Cruising Through Venice And Greece While Gluten Free And Expecting

Since getting married, Dan and I have taken two incredibly memorable European vacations, one of which was gluten free and the other wasn’t quite there yet. Our first adventure was days after saying I do and sailed us through Spain and a number of Italian cities. Thanks to Norwegian Cruise Line, we were able to see some of the biggest landmarks like Rome’s Trevi Fountain, Florence’s Ponte Vecchio, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Barcelona’s Las Ramblas, and the breathtaking views and lemon trees taking over the Island of Capri.

Between the tours of each cities’ staples, we had some free time to wander along the cobblestone streets and take in the sights, sounds, and even tastes that some that each had to offer. At the time, I was testing out a lactose intolerant diagnosis so I was armed with a box full of lactaid to help me survive our honeymoon and survive I did. I’m so grateful that my body held out for me to enjoy an authentic Italian pizza topped with prosciutto, cheese filled Spanish croquettes, and finally our favorite sweet finish was the sweet and creamy gelato, appearing on almost every street corner. I’ll never forget the moments that we shared eating at the little cafe in Florence and the water side restaurant in Barcelona, along with wandering the streets of each city hand-in-hand as we gobbled down our quickly melting gelato. Our honeymoon was one of the last vacations we took before we walked into the gluten free world and will certainly go down in infamy.   

Flash forward almost two years later and I was newly pregnant and living a gluten free life. We’d had quite a bit of practice traveling gluten free over that time, including overnighters to Washington D.C., a couple of trips to New Orleans (We love this city! Great place for gluten free diners by the way!), and a cruise to the Caribbean. However, we hadn’t yet made it back to Europe, a place we vowed to venture back to in the near future. With enough miles to fly to Venice for free and a great deal on another Norwegian cruise, we just couldn’t resist the urge to explore some new places in Italy and Greece. This adventure would be way different than our first, now eating under a gluten free diet and expecting our first baby. 

Gluten Free Pregnancy Prep For Travel:

First thing was first, to talk to my doctor about precautions while traveling in my first trimester. My doctor’s main advice was centralized around eating, which thankfully I was extremely cognizant of since having to pay extra attention to my diet anyway. Next up, not to overdo it too much, making sure to sit down and relax, especially if I was feeling sick at any point. Seems like a silly reminder I know, but my doctor certainly does know me and knows that I’m a pusher and like to forge ahead regardless of what my body tells me. At this point in my pregnancy, I was experiencing some of your typical first trimester symptoms, extreme bloating and occasional nausea were my prominent ones so it certainly was important to mind what my body was telling me now. Finally, in terms of the flight, ugh the necessary evil of every vacation for me, just to make sure I wear my anti-nausea bands, have plenty to eat and drink, and to get up and walk around frequently to prevent leg swelling. With some great advice from my doctor, I was ready physically, well as ready as I was going to be, to go on our first adventure while I was pregnant with our little girl. 

Do Your Gluten Free Homework Online:

No preparation for a gluten free vacation is complete though without tons of googling on the best dining locations. As far as this information in Italy and Greece is concerned, it is pretty hard to come by; however you may stumble upon a couple hidden gems like I did, finding a location for a gluten free pizza as well as gelato in Venice! What I found was most useful, in conjunction with the power of Google, was asking your hotel staff. They will be able to not only advise you on great restaurants in a variety of different locations, those central to your hotel and those that are a bit farther, but also will be able to call those restaurants and inquire about their ability to accommodate. Their help is extremely critical, especially in a foreign country where the language barrier can prove to complicate your dining situation even further.  

Venice
Venice, Italy

Gluten Free Adventures In Venice, Italy:

We were so fortunate with our choice in hotel accommodations; we stayed at AD Place in Venice which is pretty centrally located between St. Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge. Upon check in, I passed on a friendly reminder of my gluten intolerance and was told that they’d be going to the store to pick up some gluten free treats for me for breakfast. And boy did they deliver on their promise. Each morning I was greeted with an array of gluten free options including muffins, bread, meats, cheeses, and fruits. Not to mention, they delivered a number of gluten free desserts in our room. They were so accommodating and really took the guess work out of breakfast for us. 

As far as dinners were concerned, those we decided with the help of the front desk, who guaranteed some gluten free reservations for us. My favorites in Venice were A Beccafico and Rosa Rosa, which both treated me to outstanding gluten free pasta dishes, combining the best gluten free pasta I’d ever had with the tastiest pomodoro sauces, along with some phenomenal gluten free dinner rolls. The creme de la creme though in the gluten free sector of Venice was GROM’s gluten free gelato shop, a hidden gem that I discovered online before our trip. Be wary though of gelato when visiting Italy as not all flavors are gluten free and many shops may not take the precautions to prevent cross contamination. GROM however, is an Italian Celiac Association rated gelato shop where they offer numerous non-gluten free flavors (and a few non-gluten free marked by a wheat symbol) along with staff that are trained to prevent cross contamination and safely deliver you a tasty treat. All in all, my gluten free experience in Venice was extraordinary, thanks to the power of the internet along with the knowledgeable staff at AD Place. 

Santorini, Greece
Santorini, Greece

Gluten Free Cruising:

The bulk of the rest of our eating on our cruise throughout Greece was spent on our Norwegian cruise ship. Norwegian cruise line does a fantastic job as far as allergy dining. We’ve cruised several times since going gluten free and each time I’ve been extremely pleased and satisfied. Along with giving ample notice upon making our travel reservation, I always stop in at the front desk in the lobby of the cruise ship, on Norwegian this would be the reservation desk for dining, etc.. After making our reservations first thing after getting on the ship, we always request to speak with each chef at each restaurant, and even place my order with them, either the day before or morning of that reservation. This might seem like a nuisance, but trust me, it’s the best way of going about ordering your food. Giving each restaurant ample notice of what you’d like to order is both beneficial for you, so you can eat what you’d like, as well as for the kitchen to be able to prepare things ahead of time. Keep in mind, as far as gluten free food is considered, on cruises chefs typically have to move about between kitchens to retrieve ingredients that may be necessary to complete an order, giving them some extra time to do this may make a difference in getting to eat what you’d like to. As far as the buffets for breakfast and lunch, just request a chef to come out and walk you through the lines; they’re more than happy to do so and will provide you with anything additional that you may need or want, so don’t be afraid to ask. 

For us, cruising through Europe, as a whole, is a great way to see a number of different places in a short amount of time, but also from a cost perspective it’s the most economical. From a gluten free standpoint, you’re able to dine worry free and be assured that no matter what, you’ll have something good and safe to eat. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner were all exceptional, and in my book, anything that leaves a hungry, pregnant and gluten free woman extremely full and satisfied is a success story. Congrats Norwegian on a great job for gluten free dining! But while half of the enjoyment of cruising is dining on the ship, the other half is leaving the boat to see the world. When it’s time to do that, you’ll need to be good and rested for the full day ahead of sight seeing that you have in front of you, so arm yourself with lots of snacks and try to do your homework on each sight.

Corfu
Corfu, Greece

Gluten Free Adventures In Greece:

As we cruised through Corfu, Santorini, Mykonos, and Olympia, Greece we took in so many gorgeous sites from the crisp blue water to the cliff top villages, all of it is certainly a sight to see. Food wise, Dan was in love with the cuisine, he indulged in truly everything, from bowls of seafood extravaganza and beautifully stuffed whole squid to his favorite, baklava in all shapes and forms. Greek food for me was not as adventurous or exciting but was certainly delicious. After some googling and coming up a bit empty handed on the gluten free front, that paired with the fact that I don’t eat any seafood, I pretty much knew before we left that I’d be sticking to the salad portion of the menu for the few meals that we’d be enjoying on land in Greece. Being pregnant and eating gluten free I was even more hesitant of the foreign menus so I decided at our few stops to stick with a traditional Greek Salad, filled with fresh veggies and delicious olives and fresh feta cheese. It was a safe and tasty choice for me and little girl that was available at each restaurant. FYI, an authentic Greek Salad is tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, peppers, Greek olives, feta cheese, olive oil, and seasonings, there’s no lettuce component, news to me after I had my first one.

As far as our Greek dining experiences as a whole, while Dan enjoyed all of the authentic Greek food that he could ever ask for and I my perfectly flavored Greek salad, we couldn’t get enough of the beautiful breeze at the water side restaurant on the island of Olympia, the gorgeous sunset at the clifftop village of Santorini, and the locals meandering around the restaurant nestled in the center of a village in Mykonos. Although we always choose tours that take us through the main attractions of each city, some of our favorite moments are when we can truly walk the streets of that particular place and absorb all that it has to offer. This vacation was no different; we created so many amazing memories from the worlds we explored and cannot wait to one day introduce our little girl to them as well.

Mykonos
Mykonos, Greece

Gluten Free Snacks For Those Pregnancy Cravings:

Our travels through Venice and Greece were beautiful and delicious at the same time, but when pregnant and eating gluten free in foreign countries I was sure to arm myself with a bag full of snacks to get me through those hunger pangs that would most certainly hit and frequently too. Some of my favorite gluten free salty treats that come in snack size bags, perfect for travel, were Snyders pretzels and Pirates Booty. On the sweet side of things, I loved Bakery on Main’s gluten free peanut butter and jelly granola bars along with a couple bags of either hard candies or gummies like Swedish Fish or Jolly Ranchers. Along with snacks that you pick up before your trip, make sure you grab a couple extra pieces of fruit at breakfast to toss in your bag for later. Also, keep an eye out for some gluten free snacks along your travels. When we wandered through Venice, we found a few prepackaged bags of gluten free biscottis in some sweet shops and I just couldn’t resist picking them up; mind you, knowing the country’s term for gluten free is incredibly helpful here as these were marked senza glutine, which is the signature gluten free phrase in Italian that we learned before our travels. So make sure you keep a little stock in your purse at all times and don’t be afraid to wander through local bakeries and shops while keeping an eye out for prepackaged bags of gluten free treats, just make sure you resist those gorgeous non-gluten free sweetsl

Gluten Free Pregnancy Packing Tips:

Remember, preparing ahead of time is the best way to travel, especially when you’re gluten free, and even more so when you’re pregnant. I spent weeks before, making lists of necessary gluten free must bring items, along with scouring the internet for the best gluten free restaurants to enjoy. After so much prep, you’ll definitely feel better about your upcoming vacation, but remember to always have back up ideas for restaurants and extra snacks along with just-in-case resources. Traveling while pregnant and gluten free has made me the queen of packing for the just-in-case situations, from cold medicines galore and being glutened meds to a heat pad for sciatica and an ice pack for my lovely migraines that my head loves to get. While pregnant you never know what feeling may creep up, so one of my favorite just-in-case items that I can’t recommend enough were my motion sick wrist bands which proved to be especially important when flying 9 hours each way and boating through an entire week and a half vacation. Seaband makes amazing pressure wrist bands that I sported not only on our vacations but also throughout a lot of the beginning and end of my pregnancy (I’m sure you could spot them in one or two of my pictures!). 

Mykonos, Greece
Mykonos, Greece

All together, taking an adventure while pregnant and eating gluten free is so exciting and something really cool that you can share with that little one inside of you one day. Dan and I joke all of the time how well traveled our little girl is at only 1 1/2, having been to Disney, Italy, and Greece before she even left the womb. There are so many stories that we look forward to telling her when she’s a bit older, especially those with her along for the ride. Although it was a bit intimidating going to a foreign country without knowing the language, having a dietary challenge, and with a baby on the way, we had an amazing time and created some very special memories that we’ll share with our little girl for forever. 

Here’s a few tips that could help prepare you for vacationing while being pregnant and gluten free:

  • Do your homework: This is probably the best tip I can give anyone. Google google google. The internet has allowed us to help others and receive help too, so make sure you search for anything gluten free when it comes to your destination.
  • Snacks: This is an absolute must and goes for those that are just gluten free or those that are gluten free and expecting. I always travel with snacks, pregnant or not; it just gives you comfort that you’ll always have something to eat if you’re in a pinch. So bring plenty of snacks with you, and make sure you cater to both sides of your cravings, salty or sweet, you never know what you’ll be in the mood for.
  • Translation cards: This is crucial and can really help bridge the gap between you and your waitor, hostess, or chef. If you don’t know the language in the country you’re visiting, either learn a few key phrases, i.e. do you have a gluten free menu, is this gluten free, cross contamination, or bring along translation cards (these are a great option to prevent any lost in translation moments where your pronunciation of said phrases isn’t the best). 
  • Cruising tips: highlight gluten free on your trip reservation months ahead (not just on your dining reservation), stop at guest relations or the ship’s reservation desk to make reservations ahead of time, meet with the chef ahead of time to place your order
  • Pregnancy tips: Make sure you don’t overdo it, eat plenty, keep some hard candies on hand (they help with the nausea and are a good blood sugar booster), and finally keep those motion sick bands on hand at all times (these were a lifesaver for me).

Have fun, travel safely, and eat well!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

 

 

 

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Strawberry, Banana, And Peach Oatmeal Bake

So I purchased a new bag of gluten free oats the other day for a brand new recipe that I wanted to try. I’m always looking for new filling and tasty breakfast options. For me, breakfast is always one of my hardest meals of the day, especially while I was pregnant. It never failed, if I’d had a piece of toast and fruit to go with it, I would be hungry literally an hour later. Along with smoothies, I found that oatmeal was always a great, filling breakfast option to pair with fruit or even toast if you want.  

This baked oatmeal dish is both gluten and dairy free which is amazing if your trying to watch your dairy intake too. Rather than your traditional microwavable oatmeal packet, this oatmeal is baked and resembles more of an oatmeal cake. I combined some of my favorite fruits, including strawberries, bananas, and peaches, so delicious! This dish is perfect with all of the fresh fruit that’s available during the summer, but also works great too with frozen fruit that you stock up on in the winter. I’ve already added this recipe to my pregnancy recipe binder and can’t wait to bake this one up and nibble on it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, whenever I’m in the mood, that is if I can beat my little one to it, who seemed to be a huge fan too!

Ingredients:

  • 1 3/4 cups dairy free milk (I used Silk Almondmilk Unsweetened Vanilla)
  • 1 egg
  • 2 over-ripened mashed bananas
  • 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract 
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 cups quick cooking oats (Bob’s Red Mill offers certified gluten free oats)
  • 1 cup chopped strawberries
  • 1 cup chopped peaches
  • 1 over ripened sliced banana for topping
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar for topping

Directions:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  • Mash two bananas in a small bowl and combine with 1 3/4 cups dairy free milk, 1 egg, 1 tbsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp cinnamon.
  • To the wet mixture, stir in 2 cups quick cooking gluten free oats and 1 tsp baking powder.  
  • Combine oatmeal mixture with 1/2 cup chopped strawberries and 1/2 cup chopped peaches. Set aside the remaining strawberries and peaches for topping.
Oatmeal with peaches, strawberries, and bananas.
Oatmeal with peaches, strawberries, and bananas.
  • Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and pour in oatmeal mixture.
  • Top with remaining strawberries and peaches (about 1/2 cup of each) and 1 whole banana sliced. 
Top with remaining fruit before baking.
Top with remaining fruit.
  • Finally, sprinkle with 1/4 cup light brown sugar.
Sprinkle light brown sugar on top before baking.
Sprinkle light brown sugar on top before baking.
  • Bake oatmeal for 25 minutes
  • Set oven to broiler and broil for about 5 minutes, until top has begun to caramelize.
Baked oatmeal.
Baked oatmeal.
  • Enjoy! Note: Oatmeal is best enjoyed right after baking, but if you’re making the night before, just reheat in the oven the next morning and you’re good to go.
dsfs
Finish by broiling to crisp the top of your oatmeal!

When I baked this dish the other night, after little one went to bed, our house was filled with the most delicious aroma, kind of like fruity oatmeal cookies were baking in the oven! I couldn’t wait to try a bite and kind of forced Dan too as well, mind you it was near 9:00 when I was trying to throw this dish together for breakfast the next morning. It was delicious, perfectly sweet thanks to the varieties of fruit inside without being overly sweetened. The best part about this oatmeal, besides its taste that is, was how easy it was to put together; you could certainly throw this together and bake it for breakfast on a Sunday morning, and if you’re short on time, just bake the night before and reheat in the oven the next morning. The next best part is, it’s a healthy and gluten free (and dairy free too!) breakfast option, thanks to the gluten free oats, fresh fruit, and Silk Almondmilk! 

This is a wonderful gluten free and dairy free breakfast, lunch, and even dinner option, if your an occasional breakfast for dinner kind of person like I am. I can’t wait to try out even more fruit combinations in this dish, maybe mixed berry next time!

Sincerely,

Lindsay 

Gluten Free/Dairy Free Strawberry, Banana, and Peach Oatmeal Bake
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Ingredients
  1. 1 3/4 cups dairy free milk (I used Silk Almondmilk Unsweetened Vanilla)
  2. 1 egg
  3. 2 over-ripened mashed bananas
  4. 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
  5. 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  6. 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
  7. 1 tsp baking powder
  8. 2 cups quick cooking oats (Bob's Red Mill offers certified gluten free oats)
  9. 1 cup chopped strawberries
  10. 1 cup chopped peaches
  11. 1 over ripened sliced banana for topping
  12. 1/4 cup light brown sugar for topping
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Mash two bananas in a small bowl and combine with 1 3/4 cups dairy free milk, 1 egg, 1 tbsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp cinnamon.
  3. To the wet mixture, stir in 2 cups quick cooking gluten free oats and 1 tsp baking powder.
  4. Combine oatmeal mixture with 1/2 cup chopped strawberries and 1/2 cup chopped peaches. Set aside the remaining strawberries and peaches for topping.
  5. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and pour in oatmeal mixture.
  6. Top with remaining strawberries and peaches (about 1/2 cup of each) and 1 whole banana sliced.
  7. Finally, sprinkle with 1/4 cup light brown sugar.
  8. Bake oatmeal for 25 minutes
  9. Set oven to broiler and broil for about 5 minutes, until top has begun to caramelize.
  10. Enjoy! Note: Oatmeal is best enjoyed right after baking, but if you're making the night before, just reheat in the oven the next morning and you're good to go.
Adapted from Food Family Finds
Adapted from Food Family Finds
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/

Katz Gluten Free Chocolate Buns: A Pregnant Woman’s Dream Pastry!

Mmmm, I can still smell my dad’s cinnamon bread, drizzled with sugary icing while cooling on our kitchen counter. This was certainly a holiday staple in our house, seeming like only yesterday when we were all so eager to take our first bites of my dad’s huge loaves of cinnamon bread. Such fond memories from years past that I’ll keep with me forever, but only as memories, since those delectable sweets were loaded with gluten.

Thanks to Katz (one of my all time favorite gluten free brands!), one of my childhood holiday staples can return with gusto! While perusing their website to see what new gluten free eats they offer, I stumbled upon these little babies, Chocolate Buns, along with their standard Cinnamon Bun counterpart. I was excited to discover that they offered a new pastry, as I’m certainly a huge fan of their dessert/ breakfast pastry options. I couldn’t resist ordering a box of each to give them a try, but I must admit I was most excited to try the chocolate version. 

Katz All New Chocolate Buns!
Katz All New Chocolate Buns!

When my Chocolate Buns arrived, I couldn’t wait to tear open the box and check them out in person. Unfortunately though, I was a bit disappointed by the container that greeted me. After their shipping and handling, the container of chocolate buns was a bit messy with the buns moved about inside. It almost seemed like the container was just too big for the chocolate buns, so maybe a smaller container could prevent them from moving and flipping during shipping. I’m personally not very critical on presentation anyway, I’m more concerned with the important stuff, like their taste and texture. Despite the disarray of the container though, the chocolaty buns inside were a beautiful sight to be had. They were petite and perfect, who cares if there’s a little bit of extra chocolate smooshed on the outside of the chocolate bun anyway.

Chocolaty deliciousness! A pregnant woman's dream!
Chocolaty deliciousness! A pregnant woman’s dream!

So these chocolate buns are stored in the freezer and when you’re ready to eat one, just pop it onto a plate and thaw. I didn’t warm them up, however I’m sure you could zap them for a quick few seconds to just warm them slightly. After just one bite, I was hooked. These have certainly joined my list of all time favorite gluten free pastries. I have just one question for Katz though, where were these when I was pregnant?!?! I would’ve have been obsessed with these delicate pieces of chocolaty goodness. These are truly a gluten free pregnant woman’s dream come true (okay really any of us gluten free woman!), with the icing drizzled on top to the chocolate that finds itself spiraled between the pastry dough, each bite is the perfect amount of sweetness. The dough is perfectly textured, not too flaky but not too dense, and keeps it’s spirally bun structure with each bite. 

Okay, so size wise, these are no Disney World, Gaston’s Tavern humongous cinnamon buns; however, as far as a gluten free versions go, these are incredible! They are a perfect size for a quick morning pastry or a dessert after dinner, the only problem being that your left certainly wanting more because they were just that tasty. Another great perk for this one, is that these chocolate buns are free of gluten, dairy, and nuts, so if you nixed those from your diet for one reason or another you’re in luck! For more info on their chocolate buns, check them out here.

Price wise, these cost $5.99 for a pack of 4. Running at about $1.50 per chocolate bun, this isn’t terrible and is certainly right on point with prices that gluten free bakeries would charge, if they even offered an item like this. Better yet though, Katz offers promotions on their site frequently so you’ll more than likely be able to purchase these delectable bites with a promotional code that’ll save you a bit too, making these taste even sweeter.

As usual, Katz has not disappointed me. Now with each bite of a Chocolate or Cinnamon Bun I’ll be reminded of my dad’s holiday bread, at least until I brave converting that recipe to gluten free for myself (eek!). You certainly can’t ask for anything better from a gluten free product, beside it tasting phenomenal, looking even better, and reminding you of those sweet holiday memories that you’ll never forget. Katz continues to amaze me with just how perfect their gluten free items are in every way. Thanks again Katz for putting out another amazing product, and keep them coming! 

Sincerely,

Lindsay

 

Gluten Free Joy Ice Cream Cone Coupon!

Summer’s here! There’s certainly nothing better than enjoying an ice cream cone on a hot summer day. In a world where we’re surrounded by gluten everywhere though, it’s a bit more difficult to grab one of these at your local ice cream shop. No worries, thanks to Joy, gluten free ice cream cones have made their debut! These cones are light and airy and are the perfect crunchy complement to a deliciously sweet ice cream. You absolutely must pick up a package (or two!) of these on your next shopping trip, but make sure you print this coupon first! 

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Cheesy Bacon And Gluten Free Grilled Red Potatoes: A Perfect Gluten Free Side For Any Cookout!

As Father’s Day weekend rolled around, so did some beautiful weather of clear skies and mild temperatures. We certainly took advantage of the gorgeous summer skies by taking a morning trip down to the boardwalk, where it was perfectly sunny and breezy. Little one rode a bit in her stroller and then itched to walk the boards herself. Soon enough, we granted her wish and sprung her from her carriage so she was free to take in all of the sights and smells of the shore. She was so excited by the ocean and sand that laid before us and probably wanted to try a bit of it out, but no beach for us that day; instead, we ventured along through the arcades, sweet stores, and stopped to get a little treat to eat for our little girl (and Daddy too!).  

After trying our hand at a few Disney cranes, we finally tasted victory and won our little Disney lover her beloved Daisy! With Daisy in hand, little one nibbled on her soft pretzel while Daddy enjoyed a slice of boardwalk pizza. Sadly, I have to report that I couldn’t join my family in tasting any of the boardwalk deliciousness; oh how I miss those non-gluten free treats like Kohr’s raspberry and vanilla soft serve, massive slices of plain pizza, or those delicious vinegar fries (ugh these are really good!). Now, although there not much in the way of gluten free eats, at one of the dining locations on the boardwalk, they do offer a gluten free pizza that is cooked in a separate pan and everything. Last year I just had to try it and really wasn’t a huge fan, but appreciated just being able to indulge a little in the boardwalk tradition of grabbing a bite to eat. Hopefully someday, the rest of the boardwalk joins the gluten free world.

After a beautiful morning of just us three, we were back at home ready to host all of the fathers and grandfathers in our family for a cookout. Hot dogs, hamburgers, tortellini salad, corn on the cob, baked beans, cucumber and tomato salad, potatoes on the grill, watermelon, chocolate cake, and ice cream bars, we had a huge array of food for all to enjoy. My favorite of the day was my gluten free potato dish that I cooked on the grill. We first fell for this one last summer after I’d found the recipe in a Taste of Home mini cookbook. With some gluten free adaptations, I had made a winner that my husband and I loved! With a special request from the Daddy of the day, I decided to make a huge portion of my Cheesy Bacon and Gluten Free Grilled Red Potatoes to hopefully please all of our guests. These potatoes are diced into small, bite-sized pieces and cooked until perfectly tender. They’re mixed with seasoned salt (one of our favorite grilling seasonings!), onions, chives, bacon, and cheese!. My little one, who hasn’t seemed to be a fan of potatoes unless we give her one or two in fry form, even liked these. The mixture of bacon, cheese, and potato is heavenly, truly perfect for any cookout!

Note: This is a family sized recipe, perfect for family picnics. We had 10 adults at our Father’s Day picnic and we had more than enough. If you’d like to make a smaller portion for a family dinner, just half the recipe and it’s perfect for a weeknight side dish.

Ingredients:

  • 6 large red potatoes, washed, peeled (optional), and cut into small bite size pieces (I love red potatoes!)
  • 2 medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 6 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbsp minced chives
  • 1 tsp seasoned salt (I use Lawry’s which is gluten free according to their website.)
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 4 tbsp butter (I use Smart Balance) 
  • 1 cup diced cooked bacon (If short on time, use Hormel bacon pieces)
  • 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese

Directions:

  • Wash thoroughly, peel, and dice 6 red potatoes into small bite-size pieces. Feel free to leave the peels on if you prefer, I just gave them a quick and rough peel.
  • Chop  2 medium, yellow onion and set aside.
  • Combine potatoes, onions, 6 tbsp grated parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp chopped chives, 1 tsp seasoned salt, and 1 tsp black pepper in a large mixing bowl. 
  • Prepare foil pocket to hold potatoes for cooking on the grill. Heavy duty foil is the best, but just layer regular foil for a sturdier hold. I like to lay one long strip of foil on the counter and then a second perpendicular to the first. Then fold up bottom layer and make center into a bowl type pocket. Using a wide, shallow bowl for this is helpful to keep the form of your foil pocket. 
  • Add potato mixture to foil and dot with 4 tbsp of butter.
  • Close foil pocket by folding foil down around the potatoes and seal it tightly.
  • Carefully transfer potatoes to grill, cover and cook on medium heat for 15-18 minutes. Make sure potatoes are cooked until tender.
  • Cook and prepare bacon by dicing it into small, bite-size pieces. Alternatively, you can use prepared bacon pieces like those by Hormel, which are gluten free according to their website.
  • When done cooking, undo foil pocket carefully and add 1 cup of shredded part-skim mozzarella and 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese along with 1 cup diced cooked bacon to top of potatoes.
  • Reseal foil pocket and grill for an additional 5 minutes until all cheese has melted.
  • Remove foil pocket from grill and carefully open. Allow steam to escape from the pocket first before emptying potatoes.
  • Scoop potatoes into large serving bowl or serve potatoes in foil pocket (just tell your guests to be careful as the foil will be hot from sitting on the grill). 
Cheesy Bacon Grilled Potatoes
Cheesy Bacon Grilled Red Potatoes
  • Enjoy!
So delicious!
Enjoy!

Instead of moving these to a large bowl, you can always keep their presentation a bit prettier by serving them in their foil pocket. I love serving them like this, that way your guests can see all of the cheesy bacon goodness that tops the mound of diced potatoes. For this particular occasion though, I transferred them to another bowl since the foil is quite hot from the grill and we had some curious kids milling around the food table, not a good combo. Taste wise, these are certainly a crowd pleaser! Our Father’s Day cookout guests couldn’t stop raving about how yummy these were. And our little girl, the non-potato lover, loved them too! She gobbled down a couple generous forkfuls, a true feat for her when it comes to potatoes. 

So next time your having a big cookout, 4th of July maybe, or even just a weeknight cookout, pull this one out and you’ll have a winner! And don’t be afraid to half or adjust the recipe as necessary for your party size, you can’t make any mistakes with this one!

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Cheesy Bacon and Gluten Free Grilled Red Potatoes
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Ingredients
  1. 6 large red potatoes, washed, peeled (optional), and cut into small bite size pieces (I love red potatoes!)
  2. 2 medium yellow onion, chopped
  3. 6 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
  4. 2 tbsp minced chives
  5. 1 tsp seasoned salt (I use Lawry's which is gluten free according to their website.)
  6. 1/2 tsp black pepper
  7. 4 tbsp butter (I use Smart Balance)
  8. 1 cup diced cooked bacon (If short on time, use Hormel bacon pieces)
  9. 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
  10. 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese
Instructions
  1. Wash thoroughly, peel, and dice 6 red potatoes into small bite-size pieces. Feel free to leave the peels on if you prefer, I just gave them a quick and rough peel.
  2. Chop 2 medium, yellow onion and set aside.
  3. Combine potatoes, onions, 6 tbsp grated parmesan cheese, 2 tbsp chopped chives, 1 tsp seasoned salt, and 1 tsp black pepper in a large mixing bowl.
  4. Prepare foil pocket to hold potatoes for cooking on the grill. Heavy duty foil is the best, but just layer regular foil for a sturdier hold. I like to lay one long strip of foil on the counter and then a second perpendicular to the first. Then fold up bottom layer and make center into a bowl type pocket. Using a wide, shallow bowl for this is helpful to keep the form of your foil pocket.
  5. Add potato mixture to foil and dot with 4 tbsp of butter.
  6. Close foil pocket by folding foil down around the potatoes and seal it tightly.
  7. Carefully transfer potatoes to grill, cover and cook on medium heat for 15-18 minutes. Make sure potatoes are cooked until tender.
  8. Cook and prepare bacon by dicing it into small, bite-size pieces. Alternatively, you can use prepared bacon pieces like those by Hormel, which are gluten free according to their website.
  9. When done cooking, undo foil pocket carefully and add 1 cup of shredded part-skim mozzarella and 1 cup shredded mild cheddar cheese along with 1 cup diced cooked bacon to top of potatoes.
  10. Reseal foil pocket and grill for an additional 5 minutes until all cheese has melted.
  11. Remove foil pocket from grill and carefully open. Allow steam to escape from the pocket first before emptying potatoes.
  12. Scoop potatoes into large serving bowl or serve potatoes in foil pocket (just tell your guests to be careful as the foil will be hot from sitting on the grill).
  13. Enjoy!
Notes
  1. This is a family sized recipe, perfect for family picnics. We had 10 adults at our Father's Day picnic and we had more than enough. If you'd like to make a smaller portion for a family dinner, just half the recipe and it's perfect for a weeknight side dish.
  2. Try serving these potatoes in their foil pocket! It makes for a great presentation and keeps the prettiness of the melted cheese and bacon on top intact. Just be careful, the foil will be hot so make sure you warn your guests before they start scooping.
Adapted from Taste of Home
Adapted from Taste of Home
Gluten Free Mom To Be http://www.glutenfreemomtobe.com/

Great Gluten Free News: Freschetta Has Released Gluten Free Plain and Pepperoni Pizzas!

Gluten Free Thin & Crispy Four Cheese  Gluten Free Thin & Crispy Signature Pepperoni

I think we’ve officially started a new chapter in the book of gluten free. No longer will we be limited to the pioneers of the gluten free world (thanks to all of you!) that first offered reliable products that were pricey but safe for us to enjoy. Now with the emergence of allergen awareness, huge food brands are putting out tastier gluten free versions of everyday diet staples at more affordable prices. From General Mills with Chex, Ronzoni and Barilla with pasta, Perdue with breaded chicken tenders, and finally now Freschetta with their new gluten free frozen pizzas!

While I love to make my own pizzas with gluten free mixes or even start with the premade crusts by Udi’s or Schar, you can’t get more convenient than a frozen pizza produced by one of the top brands out there! Pre-gluten free days I occasionally picked up one of these for a quick and easy dinner when I lived on my own in grad school and as far as frozen pizzas go, Freschetta were always my favorite; so I’m super excited to track one of these down and give it a try! Learn more about Freschetta’s new gluten free pizzas along with where you can pick them up here. Let me know if you’ve had success in tracking them down in a store near you and if they taste as good as they look and I’ll do the same!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

RP’s Pasta Company, The Pioneer Of Fresh Gluten Free Pasta

As a true Italian, pasta was one of my family’s favorite dishes that we enjoyed at least once or twice a week along with a Sunday dinner or two. Spaghetti, fettuccine, penne, riagtoni, ravioli, tortellini, and lasagna, we enjoyed it in all shapes and sizes. On the occasion that we ate out, pasta was my go to meal, specifically vodka rigatoni, since I wasn’t a huge meat eater. As an adult, I continued to enjoy pasta in a variety of different forms, but one of my favorites was the fresh pasta that my then boyfriend and I would make. In fact, the night my boyfriend proposed to me he made our favorite dinner of fresh pasta with vodka sauce and meatballs. A few years down the road, my diagnosis of a severe gluten intolerance appeared, and it was goodbye to my pasta days, a truly heartbreaking day for this Italian. I thought that I had said goodbye forever to a staple that was part of so many memories throughout my life.

Although it’s been one heck of a process trying to find gluten free pasta that didn’t disintegrate while cooking and have a lackluster taste to boot, I’m so happy to have discovered the best substitutions for gluten filled regular pasta. While the boxed pastas by Ronzoni and Barilla, that have been released in recent months, are fantastic and stand out above all of the rest, I still do miss the occasional treat of enjoying the freshness and perfect al dente texture of fresh pasta. Thankfully, my husband, being the best non-gluten free spouse that a gluten free wife  could ask for, scoured the internet and found one of my favorite gluten free products to date, RP’s Gluten Free Pasta. 

Fresh gluten free pasta!
Fresh gluten free pasta!

RP’s Pasta Company produces a number of varieties of fresh gluten free pasta, including fettuccini, linguini, fusilli, lasagna sheets, and spinach fettuccini. After a quick 2-3 minute boil, their pasta is cooked to perfection. Toss the pasta with your favorite sauce or just butter and cheese and you’re ready to enjoy! 

Fresh gluten free fettuccine.
Fresh gluten free fettuccine with creamy pesto sauce.

My favorite sauce to add on top is a creamy pesto, but I’m actually eager to try it with a homemade alfredo next time! I’m also super eager to try their fresh lasagna sheets which I’ve yet to spot at my local store, so I’m keeping my fingers crossed on that one. As far as price, their pasta is pretty affordable at $5.99 a package at Whole Foods. To stick to my family’s grocery budget, I keep to purchasing the boxed gluten free pastas for my week to week grocery shopping, but RP’s gluten free pasta is certainly on my list for the occasional trip to Whole Foods that I make about once every month or so. The best part is, is that the expiration date on their pastas is usually pretty far ahead, so you can store it in your fridge for an extended period of time but can always move it to your freezer if necessary later on. To check out RP’s gluten free pastas and where you might be able to purchase them, just take a peak at their website here.

I can’t give this product enough props, it truly is amazing what company’s are able to accomplish now with gluten free ingredients! RP’s Pasta Company has raised the bar when it comes to gluten free pasta with their fresh pasta version, a product until about year ago had gone totally absent in my life. They produce a standout product that will remain a gluten free staple in my home for many years to come and hopefully yours too!

Sincerely,

Lindsay 

General Mills Chex Now Makes Gluten Free Oatmeal! Another Gluten Free Product Thanks To General Mills!

Okay, so thanks to Twitter, I heard some very exciting news about the release of a brand new gluten free product courtesy of General Mills. After already producing the ever so successful and incredibly tasty gluten free Chex varieties, they are now pushing out Gluten Free Chex Oatmeal. I took at a peak at the Chex website and it looks like they are offering three varieties: original, maple brown sugar, and apple cinnamon.

Okay, so as far as availability, I haven’t actually seen these available in my local stores yet, but I’ve been told that they’re on their way! I for one cannot wait to snag my first box and give it a try. I can only hope that they have success and put out more varieties like my old favorites peach, strawberry, or blueberries and cream.

Even better news though, I have a coupon for this brand new product! Just follow this link to print your Chex Oatmeal coupon today and keep it on hand for when you spot this winner! 

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

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