Twas the night before the Publix Georgia Marathon
And all through the town
Runners were carb loading
Wherever pizza or pasta could be found…
I wish it were that simple for me when it came to where and what I can eat before a big race (half marathon or more). Honestly, it would make travel a little less stressful if I didn’t have to totally research every convenient (and sometimes not-so-convenient) restaurant in or around a city I was visiting. But those are not the cards I was dealt in life.
So, as stated above, it was the night before a marathon in Atlanta, Georgia. There were a slew of runners swarming through the city. And we were all hungry. And needing to fuel up for the race the following morning. I had dome some research for some places to grab some gluten-free pizza in Atlanta that wouldn’t require hopping in the car and driving somewhere. I narrowed it down to two places: Mellow Mushroom and a local place known as Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria.
Since I can get Mellow Mushroom here…Cathy and I chose to try out Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria.
Around 5 p.m. that evening, we stepped into the dimly lit, but rustic little pizzeria. I loved the ambiance. And we were greeted immediately and seated at a table. There was a bar on the wall to the left, the kitchen against the back wall, with…yes…a coal oven that would toast up the pizzas. Tables filled the floor and there were a few runners taking up some of the seats and booths. It smelled fantastic inside so I was feeling good about this decision.
Our waiter came over and asked if we wanted something to drink. As I was prepping for a race…water…and lots of it. While he went to retrieve our water, Cathy and I tried to figure out which pizza we wanted to try. I told her to go ahead and pick…so she made her choice and when our waiter returned…we were ready to order.
So, we ordered the Gluten-Free Fontina & Funghi Pizza ($17.00), which was a white pizza that was topped off with Fontina cheese, wild mushrooms, caramelized onions, and fresh oregano. Sounded amazing, yes? I thought so and was already hungry just thinking about getting a slice of this coal oven pizza.
So…you can imagine my great disappointment when the pizza arrived at the table.
Traditional. Gluten-Free. Cracker. Crust.
UGH! Okay…okay…it doesn’t mean it’s bad. I mean, Mellow Mushroom does cracker crust…but they manage to do it well…so maybe…
We dug in, each taking a slice. As I am lactose intolerant, I took a lactace pill to help with the digestion of the cheese and Cathy took the slices that had more cheese on them. I took one bite…and thought about how fantastic the toppings were. The cheese, the mushrooms, the sweetness of the onions…it all worked. It worked well. The lack of sauce meant that none of those earthy flavors were missed. Yes…the toppings were fantastic.
But the crust…the crust…*WHIMPER*.
I don’t know what I was thinking. I have said it once…and I’ll say it again…I have been spoiled by my local gluten-free bakery because their pizza crust is NOT a cracker crust. It’s chewy and delicious and crusty and amazing. And this…this pizza crust at Max’s Coal Oven Pizzeria…was NOT any of that. This crust was…bland. It was cooked all the way through, unlike my previous gluten-free pizza outing (in Birmingham, Alabama). But it had no real flavor. No buttery flavor. Nothing that really elevated the pizza. And then…the more I ate…the less ecstatic I was even about the toppings. Because…I can get those toppings anywhere. The base really needs to help elevate the dish. And this crust didn’t achieve that. AT ALL!
So, another gluten-free pizza fails to impress.
We polished off the pizza though…even though neither of us were thrilled with it. And we payed the bill and left. I was feeling so disappointed. You know, the meal before a marathon should be filling and hearty and just really satisfying…and this was none of those things. We walked back to the hotel and I lamented another gluten-free pizza that could have been great…but wasn’t.
So, next time…we’ll just go to Mellow Mushroom.
Live and learn.
As for Max’s Coal Oven Pizza…perhaps their regular pizzas are amazing…but the gluten-free versions fall short of anything worth raving about.
Too bad. I was hopeful about this one. So hopeful that Cathy and I had every intention of returning the following night. But we quickly made other plans after we both didn’t enjoy our food that night.
I know…any blog that starts with those three words can’t be good, right? Right.
And, sadly enough, that’s the way of it when it comes to Village Tavern in Birmingham, Alabama.
First of all, finding a restaurant in the South for gluten-free food is not always easy. There are some, but when you are craving gluten-free pizza…when you require it…well…things can get a bit tricky.
But, after a little research, Cathy and I found Village Tavern in Birmingham, Alabama for the recent journey down there. I was going to have a great dinner out with my sister, her youngest son, and a great friend of mine…Michelle!
The company at dinner was great. I hadn’t seen Michelle since I left Alabama eight years ago. She hasn’t changed a bit. She’s still bubbly with the best laugh ever. And my sister…well…she really made it a fantastic night tonight. I always enjoy my time with my sister. There isn’t enough of it in my life. But…tonight…I got her and her youngest son and that was awesome.
So, the five of us total were seated and given our drinks. We all had water. Hydration, friends. Always water. Then…after a little back and forth, we were ready to order. My sister opted for the Chicken Quesadilla ($7.95), which came with a salsa and a dipping sauce as well. She got my four year old nephew the kids Cheese Pizza ($4.95)…which is HUGE for a child, honestly. He loved it. Even said it was the best pizza he ever had. Adorable.
Michelle got the Spring Rolls ($8.95), which she seemed to like. They weren’t what I was expecting honestly. But they sure did look good. With that she got a side Mixed Greens Salad ($4.95).
Cathy and I chose to split a Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza ($8.75), which is a 10-inch pizza. Usually that’s the standard for a restaurant. And she got the Tavern Salad ($8.50) to go with it as she hadn’t had any vegetables all day. I opted for a side of the Broccoli ($4.00). And that was that…orders in. We had the chance to sit, talk, catch up and all of that while we awaited the arrival of the food. And when it came…it smelled fantastic.
Problem:
The waiter knew Cathy and I were splitting the gluten-free pizza…and yet…no extra plate was brought out. Secondly…the waiter forgot about Cathy’s salad. In fact, he didn’t even put it on the ticket. So…yeah…that had to be corrected.
But the greatest problem…the biggest offense…
My gluten-free pizza dough was RAW! Like…gooey…uncooked rawness. I was beyond disappointed.
While I was waiting on a plate, Cathy went ahead and started on her half of the pizza. When my plate finally was brought to the table, well…it took two tries. First one was a small plate…which was fine. But soon after that was left for me…a larger, must better suited plate arrived at the table. Fantastic. Thank you. Cathy dished up my half of the pizza and I picked up my fork and knife to slice through what I was expecting to be a crispy crust. This was that infamous gluten-free cracker crust that all gluten-free pizzas have. But there was no crunch. No crispness. Mushy…soggy…still stretchy doughiness. Yes, doughiness is a word…because I used it in a sentence. The disappointment on my face must have been evident because my sister and Michelle both were like…”Is it not good?” I held up a piece of the dough and said…”It’s not cooked!”
The best part of the pizza was the crust on the edge…because that actually WAS crispy and cooked through. I know with cracker crusts there is a fine line between crispy and burnt…but this was on a fine line of being fresh from the package and undercooked. The toppings weren’t even that impressive. The pizza was just REALLY disappointing overall. I was not impressed. Not happy. And just MEH about the whole thing.
At least I had good company and good conversation.
I had it in my head to return to Village Tavern with my parents the following night, but I was so unhappy with that pizza, that I’m judging the rest of their gluten-free options based on that…and will find somewhere else to eat. I don’t think I’ll ever be back.
Village Anchor’s Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza (doughy disaster)
No…honestly…one of my favorite things in life is a delicious slice of pizza. You get the right crust, the right sauce, and the right toppings…and you create a meal of perfection.
I was elated when I heard that Udi’s Gluten-Free was introducing gluten-free frozen pizzas to their already epic and delicious line-up of products. I already am a huge fan of their readily available gluten-free pizza crusts…so…take that and top it, box it up, and it’s one more way to make life a little easier on you. Udi’s has four different flavors of gluten-free pizzas: Three Cheese, Margherita, Spinach & Feta, and Uncured Pepperoni. I can eat three of the four, as I am a vegetarian. Although I may pick up the pepperoni version for my roommate to give a taste sometime.
Since this was my first foray with the Udi’s Gluten-Free frozen pizzas, I opted for one that wasn’t just cheese…and chose the Margherita Pizza. I mean…you can’t go wrong with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, and basil. Anyone who has eaten a caprese salad can tell you that! I felt good about my decision, and gifted my freezer with one box for starters. It took a couple of weeks to find the perfect evening for a pizza, but as the holidays were approaching and the CSA bins were cancelled due to neither my roommate or I being around…we had to make use of whatever is in our freezer, fridge and pantry. So, after going to the gym one evening (yes…instead of first thing in the morning…blame the Trans-Siberian Orchestra), it was necessary to do something simple for dinner. What better than a frozen pizza, right?
Udi’s Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza (frozen)
RIGHT!
I was quite excited as I pulled this box out of my freezer and began to preheat my oven to 400°F. I opened up the pizza and peeled away the plastic. Once the oven was heated, I popped the pizza in and let it cook for about 15 minutes.When I removed it from the oven, the crust was crisp and golden, the cheese melted, and it smelled beyond fantastic.
Now, I’ve been underwhelmed by previous frozen (and restaurant) gluten-free pizzas. But I trust Udi’s Gluten-Free…because their gluten-free pizza crust is THE BOMB!! Honestly. If you don’t want to make your own gluten-free crust…reach for one of these. It’s the only one I can find in this area in every grocery store.
So, how did this pizza stack up? I have no words beyond OMG…MMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!
And if that doesn’t sum it up, let me say this…this is one stellar pizza. The crust crisped up beautifully…not one part of it was soggy or limp in the middle. It was perfect. The cheese melted and spread out across the tomato sauce. The Italian spices gave it really good flavor. The dollops of mozzarella cheese really helped make this pizza. So packed with flavor. And, honestly, better than most restaurant pizzas (my local gluten-free bakery, Annie May’s Sweet Café still makes my absolute favorite pizza crust). Flaky, golden, crunchy, and a perfect mix with the toppings. It was perfection!
This frozen pizza is made from an Udi’s Gluten-Free Pizza Crust (water, brown rice flour, rice starch, potato starch, olive oil, dried cane syrup, tapioca starch, yeast, salt, xanthan gum, calcium sulfate (for freshness)), a tomato sauce (made simply from tomato paste, water, sugar, salt, olive oil, canola oil, granulated garlic, spices, citric acid), low moisture mozzarella cheese, mozzarella cheese, tomato, parmesan cheese, basil and spices. For the most part…all ingredients that are natural and recognizable.
Nutritionally speaking, a serving of Udi’s Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza is 1/2 of the pizza. This half will provide you with 300 calories and 11 grams of fat. Most of that fat is from the cheese that comes on the pizza. This pizza only has 320 mg of sodium and 3 grams of sugar. It has 25 grams of cholesterol. It also has 2 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein. So, yes…it is filling. Even with the thin crust. Trust me.
I love, love, LOVE, Udi’s Gluten-Free. The products the company puts out is amazing and always delicious. The taste, texture, and flavors all matter and they really focus on that when they introduce an item to the market. The frozen pizzas are a very welcome addition. And I highly recommend this vegetarian option…because I was beyond impressed with Udi’s Gluten-Free Margherita Pizza.
Pick one up from your grocer’s freezer section and see for yourself.
Restaurant: Husson’s Pizza, Huntington, West Virginia
It was the night before a marathon and I was in Huntington, West Virginia. Trust me…when it comes to dining gluten-free, Huntington, West Virginia is not where you’d want to find yourself. Why? There just aren’t a lot of options out there.
But…it’s tradition.
Race = fuel = gluten-free pizza.
Thankfully, before he left the running group and the state to move to Dayton, Ohio, my good friend Keith mentioned this place called Husson’s…not far from Marshall University. As this was the Marshall University Marathon…I was going to be in that area anyway. So Husson’s Pizza was kept in the back of my mind. And I recalled it as the date of the race grew closer and I traveled from Louisville to Huntington.
After a very busy day of traveling and race related stuff…I was ready to tuck into my gluten-free pizza around 5 p.m. My roomie and I had planned on splitting one of the 10 inch gluten-free pizzas. So when we drove down to Husson’s Pizza on Hal Greer Boulevard, we parked the car, and headed toward the establishment. Huntington, West Virginia is a mix of really beautiful buildings and some that are run down. Husson’s was definitely one of the ones that looked down. And if I had been traveling through, without the recommendation from my friend Keith, I probably never would have stopped there to eat. At all.
But, looks can be deceiving.
We stepped inside, and while the place definitely looks dated, you can’t argue with the affordability of their food. We already had an idea of what we wanted to eat…so we stepped up to the counter. We were greeted by a very friendly guy working the register who was ready to take our order. Cathy inquired about the gluten-free crust and they confirmed they did have it. So, as it was the day before a marathon…we kept the flavors simple.
A gluten-free pizza with tomatoes and pineapple ($10.99). YUM! It’s great because you can actually choose up to 5 toppings for the pizza without being charged extra for it. And a $10.99 gluten-free pizza is awesome. What a great price. With our order in, Cathy and I settled in at one of the tables and awaited our food.
A short while later, our pizza arrived.
It smelled absolutely fantastic. It looked a mess…but…if it was as good as it smelled we were certainly in for a treat. I snapped a picture for the blog…and we each took our first slices.
So, the pizza is really nothing to right home about. Which was more than disappointing. The gluten-free crust was a simple cracker crust. Not much flavor. And it crumbled. It crumbled under the sauce, cheese, and our two toppings. I had no silverware to eat my pizza with (and I normally eat pizza with a fork and knife), so as the pizza would fall apart, I would have to scoop it up with my fingers. The sauce, however, was awesome. It was definitely the star of the entire pizza. I loved the smokey, rich flavor that came with this simple red sauce. It was fantastic. I could have eaten an entire jar of the sauce. I loved how the pineapple and tomatoes were chopped up small…but they were just casually thrown onto the top…so it was a bit…uneven with the toppings on the 8 slices. Like I said…decent enough pizza…but nothing that really made me want to go back for more.
While I appreciate a decent, affordable, gluten-free meal as much as the next person, I was truly hoping for an epic pizza experience. As it was, with the exception of the sauce, this was a complete let down. Not bad. And if I were back in town, I would probably head here for food again…because I know they have gluten-free food I can eat. I just…wish it had been more spectacular than it was.
When you eat a lot of gluten-free pizza…and I do…you just need a bit more than a cracker crust and a splash of sauce and a dusting of toppings. I want my taste buds to be wowed and my stomach to be full. This pizza didn’t accomplish that at all. Again, it wasn’t horrible or bad…it just wasn’t what I had anticipated. I’ve been spoiled by too many really damn good gluten-free pizzas that when I get something like this…it’s a complete let-down.
At least tradition remained thanks to Husson’s Pizza.
Husson’s Pizza’s Gluten-Free Pizza with Tomatoes and Pineapple
Da Luciano – Pizza, Pasta & Catering, River Grove, Illinois
Restaurant: Da Luciano – Pasta, Pizza& Catering, River Grove, Illinois
This…was an important dining choice to make when I was coming to Chicago, Illinois. I mean…for real. This was a big…heap…deal.
Why?
Because I was in town for the Chicago Marathon. I needed a safe meal…one that would guarantee that I would have no stomach issues…and…being that I was running on Sunday morning…this needed to include gluten-free pizza. It HADto be gluten-free pizza. That is my stipulation when it comes to the night before a big run. If it’s a half marathon or marathon…it has to be gluten-free, vegetarian pizza. It just works for me. Some down pasta…not this girl. This girl indulges in a few epic slices of (hopefully) amazing pizza. Gluten-free pizza isn’t tasteless cardboard, you know. When done right…it is a culinary work of art.
And I’ve eaten good and bad gluten-free pizzas…as they are well documented in this blog.
But there was something special about Da Luciano, which is one of the reasons, despite meaning a car ride outside of downtown Chicago, that I felt I needed to eat there the night before the Chicago Marathon.
What was so special about this place?
They understand Celiac Disease. They totally get me. They totally know how to handle and prepare my food so that I won’t get sick from eating there. And how do I know this? Well, as stated on their Web site, the owners, Luciano and Rosalia, were first introduced to the gluten-free world when four of of their seven children were diagnosed with Celiac Disease. Being an Italian family, bread and pasta were daily staples in their diets. Rosalia set out on a mission to find quality gluten-free bread and pasta for her children, but found that her options were limited. So, she began to experiment with her own recipes, succeeding in making gluten-free bread, pasta, pizza, and desserts that satisfied all of her children. When Da Luciano Pizza, Pasta & Catering opened the following year, they decided to offer their customers a gluten-free menu featuring Rosalia’s amazing recipes. The response from the gluten-free community was huge.
So…as you can see…this place won me over right from the start. And, upon arriving at the restaurant, we were immediately asked if anyone needed a gluten-free menu. I didn’t have to request one. I didn’t have to ask if one even existed. The hostess just flat-out asked. And so, when we were seated, I was given their rather extensive (no one sheet of paper here…but a true menu, my friends!) gluten-free menu to peruse.
So many of the dishes sounded awesome. And part of me wanted to do the gluten-free bruschetta for an appetizer…but we had all decided that dessert was happening…so the appetizer went to the wayside…this time. The gluten-free menu at Da Luciano is about as big as the regular menu. So many of the dishes are offered as a gluten-free option. From the dishes with meat (as I’m a vegetarian, I didn’t look at the extensive seafood, chicken, and veal offerings), but there were many amazing sounding pasta dishes. BUT…I never change up the night before a race…and it was one of their individual gluten-free pizzas for me.
When our waitress returned to the table to take our orders…we were all settled on what we wanted. Heather is not big on carbs, so she went with one of the chicken entrees. Her choice – Chicken Scaloppine ($14.95), which was thinly sliced chicken served in what looked like a tomato and mushroom sauce. Cathy opted for the Rigatoni Porcini ($11.95), which was rigatoni pasta cooked with porcini mushrooms in a light cream sauce. Jenn went with the Gnocchi al Pesto ($11.95), which was delicious looking gnocchi served in a creamy (probably) basil pesto sauce. It looked fantastic.
Da Luciano’s Gluten-Free Pizza with Mushrooms, Onions, and Roasted Red Peppers
But for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Pizza ($8.50) topped off with mushrooms, onion, and roasted red pepper ($0.75 each). I couldn’t wait to get a taste of this pizza. And…I wanted to make sure that Heather got a bite as well, because she suffered through the disaster of Pizza Ranch in Minnesota with me…and I wanted her to know good gluten-free pizza was out there. If we had been in Louisville…I’d take her to Annie May’s Sweet Café and split one of those amazing pizzas with her…but when in Chicago…you find a place that works.
We had a little wait, but soon our food was arriving at the table. And it all looked and smelled amazing! I photographed every dish…especially my pizza. And it was time to dig in.
So…
WINNING!! Granted, I still like my local bakery’s crust better…but this definitely is one of the best crusts I’ve had on a gluten-free pizza. Cooked to golden perfection, so it was crispy, without being burnt or overdone. And it still had that nice doughy texture with it as well. The sauce was amazing. The cheese…was more than I would have liked…but…it starts off as a cheese pizza. The other toppings get added. The star of the toppings, however, were the roasted red peppers. OMG…YES! Packed with flavor. Mild…but with that right amount of kick to keep the palate interested. The onions didn’t overpower anything. And the mushrooms were done to perfection. Nothing watery. Nothing disappointing. And, as I cut off pieces for my friends to try, the rest of it was mine. All mine. And yes…I devoured it all. Every slice. I might have licked the plate clean. It was delicious…and I needed to top off the tanks for the marathon the next morning. This was the key.
And, as I mentioned earlier…dessert was going to happen. I had 6 options to choose from on the gluten-free dessert menu. And while they all sounded fantastic, I was down to three choices…the cream puffs, the tiramisu, and the cannoli. It took a lot of pondering, internal debate, and deliberation with myself to pick between them. I rarely have so many options for a dessert…so choosing one was not easy. The cream puffs almost won, but I wasn’t sure how big they were and it came with two on the plate. The tiramisu was SO tempting. I haven’t had tiramisu in a long, long time. I wanted it. But…ultimately…I settled on the Gluten-Free Cannoli ($4.95). Both Jenn and Cathy opted for the regular Cannoli ($3.95) and Heather went with the regular Tiramisu ($3.95).
I was so excited when our desserts emerged from the kitchen and at our table. My cannoli definitely looked different from Cathy & Jenn’s…but it was the color and thickness of the shell. That was the only difference. Heather’s tiramisu looked absolutely amazing. Next time…(and there will be a next time!)…I’ll get the gluten-free tiramisu. It looked fluffy and amazing.
So…how was the gluten-free cannoli? SO SO SO good. SO GOOD!! MMMMMMMM….GOOD! OMG…GOOOOOOOOOD! The cannoli cream was amazing. Sweet, but not overly sweet. Creamy. Amazing. Delicious. It had bits of chocolate chips and fruit. There was a candied orange peel on each end. And the shell…sugary-sweet goodness. The crunch that it had with each bite was satisfying. And it all just blended together. It worked. And I devoured my dessert happily.
With that…I went and purchased a few bags of their gluten-free pasta, available at the register, and we paid our bill. As we were leaving, I overheard the restaurant manager explaining to a customer that the way the manage no cross-contamination is that all the gluten-free dishes are prepared in the kitchen upstairs at the restaurant…and the regular menu items are all done in the kitchen downstairs. Brilliant. And so safe for Celiacs. I loved learning that about Da Luciano’s. It’s nice to know I had nothing to worry about when eating there…which is good because the last thing you want before running 26.2 miles is tummy troubles.
We had to head back downtown…after dropping Heather off at a train station to head back to her hotel. We had plans for when she would arrive at The Hilton Chicago to meet up with us before the the marathon the following morning. We were all satisfied and happy with the meal we ate at Da Luciano. I will be back the next time I find myself in Chicago…which I hope is soon.
Speaking of which…the gluten-free pizza worked its magic as always…I had a fantastic marathon. Thank you, Da Luciano…for giving me my pre-race carbs in my favorite form. I can’t wait to come back and try more of your amazing menu.
So, if you find yourself in the Chicago area, make a point to head to River Grove and eat at the fantastic Da Luciano – Pasta, Pizza & Catering. It’s worth the short drive because the food is simply that amazing.
Yes…you read that title right. This is a pizza crust…made out of broccoli. Hey…I’m doing this whole clean eating thing, and while I love a real (gluten-free) pizza crust as much as anyone else, sometimes you just want to think outside the pizza box and try something new. And since it’s getting to the point where I always have broccoli in my CSA bin…well…instead of doing a typical cauliflower crust (if you can call that typical)…I decided to give it a go with one of my favorite veggies…broccoli.
It’s a little bit of work, but it’s a beautiful and nutritious alternative to standard pizza crust. I make mine with vegan cheese do to lactose intolerance, but regular cheese works just as well. Don’t mock it until you try it:
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese (I use Daiya mozzarella shreds)
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon nutritional yeast (optional…but I highly recommend it)
1 large egg
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Chop the broccoli into florets (try to remove the stems) and place them in the large bowl of a food processor. Pulse for about 30 seconds, just until all of the florets have been cut down into very fine crumbs. You should have about 3 cups of crumbs.
Transfer to a microwave safe bowl, cover, and microwave on high for 4 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.
Transfer to a clean tea towel (not paper towels because they will shred). Wrap the broccoli bits up tightly in the towel and wring all the water out over the sink. There is actually quite a bit of water in the broccoli, so keep wringing to get out as much water as you can. This will help keep the crust from crumbling.
Combine dried broccoli with the cheese, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, and egg. Use your hands (that’s it…get a little dirty) to mix everything together.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking sheet and form into a 10-inch thin circle. Bake in preheated oven for 10-11 minutes.
Once crust has precooked, remove from the oven and top with whatever toppings you like. For this particular pizza, I topped mine off with slices of fresh red tomato, caramelized onion, chopped yellow pepper, chopped avocado and topped it off with goat cheese.
Return to oven and bake for another 15-20 minutes.
Remove from oven and serve.
~*~*~
As you can imagine, this crust doesn’t keep very well so you’ll want to eat the entire thing that day. So either share with a friend of come to dinner hungry. Cheese, herbs and fresh veggies made up my entire pizza and it was super delicious. You won’t even miss the actual crust. Honestly! This has become one of the meals my roommate begs me to make. It’s a good thing we get lots of broccoli.
With our California girls needing to return to work…and since we were sort of already out that way…and sort of missed out on our usual journey to Denver, Colorado in April due to my roomie’s teammate…Cathy and I decided that we would take that journey to Colorado. I admit, for much of the planning stages, tacking on the Denver portion was a nightmare…but we got it all worked out. And with that, we got to spend Wednesday through Sunday in beautiful Colorado.
There is so much to do and see in Colorado…and we’ve been here enough times that we have our favorites that we wouldn’t miss out on…ever. But, we also had our sights on some new adventures, both with friends and with food.
So…here’s how a gluten-free vegetarian eats while in Colorado!
Zamparelli’s Italian Bistro – Lafayette, Colorado
Zamparelli’s Italian Bistro, Lafayette, Colorado
It was our first day in Colorado. After landing at the Denver airport and getting our rental car (free upgrade to the Toyota Prius), we hit the road for our drive up to the Boulder, Colorado area. We were staying at the Boulder Twin Lake Inn, where many a famous runner has spent the night. I was thrilled. I was hoping maybe I was in the room Shalane Flanagan stayed in so that I could channel some of her speed. The inn is actually owned by runners, which is why it is popular with runners. Well, after getting checked in, we were starving…so Cathy and I made a short little drive to Lafayette, Colorado. Our Find Me Gluten-Free app had directed us toward a place called Zaparelli’s Italian Bistro…and it had many gluten-free options. Including…gluten-free pizza. Which, mind you, I was thrilled about, as I was doing my long run the following morning around the area the inn was located in…a full 12.5 mile run. Pizza was just the thing I needed.
Wanting to try something we couldn’t get anywhere else, we decided to get a Gluten-Free Johnny V’s Vegan Pie ($15.00). It just sounded intriguing…and, as I said, the toppings were different from anything we’d been able to get out anywhere else. Order in. At Zamparelli’s…the gluten-free crust is a $2.00 upcharge, but when you have to eat gluten-free, what are you going to do? The gluten-free pizza is a 12-inch pizza crust…and in this case…it is topped off with a garlicky white bean spread, roasted red peppers, caramelized onions, sauteed spinach, roasted mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and a spicy salsa rosa. Is your mouth watering yet? Mine was just reading the description. I liked that it was vegan…no cheese to upset my delicate stomach as it sometimes does. Also important with that long run looming.
The pizza was delivered and boy…did it look and smell amazing. It tasted just as good as it looked too. The white bean spread acted as the base, instead of a tomato sauce. The roasted red peppers elevated a lot of the flavor, especially when paired with the caramelized onion. Sweet and savory. Very delicious. But the star, believe it or not, were the artichoke hearts. That just brought all the other toppings together. Fantastic. The crust was really good. Not undercooked, but done to perfection. It was a thin crust without being a cracker crust, which I appreciated. I was quite happy with this meal and my roommate and I walked out of there satisfied, full, and quite happy.
The Buff Restaurant – Boulder, Colorado
The Buff Restaurant, Boulder, Colorado
I first heard about The Buff Restaurant on Man vs. Food. They are best known for their “Saddlebags” which are pancakes that are stuffed with either bacon, sausage or ham, and then topped off with two eggs. They are massive, mind you. Like…steering wheel size. So much more of the menu now has a gluten-free option available (including the Saddlebags…except being vegetarian…not for me)…but I had just done a 12.5 mile run and I was wanting some protein.
I ended up getting one of the omelettes. In fact, I went with the Veggie Omelette ($9.50). This thing is, honestly, the size of my head. But…full of delicious veggie goodness. This particular omelette comes packed with broccoli, mushrooms, tomatoes, spinach and onions, with a touch of blended cheddar. Along with this massive egg-splosion of goodness (see what I did there?), you get a side of their potatoes…or you can upgrade to the fruit for just $1.00 more. I wanted my carbs…so I stuck with the potatoes. And, with it came a slice of gluten-free toast. YUM! As I was in need of some caffeine, I ordered a Café Au Lait with almond milk ($3.50). It was just the hit I needed, especially since the cup it came out in was, again, the size of my head. I think I was wired for much the rest of the day. But it was good.
So was the food for that matter, but I already knew that. I’ve been eating at The Buff for three years now. I make a trip to Boulder specifically to eat there and go to the Celestial Seasonings factory. Honestly. I do. It’s the truth. The eggs are always done to perfection. The toast is crispy and never burned. I love it with their homemade jam. SO delicious. And the potatoes…they are my favorite way to consume carbs. Seasoned to perfection. Done with that bit of crisp on the outside and that soft center. I ate mine with hot sauce. The omelette too. HEAVEN…on a plate. Which I demolished, mind you. I ate every last piece. I was full for the rest of the day.
St. Bon’s Café – Highlands Ranch, Colorado
St. Bon’s Café, Highlands Ranch, Colorado
Around 5 p.m. after my massive breakfast, however, the tummy was starting to get a case of the rumblies. And my roommate had researched the perfect solution for said problem. We were now down in Denver for the remainder of our stay and it just so happened that Denver is the home of a 100% gluten-free deli and bakery. Seriously.
St. Bon’s Café was an absolute nightmare to get to. And we were getting hungry and cranky as we made our way through rush hour traffic on a Thursday night. Our GPS got us down to the right area, but had so much trouble actually getting us to the store. I finally looked it up on my iPhone and managed to get us there. But it was about 30 minutes before they were going to close. It was a good thing we already had an idea of what we wanted to eat…because we were cutting it close.
That being said, the owner, Kurt Fulwider, was behind the counter and ready to take our orders. He told us not to worry about it. He had a meeting he needed to get to across town and already called to say it wasn’t happening and that he would be late. So…we ordered…not just dinner…but a dessert to split. More on that after I tell you about our sandwiches.
For me…I wanted The 3 Wisemen Panini on the house made Rosemary Thyme Focaccia ($7.99). The 3 Wisemen is a basic caprese sandwich. It’s freshly sliced tomatoes, basil leaves and mozzarella. Cathy went with her favorite…something cheesy…opting for The Trinity Panini on the house made Basil Garlic Focaccia ($7.99). This sandwich is stuffed full of three different cheeses…creamy havarti, sharp white cheddar, and smooth meunster. We decided we could split a dessert and I had my heart already set on the Blasphemous Bread Pudding ($3.99), which was a gluten-free bread putting with a delicious custard and dark chocolate. With our orders now paid for, we settled at a table until they were ready.
Let me tell you…the wait wasn’t bad…and the food was fantastic. Absolutely FANTASTIC! I fell in love with the rosemary thyme focaccia. The flavors meshed so well with the fixings in my sandwich. The basil was so fresh and so fragrant. The mozarella was melt-in-your sammie good. And the tomatoes were ripe, and didn’t bleed juice all over my bread. The focaccia was toasted in the panini press to perfection, giving that nice golden crispiness to each bite. I was in love with this sandwich. Cathy tried a piece and said while she loved hers…she really loved the bread on mine.
As for that sinful dessert…oh…yeah. It was rich…creamy…and beyond blasphemous. This was a sin to eat. The custard was rich and creamy, but not overly heavy. The dark chocolate…melt my heart to pieces…so good. It paired so well with the custard. I was so happy when eating this. So very happy. I sort of want to recreate it for myself. If possible. It’s worth a try. Yep…that good. Mouth watering…sinfully…satisfyingly…perfect for when you are PMS-ing or any other time because you just need some chocolate dammit…good!! I hope I can get back here when I’m in Denver in May. It must happen.
Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery – Colorado Springs, Colorado
Coquette’s Bistro & Bakery, Colorado Springs, Colorado
I love crepes. LOVE them. With the exception of my local food truck, I normally can’t have them. I don’t have a good crepe pan to do them myself…nor would they come close to what Sweet ‘N’ Savory can cook up for me in their food truck. Normally when I am in Colorado, I would go to La Creperie Cafe in Denver. But…they closed. THEY CLOSED!! I was saddened by this, but started doing some research. What I did run across though was a little cafe that does only 100% gluten-free food. The catch was…it was in Colorado Springs. The best thing is…that doesn’t phase Cathy. We hopped in the car on Friday morning and took a little drive down to Colorado Springs.
Nestled at the foot of Pike’s Peak, Coquette’s Bistro and Bakery has the perfect location to entertain visitors and locals alike. The place and the food has won numerous awards over the four years it has been open. And it claims that the food is so amazing, you’d never guess it was gluten-free. This little restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, espresso, and cocktails. There is a little bit for everyone.
But Cathy and I made the journey for…yep…crepes. None of their savory crepes are vegetarian. That was fine for Cathy, and she ended up ordering the Rise and Dine ($11.00), which is a crepe that is stuffed full (and I mean full) with two scrambled eggs, ham, red onions, tomatoes, and cheddar cheese. The crepe is then topped off with hollandaise. It came with a side of fruit or their truffled potatoes. She went potatoes. I swiped one. OMG. Amazing. I swiped more than one after that. I think she welcomed the help as her crepe was HUGE. I would have gone savory had there been a vegetarian option…but I was okay going sweet. Most of the offerings were what I could get from my local gluten-free crepe food truck…so I went with the one that I hadn’t been served by my local go-to gluten-free crepe place. And that was the Bananas Fosters Crepe ($8.50). This dessert crepe (hey…dessert for breakfast is allowed on vacation!) is a delicious crepe that is topped off with banana and a rum brown sugar flambé. The crepe is served with some house made whipped cream on the side. My crepe was definitely the size of my plate, but being a dessert crepe, it is usually dusted with cinnamon and sugar on the inside and then topped off with the goodness on the outside. Much less to navigate through. But…let me tell you…this was one fantastic crepe. I loved the rum brown sugar sauce. The whipped cream was a nice touch. And the banana, being one of my favorite fruits in this world, made it all taste a little like heaven. I devoured it. Like…completely. Cathy had a good portion of her crepe remaining. Not me. I went all vegetarian piggy on that plate. Worth it. YUM! I am making this a required stop from now on. It must happen. It is that good. And I feel safe eating there.
Baker Street Pub & Grill – Denver, Colorado
Baker Street Pub & Grill, Denver, Colorado
It’s no secret…my roommate and I are completely obsessed with Sherlock Holmes. For real. No…seriously. And when we discovered that just a short walk from our hotel room at the Denver DTC was one of Colorado’s four Baker Street Pub & Grill locations, well, you better believe we knew what we were doing for dinner after hiking around Colorado Springs and the Garden of the Gods. Hey…you work up an appetite doing that.
We walked over to Baker Street Pub & Grill from the hotel on Friday evening. I loved how you got to seat yourself. Our server, a bubbly and enthusiastic woman came over to see about drinks. I was sticking with water. But Cathy decided to take in Happy Hour and went with a Baker Street Brown Ale ($4.25). And with that…her usual pub fare…a half portion of the Fish & Chips ($7.99). As for me…I went with the Baby Spinach and Feta Cheese Salad ($9.99), which I added avocado slices to ($1.49) with a side of the Serrano Coleslaw ($1.99). Our waitress put in our order and we sort of geeked out over Sherlock Holmes until it arrived.
My salad was MASSIVE!! And it looked absolutely amazing to top it off. This salad was a blend of baby spinach, feta cheese, gala apples, red onions, candied pecans (they didn’t candy mine), and red grapes. All of this was tossed in a fantastic raspberry vinaigrette dressing. And let’s not forget my deep love of avocado…which topped off my salad nicely and gave it this rich creaminess that I truly love in a salad. The flavors really, really worked together. I loved the way the fruit played well with the vegetables and how the sweet, yet savory vinaigrette just brought it all together. The avocado…if you order a salad…always top it with avocado…trust me!! As for the coleslaw…eh…it was coleslaw. With the wording of Serrano Coleslaw, I expected something with some heat behind it…but it just tasted like your run-of-the-mill coleslaw. Probably my only disappointment. The rest…so good!
Cathy was very impressed with her fish. In fact, we both enjoyed our food so much we came back on Saturday night, our last night in town. The manager on duty rustled up some can coozies for us and let us get in the big phone booth outside and took a picture. It was epic. We ordered the same thing…minus the coleslaw and rounded out the perfect stay in Colorado at one of our new favorite places in Denver…just a short walk from our hotel. Perfection.
Udi’s Café and Bar – Denver Airport – Denver, Colorado
Udi’s Café & Bar, Denver Airport, Denver, Colorado
I had every intention of making it out of Denver without eating at the airport. I figured Cathy and I would grab something in Atlanta. It’s a good thing she talked me out of that because we had no time for food in Atlanta as it turned out. So, her plan to eat something in Denver before heading to our gate for the first leg of our journey back to Louisville was a stroke of sheer genius.
And to our delight, Terminal B at the Denver Airport has an Udi’s Café and Bar. Udi’s is one of the major names in gluten-free breads and other products on the market. And…they are based in Denver. So the fact that the airport has one of these cafés shouldn’t be a surprise. I was so happy they did.
We settled in at a table and a waitress came over to give us menus and let us look them over. We had a vague idea of what we wanted to eat…sandwiches…with fries. Filling. Which is exactly what we needed, honestly.
Cathy went with the BLTA ($9.35), which is a bacon, lettuce, tomato and avocado sandwich with chipotle aioli and served on ciabatta bread. She got hers with the standard fries that come with the sandwich. As for me…I went with the Gluten-Free Caprese Sandwich ($9.95) and substituted the regular fries for Sweet Potato Fries ($2.00). Gluten-free sweet potato fries. Pardon my dance of joy and glee. This was the second time this trip I was getting sweet potato fries. This is me…being happy.
It was a little bit of a wait, but Cathy and I soon received our plates full of food. The sandwiches were huge. The fries…a big portion. But this was our meal for the day…so while we weren’t starving…we dove in.
My fries were FANTASTIC! Better than the ones I waited forever for at Disneyland. They were crispy, fried to perfection. I was in love with them. In fact, I saved them for the last bite because I wanted to remember those fries. As for the sandwich…epic win. Served on Udi’s bread (of course), this sandwich was stuffed with mozzarella cheese, fresh tomatoes, and a pesto aioli. And the flavors just popped. I have been eating a lot of caprese things since going gluten-free and this was one of the best sandwiches put together. Simple flavors…executed perfectly. And served with SWEET POTATO FRIES!! I was thrilled to actually be able to eat something other than a fruit cup, a salad, or some unhealthy snack at the airport. Seriously. This was my happy that day.
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So…there you have it. I find eating gluten-free in Colorado to be so easy. Both Rudi’s Gluten-Free and Udi’s Gluten-Free are based out of Colorado (one in Boulder…the other in Denver). Granted, on Saturday when we went up into the mountains to Rocky Mountain State Park…my lunch was a banana, some yogurt, and some Boulder chips…but…I’m in the mountains. I will cut them some slack.
This was one of my best foodie trips to date. Both California and Colorado offered me so many options and such delicious food. I wasn’t really disappointed with any of the restaurants that we chose to dine in. And that…is amazing!!
Colorado…see you in May. I hope my favorite places to eat will be ready for me again!
Between Disneyland and the little out-of-the-way places that we ducked into for food and anything else…I was well-fed and felt very safe in my food choices while visiting friends in California. In fact, Indy and her hubby, Evan, even went out to Whole Foods and picked up gluten-free cookies and some gluten-free crackers for me to have while staying with them. They are, honestly, the best. Nice to have people take my food allergies and everything else in stride and not totally panic. Best hosts…EVER!
So, I spent a total of three days at Disneyland and then one full day seeing bits and pieces of California. All the while…taking in food and enjoying every single bite. I’m breaking this posting down into two separate posts because…well…the dinner I had at Napa Rose needs its own little post. Honestly. Because it was the best meal I have ever had. (Sorry, Mom…but it’s true!).
So…I guess we’ll start at the very beginning…
Flo’s V8 Cafe – Cars Land – Disney California Adventure Park
Flo’s V8 Café, Cars Land, Disney’s California Adventure Park
You know…I give Disney props. Both theme parks on each coast do their best to work with people with specific diets and specific food allergies. And this was incredibly clear when I sat down to eat a “light” lunch (I was getting pizza later that evening) while out and about in California Adventure on Saturday. I hadn’t yet made it to the race expo, but I knew I needed a small bite to get through until it was time to eat my required pre-race gluten-free pizza. We were in Cars Land at the moment, so we stepped into Flo’s V8 Café and took a look at the menu board. When we got up to the register, my traveling party (Cathy, Indy & Tawn) all decided they were going to eat elsewhere…which made me not want to eat here…but…I wasn’t sure what there would be outside that would be nutritious and still filling. At the register, I mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian so the cashier went to go and retrieve the chef. The chef came out a couple of moments later and I reiterated that I was a gluten-free vegetarian. She said it wasn’t a problem and mentioned the items I could get, including the Citrus Turkey Salad, sans turkey. Actually, none of it sounded like anything I wanted…the side dishes were just…eh…meh. And the salad was…well…a salad. But, I needed something…so I said I would give the Citrus Turkey Salad ($11.49), no turkey, a go!
I paid the cashier and took the receipt up to the counter. And my salad came up…gluten-free roll…but…UGH…the turkey had been placed on the salad. I mentioned that my salad wasn’t supposed to have turkey on it, so the worker at the counter sent it back to the kitchen and spoke with the chef. It took a few minutes, but my new salad came up, gluten-free roll, little dish of dressing, GODZILLA-sized salad, which was a basic mix of mixed greens, carrots, cucumbers, and yellow peppers. It came with a citrus-tarragon dressing. And trust me…this salad was HUGE. I knew I wouldn’t be able to finish it. But, if anything was certain, I was going to devour that roll. The roll, by the way, looks like the Udi’s gluten-free rolls I can buy at specialty stores around here. I think they were Udi’s. I loved the roll. I loved it to pieces…and pieces…and pieces until it was all gone.
The salad itself was fresh and crisp. And the dressing made a nice flavor addition to the raw vegetables. It was…a general salad, just taken to extreme proportion. I ate about 3/4 of it before I called it quits. It was just a lot of food. The vegetables were fresh and crisp, the dressing was served on the side instead of just being poured over the salad, and perhaps drowning the vegetables. It was good. But…let’s face it…it’s a salad I could have made at home for a lot cheaper.
Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port – Tomorrowland – Disneyland Park
Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port, Tomorrowland, Disneyland Park
It was the evening before the Disneyland Half Marathon, and Indy and I were in desperate need of some carbs. And it is a requirement…I mean one of those dead-set superstitious athlete requirements for me to eat gluten-free pizza the night before a big race. It has to happen. If it doesn’t happen…I make it happen. Somehow.
Indy knew that this was a must coming into the trip, so she asked around at Disneyland about good places to get a gluten-free pizza. She was directed to Redd Rocket’s Pizza Port, which is a cafeteria-style, quick service joint in Tomorrowland. We got there just before a flood of people and we spoke to one of the people manning the counters about gluten-free and vegetarian options. She said she would go and fetch the chef. I ended up standing there for around 10-15 minutes waiting on the chef, long enough for a couple of employees to ask if I needed help. Indy and Tawn had already gotten their pastas and were now waiting with me. Cathy was waiting because we weren’t sure if this was going to be a personal pizza or one we’d need to split. You just never know.
After the wait continued, I told Indy and Tawn to go and pay and eat while their food was still hot. I didn’t want them to settle in with cold pasta. Gross! So, they finally agreed, and just after they walked away…the chef finally emerged to talk to me. I told him that I was a gluten-free vegetarian, and he said I had two options…a gluten-free personal cheese pizza…or gluten-free rice noodles with a tomato marinara. Night before the race…it has to be pizza. So, I put in my order for gluten-free cheese pizza ($8.99). I was told it would take 10 minutes so to go ahead and pay and then come back to the counter in about 10 minutes. I did just that, grabbed some plastic dinnerware, napkins, and some crushed red pepper packets and went to join my friends. Cathy had gotten one of the pizza slices and some breadsticks and joined them in eating. And I watched them eat for about 5 minutes as it took me awhile to pay. When 10 minutes was up, I got up from my table and made my way back to the counter to, hopefully, get my food. But my pizza wasn’t up yet. There was a group of four ahead of me. And that took about 5 minutes for them to get their gluten-free pizzas served to them. Then…it took another 3-5 minutes waiting on mine. By now Indy and Cathy were done eating. When my pizza was sliced and finally put on a plate…I went to rejoin my friends and only Tawn was still nomming on her pasta.
The pizza was nothing to write home about. It was the same gluten-free cheese pizza I ended up getting while at Disney World in February. Just a small, personal-size pizza on a gluten-free crust (at least the crust was fluffy), with tomato sauce and cheese. It was…okay. I mean, I have definitely had worse…but I have most definitely had better. I seasoned it with some red pepper flakes and just wolfed it down. At that point I was starving and we had World of Color Fast Passes and the clock was ticking. Nothing to write home about. Just…pizza. Eh. Not impressed.
Hungry Bear Restaurant – Critter Country – Disneyland Park
Hungry Bear Restaurant, Critter Country, Disneyland Park
It was the afternoon after I ran 13.1 miles through Disneyland and Anaheim, California. It was just three of us. Indy, who also ran, said she needed to rest and recover. Poor thing. So this meant our new guide for the day was the great, the epic, TAWN!! And she knew all the places to hit. We had a busy and very stressful morning…between race logistics, running, cheering, and finishing…then heading out to the park…
We rode rides and soon we knew we needed to eat something small before we hit the hotel early to rotate through showers and start getting ready for the most epic meal of our lives…courtesy of Indy. But…that gets it’s own post. For now…we focus on what I ate for “lunch” the day of the Disneyland Half Marathon.
I had heard tales and rumors that Hungry Bear Restaurant did gluten-free sweet potato fries. Sweet potato fries are one of my most favorite things in the world. Honestly. Sure, fries probably aren’t the best recovery meal…but they were what I wanted. That was it. It was all I needed. Tawn walked me over to Hungry Bear and I headed up to go place my order. I reached the cashier and told her I heard they could do gluten-free sweet potato fries. She confirmed this and said she’d go and get the chef.
The chef emerged a few minutes later and said that fries could certainly be done gluten-free. I said that was all I wanted and went ahead and put in the order – gluten-free sweet potato fries ($3.99). I was sent up to the counter and I passed off the receipt and was told it would be a few minutes. I politely stepped aside, knowing this would be the case. But a few minutes turned into 5. Then 10. Soon the staff was shouting back to the kitchen about the gluten-free sweet potato fries because it had been on order for 15 minutes. The manager came out to apologize to me, saying that there had been a mix-up in the kitchen and it would be a few more minutes. He offered me a free dessert, but none of their desserts were gluten-free so I passed. After just over 20 minutes, my one little serving of sweet potato fries came up and I snagged them, went to grab some ketchup and finally went back down to meet Tawn. She had been waiting a long time. We had left Cathy at a table with her lunch, and it was long gone by the time we returned. Tawn went off to find herself something to eat and I finally dug in.
To their credit…the sweet potato fries were perfect. Crispy on the outside, soft in the center. Warm. Hot. Seasoned well. And just what I wanted. They were phenomenal. Definitely better than the oven baked ones that I make at home. I mean, I love making my own, but there is something so fantastic about sweet potato strips that are literally fried to perfection, seasoned well, and served up piping hot and fresh. So, while I think I aged a little standing in line waiting on an order the kitchen at Hungry Bear Restaurant forgot about…it was well worth the wait.
Tiki Juice Bar – Adventureland – Disneyland Park
Tiki Juice Bar, Adventureland, Disneyland Park
DOLE. WHIP. Need I say more? Let me say it one more time. DOLE WHIP! I love Dole Whip and ended up coming to the Tiki Juice Bar twice during my 3-day stay in Disneyland.
The second time I contemplated getting a Dole Whip Float…but wasn’t sure I had enough money for one. So, both times I ended up getting the standard Soft Serve Dole Whip ($3.69). LOVE.
It’s pineapple goodness in a cup. One that I will always take time to indulge in whenever I roam at Disney. Yeah…Dole Whip is an experience. One that shouldn’t be missed. EVER!
Carnation Café – Main Street, U.S.A. – Disneyland Park
Carnation Café, Main Street, U.S.A., Disneyland Park
The only other request that I made for while the four of us were all at Disneyland was simple. I needed gluten-free Mickey waffles in my life. So, Indy, as always being the rockstar, sought out a place that served them. She’s awesome like that. So, after a late night and an early morning (for me…as I went running for 7 miles for my marathon training), we headed into Disneyland for our last meal together as a group of four. Tawn was leaving that afternoon to head back to Fresno.
We arrived at Carnation Café just ahead of our reservation time. We were asked if we wanted to sit outside or inside. It was such a gorgeous morning that day that we chose to sit outside, as long as we were somewhere shady. The hostess found us the perfect spot and we all settled in and started to look at the menu.
When our waitress came over to the table, she explained that we actually had a different server, but he was on his break so she’d be taking care of us until he returned. We went ahead and told her that I couldn’t have gluten, something they were already aware of because Indy mentioned this when she made the reservation. Of course none of this was an issue. She said she’d go to get the chef and he would go over some options with me. He did emerge a few minutes later and asked what I was interested in having for breakfast. I gave him the hopeful eyes…Mickey waffles? He said he wasn’t sure they could make gluten-free Mickey waffles due to the surface they were cooked on…but he might be able to do regular pancakes (not Mickey shaped). But he said he’d go double check. He returned after everyone else placed their orders and said that he could make me gluten-free mini Mickey waffles safely. I was a happy girl, because I really, really wanted Mickey waffles while at Disneyland. Dreams really do come true.
I went ahead and ordered gluten-free Mickey waffles ($10.49) with fresh fruit instead of the sausage or bacon side…since I am vegetarian. They were happy to make that substitution for me. I also had this with fresh brewed Joffrey’s Coffee ($2.99).
The coffee was really good. Not too bitter. I sweetened it with real sugar…as my coconut sugar was left back in Indiana. After a short wait…out came our food. Only Tawn and I kept with the plan to get waffles. Indy ended up getting the Huevos Rancheros and Cathy got the All-American Breakfast.
My mini waffles were…delicious. Definitely not the golden crispy goodness that Tawn got out of her Mickey head waffle. But…the miniature Mickey waffles tasted amazing. I poured a little pure maple syrup over them and dug right in. I was given four Mickey waffle heads and ate all four of them without any shame or guilt. The fruit was gone in a flash. I am a fruit monster. They were able to accommodate me and get me the item on the menu that I truly wanted. Carnation Café was made of win.
So were the waffles…for the record. Epic…gluten-free…WIN!
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar – Disneyland Resort Area – Disneyland Hotel
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar, Disneyland Resort Area, Disneyland Hotel
Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar is like no other bar you have ever experienced. The food they serve is unique bar food. The drinks they serve are fun. The manner in which some drinks are served are SUPER fun and invoke chanting and lights flashing, ships going down, all of that. It’s a place you have to go to grab a drink. And, as this was our final day in Disneyland…we chose to do just that.
Food choices, for me, were rather limited. But, Indy was telling me about this amazing Green Papaya Salad ($?.??) that they served. We inquired with the bar tender about the ingredients and he went to check with the chef to see whether it was gluten-free and vegetarian. Turns out…it was. So, while Cathy and Indy split the Panko-Crusted Chinese Long Beans, I was served up a refreshing and quite delicious Green Papaya Salad.
No trip to Trader Sam’s is complete without having one of their famous drinks. As I’m always iffy and careful with alcohol…I decided to go with one of the non-alcoholic beverage specials served at the bar. My choice of Sam’s No Booze Brews was the Jungle River Sunset ($4.49) which is a mix of orange juice, falernum, and hibiscus grenadine, all topped off with soda water. And, yes…I ate my garnish.
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta – Paradise Pier – Disney California Adventure Park
Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta, Paradise Pier, Disney California Adventure Park
It was getting late and our plan to see Fantasmic that night was about to be put into action. That being said, our appetizers from Trader Sam’s were long gone and we were definitely ready to eat some food. We ended up coming to Boardwalk Pizza and Pasta…because we were just really wanting Italian or something. Because originally I was going to get something else, but when they kept mentioning the pizza and pasta place…it just sounded better.
So, we entered Boardwalk Pizza & Pasta and it was another counter service sort of thing. I went up and mentioned that I was a gluten-free vegetarian and they sent for the chef. He was out in no time. Honestly. And when I told him I was a gluten-free vegetarian, he immediately mentioned the two standbys that the Italian restaurants have on hand at Disneyland…a personal-size gluten-free cheese pizza or rice noodles with a tomato marinara sauce. I’ve done the pizza. It’s the same as always…and not really worth the repeat. So, I went with the Gluten-Free Rice Pasta with the Tomato Marinara ($9.49). He said it would take about 10 minutes. And when he went back behind the counter, he immediately changed his gloves to start preparing my food. I breathed a sigh of relief. Cathy ordered a regular Spaghetti With Meatballs and Indy went with the Five Cheese Ravioli. They were both made to order, but Cathy’s came up way ahead of ours. We sent her outside to get us a seat. About 5 minutes later, my spaghetti arrived. And this serving was HUGE. We’re talking the King Kong of spaghetti dishes. Holy crap!! I figured I’d get maybe halfway through it and be done. Indy’s was the last to come up…so she was the last to join us at the table. Cathy had already started eating…I was just starting…so we had timing. At least none of us were left without food when all was said and done.
The rice pasta was really al dente. Not bad…but not as soft as normally rice pasta would be. The tomato sauce was rich and delicious and really made the dish, in my opinion. The spaghetti really would have been lackluster and disappointing without it. I sprinkled a bit of crushed red pepper onto the pasta to give it that slight kick that I like. Me and spicy food make for a loving relationship. Honestly. I like it hot. So, the spaghetti, like the quick service pizza, was…just okay. Nothing to really write home about…or go on any longer in this blog.
Indy’s Egg Scramble of Awesome
Indy’s Egg Scramble of Awesome
When you have fresh ingredients in your garden…what happens? You make your husband and your friends one of the most epic egg scrambles ever. Honestly…this was amazing. So delicious. So yummy. I still think about it. That’s why a homemade dish is being put into my blog. None of you, unless you also know Indy, will be able to taste this dish. None of you will get to enjoy it for the low cost of FREE…at her kitchen table…while drinking fresh and really delicious coffee. It’s just not going to happen.
She cooked and diced and sauteed potatoes in coconut oil, added fresh vegetables from her garden, and then scrambled up some eggs. Simple…but highly, highly delicious. One of my favorite breakfasts I’ve ever consumed. And it was filling. Perfect way to start off a day that took us to many glorious sandy locations!
The Local Peasant – Sherman Oaks, California
The Local Peasant, Sherman Oaks, California
This gastropub has no sign hanging up outside. There is no neon flashing the name of the pub. This is one of those places that if you didn’t know it was there, you would walk right on past it. Thankfully, it turned up on Find Me Gluten Free…and it just happens to be one of Indy and Evan’s favorite dining spots in their area. And I picked it. All by myself!
It was our last night in Los Angeles, and it was also Indy’s birthday. So, we went out to eat…although she told me to find somewhere. I was mainly focused on finding Cathy a place to have some fish and chips, so I focused on that first. The menu for The Local Peasant had not only vegan options marked, but also gluten-free options marked. And my requirement to eat something with avocado while in California would definitely be fulfilled.
It was a special night, so I went against my usual abstaining from alcohol for training purposes…mostly because it was Indy’s birthday and we were celebrating. But, they also had Green’s Quest Gluten-Free Triple Ale ($15.00). I’m not a beer drinker…at all…but it was a celebration. And, besides, Micky Dolenz of The Monkees was at the table next to ours. I needed something to take the fangirl edge off.
Where there is beer…there is also food. Our waitress just happened to also be gluten-free (in fact, her entire family is)…so she was a huge help. But…as I said…I had my heart set on something with avocado in it. I had to eat avocado while in California. It had to happen. So, when it came to dinner, my choice was obvious…the Edamame Vegetable Salad ($11.00). Why was that obvious? Because this salad was composed of edamame, corn, jicama, green beans, roasted peppers, avocado, toasted pepitas, and cashews with a rosemary and ginger vinaigrette.
It sounded like no salad I have had anywhere else. It had avocado on it, and really…it just sounded awesome. When it arrived, it was in a huge bowl…and I happily dug in. The vegetables were so fresh and awesome. I loved the texture the cashews and pepitas gave the entire dish. The green beans still had that nice, fresh crispness to them. The edamame is always one of my favorite things…and it was super good. Loved the depth the roasted peppers gave. The avocado, however, gave it this amazing creaminess. It was topped off with that really flavorful vinaigrette that really just brought everything together. It was the meal I needed to have. It was the last thing I would eat in California. It was…fantastic.
I’d go back to this gastropub in a heartbeat. And I hope to…the next time I find myself in California!
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So…there it is. What I ate in California. I didn’t blog about the fries from In-N-Out Burger…because I did that back in 2011. But I did go there…and their frier is dedicated to just potatoes and makes their fries completely safe for me to eat. Part 2 will be all about the fantastic dinner that Indy treated our party to at Napa Rose. Trust me…that was a dining experience I wish I could relive over and over again. But you’ll read about that in the next blog…
Can pizza be a vegetable? I mean…it’s normally made with tomato sauce…but tomato is a fruit. You can put vegetables on pizza (and I often do)…but it’s still…pizza right? Probably. In most cases. But thanks to Garden Lites…pizza is now a vegetable. For real.
Last year, I discovered and worked my way through the flavors of Garden Lites Souffles that were currently out on the market. Since then, more have been added and a few of those new flavors have actually been sitting in my freezer since I finally spotted them at the grocery store…MONTHS ago. Why hadn’t I pulled them out sooner? No clue. But that changed tonight. And, given the expiration dates, the first souffle to get sampled by my roomie and I was…Pizza.
Yes. Pizza Souffle. Hey, there have been stranger things in life. The “crust” isn’t a heavy dough like you would get in a normal pizza. Remember…this is a souffle. Therefore, cauliflower and brown rice make up the base, lending that crust-like flavor to the souffle itself. So…that cauliflower crust pizza that keeps turning up on Pinterest isn’t so new after all, eh? HA! Anyway, bound together with egg whites and topped off with tomato sauce and melty, gooey Mozzarella cheese and you have quite an interesting take on a souffle. And pizza for that matter.
Cooking this up is simple. Three minutes with the plastic wrap still on. Let it sit for a minute. Then remove the plastic and heat on 50% power for another minute. Enjoy. My roommate and I actually had ice cream for lunch (HAHA!), so we split this for dinner. But we both found that the smell and flavor was reminiscent of cafeteria pizza or pasta. You know…it has that lingering sweetness in the sauce that you just breathe in and it takes you back to grade school or…in the case of my roommate…some mess hall with some army thing-a-ma-jig. (Technical term!)
Garden Lites Pizza Souffle (cooked)
You know what? The flavor and taste sort of reminded me of cafeteria spaghetti too. Not saying that is a bad thing. I mean, whenever spaghetti day at school (from 1st grade through 12th grade) rolled around, you better believe that was the tray I grabbed from the lunch lady. Spaghetti was always my favorite thing to eat growing up (and still is now, although rice and corn noodles are now my noodle of choice due to the whole Celiac thing). Cafeteria food isn’t always the best tasting…but it is decent. It’s good. And that’s how I felt about this. It was like…eating a mix of my high school’s spaghetti and pizza. The sauce was very sweet, seasoned well, but sweet. More sweet than I usually like a tomato sauce. The cheese was a gooey mass on top, which I’m okay with. At least it was melty and gooey. Most packaged items don’t get to that point. Especially when nuked in the microwave. I don’t mind the cauliflower and rice base at all. It was actually a nice, crumbly texture that worked. The sauce was just…okay though. Thankfully the sauce and cheese weren’t heavy on the dish at all. In fact, there wasn’t too much of either of them. A nice balance that worked.
Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition now…
The Garden Lites Pizza Souffle is made from cauliflower, pasteruized egg whites, onion, low-fat milk, brown rice, crushed tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, red pepper, green pepper, corn starch, tomato paste, a natural spice mix (dehydrated onion, spices, corn starch, natural flavors, tomato powder, potassium chloride, autolyzed yeast extract), evaporated cane juice, canola oil, sea salt, lemon juice, garlic, basil, oregano, pepper, and a blend of locust bean gum, gaur gum, and xanthan gum. This souffle is gluten-free, soy-free, and nut-free.
As for the nutritional aspect of the Pizza Souffle…one serving, which is the entire bowl, will provide you with 200 calories and 4 grams of fat. That is AWESOME for a meal. That is awesome for pizza! That’s just awesome! It does contain 650 mg of sodium and 6 sugars. But you also do get 3 grams of fiber and a whopping 12 grams of protein. So, you won’t feel like you need to eat more on top of this little souffle dish. I mean, I filled up on ice cream and was only mildly hungry when I heated this up for my roomie and I…and I still felt full after eating just half of the dish.
It isn’t one of my favorites, but I would eat it again. Honestly. It wasn’t bad…but it wasn’t knock me off my seat delicious either. I love the healthy take on the traditional pizza and the use of cauliflower and brown rice as the base. It’s ingenious. And it works well. If anything, I only wish the sauce tasted more fresh and less fake-sweet. Aside from that…totally devourable in every way.
I love pizza. I really do. Give me a good gluten-free pizza and I just might become your best friend ever. Not only has gluten-free pizza become my food of choice before a long run or a race (it unleashes my endurance, I guess!), but I have always, always loved pizza. Nutrition be damned…nothing is better than a flaky crust with gooey cheese and some great vegetable toppings. Right? RIGHT!
So, a couple of weeks ago before I headed out on vacation, my local grocery store was having a closeout on Glutino’s Gluten-Free Spinach & Feta Pizza. Now, my roomie and I had been dying to try these for awhile, but just couldn’t justify the price. But, with the closeout going on, the pizzas were only $1.99 each. So, yeah…we grabbed two. We would have grabbed more…except we didn’t know if we would like them or not…and we were getting ready to head out of town and we didn’t want to stuff our freezer, which we have been working hard on whittling down the products inside, full once again.
But we should have known better. After all…this is a Glutino product and they have never done us wrong. We haven’t met a Glutino product that we haven’t liked or loved. Stuffing our freezer full of these pizzas would have been the best thing to ever happen to our kitchen. For real!
Let me tell you why…
Glutino Spinach & Feta Gluten-Free Pizza (frozen)
The spinach to cheese ratio is amazing. More spinach…less cheese! I love that. As much as my roomie loves cheese, even she was thrilled by the amount of spinach on this pizza. Honestly…healthy greens that provide key nutrients. Yes. All about that. The crust. OH. MY. GOD. Yes…this is one of those thin crust gluten-free pizzas that turn up everywhere. Yes…sometimes I do miss having that amazing chewy crust. But…the crust on this Glutino pizza was flaky and crisp and still soft so it was everything I wanted in a pizza crust. The flavor was so delicious. Nothing that tasted off or gritty or anything. It really was a wonderfully golden flaky crust that crumbled against my tongue when I bit into it. Savory goodness right there. It’s rich and buttery and…I’m suddenly craving it again. GAH! The cheese doesn’t just stop with crumbles of feta. Nope. Add to it shredded mozzarella and ricotta cheese and you end up with a blend of amazing flavors that don’t overtake the crust or the spinach that is also part of the mix. It was SO good. My roommate usually takes forever to eat her food and she was done eating this pizza before I was. And she’s not even a Celiac. All she could do was rave about it. And for the same reasons I am. It is, honest to goodness, a whole lot of…well…goodness!! And it only took a short 15 minutes in the oven to bake before it was ready for prime time…or at least our bellies.
Let’s talk ingredients and nutrition…because it needs to be done! Starting with what makes up this pizza. The box lists off all the ingredients, which include: pizza crust (composed of water, brown rice flour, rice starch, potato starch, olive oil, sugar, tapioca starch, potato flour, yeast, cellulose, salt, spices, and garlic powder), spinach and cheese sauce (composed of water, spinach, milk, cream, feta cheese, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, Monterrey jack cheese). It’s very straight forward and very, very delicious when all put together and baked up. Trust me…when I pulled it from the box and removed the paper, I wasn’t too sure it was going to be any good…but it’s amazing what a warm oven does to a product.
Nutritionally speaking, as far as personal pizzas go…this is a good one. The entire pizza only costs you 370 calories and 17 grams of fat. That isn’t bad for a frozen pizza…or a gluten-free pizza for that matter…frozen or not. You will also be consuming 530 mg sodium and less than 1 gram of sugar. Nice. Not bad for something packaged and frozen, for real. This pizza does have 30 mg of cholesterol, but it has no trans fat in it at all. You also get served 2 grams of fiber and 9 grams of protein. Awesome!
I am so in love with this pizza. I normally am not a huge fan of frozen pizzas…but this one hits flavor, taste, texture, and everything right on the money. The regular price seems pretty steep, but buying it on sale and enjoying it this much makes me want to purchase it again, price tag be damned. In fact, I’m trying to talk myself out of rushing to the grocery store to pick up another one for dinner tonight. Must…behave…even if I don’t want to!
Must…resist…grabbing car keys…
Trust me…this pizza really is that fantastic. I was grocery shopping earlier and really, really had to resist buying a cart full of these. It wasn’t easy. I walked away without any more but the temptation still lingers. Which means…this is one hell of a frozen pizza. Try it out. Even those of you who don’t need to eat gluten-free…you might find you love this even more than those who do have to eat this way. It is frickin’ amazing!
The Celiathlete 