Gluten Free Dining – Page 4 – Holly's Gluten Free Home

Hey! You wanna piece of ….. My yummy gluten free coffee cakes? You & your family are going to enjoy these!

On March 29, 2015

When I was first diagnosed with celiac, it was late October a few years back, and one of the first things that crossed my mind was my families tradition of Christmas morning Irish Sour Cream Coffee Cake. Well NO PROB here! It took a few tries, but now I make a gluten free version with great texture, taste and consistency… Such that you can serve this to anyone and they will not know its gluten free! Plus, you can change around the toppings depending on who you are cooking for! Another favorite of mine is pumpkin coffee cake. Today I’m making pumpkin loaf modified from the Pamela’s pancake mix recipe www.pamelasproducts.com . Pumpkin bread is great, because it’s delicious and its a great way to get some extra vitamins and nutrition into your body and those of you kids.

well worn recipe card!

Gluten free Irish Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Cream 1/2 c butter

1 cup sugar

Add and mix well 2 eggs

1 t vanilla

2 T Apple cider vinegar

1c sour cream

Mix dry ingredients together and then add to wet

2 cups Pamela’s pancake mix/ gluten free flour

1/2 t salt

1t baking powder

Topping: traditionally cinnamon, sugar & nuts…today I added semi sweet chocolate chips too!

Place half the batter in round pan, top with half the topping, repeat with second layer

Bake at 350 for 45 mins. Enjoy!

place in batter, top with toppings, repeat

yes! looking good!

anybody want a piece of that?

Next up…

Pumpkin Loaf 

Mix 4 T melted butter

2 eggs

2 T Apple cider vinegar

1/2 c sugar

1t vanilla extract

1 can pumpkin purée/pack

Add dry ingredients mixed together

1 3/4 c Pamela’s pancake mix/ gluten free flour

1 t baking powder

Dash salt

1 t each cinnamon, ginger and 1/2 t nutmeg

Top with raw sugar and walnut or pecans to taste. Bake at 350 for 50 mins

place all batter in greased pan

your family is going to love it! and youre going to love all the vitamins from pumpkin

put out your Sunday Best

make it a great day! ❤️

Shrimp & Grits. Fast, Gluten Free & Just Plain Good

By GlutenFreeHolly

On March 28, 2015

In Gluten free, Gluten Free Dining

Shrimp & grits… It’s so fast…you can have dinner done in 10-15 minutes. After all of the yard work today, I’m plumb tuckered out and just want a delicious meal that I can eat while I enjoy my new view!

What you need:

Shrimp- 6-8 per person

Tomatoes, cherry or other small tomatoes

Olive oil

Seasoning- garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning

Grits

Cheese – I use Parmesan and shredded Italian blend

Tomatoes-

Mix with olive oil, sea salt, fresh ground pepper & Italian seasoning (fresh rosemary would be great…I just used a standard dry blend), red pepper flakes. Bake for 10 min 350 degrees

ready for the oven! looking good!

Grits- quantity for 3 adults… Multiply as needed

Bring 1c milk and 1 c water to a boil

Whisk in 1t salt & 1/2c grits

Reduce heat and whisk until thickened.

Add 1/2 c shredded cheese and 1/4 c Parmesan

Serve with Parmesan sprinkled on top

whisk the grits in a little at a time to prevent clumping

Shrimp

heat 2T olive oil with 1t garlic and 2t red pepper flakes

Add shrimp, cook on med high 3 mins per side

dont stir the shrimp…let them get a liitle browned

Serve and Enjoy! Gluten free and sooooooooo easy!

deliciousness !

Shula’s … Pretty nice date night

By GlutenFreeHolly

On March 25, 2015

In Gluten Free Dining

wednesday night… Still no kids… Hair already done... I’m going to skip the run and have a nice date night! We park in South Miami and begin perusing menus and decide upon Shula’s…. Where, suprisingly, we have yet to try!! Www.shulas347gables.com

they should not have given me a pen

The ambience is quiet… Steakhousey (yes, that IS a word), and almost romantic. We get a booth (getting closer 🙂 )and check out the menu! Drinks are good… I have a glass of wine and my date has dragonberry mojito! (Yum)

The chef answers quickly and informatively regarding gluten free items ( so far, no pain, so all good here!) and we order… Now I should mention, we are not 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 dessert type people… I just can’t fit all that in!! However, a couple of sneaky PEEPS fit after dinner anyway! So.. We ( means I) order truffle fries, spinach salad with grilled chicken-hold-the-chicken (yes… I can see it in the waiters eyes, but he casually says “see! There are so many things for a gluten free vegetarian!”), my date gets bbq shrimp and for dessert… Thank goodness! There is always gluten free creme brûlée! (No pic of the Creme brûlée because I ate it too fast) All in all, thumbs up… Understanding staff, educated chef, multiple menus choices & good drinks (see… I saved the best for last!). Have an awesome night!

mountain of truffle fries

spinach salad with grilled chicken… without the chicken

What’s it like to live in Paradise?

By GlutenFreeHolly

On March 23, 2015

In Gluten free, Gluten Free Dining

My kids are out of town, I was on call for a sleepless, Miami weekend, and now….? I’m hanging out in my favorite place…my back patio. I still can’t face the pool…. It’s more an aqua now than florid green…and the sun is setting so the color isn’t as clear to me, thankfully. I’m making progress, anyway. The frogs are starting to sing, the wind is blowing through the umbrella trees, and the peacock across the canal (who keeps running from my camera) is quieting down. Rice and beans are on the stove and I have a few minutes before I need to get back to the kitchen. What’s it like to live in paradise?…..well…..just that…paradise. You just have to remember to get out there and recognize it and take it in…..ah…….. The wine helps (this glass is Josh. www.joshcellars.com)

Tonight I’m making shrimp tacos and black beans as the veggie alternative. My son is very allergic to shellfish, so this week may well have a couple of shrimp dishes, as my boyfriend loves shrimp. The thought of stabbing my son with the epi-pen is just not appealing….and moderately alarming….imagine. Or don’t… I need to go back outside and regain my Zen.

Rice is rice… You got this, right?

Black beans: see prior recipe, but for the adult version add 1/2 chopped jalapeño and 1t red pepper flakes

Shrimp

Heat 1t butter,

1 t chopped garlic,

2T cilantro, finely chopped

2T chipotle sauce, ( SanMarcos is what I’m using)

Cook on med-high 3 mins without stirring to allow a little browning, turn and cook 3 mins

Serve on warm tortillas, with rice, beans, cheese & more salsa

Enjoy!

Groovy Enviornment& Gluten Free Pizza… Mellow Mushroom, South Miami

By GlutenFreeHolly

On March 22, 2015

In Gluten free, Gluten Free Dining

I’ve been watching the “coming soon” sign for weeks, and finally, it’s open! The Mellow Mushroom in South Miami. www.mellowmushroom.com. Dark tinted windows belie the bright, colorful, modern-psychedelic decor. Widescreen TV’s line the full service bar and the center aisle, so sports fans won’t miss a minute of March Madness.

cool lights, tiled features add to the vibe

elephant greets you at the door

The menu reads like a reassuring gluten free dream….they are educated in cross contamination, use a separate area, special screen, change gloves and aprons….sounds good to me!

gluten free menu with vegan options

I order the “Veg Out” gluten free pizza and a lemonade (on-call) and my date ordered half of a steak and cheese hoagie and a Fiery jalapeño pineapple margarita (yummmm….jealous). The pizza was good and made perfectly to order. The crust, which is vegan, was crunchy and evenly cooked. My able-to-eat-gluten date ate half of my pizza and also thought it was good! Of course, he enjoyed the margarita!

YES!!!

Pretty good! Reasonably priced! Great decor! And….fabulous for a dinner out with or without the kids! Best news, no pain! Enjoy and get out there for some gluten free dining!

Fiesta! And your family will celebrate with food like this!

By GlutenFreeHolly

On March 19, 2015

In Gluten free, Gluten Free Dining

Tonight marks the beginning of spring break for my 3 kids, and tomorrow they go on vacation with their Dad for a week, so I wanted to celebrate their well-deserved break with a nice dinner! I asked them if they wanted to go out (please?), but they voted for …..tacos! There are so many Mexican gluten free dishes to choose from… But this is my kids all time favorite!

So let’s get started! The menu:

Homemade corn tortillas

Black beans

Rice

Guacamole

Grass fed ground beef (for the carnivores)

In the interest of efficiency (as parents this is goal número uno) start the beans first.

Black Beans

1/2 red onion, chopped ( chop the whole thing… You’ll use the rest for beef and guacamole)

1 tsp chopped garlic

I chopped potato

Mix in saucepan with 1T olive oil and salt and pepper until potato is browned

Add,

1/2 c shredded carrots

2-3 sweet peppers, chopped roughly

1T Italian seasoning

After 2-3 min add 1 can of black beans

Add 1/4 c cilantro , stir

Reduce to simmer and cook until you are ready to eat (20 mins – 2 hours)

Ready , set, go!

onions, garlic and potato… browned

can’t wait…. I’m getting hungry

Homemade Corn Torillas

Don’t be intimidated by a tortilla…these are easy, easy, easy….and handmade tortillas….ah…..heaven…great with butter, cinnamon & sugar, Nutella (what isn’t good with Nutella), and….yes….TACOS!

What you need…

A tortilla press (readily available on Amazon.com), corn flour (I use Maseca), salt & water

2 c corn flour

1 t salt

1 1/3 c warm water

Mix and knead….with your hands….you can skip therapy this week…and then roll into little balls, cover until ready to use.

dont be intimidated!

Go ahead! work out your issues…

knead into a smooth ball…feel better?

ready to impress….with the press

Okay! Break time…all my veggies are prepped. Guacamole is made and in fridge, the brown rice is in the rice maker and…. it’s time for a swim!! To eat like this, a girls got to exercise! When I get home really late, I just continue on…the last part will take only 15 minutes. The first part should take you 20-30- depending on whether your children are running interference…..

When I get back, I brown the beef (feel free to omit this….I don’t eat meat..so I can’t even tell you if its good but my son says it’s awesome) with 1/4 red onion, garlic, 1T chipotle. Done!

Next press the tortillas, wrap your press in Saran Wrap, cook on med-high (no oil!) 50 sec per side, remove and wrap in towel.

put a little muscle into it… youre burning fat!

ok…i’m getting hungry again… i wonder if i have nutella

Ok! That’s it! Get ready for your fiesta…. You’re going to book a trip to Mexico after this one!

serve it up family style!

Peace On Earth….and at dinner.

By GlutenFreeHolly

On March 19, 2015

In Gluten Free Dining

If you have more than one child, you understand that dinner can erupt like a volcano of hot molten disobedience. Dining as a family has so many benefits, but honestly there are nights that seem like I’m a negotiator for the United Nations rather than a surgeon & mom. So, a shout out to Macaroni’s Grill (@macaroniGrill) for reminding my family that dinner together can be fun! During a recent Disney vacation, we went to Macaroni’s Grill for dinner, where my kids (all of them) and I were enamored with the paper covered tables and crayons. Now for you celiacs and gluten free fans, I safely enjoyed a Caprese Salad!

Now, for special occasions, like tonight which marks the beginning of spring break for my kids, or if I sense that the natives are cranky, out comes the roll of IKEA craft paper (@IKEAUSA) and …..phew….. Dinner is fun, conversation pleasant and drawing abundant.

Love and Peace… On earth and at your dinner table.

Highlights from the Big Apple

By GlutenFreeHolly

On March 17, 2015

In Gluten free, Gluten Free Dining

There she is, lady liberty, wrapped in her billowing robes. She seems, from her attire, like she would understand bloating…. and expressly prohibit this condition from the American people and our guests. There is probably nothing more frustrating than going on a trip and getting gluten-ed. Honestly, it makes you feel like you should stay in your gluten free home and never venture out again …..EVER. Education, courage and careful selections can make your next dining out or travel experience safe and enjoyable! And remember, Open Table has a link to search for Gluten free!

http://www.opentable.com/promo.aspx?pid=630&m=8

Be adventurous! Here are some tips from my recent trip to NYC.

1. Where to stay: Manhattan! As close to Central Park as possible! Why? It is beautiful! There is great shopping, the Rockefeller Center, Times Square and Broadway all in walking distance (or the subway, if you prefer). I love the London NYC. It is a stylish all suites hotel, its super swanky, and they have great deals! Their restaurant, Maze, offers Gluten-Free selections, including toast in the morning and the pleasant staff, upbeat setting and impeccable service cannot be beat.

Maze at London NYC – from thelondonnyc.com

www.thelondonnyc.com

2. Gluten Free Dining

Aside from my prior post, where I strongly recommend Bouchon (www.bouchonbakery.com), Eataly (www.eataly.com), and Grom (www.grom.it), I have 2 more favorites that I visit each time I go to the city.

Toloache

An authentic Mexican Restaurant serving up to die for Margaritas and Mexican food. The Toloache Margarita features hibiscus and blueberries and is the most decadent margarita I have ever had! This weekend, we went for brunch and I had the vegetarian Huarache while my dining companion had the fish tacos! Time after time, this restaurant serves up delicious food and drinks with NO tummy ache!

Deliciousness served up at Toloache!

www.toloachenyc.com

Rubirosa

Italian… Yes Italian! Did you think you could ever have Italian again? One word… Rubirosa! Located a short subway or taxi drive away, this trendy restaurant located in the lower east side serves up tasty Italian and features an entire Gluten free menu! Word to the wise, make reservations in ADVANCE! Please try the GLUTEN FREE MOZARELLA STICKS!!!! and Pizza! Not kidding! This place is THE BOMB!

www.rubirosanyc.com