Review: Hansen's Cakes

So, I'm getting married in October in Los Angeles (exciting!). But, along with the excitement comes the stress of planning a gluten free wedding. Everyone has told me that you won't really eat at your wedding, you are always SO busy. I don't care! I want my wedding to be gluten free! :D

The biggest worry is the cake! So, I contact the only GF bakery in Los Angeles, The Sensitive Baker. I love these guys. Their stuff is amazing. Really, it's the best stuff I've found that I haven't made from stratch myself. Granted, the price tag is a little high, but the food is awesome. I've had cakes from here before for birthdays, etc. So I know that this place is great.

I go and talk to the Sensitive Baker. Apparently, they don't really feel comfortable decorating elaborate cakes. They also don't do tiered cakes. Sadness. But, the woman told me that they bake cakes and then send them over to this bakery called Hansen's Cakes. They try to sell me on it by saying that movie stars shop there (which is the most common thing said about ANY store in LA... this is LA people, you can't impress me with movie stars... they are everywhere).

So I made an appointment there at their main showroom, explained that I had Celiac's, and off I went with my fiance.

THE EXPERIENCE WAS COMPLETELY TERRIBLE!!! Do NOT go to this bakery. I have probably never had as bad of an experience with a company in my life!

When I show up, the woman that I met with was insulting. Every idea I had she looked at me like I had said something offensive. I ask for was a two-tiered white wedding cake with a blue ribbon around each tier (I bring a picture from Martha Stewart Wedding, I want something simple). "You want your cake to be white?!?" "You want your cake to have blue on it?" Every time she gave me this horrible face that basically said, "Well, if you want to ruin your wedding, go right ahead!"

Then comes the cake tasting. They bring me a plate that has white cake and chocolate cake (even though their website says that they offer more varieties, as did the Sensitive Baker). I look at the guy who brought me the cake test pieces and ask, "These are the gluten free ones, right?!?" He looks at me and says, "Oh, I don't know. I just got it from the kitchen." I look at him and say, "Well, can you please check because if I eat this and it's not then I will be very sick for three days." The saleswoman tries to get me to go ahead and eat the pieces he brought. Hum... NO?!? I get sick if I eat a piece of lettuce that touched a cruton, there is NO way I'm flat out eating that much flour!

After the guy returns and assures me the cake he gave was GF, we taste it. The cake they served was NOT the Sensitive Bakers. The cake was dry, terrible tasting, and falling apart. I've had cakes and cupcakes from the Sensitive Baker many times and this was not that! A GF cake mix you get from a store is WAY better!

No one could tell me what of the fillings was gluten free and each person I talked to told me something different. I finally talked to one person who actually seemed to know what was going on and he grabbed me a printout of the ingredients for the cakes. I tell him that the cake ingredients don't look like something that the Sensitive Baker would make and that it sure didn't taste like their recipe. He said that they say that they take the cakes from the Sensitive Baker, but apparently they have started making their own recipe!?!

I went and complained to The Sensitive Baker. The saleswoman woman there told me that this was the first that they had heard of this and they were shocked that Hansen's was selling gluten free cake that wasn't theirs (in violation of their contract... opps!). From the sound of it, doesn't look like Hansen's will have the Sensitive Baker's business for much longer. I'm not sad at all.

So I'm currently trying to work out something. My caterer is seeing if he can find someone else decorate a Sensitive Baker cake for. He said that he uses Cake Divas to decorate vegan cakes from a vegan bakery all the time so we are currently talking with them to see if we could work something out.

In conclusion, DON'T go to Hansen's. The terrible reviews they have online are COMPLETELY true! Don't risked getting glutened (and terrible cake) from this place!!!

Recipe Review: Tom Ka Gai

I LOVE LOVE coconut milk. I've been craving it a lot lately. So when I saw lemongrass in the grocery store on sale, I just had to make this Tom Ka Gai recipe. Yummy!

Like most Thai food, this recipe is naturally gluten-free, so there really isn't adjusting you have to do. Finding fish sauce isn't the easiest thing in the world, though (unless you live near an Asian market). Thai Kitchen Fish Sauce is gluten-free and is the one I've always used. Now, I specifically recommend this brand because if you are a true American-born gal like me you don't want to buy any sort of sauce with little fish heads staring back at you. Ew.

Best way to get the most out of the lemongrass flavor is to throw it either in a food processor chopping it slightly or to grind it in a morter & pestle. The food processor is easier, so that's what I did. ;) Makes tiny little pieces of the lemongrass, but since lemongrass is calming on your stomach no big deal. When you cook the lemongrass, the smell will be significant, so make sure to turn on your vent on the stove before you start.

Note to sensitive stomachs: Two things you might have to do to adjust the recipe. Crushed red pepper isn't great on stomachs recently healing from the a new gluten free diet, so I recommend removing that if you are in that boat. Also, bok choy is a member of the cabbage family and therefore can cause significant bloating. So, if that is ever a problem with you, I would replace the bok choy with slivered carrots, snow peas, and/or bamboo.

Note to non-Gluten free peeps: If you are making this for a gluten-free person, make sure that don't have cross-contamination by using new seasonings. If you've used a measuring spoon in a spice container after you've measured out flour with the same spoon, then you will make the person sick. This usually isn't a problem with the seasonings in this recipe, because you normally don't use flour and cumin in the same recipe so the likelihood of you've ever getting flour in the seasoning is small, it's just important to note. Also, never chop the food on the same cutting board you've used to slice bread products on. Make sure all your cooking utensils are thoroughly washed.

Overall, it's a great naturally gluten free recipe to try. Something a little different. :)

Booze!

Found this website "Gluten free Drinks" that gives recipes for Gluten-free cocktails. Not too bad!

Recipe Review: California Chicken

California Chicken - All Recipes . com

Tonight was the second time I've made this recipe. The first time I made it with Pepper Jack cheese instead of the Monterey Jack cheese that the recipe calls for. This time I used Provolone. Honestly, I like the Pepper Jack the best... but I like food with a kick, so there you go. Also, this time I added garlic, and for as much as I love garlic, I don't think it really added. Many people recommended lime juice, but I'm out.

The recipe is naturally gluten free, so you don't have to worry about changing anything.

Note to newbies: If you have onion powder, make sure that you've never dipped a teaspoon that you might have just dipped into flour in a previous recipe. If you are worried, I think you could totally replace the onion powder with chopped onions that you discard.

Tip: If you have avocado left over, make sure to store it with the avocado pit. The pit keeps the avocado from turning brown.

Enjoy!

Recipes

Sorry for the long time in between posts. I've had a lot going on lately: getting engaged, traveling, and working on two demanding productions... so needless to say, life has gotten in the way of the blog posts.

One thing that I've noticed lately is that friends and family of mine have been asking me for good naturally gluten free recipes for them to cook when I'm coming over (with the engagement and all). I realize that I don't know what to tell them! I try so many recipes, but I hardly do them more than once, so I forget about them.

Now, I can cook, but I don't claim to be a chef. There are a TON of wonderful gluten free blogs out there that have original recipes on them.

This is NOT one of those blogs.

Instead, I've come up with the idea of posting recipes that I find online that I liked and telling you how I modified them to be gluten free. Honestly, some of the best meals I've made were recipes that contained gluten where I replaced a few ingredients. It's normally easier than trying out a gluten free recipe that no one but the blog poster has ever made.

So, I hope this helps!

Heinz

I called the Heniz company a few days ago to inquire about one of their products and they said that they could email me a list of all of their products that don't contain gluten. So, here it is! Enjoy!

~+~
April 6, 2009

Dear Valued Consumer,

Thank you for your interest in Heinz Products. We certainly understand how difficult it can be to find foods that meet the requirements of a restricted diet.

As you requested, the following is a listing of all of our products that do NOT have gluten containing ingredients. If the product you asked about is not on this list, then it may contain gluten containing ingredients. Also, please note that recipes can change without notice. Therefore, we recommend you always check the ingredient statement on the label.

HEINZ PRODUCTS:
Heinz BBQ Sauces (Original, Chicken & Rib, Garlic, Honey Garlic Only)
Heinz Chili Sauce
Heinz Cocktail Sauce
Heinz Horseradish Sauce
Heinz Ketchup
Heinz Organic Ketchup
Heinz Reduced Sugar Ketchup
Heinz One-Carb Ketchup
Heinz No-Sodium Added Ketchup
Heinz Hot and Spicy Ketchup Kick'rs
Heinz Mustard (All Varieties)
Heinz Pickles (All Varieties)
Heinz Peppers (All Varieties)
Heinz Relish (All Varieties)
Heinz Sloppy Joe Sauce
Heinz Tartar Sauce
Heinz Traditional Steak Sauce
Heinz Vegetarian Beans
Heinz Distilled White Vinegar
Heinz Red Wine Vinegar
Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar
Heinz Apple Cider Flavored Vinegar
Heinz Red Wine Vinegar
Heinz Garlic Wine Vinegar


Jack Daniel's BBQ Sauces (Original #7, Honey Smokehouse, Hickory Brown Sugar, Spicy BBQ Only)
Jack Daniel's EZ Marinader -- Teriyaki Variety
Jack Daniel's EZ Marinader -- Garlic & Herb Variety
Jack Daniel's Steak Sauce (Both Varieties)
Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
Lea & Perrins Traditional Steak Sauce
TGI Fridays Salsa (All Varieties)

CLASSICO PRODUCTS:
Classico Red Sauces (All Varieties)
Classico Alfredo Sauces (All Varieties)
Classico Pesto Sauces (All Varieties)
Classico Bruschetta (All Varieties)

DELIMEX PRODUCTS:
UPC CODE: PRODUCT NAME:1
769600012 Taquitos, 36 ct. Delimex Chicken
1769600018 Tamales, 12 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600019 Tamales, 12 ct. Delimex Chicken & Cheese
1769600024 Tamales, 6 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600028 Taquitos, 25 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600029 Taquitos, 25 ct. Delimex Chicken
1769600048 Taquitos, 36 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600095 Taquitos, 12 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600096 Taquitos, 12 ct. Delimex Chicken
1769600155 Tamales, 15 ct. Costco Beef
1769600159 Tamales, 20 ct. Delimex Beef, Costco
1769600180 Taquitos, 60 ct. Delimex Beef
1769600186 Taquitos, 60 ct. Sam's Club Beef
1769600214 Taquitos, 25 ct. Delimex 3-Cheese
1769600565 Tamales, 20 ct. Beef, Sam's Club
1769600684 Taquitos, 66 ct. Costco Beef
1769600685 Taquitos, 66 ct. Costco Chicken

ORE-IDA PRODUCTS:
UPC CODE: PRODUCT NAME:
13120XXXXX- ALL VARIETIES of Ore-Ida® Tater Tots®
1312001879 Ore-Ida® ABC Tater Tots®
1312000080 Ore-Ida Golden Patties® (9 ct.)
1312000258 Ore-Ida® Golden Fries® (32 oz.)
1312000278 Ore-Ida® Golden Fries® (5 lb.)
1312000286 Ore-Ida® Golden Crinkles® (32 oz.)
1312000291 Ore-Ida® Golden Crinkles® (5 lb.)
1312000296 Ore-Ida® Pixie Crinkles (26 oz.)
1312000377 Ore-Ida® Cottage Fries (32 oz.)
1312000392 Ore-Ida® Southern Style Hash Browns (32 oz.)
1312000428 Ore-Ida® Country Style Steak Fries (28 oz.)
1312000455 Ore-Ida® Zesty Twirls (28 oz.)
1312000469 Ore-Ida® Potatoes O'Brien (28 oz.)
1312000647 Ore-Ida® French Fries (8 lb.)
1312000654 Ore-Ida® Country Style Hashbrowns (6 lb.)
1312000784 Ore-Ida® Steam N' Mash Cut Russets®
1312000785 Ore-Ida® Steam N' Mash Cut Sweet Potatoes®
1312000786 Ore-Ida® Steam N' Mash Three Cheese Potatoes®
1312000787 Ore-Ida® Steam N' Mash Garlic Seasoned Potatoes®
1312000483 Ore-Ida® Golden Twirls® (28 oz.)
1312000484 Ore-Ida® Zesties® (2 lb.)
1312000800 Ore-Ida® Steak Fries® (28 oz.)
1312000801 Ore-Ida® Shoestrings® (5 lb)
1312000828 Ore-Ida® Shoestrings® (28 oz.)
1312000829 Ore-Ida® Shoestrings® (40 oz.)
1312000833 Ore-Ida® Country Style Hashbrowns (30 oz.)
1312000854 Ore-Ida® Hash Browns (5 lb.)
1312000862 Ore-Ida® Country Style Hashbrowns (6 lb.)
1312001012 Ore-Ida® Potato Wedges with Skins (24 oz.)
1312001036 Ore-Ida® Crispers® (20 oz.)
1312001176 Ore-Ida® Waffle Fries® (22 oz.)
1312001190 Ore-Ida® Steak Fries® (3.75 lb.)
1312001260 Ore-Ida® Extra Crispy Crinkle Cut (26 oz.)
1312001280 Ore-Ida® Extra Crispy Seasoned Crinkle Cut® (26 oz.)
1312001417 Ore-Ida® Extra Crispy Fast Food Fries (26 oz.)
1312001461 Ore-Ida® Country Fries (30 oz.)
1312001492 Ore-Ida® Fast Food Fries (4 lb.)
1312008564 Ore-Ida® Golden Crinkles® (8 lb.)
1312008572 Ore-Ida® Golden Crinkles® (8 lb.)

CLUB SMART ONES PRODUCTS:
UPC CODE: PRODUCT NAME:
2580002011 Smart Ones Broccoli & Cheddar Potatoes
2580002247 Smart Ones Lemon Herb Chicken Piccata
2580002254 Smart Ones Fiesta Chicken
2580002360 Smart Ones Santa Fe Rice & Beans
2580002904 Smart Ones Creamy Tuscan Chicken
2580002907 Smart Ones Grilled Chicken in Garlic Herb Sauce
2580002915 Smart Ones Home-Style Chicken
2580002918 Smart Ones Chicken Santa Fe

Again, we appreciate you taking the time to contact us. If you need further information, feel free to call us at this toll-free number (1-800-255-5750). Our offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM until 6:00 PM, Eastern Time.
Heinz Consumer Resource CenterHeinzconsumeraffairs@us.hjheinz.com

HEINZ/cl
P.S. - For your convenience, here's a recipe for a barbecue sauce without gluten-containing ingredients:
Heinz Ketchup Basic Barbecue Sauce
½ cup Heinz Tomato Ketchup
¼ cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons Heinz Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons Lea & Perrins Worcestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
In saucepan, combine all ingredients.Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.Brush ribs or chicken with sauce during last 10 minutes of grilling or broiling.
Makes about ¾ cup of sauce.

$5 Triumph Dining Guide today only

Letting everyone know that Triumph Dining Guide is only $5 today only! Go and check it out!

Saw this deal on their Twitter account. If you aren't following them on Twitter, you should be!

Review: Bumble Bar

There are several flavors of Bumble Bars, although I’ve only had the original, cherry, tropical fruit, and apricot flavors. My mom brought me these bars from the Sprouts store in Texas. We took these on our camping trip and ate them in the car, hence the fancy map background on the pictures.

These bars are interesting because they are nuts/seeds held together with agave nectar. So, the bars are flexible and they kinda fall apart while you’re eating them (so it was a little difficult to eat in the car). They are really quite yummy, but a little sticky.


I enjoyed the apricot flavor the best, but most people in the car liked the tropical fruit more. Although, I have to admit that I felt really healthy and free spirited eating something that is comprised only of dried fruit and seeds. The bars have only a tad bit of sweet flavor, so they aren’t very sugary.

All in all, I enjoy them more so than most bars. My only problem is that I don’t understand where the bumble bee theme on the bars came from since there is no honey in the bars. Bumble Bars, please answer me that!

Review: Mrs. Leeper's Beef Lasagna

I've been really searching for easy to fix gluten free meals. The only exposure to the Mrs. Leeper's brand I had more this was their corn pasta. I am not a huge fan of corn pasta, just because the corn flavor doesn't quite go as well with most meals as well as rice flavor does. Plus, the corn pasta's texture is a little different from the rice pasta I'm used to. Anyhoo...

Basically, their gluten free beef lasagna is a hamburger-ish type meal. Just add ground beef and you are ready to go. It took a little longer than the 15 minutes promised on the box, but the results were worth it. Very few brands seem to use corn pasta, but I thought that it blended wonderfully with the spices in the mix.

The box suggested to add cheese and fresh basil. We added cheese, since fresh basil is in short supply at my tiny apartment. I definitely recommend adding the cheese. Afterall, what doesn't taste better with cheese?

We also fixed green beans on the side, which was a nice addition. It fed three hungry adults with no leftovers, so I don't think it's quite enough to feed a family of four even if there are children.

In conclusion, I was very impressed with the product! The quality of the food was higher than any boxed food I've had. The taste was amazing, definitely better than Hamburger Helper! I will look into buying more Mrs. Leeper's box meals in the future.

Stats:
Company – Mrs. Leeper's
Price - Don't know, it was a gift
Review – 5 out of 5 stars
Preparation - Buying a pack of ground beef, ~20 total to cook
Gluten Amount – No gluten ingredients used
Allergians - Contains milk and soy ingredients

Gluten Free Mahalo

After searching for interesting things on Mahalo.com's website, I stumbled across this gluten free diet webpage on their site.

I think it's exciting to see that there is more and more awareness to gluten and the gluten free diet! I think some of their links leave a little to be desired, but all in all, it's not too bad. You can also recommend additional links at the bottom to make the page better.

I hope that they make a page for gluten in general, but one step at a time!

Review: Glee Gum

Hello everyone! I’m back after some time off, hope everyone is hanging in there after all the craziness over the past few weeks.

I’ve been chewing Glee Gum for a while now and really love it. The gum comes in little squares with a hard outside and a somewhat softer middle. I buy the gum at both Trader Joes and Whole Foods Market, although it is available elsewhere. The gum is all natural and contains none of the major allergens, so it’s safe for most people. Their FAQs page goes into more specifics, in case you are interested. It doesn’t contain any artificial flavorings either, which makes a wonderful difference in the taste.

I’ve only had the peppermint and the tangerine with tangerine being my favorite. My only complaint is that normally I have to chew two squares at the same time to get it to be equivalent of a ‘normal’ size piece. The flavor doesn’t last as long as a normal piece of gum, but the flavor is better in general.

I highly recommend it! Most of my friends that have had it say it’s the best gum that they’ve ever tasted, so it’s not just for people with food allergies!

Stats:
Company – Verve Inc.
Price - .89 cents
Review – 5 out of 5 stars
Preparation - None
Gluten Amount – No gluten ingredients used

Family Emergency

Hi everyone,

My Grandmother passed away a few days ago, so I'm visiting my family/attending the funeral and won't be updating until I'm back home. Sorry for not posting this sooner, it just entered into my mind.

But, look forward to a review about the famous Rendezvous BBQ restaruant in Memphis (they actually knew which of their products were gluten free)! Maybe I'll write an article about funerals and dealing with the food you get from people. We'll have to see. Hope everyone is doing well.

Last few days for a free Triumph Dining Card

Triumph Dining is giving away a free dining card if you are interested. Deal is only for August, so hurry!

They sent me a free set to review and I have to admit that I'm completely loving them! I'll give a full review after I get a chance to go to more non-English speaking restaurants, but the experience that I've had with them has been overwhelming positive and much better than I would have thought. Most of the time I've used them, the chef/cook will come out to my table to discuss specifics with me. How often does that happen without you even asking?

Anyhoo, check them out. They also have a new blog going too.

Frito Lay, friend to Celiacs

You know, every once in a while, I'm just really impressed by a food company. Doesn't happen often, but one company that has impressed me ever since I found out that I would have to go on the gluten free diet is Frito Lay.

I think it's because the ingredient list in their products is so easy to read. Most contain just a handful. Who would have guessed that potato chips only contain potatoes, oil, and salt? Abnormal in this day and age!

Frito Lay is one of the first companies who products I began to trust early on in my gluten free process because a large selection of their products are gluten free and I've never had a reaction to any product on their gluten free list.

Just look at their list of gluten free products! Yes, that is 161 products listed. They also seem to update the list every few months. Crazy!

Their customer service people are also really friendly and knowledgeable in my experience.

After my experience with Aveeno this week, I figured that I need to congratulate a major company that was succeeding in impressing me.

Hats off to you, Frito Lay!

Disclaimer: In the interest of full disclosure, I have had a family member work for Frito Lay (but, that's never stopped me bad mouthing a company before!)

Symptoms of Celiac Disease

I’ve had three different people come to me this week saying that their doctors think that they might have celiacs. They all asked me about common symptoms, so I decided to compile a list of the most common ones that I know of (based on organizations that I trust). Hope this helps. Feel free to list more if you know of any common ones that I missed. Also, feel free to list your own symptoms or ask questions about your symptoms and I will try to help you the best I know how.

**Remember, you don’t have to have any symptoms to have the disease**

Common Symptoms of Celiac Disease

Gastro Symptoms
Abdominal cramps, gas and bloating
Appetite (Increased to the point of craving)
Constipation
Diarrhea
Recurring bloating, gas, or abdominal pain
Stools (Any of: Loose, Hard, Small, Large, Foul smelling, Floating, Discolored, Frothy)
Weight loss / weight gain

Other Physical Symptoms
Back pain
Bone or joint pain
Decreased ability to clot blood
Dehydration
Delayed growth or onset of puberty
Edema
Electrolyte depletion
Energy loss
Failure to thrive (in infants)
Fatigue
Infertility male & female, recurrent miscarriage
Missed menstrual periods (often because of excessive weight loss)
Mouth sores or cracks in the corners
Muscle cramping (Especially in the hands and legs)
Night blindness
Osteoporosis
Skin (Very dry, Dermatitis herpetiformis)
Tingling numbness in the legs
Tongue (Smooth or geographic - looks like different continents)
Tooth discoloration or loss of enamel
Unexplained anemia (a low count of red blood cells causing fatigue)
Vitamin K Deficiency
Weakness

Mental Symptoms
Depression
Disinterested in normal activities
Irritable
Mood changes
Unable to concentrate

For more information, please visit the following websites:

Celiac Disease Foundation

National Foundation for Celiac Awareness

Celiac Sprue Foundation

Review: Trader Joe’s Flourless Chocolate Cake

So, I was super excited yesterday to see that Trader Joe’s now has a flourless cake! I had heard through the grapevine that it existed, but I’m afraid that if you aren’t living on the East Coast, that you don’t get as many of the gluten free products in your local Trader Joe’s store. Where is the West Coast love, Mr. Joe?

The cake is listed on their “No Gluten Ingredients Used List” even though the packaging itself doesn’t have their new gluten icon.

The consistency is weird, which is to be expected. It’s kinda of a cross between a brownie and fudge, more leaning toward the fudge. The packaging doesn’t do much to make it more appealing, but it sure tastes yummy! Very rich.

My boyfriend had the great idea of popping it into the microwave for 12 seconds, and I can’t even tell you how heavenly that made it. If you had vanilla ice cream with it, you just might die (consider yourself warned!).

It is extremely messy, I’m afraid. If a crumb gets on your skin, it kinda melts and gets all over everything.

Two thumbs up from both of us. Not a bad item to grab on your way to a party.

Stats:
Company – Trader Joe’s Exclusive
Price - $7
Review – 5 out of 5 stars
Preparation - None
Gluten Amount – Manufactured in a facility that contains wheat

Gluten free Vegas trip!

UPDATE: I added the list of gluten free restaurants after contacting the Celiac Support Group in Vegas for permission. Please look at the end of this post for their list. Please post if you ever go to any of the places, I would love to hear about your experience!

So I went with some friends to Vegas a few weekends ago. It was a blast and for someone who hasn’t been to Vegas with friends, a great time was had by all. We arrived on Saturday afternoon and left Sunday afternoon, so our trip was a short, yet sweet one.

This was one of my first real vacations to a completely new place now that I’m gluten free. I was nervous about what to do while I was there, so I went ahead and contacted the Celiac Support Group in Vegas via email to get a list of gluten free places so that way I would have some idea of what my options were. We ended up more just eating at whatever place we were close to at the time (most of us being Vegas rookies, it was hard to really plan ahead). Thankfully, I had just received a set of free Triumph Dining Cards to review on my website (look back later for a full review of them) or else it would have been much more difficult. Here is a break down of the gluten adventures:

Hotel: Paris
We decided that we wanted to stay on the strip, which I recommend if you aren’t used to Vegas much (plus, you can get a more expensive hotel and then cram a lot of people inside). We didn’t end up eating at the hotel, but I did call the main line for their restaurants and the person on the other end had no idea what gluten was. They went and checked and looks like the cooks they talked to had no idea either. So, keep that in mind.

Alcohol (aka the reason most people go to Vegas)
I haven’t been able to drink alcohol (except up until recently) because the acid was too much for my stomach to handle. Now that my body has experienced the healing powers of not killing it with gluten constantly, it’s healed considerably. Unfortunately, this means that I’ve never been able to drink ever since I turned 21. This has resulted in two sad things: 1. I have no idea what drinks to order and 2. I can’t hold my liquor. It’s really funny actually how little I can drink. I have a half of a wine cooler and I’m toasted. One shot and I’m completely gone. Good thing drinking isn’t really my thing. But this has made me realize that I had no idea what drinks I could order that don’t have gluten in them! I have no idea if margarita mixes have gluten in them and I don’t know if flavored liquor does either. I ended up drinking a screwdriver (vodka and orange juice), because that’s the only thing I could think of other than a mimosa (champagne and orange juice) or a rum & coke. So, I’m doing some research on gluten free drinks that I will hopefully be able to post later so that way you can know a small list of gluten free cocktails that you can order at a bar. Because Vegas is just more exciting with a little alcohol thrown into the mix. ;)

Quarks Bar
Located in the Star Trek Experience, this place will close in a few weeks.
So the main reason we went to Vegas is that the Star Trek Experience is closing (yes, we did make a special Vegas trip just for that. Dorks = cool). So we had to eat at the restaurant that was inside the Experience. I handed my Triumph Dining Card to our waiter, asked the normal questions about the menu, and he went off to the back to inquire. I was surprised at the menu, basically everything was breaded, fried, or a sandwich. Not many gluten free options. The chef came out and we discussed my options, and by options I mean she didn’t know what gluten was and I just ended up with grilled chicken and unseasoned veggies. Not a bad meal, since it was cooked wonderfully, just kinda boring. My friends ended getting the legendary Warp Core Breach (aka the quickest way to get wasted in Vegas). I felt a little left out, so I ended going and talking to the bartender to see if he had any suggestions on what I could drink that might be gluten free, but he kinda freaked out at the idea of gluten and said he didn’t feel comfortable serving me any alcohol, so he refused to. Worried about getting sued, I’m sure. Sigh. All in all it was nice, although the company really made the experience, not the food.

Golden Gate Hotel
Located in downtown on the old strip, this is Vegas’ oldest casino and hotel.
We went here for brunch. I ended up ordering steak and eggs. I think it naturally came gluten free since the only seasonings were salt and pepper. I did replace my side item with fruit, just so I wouldn’t have to ask about it. I was great and really hit the spot. It was also the cheapest place we ate at, but it was my favorite. The wait staff was really nice. We were the youngest people there (maybe by 30+ years) but the place had the feel of an old diner were all the people are regulars. I have to admit, I really enjoyed downtown much more than the new Strip. The pace was slower and there weren’t tons of people. Plus, most people weren’t completely wasted (although we did go in the morning) and there weren’t tons of people handing out Girls Girls Girls flyers (does everyone find that as annoying as I do?). I love retro places and this fit my bill. Plus, the whole street is covered so it’s tons cooler than walking around on the strip since it’s all in shade. This seemed to be it’s biggest selling point to all my friends who didn’t grow up in places that could match the 108 degree heat. Plus, they have the old neon signs everywhere. We pondered how the next Strip will look like in 30 years after everyone has gotten tired of the current Vegas while we took pictures.

Hard Rock Café
Located off the Strip.
So, it’s really important to note that there is a difference in the café in the Hard Rock Hotel and the separate standing Hard Rock Café. We went to the Hard Rock Café thinking that they had gluten free menu (based on what I read), but we were confusing it with the Hard Rock Hotel restaurant which apparently does. Mostly we went because we heard that there is a $8 steak that’s not listed on the menu, but you can ask for it (turns out that was the one in the hotel, not the café itself). The service at the Hard Rock Café in Vegas is the second worse service I’ve ever received! It was terrible! We had a bartender as our waitress, which might explain it. I’m not sure why she was waiting on tables, but I do know she wasn’t happy about it. I went through and explained what gluten was and starting asking questions about their menu. She kinda stared at me blankly. I keep thinking to myself, “Is this person high?” She goes off with my Triumph card to the back and comes back saying almost everything has gluten in it, especially the side item that comes with my meal (mash potatoes?). Here is how the conversation went:
I ask, “Ok, what other side items do you have that I could have instead?
Long pause. She stares at me blankly.
I realize that this isn’t going any where. So I say, “Do you have steamed veggies?”
She says, “Yeah, I think so. I would have to check.”
Long pause.
I respond, “Oh, well do you have any other sides? Baked potato, fries, fruit perhaps?”
Long pause.
She says slowly, “Uh, well, we fruit from the bar.”
I look at her confused and say, “You mean bar fruit. Like lemon slices?
She perks up a bit, “Yeah, do you want some of those?”
My table gawks at her.
After this fun time (no, I didn’t end up ordering lemon slices as my side item), she kinda disappeared, never to be heard from again. We ended up having to get other waiters to bring us our food, water, etc. The one good thing that came out of the experience was an inside joke from our group. Anytime something doesn’t work for us, we randomly shout, “Bar fruit!”

So all in all we had bunches of fun. Apparently, I’m terrible at gambling (which I learned the hard way) but so was everyone else in my group so we had a good time. I think if I did this again, I would chat with my group more and plan out the food better. This was kinda a spur of the moment trip, but I would try to plan ahead better next time. Good thing I took snacks with me or else it might have been a bit grim. All in all, I recommend Vegas. :)

~+~

The list below is the one provided to me by Celiac Support Group in Vegas. I took off the places that I found no longer exist. There are tons of gluten free options, so feel free to have fun! Oh, and note that most of the places on this list are super expensive, so if you are trying to keep it under $20 a meal, you should maybe do a little more research on your own. Enjoy!

~+~

Gluten-Free in Las Vegas List

This list is to help people find places to eat safely. The responsibility rests with each individual to inquire and check to be certain they are being served appropriately GF food.

The list is formed by word of mouth from people who have eaten in these places. Remember, menus and ingredients change without notice. Be responsible – ask ask ask ask – then ASK AGAIN.

Aureole – Mandalay Bay – call for reservations and tell them about GF
Baskin Robbins – look online for up to date info
Bellagio - FIX Steakhouse
Bonefish Grill – GF menu on web site
Border Grill at Mandalay Bay – ask for GF menu. Four Seasons has GF bread at their buffet, separated.
Buca Di Beppo – call for GF list
Café Ba Ba Reeba in Fashion Show Mall –chef prepared and delivered personally to table GF stuffed mushrooms! Putting together a GF menu also.
Capitol Grille in Fashion Show Mall (ask for GF menu)
Carrabas – www.carrabas.com
Chili's – email for current info
Chinois – Forum Shops at Caesar's – GF menu
Claim Jumpers
Dairy Queen – look online for up to date info
Denny's - look online for up to date info
El Pollo Loco – email for up to date info
Fellini's at the Stratosphere – talk to chef –call ahead
Fleming's – Call ahead and arrange GF meal
Hamachi - Red Rock Hotel - wrap in soy paper and also wraps in cucumber but take your own soy sauce.
Hugo's - in basement of Four Queens on Fremont St. Downtown – excellent.
In N Out Burger - on Trop and I-15 – GF fries, order burger "Protein style" – comes wrapped in lettuce leaves – OR order "flying Dutchman style" – just meat and cheese. If they seem stumped, ask for manager.
Joel Robuchon – MGM (have concierge help – these places will cater to you) $$$
Joe's Stone Crab and Steakhouse in Caesar's Forum Shops
L'Attlier (Robuchon) – worth every penny
Macaroni Grill – email for current info
Maggiano's in Fashion Show Mall (GF pasta–Talk to chef – will accommodate, call ahead, wonderful!
McFadden's Irish Grill and Pub - Rio - has GF list and will work with you
Mesa Grill in Caesar's (Bobby Flay chef)
Mimi's Café
Mirage – Wolfgang Puck's grill, and Emmett's Fish house $$$$$
Nobhill – MGM.
Outback – north of Harrah's and throughout the valley
P. F. Chang's – Hard Rock Hotel and off the Strip on Paradise/Flamingo.
Paymon's Mediterranean on Maryland Pkwy – check phone book – they have limited items but are great and good.
Pei Wei (P.F.CHang spin-off – fast food-ask for GF menu) in Henderson
Red Robin America's Gourmet Burgers and Spirits – email for info
Shibuya – MGM - they have GF soy sauce and wrap in soy paper
Simon, and AJ's - at Hard Rock $$$$$ (2 different places)
Sir Galahad's – Excalibur
South Point's Silverado Steakhouse – south on the Strip
Stack and Samba - Mirage
The Rainforest Café – MGM - Ask for head chef.
Todd's Unique Dining; 4350 E. Sunset Rd. by Green Valley Pkwy,( Near Trader Joe's Market)
Tony Roma's – email for up to date info – we eat here often – no problems.
Wendy's - look online for up to date info

Markets:
Whole Foods; Trader Joe's; health food section most supermarkets; Great Harvest Bread Company, (702)306-1476, Tina – they bake GF bread;–bring your favorite crackers with you

Contest Winner: Clara!

Congrats Clara on being the contest winner!

Thank you to everyone who played, it really means a lot to me to see that I have such devoted fans out there! I'll have another contest soon, so keep checking back.

Clara, please email me at givingupthegluten@gmail.com this week so I can get the address you would like me to send the cookbook to.

Our regularly scheduled posts should start back on Thursday. :)

Giveaway Contest

Free stuff! Woohoo!

I've been having some technical difficulties uploading my posts this week, so to make up for my lack of updates, I figured that it was time to have some fun and give away this fabulous cookbook above. I have a copy myself and it's full of great recipes that you can make in a snap.

So, like everything in life, there are rules to this contest:

Generate a list of topics ideas that you would like me to write about. This can be either a particular product you would like reviewed, a gluten issue you would like me to talk about, etc. To enter, you will need to add a comment to this particular post. For each idea (up to five) that you come up with, I will enter your name into the hat that I will pull the winner out of. Example: If you post 6 ideas your name will go into the hat 5 times but if you only post 3 ideas then your name will only go into the hat 3 times. The more ideas you post, the better your odds of winning. Make sure to fill in a name and not click "Anonymous."

The posting will close next Tuesday, August 12th at noon PST (USA). I will announce the winner that night. Feel free to post ideas after that time, but you won't be entered into the contest. After that, I will have you email me your address and I will ship the book to you at no charge!

If you have any questions or need clarification, just add a comment to this post. I'm trying to do this on the honor system, so make me proud people or else I wouldn't feel right about giving away any more free things! And will all love free things! Woo!

Toothpaste: Gluten free?

So I recently decided to change my toothpaste brand, so I thought that I would pass along the inquires that I made for the main three toothpaste companies (Crest, Aquafresh, and Cologate). I emailed them with the following three questions:

1. I was wondering if your various toothpaste products contain gluten?
2. Are they manufactured in a gluten free facility?
3. Do you happen to have a list of your gluten free products?

Here are their responses:

CREST

“Thanks for contacting Crest.

None of our current Crest toothpaste versions, Crest Whitestrips versions, or Crest Night Effects contains gluten. In addition, none of the ingredients used in Glide dental floss contains gluten.

Although we do not directly add ingredients that contain gluten to Crest Pro-Health Rinse or to Crest Whitening Rinse, it's possible these products could contain trace amounts. We recommend you contact your doctor before using these rinse products if you have questions or concerns about gluten.

Stop by anytime.

Crest Team”

COLGATE

“Thank you for contacting us with your question. We appreciate the opportunity to provide information regarding grain derived ingredients in Colgate Palmolive products.

We do not intentionally add gluten to the following Colgate Palmolive products. However, we cannot guarantee that the ingredients used are not exposed to any glutens.

Colgate Toothpaste, all variants
Colgate Simply White Clear Whitening Gel, all variants
Fluorigard Rinse
Orabase Paste and Orabase Gel
Peroxyl Gel and Peroxyl Rinse
Phos-Flur Rinse
Platinum Toothpaste
Prevident Gel
TOTAL Floss
Ultra brite Toothpaste, all variants
Viadent Rinse
Viadent Toothpaste

Sorbitol is an ingredient which can be grain derived and may be found in toothpastes. Our sorbitol is corn-derived.

Once again, thank you for taking the time to contact us. We hope this information is helpful.

Sincerely,

Amy Pollock
Consumer Affairs Representative”

AQUAFRESH

"We have received your e-mail and we are happy to respond to your question regarding Aquafresh® toothpaste and gluten.

Aquafresh® toothpaste is gluten-free.

We appreciate your taking the time to contact us.

Sincerely,

Samantha
GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare"