The Gluten & Allergen Free Expo is coming, the Gluten & Allergen Free Expo is coming!!

The Gluten and Allergen Free Expo is coming to Dallas!  Well - actually The Plano Convention Center on October 26th and 27th.

I have been chosen as an "Official Expo Blogger" and am so excited!  Honestly I would blog about it anyway but it was nice to be recognized.  

Gracie and I went together last year and LOVED IT!  There was so much to see, do and TASTE!

Lets start the Top 5 Countdown for the Gluten Free Expo:

1.  FOOD!  And lots of it.  Everything there Gracie could taste - and she did!

Gracie doesn't eat a lot of things and what she does is pretty much the same things (quesadillas, cereal, pizza dip. peanut butter sandwiches on Udi's bread and fried rice.)  At the Expo she tried EVERYTHING and it really opened here eyes to new ideas.  It was great to see her trying different things and finding things she loved.  Pizza - LOTS of pizza!  Chicken nuggets, cakes, cookies, muffins, smoothies, pasta, cereal - you name it it was there to try.

I love that there is a good mix of established  as well as new Gluten Free businesses - I love that the gluten free product industry is growing and getting better and better every day.  I love that we are no longer forced to choose between nasty, dry, cardboard GF foods and delicious, moist and "taste like normal" foods.  I love that that is a place we can find things we might not otherwise find them.  I love the Gluten and Allergen Free Expo!  I also love that Gracie is so excited.

We hope to see you there!

The 2013 Gluten Free Expo in Dallas is set!

The Gluten and Allergy Free Expo has been scheduled in Dallas for October 26th and 27th!  It is such a great time for those who must be gluten free because EVERYTHING there is GF!  Samples, information, coupons and a lot of things we never knew about PLUS door prizes.  It is so eye opening and proves that GF need not be boring.

It is $20 for adults for one day and $5 for children. Worth every penny!  

There are other Expos in other cities across America. If you can't come to Dallas go to the Expo someplace else!  You won't be disappointed. 

Udi's did it again! "Flour" Tortillas!!

Troy and I are tortilla connoisseurs and our family eats them several times a week. Filled with eggs for breakfast, tacos, burritos, quesadillas and sandwich wraps. Our favorite is by far the Flour Tortillas from Central Market. They are made inhouse and they are wonderful. Gracie eats corn tortillas and really likes them but she has missed flour tortillas.

While shopping at our local "Health food store" (shout out to Herbs &More!) I found gluten free "flour" tortillas!!  Or Udi's Plain Tortillas as they call them. They were $4 for 8 tortillas and I decided to try them.

At lunch I told Gracie I would make her a quesadilla because she loves quesadillas.  I handed it to her
 and she took a bite then immediately spit it out. "MOM!!  These are FLOUR tortillas!"  "Yes they are ." MOM! I am Gracie!!  I can't have flour tortillas!!"  "Now you can!"  Poor dear thought I had lost my mind.

She loved them!  They were soft and had a slight chew to them. They toasted really nicely and didn't taste GF. There was no grittiness or dryness like many GF products have. Even though they are more expensive they will be on our must have on hand list.

The Gluten and Allergy Free Expo was FANTASTIC!

Gracie and I really thoroughly enjoyed the Gluten and Allergy Free Expo yesterday in Dallas!   We met   a friend who is also gluten free and we ate ourselves silly with all of the great foods!

I am not gluten free so I know what gluten-y goodness taste like.  I always try Gracie's foods to see if it meets my test of "Good for gluten free" or "Good - just good! regardless of it's gluten status."

When we walked into the main meeting room I exclaimed "This is exciting!" and it was!  We arrived first to a snack table followed by another snack table then we rounded the corner and they were serving PIZZA!  Good pizza at that from Against the Grain Gourmet.   It was "Good - just good!" They also had bagels which also passed my test!

We tried several pizzas (really - is there such a thing as a bad pizza?) lots of bread (some better than others), cakes (it is all about texture), pasta (the one we tried was not a hit - one bite told us that.)  We finished up with Creme Brûlée - oh my word!

Gracie's favorite samples were the Against the Grain Gourmet pizza, the Allergy Free Foods Chicken Breast Nuggets and Local Oven breads!  Her favorite "moment" was meeting THE Pamela from Pamela's Products!  Gracie is a big fan of her cookies (especially the chocolate ones) and they will have some new products coming out soon!  She was really sweet.

Gracie got talking to a man about his smoothies and he frightened her by saying if she has Celiac she should stay away from dairy and sugar because they will make her sick.  She then thought about it and decided not to believe him because she would have to give up cookies and milk!   She sure does love her cookies and milk!

Pamela and Gracie

Gracie's Favorite Chicken

All in all we had a great time!  Gracie loved being able to try EVERYTHING without worry and talk to people who actually knew what gluten free means.  I loved watching her actually eat without worry. She tried everything there!  We loved it and can't wait until next year!

The Gluten and Allergy Free Expo is in Dallas again!

The Gluten and Allergy Free Expo is in Dallas again this weekend! It is a great place to learn about products that are out there and to try new things.

Troy took Gracie last year (I was still "in the bed" w/my broken leg.) She was amazed with all of the choices and he was amazed at how much she ate! Not only that - she won door prizes! Who doesn't love a door prize?

We learned about places in Dallas that we never knew about before, we tried products we wouldn't have easily come across and Gracie didn't have to hear "Lets not risk it."

See you there!

The Twisted Root - Gluten free!

We love The Twisted Root Burger Company! Good burgers, good sides and homemade root beer! We have been to two of their locations - Downtown Dallas and Roanoke. It has also been featured on Food Networks "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." So very good.

We were meeting my Sister and her husband for lunch and we grabbed Taco Bell Nachos for Gracie since I didn't think they had anything on the menu she could eat. When we arrived we were happily surprised to see they are now carrying hamburger buns from Local Oven! We have had several items from Local Oven and they make awesome products!

Since Gracie didn't eat burgers when she wasn't gluten free AND since she is now 12.5 and can handle things herself she walked up and asked if she could get a gluten free grilled cheese. YES! They could make her one. She explained her issues with cross contamination and they assured her they cleaned the griddle, wore fresh gloves and took care not to cross contaminate.

When the man delivered our food he made a point to say the sweet potato chips were gluten free so if she wanted to try those they were safe. Sadly their fries are not. The grilled cheese was wonderful- even to my tastebuds that are used to gluten goodness! Soft, chewy in a good way and delightfully cheesy. She LOVED it! I loved that they offer the option and seem to take care in protecting their GF clients.

Did I mention they also have cotton candy they make on site?? And that that is gluten free as well??? Drool....

Easy, portable Peanut Butter!

While going through my posts I saw this "draft" that I never posted. Even though school is out it is still good info. Happy Summer!

One of the problems we have with Gracie is making sure she has enough protein each day. This is especially difficult at lunch time. She doesn't like lunch meat or the texture of cheese that has sat in a lunch box (with - or without ice packs.)

Gracie has been having the Jif To Go peanut butter cups at least 3-4 times a week - easy, portable and she will eat it! She has it either with apple slices, gluten free crackers or Fritos.

We recently discovered Nutella and Gracie likes it on Udi's bread as a sandwich. It is a messy treat but again - it has good protein AND is just all around yummy!

Today I was at the WalMart picking up the Jif and came across Peanut Butter & Company Dark Chocolate Dreams - "Peanut butter blended with rich dark chocolate." They have it in jars like peanut butter but they also have 1.15 oz peanut butter pouches. Just tear off a corner and squeeze on bread, crackers, fruit or whatever you can find! Gracie said it tasted like a Reeses Peanut Butter Cup. They were only .68 cents per packet.

They also have different flavors (not at our store - but you can get it online.) "Bees Knees" is honey flavored peanut butter and "Smooth Operator" is their regular peanut butter flavor.

Zucchini, zucchini, what to do with the zucchini??

Our friend Donna gifted us with SEVERAL lovely zucchini squash. Who doesn't love fresh veggies from the garden?? But the question was what to do with it?

We love to grill it outside. So yummy - smokey and good. We slice it into long wedges (quarter it length way into "fingers.") toss in olive or veggie oil, season with your favorite blend and throw on the grill. Perfect next to all grilled meat and I use the left overs the next day chopped up in a quick crustless quiche!

I have also done the wedges in the toaster oven tossed with olive oil and sprinkled with parmesan cheese. Wedging is the perfect way to use the squash that is bigger and has the tough seeds inside. Cut it in half lengthwise and scoop the seeds out then cut it into wedges and sprinkle with cheese.

My favorite way however is SO simple - only three ingredients and SO very good! Gracie ate a LOT of these - "Squash Chips!" I came across similar recipes however they tend to put bread crumbs on top - I didn't want bread crumbs - gluten free or otherwise - so I decided to just try it and it worked like a charm.

Slice the squash thinly into rounds either with a "slicer" (I have a couple from Pampered Chef that I love) or you can use a knife - just be careful to slice them evenly otherwise they will cook unevenly. Toss with olive or veggie oil. Spray or oil a cookie sheet. Since I use my sheets for both gluten and gluten free cooking I always use foil for my GF recipes.

I then place grated parmesan cheese onto a small dish and dip one side of the squash in the cheese, pressing down. You want to make sure the top is completely covered but not clumpy. If there is too much cheese (is there really such a thing??) tap some off and place on the cookie sheet with out them touching (they can be near each other but not touching.) I found a medium size squash makes about two cookie sheets full - honestly not NEAR enough!

Bake at 350 and check after 20 minutes. The time will depend on how thick the squash is and how crispy you want it. Since I started slicing with my knife and finished with my slicer I had some that were pretty dark and others that were softer - all were good! I liked them right in the middle - toasted on tip but with a little moisture still inside.

Serve them next to your entree either alone or with a little Ranch Dressing for dipping - both ways are REALLY good!

Moo Goo Gia Pan - SO very yummy!

I have since branched out however for YEARS I only ordered Moo Goo Gia Pan at Asian restaurants. It is simple - chicken and veggies in a mild sauce. I would doctor it with spicy mustard and soy sauce - and lOVE it!

I ordered my Moo Goo one night and Gracie asked if it was gluten free - it wasn't so I couldn't share but what I could do is find a recipe. I came across a great recipe for Moo Goo Gia Pan on "Red Cook, Adventures from a Chinese Home Kitchen." It is really a great recipe! Easy and adaptable. I use whatever mushrooms I have on hand and skip the oyster sauce and of course use gluten free soy sauce. I also throw every veggie I have in the fridge in! Sugar snap peas, carrots, mushrooms, onion - whatever is handy.

The velveting of the chicken makes ALL of the difference! It makes the chicken SO tender and moist. I serve this over white rice and this is one of the few meals Gracie will have two bowls full - this is a good thing!

Try this and tell me what you think.

Setting up the velveting sauce.

The sliced chicken resting in the velveting sauce.

The veggies I almost ALWAYS have on hand!

Everything in the wok. Looks SO good.

Gluten Free Creamy Mushroom Soup - Oh the possibilities!

https://encrypted-tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSxSGNF48aMC8wiCVYft_DzxqTiXhntTh4FiQs2DPutCZKLA4tRiQ
Progresso has Gluten Free soups! I didn't know that. The one I am most excited about is the Progresso Creamy Mushroom Soup. Not only is it gluten free but it is labeled as so!

Oh the possibilities! King Ranch Chicken, Shepard Pie, Chicken Spegetti (with GF noodles)... I haven't made those homey casseroles in a while because Gracie couldn't have them - honestly I don't even know that she would like them - but these are potluck staples and what a treat to serve these at a potluck and EVERYONE can eat it!

Rachael Ray's Chocolate Cups with Whipped Cream!

Rachael Ray has always been known for her easy, easy recipes. These Chocolate Cups with Whipped Cream are no exception. They are RICH! sweet and yummy AND by surprisingly gluten free!

They are a perfect "fancy dessert" for special friends. They are so rich a little goes a long way. Try it!

We tried Pumpkin Cake Tonight and it was a success! After a while...

Thursday night I made pumpkin cakes for gifts - full of gluten! Gracie said "I wish I could have some" but I was a step ahead. I previously had made a - only cake mix and canned pumpkin. It was really good and really simple so I decided to try it with Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cake Mix. I modified it a bit by adding cinnimon and two eggs. The batter was REALLY thick but I recall the original recipe being that way as well.

I baked it for 25 minutes as the instructions on the cake mix said. I put a pick in it and it came out clean - Yea!! The cake was still in the shape it was when we put it in - it was pretty dense but looked nice. We let it cool then Gracie iced it with the most FANTASTIC Cream Cheese Icing I have every had! It is like crack! Semi sweet - sort of like cheesecake.

We cut it open with such anticipation!! We had such hope. It was raw in the center...

Gracie suggested we just scrape off the icing and stick it back in the oven and I figured we had nothing to lose. First for 15 minutes, then 10, then some more... All in all it was about an additional 45 minutes of cooking. When it was firm to the touch in the center and was browned on the edges I took it out to cool again.

While it was still warm we cut a piece - then we smeared the yummy icing back on top of the cake and ate it - and love it! It is a dense cake with a texture sort of like a homemade whole wheat bread. It also wasn't very sweet - but that was ok because we had that yummy icing (did I tell you I love that stuff??) It made a really good desert and we ALL enjoyed it even though it wasn't "normal" cake - it was still really good cake!

Next time I might add some other spices and maybe a little water but there WILL be a next time! It was super easy and very tasty. I will just be sure to bake it longer.

So - to recap the recipe:
Betty Crocker Gluten Free Yellow Cake Mix
1 can of 100% pumpkin
2 Eggs
1 tsp cinnamon

Spread in an 8x8 greased pan. Bake for "about" an hour. Top with yummy icing :)

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We have so much to be thankful for this year!! This week is the 3rd anniversary of discovering Gracie has Celiac. She has grown into a lovely 12 year old, is trying new things every week and has taken responsibility for her gluten free diet. Since I broke my ankle she has really stepped up and been a great help to everyone - she won't rub my nasty foot but I still love her!! :) I am healing, everyone is healthy and still in one piece and even though we have had our struggles we are still very thankful for what we do have.

Some other things we are thankful for - THANKSGIVING FOOD!! I want to share some of our favorites for the holiday. I say "ours" because picky Gracie won't eat everything but we love it and it is GLUTEN FREE! I am also throwing in some things we won't be making but look great - good for everyone AND gluten free!

Pumpkin pie!

Mashed Potatoes!

Turkey (of course)

Ham

Chess Pie!

Creme Brûlée

Roasted Vegatables - carrots, brussel sprouts, potatoes - you name it!

Candied Sweet Potatoes

Baked Sweet Potatoes with honey butter

Green Beans with almonds OR bacon

Udi's Gluten free Stuffing!

Cheebe Bread!

Cranberry Sauce - the "good kind" AND the canned kind :)

Rachael Ray's Chocolate Cups

Really the list could go on and on and on and on... Feel free to add your favorites.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Kellogs now has Gluten Free Rice Krispies!

Since I broke my leg Troy is now the shopper for the family. He was at the store the other day and came across Gluten Free Rice Krispies! I was always bummed that Rice Krispies used malt in their recipe - we love that cereal but haven't gotten it since Gracie went gluten free.

Troy got a box and we tried it. It had a great taste and texture, but was not sweet like the regular Rice Krispies - Gracie adds a little sugar. She LOVES it! and we have added it to our "go to" cereal stash.

I am looking forward to make Rice Krispie Pops! Or maybe these wonderful Peppermint Rice Krispie Treat Snowballs for our Christmas Eve Party!

Gluten Free Expo!

My dear friend Wanetta sent me a link to the Gluten And Allergy Free Expo that is coming to Dallas On October 1st and 2nd! Taste test gluten free foods, have a gluten free lunch, talk to people who know! It is $20 for adults and $5 for kids under 12.

I LOVE expos! Any kind - computer, food etc. but it has been years since I have been to one. I would SO love to take Gracie But I broke my leg and am off of my feet for a couple of months. I would love if anyone is able to go they could come back with a review.

There are several expos around the country - check to see if there is one near you!


Follow up:

Troy and Gracie went - and LOVED it!!! Troy said he had never seen Gracie eat so much EVER! She went from space to space tasting all of the samples and going back for more when she found something she loved and she could eat EVERYTHING! She received some wonderful gifts - Chocolate Chip Cookies from Udi's (which she loved,) She won a great basket of kids treats as well as some books on gluten free living as well as some great samples to take home.

We will be looking VERY forward to going again next year and I would really suggest going if it comes to your area. Thank you Gluten Free Expo! It is fantastic to have a "safe place" to try new foods.

Hibachi equals FIRE!!!

After taking a friend to the airport last week Sam and I ate at Kobeya Hibachi in Southlake. We LOVED it! Really - what is not to love?? Dinner, a show and FIRE!! Every kid's dream.

Sam talked about it non stop so when we went for a getaway on Friday night we went back to Kobeya. I had spoken to a really nice server who didn't know about gluten free but he did say they would be willing to work with us. Needless to say I didn't trust that conversation 100% so I called ahead. I spoke to Roy who was the manager that night. He said they were very familiar with gluten free and he recommended chicken with salt, pepper and butter, plain rice, plain salad (maybe with lemon?) and the broth (not with the additions of mushrooms and "krab.") They also have gluten free "soy sauce" (Tamari sauce.) He said they would cook the gluten free food first so as not to have a cross contamination issue or cook it in the back in a clean pan. He also said to make sure to let them know when I made the reservation AND let the waitress know.

We were seated and I asked if Roy was there - he was. Since Gracie would not have eaten the veggies (mushrooms, squash, broccoli etc.) he recommended a side of chicken, rice, salad or soup. Gracie picked just chicken and rice and broth. The waitress said "I think the broth has soy sauce in it." Good to know! We decided not to take the chance.

Out comes the Chef! He cleaned the griddle with a combination of oil and vodka. Why vodka?? FIRE!!! They do this for everyone but it was nice to see the grill cleaned before and after each "show." Even though the manager and the waitress had specified that Gracie's meal needed to be cooked first he got confused and started on the fried rice. When I saw him cracking the eggs and start cooking those when her chicken was down I turned to the waitress (who thankfully was right there) and said "We will need to cook hers in the back." She stopped him and said "Her chicken needs to be cooked BEFORE your do the rice!" He looked puzzled so I said "She can't have soy sauce on the same griddle as her chicken - it will make her sick." He stopped cooking the eggs and finished her chicken.

The chicken was really good - simply simple but yummy! He used only salt and pepper and a little oil. The butter would have been nice but I looked over at the mound of butter on his tray and it looked to have crumbs on top so we skipped it. Of course it had that delicious sticky rice to go with it. If you like veggies I say go for those as well - they were cooked PERFECTLY.

At first I thought I wanted to have them cook the meal in the back but now I am glad they did it in front of us so I could ensure "quality control." My fear always is they will say "I understand" but a mistake happens by someone who really doesn't.

I would also like to say Gracie ate EVERY bite!! With CHOPSTICKS!! She loved it - and I loved that she ate something other than just plain lettuce at a restaurant we all could enjoy.

Even with our hiccup I still recommend Kobeya Hibachi - or try one in your area. Since the food and the preparation is simple it should be easy to get a "safe" meal with a willing staff.

Dining out cards for Celiacs

I have found that I am sometimes brushed off by servers at restaurants. I have even been told "We don't use wheat here" (or flour etc.) at restaurants. Once it was at a pizza place. Really??

I have asked for managers and explained myself over and over and over... I don't mind doing it at all and many servers and managers are HAPPY to help! I really appreciate that. It is those times when you see their eyes glaze over...

When Gracie first was diagnosed with Celiac I found Gluten Free Restaurant Cards but never got any - either the ones that are pre made and laminated or the kind you print out yourself. I just came across them again and I am thinking I will print one to keep in my purse and see if it is helpful.

Here are just a couple I have found:

Celiactravel.com

This one has free printable cards in foreign languages for travel. They are free but he does ask for donations if you print them - or link them to your site.

Triumph Dining Cards

You can get some laminated cards OR disposable cards to keep in your wallet.

Has anyone had experiences with these or others?? Any recommendations?

Buddy Fruits - 100% Fruit (and nothing else.) Really???

I have seen the Buddy Fruit products at various stores. They state they are "100% Fruit and nothing else." I had looked at the fruit squeezes and saw they were labeled "no gluten" so I decided to try the fruit bites for Gracie. Honestly - I didn't look that closely at the ingredients because it stated 100% fruit (nothing else) - that was my fault and I own it.

Got home and handed them to Gracie - she opened them and started to eat one when she checked the back of the package where it states "May contain wheat starch." WHEAT STARCH?? How did that get in a 100% fruit (nothing else) fruit snack??

Their web site even states "No Gluten" on their product page. I sent them an email asking them to explain themselves - I am interested to see their response. I find their advertising to be confusing and/or deceiving and that really troubles me. It could be the difference between a nice snack for some and food poisoning to others.

Caution!! Walmart Soy Sauce no longer gluten free!!

I was picking up some more soy sauce at Walmart today and noticed the label has changed. I turned it around and checked the ingredients and it states WHEAT as a main ingredient.

This was in my local Decatur Walmart - I just checked online while looking for an image and it appears they still have it at some of their stores so stock up!! if you find it. BUT check the label first.

I am so disappointed! This is the soy sauce we always get. We have been getting this even before Gracie needed to be gluten free and now we need to find an alternative. What a bummer.

So... This is just another reminder to ALWAYS check your labels when purchasing something - the ingredients may have changed.

Udi's did it again - BAGELS!

I recently discovered that Udi's has been busy. Busy making yummy, yummy baked goods! Hot dog buns! Hamburger buns! Bagels!!!

I hadn't purchased any of these goodies because Gracie is one picky squirrel! She won't eat hot dogs. She won't eat hamburgers. When I asked her if she wanted to try the bagels she said no. sigh...

Yesterday I decided to try the bagels anyway. This morning I told her I would make her breakfast - I thawed the bagels for 30 seconds in the microwave, split it (it was cut - you just need to separate it) then I toasted 1/2 in our toaster oven (on foil to prevent cross contamination.) I called Gracie in and said "butter or cream cheese?" Her eyes widened and she smiled. "Butter!"

She ate it. She ate ever bite. She smiled and said "Thank you Mom! That was SO good! Could I have more?!" Well of course!

It was delicious - it was REALLY delicious! A great texture and the flavor was excellent. It wasn't as chewy or dense as "normal" bagels are - more like a really good crusty French bread. When I say it is good I am not saying "It is good for gluten free." I mean it is GOOD BREAD! for anyone - gluten free or not.

My wheels started turning - I immediately thought of "The Bread" that I made for my In laws last week. "The Bread" was a recipe I had come across on the Pioneer Woman's blog. I had been wanting to try it but never had a reason to until visiting them. It has two ingredients - bread and butter - but it is bread and butter in a fantastic way! Tasting Gracie's bagel made me think of "The Bread." It would be SO good cooked this way! I just feel it. Trust me - I will try it.

I can highly recommend the Udi's bagels! You will be pleasantly surprised. Let me know if you have tried the hot dog or hamburger buns - I would love to hear your reviews!