Gluten Free Medications

Making sure my medications are gluten free is one of those things that I always find to be a little tricky. I've been on hold with a few pharmaceutical companies for quite awhile trying to make sure my daughters and my prescriptions are gluten free. I found this drug list that has been really helpful. It isn't all inclusive, but it is a great start! I'm also partial to Target brand for over the counter medications since they label their products.

http://www.glutenfreedrugs.com/list.htm

Daring Donuts- gluten free & vegan!

Just heard about these today, they are gluten free and vegan donuts! I guess they sell them at the U Village Farmer's Market and today they were at the Duvall Farmer's market. I'm hoping to check them out next Thursday from 3-7 if they are at the market again! Here is the link:

http://daringdonuts.wordpress.com/

Love that these are local ladies from Duvall!

My favorite Breadsticks

These breadsticks are sooooo good! As the bag says, "unusually good", which I think is a funny line to put on your product, but it is true! They aren't dairy free as they have cheese in them, but we love to have them from time to time. I buy them at Central Market in Mill Creek.

Dessert Tasting this Saturday!

I just got an e-mail about this and had to share! I've tasted a few of their desserts and they were amazing.

Dessert Day, Saturday July 31st 11 - 2

When: Saturday July 31st 11am - 2pm
Where: Savory Moment Retail Store
Cost: Free

Join us on Saturday for a special tasting of our amazing collection of traditional and gluten free desserts. Also, help us decide . . .

The Great Frosting Taste-off:
Kay developed 5 fantastic flavors of gluten and dairy free frosting. Now we need your help to choose the very best. Taste them all and vote on your favorite. The winner will be used on upcoming desserts.

Available for Tasting:

Super Size Orange Creamsicle Cake

Super Size Lemon and Cream Shortcake

Super Size Strawberry and Cream Shortcake









Mini Cupcakes - several flavors*

Carrot Cupcakes*

Yellow Cake with Vanilla Frosting*

Yellow Cake with Mocha Frosting*

Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting*




Semisweet Chocolate Chip
Cookies*
Milk Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies
Snickerdoodle Cookies*

Triple Berry Pie*
Yogurt Covered Pretzels (not
dairy free)*
Kinnikinnick Donuts*




*Available Gluten and Dairy Free


Order More Summer Favorites at www.savorymoment.com


Tasting at the Savory Moment Retail Store located at 18005 NE 68th St Suite A-115 Redmond, WA 98052

Cravings Place Banana Muffins

We are heading to Portland for the night and I like to make sure I have plenty of gluten free foods with us so we don't have to stress out at every stop along the way. Last night the kids & I made these gluten free muffins using The Cravings Place muffin mix & bananas. Their mix doesn't have sugar added so you have to add your own sweetener. We add agave nectar instead of refined sugar and they are really really good. My husband even agrees.

They look & taste like the muffins we all grew up on and are SO delicious. I had to stop the kids from eating them all last night or else we wouldn't have any to take on our trip today.

I buy The Cravings Place mixes at Fred Meyer. I buy the agave nectar in a two back at Costco, but they sell it at a lot of stores (Trader Joe's has it too).

Gluten Free Lunch Meat

Lunch meat is one of those tricky products to buy. The labels typically have a lot of chemicals that I can't pronounce and I have no idea how to navigate my way through their labels. But this one is our families favorite. It is labeled gluten free (on the back under the ingredient list) and there are only 6 ingredients, I can pronounce them all, and know what they are! They also have a gluten free section on their website with a list of their gluten free products and recipes. http://www.hormelnatural.com/healthandwellness/glutenfree/default.aspx

I buy this at Fred Meyer, it is often on sale 2/$6. Though it is a little pricier than the other brands it is so worth it because you are paying for actual food instead of chemicals:)

Fresh Fruit & Veggies are Best

I realized that I am pretty much just posting entries about treats & processed foods. That is because the idea of this blog was to share all my favorite gluten free finds. But the VERY best gluten free foods are the ones that are naturally gluten free and aren't processed at all, like fruits & veggies. We are sure to eat them with every meal and as snacks in between. This year we even planted a little garden so we could grow our own in our tiny backyard.

Trader Joe's Treasures

Here are two more of my favs from Trader Joe's. My kids LOVE these mini Think Thin bars and they are the perfect size to keep in my purse for a quick little pick me up for the kids (and me!). They are gluten & sugar free but have 5 g of protein. Can't beat that! There are other flavors but cookies in cream is the one we prefer.

At a $1.99 these treats are probably the most affordable gluten free cookie I've found. They are a bit on the spicy side but my kids both love them and so do Kevin & I. I was just thinking they'd be really good to use to make a graham cracker type crust for a pumpkin pie in the fall! But it's a little early to think about fall since summer barely started.

Healthier Without Wheat

I just finished reading this book and I thought it was a good one. I went and saw Dr. Stephen Wangen speak at Savory Moments in Redmond back in May and he was really engaging and knowledgeable. If I ever have a chance to see him speak again I'll be there in a second. He runs the IBS center at Swedish in Seattle. Here is his website: http://www.ibstreatmentcenter.com/

I noticed he has a really yummy looking recipe on his latest blog post that I just might have to test out:)

My last hurdle

Okay, so since I've been gluten free (October 2009) I've felt so much better and am just thrilled with how positively it has changed Lauren's & my health. The only thing that I still struggle with is invites. When people invite our family over for a meal I am always unsure of what to do. I usually end up saying I'd rather just have them over to our house since it is easier, but I would like to just say, "Yes, we'd love to". I am never sure if I should say, "Yes, we'd love to but can we go over the menu first?" or "Yes, but I'll bring dinner for Lauren & I." Does anyone out there have any advice for me on the last of my gluten free hurdles? I'd love to hear from you!

Thanks,

:) Val

Sometimes you just gotta have Mac N Cheese

Lauren (my 4 year old) LOVES mac and cheese. When we found out she couldn't have gluten and shouldn't have much dairy we knew we had to find an alternative for her. Annie's gluten free mac & cheese is fabulous. It isn't dairy free but we use earth balance and almond milk when we make it so it lessens the amount of dairy in it (obviously there is still dairy in the cheese powder). She loves it and doesn't get sick from the dairy (she & I can both tolerate dairy in small amounts though). We buy this at Fred Meyer, but they sell it at most stores. You have to be careful when buying it though because Annie's Organic Mac N Cheese comes in a blue box too, but it isn't gluten free. So make SURE you buy the one that says gluten free on it! That would be a really bad mistake!

Pasta done easy!

Sure I'd love to say I make homemade marinara sauce but the truth is I don't. I usually doctor it up a bit and add some fresh veggies & meat, but I pretty much always start with this. I buy it at Costco, it tastes great, and is labeled gluten free. Can't beat that.

See the gluten free label- it's right there above the "All Natural". Like I said before, I love companies that label, makes my life so much easier!

This is our families favorite pasta for Italian dishes. I'd use this pasta even if I didn't have Celiac Disease, it's that good. The quinoa pasta has a lot of protein and a great texture. Rice pasta is okay, but gets a little gummier than we like. We buy this at Fred Meyer in the natural food section & I've seen it at Safeway too. Try it, you'll love it!

Specialty Items I can't live without

Ideally I like to buy things that are naturally gluten free & that I can buy at the "regular" grocery stores. However, there are some items that I just can't live without and I make special trips to specialty stores to get them. I try to stock up so I only have to go once a month or so. Udi's bread is one of the items we can't live without. It is by the far the closest to the real thing. My kids love it and so do I. We eat it cold or hot and make all kinds of sandwiches and toast with it. It is a bit spendy at about $5-$6 per loaf, but well worth it.

Every summer since I can remember I've made S'mores. I was really upset when I thought I'd have to pass on the S'mores this summer until I came across these little delights. I LOVE them & so do my kids. In fact they like to eat them as a snack and want them all the time, which I try to discourage since they are about $4.50 a box and kind of hard to come by. I buy them at Savory Moment in Redmond and they sell out quick. The other day I saw them at Central Market too so hopefully they are expanding their sales!

These pretzels are amazing! Everyone who eats them loves them and people always say, "I had no idea these were gluten free." They are actually easier to find, I can get these at Fred Meyer. As far as pretzels go, they are a bit pricey at $4-$5 a bag. But they totally satisfy that salty crunchy craving and I think they are worth the money!

This dairy, soy & gluten free "cheese" is a fabulous alternative. I buy it at Savory Moment and I use it to make grilled cheese sandwiches (with my Udi's bread) and Nacho's (with the multi grain chips I listed yesterday). It actually melts and while it doesn't taste just like cheese, it does the trick. I prefer the cheddar style to the mozzarella style.

Tasty Sauce

We found this sauce at Trader Joes and we love it. It is a bit spicy so a little goes a long way (I'm a total wimp when it comes to spice though). We especially enjoy it on quinoa, it just jazzes it up a bit. Pair it with a protein and some veggies and you've got an easy and delicious meal!

Rice Sticks

For dinner we had these "Rice Sticks" from Trader Joes. It is a really yummy rice pasta that goes great with veggies. Tonight we tossed the noodles with some steak, veggies, and gluten free San J Peanut Sauce (available at PCC & Whole Foods) and it was a huge hit with everyone! Lauren & Ben both asked for seconds, which is pretty amazing.

Sweet Cakes

After dinner tonight Ben, Lauren, & I headed to Kirkland to our favorite little bakery called Sweet Cakes.

We got this delicious gluten free cupcake that was Pina Colada flavor. The umbrella made it taste even better, as umbrellas always do!

They also have yummy gluten free sugar cookies which are Lauren's very favorite.

We are lucky to have this little treasure so close to our house. If you live in the Seattle area you MUST stop by!

http://www.sweetcakeskirkland.com/

Grape & Quinoa Salad

I found this recipe in the Costco cookbook that they give out every holiday season. It is always a favorite whenever I serve it to friends and family.

• 3 cups cooked quinoa, cooled
• 1 1/2 cups red & green seedless grapes, cut into quarters (I half them because quartering them just takes too much patience.)
• 1/2 cup dry roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (I use pine nuts instead because they are easier to find and so good!)
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion
• 1/4 cup canola oil (I always use the kind of Omega 3 so I feel a little better about this much oil.)
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp sugar (I think agave nectar would work well too, I keep meaning to try it but haven't yet.)
• 1/4 tsp salt

Mix quinoa, grapes, nuts, & green onions in medium bowl and set aside.

In small bowl, whisk canola oil, lemon juice, sugar, and salt.

Pour dressing over quinoa mixture & stir.

Refrigerate 30 minutes prior to serving.

Serves 6 as a side dish.

* I added chicken to this once to make it more of a meal and my family loved it!

More Food Suggestions

We buy these tasty chips at Costco. The whole family loves them by themselves or dipped in salsa and they are certified gluten free, which is always an extra bonus for my piece of mind.

Trader Joe's has a lot of good gluten free stuff. Some is labeled with a "g" and some is not, but they have a long list on their website of all their non-gluten containing products. This pancake mix is a good one. Their brownie mix is even better- I just don't have a package to take a picture of because it never lasts for long around here! *The brownies are even better if you add chocolate chips or nuts or caramel- or all 3 as I like to do:)

So, let me first say I am not a huge fan of non-dairy yogurt, however this one is pretty good if you mix it with a gluten free granola. My 4 year old likes it right out of the container but I prefer it to be mixed with something. We like the cherry & blueberry flavors the best. This yogurt is sold at most grocery stores in the natural or health food section.

My whole life I've loved flour tortillas and never been a big fan of corn tortillas. Since I can no longer have the flour kind of turned to the Mission White Corn Tortillas and I enjoy them quite a lot. I checked out their website and they do not contain any gluten ingredients and they are made on clean lines. I eat them all the time and have never gotten sick. You can find them at any grocery store, which is a huge bonus!

Better than Butter

We use earth balance for all of our baking and cooking needs and we love it. It's great on toast, melted on pasta, or baked into cookies. There is also a soy free version if you can't have soy. They sell it at most stores, Fred Meyer & Safeway both carry it, as well as all the health food stores.

A great place!

http://www.monthofmeals.com

This is a great little shop in Redmond. It is located kitty corner from Whole Foods and actually shares a parking lot with Pomegranate (mentioned in the post below). They sell pre-made foods that cater to all types of food allergies and they some great gluten free products. They pride themselves in only carrying products they like and it shows. I went to a food sampling there and everything I ate was TO DIE FOR!

Places I like to eat

Going out to eat is still a bit tricky, but I'm getting better at it. This is a pretty good website that is really helpful in finding places to eat that have gluten free menus:http://www.glutenfreeregistry.com/

Some places I've enjoyed recently are:

• Qdoba- they don't have a gluten free menu but if you go to their website ahead of time you can see what foods don't contain wheat. I know that isn't full proof but I choose my items carefully & stick to the same foods every time & I haven't had a problem. Our standard order is a veggie burrito bowl (rice instead of tortilla) with guacamole but no sour cream or cheese. We also get a side of chips & pinto beans. I talked to the manager about how they make the chips and I was told they are the only thing that go in the fryer. I've had great experiences there.
• Scotty Browns- a fun trendy place in Bellingham- they have a gluten free menu upon request and their food was fabulous!
• Piatti- an Italian place in University Village. They have a gluten free menu with a lot of choices. The wait staff seemed really knowledgeable and was super accommodating.
• Bone Fish Grill- a very yummy gluten free menu and they are also very accommodating.
• Red Robin- They have a gluten free menu upon request. It is very minimal, but none the less, they have one. The one in Woodinville has a designated fryer for their fries so their fries are actually gluten free (the only place I've found so far!). I always make sure to tell them they have to be gluten free so they make sure they don't have any of the seasoning on them. We also get burgers there wrapped in lettuce and they are delish!
• Anthony's Home Port- a yummy gluten free menu. They don't advertise it but when I started inquiring about my options the server ran and got it for me so make sure to ask for it.
• Claim Jumper- their gluten free menu is included on their regular menu!
• PF Changs- a lot of really good gluten free options that are listed on the back of their regular menu and they even have a gluten free dessert!
• Cactus- The one in Kirkland was very accommodating and the server was able to help me find some gluten free options which were fabulous! They don't have a gluten free menu though.
• Pomegranate- a darling little place in Redmond that has amazing food. No gluten free menu but the staff was very knowledgeable and gave me many options.

I'm sure I'll think of more later:)

Reason #4085 that I love Target!

Target has just recently started to label all of their up & up brand products with a Gluten Free label if they are gluten free. I was thrilled to see this!

See, there it is. Clearly labeled so there is no confusion.

I love you Target:)

Yummy Bread

This product was introduced to me by my fellow gluten free buddy, Sally Bankson. She gave me the idea of baking it as focaccia bread instead of pizza crust. We simply bake it as the directions say but we just leave the pizza toppings off. Once baked, drizzle olive oil and sprinkle some sea salt on top. It is chewy and soft and completely satisfies any cravings you'll have for "real" bread! This product is a little pricey- about $5 a bag. I buy it at Fred Meyer. They also sell it at PCC & Whole Foods.

Best Gluten & Dairy Free Ice Cream EVER!

This ice cream is a hit with everyone that tries it. It is creamy, full of flavor, and melts in your mouth. The taste can't be beat and unless you read the label, you'll never know it isn't made with dairy. It doesn't say "gluten free" on the label but I looked it up on Trader Joe's website and it is listed in their gluten free section. I eat it all the time without any problems. Go get some right now- you won't be disappointed!

Cider

When I first heard I couldn't have gluten I was pretty bummed to think I wouldn't be able to have beer and other fun summer libations. I quickly learned that wasn't the case and there are plenty of alternatives out there. One of my favorites is Newton's Folly Cider. It is crisp & refreshing on a hot summer day. I buy it at Trader Joe's and it has gluten free right on the label! I love companies that label their products.

The Cravings Place products do satisfy cravings!

The Cravings Place products are little more pricey than some of the other stuff I'll post but they are worth it. They are about $6 a bag but will make a good sized batch of delicious baked goods that you will LOVE. I've made a variety of their mixes and have loved every single one. They are sold at Fred Meyer, PCC, Whole Foods, and I'm sure many other places. I highly recommend them for anyone with allergies.

Thank You Betty Crocker!

Betty Crocker now labels all their products that do not contain gluten with a Gluten Free label. It is so nice to have an easy option when making cupcakes or cake. Or if you just want a spoonful of frosting, which we've been known to do a time or two around here!

All Better Crocker products that are gluten free will have the GLUTEN FREE label at the bottom, to the right of the information panel & under the ingredients list. They also just came out with a gluten free Bisquick that makes a really yummy cake for Strawberry Shortcake!

Cereal

When I first found out I couldn't have gluten the first thing I thought was, "Oh No! What am I going to eat for breakfast?" I was thrilled to find some cereals that are sold in general grocery stores that are gluten free. Fruity & Cocoa Pebbles are both made without gluten containing ingredients! While they might not be too healthy, they are a really fun treat. They also work great for rice crispy treats!

General Mills has jumped on the gluten free bandwagon and are now making their Honey, Corn, Rice, & Chocolate Chex all to be gluten free! Also great to use for homemade Chex Mix!

EnviroKidz makes some really great tasting cereals that taste a lot like some of the non-gluten free cereals. The peanut butter Panda Puffs are one of our families favorites. You can buy them at most grocery stores in the natural food section.