Simple Baked French Toast

Yum! Recipe here.

Grano Pasta Bar (a.k.a. Little Grano)

Gluten-Free Pasta? Not cooked by me? In a restaurant?  Obviously I had to go and check it out.  So that's what I was doing on Thursday. Grano Pasta Bar is very small, probably seats about 14 total.  It's great because it's almost as though you've been allowed to come into someone's kitchen to sit down and have some great food.  The kitchen is right there on the other side of the bar, so you get to watch your food get cooked right in front of you, which is a treat in and of itself.

The menu is simple:  Choose a pasta. Choose a sauce. Done.  Want salad with that, ok -- we have a few types.  The portion size of the pasta dish is huge, so be ready for leftovers, which I'm always a fan of -- dinner and lunch the next day? It's a win.  If you want wine with dinner, bring your own, or do what we did and head down to the wine bar just down the street and end your meal there with a glass of wine and some dessert.  Brilliant.


Looking for a bigger place?  3 blocks up there's Grano on Chestnut.  Haven't been there yet, but it's on the to-do list.

Bringing Gluten-Free Chicago to Baltimore. It's a Win.

Da Luciano's
8343 W Grand Ave
River Grove, IL 60171
708-453-1000
dalucianos.com

This wonderful restaurant is near Chicago’s O’Hare airport. Why am I mentioning it to Baltimore area celiacs? Because they will now SHIP gluten free food!! They offer gluten free food I have literally never seen elsewhere including gluten free ravioli, tiramisu, cannoli, and much more. Check out their website! My husband - who does not have celiac disease - says their gluten free food doesn’t taste gluten-free. (Doesn’t taste like it’s missing anything.) All I can say is I am very happy whenever I eat their food.

This restaurant is owned by a husband and wife who have children with Celiac disease so they really know how to cook for celiacs. If you’re ever in Chicago, it’s a must visit.

-Susan

Longing for Gluten-Free Pasta at an Italian Restaurant? We have three for you.

Susan wrote to use about these two great options. We're ready to go eat some pasta, and can't contain our excitement, so we're sharing with you. Get excited, and let us know your pasta experience at Ciao Bella, Aldo's, and/or Pizzazz Tuscan Grille!

 

Ciao Bella 
236 S High Street 
Baltimore MD 21202 
(410) 685-7733  
cbella.com 

Have you ever longed for genuine Italian pasta but your longing couldn't be satisfied because you have celiac disease? You don’t have to wait any longer! This lovely restaurant in the middle of Baltimore’s little Italy area is very friendly towards celiacs. If you bring your own gluten free pasta, they will make the pasta and put on any sauce you choose. My favorite is pasta a capri, which is a mixture of seafood (shrimp, clams, scallops) in a creamy white sauce. Most Italian pasta dishes are gluten free, as long as the pasta itself is gluten free. Make your reservation by phone. Mention when you make the reservation that you have celiac disease and you will bring your own pasta. Never hurts to follow up the day before your reservation. You will likely be asked for your pasta as soon as you walk in the restaurant. If you forget to bring your own pasta, no problem! Walk to Whole Foods just a few blocks south of the restaurant and buy gluten free pasta from there. I personally prefer the corn based pasta (as opposed to the rice based pasta). By the way, this restaurant is owned by Chef Gambino who you might have seen on TV. It’s a real treat to eat here and well worth the drive!

Aldo's 
306 South High Street 
Baltimore, Maryland 21202 
410.727.0700  
aldositaly.com
This wonderful restaurant in Baltimore's Little Italy neighborhood has FRESH gluten free pasta! I could not believe my ears when the waiter told me that they have fresh gluten free pasta. I had to of course try it out. I had their GF pasta with wild boar ragu sauce. It was one of the best meals of my entire life. The ragu sauce is very rich and complements the pasta. The wild boar ragu sauce is not a regular menu item; they only have it certain times. The waiter told me however that they generally have fresh GF pasta on the weekends. Just to be sure, though, call a day or two ahead and let them know you will want their GF pasta. It's awesome!!

We can't forget about Pizzazz, our current favorite, which is the restaurant that makes us feel the most normal. We can get almost anything from the menu and know it's going to be great. From sandwiches to pizza to pasta, anything that normally would be off limits is a-ok.

Gluten-Free and Looking for Your New Favorite Place to Eat (that's not your kitchen?) Your answer is: Pizzazz Tuscan Grille. Go, Now!

www.pizzazztuscangrille.com

711 Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21202-4320
(410) 528-7772

I've now been to Pizzazz Tuscan Grille more than 5 times, and I'm always delighted with my meal. I thought the only place I could get a gluten-free sandwich -- with the bread -- was either from my kitchen at home or Lilit Cafe in Bethesda, MD. It turns out that Pizzazz Tuscan Grille right in Baltimore is serving up an outstanding selection of gluten-free friendly items. Sandwiches are served on chewy, not crumbly, gluten-free rolls. The crust for the last pizza I had was on a Whole Foods Market Gluten-free Bakehouse crust. If you've eaten one of these crusts, they are dense and heavy, but delicious and (once again) have some chew to them, rather than the typical crumbly and sandy mess that has been the foundation for so many gluten-free items for the past 15 years.

Pizzazz is attached to the Pier 5 Hotel, but from what I can tell, caters not only to the hotel guests, but also to Baltimore's own. With a distinct atmosphere that combines seated dining areas, a bar, order-out, and outdoor seating (when the city isn't encapsulated by three feet of snow and ice), Pizzazz is offering up the right combination right in the downtown Baltimore area. From great food (check out their menu) to a hospitable staff who get to know the regulars and hotel guests with ease.

To be honest, I've only been for Brunch and Lunch, but I'll be going back for Breakfast and Dinner because I want to try a gluten-free pasta dish prepared somewhere other than in my kitchen at home. Plus, there are so many options, it's going to take quite a few visits, and that's ok by me...as well as the family and friends I take with me.

If you're still on the fence about whether you'll go or not, check out their extensive menus. But, seriously, I can't imagine you'd be disappointed.

-Kate

Gluten Free Specials!

According to their website, Great Sage Restaurant plans to feature Gluten Free Specials on the first Wednesday of every month. Check it out:

5809 Clarksville Square Drive

Clarksville, Md 21029

443.535.9400

www.great-sage.com

Woodberry Kitchen: consistently delicious

This past weekend I enjoyed a fantastic gluten-free meal at Woodberry Kitchen. The bustling eatery has already been reviewed by Gluten Free in Baltimore, but I thought I'd add another happy dining experience to the blog. For those who haven't been, Woodberry Kitchen has a gluten-free menu with only slightly fewer choices than the regular menu. With so many options, I labored over the decision of what to order -- until the server dropped off a plate of warm gluten-free bread. It was only the second time I've had gluten-free bread in a restaurant (the first was at Hemingway's in Killington, VT). With soft, warm bread, the decision was easier -- I wanted soup to start. So, I kicked off the meal with a bowl of velvety Heirloom Pumpkin Soup, lapped up with warm gluten-free bread. For dinner I chose a vegetarian option, the Hot Pot with a smoky cauliflower sauce. Importantly, the menu pointed out in obvious, large font that they do not have a dedicated gluten-free fryer. I appreciated being immediately informed of that potential source of cross-contamination (for dishes with French fries, crispy onions, etc., ask for them to be left off or swapped out for something else). I also appreciated how the staff announced "gluten-free" as they dropped off each dish -- they were paying attention.

Pizzazz Tuscan Grille

My personal favorite email thus far:

Hi,

I saw a menu online of Pizzazz that says they have gluten-free bread for sandwiches and cornmeal crust for pizzas upon request. I haven't been yet, so I don't know how good any of it is, but I thought it was worth letting you guys know. The website is http://www.pizzazztuscangrille.com/index.html. Thanks for having a site for those of us in Baltimore that have celiac!

Thanks,

(Gluten Free in Baltimore Reader)

Pizzazz Tuscan Grille

711 Eastern Avenue

Baltimore, MD 21202

Phone: 410.528.7772

Hours:

M-Th - 6am to 9pm

Fr-Sa - 6am to 10pm

Sun - 7am to 6pm

***From the online menu:  Whole wheat bread or gluten free bread can be substituted on most of our sandwiches. Rice or soy cheese can be substituted for $1.50 extra.

Kali’s Court Mezze

I recently dined at Mezze, the small plates Mediterranean Restaurant in Fell’s Point. A friend told me he’d noticed they have a lot of gluten-free options so I had to check it out. I discovered that more than half of the 40 plus plates are gluten-free. The menu marks dishes that are gluten-free with two asterisks. One asterisk indicates the dish is vegan (but not necessarily gluten-free).

The food is amazing, but I had a hard time relaxing and trusting their gluten-free know-how. For example, the asparagus plate was marked gluten-free, but was topped with brown bread crumbs. I asked the server if they were gluten-free bread crumbs and he replied “No, the bread crumbs need to be left off the plate if you want it gluten-free.” I inquired about the fried items like Falafel and was told they’re fried in the same oil as the Spinach Fritters, which are not gluten-free. A final disappointment was the gluten-free Baba Ghanoush that I ordered came with a side of pita crisps for dipping. With a busy (and annoyed) server, I clumsily ate it with a fork.

The other thing that made me uneasy was the very nature of small plates, tapas-style dining: it’s meant to be shared. Sharing gluten-containing and gluten-free dishes can be tricky, especially when they come out in close succession and, as in our case, the wait staff doesn’t explain what plate is being dropped off. At our tiny table, we had ten small plates to keep track of. It would be helpful if the gluten-free plates could be marked or colored (this is asking for a lot, I know).

-Christine

Cookbooks Can be Fun

Generously posted to our blog by Mikki Black

(http://hereswhatletsdo.blogspot.com)

Recently, I was contacted in regards to a new cookbook: Gluten Free Every Day by Chef Robert Landolphi.  Would I like a free preview copy?  No strings attached.  Feel free to write about it on your blog, but you don't have to.  um... .... ... YES!

Shortly thereafter, the book arrived, and I began to read.  Turns out it's not just a cookbook.

The whole first chapter, "Gluten Free Basics", is informative.  Each successive chapter begins with a quick breakdown of what you need to know to cook the type of food in that chapter.  Some of these informational segments are just a few sentences, and others, such as chapter three: "Entrees", for example, you get a two page list of possible coatings to replace the traditional flour breading. (THANK YOU!)

I wish I had had this book last year when I was first diagnosed.  I didn't know which way to turn, and it seemed that almost all the books I came across were either way too organic or too gourmet for my tastes and style (or they just had awful foods! Bleah.)

This book is excellent for someone who is just starting out.  It's easy to read and it does not contain the words "for dummies" (for me, this is super-important).  It's also a fairly versatile book.  It has recipes that would appeal to a variety of people:  Here's a short list of some of the items it contains:

• Beer-Battered Onion Rings (super yummy, and a little spicy)
• Baked beans
• Cranberry-Hazelnut Rice Stuffing
• Shrimp and Vegetable Pad Thai
• White Chicken Chili
• Ricotta Cream Berry Trifle
• Parmesean-Pesto Chicken with Pecans

Whether you're just starting out on your gluten free life or you've been at it a while and are just looking for something new and interesting, this is a good book.  I hope you like it as much as I do.

The Joy of Discovery

This weekend I've come across a new favorite recipe.  It just so happened to be on the outside of a Sun of Italy package of polenta.  I don't think I've ever actually followed a recipe as it's written, so if you happen to be looking at the package, the following is close, but has been tweaked!

1 pkg. Sun of Italy Polenta

1/2 C. butter (salted)

1 bag frozen, chopped spinach (12 oz.), thawed and drained

1/3 cup light cream

1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese

Melt 1/4 C. butter in a large pan, until it becomes slightly foamy.  Add the spinach and cream.  Cook over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes.  Stir in Parmesan Cheese.  Turn off burner.

Slice the Polenta into 1/4 inch slices.  In a separate pan, melt the remaining butter over medium-high heat.  Add the slices of Polenta.  Cook for about 5 minutes, flip and cook until edges are crispy and golden brown.

Serve sliced polenta topped with spinach mixture.

Yum!

Baba's Mediterranean Kitchen

745 East Fort Avenue

Baltimore, MD  21230

410-727-PITA

www.babaskitchen.net

Downtown Baltimore has a new celiac-friendly restaurant:  Baba's Mediterranean Kitchen.  While I haven't been able to check it out in person yet,  I've done some research and spoken with owner, Farid Bishara Salloum, to get the gluten-free scoop.

As the online menu states (or rather, tempts), many of the dishes are indeed gluten-free.  The Dolmas, Hummus, Baba Ghannouge, Gareed's Falafel, B's Burger, the Veggie pocket, and Chicken and Lamb kabobs are gluten free.  By avoiding pita and opting for rice, most menu items are gluten-free.  Salloum actually swapped out the traditional ingredient, bulgur wheat, from the Tabouleh Salad and replaced it with quinoa to make it gluten-free.  Salloum learned about the gluten-free diet through his sister-in-law, who is allergic to gluten, and from his late father, who followed the diet for a period of time.  Notably, the restaurant is named for Salloum's father, "Baba" is "father" in Arabic.

Baba's Kitchen does take-out as well as dine-in.

Let's Dish!: The Results

 

An hour and a half, $100, and 24 servings of 4 meals later, I had "dished".  I'm a little obsessive compulsive about cross-contamination, so I was extra observant about possibilities for some sort of gluten to attack my meals.  But, to my surprise, everything was so clean and separate.  The staff members were very aware of making sure I knew exactly what I needed to do to ensure my meals would be gluten-free.  I have to give a shout-out to Whitney and Jenny at the location in Timonium, who both were extra helpful and understanding.The experience was fun, and made me feel included in the food prep world -- which I haven't really been involved in.  Gluten-Free cooking can be lonely, but Let's Dish has welcomed us in with open arms, clean countertops, knowledgeable staff, and gluten-free awareness that hit an entirely new level.  I cannot get over just how wonderful the experience was.

To have everything prepared -- ingredients cut up, spices with the appropriate measuring utensil, and packaging easily accessible -- is one of the many reasons I'm going back next month.  I think I'll actually end up using my money more wisely if I dedicate $100 a month to meals that can be stored in the freezer for up to 8 weeks.  There's going to be less food thrown away and more food eaten!  Especially for a gluten-free, single lady, who's busy busy busy...Let's Dish is my new best friend.

Of course, I can't just rave about all of this without actually talking about the real results.  If the food was gross, I would not suggest or recommend Let's Dish.  While it's nothing extraordinarily gourmet, the food is darn good.  I have now eaten the Honey Dijon Chicken with Roasted Carrots, Louisiana Jambalaya, Pesto Salmon, Sweet Potato Fries, and Ranch Potato Chips.  I still am looking forward to the Herbed Steaks.  

The Honey Dijon Chicken, in my opinion, was a little plain; however, if I decide to make it again, I'll just make it with a little extra sauce, which would take it up that extra notch.  The Louisiana Jambalaya was a hit, and so easy to cook.  Instead of using their chicken base (which is not gluten-free), it was suggested that when I prepared the dish, I replace the water with chicken broth.  Absolutely no problem -- a box of Kitchen Basics Chicken broth -- done.

My ultimate favorite, at the moment, is the Pesto Salmon.  Seriously, this dish is extraordinary.  I cut a slit in the top of the aluminum foil packet (still frozen), set the packet on a cookie sheet, put it in the oven, and 50 minutes later I was eating some of the tastiest salmon I have eaten in quite some time.

I'm signed up to go dish in April, and I'm looking forward to it.

Let's Dish!

I'm a busy lady; living gluten-free can be time-consuming.  I'm also a teacher, which means I'm not living extravagantly, and I certainly don't have money to spend frivolously.  So, I am always looking for ways to cut corners, to save time, to save money, and still eat healthy and delicious food! 

For the past few years, I've driven past Let's Dish and always pondered what it would be like, so I've finally decided to take the risk.  I've scheduled an appointment to go "dish" at 2pm today.  The menu shows which options can be made gluten-free, so I chose several of those.

This is what the Let's Dish website shows as what I should be expecting... Unfortunately, I'm not blonde, so I'm not sure this will match my experience; however, I'm still looking forward to seeing if this could be as great an experience as it appears here:

Uno Chicago Grill, Part II

Mikki wrote our first review of Uno Chicago Grill.  Christine went to the location in Baltimore and had a bit of a different experience.

Uno's Gluten-free pizza...A Work in Progress

Last night I went to Uno's after hearing that their gluten-free pizzas had hit Baltimore.  Fellow contributor, Mikki, recently reviewed the Uno's in Woodbridge, VA.

While it was exciting to walk into a main stream pizza place and know I could order a gluten-free pie, I have to admit, the pizza itself was a bit disappointing.  I tried the pepperoni pizza ($11.99) and though it had good flavor, the gluten-free crust was dry and crumbly.  It wasn't piping hot either, perhaps because the pizza arrives at the restaurant pre-made and frozen (not necessarily a bad thing, cross-contamination-wise, that the pizza is prepared off-site).  I'm hoping this is something they may work out over time.

The server told me that Uno's has been really pushing their gluten-free menu, though I have to imagine the pizza is by far the biggest draw (In addition to two pizza choices: pepperoni or cheese/tomato, the gluten-free menu offers salads, sides, steaks, chicken, salmon, burgers, and a vanilla ice cream sundae for dessert.)

I inquired how they keep the gluten-free pizza separated in the kitchen and the server told me that it's cooked in the same oven as the regular pizza, but they're careful about keeping them separated and on different baking trays.

Despite being a little disappointed, I'm sure I'll go back and give it a second chance.  After all, pizza is hands-down my most missed food, and I appreciate Uno's efforts, even if they could be improved upon.

So, we want to know...Have you been to Uno's?  How was your experience?  Let us know!

Wanna Eat Out?

Foodie Bytes (currently a Beta site) is a restaurant menu search engine.  It is amazing and easy to use.  Once at their site, you have a choice of logging in, or using the site as a guest.

Basically, you choose your city, and then your type of search.  You can search by restaurant or by type of food.  If you don't already have a place in mind, you can simply choose your city, then "food search", and type in "gluten free".

The results are sortable by neighborhood, price range, distance, and type of food (e.g. steakhouse, Mexican, etc.). You can combine, or stack, the sorts too, by adding or removing the different criteria selected.  It's very simple to use.  There are also customer comment areas for each food item and for each restaurant, so you can see what others thought

My favorite feature, though, is one you have to login for.  You can create a login with Foodie Bytes or you can use your OpenID (if you have one).  Once you log in, you get your own home page (with the option to upload a photo - if you'd like).  On that home page, you can keep tabs on your item, restaurant reviews, and favorites.  You can also maintain a wish list for both items and restaurants.  This is my favorite part.  What if you have a birthday or special occasion coming up, and people want to know where they can take you?  Or what if you just want to be able to run out quickly without taking the time to go on a web search first?  Just grab your wish list and go!  So great.

I've now spent a few days wandering around this site, and I think it's fabulous.  Each item description also lists portion sizes, type of cuisine, and the item's categories.  In addition, there are links for the restaurant, the full menu, and a Google map.

Go and check them out!  Their popularity is growing, and their restaurant base is excellent.  It's the site I've been wishing for for months.  The only drawback, for me, is that it only focuses on major cities at this point, and I don't live right in a major city.  I'm hopeful, though, that they will continue to expand as their client base grows.

-Mikki

gf Meals by Your Dinner Secret

We were sitting around discussing several Celiacs we know who don't follow the gluten-free diet strictly, and then continue to complain about their miserable symptoms.  These are the ones who are too busy to take care of themselves, don't have the time to recognize that the gluten-free diet isn't like a weight-loss diet; rather, it is a lifestyle.  That's where gf Meals comes to the rescue!

In a world where much of our grocery store's freezer section is filled with TV dinners, the gluten-free diet has been slow to catch-up; however, that's no longer the case.  gf meals offers entrees, side dishes, baked goods that will be delivered directly to your door and ready to cook. In our busy world, this may be the ticket to remaining healthy.  

Click here to visit gfMeals.com

UNO Chicago Grill Now Carries Gluten Free Pizza Nationwide

UNO Chicago Grill 

201 East Pratt Street

Harborplace

Baltimore, MD 21202

410-625-5900

(Click Here to find the Location Closest to You)

The Gluten Free Information You're Longing For

I ate pizza.  At a real restaurant.  Honest to goodness thin crust pepperoni pizza.  I am so happy.  It has been 9 months since I've had restaurant pizza, and when I found out that Uno Chicago Grill was now carrying gluten free pizza in all their restaurants, I shuffled off to the nearest one, in Woodbridge, VA.  

Uno's has a gluten free menu, but you won't see the pizza on it.  The pizza (for now, anyway) is listed on the regular menu.  You have your choice of Cheese or Pepperoni, and the pizza is 6-slice, 10", thin crust.  It was delicious.  The crust is flaky and crisp, but soft.  It's not like a cracker crust would be.

I did ask the server about adding other ingredients to the pizza.  Her response was that if I had celiac disease, I should not add any other ingredients because of the risk of cross-contamination from the shared ingredients.  If you can be happy with a simple pepperoni or cheese pizza, however, this is the pie for you.  

In addition to the pizza, their gluten-free menu offers steak, chicken, burgers, a variety of different sides, and both a house salad and a cobb salad.  There is also a selection of smoothies and such from the bar.

Overall, my visit to Uno Chicago Grill was excellent, and I recommend it whole-heartedly.

-Mikki

Note from the Editor's Desk:  We are looking into the gluten-free pizza offerings at our local UNO Chicago Grill on Pratt Street.

Gluten Free Italian Food

If you haven't had a large gluten-free cheese pizza in a while, you'll want to try Conte's Pasta Gluten Free Cheese Pizza.  It has a thin crispy crust, delicious tomato sauce, and just the right amount of cheese.  It's not personal sized, like Glutino's version, so there's room to add your own toppings.  It's done in 10 minutes.

In fact, it's so delicious, I'm going to purchase some of their other gluten-free products:  Ravioli, Lasagna, Gnocchi, Pierogies, Spaghetti and Meatballs, Manicotti, and Stuffed Shells. 

I was able to find the pizza at The Natural in Timonium, MD; however, the other products I'm going to have to purchase online.  I'll be sure to let The Natural know which one's they should stock up on!  I'm just so excited.

I'm thinking about having a full Italian Meal:  Against The Grain Baguette made into Garlic Bread, a delicious Salad, and Ravioli!  

Some days when I get home from work, I just want to shove something in the microwave and be done with it.  (Ok, so I'm one person, so I always want to do that...) Gluten Free Cafe frozen entrees are delicious.  I'm particularly fond of the Fettucini Alfredo.  I've also found these at The Natural.  

The Natural Market

The Natural Market

2149 York Rd

Timonium, MD 21093

410-560-3133

Hours:

Monday - Friday:  9:30am - 8pm

Saturday: 10am-6pm

Sunday: 11am - 7pm

I am becoming a bigger and bigger fan of The Natural in Timonium, MD.  Their selection of gluten-free products just keeps expanding, and they keep continuing to find new and improved products.  They have some outstanding frozen foods, especially Glutino's frozen personal sized pizzas as well as some gluten-free TV dinners that are quite good.  (TV dinners--as far as I recall--were never top-notch gourmet food anyway...)  

The shopping center is currently under construction, but it's worth the trip!