Tag Archives: Gluten-free

Ian’s cookie buttons – eat like a kid

Posted on November 8, 2011 | 1 comment

Even though I have a grown up job, I still tend to eat kid snacks throughout the day. When 3pm rolls around my brain gives me a couple of options: 1) eat about 50 jelly bellies from the communal jar 2) sit around and whine about how hungry I am until I go home 3) find a snack. Lately I’ve been loving the cinnamon cookie button pouches from Ian’s. They’re single serving packs of little crunchy cookies that satisfy my need to munch.

The cinnamon and ginger in them gives them a ton of flavor, and while I wouldn’t exactly say they’re packed with nutrients, they’re definitely better than the Jelly Bellies.

Next up on my list to try are the not-so-healthy chocolate covered wafer bits.

Something I’m NOT going to try? These weird-looking egg and maple breakfast sandwiches. No thank you.

But the cookie buttons? Yum!

Ian’s: All Natural Allergy-Friendly Foods

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Cafe Green – bad service, good cheesecake.

Posted on November 7, 2011 | 3 comments

It’s a shame that when you’re looking for brunch places in DC with vegan and gluten free options, there are really only a handful of places that come immediately to mind. Cafe Green is always top on the list because of their menu and central location, but they’re also notorious for having bad service and being a bit discombobulated.

When I met up with Katelyn (New Kid on the Vegan Block) there this weekend, they were certainly true to form. The first mistake was our bad – we assumed they served brunch on Saturdays, but it’s only on Sundays. The rest were their bads.

There was a mix up with our food order, we didn’t get our “superfruit” cocktails until after our meal, and they kept trying to take our coffee away.

Either way, their “famous” veggie burger was pretty darn tasty, and the coleslaw was great piled on top. I love daiya cheese for its Velveeta-like creaminess, and the peppers were also a nice touch. You can see Katelyn’s tempeh sandwich on her post.

Now I will commence a rant on Udi’s bread:

I really need to stop ordering sandwiches at places with Udi’s bread. It’s not good, I end up paying extra for it, and it’s small and not flavorful. Why don’t more restaurants have local gluten free bread? Or at least attempt to make their own? The bread that comes out of my breadmaker is approximately 900 times better than Udi’s. I get that Udi’s is probably the cheapest option for restaurants, but it’s just so…lame.

K, rant ended. My hatred for Udi’s bread grows stronger every time I eat it though.

My recommendation for going to Cafe Green? Don’t go with someone who is going to complain about the service, only easy going people who don’t mind waiting/dealing with weirdness. Also order the mac and cheese and the cheesecake. They’re the best things on the menu. Also make sure if you want brunch you go on SUNDAY.

I brought home with me some chocolate banana cheesecake (amazing), and some of Katelyn’s homemade granola bars! (also amazing). I know she’s been working on perfecting her recipe, but I can’t imagine them getting much better. They’re my favorite kind of granola bars – moist, flavorful, and addictive.

Now I still have to go back to Cafe Green for brunch at some point, because they have a few pancake/french toast plates that sound delicious. Maybe I’ll bring them some of my bread so they can think about replacing that Udi’s with something more…edible.

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Five tips for eating gluten free during the holidays

Posted on October 28, 2011 | 6 comments

Around this time of the year, tons of holiday diet tips articles come out. Most of them tell you the same things – don’t stand near the food table, avoid high-calorie drinks like egg nog, have healthy snacks before a party, keep your will power strong.

Well, when you have to eat gluten free, things tend to go a bit differently. So here are the things that I’ve learned about eating during the holidays without getting sick, and still having fun!

1. Focus on the festivity
Sure, a lot of holidays revolve around the food we prepare, serve, and eat during them. However, it’s not everything. Even though you may not be able to eat grandma’s famous Christmas cookies anymore, you can definitely still make grandma a killer Christmas gift, or spend some QT with her while everyone else is in a sugar coma from the cookies. By focusing on the other aspects of holidays, you’ll still get the same amount of enjoyment out of them, maybe even more.

2. Eat what you can, whatever it is
Sure, you could stick to plain veggies and shrimp cocktail. But if you’re not trying to lose weight, then eat whatever is gluten free!

Fattening casserole? Yes!
Cheese platter? I’ll try one of each.
Ice cream? Double scoop please!

I’ve found that I usually can’t eat most of the “bad-for-you” foods at parties like rich desserts, pies, pizza, and appetizers. So, if there are things that I can eat, I’ll go for it even if it’s not something that fits into my usually healthy diet choices. There are enough times I have to say no, so if I can say yes, I will!

3. Bring something and be proud that it’s gluten free
I’ve made the mistake before of bringing something that’s gluten free and letting it sit around incognito. Then I realized that if I didn’t say something about it being gluten free there was a big chance for cross contamination (ie: you bring a dip and corn chips, and someone grabs a hunk of bread and dunks it right in the bowl). It also will help other guest who may have food allergies, and may even spark a discussion that could lead to someone discovering their own gluten intolerance.

Even if it’s not homemade, bringing a box of gluten free crackers, chips and salsa, or a bag of nuts even, will ensure that you have something around to keep you from starving.

4. Scope out the scene before the party
Hopefully you know the host of your party, and can ask them casually what’s on their menu (or ask them if they need help, can bring something, or offer a great recipe you have). If they’re planning on serving turkey pot pie for dinner, cookies for dessert, and beer to drink, then you know that you should probably BYOB and bring something substantial to eat (or eat more ahead of time).

If you don’t know the host well, then don’t bank on them having a full array of gluten free items for you to eat. Have a yummy mid-sized meal beforehand and then you can focus on having a few drinks, socializing, and having a few nibbles. Not every party also needs to be a feast (I have to remind myself of this one sometimes).

5. Be a good sport, but also take control

If someone gives you a cookie tin as a gift, for godsakes just take it! Give it to your mailman or something. There’s no worse feeling than having a gift rejected, so just be thankful. There is so much going on during the holidays that your gluten allergy is probably not high on people’s priority list. So, be a good sport and keep your holiday cheer up.

On that same note though – take control of the holiday season! Have your own gluten free party! Gluten free graham cracker gingerbread house making party? Gluten free cookie swap? Hot chocolate, popcorn, and Christmas movies? Throw a get-together yourself and you can run the show.

Hope you find these tips helpful! Also would love suggestions on anything that you do during the holidays to stay gluten free and also have a merry time!

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Hail Merry almonds and tart review

Posted on October 27, 2011 | Leave a comment

I saw Hail Merry’s tarts at Yes! Organic Market a few weeks ago, but didn’t actually get one. This time I decided I needed to try one, and picked up the Meyer Lemon Miracle Tart.

It was pretty amazing. Like a lemon bar with a big bang of lemon flavor. The filling was creamy, the crust crumbly and flaky. I’m sure that the chocolate tarts are great too, but I feel like it takes more finesse to get a lemon dessert right. I’m saving the rest until I can pick up some whipped cream, since I think that’s the only thing that would make this tart better.

I also picked up a pack of the Vanilla Maple almonds. Unfortunately they were expired, so not as crunchy as they should be, but the flavor was still great. This is one of those things that you should probably make yourself, but it’s nice to have someone make for you.

I love Hail Merry products because they come from a company that really seems to care about the gluten free community. Their blog and attitude toward gluten free products, plus their approachability, makes them a company I feel good giving my money to.

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Gluten free at Grey Market DC

Posted on October 23, 2011 | 2 comments

Yesterday I went to my first Grey Market. It was way-the-heck up in Columbia Heights/Petworth, and also in a small basement of a corner store. It kind of felt like the Dirty Dancing set where all of the workers danced, but filled with food vendors.

There were mostly baked goods up for sale, with adorable mini pop tarts, cupcakes, and Halloween-themed cookies. So, not much for me to sample. On their products page, it looked like there would be a few gluten free vendors there, but I only saw one: Sweet Nuttings. Maybe I missed the other ones in the chaos…


This place has a great bakery concept: focus on nuts, and let them each shine in their own dedicated cookie.

I got one of each.


The pistachio one was my favorite I think, but they were all delicious. They had a rich, buttery texture, and tasted like an amplified version of the nut.

How gorgeous is that cookie? I wish I’d bought a dozen.


Sadly I can’t find a website for them, but they have an email address: sweetnuttings@gmail.com.

After Grey Market, we headed over to The Heights, which I’m only mentioning because they had the most delicious Maple Squash and Sage soup ever.


It’s vegan and gluten free, and tastes like Thanksgiving. I guarantee that this will wet your whistle for Turkey Day. The Heights also has an amazing happy hour with $4.25 glasses of wine (dangerous).

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Polish Kapusta

Posted on October 22, 2011 | Leave a comment

The second there’s a chill in the air, all I want to eat are piping bowls of X, Y, or Z. Oatmeal, soup, chili, thai food, you name it. Last night I had a pregnant-lady strength craving for kapusta.

Kapusta is a traditional Polish dish that my grandma used to make. It’s kind of like golabki (stuffed cabbage), only without the meat. Plus you don’t have to do any of the work of stuffing and rolling the cabbage, it’s a one pot meal. Well, meal for me, probably more of a side dish for others.

There are a ton of different versions of kapusta – some are sauerkraut-based, some have mushrooms, and some have salt pork. Our family’s version is more tomato based, with tons of onions and cabbage.

Polish Kapusta

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 head of green cabbage, cut into chunks
  • Some kind of tomatoes (you could use diced, fresh, stewed, anything but sauce)
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  •  1-2 T. sugar
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 T. butter + 1 T. oil
  • 1 c. water
  1. Saute onion and garlic in butter/oil until transparent
  2. Add in cabbage, water, and tomatoes. Liquid should just about cover the cabbage.
  3. Turn the heat on low, let simmer for about 20 minutes.
  4. Add in sugar, salt, and pepper to taste.
  5. Let simmer for another hour or so (until the cabbage is tender and the liquid has thickened)


I served mine with greek yogurt (usually it’s served with kielbasa and sour cream). And I ate about four bowls. And it was amazing. Such a simple recipe, but it’s one of my favorites.

 
The best part about kapusta is that it stays good for at least a few days to a week, and it’s like chili in that it just gets better after sitting in the fridge.

Na zdrowie!

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Top 8 mainstream gluten-free snacks

Posted on October 21, 2011 | 5 comments

I saw a post about gluten free mainstream products, so I thought I would do my own. My fridge and cupboards are usually about 80% natural/organic and 20% mainstream products, and I usually only buy mainstream products that I LOVE and can’t live without. I did not include things that are obviously gluten free, whole foods, or things that are incredibly healthy really, but things that are truly just snackable.

1. Mini Snickers bars – not that you can call a candy bar a snack, but I love a couple of these in the middle of a rough work day. And don’t get me started on how adorable the Easter pastel colored ones are.

2. Chex cereal – even though the sugar count is high, still great for snacking

3. Archer Farms (Target) fruit strips – Perfect for a hit of sugar before a run, and they’re not too chewy or fake feeling

4. Orville Redenbacher’s kettle corn – this with white chocolate chips is my go-to late night movie or work snack

5. Fritos – horrible for you, but so addictive. On top of veggie chili is so ghettolicious. The flavor twists Honey BBQ flavored ones are also gluten free. And equally awful for you.

6. Skinny Cow truffle bars  – White Mint is my fave, I have one of these pretty much every day.

7. Emerald cocoa roast almonds – my aunt introduced me to these. It’s the closest you can get to dunking almonds in chocolate while still keeping them healthy.

8. Mentos – more of a mint than a snack, but sometimes I eat like five of them. In which case I make them a snack, albeit a bad one.

Any guilty pleasure gluten free snacks to add?

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Breads from Anna pancake mix review

Posted on October 12, 2011 | 3 comments

A while back when I was home in Michigan for the weekend, I picked up a bag of maple pancake mix by Breads From Anna. Yes, mostly because it had my name on the package, but also maple pancakes sounded awesome.

This mix is really unique because it doesn’t have corn, rice, or almond flour in it. It’s first ingredient is tapioca starch, but it also has arrowroot powder, millet flour, chia flour, pinto and navy bean flour, and chickpea flour.


I made the batter as directed, but it was super thick. So I kept adding milk to thin it out, but it seemed to never get to a good pancake batter consistency. I must have added double the milk and it still was like a muffin batter.

They also didn’t get very fluffy, they were more like flatjacks than flapjacks (heehee). Once I put some pumpkin and cinnamon in and topped with maple sugar they were alright.

So sad that my namesake pancake mix didn’t live up to the hype I had built up in my head. Maybe some of their other products are better, but I wasn’t impressed with this one.

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5-minute collard greens

Posted on October 10, 2011 | Leave a comment

Now that I’m living in the semi-South, I feel like I should learn how to cook more Southern food. I always thought that collard greens were something that took a really long time to cook so they weren’t tough, so I hadn’t attempted to put them in anything besides soup.

Then I saw this recipe for “5-minute collard greens” from Whole Foods. It’s meant to bring out the nutrients in the greens. So, while it’s not exactly a classic Southern recipe, at least now I have a way I like to eat them and is super quick to boot!

Ingredients:

  • About 4 cups of collard greens, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
  • Clove of garlic, chopped
  • 1/2 t. Bragg’s liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
  • 1/2-1 T. olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • Dash of cayenne pepper

  1. Chop collard greens and garlic and let sit for 5 minutes while you prepare the dressing (apparently this magically brings out their health-promoting properties?)
  2. Get steamer on the stove to start heating up.
  3. Put all other ingredients in a bowl.

4. Steam greens for 5 minutes.

5. Transfer to bowl and toss with dressing. I served mine topped with an egg.

So simple! Next time I’ll add in some olives or seeds, but this definitely will make it into my “quick meal” repertoire.

Speaking of random greens with dressing – the cilantro dressing from Trader Joe’s is so good! I topped some spinach with it and crumbled blue corn tortillas, and it was addicting.

You should get it.

Now concluding the greenest post ever.

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Gluten free veggie burger review: Amy’s Bistro Burgers

Posted on October 5, 2011 | 1 comment

Good gluten free veggie burgers are something that I’m still on the hunt for, since I can’t seem to find my old stand-by Franklin Farms burgers anywhere in DC.

Usually Amy’s products are reliable, so I was excited to see their “Bistro Burgers” in the freezer at Whole Foods. For $5.49 for a box, they’re not cheap, but also less expensive than some of the other veg burgers in the case. (Note to self: attempt to make veggie burgers in your new food processor).

The burgers had a lot of flavor to them, which is sometimes lacking in veggie burgers. They also crisped up really nicely on the stove. I brought one to work and just microwaved it, and it ended up just falling apart into a kind of floppy patty. That sounds really gross, but it didn’t taste bad, it was just messy to eat. It’s also kind of worth it since the burgers don’t have soy protein in them, but instead have natural ingredients like beans, brown rice, and tofu.

These are best served with some kind of sauce – I made a wrap with hummus and it was super tasty.

Some burgers I’ve had that are not so tasty?

The Yucky List

  1. Dr. Praeger’s California Veggie Burgers – I just don’t get why these products are so popular. I find the veggie burgers to be kind of rubbery? Or gritty? Also, will someone please tell them to update their packaging? It looks like the cover of a nutrition book.
  2. Sunshine falafel burgers – these things are the worst. As dry as the desert. They’re also 230 calories each, which is just stupid.

Do you have any recommendations, or non-recommendations on gluten free veggie burgers? I’m always trying to find a better one!

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