The Holy Grail of Gluten Free Donuts

There’s nothing worse than a nagging craving that you can’t fulfill, especially while pregnant. While living a gluten free pregnancy, this is bound to happen. There were many days during my pregnancy that I couldn’t stop thinking about eating a donut, especially the chocolate frosted and sprinkled kind from Dunkin Donuts. Much to my dismay, these donuts are full of gluten and totally off limits in my diet. After scouring food stores and searching online I did find several brands of gluten free donuts, unfortunately after trying them I learned they didn’t resemble a regular donut in neither price nor texture and taste.

After a quick trip to a local health food store I stumbled upon the holy grail of gf donuts. The brand to which I’m referring is Katz Gluten Free. You’ll soon learn that this is truly one of my favorite brands of gf products. In fact, their site boasts that they accommodate to a number of food allergies so if you face any other dietary restrictions you might just be in luck. While they are known for producing a number of products, today I’ll highlight the donut.

My personal favorite, that I purchased first, was the chocolate frosted donuts. I literally was in heaven when I took my first bite and I certainly was a happy mommy-to-be. They are a perfectly textured cake donut, not too dense and not too crumbly, very reminiscent of Entenmann’s donuts.

Defrosted chocolate frosted donut.
Chocolate frosted donut after defrosting.
Donuts have a perfect texture, not too dense or crumbly.
Donuts have a perfect texture and are very moist.

Katz donut selection certainly does not disappoint ranging from glazed to custard filled. Each variety is as delicious as their non-gluten free competitor. Take a look here to browse their entire selection and pick out which ones you’d like to try, you won’t be disappointed!

Most of their products, including the donuts, are stored in the freezer, and can be kept upwards near 10 months. The best method to prepare the donuts is to thaw them at room temperature; it doesn’t take long at all for these to become soft enough to eat. I would recommend to take one out of the freezer when you first get up in the morning, leave it out at room temperature while you get ready, and by the time you’re done you’re morning prep it would be perfect (if you prefer a warmed donut, you can always zap it for a few seconds in the microwave at this point). If you’re in a hurry and you forget to defrost one you can certainly try microwaving, however you want to be very careful as these heat up very quickly with very little heating, and especially those with frosting as they’ll melt completely. I would say to microwave between 5 and 10 seconds to start and see how tender it is at that point and go from there.

Price wise, Katz products are definitely comparable if not cheaper than a majority of the  other brands that offer gluten free donuts. Depending on variety, Katz donuts will end up costing anywhere between $4.49 to $6.99 per box. The chocolate frosted that are my favorite cost $6.99 for a box of six.

Katz chocolate frosted donuts.
Katz chocolate frosted donuts.

Depending on location, Katz products can be hard to find in store though. In my area, I have only been able to find them in a local, privately owned health food shop. That being said though, you can always order online from their entire stock of products with an affordable standard flat rate shipping fee of $7.99. Also, they even offer a sample package for free with a promo code to first time customers which contains several types of breads and pastries, all for only the price of shipping, if you’re interested check it out here!

TIP: Katz offers deals very frequently on their products so sign up for their newsletter today here and you’ll surely receive an offer that’s too good to pass up!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

 

Moist and Delicious Gluten Free Banana Bread

One of the worst culinary crimes is letting fresh produce spoil, and sadly, I have to admit that despite our best efforts this happens in our house. One fruit in particular that we can never seem to eat fast enough are bananas. My favorite solution to using aged bananas has always been baking a banana bread. Growing up, my mom made banana bread often and I still remember how delicious it was, making the perfect breakfast or lunch for any of us in the family. In recent years, I’ve been hard pressed to find a quality gluten free banana bread recipe and adapting a non-gluten free recipe has posed its challenges. I’m proud to announce though that I’ve finally found a recipe from the Taste of Home magazine that produces a moist and light banana bread that will make gluten free and non-gluten free eaters very happy! Myself and my non-gluten free little girl and husband loved this banana bread and it will be sure to fill many tummies in our household for years to come!

Ingredients:

Banana Bread Ingredients
Banana Bread Ingredients
  • 2 cups gluten free all purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4-5 medium)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup unsweetend applesauce (Musselman’s applesauce marks gluten free on label)
  • 1/3 cup canola oil (I use Smart Balance oil which is marked gluten free)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract (McCormick indicates gluten free on packaging)
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • For ingredients such as salt, baking soda, sugar, and walnuts I tend to use whatever is on sale or is the cheapest, most of the time this being the store brand in our case. These ingredients are inherently gluten free as is and their labels are short and sweet, only listing one ingredient. Although there is no source of gluten in these products, it is good practice to always call the number listed on the labeling to check gluten content. In fact, even for the products that I listed that I use, be sure to always check the labels each time before purchasing, as companies have been known to make changes to their ingredient labels without any indication on their packaging, better to be safe than sorry for sure.

Directions:

  • Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl including flour, baking soda, and salt.
  • In a small bowl, mash bananas with a fork.
Bananas
5 ripe bananas mashed!
  • Add eggs, sugar, applesauce, oil, and vanilla to mashed bananas.
Wet Ingredients and Sugar Combined
All wet ingredients and sugar combined!
  • Combine together flour mixture and wet ingredients until thoroughly mixed.
All Ingredients Combined
All ingredients are combined!
  • Transfer to two 8 in. x 4 in. loaf pans coated with cooking spray (I use Smart Balance). Sprinkle top with walnuts. You can use one pan as I did (I only had one loaf pan and limited time) but just adjust the cook time accordingly, i.e. start with the 55 minutes and increase by 10 minute increments if necessary until toothpick comes out clean.
Banana bread ready for baking!
Banana bread ready for baking!
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 45-55 minutes. If toothpick comes out clean from center than the bread is baked through. Cool for about 10 minutes and turn pan to remove and cool completely.
Banana bread is finally finished and cooling!
Banana bread is finally finished and cooling!

I personally enjoy my banana bread a little toasted or heated with butter! A tip to add a little something extra special to this bread…heat and top with Land O’Lakes Cinnamon Sugar Butter (gluten free according to their website here, but always check the label before purchasing)! And as an added bonus, my house was filled with a wonderful banana aroma the entire afternoon!

A slice of banana bread for the chef and baby sous chef!
A slice of banana bread for the chef and baby sous chef!

Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Happy Birthday Mommy and Daddy- A Review of Salt Creek Grille

The month of March is a very special month in our house as Dan and I share it as our birthday month and even better than that we share a birthday week! This year our little family ventured out to Salt Creek Grille. In addition to the food, the restaurant itself is certainly an experience. Both outside and inside Salt Creek Grille resembles that of a wooden ski lodge and is even equipped with cozy fireplaces. Their kitchen is open to the dining room so you can watch the hustle bustle of your food being prepped. But ultimately our biggest concern as gluten free eaters is what our gluten free menu will look like.

Salt Creek Grille does not have a separately designated gluten free menu, but instead they have highlighted items on their main menu that are inherently gluten free without any adjustments. After some discussion with our waitress we learned that most of the menu could be made gf with only a few adjustments. Their menu has quite a few options from soup and salads to seafood and steaks. You can take a look at their entire dinner menu here as well as the dessert menu (Yes they do have a gluten free dessert!).

On this particular occasion, I decided to order the wedge salad as well as the filet mignon, which was actually not marked gluten free on their menu. The filet mignon was gluten free except for the demi-glace sauce that usually accompanies it; to make this gluten free, I simply requested my go to steak sauce of choice, the béarnaise sauce, which I knew could be made gluten free from previous experience. Along with the filet, was a side of yukon gold mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. I have to mention that the béarnaise sauce is near and dear to my heart as I first and lastly enjoyed it at our wedding. Since going gluten free shortly after our nuptials, I have only been able to order a steak with béarnaise sauce when we have cruised but never at a normal restaurant on land. Unfortunately, many sauces are thickened with flour and thus chock full of gluten, this particular sauce is no different. Therefore when we dine at Salt Creek Grille I don’t miss the chance to indulge in this rarity.

While feeding little one some steamed veggies prepped at home, our appetizers were brought out. The wedge salad is definitely one of my favorite salads and this one was just right, picture perfect with a perfect proportion of blue cheese to bacon along with several cherry tomatoes to round it off. Just as we were licking our plates from our appetizers and little one doing the same of her veggies, our entrees were arriving. My filet was cooked well done, just how I like it, and the sauce was just what I wanted, reminding me of our wedding meal a bit. Everything was delicious and perfectly gluten free!

Although we’re not big on ordering desserts, I can’t resist when the opportunity actually exists, especially on our birthdays. Salt Creek Grille offers a flourless chocolate cake, actually something I’m trying to replicate later on for my own birthday. It is so perfectly fudgy and cakey at the same time with a delicious dark chocolate sauce on the side as well as chocolate ice cream. As my daughter was nibbling on her goldfish Mickey’s and Cheerios she kept eyeballing the chocolatey treat; I couldn’t help but give her a taste and as her mouth closed in on her little fork her eyes glistened with pure bliss. She certainly has an eye for the good stuff!

Salt Creek Grille is an excellent example of how a restaurant should be able to accommodate all of its diners. Every time we’ve dined here our entire family has always left full and satisfied! Such a wonderful way to celebrate our birthdays, Happy Birthday to us!

TIP: When making gluten free sauces, the best thickeners are either gluten free flour or cornstarch, both of which should do the trick. If a restaurant entree comes with a sauce that is not gluten free, inquire if either the sauce can be left off making the dish gluten free or as an alternative if the chef could provide a replacement gluten free sauce to accompany the dish.

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Delicious Vodka Rigatoni- A Review of Palermo’s Restaurant and Pizzeria

Ever since I can remember, one of my ultimate favorite pasta dishes has been Vodka Rigatoni. Sadly, gone are the days that I can enjoy my favorite meal from local Italian restaurants as many deter away from making a gluten free equivalent. The pasta of course is a big no-no and is full of gluten but the vodka can be as well, as many vodkas are distilled from wheat. Despite the overwhelming availability of gluten free pasta as well as vodka distilled from either corn or potato, a number of Italian restaurants have not quite caught on to the flexibility of altering dishes to be gluten free friendly.

Much to my surprise, after some googling I stumbled upon Palermo’s Restaurant and Pizzeria in Bordentown, NJ who offers an extensive gluten free menu.

Palermo's GF Menu Pg 1
Palermo’s Gluten Free Menu Page 1
Palermo's GF Menu Pg 2
Palermo’s Gluten Free Menu Page 2

Their menu offers a variety of dishes from pierogies and gnocchi to pizzas and burgers. When ordering gluten free at a non-gluten free restaurant I still approach eating with caution as many are sure to insert warnings on their gluten free menus indicating that there is always a chance for cross contamination. Although I appreciate honesty, this disclosure never leaves me at ease when eating out. When I do though, I try to make sure that everyone seems knowledgeable and understands my sensitivity so they might be a bit more careful (fingers crossed). During my round of 20 questions with the staff at Palermo’s, I was informed that the chef actually has a family member who has Celiac which immediately assured me that he understands the necessity for careful preparation and handling and also realizes the consequences of contamination.

I must admit with little one these days we mostly indulge in take out because of both the frigid winter we’ve been having and the brutal cold/flu season, so tonight was no exception. The food is always ready in a timely fashion and the staff couldn’t be friendlier, by now of course recognizing my husband as the gluten free family. As you can see, my Vodka Rigatoni was perfection! Gluten free rigatoni in a creamy vodka sauce with prosciutto!

Vodka Rigatoni
Vodka Rigatoni

Although I can appreciate and understand hesitation in allergy free cooking, I can’t help but hope other Italian restaurants would tackle the gluten free obstacle that exists and make many past and future patrons very happy. Hopefully someday we all can be treated to our classic Italian favorites when eating out at any local restaurant, but for now, I’m very appreciative of restaurants like Palermo’s who are making great attempts to make gluten free eaters feel welcomed!

TIP: Some restaurants may not have gluten free menus however they may still be able to accommodate by either swapping out pasta or changing a sauce so don’t hesitate to ask, it certainly can’t hurt to make a quick phone call before you stop in.

Sincerely,

Lindsay

A Hidden Gem- A Review of Wildflour Bakery/Cafe

After nearly three years of eating gluten free, I have finally found a completely gluten free restaurant where I could dine worry free of being “glutened”. The hidden gem I’m referring to is Wildflour Bakery/Cafe in Lawrenceville, NJ, home to a number of tasty gluten free pastries as well as a full service breakfast and lunch menu.

After a potential gluten incident on Valentine’s Day, my husband suggested a lunch at the Wildflour Bakery/Cafe. I was so excited to try out the newly advertised restaurant and eat worry free. With little one in tow we enjoyed one of the most relaxing lunches I’ve had in quite some time. I started off with the Pink Smoothie with strawberries, bananas, almond milk, orange juice, and agave.

Wildflour Blog Pics (2)
Pink Smoothie

Next up, I ordered the special which was an open faced sandwich made with their homemade baguette topped with eggplant spread and a little bit of mozzarella cheese. Along with my sandwich came a small house salad of mixed greens dressed with their house vinegarette and a cup of the sweet potato bisque soup. The bread was amazing and the eggplant spread was quite tasty too! One thing I have noticed in the past is that many gluten free breads tend to almost disintegrate when used in sandwiches, this one certainly surpassed this standard. It maintained it’s form as a baguette without falling apart and without getting soggy. It was delicious! Another item that I’ve never been able to order at a restaurant is soup as many of them do contain a source of gluten. The sweet potato bisque certainly was a welcomed surprise and hit the spot!

Wildflour Blog Pics (4)
Eggplant Baquette with Sweet Potato Bisque

My husband decided to order a bowl of the sweet potato bisque soup as well along with the grilled cheese sandwich which was served with a small salad. The orange sauce that you see on the side was a red pepper dipping sauce called muhammara. This was certainly as delicious as it looked (I tried a bite!). Dan is normally a “gluten eater” but has eaten his fair share of gluten free meals over the years, the least favorite of which has been our trials with breads, so he’s a pretty tough critic in that area in particular. That being said, he loved it too! In fact, he even said that had he not known that the sandwich had been gluten free he would’ve thought that it had been made with his glutenful bread.

Wildflour Blog Pics (6)
Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Our little girl had brought her own meal however certainly was eager to try one of the delectable desserts we eyed up when we walked in. Although we were quite full from our sandwiches, we ordered a couple treats to eat there and take with us for later. Little one picked out a chocolate chip cookie while Dan and I picked out the cranberry scone, brownie, and Brazilian cheese puff. My apologies but my daughter and I couldn’t wait to dive into our desserts so no pictures there but I did include pictures of the brownie and cheese puff. The scone tasted amazing and the texture was perfection! Little one gobbled up half the cookie before I could even try a bite and boy were her tastebuds right, it was delicious! The brownie was very fudgy and reminded me more of a flourless chocolate cake than a brownie, but still quite tasty! Finally, one of the highlights of our meal was the Brazilian cheese puff which was incredibly light and fluffy, two words that do not typically describe a gluten free item.

Brazilian Cheese Puff
Brazilian Cheese Puff
Brownie
Brownie

Wildflour Bakery/Cafe offers so much variety from sweet and savory crepes to special order cakes and breads and at such reasonable prices. To explore all of the options that they have to offer and menu pricing, here’s a link to their menu. In addition to the amazing food options I should definitely mention that the staff was incredible, overwhelmingly welcoming and knowledgeable, truly going out of their way to make you feel comfortable and enjoy your experience.

It certainly was refreshing to stumble upon a restaurant that I felt welcomed by both the staff and the food. All in all, we all left with full bellies and I in particular with dreams of our return!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

Eating Gluten Free in a Non-Gluten Free World

Welcome to a travel guide for the gluten free eater!

Here I’ll document my daily journeys and travels through the eyes of food. With a restrictive diet, it is a well known fact that eating out is no easy feat. However, it’s my hope that with this guide all of my readers will feel a bit more courageous in stepping out into a non-gluten free world but still be able to follow their gluten free diet.

Welcome Expecting Mommies!

Welcome to the Gluten Free Mom To Be’s site!

Here you’ll find great resources that can help you navigate through pregnancy while eating with dietary restrictions.

Be on the lookout for everything Gluten Free from Recipes to Restaurant Reviews!

Sincerely,

Lindsay

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