quickly looked it up and found they have locations here in NOVA but also found out that they don't have anything gluten free! Not even their corn chips and corn tortillas. What gives? They must be frying all of their food in the same oil...

Because I was still on the phone with my friend, I mentioned to her the bad news and she reminded me that post gluten free we went to Moe's and figured I could get chips and queso and be fine. I ended up getting sick that night and we assumed it was because someone got their gluten containing food on my plate. Turns out that it was because I ate a bunch of gluten!

Maybe I'll write a letter to Moe's and they can jump on the gluten free band wagon like Chipotle and Baha Fresh!

Just because...

It stinks! This isn't going to surprise any of the other gluties out there but those of the later population might be surprised. or might not!

I stopped by my local health food store, Healthway for some staples in my house:

3 loaves of bread (Glutino Corn Bread)
1 box of macaroni (Glutino)
1 box of ravioli (Conte's Pasta)

Grand Total: $31.00

Just for fun, I added up what it would cost me three years ago pre-gluten free:

3 loaves bread (Wonder bread)
1 box macaroni (Kraft)
1 can ravioli (Chef Boyardee)

Grand Total: $9.35

no fair!

Cheese Ravioli

I tried some Conte's Pasta for the first time today. I made their Cheese Ravioli and it was really really good! I didn't realize that Conte also has sauce that you can buy separate at the time so I ended up making my own.

You can find Conte's products [HERE] They have all sorts of pastas.

And here is the sauce I made...which I totally recommend!

Sauce:

15 ounces of tomato sauce
1 Tablespoon minced onion
2-3 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
1 Tablespoon sugar

Simmer and pour on top of the yummy ravioli!

Mostacholi

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef
2 Tbsp. minced onion
Spaghetti sauce (whatever kind you want!)
Gluten Free noodles (penne work good)
Mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese

1. Brown ground beef and minced onion.

2. Cook noodles.

3. Add red sauce to beef and simmer for 15-20 minutes until bubbly.

4. Take a 9x13 inch baking dish and spray with gf non-stick cooking spray. Layer the sauce, noodles and cheese twice. Sprinkle with Parmesan.

5. Bake at 350 until the cheese is melted!

Hamburger buns!

I have been a terrible terrible blogger lately! But classes just ended for this quarter and I have an entire month off so hopefully I can get back to cooking/baking and blogging! Time will tell!

I just wanted to let you all know about these white rolls from Schar. They are delicious! I bought them reluctantly and tried them as hamburger buns and I was really pleasantly surprised! I haven't had a "real" hamburger in quite sometime but from what I remember, they tasted just the same!

Here is the delicious burger I had with the Schar buns!

Dr. Schar

Today I was at the Health Food Store when I noticed a new product made by a company named Schar. This company is a German company that is the #1 selling gluten-free brand in Europe. They have been around since 1922, starting out in the Baby Food Industry and created their first gluten free line in 1982. In 2007 they opened their US headquarters in NYC.

If you check out their site, it is pretty impressive! Not only do they provide all the usual information on their company and products, they have tons of recipes to share! As well as tips and tricks for cooking and baking! They also have tips on traveling and eating out and everything you could ask for!

Click [HERE] to check out their website!

Ian's Chicken Nuggets

No wheat, no gluten, no dairy, no casein, no nuts, no eggs, no soy, no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Organic :-)

Yum!

Uncle Rick

Hello Everyone!

Happy Mother's Day :-) This post has nothing to do with gluten-free food...so bare with me, if you will.

I have a very ill Uncle who is currently hospitalized in Chicago in the process of receiving a bone marrow transplant. He also happens to be a priest and continues to amaze me with his uplifted spirit as he undergoes this grueling process of receiving a BMT.

He has a CarePage which is sort of like a blog, a place where he can document his journey and let everyone know how he is doing.

Anyway, I loved his message today and I thought I would share it with you all.

Thank you, God, for the Gift of your Spirit. Help us truly realize that we are truly one, because it is the same Spirit, same Lord at work in and through each of us, whether Catholic, Methodist or any who are baptized and walk in the ways of the Lord.

How can the Word spread while we continue to be divided?

Well, I guess the Spirit can do anything. The Spirit did so in a divided Church in the first century. However, we'd be better off working with the Spirit if we would recognize we are called to oneness and love one another.

Peace.

Msgr. Rick

I completely agree. Amen!

For those of you who are fellow Christians reading this blog, prayers for my Uncle would be greatly appreciated.

Gluten-Free Checklist

This is a cool website that provides all sorts of gluten free checklists. Birthday, books, products, pre-prepared meals, restaurants, travel and bakery—checklists. Very useful!!

Check it out [HERE]

Sugar Cookies

I also had a chance to make my favorite sugar cookies! Click [HERE] for the recipe :-)

* Note - I use this flour mixture instead of using only rice flour.

2 cups white rice flour

2/3 cup potato starch

1/3 cup tapioca flour

Chocolate Pie

This is my all-time favorite dessert! If you are a chocolate lover this rich chocolate pie will hit the spot. I was very excited to have a chance to make this for a BBQ I'm going to tomorrow :-) yum!

Ingredients:

Filling:

1 cup heavy cream
1/2 stick butter
1/4 cup sugar
10 oz. chocolate chips (I used a whole bag 12 oz.)
1 tsp. vanilla

Crust:

1 package of chocolate Kinnitoos

Directions:

1. Melt all the ingredients for the filling over the stove or in the microwave.

2. Using 1 entire package of kinnitoos, open each cookie and remove the frosting with a knife. Take the remaining cookies and put in a large plastic sandwich bag. With the entire package of cookies inside the plastic bag, using something heavy like a glass cup crush the cookies.

When the cookies are sufficiently crushed pour them into a pie pan. Pour a 1/4 cup melted butter on top the crushed cookies and to form the crust.

3. Pour the filling on top of the crust and refrigerate at least 2 hours or until the filling has set.

Polenta

I was grocery shopping the other day and noticed a tag under some polenta that said GLUTEN FREE. I'm sucker for anything that says gluten free so naturally I bought it....but I have no idea what it is or what to do with it! I checked out the package and I am still a little lost...so does anyone have any good ideas on how to cook it? Any good polenta recipes?

Chicken with Rice Soup

Speaking of inherently gluten free products....Healthy Choice Chicken with Rice soup is gluten free, and delicious! Everytime I go to the grocery store I buy as many as they have and eat them up quickly through out the week. They are a great snack that is quick and easy. A minute 30 in the microwave and ta da!

Rice Chex Go GF

Rice Chex are now gluten free!!! and it even says so on the package! how cool is that? They totally redid their recipe to make them gluten free. I don't know about you guys but this was one of my top favorite cereals pre gluten free! Ahh! I can't wait to buy a box!

Speaking of General Mills.....apparently they are starting to label all of their products gluten free, if they are. How very kind! and convenient! I hope all the companies catch on! That would make us gluties lives so much easier!

Oh, and maybe companies will just start making everything gluten free! ahhhh, a girl can dream.

Triumph Dining Joins the Blogosphere

Triumph Dining is known for their books on Dining gluten-free and their super helpful gluten-free dining cards...and now they have started a blog! They have all sorts of great info on their site...so you might want to add it to your daily blog roll :-)

Shout to the Lord

So I was really surprised and excited to hear Shout to the Lord on American Idol the other night! Then I was surprised to hear it again the next night!

The first time they changed the word "Jesus" to "Shepherd" but the second time around they kept it to true to the lyrics, which is really awesome. I love seeing anything praising the Lord on television in our secular world!

Scalloped Potatoes

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 large white onion, diced
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or rice flour to make the dish gluten-free)
3/4 cup milk
White pepper
Dash salt (be careful because there is salt in the cheese)
3/4 cup shredded white Cheddar
4 to 5 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1/8 cup finely sliced white parts scallions, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease an oven-to-table baking dish with some of the butter.

2. Melt the rest of the butter in a saucepan or small skillet and saute the onion until it becomes translucent. Gradually add the flour to make blond roux, then slowly add the milk and allow the mixture to thicken. Season with white pepper and just a dash of salt and remove from heat. (Be careful to avoid overdoing the salt, because there is salt in the cheese.)

3. Layer 1/3 of the potatoes in the baking dish, followed by 1/3 of the milk sauce, and 1/4 cup of the shredded white Cheddar. Repeat the sequence twice for a total of 3 layers. You can top with the breadcrumbs before baking, but omit if making the dish gluten-free. Bake covered for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, removing the cover for the last 10 minutes. (You can speed up the cooking time by pre-microwaving for 10 to 15 minutes before baking, or even par-boiling the potatoes.) The scalloped potatoes are done when the potatoes are tender. Let rest a few minutes before serving. Garnish with sliced scallions.

The Chewy Gluten-Free

These cookies got amazing reviews on the Food Network website so I'm going to go ahead without yet trying them....suggest them for everyone! Check out the reviews [HERE]

8 ounces unsalted butter
11 ounces brown rice flour, approximately 2 cups
1 1/4 ounces cornstarch, approximately 1/4 cup
1/2-ounce tapioca flour, approximately 2 tablespoons
1 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 ounces sugar, approximately 1/4 cup
10 ounces light brown sugar, approximately 1 1/4 cups
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

This makes 2 dozen cookies :-)

1. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Once melted, pour into the bowl of a stand mixer.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the rice flour, cornstarch, tapioca flour, xantham gum, salt and baking soda. Set aside.

3. Add both of the sugars to the bowl with the butter and using the paddle attachment, cream together on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the whole egg, egg yolk, milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir to combine.

4. Chill the dough in the refrigerator until firm, approximately 1 hour. Shape the dough into 2-ounce balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes, rotating the pans after 7 minutes for even baking. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on the pans for 2 minutes. Move the cookies to a wire rack and cool completely. Store cooked cookies in an airtight container.

Chef's Secret: Baking Substitutes

1. Instead of eggs, you can use 3 Tablespoons of applesauce for each egg.
2. You can substitute sugar with agave nectar, which comes from a cactus and can be found in your organic supermarket.

**Agave nectar is a natural syrup from a cactus which is low on the glycemia index and often a safe alternative to most non-insulin dependant diabetics.

3. Use 2/3 cup agave nectar per 1 cup of sugar

GF Cinnamon Toasties

I haven't tried these yet but the founder of Babycakes Bakery, the allergen free bakery in NYC shared the recipe on Martha Stewart...so I'm sure it's wonderful.

It is wheat, gluten, dairy, nuts, casein, soy and eggs free :-)

Check out the video [HERE]

• 1/2 cup canola oil, plus more for pan
• 1 cup garbanzo and fava bean flour
• 1/2 cup potato starch
• 1/4 cup arrowroot
• 1 1/4 cups unrefined sugar
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup store-bought unsweetened applesauce

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Brush a 6 3/4-by-4 1/4-by-2 3/4-inch loaf pan with oil; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, potato starch, arrowroot, 1 cup sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, xanthan gum, and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together oil, applesauce, and 1 cup hot water. Add oil mixture to flour mixture; stir until well combined. Measure out 1/3 cup of batter and place in a small bowl. Pour remaining batter into prepared loaf pan. Stir remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon into reserved batter. Add to loaf pan, swirling to combine.
4. Transfer to oven and bake about 20 minutes. Brush top of loaf with oil and continue baking until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before unmolding.

Gluten-Free Network

Just found this site...it looks like it has the potential to be a great resource and another easy way to exchange information among the GF community. Click [HERE] to check out the Gluten-Free Network.

GF Date Nut Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
3 Tbs. shortening or vegetable oil
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup sorghum flour
2/3 cup whole-bean flour
1/4 cup tapioca starch
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

1. Lightly grease 12- cup muffin tin and set aside. In a medium bowl, combin dates, walnuts, shortening, baking soda, and salt. Pour in 1 cup boiling water and set aside for 20 minutes.

2. In a large bowl or plastic bag, combine sorghum flour, whole-bean flour, tapioca starch, sugar and xanthan gum. Mix well and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer, beat eggs and vanilla until combined. Stir in date mixture. Add dry ingredients and mix until combined.

4. Spoon batter evenly into each cup of prepared muffin tin. Let stand for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until firm to touch. Remove form pan immediately and let cool completely on wire rack.

To make this recipe egg free:

Omit eggs from recipe. Combine 1/4 cup flax flour or ground flaxseed with 1/3 cup warm water. Let stand for 5 minutes. add with vanilla. Increase baking time by 2-3 minutes for muffins.