Gluten Free and Good For Me: Quinoa Salad

I made this quick and tasty salad for a party recently and people really liked it. It's made like a Greek Salad with quinoa and some spices in it. Quinoa is a super food and not just because it's gluten free and tasty. It contains a decent amount of protein and fiber along with a slew of vitamins and minerals. I've been told it has similar consistency to couscous. 

Quinoa Salad

Quinoa Salad (pronounced Keen-wah)

Prep Time: Less than 30 minutes

1 Cup Quinoa 

1 1/4 Cups Water

1/2 English Cucumber 

2 Cups Cherry Tomatoes 

1 Pack Feta Cheese Crumbled(regular or fat free!)

Cumin (to taste)

Smoked Paprika (to taste)

Kosher Salt (to taste)

Garlic Powder (to taste)

Step 1: Put water in medium pot and set to boil

Step 2: Rinse quinoa. I do this in a tea strainer because that's all I have that the quinoa won't wash through. Don't skip this step. It will make it taste funny.

Step 3: Once water is boiling, put quinoa in and set to simmer. It should take about 12 minutes for the water to cook down... in the meantime...

Step 4: Cut up cucumbers and tomatoes. You can use almost any kind of cucumber or tomato for this recipe. I just like the English cucumber because it's in plastic, lasts longer and hasn't been covered in wax or man handled by strangers in the supermarket.

Cucumber, Tomato and Spices

Step 5: Remove cooked quinoa from the pot and put in a bowl or container to cool in the fridge. Don't mix stuff in or you risk having a cheese fail. I'm sure it will still taste awesome, but it may look pretty busted.

Finished Quinoa

Step 6: Combine cooled quinoa with veggies and cheese. Mix.

Step 7: Add salt, spices and olive oil if needed. I use the add and taste method of cooking with spices. I add a little... mix it up and taste it. Need more? Add more. Just remember, you can always put more in, but you can't take it out.

Serve chilled and enjoy! This can be eaten by a meal by itself or as a great summer side dish.

Restaurant Fridays - Franklin Cafe South Boston

Welcome to Restaurant Fridays - my weekly review of the gluten free restaurant options in Boston and the surrounding areas. 


Franklin Cafe South Boston

I decided to try Franklin Cafe in Southie because it was rumored on yelp.com to have a gluten free menu. I had also frequented the South End Franklin Cafe in my pre-celiac days because they had really great cocktails. 


Mike met me at Broadway Station after work and we headed over to grab some dinner and some cold beverages. The restaurant wasn't very crowded when we arrived so we got a nice big booth to ourselves. I asked for the gluten free menu and they printed me out a fresh copy. I was excited because they had a pretty sizable selection of tasty looking dinner entrees, apps and even deserts. I read down the menu when I noticed that they had a warning at the bottom that said "food fried with gluten containing items". Really? That means that the deep fried food is in fact, not gluten free and does not belong on the gluten free menu. I was mildly grumpy about this. I take Celiac Disease and my gluten free diet pretty seriously and I don't understand people who only do it half way.


My grumpiness was soon assuaged by the most delicious cocktail I have ever had. The French Laundry keeps me up late at night dreaming of it's crisp goodness. It's made with two different types of gin, maraschino liquor, lime juice and grape fruit bitters. I gladly paid $9 for it and that's something you'll never hear me say.


For "dinner" I had the smokey skillet roasted mussels, a field greens salad and mushroom risotto. I know Anthony Bourdain warns people to never order mussels in a restaurant,  but I can't help myself. I'm gross and I love them. These had a nice smoky flavor to them and I actually got Mike to eat a bunch of them, which is a huge feat. 

Smoky Skillet Roasted Mussels

The salad greens were crisp with a light lemony vinaigrette. The risotto, after all the mussels had to be brought home after a few bites. It was a little more al dente than I'm used to, (probably because I frequently overcook my risotto), but it was very flavorful. It had a nice woody flavor to it and it actually reheated really well.

Salad Greens

{I'm sorry the picture of the risotto came out too dark to post*}

All in all it was a good experience, the waiter was very nice, we got a good seat and I didn't get sick from anything I ate. I plan on returning to have another French Laundry in the near future. Anyone interested in joining me?


* A note about the pictures. I love taking pictures of my gluten free food finds, but I feel bad using my flash in a restaurant where I will surely disrupt most of the other diners around me. I will try my best to take pictures, but sometimes it just isn't going to happen.

Gluten Free Skincare

When I was first diagnosed with Celiac Disease, I spent a lot of time on message boards reading about the gluten free diet. One thing I noticed was that a lot of people were looking for gluten free shampoo and beauty products. For quite awhile I thought this was completely ridiculous. It's not like I was planning on guzzling down shampoo and conditioner during my morning shower. I understood the need for gluten free lip balm, but body lotion and make up too? 

I had a few shampoos with hydrolyzed wheat protein in them and didn't want to waste them. Every now and then my face would break out in a rash. I thought it was just a sensitivity to the face cream I was using. This past November it got so bad I actually stopped wearing make up in attempts to get my face to heal. I would have perfectly clear skin one moment and then a major rash the next. I was about to give up when my coworker told me about Gluten Free Savonnerie and how nice it made her skin feel. They have inexpensive sample sizes so I ordered a few and have been hooked ever since. My skin has never looked this good. It took a few weeks for me to get used to it, but I've completely stopped wearing make up, with exception to mascara and the occasional swipe of blush. I think it makes me look younger and healthier and I couldn't be happier with how my skin feels.

Gluten Free Savonnerie Shampoo & Conditioner

Gluten Free Savonnerie Premium Bar Soap

I use the premium bar soap with shea butter and the moisturizing lotion on my face. On days where my skin is extra dry I swipe some of the shea butter on my cheeks before rubbing the lotion in and it leaves my skin super soft and happy. It's summer now so that also means sunblock! I haven't found the perfect solution for that quite yet. The Eucerin Everyday Protection for sensitive skin seems to be doing the trick, but can sometimes make my skin a little greasy. However, out of all the face sunblocks I've used, it's the smoothest to put on. Some sunblocks make me feel like I'm putting spackle or craft glue on my face. 

Eucerin Everyday Protection SPF 30

Gluten Free Savonnerie also carries shampoo and conditioner as well as body powder, lip balm, massage oil, liquid hand soap and other bath/ beauty products that are allergen and fragrance free. I've tried the shampoo and conditioner and they made my colored treated hair soft, smooth and shiny. If you're looking for a gentle allergen free product for your skin or hair, I would definitely recommend trying out their travel sizes. That way you can see if you like it first before committing to a whole bottle/ container.

Restaurant Fridays - Intro/ Grendel's Den

When I first moved to Boston in the Fall of 2004 I had the best next door neighbor/ friend. Her name was Adriana. She defined the term "social butterfly" and introduced me to 95% of my Boston friends. Sadly, she moved to Switzerland and we hardly ever get to see each other. One of my fondest memories of hanging out with her was having dinner or brunch in one of the South End's many amazing restaurants. I was thinking about this other day and realized that I hardly ever get out anymore. Maybe because my fiancee and I are closet... or not so closet homebodies or maybe it's because of Celiac Disease and fear of the hidden gluten.

That night I decided that I/ we need to get out more... in the name of research :o). Every Friday I'm in town or even out of town, I'd like to try a different restaurant and see how they handle gluten free. This is the first of hopefully many Friday Restaurant Reviews.

Image from cityrover.com

Grendel's Den sits snugly beneath Upstairs on the Square in Harvard Square. We chose this place as our first outing because of an internet rumor saying they had new types of gluten free beer. Just before diagnosis I was on a one woman wheat beer tour. I'd buy a six pack on Monday and kill it by the weekend. This is probably what was making me so sick... Unfortunately, they didn't have the Saxon Beer I came for, but they did have Original Sin Hard Cider on tap. They also have a fairly extensive gluten free menu, which includes baked hot wings! Grendel's has a nice bar/ restaurant area and outdoor seating. Mike and I, of course, chose the outdoor seating.

Gluten Free Hot Wings at Grendel's

For dinner I had the La La's Grill with Chicken, a baked potato and Mediterranean Salad. It was really good and I had absolutely no reaction, even with all the dairy.

La La's Grill - Chicken

I would definitely recommend Grendel's to anyone looking for a nice gluten free dinner in Harvard Square. The waitress fully understood gluten free, the food was good and the cider was cold and tasty. 

You didn't eat it before. Why are you eating it now?

Mike asked me this one day when I got really excited about finding gluten free whoopie pies at a bakery in New Hampshire.  He was right, I never even liked whoopie pies before, but now it was something I could have, ready made and out in the world.

Photo From Off The Wheaten Path Blog

This line of thinking when I was first diagnosed lead me to gain close to twenty pounds in two months. Prior to going gluten free I was a normal weight for my height and build. I could also eat enough food for a man twice my size. While I would occasionally gain/ lose a few pounds, it was never drastic. Probably because I wasn't really absorbing all my nutrients. Not all celiac patients are rail thin. I never was; not before and certainly not after going gluten free. 

Now, two and half years later, I am still working off all that gluten free macaroni and cheese, the Amy's frozen dinners, pizza and those evil yet delicious against the grain buns. Do you want to know why they are so darn tasty? Because they have cheese baked into them. Each bun has 265 calories and a whopping 14 grams of fat. Chew on that for a minute. Many gluten free products are filled with refined sugar and fat in order to make them taste better. 


About eight and half months from now, I'll be getting married. While I have already purchased my dress, I still want to lose the rest of this "gluten free weight". That means I have to make smarter choices. Eat more fiber, leaner protein and say sayonara to crappy, bad for me gluten free baked goods. 

Healthy Gluten Free Lunch & Snacks

The picture above is my lunch, part of breakfast and a few snacks for tomorrow. It's made up of:


Breakfast:
Whey protein shake 
Yes, a protein shake. Whey supposedly helps lower cortisol levels, a stress hormone that is really bad for you and is notorious for adding to your belly fat. I am on board for anything that lowers my cortisol levels and kicks belly fat to the curb. It also keeps me super full until lunch, which is quite a feat on only 140 calories. 
Banana 
Bananas are awesome for you. They are full of potassium and fiber. We could all use a little more fiber in our lives.


Snacks:
Low fat yogurt 
Yoplait light is tasty, but has scary fake sugar. I also like Skyr or Siggi's which have higher protein content, (fuller you), and less sugar. If you try Skyr, don't eat the strawberry flavor. It has wheat?!... don't know why.
Almonds
Fiber and protein. All around great snack.


Lunch:
Turkey Lunch Meat
Applegate Farms, Hormel Natural Choice and Trader Joe's Brand are all gluten free
Hummus
I like Tribe or Cedars. The single servings keep me from over hummusing myself... 
Cucumbers
Two slices San Juan Seven Grain by Canyon Bakehouse
4 grams dietary fiber and only 180 calories... not pre-celiac lite wheat, but pretty darn close.
Broccoli florets
4 more grams fiber per half cup and great for eating that extra hummus. No wasting hummus folks!
Rainier Cherries
90 calories in a cup of them, they're fun to eat, taste good and .... have 3 more grams of fiber. 


In the end, I just need to think a little before I eat things and get the people around me on board with my plan. Do I really want [insert name of gluten free treat]? Can I get my future mother-in-law to stop making me cupcakes with coconut frosting? She has worked wonders with the Betty Crocker GF Cake Mix. I swear she's feeding me regular cake that's how good it tastes, but I digress. 


Form a plan.  Inform your friends, family and those feeding you, (besides you). Eat more fiber. Walk the dog... a lot... and hopefully your bum will get smaller. That's my plan.

Gluten Free and Getting Married!

After having attended over seven weddings in the last two years, I get to have one of my own! I'm getting married at the Willowdale Estate in Topsfield, Mass next April. 

Willowdale Estate
Image from willowdaleestate.com

One of the most important things for me is having the majority of my wedding gluten free. I've been to so many weddings where the coordinator for the wedding has told the bride that they "handle gluten free all the time" only to be underwhelmed and underfed. The ladies I've been working with at the Willowdale Estate have been incredibly accommodating of my food requests and have even put gluten free terms into my soon to arrive catering contract. There are varying levels of gluten free that you can have there:

1) The entire menu is gluten free

2) Part of the menu is gluten free

3) Only the people who need it get gluten free

I chose to go with option 2. All of our main dishes, sides and deserts are gluten free. Since my groom and I don't eat it, we've opted to trade the Konditor Meister cake that comes with our package for a make your own sundae bar, (for a small extra fee). So worth it. The only gluten present at our wedding will be in the form of "obvious gluten items", (aka bread... crackers... flour tortillas etc.) In my mind, this will make it easier for servers and make me feel me secure in what I'm eating. Our menu is going to be Mexican inspired since that's our favorite kind of food. I look forward to trying all our dinner entrées at the tasting! I'll keep you posted on how the menu progresses.

Some wedding venues that I've been to recently that have gotten gluten free right or at least mostly right.

The Publick House

The Publick House

Sturbridge, Mass

I was recently a bride's maid in a wedding here. Both the reception and the rehearsal dinner were held here. That meant two dinners and at least one breakfast. For the rehearsal dinner they gave me baked chicken with roasted vegetables and a flourless chocolate cake for desert. For the ceremony I had really delicious salmon with roasted vegetables and the flourless chocolate cake. In place of the salad, (caesar salad), I had a fruit cup. Overall the experience was pretty good. The food I was served looked and in my opinion, probably tasted a lot better than what everyone else was eating and it was sans gluten. Win! The only downside was that I had to wait an extra 30 minutes for my food at the rehearsal dinner. A small price to pay for decent tasting gluten free food. 

NOTE: The Publick House is also a great restaurant with a rather thorough and tasty gluten free menu! I may have to head back west just to try it out.

Leicester Country Club
(Image From www.worcester-wedding.com)

Leicester Country Club

Leicester, Mass

I went to a wedding here back in the fall. The food situation at the wedding itself was pretty dicey. They had told the bride that they could make either the chicken or the beef gluten free. When I told the server that I had gluten free chicken they seemed confused. Apparently, only the beef was available. I do eat beef, but at the time m very crabby stomach just couldn't handle it. I wound up having to wait almost an hour for them to bring me plain grilled chicken with cold vegetables and no desert... not awesome.

Not too long after the wedding, for the bride's birthday, we went back there for mystery dinner theater. The food that time was perfect. On time, just as good as everyone else's and plentiful! I was really impressed. I'm not sure what the snafu was at the wedding, but they knocked it out of the park the second time.

Gluten Free Iceland

A few weeks ago, I took my first big time gluten free trip. Prior to being diagnosed with Celiac Disease I subscribed to the "try everything" approach when it came eating in foreign countries... especially when it came to the candy aisle at the local grocery store. This trip was completely different.

Skógarfoss

I started the trip with my favorite gluten free traveling companions, a bag of each of my favorite gluten free breads, (Canyon Bakehouse San Juan Seven Grain & Udi's Whole Grain), and a baggie of Larabars. They completed saved me from angrily starving to death during our car trips.

We spent three days in Reykjavik, two days on organized bus tours and two days on the road with a rental car. Restaurants in Iceland that I could eat at, (read: not the hot dog shanty), were insanely expensive so we hit the local grocery store and made our own breakfasts, lunches and three of the dinners. This saved us a considerable amount of money and me a lot of headaches. We found several health food stores around Laugavegur, (the main shopping drag) and several restaurants on-line that people had been to. I also looked up the main words for Wheat, Barley, Rye and Oats in the English - Icelandic Dictionary and actually read labels. Once you know what you're looking for, it's not too bad. I didn't take into account other hidden gluten ingredients, but wound up fine. I played a little bit of gluten roulette and was lucky. The main words you are looking for are:

Wheat: Hveiti
Barley: Bygg, bankabygg
Rye: rúgur
Oats: Hafrar
Malt: Malt
Caramel: Karamella (remember caramel coloring outside of the US is a crap shoot).
Flavoring: bragð·efni
Gluten: Gluten

Watch out for maltitol syrup in candy. In Europe it is sometimes made with wheat. Most if not all of their black licorice contains gluten, as does a lot of the chocolate.

We tried the following restaurants:

Sankta Maria: Laugavegur 22 Reykjavik (under Hotel Fron)
This is a Mexican Restaurant. It's pretty good. I shared the nachos with Mike because Gluten Free Traveller had mentioned they were gluten free and our waiter had no idea what I was talking about when I asked if he knew what gluten was. I didn't have a reaction and the food wasn't too expensive.

Indian Mango: Frakkastigur 12 Reykjavik (right off of Laugavegur)
They understood what gluten free meant. The food was just ok and insanely expensive. We paid nearly 80 USD for a beer, two curries, a dish of plain basmati rice and some naan. Not worth it in my opinion, however, I am an Indian food snob.

Fjörugarðurinn: Strandgotu 55 Hafnarfjörður
Vikings... Disney Style. The food was blah. They kind of understood me when I showed them my Gluten Free Travel Card in Icelandic. It was crazy expensive, but Mike needed his viking fix. In hind sight, we would have gone to the other viking restaurant in the city center next to the Puffin Store, (no you cannot buy real puffins there... just giant stuffed ones... I was sad too).

Tabascos: Hafnarstraeti 1-3 Reykjavik
The server seemed to understand gluten free, the food was good and they make the best darn mojito I've ever had, (I saw her crushing up the mint behind the bar). We got the nachos to share and Mike got a burrito, (not gluten free). If I was hungry I would've gotten the chicken tacos... of course.

All in all, I ate a lot of sandwiches on this trip. A LOT. During our road trip, we drove way out past Vik to see the Vatnajökull glacier towards the East and up to Ólafsvík in the West. There aren't very many places to stop and get food to begin with and there were very few gluten free things to eat. If you do a road trip or a bus tour, go to the store, pick up some lunch meat, (check the ingredients for gluten in Icelandic using the words I gave you), and make yourself a few sandwiches. Even if you can have gluten I would suggest doing this. It makes life a lot easier during the 2 hour trek through the vast expanses of beautiful sheep laden nothingness and the sandur.

San Juan Seven Grain's
European Adventure

On your way home, you will most likely do what we did and stop at the Blue Lagoon on the way to the airport since it is 20 minutes away. This was one of the best moments of the trip. the blue lagoon is essentially a giant geothermal swimming hole that serves drinks from the water and has steam rooms and saunas. This was the best 60 USD I've ever spent, (cost includes bus ride from your hotel to blue lagoon and then to the airport plus admission courtesy of Flybus). Make sure to slather yourself with some of that white mud and have a slushy. It's awesome.

Blue Lagoon

Don't, however, do the other thing I did that day... on the way out of the hotel at 8am I ate the last of the cheese and my gluten free bread for breakfast figuring I could get something... anything... at the Blue Lagoon or the airport. You can't. Absolutely everything except the skyr, (delicious low fat yogurt - most flavors don't contain gluten), is touching bread or pasta or has gluten in it. There was nothing safe at the lagoon, the airport or on the plane. I ate two tiny Larabars over the course of 15 hours and was very very unhappy with myself and the three passengers sitting across the aisle from me happily eating their foot long subs with the last three bags of cool ranch Doritos on the plane, (the only gluten free food item I had seen in over 12 hours...) Moral of the story, don't forget to leave sandwich meat for the last day.

Overall it was an amazing trip; one I would do again in a heartbeat... this time manned with more sandwiches and of course European Fanta... because it's just so much better than the stuff they sell in the states.