Tag Archives: pizza

French Meadow Bakery breakfast pizza two ways

Posted on October 31, 2012 | Leave a comment

This week I had the opportunity to try out the gluten free pizza crust from French Meadow Bakery as a part of a recipe campaign run by the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. French Meadow has a variety of gluten free products available on their website, and their products come shipped to you packed in dry ice and totally frozen (even after a FedEx delay mine was solid as a rock!).

The recipe that I was testing out was for “Breakfast Pizza”. Besides my patented hangover pizza, this isn’t something that I would normally make, so it was great to try something new!

Since the gluten free pizza crusts come in a package of two, I made one with more traditional toppings, and another one with a healthier spin.

Classic breakfast pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 French Meadow Bakery Gluten-Free Pizza Crust
  • 1/2 medium potato, shredded and squeezed in a towel to remove moisture (or use 1/2 cup of frozen hashbrowns)
  • 2 eggs, scrambled
  • 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • Topping of your choice (most would love bacon, I added spinach to half)

Instructions:

  • Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Bake crust for 5 minutes on the bottom rack, set aside.
  • Cook hashbrowns over medium heat in buttered pan for about 3 minutes per side, until golden brown.
  • Layer crust with hashbrowns, egg, cheese and toppings.
  • Bake for another 10 minutes on the middle or top rack, until cheese has melted.

Sweet potato and pesto breakfast pizza

Ingredients:

  • 1 French Meadow Bakery Gluten-Free Pizza Crust
  • 1/2 medium sweet potato, mashed
  • 1/2 cup liquid egg whites (or 3 egg whites), scrambled
  • 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 3 T. pesto
  • red onions, thinly sliced

Instructions:

  • Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Bake crust for 5 minutes on the bottom rack, set aside.
  • Scramble eggs, mixing in pesto at the end.
  • Layer crust with mashed sweet potato, egg, cheese and onions.
  • Bake for another 10 minutes on the middle or top rack, until cheese has melted.

I had a slice of the sweet potato one for breakfast this morning at the office and the crust held up great in the fridge over night. The crust is about 1/4 inch thick and a bready and chewy consistency. It kind of reminds me of the crusts that were included in the pizza lunchables that I loved as a kid. Because they’re made with rice flour they have a bit of sweetness to them. It also took me 20 minutes from start to finish to make both of these pizzas, so you can’t beat the convenience of having the crust pre-made!

As a part of the recipe campaign, French Meadow is giving away  two gluten-free prize packs! You can enter to win by submitting the form on the NFCA website. They will announce the first winner on Friday, October 26, and the second on Friday, November 2.

Enter the giveaway here.

You can also find more recipes using French Meadow pizza crusts on celiaccentral.org. I’m so excited to see what the other bloggers tried out!

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DC Gluten Free News Round-Up

Posted on August 20, 2012 | 1 comment

It seems like when it rains, it pours when it comes to new gluten free finds in this city. Here are a few things to check out!

1. Churchkey and Birch and Barley are getting gluten free flatbreads

They already have the best gluten free (and general) beer selection in DC, and now they’re going to be introducing gluten free flatbreads to their menu.They already had gluten free chickpea crackers, but this is taking it to a whole new level. I always salivated over the regular flatbread options on their menu and now I actually get to try one!

Chefs prepping the gfree dough, via the Churchkey Facebook page:

Just picture this thing becoming gluten free:

Heirloom Tomato Flatbread

2. The Protein Bar will be opening on Wednesday at 7th and D

This place serves healthy, high protein meals, many of which are gluten free! The amount of quinoa on their menu makes my heart do a happy dance. They also have a full allergen guide to refer to.

The Almond Berry Bowl, Black Bean Fiest Bowl, Vegan Quinoa Chili, and Superfood Vegan Salad are on my to-eat list. All of their blended protein drinks are also gluten free, and will make a nice substitute when I get one of those intense frappuccino cravings.

3. Pete’s Apizza makes a solid gluten free pizza. Broccolini continues to be gross.

I don’t know why I keep ordering broccolini – it’s bitter and ruins everything it comes in contact with. I ended up picking it off of my pizza, but loved the rest of it! Pete’s also has delicious gluten free pasta that I sampled at the DC Gluten Free Food Expo.

Anything else going on in the district that I should know about?

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Michigan gluten free finds: Biga Pizza and Commonwealth

Posted on August 19, 2012 | 1 comment

I wouldn’t have expected this in a million years, but I had possibly the best gluten free pizza I’ve tried in Michigan a couple weeks ago. In an unassuming restaurant called Biga Pizza I ordered a wood-grilled pizza. I had pretty low expectations, considering some of my other experiences with gluten free pizza in Michigan, but I was truly blown away.

I got the farmer’s egg pizza with zucchini and ricotta. The thin crust and wood-grilled crispness made this pizza something special. My friend tried a slice and said that she really couldn’t tell the difference between the gluten free crust and the regular one. Next time I’ll make sure to stay for the Lemon-Raspberry Parfait– (gluten free sponge cake, layered with lemon curd, raspberries and rum marscapone mousse). Mmm.

Another find in Michigan was Commonwealth in Birmingham. I got a ratatouille omelet and sweet potato hash for breakfast. I have to figure out how to make that hash at home – it has roasted peppers, green onions, and red onions, all caramelized and a great savory/sweet mixture.

Commonwealth also has a quinoa tabouli, which you don’t see every day. The hunt for good gluten free food in Michigan continues, but this trip really impressed me!

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Homemade Pizza Co.

Posted on April 19, 2012 | Leave a comment

Let me show you what a good use of $20 looks like:

Pizza from Homemade Pizza Co.!

I know, I know. It’s cheaper to make it yourself. BUT this pizza is good. Like really good. If my cooking ego wasn’t so big I’d probably admit that the crust is the best I’ve ever tried.

Plus you just stick it in the oven and it’s finished! No dishes and no risk of spilling sauce all over yourself when you open the jar. Not like I’ve done that or anything…

Another perk of Homemade Pizza Co. is that they have unique ingredients like blue cheese, poblano peppers, and caramelized onions on their menu. Plus since there are so few places that you can get ready-made non-frozen gluten free pizza, it’s a great novelty to be able to go to a store, grab one and go!

For more gluten free pizza pics/reviews see:

Rubirosa NYC
Pala Pizza NYC
Open City DC
Ella’s Pizza DC
Namaste Foods Pizza Crust Mix

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Rubirosa NYC: Second best gluten free pizza in the city

Posted on March 23, 2012 | 1 comment

I’ve had my share of gluten free pizza. And I still honestly think that I make the best crust right in my own kitchen using Namaste Foods mix! And I do think that Pala Pizza’s crust is the best in the city.

But, I have to admit that Rubirosa in SoHo has Pala and me beat on the sauce. Their vodka sauce is so delicious it basically makes you forget that the crust and cheese exist and want to get a straw and put it directly into a vat of sauce for your meal. That said – the crust and cheese were workin’ for me too.

See that saucy goodness?

Let’s back up for a second here though – Rubirosa has more than just gluten free pizza on their menu. They also have gluten free calamari, mozzarella sticks, and rice balls. Which I consider to be gfree delicacies – rare finds that kind of make you stare in shock at any menu that has them. They also have gluten free meatballs for you carnivores.


We tried to not go overboard though, so we started with a simple salad. (This was the same afternoon as Rice to Riches, so I was trying not to be a complete gluten free glutton).

Perfect salad – with fennel, radishes, and big slices of pecorino romano.

But let’s be real – it’s just a way to reduce the guilt before you inhale half of a pizza.


Gee, New York City really does know how to do pizza.

And just be awesome in general.


Any other favorite pizza places in NYC? I’ve heard that Keste is a favorite.

Rubirosa
235 Mulberry Street
New York, NY

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DC Pizza News

Posted on August 23, 2011 | Leave a comment

I think that a  certain part of my brain is devoted exclusively to pizza. I’m always on the lookout for new gf pizza places to try, as well as opportunities to make my own and share it, since everyone usually marvels at how good the gf pizza crust is.

So here’s some DC pizza-related news.

Homemade Pizza Co is now going to be serving gluten free pizza. This place has a pretty great business plan, where they make the pizza for you, but you bake it at home. I haven’t gone into an actual store, even though I pass the one on 14th St. and Church all the time. You can also order online (make sure you choose the medium crust option). I built one with BBQ sauce and four toppings and it came to $20.10. Ouch : /

The District of Pi is opening a brick and mortar store in 9 days on F St., which is described in Thrillist as a “skylit, chandelier-laden pizza haven with a huge, indoor faux-veranda and 40ft of bar.

Last time I walked by they still had this sign up and construction going on, but I’m excited to go give it a try! They also have daiya vegan cheese and vegan meat substitutes on their menu (although those have gluten in them 95% of the time).

Now, this place is not to be confused with Pi Pizzeria in Adams Morgan. It’s easy to make the mistake, since District of Pi’s Facebook page is www.facebook.com/pipizzeria and their website looks exactly like the Pi Pizzeria sign. I made that mistake a few weeks ago and tried to order gf pizza there, which they don’t have. Embarrassing! The waitress did, however, inform me that they were thinking about starting to carry it in the near future. Which is great because their patio is really nice.

If you’re too lazy to get to Homemade Pizza Co. or District of Pi, then you can always just go to a pizza party!

I brought my own dough mix, my favorite Namaste one, but got to use all of these yummy toppings and homemade tomato sauce made by the lovely hostess.

Topped with broccoli, mushrooms, basil, yellow peppers, and caramelized onions.  Everyone at the party helped me finish the whole thing before we headed out and seemed to really like it! Although that could have been the wine talking…

Lesson learned: if you keep a steady stream of pizza in my hand, I’m a pretty happy girl.

See? Wine and pizza is really all it takes. And a few rounds of Cranium.

So far my favorite pizza (and hangover cure) in DC is from Open City, but there are still a few places I need to try. What is your favorite gluten free pizza in the District? 

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Gluten Free Hangover Cure

Posted on August 14, 2011 | 3 comments

Yesterday I woke up feeling, let’s just say, not bright eyed and bushy tailed.  I had a blast going out in DC on Friday night, but in the morning I needed to recover, and fast!

So, I did what anyone would do in my state. Fry an egg, put it on top of leftover pizza, and eat it in bed in your underwear pajamas!

The pizza was leftover from Open City – Roasted corn, ricotta, mozzarella & jalapeno cream.  Cooked extra crispy.  And just what I needed.

Here it is sitting pretty the night before. Their gf pizza crust is just so good:

It didn’t exactly “cure” my hangover, but it sure made my belly happy.

So did my lunch from Firefly in Dupont.

I’ve been excited to try their gluten free menu for awhile.  And although I don’t necessarily agree with their claim to be “the quintessential urban neighborhood restaurant in Washington DC,” it still was a really cute place.

A mushroom and cheddar omelette for me! Substitute home fries for normal fries, because the more grease the better!

The mushrooms in the omelette were great, and the fries were my favorite kind: skinny, crispy, and handcut.

And some fruit on the side to put some nutrition in my diet of carbs and cheese.

Add a strong cup of coffee, a couple of ibuprofen, and I managed to make it through 🙂

I’m going to have to go back to Firefly to try their gluten free dinner menu: shrimp and grits, collard greens, truffle fries.

Oh, and a peanut butter ice cream “sandwich” for dessert: flourless chocolate cake, bananas foster sauce, peanut brittle, sea salt.

I need one right now!

Firefly

1310 New Hampshire Ave NW

Washington DC, 20036

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More Michigan Gluten Free

Posted on August 1, 2011 | 3 comments

I was so encouraged by the reader responses I got to my best gluten free in Detroit post, that I had to share!

But first, another Michigan favorite of mine: Urban Attic!  How perfectly fun is this?

I will take one of everything. I may even be more prone to gluten free baking if I had these fancy measuring spoons.

Just the sweetest place 🙂

Urban Attic at Ardmore Park Place
26717 Little Mack Avenue – Suite 4
St. Clair Shores, MI 48081

And now for the reader suggestions on more gluten free in the Detroit area!  Mostly of the pizza variety 🙂  For a review of a few gluten free pizza places in Michigan check out this article in the New Baltimore-Chesterfield Patch.

Vince and Joe’s Gourmet Market

My friend says that they have “a ton of prepared gluten free food such as pasta sauce, baked goods including bumpy cake and other heat and serve meals.”

Locations in Shelby and Clinton Township

Dan Good Pizza

Seven locations across southeast Michigan.

Amici’s Pizza

This got the best reviews in the New Baltimore article, “The crust had crispy edges and a soft doughy texture in the middle. It tasted like a whole-grain, thin-crust pizza that soaked up the flavors of the toppings. By far, this was our local favorite, and worth the steep price.”

Birmingham and Berkely locations.

Can’t wait to get home to the mitten to try some of these myself 🙂

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New Cascadia Bakery – Portland

Posted on July 21, 2011 | 1 comment

I have so many posts to make from my trips that I don’t even know where to begin.  But, I suppose the most impressive place that I went should go first.

After a thrilling trip to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, where I kicked some butt in old school video games, I headed to the one spot in Portland that was a must-go gluten free place…

New Cascadia Traditional ” The Gluten Free Artisans”

What a pretentious fitting name.

We had just missed sandwich time, which they serve until 3pm, so that was disappointing.

But they had so many other choices that I had to try a few things, one for now and one for later.

For now = asiago bagel with cream cheese.

When was the last time that you could order one bagel from a store, and have them make it for you the way you like?  For me, probably about six years.

It was definitely a great bagel, but I think I may have lost my bagel lust somewhere along the way.  It just doesn’t do the same thing it did for me in high school when I got a bagel with butter on it nearly every day after school (oh the shame).

For later =this amazing pizza with asparagus, mushrooms, blue cheese, and hazelnuts.

Yeah – who knew about the deliciousness of hazelnuts on a pizza?

I ate this for dinner, and then as a snack, and then as another dinner.  I could have eaten the whole thing in one sitting though, but it was really rich, so I managed to hold off.

The only thing lacking at New Cascadia was the customer service.  The girl behind the counter looked like she wanted to kill me every time I asked a question, and heaven forbid I ask for my bagel toasted.  But luckily their food made up for it.   I could have spent $100 on food here easily – blueberry pie, fresh bread, scones, cookies – you name it, they had it.

New Cascadia Traditional

1700 SE 6th Avenue at SE Market (two blocks South of Hawthorne).

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Buddy’s Pizza – Detroit

Posted on July 11, 2011 | 7 comments

I figured while I’m home would be a good time to post about Buddy’s gluten free pizza in Detroit (the location I went to is the one in Grosse Pointe on Moross and Mack Ave).

Buddy’s used to be my favorite pizza as a kid.  Their square crust pizza was a must at birthdays and had this amazing slightly-sweet tomato sauce and chewy crust with little pieces of almost-burnt cheese on it.  Ah to wax nostalgic on my gluten-filled and fancy-free days.

So when I heard that Buddy’s started making gluten free pizza, I was stoked.  I figured that they would try to make it as close to their regular version as possible, and couldn’t wait to try it. Plus I haven’t heard of anywhere else making gf pizza in Michigan.

So my friend and I arrive and order our pizza with green peppers and mushrooms, and sit down to wait the 15 minutes they say it will take to make special.  Fifteen minutes later, they come to tell us that the crust stuck to the aluminum foil that it was baking on (?) …and they used the wrong kind of cheese (?)…so they are going to have to remake it.  Obviously gluten free pizzas aren’t requested very often.  They were very sweet and offered us free drinks and a Greek salad while we waited for Pizza #2, so we sat back and waited some more.

Eventually the much-anticipated Pizza #2 made its debut.

This picture actually looks better than it looked in real life, if that’s possible.  It was pretty small, with thin crust, and had the look of those little pizzas they used to put in school lunches.

And it kind of tasted that way too…

It’s not that it was totally inedible.  But not something that I would order again, and definitely not as good as I can make at home.

Now I will defend Detroit until the day I die for a thousand reasons, but gluten free pizza is not yet one of them.

Maybe next time!

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