Way to go Superstore!!

When I saw Superstore was carrying GF items, I got excited...always looking for new products to try! The shelves were nearly bare, which is a good sign that others are thinking the same as me. Hopefully this stuff sticks around. Picked up their chocolate chip cookies and double chocolate muffins this morning. Had to restrain myself and waited until I got home to taste them. But I didn't wait long, groceries are still sitting out. That can wait....these two products are so amazing I had to share! They are fresh (Baked GF products usually are found in the freezer section) and I swear you would not even know these are GF! Grab some next time you are at Superstore, trust me.... :)

What happened to you??

I'm still alive! Just been super busy the last few months...doing things for other people. Which I love, don't get me wrong. But when it consumes my life & depletes my energy, not good. Just burnt out. Trying to work back to normal energy levels...getting there, thanks to my naturopath and his potions!

Anyways, decided I should do something nice for myself tonight - made a batch of chocolate chip cookies with my own GF flour blend, that I had good results with when making chocolate zucchini muffins.

FAIL!

And I was even going to share some with my awesome GF friend tomorrow. Sorry bud. These are too ugly to share lol. I had to eat a cookie off the parchment paper with a spoon! Maybe I can make lemonade out of these lemons....something that uses crumbled cookies???

Guess I should just stick to doing things for other people :)

What's for Dinner? - Chili

Look out the window...one of those days you want to just sit inside and cover up with a blanket. Brr! It's a comfort food kind of day. How about a big bowl of chili with some garlic toast?

Yum!

And even better, this one is turkey chili. With the recent beef issues here, turkey is a good substitute. I buy mine at Costco, it's from Lilydale, 4 trays in a package for about $20. I used half of one of those 4 trays for this meal. Ground turkey is a lean meat and a good alternative I use often to replace ground beef. If you think you don't like the taste of ground turkey, think again. With all the spices in the chili, you won't even notice it's not beef. I promise!

You may have your favourite chili recipe but here's mine. I won't brag, but I've won a few chili cook-offs back in the day. I'm always tweaking my recipe, and no two pots turn out the same since I don't measure ingredients when I'm cooking. Baking, yes. You have to. Cooking is your chance to go crazy and try anything! :)

Mama Shak's Chili

Approx 250g ground meat or you can use the whole 500g (I used turkey for this one, but do also use beef) 

Spices (I don't measure, but I'll give you approximate, and you'll probably want to add these to taste anyways)

   3 tbsp chili powder

   1 tbsp ground cumin

   1 tbsp Club House Tex Mex spice mix

   1 tbsp Club House Cajun spice mix

   1 tsp oregano

   1 tsp sea salt

   1 tsp ground pepper

796ml can of diced tomatoes and liquid

398ml can of kidney beans (or whatever size it is, don't have one here, but I think there's just the one size anyways?)

398ml can of pork & beans (I use Heinz, any flavour I have on hand, this pot I used the new larger can and it worked out good too!)

156ml can of tomatoe paste

Half a medium-sized white onion, diced

3 large stalks celery, sliced

10 white mushrooms, sliced (optional, I know some people don't like them)

4 large carrots, finely grated

Brown the meat in a large pot over high-medium heat. Drain if necessary. Add all the spices and stir. Add the tomatoes and beans and reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in tomatoe paste.

You may have seen my speedy tip about cooking the onion and celery. I do this while the meat is browning. Have a look at this previous post. Once the onion and celery are almost cooked through add the mushrooms to the pan. Once all three are soft, add them to the chili. You can add in the grated carrot at this time too. Extra veggies, no one will even know it's there if it's finely grated!

Let the whole thing cook for a few hours if you can. I often make the chili the night before and then put it in the fridge. Reheat it the next day for a quick dinner. Pop the leftovers in the freezer for another day.

I'm going to guess this serves 4-6. We're 2.5 and there's always lots leftover.

Add your favourite cheese on top. I shredded some cheddar for mine, and serve with garlic toast and/or a side salad.

Garlic toast

I just used Udi's gluten free bread, toasted two slices in the toaster and spread on my homemade garlic butter. It's a secret Shak family recipe. But I'll share it with you 'cause you're nice and read all the way to the bottom of my post :)

Garlic Butter

Half a block of butter, softened

1 tbsp seasoning salt

1 tbsp Club House Italian seasoning

1 tbsp Club House Roasted Garlic & Peppers seasoning

2 tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt)

2 tsp onion powder (not onion salt)

In a small bowl mix together the softened butter and spices. I suppose this is more of a seasoned butter. I do sometimes mix 8 cloves of crushed garlic with just the softened butter and a bit of dried parsley. This is really good too!

Spread on your toast. Keep leftovers in the fridge, soften slightly to spread next time. You can also use this the slow way, spread on the bread, then toast in oven. But I'm too impatient for that :)

Things that make you go hmmm.....

Not really a post about gluten free, more a general allergy post. Always, always read the label. Every time you buy something, please read the label. So, I was wine shopping today and picked up a new one to try. Didn't read the label. It's wine. What could be in there besides fermented grape juice??

Ingredient list....Contains sulphites (yeah, that's in all the wine), EGG, MILK and FISH. Say what?!?!

Yeah, I don't know if this is trace amounts or what. I assure you I bought a bottle of wine. It's not egg nog with omega 3 or anything. Plain old wine. But there's a warning for those of you with allergies. So please make sure you read the label. EVERY TIME!!! You never know what is lurking where you least expect it. I'm kinda excited to try this wine though....what could it possibly taste like? :)

Gluten free beer trials - Part 3

Up today for your consideration...Estrella Daura.

I really only have one word. Bitter. It has a stronger taste than I prefer. BUT, if you add a lime wedge, it does taste better. I've bought this one a few times. Not sure why. I keep forgetting that I don't really like it as my fav, or maybe because the label is red? Dunno. Comes in a 4-pack for about $14. This is one of those "gluten reduced" numbers...not true GF, but if you can handle it, give it a try! :)

What's for Dinner? - Gluten Free Manicotti

Okay. So DH is away for work this week. Again. And DD just wants pasta for dinner. Again. No point in cooking something fancy just for me. I either graze on stuff from the pantry or heat up something leftover from the freezer. But I did that all last week. Time for something different....

Found this at my local Save On Foods in the freezer section. I used to eat stuff like this every now and then when I was working. Quick lunch or dinner when you have to hurry back to your desk to finish the piles of work. So I have not had a "frozen dinner" meal in about 4.5 years. Today was as good as any day to try one out, since it was gluten free and I didn't feel like buying the frozen GF pizza sitting beside this box in the freezer case.

Open box. Poke hole in plastic. Cook in microwave 7 minutes. Send a few emails while waiting. Peel plastic and eat. Simple. My tired brain can certainly handle that tonight! I don't really like the whole plastic film thing, but I couldn't be bothered tonight to transfer it to a real container with lid. Next time.

Well. Doesn't look like the picture on the box.....but smells great! Tastes - AWESOME!! Ricotta filling was a bit on the dry side (almost more like a dry curd cottage cheese), but I have not had filled pasta in a loooong time and overall this was goooood! I couldn't tell the pasta wasn't GF at all!! Worth the $7 and the 7 minute wait! It was gone in record time for sure. I love it when a spur of the moment decision is worthwhile. I will be buying this one again :)

Gluten free chocolate zucchini muffins

Um, hello. YUMMY!

These are perfect! Not too crumbly or dry. Not flat like a hockey puck. Nicely risen just like a muffin should be and they have a silky smooth texture. I did try the original recipe about a year ago as a loaf, and decided to change it up a bit. Sooo good! And all to myself! I made "regular" chocolate zucchini muffins for DH & DD. My house smelled like a chocolate factory :)

Original recipe from Your Homebased Mom. One of her daughters is GF, and I've tried some of her other recipes. She hasn't failed me yet! Great craft and decorating ideas too. Here's my twist on her recipe:

Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sugar (next time will try 3/4 cup, see if I can get away with less)
2 tsp pure vanilla (some extracts are not GF)
1.5 cups shredded zucchini
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 cups gluten free flour mix (see below)
1 tsp xanthan gum
1/4 cup cocoa powder (watch that it is GF, I used Fry's which is from what I can tell)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Beat eggs, oil, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Add zucchini and stir to combine. On top of liquid add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, xanthan gum, and cocoa powder. Again stir to combine.

Scoop into greased 12 cup muffin tin. Batter is a bit on the thin side. I filled the cups almost full (half way between 3/4 and full, haha) and they did not overflow. Batter overflowing is a major stressor since setting my oven on fire a few years back. Whoops.

Bake for about 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Yields 12 muffins.

I think the only thing that could make these better would be some chocolate chunks or chips :)

Gluten free flour mix
2 cup white rice flour (I used brown rice this time around, same results if not better!)
1 cup tapioca flour
1 cup cornstarch

Mix ingredients slowly in large bowl (kinda dusty). Use what you need for this recipe and store the rest in a container (I use a glass bowl with sealing lid).

Alternatively, Kinnickinnick sells an all-purpose flour substitute that I have had excellent results with for other recipes. For this muffin recipe you would use 1.5 cups of it and omit the xanthan gum (since their blend already includes it). It is a bit on the pricey side at about $5 for a 454 gram box. For the rice and tapioca flours I use Bob's Red Mill brand, and try to only buy it when it's on sale.

What's for Dinner? - Mexican Soup

When we were in Banff, we stopped for lunch at Melissa's Missteak. Soup of the day was a Mexican Soup. Sounded tasty so I ordered it as part of my meal. Let's just say it was gone in record time and I dreamed about eating that soup all day every day for a week, lol! :)

Luckily I'm good a dissecting a recipe as I eat it, in case the need should arise to recreate it. And it did!! Mine was as close to the real thing as I could remember! Here's my knock-off of Melissa's Mexican Soup:

Mama's Mexican Soup:

-approximately 300g of ground beef (that's what I used, and ratio of meat to veggies was good)
-1 package of Taco seasoning (I used the Old El Paso reduced sodium, which is 35g)
-one 796ml can of diced tomatoes (I used Aylmer regular, not Italian)
-approximately 325ml of salsa (I used half a 650ml jar of Old El Paso Thick n' Chunky Mild Salsa)
-900 ml of beef soup broth (watch that it is GF, or make your own. I used a box of Knorr's)

-250 ml water

-half a medium white onion, diced
-3 stalks celery, chopped
-3 carrots, peeled and chopped
-2 cups frozen corn
-2 heaping tablespoons of sour cream
-salt & pepper to taste (optional, I didn't add any)

In a large soup pot brown the ground beef. Once it is brown, drain off any fat. I also smash mine up a bit with the potatoe masher to make the pieces smaller. Just my preference. You can do your own thing.

Add the taco seasoning package to the meat and toss to coat. Turn the heat up and add the entire can of diced tomatoes (including liquid), salsa, water and broth. Give the whole thing a good stir and bring to a boil. Then let simmer on medium-low. While you chop veggies.

I cheat when making soups and chili. I chop my onion, celery and carrots and throw them in a frying pan with a bit of water on the bottom. I cook this over medium heat until they are soft. You may need to add more water as it cooks so it doesn't burn onto the bottom of the pan. Once soft, dump the contents of the frying pan into the soup. It cuts a bunch of time off the cooking process. So, you can follow my method or just put the raw veggies into the soup pot and wait. Your choice.

Once the veggies are soft, add the frozen corn and heat through. Then add sour cream and stir well. You can eat it now, or let it cook for a few hours. I found letting mine cook for a while made it taste better. Reheats well from the fridge. Have the leftovers in the freezer that I need to thaw and test still.
You can also add some red and/or green bell peppers, but I didn't have any. The original soup did have them, diced really small.

Serves 4-6 as a meal is my best guess. I'll pay more attention next time, haha!

I am not ashamed to admit I had 3 bowls of it in one sitting :)

What's for Dinner? - Gluten Free Panago Pizza

That's right. If you had not heard, Panago now offers a gluten free pizza! Tried it a while ago, just after it came out. Was pretty good. I froze the leftovers and they reheated really well too!

I ordered online, and they had a warning come up on the screen regarding this product not being suitable for Celiacs or those with gluten intolerance. They are just covering themselves. Realistically there will probably be flour dust or some type of small amount of gluten that makes its way onto your pizza. If this is a problem for you, don't order from them.

Panago will also call you within minutes of the online order going through to reconfirm you understand they can't guarantee it's 100% GF. I was impressed! No phone call second time around, maybe they know me now? Box comes "sealed" and gives you your third and final warning before diving in.

You only get one option - medium starting at $14. And it's hip to be square. I guess that makes it easier to identify the GF from the regular. Doesn't matter to me what the shape it. If it's pizza and it tastes good, I'm in! Seemed to be a full choice of toppings and sauces. Enough for me anyways.

Since DH is away, and I've been busy with my fall deep cleaning and redecorating today, I figured it was a good day for pizza. No energy to cook tonight. So we're ordering in, giving Panago another try. Hopefully it's as good as the first time around!

And that's what we're having for dinner tonight! :)

Rhubarb...what a funny name

Made some rhubarb crisp - gluten free! Turned out so yummy, I couldn't tell it wasn't the real deal . I must confess, I am guilty for having some for breakfast.

Make some yourself, or call me and see if there's some available for tasting. None left right now, but I'm sure I'll make it again soon! Recipe can be used for any fruit of your choosing: rhubarb, apples, peaches, pears, etc. I included rolled oats in mine, but if you can't have oats then just omit it. With or without oats the recipe works fine. Some of the juicier fruits may benefit from a tablespoon of Minit Tapioca sprinkled on the bottom of the greased pan before adding the fruit. Helps suck up the liquid that is released when baking.

Gluten Free Rhubarb Crisp

4 cups sliced/diced/chopped fruit
1/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup white rice flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon, optional
1/2 cup gluten free rolled oats (example: Bob's Red Mill brand), optional

Heat oven to 375F. Arrange fruit in greased 8"x8" square or 9" round dish. Mix remaining ingredients in a medium bowl and crumble over fruit.

Bake until topping is golden brown and fruit is tender, about 25-30 minutes.
Serve warm...and it's good with ice cream too!

Enjoy :)

What's for Dinner? - Smoked Turkey & Chicken Sausage

Found these at Costco few weeks back. Label says Gluten Free and I liked that they were turkey & chicken (my attempt at eating healthy), so in the cart it goes!

Had DH cook them on the BBQ (cooking over real flames is not my thing...) and they were pretty tasty! I'd buy them again. We used half the package, and I froze the rest for another day. 

Used the remainder the other night. Thawed out and grilled good second time around as well. Can't wait for the new Costco near my house to open. Should be next month! They have all sorts of fun GF things there in giant packages. Mmmm.....Pirate Booty! :)

Holy Crap....tastes like.....

Holy Crap....tastes like.....well, not crap. But it's kinda like chowing down on a big bowl of bird seed. And last I checked I'm not a 7 foot tall canary living on a famous street. So bird seed for breakfast is not really my thing.

I followed the directions on the package and mixed it with milk and let it sit. Here's what it looked like....

Looks okay. Didn't taste great. Package has been sitting in my fridge now for several weeks, not forgotten. Just ignored. Might have to try tossing some into a smoothie or something to use it up. Dunno. Not a fan. Anyone out there tried it and like it? Maybe I'm just eating it wrong? :)

What's for Dinner? - The Old Spaghetti Factory!

We were in Banff for the September long weekend, and for some reason it has become ritual to eat at Old Spaghetti Factory. We never eat at this restaurant any other time. Odd.

Anyways, I was happy to see they had a Gluten Free menu this time around (it's been a few years since we've been to Banff and consequently eaten at OSF).

I ordered the Cheesy Baked Tomato Chicken Pasta. It was about $14, including your appetizer salad and ice cream for dessert. I didn't have any of their bread, but that's brought to your table too.

It actually tasted almost identical to a chicken dish that I used to make before turning GF. The chef could have been more generous with the sauce, but it was still good.

If you don't feel like cooking tonight, this could be what's for dinner! :)

 Here's the link to their full GF menu! 

What's for Dinner? - An introduction

What's for dinner? Who hasn't asked or been asked that question!

Well, first off...meal planning. Can't stress that one enough. Saves time and sanity and running to the grocery store 6 or 7 times a week. I started making monthly meal calendars when DH and I were newlyweds many moons ago. After a usually stressful day at work I had a half hour drive home (sometimes longer!) to figure out what I was going to cook that night. And it usually involved first stopping at the grocery store almost every day. When your brain is fried it's hard to think of different and healthy meal options. I was tired of eating the same 3 or 4 meals made mostly from packages and boxes.

By creating a monthly meal calendar, you sit down once a month, take a few minutes to slot in meals from a list you've made of your favourite dinners. I have about 40 items on my list, so meals are spread out nicely and I don't get a chance to get tired of eating something too often. It saves time and the daily question of "What's for dinner?" DH can just look himself. I used to print off a blank calendar template from the computer and write in the meals with a pen and stick it on the fridge. But several years ago I purchased a wipe-off version that works well with dry erase pens. Whole thing is magnetic and sticks to the fridge.

Ideally I'll do a big grocery shop once every 7-10 days, keeping in mind what I've planned to make that week so I grab what I need. Of course there are times when I need to pick up something I've forgotten or ran out of mid-week. But I'm not lurking at the store every day. Who has time for that?! I certainly don't!

Nothing is ever written in stone! Whatever method you use to plan your meals, be it weekly or monthly, life happens. Things come up, making it not practical to have a certain meal on the day you selected. That's what arrows are for. Switch the days around! Move the Tuesday meal to Thursday or swap with with something next week. Or just cross it out all together and write in pizza! :) If you ever stop by my kitchen towards the end of the month you'll see all sorts of things crossed out and moved around. Some days you just don't feel like eating what you planned 3 weeks ago. It's okay. There are no rules. It's just there to make your life a bit easier!

I plan on sharing some family-tested dinner recipes and products over the next few weeks. Everyone gets tired of eating the same foods....I know new recipes are always welcome in my kitchen! I'll be sure to include some deliciously cozy fall meals :)

Ice Cream!

Cookies & Cream ice cream (specifically Oreo) is my absolute favourite. Sadly, it's not GF. Neither are the ice cream cones I like to eat the ice cream out of....problem solved!

PLUS

EQUALS

TASTY

The cones taste almost the same as their non-gluten free cousins. And the ice cream is pretty good too. Think I went through two, maybe three boxes this summer. Whoops. :)

Gluten free beer trials - Part 2

Excited...trying some new beer today with awesome company :)

While I'm out quenching my thirst, have a read through another of my taste testing trials...

Glutenberg Blonde Ale. Sounds German. It's not. It's another from Quebec. Better than the last PQ offering at least. They do have other varieties. I had a look on their website prior to purchasing this one, since it came as a 6 pack and I like to do my research. Here is their description of the Blonde:

The Glutenberg blonde is a gluten-free ale made from millet. Floral hops, white pepper and lemon zest aromas gives it a beautiful and charming nose. The mouth bursts with white flowers, citrus and spicy flavours. With just a hint of bitterness to balance out the sweetness of the millet and the corn, this beer offers a truly refreshing taste.

Yeah, I'd agree with that statement. No point in re-writing the obvious. It is a little on the bitter side. But this one is good with a lime wedge. No buyer's remorse about the 6 pack this time, it's tasty enough. And Glutenberg has a handy twist off cap too! :)

Glutino brand cheese pizza - yum!

Mmmmm....pizza. Need I say more? The food with nearly endless topping combinations! I could eat pizza for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And some days I have (whoops!). Being gluten free makes enjoying pizza a bit of a challenge, if you want something tasty. As a pre-made, quick ready-to-go option, Glutino's Cheese Pizza wins, hands down in my opinion.

And it's available at Walmart of all places. Frozen section, usually near the other "specialty" food items. How handy! I've noticed Safeway carries it as well, but I find Safeway to be tricky to shop at. They hide their GF products all over the store. Think of it like a treasure hunt...the annoying kind!

Unwrap and toss in the toaster oven if you're impatient like me, or regular oven if you have time to wait around for it to heat up. Finished product shown on a dinner plate to give you an idea of size. I usually can't finish the whole thing, saving about half for snack or meal later. 

The crust is decent for GF. Not too much like cardboard, not too much like sponge. If you bake it right on the oven rack, it crisps up a bit better. I also tried the spinach & feta pizza they carry. Didn't care for it very much. Too much spinach. But that's just me...

Bonus, because it's just cheese, add your own spin to it and decorate the blank canvas to your food mood. Sometimes I like to add a bit of feta cheese and cajun spice. Or pepperoni & mushroom. Ham & pineapple. Green pepper and onion. You get the idea :)

A healthy cookie...who knew?! :)

Made banana muffins for breakfast today, so had to find something I could eat...checked my huge list of recipes to try on Pinterest and bingo - Breakfast Cookies! Who doesn't like eating cookies for breakfast? :)

My pinned recipe originated from this blog, I did add some sliced almonds (that's just what I had on hand - pecans would be tasty too), omitted the cinnamon (by mistake and they could have used it), and I doubled the sugar and vanilla. As I munched on one of these for a snack this afternoon, I thought even brown sugar might be a good option to try next time. Texture is a little odd once they've sat on the counter for a while. I did have them in a container, but still kinda like eating cold oatmeal...moms with small children understand what I'm talking about. For those that don't: breakfast was made with intentions of eating it asap, but you get interrupted 50 million times. So by the time you eat the last spoonful it has been cold for over an hour. These cookies reminded me of that last cold bite. I'm sure zapped in the microwave for a few seconds would fix that.

I baked them for 15 minutes...make sure you flatten them out since they won't do that on their own (the thick ones maybe could have baked a bit longer). Oh, and I always bake cookies on parchment paper, but I think this one you should grease the parchment paper...they stuck on a bit (because there is zero fat in these!). Overall they turned out pretty good. I froze the leftovers, so we'll have to see how they thaw out.

A healthy cookie...who knew?! :)

Pancakes!

I'm not a huge pancake eater. So, when going GF the fact that I would no longer have to choke them down EVERY Saturday morning made me happy. I finally had a valid reason to decline. So it had been a long time since I've eaten them. Maybe a year? Anyways, I came across a box of Kinnikinnick Pancake & Waffle Mix at Safeway and thought one morning I might enjoy a pancake heavily laden with chocolate chips.

So I made up one recipe according to the box, plus half a bag of chocolate chips (oops). It made 8 medium sized pancakes. And I ate not one but three! They were actually good, or I was just really hungry. Not as fluffy as your regular pancakes, but I froze the rest of the batch and they do reheat nicely in the microwave. Makes for a quick breakfast on the mornings I oversleep and have to inhale breakfast on the walk from the house to the car...I eat my pancakes plain with no butter or syrup. I know. I'm weird. Here's the finished product:

Side note: I love waffles. And are they not just pancakes with holes punched in them? Yes, but somehow they taste better :)

Cheesy Quinoa Mac & Cheese

Tried a new recipe from Pinterest today for lunch. Cheesy Quinoa Mac & Cheese. This is a GF dish, aside from the bread crumbs (I omitted the breadcrumbs and it tasted fine. You could use GF if you have them). Recipe I pinned linked back to this blog website.

I had 2 willing guinea pigs family members and 1 not so willing child. Adults all seemed to enjoy it! DD did not. She couldn't be convinced that it was pasta :) We were in a hurry, so forgot to take a picture of the finished product. But it looked pretty much like this one from the above blog:

Recipe could have used more salt & pepper and next time I would double the amount of cheese. I didn't add any veggies, but with the taste of the quinoa you could easily add broccoli or cauliflower. Texture was sort of like a quiche (from the eggs probably), so might even be tasty with onion or mushrooms in it. It was a quick and simple dish to make, and I'll be making this again. This was only my second attempt at cooking and eating quinoa, and I'd say this time around was certainly better! :)

Gluten Free beer trials - Part 1

So, when you cut out gluten, beer goes out the window too. When I first went GF, DH said "you know you can't drink beer now". Of course, being the super smart person I am, I said "why not?". I realized after the fact that most beer is made from barley, which contains gluten.

Anyways...I've tried a few brands of GF lately. About a month ago I had enlisted the help of a friend (who is also GF) to try some with me the first go around. I was pretty sure it would taste really bad and we'd be pouring the 3 different kinds down the drain. They turned out to be okay, none were completely terrible. It was a nice change from wine. Since then I've tried 2 other brands, and a new one today. I'll start my reviews with the new one, and work my way through the others. Who knew there were so many options!? And let me clarify that several of these you can buy as single bottles, I'm not drinking a 6-pack at a time here people :)

Up today is La Messagere Blonde. This one is made in Quebec, and is a rice and buckwheat beer (buckwheat is not really wheat) so that makes it 100% GF. Some of the other beer is gluten-reduced, which may bother the more sensitive GF person. This one was being sold as a 6-pack, at $20.54 including GST.

To me, La Messagere is very sweet and has a funny aftertaste. Don't like it. I'd say it's at the very bottom of my list. Might taste better with food. This was the only brand of GF beer my local Liquor Depot had. An awesome store on the southside of Edmonton (Keg n Cork) carries the other brands I've tried (total I think they have about 7 different ones? maybe more). That's where some of the single bottles are sold.

Next up...Glutenberg blonde ale - also from Quebec!

Disneyland has Gluten Free!

So, we're heading down to Disneyland in a few weeks - VERY excited! Last time we were there we only had to deal with DD's dairy issues. Which wasn't too bad, brought her soy milk along and it's easy enough to be selective for meals with her and didn't have any problems with the "no ice cream" rule. There are enough other treats and snacks she could enjoy. And she was only 2.5 years old on our last visit. I expect this time around, should be much the same for her at the ripe old age of 4.

Me, however, will be a different story. First time facing the parks with food "issues". I did some digging on the internet and found that Disney *does* cater to us GF guests! What!? Awesome! I read that if you email Disney Guest Services, they will email you back a current list of their GF options. So, I did. And, took about a week, but they emailed back the list! So excited and happy I wouldn't be eating just giant pickles and pineapple spears the whole week! :)

No churros (*sob*), but plenty of other options, especially for meal time - even GF Mickey waffles! Take a look, this was as of May 24, 2012 (a current list can be picked up in the parks as well) :

Thank you for your e-mail to the DISNEYLAND® Resort.

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/plan/guest-services/special-dietary-requests/

For questions regarding accommodations for special dietary needs while 
at the DISNEYLAND® Resort theme parks, including product availability, 
preparation methods, and ingredient lists please contact our Chefs at 
(714) 781-3569. They may not be available to answer all calls 
immediately; however, they will answer all messages left on voice mail. 
For the Hotels of the DISNEYLAND® Resort, please contact the Chef's 
Office at (714) 956-6719.

**Always ask to speak to a chef or manager as vendors, products, and 
ingredients may change. Ingredient labels.
Please be aware some locations may close due to rain or slow times in 
the Park. Some menu items will require an additional preparation time 
and due to Guest demands may not be available. Please note: Disneyland 
Parks and Resorts will use reasonable efforts to prevent the 
introduction of the allergen of concern into the food through close 
attention during our sourcing, preparation and handling processes. 
However, it is ultimately always up to the Guest to use his or her 
individual discretion to make an informed choice regarding whether to 
order any particular items, since Walt Disney Company cannot guarantee 
that allergens may not have been introduced during another stage of the 
food chain process, or even inadvertently, by us. 

Disneyland Park:

Throughout the Park: Fountain Minute Maid Lemonade and Light Lemonade 
Various Fruit Carts: located throughout the park with fresh whole fruit,
cut up fruit packages; ask for ingredient list for any prepared items 
Outdoor Vending Carts: 
Minute Maid Frozen Lemonade 
Turkey legs 
Cotton candy 
Popcorn (made with a combination of vegetable and coconut oils) 
Kettle Corn 
Mickey faced premium ice cream bars on a stick 
o ** NESTLES NOVELTY ICE CREAM IS MADE IN A PLANT THAT PRODUCES NUT AND 
WHEAT PRODUCTS. 

Tomorrowland Terrace: 
Breakfast 
Scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes 

Lunch/Dinner 
Hamburger with lettuce & tomato: Request Gluten Free Bun. Side of fresh 
fruit 
Cheeseburger with American cheese, lettuce & tomato: Request Gluten Free
Bun. Side of fresh fruit 
Grilled Chicken Breast sandwich with lettuce & avocado sauce: Request 
Gluten Free Bun. Side of fresh fruit 
French Fries 

Redd Rockett’s Pizza Port: 
Rice noodles with marinara sauce or tomato basil sauce 
Romaine Lettuce with Chicken Breast and Fat Free Raspberry Dressing 
Starfield of Greens with Basil Vinaigrette 
Planetary Pizza Salad: Request a new base and bowl to avoid 
cross-contact 
Cheese Pizza: Request Gluten Free shell 
Pepperoni Pizza: Request Gluten Free shell 


Tiki Juice Bar: 
Pineapple Spears 
Dole Whip Frozen Drink 

Big Thunder Ranch: 
Ask to speak with Chef or Manager. 
Menu offerings are available. 

Village Haus: 
Angus Pastrami Burger: Request Gluten-free Bun 
Hamburger or Cheeseburger: Request Gluten-free bun 
French Fries: Request that the fries are cooked in the Fries only Fryer 
Apple Cheddar Salad 

Troubadour Tavern: 
Baked Potato with butter and sour cream 

Toon-Up Treats: 
Chef Salad: Ask for Salad Dressing to check label 
Kids Hot Dog: Request no bun, with apple sauce 

Blue Bayou: 
Five Pepper Roast New York 
Blackened Cajun Spiced Salmon 
Tesoro Island Chicken 
Portobello Mushroom with Macque Choux 
Broiled Filet Mignon 
Bayou Surf & Turf (after 4 p.m.) 

Café Orleans: 
La Salade de Maison (House Salad) 
“Crescent City” Salad with Salmon or Chicken 
N’awlins Vegetable Ragout 
Kids Chicken Breast: Request Rice Noodles 
Kids Seared Salmon Fillet: Request Rice Noodles 

Rancho Del Zocalo: 
Entrées: 
o Vegetable Tacos: Request Corn Tortillas* 
o Plain Chicken Tacos: Request Corn Tortillas* 
o Quesadillas - 50/50 Cheese in Corn Tortillas 
o Cheese Enchiladas with Cotija Cheese* 
o Cheese Enchiladas with Carne Asada, Cotija Cheese* 
o Fire Roasted Chicken (Corn Tortillas)* 
*Rice, Beans, Shredded Lettuce, 50/50 Cheese, Pico de Gallo, 
Guacamole, Sour Cream 
o Tostada salad (plain chicken or veggie): Request no Shell 
Dessert: 
o Fresh Fruit Plate 

River Belle Terrace: 
Mississippi Turkey Breast Sandwich: Request Gluten Free Bun 

Hungry Bear Restaurant: 
Hamburger: Request Gluten-free Bun 
Sweet Potato Fries: Request that the fries are cooked in the Fries only 
Fryer 
Watermelon Chicken Salad 

Plaza Inn: 
Breakfast: 
o Omelets, Bacon, Fresh Eggs, Fresh Fruits, Hash Browns, Sausage, Bacon,
Ham 
Gluten Free waffles can be made, requires an additional time for 
preparation 
Baked Chicken 

Cone Shop: (Location Currently CLOSED for refurbishment) 
All ice cream is made by Dreyers, (only flavors not Gluten-free: Cookies
and Cream & Tollhouse Swirl) 

Gibson Girl (Location Currently CLOSED for refurbishment) 
All ice creams is made by Dreyers, (only flavors not Gluten-free: 
Cookies and Cream & Tollhouse Swirl) 

Rancho Del Zocalo: 
Entrées: 
o Vegetable Tacos: Request Corn Tortillas* 
o Plain Chicken Tacos: Request Corn Tortillas* 
o Quesadillas - 50/50 Cheese in Corn Tortillas 
o Cheese Enchiladas with Cotija Cheese* 
o Cheese Enchiladas with Carne Asada, Cotija Cheese* 
o Fire Roasted Chicken (Corn Tortillas)* 
*Rice, Beans, Shredded Lettuce, 50/50 Cheese, Pico de Gallo, 
Guacamole, Sour Cream 
o Tostada salad (plain chicken or veggie): Request no Shell 
Dessert: 
o Fresh Fruit Plate. 

River Belle Terrace: 
Mississippi Turkey Breast Sandwich: Request Gluten Free Bun 

Hungry Bear Restaurant: 
Hamburger: Request Gluten-free Bun 
Sweet Potato Fries: Request that the fries are cooked in the Fries only 
Fryer 
Watermelon Chicken Salad 

Plaza Inn: 
Breakfast: 
o Omelets, Bacon, Fresh Eggs, Fresh Fruits, Hash Browns, Sausage, Bacon,
Ham 
Gluten Free waffles can be made, requires an additional time for 
preparation 
Baked Chicken 

Cone Shop: (Location Currently CLOSED for refurbishment) 
All ice cream is made by Dreyers, (only flavors not Gluten-free: Cookies
and Cream & Tollhouse Swirl) 

Gibson Girl (Location Currently CLOSED for refurbishment) 
All ice creams is made by Dreyers, (only flavors not Gluten-free: 
Cookies and Cream & Tollhouse Swirl) 
Coke Corner: (Location Currently CLOSED for refurbishment) 
John Morrel, Hot Dog: Request Gluten-free bun 

Jolly Holiday Bakery: 
Turkey Sandwich: Request Gluten-free roll or bun 
Capresse Sandwich: Request Gluten-free roll or bun 
Tuna Salad Sandwich: Request Gluten-free roll or bun 
Waldorf Salad Sandwich: Request Gluten-free roll or bun 
Angus Roast Beef Sandwich: Request Gluten-free roll or bun 
Pastrami Ruben: Request Gluten-free roll or bun 
Tomato Soup: N Bread Stick 
Jolly Holiday Salad: No Bread Stick 
Angus Roast Beef Salad: No Bread Stick 
Kid’s Turkey and Toasted Cheese Sandwich: Request Gluten-free roll or 
bun 

Carnation Café: (Location Currently CLOSED for refurbishment) 
Breakfast: 
o Scrambled Eggs, Breakfast Potatoes, Bacon, Ham and Fresh Fruit 
(Oranges, Cantaloupe, Strawberries, and Bananas) 

Lunch/Dinner (All items are served with a Pickle Spear and choice of 
Fresh Fruit (Cantaloupe, Oranges, Grapes, or Strawberries), Sautéed 
Vegetables or Green Salad with Italian or Fat-free Raspberry Dressing): 
o Pan-Seared Boneless Chicken Breast 
o Three Cheese Veggie Sandwich: Request Gluten-free Hot Dog Bun in place
of bread 
o Turkey Sandwich: Request Gluten-free Hot Dog Bun in place of bread 
o Oscar’s Choice Chef Salad with Italian or Fat-free Raspberry Dressing:
Request no croutons 
o Steak Melt: Request lettuce in place of bread 
o Child’s Hot Dog plate: Tapioca Bun Available 
Dessert: 
o Scoop of Dryer’s Chocolate, Strawberry or Vanilla Ice Cream


UUDisney California Adventure: 
Throughout the Park: Fountain Minute Maid Lemonade and Light Lemonade 
Various Fruit Carts: located throughout the park with fresh whole fruit,
cut up fruit packages; ask for ingredient list for any prepared items 
Outdoor Vending Carts: located throughout the Park 
Minute Maid Frozen Lemonade 
Turkey legs 
Cotton candy 
Popcorn (made with a combination of vegetable and coconut oils) 
Mickey faced premium ice cream bars on a stick (not the Mickey sandwich)

o ** NESTLES NOVELTY ICE CREAM IS MADE IN A PLANT THAT PRODUCES NUT AND
WHEAT PRODUCTS. 

Award Wieners: 
John Morrel, Hot Dog: Request a Gluten-free bun 

Ariel’s Grotto: 
Ask to speak with Chef or Manager 
Menu offerings are available 

Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta: 
Cheese Pizza: Request Gluten Free shell 
Pepperoni Pizza: Request Gluten Free shell 
BBQ Chicken Pizza: Request Gluten Free shell 
Boardwalk Field Greens Salad: Request no breadstick 
Caesar Salad: Request no croutons and no breadstick 
Italian Salad: Request no breadstick 
Rice Noodles with Marinara Sauce 

Paradise Garden Grill: 
Chicken Skewer 
Beef Skewer 
Vegetable Skewer 
Moroccan Chili 
Tandoori Spiced Yogurt 
Tzaziki 
Cucumber Salad 
Greek Salad 

Taste Pilots’ Grill: 
Hamburger patty with or without cheese: Request Gluten-free bun 
Grilled chicken salad: Request no cucumber sticks. Your choice of 
dressing (check ingredients) 
Grilled Chicken Sandwich from a fresh pan: Request Gluten-free bun 
French Fries: Request that the fries get cooked in the Fries only Fryer 
Kids sliders without bun, with carrots 

Baker’s Field Bakery: 
Chicken Caesar salad with no croutons, choice of dressing (check 
ingredients on packet) 

Burr-r-r Bank Cones: 
All ice creams are made by Dreyers, (only flavors not Gluten Free: 
Cookies and Cream & Tollhouse Swirl) 

Lucky Fortune Cookery: 
Chicken, Beef, Tofu with rice & vegetables: Sub sauce with yuzu 

Cocina Cucamonga: 
Corn Tortillas 
½ Chicken 
Carne Asada 
Three Way Veggies 
Six Way Veggies 
Kid’s Chicken 
Fruit Cup 
Mexican Rice 
Refried Beans 
Veggie Salad 
Guacamole 
Pico do Gallo 
Sour Cream 

Golden Vine Winery - Trattoria: 
Appetizers: 
o Caprese Salad 
o Shrimp Picatta: no crust on polenta 
o Italian Iceberg Wedge 
Entrée Salads: 
o Tuscan Salad: Sub Balsamic & Vinegar for Dressing 
o Trattoria Salad: No Crostini 
o Arugula Salad: Sub Balsamic & Vinegar for Dressing 
Entrées: 
o All create your own pasta can be substituted with Gluten Free Pasta: 
Bolognese, Shrimp Scampi, All Vongole, Broccolini Aglio Olio & Pomodoro 
o Seasonal Fish 
o Garlic & Herb Roasted Chicken: Sub Gluten Free Pasta 
Dessert: 
o Please check with Chef or HOH Lead for options


Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa 
Throughout the Hotels: Fountain Minute Maid Lemonade and Light Lemonade 
Storyteller’s Café: 
Breakfast: 
o Gluten Free Pancakes can be made, requires an additional time for 
preparation 
o Gluten Free Waffles can be made, requires an additional time for 
preparation 
o Bacon, Eggs, Hash Browns and Fresh Fruit 

Lunch & Dinner: 
o Vegetable Soup: Request no croutons 
o Grilled New York Steak Sandwich: Request Gluten-free bun 
o Roast New York 
o Grilled Salmon 
o French Fries and Baked Potatoes 
o Pizza: Request Gluten-free pizza dough 
o Hamburger: Request Gluten-free bun 
o Hot Dog: Request Gluten-free bun 
o Salad with oil and Vinegar Dressing 

Whitewater Snacks: 
Pizza: Request Gluten-free pizza dough 
Hamburger: Request Gluten-free bun 
Hot Dog: Request Gluten-free bun 

Napa Rose: 
Grilled Steak 
Grilled Fish 
Chicken Quesadilla with Corn Tortilla 
All sauces (they have all been reduced and are not made with starch or 
thickeners) 

Disneyland Hotel 
Goofy’s Kitchen 
Breakfast: 
o Gluten-free Pancakes can be made, requires an additional time for 
preparation 
o Gluten-free Waffles can be made, requires an additional time for 
preparation 
o Bacon, Eggs, Roast Potatoes and Fresh Fruit 

Lunch and Dinner: 
o Pizza: Request Gluten-free pizza dough 
o Gluten-free Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce 
o Roast New York 

o Baked Potato 
Steakhouse 55 
Breakfast: 
o Gluten Free Pancakes can be made, requires an additional time for 
preparation 
o Bacon, Eggs, Roast Potatoes and Fresh Fruit 

Dinner: 
o Grilled Steaks 
o Grilled Salmon or Grilled Sustainable Fish of the Day 
o Grilled Chicken 
o Grilled Pork Porterhouse 
o Lobster 
o Baked Potato 
o Shrimp Cocktail 
o Caesar Salad: Request no croutons 
o Grilled Asparagus

Tangaroa Terrace 
Breakfast: 
o Breakfast Platter, no Biscuit 
o Tofu & Egg White Bake 
o Breakfast potatoes side 
o Bacon Side 
o Eggs side 
Grab-n-Go: 
o Garden Salad 
o Chef Salad 
o Veggies & Dip 
o Tropical Fruit and Yogurt Parfait, no granola 
o Fruit Plate 
Lunch/Dinner: 
o Chicken Salad, no dressing, no rice noodles, sub ranch PC 
o Angus Burger, no bun, with Green Papaya Slaw or Jasmine Rice 
o Side Jasmine Rice 
o Side Green Papaya Slaw 
o Grilled Salmon (rotational dinner item not always available) 
o Kids Salmon with Jasmine rice and Fruit (can be doubled for an adult 
portion) 
o Kids Burger, no bun with Jasmine rice and Fruit 
o Fish Tacos (Pool bar only) 

Trader Sam’s 
Lunch/Dinner: 
o Fish Tacos 
o Side Green Papaya Slaw 

Paradise Pier Hotel: 
PCH Grill 
Breakfast: 
o Gluten-free Pancakes can be made, requires an additional time for 
preparation 
o Gluten-free Bagels (upon request) 
o Bacon, Eggs and Fresh Fruit 

Dinner: 
o Hamburger: Request Gluten-free bun 
o Spaghetti: Request Gluten-free pasta 
o Pizza: Request Gluten-free dough 
o New York Steak 
o Roasted half Chicken 
o BBQ Ribs 
o Any Specialty Salad: Request no croutons 

Wow! Options! I will certainly be providing a GF dining update once we are back from this trip. Did I mention I'm excited? :)