babycakes NYC at Downtown Disney in Orlando

I was so excited to recently find out that babycakes NYC now has a location in Orlando. This past weekend we went to Orlando to celebrate my daughter's 2nd birthday with Mickey Mouse! Of course once I found out about the babycakes NYC location, I had to add this to our weekend plans. We stopped at Downtown Disney on our way out of town before heading back to South Florida so I could stock up on some goodies to bring back home with me. I was so overwhelmed when I walked in and saw the cases filled with gluten-free cookies, cupcakes, donuts, and more. I immediately thought I should have brought a bigger cooler for the drive home.

I ultimately decided on a few chocolate chip cookies, a cookie crumb donut, a brownie cupcake, and a blondie cupcake. Everything was AMAZING! If I had to pick a favorite it would probably be a very close tie between the cookies and the blondie cupcake. I am already thinking about my next trip to Orlando and that bigger cooler! It is pretty well-known that Disney World is very accommodating when it comes to special diets. When I asked about a gluten-free meal at one of the restaurants at the Magic Kingdom I was told I was probably the 75th person to ask for this on that day alone. I hope all of those on a gluten-free diet living or visiting Orlando are as familiar with babycakes NYC as well!

Chocolate Cupcakes from Whole Foods Gluten-Free Bakehouse

The Gluten-Free Bakehouse from Whole Foods has a huge selection of tasty baked goods. Their products (breads, muffins, cookies, scones, and more) are made at a dedicated gluten-free facility and are sold at Whole Foods Markets in the US and Canada.

The cupcakes (they come in vanilla and chocolate) are the latest Gluten-Free Bakehouse products to hit the shelves at my local Whole Foods.  I can't even tell you the last time I had a cupcake, so you can only imagine how excited I was when I found these.  I haven't tried the vanilla ones yet, but the chocolate cupcakes are out of this world!  Make sure you have a large glass of milk ready because they are big and rich!

I have tried many of their other products over the years and there hasn't been one that I didn't thoroughly enjoy.  My personal favorite (aside from the cupcakes) are the blueberry muffins which I have for breakfast on most mornings.

Some of you may feel that the cupcakes are expensive ($7.69 for a 4-pack), however individual cupcakes at a bakery will cost you at least that much. These cupcakes make a great dessert any night of the week or for a special occasion.  Look for them in your local Whole Foods and enjoy!      

Welcome

Welcome to my world... living gluten-free in South Florida!

I've been on a gluten-free diet for a few years now and it has gotten much easier over time. When my doctor first said the words gluten-free diet, visions of my favorite foods that I would no longer be able to eat flashed through my mind.  Donuts, egg rolls, pasta, garlic bread, and the list went on... I jumped on the internet to look for all of the information that I could find, including gluten-free replacements to all my favorite foods, and wondered how I was ever going to eat out at a restaurant again.  I found a few websites that had a ton of information (www.celiac.com and www.celiac. org) and several with gluten-free products including Gluten Solutions.  I also bought a few books.  Many of the books out there were also filled with valuable information (what I could and couldn't eat) as well as great recipes.  Being that I am just the average cook and not into gourmet cooking, some of the recipes were too elaborate for me.  Two of my favorite books are Against the Grain and Wheat-Free Worry-Free.  They covered everything about living without gluten, including supermarket basics, reading labels, eating out, traveling, nutrition, as well as the emotional aspect that comes with this new lifestyle.  These 2 books are must-haves for anyone starting on a gluten-free diet!  However, for those really into cooking, also check out The Gluten-Free Gourmet books. 

I was very surprised how much information was out there and just how many gluten-free products were available.  I initially bought a lot of my new food online as I began experimenting with different products.  This quickly became expensive and I started to look for other options.  Luckily, I have a Whole Foods close by that carries a large supply of gluten-free products (the selection continues to grow over the years).  I also stop off at a few other health food stores nearby on occasion to buy items that I can't find anywhere else (Nutrition Smart and Tunie's).  I even still buy a few items online once in a while (my favorite tapioca dinner rolls from Ener-G Foods).  However, over the years I have changed my mindset somewhat from simply looking for "gluten-free" specialty products to eating simple and healthy.  There are so many options that are naturally gluten-free, that the question is no longer what can't I eat, but rather what should I eat?  Don't get me wrong, there are still a few gluten-free items on my shopping list each week (gluten-free pasta included), but I now buy most of my food in the regular grocery store.  My weekly shopping list includes more fruits and vegetables, and a simple dinner may be grilled chicken and asparagus.

Every now and then, dessert consists of a special gluten-free treat.  Last night was a chocolate cupcake I just discovered at Whole Foods!