Mueller's Gluten-Free Pasta

I grew up on Mueller's and I just found out that they make a gluten free pasta. Has anyone tried this?

Gluten-Free Passover Items Have Arrived!

The gluten-free Passover goodies have arrived in my grocery store. Are they in your store yet? Each year they seem to add more items and the gluten-free labeling is so much more visible. Some of the items are expensive, but they are only available for a limited time so stock up before they are all gone!

Gluten-Free Pancakes

If you haven't tried Bisquick's gluten-free mix yet you are missing out! The gluten-free pancakes we made this past weekend were incredible. I would be surprised if anyone could tell them apart from regular pancakes. I can't wait to have them again and to try to use the mix to make shortcake for strawberry shortcakes!

Udi's Gluten Free Pizza

I am a big fan of Udi's. I eat their bagels just about every morning and love to treat myself with their blueberry muffins every now and then. Last week I noticed that my Whole Foods now sells their pizza. I was so excited, as I have been looking for a new gluten free frozen pizza. They have 3 different varieties including pepperoni, three cheese, and margherita pizza. I opted for the pepperoni and it was a great choice. The thin crust was nice and crispy, the sauce and cheese were perfect, the pepperoni was delicious, and the basil added a nice extra touch!

Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes

All you can eat soup, salad, and more... With locations across the country, Souplantation & Sweet Tomatoes is usually pretty busy any time of the day. With a buffet of salad items, soups, potatoes, baked goods, pasta bar, fruit, and ice cream there is plenty to choose from and a nice selection of gluten free items (although you will have to pass over the the baked goods and pasta bar). Check out their gluten free menu options online. They have many gluten free items that are almost always available (including their delicious Deep Kettle House Chili), along with additional items during their special monthly promotions.

Update on Kona Grill

This is an update to a prior post on Kona Grill. Unfortunately, they have closed their West Palm Beach location. However, they are still located in several states and now have a location in Tampa, Florida. Check out their website to see if there is a location near you!

Gluten Free Pizza in Coral Springs

Lunch today was at Pasquale's in North Coral Springs. They have 2 locations in Coral Springs and one location in Coconut Creek but only serve gluten free pizza in North Coral Springs and Coconut Creek.

Aside from Disney World, I've only eaten gluten free pizza in one restaurant and ended up sick from it. My thought was that it was from the cross contamination. How could there not be cross contamination? Needless to say I have been hesitant to try this since, but gave it a shot after a co-worker told me she had eaten there.

I called ahead to confirm that they did in fact serve gluten free pizza and the person who answered the phone told me they did. First good sign that she didn't need to check with someone else! When I arrived I noticed that you go straight to the counter to place your order and then take a seat until your order number is called. Next good sign was that the cashier also knew right away what I was asking for and was also able to explain that the gluten free pizzas are cooked separately. We then ordered and waited for our number to be called. The atmosphere was very nice with televisions throughout the restaurant, and everything appeared very well maintained. I was hoping the kitchen was the same and there wouldn't be any cross contamination issues.

When the pizza was ready I was pleasantly surprised to see that it looked like a regular pizza... but then came the taste test. I was pleasantly surprised with this as well. The crust was pretty good and the cheese tasted just like the cheese on a regular pizza. The sauce was a little on the bland side but with some oregano it turned out okay. Overall, I enjoyed this immensely!

No surprise, it was a little expensive at $17.95 for a 12 inch pizza but that won't keep me away. I would definitely recommend Pasquale's and will be back there again soon!

Duffy's Sports Bar and Grill

Well my almost 2 year old keeps me very busy but I wanted to share a recent find. I had heard a while ago that Duffy's has a gluten free menu but never made it there... until now. Two weeks ago after visiting the Museum of Discovery and Science downtown we headed over to 17th Street and ended up at Duffy's. I had a shrimp caesar salad that was delicious! With several locations around South Florida I will be back soon.

Gluten-Free Expo

It has been quite a while since my last post. I had a baby on Valentine's Day and have been pretty busy during the months leading up to her birth and since she arrived. However, I did make time to attend a Gluten-Free Food Expo in Delray Beach on February 27th! It was actually my first time leaving the baby with Grandma.

There were a good number of vendors and a ton of people attended. I made my way through and tasted many delicious samples. I discovered many items that I had never tried before and ended up buying two of them. I loved Udi's blueberry muffins and the brownies from French Meadow Bakery so I had to buy some to bring home with me. If you haven't tried either of these products, I highly recommend that you do... and enjoy!

Beef and Mushroom Lasagna

Ingredients

1 box gluten-free lasagna noodles (10 oz.)

3/4 pound ground beef

1/2 small container of diced baby portabella mushrooms

8 ounces part skim ricotta cheese

6 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

grated parmesan cheese - as desired

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 large can spaghetti sauce

Directions

1. Cook lasagna noodles following the directions on the box - stir frequently, then drain.

2. Heat garlic in olive oil, then add ground beef and brown.  Mix in mushrooms and cook for approximately 2 minutes.  Add in 3/4 can of sauce and simmer for approximately 5 minutes.

3. Cover bottom of shallow baking dish with layer of sauce (1/2 of remaining sauce in the can). Arrange first layer of noodles on top of sauce. Add layer of meat sauce.  Arrange 2nd layer of noodles.  Add layer of ricotta cheese. Arrange 3rd layer of noodles.  Add another layer of meat sauce.  Arrange 4th layer of noodles.  Cover with remaining sauce from the can.  Add shredded mozzarella cheese and grated parmesan cheese.

4. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for an additional 15 minutes.  

5. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before eating.

Makes 8 servings.  

This was my first attempt at gluten-free lasagna and it turned out delicious!

What is Your Favorite Gluten-Free Soup?

Who doesn't love a nice big bowl of hot soup on a cold rainy day?  Well... we don't have many cold days here in South Florida but we sure have lots of rainy days, and a bowl of soup is a great comfort food on those wet days.  It is also a great comfort food for those days when you aren't feeling all that well.  I had a few of those days last week and went searching for a new gluten-free soup to try.

I came across Health Valley Organic Chicken Rice Soup.  It is delicious and healthy!  It is low in fat, an excellent source of Vitamin A, and has only 480 mg of sodium per serving.

Some other soups I enjoy include:

Progresso Lentil Soup (an excellent source of fiber)

Thai Kitchen Rice Noodle Soup Bowls (I like the Spring Onion and Roasted Garlic)

What is your favorite gluten-free soup?  I would love to hear from you, so please leave a comment below and share your favorites!

Penne Pasta with Asparagus, Peas, and Sage

I discovered this recipe recently from a fellow gluten-free blogger (GLUTEN FREE SOX FAN), and just made it last night for dinner. It was out of this world.

As I've mentioned before, I'm just your average cook, so I was a little nervous about all of the ingredients in this recipe. However, I love pasta and asparagus so I thought I would give it a try.  It was actually easier than I thought.

This could really be a meal on it's own, but we grilled some chicken breasts with it so we were sure to have plenty of leftovers.  I had some for lunch today and we still have more left for lunch tomorrow. 

Please visit the link above for the full recipe.

Ortega Yellow Corn Taco Shells

I usually buy a different brand of taco shells, but tonight I tried Ortega. We used these shells to make tacos with ground turkey and McCormick Original Taco Seasoning.  

You can find these taco shells in your regular grocery store!

The front of the box is labeled gluten-free!

They taste great!

I'll be using this brand of taco shells from now on.  Be sure to check these out for your next fiesta!  

My Favorite Pasta - Tinkyada

Growing up, I was always a pasta girl. Whether we made it at home or went out to eat, pasta was always one of my favorite meals. When I went away to college, I lived on pasta because it was cheap and easy.  After college (when I was actually making a decent living), I continued to make pasta once a week and made sure I had enough leftovers for a few lunches.  So when I made the switch to a gluten-free diet a few years ago, I was crushed at the thought of never being able to eat one of my favorite foods again.

I soon discovered that they made several different types of gluten-free pasta, and I tried several brands.  The more brands I tried, the more depressed I became over the fact that my pasta would never taste the same.  Then I tried Tinkyada...

Tinkyada pasta tastes just like regular pasta!  I was so ecstatic that I was able to make one of my favorite meals again and actually enjoy it.  We usually make spaghetti and meat sauce once a week.  Every now and then for a special treat, we make spaghetti and pan-seared scallops with olive oil, garlic, and mushrooms (I love the large scallops from Costco).  Last night my mother came over for dinner.  We made spaghetti with shrimp. It was actually the first time she had eaten gluten-free pasta and she thought it was delicious.  She said it didn't taste any different than regular pasta.   It was so good, we didn't have any leftovers!

I am fortunate enough to have a Whole Foods right down the street from my house, and they sell Tinkyada pasta.  For those of you who are not able to find this brand in a store near you, it is definitely worth purchasing online.    

Tinkyada pasta is another simple and delicious gluten-free meal!

Beef Stir-Fry

As I've mentioned in previous posts, there are many great gluten-free books and blogs with wonderful recipes.  Some are simple recipes and some are more elaborate.  I am just your average cook, so recipes with several ingredients can be a little overwhelming for me.  That's not to say I won't try something new that looks really tempting, but it hasn't happened too often so far.

When it comes to making dinner during the week (especially after a very long day at work), I am all about simple...

Tonight we had beef stir-fry with broccoli, water chestnuts, and baby corn over rice.  I use San-J's Tamari (wheat-free / gluten-free soy sauce). 

My simple dinner was ready in under 30 minutes and tasted delicious!  

It's Taco Night

Tacos are a simple and quick meal for any night of the week for kids and adults.  We made them for dinner tonight and have enough left over for taco salads for tomorrow's lunch. 

This is all you need:

Old El Paso Taco Shells (hard taco shells)

McCormick Original Taco Seasoning Mix

Ground Beef or Ground Turkey

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Lettuce

Sour Cream

Make it a taco night and enjoy a simple gluten-free meal!