Gluten Free Mom To Be | A Blog About Gluten Free and Pregnancy

July 28, 2014

A Gluten Free Guide To Navigating Disney’s Hollywood Studios

During our last few Disney vacations, our Hollywood Studios’ days have typically been cut very short. Usually, we only designate one day and maybe one or two dinners of our trip to Hollywood Studios. While my husband loves the thrill rides, as a family we typically enjoy the Toy Story ride, Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast show, Studio Backlot Tour, and a few other attractions. Sadly we’ve barely touched the iceberg of Hollywood Studios it seems the past few years, thanks to my pregnancy sciatica flareup and little girl’s ear infections on our last trip.

Coming up very soon, we’ll be revisiting Disney for our entire family vacation. I for one am crossing my fingers that this trip is uneventful in the health department and that we get to enjoy an entire day in Hollywood Studios. My little one would just love to see the Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast shows again, not to mention the spectacular Frozen attractions going on this summer.

As far as our dining plans at Hollywood Studios are considered, well that’s where my guide will definitely come in handy. Using lots of reviews and past experiences, we pre-planned our dinners as always, but now we’re left with the ever so intimidating meals and snacks on the go. I for one am a planner, so even though lunch reservations aren’t made, I still like to have an idea ahead of time of what locations are best able to cater to the gluten free diet. This guide, as well as some reviews online, will help me to pick the best locations for us that offer my favorite gluten free products.

Gluten Free Guide To Disney's Hollywood Studios. Click to enlarge. — Gluten Free Guide To Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Click to enlarge.

After a long morning of Hollywood Studios fun, it’s time to refuel and find the best lunch spot. In the past, I’ve tasted some amazingly good gluten free chicken strips at the Backlot Express, which according to the guide are offered in a couple of other spots too. They were so crispy and delicious, not to mention the legendary Disney fries that accompany them. Not the healthiest lunch I know, but we’re on vacation and how often can you order some crispy chicken strips at a restaurant at home? For me, never. So why not enjoy Disney’s unbelievable abilities to pamper the dietary restricted guest.

While the chicken strips are pretty darn good, I’ve read some great reviews on gluten free dining at the Studio Catering Co.. According to my research online, it appears that they offer some gluten free salad and sandwich options, a welcomed departure from your typical theme park food. Using Udi’s gluten free bread, as stated on the guide, they should pretty much be able to put together any of the items on their menu, sans some ingredients that may have gluten lurking in them. I for one am very excited to give this one a try for lunch on our upcoming trip!

When it comes to dinners though, there’s no denying one of our favorite dining locations is 50s Prime Time Cafe. From gluten free milkshakes and a scrumptious ice cream brownie dessert to gluten free fried chicken, this restaurant straight from a 50s kitchen had a stellar track record for gluten free diners that was undeniable. Sadly, if you didn’t catch my review from our previous trip, we were sorely disappointed in the entire dining experience resulting in a sad salad and even sadder mommy whose belly was not filled with crispy and delicious fried chicken. Since our encounter a few months back, I’ve heard from some of my readers that many have still successfully enjoyed the gluten free fried chicken at 50s Prime Time Cafe, so it appears that your success depends greatly on which chef is present that night in the kitchen. Despite our last experience, we’ve decided to give it another shot on our next trip, making sure to give ample advance notice, and hopefully the right chef is there that night too because this mommy needs a gluten free fried chicken fix.

While you can tell which places are some of my favorites, just wondering which are yours? We’ve tossed around dining at the Hollywood Brown Derby and Hollywood & Vine, anyone have gluten free success there?

Hollywood Studios offers so many great spots to grab your favorite eats and treats, so make sure you scope out some possibilities ahead of time and pin or print this guide too for on the go choices.

Sincerely,

Lindsay

July 25, 2014

Ever Had Gluten Free Angel Food Cake? Now You Can With This Coupon By Gluten Free Bakehouse Whole Foods Market

Growing up, once we were past our years of character themed birthday cakes I’m pretty sure every birthday we requested my mom’s angel food cake. It was so light and fluffy with a little sponginess to it too, not to mention her chocolate pudding frosting she’d add to it (tear). Ah those were the days, lots of fantastic memories filled with gluten. These days, you won’t see many an angel food cake at birthday parties in our neck of the woods, mostly because it’s chock full of gluten. But now thanks to Whole Foods Market gluten free brand I’m going to welcome Angel Food Cake back into my life with open arms!

Whole Foods Market offers their own gluten free brand called Gluten Free Bakehouse. As far as their line of gluten free products is considered, there’s so much variety and each product that I’ve tried has been just as tasty as the other. From gluten free scones and muffins to pie crust and breadcrumbs and not to mention now angel food cake. It seems like the possibilities are endless for this gluten free store brand! Mouth watering yet? Yeah, mine is too, now it’s time to hop over to your local Whole Foods and grab your angel food cake, but don’t forget to print this Whole Foods Bakehouse Coupon.first to save yourself $1. Enjoy the treat and savings!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

July 24, 2014

Gluten Free Chicken, Broccoli, And Cheese Quesadillas Using Udi’s Large Tortillas

Okay, so I received some samples of Udi’s new tortillas not too long ago and absolutely fell in love with them. I’ve been itching to get my hands on another package since then but haven’t had any luck finding them in my local grocery stores. Thankfully, I was wandering with little girl through one of my local health food stores the other day and spotted them, in all their gluten free glory, sitting in the freezer case. Since finding them was somewhat of a needle in a haystack scenario, I decided to snag a few packages while I had them in front of me, especially since they could be kept in the freezer for quite awhile. At $4.19 a piece they weren’t too terribly priced, but thankfully I remembered that I had Udi’s coupons sitting at the bottom of my diaper bag waiting for a moment like this to be used. And voila! Only ten minutes later and I’d saved $5 on four packages of gluten free Udi’s tortillas that were now nestled snugly in my backseat next to my little girl. Finding my favorite gluten free tortillas and saving some money on them too was a huge success for this mommy, ah the little things in life that’ll make you smile!

Well anyway, now with four packages in hand, I couldn’t wait to try out some new ways to enjoy these perfect gluten free tortillas. While I love using them to make wraps, especially my Crispy Chicken Cobb Wrap, I was really in the mood to do something warm, maybe either a panini or quesadilla. Seeing as I already had all of the ingredients for my type of quesadilla, we found a winner. Okay, so my type of quesadilla isn’t a traditional spicy version but rather it’s the perfect combo of ingredients for the Gluten Free Mom To Be. I just love the flavor and texture combination of the melted cheddar jack cheese, diced chicken, and chopped broccoli all enveloped in toasted tortillas. These are so delicious and make my mouth water just thinking about them.

Ingredients:

1 Package Large Udi’s Tortillas
1 cup diced, grilled chicken (I used 1 9 oz boxes Perdue Shortcuts.)
1 8 oz bag shredded cheddar jack cheese
1 cup chopped broccoli
Butter to cook quesadilla (I used Smart Balance.)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Out of each Udi’s Large Tortilla package you’ll get 3 quesadillas so you’ll be repeating each of these steps three times.
Spread a thin layer of butter on one side of each tortilla, making sure you cover the entire side of the tortilla.

Quesadilla — Udi’s large tortilla with one side buttered for cooking.

Warm up skillet at medium heat.
Add your first buttered tortilla to a warmed skillet, butter side down. Next few steps involve assembling the quesadilla which I do in the skillet. It’s much easier to quickly and carefully assemble the quesadilla in the skillet than trying to move the assembled quesadilla from plate to skillet (this gets quite messy).
To the top, spread a thin layer of shredded cheddar jack cheese (I’d say about 1/4 cup).

lkjsldfj — Add buttered tortilla to a warmed skillet, followed by a thin layer of shredded cheese.

Add about 1/3 cup diced chicken on top of cheese layer. When I’m in a rush, I use Perdue Shortcuts, either grilled or honey flavored. They’re so simple and easy to use and taste fantastic in this dish.
Next, add about 1/3 cup chopped broccoli across chicken and cheese, making sure to spread evenly.

khlh — Layer diced chicken and chopped broccoli on top of tortilla and cheese.

Toss a little more shredded cheese on top of the fillings, just to help the second tortilla stick.
Season fillings with a little salt and pepper if you wish and then top them with the second tortilla, butter side facing up.
After only about 2-3 minutes of cooking on first side, using a spatula, carefully lift the bottom layer up to make sure it’s golden brown.
Once the bottom tortilla has turned golden brown, using a large spatula carefully flip the quesadilla over so the uncooked, buttered tortilla is now face down on the skillet and the browned tortilla is face up.

khkjh — Carefully flip your quesadilla so the cooked side is up and uncooked buttered tortilla is down on the skillet.

After an additional 2-3 minutes cooking on the second side, carefully scoop out quesadilla and add it to a plate.
Using a pizza cutter, cut your quesadilla into as many slices as you prefer.
Repeat assembly and cooking steps for remaining tortillas and you’ll end up with three large portions of delicious and gluten free chicken, cheese, and broccoli quesadillas!

ljlkj — Yummy! It’s making my mouth water just looking at this picture.

These quesadillas are a quick and tasty dinner, lunch, or even appetizer for a dinner party! They’re a different take on your traditional zesty quesadillas and satisfy even the pickiest diners. If you have non-gluten free diners in your family just split this recipe between gluten free and non-gluten free tortillas. For our family, I prepared one gluten free quesadilla for myself and two non-gluten free quesadillas for my husband and daughter. As always be careful of cross contamination, but what I like to do is prep all of the ingredients first and then make my gluten free quesadilla before I even take out the non-gluten free tortillas. Also, a little tip about minimizing your dirty dishes, just reuse your skillet between quesadillas. I make mine first so I don’t share a cook top, which is a big cross contamination no no, and then assemble and make the regular quesadillas in the same skillet afterwards.

So grab your favorite gluten free tortillas, I highly recommend Udi’s brand, and put these quesadillas together as soon as possible! I for one am so glad that I came upon these tortillas, as they’re by far the best gluten free tortillas that I’ve yet to experience. I certainly can see many a gluten free wrap and quesadilla in my future, especially during a future pregnancy. What a great pregnancy snack or meal!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Gluten Free Chicken, Broccoli, And Cheese Quesadillas

2014-07-24 07:48:19

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Ingredients

1 Package Large Udi's Tortillas
1 cup diced, grilled chicken (I used 1 9 oz boxes Perdue Shortcuts.)
1 8 oz bag shredded cheddar jack cheese
1 cup chopped broccoli
Butter to cook quesadilla (I used Smart Balance.)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Out of each Udi's Large Tortilla package you'll get 3 quesadillas so you'll be repeating each of these steps three times.
Spread a thin layer of butter on one side of each tortilla, making sure you cover the entire side of the tortilla.
Warm up skillet at medium heat.
Add your first buttered tortilla to a warmed skillet, butter side down. Next few steps involve assembling the quesadilla which I do in the skillet. It's much easier to quickly and carefully assemble the quesadilla in the skillet than trying to move the assembled quesadilla from plate to skillet (this gets quite messy).
To the skillet tortilla, spread a thin layer of shredded cheddar jack cheese (I'd say about 1/4 cup).
Add about 1/3 cup diced chicken on top of cheese layer. When I'm in a rush, I use Perdue Shortcuts, either grilled or honey flavored. They're so simple and easy to use and taste fantastic in this dish.
Next, add about 1/3 cup chopped broccoli across chicken and cheese, making sure to spread evenly.
Toss a little more shredded cheese on top of the fillings, just to help the second tortilla stick.
Season fillings with a little salt and pepper if you wish and then top them with the second tortilla, butter side facing up.
After only about 2-3 minutes of cooking on first side, using a spatula, carefully lift the bottom layer up to make sure it's golden brown.
Once the bottom tortilla has turned golden brown, using a large spatula carefully flip the quesadilla over so the uncooked, buttered tortilla is now face down on the skillet and the browned tortilla is face up.
After an additional 2-3 minutes cooking on the second side, carefully scoop out quesadilla and add it to a plate.
Using a pizza cutter, cut your quesadilla into as many slices as you'd like.
Repeat assembly and cooking steps for remaining tortillas and you'll end up with three portions of delicious and gluten free chicken, cheese, and broccoli quesadillas!

By Gluten Free Mom To Be

Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/

July 22, 2014

Gluten Free Guide To Disney’s Animal Kingdom

Lots of animals, good food, great shows, and some rides mixed in (along with lots of shade!) makes for a great day in Disney’s Animal Kingdom for our little girl. She LOVES animals, laughing at everything they do, pointing and talking to them, and always saying hi and bye when we see each of them. Animal Kingdom for us is a great, relaxing day of our vacation where we can wander through the park on shady paths spotting different animals throughout and even experience some entertaining shows and a few rides along the way. Let’s not forget that in that schedule somewhere though we manage to squeeze in some great food too!

Animal Kingdom is home to so many unique dining experiences, but one of my favorites is Flame Tree Barbecue. Here you can get barbecue of all kinds, from ribs, to pulled pork, to chicken, each as delicious as the other and gluten free! I usually prefer the pulled pork sandwich with Disney’s fantastic fries along with the OMG cookie as a dessert and let me just say it is a perfect lunch. We just love lunch at Flame Tree Barbecue, where you can hide away from Florida’s hot sun at a table nestled in the shady grove right by the river. All in all, it’s safe to say that it’s our favorite place to have lunch and thankfully offers so many gluten free and allergy free menu options along with some of my favorite gluten free products like the OMG cookie. But Flame Tree Barbecue isn’t the only location where you can grab OMG snacks, Enjoy Life Cookies, Silk Soymilk, or even BabyCakes treats. Check out my Animal Kingdom Gluten Free Guide to see where you can grab your favorite gluten free products.

Animal Kingdom Gluten Free Products. Click to enlarge.

Along with lunch at Flame Tree Barbecue, we’ve found another great gluten free dining spot offering fantastic snack and quick breakfast options. Animal Kingdom’s Garden Kiosk, located right by Flame Tree Barbecue, is a Garden of Eden if you will for the allergy folk. As you can tell on my guide, they offer everything from sweets and salty snacks to fresh produce and even gluten free alcoholic beverages. One of my personal favorite snack/breakfast options at this stand is the BabyCakes chocolate donut, it’s divine. Take a peak at my review to catch a glimpse of this amazing breakfast treat, along with my go to lunch at Animal Kingdom.

The addition of the Garden Kiosk to Disney’s Animal Kingdom was a fantastic decision on Disney’s part and I’m hoping that they follow suit and add a similar stand to all of the other parks as well. It’s just nice to have a stand that’s made just for you and has a menu filled with all gluten free products. Fingers crossed!

So next time you’re headed to Animal Kingdom print or pin this guide so you know exactly where you need to go to grab your favorite gluten free snacks, rolls, drinks, and even a quick breakfast. But don’t forget that this list only tells you what gluten free brands they offer in Animal Kingdom, not necessarily the menu options that are available, which are many many more.

TIP: If you’re planning on dining at Flame Tree Barbecue for lunch get there a little before opening time. The lines can be very long and when you’re ordering gluten free and requiring a manager’s help the wait can be pretty painful. We arrived at about 10:40 and stood in the shade while our little one napped. At 11:00 the counters opened and we were first at our register to place an order. Getting there early was a must for us, especially since the lines can get pretty tight and partially in the sun.

Sincerely,

Lindsay

July 21, 2014

Crisp Outside, Chewy Inside = A Gluten Free Bagel? Yup! Thanks To Sweet Note Bagels!

Who would’ve thought that our years of enduring gluten free bagels that feel more like rolls or slices of very dense bread than actual bagels have come to an end. That’s right! We’ve entered a new phase in the gluten free world where everyday it seems that more and more delicious products are appearing from smaller, up and coming businesses rather than from the massive pioneers that led the gluten free industry. It’s so exciting to see these new brands appearing with their fresh and inspired gluten free lines. They’ve introduced so many new and tasty products that have either been your typical gluten free food falling short in flavor and feel categories or completely obsolete in a gluten free individual’s diet. Either way, I for one am so encouraged for the gluten free diner’s future, seeing all of the amazing new brands and tasting their fantastic additions to the gluten free shelves.

Not too long ago, I stumbled upon one of these newer brands thanks to the power of sharing on Twitter. Sweet Note Bakery is definitely named appropriately as their team is led by the sweetest of bakers who have kindly put together an amazing gluten free bagel that is free of gluten, dairy, egg, and soy! While you can certainly buy their product online, I wanted to snatch a bite as soon as possible. So I scoured the store locator and found them in one of my local allergy and healthy eating stores. Low and behold, the team from Sweet Note Bakery was hosting a tasting event at the store that upcoming weekend. It was a perfect opportunity to not only sample these delectable looking bagels but also meet the faces behind the potentially amazing product.

With my family in tow, we stopped into the event and met Brittany, one of the team members over at Sweet Note Bakery. I felt so comfortable sampling and purchasing their product, thanks to Brittany’s ability to answer the Gluten Free Mom To Be’s long list of questions. Her passion and belief in their product was contagious and we were soon hopping on the Sweet Note Bagel bandwagon too. One warm bite of sample bagel later and we were hooked. Both my husband and I were so impressed with their product, that we couldn’t help but purchase a few packages to keep enjoying at home.

I personally love plain, cinnamon raisin, and everything bagels, all of which are Sweet Note Bagel varieties. For about $7.99 at our local store you get a package of four which can be stored in the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy. After just 45-60 seconds of defrosting in the microwave, just slice your bagel and toast briefly and you’re ready to go. Once the bagel is toasted, add either a thin layer of low fat cream cheese or if you’re feeling a bit fancier try making a breakfast sandwich with the everything or plain, adding on scrambled egg, cheese, and bacon, yum! It is truly amazing how Sweet Note Bakery has created a gluten free bagel that tastes identical to a gluten filled version. They have a crispy crust on the outside and a chewy middle, just like the gluten filled ones I used to enjoy.

Size wise, they are about the same size of any other freezer bagel like Glutino gluten free bagels or even Lender’s regular bagels. Unfortunately, being that they are so delicious, I for one wish that they were bigger. They’re just that good! Who wouldn’t wish that one day we could grab a gluten free bagel that doesn’t necessarily fit in the palm of our hand. But hey, Sweet Note Bagels, while they are on the smaller side but are comparable to any other frozen bagel, are really just right and hit the spot every time!

Okay, so price wise, they are a bit pricey, however keep in mind these girls are a new business and need to start somewhere. Although I can’t afford these everyday, I certainly will continue to support them on occasion when I can (more often when I’m pregnant again for sure) and hopefully help them grow their business too. Everyday it seems, Sweet Note Bakery is sharing more and more locations that you can find their bagels; so hopefully one day in the near future, you’ll spot Sweet Note Bagels in your local grocery store at maybe a cheaper price too.

Grab a package of Sweet Note Bagels today! Their product is phenomenal and even makes you ask that question that you’re so used to asking in a bad way, “Are you sure this is gluten free?”. This time though when you’re asking that question, you’ll only be saying it because they taste that good, what a great feeling that is! So use Sweet Note Bakery’s store locator to see if you can grab some of these at a store near you. And if you can’t, no worries, just order some via their website! I highly recommend my three favorite varieties, cinnamon raisin, everything, and plain!

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

July 17, 2014

May I Introduce You To Canyon Bakehouse: Save Today On The Best Gluten Free Bread Brand

If you haven’t met Canyon Bakehouse, let me introduce you to my all time favorite gluten free bread brand. They offer gluten free varieties of breads that I haven’t seen ever in my gluten free life. Better yet though, their gluten free versions look, feel, and taste exactly like their non-gluten free equivalents. My favorite out of their gluten free products is by far the Rosemary and Thyme Focaccia, which is incredibly light and moist, just how I remember good focaccia bread to be. You can use it for your favorite cold sandwich or panini or be a little creative and try it in my Gluten Free Garlicky Focaccia Appetizers. Either way, it certainly will not disappoint, just as none of their other gluten free products will either. Excited to try a Canyon Bakehouse gluten free product? Here’s something that’ll make you even more excited; you can save on Canyon Bakehouse products today with this coupon. Either fill out your info on their website on the link provided or like them on facebook and you can get a $1 off coupon. I hope you enjoy Canyon Bakehouse products as much as I do!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

July 15, 2014

Gluten Free Guide To Navigating Disney’s Epcot

Personally my little family loves dining in Epcot. We always enjoy meandering around the World Showcase and ending a few of our vacation days with a dinner in one of the countries. While my husband would certainly love to hop between the different cuisines, we usually make our dining decisions based on the gluten free offerings at each restaurant. Although we haven’t dined at nearly all of them, out of those that we have, some are certainly better than others at putting together a tasty and diverse gluten free menu.

A day in Epcot for us usually starts bright and early and begins with ride hopping through Future World. My little girl’s favorite is Nemo and Friends and the amazing aquarium that surrounds the ride, not to mention her meet and greet with Mickey, Minnie, and some of their pals at the Character spot. After a full morning of meeting friends and riding rides, we either grab some lunch in Future World or head straight over to the World Showcase and grab something to eat later on our walk.

Lunch for me is always our hardest meal, mostly because dinners are organized and planned months in advance but lunch is on the go and we’re stopping in to restaurants that haven’t been notified ahead of time of my gluten intolerance. No fear though, Disney has made things so simple for allergy diners these days that all you really have to do is request to speak with a manager at any dining location that you choose and review your options with them. Also, thanks to Disney I put together a Gluten Free Guide To Epcot Dining that shows you what gluten free products they offer in the park and where they can be found.

Epcot Gluten Free Products. Click to enlarge.

As far as gluten free dinners go, with our advance dining reservations we’ve enjoyed a couple of meals, that you can check out my reviews on by clicking the restaurant names, at Rose and Crown Restaurant in United Kingdom and La Hacienda de San Angel in Mexico. Each was delicious in their own way and we definitely plan on returning to both in our future vacations. While these dinner’s were fantastic, it makes me wish that I could place advanced notice for quick service locations too. However, even though lunches are more spontaneous, after scouting out great places ahead of time, I’ve never had an issue finding something good and safe to eat in any of Disney’s parks, hence where my guide comes in handy.

For a midday meal, this guide will certainly be even more valuable to the gluten free diner. You can spot where your favorite rolls and sandwich bread, as well as desserts are located in both Future World and the World Showcase. When we traveled to Disney pre-baby, actually baby was in Mommy’s belly at the time, we had our little food allergy nephew with us at the time. We decided to have lunch at Sunshine Seasons in Future World on our Epcot day and I just remember how excited he was to find out that they had his favorite Enjoy Life Chocolate Bar (one of the only sweets this little boy can enjoy). Using this guide, you’ll know exactly where you can snag your favorite gluten free drinks, treats, pastas, breads, and chicken fingers (Note: a lot of these are free of many other allergens as too).

A newer dining location that wasn’t indicated on this guide, but can absolutely accommodate a gluten free diner, is Italy’s Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar. They’re open for lunch and dinner without dining reservations, so anyone can just stop in and get an authentic Italian dish along with a wonderful glass of wine off of their a humongous wine list. Check out my gluten free lunch at Tutto Gusto from our most recent Disney trip! It was a such a refreshing sit down lunch experience, a little different from your standard quick service, and I for one fully intend on stopping in again for a lunch or dinner on our next trip coming up later this summer.

So make sure you pin or print this guide for your next Disney vacation so you’re armed and ready to tackle Disney dining in Epcot. There are so many dining locations to choose from in Epcot, but with a little homework of reading restaurant reviews online and this handy guide by your side you’ll be good to go. My recommendations, go for a quick service lunch at Sunshine Seasons and maybe a dinner at Tutto Gusto Wine Cellar. Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

July 14, 2014

Gluten Free Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet Dinner: A Family Favorite!

Growing up I’ve never been part of the burger loving group, always more of a hot dog kind of girl. I was simple, a plain hot dog on a fluffy bun and I was all set, and maybe if I was feeling extra adventurous that day I’d add a smidge of yellow mustard but that was rare. After years have passed and I met my husband, my tastes have changed a tad and I’m a bit more willing to try different things. Thank goodness I did too because it turns out that I love my husband’s burgers! He mixes in seasoned salt and worcestershire sauce and makes our burgers more meatball shaped so they keep their juice! Some things don’t really change though, I usually like to keep things simple when I’m topping my burger, just adding some cheese and dill pickles.

Since developing a liking for burgers, this recipe for Cheeseburger Pasta definitely caught my attention. Combining yummy cheesy burger with gluten free pasta cooked perfectly seemed like an amazing idea. Using the base recipe in a Taste of Home magazine, I just tweaked it a little to be gluten free and make it more Gluten Free Mom To Be. It was so simple, and besides the pot to boil your gluten free pasta in, it only required one skillet to throw everything together. Flavor wise, this recipe was amazing, even for a simple girl like myself who admittedly doesn’t like many of these ingredients individually, but together they make magic happen and may have dialed up my adventurous side a little bit more. We loved loved loved this recipe and it goes perfectly with both my gluten free pasta and my daughter and husband’s regular pasta. So pick out your favorite gluten free pasta (I prefer Barilla or Ronzoni) and mix in some cheeseburger ingredient staples and you have one delectable Gluten Free Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet Dinner, a family favorite for sure!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups uncooked, gluten free elbow macaroni
3/4 lb lean ground beef (I usually use 85% or higher if available)
2 tbsp finely chopped yellow onion
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes (Tuttorosso states gluten free on their packaging)
2 tbsp dill pickle relish (Heinz is gluten free)
2 tbsp prepared yellow mustard (French’s yellow mustard states gluten free on their website)
2 tbsp ketchup (Heinz is gluten free)
1 tsp steak seasoning (Use your favorite gluten free steak seasoning.)
1/4 tsp seasoned salt (I use Lawry’s)
3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

Directions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Once pasta starts cooking, add 3/4 lb lean ground beef and 2 tbsp finely chopped yellow onion into a large skillet and brown over medium heat (cook until meat is no longer pink).

Brown ground beef and onions in skillet.

Drain liquid off meat and onion mixture
Once pasta is done cooking, drain and add to the cooked meat and onion mixture in the skillet. (You can add the pasta before you add the additional ingredients as instructed at this step or after; when I made it this time I added in the pasta after I mixed in the other ingredients with the meat and onions and it came out just as tasty.)
Continue to heat and mix in one 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes, 2 tbsp dill pickle relish, 2 tbsp yellow mustard, 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tsp steak seasoning, and 1/4 tsp seasoned salt.

Add in seasonings, mustard, ketchup, and relish to beef and onions.

Bring mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

Remove skillet from heat and sprinkle 3/4 cup shredded, reduced fat cheddar cheese.

Cover skillet and let it stand until cheese is melted.

My mouth waters every time I think about this dish.

Serve and enjoy!

The best part for me about cooking and baking are the smells that fill your house. I love walking through and sniffing in the sweetness of a batch of cookies or a cake or the mouthwatering savory flavors in this Cheeseburger Pasta dish. Every time I make this one, my husband comes in after work, takes a deep breath, and immediately draws a huge smile across his face, while running into the kitchen to catch a sneak peak before he even puts his stuff down. My Gluten Free Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet Dinner is definitely a winner in our book in all categories, from smell and presentation to the most important category of taste. It definitely gives you all of the flavors of a big cheeseburger but with the twist of some gluten free pasta mixed in. Add this dish to your weekly meal plan for sure, as your family will definitely be glad that you did!

TIP: If you’re making this dinner for both gluten free and non-gluten free family members as I usually do it’s really simple to split the recipe down the middle and make two separate portions safely. I usually boil up the two different kinds of pastas in their respective pots, and meanwhile I prepare the ground beef mixed with all of the other ingredients first. After the pasta has finished cooking, I just drain the water and divide the Cheeseburger components in the skillet in half between the two pots of pasta, and there you go, Gluten Free and Non- Gluten Free Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet Dinner!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Gluten Free Cheeseburger Pasta Skillet Dinner

2014-07-13 21:32:59

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Ingredients

1 3/4 cups uncooked, gluten free elbow macaroni
3/4 lb lean ground beef (I usually use 85% or higher if available)
2 tbsp finely chopped yellow onion
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) no-salt-added diced tomatoes (Tuttorosso states gluten free on their packaging)
2 tbsp dill pickle relish (Heinz is gluten free)
2 tbsp prepared yellow mustard (French's yellow mustard states gluten free on their website)
2 tbsp ketchup (Heinz is gluten free)
1 tsp steak seasoning (Use your favorite gluten free steak seasoning.)
1/4 tsp seasoned salt (I use Lawry's)
3/4 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions.
Once pasta starts cooking, add 3/4 lb lean ground beef and 2 tbsp finely chopped yellow onion into a large skillet and brown over medium heat (cook until meat is no longer pink).
Drain liquid off meat and onion mixture
Once pasta is done cooking, drain and add to the cooked meat and onion mixture in the skillet. (You can add the pasta before you add the additional ingredients as instructed at this step or after; when I made it this time I added in the pasta after I mixed in the other ingredients with the meat and onions and it came out just as tasty.)
Continue to heat and mix in one 14 1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes, 2 tbsp dill pickle relish, 2 tbsp yellow mustard, 2 tbsp ketchup, 1 tsp steak seasoning, and 1/4 tsp seasoned salt.
Bring mixture to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.
Remove skillet from heat and sprinkle 3/4 cup shredded, reduced fat cheddar cheese.
Cover skillet and let it stand until cheese is melted.
Serve and enjoy!

By Gluten Free Mom To Be

Adapted from Taste of Home

Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/

July 11, 2014

Gluten Free Guide To Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park

Today marks the beginning of a series of posts that I’ll be doing highlighting some truly fantastic information that I received from Disney. Thanks to the power of the internet, traveling with any kind of dietary restriction is much less overwhelming than it once used to be. When traveling to Disney World though, guests can be reassured of safe dining in their upcoming travels by not only Disney’s fantastic reputation but also by the countless allergy free dining reviews that are scattered online. I for one scour the internet before choosing my Disney dining reservations and tend to choose restaurants that other gluten free diners have had overwhelming success at. While reviews are incredibly helpful, not to mention reassuring of Disney’s impressive abilities to accommodate all of its diners, it’s always nice to have a list of some sort to guide you through the parks to your favorite gluten free products. I for one know that after a morning of trekking through the parks, it would be so great if I could easily get my hands on my favorite brand of gluten free chicken fingers, pizza, rolls, and the best one yet cookies or a brownie. Disney has shared their go to allergy free brands and where you can find these products throughout the parks. I’ve condensed all of this info into park or resort specific guides that you can print or pin so they’re on hand at all times.

Magic Kingdom Park Gluten Free Products, Click to enlarge.

Check out my first guide of Magic Kingdom’s go to gluten free products! As you look through the table, remember this isn’t necessarily a menu but rather a list of only the specific gluten free brands of items that they carry at these table service and quick service locations; this list does not include menu items that are inherently gluten free or that can be made to be gluten free, i.e. a hamburger, hot dog, turkey sandwich, salad, and drink. Thanks to this list, now I know where I can grab a sandwich on my favorite Udi’s bread or rolls, at either Be Our Guest in Fantasyland or Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland, and my favorite gluten free brownie or chocolate chip cookie by OMG, also at Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe in Tomorrowland or Pinocchio Village Haus in Fantasyland. Now with this guide, just pick out your favorite gluten free eats and you can easily navigate through dining in Magic Kingdom to find them. Enjoy! Note: The products listed in this post and future posts in this series consist of items that may be available at these specific dining locations. Disney does state that product offerings are subject to change at any time without notice, so that being said some products may not be available at the location that is suggested on this table. For a dinner reservation, you’ll always want to note your allergy ahead of time in your reservation, but also you can ask to speak with the restaurant directly, see if a specific product is available, and if not, maybe put in a request. As far as lunch, just ask at the counter before ordering just to make sure that they have your favorite products on hand. From personal experience, I do know that while I’ve enjoyed a sandwich at some locations on one type of roll on one trip, the next one I may enjoy it on another type of roll that is listed, it all depends on availability I suppose. Nevertheless, start your dining search using this guide to navigate you through Magic Kingdom Park and pick out some great dining locations. Sincerely, Lindsay

July 9, 2014

Pacific Organic Gluten Free Soups

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In the gluten free world it’s quite difficult to find a good and safe bowl of soup. A major brand that reminds probably each one of us of a warm childhood memory is Campbell’s Soup. Unfortunately Campbell’s Soups, as similar to many soups in restaurants and at your local grocery store, contain wheat and are thus off limits to those that are gluten free. Sadly, I had to say goodbye to nice warm bowls of chicken noodle and tomato soup on those cold winter days until I came upon Pacific Soups. Pacific is a huge brand of organic products ranging from drinks to soups to broths of all kinds. One of my favorite products though is their Creamy Tomato soup which is deliciously gluten free. More than just the Creamy Tomato soup is gluten free though, they offer so many gluten free soups and other products so be sure to check out Pacific’s gluten free products. See something that you want to try? Maybe that fantastic Creamy Tomato soup, which has by the way turned into my daughter’s new favorite lunch? Print out this coupon here and save a little on your purchase!

Sincerely,

Lindsay