Adventures in Gluten Free Living

Weekly Restaurant Review - Carraba's

2010-02-28T10:47:00.000-08:00

I celebrated my 29th birthday this weekend. My husband wanted to take my out to dinner, and I wanted to try a new restaurant. After doing some research, we decided to go to Carraba's since they have a gluten-free menu. I was surprised at how many choices were offered.

I ordered the chicken marsala and asked for no grill baste and garlic mashed potatoes. My meal came with a choice of house salad or soup, and I went with the salad. I asked for it to be made in a separate bowl without croutons. I was impressed when our waitress wrote "GLUTEN FREE" in large letters on the top of our ticket.

The meal was wonderful and I did not get glutened! Eating out is always a risk, but this restaurant seems to have it together.

Pizza, Pizza, Pizza!

2010-02-24T10:38:00.000-08:00

I was never a big pizza eater. When I found out I couldn't have gluten, I craved it. I guess it's true that you want what you can't have!

I tried making my own pizza crust, but it didn't turn out too well (I'm still searching for a good recipe). I was delighted, but a little skeptical, when our local Publix started carrying Glutino brand pizzas. I thought I'd give them a try.

Our store carries two flavors--cheese and spinach with feta cheese. The first time I cooked it, it didn't turn out too well. I realized that you have to cook these exactly as the box indicates. This means do NOT put it on a pizza stone or cookie sheet. It will leave the crust mushy with a grainy texture.

Once I cooked it correctly, it was pretty good! It tastes a lot like a regular thin crust pizza, and I sometimes add my own toppings for a little variety. At $5.69 a box, it's also affordable. Give it a try!

Weekly Restaurant Review - Chipotle

2010-02-23T13:16:00.000-08:00

When you go gluten-free, popping into a restaurant is not an option. Before I eat anywhere, I have a system. First, I check the restaurant's website for allergy and nutritional information. Most list gluten with allergies. If I see things I am able to eat, I go online. I read message boards and blogs like this one to learn about the experiences of others. If I am still not satisfied, I will email or call the company myself. They are usually helpful. If they are not, I say pass.

When I decided to try Chipotle this week, I was a little hesitant. You would think Mexican food is relatively safe, but I have often found the opposite to be true. I was surprised when I found out that I could eat almost everything on the menu!

Here are the only rules at Chipotle: Stay away from the hottest salsa and avoid the soft tortillas. Really, that's it! This means burrito bowls, tacos (hard shell) and salads are all gluten-free.

I went with the chicken burrito bowl, which is exactly what I used to order before I had ever heard the word "gluten." I came away happy and symptom-free.

G-Free Can be Complicated

2010-02-18T10:10:00.000-08:00

When I first discovered I could no longer eat gluten, I'll admit I was pretty naive. My thought process was pretty much, "Ok, I'll cut out breads, pastas and fried foods. No problem." I had no idea how complicated it could be. I quickly learned that several every day ingredients, like MSG and soy sauce, were a big no-no. I also quickly learned (thanks to some horrible days of illness), that contamination can be a huge cause of symptoms.

The problem that many face is that the world (or at least the United States) isn't really helpful when it comes to a gluten-free lifestyle. I've spoken with several people on various message boards who were simply told by their doctors to stop eating gluten with no further explanation.

Because of this lack of support, I turned to books. I wanted to read what others had experienced. I learned from my dad that Elisabeth Hasselbeck suffers from Celiac Disease. I had no idea! Many of you may know her from The View, but to me, she will always be my favorite Survivor contestant. I bought her book and discovered that she suffered from horrible symptoms for years, and her time in spent playing Survivor in Australia was when she felt the healthiest. Turns out, they weren't eating gluten in the Outback. It took her a while to piece everything together, but when she did, she never felt better.

For those of you who are just beginning your g-free lifestyle, I highly recommend her book, The G-Free Diet. It's a great reference with general rules for anyone to follow. She discusses dining out, dinner parties and day-to-day family living. It's been a great resource for me, and I'm sure it will be for you as well.

Weekly Restaurant Review - Pei Wei

2010-02-16T09:35:00.000-08:00

When I found out I couldn't have gluten, eating out became a huge ordeal. While I don't mind preparing my own food, I didn't want to feel left out if friends or family wanted to dine out. I have made it a goal to find safe restaurants and plan to write about one each week.

This week, I tried Pei Wei Asian Diner. As you may already know, Pei Wei is the sister restaurant of P.F. Changs, one of my favorite restaurants. I had read that both restaurants were celiac-friendly.

I was pleasantly suprised to find that Pei Wei offers a gluten-free menu. Selections include Vietnamese Chicken Salad Rolls (minus the peanut sauce), Asian Chopped Chicken Salad (hold the wonton chips), Spicy Chicken or Shrimp Salad, Spicy Chicken or Shrimp and Sweet and Sour Chicken. Quite a selection! I tried the Spicy Chicken with white rice, and it was excellent!

Watch out for the soy sauce. I was told that many Pei Wei (as well as P.F. Changs) locations have a gluten-free soy sauce, but you must ask for it. Don't assume the sauce on your table is safe.

All in all, Pei Wei was a great success. I will definitely be eating there again!

My Story

2010-02-15T10:25:00.000-08:00

I have considered starting this blog for a while. Every time I would start to type, I would think, "Who would want to hear my story?" Then one day not long ago I realized that my story is not that unique. Many of us struggle with daily life in a world obsessed with gluten. Many of us long for someone to share that struggle with.

I discovered I had Celiac Disease in October 2009. The diagnosis took 7 years. I now live without wheat, barley, rye and oats. You would be surprised at just how many foods that cuts out. I've never felt better.

This is my journey.