Even with a toddler and baby we’re stilling going strong with our adventures. And our dinners out haven’t slowed down too much either, well maybe a few less since we’re in the middle of cold/flu season. Admittedly we’re creatures of habit, okay really just me, but I like what I like and we tend to order in or dine out at the same rotation of restaurants. Happy to report we just added a regular to the rotation!
I’m always on the lookout for new gluten free options. And I have high standards when it comes to a try out, I’m talking a gluten free menu that includes more than three items that just omit sauce and side and offer plain meat. So when I noticed a random post by Gluten Free Philly it felt like fate that I was introduced to Jules Thin Crust. HOMEMADE pizza crust, not frozen, with over 25 pizza combinations, thanks to all gluten free toppings! Too good to be true? This is totally true I promise! And I have to spoil the surprise with a sneak peak at a pie!
A little about Jules Thin Crust, they have locations on the West and East Coast so if you see a location close enough for a day trip, it’s worth it, trust me. The best part though, they don’t just have a gluten free menu with the little “Eat at your own risk” disclosure, they are really GLUTEN FREE! They’ve worked with the Gluten Intolerance Group of North America to make sure their gluten free dough is safe. The ingredients we all know are only half the battle but the staff here too are trained and well trained to prevent contamination. Good news for any gluten free diner!
Okay now the good stuff. The pies are AMAZING! They come in two sizes, mini and medium which is huge as is. They’re prepped and cooked safely, topped with any of their toppings and sauces, all of which are certified gluten free. Now for everyone else their pies are already made and just need warming, ours are custom made which takes about 12 minutes. But a little wait is worth it because once your pie arrives on a pizza word with gluten free labeled paper underneath you’ll be more than ready to dig right in.
So the pizza…was….AMAZING!!! I opted for half plain and half pesto tomato, yes you can do that here too. The combos are endless and all gluten free, yes I know I said it already but it’s just so exciting. The crust is deliciously thin, a little crispy but soft too making a perfect pizza option for me. And fresh, nothing beats a fresh pizza crust, not frozen, textureless and flavorless like too many others. The toppings go right to the edge, everything is perfectly seasoned and just phenomenal. They have so many options I honestly had trouble choosing what to try. Check out all of the pizza options Jules Thin Crust Menu!
Yes I included the soda because they have so much more that’s gluten free. From a list of gluten free beverages, which you never see, salads, and desserts too, they just kept impressing me! And even though I hardly finished my pizza, my toddler insisted on a sweet treat, so I happily obliged. She picked out a sprinkle butterfly cookie, soft and freshly packaged and it was delicious.
From start to finish the meal was perfect and the experience even better. All of the staff knew just what to do and how to answer every question. Good food and good staff, win win! Even better, my daughters, one of which got to actually taste the food, and my husband loved the dinner as well. We’ll definitely be back, and very soon!
Thanks Jules Thin Crust for making gluten free living a little more enjoyable!
This mommy is getting her gluten free groove back! That’s right after almost a year of a restricted pregnancy and nausea dictated diet, I’m back with a healthy appetite for anything and everything gluten free I can get my hands on (well maybe not everything, I am still a very picky eater). Once baby girl arrived my acid reflux and nausea had vanished, I was diving into fruit salads, appetizers of soft cheeses, and heaping cold cut sandwiches piled high on some of the best gluten free bread I’ve ever tasted.
Next to one of my favorite gluten free breads, Canyon Bakehouse’s Deli Rye bread, Schar has released a brand new bread that’s perfect for every kind of sandwich. Their Artisan Baker White Bread is soft, fresh, and needs no prep before eating, a huge win in the gluten free world! And trust me, when it comes to gluten bread I’m hypercritical seeing as I love my sandwiches and have greatly missed them over the years.
Not long after baby arrived, my husband first brought home a loaf of this brand new bread and I have to admit that I was a little reluctant to give it a try. Unfortunately my faith in Schar’s breads has dwindled down to pretty much nothing after I’d bought many a loaf of bread over the past year that was either squished into tea sandwich sized slices or so brittle that just removing a slice from the small package causes the whole loaf to break in half. I’d grown so frustrated wasting $5.99 on a small loaf of unusable bread that we really hadn’t been purchasing bread the past few months and my love of sandwiches was put on the back burner towards the end of my pregnancy.
Thankfully though Schar has stepped up and given us a phenomenal new loaf of gluten free bread, one that I hope sticks around for a very long time. First off, while the loaves are still the same size, you cut the packaging open and the slices are ready to eat then and there, no toasting needed. I absolutely love being able to just pull the bread out of the packaging and use it straight away, a rarity for gluten free breads which usually come frozen or fresh, requiring heating in some way before eating. Next up the texture, I can’t rave about the texture enough. We all know that anything bread like in the gluten free world can be really off putting texture wise but this bread is a huge exception. These slices have that elasticity that lacks in so many other types of gluten free bread, but these definitely hold their own in so many different kinds of meals, trust me I’ve tested it. Whether you want a sandwich loaded with lunch meat, french toast or grilled cheese in the skillet, or even use a slice to wrap around your favorite hot dogs, Schar’s Artisan bread can do it all without crumbling to the touch or disintegrating with the moisture.
For the ultimate bread test though, the biggest question is taste. Will the perfect new texture compromise the breads taste? I’m happy to report that the answer on that one is absolutely not! This bread literally reminds me of gluten breads from my past, soft and pliable slices of bread that are squishy and elastic to the pull who’s taste blends with any and all kinds of concoctions.
Using a new recipe, Schar’s successfully created a fresh, soft and squishy, and excellent tasting gluten free bread, all the qualities we’ve been dreaming of and they’re now wrapped up in just one loaf of bread. I have to admit in my postpartum recovery where easy to make sandwiches are a new mommy’s best friend this bread has been a savior. I’ve had many a gluten free sandwich for quick lunches and dinners without any thawing, microwaving, or toasting. Thanks so much to Schar for giving us the gluten free bread of our dreams! Now let’s cross our fingers that they’ll use this new recipe to make all of our favorite versions of bread!
So put away that frozen bread, run to the store, and buy all of the fixings for your perfect sandwich but don’t forget Schar’s Artisan Baker White Bread because that’s what will make your sandwich truly perfect and perfectly gluten free!
With a summeresque morning at the beach under our belts, we decided to top off our day with an early dinner out. In just a few weeks our dinners out will be numbered for a little while so we figured we’d take advantage of the gorgeous weather and head over to Peddler’s Village which offers tons of charm and lots of gardens, shops, and dining. One of their most popular restaurants, Cock n’ Bull, offers a gluten free menu for both lunch and dinner that goes a step beyond your typical meat offerings, actually including some sandwich options. Gluten free sandwiches? No need to ask me twice then, without any hesitation we headed out to sneak in for an early dinner/ really late lunch at the heart of Peddler’s Village.
Gluten Free Sandwich at Peddler’s Village Cock n’ Bull Restaurant
We were seated right in the middle of a huge window overlooking all of the action in the village, a perfect spot for our toddler who chose to sit in a big girl seat for the very first time. While Dan and little one decided between their food options I knew exactly what my choice would be, a Gluten Free Whole Grain Sandwich with Grilled Turkey, Fontina Cheese, Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper, and Pesto Mayo with a side of gluten free chips. Mouth watering yet? Yup, well rightfully so because this sandwich was delicious!
For starters the bread itself was delicious, held up with all of the sandwich fillings and had a fantastic flavor and texture. The roasted turkey on the inside was so juicy and flavorful and matched perfectly with the melted cheese and spinach and roasted red peppers. As far as the size goes, as we all know gluten free bread can be on the smaller side, this portion was pretty decent and filled this mommy-to-be with no problem. Needless to say I enjoyed every single bite of this sandwich, as evidenced by the empty plate that was left behind. So if you’re ever in the area of Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, PA make sure you check out Cock n’ Bull and request this amazing gluten free sandwich!
All together it was a great weekend filled with lots of smiles, laughs, and new memories that’ll last a lifetime. I couldn’t have thought of a better way to ring in my 35th week then with the two loves of my life at the beach and with a perfect gluten free dinner that made both baby and Mommy happy.
Looking at Disney pictures is always a love/hate relationship, loving the memories that we made but hating that we’re not there right now but as they always say if you’re doing something all of the time it’s not as special anymore. Our last full day in Disney this year we tried out a breakfast at Crystal Palace and had some relaxing time meandering through Magic Kingdom before indulging in some dinner at the Polynesian courtesy of Kona Cafe.
Last full day of fun at Magic Kingdom!
We started our day off bright and early with a not-so-fun breakfast at Crystal Palace. Little one was not a fan of Winnie the Pooh and friends and I wasn’t very pleased with the gluten free food so needless to say the breakfast as a whole wasn’t a winner but thankfully it didn’t put a damper on the rest of the day. Once we finished with breakfast we were ready to explore some of the less frequented rides before our scheduled fast passes later in the day. But before the riding commenced we had to sneak in some photo time with Baby Girl #2’s first set of ears to commemorate her trip in Mommy’s belly, it was also a perfect way to announce that we were expecting a little girl.
A special baby announcement with the help of Minnie!
After a few pictures in the new gardens in front of the castle, we headed straight for Adventureland to enjoy some of our favorite attractions. Since we had only eaten a very light breakfast at Crystal Palace we were all more than ready for something to eat for an early lunch after a little bit of riding. Since we were in Adventureland we decided to try out Tortuga Tavern for Dan and little one while I requested a Dole Whip. They loved their nachos and cheese quesadilla and as for my Dole Whip, well let’s just say that the cup looks so much prettier when it’s filled with all of this deliciousness instead of empty. Everyone has their own way of enjoying a Dole Whip, mine is to get pineapple and vanilla swirl in pineapple juice, a huge winner for me pregnant or not pregnant! It is by far one of my favorite gluten free snacks in Disney World and a great use of a snack credit on the dining plan!
Gluten free Dole Whip, pineapple/vanilla swirl in pineapple juice, at Aloha Isle!
Don’t worry I didn’t just eat a Dole Whip for lunch I did indulge in a few more snacks later on like Disney’s signature popcorn and roasted nuts from my favorite stand by Dumbo in Fantasyland. But in-between all of the snacking it was time to use our fastpasses for some of favorite rides like Winnie the Pooh, Little Mermaid, and Peter Pan with a few character meet and greets with Cinderella’s stepsisters and Ariel in there as well. It was a relaxing way to enjoy some time in Magic Kingdom and as our little one faded we decided to head out early, meander through some shops, and get in some pool time before our dinner later on.
Kona Cafe Gluten Free Pan-Asian Noodle and Chicken Dish
After a decent size nap, little one woke up back in the room where Mommy and Daddy were doing the less fun packing to go home. So we could squeeze in a little more time packing we treated little one to a Mickey lollipop and some tv time. Finally she donned her best Ariel bathing suit and joined Daddy for some perfect pool time while Mommy was on picture duty lounging outside of the pool. She certainly loves herself some time splashing around in the pool so I’m so glad we were able to squeeze in another round before one of our most anticipated dinners at Kona Cafe.
Before too long we were back at the Polynesian and ready for our dinner, a personal favorite for me in the gluten free department. After being seated, I was handed the new gluten free menu which I can say had both pros and cons. I definitely liked how you could see all of your options without waiting to speak to the chef and even though you can still request to speak with the chef I did feel like they didn’t really prefer you to do so now that the menu was clear. I personally always prefer to speak to someone who is knowledgeable about the food whether it’s a manager or chef but this trip I decided to forego that request and just order by the menu. I ordered my favorite Pan-Asian Noodle and Chicken dish with the Kilauea Torte for dessert and emphasized that they needed to be done very carefully and gluten free, unfortunately our waiter wasn’t very pleasant and just laughed at my request. I was so taken aback by his response that I told him that I’d get very ill and it wasn’t something to laugh about. This kind of reaction isn’t really new to me but at Disney it certainly was, so needless to say I was less than pleased with him the rest of our meal.
Our meals arrived shortly after the bread course which is always a winner for little one and I definitely enjoy the warmed gluten free dinner rolls with the special butter too. While little one gobbled down her Mickey raviolis, a star in her book, I nibbled at my noodle dish. I have to say that this time around I think a little too much seasoning was added for my taste and it was pretty dry too, not having nearly enough sauce like it always does. I’m not sure if it was the lack of talking to the chef personally or if that was just coincidence but after our experience this time around with the waiter I’ll most certainly always be speaking with the chef from here on. Despite the little bit of a flop that my main entree took, the dessert was just as delicious as always, the chocolaty lava cake spilling over with warm chocolate sauce inside was divine. Check out one of my older reviews to catch a peak of this delicious gluten free dessert option.
All together, our last full day was fantastic, great weather, great food, and tons of smiles and laughs, can’t ask for a better day than that. And to put the perfect finishing touch on the day we managed to make one final viewing of little one’s favorite parade. She loved everything about it, the music, the lights and floats, but by far her favorite part was waving frantically and screaming hi to every single friend she saw even getting a special hug hello from Snow White. There’s no doubt our little one is a Disney lover, I mean she watches Disney Junior daily, but watching our little two year old be so in love with a place as special as Disney World is beyond magical for her Mommy and Daddy.
Stay tuned for our last day’s worth of treats and adventures!
In all of my Disney travels over the years I can never remember having to wear a jacket, let alone pants. But our 4th day in Disney was definitely on the chillier side so jackets and pants were a must. The short spurt of chilly weather in the middle of our trip was certainly a rarity for us on our Disney vacations but I have to say I preferred it over the sweltering heat that we usually have experienced on our summer vacations. So with sweatshirts, jackets, and pants on we were prepared for our half a day in Hollywood Studios.
Hollywood Studios
We usually don’t spend too much time in Hollywood Studios seeing as there’s a ton for our little one to do but we certainly packed a lot into our shortened day. We started off with a bang and twisted and turned on the Toy Story ride, which our little girl happened to love this time, attempting to pull the string and play the game with her too big 3D glasses on. On the way to Daddy’s Aerosmith rollercoaster, we had to make a quick stop to give some hugs to Pluto and Chip and Dale. We were back in route again and Daddy was off to ride his ride while little one and I picked up a new pressed penny book and added some new pressed pennies. After a little rest for Mommy and little one a warm bench, Daddy soon reappeared and we were off to catch the Disney Junior show, which is always a winner, followed by some hugs, kisses, and a little dancing too with Sofia and Jake. The last adventure before lunch was our little girl’s first time in the Honey I Shrunk The Kids inspired land which she absolutely loved; anything that includes climbing ropes, running around, and conquering twisty paths and slides is a winner for our courageous little girl.
Gluten free greek salad lunch at Studio Catering Co..
Since we were right next door we decided on Studio Catering Co. for lunch which in my book is a huge winner for gluten free diners. In the past I’ve taken advantage of their delicious gluten free roll choice and enjoyed a sandwich and fries, take a look at the Gluten Free Italian sandwich, but this lunch I was more in the mood for a salad so it was a gluten free greek salad this time around. My salad was put together safely and in a separate space and I was able to watch every bit of it being put together making me feel a lot more comfortable. Soon enough all of our meals were delivered and I was enjoying a Gluten Free Greek Salad with my favorite, an OMG Gluten Free Fudge Brownie for dessert. It was a perfect lunch, just enough to tide me over until a little snack that afternoon, a strawberry macaron maybe?
We finished up our day at Hollywood Studios with the Little Mermaid show, another winner for little one and headed out as our little girl had fallen asleep. We’d never taken the boats from Hollywood Studios but we decided it was a great opportunity especially since we had dinner at Epcot a little later and we could probably keep little one sleeping a little while longer that way. So with that we got a tour via boat of some of the other resorts between Hollywood Studios and Epcot and finally arrived at Epcot’s back corner near France. Since little girl was still sleeping and we happened to be in the right neck of the woods, I enjoyed another Gluten Free Strawberry Macaron from the snack stand while we put our feet up to enjoy some peace and quiet over in England.
Gluten free dinner at Rose & Crown Pub in Epcot’s England.
As nap time came to a close we decided to try to sneak in for an earlier dinner in England since it had warmed up enough to maybe enjoy an outdoor seat on the lake. Lucky us we were squeezed in early and got a great seat by an outdoor heater with a great view of the lake and the hustle and bustle on the main street, plenty to occupy our rambunctious toddler. Our waitress was phenomenal and made sure all of us were well taken care of, especially making sure the chef, Chef Joe, was out and tending to my gluten free needs without too much delay. We’ve dined at Rose & Crown before so Chef Joe actually remembered us, even recalling my order of a Gluten Free Filet with Garlic Herb Butter, Green Beans, and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. It was great to see a familiar face in the ordering process, especially one that remembered us too. So without further delay our orders were all placed and our food was soon on its way.
A Rose & Crown Pub gluten free filet with crispy green beans and garlic mashed potatoes.
The filet with the garlic, herb butter sauce was just as delicious as before, Chef Joe really did me proud. Each bite was just as tasty as the last and even though this pregnant mommy has really been off of meat this pregnancy I managed to eat a huge portion of my filet. I should mention that the accompaniments were just as delicious as the main star on the plate. The string beans were fresh and crispy and the garlic mashed potatoes were so creamy and had just the right amount of garlic. My main dish was delicious but I definitely was looking forward to a sweet treat at the end.
Rose & Crown gluten free English trifle with layers of fruit and custard, hold the cookie.
Per Chef Joe’s recommendation, I went with the Gluten Free English Trifle, sans the cookie, which is layers of fruit and custard. The custard was phenomenal and the strawberries were a perfect match. While I certainly enjoyed my dessert it was even better watching our little girl, who ordered the same treat I had but with the cookie addition, enjoy hers even more. Spoonful after spoonful elicited that grin and “mmm” sound making all of us smile along with her enjoyment.
All in all, I can’t say enough great things about dining gluten free at the Rose & Crown Pub. My whole family, along with our little girl, loves dining here each and every time, this time being no exception. Our meal outdoors, even though it was chilly, was so fun and made even better by our waitress who our little girl just loved talking and playing show and tell with. While the staff are truly fantastic as a whole, the highlight for us was the attentiveness of the chef. The chef himself brings out your meal and dessert and even checks on you to make sure all was to your liking. Chef Joe does a fantastic job catering to any request and deserves a huge thank you from my family and probably many others for the great work he does behind the scenes.
Such a fun night in Epcot!
It was a perfect day in Disney, a little chilly, but from start to finish filled with good food and lots of fun. We had a great day in Hollywood Studios and an even better night in Epcot which we topped off with few rides. What we love about each of our Disney trips is that every day in Disney is special and holds so many different memories. This trip was no different and by Day 4 we had already created so many special memories and we couldn’t wait to enjoy even more the next few days!
If you’ve never been to Epcot’s Flower and Garden Festival and you’re able to, I highly recommend planning your next Disney vacation between March and May to experience it. We were lucky enough to get down to Disney last May and we caught the tail end of the Flower and Garden Festival, but this year we were able to experience the kick off of the festival in all of its glory, from the concerts and food to the topiaries and our daughter’s favorite, the butterfly greenhouse! Each and every bit of Epcot we always love but the Spring additions made it that much better!
A day at Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival 2015!
In the past, we’ve experienced your typical Disney vacation with very humid and hot days trekking through the parks, so vacationing this time in March was a totally different experience. I’ve never had to wear a jacket or two while I was on vacation in Disney but that’s vacationing in March for you, never know what weather you’ll get. So while most of our days in Disney were much more mild warm to hot, sunny days, we had about 1 1/2 to 2 days where the weather was in the 60s warming up sometimes to the 70s. It was actually a really nice treat to be in Disney and not be in sweltering heat like we have been every vacation in the past, but all I have to say is thank goodness I packed some maternity pants and jackets because this mommy-to-be would have been rocking some men’s winter Disney attire for a few days!
Loved all of the topiaries, but this one by far was our little girl’s favorite!
So with a few layers we were ready to start our chillier day in Epcot and enjoy all that the festival had to offer. First up was the creme de la creme for my little girl, she was going to meet her favorite friends, Mickey, Goofy, and Minnie, but not without a quick pit stop to see Pluto first, without a line I may add. Her visits were filled with frantic waves and jumping in excitement to tons of hugs and kisses galore, these are by far her best friends in the world and there’s certainly no denying how much she loves them. After paying her friends a visit we were on to experience Soarin’, well Mommy and Daddy anyway, meanwhile little one collected some pressed pennies for her new book. Afterwards it was back to rides for our little girl, from the The Land to Nemo and her favorite experience, the aquarium. By the time we finished up with the early morning rides we decided to head over and check out the butterfly greenhouse. This was amazing and really made our daughter’s Epcot day extra special. She just loved spotting all of the butterflies flying around her and landing in the flowers, so much so that we probably did a good three to four laps around the greenhouse.
A turkey leg lunch in America while Dan enjoyed his very first Fish and Chips!
After taking in the butterflies it was time for the World Showcase to open so we headed over to start our worldwide adventure which was going to be chock full of princess visits. Since opening time is around lunch time we managed to squeeze in Alice in Wonderland and Belle before we were all chomping at the bit for some lunch. While Dan headed over to try out the Fish and Chips in England and our little girl was kept satisfied with a German soft pretzel, I decided to go with another Turkey Leg in America. To be honest, gluten free lunch options that are up my alley are few and far between in Epcot so I’m usually stuck nibbling on snacks but this time around mommy and baby needed something more substantial. The turkey leg was just as delicious as always and made a perfectly filling lunch.
Gorgeous flowers around the water.
Once we were all refueled, we wandered through some more countries and finally arrived at my little girl’s favorite princess. Thankfully by this time it had started to warm up so we could all take our jackets off while waiting in the sunny line for Snow White, which normally is extremely unpleasant when it’s blistering hot but it was warmly welcomed on this day. Finally the big moment arrived and our little girl could give that long awaited hug to Snow White.
A dream dessert for any gluten free, pregnant mommy!
It was a long morning so not surprisingly after Snow White our little one crashed giving Mommy and Daddy a chance to see the countries a bit more and then sit down for some much needed rest ourselves but not without a special snack for mommy. I eyed this treat up since I first saw the Flower and Garden Festival menu so to say I was a little excited that it was indeed gluten free would be an understatement. So on our way to find some quiet benches for the rest of nap time we stopped at the food stand in France and picked up a Gluten Free Strawberry Marshmallow Macaron!
A Gluten Free Strawberry Marshmallow Macaron!
This macaron was AMAZING! I’m normally not a huge macaron person but this one was perfection. A light cookie with just the right amount of strawberry sweetness stuffed with a delicious marshmallow and a surprise strawberry jam center. It was a perfect little snack for this mommy-to-be, so perfect in fact I may have gotten another while we were in Epcot later in the trip!
Dinner at Hollywood Brown Derby
After a great half a day in Epcot it started to get more chilly so we headed back to Wilderness Lodge to get changed before dinner that night. Ever since we had made our dinner reservations months ago we’ve really been looking forward to experiencing the Hollywood Brown Derby for the first time. I’d read really good things about the food and we decided to splurge on a special meal for just us three this time around. Sadly though, from start to finish the meal was a disaster and the food did not live up to the hype. We arrived for our 5:15 reservation and were left chasing around our little one for about 45 minutes until we were seated, needless to say we were exhausted before dinner even started and weren’t too happy about the late start. Our waiter took forever to greet us and was less than pleasant the entire meal but nevertheless I held out hope that their Cobb salad would meet my high expectations. Well, I had a good hour and a half to build up more excitement for my salad because we hadn’t seen any food until then, not even bread. I even had to flag the manager down to complain and hurry things along so at least our little girl had her food in the meantime but to say I was starving would be an understatement.
Creme brulee trio at Hollywood Brown Derby.
Finally, our food had arrived without any apology of the severe delay. The Gluten Free Cobb Salad was okay, nothing that I’d be too thrilled about and Dan sadly felt the same way about his meal. We quickly ordered dessert so we could get out of there before it got too late but it seems quickly doesn’t exist in that restaurant. My premade Creme Brulee trio took quite awhile to arrive and was again pretty underwhelming. As a whole, we most certainly would never dine at Brown Derby again not only because the service was terrible, I mean literally the worst we’d seen in Disney where each and every meal we’d ever had has been fantastic, but also because the food we felt didn’t warrant 2 meals from the dining plan.
It was an unfortunate ending to a really great day but thankfully that night we were able to catch a glimpse of the Magic Kingdom fireworks from our nice and warm room. Can’t ask for a better ending to a day then that! Stay tuned for more Disney fun!
After so many years of eating gluten free, I find I’m always on the lookout for new brands and new products to try. It’s not unusual to find newbies in the prepackaged cookie arena or dry pasta but when it comes to fresh baked goods or fresh pasta the entrepreneurs seem to be fewer and farther between. That being said though, when it comes to this less traveled department I’ve always had some pretty good luck at Whole Foods. In fact, on my last adventure to Whole Foods, spread amongst my favorite fresh gluten free pasta brand RP’s Pasta were fresh gluten free ravioli by La Pasta, that’s right they were fresh gluten free raviolis. I probably couldn’t usher in a container of the gluten free raviolis fast enough but I couldn’t contain my excitement to try these out. Don’t get me wrong, gluten free ravioli exists in frozen form, but haven’t always been successful in my book except for those by Pastosa, but as far as fresh gluten free raviolis, these were a first sighting for me!
Whole Foods La Pasta Gluten-Free Cheese Ravioli
For about $8 a package you get 9 ounces of medium size cheese raviolis that only take a few short minutes to cook up. The container makes plenty for more than one person, I shared some with my little girl and still had some left over for lunch/dinner the next day. Price wise these are pretty comparable with the other gluten free ravioli offerings out there but for me nothing beats a fresh option; so as long as Whole Foods stocks La Pasta’s fresh gluten free ravioli I’ll be heading up there to pick some up when the craving hits.
A plate full of medium sized, gluten free cheese ravioli!
What I love about fresh pasta is that you feel like you’re eating something so fresh that it could’ve been made that very day even if that wasn’t the case. The freshness really does affect the taste, that’s probably why Dan and my go to meal when we were dating was fresh pasta with vodka sauce from our local Italian market. While I’ve found a great option for fresh gluten free pasta in RP’s, I hadn’t ever seen fresh gluten free raviolis up until La Pasta’s. The pasta is so tender and delicate but don’t burst open when they boil up, and are stuffed full of a combination of four perfect cheeses. I just love splitting my raviolis into four bite sizes pieces, letting the melted butter mix with the cheese filling, a little bite of heaven!
Melted butter is the perfect topping for gluten free ravioli!
I’m so grateful for companies like La Pasta who’ve given something back to us gluten free folks that’s so much more important than they probably know. They’ve given us not only fantastic additions to our gluten free diets but a feeling of normalcy and inclusion again. I rarely now make a meal for my family where I have to make something completely separate and different from what my little girl and husband are enjoying. Now I can sit side by side with them and enjoy raviolis just as they do! My only wish is that more restaurants could jump on board with offering gluten free menus that are more than just a plain piece of chicken or buttered box pasta. These companies make phenomenal products that would make many a restaurant diner happy to dine out while being gluten free.
With Disney just around the corner, my weeks just keep getting busier and busier. On the top of my to do list this week is to share my belly pics from the last few weeks. I can hardly believe I’m 21 weeks right now, even though my belly and baby movement confirms just that. So needless to say I have some catching up on here to do. On top of sharing my pregnancy moments in time with you, I also wanted to go over my dining agenda for our Disney vaca coming up very soon. With my appetite halfway back to normal I’m so excited to dine at Disney and share with all of you my gluten free Disney dining plans! So for my Happy Monday post I thought I’d sprinkle my blog with a little Disney magic and share our dining plans!
We’ve taken a number of trips over our years together and the planning is always one of my favorite parts. No, we don’t have typed out itineraries planning every detail down to scheduled bathroom pit stops, but we do make sure we have a plan for each of our days figured out before we go. Thankfully, this practice came in handy when vacationing gluten free because there’s certainly no better way to travel gluten free then with a plan. Our Disney vacations are no different, in fact Disney themselves make it so you almost have to plan out every detail of your vacation before you even go, from dining 6 months out to picking your ride fastpasses 60 days prior to leaving. Yes, it takes a bit of the spontaneity out of your vacation which we still try to maintain with open-ended lunch locations and a dinner or two along with our park hopper passes, but for this Gluten Free Mom To Be planning most of my meals ahead is a must.
One of our favorite topiaries last year! Wish we could’ve taken it home for our Bambi nursery!
This time around we’re venturing to Disney in a cooler season than we had originally planned thanks to Baby #2’s arrival early to mid- summer, but we’re so excited because we’re going to be there for the Flower and Garden Festival, an amazing Epcot event that we were able to catch at the very end last Spring. On top of the gorgeous floral topiaries, we’re so excited to revisit the butterfly garden with our little butterfly lover. enjoy some of the music that’s supposed to be there that weekend, and finally make a few pit stops to some of the food stands throughout the countries, which I’m crossing my fingers that there are some gluten free and pregnancy friendly treats for me to enjoy. But on top of the special event that we’re going to be around for, we’ve got some really exciting meals planned, some are favorites that we do every time, some are occasional meals that we like to enjoy here and there, and some are brand new places for us!
Day 1: We always try to head straight over to Magic Kingdom our first day after we arrive and sneak in a lunch and a few rides before an early dinner. We have an early dinner reservation at 50s Prime Time Cafe, which has kind of turned into a tradition of doing on the first night. What can I say, I look forward to that fried chicken for months before so why not ring in your vacation with as a great a gluten free dish as this one.
50s Prime Time Cafe gluten free friend chicken.
Day 2: We’re heading back to Magic Kingdom to enjoy some more of our favorite rides, characters, and parades until our dinner at Ohana at the Polynesian. We haven’t been to Ohana the past few trips but we think our little girl will really like the food not to mention everything going on around her this time around. I just wish they could do a gluten free lomein when they bring that delicious looking bowl full of the gluten filled version but I’ll just be happy with that amazing salad to start!
Our first Ohana visit when I was pregnant with our little girl!
Day 3: One of our favorite stops when we’re in Disney World is Epcot, and especially now with the Flower and Garden Festival going on. With most of this day spent in Epcot, we planned a new dinner for us at the Hollywood Brown Derby in Hollywood Studios. It’s a two meal dinner so it’s a splurge but the menu is definitely up Dan’s alley and their infamous Cobb Salad is right up mine. I couldn’t resist trying it this time around thanks to the amazing reviews by Gluten-Free & Dairy-Free in WDW & Gluten Free in Orlando. So excited for this one!
Day 4: Hollywood Studios is usually our shortest day so we’re planning on doing a morning at that park and then maybe some pool time if it’s warm enough before our dinner at the Rose & Crown Pub in Epcot. Dan loves the Rose & Crown food, I’m more of a fan of the actual restaurant and the outdoor seating right on the lake even though they have made a delicious steak with garlic mashed potatoes.
Day 5: We’ve always wanted to see Animal Kingdom Lodge but truthfully haven’t made it over there because it’s kind of out of the way. We figured there was no time like the present and we’d take advantage of our Animal Kingdom day and just head straight over to Animal Kingdom Lodge for a new dinner. Our little girl loves animals so Animal Kingdom is always a highlight of her trip so we figured a dinner at Sanaa would be a real treat for her, especially if we catch a glimpse of animals grazing by while we eat. Even though I’ve read pretty good reviews on the dining here, I’m still a bit nervous because the cuisine is not necessarily up my alley but Dan is beyond excited.
Day 6: Time for our second Epcot day! While I’m not too keen on all of the walking that Epcot entails while I’m pregnant, I am really happy that this trip we’re not going to be doing the trek in 110 degree summer heat like we’ve done in the past. We decided this day to either take advantage of the food stands or do a delicious dinner at Tutto Gusto wine cellar in Italy. I’m leaning towards a nice sit down dinner where I can get my favorite gluten free Pomodoro Pasta or maybe something new!
Gluten Free Pasta Pomodoro at Epcot’s Tutto Gusto
Day 7: We always try to do a character breakfast every trip, especially since we have a huge Disney lover on our hands. This time around we decided to do an early breakfast at the Crystal Palace in Magic Kingdom where you can meet Winnie the Pooh and friends. We’ve done this breakfast before and little one loved the humongous squishy characters who she couldn’t get enough hugs from, but now she knows who they are so I think it might be an even bigger hit.
Crystal Palace gluten free breakfast in Magic Kingdom
After our breakfast at Crystal Palace we’ll spend our last full day in Magic Kingdom, day and night, with a break at dinner time for one of my favorite dinners at Kona Cafe in the Polynesian. This has become an every vacation tradition, and usually ends up being our last night’s dinner because we LOVE this dinner location! Anywhere where I can get a humongous bowl of their gluten free noodle dish with grilled chicken that reminds me of my favorite lomein of years past is phenomenal in my book!
Large bowl full of Kona Cafe’s gluten free Pan-Asian Noodles!
Day 8: Our last day in Disney is bitter sweet, we usually book our flight for later in the day/night so we can enjoy a fuller day at the end. We squeeze some of our last favorite rides, sit down for a nice lunch, and just relax back at the resort until our not so Magical Express arrives to take us to the airport.
We’re so excited to explore Disney one last time as a family of three but also with our second little one in tow in mommy’s belly makes it even more special. We vacationed in Disney in the heat of the summer when I was pregnant with our first little girl and we just love telling her that she was in Disney before she was even born and now we’ll get to do the same for this little one. Since we’ve had some hiccups the past few vacations, my fingers are crossed extra tight that we’re all happy and healthy for this adventure. We’re so excited for our big vacation, and as always I’ll be sharing my delicious meals with you when I get back so stay tuned to see how the dining goes but also to find out if our little girl will have a new brother or sister!
Happy belated Valentine’s Day! It was Valentine’s week last week for sure with some heart crafting, cupcake baking, valentine decorating, and a few special love episodes of our favorite Disney Junior shows. And making our Valentine’s week a little extra special, mommy and daddy were able to enjoy a meal just us two pre-Valentine’s day so we could celebrate the big day with our little valentine. Whenever we have a special day to celebrate or get a chance to sneak out and enjoy some alone time the first place we want to escape to is Toscano’s Ristorante in Bordentown, NJ. A cozy, Italian restaurant that’s been our home ever since we started dating, this gem holds a special place in our hearts and even more so now that they can flawlessly create an amazing dining experience for both of us.
The biggest joy in dining at Toscano’s is the worry free meal that we get enjoy. There’s no need to double check, triple check, quadruple check that your dish is gluten free here because the chef understands what a gluten free meal entails and is able to follow through without sacrificing flavor for a safe meal. I have to admit I’m an order the same dish every time you dine somewhere kind of girl, however here I’ve tried and loved many a dish, each one coming out exact or pretty darn close to how it’s described on the menu. Every single dish I’ve tried has been sauced and seasoned to perfection, which means we leave with nothing but big smiles and full bellies every time.
Okay so for our parents only, pre-Valentine’s dinner and my mommy-to-be appetite back in tact I decided to go with the gluten free versions of the Antipasto Salad (which is gluten free already), Vodka Rigatoni, and for dessert a Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Sauce. While I ordered my favorite dishes, true to form Dan indulged in two of the specials along with an extra special dessert just for him. Normally, we share desserts, if we even have room for them, and sometimes appetizers too but for this special occasion we had a lot to celebrate so we decided to splurge a little. As always, we didn’t have to wait too long until our appetizers arrived and oh my was I ever glad to see my heaping plate of antipasto salad placed in front of me.
By the way, pardon the less than stellar phone pictures, we left the camera at home but I just had to snap a few of the beauty of these dishes. Lettuce topped with cheese, mixed meats, kalamata olives, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, onions, celery, all mixed in their house made balsamic dressing. It’s a divine appetizer, one that both Dan and I absolutely love and I may have enjoyed on a few take out occasions prior to our meal out. What I love most, besides the amazing mixture of flavors, is that each ingredient is chopped into small, bite size pieces so every bite you enjoy is filled with antipasto deliciousness. While I could have easily finished the whole plate, I saved half for tomorrow’s lunch, making sure I had plenty of room for my creamy vodka penne (the gluten free pasta they stock) that was on its way. And with perfect timing as always, our entrees arrived not too long after we had digested our appetizers.And voila, my gluten free vodka penne was calling my name, steaming hot and looking just as beautiful as always. The gluten free pasta was cooked perfectly and smothered in a creamy vodka sauce chock full of prosciutto and tomatoes, all topped with a few slivers of cheese and some basil. This dish is by far my all time favorite pasta dish and Toscano’s does me proud every single time. I love a creamy, less tomato based vodka sauce and Toscano’s delivers just that. Needless to say, I finished every last bite of my entree, making me so glad that I saved some of my appetizer for the next day so I could enjoy my vodka penne at its best, fresh out of the kitchen.
To be honest, even pregnant me was pretty full at this point but Dan and I had decided to at least taste our desserts and save the rest for the next day if we needed to. I forgot to snap a picture of my Flourless Chocolate Cake but it was a beauty, especially with that gorgeous raspberry sauce drizzled all over it. Their cake is definitely more of a brownie cake texture rather than some flourless chocolate cakes that I’ve had that are more like eating a piece of fudge, both varieties I love and neither of which I would ever turn down mind you. This dessert though was the perfect, gluten free finish to our meal, even if I only took a grand total of 3 bites out of the huge piece of cake. Thankfully, I can report that flourless chocolate cake holds over very well until the next day.
All together, it was a great meal filled with delicious gluten free food and even better company. We love taking our little girl with us everywhere, especially out to eat, she completes us, so Dan and I rarely get out just us two. So on occasions like this one, we always like to celebrate just mommy and daddy and then have a family celebration too. This holiday we wanted to do just the same, reserving a romantic dinner for us a few days before and having a special day with little girl included on Valentine’s day. Love was certainly in the air for our Valentines day celebrations this year and I’m constantly reminded of how much love we share in our family. Not a day goes by in our house that kisses, hugs, and plenty of I love yous are shared and that’s just the way we like it. No matter how you celebrated I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine’s Day, filled with lots of love with your loved ones and plenty of tasty gluten free food!
There’s no denying that gluten free or not I’ve always been and always will be a true pasta loving Italian. Sure these days I indulge in those of the gluten free variety, but I fondly remember years past of cheese filled homemade pastas that were always my favorite and never failed to hit the spot. Sadly, it’s been too long since I’ve enjoyed butter slathered ravioli, tortellini, and manicotti, but I’m happy to share that I’ve finally found a gluten free substitute worthy of an Italian’s stamp of approval.
Pastosa has brought us a fantastic gluten free substitute that looks, feels, and tastes just like the “real” thing. For about $10, you can get a 16 ounce package of frozen, large gluten free cheese ravioli. To give you an idea of how many servings you’d get out of one package, I usually can make at least 3-4 dinners for myself from one (with about 4-5 raviolis each). And when you want to enjoy this Italian staple, just boil some water, pop some in, and gently boil them for about 8 to 10 minutes and soon enough it’s time to serve and enjoy!
Pastosa Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli
Now I personally like to enjoy my gluten free cheese ravioli with just some melted butter or a very light sauce of that nature, I just love the flavor that butter adds to the pasta itself as well as the delicious ricotta filling inside. But believe me, any sauce option that you choose will marry perfectly with Pastosa’s gluten free ravioli, they’re just that delicious. The pasta itself cooks up perfectly al dente each time, never turning to mush. Meanwhile the filling nestled inside is a flavorful combination of creamy ricotta, romano cheese, and parsley. My favorite part is when you cut your ravioli open and the melted butter meets the filling for the first time and just absorbs right into it, absolutely delicious!
Pastosa’s Gluten Free Cheese Ravioli stuffed with a perfect ricotta mixture.
Since going gluten free, I’ve learned that unfortunately finding great gluten free products like these gluten free ravioli can sometimes be a difficult process and may not always be readily available at your grocery store. For many products I’ve had to dig around to find them either online, at different grocery stores, or at my local health food store, not very much fun or convenient or cheap but worth it in the long run to uncover quality gluten free food. These Italian delights I stumbled upon on a trip to a local Italian market where I was purchasing some fresh raviolis for the rest of my family and I truly couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw these in the freezer case. As with many gluten free products, they weren’t horribly cheap but for an occasional dinner, and as I said several dinners for myself, they were totally worth it. Since my venture to the Italian market, I’ve since learned that you can pick these up on Pastosa’s website if you can’t find them in the store so no worries if you haven’t seen them for yourself because you can certainly join in the fun and enjoy them too.
Living gluten free isn’t always as easy as your weekly trip to the grocery store, but don’t be afraid to dig a little in other places, especially online, you might just find a hidden gem like these raviolis that will soon become a family favorite and worth every extra second you took to discover them!
